[11/30] stuff my kids said today

One of my little ones, a favorite, got a bloody nose today just as I was walking in.  He comes up to me and says:

"Miss Anna, look!"  

 "Oh no!"

"Yeah, I don't know where it came from... maybe a lion."

Their "You Know What" off-hand comments are absolutely endearing.  And usually, I don't know what.

"You know what?  Spiders can walk... (long pause) and grasshoppers can hop hop hop like bunnies!" 

 At least she's honest...

"I have so many toys... All of my friends... and my mommy-friends... and my daddy-friends.... all my friends KEEP BUYING ME PRESENTS!" 

-----> For other funny quotes, go to my page: stuff my kids say!  Hilarity!

things daddy taught me

In his sermon Saturday night, Pastor Drew mentioned that our (good) relationships here on earth are designed to teach us more about our relationships with God.  Particularly, our relationships with our fathers.

I'm convinced my father is one of the smartest, wisest, most godly persons on the planet.  He would never say so himself, but he is.  (There's a correlation there.)

Here are some of the things I've learned about life, love and God from watching and listening to him.

My dad is smart.  He taught me:
Before you ask a question, think it through, look up information for yourself, and form your own idea or conclusion.  Then ask and discuss.  This will not only aid in your learning, it will promote balanced and in-depth conversations.  We've been given the capacity to learn for ourselves, and oftentimes lazily asking a question you haven't thought through is not conducive to really learning.
I learned to love my dictionary, my calculator, my Bible and my encyclopedia.

My dad is wise.  He taught me:
Be the bigger man, so to speak.  If you're not getting along with someone (they hurt you, you hurt them, there's some misunderstanding), forgive them and be the first to go to them to ask for forgiveness.  Make the first moves toward reconciliation.

Love them whether they deserve it or not.

My dad is soft-spoken.  He taught me:
Listening is the best way to encourage relationships.  Be approachable.  And care.

Think before you speak; be certain of your words.  Say precisely what you mean, and avoid unnecessary or careless statements.  This, too, is wisdom.

My dad is godly.  He taught me:
The importance of spending daily time with the Lord cannot be overemphasized.

Always have your Bible with you... even if the best way to carry it is tucked into your belt as you walk around camp.

Think of theology in terms of its practical application.  Lofty arguments and debates that have little or no consequence in relation to "real life" have their place, but have little fruit.  How does it apply to serving God and His people?

My dad is humble.  He taught me:
Lead by example.
Volunteer to do the harder, dirtier, less glamorous tasks.
Do not complain or show disgust.  
If you can demonstrate something through your actions, it's better than if you use words.
My dad is the best at this.

My dad is funny.  He taught me:
It's okay to laugh at yourself.
I think my dad laughs the loudest at his own jokes.
And I think that's cool.
Don't take yourself too seriously.

My dad always points me to Christ.  He has shown me what it means to love a spouse, to love his kids, to love the Lord and how to follow Jesus in a very real and practical sense.  He has shown me how I can relate to God the Father as a father.  I respect him, I love him, I wish to obey, honor, and emulate him.

In the same way, let your light shine before others,

so that they may see your good works and give glory to 

your Father who is in heaven.

Mt. 5:16 (ESV)

thoughts on politics?

The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state.  It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool.  If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.

Martin Luther King, Jr

Has the church lived up to this calling?
Have we Christians been informed in political issues so as to be that voice for the government?  Or have we just reacted?
Are we not only uninformed about the issues, but also uninformed about the scriptural basis for our views?
Do we seem uninformed, ignorant, intolerant and hateful to an unbelieving world - or do we live up to the standard of love that Christ set, requiring us to use our minds, words, and lifestyles to honor Him?
Do people wish we hadn't opened our mouths?
Are we standing up for truth, or for centuries-old prejudices and assumptions?
Do we know the difference?

It's time we thought about things.

tree of life

Tree of Life, Klimt 

c. 1909

[Proverbs 3:13-23]

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding,

for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.

She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to those who embrace her;

those who hold her fast are called blessed.

The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens;

by His knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.

My son, do not lose sight of these -- keep sound wisdom and discretion,

and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck.

Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble.

[Colossians 1:9-10, 15-17, 19-20]

We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through Him and for Him.

And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

For in Him the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.

[James 3:13-18]

Who is wise and understanding among you?  By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.

This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

[Revelation 22:2-4, 14, 16]

On either side of the river was the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each moth.  The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will worship Him.

They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.

...

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.

...

'I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches.  I am the root and the descendent of David, the bright and morning star.'

[It's about Jesus]

He is Wisdom.  He is Life.  He is the Hope for us today. 

He is the Tree of Life. 

He is the Door to righteousness, to eternal life, and relationship with God.

Through Him, we can bear the good fruit of righteousness.

Through Him, we can be healed.  We can have peace.

Embrace Him.

abraham and sarah

Lately, I've been struck with the realization that Kevin and I are called to be Abraham and Sarah.  Let me explain.

Earlier this year, not long after we got married, we knew we were meant to move across the country from Philly, PA to the Denver area, Colorado.  Away from everything: PBU and DE life, friends, family... every support system I had known for the past four years, and Kevin... his whole life.

Kevin felt a call to study Scripture and ministry at Denver Seminary.  We searched for jobs and apartments.  We looked and prayed for plans to fall into place.  Ultimately, though, we knew that regardless of our "plans" working out via internet searches, phone calls and emails, Kevin and I would be moving.  It came to the point (before Kevin received the joyous letter from Denver Sem) that we felt we needed to move whether or not he was accepted for the fall semester.  Such was the feeling - the call - that we both had toward our future in Colorado.

So, a week after graduating from Philadelphia Biblical, Kev and I packed up our box of an apartment, loaded all of our earthly possessions into a moving van, and drove 30+ hours west.  Jobs were uncertain, though Kevin had an "in" from his previous job on the east coast.  We still had no idea what our apartment really looked like, other than the pictures we had seen online - which we hoped were not fabricated or dishonest.

We arrived at Idaho Springs, saw our [gorgeous!] apartment, applied for jobs, found a church, made some friends, and settled down with life.  Truly.  That's about how fast it all happened, too.

It has just been incredible to see the way that the Lord has seen fit to bless us.  He called us out in faith, and now He delights in rewarding us for our obedience.  It is not a huge stretch to compare Colorado to the Promised Land... but I think there's truth in the analogy that God let us know He had/has enormous and amazing things in store for us, calling us to leave our comfortable support systems and the life that we had known to pursue what He had - whatever that might be - out in the wild blue yonder of the Rockies.

I see Kevin as an Abraham figure, anyway.  I see him as one appointed by God to be His ambassador in a foreign, unfamiliar land.  I think God sees him that way, too.  Since we've settled here, Kevin's heart is for seminary and for further education in Biblical studies... but his desire is for practical ministry in the local church.  That much is clear.  We arrived at FBCE at the moment the associate pastor was looking for an intern - a role he asked Kevin to fulfill maybe three weeks after we had begun attending the church.  Once in that position, and after a summer of awesome ministry with the youth group and the rest of the church body, the associate pastor has received and answered a call to lead a church in Kentucky.  Kevin is in prime position to assume several of those responsibilities.

Don't you see?  It's all just a little too perfect.  Too perfect to be coincidence, anyway.  Of course, this is how we see God work.  I see Him blessing our obedience in moving out here, and our continued obedience in submitting our will to His in His plan for our life.

I see myself as Sarah.  I see myself as one appointed to stand next to my Abraham in support.  Not questioning his leadership, but faithfully serving next to him.  I also put my trust in the Lord that He will be faithful in providing us with the family that we so desire.  (And, any of you who know me well understand my Sarah- (or Hannah-) like desire for children, though Kevin and I are still young.) But, in His timing.

This is one of the numerous reasons why I love the Old Testament narratives of God's people.  I love seeing the way God works, how people respond to Him, and how He blesses.  How can we but rejoice in His word?  How can we but obey and heed His call?  How can we but trust in Him?

I humbly ask for your prayers as we continue to settle into life here.  I ask that especially through this holiday season we will be the image-bearers of Christ and ambassadors of the Lord in a dark and unbelieving world.

Genesis 18:19

"For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household 

after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, 

so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him."

Psalm 37: 3-6

Trust in the LORD, and do good;

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the LORD,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in him, and he will act.

He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,

and your justice as the noonday.

update on my goals for twenty-eleven

I began this list in late January.  In June, I gave a six-month update.  Now, in the middle of November, I want to see how much more I've gotta focus and put the pedal to the medal for the next month and a half.    I think I did pretty well!  Care to see?  How are you doing on YOUR New Years' Resolutions?  Oh yeah, remember those?  :)

1) journal weekly (in my journal, not my blog)
2) teach like I mean it—student teaching was rough, but I can say with confidence that I started each day as if it were on purpose!
3) graduate PBU (get certified, succeed as a teacher, all that jazz)
4) see an obscene number of friends get married!—and still so many coming up!
5) move away (pref. to Colorado!)--we're here!!  
6) twice a month, write a letter to a different dear (if distant) friend—yes!  I've gotten better at this one since the half-way mark!  I love love writing (and receiving!) letters of encouragement! 
7) get a piano—an electric piano counts.  I guess.
8) learn 5 new pieces by Chopin—I've *begun* learning two.  Shoot, I'll work on this one!
9) read (and appreciate!) a Russian novel--I read Crime and Punishment this summer.  "Read"-check.  "Appreciate"-...I'll let you know.
10) finish reading the works of Shakespeare in its entirety!--my next project after reading through the NT.
11) write something worth reading--this is up for debate.  
12) go hiking & camping with Kevin on a mountain--hiking, yes.  Camping, no.  
13) see sunset and sunrise on said mountain
14) learn to knit and/or crochet
15) research Trivits heritage
16) learn German… begin learning German

17) learn to cook - not really Julie & Julia style, but kinda
18) give people the benefit of the doubt, every time
19) learn and play a number of different card games
20) acquire painting supplies, use said supplies

21) learn to love Kevin more than I love myself; support him; dream with him (aka be an awesome wife!)—definite improvements!

22) learn when and how to be a follower rather than a leader (and vice versa)—definite improvements!
23) read through the Bible again—in progress!
24) have Kevin teach me Greek—in progress!
25) sing somewhere--every Saturday night, I get to help lead worship at my church!
26) grow a garden (even an herb garden, come on!)
27) learn to exercise (& do it regularly!)
28) remember to not be too serious

29) study up on world religions
30) …get a new and decent job.

21/30!!  Not too shabby... and a definitely improvement from June's 13/30.  Now you know what I'll be up to for the next 1.5 mos till December 31!