tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42077760296396046082024-03-14T01:57:03.969-04:00Lynn's MusingsLynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.comBlogger337125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-67268147452248735562013-01-30T05:25:00.001-05:002013-01-30T05:25:24.379-05:00<br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">I really needed this today. God knows just what we need, just when we need it. Bless the Lord. </span></h3>
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A Heavenly Escort</h3>
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<i>And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest. (Genesis 28:15)</i></h4>
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Do we need journeying mercies? Here are choice ones—God's presence and preservation, In all places we need both of these, and in all places we shall have them if we go at the call of duty, and not merely according to our own fancy. Why should we look upon removal to another country as a sorrowful necessity when it is laid upon us by the divine will? In all lands the believer is equally a pilgrim and a stranger; and yet in every region the Lord is His dwelling place, even as He has been to His saints in all generations. We may miss the protection of an earthly monarch, but when God says, "I will keep thee," we are in no real danger. This is a blessed passport for a traveler and a heavenly escort for an emigrant.</div>
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Jacob had never left his father's room before; he had been a mother's boy and not an adventurer tike his brother. Yet he went abroad, and God went with him. He had little luggage and no attendants; yet no prince ever journeyed with a nobler bodyguard. Even while he slept in the open field, angels watched over him, and the Lord God spoke to him. If the Lord bids us go, let us say with our Lord Jesus, "Arise, let us go hence."</div>
Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-25167246386807400022013-01-22T08:48:00.002-05:002013-01-22T08:48:43.087-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My very precious Granddaughter Grace! The love of my life!<br />
<br />Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-40590775409947422302013-01-11T09:12:00.000-05:002013-01-11T09:12:00.716-05:00As I looked at the headlines this morning on <a href="http://www.drudgereport.com/">Drudge</a>, I was getting the feeling of worldwide catastrophe; from President Obama signing into legislation armed guards for life (<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 18.19791603088379px;">Despite launching a gun control agenda that threatens to disarm the American people, President Obama has signed a bill that would afford him armed Secret Service protection for life), to talk show hosts slamming our Constitution, to the myriad of government officials that want to take down the 2nd Amendment, and also to Mayor Bloomberg taking away 1/2 of the prescription painkillers in hospital's emergency rooms in NYC. The average American's rights are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. </span> I feel as if the world is groaning even louder (as Romans says). The headlines were not encouraging to say the least. Well....I read Spurgeon as often as I can and the following was his word for the day: (God knows just what we need when we need it). Even so come quickly Lord Jesus.<br />
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Friday, January 11, 2013</h2>
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<b><a href="http://www.spurgeon.org/fcb/fcb.cgi">Faith's Check Book, Daily Entry</a></b></h1>
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C. H. Spurgeon</h3>
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January 11</h3>
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Faith Sets the Bow</h3>
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<i>And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the beau shall be seen in the cloud. (Genesis 9:14)</i></h4>
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Just now clouds are plentiful enough, but we are not afraid that the world will be destroyed by a deluge. We see the rainbow often enough to pre-vent our having any such fears. The covenant which the Lord made with Noah stands fast, and we have no doubts about it. Why, then, should we think that the clouds of' trouble, which now darken our sky, will end in our destruction? Let us dismiss such groundless and dishonoring fears.</div>
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Faith always sees the bow of covenant promise whenever sense sees the cloud of affliction. God has a bow with which He might shoot out His arrows of destruction. But see, it is turned upward! It is a bow without an arrow or a string; it is a bow hung out for show, no longer used for war. It is a bow of many colors, expressing joy and delight, and not a bow blood-red with slaughter or black with anger. Let us be of good courage. Never does God so darken our sky as to leave His covenant without a witness, and even if He did, we would trust Him since He cannot change or lie or in any other way fail to keep His covenant of peace. Until the waters go over the earth again, we shall have no reason for doubting our God.</div>
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<br />Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-39114430224460028592013-01-05T16:17:00.001-05:002013-01-05T16:23:04.844-05:00Kings Go ForthJust watched a really sound and valuable movie. I guess not everyone wants to watch sound and valuable movies, but when a movie teaches biblical values I say they are worth watching. This one I watched on Netflix; "Kings Go Forth". I have been into WWII movies on this break from teaching, and came across this one staring Tony Curtis, Frank Sinatra, and Natalie Wood. It is loosely based on the verse in Samuel that says, "It was the time the Kings go forth." The beginning of the Bathsheba narrative in which King David was supposed to be in battle, but he chose to be in the wrong place at wrong time. Set in France towards the end of the war, two men go forth to win a maiden's hand. One has character, the other doesn't. <br />
When I looked up information about it, found out, of course, it was based on a book. I have already ordered it off Amazon. The review that I read said that Hollywood changed the end. Can't wait to figure out the "real" end. <br />
It is worth your time, rated G, and teaches a Biblical Worldview. Check it out.<br />
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<br />Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-1048702167335345352012-08-06T06:24:00.002-04:002012-08-06T06:24:03.169-04:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: x-small;">Charles Haddon Spurgeon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">August 6<br /></span>"Watchman, what of the night?" Isaiah 21:11</div>
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What enemies are abroad? Errors are a numerous horde, and new ones appear every hour: against what heresy am I to be on my guard? Sins creep from their lurking places when the darkness reigns; I must myself mount the watch-tower, and watch unto prayer. Our heavenly Protector foresees all the attacks which are about to be made upon us, and when as yet the evil designed us is but in the desire of Satan, He prays for us that our faith fail not, when we are sifted as wheat. Continue O gracious Watchman, to forewarn us of our foes, and for Zion's sake hold not thy peace.</div>
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"Watchman, what of the night?" What weather is coming for the Church? Are the clouds lowering, or is it all clear and fair overhead? We must care for the Church of God with anxious love; and now that Popery and infidelity are both threatening, let us observe the signs of the times and prepare for conflict.</div>
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"Watchman, what of the night?" What stars are visible? What precious promises suit our present case? You sound the alarm, give us the consolation also. Christ, the polestar, is ever fixed in His place, and all the stars are secure in the right hand of their Lord.</div>
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But watchman, when comes the morning? The Bridegroom tarries. Are there no signs of His coming forth as the Sun of Righteousness? Has not the morning star arisen as the pledge of day? When will the day dawn, and the shadows flee away? O Jesus, if Thou come not in person to Thy waiting Church this day, yet come in Spirit to my sighing heart, and make it sing for joy.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">"Now all the earth is bright and glad<br /> With the fresh morn;<br /> But all my heart is cold, and dark and sad:<br /> Sun of the soul, let me behold Thy dawn!<br /> Come, Jesus, Lord,<br /> O quickly come, according to Thy word."</span></div>
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</div>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-61203151136718060042012-02-03T18:45:00.002-05:002012-02-03T18:45:46.715-05:00That's My Girl<br />
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Engbers, Cross Nab Covenant Player Of The Week Honors</h1>
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<span class="submitted" style="color: #bbbbbb; font-size: 9px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Posted January 31, 2012</span> <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><div class="content" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 65px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 4px;">
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LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- Freshman Bryant Engbers and senior Margaret Cross were named Covenant Players of the Week for Jan. 23-28. </div>
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<img alt="Bryant Engbers" class="caption" height="160" src="http://athletics.covenant.edu/files/images/mbasketball/1112/bryant-engbers.thumbnail.jpg" style="border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: initial; float: right; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Bryant Engbers" width="107" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><span class="image-caption" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1px; margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: text-bottom;">Bryant Engbers</span></div>
It is Engbers’ first time being recognized with this honor. The freshman forward from Sioux Falls, SD had a career night against Piedmont. Engbers scored 24 first half points and 26 for the game in helping the Scots to a 91-78 win. Engbers’ previous career-high in points was 14. He then scored nine points and grabbed five rebounds in a 90-81 loss to Rust College. For the week, Engbers averaged 17.5 PPG and 6.0 RPG while shooting 56 percent (14-25) from the floor.<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><div class="image-caption-container image-caption-container-" style="background-color: #ebeef0; border-bottom-color: rgb(186, 219, 243); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(186, 219, 243); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(186, 219, 243); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(186, 219, 243); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; float: left; height: auto; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 4px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; width: 107px;">
<img alt="Margaret Cross" class="caption" height="160" src="http://athletics.covenant.edu/files/images/wbasketball/1112/margaret-cross.thumbnail.jpg" style="border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: initial; float: right; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Margaret Cross" width="107" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><span class="image-caption" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1px; margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: text-bottom;">Margaret Cross</span></div>
For Cross, it is her second time being named player of the week, but only her first in basketball. The senior from Southern Pines, NC was a two-sport star this season when she suited up for the Covenant women’s soccer team. Cross led Covenant in points with 15 in a 63-44 loss at home to Great South member Piedmont. She went 6-of-12 from the field and connected on three 3-pointers while picking up one steal and one rebound. For the season, Cross is the second leading scorer for the Lady Scots at 10.4 PPG while averaging nearly 30 minutes per game.</div>
</div>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-28053985597040000942012-02-03T07:47:00.001-05:002012-02-03T07:48:02.106-05:00Refreshing Friday <br />
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The Refreshing hug of a best friend.................................</div>
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Friday, I like Fridays. Most Fridays promise a much needed break from whatever routine you are in all week. Possibly bringing relaxation, exercise, and refreshment. Now, not all weekends are far from refreshing, but even if it is just as busy, the switch up of patterns can have a rejuvenating affect. <br />
One of my New Year's Resolutions this year is to be even more saturated in God's Word than ever before. It seems that every morning has brought with it new challenges and temptations of time lost, new projects, and panics of things that "must" be done. <br />
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This is what I have been reading:<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 Corinthians 7:1</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-28901" style="background-color: white; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top;">1</sup><span style="background-color: white;"> Since we have these </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">promises</span><span style="background-color: white;">, beloved, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 0.65em;"><sup class="xref" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28901A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup></span><span style="background-color: white;">let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 0.65em;"><sup class="footnote" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top;" value="[<a href="#fen-ESV-28901a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]"></sup></span><span style="background-color: white;"> and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.</span></span></div>
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These promises, the promise that 6:1 makes; that He wants to work through us. "<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">Working together with him, then, </span><sup class="xref" style="background-color: white; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28883B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">we appeal to you </span><sup class="xref" style="background-color: white; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28883C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">not to receive the grace of God in vain." Also, 6:16 </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">“I will make my dwelling among them and </span><sup class="xref" style="background-color: white; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28898AM" title="See cross-reference AM">AM</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">walk among them, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 17px;">and </span><sup class="xref" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28898AN" title="See cross-reference AN">AN</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 17px;">I will be their God, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 17px;">and they shall be my people." Paul here is saying that God has already been among us, walked, talked, lived, and breathed among us. He wants to continue with each one of His children. Because of these promises we are to bring holiness to completion in the fear of God. I cannot do that unless I live in His Word. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 17px;"> Which brings me back to Fridays....Just reading, meditating on what these words mean feels this morning like taking the kind of walk that spurs you on, that doesn't zap your energy, but refreshes it, like a Friday morning. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 17px;"> Thank you Father, for your Word that cleanses, promises much, clears my mind and lets me know how much you want and desire a relationship with your daughter.</span></div>
<br />Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-65585382723592631122012-01-31T08:17:00.003-05:002012-01-31T08:21:17.694-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Had an absolute wonderful weekend. A visit with friends that have known and loved you long; is like being in the South on a cool evening, sitting on the porch sipping coffee, feeling the breeze wash over your face, being refreshed to live on another day. I love you S. and B.<br />
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<br />Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-80445131850385279042012-01-29T14:37:00.001-05:002012-01-29T14:37:31.863-05:00<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Have you ever had the experience of picking up a book that you thought was going to be captivating at the <b>least</b>, or just one great spiritual insight at the <b>most</b>? Before I read <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Resurrection,</span> I had already read Tolstoy's <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">War and Peace</span>, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">The Death of Ivan Ilyich</span> and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Anna Karenina. </span> I expected<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> Resurrection </span>to be the best one of all. I probably put this book down in anger three or four times, not intending to pick it back up again. Only to have to finish it, because I was again drawn to it, out of a sense of "duty" to complete a task or because I wanted to find out what happened.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I am a political hack, so, every time Tolstoy would seemingly favored socialism over capitalism, I would say to myself, "OK, that's it. I am not going to finish it." One of my literary heroes was slipping off his white horse. </div>
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<span style="white-space: pre;">Frustration reigned u</span>ntil the very end, I truly could not figure out exactly where Tolstoy was going, where his viewpoint would lie, and whether he would land on the true Gospel. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A Russian nobleman, around the turn of the twentieth century, finds his life in a shallow rut. Not knowing what to do about it, he apathetically succumbs to his surroundings. He is called to serve on a jury and his past meets his future. The trial he is assigned to is the trial of a girl who is accused of poisoning a man to death. As the girl comes into the courtroom, his world turns upside down. She is a girl that he forced himself on ten years before. She, since that time, has given into the vision that she thought he had of her and has become a prostitute. This begins his journey of redemption. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The book has as many twists and turns as a Jack Bauer episode of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">24</span>, yet not so much with plot turns, as with emotional, psychological, political, social, and spiritual twists. One minute I would think that Tolstoy's answer to life's evils was a political answer, then I thought he was advocating a new social order, etc...etc.....At one point I was so frustrated with the main character I wanted to scream. He was arrogant, self-absorbed, and self righteous. This is exactly what Tolstoy is brilliant at. He knew human beings and human nature. I also knew that in this novel Tolstoy was expressing his point of view. It was the last novel he ever wrote. It honestly did not come together for me until the very end. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I learned a great deal about the Russian experience of that time. It comes across abundantly clear why the Bolsheviks were able to take over at the time that they did. The nation was truly ripe for "change" and revolution. Something had to change, the system was broken. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I have given you my impressions without giving away the story, because reading it is a must, and I do not want give it away. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It is considerably shorter in length than some of his other novels, so if you haven't read Tolstoy yet, this one might be the one to read first. It would, I promise, be the #1 book of the year in a book club, because it would be the source of the absolute greatest discussions. Give it a go! </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-91137745944487743732012-01-27T05:54:00.001-05:002012-01-27T05:54:18.443-05:00<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: medium;">Imagine, thirty years after the end of World War II, Israeli Nazi-hunters, some of whom lost relatives in the gas chambers of Nazi Germany, find a silent old man deep in the Amazon jungle. He is Adolph Hitler. The narrative that follows is a profound and disturbing exploration of the nature of guilt, vengeance, language, and the power of evil—each undiminished over time. George Steiner wrote <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Portage-San-Cristobal-H-Phoenix/dp/0226772357/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270817065&sr=1-1">The Portage to San Cristobal of A. H.</a> in 1979, I came across it referred in the footnotes of another wonderful book by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Call-Finding-Fulfilling-Central-Purpose/dp/0849944376/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270816981&sr=1-1">Os Guiness, The Call.</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I am spending time this week with my daughters at our lake house and saw it on the shelf last evening as Rebekah was donning some of the clothes we picked out for her yesterday. It caught my eye and I picked it up and it immediately brought back memories of insights learned. I had dated when I read it, 2000. The same year we were all embroiled in the turmoil of the Bush/Gore election. This book opened my eyes to just what ideas can do, and the <b>consequences</b> thereof, and that worldview matters. If Hitler were captured, brought back to Europe, and put on trial today, what would be the outcome of that trial? I'll leave that with any of you that want to read the book, frightening.</span></div>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-44407652367286666512012-01-17T09:56:00.000-05:002012-01-17T09:56:06.533-05:00Open your hearts....... Still on 2 Corinthians chapter 6....verse 1 says that we work together with Him. I am blown away by that phrase every time I read it, but moving along. Verse 11-13 says, "We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also." Rebellion actually restricts us, hampers us, and inhibits us. The world believes just the opposite. Tear off the shackles of Christianity and your emotions will be set free. The total opposite happens. You are no longer free to be who God made you, to express the true joy that comes from Him. <br />
Selfishness has hit an all time high. It is fashionable to live only for yourself, to say no to those in need, to be only friends with those you have things in common with. Watching a new TV show yesterday called "The Revolution," I felt bathed in new and exciting ways to say no to others that needed me, but I just couldn't be bothered with, new ways to be focused solely on myself. To say the least it was a rather shallow program. I understand the balance. The balance isn't always balanced. There are mental difficulties here, but the world seems to have gone to the opposite extreme; do all for self and if it fits in with your schedule then let someone in that enhances your beauty, your talents, and makes you feel like a star! <br />
Paul says be like a child. Open your hearts, don't be restricted by fashionable selfishness. It never brings true joy. Yesterday at school one of my students stayed behind in class to tell me that what I wrote on her essay made her day. She was smiling a true smile of joy. Is it hard to reach out to teenagers that are sarcastic, crazy, loving, growing, overly sensitive, despise what they look like, think they hung the moon, love and live for comfort? Yes, it is like reaching out to anyone else. The descriptions of teens fit your co-workers, your relatives, and your church members. They just have grown up in a way that they know how to hide it. <br />
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Like many believers we are following Tim Tebow's career, because he is an outspoken believer in a world that pursues performance based perfection. Every game on the road or away he reaches out to handicapped children, brings them to the games, sits with them, ministers to them. He could easily concentrate on himself, being restricted by his selfish desires of fame, fortune, and success, but he takes the time to reach out to the ones that no one else wants to. The next time you see a segment on the TV about Tim taking his time to love these kids look at his face, his countenance, and see what you see. <br />
<br />Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-88730341431134517542012-01-12T08:18:00.011-05:002012-01-12T09:01:10.657-05:00The Spectre of Protection<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ghjFuG6MQgrVvbNnOvuTEFraY5RDDy6oLkEC40oeBhQAPjxyVaTUe7y1wjJnuOTLI-s_Yzq9Yo-7hHxaRuk7IlzYKcAJfjOT2KmkpP0ieYiB0a5Gc1-njrG_ehAEE7OMiFeM2cF0wqA/s1600/Les-Spectres.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ghjFuG6MQgrVvbNnOvuTEFraY5RDDy6oLkEC40oeBhQAPjxyVaTUe7y1wjJnuOTLI-s_Yzq9Yo-7hHxaRuk7IlzYKcAJfjOT2KmkpP0ieYiB0a5Gc1-njrG_ehAEE7OMiFeM2cF0wqA/s400/Les-Spectres.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696739390342182098" /></a><br />When God shows me a whole big, huge vision of a chunk of my heart that is not even trying to trust Him, it hurts, is confusing, stinks, is depressing, and not as unusual as I would like to believe. Last night talking to my husband about an upcoming event, I had a gestalt moment. Have you ever had those times when a split second revelation about the motives behind your anger, your sadness, your grief, or confusion comes skimming across your heart not with just a tiny pebble of reality, but a boulder? That's what happened to me. I was irritable and cranky about something very small that Ken and I were planning, then it hit me why I was being unreasonable; the past....the past came back with a vengance, the hurt, the pain and now the fears. Hurt from your past can be like a lead ball tied to your ankle, and I felt as if I was being thrown into the Chicago river. God shows us these sections of our hearts for a reason, but at the moment of realization all I felt was anger, confusion, and "I am not going to EVER get hurt again." Protectionism comes screaming at me like a spectre enveloping me into it's clutches, then the battle ensues. I don't want to be in the specter's enchanting vice grip, but I don't want to trust my heavenly Father either. Yes, I did say that. I don't want to trust. I want to hide. I must go to the sanctuary of God..<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div><div class="heading passage-class-0" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 10px; color: rgb(92, 17, 1); font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><h3 style="font-size: 16px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Psalm 73:15-28</h3><p class="txt-sm" style="font-size: 12px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">English Standard Version (ESV)</p></div><div class="result-text-style-normal text-html " style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /><sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-15036" style="font-style: normal; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">15</sup> If I had said, “I will speak thus,”<br />I would have betrayed <span style="font-style: normal; font-size: 0.65em; "><sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15036A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup></span>the generation of your children.<p> <sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-15037" style="font-style: normal; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">16</sup> But when I thought how to understand this,<br />it seemed to me <span style="font-style: normal; font-size: 0.65em; "><sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15037B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup></span>a wearisome task,<br /><sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-15038" style="font-style: normal; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">17</sup> <b><i>until I went into <span style="font-size: 0.65em; "><sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15038C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup></span>the sanctuary of God; </i></b><br />then I discerned their <span style="font-style: normal; font-size: 0.65em; "><sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15038D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup></span>end.</p><p><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "> <sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-15039" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">18</sup> Truly you set them in <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15039E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>slippery places;<br />you make them fall to ruin.<br /><sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-15040" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">19</sup> How they are destroyed <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15040F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>in a moment,<br />swept away utterly by <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15040G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>terrors!<br /><sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-15041" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">20</sup> Like <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15041H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>a dream when one awakes,<br />O Lord, when <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15041I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>you rouse yourself, you despise them as </span><b><i>phantoms.</i></b><br /><sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-15042" style="font-style: normal; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">21</sup> When my soul was embittered,<br />when I was pricked in heart,<br /><sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-15043" style="font-style: normal; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">22</sup> I was <span style="font-style: normal; font-size: 0.65em; "><sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15043J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup></span>brutish and ignorant;<br />I was like <span style="font-style: normal; font-size: 0.65em; "><sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15043K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup></span>a beast toward you.</p><p> <sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-15044" style="font-style: normal; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">23</sup> <b><i>Nevertheless,</i></b><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "> I am continually with you;<br />you <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15044L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>hold my right hand.<br /><sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-15045" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">24</sup> You <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15045M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>guide me with your counsel,<br />and afterward you will <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15045N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>receive me to glory.<br /><sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-15046" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">25</sup> <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15046O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>Whom have I in heaven but you?<br />And </span><b><i>there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you</i></b><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">.<br /><sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-15047" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">26</sup> <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15047P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>My flesh and my heart may fail,<br />but God is <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15047Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>the strength<sup class="footnote" value="[<a href="#fen-ESV-15047a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup> of my heart and my <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15047R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>portion <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15047S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>forever.</span></p><p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "> <sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-15048" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">27</sup> For behold, those who are <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15048T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>far from you shall perish;<br />you put an end to everyone who is <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15048U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>unfaithful to you.<br /><sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-15049" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">28</sup> But for me it is good to <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15049V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>be near God;<br />I have made the Lord GOD my <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15049W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>refuge,<br />that I may <sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15049X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "></sup>tell of all your works.</p><p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></p></div></div>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-43758170339195180232012-01-11T10:22:00.005-05:002012-01-11T11:25:47.754-05:00Teaching............<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxQbAtb0IU_w8mvA5ex5z16YkW7nGsPm5LcvxIU5D4sPGjr3Uv8kIagkKmdiZ7Q_5hCRY_lCu-4lQCotGflBfkSvekQQiL2LY3yqvdePnV9DGVpqwlxvlFNfaAcxp-gA2mc6a-Vs_dY8/s1600/search.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxQbAtb0IU_w8mvA5ex5z16YkW7nGsPm5LcvxIU5D4sPGjr3Uv8kIagkKmdiZ7Q_5hCRY_lCu-4lQCotGflBfkSvekQQiL2LY3yqvdePnV9DGVpqwlxvlFNfaAcxp-gA2mc6a-Vs_dY8/s400/search.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696411428746015986" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-style: normal; white-space: pre; "> </span>Yesterday began the school's winter spiritual retreat. It is student led, and student organized. Love it! The students have to rise to the occasion; learning about the Lord of course, themselves, their strengths, their weaknesses. When they are left to sink or swim, they learn valuable lessons that last a lifetime. <div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-style: normal; white-space: pre; "> </span>When Bek and I arrived at the campground, I know she was nervous. I was a little bit nervous for her, and myself. I even called one of my students not by his correct name! How embarrassing. Now I know how the "newbies" feel. Great teacher I am. This is Bek's first experience with the school and I am praying that it will be super! She has been attending another Christian school, but since I was hired here at LPA her father and I were just waiting for the right time to make the transition. It seemed like the perfect time for everyone, but..... Bekah. She will be in <i>my </i>10th grade English class. I am ecstatic about the opportunity to teach her. I just get teary eyed about the chance to have even a greater influence on my daughter. Words do not express.....I love that class too; they say what is on their minds, are opinionated, care about each other, love to debate (especially Theology), are excited about life, and learning. What more could I ask for? Oh, yea maybe a little order in a midst the chaos?...........</div><div style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>One of the reasons that I wanted to continue my blog once again is that I am dying to share the love I have for my students and the learning process. I know Ken, my husband, gets tired of hearing about them. I come home everyday with the joys of the day. The joys of interaction with the greatest kids on earth. Let me tell you a little about some of them. E. is a precious girl that stole my heart the very first time I assigned a creative essay. She wrote about being adopted from a far away land, the experiences she remembers of the orphanage, her former family, her new family, and how she so wants to tell the other children there about how Jesus has touched her heart. Then there are the "boys" that fight everyday to see who will carry my rolling cart to the next building. One student has already written two novels! Then there are the guys that want to sit around and debate theology! I catch them in the hallways talking about it on their own. One of the teachers during study hall has a "mini" theology lesson and debate with the seventh graders! They pontificate in class what they are learning, along with South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and Roll Tide football. Then there are those that don't say a word. Everyday I pray that I would somehow touch their hearts to see how valuable they are to Him and to me. I have students that blow me away on a regular basis. <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><div style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This model of schooling also has its headaches, not to mention the headache I am in learning the system. The benefits outweigh the liabilities big time. I am still getting used to the software system, the greater accountability parental wise, the larger volume of parental interaction, and just the "rules" that come with being at a different school. I have messed up more than I can tell you. Forgotten to post assignments, forgotten to take down assignments, too hard, too easy, not enough homework, too much homework ....."Lynn....you are not doing it right!" </div><div style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>But......God's grace always is right there pleading for me to trust, to pray, to persevere. </div><div style="font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-style: normal; "><br /></div>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-4855876894078660982012-01-10T07:44:00.005-05:002012-01-10T10:30:53.335-05:00Preparation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkOzHtM-0_fGYMzG6Qd_62AgyT5A1BiUBLu9SEy37EUks3xHL_I4QS1PdOa_x4MqjYdXMW3XUBO3Kw6H35grhI6T77sIC6W2y7iULTjaOye5ed6YK-nb5mSNgPyGNIf6QBS1af8UGB3o/s1600/Grace-of-Truth1.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkOzHtM-0_fGYMzG6Qd_62AgyT5A1BiUBLu9SEy37EUks3xHL_I4QS1PdOa_x4MqjYdXMW3XUBO3Kw6H35grhI6T77sIC6W2y7iULTjaOye5ed6YK-nb5mSNgPyGNIf6QBS1af8UGB3o/s400/Grace-of-Truth1.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696026166937708626" /></a><br />So much to do.....<div style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-weight: normal; white-space: pre; "> </span>The classical school that I now teach in is a University Model. We teach three days a week, all the classes are honors or above, and it is parent involved. I love it! Mr. L. (the headmaster) did a great job yesterday getting me psyched up for another semester of learning. I still have four more week days in which to <b>prepare</b>. One of the beautiful things, teacher wise, about the school is that we have breaks long enough to prepare sufficiently, spend time with our number one disciples (our children) and to mentally, emotionally, and spiritually step back and evaluate, stimulate, and be still! </div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-style: normal; white-space: pre; "> </span>I have been emailing parents and students most of the morning about upcoming assignments, summaries of novels, due dates etc....and have already messed up on one due date, and can't blame <i>renweb</i>, the school software, but the unconnected web of my brain. Sometimes I really worry about myself. I thank God for grace.</div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In my personal life and my teaching life, I want to emphasize God's Word much more than I have in the past. I am praying for renewal in my heart, in my families' hearts, and in my students hearts. My passion in teaching is always to saturate whatever subject in a Biblical worldview. This year I want to even more open the eyes of my students to the powerful, pure, and beautiful word of God. </div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I have been studying II Corinthians for about six months or more, and have been meditating on the sixth chapter. It starts out in an incredible way; <i>"Working together with Him...." </i> What a statement Paul makes. This journey we are on is a joint endeavor. He says more about sanctification in four words than I have heard in some sermons. The next statement is just as powerful;<i> "not to receive the grace of God in vain."</i> That presupposes that we can. Case in point....God gives us grace for salvation right? No argument there. What about the grace to handle situations that cause us grief today? Just had a parent call and complain about an assignment. I am literally distraught. What do I do? I have a choice; wallow in self pity, self annihilation; and self doubt or call on the grace that God has supplied this day. I can't handle this by myself. I need a Savior to lead me back to Him, to show me that I am loved, and that together with Him He will use me in spite of my weaknesses. Thank you God. My blood pressure is now coming down. </div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">More preparation on the way.................</div>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-57847467625522792562012-01-09T07:50:00.008-05:002012-01-09T08:06:01.843-05:00Foundations for Soul Care<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRwqEOD_mgrt1SUAinlL79zrsFlPJbUbYMUFhsr3jP_yJ6Bvz5_ktC1kolc9Ze3jmmpYE3oMWO33lHzQR27skzR6WccuFQJCAIJ_t2SLMmphqPl0Ys64wWyusyJMWOobt91p_SPYOyfE/s1600/ref%253Dsib_dp_kd.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRwqEOD_mgrt1SUAinlL79zrsFlPJbUbYMUFhsr3jP_yJ6Bvz5_ktC1kolc9Ze3jmmpYE3oMWO33lHzQR27skzR6WccuFQJCAIJ_t2SLMmphqPl0Ys64wWyusyJMWOobt91p_SPYOyfE/s400/ref%253Dsib_dp_kd.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695615973890982290" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I am reading such a good book. It is called </span><i>Foundations for Soul Care</i> by Eric L. Johnson. Two of my girls are majoring in Psychology, so I wanted to "read" up on what the Christian community was saying. I hit the jackpot in that respect. He first gives the history of soul care and delves into the many directions that it has taken in the past century. Wonderful reading. I have only finished 100 pages of the 600 page book, but his emphasis on the Word is key. So far, he has given me resources for my teaching, fodder for thought, and conviction of soul. It was not the book that I thought it would be, but it is much more. Obviously, you can get it at Amazon, but I ordered it from Westminster Bookstore; <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4207776029639604608">http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4207776029639604608</a><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Word is Key to all we do, all are hearts need, all we will ever need in order to fight the battles that we face. In 2012 my goal in teaching, in living, and by example is to make the Word more of the centrality to all my thoughts, meditations, and hopefully my actions. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>More on the book as I read it. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On to a teacher's meeting............</div>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-7123900061500385342012-01-08T09:45:00.004-05:002012-01-08T10:05:57.194-05:00Trying again......<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3kMDSfpmizYn9FZq5QIgOEVcV7uAje5MauxIBWnEuFce6dS58FP39jrzPpq2NUHW5GykfydlpTFhh75hWEmbP8PFk5j48x5rJaGYMKDQjMz6S2CWyXBiaCiE5cDECJSTtQsMgwz5X0I/s1600/6652585743.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 384px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3kMDSfpmizYn9FZq5QIgOEVcV7uAje5MauxIBWnEuFce6dS58FP39jrzPpq2NUHW5GykfydlpTFhh75hWEmbP8PFk5j48x5rJaGYMKDQjMz6S2CWyXBiaCiE5cDECJSTtQsMgwz5X0I/s400/6652585743.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695277339992269842" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>My friend B. wrote a super blog about friendship <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4207776029639604608">http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4207776029639604608</a>. It brought back so many wonderful memories of all of us, and the new ones as well. It also reminded me of the hours of fun, catharsis, and heart surgeries that I have experienced while blogging. In the last two years you could count on my fingers how many blog posts I have written, so my expectations are low, and just maybe that is the time to start again. It is a new year after all; God has healed my heart of much, given me new direction, and really a new life. Don't get me wrong, I will never fully leave behind the memories, the people, and the gifts that were given to me in the past, but there comes a time when one has to go on and see what else God has for them. <div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I am feeling content. Content to leave it all up to Him. He took the ashes and made them beautiful. I spent a whole lot of time living in the past and not trusting Him for the present or the future, and He was there all along..working His plans. What a God we serve! </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I think I will go in a different direction this time. For the three years that I kept up this blog I pontificated my wisdom to the world. My wisdom, if I have any at all, is borne from the ashes that God sovereignly placed in my life along with the people, and the circumstances. I will concentrate on those and see what He does along the way. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey B... would you mind designing a new header for me? You are the best. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-91086245089728189692011-08-01T06:12:00.007-04:002011-08-01T06:58:39.680-04:00The Fear of the Lord<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyz9p01VNvJGSN3Sw4GxM5vAuOk-Wsx3MBKqh29m1bYjzs9mjO-pGsMzPc1Z9WFcfcIjfV_EvgozmjV8sh7Obgs6lDoQda9I94NRWTEg5E-G6oOM2nkjQSpe1UnPdrI6_O54BIKpV805c/s1600/4614317070.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 100px; height: 67px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyz9p01VNvJGSN3Sw4GxM5vAuOk-Wsx3MBKqh29m1bYjzs9mjO-pGsMzPc1Z9WFcfcIjfV_EvgozmjV8sh7Obgs6lDoQda9I94NRWTEg5E-G6oOM2nkjQSpe1UnPdrI6_O54BIKpV805c/s400/4614317070.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635840225957836786" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><u><br /></u></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-28889" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top; "><div style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 8px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >II Corinthians 5:11</span></div><div style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 8px;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 8px;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 8px;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.65em; ">11</span></sup> <b><i>Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord....., </i></b></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Meditations:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Knowing the fear of the Lord....Do I know and experience the fear of the Lord? And what does that look like? I often fear man-"what do they think about me?" But do I really fear God? I don't fear condemnation, and that's what I am hard-wired to do. When we fear people, when we get concerned about what they think about us, whether they accept me or not, whether they "like" me, I then fear rejection. I don't have to fear God that way. Do I want to please Him so very much that I fear that I am not? Do I have a healthy "knowing" that He is the God and maker of the universe and that knowledge then changes my thoughts and actions? Do I place Him in a different category enough that I show awe, reverence and devotion for Him? Or do I just act like God is my "cosmic" buddy ready to help me out in times of need? </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">God is God! He is someone that I can't see yet evidence for Him is all around me and inside of me too. I can't hear Him but His Word speaks to me everyday. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Things I <i>really</i> fear; my children's opinion (wanting to see them happy not necessarily holy), my husband's opinion of me, being the kind of friend that leads to acceptance and not rejection. When all I think of is making people happy (so they will like me, give me attention, think good of me), then I'm only thinking of myself. I should be thinking about what is best for them not only for me. I am to do all for God's glory. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Help me this day to see and hear You for who You are, to truly bow my heart to You-because You alone are God.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><i>"Not just once, but everyday we must renounce our trust in other would be lords, saviors, providers, and promise makers. We must let go of our anxious grip on or own lives, our sense of being in control, our own integrity and confidence in our religious experience. We must renounce the contracts we have entered that promised to make our life meaningful and say 'Amen!' to the will as it is read to us."</i> p. 109</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Michael Horton in <i>The Gospel Driven Life</i></span></div>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-82089507400443591442011-07-25T13:51:00.006-04:002011-08-02T16:39:09.982-04:00Endings and Beginnings.............<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEI4vXA_2tGaPsrlblydgBJxiihmvVroUvT8BrDgiXPh3BDLqAdRgA_2NjjMgg4ZTFOXP7_pUF2tR6KJ24Y3xqcXaFAjyLc32HzyqIkO4frdNvpoHAXWXpMzaEKyly-1ywHS5nV7YGP0/s1600/beach3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEI4vXA_2tGaPsrlblydgBJxiihmvVroUvT8BrDgiXPh3BDLqAdRgA_2NjjMgg4ZTFOXP7_pUF2tR6KJ24Y3xqcXaFAjyLc32HzyqIkO4frdNvpoHAXWXpMzaEKyly-1ywHS5nV7YGP0/s400/beach3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633351652250615794" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Life certainly is about beginnings and endings. At times you can feel you are caught in the middle, but right now my life is just that: beginnings and endings. My only son got married Saturday to a wonderful godly woman. I could not be more thrilled with what God has brought together. Callie is perfect for Oliver in many ways. They are opposites in some areas, and are alike in others. I love Callie like she was one of my own. Thank you to her parents for bringing her up in a home that loved Jesus first of all. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>On their wedding day, ending was the relationship that I had grown very fond of, kind of like sitting in my favorite chair where the pillows and fluff are molded to my body. Then somebody decides that you needed a made over chair. They threw out the pillows and the cushions, put new fabric on it, and even moved it to a different spot in the room. It is still the same chair, I just have to get used to the new rough edges, and the new pillows that have not been smushed to the contours of me. In fact, the chair will never be the same. The new chair will eventually feel soft again, but it will never be the same. To some, the old chair will become a faint and distant memory, except to the original owner.</div><br /><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>My dear son has started on the same journey that I did almost 30 years ago. I barely remember what it was like to be that person, that sister, that daughter. My mother remembers, though. She remembers when I ran away to the neighbors house, she remembers when I played in the mud in the back yard right before church, she remembers old boyfriends, old playmates, old memories that have virtually been wiped away from my heart. They are written on her heart though. They will never go away, they will never be obliterated, or snuffed out. When she lays dying she will, if she can, still remind me of the time when.......</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The endings and the beginnings are happening virtually at the same time.</div><br /><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>With God they are always simultaneous. When we begin our walk with Him we are beginning, but is He? He thought of us before the foundation of the world. He held me and my son in His hands. We begin, but He was. When I lay dying, I will be ending, and beginning. I will also remember the pitter-pat of little feet on the stairs and the precious laughter of long ago. Beginnings and Endings......</div>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-54027483316462331832011-07-22T06:35:00.008-04:002011-07-22T07:42:11.709-04:00I am just a "cracked" pot<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71cBzSKK3E_DUI9Bx_yNNHdg4_Z4Yib2y3dBRUt4UtmEqSLsiUfPM2hay5TxESyxVGJryepRRlDGVfRveS2hPL4Vn3LPhXmFdOPZ3AlCUsSKz2LFIGCY0mpxCtxGRPK5rk7xRFwrz4tk/s1600/search.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71cBzSKK3E_DUI9Bx_yNNHdg4_Z4Yib2y3dBRUt4UtmEqSLsiUfPM2hay5TxESyxVGJryepRRlDGVfRveS2hPL4Vn3LPhXmFdOPZ3AlCUsSKz2LFIGCY0mpxCtxGRPK5rk7xRFwrz4tk/s400/search.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632128257290301778" /></a><br />II Corinthians 4:7<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-28867" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top; ">7</sup> But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-28868" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top; ">8</sup> We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-28869" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top; ">9</sup> persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-28870" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top; ">10</sup> We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-28871" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top; ">11</sup> For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-28872" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top; ">12</sup> So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.</span></i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I am the "cracked" pot-Christ is the power of God in me, that's the treasure. </div><div>The power is God's not ours. The power is God's not ours! We are (I am) just a cracked pot a jar of clay, molded and made to hold treasure, the promised Holy Spirit-the power of God.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>How does a cracked pot shine? Through the cracks! By afflictions, perplexities, persecutions, brokenness that is how we shine. The world is driven to despair-there is nothing to hope for or to live for-but we who have tresure in jars of clay, die in order to live. We die through afflictions, perplexities, persecutions in order for Christ's life to triumph through us-we have the same trials as everyone else, but as we by faith triumph through them, we also die more to ourselves and live more unto God. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', 'Souvenir Lt BT', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">"Brokenness is not weakness, nor does it doom me to a life of uselessness. I am a cracked pot. My head knows that each broken place allows more of Christ’s light to shine into the world if I allow Him to be Lord of the cracks. If I stop trying to conceal them, patch them, cover them over, they can bring glory to God. my heart just struggles with the willingness to surrender."</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><i>Q. 35. What is sanctification?</i></b><br />A. Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span">Shorter Catechism</span></span></div>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-62490449805247735772011-07-15T09:12:00.006-04:002011-07-15T09:52:42.996-04:00Wishing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxlSBOfupmaeOxCsPda68CnhkXjyMjXDPFKdaFPnlajk6BFcXlYPy2YqIpIhcOzm7IzCoJjBw9jGRxFHPCMIm4hKNXo7Lt4mQLy-OnpQoTkK8Xm4nfdtSPJppibIqB2jrldwICoZEzMM/s1600/growing-seed2.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 324px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxlSBOfupmaeOxCsPda68CnhkXjyMjXDPFKdaFPnlajk6BFcXlYPy2YqIpIhcOzm7IzCoJjBw9jGRxFHPCMIm4hKNXo7Lt4mQLy-OnpQoTkK8Xm4nfdtSPJppibIqB2jrldwICoZEzMM/s400/growing-seed2.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629576626338739170" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I have been reading and meditating on II Corinthians for several months now. Having only made it to the sixth chapter I keep reading those first few chapters over and over again. It is chocked full of verses that encourage us not to lose heart, have courage, and to walk by faith. <div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Wishing</b></i></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Wishing</i> I were smarter, more organized, less talk, faster to listen, </div><div style="text-align: center;">could pour out my energy into one thing and have that one thing be beautiful, </div><div style="text-align: center;">much more compassionate, did I mention smarter, </div><div style="text-align: center;">not prone to wander, </div><div style="text-align: center;">where was I.......</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Wishing</i> all about me was all about You, </div><div style="text-align: center;"> Your grace, Your Son. </div><div style="text-align: center;">All that I want to do should revolve around You-</div><div style="text-align: center;">where You want to go, who You want to befriend, </div><div style="text-align: center;">who You want to talk to, listen to, love-</div><div style="text-align: center;">more often than not it's all about where I want to go, </div><div style="text-align: center;">who I want to befriend, what I want to say, </div><div style="text-align: center;">and who I want to listen to,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">You say.....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the Sons of God.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>and all these things will be given unto you.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Not that we are sufficient in ourselves</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> to claim anything as coming from us, </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>but our sufficiency is from God."</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">II Corinthians 3:4-5</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Poor in spirit, mourning over my sin, desperately hungry and thirsty, </div><div style="text-align: center;">merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, and persecuted-</div><div style="text-align: center;">These are the ways You want for me. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Knowing that even when I manifest your ways, </div><div style="text-align: center;">they are still Yours.</div><div style="text-align: center;">So very different from what the world says to be-</div><div style="text-align: center;">completely opposite in fact. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Without trials, without sufferings, without times where all is withheld-</div><div style="text-align: center;">do we ever even catch a glimpse of these attributes? </div><div style="text-align: center;">Having trials, sufferings, withholdings, wilderness times we are called to die-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>it remains alone; </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>but if it dies, it bears much fruit. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Whoever loves his life loses it, </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">John 12:24-25</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Wishing</i>................all about You</div></div>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-19352716702102077072011-07-07T10:28:00.002-04:002011-07-07T10:32:39.426-04:00Words Have Meaning<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwD_obuS53Mm1E8HZoccrtZENzVodWCTdfF7mzcLE_Ip9ZrkFxZc8YxCVezmkAeMj8uspH8FRHk9IPs7bmGYrHpquG0dkY6qfKJK1gLyH3jevgH2INX4m_h7kNW64q8yo_8KAVGV0UUZQ/s1600/P1060650.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwD_obuS53Mm1E8HZoccrtZENzVodWCTdfF7mzcLE_Ip9ZrkFxZc8YxCVezmkAeMj8uspH8FRHk9IPs7bmGYrHpquG0dkY6qfKJK1gLyH3jevgH2INX4m_h7kNW64q8yo_8KAVGV0UUZQ/s400/P1060650.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626618259892811618" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:15px;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; "><em>Viewpoint by T. M. Moore</em></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; "><em><br /></em></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; "><em>“Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.”<br /></em>Psalm 146:1,2</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; ">God, we know, loves poetry. That’s one reason He included so much of it in the Bible, which He has given to equip us for every good work (2 Tim. 3:15-17).<strong></strong></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; "><strong>God knows that poetry has power to communicate truth in ways that narrative simply cannot achieve.</strong>Sometimes, even, God’s poetry imparts meaning quite apart from the words He gave the writers of Scripture. We see this in Hebrew poetry, in the use of parallelism to emphasize and underscore the verbal message.</p>Several different kinds of parallelism come into play in Hebrew poetry. Our text is an example of what’s called a “stairstep” parallelism. In this form, the writer makes a declaration, then enlarges it, then enlarges and elaborates it yet more. Note how the psalm grows from “praise” to “praise, O my soul” to “praise as long as I live...while I have my being.” It’s like ascending a staircase, going higher, reaching further, and extending and enlarging the original thought. Readers would understand that the effect of this poetic device is to make more emphatic the point of the thought – Praise the Lord!<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; ">Good poetry can do this as well. In John Milton’s wonderful Christmas poem, “<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartleby.com/106/62.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(151, 1, 2); border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; ">Ode on the Morning of Christ’s Nativity</a>,” he uses structural devices as a kind of “picture frame” for his poem, or, if you will, like the walking bass undertone of a baroque concerto. The poem is divided into two parts, a prelude of four stanzas, in which Milton declares his intention of offering a gift of verse to Christ on the day of His nativity, and the song itself, which runs for twenty-seven stanzas. Milton arranges the lines and stanzas in a way that invites us to think in terms of Biblical numerology, to heighten his song of celebration for Christ’s coming to earth. For example, the prelude, in four stanzas, provides a structural summary of Milton’s message: God has come to earth for its redemption. The four stanzas follow the Biblical form for the number of earth – four: four winds, four directions, etc. Here is the first stanza:</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 30px; "><em>This is the month, and this the happy morn<br />Wherein the son of heaven’s eternal king,<br />Of wedded maid, and virgin mother born,<br />Our great redemption from above did bring;<br />For so the holy sages once did sing,<br />That he our deadly forfeit should release,<br />And with his father work us a perpetual peace.</em></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; ">Look at the use of number: Lines 1-6 contain five beats, the normal line structure for 17<sup>th</sup> century verse (called iambic pentameter). Notice also that the stanza consists of seven lines, a Biblical number for perfection, because it combines the number for God, three, and for creation, four. But the last line ends in what is called an Alexandrine foot – an additional, sixth, beat. Six is the number of man (think: 666). There are also three different rhyming sounds ending the seven lines. Everything in this structure is thus arranged to say that on Christmas God came to earth for the blessing of men.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; "><em></em></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; ">In the song itself, Milton <strong>dramatically changes the stanza structure</strong>, and in a way that is unlike anything he’d ever done or had been seen in English poetry to his day. The structure is new and it jolts us – rather like the coming of Christ and His Kingdom. Here is the first stanza of the song:</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 30px; "><em>It was the winter wild,<br />While the heaven-born child<br />All meanly wrapped in the rude manger lies;<br />Nature in awe to him<br />Had doffed here gaudy trim,<br />With her great master so to sympathize:<br />It was no season then for her<br />To wanton with the sun her lusty paramour.</em></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; "></p><br />Lines 1 and 2, and 4 and 5 have three beats – most unusual – while lines 4 and 6 have five – again, normalcy, what we’re used to day by day. The last two lines – of four and six beats – combine for the number ten, another number of perfection, while four different rhyme sounds remind us of God’s purpose to bless the earth. The repeated lines of three, each ending in a line of five, seem to picture the Deity descending into our everyday circumstances, while the last two lines suggest the result – something new and perfect.<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; "></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; ">It takes a bit of “second sight” on the part of readers to spy out the ways <strong>poetic structure</strong> can reinforce the message of a good poem. And while not all poets are as careful and astute as Milton, where they use the structure to impart meaning without words, their verses, and our enjoyment of them, are greatly enhanced.<strong><br /></strong></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; "><strong>Download the series, "Poetry and Second Sight." Click here: </strong><strong><a class="jce_file" title="VP Hostile Age" href="http://www.colsoncenter.org/images/content/wilberforce/ViewPoint_Studies/VP-Second-Sight.pdf" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(151, 1, 2); border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; "><img class="jce_icon" title="pdf" src="http://www.colsoncenter.org/plugins/editors/jce/tiny_mce/plugins/filemanager/img/ext/pdf_small.gif" style="vertical-align: middle; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " />Poetry and Second Sight.</a></strong></p></span>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-91567403880992455142011-04-19T14:08:00.002-04:002011-04-19T14:11:42.166-04:00Donation for Nik and Lindsay<div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; ">Dear Friends, </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Nik and Lindsay need your help. If at all possible please consider donating to this precious couple. Thank you. Lynn</i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span">Hi there,</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span">I received your contact information from Nik Franks - I asked him to email me some folks we could pass along their fundraising webpage link to. We have setup a fundraising website to help raise money for the Franks unexpected medical and living expenses during this time. I was wondering if you would help us get the word out about their fundraising site by passing along this link to those in your circle of contacts that know Nik and Lindsay? Will you let me know if you can email some people and give them this link?</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span">Here is the website:<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4207776029639604608"> http://www.giveforward.com/teampierce </a></span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span">You'll notice on the website we have provided a way for folks to donate through RTS if they want a tax-deductible receipt instead of on this site. Also, a link to both their blog and their online meal calendar can be found there as well - however people can help is greatly appreciated.</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span">Thank you so much for helping us minister to the Franks family by passing along this link - we are very grateful for your help to spread the word!</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span">-- </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span">Nicole Shropshire Chitty</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span">678-977-3500</span>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-20253926453747106672011-04-19T08:59:00.000-04:002011-04-19T09:00:57.327-04:00Tim Keller on FearGreat Sermon. Where I have lived for 3 years!<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://download.redeemer.com/rpcsermons/tragedy/Praying_Our_Fears.mp3">http://download.redeemer.com/rpcsermons/tragedy/Praying_Our_Fears.mp3</a></div>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-74763833131805253772011-04-19T07:19:00.000-04:002011-04-19T07:20:14.635-04:00Devotion written by Nik Baby Pierce's Daddy<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; "><b>Lindsay and I had a chance to come home for a little bit. We will be able to stay at the hospital again tonight. I just got off the phone with Pierce's nurse and he is doing well (again, relatively speaking of course). They should have the results of the brain scan tonight. We trust that the report will be good. The next hurdle will be trying to close the PDA vein in his chest. Hopefully, within the next day or two the creatan levels in his kidneys will be low enough that they can administer the drug that will close that vein. Pray that that will be the case and that the medicine will effectively close the valve and surgery will not be needed. Pray that the PDA closes with one dosage of the medicine.<br /></b><br /><b>His nurse just flipped him around in his bed again and they was amazed at how well he did. Pat, his nurse today, told me that most of the time when they flip babies they have to adjust their oxygen settings, but Pierce was fine. I am telling you, your prayers are being received answered by the Father; keep lifting them up.<br /><br />Since we came home, I decided to read Dale Ralph Davis' commentary on 2 Samuel 12:15-25. The passage itself reads: </b><br /><br />And the LORD afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he became sick. David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, "Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm." But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" They said, "He is dead." Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. Then his servants said to him, "What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food." He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, 'Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?' But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me." Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the LORD loved him and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.<br /><br /><b>Before I comment on the passage itself, for my Hebrew Exegesis class this semester I have a major paper due and about a month ago I chose this very passage to base it on. Is that not crazy? I chose this passage because I love King David. David and Peter are in a close tie for my two favorite historical figures(btw, Pierce is the Anglo version of Peter, which means<i>rock</i>). David is the epitome of a man; he is a ferocious warrior, a passionate lover, and a man after God's own heart. He has fallen as a believer into heinous sin and has despised and rejected the God he loves (2 Samuel 12:9). Nevertheless, God's grace never leaves him. And the passage of 2 Sam 12:15-25 proves that. Davis says that David is "in the grip of grace" in this passage. You can even take a look at a psalm such as Psalm 3 and see this (mentioned in an earlier blog post). This psalm is written sometime after David's fall into sin with Bathsheeba. It is a psalm of complete confidence in the Lord. Thousands of his own son's soldiers were pursuing David to kill him. But David had full, complete trust in the Lord, even though he had failed as a king, even though he failed as a believer (Listen Tim Keller's incredible exposition on this passage <a href="http://download.redeemer.com/rpcsermons/tragedy/Praying_Our_Fears.mp3" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 52, 204); ">here</a>). There is no way David could have trusted in God based on his performance. No, he trusted in God because of who God is. And that is what 2 Sam 2:12-25 is all about.<br /><br />In 2 Sam 2:13-14, though David repents of his sin, the prophet Nathan pronounces God's judgment to David for the sin; David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.<br />14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child who is born to you shall die." There is no condemnation for David (Romans 8:1), but nevertheless the child that Bathsheba bore out of this adulterous relationship will die. Judgment has been pronounced. Does David just accept it and go on his way? No. David locked himself in his house and fasted and pleaded with the Lord to spare the child's life. The elders of his house did not understand what David was doing and tried to get him to get up off the ground and eat (v.17). Judgment had been proclaimed, why bother? When the child died after 7 days, the servants were scared to tell David the news for fear that he might kill himself (v.18). But when David figured out that the child died, he got up, cleaned himself off, put on some nice clothes, a little bit of cologne, and then went to the house of the Lord to worship (v.20). Afterwords, he went back home and asked his chefs to make him some food (v.20). The servants couldn't figure it out (v.21). David was just so distraught over the child that they thought he was having an emotional breakdown and was going to kill himself, now he is grubbing. But what does David say to them; He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, 'Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?' But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me" (vv.22-23).<br /><br />Though judgment had been proclaimed, David knew his God intimately. David knew that grace isn't something that God just does, grace is a major part of God's character. And that is why Davis can say that David is caught "in the grip of grace."<br /><br />This judgment by God on David was actually an act of love. God gave David enough grace to know Him intimately. And this is worked out here in David's response. David does not dishonor God by trying to put Him in a box. He knows that God is a God who has "crowned him with steadfast love and mercy" (Psalm 103:4). David knows that God has the power and authority to relent his judgment and save the child. It would be incredibly miraculous for God to do this after He has proclaimed the judgment through Nathan, but David knew God could do it. God is the ultimate judge and final authority. "Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us" (Romans 8:33). David loves and respects Nathan, but Nathan isn't the ultimate judge. David knew that as long as that child was still alive, God could heal him and reverse his judgment. In short, David is asking from God something that seems totally impossible. And in this, God is honored and David is blessed. God is honored because David is saying in the pits of his heart, "I know you are the sovereign Lord and you can do anything, please be gracious and reverse this judgment." David is blessed because he is exercising a level of faith that is scarcely attained (David also is blessed with another child, Solomon, in vv.24-25 who goes on to be one of the greatest men to ever lived).<br /><br />What I am NOT saying here: The reasons why Lindsay and I are in this situation are unknown. Only a fool would speculate to understand why God allowed for Pierce to come early. I cannot say that some guilt incurred by personal sin is the reason why Pierce came early. It could be, but I do not know? Certainly, sin is the ultimate cause. Sin has tainted every aspect of creation, especially child birth (Gen 3:16). Sin is the reason we get sick and die. It has been conquered through Christ, but sin is still ravaging this world until God makes it new (2 Pet 3:13). Sin is the cause for all of our pain and suffering at some level. I am also not saying that sin is o.k. If you sin, you will die (Romans 8:13). We should never presume on God's grace. Actually, as God's love grows in your heart you will hate sin more and more and begin to do everything to avoid it. There is grace for any sin, any sin. David proves that. But it is extremely dangerous to play a sin game of Russian roulet with God.<br /><br />What I am saying here: Lindsay and myself do not deserve to have God's grace. Grace by definition is a "gift." But we know that God is gracious and He loves to shower His grace on us. Furthermore, we know God can make Pierce the "miracle baby of all miracle babies." We believe that with all our heart because God has given us the grace to have that kind of faith. Like David, we are not going to God flaunting how good we have been or how spiritual we are. No, we go to God first of all because of Jesus Christ. We can go boldly to the throne of grace because of Jesus. We are wretched sinners! If I did not believe that Jesus has covered us with His blood I would have no hope for myself, Lindsay, or Pierce. Second, we know God has the power to heal Pierce. That is why we are not just praying for him to just survive, we are praying for a full restoration, no complications or anything. We pray that Pierce will continue to baffle the medical staff, you who are following the blog, and us because of what God in Christ is doing through him. And it is not because we deserve it. Like David, we are just pleading to the One that has the power over sin and death. We are pleading to the only one that can cast our sin as far as the east is from the west, look down upon us and say "I love you more than your little mind can fathom. You don't deserve for Me to heal Pierce, you really don't deserve anything from me. But I gave my Son up so that I could love you intensely forever. And I am going to display My love to you by sustaining you through this trial, building your character, your endurance, your hope, and by miraculously healing your son. I can do this, I alone. I am the Great "I am" and there is no other god besides me. I love you, I love you, I love you. I gave my Son for you, how will I not graciously give you all things." That is where we are at, that is where David was at in 2 Sam 12, that is where all believers in the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is at, whether they recognize it or not. It is where the entire world is at with common grace. Those who ate God would not enjoy the things in their short life if Jesus had not come.<br /><br />Continue to pray for Pierce in this time. Jesus loves him more than any of us do.<br />We will be heading back to the hospital shortly. We will give you an update on his brain scan.<br /><br /><br /><br />Grace and peace,<br /><br /><br /><br />Nik, Lindsay, and Pierce<br /><br /><br /></b></span>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4207776029639604608.post-85537490290708694102011-04-18T08:31:00.004-04:002011-04-18T08:37:29.462-04:00Update on Pierce, Please Continue to Pray<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Please continue to pray for this precious little baby and Nik and Lindsay his parents. Their blog is Amazing. Please read it, it will increase your faith. <a href="http://littlebabypierce.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-think-we-have-miracle-baby-on-our.html">http://littlebabypierce.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-think-we-have-miracle-baby-on-our.html</a></div><div><a href="http://littlebabypierce.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-think-we-have-miracle-baby-on-our.html"><br /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghhr7a-YVkCQsMjwNXfZO3FLsQiCiDl-vQfXWufkqAcuHr5BemRGx0X2qgOpjpLvx_5lSBjYeWcr9REyoqRFdt7o7TA8EYwPEhJmvqWzS4YGBi2m27VtUFbJ-VN4OsscT1nuRi7M9apl0/s1600/photo-2-3.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 290px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghhr7a-YVkCQsMjwNXfZO3FLsQiCiDl-vQfXWufkqAcuHr5BemRGx0X2qgOpjpLvx_5lSBjYeWcr9REyoqRFdt7o7TA8EYwPEhJmvqWzS4YGBi2m27VtUFbJ-VN4OsscT1nuRi7M9apl0/s400/photo-2-3.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596900966063881650" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGPm6nzYzygLtIbEoCRgXd7pqd2eXBeo3izGcZXKwtiwmSlkQDnOkCX8fAHmkK4366ZvvpfQRiNEkoGqKWm-3scGqMWXhyiHOOryXZfnp4X7S86usRsqENx_DVYnXX3I8S8jxWeAx_iY/s1600/photo-1-2.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGPm6nzYzygLtIbEoCRgXd7pqd2eXBeo3izGcZXKwtiwmSlkQDnOkCX8fAHmkK4366ZvvpfQRiNEkoGqKWm-3scGqMWXhyiHOOryXZfnp4X7S86usRsqENx_DVYnXX3I8S8jxWeAx_iY/s400/photo-1-2.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596900962373029858" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: relative; font: normal normal normal 42px/normal Cambria; ">"I think we have a miracle baby on our hands"</h3><div class="post-header" style="line-height: 1.6; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><div class="post-header-line-1"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-709710143873096697" style="width: 518px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; position: relative; ">Jennifer, who is amazing and yet another nurse that has signed on to be Pierce's permanent caretaker, just told me that the nurse practitioner, Pat (who is also amazing), said "I think we have miracle baby on our hands." Pierce's potassium level is down to 6. Yesterday at 6:30 a.m. it was 10. That was when the doctor called us in because they didn't think he was going to make it. In fact, they had never even seen a preemie with that much potassium in their blood before, let alone one whose heart had pumped with lethal levels of it for 48+ hours. They told us that Pierce's condition of not being able to regulate his cells was irreversible. Still alive around in the early afternoon, we were told "if he makes it, he will be the miracle baby of all miracle babies."<br /><br />Well, he is healing and is making glorious progress. He seems to be regulating and reversing his potassium on his own as they have not been able to do any treatments for it because his blood-sugar was so low. I have sensed God saying to the medical staff, "You don't determine when hearts stop, I do." It doesn't matter how much potassium is in a person's heart, if God doesn't allow or call for the heart to stop, the heart won't stop. Jesus said, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father" (Matthew 10:29). A bird doesn't die unless God allows for it to die. This is the kind of God we are seeing at work here in Pierce's life. He is in absolute control of everything. Yesterday, when they told us that it is hard for 23-week-olds to mature on the cellular level and that for Pierce, everything was breaking down on the cellular level, I remembered that "in Him (Jesus) all things hold together" (Colossians 1:17) and that "He upholds the universe by the word of his power." (Hebrew 1:3). Jesus is in control of and sustaining every aspect of creation, even the tiniest quarks. Christ has sustained Pierce on the cellular level and has defied medical diagnosis. Praise God! Everyone praise God! He is the only one that could do this.<br /><br />Please continue to pray, there is a long road ahead. We are still in a crucial period. Today at 7:42 p.m., lord willing we will make it to the 5-day mark with Pierce. And then on Tuesday, lord willing we will make it to the 7-day mark, which will be an incredible milestone.<br /><br />Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)<br /><br />Love,<br /><br /><br />Nik, Lindsay, and Pierce</div></span>Lynn Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06479475542315123317noreply@blogger.com0