Boston You're my home

Boston?
I would love to but.....what was I thinking?

For those of you who know me personally, know....it does not take a lot of arm twisting to get me to go to Boston. Yes, I will drop almost anything to go into "town." Being raised by 2 Bostonians and venturing into the city regularly as a kid, then having the pleasure of living in the neighborhoods of Brighton and the Riverway and then in the neighboring city of Brookline has given me a life long love affair with the city.

The obvious question is why? and my short answer is, "what is not to love?"

Not unlike our southern rival NYC (New York City) there is a diversity of people from all over the globe.  There is nothing like seeing all the different nations represented on a sardine pack train on the T and know that many, a great number that no one can number from every nation, tribe and language will be saved by the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7) It is fun to just people watch knowing that in the sea of humanity we can see the beauty of our Creator.

One of the draws of this coastal capital of the Commonwealth is of course the history, "The cradle of Liberty," the birth place of the original 13 colonies, home of the Patriots (founding fathers not NFLers) and of course, "a city on a hill" according to Gov. John Winthrop. Freedom to worship God is not exactly spelled out in the words, "established by the Puritans in 1630,"but that was the goal of leaving the Mother Country. Boston is rich with inventors, scholars, leaders, forerunners and believers.

The city is compact and great for walking. You can stroll and take in quite a bit but I enjoy walking at "city pace" and getting from Downtown Crossing to Faneuil Hall in record time. At this year's Boston Marathon I walked the last mile from Kenmore to Copley to congratulated Karen Kovaka in completing her 2nd Marathon. Marathon(Patriots') Day is a great day to be in Boston. The city is a electric with a sense of encouragement and hope even if the Red Sox lose on that day. Yet another reason that I love this city! If you visit, grab a map, get off the T and start walking.  (and don't listen to Siri, she does not know her way around the city.)

It is a great place to visit with friends or enjoy by yourself.  I don't really like to go with a crowd over 50 because then it comes all about controlling the crowd.

There is night life in Boston and the most recent time I went in at night was to take a crazy Texan, named Mary Vasquez (no she didn't cross the border) who drove Katie all the way home from Texas to Massachusetts (oh to have the energy of a 20-something) and was hitting to road again, the next day. As a mere formality Katie asked if I would take them into Boston, knowing that the answer would be yes, I said no. (What was I thinking?) The girls were bummed. I was going to put Michael on the job. Toward the end of dinner, I was needing to give Michael written directions for where to park....the long and the short of it is, I took the kids into Boston. We had a great time. Dessert was at Mike's Pastry in the North End on Hanover St. and then it was a quick race through a few spots just to whet Mary's appetite to come back to the fair city. We didn't go to a comedy or night club and there are plenty of those around town, as well as fine dining, the BSO, the Red Sox, the Celtics, the Bruins, MFA, MOS, BPL, the Theatre District, Chinatown, Southie, etc. We even drove down Clarendon St. in between the 2 John Hancock buildings. (Yes, there are 2 of them.)

The Video has nothing to do with the post. I just really like this commercial.  And to think less than 20 years ago, we would only be looking at a TV spot on TV.  =D

Why don't we want to tell them?

A number of Christians are going back to the roots of the Gospel found and not hidden in the pages of the Bible, God's Word, the Holy Scriptures - both the Old and New Testaments. It is a matter of both understanding the Gospel  and preaching the Gospel to ourselves as we seek the LORD and realize that it is in the seeking of our God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit that we will find everything we need.

Recently, I listened to an explanation just of the word "Gospel" which means good news, not good teaching, not good rules for living, not a theory about God and godly living. Evangelizing does not mean racking up converts - it does mean sharing the good news, reporting what Jesus has done and leaving the soul winning up to the Holy Spirit.

Why do Christians not want to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others? Most of my own reasons or rather excuses are based in self-centered fear which leads me to the fear of man. There are many excuses but really no good reason to keep us from sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.  I think the biggest reason for not sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ is we don't really understand the simplicity and yet incredibly profound meaning of the Greatest News that mankind has ever heard.

The simplicity: it is news. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ happened in the Middle East just over 2000 years ago. It wasn't just any life, or common death or the resurrection of a sinner. This was the perfect sinless life if Jesus Christ who took on flesh, being 100%man/100% God. He is the LORD for all eternity. Jesus Christ never stopped being God, hence he lived perfectly and was 100% righteous in his earthly life. His death was to pay for the sins of "the multitude that no on can number" for those who believe His blood was shed for the forgiveness of sins, the wrath of God was pour out upon Him so that we would be granted a righteousness not of our own doing. Jesus did not stop there, it was in His bodily resurrection that He conquered death.  Jesus is now interceding for us at the right hand of the Father. He has given us New Life in His finished work that he did through his life, death and resurrection.  For this we say Hallelujah and Amen.

The profound meaning: the Gospel of Jesus Christ is in a number of ways an incredible mystery. Foundationally, we are not here on this earth for our own good, our own pleasure and our self-determining ways. This is our Father's world, I can rest me in that thought, not just in the beauty of creation which is a mere shadow to the new heaven and new earth to come but in the fact that God in His loving mercy would choose to save me from sin and death. The longer I am on this earth and the longer I choose to reflect on the holiness of God, the more aware I am of my sinful heart and can hardly get my head around the fact, the Jesus willingly, as in the not my will but Thy will be done fashion, went to the cross knowing that he would drink the cup of wrath so that we would be able to drink the cup of joy - eternally.  We are here on this earth for His Glory.

The point is not to sell the news, just deliver it. Don't make an emotional appeal, don't put any spin on it, don't promise things that are not found in The Book, don't be ashamed.  Do speak the truth in love. Do proclaim that the Love of God is displayed in the laying down of His Life. Do declare that God's doing is for His Own Glory, in other words it is God's Glory that is central to the Gospel.  

Jesus Christ is to be lifted up. He has done it all. ONLY Christianity says Rest, Jesus has paid it all. Only Christianity says, Remember what Jesus has done and be thankful. Only Christianity says, Life is not fair, aren't you glad that you don't get what you deserve (death). Only Christianity claims that GOD has done for you, what you could never do for yourself. Our best efforts will never be enough. Jesus demonstrates the perfect love, the pure grace and overflowing mercy.

Everyone has a story

Each and every person on the planet has a story. We are drawn in by stories, taught by stories and living out our own story.  The LORD Jesus Christ used the story as his main tool to carry truth to his hears. The writers of the New Testament called them "parables," what we would call stories. The Greatest Story ever told has been preserved through the ages in a book entitled, The Holy Bible.  The Old Testament (first section of this book) points and prophecies of the coming King, The Messiah and the New Testament (second section of this book) testifies of the Life, Death and Resurrection of this King, The Righteous One, second person of the Trinity, the Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth and tells us to watch for the time when HE will come again.

This morning I picked up a novel by a 19th century writer and I am hoping that my mother will let me read it to her. It is by George MacDonald, a contemporary of Charles Dickens, who wrote prolifically in his day. He wrote across several genres and my favorite is the adult novels. I hesitate to call them what they are: Jesus the Lover of my soul is the romancer in these stories. It is uplifting because the characters are believable people who have messy lives, needs and of course, they are all souls in need of a Savior.

There are compelling reasons that stories are so important. For this blog post I will talk about three reasons: 1. We all are living out our own story. 2. The LORD Jesus used the story to teach truth 3. It is an art that Christians need to recapture.

The stories of our lives start out in a time and place. In my case, it was 1965, the year I was conceived and resided in my mother's womb and my parents lived in Brighton, a neighborhood of Boston. There is a story to tell here. Each person who is reading this post is in the midst of their own story. My believe is that the Author of Life has already penned my story and that I have the privilege of discovering what it is and rejoicing in it, in the midst of it all, that is the good, the bad and the ugly. If you happen to be reading this and you don't believe in an Author of Life, I would love for you to ponder one question: (especially if you are over 30) Did you ever imagine that your life would look like it does today?

Most people know the story of the Good Samaritan. Sure, most of those people just think of it as helping a stranger or even a friend in need when not asked. Jesus was showing the Pharisees evidence of what loving your neighbor as yourself looked like. The story of the Prodigal Son is also common knowledge. Lots of people are inspired by the bad boy son who has not had his conscience seared, comes to his senses and finds mercy and celebration from his father.  We remember these stories because Jews hate Samaritans and the Samaritan is the hero and that a son who lives recklessly and is led to repent on remembrance of his father's generosity and kindness leave an impact on the reader/listener.

Lastly, books, films and music lyrics all tell stories. We as a redeemed people are commanded to be Ministers of Reconciliation. Preach the Word, preach the Truth and don't be afraid to use your Imagination to tell a story, whether it is your own story of a sinner saved by grace, another saints story that has gone on before you and yes, the story that came to you as you walked along the Pilgrim Highway. One John Bunyan penned a story that has captured the hearts and minds of people for hundreds of years, leading people to The Truth and helping them find their way to the Celestial City.

Temporary Housing

We have finally gotten to this place, our new home (....which we have said more times than we want to count in the last 4 years) and Dan says, "it still feels like this is someone else house." And I said, "that is because it is, we are just the managers.  This house is the Lord's every room under this roof." Today I would add every blade of grass in the yard, the couple of places where the hardwood is original and it gives a little squeak, kind of like my knees that I find myself more today than when I first believed and it is not just from painting the baseboards ;-), the street we live on and the plot of land that straddles the town line, He is Sovereign. As some of you know, it has been some time since we have had a place of permanency and the process of waiting has brought me to the conclusion, it is ALL temporary housing. Sure houses tend to last longer than people, none of us gets out of here alive unless you are the next Enoch or Elijah.
I have a paint brush with my name on it but I just wanted to keep this blog going.....It was a matter of being inspired by one of my favorite writers as a high schooler, Ray Bradbury. (I listened to a lecture he gave at Point Loma Nazerene University) There is just so much to say about temporary housing, eternal perspectives, home, hospitality, the arts, the power of the written word fiction and non-fiction alike, beauty in the cracks, the running of paint that you missed now "permanently" running down the wall unless you sand, prime and paint all over again, motorcycle alley, what it means "to do it right," imperfections in a "perfect place" (which does not exist in this world, by the way), etc. Yes, this is my list of just some things to write about.........

Page 1

I went for a walk today in my new neighborhood. Just a quick 20 minute walk to clear my head and to breath easier and to allow my heart to pump a little harder for the right reason. Focusing my mind on the letter of Paul to the Colossians. When we write letters we don't start with "Hey it's me, Catherine" and with caller ID we don't even say, "Hi this is Catherine, may I speak with..."

Paul starts out with "It's me, the guy that Jesus got a hold of and turned my life around and upside down and my side kick Timothy" "to the Ones who are hanging onto the truth we greet you with Grace and call on God to grant you peace." The words that run through my head and I whisper loudly to myself are the ones in the English Standard Version. Now expressing just the greeting here in my own words, I wonder how I will greet and be greeted by my new neighbors. Almost every time that I am there, a car slows down to take a peak at the "new neighbors."

Today was no exception. It is hard because the lighting, I can't see the driver, I guess I could just start waving, although I must admit, the New Englandah in me likes to just go about my business and pretend I don't see them and this is NOT considered rude. Generally, I am friendly and I want to be a good neighbor. It will take time. There is no rush. Praying that we will be salt and light in this new place.

Good night.

The Waiting

Grateful for the waiting time. Nearly four years ago, I was ready to stay in MA and the waiting is over. Dan and I bought a house that we are turning into a home, slowly. There are many things that I want to make it into a comfortable place to be at home and to practice hospitality. At the same time knowing that in the scheme of life everything that I need I already have in Jesus. Practically speaking there are things that we do need to make a house a home.

This move has come in the midst of helping my parents downsize and move into my brother's in law apartment, my oldest daughter Grace getting engaged and helping her prepare for a summer (of 2012) wedding and creating a nest that soon will be empty for more months in the year than they will be filled.

For those wondering....we are moving to a little town in Central MA. called Boylston, just outside of Worcester. We are looking forward to having a place of our own.

The Light

Gratitude: my own definition is thankfulness for all that I have and expressed to the Lord God who is the Giver of all.

I am grateful for the Grace of God and the mercy of God that Jesus Christ demonstrated to me by dying on the cross for all of my sins, past, present and future. The people that God has put in my life especially, my husband of 23 years, Dan and our dear adult children, Michael and Katie and Grace are all a blessing to me.

The Word of God that is the nourishment of my heart, mind and soul. It is not just a book, in it contain the very WORDS of Eternal Life. When a number of disciples walked away from Jesus, He turned to the 12 and asked, "will you also leave me?" Peter answered "To whom shall we go, you have the Words of Everlasting Life."

The peace of God is a treasured gift. The people of God are the Lord's hands, feet and a source of comfort.

Living, breathing, working, praying, laughing, worshipping, learning, hoping and so much more.

"Quietly finding my way in this new phase of life. (laugh? I know how to be quiet when I need to be.) Throughout life we are always becoming." my tweet March 3, 2012

The LORD Leads

About 14 months ago I was introduced to Tullian Tchividjian and I have been listening to his sermons and reading his blog ever since. Currently he is preaching through Galatians and he has entitled the series "Free at last." The year of 2011 had been a year of the Refiner's FIRE and like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, I am so grateful to have Jesus right there with me and we are still in the heat of the fire into the first part of 2012.

In part 4 of this current series Tullian starts off with a story of his experience and his desire to be justified and validated. The comforting thing is that whether we are aware of it or not, we all want it. When we go looking for it from people we are in trouble, we will be disappointed but if we are able to in the midst of this disappointment realize that we have been justified and validated by Jesus Christ, we are free! Jesus has already done for us what we could never do for ourselves or one another.

So what is someone like me to do? Embrace the grace of God that has been poured out upon be live in it and do my best to let it flow out of me and onto those who I have the privilege to encounter. Go to the back and not be concerned with myself.

The other thing that is required is to die. A friend of mine started blogging in 2011 and she is a hoot. On her blog she has a menu item called "How to die to self" and I have pasted in an excerpt from that particular post. It is right where I want to be and the LORD is easing me in. A slow and sometimes painful death but the kind that gives life.

~ Another step in the death of self is to seek in everything to be child-like, and extremely simple in our manners, words, dress, tastes, and interior experiences. Self naturally feeds on complexity and things grand and large and loud. Christ is the very embodiment of divine and eternal simplicity. The deeper we sink into the Christ-life, the more we become disappointing to the people. Our learning or talents will not show off to such fine advantage. We talk less. We live more quietly and interiorly. Our labors are less ostentatious. We do more hard fighting with fewer dress-parades. We bring things to pass through prayers and faith in God more than by outward showy methods. We love to live like God, a profound hidden life, in which people think we don’t amount to very much. This is one of the tests of sinking out of self. To read the full article How to Die to Self

Treasures in my hands

In every room of our home someone has a book going Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott in the bathroom,

Bible wherever I last read it, night stand, kitchen table, on the couch, in my bag

Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry on the night stand along with those books that want to be read.

The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges read and waiting to be blogged about

Note to Self by Joe Thorn on the Kindle

The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs keeping company with my Bible

A Harmony of the Gospels

To be edited at a later date. Just wanted to post on Leap Day.

The Drafts

(this post is from emails never sent sitting in the drafts with some decent quotes)

This was just fun and hopefully encouraging to those of you who read my blog regularly. Who knows maybe people will comment? In all seriousness I welcome conversation here. The two most popular ways that I know that I actually have readers, is 1 I have a counter on the blog and 2 people tell me in person. It would be fun to hear from some of you via the comment section.

Have a wonderful day! And thanks for reading.

"What we must do is to stop regarding unpleasant or unexpected things as interruptions of real life. The truth is that interruptions are real life, the real life that God sends us day by day. What we call our real life is but a phantom of our imagination." C.S. Lewis

If you debate for a second when God has spoken, it is all up. Never begin to say - "Well, I wonder if He did speak?" Be reckless immediately, fling it all out on Him. You do not know when His voice will come, but whenever the realization of God comes in the faintest way imaginable, recklessly abandon. It is only by abandon that you recognize Him You will only realize His voice more clearly by recklessness. Oswald Chambers

Dan just said to Katie, "I question whether Mr and Mrs Mort are really human, I think they are angels."

"There are people in AA that are not professing Christians that are more dependent on God's grace, more surrendered to God in a general sense, believe more in letting God be God in all circumstances, more grateful to be alive than a lot of Christians that I have met." CM

The Love of Christ

In my good New England second language (sarcasm) I want to start by saying, "Well, if you are a Baptist....."

I think the most important think to remember is to stay calm. Don't freak out. (no idea what I was responding to here. More than likely, addressing mothers unwilling to face the messiness of their adult children finding there way in this world.)

"A new government that tries to erase history so that they can capitalize on their power." source unknown (to me)

"Anyone God uses significantly is always deeply wounded . . . Jesus will look us over not for medals, diplomas, or honors, but for scars." Again unknown by me (feel free to fill us in and leave a comment)

"When I was coming to Christ, I thought I was doing it all myself, and though I sought the Lord earnestly, I had no idea the Lord was seeking me. I do not think the young convert is at first aware of this. I can recall the very day and hour when first I received those truths in my own soul - when they were as John Bunyan says, burnt into my heart as with a hot iron; and I can recollect how I felt that I had grown all of a sudden from a babe into a man - that I had made progress in scriptural knowledge, through having found, once for all, the clue to the truth of God ... I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, I ascribe my change wholly to God." (Autobiography: 1, The Early Years, Banner of Truth, p. 164-165) Spurgeon

"Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it; he depends upon himself for his own security; he flatters himself in what he has done, in what he is now doing, or what he intends to do. Every one lays out matters in his own mind how he shall avoid damnation, and flatters himself that he contrives well for himself, and that his schemes will not fail. They hear indeed that there are but few saved, and that the greater part of men that have died heretofore are gone to hell; but each one imagines that he lays out matters better for his own escape than others have done. He does not intend to come to that place of torment; he says within himself, that he intends to take effectual care, and to order matters so for himself as not to fail." Jonathan Edwards

From the Gospel Coalition

Counting Sheep?

Time to be still

What does it mean to wait? To find quite in the midst of life's storms? To take refuge in the One you can not see, feel or touch? To know that the Unseen Hand is holding you in the very palm of His Hand? To trust that you are never alone?

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POSSIBLY MOVING MY BLOG

STAY TUNED

Pilgrims on an eternal journey

Some of my friends have been in their same home church for all of their Christian walk and others have changed churches for one reason or another and some of us have moved and been a part of a number of church families. In late 2011 Dan and I became members of Bethlehem Bible Church (BBC) in West Boylston, MA.

Making a decision to become a part of a local body of believers is not a decision that Dan and I took lightly. For myself, I really thought hard and long, prayed, read, researched and asked questions. As with any organization, there will be some things that we do not agree with but on the essentials we do agree. And yes, a local body of believers is both a church family and an organization. There may be a number of essentials that I could go through but for this blog post I will just talk about two: 1. The Love of Christ as demonstrated through the people and 2. The High view of God communicated by the expositional preaching of God's Word.

The demonstration of love that personally gave me the desire to become a part of BBC was the process of "church discipline." Some of my readers may think, "that is archaic" well let me explain. It was the pursuing of a dear one who was walking away from her family and the family of God reached out to her and with tears, prayers and open arms encouraged her to return and make things right. BBC as a church family had to release her, let her go, and turn her over to the LORD, with the commitment to pray that she will at sometime return to the LORD. Where else in the world do people love each other enough to say you are going the wrong way, come back, we love you, we know that life is hard? And when the person says, thanks but no thanks, those who love their dear one love her enough to let her go. Isn't this what we do as parents? Even with our adult children? Sometimes it is not clear and things get messy and we are willing to walk through the mess with one another. Is this not loving? It IS! Of course, there are many other acts of love that the dear ones at BBC do for one another, their neighbors, friends and strangers....listening, praying, making meals, helping one another move, visiting, etc. all types of family activities that demonstrate a love for one another. This is motivated by the Greatest LOVER of ALL, Jesus Christ, the LORD Most High. One other way that these dear folks love is through the preaching, teaching and heralding of God's Word. This last act leads me to the second point, which is having a High view of God through expositional preaching.

(for those unfamiliar with the term "expositional preaching" here is a good definition -Expository preaching involves the exposition, or comprehensive explanation, of the Scripture; that is, expository preaching presents the meaning and intent of a biblical text, providing commentary and examples to make the passage clear and understandable. from http://www.gotquestions.org/expository-preaching.html)

Today this very day Mike Abendroth preached about Jesus from the Gospel of Mark from Mark 1;1, 4;35-41, 6;45-52. "So yeah, he preached about Jesus. You are a Christian who else is he going to preach about?" Some might think. Today exposition of the text was with the sole purpose of again being amazed by the GOD-Man, Jesus Christ. Today, I was asked through the preaching of the Word to look up to the One who is called the Christ and see Him High and Lifted up by the lowly preacher who is a sinner just like me. He is so unlike us, yet was willing to leave His home in glory to become human like you and me.

As was said today, there does need to be more preaching on Jesus Christ so that our response is to behold the LORD and believe that Jesus is who He said he was and what the Holy Scriptures say about Him. There is plenty of preaching in today's American churches of what I would call, man-centered preaching. It is so appealing to the flesh. A "look what the Son of God has given to us" attitude instead of realizing how Great and Awesome is our GOD. It is such a subtle and fine line, because Jesus has done great things and continues to do things through the lives of His children. The point is for this Christian, I need to have a Higher view of God than I do of man. There are probably many who preach and live with too high a view of man who hold up God higher than man but it is most likely coupled with too high of a view of man. So instead of God being exalted, the gifts given to man from God are given more attention and the gifts are often manifested through man therefore man becomes the central focus of the preaching. It is the "what does this passage mean to me?" instead of "what is God saying in the passage?"

What is the crux of "having a High View of God in relations to man?" In order to get there we need to talk about holiness. A subject that I am not very comfortable writing or talking about. This past year, I took a class on growing in personal holiness A woman in Christ, currently I am finishing The Pursuit of Holiness and I have had a number of conversations with a couple of trusted friends about the topic. I believe a look at God being Holy is required in order for man to have a proper perspective. When I am able to see that the God who saved me is completely HOLY, perfect, all together pure, then I begin to understand why Peter said to Jesus "Depart from me for I am sinful man." When we find ourselves in the presence of our Holy God, our eyes are opened in that type of light to the darkness of our sin and like the angels of Revelation we go and hide our faces. Yes, the beauty, the majesty, the glory is too much for us and we cry out holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty.

It is through the Light of God's Word which some call The Holy Bible that we are able to recognize that we are sinners and in the world there is no hope for us. The good news is not a cover up of the bad news. To simply say I am free in Christ without remember what HE has freed us from can be a dangerous place. A place where I am in danger of becoming puffed up. With "I am God's child and I am free to do whatever I want to do and be whatever I want to be because I am free," upon my lips and forgetting what it is that I have been freed from and therefore lacking gratitude for this precious freedom. Before I come to a resolution for this line of thinking, I must say the following. The first word about every human being is that each one is created in the image of the triune God. We are image bearers, having a likeness of our Creator. How Awesome, how humbling! The next word is that because of Adam's sin, we were born in iniquity and conceived in sin. This is very bad news. If we hope for eternal life with the Holy One then we need to be cleansed of our sins and made holy. Through the blood of Jesus Christ we are made holy, cleansed from all our sins. Jesus says COME! He will wash you and make you as white as the new fallen snow and in Him you will be made holy and righteous in order to be in the presence of This HOLY God, Creator of the Universe, Lord of Heaven and Earth. In the remembrance of what we have been freed from - SIN and DEATH, it is in this place that I am still learning to live in gratitude for the love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and this freedom from sin and death that I can see my place with the Holy One is given to me freely as a gift from the Righteous One, the LORD Jesus Christ delivering me from my sin. This is not just good news, it is GREAT News!

Outgrown

It is not easy trying to stay in the flow of the digital age for someone who grew up in the last century. (that makes me sound old-ha) The fact is I probably do a pretty good job of it. Many of my friends can't stand new technology and the pace at which the digital world changes. It is mind blowing for those of us that grew up with phones attached to the walls not our hips. Nevertheless, I am along for the ride and most of the time I am loving it.

One of the blogs that I follow is from one of my favorite writers Angela Hunt and this morning reading her blog sent me right over here to mine. Her post shared the lessons she has been learning from her Orchid that had outgrown its pot after 8 years. On this morning, I too have outgrown a "community" for which I have been involved with in one way or another for the last 8 years. Some might call it an extra curricular activity and others "the league." Time to move on and it is bittersweet. My two youngest children, who are now young adults (we have been calling them that since each was around 15 and the younger is nearly 19) went out the door as alumni of the NCFCA speech and debate league to go judge at a practice tournament. My visible time in the league is up yet this very morning I am doing some consulting work for the first qualifying tournament this season in Region 10.

The end of a season in our lives means that the LORD is clearing things away to make room for new adventures and new lessons in our lives. The whole experience of being a part of the league without reservation I can say, that I am grateful for each and every season, tournament, person and club that we have been a part of one way or another. Thank God for the NCFCA and thank God for the opportunities that we have had through this homeschooling speech and debate league.

"A Sword will pierce through your own soul"

This phrase is found in Luke's account of the Christmas story. The man Simeon says this to Mary.

And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

(Luke 2:34-35 ESV)

Oddly enough this righteous man was waiting for the consolation of Israel and now seeing the Lord's Christ welcomed his own death. Simeon could now depart in peace. Death will come to each of us, but when dead takes someone from us, the pain is great. Where do we find comfort? The only comfort for me is in believing that God is good and God is sovereign. The sovereignty of God is something that I am just beginning to understand and I imagine that by the end of my own life, there will still be much mystery gone unsolved.

As a new mother Mary was warned of the coming heartache. Every mother will or has experienced the heart breaking at the news of their own child's suffering. My thoughts and prayers have gone out to a friend of mine who's 19 year old son died this week over and over again. Having our three children home together is all the more precious in light of this tragic news. We do not know the hour or the day that anyone of us will die. Even when we are given the word and we watch someone die it does not lessen the pain.

The joy of the season is in the shadow of the Cross and for many it is a very tough time and can be agonizing especially for people like my dear friend who is weighed down with grief and great sorrow. My heart and tears go out to her.

The greatest gifts this Christmas was showing up for life and being with other people, sharing the love of Christ, being in the fellowship of other believers, and remembering that Jesus Christ came humbly as a baby with his destination already in place in order to die that we might live.

Who's Directing traffic?

When I first started this blog (nearly 8 years ago) our children were journeying with us in this life along the pilgrim highway. The girls are in college now and our son will set out sometime in 2012. My thoughts about this journey called life are daily yet my writing is not - daily. It has been some time since I have reflected on the road thus far.

First of all, "the pilgrim highway" was the subtitle for this blog in its early stages because my husband became a traveling nurse and we set out on experiencing more of the United States with our children. In a physical sense we returned to our homeland of Massachusetts but in life's journey there are no U-turns. The highway keeps going, the scenery changes as we change and our children become adults and forge ahead and our parents grow old and slow down.

When I think about the comparison of the physical life and the spirit life, I keep seeing reflections. Coming into this world in the late 60's, I didn't ask to be born, I didn't choose my parents or where I would be born or the time that I would start out on this journey we call life. So it is with the spiritual life, I didn't choose the time or the place. It just so happens that I was 21 years old when Jesus changed the course and direction of my life. Jesus invaded my heart and I responded with gratitude to this outpouring of grace upon me, that Jesus would shed His own blood for the forgiveness of my sins. My freedom from sin had been bought by the precious blood of My LORD, the Holy and Perfect sacrifice required by the LORD Most High, the Holy God, my Heavenly Father who is the One who made The Way through His Son.

Our lives do not stop, they don't make U-turns and eventually life on the earth will come to an end. For those who are on the Pilgrim Highway en route to the Celestial City, life will never end we will only be changed. The thing is that during this life on earth we are traveling on both highways, our earthly life is like 128 which is a part of 95 from Canton or Norwood up to Peabody which is just a short stretch of 95 which runs from Maine to Florida. As the saying goes, "we are just passing through."

Life itself throws us road blocks, detours and traffic jams. At times we throw up our hands because none of it seems to be making any sense and we tire and maybe we just want to give up. These are not random acts of frustration to see how much we can take but these are our steps being directed by Some One greater who not only sees the beginning from the end but is the One who has laid out this road we are on. We have the choice of how we will respond. Whatever the obstacle is, it is usually something that we can't do anything about. It reminds me of a prayer I learned when I was 19 years old, "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference." So many things in this life we have absolutely no control over but our attitude, how we respond to those unmovables is completely up to us.

Who is directing traffic? Unless this is the first time you have read my blog then you know that I believe it is The Creator, the One Living God, Maker and Custodian of Heaven and Earth. He has set each and everyone of us on this highway and the thing that trips us up is that some of us are for noble and some for ignoble purposes. God is altogether Holy, Just, Loving, and Sovereign. (not a complete list of His attributes.) But as far as directing traffic goes, He is Sovereign and His ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts Greater and more perfect than ours. We don't get it. However, I do believe that there is some things to help us accept what we indeed cannot change by getting to know God through His Word..

God has not only revealed Himself through His Word but He has preserved The Book, the Holy Bible. There have been times when men have tried to destroy the Bible and God has seen fit for it to be preserved. Extra time spent reading, studying, meditating and memorizing the Word of God is for this Christian not simply a discipline or to become a biblical scholar but for the sole purpose of getting to know God, who He is. And as I like to say my religious view is that I see through a mirror dimly. There is so much mystery, there are so many unanswered questions and so much more to see as I walk the Pilgrim Highway trusting that not only did God building the Road but that by the Holy Spirit He is walking with me and lately The Son, He has been carrying me.

While working at my brother-in-law's store yesterday, I heard this song that I have probably heard at least a hundred times over the last 20 years. Of course, I knew the artist but not the name of the song.....it spoke into my soul like it has never done before (and what I am about to write may seem so simple) 1/2 of my problems would fade away in the light and execution of these lyrics the artist is U2 and the song is One from the Achtung Baby 1991.

Is it getting better?

Or do you feel the same?

Will it make it easier on you now?

You got someone to blame

You say...

One love

One life

When it's one need

In the night

One love

We get to share it

Leaves you baby if you

Don't care for it

Did I disappoint you?

Or leave a bad taste in your mouth?

You act like you never had love

And you want me to go without?

Well it's...

Too late

Tonight

To drag the past out into the light

We're one, but we're not the same

We get to

Carry each other

Carry each other

One...

Have you come here for forgiveness?

Have you come to raise the dead?

Have you come here to play Jesus

To the lepers in your head?

Did I ask too much?

More than a lot

You gave me nothing

Now it's all I got

We're one

But we're not the same

Will we

Hurt each other

Then we do it again

You say

Love is a temple

Love a higher law

Love is a temple

Love the higher law

You ask me to enter

But then you make me crawl

And I can't be holding on

To what you got

When all you got is hurt

One love

One blood

One life

You got to do what you should

One life

With each other

Sisters

Brothers

One life

But we're not the same

We get to

Carry each other

Carry each other

One... life

One

While working at my brother-in-law's store yesterday, I heard this song that I have probably heard at least a hundred times over the last 20 years. Of course, I knew the artist but not the name of the song.....it spoke into my soul like it has never done before (and what I am about to write may seem so simple) 1/2 of my problems would fade away in the light and execution of these lyrics the artist is U2 and the song is One from the Achtung Baby 1991.

Is it getting better?

Or do you feel the same?

Will it make it easier on you now?

You got someone to blame

You say...

One love

One life

When it's one need

In the night

One love

We get to share it

Leaves you baby if you

Don't care for it

Did I disappoint you?

Or leave a bad taste in your mouth?

You act like you never had love

And you want me to go without?

Well it's...

Too late

Tonight

To drag the past out into the light

We're one, but we're not the same

We get to

Carry each other

Carry each other

One...

[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/u/u2/one_20141388.html ]

Have you come here for forgiveness?

Have you come to raise the dead?

Have you come here to play Jesus

To the lepers in your head?

Did I ask too much?

More than a lot

You gave me nothing

Now it's all I got

We're one

But we're not the same

Will we

Hurt each other

Then we do it again

You say

Love is a temple

Love a higher law

Love is a temple

Love the higher law

You ask me to enter

But then you make me crawl

And I can't be holding on

To what you got

When all you got is hurt

One love

One blood

One life

You got to do what you should

One life

With each other

Sisters

Brothers

One life

But we're not the same

We get to

Carry each other

Carry each other

One... life

One

http://youtu.be/ftjEcrrf7r0

Wanna get away...............

Disputing the Data........

Homeschoolers need not apply.......