Christmas Present
The clock on the laptop tells me it's 11:12 pm. We're finished with our rituals and gift opening. Cindy has gone to bed (she has to drive tomorrow and I'm praying the rain will stop) and the rest of us are not too far behind her. This whole weekend has been like one giant Christmas, and the day isn't even here yet.
But it has been special, in most ways good, in a couple kind of bittersweet. Brian and Mike's absence confirms again that the kids are grown up and have their own lives. We're ok with the reasons - it's just not the same without them. Thank God for cell phones. We still laugh allbeit long distance. I have to give the girls credit though - they raised the roof pretty good anyway.
So what did I get this Christmas?
I got to give love in paper bags to 160 mostly unsaved people. Dworeks loaned their van to transport candy and homemade cookie goodie bags to the jail and I was met by five other "ministers", one woman and four men, who eagerly unloaded the boxes and took them to the cells. To my knowledge it's the first time that many of us have been together in one place at one time. Sherry and I had service in the library with all the women. It was pretty special.
I saw and got to visit with a long lost friend. Not really, but time and distance makes it seem that way.
My extended family soldier boy spent the afternoon with us. He's back from basic for the first time in months.
I heard my daughters perform a fifth (or sixth?) awesome song they wrote. It made me cry.
I got to hear Brian cackle on the phone. Twice. I love his sense of humor.
I got to open Mike's present with him present by phone. His conscienciousness is really amazing.
I got snookered again by my husband. Somehow every year he manages to get me something right under my none. This time it was something BIG and I somehow managed to overlook it numerous times in the trunk.
I think the main thing I got was a new appreciation for the concept of God with us. That was what the first Christmas was all about - God with us. It's what the Christian life is about every day, God with us. Cool to think we can live Christmas out every day of the year. We don't need holly and mistletoe for that.
That being said I'm calling it a day and turning in . . .nite all.
12.24.2006
12.14.2006
From Today's Reading
And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. Hebrews 1:10- 12
Interesting that God would compare this universe to a piece of clothing, a coat or cloak in particular. We know from Scripture that one day this sin cursed reality will be replaced with new heavens and a new earth. A few random thoughts on that:
1. Garments are meant to be worn, may times made for a specific individual. So who was this universe made for? God certainly didn't need it as he exists outside time as we know it and is not bound by the physical laws that govern this universe. He certainly didn't make it for the legions that rebelled against him - they didn't rebel until after creation anyway. The conclusion is humbling - he made it for us. All the vastness of this great universe is for our benefit, our instruction and our blessing. WOW.
2. Garments wear out. And the more they are used the faster they wear out. They sag as the weave loosens and the threads become bare. Science is clear that the universe is expanding. It even has holes in it. Now, I must confess my husband's holy tee shirts aren't sucking everything in (though he's been known to stick his fingers in) but it is odd in that light that the threads always curl in.
3. The last part about God folding them up was intiguing in light of wormhole theory. (See here for a visual explaination.) God certainly doesn't need our theories to do exactly that; but it is interesting that He tells us exactly what he's going to do with this universe before he eliminates it. He's going to fold it up. Was folding the graveclothes after his resurrection a a foreshadow of this? He, himself had conquered death and folded the garments of death that bound him. Someday sin and death will be conquered for us. Don't it make sense that He'll fold up this cursed garment of time and space we live in, do away with it forever, and change it for a new one?
And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. Hebrews 1:10- 12
Interesting that God would compare this universe to a piece of clothing, a coat or cloak in particular. We know from Scripture that one day this sin cursed reality will be replaced with new heavens and a new earth. A few random thoughts on that:
1. Garments are meant to be worn, may times made for a specific individual. So who was this universe made for? God certainly didn't need it as he exists outside time as we know it and is not bound by the physical laws that govern this universe. He certainly didn't make it for the legions that rebelled against him - they didn't rebel until after creation anyway. The conclusion is humbling - he made it for us. All the vastness of this great universe is for our benefit, our instruction and our blessing. WOW.
2. Garments wear out. And the more they are used the faster they wear out. They sag as the weave loosens and the threads become bare. Science is clear that the universe is expanding. It even has holes in it. Now, I must confess my husband's holy tee shirts aren't sucking everything in (though he's been known to stick his fingers in) but it is odd in that light that the threads always curl in.
3. The last part about God folding them up was intiguing in light of wormhole theory. (See here for a visual explaination.) God certainly doesn't need our theories to do exactly that; but it is interesting that He tells us exactly what he's going to do with this universe before he eliminates it. He's going to fold it up. Was folding the graveclothes after his resurrection a a foreshadow of this? He, himself had conquered death and folded the garments of death that bound him. Someday sin and death will be conquered for us. Don't it make sense that He'll fold up this cursed garment of time and space we live in, do away with it forever, and change it for a new one?
12.01.2006
Raising the Dead?
My family has been thoroughly blessed by the writings of John and Stasi Edlredge the last few years. While I suspect their theological leanings may be more liberal than what we're used to, I have to say "Amen" to their explaination of God's desire to heal broken hearts and establish relationship with us mere mortals. I've always been grateful for our daughters' relationship with their Dad and reading Captivating over Thanksgiving gave him fresh insight into why it is so vital for girls to connect with their fathers. I have only read Waking the Dead so far and look forward to this next one - when I'm finished with some of these other book's I'm working on!
Last week Becky and I visited Mr. Joe. He and Mrs. Evelyn are very precious friends we met through beekeeping. He's a brilliant and quiet man who started beekeeping about the same time I did and I consider him my superior in every way.
It was a very cold and wet day we were there. While walking out to his honey house he spotted a bee in the edge of his birdbath in the water. I didn't think anything of it when he picked it out and noticed a few minutes later he had his hands cupped together. "Have you ever revived a bee?" he asked? It turns out that bee wasn't just litter in his birdbath that he was removing. He had warmed it up and brought it back to life. He proceeded to tell me exactly what the bee would do next. Sure enough, she started cleaning her eyes and face. A minute later she was getting the water off her legs and body. All the while walking around on his bare hand unconcerned about anything more immediate than her grooming.
"She's old, look how tattered her wings are" he said. I'd never inspected a bees wings close enough to tell something that intimate. The sense he had about her behavior, condition and needs were amazing. The tender care he showed for such a little of God's creatures was touching. I asked if he were concerned about her stinging him. No. As long as he didn't try to move her she wouldn't bother him and would leave on her own once she was fully recovered.
Isn't that just like God? In the grandour of heaven and the infinite majesty of His creation He finds us raggedy mortals drowning in sin at the edge of some dirty stink hole. We're dead in trespasses and sins. He takes us individually into His care and attempts to bring life to us by the warmth of His own love. We're known so intimatly by our Creator he sees every flaw and still chooses to take us into his hand where we can be cared for and given life. He's excited when we respond to Him and His desire for us is that our spirits would prosper. He wants us to have wings and promises that we will mount up as eagles when we wait on Him.
There's no question that little bee will never understand how blessed she was that day. For the most part us mere mortals are equally oblivious to the care that God has for us; the air we breathe every day, the little miracles that surround us. The difference is that we have DO have the capacity to understand, appreciate and ultimatly know our creator/caregiver in a personal and loving relationship. It's really a matter of choice, and He leaves that choice with us.
My family has been thoroughly blessed by the writings of John and Stasi Edlredge the last few years. While I suspect their theological leanings may be more liberal than what we're used to, I have to say "Amen" to their explaination of God's desire to heal broken hearts and establish relationship with us mere mortals. I've always been grateful for our daughters' relationship with their Dad and reading Captivating over Thanksgiving gave him fresh insight into why it is so vital for girls to connect with their fathers. I have only read Waking the Dead so far and look forward to this next one - when I'm finished with some of these other book's I'm working on!
Last week Becky and I visited Mr. Joe. He and Mrs. Evelyn are very precious friends we met through beekeeping. He's a brilliant and quiet man who started beekeeping about the same time I did and I consider him my superior in every way.
It was a very cold and wet day we were there. While walking out to his honey house he spotted a bee in the edge of his birdbath in the water. I didn't think anything of it when he picked it out and noticed a few minutes later he had his hands cupped together. "Have you ever revived a bee?" he asked? It turns out that bee wasn't just litter in his birdbath that he was removing. He had warmed it up and brought it back to life. He proceeded to tell me exactly what the bee would do next. Sure enough, she started cleaning her eyes and face. A minute later she was getting the water off her legs and body. All the while walking around on his bare hand unconcerned about anything more immediate than her grooming.
"She's old, look how tattered her wings are" he said. I'd never inspected a bees wings close enough to tell something that intimate. The sense he had about her behavior, condition and needs were amazing. The tender care he showed for such a little of God's creatures was touching. I asked if he were concerned about her stinging him. No. As long as he didn't try to move her she wouldn't bother him and would leave on her own once she was fully recovered.
Isn't that just like God? In the grandour of heaven and the infinite majesty of His creation He finds us raggedy mortals drowning in sin at the edge of some dirty stink hole. We're dead in trespasses and sins. He takes us individually into His care and attempts to bring life to us by the warmth of His own love. We're known so intimatly by our Creator he sees every flaw and still chooses to take us into his hand where we can be cared for and given life. He's excited when we respond to Him and His desire for us is that our spirits would prosper. He wants us to have wings and promises that we will mount up as eagles when we wait on Him.
There's no question that little bee will never understand how blessed she was that day. For the most part us mere mortals are equally oblivious to the care that God has for us; the air we breathe every day, the little miracles that surround us. The difference is that we have DO have the capacity to understand, appreciate and ultimatly know our creator/caregiver in a personal and loving relationship. It's really a matter of choice, and He leaves that choice with us.
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