Greetings to all of you blog readers out there! It has been quite a while since I posted anything. So sorry...as you know, life gets busy :-) Today, I write a post concerning 2 things in my life that live in infamy.
First, today is the day that Mike and I went on our first date back in 2007. I am thankful I said yes, and I am thankful God brought such a special man into my life. For the 2 of us, it is a day that will live in infamy for a very special reason. It began our love story and our life together.
The second event (and more important on a national level) that will live in infamy is of course the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. As a history nerd I know quite a bit about this day and about WWII in general. It was always a great topic of interest for me and I have always enjoyed studying it. However, studying it and seeing it are 2 very different things.
Mike and I had the opportunity to visit Pearl Harbor on our honeymoon back in 2009. As you arrive to get tickets, you have the opportunity to view a film about that terrible day in history. It sets the tone for what you are about to see. As everyone gets on the boat to head out to the memorial there is a sense of excitement and you can hear people chattering away about how they have always wanted to visit this place and what a neat experience it will be. Then suddenly, as the ship draws closer, voices seem to quiet and stop all together. It is as if everyone begins to realize the magnitude of what they are about to see. As the boat docks at the memorial you can hear a pin drop. For this group of people, December 7, 1941 has become very alive and real for the few minutes we have to experience the USS Arizona.
As I stood on the USS Arizona Memorial and looked down into the murky water I was truly thankful for the men that gave their lives in protection of this country that I wasn't even born into yet. Men who lie entombed in that very ship, never laid to rest as a soldier deserves. What an honor to be there to say thank you to these men who forever left loved ones behind in order to stand in the gap for their country.
My moments on the memorial were reflective and silent. As my mom always says, "Tiffany just needed to have her history moment." But more than that, it was a moment to be thankful and to contemplate the many blessings we have as Americans. What a gift to spend such a special time with my new husband.
I thought it was appropriate to end this section with a portion from President Roosevelt's Infamy Speech. I pray that our leaders can take note of the heart, courage, conviction and passion that made this country so great. I don't know what God's plans for our country's future are, but I am thankful I can still say God Bless America!
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan....
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Celebration!! Even after disappointment...
Well, by now everyone knows the results of the election. For some, it is a great time of celebration and for others it is a time of disappointment. I will admit that I was disappointed in the results of the election. But, I still believe that God is sovereign and holds the nations in His hands. Two passages of scripture that I greatly appreciate right now are Psalm 2 and 2 Timothy 3:1-7. I will post them at the end of the blog. I think these passages give such a great picture of where we are in our country right now. For now, I will pray for my leaders and pray that Christians learn the true meaning of taking up our cross and following Him!
On note of celebration, today is mine and Mike's anniversary!! I can't believe that 3 years have already gone by. But what a great 3 years they have been. I truly couldn't have a better partner in life than Mike. He is a genuine picture of a husband who loves me as Christ loves the church. I pray that I can continue growing to be the wife he needs as we strive each day to out give and out love the other. Because that is the "secret" I have learned in this thing called marriage. The more I focus on him, the less selfish and needy I am. I know we have a long way to go in this marrage thing and a lot to learn, but I can't wait!
And lastly, today is our sweet Lincoln's birthday! He is 3 as well. For those who don't know, Lincoln was born the day we got married. As Christmas approached Mike and I had talked about getting a dog. Little did I know he had already found a breeder for Maltipoos and even found a litter that had been born on our wedding day. Mike surprised me with a picture of Lincoln and all the doggie items we would need on Christmas morning. We picked Lincoln up on December 26 and he weighed a whopping 15 ounces. Yep...I said ounces :-) Now he is full grown and weighs in at a hefty 8 pounds...hehe! He is such a sweet puppy and we are thankful for all the laughter and playfulness he brings to out lives. Here are two pics of him. The first is him at about a pound and the second was taken just a couple weeks ago. Love to you all!
On note of celebration, today is mine and Mike's anniversary!! I can't believe that 3 years have already gone by. But what a great 3 years they have been. I truly couldn't have a better partner in life than Mike. He is a genuine picture of a husband who loves me as Christ loves the church. I pray that I can continue growing to be the wife he needs as we strive each day to out give and out love the other. Because that is the "secret" I have learned in this thing called marriage. The more I focus on him, the less selfish and needy I am. I know we have a long way to go in this marrage thing and a lot to learn, but I can't wait!
And lastly, today is our sweet Lincoln's birthday! He is 3 as well. For those who don't know, Lincoln was born the day we got married. As Christmas approached Mike and I had talked about getting a dog. Little did I know he had already found a breeder for Maltipoos and even found a litter that had been born on our wedding day. Mike surprised me with a picture of Lincoln and all the doggie items we would need on Christmas morning. We picked Lincoln up on December 26 and he weighed a whopping 15 ounces. Yep...I said ounces :-) Now he is full grown and weighs in at a hefty 8 pounds...hehe! He is such a sweet puppy and we are thankful for all the laughter and playfulness he brings to out lives. Here are two pics of him. The first is him at about a pound and the second was taken just a couple weeks ago. Love to you all!
Psalm 2
Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.
3 “Let us break their chains,” they say,
“and throw off their fetters.”
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.
3 “Let us break their chains,” they say,
“and throw off their fetters.”
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then he rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 “I have installed my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
7 I will proclaim the decree of the Lord:the Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then he rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 “I have installed my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
He said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.
8 Ask of me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You will rule them with an iron scepter;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
today I have become your Father.
8 Ask of me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You will rule them with an iron scepter;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear
and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry
and you be destroyed in your way,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear
and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry
and you be destroyed in your way,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
2 Timothy 3:1-7
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.
Monday, November 5, 2012
VOTE!!
I posted this back on August 28 and thought that in light of tomorrow I would post it again. I don't say who I was going to vote for in the post below, but I will say now that I will be wearing red and voting red tomorrow :-) I hope this post shows the true importance and value to voting! If you don't want to read the whole thing, I recommend the last 2 paragraphs :-) Love to you all! A new post to come soon...I promise!
I promise that I am not going to be one of these people that uses her blog over the next 2 months to explain why I think you should vote for a certain person or party. In fact, I am not even going to mention who it is I am going to vote for...although I think you might have a pretty good idea before I am done :-) I only have one purpose in this blog and that is to share why I think it is important we as Christians exercise our right to vote. And why apathy is a disease among Christians.
Have you ever thought about whether or not Jesus would have voted if he lived in our society? I am sure there would be many variations of answers to this question and I am not going to answer it with a yes or a no. But I think the Bible sheds some light on Christ's interaction with government officials. What I find interesting is that Christ never stayed away from those in Roman authority. If anything, he was bolder in his conversations with them. Just a few of his interactions included calling Matthew the tax collector as one of his disciples (Matthew 9, Mark 2 and Luke 5), the healing of the Centurion's servant (Matthew 8, Luke 7), the chief tax collector Zacchaeus (Luke 19), Jesus' trial before Herod Antipas (Luke 23) and Jesus before Pilot (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23 & John 18&19). Probably the most well known passage when it comes to dealing with the government was when the Pharisees tested Christ by asking if it was lawful for them to pay taxes as the people of God (Matthew 22, Mark 12 & Luke 20). His answer to them was to give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. Most people interpret this fairly literally as meaning that we need to pay taxes. This is true, but I think at the heart of this passage is also Christ modeling respect for the government that God has ordained to be in control at the time.
As Christians we believe that God is in control of the nations. Psalm 47:8 says "God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his Holy throne." We see this throughout the entire Bible as God ordained what nations would rise up and what nations would fall.(Isaiah 7-24 will give you further proof). The most prominent examples we see are Assyria and Babylon and how God used these godless nations for His purpose. These truths are exciting to us mere mortals who can rely on a God that holds the whole earth in the palm of his hand. Unfortunately, I feel that Christians have used God's Sovereignty among the nations to justify their apathy towards anything that has to do with the government. In this case, voting. I can't tell you how many times I have heard Christians say that God already knows what is going to happen and my vote isn't going to change anything. Yes, God does know what is going to happen and He is in control, but we have a role to play as the body of Christ as we live out His will.
Merriam-Webster defines apathy as a lack of interest or concern. Can you imagine what would have happened if Abraham was apathetic about leaving the land of his fathers, or if Moses was apathetic to the plight of the Israelites in Egypt, or if David told Samuel he didn't care about being King? What about if the disciples and Paul had just said "hey, God is sovereign, He will get the Word out one way or another, he doesn't need me." Yes, God's purpose would have been accomplished if these men had said no, but each of them had a role to play in the will of the Lord and He used them in incredible ways. Can you imagine the blessing they would have missed out on? Can you imagine what we would have missed out on?
Please don't think I am trying to elevate voting to a pedestal it doesn't deserve. The Great Commission is by far the most important mandate we have as modern day Christians. So please don't misunderstand the purpose of the preceding paragraphs. My goal is to show you just how important we are in the framework of the Christian body. God has roles for each of us to play and in the nation of America he has given us the role of constituent with the freedom to vote for our leaders and further his Kingdom. Why would you want to miss out on doing your part in a role that God has blessed you with? A role that not all people on this planet get to have.
Dictionary.com defines voting as a formal expression of opinion or choice, either positive or negative, made by an individual or body of individuals. I thought this was a great definition because it speaks to the positive and negative aspects of voting. Unfortunately though, Christians aren't bothering to even be positive or negative about the vote because they just don't bother to vote to begin with. Yes, there is the problem of feeling like we don't have a true man of God to vote for and that this country is sinking further and further into moral despair and there is nothing we can do about it. When we say this though, do we really believe that God is sovereign? There are two men for us to vote for this November, two flawed men that were created by God just as you and I were. They are no better and no worse sinners and just as much in need of the saving blood of Christ as you and me. The only true difference is that they have a platform God didn't see fit to give us. How do we make a choice between the two you might ask....I believe prayer is the key, followed by knowing the facts about each candidate and their platform. This will help you make the best decision. (I would love to tell you who I think that is...and again, you can probably guess based on my conservative principles and the fact I have been a staunch republican for many years. But, I truly feel that the vote is your choice and prayer is the key....no matter who the candidate you choose, because God has a purpose in how he speaks to you....especially if we believe He is sovereign).
Basically, our nation is in a moral disaster. We have a choice to make as believers, will we try to turn the tide and make a stand by using our God given right to vote? Or, will we sink even further in our apathy and cause the generations behind us to live in a country that is no longer truly free? Are we really willing to hide behind the God we have pledged to serve and not get out on the front lines and be willing to stand for His mandates no matter the cost? If we aren't willing to do the small things, what makes us think God will ever entrust us with big things?
So go vote this November! Not because I told you to or because someone guilted you into it and not just because it is your right as an American. Go vote because you are a part of something bigger, you are a part of the body of Christ! I will leave my place of voting on November 6 with a smile on my face and joy in my heart no matter the outcome. Why? Because I know that God is Sovereign and I did my part in His plan whatever it may be!
Friday, September 21, 2012
CHANGE...the story of our lives!
Hello friends and family! It has been a while since I have written. But, as you can see by my title, change is the story of our lives. So, I thought I would use this post to update you all on our crazy life. Here we go...
As you know, we are currently living in Wake Forest, North Carolina where Mike is attending Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is working on his Master of Divinity in Advanced Biblical Studies. This degree focuses very heavily on Greek and Hebrew. To give you an idea, the man has had four semesters of Greek and is currently in his 4th semester of Hebrew where he is translating the entire book of Deuteronomy. They actually read the book out loud in Hebrew during class. It truly baffles my brain. But to those who know Mike well, you know this challenge is right up his ally. And since I am the one writing this post I can brag about him all I want :-) God has truly blessed him with a gift for languages and a gift for teaching. I get excited about going to our small group just to hear all that God has laid on his heart to share. I am truly thankful that God called him to ministry because I see the blessings of the Lord all over him. I am a very proud wife to say the least!
Back at the end of April I started my job at the Seminary and I love every minute of it. It is almost like getting the college experience all over again except there are no papers and tests and I get paid to be there. Granted, I won't receive a degree, but the life experience is pretty great! We moved on campus at the end of May with the help of our parents and our wonderful small group. We really enjoy our little seminary town home and we are quite thankful for the reduced rent! And my 2 minute commute is pretty nice too!
BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) has started back up for the year and it is my 2nd year as a group leader. We are studying the book of Genesis and I am so excited to dig deeper into this book that is the foundation of our faith. I have 14 sweet ladies in my group who range from age 52 to 74. I feel privileged to lead these women who have so much wisdom to share. I know they will bless me far more than I could ever bless them this year.
So, those are the fairly simple changes in our lives. Time for the interesting one. It is always amazing to me to see how God works in situations in ways we would never even think of. For us, this came in the form of Mike's job. Mike had been working at the seminary in the business office since summer 2011. He was happy with his position and it was nice for us to be able to work together in the same place. That changed very quickly though. Mike was given the opportunity to be the education ministry assistant at our church Richland Creek. This opportunity came out of nowhere and was a complete surprise. Mike has felt called to be in education ministry and this was the perfect opportunity to learn and gain church experience. So, after much prayer we decided he should take the job. He took to it very quickly and was even able to help lead some of the Sunday School leadership meetings. We genuinely thought this was where he would be until he graduated....that date seems to be a moving target anyway :-)
Well, imagine our surprise when in July, barely 2 months after starting at Richland Creek, Mike gets a call from his old boss at the seminary. Apparently there had been an issue with the financial person at his church (First Baptist Church Durham) and he was calling Mike to see if he could come and fill in on an emergency basis until they found someone more permanent. And since Mike is is the sweet helpful person he is, he said he could help them out 1 or 2 days a week since he only worked at Richland Creek Monday though Wednesday. So for the next month my husband worked 2 jobs which basically equaled a minimum of 45 hours a week. With him not taking any classes this wasn't too bad, but the fall semester was quickly approaching and the replacement at FBC Durham needed to be found quickly.
Some of you may figure out where this is going. Basically, FBC Durham offered Mike the financial position full time (which basically means he is the permanent employee but would only work 25 hours a week) They told him that they do not require membership for employment so we could stay at Richland Creek if we wanted to. But they also offered him a pastoral mentorship with the senior pastor next semester. As we prayed through these things, Mike and I both felt that he couldn't work at one church and we worship at another. We felt that we needed to be fully invested in whatever church Mike chose to work at. This meant having to chose one church or the other....which was beyond difficult!
Through much prayer and wisdom from our families we felt that God was leading us to FBC Durham. I have to note, this was even before we visited a church service there! So we decided that was the final piece of the puzzle and we went one Sunday and were truly blessed by the service, the pastor and the people in the church. We quickly knew that this was a place where we could serve and enjoy the fellowship. Now came the hard part...telling our small group at Richland Creek and Mike telling his boss. I would love to say that everyone involved took it well...but that isn't always the case in situations like these. But, we are truly thankful for the many who have wished us well and are happy for us as we take this next step in our ministry.
We have learned a great deal through out this decision. For me, the lesson has been about God's sovereignty and how He knows exactly what He is doing and does it in his perfect timing. As I look back I know that God's hand was on Mike as he left the seminary to work at Richland Creek because He knew that Mike's boss at the seminary never would have asked for his help at FBCD if he was still working at the school. God knew each piece that had to be in place and he also knew where our hearts needed to be. As bittersweet as this decision has been, I am reminded that this will possibly be the first of many changes that come as a result of being in the ministry. That is why I am so thankful God has it under control!!
So, that is about it for us. If you are still reading I am sure you are glad there is no more :-) Just thought I would bring those interested up to speed. Before I finish, I ask that you please keep my sister in your prayers as she is about to have her second son, Grady, in a foreign country with no epidurals...yikes! Pray that my mom arrives safely next week as well as my dad 2 weeks later. I am super happy for this sweet new nephew and trying not to be too sad I won't meet him in person for quite a while :-) But, I have all of eternity for that one day. I am thankful God called my sister's family to the ministry and they are being obedient to follow His call despite certain discomforts and no family near by. Love them to pieces! Also keep Mike's grandmother in your prayers as she has been moved to an assisted living facility and is experiencing the onset of dementia. Thanks you for your prayers sweet readers!
Ok...I promise I am done now...really! Much love to you all! Below are some pics!
As you know, we are currently living in Wake Forest, North Carolina where Mike is attending Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is working on his Master of Divinity in Advanced Biblical Studies. This degree focuses very heavily on Greek and Hebrew. To give you an idea, the man has had four semesters of Greek and is currently in his 4th semester of Hebrew where he is translating the entire book of Deuteronomy. They actually read the book out loud in Hebrew during class. It truly baffles my brain. But to those who know Mike well, you know this challenge is right up his ally. And since I am the one writing this post I can brag about him all I want :-) God has truly blessed him with a gift for languages and a gift for teaching. I get excited about going to our small group just to hear all that God has laid on his heart to share. I am truly thankful that God called him to ministry because I see the blessings of the Lord all over him. I am a very proud wife to say the least!
Back at the end of April I started my job at the Seminary and I love every minute of it. It is almost like getting the college experience all over again except there are no papers and tests and I get paid to be there. Granted, I won't receive a degree, but the life experience is pretty great! We moved on campus at the end of May with the help of our parents and our wonderful small group. We really enjoy our little seminary town home and we are quite thankful for the reduced rent! And my 2 minute commute is pretty nice too!
BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) has started back up for the year and it is my 2nd year as a group leader. We are studying the book of Genesis and I am so excited to dig deeper into this book that is the foundation of our faith. I have 14 sweet ladies in my group who range from age 52 to 74. I feel privileged to lead these women who have so much wisdom to share. I know they will bless me far more than I could ever bless them this year.
So, those are the fairly simple changes in our lives. Time for the interesting one. It is always amazing to me to see how God works in situations in ways we would never even think of. For us, this came in the form of Mike's job. Mike had been working at the seminary in the business office since summer 2011. He was happy with his position and it was nice for us to be able to work together in the same place. That changed very quickly though. Mike was given the opportunity to be the education ministry assistant at our church Richland Creek. This opportunity came out of nowhere and was a complete surprise. Mike has felt called to be in education ministry and this was the perfect opportunity to learn and gain church experience. So, after much prayer we decided he should take the job. He took to it very quickly and was even able to help lead some of the Sunday School leadership meetings. We genuinely thought this was where he would be until he graduated....that date seems to be a moving target anyway :-)
Well, imagine our surprise when in July, barely 2 months after starting at Richland Creek, Mike gets a call from his old boss at the seminary. Apparently there had been an issue with the financial person at his church (First Baptist Church Durham) and he was calling Mike to see if he could come and fill in on an emergency basis until they found someone more permanent. And since Mike is is the sweet helpful person he is, he said he could help them out 1 or 2 days a week since he only worked at Richland Creek Monday though Wednesday. So for the next month my husband worked 2 jobs which basically equaled a minimum of 45 hours a week. With him not taking any classes this wasn't too bad, but the fall semester was quickly approaching and the replacement at FBC Durham needed to be found quickly.
Some of you may figure out where this is going. Basically, FBC Durham offered Mike the financial position full time (which basically means he is the permanent employee but would only work 25 hours a week) They told him that they do not require membership for employment so we could stay at Richland Creek if we wanted to. But they also offered him a pastoral mentorship with the senior pastor next semester. As we prayed through these things, Mike and I both felt that he couldn't work at one church and we worship at another. We felt that we needed to be fully invested in whatever church Mike chose to work at. This meant having to chose one church or the other....which was beyond difficult!
Through much prayer and wisdom from our families we felt that God was leading us to FBC Durham. I have to note, this was even before we visited a church service there! So we decided that was the final piece of the puzzle and we went one Sunday and were truly blessed by the service, the pastor and the people in the church. We quickly knew that this was a place where we could serve and enjoy the fellowship. Now came the hard part...telling our small group at Richland Creek and Mike telling his boss. I would love to say that everyone involved took it well...but that isn't always the case in situations like these. But, we are truly thankful for the many who have wished us well and are happy for us as we take this next step in our ministry.
We have learned a great deal through out this decision. For me, the lesson has been about God's sovereignty and how He knows exactly what He is doing and does it in his perfect timing. As I look back I know that God's hand was on Mike as he left the seminary to work at Richland Creek because He knew that Mike's boss at the seminary never would have asked for his help at FBCD if he was still working at the school. God knew each piece that had to be in place and he also knew where our hearts needed to be. As bittersweet as this decision has been, I am reminded that this will possibly be the first of many changes that come as a result of being in the ministry. That is why I am so thankful God has it under control!!
So, that is about it for us. If you are still reading I am sure you are glad there is no more :-) Just thought I would bring those interested up to speed. Before I finish, I ask that you please keep my sister in your prayers as she is about to have her second son, Grady, in a foreign country with no epidurals...yikes! Pray that my mom arrives safely next week as well as my dad 2 weeks later. I am super happy for this sweet new nephew and trying not to be too sad I won't meet him in person for quite a while :-) But, I have all of eternity for that one day. I am thankful God called my sister's family to the ministry and they are being obedient to follow His call despite certain discomforts and no family near by. Love them to pieces! Also keep Mike's grandmother in your prayers as she has been moved to an assisted living facility and is experiencing the onset of dementia. Thanks you for your prayers sweet readers!
Ok...I promise I am done now...really! Much love to you all! Below are some pics!
We are # 307. Our house in the one in the middle with the upstairs double window.
The Kitchen...part 1...this is my favorite room because I love cooking!
Kitchen...part 2...we now have an island in the center that Mike and I built together. Now that is some good couples bonding right there :-)
My view as I walk into work each day. I am on the second floor of this building, but on the front side.
My office!! Love this place!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
From my heart...
Warning: This blog post will be long and some of you may disagree with what I have to say but, this blog post is my heart on what I feel is a truly important matter and it is something the Lord has laid on my heart to share! Are you ready for it....this is my blog about Voting!
I promise that I am not going to be one of these people that uses her blog over the next 2 months to explain why I think you should vote for a certain person or party. In fact, I am not even going to mention who it is I am going to vote for...although I think you might have a pretty good idea before I am done :-) I only have one purpose in this blog and that is to share why I think it is important we as Christians exercise our right to vote. And why apathy is a disease among Christians.
Have you ever thought about whether or not Jesus would have voted if he lived in our society? I am sure there would be many variations of answers to this question and I am not going to answer it with a yes or a no. But I think the Bible sheds some light on Christ's interaction with government officials. What I find interesting is that Christ never stayed away from those in Roman authority. If anything, he was bolder in his conversations with them. Just a few of his interactions included calling Matthew the tax collector as one of his disciples (Matthew 9, Mark 2 and Luke 5), the healing of the Centurion's servant (Matthew 8, Luke 7), the chief tax collector Zacchaeus (Luke 19), Jesus' trial before Herod Antipas (Luke 23) and Jesus before Pilot (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23 & John 18&19). Probably the most well known passage when it comes to dealing with the government was when the Pharisees tested Christ by asking if it was lawful for them to pay taxes as the people of God (Matthew 22, Mark 12 & Luke 20). His answer to them was to give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. Most people interpret this fairly literally as meaning that we need to pay taxes. This is true, but I think at the heart of this passage is also Christ modeling respect for the government that God has ordained to be in control at the time.
As Christians we believe that God is in control of the nations. Psalm 47:8 says "God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his Holy throne." We see this throughout the entire Bible as God ordained what nations would rise up and what nations would fall.(Isaiah 7-24 will give you further proof). The most prominent examples we see are Assyria and Babylon and how God used these godless nations for His purpose. These truths are exciting to us mere mortals who can rely on a God that holds the whole earth in the palm of his hand. Unfortunately, I feel that Christians have used God's Sovereignty among the nations to justify their apathy towards anything that has to do with the government. In this case, voting. I can't tell you how many times I have heard Christians say that God already knows what is going to happen and my vote isn't going to change anything. Yes, God does know what is going to happen and He is in control, but we have a role to play as the body of Christ as we live out His will.
Merriam-Webster defines apathy as a lack of interest or concern. Can you imagine what would have happened if Abraham was apathetic about leaving the land of his fathers, or if Moses was apathetic to the plight of the Israelites in Egypt, or if David told Samuel he didn't care about being King? What about if the disciples and Paul had just said "hey, God is sovereign, He will get the Word out one way or another, he doesn't need me." Yes, God's purpose would have been accomplished if these men had said no, but each of them had a role to play in the will of the Lord and He used them in incredible ways. Can you imagine the blessing they would have missed out on? Can you imagine what we would have missed out on?
Please don't think I am trying to elevate voting to a pedestal it doesn't deserve. The Great Commission is by far the most important mandate we have as modern day Christians. So please don't misunderstand the purpose of the preceding paragraphs. My goal is to show you just how important we are in the framework of the Christian body. God has roles for each of us to play and in the nation of America he has given us the role of constituent with the freedom to vote for our leaders and further his Kingdom. Why would you want to miss out on doing your part in a role that God has blessed you with? A role that not all people on this planet get to have.
Dictionary.com defines voting as a formal expression of opinion or choice, either positive or negative, made by an individual or body of individuals. I thought this was a great definition because it speaks to the positive and negative aspects of voting. Unfortunately though, Christians aren't bothering to even be positive or negative about the vote because they just don't bother to vote to begin with. Yes, there is the problem of feeling like we don't have a true man of God to vote for and that this country is sinking further and further into moral despair and there is nothing we can do about it. When we say this though, do we really believe that God is sovereign? There are two men for us to vote for this November, two flawed men that were created by God just as you and I were. They are no better and no worse sinners and just as much in need of the saving blood of Christ as you and me. The only true difference is that they have a platform God didn't see fit to give us. How do we make a choice between the two you might ask....I believe prayer is the key, followed by knowing the facts about each candidate and their platform. This will help you make the best decision. (I would love to tell you who I think that is...and again, you can probably guess based on my conservative principles and the fact I have been a staunch republican for many years. But, I truly feel that the vote is your choice and prayer is the key....no matter who the candidate you choose, because God has a purpose in how he speaks to you....especially if we believe He is sovereign).
Better wrap this up for those of you who are still with me. Basically, our nation is in a moral disaster. We have a choice to make as believers, will we try to turn the tide and make a stand by using our God given right to vote? Or, will we sink even further in our apathy and cause the generations behind us to live in a country that is no longer truly free? Are we really willing to hide behind the God we have pledged to serve and not get out on the front lines and be willing to stand for His mandates no matter the cost? If we aren't willing to do the small things, what makes us think God will ever entrust us with big things?
So go vote this November! Not because I told you to or because someone guilted you into it and not just because it is your right as an American. Go vote because you are a part of something bigger, you are a part of the body of Christ! I will leave my place of voting on November 6 with a smile on my face and joy in my heart no matter the outcome. Why? Because I know that God is Sovereign and I did my part in His plan whatever it may be!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
The Cookie Sheet, The Cutting Board and The Cooling Rack
Ever had one of those weeks? Not the kind where everything has gone wrong or anything, but the kind where the week just seems like it will never end and your brain is so overloaded that you find yourself doing really strange things? Well, that has been me for the past couple of weeks...hence the long time between posts. So, I shall explain my interesting title to you below.
My new job at the Seminary has been wonderful and I can say that I am truly enjoying it. There are several events each year that I plan and they are not for the faint of heart! In a 4 day time period I had a luncheon for Adjunct Faculty, a New Faculty Orientation and then the 2 day Faculty workshop full of 65 professors, 4 meals, 4 breaks, session materials and a guest speaker! No, I don't mention all of this so you feel bad for me...I thrive on this kind of stuff and truly enjoy it! I tell you this so you understand where my mind has been dedicated for the past few weeks. Needless to say, when I have gotten home at night I have done some strange things.
After the first event, I came home that night and proceeded to make dinner. Making dinner calms me down and seems to put me back in the right state of mind. However, on this particular day my brain got left at work. I actually managed to melt the bottom of a tea kettle....yep...melt it. I had turned the wrong stove eye on and didn't realize it until it was too late. So, that was a fun story to tell Mike when he got home!
But, the craziest thing I have managed to do in the kitchen was yet to come. After the Faculty Workshop on Tuesday, I come home and started dinner. As I am getting everything together for our Mexican Fiesta night I went ahead and preheated my oven to 350 so it is ready to go. What I had managed to forget was that I had put a few items in the oven to get them out of the way when we had unexpected company the day before. So, picture this...cookie sheet with a cutting board and cooling rack sitting inside it. Now picture plastic cutting board in 350 degree oven....yep...more melting. And not only that, the cooling rack got stuck in the melted cutting board. After I realized this, with Mike standing in the Kitchen watching my madness, I called myself all sorts of interesting names! Have no fear, they were all G-Rated :-) At that point all I could really do was shake my head and laugh at my own absentmindedness. But, it also made me thankful that the Lord has all things under control. It doesn't matter how much I try to juggle in life, I will always have those moments where my brain just doesn't work the way I want it to. Thankfully we have a Father and a Savior who knows it all and keeps this big world turning. I am truly thankful for the Ultimate Multi-tasker :-)
Guess that is all for now. Thanks for enjoying another installment of my ramblings! I better go though....I think I smell something melting :-) Until next time...
My new job at the Seminary has been wonderful and I can say that I am truly enjoying it. There are several events each year that I plan and they are not for the faint of heart! In a 4 day time period I had a luncheon for Adjunct Faculty, a New Faculty Orientation and then the 2 day Faculty workshop full of 65 professors, 4 meals, 4 breaks, session materials and a guest speaker! No, I don't mention all of this so you feel bad for me...I thrive on this kind of stuff and truly enjoy it! I tell you this so you understand where my mind has been dedicated for the past few weeks. Needless to say, when I have gotten home at night I have done some strange things.
After the first event, I came home that night and proceeded to make dinner. Making dinner calms me down and seems to put me back in the right state of mind. However, on this particular day my brain got left at work. I actually managed to melt the bottom of a tea kettle....yep...melt it. I had turned the wrong stove eye on and didn't realize it until it was too late. So, that was a fun story to tell Mike when he got home!
But, the craziest thing I have managed to do in the kitchen was yet to come. After the Faculty Workshop on Tuesday, I come home and started dinner. As I am getting everything together for our Mexican Fiesta night I went ahead and preheated my oven to 350 so it is ready to go. What I had managed to forget was that I had put a few items in the oven to get them out of the way when we had unexpected company the day before. So, picture this...cookie sheet with a cutting board and cooling rack sitting inside it. Now picture plastic cutting board in 350 degree oven....yep...more melting. And not only that, the cooling rack got stuck in the melted cutting board. After I realized this, with Mike standing in the Kitchen watching my madness, I called myself all sorts of interesting names! Have no fear, they were all G-Rated :-) At that point all I could really do was shake my head and laugh at my own absentmindedness. But, it also made me thankful that the Lord has all things under control. It doesn't matter how much I try to juggle in life, I will always have those moments where my brain just doesn't work the way I want it to. Thankfully we have a Father and a Savior who knows it all and keeps this big world turning. I am truly thankful for the Ultimate Multi-tasker :-)
Guess that is all for now. Thanks for enjoying another installment of my ramblings! I better go though....I think I smell something melting :-) Until next time...
Monday, July 23, 2012
Maybe we all need to Eat Mor Chikin!
Hello dear readers. I write this post with a heavy heart, yet as one who is joyful because my hope and strength are in the only One that matters. So many sad events have taken place in our world over the course of this year and for some reason they have weighed heavy on my heart more in the past few days. Things from my personal life to national events to international events. It could be the shock of the Aurora shootings that triggered this heaviness, but whatever the cause, the Lord is teaching so much.
As I have tried to analyze the heaviness in my heart, I realize that more than anything I see the sin and depravity of mankind more and more each day. This realization has truly weighted me down. I am thankful for this heaviness though because it gives me the tiniest of glimpses to what our Savior endured on the cross (and I mean tiny!). It is nearly impossible to fathom the weight He bore just from our sin alone...not even taking into account the physical pain from the cross, the nails and the crown of thorns, but the horrid pain of our sin weighing heavy on our perfect and sinless Savior! It brings tears to my eyes even as I write this. The Lord gave Paul such amazing words in the book of Romans to help all of us understand what a depraved world we live in and how there truly is nothing new under the sun. This scripture passage is just as applicable today as it was then. Romans 1:29-32 says "They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." Is that not us? Praise the Lord I have a Savior who washed me white as snow and takes away my sin so I can strive to be more like him each and everyday!
The question may be asked "what do I do with such heaviness of heart? how do I respond? how can I help bring change to such a depraved world?" The questions alone can bring heaviness of heart! Our answers in such a time come from the very same place we received our conviction...the Word. The first thing we must realize is that we alone can't bring about the change we so long to see in our world. We have to realize that we are only a vessel that the Lord uses for change and we must be willing no matter the circumstance or obstacles to be obedient to what He calls us to do. You may have noticed the title to my post was Maybe we all need to Eat Mor Chikin? You can probably guess it has a little something to do with Chick-fil-a president Dan Cathy's recent stance on marriage. You would be right in your guess. What I appreciated about Dan Cathy was that he was obedient to the Word and what God asked of him. He could have easily just not taken a stand at all and left well enough alone (being politically correct)...like so many of us do on a daily basis. But instead, he proclaimed the truth from the Word of God and used the platform God has given him to be a Christ centered light in such a dark world. He was willing to say with is actions that "no matter what the world may think or how it may affect my worldly business...I will stand for what is right and true!" So to that I say...let's all Eat Mor Chikin and be willing to say I will stand for Christ no matter the cost! I know it isn't an easy task and believe me, this blog is far more for me than any of you reading along. Though my heart is heavy, I can find joy in the promises of God and I leave you with scripture from Hebrews 4: 14-16 which says, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." All praise honor, glory and power to Him forever and ever! Oddly enough, my heart doesn't seem so heavy anymore....=) Until next time my friends...
As I have tried to analyze the heaviness in my heart, I realize that more than anything I see the sin and depravity of mankind more and more each day. This realization has truly weighted me down. I am thankful for this heaviness though because it gives me the tiniest of glimpses to what our Savior endured on the cross (and I mean tiny!). It is nearly impossible to fathom the weight He bore just from our sin alone...not even taking into account the physical pain from the cross, the nails and the crown of thorns, but the horrid pain of our sin weighing heavy on our perfect and sinless Savior! It brings tears to my eyes even as I write this. The Lord gave Paul such amazing words in the book of Romans to help all of us understand what a depraved world we live in and how there truly is nothing new under the sun. This scripture passage is just as applicable today as it was then. Romans 1:29-32 says "They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." Is that not us? Praise the Lord I have a Savior who washed me white as snow and takes away my sin so I can strive to be more like him each and everyday!
The question may be asked "what do I do with such heaviness of heart? how do I respond? how can I help bring change to such a depraved world?" The questions alone can bring heaviness of heart! Our answers in such a time come from the very same place we received our conviction...the Word. The first thing we must realize is that we alone can't bring about the change we so long to see in our world. We have to realize that we are only a vessel that the Lord uses for change and we must be willing no matter the circumstance or obstacles to be obedient to what He calls us to do. You may have noticed the title to my post was Maybe we all need to Eat Mor Chikin? You can probably guess it has a little something to do with Chick-fil-a president Dan Cathy's recent stance on marriage. You would be right in your guess. What I appreciated about Dan Cathy was that he was obedient to the Word and what God asked of him. He could have easily just not taken a stand at all and left well enough alone (being politically correct)...like so many of us do on a daily basis. But instead, he proclaimed the truth from the Word of God and used the platform God has given him to be a Christ centered light in such a dark world. He was willing to say with is actions that "no matter what the world may think or how it may affect my worldly business...I will stand for what is right and true!" So to that I say...let's all Eat Mor Chikin and be willing to say I will stand for Christ no matter the cost! I know it isn't an easy task and believe me, this blog is far more for me than any of you reading along. Though my heart is heavy, I can find joy in the promises of God and I leave you with scripture from Hebrews 4: 14-16 which says, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." All praise honor, glory and power to Him forever and ever! Oddly enough, my heart doesn't seem so heavy anymore....=) Until next time my friends...
Monday, July 9, 2012
Blogging....what's the big fuss about?
Sorry it has been a little bit since I have posted! Things have been a little crazy lately. But, I am back and ready to ramble on about some new and interesting topic! For this entry I have a bit of a bone to pick though. (Read at your own risk! =) Lately I have noticed a rather large amount of facebook posts where people remark that they are sick of reading other peoples blogs. To which my reply is...then don't read them. Might sound harsh, but it is the truth. The thing about blogging is that it is basically a public diary in which you allow people to read about your life and the thoughts you want to share. It really is a rather self serving way of communication, but hey, we are all just nosey enough to want to know as much about other people as we can. (Otherwise all these entertainment magazines and shows would be out of business!) So, a blog makes it perfectly easy to catch up with people without really having to interact with them at all. By no means am I upset or angry when writing this post, it is just an observation. And since this is my "public diary" I guess I can write about whatever I want, right?!...haha =) What I love about blogs is that I can check in on the people I care about the most and even the ones I am just curious about what they are up to in life. I can read about exciting trips that have been taken or see pics of new babies. I can learn a new recipe or even get an idea for a new book to read. Mainly, I can just be amused by the adventures and opinions of others. All that to say, I am thankful for all you bloggers out there whether I read what you write or not, or whether you read what I write or not. Each of you knows that sometimes it just feels good to get your thoughts out there even if others don't read them =) To those folks who are sick of reading blogs, you do have the option not to read them. But, if I was a betting person, I would bet you will read them anyway because you are just as curious as the rest of us with what people do with their lives. Why else would you still be reading this =) For those who have stuck with me, I hope you have enjoyed my latest "observation," or maybe at least found it amusing =) Some may agree and some may disagree. That is the beauty of America though, we have the right to speak our mind....at least for now...unless something changes in November...but hey, that might just have to be another "bone to pick" at another time =) P.S. I promise my next post will be a little more fun and light hearted! Until we meet again...
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
As a kid, I read this book by Judith Viorst entitled Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Many of you may have read it or even read it to your kids. Most of us can relate to having one of these kinds of days every now and then too! For me, that day was yesterday. Basically, my car broke down in the grocery store parking lot, I hit my head very hard on our refrigerator door (still feeling the headache from that), my sweet puppy pottied all over my foot in his excitement to see me and we received some sad medical news about Mike's grandma (pray for her as she has a broken hip and pneumonia). Needless to say, it was a day where one thing just happened after another. And like poor Alexander in the book, I got very mopey and whiney and just wanted to move to Australia (or least go to sleep and forget the day happened). Let's just say my attitude wasn't the greatest. My poor hubby can attest to that, God love him!
But as I reflect on the day, I realize, unlike Alexander, there are many things to be thankful for even amidst the times of trouble. See, Alexander's story ended by his mom telling him that sometimes we just have terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days and we just have to deal with them. While this is true statement, we as Christians have so much to be thankful for in spite of the difficult times in life. God even blesses us during the middle of our crisis. So, instead of being mopey and whiney, I should have rejoiced in the fact that my sweet friends Amy and Cameron came and gave me a ride home from the grocery store (Mike was at church teaching Sunday school meeting for the first time...I wasn't about to bug him in the middle of that!) I should have been thankful when 2 people in the grocery store parking lot came over to help me and Mike try to figure out what was wrong with my car. I should have been thankful that even though my Lincoln went potty all over my foot at least he has unconditional love for me and is always happy to see me. As for my poor injured head, not quite sure how to be thankful for that except to say at least I have a refrigerator =) All that to say, God takes care of us even when we have tough days, we just have to be willing to look a little more closely and get passed our own bad attitudes. I didn't pass that test very well yesterday, but thankfully my turn around is getting a little faster =)
I leave you with these verses from Matthew 6:25-27, 32-34, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?.... For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." These verses remind me that God has it all taken care of! I definitely don't need to worry and I can definitely have a better attitude through the trials of life! So, there is my little heart to heart lesson for the week. Please do keep Mike's grandmother in your prayers as they get her pass this pneumonia so that she can have surgery on her hip. And pray for my in-laws as they care for her during this time. Thanks for reading! I find blogging strangely refreshing. Helps me get all my crazy thoughts out. I at least know my mom, my sister and my grandmother get some enjoyment out of it...shout out to them! Hopefully some of the rest of you do too! Much love...until next time...
But as I reflect on the day, I realize, unlike Alexander, there are many things to be thankful for even amidst the times of trouble. See, Alexander's story ended by his mom telling him that sometimes we just have terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days and we just have to deal with them. While this is true statement, we as Christians have so much to be thankful for in spite of the difficult times in life. God even blesses us during the middle of our crisis. So, instead of being mopey and whiney, I should have rejoiced in the fact that my sweet friends Amy and Cameron came and gave me a ride home from the grocery store (Mike was at church teaching Sunday school meeting for the first time...I wasn't about to bug him in the middle of that!) I should have been thankful when 2 people in the grocery store parking lot came over to help me and Mike try to figure out what was wrong with my car. I should have been thankful that even though my Lincoln went potty all over my foot at least he has unconditional love for me and is always happy to see me. As for my poor injured head, not quite sure how to be thankful for that except to say at least I have a refrigerator =) All that to say, God takes care of us even when we have tough days, we just have to be willing to look a little more closely and get passed our own bad attitudes. I didn't pass that test very well yesterday, but thankfully my turn around is getting a little faster =)
I leave you with these verses from Matthew 6:25-27, 32-34, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?.... For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." These verses remind me that God has it all taken care of! I definitely don't need to worry and I can definitely have a better attitude through the trials of life! So, there is my little heart to heart lesson for the week. Please do keep Mike's grandmother in your prayers as they get her pass this pneumonia so that she can have surgery on her hip. And pray for my in-laws as they care for her during this time. Thanks for reading! I find blogging strangely refreshing. Helps me get all my crazy thoughts out. I at least know my mom, my sister and my grandmother get some enjoyment out of it...shout out to them! Hopefully some of the rest of you do too! Much love...until next time...
Monday, June 25, 2012
Afternoon Tea with Jane Austen
I have said for years (and my husband and family can attest to this) that I was born in the wrong time period. For the record, I am not doubting the Lord and His sovreignty in putting me on this planet when he did; I just often dream of times gone by. I just chalk it up to my extreme love of history. With that said, I basically would love to visit anytime between the years1500-1900 England. From the halls of King Henry VIII to the defeating of the Spanish Armada under Queen Elizabeth I to the creation of the King James version of the Bible through all the King Charles's and King George's to colonization and the Revolutionary War up into the reign of the magnificent Queen Victoria. Each of these time periods entices me for numerous reasons. Have no fear, I will not bore you with all of them in this blog =) For those that hate history and are still with me I am impressed! On to the topic at hand though.
This blog is mainly about my love affair with the amazing Jane Austen. To understand this love, you had to have my little historical intro. I remember the first time I attempted to tackle a Jane Austen book was when I was studying abroad in England during my junior year of college. I had promised myself that I would finally read Pride and Prejudice in the country it was written in (cheesy I know, but that is what we history nerds do!) As I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time, I was swept up in a time gone by. The time of true ladies and gentlemen when chivalry was at its best and true love was for only a fortunate few. A time when clothes were handmade and as breathtaking to look at as they were to wear (minus the corsets!) A time when the Miss Elizabeth Bennetts and Mr. Darcys were the happy endings every english maiden longed for; including Jane Austen herself. As I sat in the park overlooking Kennsington Palace in London and finishing this incedible work of fiction, I began my love affair with all things Jane and all things England. Since that time I have read as much Jane Austen as I can and seen as many versions of the movies and miniseries that exist (the absolute best is the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth!) Then there are my tea sets, love of scones and black currant tea and the general need to ponder a return trip to England in the near future. Often times we are asked if we could sit down and have lunch with someone past or present who would we choose. Well, I have a fairly long list of people I would choose from (Ronald Reagan, Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Esther of the Bible, The Apostle Paul, Joan of Arc, Jonathan Edwards and the list goes on...) but I always leave room for afternoon tea with Jane Austen. I think we could be quite good friends =)
So, there is a small window into my love of all things Austen. This blog really only scratched the surface but I am impressed if you have stuck with me this long! If I wrote in great detail this would have to be a several part blog. As a final note to this entry, I wanted to share about one of my most favorite things on this planet. I know I can't take it with me to heaven, but I can enjoy it while I am on this earth =) My amazing husband is an incredible gift giver. He is a great listener and when I say there is something I like or wish to have, he files it away and odds are good I will receive it as a gift at some point. During our 2 years of dating/engagement, I mentioned on several occasions that I would love to have an original edition of Pride and Prejudice some day. Little did I know, my soon to be husband went searching for just such an item. The oldest copy he was able to find (that wasn't on display somewhere or cost an arm and a leg) was an 1895 Peacock Edition. The cover is gorgeous with a golden peacock etched on it and the pages are gold tipped. The best part, is it has that old book smell too =) Mike gave this to me as a wedding gift and further proved why he was such a keeper (there are many other reasons too!) I think more than anything, Jane Austen meant all the more to me in that moment because I realized I had finally found the Mr. Darcy I had always hoped for. Yes,that may sound cheesy, but to be honest that is the kind of
This blog is mainly about my love affair with the amazing Jane Austen. To understand this love, you had to have my little historical intro. I remember the first time I attempted to tackle a Jane Austen book was when I was studying abroad in England during my junior year of college. I had promised myself that I would finally read Pride and Prejudice in the country it was written in (cheesy I know, but that is what we history nerds do!) As I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time, I was swept up in a time gone by. The time of true ladies and gentlemen when chivalry was at its best and true love was for only a fortunate few. A time when clothes were handmade and as breathtaking to look at as they were to wear (minus the corsets!) A time when the Miss Elizabeth Bennetts and Mr. Darcys were the happy endings every english maiden longed for; including Jane Austen herself. As I sat in the park overlooking Kennsington Palace in London and finishing this incedible work of fiction, I began my love affair with all things Jane and all things England. Since that time I have read as much Jane Austen as I can and seen as many versions of the movies and miniseries that exist (the absolute best is the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth!) Then there are my tea sets, love of scones and black currant tea and the general need to ponder a return trip to England in the near future. Often times we are asked if we could sit down and have lunch with someone past or present who would we choose. Well, I have a fairly long list of people I would choose from (Ronald Reagan, Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Esther of the Bible, The Apostle Paul, Joan of Arc, Jonathan Edwards and the list goes on...) but I always leave room for afternoon tea with Jane Austen. I think we could be quite good friends =)
So, there is a small window into my love of all things Austen. This blog really only scratched the surface but I am impressed if you have stuck with me this long! If I wrote in great detail this would have to be a several part blog. As a final note to this entry, I wanted to share about one of my most favorite things on this planet. I know I can't take it with me to heaven, but I can enjoy it while I am on this earth =) My amazing husband is an incredible gift giver. He is a great listener and when I say there is something I like or wish to have, he files it away and odds are good I will receive it as a gift at some point. During our 2 years of dating/engagement, I mentioned on several occasions that I would love to have an original edition of Pride and Prejudice some day. Little did I know, my soon to be husband went searching for just such an item. The oldest copy he was able to find (that wasn't on display somewhere or cost an arm and a leg) was an 1895 Peacock Edition. The cover is gorgeous with a golden peacock etched on it and the pages are gold tipped. The best part, is it has that old book smell too =) Mike gave this to me as a wedding gift and further proved why he was such a keeper (there are many other reasons too!) I think more than anything, Jane Austen meant all the more to me in that moment because I realized I had finally found the Mr. Darcy I had always hoped for. Yes,that may sound cheesy, but to be honest that is the kind of
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Abraham Lincoln Brewster
Confused by the post title? Well let me enlighten you =) Many of you have at least heard of my little maltipoo puppy named Lincoln. But some of you may not know that his full name is Abraham Lincoln Brewster. How did he get that name you ask? Well it is a morphing of my love of history and Mike's love of music. Abraham Lincoln is of course one of my most favorite presidents (and do not get me started on that horrible movie about Abraham Lincoln being a vampire chaser...that will be a blog post in and of itself!) and Lincoln Brewster is one of Mike's favorite christian artists. So, when we got our sweet little pup two and half years ago that was the name we decided on. I will just say that even though he is only 8 pounds he lives up to his very long and involved name! I have posted 2 pictures below because they are so typical of my full of personality pup! We recently moved to on campus housing at the seminary and there are still some things not quite in place. For example, the guest bedroom dresser mirror is currently leaning against the stair railing right outside our bathroom waiting to be hung. Lincoln pretty much always "stands guard" outside the bathroom as I get readyin the morning. But lately, he has found it more interesting to look at himself. In pic number one, I can't decide if he is self absorbed or if he really just wants a little furry friend like himself. What do you think? Of course, he is adorable, but I may be a little biased. The second pic shows his sweet face and why we love him so much! That is all for today. Two posts for blog launch day...don't expect that again =) Until next time.....
Welcome to the 21st Century
Mike and I are a little behind the times in that we seem to be one of a very few who does not have a blog. Because we live far away from many family and friends, we have been asked to create one many a time. So, here you go...I finally did it! So glad we made it to the 21st Century. I can't promise I will write all the time but I will do my best to have a post a week. And I might be able to persuade Mike to do some as well when he isn't swamped with school and work =) I plan to do all kinds of things on here. Odds are very good you will hear crazy stories about our dog Lincoln and since I love to cook so much, you will probably read about this as well. Posts may range from the spiritual to the absolute random. So, if you are that interested in what I might have to say, please come back anytime =)
For this first blog I want to state that our passion is to see people come to Christ and to see the Gospel go forth through out our world. I pray this blog is a way to glorify Christ and share all the amazing things he has done in our lives and the lives of others! I recently saw a facebook post that quoted Louie Giglio and he stated, "the difference between dust and a human being is the breath of God." What an amazing statement! All we are and ever hope to be is because God the Father breathed life into us! Living life in light of this fact makes the things we do each day have a different purpose. For this reason, and because we are saved by grace, we seek to live our lives to the glory of God and our Savior, Jesus Christ! Our prayer for each of you is Ephesians 1: 16-19a which states, " I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." Much love to you all! Until we meet again...
For this first blog I want to state that our passion is to see people come to Christ and to see the Gospel go forth through out our world. I pray this blog is a way to glorify Christ and share all the amazing things he has done in our lives and the lives of others! I recently saw a facebook post that quoted Louie Giglio and he stated, "the difference between dust and a human being is the breath of God." What an amazing statement! All we are and ever hope to be is because God the Father breathed life into us! Living life in light of this fact makes the things we do each day have a different purpose. For this reason, and because we are saved by grace, we seek to live our lives to the glory of God and our Savior, Jesus Christ! Our prayer for each of you is Ephesians 1: 16-19a which states, " I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." Much love to you all! Until we meet again...
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)