We are really enjoying our new home. Every day I unpack a little bit more and yesterday I even hung a few things on the walls. I’ve been trying to unpack our books but I cannot seem to find the little pegs that hold up each shelf. I think we put them in a ziplock bag, but where that little bag is remains a mystery. Tyler had a cough for a couple of weeks, but it is almost all better. Bobby and I have been noticing the changes we see in him as he grows. He is four months now and we love how he can play with toys and roll over. I think one of our favorite things might be how he seems to have so much to say these days. It just sounds like “goo aye ah ag oo” but we love it!

My sister Monica bought him a tiny little stuffed animal white shark and he actually really likes it. When Bobby’s mom was here yesterday she would make it “swim” towards him and then tickle him with it, which had him squealing. Of course I found this very amusing because I find sharks to be one of the most disturbing creatures! (I think I’ve seen ‘Jaws’ too many times).

It has been really nice to be so close to Bobby’s office. The drive is just about five minutes from home to work, so Bobby comes home for lunch sometimes and doesn’t get stuck in traffic in the evening. He’s enjoying his new job here at Compass and I’m always encouraged by his faithfulness in writing. You can read all his blogs by going to Godsongmusic.

Today I was thinking about a little message from Pastor Mike that I read in our bulletin on Sunday. He wrote about boldness and how we are too timid in our faith. I usually think of this discussion along the lines of evangelism because it seems that we are often shy about sharing the Gospel with others. But I think we could probably stand to be bolder as we speak the truth to one another. 2 Timothy 1:7 says

I’ve been thinking a lot about forgiveness. I can see how easy it is to breed bitterness and discontent if I don’t take care to apply my heart to forgive. I don’t have anything particularly horrible that has been done to me and yet forgiveness still does not come easily. What I mean is that the things I often get “hung up” on are not even that big of a deal in the scope of things. The other day I had a situation when someone was rude to me. I was getting into my car after getting some things at the store, when I noticed a note on my windshield. The driver of the car next to me was angry that I had parked too close to their car, though I was inside my lines. The note stated in rather offensive language that I had been inconsiderate to a woman who was nine months pregnant and called me a few choice names at the end. I could have been pretty bitter about this.

In this situation people might understand if I felt upset, but what would a godly response be ? This seems like a very small trifle to overcome, but my response reflects how I would handle bigger obstacles and I’m not sure I would do too well. We can’t look at things from a human perspective because as believers God requires that we be like Christ in our response. So even though my feelings might be understandable they do not justify holding a grudge, getting back or having an angry response. In fact any response other than forgiveness and grace would not be acceptable.

We are all familiar with Matthew 18:21-22 where Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother if he sins against him. Tradition said that seven times was enough and then the wronged was no longer obligated to forgive the offender. But Jesus gives Peter a staggering response–

Then the servant went out and found one of his friends who owed him a very small amount in comparison to his own debt. The friend could not pay his debt so the servant had him thrown into jail. The master heard of the servant’s dealing and was angry with him because though his great debt had been forgiven, he could not have compassion on the friend who owed a small amount. Then it says that the master gave the servant over to torturers until he paid all he owed. The jarring part to this story is in verse 35–

I considered making the title of this entry “Breaking The Silence” because it’s been over a week since I last blogged. I haven’t had my own computer since before we moved a month ago, but come Friday it will be set-up and I should be online again!

It seems that every time I blog these days I’m giving a recap of the weekend happenings and I can’t break the habit because we had another great one this weekend with Tyler turning four months, Missy came down to visit, Bobby’s first Father’s Day, and moving into our new condo (the picture of the pool is from our front door!). I have so much I am thankful for as the Lord continues to care for us and bless us with His goodness.

With so much going on I’ve been deeply blessed by my time in the Word this week. I had been reading the MacArthur Daily Bible, but the last couple of weeks I’ve started reading Compass Bible Church’s daily reading, which also is a way to read the Bible through in one year. It is so important to read through the Bible. I can think of movies that I have seen so many times that I can recite lengthy portions of it off the top of my head. I’ve even read favorite books repeatedly, but I cannot say that I have read the Bible through very many times in my life.

In the inside flap of the reading schedule is 2 Timothy 3:16-17

I try to remember to read this verse every time I look to see what the passages are for the day because it shows what great value Scripture is. The Bible is not just a guidebook. It doesn’t just say a few important things about how we should live. It is the very words of God and if we read them they will make us ready for all that He has for us to do.All that to say I am have been challenged by this discipline and my study has been enriched by simply reading chapter by chapter and book by book through the Word. I encourage you to start doing the same by just starting in Genesis or some other book or it may be a little more convenient to use a daily Bible.For example, I probably wouldn’t just pick up 2 Kings or Chronicles and read through them. But that is right where the daily reading has me and it’s great! The other day there was a crazy story in 2 Kings 13 where it is talking about how Elisha died and was being buried. Next to him another man was being buried when a marauding band came and so the people burying the other man threw him into Elisha’s grave and verse 21 says–

When I read that I laughed a little because it’s so neat that the Bible includes some very fine details and amusing accounts like this! Other passages are very timely in cutting straight to my heart or reflecting how I’m thinking about something. I really liked reading Psalm 13:6 yesterday–

I’m re-reading Carolyn Mahaney’s book Feminine Appeal. This book is definitely on my top ten and has been of great inspiration to me as it, from Scripture, encourages my role as a wife and mother and exhorts me to do so in a more godly way. A portion I read today rang with timely conviction on the matter of sin in my heart affecting my responses toward others.

I am noticing a concerning talent in myself—how quickly I can blame-shift. I seem to be a top notch expert at pointing my finger at the sins of others but don’t often realize that I am not very good at nailing down my own. On Monday Bobby and I took his car to get washed and on the way I made some unnecessary comment about how he was driving. He didn’t think I needed to say it or how I said it. No sooner had he said this to me, quite graciously I might add, I felt defensive and had already conjured up some reason for how it wasn’t my fault and how he should just not drive like that. When I read this segment in Feminine Appeal I was deeply convicted of this wrong habit I’ve formed. I hope this will encourage you as it did me to be eager to take action when my “sin alarm” goes off.

Every weekend here is such a festival of conviviality! And the main reason I look forward to weekends is because I can’t wait to be together with the believers of Compass Bible Church on the Lord’s Day. Praise God for our new church! I so look forward to each Sunday for the wonderful times of teaching, worship and fellowship–the week in between is much too long!

On Friday we went with a large group from our church to an Angels game. Even though the Angels lost it was a fun time to visit with people.

On Saturday I had the opportunity to attend our church’s women’s tea. About two hundred women came and it was an awesome time with live music, delicious catering and a challenging message from an older woman in our church. She spoke about Matthew 14 where Peter walks on water to Jesus. She said that we need to be “water walkers” taking steps of obedience toward Christ. One of her points that really stood out to me was one of the characteristics she gave of “water walkers.” These kinds of people, she said, are never surprised by troubles in life. The immature believer says, “Why me? Why this? Why now?” But the mature believer says, “Why not?” She called us out to be actively seeking the next step of obedience.

I was challenged by her words because I can remember asking some of the “why?” questions even within the last month. The one I’m most often hung up on is “why now?” I need to realize that there is never a convenient time for me to be tested. When I came home I spent some time looking up verses on trials and testing. Throughout the New Testament we are commanded to rejoice in trials and not to be surprised when we have trials. One passage was 1 Peter 1:6-7