La Vie Est Belle

So, it's been a month since I said goodbye to blogging, but, before I left, I did promise to keep you updated on three things:

1. When my book was out.
2. When I got another sibling.
3. When I said goodbye to spinsterdom. 

Two out of three ain't bad. =)

Joyfully at Home is complete! You can have a gander at it yourself right here. You can also track news about the book on its Facebook page, and become a fan for (semi-regular sometimes, and downright sporadic at others) updates. 

However, the day I saw my book on Vision Forum's website, my author-news was quickly overshadowed by something even more exciting: as I write, my parents are on their way to Georgia to meet the newest addition to the Baucham family (a sister at last!) Safya Caimile! You can read Daddy's account here to hear more about her, and to see her precious picture. I've been a big sister for the past seventeen years (five times over!), but I'm quite excited and quite sobered to have a little sister. My heart's desire is that the Lord would draw her to himself, that he would guide her steps, and that, as she is conformed to the image of his Son, she would be able to stay away from the stereotypes and pressures that would distract her from seeking the Lord above all else. 

This is a happy time!

Cousins!

My cousin Kyndel just finished up her associate's degree at Le Cordon Bleu, and came down to spend a whole month with us before heading back to Dallas to finish up her Bachelor's. I have had such a precious time with her, from learning how to improvise in the kitchen (I'm a stick-to-the-recipe kind of girl,  but cooking with a chef is aiding my flexibility), to aiming spending time together in God's Word each day, to going downtown to see a play together (Peter Pan!), to laughing... uproariously and constantly. 

I recently took over the booking department for VBM, which has been an interesting and exciting challenge. College continues, though my pace has slowed considerably these days. Tutoring is great fun (The Iliad and the Odyssey are up after loads of fun with Shakespeare), I don't miss blogging a stitch, but I have enjoyed starting to write fiction again, big-sister-ing is ever a blessing (recently read Shepherding a Child's Heart -very inspired), church life stays busy (our annual conference is just around the corner -Paul Washer is coming!), and God remains good to teach and to grow: every day presents a myriad of opportunities to learn the timeless truths of his Word. 

All of this said, I hope that your fall has been blessed as well, and pray that those who do purchase my  book will be encouraged by what they read there! Something I've been reminded of lately, again and again, is that the most important thing people should know about me isn't that I live at home. Foremost, I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior. There is no message as important for any sphere of society to hear than the gospel of Christ, and anything I say that does not stem from this understanding is utterly worthless and harmful. We must ache to be passionate about him, foremost and all-encompassing. We must ache to proclaim the message that transforms hearts, not simply the behavioral modification that turns virtues into idols and whitewashes open graves. 

Before we can be joyful at home, we must be joyful in Christ. Before we can strive to bless our families, we must strive to be satisfied in Him. Wherever the Lord has placed us -wherever he has led us -if our desire is not to submit ourselves wholly and completely to the all-consuming passion that is impossible to compartmentalize (2 Cor. 5:17, Rom. 12:1-2)... we are not walking in righteousness, and we are idolaters. I really hope people walk away from Joyfully at Home (the blog and the book) knowing that my love for Christ is central in all that I do.

Okay, so, as you can see, even though I haven't been blogging, my mind is still moving in ten thousand different directions at once. A friend recently asked me if I ever stop thinking -I'm philosophizing in my dreams. The only difference is that I'm writing my inner-dialogue down in journals instead of online. It's a nice change of pace, and, for now, I wouldn't trade my status quo for anything. 

May we all be as joyful walking the paths that the Lord has ordained!

I'll be back someday when I trade my four little men for a Prince Charming, as promised. We'll see who's still around to hear the news (could be five years from now, could be fifteen...) I'll check in at least twenty years from now either way to let you know if I started a family or if I'm living above my parents' garage, reciting Shakespeare to my canary, taking my Great Dane Atticus on long walks in Rice Village, using all of the goodies in my hopechest, and enjoying my prestigious staff position at one of Houston's amazing museums *cough*

Until engagement or forty, then =), 

Jasmine