Our Lives, Sowing Times

Our short lives on earth are sowing time. If there were no resurrection of the dead, everything we live on earth would come to nothing. How can we believe in a God who loves us unconditionally if all the joys and pains of our lives are in vain, vanishing in the earth with our mortal flesh and bones? Because God loves us unconditionally, from eternity to eternity, God cannot allow our bodies - the same as that in which Jesus, his Son and our savior, appeared to us - to be lost in final destruction.

No, life on earth is the time when the seeds of the risen body are planted. Paul says: "What is sown is perishable, but what is raised is imperishable; what is sown is contemptible but what is raised is glorious; what is sown is weak, but what is raised is powerful; what is sown is a natural body, and what is raised is a spiritual body" (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). This wonderful knowledge that nothing we live in our bodies is lived in vain holds a call for us to live every moment as a seed of eternity.The wonderful knowledge, that nothing we live in our body is lived in vain, holds a call for us to live every moment as a seed of eternity.

This reminder blessed me today...I hope it blesses you too:-)

Tagged!

Janine tagged me! Here were the instructions:
* Go to your sixth picture folder then pick your sixth picture.
* Pray that you remember the details.
* Post it on your blog.
* Tag 5 others, leave a comment to let them know they’ve been tagged.

Ok, so I HATE this picture! I was excited when I got the "tagged" instructions, but then I saw that this was my 6th folder and I knew it was going to be one of THESE pictures. This is a part of a whole set taken when we were at New Staff Training that we could use with for our prayer cards. (needless to say, we didn't, thanks Staci for the one we did use with JJ in it, not in my tummy!) I thought that I looked good when I was getting ready for these pictures, which was no small feat as I was very sick with my pregnancy. And then when we got the pictures back, I thought I looked GROSS...Jared, of course, looks fine, but I thought that, in general, we look washed out. This picture was on our ministry website and I took it off as soon as I could. It is still on our city ministry website...oh my, you all will need to pray for me, if the Lord blesses us with a girl some day, because I will have to speak more positively about myself for her sake.

I tag: Sara, Sarah, Julie, Lisa and Kaye

Ducky Longjohns

For those of you who are freezing up north, I am sure that you would be glad to know that JJ has needed to wear long sleeved pj's to bed--especially these ducky longjohns.

We thought he was so cute, so we had to snap a few pictures. Notice how he wants to brush his own teeth (which means chewing off the bubble gum toothpaste--I try to brush them myself, if he lets me.) And he definitely looks more grown-up, especially in the close up picture.

Keeping up with Gracie (and Jasper!)

I had just been thinking to myself, "Am I at the point where I NEED to worry if JJ is quiet?" I know you are thinking that's a silly question, but THIS was really the first time that I DID need to worry.
JJ was quiet in his room and I thought he was just looking at books, playing quietly, etc. When I went to check on him I found him like this! His face was covered with Eucerin cream that I had so...smartly...had open on the floor;-) My first thought was, "oh no Jared won't like this" so I freaked out a little bit. Then I remembered my friend Kaye's reaction when her daughter Gracie was covered in Desitin cream. She LAUGHED...she and her husband. And Desitin is harder to clean then Eucerin. I just had to rub it in and I brushed out his mouth.
I also know that JJ was experiencing comradery with his buddy Jasper who had just gotten into his mom's Neutrogena hand cream.

Parenting advice...please comment

Ok, so I need to ask for some advice. JJ has been THROWING HIS CUP on the floor for months. We have been disciplining him with a very firm "no", smacking his hand (this doesn't seem to affect him too much, honestly). I just heard of the three strikes, which we've done, in a sense, I usually don't let him "have" the cup after 2 or 3 times, but he does still need to drink, especially now as he's getting over a cold. So, can you please help me, because whatever we are doing now, doesn't seem to be getting through! Julie and Sarah, I know you've read some good books, please comment. Thanks everyone!

Ministry and the Spiritual Life

Ministry and the Spiritual Life

All Jesus' words and actions emerge from his intimate relationships with his Father. "Do you not believe," Jesus says, "that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? What I say to you I do not speak of my own accord: it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his works. You must believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe it on the evidence of these works" (John 14:10-11).

Just as all Jesus' words and actions emerge from his communion with his Father, so all our words and actions must emerge from our communion with Jesus. "In all truth I tell you," he says, "whoever believes in me will perform the same works as I do myself, and will perform even greater works. ... Whatever you ask for in my name I will do" (John 14:12-13). It is this profound truth that reveals the relationship between the spiritual life and the life of ministry.

I have often asked myself, "do I really believe what these verses in John 14 say?" And I have answer the so often--overwhelmingly often--I don't. I so often settle for "my limits", what I think I can handle on any given day and in any given instance. I live out of myself and not Jesus and all of the fullness of the Godhead found in Him...It saddens my heart to know that there are always ways to live and bless more deeply, to touch a broken world more profoundly and I lack the faith to walk in this. This cannot and should not take me down the path of guilt and despair...but it SHOULD break my heart and motivate me, step by step, interaction by interaction, to live--to truly live in Jesus.

A Glimpse of Orlando "foliage"

Well, there are no trees changing color throughout the Fall here, but we do have year-round "vegetation" around our place and the beautiful fountain that you've seen before...My father-in-law took the pictures of these plants and flowers (all cactus-type, i.e. don't need a lot of water) right around our house. My father-in-law also weeded our beds!!! Thanks Dad! Hope you feel better after your surgery VERY soon!

Beach Joy...

JJ had been to the beach a couple of times, but wasn't very excited about getting into the ocean. It was pretty chilly water when we went with Mum Mum and Pop Pop, but he loved putting his feet in over and over...it was an answer to prayer as I hoped we could have a good day at the beach together, and we did:-)

Movie Star

So JJ has been LOVING to put on shades and, as you can see, he looks ADORABLE in them. He'll have us put them on and then take them off and want them on again...it's really cute!

Bubbles!

While Mum Mum and Pop Pop were here, JJ discovered that he LOVES bubbles! They are one of his favorite "back porch activities"!

Cuddles with Mum Mum

I am going to be posting several pictures from Mum Mum and Pop Pop's visit...in this one I cut off Mum Mum's head because she had her morning look and I don't think she'd appreciate it being posted on my blog...This really is an amazing shot because he NEVER just cuddles like this with us...it was special for MumMum:-)

Night Shuttle Launch-November 14, 2008 7:55pm

It looks more like a sunrise...majestic and glorious. Unfortunately, I was unable to go watch it close by, because of JJ. These pictures were taken by Annette, our friend from Germany who is here for the year. She used our car to go to watch it close by and took these pictures.

I was able to see it from our house 40-50 miles away. We heard the boom of the take-off and saw the light and it came across the sky like a bright ball of fire and soared over the moon as it became more and more like a brilliant star heading to outer space. We could watch it for close to 5 minutes after it took off...it was amazing...I was so mesmerized by what it would be like to be in that shuttle heading to deep, outer space, where the God I love and worship is yet beyond that and how He occupies time and all space to the uttermost galaxies.

Here's a video that shows a closer look at what I saw...

Mum Mum & Pop Pop are here!

And we are so glad!!! These are some pictures from our time this afternoon at Lake Eola in downtown Orlando...It was a gorgeous day, in the high 70's, and I am so thankful that we are having good weather (so far) for their visit!

Here is my tired baby--he was exhausted having had just a short nap before church, but he WOULDN'T take a nap and went 5 more hours before conking out EXHAUSTED at just shy of 7pm.

Here is some "Spanish moss" on one of these big Orlando trees that my in-laws taught me to appreciate more...it's funny how people who don't live where you do and come to visit, can help you appreciate MORE what's around you!

JJ on the slide!

JJ playing with MumMum

Can you tell he's quite attached to his Mum Mum??

This goes with a video that I am hoping to upload. At one point he stands on the bottom half (his legs) and keeps crawling on the front part...it's really funny. Still no walking, but he is a SUPERFAST crawler!

Sorry that I've been away...

Hey everyone,

Just a quick note to say "sorry" for not having blogged in a while...It's been BUSY! I flew home to PA for less than 48 hours for my Grandma's Memorial Service and time with family...my in-laws are coming tomorrow and so we've been getting the Guest Room ready...and I've been fighting sickness (but am feeling better today), so, that's about it. Love to you all and a little Henri Nouwen that blessed me as we enter this season of changing and uncertain times, and this special season of thankfulness and celebration of our Saviour's birth:

Telling the Story of Jesus

The Church is called to announce the Good News of Jesus to all people and all nations. Besides the many works of mercy by which the Church must make Jesus' love visible, it must also joyfully announce the great mystery of God's salvation through the life, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The story of Jesus is to be proclaimed and celebrated. Some will hear and rejoice, some will remain indifferent, some will become hostile. The story of Jesus will not always be accepted, but it must be told.

We who know the story and try to live it out, have the joyful task of telling it to others. When our words rise from hearts full of love and gratitude, they will bear fruit, whether we can see this or not.

May you bear much fruit in this season and your hearts be centered on He who is our life!