wild melody

that God gives us little gifts. (ice, chocolate, words) practical gifts. (jobs, food, cars) amazing gifts. (relationships, local churches, His word) I am grateful for many, many other gifts that could fit on this list as well. Sometimes I don't catch God's goodnesss in these things right away. It's easy to forget how wealthy He has made me. But there is one gift that makes all others seem small. It is the only one that ALWAYS displays God's goodness, always inspires awe and gratitude. It is the one that offers eternal hope no matter how dark the sky appears. The most wondersome gift of all, the Gospel. that is what the sermon inspired me to think about all day. i wish this was my thought process all the time...it's a work in progress.

Breaking tradition...I'm not posting O Come O Come Emmanuel this year. It's still one of my favorites. But there are other Christmas hymns that also resound with gospel truth and hope. This year I discovered the original translation to "Minuit chretiens" the poem from which our "O Holy Night" came from. It began as a French poem written in 1847 by Placide Cappeau. The English carol as we know it came from John Sullivan Dwight in 1855. It is a very loose translation. It's good, but I love the orginial French poem. (that is, i love the original french poem translated directly into english. as i cannot read french well.) Midnight, Christians is the solemn hour When God as Man descended unto us To erase the original stain (sin) And end the wrath of his Father. The entire world trembles with expectation In this night that gives to us a Savior. Fall on your knees, await your deliverance. Noel, Noel, here is the Redeemer, Noel, Noel, here is the Redeemer! The a

waiting. sometimes, it is very hard to do. I've posted this scripture before, but God's words are far better than anything I could say. " Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength ;they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary ; they shall walk and not faint ." Isaiah 40.28-31

Life has been very full the past few weeks. Our grandparents came down from Montana, I photographed the engagement of my friend Bonni, thanksgiving with grandparents, work, etc. I'll try to revive this place. Lately I've been fighting temptation to weariness, specifically in the neverending battle against my sinful heart. These excellent words encouraged me: "In Romans 8:13 Paul says, "If you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." But the problem is, we all know that in our war with sin we do not win often enough to have peace in our consciences. So if our life hangs on perfect winning in the war with sin, we are going to despair and not persevere to the end. We will simply give up, because there is no use trying. What then will keep us going and fighting so that we will live? Romans 1:16,17 answers: the gospel is the power of God to save believers because in the gospel we can see re

I discovered our long-lost old hymnal last weekend while I was changing our closet light bulb. (hhmm reminds me of a good rk song.) Some of the them have a depth and richness not easy to find in contemporary "pop-praise". The first stanza of "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say" particularly stood out this morning. In fact, one of my friends wrote a melody for it so I hear it sometimes on my ipod. I am super-grateful for God giving folks in every generation the gift of God-directed expression in writing and music. I heard the voice of Jesus say, 'Come unto me and rest; Lay down thy weary one, lay down They head upon my breast." I came to Jesus as I was Weary, and worn, and sad I found in Him a resting place And He has made me glad I heard the voice of Jesus say "Behold, I freely give The living water thirsty one, Stoop down, and drink, and live." I came to Jesus and I drank Of that life giving stream; My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, And now I

The Packers absolutely destroyed the Chicago Bears today. We let them get a field goal in the fourth quarter so they could have a little something on the score board. Green Bay winning 37-3 . That, my friends, is a big deal. (Big" when it comes to useless and trivial things, that is. ;)

How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength ; each one appears before God in Zion. O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. N

"By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April's breeze unfurled, Here once the embattled farmers stood And fired the shot heard round the world. The foe long since in silence slept; Alike the conqueror silent sleeps; And Time the ruined bridge has swept Down the dark stream which seaward creeps. On this green bank, by this soft stream, We set today a votive made of stone; That memory may their deed redeem, When, like our sires, our sons are gone. Spirit, that made those heroes dare To die, and leave their children free, Bid Time and Nature gently spare The shaft we raise to them and thee." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Concord Hymn" I'm not a huge poetry fan and even less an Emerson fan. But Veteran's Day was a good time to share one of the few that I do like. Even if it's technically honoring veterans from the Revolution. (i guess sometimes i do cave into the "obligatory holiday posts"...)

Wednesday night in my caregroup, we sang two songs centered on the goodness of God. I'm thinking this is something God wants me to focus on... I was especially encouraged by a few lines in the chorus of the one of the old Sovereign Grace songs "You're So Good to Me": " For you have crowned my days With overwhelming grace Lord, You're so good to me Though troubles fall like rain This precious truth remains Lord, You're so good to me Yes You're so good to me ..." Those 3 lines sparked such joy in my heart. Truth is not changed by circumstances. This is truth: God is good to all those whom He has chosen. (indeed, His goodness is shown even to those who rebel against Him in the form of common grace. "Did the sun come up this morning?" as John Piper would say--but that's for another post.) The truth of God's goodness has a solid foundation in the gospel. No other appearance of goodness is needed to prove that God is who He says He i

Sunday was interesting. There is much I could say but I'd rather express appreciation for the love of God shown to my family by His people. To update the situation: Late saturday night, Grandpa had sudden health problems. His symptoms were such that he was in a coma-like state for awhile. He's been recovering from his second leg amputation. He appears to be slowly on the mend but still confused and lethargic. The amputation site is fine, but there are other things going on. Nobody is sure yet what is causing the confusion. In a way, it's not that important. What is of most importance is that he knows the gospel. God is sustaining. He doesn't belong to us, he doesn't belong to earth. He belongs to God. On to the thankfulness. How kind of God to give us dear friends! My fam has been very blessed by folks wanting to care for us. (I mentioned the situation to one person in explanation of my absence from children's ministry and it seems half the church knew. Which is

Lana posted this on her blog today. I found it applied so well to my family that I'm stealing it. This, my friends, is the reason why we can be okay with not knowing what is wrong with Grandpa, how long it could take him to recover, how fully he will recover, or a million other questions that tempt us. “It is just as well for us that in all the variableness of life there is One whom change cannot affect, One whose heart can never alter, and on whose brow inconsistency can make no furrows…The delight that the sailor feels when, having been tossed about on the waves, he steps again upon the solid shore is the satisfaction of a Christian when, in all the changes of this distressing life, he rests the foot of his faith upon this truth —‘I THE LORD DO NOT CHANGE.’” “ The stability that the anchor gives the ship when it has at last obtained a solid hold is like that which the Christian’s hope provides him when it fixes itself upon this glorious truth .With God ‘there is no variation or s

i need to hear this: you came down a light into the darkness to souls that once were hopeless you gave joy at calvary, you gave your life to save us the righteous for unrighteous so we could know your grace you are good and your mercy lasts forever you are good to me you are good and your grace could not be measured i am yours forever you are with me encircling, defending my soul and when i fall you draw me through your mercy you faithfully forgive me you lift me up again When I think of my grandfather, it's tempting to ask "where's goodness?" Even as I pray for God to act, I wonder will He choose too. As if that is my business. It looks like Grandpa Benjamin is forgotten. But NO. He is encircled . Surrounded by God's constant care. Nothing can touch him apart from God's will. He is secure. I need to remember. I need to believe. My heart is deceitful. I fool myself into thinking I am trusting God when in reality I'm working on "dams practical plans A

life is busy. it is good. lots of thoughts. about everything. are swirling around madly in my head not making sense due to my bad habit of losing notebooks. sometimes threads of thought get untangled when you write them. sometimes writing helps me "get it". even if it makes others more confused. i'm not a real writer. i'd never write a book. but i write to preach truth to myself, to figure out exactly what i believe/think and where it is in error, to see sin that was masked in my heart, and sometimes to encourage others. And sometimes just 'cause i can. that's why i never delete this blog. no matter how neglected it gets. somehow i always come back to throwing a few of my thoughts into words. here. when i'm working online it's easy to pop over and scribble. (okay, type. "scribble" is better though. because if it was written, it would be in hurried scrawl). it's harder to sit down at a blank page and write. when i try this usually goes thr

the stars are an awesome manifestation of God's glory. sometimes i think that He took tiny pieces of His glory and flung them into the sea of night sky as a visual reminder that we don't belong to earth. it's so easy to forget... last night they reminded me that life is not about me. (you'd think i know that by now) nothing is about me. everything is about God. about bringing Him glory, reflecting His image, loving, worshipping, trusting Him. laying on our deck railing suspended between earth and sky, God adjusted my heart. life fell into perspective. struggles were minimized. the grace, love, mightiness of God was magnatized. i have looked at the stars thousands of times, but every time is a little different. i often return to the house stilled, hushed, at peace. sometimes God speaks. sometimes He feels distant. even then, just being under His stars helps me believe the truth that He is near. i guess i can't really explain it with words. words are pretty limited. j

I am ready for cooler weather. wind. changing leaves, falling leaves. open windows. sweaters. brighter stars. baking. Fall is my favorite season. Living in non-season florida, I'm tempted to whine and wish I could go to Virginia every september/october. This year, I'm trying to practice gratefulness. So I'm finding subtle signs that summer is breaking: the sky is a deeper blue, the air is nearly crisp, it smells like fall... The past two days, I've driven home with my windows down and the wind wasn't hot or sticky. It is glorious. (( why is it that fall + older coldplay is swell? coldplay goes well with lots of things. but when i am driving around in the fall i find myself listening to thier old stuff. it just fits perfect.)) I am grateful that God created seasons.

I've been re-reading random sections of Trusting God {by Jerry Bridges} lately. A paragraph from the section on physical affliction greatly affected me: "Trusting God in the midst of our pain and heartache means that we accept it from Him. There is a vast difference between acceptance and either resignation or submission. We can resign ourselves to a difficult situation, simply because we see no other alternative. Many people do that all the time. Or we can submit to the sovereignty of God in our circumstances with a certain amount of reluctance. But to truly accept our pain and heartache has the connotation of willingness. An attitude of acceptance says that we trust God, that He loves us, and knows what is best for us..." While I wouldn't consider myself to be dealing with intense physical trial or heartache, I was still provoked by this passage. I was convicted to apply it to my everyday situations. What is my response when I dislike my circumstance? Is it hum

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. psalm 130 this psalm has been on my heart often recently. it is so good for addressing my current season of life. {that oxymoron called "actively waiting"}. whether I find myself in a time of joy or a time of fighting to choose joy; there is one thing I ought to be ALWAYS grateful for: my iniquity is not counted against me. all other gifts from God pale in comparison. no storm can destroy the power of this truth. my h

" Sing aloud , O daughter of Zion ; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart , O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away the judgments against you ; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: " Fear not , O Zion; let not your hands grow weak . The LORD your God is in your midst , a mighty one who will save ; he will rejoice over you with gladness ; he will quiet you by his love ; he will exult over you with loud singing. I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach. Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth." Zephaniah 3.14-19 Ouch. My heart is challenged. Feeling that sword...how can I not believe all His promises? Am I so wise that my finite mind

i miss the whole awesome crazy family. and the mountains. and accents, holly, rasberry milkshakes, cooler weather, random music... but mostly. i miss als. cause she's my favorite.

Sorry about the deadness around here. Fey is giving me quite a welcome. The last I saw of the sun was in Canada. I'm loving the 9 inches of cold rain. Except when the rain ends and the dense cloud cover acts as a sticky heat-intensifier. My sympathies to everybody powerless and flooded. Homeness. Good but crazy. I jumped right back into the pace of life. It never seemed so fast before. I feel like I'm merging onto the fl turnpike as everybody flies by doing 80mph in a car that won't get over 40. Glad God's grace isn't limited to major crises. I need it to survive normal life! Hooray for dependance. (coffee would def qualify as a means of common grace, btw) It's pleasant to be home with my fam. I feel slightly disconnected. Something to do with housesitting for three weeks then going far away to the north. They're pretty much the craziest, funniest, lovingest and sanctifyingest folks I know. I'm blessed. And they're a big part of why.

...until i see my dear Aly. August 12, 6:30 am I'll depart Jacksonville bound for Surrey, BC. Oh happy day! {you'll just have to pretend that's a photo of als. i dont' have any recent ones}

"For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, ' In returning and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and in trust shall be your strength...' " {is. 30.15} In June a friend emailed this verse to me. It is so helpful! When I'm tempted to worry about upcoming job changes--"in TRUST shall be your strength." When I'm tempted to demand an answer or direction from God in my timing--"QUIETNESS {humility}" And when I sinfully take matters into my own hands and start trying to "do" something; I'm convicted by "REST". How patient He is! He is faithful to bring back my constantly wandering heart. Back to resting in His sovereignty. What a good place to be. There truly is strength and joy there. I know no matter what comes to me, it is from my Father's hand. "...for you have been my help , and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy ." (ps. 63.7)

Mum read this to me Monday morning. I'm often tempted to doubt God... Will I will ever grow in one area without losing more ground in another? But no, God is faithful. The same God who made Saul the persecutor into Paul the church-planter is forming Christ in me. Mind blowing. " And the parched ground shall become a pool..." Is. 35.7 "We always have visions, before a thing is made real. When we realise that although the vision is real, it is not real in us, then is the time that Satan comes in with his temptations, and we are apt to say it is no use to go on. Instead of the vision becoming real, there has come the valley of humiliation. 'Life is not as idle ore, But iron dug from central gloom, And batter'd by the shocks of doom To shape and use.' God gives us the vision, then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of the vision, and it is in the valley that so many of us faint and give way. Every vision will be made real if we will ha

Th e obligatory 4th of July post: I love Independance Day. When I was a kid, we hung out with mum's fam for our cousin's birthday. It meant watermelon-seed-spitting contests, swimming, water gun fights, lots of food, and fireworks on Indian River. Now every July 4 is different. But I still love it. I like an exscuse to be "cheesily patriotic" and remember how flippin' sweet our history is. Despite my current frustration with politics...we began well in 1776. Our country really was founded on Judeo-Christian values. {like it or not. if i were my brother, i'd say "if you don't like it, leave already" but i don't have his guts...} Here's an excerpt from our Declaration of Independance. {i left out the "facts" because it was so long but you can find them here .) " When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the

{photocreditbeks} "Whoa! I'm going to be an aunt?!" Yep, our dear Jane Bingley is pregnant! Alright, technically I won't really be an aunt as she isn't really my sister. But Stephanie's the closest to an older sister I've ever had. She and Mike are thrilled. I'm calling it "the bingley baby". because if there ever were a couple to embody jane austen's Mr and Mrs Bingley, it'd be them.

"As Christians, we know that our greatest problem--separation from God--has been solved. Jesus Christ, the only Savior, has taken our sin upon himself, enduring God's wrath in our place and rising from the dead to assure us of our forgiveness. But all our problems don't end when we turn to Christ. We still get sick. Marriages end. Children die. Our plans, great or small, are disrupted. We grow weary in the battle. Scripture assures us that God is sovereignly using our difficulties as tools to make us more like his Son. "We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love as been into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (Romans 5:3-5). While we know these things are true, in the midst of our hardships we can lose perspective. Problems can loom large, and our hopes can grow dim. Come Weary Saints is an invitation to redirect your foc

"In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory . In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." ephesians 1.11-14

“God’s promises were never meant to be thrown aside as waste paper. He intended that they should be used. Nothing pleases our Lord better than to see His promises put in circulation. He loves to see His children bring them up to Him, and say, ‘Lord, do as you promised.’ We glorify God when we please His promises. Do you think that God will be any the poorer for giving you the riches He has promised? Do you dream that He will be any less holy for giving holiness to you? Do you imagine He will be any less pure for washing you from your sins? He has said, ‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are red as crimson they shall be like wool.’ Faith embraces the promise of pardon. It doesn’t delay, saying, ‘This is a precious promise, I wonder if it is true?’ but goes straight to the throne with it, and pleads, ‘Lord, here is the promise. Do as you promised.’ Our Lord replies, ‘Be it to you even as you will.’ When a Christian grasps a promise but doesn’t take it to

welcome home little sister. can't wait to hear about your crazy adventures with mira in the mountians of NC. I'm sure grassy lane will never be the same again...

here it is, the obligatory post-NA recap. It's always difficult to write these things. Partly because I'm still processing everything. Partially-processed thoughts don't translate well to words. But I'll try. One word description of New Attitude '08: refreshing . Longer version: Fellowship, worship, messages, small groups...they all combined to make one huge downpour of grace for my thirsty soul. I couldn't soak it up fast enough. One night, Josh Harris read Isaiah 53 to a 17-member string section. It was breathtaking. Worship was led by the NA band-led itself by Devon and Bob Kauflin . We learned "Nail My Glory", "All I Have is Christ" and a few other newish songs from the Looked Upon (Lu) album. The theme this year was "The Word of God." "If the Bible really is God's word, Then we're called to delight in it and obey it." Good stuff, eh? Everything we heard was on this topic. I can't give you a rundown of eve

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." romans 5.1-5 Mum, thank you for living out this verse. Thank for for living the gospel, loving the gospel, and teaching your kids the gospel. Thank you for being a living example of a Proverbs 31 woman. I love you. {{ps. this is not an obligatory holiday post. i wanted to do this one.}}

Shout for joy in the Lord , O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him... For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness . He loves righteousness and justice ; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord . By the word of the Lord the heavens were made , and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him ! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm... The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations... The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not deli

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. " 1 Corinthians 13.12 (kjv) " For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known ." 1 Cor 13.12 (esv) "βλεπομεν γαρ αρτι δι εσοπτρου εν αινιγματι τοτε δε προσωπον προς προσωπον αρτι γινωσκω εκ μερους τοτε δε επιγνωσομαι καθως και επεγνωσθην" 1 Cor 13.12 (greek stephanus nt)

...amber and dams traversed the world in one saturday armed with vitamin waters, granola bars and chocolate. technically this is called "friends-with-employee-passes-got-them-into-epcot-for-free. but until they make billions of money with their rockstar impressions, it's as close to the world as they'll get. not like they have mild wanderlust* or anything. considering all the mockery we americans endure for our cheesy patriotism, i think few canadians have seen this show. it was a little weird eating lunch in a "british" pub in america. having once eaten in a "real" pub in wales. but the food was good and our waitress had an accent that set us reminiscing. {photocredit: amber) {germany} flowers on the roof. (norway) {mexico} exhausted. (waiting in line for mission:space). epcot will probably never be the same again. but we didn't get lost, or break anything, or cause general mayhem/concern. at least not that we're aware of. thank God for a

happy birthday robin hood. a few days late. love, your fellow "bookend"

Recently I've been reading the Chronicles of Narnia to my fam the evenings I'm home. We finished "The Horse and His Boy" {one of the best ;)} last night. In this passage, Lewis paints such a picture of God's loving kindness in the seemingly "bad" or discomforting things in life. Shasta is wandering alone at night in a strange country. He can't see where he's going in the mist and has no idea where he is. A stranger falls into step beside him and they have a conversation: " [Shasta] told how he had never known his real father or mother and had been brought up sternly by the fisherman. And then he told the story of his escape and how they were chased by lions and forced to swim for their lives; and of all the dangers in Tashbaan and about his night among the the tombs and how the beasts howled at him out of the desert. And he told about the heat and thirst of their desert journey and how they were almost at thier goal when another lion chas

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you." As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. .. The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot . The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places ; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken . Therefore my heart is glad , and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy ; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. .psalm 16. I love this psalm. I've read it often. This week, I found a new treasure. Verse 3. In a psalm where David is putting His trust in God and choosing jo

In Your grace, You know where I walk You know when I fall You know all my ways In Your love, I know you allow what I can not grasp To bring you praise Thank you for the trials For the fire For the pain Thank you for the strength Knowing You have ordained every day Your great power is shown when I'm weak You help me to see Your love in this place Perfect peace is filling my mind And joy in my heart to praise You again In my uncertainty Your word is all I need to know You're with me every day *copyright joel sczebel & todd twining This song has become my anthem of sorts. {Since December} It paints a picture that reflects the state of my heart. Or rather, the state it should be. It strays. Often I react instead of respond. There are times my sinfulness astounds me. Take today. I was reading the Word of God. Surely my heart would be centered? Yet at that very moment my thoughts were wandering into the not-trusting-God-scenario of "what could go wrong next?" His grac

photo of mum's parents, right before their wedding 54 years ago. (as of friday). Today is Grandma's birthday. I thought I'd post the story of their engagement in honor of her. Because it's not mushy. Unfortunately, I never wrote it down when she told it. She always laughed at the end over Great-Aunt Shirley's face when she showed that ring. {and shook her head over how competitive they were.} But this is how I remember. It's close to how Grandpa told it when Ericka and I showed him 'the ring' we found in Grandma's jewelry box. In the 1940-50's there were two best friends named Elizabeth (Betty) and Shirley. They roamed rural upstate New York with their friends, brothers named Richard and Ben. The girls were very competitive between themselves. When Betty was in 10th grade, she and Ben began "going steady." {Richard & Shirley were also dating} Then Ben went into the Air Force. He was stationed in Denver, Co. but stayed in touch with

O Lord God Thou art my protecting arm, fortress, refuge, shield, buckler . Fight for me and my foes must flee ; uphold me and I cannot fall ; Strengthen me and I stand unmoved, unmovable ; Equip me and I shall receive no wound Stand by me and Satan will depart , anoint my lips with a song of salvation and I shall shout thy victory ; Give me abhorrence of all evil, as a vile monster that defies thy law, casts off thy yoke... Teach me to look to Jesus on his cross and so to know sin's loathsomeness in they sight. There is no pardon but through thy Son's death, no cleansing but in his precious blood... Show me the shame, the agony, the bruises of incarnate God, that I may read boundless guilt in the boundless price; May I discern the deadly viper in its real malignity... Blessed Lord Jesus, at they cross may I be taught the awful miseries from which I am saved, ponder what the word "lost" implies, see the fires of eternal destruction; Then I may cling more closely to t

photosbybeks. there are lots of things i'd like to say. about my 'little' brother. {{who is now many inches taller than me}. but the words get in the way. so i think i will just. proclaim. i love this kid. he's a super*brother. and my friend. happy birthday. *super n . "first-rate, excellent," 1837, from prefix in superfine (1682), denoting "highest grade of goods," from L. super "above, over, beyond" (see super- ).

photobybeks. "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might . Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood , but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God , that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm ." {eph 6.10-12} it is amazing how God can give grace. really. how one can feel utterly beaten down and exhausted; yet have peace and a knowledge that He will supply just the amount of strength needed. amazing. that's what my life has looked like since wednesday. it's pretty much the same as it was before wednesday, except God's grace has been poured out in greater amounts. if i am making sense... anyway these verses go along with a prayer from Valley of Vi

"...yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ . It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose ." ~Galations 2.16-21 I read this yesterday, & this morning instead of reading Gal 3 I came back to this. Just these 5 verses.

In western lands beneath the Sun the flowers may rise in Spring, the trees may bud, the waters run, the merry finches sing. Or there maybe 'tis cloudless night and swaying beeches bear the Elven-stars as jewels white amid their branching hair. Though here at journey's end I lie in darkness buried deep, beyond all towers strong and high, beyond all mountains steep, above all shadows rides the Sun and stars forever dwell: I will not say that Day is done, nor bid the stars farewell. ~Tolkien from the return of the king My perspective has been a little skewed of late. But God is faithful to re-adjust me ever so kindly. Hence the poem. It reminds me of psalms. {I'm not saying I'm at journey's end or depressed or locked in a dungeon in Mordor...} It's from the last book in the "Rings" trilogy. Sam thinks he is at the end of it all, captured by evil. Does he wish he'd never started the journey? No. He turns his thoughts to home and what lies beyond his c