29March2016 15: Uncharted Territory

He's a groundbreaker.  Always has been. As our firstborn, J has had to endure the many mistakes of rookie parents.  We think he's done great.  Those rookie parents, not so great.  Today marks another first, more uncharted territory.  At 15:30, he turns 15.  J and his brother, Z, are dragging us, kicking and screaming, into the teenage years.  Thank God they are resilient.  Thank Him they have survived all this time.  Thank Him!
For his fifteenth, we are claiming the fifteenth Psalm over J's life:

O Lord, who shall sojourn in Your tent?
    Who shall dwell on Your holy hill?

He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
    and speaks truth in his heart;

who does not slander with his tongue
    and does no evil to his neighbor,
    nor takes up a reproach against his friend;

in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
    but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

who does not put out his money at interest
    and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.

Happy birthday J!  We love and are so proud of you!

28March2016 Quickthought: Simon

Jesus Collapses Under the Cross by Gustave Dore

"As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull)..." Matt.27:32

"They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross..." Mark 15:21

Maybe he was compelled, maybe Roman law didn't give him much choice but in the midst of Jesus' humiliation and agony, Simon blessed the Messiah.  We don't know much about this man.  We know he was from Cyrene (modern-day Libya).  We know he had at least two sons (Alexander and Rufus).  We know he was just passing by, wrong-place-wrong-time.  And we carried the cross of Jesus.  I love Simon for that!

Check out this song by Ray Boltz and this video from the Skit guys

 

26March2016 Quickshot: Silent Saturday

Sandwiched between crucifixion Friday and resurrection Sunday was what's called holy Saturday.  This had to be one of the quietest days in history. In the Middle Eastern hillside, not far from this place, the world waited...

20March2016 Lent Day 40, Holy Week Day 1

And so it begins...

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!  Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is He, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Zechariah 9:9 

17March2016 Quickshot: Something's Missing

That poor tooth held on for months.  While wresting with his brother, A fell face-first on the tile and knocked a couple teeth loose.  Of course it had to be the front two.  One turned brownish gray almost instantly but they both held on.  Kid's got some strong gums!  Finally, while eating an apple yesterday, the tooth succumbed to the pressures, and eating habits of a growing boy.  

Does anyone know if the toothfairy completes transactions in currencies other than the dollar?...

16March2016 Quickshot: Oh nuts!

Surely you've eaten almonds before but you might not recognize them like this.  Here's what they look like fresh off the tree.  Not smoked or roasted but green.  Our neighbors eat them like this, sometimes with a sprinkle of salt.  They taste just like raw, unsalted almonds should taste.  It's probably something you could get used to and they're probably healthier like this anyway.

7March2016 Quickshot: Spring

Spring is here yall!

5March2016 Quickshot: City on a Hill

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden..." 

Matthew 5:4