2 Things

Something caught my attention in this passage today.

Hebrews 121-4 NLT

"1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.* Because of the joy* awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people;* then you won't become weary and give up.4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin."

1. How to do verse 1 (which includes running with endurance, stripping off weights, especially sin)??? Answer: Keeping my eyes on Jesus

2. How to not become weary???? Answer: Think of Jesus (all that he endured)

Field Trip

The boys and I got to go to Donald C. Cook, Nuclear Power Plant on Thursday morning for a field trip! It was so fascinating. We only got to see the reactors through a big picture window, but the videos they showed were very cool and informative. They also have a scale model about 2 stories tall and 15 feet around (approximately) that rotates around and explains things in a very kid friendly and dynamic way! I had no idea that the nuclear reactors merely heated water to run generators, which run turbines! I also learned more about the intake and replenishing of water from Lake Michigan. School can be fun! :)

I have found a new joy/obsession ;) .... Now for the record, no one will replace CS Lewis' influence on my life, but I have found that I really enjoy Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I have heard numerous quotes by Bonhoeffer, and enjoyed them. I have recently been scanning some of his stuff at the bookstore when we go. I find that he (like CS Lewis) really challenges my thinking... for example--

"God's Unfathomable Love
Behold God become human, the unfathomable mystery of the love of God for the world. God loves human beings. God loves world. Not an ideal human, but human beings as they are; not an ideal world, but the real world. What we find repulsive in their opposition to God, what we shrink back from with pain and hostility, namely, real human beings, the real world, this is for God the ground of unfathomable love. God establishes a most intimate unity with this. God becomes human, a real human being . While we exert ourselves to grow beyond our humanity, to leave the human behind us, God becomes human; and we must recognize that God wills that we be human, real human beings. While we distinguish between pious and godless, good and evil, noble and base, God loves real people without distinction. God has no patience with our dividing the world and humanity according to our standards and imposing ourselves as judges over them. God leads us into absurdity by becoming a real human being and a companion of sinners, thereby forcing us to become the judges of God. God stands beside the real human being and the real world against all their accusers. So God becomes accused along with human beings and the world, and thus the jugges become the accused. --from Ethics 84

Tim got me A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer for my bday ;)

awww :)

This is what I need to be reminded of constantly....and what so many seem to NOT realize.....

I WILL MEDITATE ON YOUR PRECEPTS.

Psalm 119:15"There are times when solitude is better than company, and silence is wiser than speech. We would be better Christians if we were alone more often, waiting on God and gathering through meditation on His Word spiritual strength for service in His kingdom. We ought to ponder the things of God, because that is how we get the real nutriment out of them."




this is a portion of.....( Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright (c) 2003, Good News Publishers and used by Truth for Life with written permission. Scripture quotations are taken from Holy Bible: English Standard Version, copyright (c) 2001, Good News Publishers.)

I am reading through How People Change. I found this little section (below) so helpful!

"... As J.C. Ryle said, ' A true Christian is one who has not only peace of conscience, but war within.' We are united to Christ for a purpose: 'For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.' (Eph 1:4). Our new life in Christ is just that: new life. A glorious fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil is at its heart and one of the clearest signs of our union with him."

I like this because, when I feel that struggle, it feels so hard and unnatural, but I can actually view it as an encouragement, because I can view it as a sign of my salvation. Thinking that if i weren't saved, there wouldn't be a struggle. The struggle is about making me holy and blameless, and that is another way I can view the struggle, as accomplishing something....so often it does NOT feel like it is accomplishing anything.



*J.C. Ryle, Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots (Cambridge: Redwood Burn LImited, Trowbridge and Esher, 1959) pg 21
*How people change Timothy S. Lane /Paul David Tripp New growth Press 2006

Another bit of randomness for you....

I hate this, but the other day, Travis asked me "did you have that CD when you were a kid".... Never imagined myself saying.... "Travis, we didn't have CD's back than...." OUCH!! and today, Jake found and old disc that we still have around and said, "mom, what is this?"....I said, Jake that is what we used to use in "old day" computers before we had CD's....

This is sort of random, but I am always making those quote marks in the air when I say thing to signify that it's questionable whether I or someone means them or not. So I came across this blog in my blogging that is right up my alley.... http://quotation-marks.blogspot.com/

It's called the " 'blog' of 'unnecessary' quotation marks" heee heee.....
I look forward to exploring it more....

I LOVE this passage....notice how at the end, He signs "your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." (that's just my imagination.... I just like to think of it as God wrote a letter and signed it at the end ;)


Isaiah 43 The Savior of Israel
1 But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you.
O Israel, the one who formed you says,
"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
2 When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.
3 For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

THE HOPE LAID UP FOR YOU IN HEAVEN.

Colossians 1:5 Our hope in Christ for the future is the mainspring and the mainstay of our joy down here today. Our hearts will be stirred by thinking often of heaven, for all that we can desire is promised there. Here we are tired and weary, but over there is the land of rest where the sweat of toil will no longer soak our shirts, and fatigue will be banished forever. To those who are weary and worn, the word rest is full of heaven. We are always in the field of battle; we are so tempted and so molested by foes that we have little or no peace; but in heaven we will enjoy the victory, when the banner shall be unfurled in triumph, and the sword will be sheathed, and we will hear our Captain say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."¹ We have suffered bereavement after bereavement, but we are going to the land of the immortal where graves do not exist. Here sin is a constant grief to us, but there we will be perfectly holy, for there will be nothing in heaven to defile it. There are no needs in the furrows of celestial fields. It is a source of deep joy to realize that the wilderness journey of our earthly pilgrimage will end and we will inherit heaven. But let us make sure that we are not just dreaming about the future and thus forgetting the present. Let all thoughts of the future serve to make us useful in the present. Through the Spirit of God the hope of heaven is the most powerful force for producing virtue; it is a fountain of joyful endeavor; it is the cornerstone of cheerful holiness. Those who have this hope in them go about their work with vigor, for the joy of the Lord is their strength. They fight hard against temptation, for the hope of the next world repels the fiery darts of the adversary. They can work without immediate reward, for they anticipate a reward in the world to come.

¹ Matthew 25:23

Please note: Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright (c) 2003, Good News Publishers and used by Truth for Life with written permission. Scripture quotations are taken from Holy Bible: English Standard Version, copyright (c) 2001, Good News Publishers.

Tim has a 'new' hobby--Salmon fishing...fortunately it co-ordinates with one of my obsessions ;)....being outside!

We went to one of our secret parks (we don't want to share :) and picnicked and went to the river to fish for salmon...Well, tim fished, Andrew explored and Travis and Jake and I swatted mosquitoes ;).... It was so enjoyable, even more so, if we would have brought bug spray --smiles... I told Tim that I don't usually get bit, but they were CRAZY hungry I guess, because they were thick! And they were BITING all of us! Travy took a couple pics and so did I so thought i would share them with you :) Andrew is the explorer. Travy is the camera shy one and Jake is the clown :) I am not in the pics because sadly they all turned out awful of me :)