The O.C.

May 31st, 2006

It’s been about a week and half since we moved here to Orange County and it’s starting to set in that we aren’t going back home because this is home! Our dear friends, the Talcott family have graciously opened their home for us and we will be living with them until we can find a place of our own. We had a wonderful weekend getting settled, enjoying our new church and spending some time with Bobby’s brother and his girlfriend, Ty’s parents and my sister and her family. It’s nice to be close to friends and family that we weren’t able to see very often before.

I’m really enjoying reading through the MacArthur Daily Bible. A one-year Bible is a great way to be continually studying the Word each day. I also like how I can read through the Old and New Testaments together and a portion of Psalms and Proverbs too. One thing I specifically like about the MacArthur Daily Bible is the study notes and memory verses. I’ve thought a lot about the Proverbs segment that I read today–Proverbs 17:13-15

“Whoever rewards evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house…

The beginning of strife is like releasing water;
Therefore, stop contention before a quarrel starts.

He who justifies the wicked,
and he who condemns the just,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.”

These verses made me think of society today. Many movies and TV shows tend to glorify sin. It is portrayed as “cool” to steal cars or “exciting” to pull a big con and run away from the police. In romantic comedy movies people think it is “cute” that a couple lives together or are intimate outside of the bounds of marriage. Justification and rewarding of evil is not just accepted today, it is esteemed. It’s scary to think that we can have such a lackadaisical attitude about something just for entertainment when this is something that is an “abomination to the Lord.”

I grew convicted of this on a relational level because it is commonplace for people to justify returning evil for evil. It’s very easy to do to others as they have done to us. MacArthur lists 1 Peter 3:9-12 as a cross-reference to this proverb and it presents a higher standard for believers–

“Not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling,
but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this,
that you may inherit a blessing.

For ‘He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.’”

These passages have encouraged me to have a black and white perspective. So often I think things are okay or grey, when I should see them as either evil or good. I need to be actively turning away from evil towards good. It is encouraging to know that this is the way of life and good days. Even though it isn’t popular with men, if I live like this I know that the Lord is looking on me and listening to me. What motivation!



The First Priority

May 24th, 2006

It’s day three of our five day trip in Chicago. Yesterday we had a great time hanging with the rest of the Compass staff. One highlight was after a wonderful dinner at the Cheesecake Factory we went to the top of the Hancock building. From the observatory you could see four states. It sure was an amazing view. Bobby really didn’t like how there were huge spiders outside on the windows and Tyler didn’t like how his ears felt going up 90-something floors in the elevator. But we are having such a good time!

At the evening session of the Moody conference we heard Dr. David Jeremiah. I was convicted when he talked about discouragement and how we often use prayer as a last resort. Some people get to a point, he said, where they say, “I guess all I can do is pray.” When really that’s what they should have done first and all along. I do this so often. When I get in a tough situation, I seem to be much more quick to call someone to tell my troubles to, blame it on someone or even worse give in to that temptation to be anxious or depressed about the situation. Dr. Jeremiah was right–prayer shouldn’t be our last resort, but our first priority.

The speaker we heard this morning brought this much needed reminder full circle for me in his teaching from 1 Peter 5.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God,
so that the proper time He may exalt you,
casting all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:6-7


Whirlwind

May 22nd, 2006

The last four days have been quite a whirlwind. Friday night we held our high school year-end banquet, which was both fun and sad. We had a progressive-type of evening with appetizers at one location, a big sit-down dinner at church and then a chocolate fountain dessert location to finish up the night. I say it was sad because at the end of it, Bobby and I had to say our goodbyes to everyone. I will really miss some of the students we’ve grown close to. I am also excited to see how the Lord will use us in ministry at our new church. After the banquet on Friday we came home and finished packing. Bright and early Saturday morning, Bobby and Ty got our U-Haul truck and some students came over to help us–load ‘em up, move ‘em out!

Pulling up at our friend’s house in Orange County was a strange experience because it still doesn’t seem real yet, that we’ve moved. We’ve driven down south so many times that it hasn’t settled in that this time is different–we aren’t driving back. We’re here to stay.

Right now, though, we aren’t even in Orange County. We’re actually in Chicago. Sunday we unloaded the truck into storage and went to our new church. Then, first thing this morning we flew out here with the Compass church staff for a pastor’s conference at Moody. With all this traveling, I wasn’t sure how little Tyler would do, but he is being such a good sport! He slept most of the time on the plane and I just carried him everywhere in the little baby front pack. It’s been a great time so far getting to know all the other staff, and for dinner we had some of the best pizza I’ve ever had!

At church yesterday we heard a sermon about God’s providence. The pastor talked about Romans 8:28–

“And we know that all things work together for good
to those who love God,
to those who are called according to His purpose.”

I was really encouraged by his reminder that nothing happens by chance. There is no such thing as luck. God is in control of and concerned with each detail of our lives as He orchestrates all things according to His good will. This makes me have a much bigger perspective of God and life because I realize then that it isn’t circumstances just jerking me around by fate. God is guiding each detail in our lives to bring us along step-by-step in His perfect will. When I was reminded of God’s providence it gave me a renewed sense of hope because I know that even though we have moved from one place to another that His hand is fashioning each detail of our lives for His glory!



My Times Are in Your Hand

May 18th, 2006

Our apartment is almost all packed. Unfortunately I saved the hardest room for last–the kitchen. It has been such a blessing to have friends come by wanting to help. We’ve had a couple of very productive nights this week and now the house looks bare with no pictures on the walls and kind of empty with just boxes in the rooms. I’m glad that we paced ourselves though and didn’t procrastinate because I think it will help Saturday morning not feel stressful. On Friday we have our big end of the year banquet to honor the high school seniors, so Bobby and I will also be busy with that. The banquet will also be our last event here, so we will also have to say our goodbyes that night. I’m thankful that my younger sister Monica is coming up this afternoon to help us finish packing and get ready for the banquet. Bobby’s younger brother Ben will be flying in later tonight and will even be driving down south with us. The move doesn’t seem so overwhelming with people coming to help, so I’m grateful for that!

Tyler turned three months old yesterday and the poor little guy is a little under the weather. I think he might have a cold or maybe it’s just the dust from all our packing that has him sneezing and a bit grumpy. The majority of the time though, he is–as Bobby likes to say–a “cute factory.” I really enjoy how vocal he is these days with all his cooing and now gurgling sounds. He’s also starting to not be the slender little guy like when he was a newborn. He’s got little rolls around his legs and a double chin! I’m hoping that Tyler will transition smoothly with moving and staying in someone else’s house for awhile. I guess we’ll see…

Last night at our last Bible study here, Bobby talked about Psalm 139:16 which says,

“And in Your book they all were written,
the days fashioned for me,
when as yet there were none of them.”

God has planned for each person the number of days they will live. Usually we think we’ll live till we’re 80 or 90 years old, but we don’t really know. I think it’s difficult to understand God’s perspective on this because we think that we deserve so many days or years. People often act like its unfair if a young person dies and they say, “They had so much ahead of them.” But really each day in our lives belongs to the Lord. He decided when we were born and He has already planned for each of us our last day. For some of us it might be a long time from now, and for some it might be as soon as next week. We just don’t know, but God does.

I really liked how Bobby challenged us to talk about what we would do different if we knew we would die in three days. Psalm 90:12 says, “So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” I thought it was interesting how nobody really needed to think long before saying all kinds of things they would change—being more honest with people, not complaining, expressing thanks and appreciation, witnessing to friends and family. We put off these things now, but if we knew the actual day we would die we would feel more compelled to change. But the truth is, we don’t know if that day might be tomorrow. It made me sad to think how many of us are not doing what we should.

Girls in my small group said they would go and make things right with people in their lives, say “I’m sorry” and seek forgiveness, tell their parents they love them, mend broken relationships, and say things they’ve always been afraid to say. I wish that we wouldn’t get so comfortable in our lives, as if the calendar of our days would never end, because in feeling confidant that there will be a tomorrow we put off important things we should do today. I encouraged my girls to live with the eagerness as if it was your first day of life, but also live soberly as if it could be your last.

Ephesians 5:15-17 says, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” We can basically choose one of two ways to spend our days. We can live each day for self or we can give each day back to God. I was definitely sobered by this lesson because I would not want for my time to be up and be found living for myself rather than doing what I know I should do.
Let me not think that life is mine
For I belong to Your design
You make all beautiful in time

You are my God
My times are in Your hand
You are my God
My times are in Your hand



Be My Guide

May 16th, 2006

I’ve been singing this song ever since Ty played it at Bible study last Wednesday. The truths in this song are meaningful to me as moving day draws near. We are facing a whole new place of unknowns, but knowing that God is guiding us to each step comforts my fears and gives me hope each day. When I consider the chorus which says that God never changes, I am reminded that there is no one else to follow! God has proven faithful and good throughout all generations. I like how Psalm 48:14 says, “For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end.”

Be my guide, God of Abraham
Lead me by Your hand
You are strong and wise
Chorus:
I want to trust in You
And in all I do
Bring You honor and praise
How I love You, great and mighty King
You are faithful through the ages
You never change
Be my guide in the dark of night
Set all fear to flight
You are hope and truth

Be my guide for the road ahead
And should I feel misled
You are just and good


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