Mystery of the Cross Part 2 of 4

Half-way there he heard a knock at the door.  It caught him off guard a bit because he hadn’t had a surprise visitor and to be honest he wanted to keep it that way.  He walked over to the door and steadied himself for battle, and swung open the wooden door.  He was surprised to see a young girl in a tattered robe and slippers.  She was visibly upset, nervous, and out of breath.  He looked around for someone else, and then motioned her in.  She was reluctant at first, but couldn’t help but be drawn to the warmth.  He watched her look around the cabin and he followed her eyes.  For the first time he saw his own cabin through the eyes of a visitor and realized that it might be frightening.  There were newspaper clippings everywhere.  He watched her start to backup towards the door.

“Names Thomas.” He tried his best to make his voice sweet and calming. 

“Emily” she barely whispered and continued to stare at him curiously.  He wasn’t old but it looked like life had worn him out.  His eye’s were gray-blue and there was a kindness mixed with sadness.  He was unkempt and appeared to have shied away from a sharp pair of scissors and razor for quite some time.  He met her inquisitive glances with a smile.  She relaxed.

“Come, have a seat.” he said and pointed to the couch.

“Liz, my friend...”  Emily stopped as she crumpled into the chair and broke into tears.

“Let me get you some tea.”  Thomas disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a steaming cup of tea and a first-aid kit.  He placed it in front of her and then sat down across from her.  “Tell me what happened.”  Her eyes, already swollen and red, broke into tears again.  Thomas handed her a tissue from the box next to him and waited patiently for her to begin.  

Emily thought about her best friend, the screams, the struggle; she wasn’t ready to believe it yet.  But there was something about Thomas, so she began her story.  “My friend and I live off campus at Mt. Holyoke...” at the mention of the college’s name, his heart sank.  His daughter would have been about her age.  Oh Anne, he thought.  “...I heard her screaming.  I couldn’t reach her.”  She stopped short, letting it all replay like a movie, she wondered what she should have done differently.  

Thomas’ voice interjected her thoughts “You can’t blame yourself.”  His words echoed in his own heart; he knew it was easier said than done.  “The phone’s been out a while because of the wind.  When it comes back on we’ll call the police.”  He kneeled down in front of her.  “Let’s take a look at that leg of yours, I think I have something to bandage that up.”  

She looked down at her leg.  Her pajama bottoms were shredded and there were blood stains soaked into the material.  She had almost forgotten about the pain.  That is when it hit her:  What if he followed her here?  What if he was outside waiting for her right now?  She stood up, not sure what to do.  

“Your safe here.”  If was as if he could read her mind.  Somehow Emily did feel safe with this stranger.  She sat back down and let him work on her leg.  She was overwhelmed with the generosity of this nice man, dealing with the death of her friend; not to mention the lunatic out there chasing her.  The feelings of hopelessness and sadness blanketed her and she broke down.  She felt a gentle arm on her shoulder.

“You’ll stay here tonight...on the couch.”  Thomas said, adding the last thought so that she would feel comfortable, maybe even trust him.  

“Thanks.”  the simple word soothed his aching heart and a new emotion blossomed inside him.  Hope.

Mystery of the Cross Part 1 of 4

     The moon shown down on the snow, like a beacon guiding the lost.  The fierce wind added to the creaks in the cabin and it seeped through open slivers on the wooden window sash.  Thomas sat in front of his fireplace.  He loved watching the sparks fly as the fire crackled with life.  His cabin was a short drive to the nearest town; but far enough away that he rarely had any solicitors.  He picked up the picture of his daughter from the table beside him.  He felt as though he were stranded in time, as if one moment was his reality for the rest of his life.  Thomas didn’t know how to let go.  His world was a bunch of if-onlys that swirled around him as he quietly went through his precious memories.

From the deepest part of him came a groan.  Tonight the feelings of loss were strong, he felt them closing in around his heart.  It hurt to envision her angelic face, and the way her smile brought life to her green eyes.  The photograph in his hands had started to crack from years of handling.  In the picture, she had just blown out the candles from her eighth birthday party.  She had turned to look up at him when he snapped the picture.  It captured Anne so perfectly and it was the only picture he had been able to look at since she died almost a year ago.  He remembered that birthday so well.  He had given Anne her mother’s cross necklace.  It had been in their family for years and always passed down to the eldest daughter.  Anne’s mother had died of cancer soon after Anne was born.  Later, she told him that giving birth to Anne was one of her proudest moments.  He closed his eyes and fell into a little daydream.  

A small noise outside the cabin startled Thomas awake.  He sat there teetering between his daydream and reality.  Tiny beads of sweat formed on his forehead.  In the silence of the cabin he was convinced it was either an animal or remnants of his dreamworld.  When his heart returned to a normal rhythm, he got up and went to the kitchen for a drink of water.

Love Wins?

***disclaimer***  I am in no way a bible scholar, but these thoughts come from my faith, what I have learned through studying God's word on my own and through bible studies.  I don’t have it all figured out, but as someone says, I am just adding to the conversation.

So, that being said I don’t know if I am going to be able to do this justice or not, because I am not the greatest debater.  But I want to at least try and add my insight on the book I just read titled : Love Wins By Rob Bell

I do not want to pick a part the whole book, so this will be my only post.

First, there are some truths wrapped up in this book.  We as Christians sometimes do a poor job of showing Christ’s love to others and our environment.  I think it’s important that we take care of the earth and those around us.  Whether you believe Heaven is here or we will be whisked away to some other place.  It is important to do good with what you have been given.  Jesus' parable of the talents illustrates this point.  

Matthew 25:14-30 

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

   19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

   21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

   22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

   23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

   24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

   26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

   28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

I think it’s important that when we become Christians we are to become doers of the word as it says in James 1: 22-25.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

I also agree that there might be people that are in heaven that may surprise us to see them there.  But ultimately, we are not God, we are not the judge of the heart.  These are decisions  I do not want to make and am glad that these are left to the God of the universe. 

I have many issues with the book, some of Bell’s arguments seem used out of context and some greek/hebrew words he uses are incorrect with the scripture he is using.  But I wanted to focus on what is the most important issue of all humanity.  The issue of salvation.  In the book through many ideas, questions, and proof-texting verses (which I just learned about!) he seems to be saying all will be saved. Those that have not chosen Jesus will have many chances after death to come to the realization of how great God is and all will eventually be reconciled to God.  Because, he argues, this is what God ultimately wants.

On Sunday my pastor gave a sermon from Luke 13.  We have been in the book of Luke for quite sometime and for me it was the perfect time to hear this particular passage in light of what I just read.  While Bell’s dances around in the book of Luke he never seems to mention these verses which seem to contradict a lot of his arguments.

This is what Jesus say’s in Luke 13:22-30 

22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

   He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

   “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

   26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

   27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’

   28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

Now I am in no way able to judge who is in and who is out, but to me Jesus is clear on the subject.  To say that all will be saved water’s down the message of the gospel.  What is our purpose on earth if in the end it doesn’t matter?  To me it does matter and that is why we must further God’s kingdom on earth rather than to wait to be rescued.  Because God might look at us and not recognize us as one of his and as Jesus say’s the owner of the house will get up and close the door.

In the end after reading this book, I have learned A LOT about my faith, and what I believe, and why I believe it.  More importantly it has reminded me the importance to test everything.  Test this book, any book.  Test it with all scripture.  Scripture will not contradict itself - we can’t put God into our own box of what we think he should be like.  God is love, but he is also holy, just, and righteous.  If what someone is saying does not line up with scripture, it simply is not true.  

As one writer put it...in the end God wins.


This is a very good and honest review about Love Win's.  You can get to it from this link and there is also a pdf version available (because it is really long).
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2011/03/14/rob-bell-love-wins-review/

Be a Berean

I have been wrestling with the concept of testing everything lately.  How important it is to take what we are spoon fed from our teachers, pastors, books, tv.  We need to research, study, test these things for ourselves.

Paul, when talking to the Bereans, was very adamant that they not take his word for it whatever he was preaching, but that they test what he said with the scriptures.  Too often, if we don’t test things, we may be led astray by someone who is a great speaker and makes sense.  We think that we can discern whether or not someone is telling the truth.  But reality is, we can’t know it all, but we can study what we have been told and test the scriptures.  It is how we get to know God deeply.  It is how we learn what God is asking of us in this life.  

Everyone has their own opinion, agenda, and they come from different walks of brokenness.  Sometimes we agree, and sometimes we disagree. But who is right?  In a word. God.  He will have the final answer, the final say.  Some will disagree with that.  But I want to know that I have sought him and his kingdom and not someone.

Acts 17:11

11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Sunday Sunday

While I didn't really get a chance to write until now (at 10:22pm).  It has certainly been a very productive day.  Some household chores, but mostly a lot of thinking.  I am in need of a short story for my class by Wednesday and so far I am just unsure of what I should do it on.  I am not usually such a procrastinator, but when I don't know what to do...I seem to think a lot more rather than doing.  I have some things started and floating about in my head, so hopefully as I work through that the next three days I will have some things to post for you earlier this week.

Zoe (4)

     When the time finally ticked away and it was 4:59, Zoe grabbed her jacket and purse and headed out the door.  She breathed in deeply as she shut the office door behind her.  She was glad that the week was all behind her and she had a few days to relax and not think about her crappy job.  

     Maybe, she thought, maybe I will go to the little coffee shop down the street.  She hadn’t forgotten about that striking young man who had asked her to sit down at her table.  It also hadn’t gone unnoticed that he hadn’t called even though she had been so bold as to give him her phone number.  She had never done anything like that before.  That day she had really been dreading going into work and was just ready to do something outside of the box.  It was his lucky day, or hers she thought.  But he never called.  So that made her feel all the more dorky about what she had done.  Oh well she thought...maybe I will see him at the coffee shop or maybe I really don’t want to.  

     She hadn’t been there for quite sometime since that day.  Mostly because she had been on mandatory overtime.  One thing she liked about her job was it was 9-5 mostly.  Having to get around and go to work 9 was so much better than 8 and getting out at 5, usually on time, was also really nice.  She was lucky that when it hit five o’clock she was able to walk out those doors and not come in until the next morning...or even think of work until the next day.  Unless, of course, they were on mandatory overtime.  Thankfully, he was letting us go home early today. 

     The bad part was the mindless work.  She had been looking, waiting for that dream job.  But so far it hadn’t surfaced.  She wasn’t even sure what it was that she was looking for.  For now though, the bills were paid and there was food in her cupboard.  The dreams would have to wait for later.

Zoe (3)

Sven started from the coffee shop and began putting up his posters.  He really didn’t think this would help, but it was worth a try.  Most shops he had to ask the store owners if it was ok if he put up his sign and most were agreeable.  He also put them on telephone polls on the corners and wherever he could find a spot to place his poster.  

He started out small, then he made his search field a little bigger and a little wider.  Going into the malls in the area and grocery stores he thought she might frequent.  He was beginning to make up little stories in his mind about her and what she might be like.  Where would she go? What would she buy? What kind of food would she like?  If he were to pick out a flower, which one would she love?  He began to make up in his mind the perfect Zoe for him.  He didn’t know her, just by his chance meeting in the coffee shop.  They had stood so close that he could still breathe in the way she smelled if he closed his eyes.  He didn’t want to be a stalker, but he was willing to give it a good try to see where it might lead once he found her.  He just hoped that he wouldn't disappoint her.  

very long time no post

Hello all, Jill here. First I want to apologize for my absence; its hard to post pictures when you're not inspired by your surroundings to take any. I think its the weather and all the 'blah' it is bringing. I still only have a few to post today, but at least its something. When we started this in January I had a list of photo ideas that would get me through January and the first part of Febuary...and then it stopped. Hopefully inspiration will keep coming my way and I'll be able to post more pictures and be more faithful like Michelle is doing...arent her writings great? :)

There is a song by Sara Evans and a lyric in it says 'all the straight haired girls just wanna have curls..." This is so true! I wish I had curly hair, and on this perticular morning I had it :)

I want it to be summer. Yesterday.

I hate birthdays...I'd rather not explain this one.

The end of March and we are still getting ice storms? Thank you Michigan for that, but I sincerely thank you for this picture opportunity!

My sweet Amos. This picture was taken a few months ago, but it captures his demeanor perfectly. Waiting for attention (even though he probably just got some 3 minutes earlier) and being bothered by his little brother and sister. Amos was the definition of loyal; yes, he drove us nuts sometimes but he had a good heart and loved unconditionally, and never held a grudge. Unless you are the mail man. On Tuesday, March 22nd we had to put Amos to sleep. He was very sick, and even if we did measures to save him he would have only been with us a few more months, and lived those months in pain. He had the best life any dog could have with us, and in our hearts we know it was the right thing. Love you buddy.

a step in the right direction

Today I was in a few seminars.  Earth shattering I know.  But during my seminars a couple of things happened today.  

One:  I was in a seminar that talked about marking different parts with a barcode.  There are laser marking (etching) systems that will mark all sorts of information on different items you and I use everyday, but might not realize it.  From automotive parts, baby bottles, to surgical and medical equipment.  It was actually kind of interesting.  Then he began to talk about how they want to mark eggs, milk, ground beef, and even fruit in such a way so that if there is a recall for some reason it can be tracked down by a specific date and/or process.  I know pretty boring stuff.  But then my imagination began to swirl a bit.  What if?  What if they are getting so good with marking organic stuff.  Where would it stop?  Would they want to start marking humans?  Will there be some sort of group of people (government?) that plot out a way to mark everyone.  The writer alive within me began of thinking of different stories that might lead to something....hmmm

Two:  Another teacher was Italian and while it was a little hard to understand his english with his accent, I began to think at a writer.  So I began to write down the little things he said and how he said them.  You never know when you might need a character with a little Italian accent.  Would be a little hard to write dialogue, but at least I have something written down. :)

It really excited me that I was thinking as a writer, they talk about it all the time in the books I read, and I always want to...because I am always eaves dropping on other peoples conversation or people watching.  I never think to write anything down.  But today I did and it felt good. :)

When I think...

When I think spring I do not think of freezing rain and 30 mile an hour winds that freeze the cold water to your face.

When I think spring I do not think of giant trees swinging low from all the rain frozen on their branches.  They talk as they swing pleading with the sun to melt them.

When I think spring I do not think of wind chills, snow, record low temperatures.

When I think of spring, I think of the ice cream shop opening soon.  A nice bike ride on the local trails.  A walk (drag) with my dog.  The smell of sunshine in my car.  Birds singing.  The soft pouring rain to help all the new life grow strong.  Cookouts.  Patio furniture.  Flip-flops.

When I am thinking of spring, I know that summer is just around the corner. 

Man!

Wow.  I just plum forgot to post yesterday.  See what happens when you get a year older.  I went out for dinner with my grandma and my wonderful cousin.  We had a very nice visit and grandma was so funny.  Then I went home...prepared my first turkey in the crock pot...called my sis...then went to bed.  I woke up this morning and somehow it hit me that I forgot to post.  So here is my sad little post that is meant to be yesterday's so I don't mess up my count. :)  You know how I am.  Oh and Blaze wants to say Hi, he is jockeying for position on my lap against my laptop.  He needs his cuddle time!

Zoe (2)

this was all I had so far today...

Zoe stared at her computer screen at the blank empty page that was staring back at her.  she had grown tired of writing all of these canned formal letters to the big corporations.  That was all she did all day long.  Hardly exciting.  She looked at her phone.  Yep it was still working, but no email or text messages from her friends to give her a little break from these doldrums.

She looked at her watch.  An hour til lunch.  She let out a sigh and continued typing away at her keyboard.  She was alone in this section of cubicle world, which was just fine with her, it kept her from the back-biting of some of the other fellow employee’s.  She preferred to go through her day without too much drama.

a little book review

I just read the book Heaven is for Real.  It is about a child’s account of going to heaven while he was having an emergency appendectomy.  A few months after the surgery he mentions that the angels sang to him while he was having surgery.  For three years after the surgery, where he almost died, his parents engage him with open ended questions about what happened to him while he was in heaven.  His answers are matter of fact and child-like.  His descriptions of heaven match up to the Bible, he even met a great grandfather called pops, that died when his father was a young boy, and also mentions sitting on Jesus’ lap.

This book was awesome, comforting, and also eye-opening.

Here is an interview with the father and son. http://youtu.be/lmaja8zamQg

His parents, knowing he had seen Jesus would from time-to-time show him pictures, paintings of Jesus that other have painted.  They would start with, "does this look like him?'  And eventually started to say, “what’s wrong with this one?”  When a little girl, who at age 4 began to draw, and had a life-changing spiritual transformation bringing her family to God.  At age 8 she painted a rendering of Jesus.  When this little boy saw it he said, “Dad, that one’s right.”

Here is her painting: http://www.artakiane.com/gallery (second painting at age 8)

This book is a must read!

March 19 Birthdays :)...yeah I know it's not writing

William Bradford 1589 

David Livingston 1813 

Sir Richard Burton 1821 

Albert Ryder 1847 

Wyatt Earp 1848 

William Jennings Bryan 1860 

Charles M. Russell 1864 

Edith Nourse Rogers 1881 

Earl Warren 1891 

Jackie ‘Moms’ Mabley 1894 

John Sirica 1904 

Adolph Eichmann 1906 

Patricia Morrison 1914 

Irving Wallace 1916 

Martha Carson 1921 

Tige Andrews 1923 

Hans Kung 1928 - Theologian 

Patrick McGoohan 1928 - Actor, director 

Gene Taylor 1929 

Bill Henderson 1930 

Ornette Coleman 1930 - Jazz saxophonist 

Gay Brewer Jr. 1932 

Philip Roth 1933 - Author 

Renee Taylor 1933 - Actress 

Nancy Malone 1935 

Phyllis Newman 1935 - Actress, singer 

Ursula Andress 1936 - Actress 

Clarence "Frogman" Henry 1937 - Singer 

Robin Luke 1942 

Paul Atkinson 1946 - Musician (The Zombies) 

Ruth Pointer 1946 - Singer (The Pointer Sisters) 

Glenn Close 1947 - Actress 

Chris Brubeck 1952 

Bruce Willis 1955 - Actor ("Die Hard", "The Sixth Sense") 

Derek Longmuir 1955 - (The Bay City Rollers) 

Terry Hall 1959 - (Specials, Fun Boy 3, Colourfield) 

Gert Bettens 1970 - Musician (K's Choice) 

Zach Lind 1976 - Musician (Jimmy Eat World) 

Craig Lamar Traylor 1989 - Actor ("Malcolm in the Middle")