New Beginings

Autumn is my favorite time of year. It always seems more like a new beginning time of year than New Years. I don't know why I always feel that way. Every year, on the first cool day, I get a feeling that wonderful things are just around the corner. And as it happens, they often are. Here is this year's wonderful thing :-)
It's amazing how much life can change in a year. A three weeks ago, I became a mother. And Wednesday, my little sister became a mother. Talk about unreal.


The moment they put my baby in my arms was perhaps the most surreal of my life. Just looking at the picture overwhelms me with emotion. I couldn't get my mind around the fact that she was MINE. A little soul to cherish, train, love, and show the way to the Saviour. It's a little scary. Now, after a lifetime of watching other people raise children, and trying to figure out why some things work and some don't, I'm the parent. It a awesome, overwhelming, and humbling thing.

We named the baby Ianna Lynn. People keep asking where we got the name. Well, we got it from that most un-romantic of places, a baby name book. But it's like this. Most of the names we both liked were fairly common, like Elisabeth or Victoria, and we wanted something a little unusual. We also kind of wanted something that reflected our families' heritage, which for both of us is mostly Scottish, German and English. And last, but not least, we wanted something with a meaning more profound then "dark-haired girl". Ianna is Scottish, and it means "God is gracious".

A few hours after Ianna was born I was laying in my room, thinking about the events of the day. Poor Andrew was trying to sleep, but I had a thousand things to say. Sometime in the wee hours of the morning Andrew told me that Ianna was born with her cord wrapped around her head, her body, and her neck. Thank God, she was fine, there weren't any related complications. "I think we picked a good name, Love" Andrew said. And as I lay there, with my mind racing, I thought about the totally amazing, painful, and altogether overwhelming experience of giving birth, I agreed. Things couldn't have gone much better. My labor was short, and without complication, and the people I loved the most were there to share it with me. My nurses and dola were wonderful, and I felt like everyone there contributed something that I needed. Here's Robin contributing some much needed laughter. She declared that the chairs were uncomfortable. (And they are, as I found our Wednesday. I was not invited to join her on the bed when she was the one in it, though ;-) )

So anyway, I'm sure I'll have more to say on the subject sometime. And for now, I'll leave you with some more pictures.

Here is Ianna with Selina two weeks ago:

And yesterday. Neither one of them look to happy, but they wouldn't both be awake, fed and happy at the same time.

For some reason this one decided to come out small. Oh well, it's still cute.


And here's my little family. So yeah, I'm pretty much the most blessed woman in the world :-)

Baby Picture and Maturnity Clothes

I've had two sonograms now. This is the first one. It was amazing to see the little bitty baby looking like -well - a baby! It's was about an inch long, but it was amazing that it already looked distinctly human.

I'm done with my first trimester! YAY!! I feel better, and I'm starting to not fit into my clothes. Robin and I broke out the box of clothes we dubbed the "Too Big for Us Box, May it Live forever". That just sounded better than "May it Live 'Till We Get Pregnant". One way or another, they are no longer too big. One perk to not fitting in anything you own: you get to go clothes shopping. Which is always fun. And on top of getting a whole new wardrobe, you get to buy fun baby things. I love buying baby things. They are all so CUTE!


While I've even seen pictures and all that good stuff, it still hasn't really sunk in that I'm really having a baby. I mean, when I was younger I always talked about "When I'm married and have kids", but I can't quite believe that it's really real!

But two sonograms, three months of being more or less sick and a growing belly all bear testament to the fact that it is all really, indeed real. So, on that note, I'm going to go clean house so I can clean out the spare room so Baby will have a place to live when it gets here :-)

Wedding and Such

So many things have happened the past year. My blog has been totally neglected, and I doubt if anyone even bothers to check it anymore. Every time something of note happens I thing "I should blog about this" but there are so many important un-bloged-about things that it seems that I can't post about the latest life changing event till I post about all of the preceding events.

I can't believe I have been married more than 2 months! Time is flying so fast.

It's funny, really. My wedding went off without any major glitches, but I keep having dreams that for some reason we have to have another ceremony and SOMETHING is always a disaster in these dreams. Last night Robin was talking while the preacher was trying to talk. I thought you were supposed to quit having wedding disaster dreams after the wedding was over...

The real life wedding though, was wonderful. It really was a little surreal. I remember Kevin saying that he didn't remember much of the sermon from his wedding, and I thought "I"m listening. I'm even paying attention. I think I'm doing pretty well." But, as it happens, that is practically the only thing I remember him saying. Oh well. Fortunately, I have a video coming, so I'll be able to hear all the good advice and maybe retain more of it.

But for all the blur, there are some things that stick out clearly in my mind. My dad calling me out of the brideroom to practice pulling my veil back. Teary eyed, I might add.

Gramy comming into the Bride Room saying that Grandpy was asking to see me. When he came in he was teared up. He hugged me tight. "I wish you all the happiness in the world, Darlin'. You deserve it." He almost made me cry.

The image of my poor bridesmaids shivering outside the church won't be forgotten. I felt bad, 'cause I had a nice warm cape and they were all huddled up together. It was windy too. My veil and train were a mess coming into the church. And there was something wrong with that darn doorway. My train snagged on it and my veil got caught. One side came unattached from the flowers in my hair, and I was very glad that Sarah and Mom had pinned the flowers in so well.

Right after we said our vows I knelt next to the love of my life and we partook of the first Holy Communion of our married life, a visible symbol of our unity with Chirst and his Church. I was swept away in the utter beauty of the moment. Some of our dear friends and my dear sister were singing "The Lord Bless you and Keep You", and they sounded heavenly. That moment defined my wedding for me. We were had been joined in the holy bonds of marriage, and we knlet there together before God, and it was perfect.

Another precious moment was as I was coming out of the room where the cake was, I stopped and gave a hug to one of my great uncles who had come in from out of town. His wife died recently, after a long bout with leukemia. He seemed to be doing well, and he gave me the most touching good wishes of the day. "Well I hope you marriage is as good as ours was, except that it lasts longer."

All in all, everyone was wonderful, my wedding party (especially my sister) pulled all the little details off wonderfully and it was the happiest day of my life.

And for all the questioners who ask "So, how's married life?"

It's wonderful. In some ways it seems a little unreal. I've always known what I wanted to do with my life, and now that I'm doing it it seems like it can't really be me. But on the other hand, it seems like the most natural thing in the world to meet Andrew every evening when he gets home from work, and to fix his meals and wake up every morning beside him. I'm loving each little season right now, and learning that none of them last forever, and they all have joys and trials, and that they are all wonderful in their own way. I miss some old seasons, and I'm looking forward to some coming up, but I love our little time of "just the two of us"

I felt that I simply had to post all this today, because tomorrow I have my first doctor's appointment for Baby, who will be here in late October, and I might have related thing to say :-)

St. Louis and Such

So I'm informed that I never post. Which has been mostly true I'm afraid. So to make up for lost time I'll post some pictures of what I've been up to for the past three months or so.

This is what I did. I was in St. Louis from the beginning of February until last week with the Capasso's. Elise is the mom and the children, from left to right, are Ilenia, Viviana and Isabella.


This is me with the two older Capasso girls, Isabella and Viviana. We are freezing. I did a lot of that...

Ilenia didn't like the cold too much...

How about that sled?

We make bread (Translation: I made bread with the cute, but rather unhelpful help of three year old Vivi) I thought this picture of Ilenia was too cute.

Andrew came to see me and took this very cute picture with Ilenia.

We took a road trip to Chicago and visited some friendly nursery rhyme characters.

Me in Chicago.

This is Easter. It snowed. It was insane.

These are the flowers Elise informed everyone Andrew sent her for Easter. But he didn't. He sent them to me :-)

Me and my Tissy. I managed a short visit to see the McDonald's while I was up North.

:-D

Viviana is a sweetheart. She was the only one of the girls that didn't have an aversion to the camera that day.

I'm Alive!

Just so all my dear readers (all three of you) know, I'm still alive. I'm just in St. Louis until April 15 with not much time to blog, alas! Actually, I have posted since Christmas, but Blogger hates me and insists that I wrote that post in November. So anyway, that's where my latest post is. It's titled "Growing Up". Just in case you care. If you don't, why are you here? Just a thought...

So anyway. Maybe sometime I'll actually have something to say next time I post. Until then, Adiu!

Growing Up

Growing up is a strange thing. When I was a child my mom would sing a line from some song that went "Life used to be so simple, but it's not simple anymore." I remember analyzing that and thinking "When was life simple? I don't think life's ever been simple." And really, mine never was. The complexities of life started to show out about the time I was four, and things haven't been simple since. I remember hearing people talk about childlike faith and wondering what was so wonderful about childhood. I figured I must have missed out on whatever that magical childhood was that everyone talked about.I remember thinking when I was about 10 that I had filled my quota of difficulty and was entitled to have everything go my way from than on. But from the vantage point of 21 (gosh, a I that old already?) I can see that there is a quality trust inherent in childhood that is precious. As children we believe things because... well because someone we trust said so. And that's enough. It's a scary place to be when it's no longer enough that Mom or the preacher said so. I now understand why so many young people lose their way. The old standards of judging truth aren't there anymore. Unless one believes that if God says it that's enough, one could fall very far indeed. It has frightened me at times to see how far I could stray from everything I hold dear. I have looked at myself and been terrified at what I saw. I have seen that I, in and of myself am unable to fully trust in what I believe. I have clung to the hand of my father, and seen that I wasn't strong enough to hold on. I have known that he was holding me, that his grip was stronger on me then mine could ever be on him. And I have been given the strength to hold on by his grace, one day at a time.


Something I love to ponder is the beauty of each season of life. There is the complete dependence of a new baby, and the wonder of a little child just starting to explore the world, asking always "What's that?" There is something that makes me smile about a ten year old learning to hold adult conversations and talk about important things.


There is youth, a season when anything seems possible, when we are willing to risk everything in hopes of being movers and shakers. I guess beause it's my area to explore right now, I'm partial to youth. There is a zeal to it that I find fascinating. Through much of history it has been young people that have changed the world. There was a line that struck me as I was watching Amazing Grace recently. One young man said to his friend "We're too young to realize that certain thing cannot be done. And we can do them." And they did. These two young men, William Pit and William Wilberforce, where the movers and shakers of their day. They changed the world. Often, when we are young, the price that would daunt someone with more knowledge of the world seems payable to us. I wonder if perhaps that's why God set things up that most people fall in love and marry in this season. Because by 40 we see all the risk that's involved in loving someone, and perhaps we'd be less willing to venture into something so very... risky.


I think the same may be true of friendships. There is something different about the friendships that someone very young and someone older. I look and my grandmother and the friends she's had all her life and those she's made since she was middle aged. It's just not the same. And frankly, I can understand that. I've never spent the night crying over anyone I didn't love. But it's still worth it. I guess I'm still young enough not to care.

And yet again, there are the seasons of Middle and old age. Honestly, I don't really understand these seasons. I can see that my the time one has reached these seasons one has gained wisdom. The preacher Sunday said something that I think might sum up some of the blessings of having spent one's youth. He said "I'm 68 years old. One of the advantages I have that you young people don't have is that I've lived most of my life, and I can tell you that God is always faithful. See, you still have your lives ahead of you and you don't know what it's going to hold. But I know that God is always faithful." It reminded me of the words of the Psalmist. "I have been young and now I am old, but I have not seen the righteous forsaken..."

So I guess that's pretty much it. As I look over this past year, I can see that God is faithful. And I guess that thing called faith comes in when I look at the coming year and say "God will be faithful." So happy New Year, everyone.

God With Us

Well, it's that time again. It's Christmas. Somehow it's sunk up on me this year, I'm not quite sure how. It's not like there haven't been obnoxious Santa advertisements blaring every time I turn on the radio for the past month. But some how the "Christmas Spirit" seems to have passed me by. I realized a few weeks ago that I had missed the first Sunday of Advent, and than boom! Christmas has come and nearly gone. But I'm sitting back and thinking, thinking about the mystery of God With Us, and I'm reminded of the first chapter of John.

IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things where make through Him, and without Him nothing was make that was make. In Him was life, and that life was the light of Men. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. He came unto his own and His own received Him not. But to as many as received Him to them He gave the right to become the children of God, even to those that believe in His name.

The world has no problem with "Baby God" in a manger, all cute and cuddly. It likes angels and shepherds and Wise Men. But what seems to be forgotten is that that cute baby in a manger claimed to be God Himself. And not only that, but the only God. A holy, just and jealous God who will suffer no rival. The Alpha and Omega, first and last. That is a problem. That's insensitive. That has a very "I'm right and you're wrong" ring.

On another note, I'm thinking about Mary. Something I've realized is that God didn't shower Mary's path with roses. Why did God choose just that way to bring his son into the world? Why the stigma of an unwed mother? Jesus would deal with snide remarks about his parentage for his whole life. This was a world where a woman's purity was her greatest treasure. According to the Law her purity was to be all but announced from the rooftops on her wedding night. But here was Mary, who everyone knew wasn't married, pregnant. Why wasn't God more interested in saving face than that? I wonder how many nights she wept because of the things people said, or perhaps because the people she loved treated her differently.

But than again, I wonder how many nights she stayed awake marveling at the life inside her and wondering what it all meant. Could she has fathomed that this little baby living in her womb was God Himself? She knew that He would save His people from their sins. But I wonder if she had any inkling of just how much that meant. I wonder if she knew that this Child would change the world, that he would reign literally forever. I wonder. There was short lived heartache, but in the scheme of eternity, what did it signify? I would think if anything, it only served to make her her more dependant on God.

And I think of what that all means to me. How many times in my life to I forget the long term gain in view of the short term trails? Sometimes I forget the Creator if the Universe is in the equation. He is God, and He is with us. Thank God, He is with us.

Give Thanks

Well, I don't have much time for a long well thought out Thanksgiving post. So I'll be brief.

On Sunday we where all eating in the fellowship hall and the pastor asked us to go around the table and share what we where most thankful for. I had a little time to think, and I decided that most of all I'm thankful that He who has begun a good work in me will complete it. I'm thankful that He's still working on me. I'm thankful for all the things I've wanted and he hasn't given me. I'm thankful and he is supremely wise and completely sovereign. I'm so very grateful that he chose to love and save me, in spite of everything that I am and everything I've done.

When I look at the plight of so many people in the world I am struck at how blessed I am to be in this great, though flawed country. I know that the price of our way of life is very high, and I'm thankful for everyone that has paid that price, for those first Pilgrims that stepped off the Mayflower, and the men that died at Bunker Hill, Gettysburg and Normandy Beach. And I'm thankful for the boys that are still fighting today.

I'm so blessed with my friends and family. God has given me people that I can laugh with and cry with. He's given me people who challenge me to be holy, sometimes by what they say and do, and sometimes just by being there and praying for me and giving me someone to pray for.

God's been good to me. He would still be good if I had none of the things I've listed... But I'm glad He decided to give them anyway.

Psalm 139

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,"
even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.
Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!
They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain!
Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Art

This is an online art album I compliled some time ago, but I couldn't figure out how to put it on my blog as it is, so you'll have to the host site to view it. I hope you enjoy it!
http://art-albums.com/albums/detail.aspx?album=03d252a6-aa85-408e-9971-0c5c09bffe04

Character

My friend Brooke needed some people to answer some questions relating to character for a school project and asked me to take her little survey. I thought I might as well post my musings.

What does the word “character” mean to you?
Someone's morals, virtues or lack thereof and disposition.

On a scale of 1 to 5, how important is character in life?5Is character necessary for success in life?

Yes. For example, if you do not manifest the character trait of honesty it will be a serious impediment to success in any area of life.
Where does character matter? (Home, office, school, other)Character is important in all areas of life. It is necessary in home life, in the workplace and socially.

How can a person build character?
Character, or at least the appearance of it can be developed by self-interest and pride motivating the exercise of self-control, generosity and honesty, among others. Sometimes we are persuaded that the appearance of these things will make us appear to others as better person, and sometimes it is for our own fulfillment and peace of mind. True character, however, is only available thought the work of the Holy Sprit and his power that enables us to cultivate these virtues for his glory and not ours.

Name 3 of the most important character qualities.
Honesty, compassion and justice.
How do you evaluate your own character or that of your family?

My natural tendency is to evaluate other's character in light of how it effects me, and my own in light of it's negative or positive effects on my circumstances or state of mind. This is however a very fallible gage of character. Another way that I often tend to evaluate character is my comparison, comparing myself and my family to others. The only accurate cannon for character evaluation however is the bible.

How do you evaluate the character of others?
Discrimination is the area of character is necessary. Reputation is a common barometer of character, but it is not always accurate. While it is wise to consider someone's reputation in interacting with them, I rarely draw conclusions based on it. I evaluate character of different people differently, depending on what degree of intimacy I have or am considering having with them. In business relationships I evaluate only the character qualities that apply to business, and rely mainly on reputation and the quality of their work. In casual friendship I consider reputation and my own perception as to how a given relationship is likely to effect my own character, based on the consideration that bad company ruins good morals, (1Co 15:33) that he who walks with the wise will become wise but that the companion of fools suffers harm, (Pro 13:20) and that you are judged my the company you keep. It is well in choosing friends to consider if the person you are evaluating fits the biblical description of a wise person or a fool. Character must also be considered in closer relationships. I consider someone’s honesty and trustworthiness before confiding in them. These considerations are more important with increasing closeness in a relationship and the amount of trust entailed.

Plotting For Our Joy

Our lesson on Ruth this Sunday turned to the Sovereignty of God. (Somehow with a group of rather reformed people that happens...) I always found Ruth a rather odd book, and the lesson really presented a different way of looking at things. If you think about it, God’s fingerprints are all over the book. The dance between God’s sovereign providence and Human Free Will is simply incredible to watch. You can’t even see where one ends and the other starts. Andrew, our teacher this week, read this quote from John Piper’s lesson on Ruth that I really loved:

God wants us to know that when we follow him, our lives always mean more than we think they do. For the Christian there is always a connection between the ordinary events of life and the stupendous work of God in history. Everything we do in obedience to God, no matter how small, is significant. It is part of a cosmic mosaic which God is painting to display the greatness of his power and wisdom to the world and to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places (Ephesians 3:10). The deep satisfaction of the Christian life is that it is not given over to trifles. Serving a widowed mother-in-law, gleaning in a field, falling in love, having a baby—for the Christian these things are all connected to eternity. They are part of something so much bigger than they seem.

What an awesome thought. The little things that make up our mundane lives truly have the potential to change the world.

And as we walk through trials that seem that they will never end, there is nothing more comforting then to know that there is a God in control of all that seems so senseless in this world. Something that I was struck with is this: Nomi suffered for 10 years, from the time she was forced to leave her home to find a life in a hostile country to the time that God chose to bless her with a grandson to bring joy to her old age. That is a very long time. Andrew made a statement that I really loved. “No matter what trials we face or how long they last that as His children God is plotting for our joy. We may not even see it this side of heaven, but he is plotting for our joy.” It invoked the image of God as a father, planning a surprise for his children. So often like a child we know precisely what it is that we want, and we pitch a fit when we don’t get it. But God knows that what he has is so much better, and is his mercy often puts what we want out of our reach, or simply teaches us not to touch. I always heard that children taught you as much as you taught them. I have been amazed at all the things to be learned form a 7 month old. I put Knox in his car seat and he SCREAMS. I look at him and think “You know, you have no way of even remotely understanding that this is really good for you. There is simply no way to convey this to you. Just trust me.” Then it occurs to me: I’m a human adult and this child has no way of seeing what I’m doing. How much farther is God above my understanding then I am above Knox’s? There is no comparison. And yet, I think that I should always be able to see what he is doing. How prideful is that? Yet through it all, He is preparing a place for us, and He knows the plans he has for us, plans to prosper and not to harm us. Plans to give us hope and a future. "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor 2:9) In all the trails and detours and places we would never have chosen, he is plotting for our joy.

Here's the link to the Piper lesson I quoted, which the nice people at DesiringGod.com asked be included when you quote from their wedsite. http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/1984/448_Ruth_The_Best_Is_Yet_to_Come/

I Surrender All

I found this song and it spoke to me. He is infinitely worthy of all that we have to give, and it is such an amazing honor to watch him take our broken, frail vessels of dust and work something beautiful in them, because "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.". Joni Erickson Tada said this "All God asks of you is everything. And all he offers you is the power to do just that."

I Surrender All
Clay Crosse

I have wrestled in the darkness of this lonely pilgrim land
Raising strong and mighty fortresses that I alone command
But these castles I've constructed by the strength of my own hand
Are just temporary kingdoms on foundations made of sand

In the middle of the battle I believe I've finally found
I'll never know the thrill of victory 'til I'm willing to lay down
All my weapons of defense and earthly strategies of war
So I'm laying down my arms and running helplessly to Yours

I surrender all my silent hopes and dreams
Though the price to follow costs me everything
I surrender all my human soul desires
If sacrifice requires
That all my kingdoms fall
I surrender all

If the source of my ambition is the treasure I obtain
If I measure my successes on a scale of earthly gain
If the focus of my vision is the status I attain
My accomplishments are worthless and my efforts are in vain
So I lay aside these trophies to pursue a higher crown
And should You choose somehow to use the life I willingly lay down
I surrender all the triumph for it's only by Your grace
I relinquish all the glory, I surrender all the praise
Everything I am, all I've done, and all I've known
Now belongs to You, the life I live is not my own

Just as Abraham laid Isaac on the sacrificial fire
If all I have is all that You desire
I surrender all

Good Friday

When talking theology with a friend Thursday night the conversation at some point turned to the unfathomablility of God’s ways. He is truly far above us and our finite minds. God’s plan on redemption was the epitome of “not our ways”. The Jews thought that they knew how God was going to save his people. As it happened, they where dead wrong.

The Suffering Servant and the Victorious King are one. The Lion of Judah is also the Lamb that was Slain.

It is finished! The price is paid.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea:
A great High Priest who’s name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me...
Because a sinless Savior died my sinful soul is counted free
For God the Just is satisfied to look on him and pardon me.

Blessed is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord!

When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well,
because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.

Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once."

They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them.
Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?"

And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee."

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.
He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers."
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.

But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant, and they said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?"

And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read, "'Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise'?"

His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.
The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, "You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him."

John 12:9-12, 16-19, Matthew 21:2 7-16

How Beautiful...

The pure, spotless bride of Christ is an awesome image. The concept of the Church Universal, of those form every tongue, tribe and nation being one body is something so vastly glorious that I cannot really get my mind around it.

How Beautiful the hands that served
The Wine and the Bread and the sons of the earth
How beautiful the feet that walked
The long dusty road and the hill to the cross
How beautiful is the body of Christ

How Beautiful the heart that bled
That took all my sins and bore it instead
How beautiful the tender eyes
That choose to forgive and never despise
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful is the body of Christ

And as He lay down His life
We offer this sacrifice
That we will live just as He died
Willing to pay the price

How Beautiful the radiant bride
Who waits for her Groom with His light in her eyes
How Beautiful when humble hearts give
The fruit of pure love so that others may live
How beautiful is the body of Christ

How beautiful the feet that bring
The sound of good news and the love of the King
How Beautiful the hands that serve
The wine and the bread and the sons of the Earth
How beautiful is the body of Christ

-Twila Paris

In meditating on this I am reminded of the admonition that we are giver over and over again to love one another as Christ loved us. In the message this morning the minister read several passages where Paul tells us what he prays for the church in various places and I thought "What better example of how to love and pray for the church than those given to us in Scripture?"

I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of your Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit if wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believed, according to the working of His mighty power, which He worked in Christ in raising Him from the dead, and He seated Him at His right hand in the heavens, far above all principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name being named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come. And He has put all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 3:15-23

For this cause I bow my knees unto the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and on earth is named, that he would grant you according the the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts my faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breath, and length , and depth , and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge and that you might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly about all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world with out end. Amen.
Ephesians 3:14-21

For this cause we also, since the day we heard of it do not cease to pray for you and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened what all might, according to his glorious power unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father which hath make us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath make us meet ti be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who has delivered us from the power of darkness and had translated us to the kingdom of his dear Son; in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:9-14

This, my dear brothers and sisters, is my prayer for you.

Psalm 121

I will lift up my eyes to the hills form which cometh my help.
My help cometh form the Lord which made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved,
He that keepeth thee shall not slumber,
behold He that keepeth Israel shall not slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day or the moon by night,
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil,
He shall preserve thy soul,
The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in
from this time forth and even forever more.

Friendship.

This is a tribute to all those that God has given to me as friends, but it is especially in honor of my friend Tiffany, whose birthday it was when I started typing this tonight...

This year has been a crash course in friendships, how very precious, very rare and very fragile they are. A few mouths ago I was reading the Four Loves by CS Lewis and I was struck by his description of friendship... read it, it's really good. The value that he placed on friendship coincided with what I have come to recently. He said that "Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one!' " and that they will continue only as long as they have something in common, be it as trivial as stamp collecting or as serious as faith or as simple as shared memories "True friends... face in the same direction, toward common projects, interests, goals.” Another interesting quote is this: "Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival". I feel that I am not doing justice to it... like I said, read it.

I regularly come up with a new best description of what differentiates a friend of the sort that you enjoy being with and the sort that is like family, the ones that you would die for. I can however, only remember three of them. They must have been really profound... Here are the first two:

A true friend is someone that you have spent untold hours laughing with and at least a few hours crying with (and over)
A true friend is someone that you have spent more time that you can count praying for.

I came across these quotes on friendship and thought that they where just too good to be left out
“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”

A good friend is cheaper than therapy.

A friend accepts us as we are yet helps us to be what we should.

I thank God often (but not often enough) for those that he has placed in my life as my friends. God has used my friends challenge me and cause me to think, to work with me, to laugh with me, and sometimes just to have someone to cry with. Overall, I think that a real, true, friend is one who either because of what they say or just who they are cause you to look up and seek the face of your Father. A real friend is someone who helps to make you more holy.

Robin's Birthday

My sister has always been one of the dearest people in the world to me, but this year I have realized just how indispensable a sister can be. I made a discovery: I find that when I am separated from her my max for staying off the phone "just to check in" is about two hours (okay so maybe that is a little of an extradition, but not much) I have further more concluded that Solomon was on to something when he said that two was better than one.

This year I have come to value her as more than a sister, I have really, truly come to appreciate her as my best friend. True friendship is a rare and precious gift, a gift that sold never be taken for granted or lightly esteemed, and God has been so gracious as to give the best and most precious of friends to be the best and most precious of sisters.

Each year I look at my sister and think what a beautiful young women she is becoming, this year is no different. As each year brings it's trial and tribulations, I see sanctification at work in her life and I think that God is truly making a breathtaking work of art in her. There are many things that I love and admire about my sister, but I asked myself what the thing that I most admired about her was, and my answer was this: Her passion for God. I look into her eyes and see a overwhelming desire to be holy. That is the sum of everything that I love and admire about her. She is a picture of a life that is sold out to being what God has called her to be, whatever that means. Her passion for godliness is always a challenge and an inspiration to me and she is one that always spurs me on toward godliness. Through thick and thin, she is my better half.

Robin, what would I do without you? You are my hero. I love you sooo much. Happy birthday, my dear.

Happy 200th birthday to Robert E Lee

Just in case you where not aware, today is indeed the 200th birthday of the late great General Lee, who was one of the most noble and Godly soldiers that this country has produced.
Being far to fond of quotes, I have collected a few in remembrance of a truly great American:

“My chief concern is to try to be an humble, earnest Christian.”

“Duty is the most sublime word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You should never wish to do less.”

“I think it better to do right, even if we suffer in so doing, than to incur the reproach of our consciences and posterity.”

“I have fought against the people of the North because I believed they were seeking to wrest from the South its dearest rights. But I have never cherished toward them bitter or vindictive feelings, and have never seen the day when I did not pray for them.”

“The war... was an unnecessary condition of affairs, and might have been avoided if forebearance and wisdom had been practiced on both sides.”

“We made a great mistake in the beginning of our struggle, and I fear, in spite of all we can do, it will prove to be a fatal mistake. We appointed all our worst generals to command our armies, and all our best generals to edit the newspapers”

“They do not know what they say. If it came to a conflict of arms, the war will last at least four years. Northern politicians will not appreciate the determination and pluck of the South, and Southern politicians do not appreciate the numbers, resources, and patient perseverance of the North. Both sides forget that we are all Americans. I foresee that our country will pass through a terrible ordeal, a necessary expiation, perhaps, for our national sins.”

“We failed, but in the good providence of God apparent failure often proves a blessing.”

“So far from engaging in a war to perpetuate slavery, I am rejoiced that Slavery is abolished. I believe it will be greatly for the interest of the South. So fully am I satisfied of this that I would have cheerfully lost all that I have lost by the war, and have suffered all that I have suffered to have this object attained.”

“Get correct views of life, and learn to see the world in its true light. It will enable you to live pleasantly, to do good, and, when summoned away, to leave without regret.”

-Robert E. Lee