This sunflower is twice my height. I am 4' 2" tall! Wowza!
I grew this from a small seed that I had planted at Sunday School for my Mom for Mother's day! It is Humongous!Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Riley's Mother's Day Sunflower!
This sunflower is twice my height. I am 4' 2" tall! Wowza! I grew this from a small seed that I had planted at Sunday School for my Mom for Mother's day! It is Humongous!
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Communion Meditation
I have the honor of presenting the communion meditation at our church this week. This is what I will be presenting:
This mornings’ Communion Meditation is directed at all of us who strive to be our best, but who are continually disheartened by the results. For those of us who fall short of our own expectations, again and again, often not only letting ourselves down, but others we love in the process. I am here this morning, as exhibit A, so to speak, of such a person and to encourage you to meditate on the truly fantastic place you are at, Spiritually, if all you have tried has failed you. You are in the Perfect place, as your non-perfect self, to see the amazing power of God working in your life.
2 Corinthians 12:9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
Here we learn of a supernatural law. Just as in the natural world, there are laws like the law of gravity or the law of motion. Heat plus water creates steam. Cold plus water creates ice. Human weakness plus God’s grace creates power. The power to do and be that which we humanly cannot accomplish or become.
Power= Dynamus, the power to get the job done, the energy needed to accomplish the task. Human failure and suffering and imperfection allow the Devine power, placed within us through the Holy Spirit to be seen at work, without the chance for any misunderstanding or false human credit. “This power did not come from this man, we can say, no matter how great a man he is, because at this point, at this moment, he is unable to accomplish even the smallest thing.”
Jesus, according to theologians, lived the perfect life, the sinless life, but his story was less than ideal. His ending, though fulfilling the prophecies and the purposes of God, was less than “acceptable” by most people’s standards of a perfect life. What would be your perfect way of dying? Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter, sadly died earlier this month. He died in a way that his own Father said he would have wanted to die, doing what he loved. Personally, my perfect way of dying would have to include a scene where I was in my own bed, surrounded by my children, my grands and great grands, singing me into the courtroom of Heaven, the day after my 105th birthday celebration.
Now that you have thought of your own ideal ending, think about the humility of our Savior, picture him, if you will, in his last moments on the cross: Does this portray the picture of a successful World Leader? Does this bloody crucifixion of a naked Rabbi have the markings of a “perfect” game plan to save the world? In fact, this clever disguise of true power was one of the main things that confounded the King seeking Jews. Those awaiting a Messiah who would be Kingly and Stately and Warlike, missed the suffering servant King suffering before their very eyes.
In the book of Luke, Jesus invites us to partake in a memorial or remembrance of him:
do this in remembrance of me…
I grew up in the Lutheran church, my pastor always wore these beautiful robes, which he changed for the different seasons of the Christian Calendar. He would stand up front, like a royal being and with flowing sleeves, giving us the bread and the grape juice each Communion. It kind of seems like an oxymoron of sorts. The kingly beauty of the broken flesh and the dripping blood. What if the symbols for this remembrance ceremony we perform each week were the placement of a golden crown and the dawning of a royal robe on each one of us? Wouldn’t that seem like a more fitting way to remember the King of Kings?
But let us remember our suffering King, who allowed us to see, through this window of utter weakness and humility, the Dynamus of His Father God, by becoming nothing so that we could know the power of Grace. The power that propels us and pushes us to heights far above our own capabilities.
Luke 22:19-20
19And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." 20In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
This mornings’ Communion Meditation is directed at all of us who strive to be our best, but who are continually disheartened by the results. For those of us who fall short of our own expectations, again and again, often not only letting ourselves down, but others we love in the process. I am here this morning, as exhibit A, so to speak, of such a person and to encourage you to meditate on the truly fantastic place you are at, Spiritually, if all you have tried has failed you. You are in the Perfect place, as your non-perfect self, to see the amazing power of God working in your life.
2 Corinthians 12:9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
Here we learn of a supernatural law. Just as in the natural world, there are laws like the law of gravity or the law of motion. Heat plus water creates steam. Cold plus water creates ice. Human weakness plus God’s grace creates power. The power to do and be that which we humanly cannot accomplish or become.
Power= Dynamus, the power to get the job done, the energy needed to accomplish the task. Human failure and suffering and imperfection allow the Devine power, placed within us through the Holy Spirit to be seen at work, without the chance for any misunderstanding or false human credit. “This power did not come from this man, we can say, no matter how great a man he is, because at this point, at this moment, he is unable to accomplish even the smallest thing.”
Jesus, according to theologians, lived the perfect life, the sinless life, but his story was less than ideal. His ending, though fulfilling the prophecies and the purposes of God, was less than “acceptable” by most people’s standards of a perfect life. What would be your perfect way of dying? Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter, sadly died earlier this month. He died in a way that his own Father said he would have wanted to die, doing what he loved. Personally, my perfect way of dying would have to include a scene where I was in my own bed, surrounded by my children, my grands and great grands, singing me into the courtroom of Heaven, the day after my 105th birthday celebration.
Now that you have thought of your own ideal ending, think about the humility of our Savior, picture him, if you will, in his last moments on the cross: Does this portray the picture of a successful World Leader? Does this bloody crucifixion of a naked Rabbi have the markings of a “perfect” game plan to save the world? In fact, this clever disguise of true power was one of the main things that confounded the King seeking Jews. Those awaiting a Messiah who would be Kingly and Stately and Warlike, missed the suffering servant King suffering before their very eyes.
In the book of Luke, Jesus invites us to partake in a memorial or remembrance of him:
do this in remembrance of me…
I grew up in the Lutheran church, my pastor always wore these beautiful robes, which he changed for the different seasons of the Christian Calendar. He would stand up front, like a royal being and with flowing sleeves, giving us the bread and the grape juice each Communion. It kind of seems like an oxymoron of sorts. The kingly beauty of the broken flesh and the dripping blood. What if the symbols for this remembrance ceremony we perform each week were the placement of a golden crown and the dawning of a royal robe on each one of us? Wouldn’t that seem like a more fitting way to remember the King of Kings?
But let us remember our suffering King, who allowed us to see, through this window of utter weakness and humility, the Dynamus of His Father God, by becoming nothing so that we could know the power of Grace. The power that propels us and pushes us to heights far above our own capabilities.
Luke 22:19-20
19And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." 20In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Tagged for homeschooling!
1) ONE HOMESCHOOLING BOOK YOU HAVE ENJOYED: Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreaola
2) TWO RESOURCEs YOU WOULDN'T BE WITHOUT Half Price Books - For sure!! I have found several beautiful CM books, I can use my homeschooling declaration to a 10% off advantage, and it makes for a great date night with my hubby! I can't believe the wonderful books I find here. Don't neglect the clearance section...It is a veritable gold mine.
Google- Need I say more???? This search engine makes me look so SMART, and it is my window to the world.
3) ONE RESOURCE YOU WISH YOU HAD NEVER BOUGHT Hmmm, this is a tough one...I guess it would have to be Saxon Math K...silly stuff. But I love the Saxon math for the older kids. Great stuff.
4) ONE RESOURCE YOU ENJOYED LAST YEAR: Explode the Code workbooks..I must agree with Athenainaminivan on this one! My 8 yo ds loves this program and my pre-K dd is absorbing so much.
5) ONE RESOURCE YOU WILL BE USING NEXT YEAR: AmblesideOnline.com
6) ONE RESOURCE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BUY : Audio books from Alcazara
7) ONE RESOURCE YOU WISH Existed: A fulltime maid. Or the money to pay for one.
8) ONE HOMESCHOOLING CATALOGUE YOU ENJOY READING: I honestly don't get any catalogues...No, really. I just use the internet.
9) ONE HOMESCHOOLING WEBSITE YOU USE REGULARLYAmbleside Online. of course.
10) TAG FIVE OTHER HOMESCHOOLERS
MamaK at Engstrom Family Cerebrations
Lis at Third World County
Bickler3 at Bickler Bullitin
Jenny at Sophia's Hope
Pink Slippers at In the Moment
DHM at The Common Room
2) TWO RESOURCEs YOU WOULDN'T BE WITHOUT Half Price Books - For sure!! I have found several beautiful CM books, I can use my homeschooling declaration to a 10% off advantage, and it makes for a great date night with my hubby! I can't believe the wonderful books I find here. Don't neglect the clearance section...It is a veritable gold mine.
Google- Need I say more???? This search engine makes me look so SMART, and it is my window to the world.
3) ONE RESOURCE YOU WISH YOU HAD NEVER BOUGHT Hmmm, this is a tough one...I guess it would have to be Saxon Math K...silly stuff. But I love the Saxon math for the older kids. Great stuff.
4) ONE RESOURCE YOU ENJOYED LAST YEAR: Explode the Code workbooks..I must agree with Athenainaminivan on this one! My 8 yo ds loves this program and my pre-K dd is absorbing so much.
5) ONE RESOURCE YOU WILL BE USING NEXT YEAR: AmblesideOnline.com
6) ONE RESOURCE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BUY : Audio books from Alcazara
7) ONE RESOURCE YOU WISH Existed: A fulltime maid. Or the money to pay for one.
8) ONE HOMESCHOOLING CATALOGUE YOU ENJOY READING: I honestly don't get any catalogues...No, really. I just use the internet.
9) ONE HOMESCHOOLING WEBSITE YOU USE REGULARLYAmbleside Online. of course.
10) TAG FIVE OTHER HOMESCHOOLERS
MamaK at Engstrom Family Cerebrations
Lis at Third World County
Bickler3 at Bickler Bullitin
Jenny at Sophia's Hope
Pink Slippers at In the Moment
DHM at The Common Room
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Summer Catch Up!
Rae at Coulon Beach
My big boys, making an army fort at Coulon
Mia and Rae building a monument to dead fish!
Reese on Becca's back at the lake. What a great big sister!
Ted and Jalene Cooke, their first hour as man and wife!
Kristina and me at Ted's wedding.
My sweet friend, James Craft, at Ted's wedding. The best man....what a guy._____________________________________
I am sorry. I have neglected this blog for far too long. The summer and the weight loss blog have taken all my time. And reading 15 books in three months! I have a new spot where I blog about my love for reading. Feel free to check it out! I will post some photos to capsulize our summer at the Paine Park and Recreation Center. HA! I have enjoyed all your blogs, keep up the good work. I love staying in touch with old friends and I love making new ones, too.
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