Red

Finished the second book in the Ted Dekker trilogy. Now I am just waiting on the third book from the library. I think one of the most interesting parts of this book was the metaphor used for dying to our old lives and being reborn. In this particular story, in order to die, you actually had to go drown yourself in a lake. What a scary proposition! Once you had seen someone come back from the drowning, maybe it makes more sense...but the first person diving in to do that...! And while that part was scary I think it at least was representative of the type of commitment we are supposed to make, right? You can't really dip your toes into the lake of Christianity, it really is an all or nothing thing, if it is real.

Momma's boy

Anyone that knows Kristen knows that sunglases are realy just a hair accessory. She has started Jude early...even though he has no hair.

Proverbs 4:24

This verse actually is representative of a conversation we had in Bible Study today.
24 Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
One of the things that almost everyone could relate with after their acceptance of Jesus was that they felt compelled to make changes in the way that they spoke. No longer did it seem right to swear or did they even want to participate in conversations with those that chose that pattern of speech.
We truly are "made new" and things are different and this is one of those visible signs that give indication of the state of our soul.

Spring Cleaning - 3

Well, Kristen let it slip...so now we are telling people about it. We got new countertops and faucets for the kitchen and bathrooms. It was a huge update and looks great. In fact, everytime Kristen goes by them, she tells me again how much she is enjoying them. The danger, of course, to making something nice like this, is that everything else around it then needs to be updated to keep up...hopefully we will avoid that trap and just enjoy. :)
So, I will post pictures tomorrow...till then.

Iron Sharpens Iron

I am excited that this upcoming weekend I will be going to a men's conference (Saturday only...yes I am aware that it is Mother's Day on Sunday) in a town just north of us. It has already sold out and I know several men that will be attending as well. I have never been to one of these men's conferences and I will be interested to see what I can learn, how I can engage with some of the other men, and whether or not I will be completely intimidated by the fact that there will be thousands of men in attendance...I mean, with that many people will I be more free to relax and enjoy due to the relative anonymity, or will I be more unlikely to enjoy due to the enormity of the experience? I imagine I won't have a problem there, but it will be an interesting experience. Pray that God will use me and the other men through the process to learn something, reach someone, or just to help us be encouraged by being there.

Boring?

Kristen told me the other day that my posts on Proverbs are "boring". She is right, she usually is...but I guess that I have been writing them for me more than for others...It has been my way of ensuring that I am doing the reading and thinking about it...kind of a Bible journal...
So, while I may be boring some of you...hold fast, cause I will be adding other posts too...and in fact, if there are specific things you think I should post about or that you would be interested in me posting about, let me know.

Proverbs 3:24

24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

I like this verse. It is a quick reminder to me that if I follow the proverb before (21) that says to preserve sound judgement and discernment, I can be at rest in my circumstances. Not that my circumstances may always be good, but at least I will know that I have not created those circumstances through bad judgement or poor choices.

Correction

Apparently I am losing my mind. I posted that I took Jaden to his first T-ball practice when it was actually his second. Mom took him to one. I don't remember it, which really makes me think I am losing my mind. Oh well....I will still plan on posting pictures and videos of him as I can.

Proverbs 2:14

So, I was reading this passage this morning...just thinking on it until now. It is hard to explain to people who have not accepted Jesus of the transformation that truly does occur as you are continually refined by the presence of the Holy Spirit. This passage reads:
14 "who delight in doing wrong
and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,"
It is speaking of "wicked men" from verse 12 and the thing that captures me is that these wicked men are happy. They are doing things that are not wise, that go against God's will, but they are happy doing it. It is giving them, at a minimum, temporary pleasure and "delight".
Christians will not "delight" in the same things that non-Christians will.
So watch your friends and fellow Christians and see what they "delight" in. It may very well tell you the state of their soul.

Jaden T-Ball

Jaden had his first T-ball practice on Thursday evening. He is extremely excited about playing. I would have pictures and video to post with this, but my phone ran out of battery as soon as we got to the field...I was on calls all day and wore it out :) So...stay tuned to the blog here and we will get you some pictures and video of the practices and games over the next several weeks.