Maggie has recently joined the ranks of eaters. I started her on rice cereal with apple sauce and sweet potatoes just this week. Sweet potatoes are her favorite, which is what she's eating here, it won't be long now until she turns nice and orange. I guess it's the right time of year for that, she'll look like a little pumpkin!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Genesis 1:1
This week Max has been learning the verse Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." I thought maybe we should do something creative to help reinforce that leason so we went on a nature hunt. It was a bisk chilly day so our walk didn't last long but it was fun. We found all kinds of wonderful things and brought them home to put on our wall. Max was very proud of our creation and it's a good visual reminder of what he's learning.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Enough
I've been reading through a favorite book of mine lately, "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ". Actually I'm using it in the teen girls life group I lead. It had a profound impact on me a few years ago when I first read it and it is blessing me as I read it again. In this book, John Piper says that "Seeing and savoring [the glory of Jesus] is the goal of our salvation." He says that Christ is glorious so that we can be satisfied, nothing less than his glory will do. I must confess that all too often I think I would be satisfied with far less. I long for, reach for, pursue things that can't and don't satisfy. My heart is restless and that is because it is not at rest in him. Why, why, why can't I get it right. Why do I learn this lesson over and over again. One of my favorite hymns is Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, in it is the line "Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee." I so feel that way, his goodness is compelling but truly unless he chains me to himself I will wander. I know that any good in my life has nothing to do with me and everything to do with him. If his love didn't pursue me, if I wasn't the object of his affection I wouldn't, couldn't love him on my own.
In my ladies Bible study this week we were in Hebrews chapter 11. What a fabulous chapter that is; a list of prostitutes and murderers, liars and fools turned into a list of the most faithful. I'm embarrassed to say that as a girl I had illusions of a faith that would go down in history, I was going to do great deeds and if I was lucky maybe even be martyred, I would inspire thousands and be heroic in all that I did for Jesus. Oh my. Now my desire is to have a faith that works and gets me and my obscure little life from here to eternity. I mostly don't want it to give out along the way and I would be thrilled if it actually grew in the process. The longer I live and the more I see of Jesus the more aware I am that I'm wretched and the more wretched I am the more I know I need him. And I'm glad I need him, I'm glad it's all about him and not about me, what a relief.
I've felt my far awayness from home so much lately. Both my earthly and eternal home. The more I miss my physical home the more I realize that nothing, NOTHING, NOTHING, satisfies but Jesus. Living in Cody is an almost daily sacrifice and a laying down my life for him. The loss I feel from not being close to family is deep. But then I come back to the faith that all will be restored in eternity. I don't know how he'll do it but I believe he will restore all that has been lost. How else can broken people live in this world with any hope at all. But then, you know even if it wasn't restored it doesn't matter. After all he's God and I need him, he can ask what ever he wants of me, he has the right. That he shares with me his glory, his love, his character, his thoughts, his son is enough.
In my ladies Bible study this week we were in Hebrews chapter 11. What a fabulous chapter that is; a list of prostitutes and murderers, liars and fools turned into a list of the most faithful. I'm embarrassed to say that as a girl I had illusions of a faith that would go down in history, I was going to do great deeds and if I was lucky maybe even be martyred, I would inspire thousands and be heroic in all that I did for Jesus. Oh my. Now my desire is to have a faith that works and gets me and my obscure little life from here to eternity. I mostly don't want it to give out along the way and I would be thrilled if it actually grew in the process. The longer I live and the more I see of Jesus the more aware I am that I'm wretched and the more wretched I am the more I know I need him. And I'm glad I need him, I'm glad it's all about him and not about me, what a relief.
I've felt my far awayness from home so much lately. Both my earthly and eternal home. The more I miss my physical home the more I realize that nothing, NOTHING, NOTHING, satisfies but Jesus. Living in Cody is an almost daily sacrifice and a laying down my life for him. The loss I feel from not being close to family is deep. But then I come back to the faith that all will be restored in eternity. I don't know how he'll do it but I believe he will restore all that has been lost. How else can broken people live in this world with any hope at all. But then, you know even if it wasn't restored it doesn't matter. After all he's God and I need him, he can ask what ever he wants of me, he has the right. That he shares with me his glory, his love, his character, his thoughts, his son is enough.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Snow
Well our month of Fall is over and Winter is here. This is the scene I woke up to this morning. The high today is 27 degrees and 100% chance of snow today and tonight! I'm putting my flannel sheets on the bed today, brrrr. It will warm up to the 40s and 50s later next week but it won't be long until the cold weather is here to stay!
On a happier note, our new library opened this last weekend. We all went over last night to check it out. It is beautiful! I'm so excited about the new facility but even more exciting is the location. I can see the new library from my house and it's just a quick walk over. We will have a much easier time going during the winter now that it's so close.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Holiness
I've been going to a wonderful ladies Bible study for a few months now. It has been such a blessing to open God's word to us and honestly talk about how it applies to our lives. We've been studying the book of Hebrews, which is a book I've always liked. Through this Bible study it has taken on a new richness to me. Right now we're finishing up chapter 10. One of the verses we read has stayed with me and my thoughts keep coming back to what it has to say. It was verse 10:10, "And what God wants is for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time." This passage is talking about the one time sacrifice of Jesus opposed to the continual sacrifice of animals and that's what the "once for all time" refers to, not necessarily our holiness.
This powerful little verse has caused me to think a lot. Do we as Christians understand that the purpose of Christ's sacrifice was our own personal holiness. I think sometimes we think that becoming a Christian, by accepting his sacrifice, is supposed to make us nice or happy or maybe good. There's nothing wrong with being nice, happy or good, but it's not God's goal for us. As believers we're now intimately connected to a holy God and our own lives should reflect his holiness.
When we become Christians the transaction of holiness happens immediately. God sees Jesus when he looks at us, we are made holy by his blood. But I think sometimes we think that's the end of the story. We forget about the next stage, the transformation of holiness in our lives. We now have to live it out. I'm not good at this. I forget to ask myself if the words I say, the thoughts I think, the way I spend my time, the decisions I make are holy.
The definition of holy in Websters is; 1. set apart for the service of God: sacred. 2. characterized by perfection and transcendence; commanding absolute adoration and reverence. spiritually pure: Godly. That is pretty lofty stuff. I think in the past when I've thought of the command to be holy I've thought, "well I'm human I can't be perfect." But I don't think that's really an option. God has destined us for holiness. Why should he, a perfect God, settle for a dirty, sullied bride? Don't I believe he deserves better? Does my holiness matter to me? Does it reflect on God to the rest of the world?
As I've studied Hebrews and I've gained a better understanding of the intentional sacrifice Jesus made of his own life and the extent that the Father's heart has gone to pursue me and show me a better way, I've realized my salvation can not be taken so lightly. Do we in church realize what we've been set apart to? Do we understand how serious it is to bear the likeness, the holiness, of the living God to the watching world? I confess I don't think I do. Far too often I go about life business as usual. My reaction to hurt feelings from a family member, frustration with my husband, demands from my children, having to wait, being disappointed, etc. is far too often concern for my rights not his glory. My feelings, my time, my money, what an ugly sound.
In Hebrews chapter 5 it says "So even though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered." His purpose was to bring glory to his father and holiness to us and that demanded incredible sacrifice on his part. If Jesus accomplished the purchase of our holiness through obedience and he's our example, then I believe obedience in our sufferings is how we live out our holiness. Ouch! What does that look like for me? I'm not exactly sure but I know through the power of His Spirit dwelling in me (which is a whole nother topic) he will make me aware. I can't help but look back with sorrow at my life up 'till this point littered with unholy choices. And I know in the future there will be plenty more. But thank God for his precious word that makes us aware of the truth so that we no longer have to live in darkness! I take such comfort in the fact that a child, such as me, that has been bought at such an incredible price for such an amazing purpose has the Father's constant and loving help and attention!
This powerful little verse has caused me to think a lot. Do we as Christians understand that the purpose of Christ's sacrifice was our own personal holiness. I think sometimes we think that becoming a Christian, by accepting his sacrifice, is supposed to make us nice or happy or maybe good. There's nothing wrong with being nice, happy or good, but it's not God's goal for us. As believers we're now intimately connected to a holy God and our own lives should reflect his holiness.
When we become Christians the transaction of holiness happens immediately. God sees Jesus when he looks at us, we are made holy by his blood. But I think sometimes we think that's the end of the story. We forget about the next stage, the transformation of holiness in our lives. We now have to live it out. I'm not good at this. I forget to ask myself if the words I say, the thoughts I think, the way I spend my time, the decisions I make are holy.
The definition of holy in Websters is; 1. set apart for the service of God: sacred. 2. characterized by perfection and transcendence; commanding absolute adoration and reverence. spiritually pure: Godly. That is pretty lofty stuff. I think in the past when I've thought of the command to be holy I've thought, "well I'm human I can't be perfect." But I don't think that's really an option. God has destined us for holiness. Why should he, a perfect God, settle for a dirty, sullied bride? Don't I believe he deserves better? Does my holiness matter to me? Does it reflect on God to the rest of the world?
As I've studied Hebrews and I've gained a better understanding of the intentional sacrifice Jesus made of his own life and the extent that the Father's heart has gone to pursue me and show me a better way, I've realized my salvation can not be taken so lightly. Do we in church realize what we've been set apart to? Do we understand how serious it is to bear the likeness, the holiness, of the living God to the watching world? I confess I don't think I do. Far too often I go about life business as usual. My reaction to hurt feelings from a family member, frustration with my husband, demands from my children, having to wait, being disappointed, etc. is far too often concern for my rights not his glory. My feelings, my time, my money, what an ugly sound.
In Hebrews chapter 5 it says "So even though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered." His purpose was to bring glory to his father and holiness to us and that demanded incredible sacrifice on his part. If Jesus accomplished the purchase of our holiness through obedience and he's our example, then I believe obedience in our sufferings is how we live out our holiness. Ouch! What does that look like for me? I'm not exactly sure but I know through the power of His Spirit dwelling in me (which is a whole nother topic) he will make me aware. I can't help but look back with sorrow at my life up 'till this point littered with unholy choices. And I know in the future there will be plenty more. But thank God for his precious word that makes us aware of the truth so that we no longer have to live in darkness! I take such comfort in the fact that a child, such as me, that has been bought at such an incredible price for such an amazing purpose has the Father's constant and loving help and attention!
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