Wednesday, July 30, 2008
What did I tell you about our awesome travellers. Here's proof of just some of the places this little punklet would slip off into dream-land:
The Beach:
Don't you just love how his mouth is wide open in this top picture. He's a gonner. I want to kiss him.The Beach:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Waiting for Take-off
We had a 4 hour wait for our plane from Honolulu to Seattle. Getting this picture of Colson made it worth it. I'm not good enough with the camera to often take what's in my mind's eye, but this was a blessing and worked as I had envisioned. I knew it would be gold to take a couple toy airplanes, being that we would be flying to and from in them. And here he is, playing with one, in the perfect setting.
This was the window view we had from our gate while waiting. We parked our bottoms and carry-ons, ate sushi, drank a very large frappaccino, chatted and people watched. Lewis snoozed on a blanket under our feet on the floor and Colson never left this window.
After a long day of travelling, 21 hours of flying, waiting, flying, and driving, we made it home in the wee hours of the morning. All in all, we've been blessed with fabulous travellers. Our boys are studs on the road and in the air. But there is a season for everything. After hours on a plane and transitioning into our van, the wheels came off in the back seat and there was much weeping and gnashing. I was in the very back rocking lewis' car seat as he screamed. Colson screamed all the louder into this perpetual spiral of wailing. After futile efforts to calm the boys down, KC advised I come join him in the front. I agreed and crawled my way to the front of the van, held hands with KC as we both looked at each other in exasperation. It was the perfect timing for the laughter to begin. We laughed and the boys screamed. And they carried on this way until sleep took hold and the fight had to end. We cruised the rest of the morning in silence watching the rising sun. The bed never felt so good.
Family in Hawaii
I think this picture is beautiful. Nana loves her grandkids:
Air-Colson:
Shooting the breeze with Cousins. His face showed that this was Colson's favorite times of all:
These sisters are so cute, and their perky and sweet personalities make them a joy:
To Christy:
Ok, I think this is fixed. Is it?
Christy, I have to laugh at this picture of Case. And your expression in the background is perfect. You are a good mommy. Thanks for putting us up, entertaining us, and driving us around in the early morning and late at night, and I can't forget to mention the French Toast ....yum!
Particularly, I'm so glad we could meet Case, he's a stud of a boy.
p.s. did i steal your coffee?
:)
Monday, July 28, 2008
Our Hawaiian Vacation
Hawaii was wonderful. It was more than I thought it would be, and I'm so thankful we were able to go. What a blessing. As I was thinking about how to update the ol' blog I was thinking that I hadn't taken as many pictures as I had hoped. I guess I didn't realize how many photos I actually took because while browsing through them they just kept going. I will post more pics if you all want, but here is a start:
Cousins on the beach. Colson loves his big cousin Quinton. He's a stud and such a sweet boy. We loved having him close for so long.
Colson hanging out. I love this picture and how he's swaying his body in similar fashion as the tree in the background.
I don't know what it is, but with Picasa, I can only post 4 pictures at a time (that's why I'm always posting 4 or less at a time).....any tips from fellow Picasa members on how to post more to blogger at a time?
Hawaii is incredible. Here are some highlights from me:
-Snorkeling. I loved this underwater world that was opened up to me. I hadn't dreamed of such a fun adventure. I found snorkeling to also be incredibly relaxing. The sea turtles we got to see were huge and detailed and oh so cool. I got to see a big ugly eel, tons of colorful fish, and the reef was full of texture and color. Swimming with Spinner Dolphins was also a definite highlight. They are beautiful, graceful, and playful. This was one of the best things we did.
-Lounging. Of course hanging out on some of the best beaches in the world wasn't so bad. We did plenty of this but I could never get enough of the plush white sand and the green and blue waters. Breath-taking beautiful.
-Boogie Boarding. Well, in the rare and lucky incident I could catch a wave, this was great! This was also an opportunity for us to get flipped, pulled, pushed, twirled, and squished in every unnatural way in the powerful waves. They certainly demanded our respect and gave us some scares. Let's just say God's grace was shinning on us inexperienced ocean-dwellers and we all made it safe and sound.
-Family. Any place is all the better and sweeter when shared with people you love.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Pardon our Absense...
As you can see, we've had a tropical paradise demanding our full attention.
But let me share with you a fabulous post from our pastor's wife, on having your children worship with you. We've seen the fruit of this practice in our own lives and are so thrilled and thankful that we're raising Colson and Lewis in a community where this is the standard. It's life to us all.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
On Desire
"Desire is not simply negative; our desires are what get us out of bed in the morning. We desire because we live. The problem is that our desires continue to light on objects that fail to satisfy, objects on the lower end of the scale of being that, if cut off from the Source of their being, quickly dissolve into nothing. The solution to the restlessness of desire is to cultivate a desire for God, the Eternal, in whom our hearts will find rest"
William T. Cavanaugh, "Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire"
Friday, July 11, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
For God So Loved the World
part 3
Well, this is my third and final post unless I am asked to visit again. Thank you Darling for giving me the opportunity, I hope it’s been helpful.
In my first post I was attempting to explain that understanding salvation simply in terms of one’s own personal salvation drastically misses the point of what God has done and is doing in Christ and the Spirit throughout history. In my second post I wanted to make it clear that having a relationship with God is what it is all about. Yet, God has provided a way (one way, in fact) for that to happen. A right relationship with God must be understood in light of his Covenant. This means it needs to be understood in light of who Jesus Christ is and what he came to do. Jesus Christ did not come simply to save individuals. Rather, in and through Jesus Christ, God the Father, has fulfilled and is fulfilling his promises he made in the past. Namely, that through the Seed of Abraham all the nations will be blessed. Jesus Christ is that seed and through Him the world is being redeemed.
I want to make this clear: the world is blessed and saved through Jesus Christ. Yet, we cannot severe the head from the body. God is working out his plan today through his bride (the Church/the body) as it is lead and directed by her husband through the power of the Spirit.
Often we think of the Church as a place we go to fellowship with other individual Christians for the sake of our own personal relationship with Jesus. For many, the Church is simply an option and one can take it or leave it, ultimately it’s not vital to ones salvation.
I could discuss where this understanding of the Church came from but I want to briefly talk about the fact that this view does not come from the Bible. In fact, the Bible teaches the exact opposite. The Bible teaches us that the Church is the Body of Christ. In other words, one cannot be united to Christ apart from being united to his body, the Church. The Scriptures speak of the Church as being the pillar and ground of the truth. Apart from being under the Church and following her lead one cannot be in line with truth. And the last one that I want to mention is that the Bible teaches us that the Church is our mother. As children of God we don’t have the option of taking or leaving our mother. Apart from the love, nurture, and care of our mother we will cease to grow and therefore die.
When Christ rose again and presented himself to his disciples the first thing they did was worship him. This is the heart and soul of the church. The church is the assembly of those who have been called out of this world to worship God the Father, in Jesus Christ and centered around Jesus Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit. After the disciples worshipped Christ they did not receive assurance that now they can go to heaven someday. Rather, Jesus calls them out of the world to worship him so that they can be sent back into the world to represent him.
This is to be the rhythm of our lives as Christians; each day we are sent out into the world to bear the cross that Christ calls us to bear, each day is to be full of little deaths where we are sacrificing ourselves for our spouses, children, bosses, fellow employees, enemies, friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ. As we go forth into the world bearing the cross of Christ and representing him in the world we are drawn closer and closer to him as our week culminates on the Lord’s day. For us to have the strength to die these deaths we must be renewed and refreshed with the grace, love, and strength of Christ and his Spirit. We receive this resurrection life each week as we come to worship together on the day that the Lord was raised, the first day of the week, the first day of a new creation. From there once again Christ commissions us to go forth making disciples of the nations. He does not simply commission individuals, he sends forth his Church clothed in his righteousness to shine as bright stars in the midst of a wicked world. He places his song in our hearts that we may live according to his rhythm, of death and resurrection, and therefore fill the world with the hope of new creation.
Well, this is my third and final post unless I am asked to visit again. Thank you Darling for giving me the opportunity, I hope it’s been helpful.
In my first post I was attempting to explain that understanding salvation simply in terms of one’s own personal salvation drastically misses the point of what God has done and is doing in Christ and the Spirit throughout history. In my second post I wanted to make it clear that having a relationship with God is what it is all about. Yet, God has provided a way (one way, in fact) for that to happen. A right relationship with God must be understood in light of his Covenant. This means it needs to be understood in light of who Jesus Christ is and what he came to do. Jesus Christ did not come simply to save individuals. Rather, in and through Jesus Christ, God the Father, has fulfilled and is fulfilling his promises he made in the past. Namely, that through the Seed of Abraham all the nations will be blessed. Jesus Christ is that seed and through Him the world is being redeemed.
I want to make this clear: the world is blessed and saved through Jesus Christ. Yet, we cannot severe the head from the body. God is working out his plan today through his bride (the Church/the body) as it is lead and directed by her husband through the power of the Spirit.
Often we think of the Church as a place we go to fellowship with other individual Christians for the sake of our own personal relationship with Jesus. For many, the Church is simply an option and one can take it or leave it, ultimately it’s not vital to ones salvation.
I could discuss where this understanding of the Church came from but I want to briefly talk about the fact that this view does not come from the Bible. In fact, the Bible teaches the exact opposite. The Bible teaches us that the Church is the Body of Christ. In other words, one cannot be united to Christ apart from being united to his body, the Church. The Scriptures speak of the Church as being the pillar and ground of the truth. Apart from being under the Church and following her lead one cannot be in line with truth. And the last one that I want to mention is that the Bible teaches us that the Church is our mother. As children of God we don’t have the option of taking or leaving our mother. Apart from the love, nurture, and care of our mother we will cease to grow and therefore die.
When Christ rose again and presented himself to his disciples the first thing they did was worship him. This is the heart and soul of the church. The church is the assembly of those who have been called out of this world to worship God the Father, in Jesus Christ and centered around Jesus Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit. After the disciples worshipped Christ they did not receive assurance that now they can go to heaven someday. Rather, Jesus calls them out of the world to worship him so that they can be sent back into the world to represent him.
This is to be the rhythm of our lives as Christians; each day we are sent out into the world to bear the cross that Christ calls us to bear, each day is to be full of little deaths where we are sacrificing ourselves for our spouses, children, bosses, fellow employees, enemies, friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ. As we go forth into the world bearing the cross of Christ and representing him in the world we are drawn closer and closer to him as our week culminates on the Lord’s day. For us to have the strength to die these deaths we must be renewed and refreshed with the grace, love, and strength of Christ and his Spirit. We receive this resurrection life each week as we come to worship together on the day that the Lord was raised, the first day of the week, the first day of a new creation. From there once again Christ commissions us to go forth making disciples of the nations. He does not simply commission individuals, he sends forth his Church clothed in his righteousness to shine as bright stars in the midst of a wicked world. He places his song in our hearts that we may live according to his rhythm, of death and resurrection, and therefore fill the world with the hope of new creation.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Our Greatest Entertainment
We love to watch this little boy play. It truly is the greatest form of entertainment we have. He is into "rock and roll", which is Vampire Weekend's "A Punk" song and video. He mimicks the video often, moving the guitar around and nodding his head in rock and roll fashion. He also flips his little guitar around as you see in the second photo, finds a stick (naturally), and pretends to play the violin. I hope we can foster this interest of music in him. We'd really love, as he matures, to be able to enjoy a more mature entertainment if we can foster his musical interests.
Smorgasbord
This is our favorite way to eat in the summer. Just grab whatever you have: fresh veggies, fruit, a variety of cheeses, wine, bread, etc. Gather around and munch and fellowship. It's perfectly light yet satisfying. And the color of the food just shouts summer time.
Monday, July 7, 2008
For God So Loved the World
part 2
For many the definition of what it means to be a Christian is having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Now, I don’t want to offend anyone unnecessarily. A personal relationship with Jesus, being best friends with Jesus, is absolutely vital for anyone to be truly happy and filled with the life of God. But, defining what it means to be a Christian simply in terms of having a personal relationship with Jesus, or being buddies with Jesus, is drastically missing the mark. Each of us are involved in relationships at different levels, and we all have a couple of “good buddies”. Yet the majority of these relationships are nothing like the relationship we have with Jesus Christ. Out of all the relationships we can be involved in, the one that resembles most closely the relationship we have with Jesus, is marriage. The marriage relationship is distinct, and separate, from all other relationships because when one gets married they have entered into a formal and defined relationship, which is shaped by promises of blessings and curses.
The Bible’s term, and the theological term, for this type of relationship is covenant.
Whenever the Bible describes our “relationship” with God, our “friendship” with God it is always in terms of his covenant. This covenant began in eternity past within the life of the Triune God willing creation, fall, and redemption. All of history can be understood in terms of these three categories. God spoke all things into existence and on the final day of creation he created man, Adam and Eve, in his image. This, being created in the image of God, has been defined in many different ways, but the Bible makes it clear that it primarily refers to the fact that Man was created into a special relationship with God, a covenant, which was defined by the Sabbath (Adam and Eve’s first full day of life was the Sabbath), and the dominion mandate; a call to reflect God in taking care of and enjoying all of creation, and being fruitful and multiplying. This was and is God’s intention for this “world”. God has created man to glorify him and enjoy him forever through worshiping him and serving him. Our first parents failed at this calling but God graciously promised to restore man and creation. The rest of the Bible is the unfolding and fulfilling of God’s promise in and through his people. What Adam failed to do God promised to accomplish through Abraham and his Seed.
This has ultimately been accomplished in and through Jesus Christ, the true Jew, the son of Abraham and David, who faithfully obeyed his Father at the Cross. Through the love of the Cross a new creation has dawned through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet, the story does not end there. Rather, it is the beginning of the end. When Christ after his resurrection met with his disciples he did not inform them that now they can go to heaven someday. Rather, Jesus told them to get to work. And this work is completing the task that he has triumphantly begun, bringing heaven to earth. Christ told his disciples that he had received all authority in heaven and earth and therefore called them to go and disciple the nations. He called them to go and bring his kingdom to bear on earth as it is in heaven. Christ then ascended to heaven, he sat down on his throne, and sent forth his power and life through the Holy Spirit that the Church would reflect the life of God bringing forth the good news that Jesus is King.
One cannot have a personal relationship with Jesus, and be saved, apart from being united to Jesus through the Body of Christ. The Church, the people of God throughout the ages, is the Body of Christ. Prior to the Cross, Jesus (we see this in John 17) prayed to his Father, and in this prayer we see Christ’s ultimate desire for his people. Christ realizes that he is leaving this world but his disciples will remain in it (v.11). And his desire is that his Father would make them one as He and His Father are one. Jesus desires this because as His Father sent him into the world Jesus is now sending them into the world (v.18). Notice that he doesn’t send a bunch of separate individuals into the world to do the same thing he did. He sent an army, one that is unified in the same way the Father and Son are unified, which is in the power of the Spirit. Jesus’ prayer at this point goes beyond his present day disciples to all who would be united to them (me and you), and once again his prayer for his disciples throughout all the ages is that they would be one as he and the Father are one. He prays this because it is going to be through the Church living and loving one another, in Christ and the Spirit, that the world will be saved (v.20).
For many the definition of what it means to be a Christian is having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Now, I don’t want to offend anyone unnecessarily. A personal relationship with Jesus, being best friends with Jesus, is absolutely vital for anyone to be truly happy and filled with the life of God. But, defining what it means to be a Christian simply in terms of having a personal relationship with Jesus, or being buddies with Jesus, is drastically missing the mark. Each of us are involved in relationships at different levels, and we all have a couple of “good buddies”. Yet the majority of these relationships are nothing like the relationship we have with Jesus Christ. Out of all the relationships we can be involved in, the one that resembles most closely the relationship we have with Jesus, is marriage. The marriage relationship is distinct, and separate, from all other relationships because when one gets married they have entered into a formal and defined relationship, which is shaped by promises of blessings and curses.
The Bible’s term, and the theological term, for this type of relationship is covenant.
Whenever the Bible describes our “relationship” with God, our “friendship” with God it is always in terms of his covenant. This covenant began in eternity past within the life of the Triune God willing creation, fall, and redemption. All of history can be understood in terms of these three categories. God spoke all things into existence and on the final day of creation he created man, Adam and Eve, in his image. This, being created in the image of God, has been defined in many different ways, but the Bible makes it clear that it primarily refers to the fact that Man was created into a special relationship with God, a covenant, which was defined by the Sabbath (Adam and Eve’s first full day of life was the Sabbath), and the dominion mandate; a call to reflect God in taking care of and enjoying all of creation, and being fruitful and multiplying. This was and is God’s intention for this “world”. God has created man to glorify him and enjoy him forever through worshiping him and serving him. Our first parents failed at this calling but God graciously promised to restore man and creation. The rest of the Bible is the unfolding and fulfilling of God’s promise in and through his people. What Adam failed to do God promised to accomplish through Abraham and his Seed.
This has ultimately been accomplished in and through Jesus Christ, the true Jew, the son of Abraham and David, who faithfully obeyed his Father at the Cross. Through the love of the Cross a new creation has dawned through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet, the story does not end there. Rather, it is the beginning of the end. When Christ after his resurrection met with his disciples he did not inform them that now they can go to heaven someday. Rather, Jesus told them to get to work. And this work is completing the task that he has triumphantly begun, bringing heaven to earth. Christ told his disciples that he had received all authority in heaven and earth and therefore called them to go and disciple the nations. He called them to go and bring his kingdom to bear on earth as it is in heaven. Christ then ascended to heaven, he sat down on his throne, and sent forth his power and life through the Holy Spirit that the Church would reflect the life of God bringing forth the good news that Jesus is King.
One cannot have a personal relationship with Jesus, and be saved, apart from being united to Jesus through the Body of Christ. The Church, the people of God throughout the ages, is the Body of Christ. Prior to the Cross, Jesus (we see this in John 17) prayed to his Father, and in this prayer we see Christ’s ultimate desire for his people. Christ realizes that he is leaving this world but his disciples will remain in it (v.11). And his desire is that his Father would make them one as He and His Father are one. Jesus desires this because as His Father sent him into the world Jesus is now sending them into the world (v.18). Notice that he doesn’t send a bunch of separate individuals into the world to do the same thing he did. He sent an army, one that is unified in the same way the Father and Son are unified, which is in the power of the Spirit. Jesus’ prayer at this point goes beyond his present day disciples to all who would be united to them (me and you), and once again his prayer for his disciples throughout all the ages is that they would be one as he and the Father are one. He prays this because it is going to be through the Church living and loving one another, in Christ and the Spirit, that the world will be saved (v.20).
Sunday, July 6, 2008
The Guys
Papa, this picture is for you: proof that we do play ball with Colson. Look, his eyes are even on the ball, and he HIT it!
Sword fighting with sparklers. On guard!
Here's to 5 rich years!
Not only did we celebrate the 4th, but we also got to enjoy our 5th wedding anniversary. I can't believe it's been 5 years and we're even beginning to look alike. Yikes:
We went to a wonderful, romantic dinner downtown to celebrate. It was kid-free and carefree (thanks to grandma and grandpa). After dinner we walked hand-in-hand chatting and laughing in a perfect mid-summers eve.
Here's to the best 5 years of my life, and the last one the best of all!
I have a certain problem when it comes to communicating how I feel about this man. Words just seem dumb, and although I try to tell him, I have resolved to focus on showing him through the way we live our day to day lives. I hope he can feel and experience my respect and love for him even though sometimes I feed him Mac 'n' Cheese dinners.
I am who I am because of him. Our family dances the way it dances because of his vision and conviction and joy. I'm so thankful because I know I would be far off from here if it weren't for his leadership. He takes responsibility, sees where we need to go, puts us on his back, and takes us there. And he does it in such a loving and sacrificial way. He does it in such a way that would cause me to follow him to the ends of the earth. I want to say more, to try to say more, but like I said, words seem to fall short. So I'll just say this, true love is sacrifice. In our home we've taught Colson that to say "I love you" means "my life is yours" or "I give you my life." KC has led the way in this with his love for me, and it's my hearts desire to reciprocate, and if it were possible, to outdo him.
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