Nothing

I really apologize for taking so long to post. I've felt a little overwhelmed lately, and even when I have thought about posting I felt like I didn't have the time or energy- and also that I don't have much to contribute.
I suppose that is a horrible excuse, but there it is.
Thanksgiving break has helped me to recover greatly-- well, by that I mean God has used this break to teach me to rest and recover, not only physically, but mentally too.
Lately I have had this phrase stuck in my mind "we have a Good King". It keeps repeating itself, but it never gets old. I have had a lot of misconceptions about God before, but lately He has been showing me that-- regardless of all the filth and hurt in this world-- He is still King and He is a Good One!! He loves us extravagantly.
Thank you, Lord! And please keep teaching me!
~Nicole

Fa la la la la...

It's that time. Oh yes, my friends, it is Christmastime. Some people say that you have to wait until Thanksgiving is over to begin your festivities. If that is true, then shopping malls, retail stores, the tv movie line up, and my eccentric neighbors down the street have missed the memo. I can't complain, because I love it, too. There is something about Christmas that makes you feel so peaceful and homey. This year, I want to finish my shopping and have my tree up (and my Christmas cards out!) by December. I want to avoid the hustle and bustle and spend my December with family, watching movies, reading, looking at Christmas lights, and baking.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

Purposefully Beautiful

I've been thinking  whole lot about beauty recently. I don't mean physical beauty specifically, although that is included, but I mean that I've been thinking about beauty in general. We have such a longing for it and what is its use? We all know that it must have one and yet it is so hard to pinpoint. I wrote a letter to God about this recently:

         

God,

Beauty holds such power. We want to capture or embody beauty because of how powerful you have made it. We want to wrap ourselves up inside it, taste it, savor it, and never let go of it. God, You are the source of this, the source and the fulfillment of the longing for the beautiful. God, how beautiful, how marvelous is it that you create in us longing and desire and then you come and offer us fulfillment for it? God that is great!... You could have left us a blank page. Instead You make us thirsty for color and vibrancy and offer to paint on the canvas that You have given us. You make us thirst so that You can give us sweet water... God you have made life a gift... God you have given us longings so that You can fulfill them. You have created voids so that we can understand the satisfaction of having them filled. God, You have given us beauty to show us that we have life.

And really, I think that that is it. Beauty tells us that we are alive; ultimately we come to understand that the Author of this life is good through it. 

~Lindsay

"Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." Psalm 90:14



(Kendra)

Resolution:

...to use the word "I" far less.


~Lindsay

Profound Thought No. 1

I have just finished an excellent book entitles The Elegance of the Hedgehog. If you get a chance, you should read it, it's very good.

One of the things which one of the main characters in the story does is record her profound thoughts. My introspective/ philosophical side of course loves this whole concept and even participates in such things upon occasion.

In other words, I'm a bit of a nerd. I see this fact as a positive though.

So, in any case, the book got me to thinking about truth. I realized that truth exists in the world not in spite of but is evidenced by the fact that there are contradictions and conflicts. Think about it.






Have you thought abut it?


Well, now that you have, I would like to state that truth is what is. I forget who said that originally- Aristotle perhaps? In any case, much of the conflict in the world comes from the fact that people disagree about what is. However, the fact remains, that what is still is even if opinions differ. I may be considered pretty in one part of the world and ugly in another but this doesn't mean that beauty doesn't exist, it just means that people view it differently.

As for the contradictions, why would contradictions make people angry if truth didn't exist? Why does it make us more angry to see a televangelist cheat people out of money than it does when we think of the people on infomercials? Because there is conflict between what our knowledge of how religious leaders should be n how they are acting. What is- the televangelist- is coming into conflict with what is- expectations of religious leaders. Both are true in the fact that both exist, and the fact that there is conflict over the way things are and how things "should be" just goes to show that imperfections are also true in the sense that they exist... I'm not sure where I'm going with this whole thing, but here it is for you to read...


That will be my profound thought No. 1. I have others, but I won't burden you with them all right away. :)


~Lindsay

Laying My Dignity Aside...

I've known for a long time that I have...purse cleanliness issues. Miscellaneous findings pile up until my purse weighs POUNDS more than it should. From time to time, I decide that I am too grown up to allow such a thing to happen and I spend a bit of my evening cleaning it out. I documented my recent adventure into the depths of my faux leather shoulder bag, so that you might have a good laugh and perhaps glean a little. (Oy. I told you...pride aside.).

This is what came out of the initial dumping:

These are receipts:

And, this is trash. Yes, TRASH:

Oh, my.

But, you know, we all have crap in our lives. Some of it, we willingly throw in our handbags, even if we know that it doesn't belong there. Some of it sneaks up and, before we know it, adds pounds to the weight we carry. And, some crap is, unwillingly, thrust upon us. Sometimes, I think this may be the hardest because we have no control over it. We are, by nature, control freaks. I will be the first to raise my hand and admit that I like to be in control of my time and circumstances. It's hard to let go of that. It's harder when someone takes it away. Sometimes, the weight feels unbearable. The keyword: feels. Jesus is not going to give us more than we can bear and that, my friend, is a precious, precious promise.

Yesterday, He spoke to me and reminded me that, when we become His children, He makes us whole. Sometimes, we feel so very broken. Sometimes it feels like nothing could possibly mend the ache that the crap of earth brings. He reminded me that my feelings of brokenness are earthly feelings because, in Him, I am WHOLE. Praise You, King Jesus.

May you feel whole in Him this week and always.

(Kendra)

Hello week of work and Grownup world

Have you ever had a week where there is simply so much to get done that your life cannot exist outside of your homework? This approaching week is that week. Don't be scared, I wasn't referring to you, I'm talking about my up-coming week. I suppose it's Hello to the Grownup World in a way. Well here it goes! I'm sitting up in the library, about to kicking off the weekend by plunging into research and writing. Not that that's a bad thing- it's a useful thing. So here it goes.....

~Lindsay

Election Day

Today is Election Day and I just want to encourage everyone to exercise your right and privilege to cast your vote.

(Kendra)