7 Month Milestones

Evelyn is already into her eighth month, and has a good grasp on crawling, eating, and pulling herself up on things.  I'm also going to start posting some video since Andrea and I have a camera that does so.  And since we have a number of far-away friends and relatives, this might be a bit more enjoyable than pictures alone.  Enjoy!

Here's one of her eating and Andrea singing.

And another of her crawling.

More to come!

Dedicated to Rest

As I've been reading through my Bible, especially in Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, I've noticed there is a lot of repetition.  Although its tempting to breeze over them, I've been diligent in trying to stay focused during these sections.  I believe the the purpose of the repetition is two-fold.  The first is simply to remind the nation of Israel their laws so that they will not fall into sin as they are about to inhabit the Promised Land.  However, the second benefits us; it allows us to hear God's Law continually like waves on the ocean.

In particular, I've been reminded how much God values the fourth commandment:

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.  On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your ages.  For in six days the LORD made heave and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day.  Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Exodus 20:8-11
[emphasis added]

It's clear that God does not want us to to do work on Sunday; that's what we have six other days for.  Yet, sometimes I just can't help myself.  I am a person who is driven to do work and tasks and jobs and projects, and I like to get them done as quickly as possible.  It's weird to admit it, but it's difficult for me to take a day long break.  Even God kicked-back on the seventh day to admire His creation; He has set a precedent for me, and I should do my best to follow.

And this, too:

Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you.

Exodus 31:13

The Sabbath rest quiets our restless spirits, and allows God to mend and rejuvenate us for the good work He has already prepared for us to do for the week ahead.  But if we try to cheat the system and get a head-start, we end up cheating ourselves of an opportunity to be with Him - our Creator and Sustainer.

For the past few weeks, I've been trying hard not to do too much work and simply rest.  During the Summer, I think that its easier for me.  When school starts though, it'll be tempting to prepare lessons or grade papers.  But this year, with God's help, I'll be trying to keep the Sabbath as it was intended to.  Please pray for me as I challenge the ambitions of my flesh to do work, and ask that I am rested and sanctified on the Sabbath.

A Vacation Montage

Thought I should post some of these pictures from vacation before summer is gone!  We went to the Outer Banks in North Carolina.
 

 

Ecclesiastes 1:2-11

Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
  vanity of vanities!  All is vanity.
What does man gain by all the toil
  at which he toils under the sun?
A generation goes, and a generation comes
  but the earth remains forever
The sun rises, and the sun goes down,
  and hastens to the place where it rises.
The wind blows to the south
  and goes around to the north;
around and around goes the wind
  and on its circuits the wind returns.
All streams run to the sea,
  but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
  there they flow again.
All things are full of weariness;
  a man cannot utter it;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
  nor the ear filled with hearing.
What has been is what will be,
  and what has been done is what will be done,
  and there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there a thing of which it is said,
  "See, this is new?"
It has been already
  in the ages before us.
There is no remembrance of former things,
  nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be
  among those who come after.

The Potency of Sin

Thanks be to God, one of the activities I've been able to do on a regular basis again is reading my Bible. (Don't ask how exercising or riding my bike is going though.)  The near-daily consumption of God's word has really opened my eyes to the nature of sin - particularly how potent it can become.  The way I see it, it comes in two types.

The first type is just flat-out rebellion.  For a variety of reasons, intentional or not, we love to sin.  When we do something we know is wrong, there is a thrill and excitement to it.  It invades our lives and destroys meaning and relationships; it corrupts and overturns.  Later, when the adrenaline wears off, sin leads us well into blame, guilt and shame.  When confessed, I think most people see and understand what is wrong about this type of sin, and are eager to correct.

However, I'm much more concerned about the second type of sin.  The one that creeps and sneaks into our lives through what starts as a little lie or deception of self.  By observation, I've noticed that once we allow one sin to slip into our lives, it multiplies subtly, but quickly, into other facets of our lives.  What starts as something small, grows into a habit, then that habit becomes lifestyle.

I also find it interesting how different categories of sin can blend themselves into each other.  Greed isn't far from pride, lust isn't far from vanity, and lying isn't far from (selfish) ambition.  It's small wonder that we are a broken creation that needs daily renewal for our daily sins.

It's personally overwhelming to think about how much I can fail everyday.  Forget about living a perfect life, I would be satisfied with a perfect day.  Thanks and praise to Jesus that he has died for all our sins.

Romans 8:1-8
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.