My First Attempt at Spanish Humor

In English: "You're overweight."

"I want a second opinion!"

"You're ugly, too!"

Humbled and Inspired

Hiya!

It's been a while, hasn't it?  Sorry.

This past month, I've been to two funerals.  One was for a three day-old baby, and one was for my fourty-nine year old aunt.  Both deaths were unexpected and shocking.  Both have changed me. 

Now, my deepest heart is still the same as always--I believe in the One Who is in control of all things, and so I cannot be shaken. However, I have been effected in two ways: I have been humbled, and I have been inspired.

I have been humbled.  Augustine said that everyone must either "be humble, or be humbled," and I admit the second is the one that describes me recently.  I saw through these events how truly "out of control" of the important things I am, and that I need God.  One night last week, I lay awake late, and cried out to God how much I needed Him merely to exist.  I realized more clearly than ever before how much I am held together by my Shepherd.  As soon as I admitted that, I felt such peace--even in the middle of pain.  I pray that I will stay humble, so I won't need to be humbled again.  I like this dependency, and I like realizing how dependent I am.

I have been inspired.  I truly believe this goes hand-in-hand with humility.  Having let go of my desire to be amazing or impressive in and of my own strength, I'm ready to use my gifts for God.  I'm ready to charge into whatever He puts in front of me, knowing that His strength will support me.  The deck is stacked in my favor when I do things His way.  I'm really excited about this, and will be sharing what God leads me to do on here.  I think it'll involve some domesticity.

Best foot forward!

Rachel

In Review: More Than Rubies

More Than Rubies is the long-awaited album, RELEASED YESTERDAY, from Christa Wells and Nicole Witt--two of Christian music's sweetest singer-songwriters.  Both singers are blessed with abundant talent, though their voices and styles are far from similar.  Christa Wells' sweetly melancholy voice mingles with Nicole Witt's stronger, brighter tones for a pleasant mix.  The piano is most often courtesy of Wells, while Witt provides the violin intros to several of the songs.

This album has several new songs on it, along with favorite, previously-released songs such as "Pray."  Matt Redmond's hit worship song, "10,000 Reasons" is covered by the lovely duo in a more subdued fashion.  Expect a beautiful, soul-stirring mix of worship melodies reminiscent of Celtic Psalms and slower, sweeter pieces, which have been in my mind and on my tongue every since Christa sent me the album. 

However, the words do not always balance with the weight of the melodies.  While many of the songs did convict, strengthen, and bless me, several held little theological value, though their tunes were lovely to the extreme. 

Check out this lovely album,
and then spin past the artists' websites and let them know what you think!

www.nicolewitt.com

www.christawellsmusic.com

On Femininity and Education...

It is time to wake this blog up from its current state of hibernation, and I am aware that the topic for this post is slightly controversial.  All the better!  I have been involved in many conversations lately with acquaintances, friends, and family members who have questioned my interest in, and intention to apply to, New Saint Andrews College (NSA) in Moscow, Idaho.  The college's website describes the school best: "a self-governing non-profit institution for classical Christian post-secondary education, committed to the pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness in the light of the Holy Scriptures, under Christ’s sovereign authority, and to the advancement of Christ’s kingdom and Trinitarian culture. The College’s mission is to provide a rigorous classical Christian higher education from a distinctively Trinitarian perspective to equip the next generation for faithful cultural leadership in all vocations." 

In many of my conversations, I have been asked why I want to go to a college like this.  What good is an education in the liberal arts?  "Yes, it all sounds very nice, but what can you do with that?"

In other conversations, I have been asked why I want to pursue a college-level education at all.  Of what practical use is education (at this level) for my goals?  Again, "yes, it all sounds very nice, but what can you do with that?"

To continue, I must outline my goals:  I want to be a wife and mother.  I believe that God calls the majority of women to this occupation (Titus 2:5).

Martin Luther would tell you that there are two sides of a horse off which to fall.  Easy, indeed, to over correct and flip head-first off one side while everyone else is careening off the other.  Both sides are equally steep, and the ground is equally hard on both sides. 

However, I think the two camps that have questioned my plans (we'll call them the pro-career camp and the anti-career camp, both referring solely to women) have something in common, and while they are both leaning to one side or the other, they are being pulled downward by the same force.  They both underestimate the power of words.

So, let's look at the power of words.  Throughout history, throughout literature, and throughout Scripture, it is the man who has the ability to speak with persuasiveness and wisdom who owns the keys to the gates (and hearts).  It is the man who speaks with control, force, and discernment during political struggles who affects the course of history.  Beowulf was received by a foreign king because he spoke with adroitness and cunning.  Atticus Finch wins the hearts and minds of all who read To Kill a Mockingbird by presenting truth, plain and honest, in a winsome fashion.  It was Solomon who was blessed with wisdom from God, was praised for his answers in the court, and who (inspired by God) wrote about appropriately answering a fool (Proverbs 26:4-5).  This world was fashioned by words. Eve fell for a cunning argument (made up of words).  God punished the arrogance of man by confusing their words.  The Jews and Greeks stumbled not (entirely) over Christ's actions, but His words.  We are warned that we will be judged for our words.  We are told that our words have the power to build up or tear down our neighbor.  The ones who change the world will be the men with the greatest wisdom and command over words.

Let's all take a moment to look at the direct object in that last sentence: men.

My friends in the pro-career camp will choke right here.  Men?  Yes.    I sincerely believe that it is the duty of men to represent, fight for, and pursue justice.  It is the duty of women to help them, push them on, support them if they slip, and to educate future men to fight with the same fervor and impact.  I do not believe that God calls women to join the fight.  As I said, my goal is to be a wife and mother, and not get a career.  By saying that woman ought to enter the workforce, and that educating one's children is second-fiddle, I would reveal a lack of respect for education, and thereby, for words.

 My friends in both camps may still be scratching their heads at this point and wondering what this has to do with my college choice.  I want to pursue the knowledge of words, their use, their impact upon society, and their usefulness, so that  I can teach their use properly, and so that I can use them properly in my own relationships.  This knowledge is best found in the books and ideas that have changed the thought patterns of the world, seen through the lens of truth presented in Scripture.  This is what I will do at NSA. 

To my friends in the anti-career camp: I suggest to you that by surrendering higher education to those who educate the children of the world you give up one of the greatest weapons in your arsenal.  Some in the culture, oddly enough, recognize the power of words.  Our politicians survive by twisting and hurling words.  By teaching your children to use words with persuasiveness and discernment, you introduce a relevant power into the world, one with which the world will have an interesting time contending.  As Bringham Young (President of LDS Church...sorry) said,  “You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.” 

If I have failed in persuading you, take that as proof that I really do need this education. 

God bless you!

My Great-Great-Birth-Grandfather

Coming Soon...

Hello!

This blog is morphing into something new... And the old name has GOT to go.

             It was great,

but now this blog has a different focus, and a new name is in order.

                      Hang tight!

A Christian Heritage: an interview with G.I. Williamson

          Last week, I emailed retired pastor G.I. Williamson for the second time in my life.  The first time was to thank him for writing his study of the Westminster Confession of Faith, which the Lord used mightily in my life.  This time it was to ask him some questions.  He graciously replied, and here is my interview with Mr. Williamson, Reformed Presbyterian pastor for over 50 years, author, and one of my heroes:

What was your church like, growing up?

"My parents and grand-parents were originally members of the old United Presbyterian Church of North America (UPCNA). This was a strong church at one time. But it was rapidly declining in its commitment to its Reformation Confessional standards. So I was never even made ware of the existence of the Westminster Shorter Catechism.  I never even knew that my Mother had once memorized it until I discovered that during my last visit with her when she was 95 years old.

What led you to read the Westminster Confession?

"While I was studying for the ministry at the Pittsburgh-Xenia Theological Seminary, I was allowed to serve as a student pastor of the UPCNA church in New Bedford, PA.  It was while serving in that capacity that I first discovered the Westminster Standards.  One Saturday, when some of the members were cleaning the church, the treasurer came to tell me that they had found some old books in a dusty closet and were about to throw them away.  If I wanted any of those books, I was free to take them.  So I went to have a look, and one that caught my eye was an edition of the 1858 Subordinate Standards of the United Presbyterian Church of North America.  That was the first time that I had ever laid eyes on the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms. From that moment on, my life was radically changed.  I began to study the Confession and Catechisms, paying close attention to the proof texts printed out below the text of these documents to support their statements.  Next to the Bible itself, no other book even comes close to the importance of this one in my life as a Christian and a pastor."

 

What led you to write a study on the Confession?

"When I began my labor as a home missionary of the OPC in Fall River, Massachusetts, in 1955, I determined that my people (however few or many there might be under my ministry) were not going to be deprived (as I had been) of their confessional and catechetical heritage.  So I began writing lessons on the Westminster Confession that were handed out weekly to be studied and discussed at the midweek prayer meeting.  As I wrote those lessons, I never had any notion that I was writing a book!  Dr. William Young, who was then teaching philosophy at the University of Rhode Island, often came to worship with us on Sunday evenings.  When he saw a few of those lessons, he began to urge me to send them in to Mr. Charles Craig of the Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company to see if he would publish them.  He said he was pretty sure he would, because I quoted Westminster Seminary Professors Van Til and Murray! And to my amazement, he was right."

 

Your greatest contribution to the world, in your opinion, is...?

"I find this to be a difficult question.  I can't think of anything that I would consider a 'great' contribution to the world, much less the "greatest."  So let me just say I believe God's truth is unchanging, something 'once for all delivered to the saints' (Jude 3).  And because this is true I believe the Westminster Standards (as well as the Heidelberg Catechism) are one of "the greatest contributions to the world" that the true church has ever made. I only see my work as an attempt to help people see this."

Is there anything you regret in your life as a Christian leader?

"I regret that I did not remain longer in one place.  It is now my opinion that this pattern of ministers moving on every few years is not as fruitful as longer pastorates.  There are, of course, exceptions.  But to young ministers I would say, 'the grass over there is not really greener.'"

Do you have hope for the next generation?

"I certainly do.  I've been a pastor for more than sixty years, and I find the young people today to be more willing to think, to examine ,and to investigate than those I encountered in previous decades.  I think this is partly because the bad fruits of liberalism/modernism are no longer hidden under the surface of what J. Gresham Machen called 'the moral momentum' inherited from our ancestors.  That was still very strong when I was a young person.  Not any more."

 What advice would you give the next generation of Christians?

"'Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered' (Prov. 28:26). That is why the Apostle Paul said we must 'not be conformed to this world, but. . .transformed by the renewal of [our] mind[s]' (Rom. 12:2). To get wisdom we must have a desire to get hold of 'the truth.'   We can only get that from God himself, through His word. But one of the greatest instruments to help us in this quest is found in the historic Reformed Confessions.   This is not to even suggest for a moment that they are infallible teachers.   They are not, and they say that very thing themselves, but they are a wonderful means of helping us to find our way in the Scriptures."

What do you see as the future for the next generation?

"God is sifting his people.  There has already been a big loss in numbers as once great Presbyterian and Reformed Churches leave their own heritage.  But the result will be a more vibrant remnant.  If you are part of this remnant you ought to be overwhelmed with gratitude to God for your preservation.  You ought to be filled with a holy joy that others will see in every aspect of your existence.  We are not what is left of a lost cause. Perilous times will come (1 Tim. 4:1, and 2 Tim. 3:1).  We have a future.  And, as Mary Adams — a retired missionary used to say to me — 'the best is yet to be.'"




Thanks, Mom, for telling me to read the Confession, and for proof-reading this post.

Thank you, Mr. Williamson, for all your emails!

True Greatness: A Look Back on the Life of Jeremiah Small

      It could be said that all teachers influence their students, but it is obviously not the case that all impact their students for good.  Exactly one year ago, a teacher was shot to death by one of his students, and while it would certainly be easier (and safer) to let memories of him fade, small groups of people around the world are gathering this weekend to remember his life. Several of his friends and family have agreed to help me uncover what exactly it was about this man that is, and ought, to be remembered.

      Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Jeremiah Small spent nearly the last decade of his life teaching and mentoring junior high and high school students at the Classical School of the Medes in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. Located in the secure Kurdish region in northern Iraq, the entire area was shocked by the in-class murder of this beloved teacher. Thirty-three year-old Jeremiah was killed at the beginning of class by one of his eleventh-grade students, who immediately shot and killed himself. I watched all that day while Jeremiah's students filled his Facebook page with comments, mourning his death and wishing he could be there to help them make sense of this tragedy. However, the reality was that the people of Iraq lost a great man, and what remains are the lessons he taught, the generation of leaders he helped to form, the memories cherished by those who knew him, and the spiritual legacy he left on earth.

      Jeremiah was noted as exceptional in his habits. A former teacher at Medes School told me, "he felt a sense of urgency. He didn't want to take the time to do things like eat or tie his shoes. Every second mattered to him...We often felt he didn't rest enough or take enough time for himself, but in hindsight it makes more sense."

      "He was much more studious and intentional in his relationship with Christ than most other Christian men I've known," Jeremiah's sister, Sarah Russell, noted, "In the world's eyes, he wasn't successful. He was forgetful. . . and a bit disorganized, but in God's eyes he was successful because he simply obeyed, and was continually seeking and pursuing God's plans for his life."

      "I don’t think he would say he was great. He was used of God. He did great exploits for God, which is what he always wanted to do, things that were a bit maverick. But he was just doing what God made him to do," his mother, Rebecca, noted, "Was he great when he was living? He certainly would not have thought so. . . He was growing, on a journey toward God, like all of us. Yet God in His mercy has chosen to use him in a great way."
     
      Another former teacher added, "Jeremiah was different from other teachers because he was fulfilling a calling. . .when you see someone who is totally doing and being what God has called them to, it's a beautiful thing."
     
      Russell remembers, "his passion to do what is right, and his love for all those around him. His willingness to sacrifice himself and his time and energy to. . . invest in the lives of those whom God placed in his life."

      "He probably spent more time building relationships than preparing lessons," said Dan Small, Jeremiah's father.

       Jeremiah was also recognized as a talented teacher, "He knew the material well. He also just knew a lot in general. He could draw conclusions and applications from things in history and literature that could be applied today."

      "He loved his students and had a desire to impart not just knowledge to them but life – his life, God’s life. He took time with them inside and outside the classroom, lots of time. He got to know them, listened to them, became a part of their lives. He won a hearing," wrote Rebecca.
    
      "He was very good at asking questions and getting the students to do the hard work of learning and discovering," one teacher wrote.

     "He made them process ideas and concepts logically and systematically," said Dan.


      "And he was just so excited about what he was teaching--his passion came through and it made you excited."

      "He wasn’t afraid to tell his students the truth – even when it sometimes hurt them, or angered them, or when they couldn’t yet understand. He was always pulling them to something higher, better. He taught them to have an honest evaluation of themselves, to take a hard look at themselves."
     
       "He could hardly keep from teaching, no matter what he was doing," said Rebecca, "everything presented to him a teachable moment and was something to learn from."
     
      Russell hopes this influential kind of teaching will continue in future generations, "If other teachers will model after him, they too will win the hearts and minds of their students, and also be able to effectively point their students to Truth that will benefit them all their lives."

      When asked what teachers ought to emulate of Jeremiah, one teacher replied, "knowing your subject well, being passionate about it, looking to see where you can challenge your students to think critically and push harder than they are normally inclined to do."

      "God is bigger than your failures, idiosyncrasies, struggles; just live your life, the life God gave you, in a humble, authentic way before God and others. It is God who works in us and through us; the work is God’s, not ours."
     
       "Be intentional," Russell said, "in all things, and passionate about one thing: Christ.  Follow Him wherever He leads, and whatever it costs; open your eyes to the people and things that God puts in your life, and love them well.  See beyond the surface of people, and seek to know and invest in their lives."

      "True greatness is measured in ways different than ours."
     
      Jeremiah's parents were pleased with his behavior all through his life.  Rebecca recalled her time home-educating him, "Jeremiah loved to know and learn about anything and everything, and each knowledge pursuit was integrated into the Center: Christ and His Kingdom. There were subjects I felt we had done a poor job on through high school, things I wished we’d had more time for; yet it was thrilling and amazing to see how God filled in the gaps, giving him an interest in and a love for those things as he stepped into the role of teaching those very things. This was a humbling and beautiful answer to prayer. He learned way beyond what I ever could have taught him."
     
      "He sought counsel, " Dan remembered, "opened his heart to us, and made choices that he knew would make us proud."

      "He showed us respect and sought to serve us and the whole family whenever he was home – even when he could have just wanted to spend those weeks sleeping or catching up on other things."

      "Jeremiah loved learning from the time he first learned to read. He read widely and was taught by his mother to look for details and make vital connections between events and the ideas that shaped them."
     
      "When he was home, he gave himself to the playing of games with his siblings, holding and rolling on the floor with his nieces and nephews, etc. He shared the things he was learning; he shared his struggles; he discussed what we were learning; he gave himself to the churches and ministries we were involved in when he was home." 

      The teachers agreed that Jeremiah's life reflected his faith, primarily.  "Jer knew that his life was not his own, and he lived out that self-control every day."

      "He put feet to what he believed," said Russell, "and lived it fully and with passion."

      "The world is the Lord's and he knew this keenly; so the world was simply a window into the heart, mind, face of God. God was his ultimate passion," Rebecca wrote, "He had a high view of the Trinity – this truth about God made sense of the world and of spiritual vagaries; it explains unity in diversity, as well as all other truths."
     
      "I loved to hear him pray," remembered one teacher, "and how he had an eternal mindset--that in a culture where everything is so much instant gratification, we as Christians are working towards a delayed gratification."

      "He walked humbly with his Lord. He studied God’s Word and let it hammer him, pierce him, feed him, equip him. He mixed what he learned there with an aggressive (seemingly reckless) trust in the providence of a loving God."

      "He did not just 'chat' or 'hang out' with people," another recalled, "He seized every opportunity to pray for them, and pray for opportunities to present Christ. . . Every lesson, every assignment, every after-school activity, every person had eternal significance to him."

      "Jeremiah’s spiritual journey developed in him a strong conviction that every breath was grace and every circumstance had eternal significance. He felt a strong sense of DESTINY and wanted to be faithful to his calling. On the one hand he was thoroughly convinced of his “smallness” (pun intended) and dispensability (God would get His work done whether through him or others), while, at the same time, sensing deeply that God had given him gifts, opportunities, and a heritage that uniquely equipped him to make a difference in other’s lives."

      Remembering a team trip to the Yezidi temple in northern Iraq, a teacher said, "Where I would only see things as a tourist. . . he saw people who were isolated, and would probably never hear the gospel, and he longed to be able to tell them. . . Looking back on the time I worked with Jeremiah, what stands out is intensity.  He knew he was on a mission, and he ran hard."



Thank You:

To the teachers who answered my question and requested I withhold their names, thank you.

To the one who asked me never to contact her again, I'm sorry. For the wishes for luck and blessings, thank you.

To Sarah Russell for all she said, both about Jeremiah and in blessings to me, thank you.

To Mr. J Dan Small, for the answers, the ideas, the names, the pictures, the encouragement, the kind words, and the patience with my email server, thank you.

To Mrs. Rebecca Small, for the answers that completed it all, the time you gave, and the invitation I would love someday to accept, thank you.

To Jeremiah. . . thank you.

Thanksgiving 551-573

551. A friend who gave me Purim cookies, and not because I deserve them in any way.
552. A trip to Nashville
553. Spring Break
554. Having something neat to post really soon!
555. Playing with the Symphony
556. Nailing a part I'd never played correctly before
557. H pouring water all over herself
558. H laughing nonstop, and how we all know we can do that around each other
559. S coming home soon
560. Mr. C asking if I'm related to Mr. P, and how I almost said "yes", because we might be, and how funny that was to all my friends
561. Neatly packed suitcases
562. The sun shining, and how everything is getting warmer
563. Knowing things I didn't, and how knowledge changed everything for me
564. A violin teacher who laughs more than she frowns
565. Starting to learn that laughter is truly the best medicine
566. Only one month till our next concert, and we have only had one day off since our last
567. Mr. Z clapping hard for us, and Robyn's words
568. The other Mr. Z looking for me to figure out if I was sick or not
569. Only having to blow my nose 3 times during the concert *sigh*
570. My fever being gone!!
571. Nine hours of sleep after a week of sleep deprivation
572. Lots of sap from the trees = lots of sugar to make when we get back!! :)
573. Having "Till We Have Faces" to reread on the trip, and how I've looked forward to this for months

Introducing: The New Look

What do you think?

This new look is heralding in a new era in this blog's life!  Look for different styles and topics on here! 

I'm excited!

On the past few weeks...

A lot has transpired in the past couple of weeks.  A lot has challenged me!  I found my birth father, for one thing.  That shouldn't have been that hard, but I found myself rooting through irrational desires and confusing thoughts about wanting to contact him, wanting to know more about him, and wondering how to balance this new found knowledge with my life as a Lambert.  There were times when I simply couldn't process it all, and I am thankful for the people who let me cry, who asked if I was okay, and especially my mom, who talked me through it all.  I am glad, in the end, that I learned all about my birth father, even though I will never meet him.  I'm glad that I got to see where I came from, and how that contrasts with where I am now.  God has blessed me beyond anything I can begin to realize, and I'm just starting to understand that I can only see the very tip of the iceberg of God's grace in my life.  He has been faithful. 

I wanted to write about this earlier, but I didn't have words.  I still am struggling to be 100% joyful about it, and most of the time, not thinking about it is the best course.  I spend most of my time doing school or playing with Tim, so I really don't have time to think about it much.  This is for the best, obviously, because it is what God has placed in front of me, for now. 

The desire to know more about this man who was part of my beginning isn't entirely rational.  I have received nearly nothing from him, and he was never involved in my life.  However, as an irrational human being, I like knowing who he is. 

This isn't at all what I set out to write, or even what I think about it all, but it's what I can write, for now. Maybe more will come later, as I find the words.

My older brother was accepted into the Marine Corps two days ago, too!  Tomorrow we are driving to Columbus to see him swear in.  After that there's no going back!  We're all excited for him!  In April he will leave for basic training, and won't be back until the end of July.  This is a big step for him, and you might pray for all of us!

I  hope you all are having a lovely Valentine's Day!  I love you!

On Superbowl Sunday Morning...

Today I read an article, written by a Christian man to his eight year-old daughter, explaining what she needed to know before she could watch the Superbowl. His points were: This isn't as exciting as Americans think it is, don't ever wish you were a guy and that you could play this game, don't emulate the women you will see on the screen, and avoid men who are attracted to such women.

I liked this article, but wonder if any Christian men ever read that and thought about what THEY should get out of it. Do they know that I will be sitting in a church pew this morning, praising God with all of them, and wondering if they are attracted to the harlots on the television. Do they know I would avoid them if I knew that was the case? Do they know I will be wondering if they would be willing to explain why they can watch that, but would be upset if I were to become a pro cheerleader, or a model for a sleazy chip ad?

Do they know I respect my dad for choosing to love his wife and play with his kids instead of embracing this part of American culture?

Do they know I would cheer even louder than all of New Orleans, if I knew they embraced today for what it is outside of the Superbowl? Do they know I'd cheer for them?

For My Oregon Friends...

            I've decided to dedicate this post to pictures of Ohio things.  Here is a crash course on life in the Buckeye State.



Bugs here are huge! That's one of the first things you need to know.



It is never cold in the summer. Even if it's cloudy, it's hot. If it's cloudy, it's worse.

 



Snow is almost always on the ground in the Winter. However, there will be surprisingly warm days here and there.

Spring, like everything here, is done with great passion, and makes up for the cold of Winter.

 

The weather in Spring is still spontaneous, and rainstorms are violent. This is tornado, season, after all!

 

 

This is the view out my window during a Spring rain.

Tap-root type plants grow well here. We harvested hundreds of tomatoes off of these few plants. Soybeans are common here, as well as corn.

 

This is a soybean field.

Ohio may be land-locked, but Lake Erie is beautiful!

Another crazy storm. We have one or two a week in the Summer.

Ohioans are very patriotic, and almost every town has a giant firework display on the 4th of July.

The sky here is always beautiful, but I like it best early on Summer mornings.

 

 

Rabbits make nests in our yard!

Another view out my window. I don't have much of a view in the Summer. It's like a jungle!

Ohioans are crazy about football. It's impossible to avoid it, so Tim and I have embraced it. Go Bucks!!!!!

Chick-fil-A is one of the best things here! This is an Oregon friend of mine, when she came to visit.

We live in an Air Force town, and I have spent countless hours at the USAF Museum! Residents and visitors alike love the museum.

There are some nice rivers here, and we like rock-jumping!

Again, the SKY! This was taken standing in our neighborhood creek!

Our neighborhood is really nice. It is mostly flat, old, and full of trees!

There are lots of water towers around. This is our neighborhood one.

This is my church, Covenant Presbyterian.

Here's the outside, in Winter. It's right next to Rico's Hair Salon!

There is a lot of demolition going on in this area, unfortunately.

Airplanes are ALWAYS in the sky.

Cardinal is the state bird of Ohio.

This is our house, the day we moved in.

 

 

That's all I have for now! More may come later!

 

 

 

 

 

Random Thoughts and Thanksgivings..

Lately people have been asking me about my dad's job search, and whether there's any news. It is kind of sad and boring to always have to tell them, "no, nothing yet." However, things have been going on inwardly that have nothing practical to do with possibly moving, but I find them interesting.

First off, I miss my Oregon friends more than I have in a while. I don't know if this is because I keep thinking about the possibility of moving back, and that makes me want to see them, or if it's God's way of making me like the idea of moving. Who knows, but either way, I feel like I should pay more attention to posting things for my Oregon friends!

College. Wow, I don't even really want to think about it anymore! I'm glad to be in high school for now, and while I had been eagerly planning for my further education, everything has become so up in the air that I'm happy to wait and forget about college.

MAF! We have some friends who used to work at the Nampa, Idaho HQ for Mission Aviation Fellowship, and someone there asked me to be a social media advocate for MAF. I am THRILLED!! And just think--if we moved to Nampa (where my grandparents live)...

Tonight we're going to a meeting about planting another OPC in the town I live in. There's one in Vandalia (which we attend), and one in Beavercreek, which is about the same distance from our house. The Vandalia one, Covenant Presbyterian, may plant a new congregation here in Springfield this year or next. How exciting! Will we be here for it?

I've been shopping for a Bible, and discovered that its really complicated. I don't ask for much, just NKJV, a normal color cover, and wide margins would be a luxury. However, there are so many Bibles to wade through, the Patriot Bible, the Spiritual Warfare Bible, the Surfer's Bible, the African-American Woman's Bible. What about a...Bible Bible? This is such a first-world problem. I'm thankful that I can buy a Bible at all.


550. Bible shopping
551. Days off school
552. Tim playing guitar
553. Fun plans
554. Happy days
555. DK swallowing for the first time in a year, and how he may be able to lose the feeding tube soon!
556. Being loved even when I fail. Miserably.
557. The Bible verse S sent me... BLESSED are they...
558. It's a balmy 9 degrees out
559. S's jokes
560. The strong, yellow soap we have
561. "Spring is coming soon"
562. Mom's smile and hug today

Thanksgiving 531-550

531. Conversations with F, and how she always makes me laugh!
532. Conversations with my cousin, and that she might come visit us this summer!
533. Remembering things that happened this summer, and how wonderful they were
534. Friends being nearby
535. The chance of seeing S soon
536. God never being surprised by what is going to happen
537. School to do, even this much
538. Charles G. Finney, and how even he was part of God's plan for the world
539. Preterism and postmillennialism, and all they mean for my life
540. Church tonight
541. Dad being home
542. The rain last night
543. The warmth outside
544. Watching End of the Spear
545. Nate Saint and Jeremiah Small, and how their stories were different in a good way
546. Esther O., and how I can miss her because I like her a lot :)
547. TB, and how this little boy has blessed, challenged, and cheered me
548. Being called to let things go
549. Knowing the right thing to do
550. Strength and grace to do the difficult things

Thanksgiving 511-530

511. The note from Joel, and the hilarious difficulty of answering it.
512. Rachel finding the note I was supposed to deliver but lost, and the laughter about that
513. Being loved
514. Patient friends
515. Writing assignments being easier after reading a rhetoric book
516. Cruising through school after a lot of hard school days
517. Normality
518. Dad eating lunch with us!
519. Playing for church two weeks in a row, and NOT being nervous!!!
520. Sarah getting everything figured out, and OK
521. Having a favorite book sitting by my bed :)
522. The kids at church who smile and follow me around
523. The jokes at elder class last night
524. Tiny snowflakes of which you can just see the detail
525. Not being "snowed in". HA!
526. Hugs for a cuddly Hosea
527. The music for an upcoming concert
528. Mom's "holstein" sweater!
529. Always having pictures
530. Rousseau getting some things right, and how now I can understand our current political affairs better

On Wassup...

My dad was laid off from his job on Wednesday. They escorted him out of the high-security part of the building, and he came home to begin searching again. Four years ago, this month, my dad was laid off in Oregon, and after 11 months of searching we moved here to Ohio. Then the blame was on the recession; now the blame falls easily on whoever is making (or not making) decisions in Washington, and making military contractors' jobs unsure. That's easy. Easy to point at them and say, "you did this."

But they're not ultimately the ones who killed my dad's job. God did. God took my dad's job from him, put him on the unemployment list, and made us wonder where we'll live in the next year. God hurt our economy, God put unwise men in charge of our country. And He did it sinlessly!

I don't want a God Who allows bad things to happen.

"Darn, well, I'll allow it this time."

I want a God Who plans the bad things that happen–perfectly, sinlessly.

It is no comfort to say that God allowed my dad to lose his job.

"It might turn out OK."

It is a comfort to know that God made this happen. Because He is perfect, sinless, and all-wise, the things that He plans that hurt us the most can only be for His glory and the ultimate good of His church.

So He can move us, bend us, break us, kill us, and yet He is GOOD.

Now to believe this enough to be happy about this turn of events....

On When School is the Last Thing on Your Mind..

There are days like today when socks won't match, and Dad comes home early from work, and there's news that makes you reel.

But it's an adventure. And more than that, it's a story being written by a perfect God.

That's what I'm learning today.

On Why I Want To Be Like Mom...

I came down the stairs and stood near my mom while I folded towels. I asked her how to feel, and how to respond to shootings on both coasts, one day apart, and how they both hurt.

While what she said was important, I learned more from what she did.

I've learned from watching that there are several types of reactions to death and horror.

There are the ones who point fingers and blame politics and look for answers in human institutions. They rant and shoot off fiery darts with their tongues (and fingertips on the web).

And how does Mom respond to that? "Stay off the Internet. Let this die, and then get back on." Because this doesn't help.

There are the ones who moan and blame God and then deny His existence. If we don't like His will, we don't want Him. I know people like this, too, and asked if I can worry about them. Mom said no, they're in God's hands, and don't I trust Him?

There are the ones who say they'll hug their kids closer, and they leave unsaid the thoughts about how they don't think about God being the God in control of their children's lives, and how even if they were killed, GLORY TO GOD. Because that's really hard to say. And I wonder what their babies think about this sudden dose of affection, and has it lasted the weeks? And my mom, does she hug us more? No, because she's too busy pounding out the dough and stirring the soup that will keep us feed. She's too busy teaching us what we really need to know, that the world just won't tell us. She's too busy hugging us when we need to cry, not when it eases her guilt. She's too busy showing us how to live and die.

This woman who adopted us formed us more than our flesh-and-blood mothers did. She is busy making our lives and lifting us up. She is busy guiding our souls to the light.

She knows that we are in God's hands, and that if that's where we are, we all ought to be willing and ready to die. Whether it's in a bloody accident, a cancer ward, or every morning when we get up and are called to die to ourselves and to sin. We are following the crucified One Who lives, and so there's no real pain in death.

I want to be like her, and joyful no matter what the world and other Christians are shouting. I want to be too busy making lives and making dinner to doubt my end and goal.


"I know that you knew--
You raised us to leave you;
Raised us to run,
With the wind at our backs.

I know that you knew--
What your love would do;
Send us out sailors,
With the wind at our backs.

And your love always carried us."

~Christa Wells, Oh Your Love

On Bengal Football and Changed Attitudes...

This afternoon the house is quiet, and after cleaning and sewing, I'm watching the Cincinnati Bengals play in the playoffs. I haven't watched them since their first game of the season--late summer.

They played very poorly that day, but they must have improved, because they're here at the playoffs.

I've changed, too. The circumstances of today are surprisingly similar to the last day I watched them play, but so much has changed.

Last game (that I watched), my friend Sarah was about to leave Ohio for college, and I really only watched because a friend joked that it would help me not be sad, and I was curious if it would. I spent the game chatting online with Sarah, and it really did help! Today Sarah is again close to leaving. Her break is nearly over, and I get to see her one more time before she goes back.

I will miss her, but God changed me this year. I've learned that making more friends is a good thing. I've learned to be outgoing, and that thinking about others DOES help get my mind off of my troubles (thanks, Mom, I know you've told me that before :).

I'm able to watch the Bengals without thinking of crying, and I know that everything will be okay.

I know that friends are not always physically near, but as Sarah said, I would rather make friends and say goodbye to them than never meet them.

But who knows about those Bengals...