Month: December 2012

Joyful Joyful

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Yes, I probably should be in bed now, as the clock bears down on 1AM. Oh dear.

But – just wanted to briefly dash down a few thoughts before my body shuts down and I fall asleep on this most comfortable bed here at home…

I really have been wanting to write more these past few weeks as I’ve been home – but I’ve been far too busy enjoying being with the fam…so no regrets! And today was as sweet as ever…from going to church and loving being with everyone again as we worshiped our God together! (And got to sing some of my fav songs…And Can It Be, Jude 24/25!!) Came home and dad made some delicious hash from the leftovers from last night’s roast beef dinner…once that was done and me and Mom and Maryanne and Laura had done our Sweetbay run(needed to get ingredients for sauce for tomorrow night’s lasagna!!), we decided it was too nice a day to stay indoors…so me and Maryanne and Laura walked down to the park and got some awesome basketball/football in! It’d been *far* too long since I’ve played with them…and oh so much awesomeness. Following that, came home and we all had Jack Bauer time(*almost* all the way through Season 8! Agent Renee Walker just died in one of today’s episodes…one of the most tragic episodes in all of 24, I think…) then went off to church for end-of-year praise and prayer time! There weren’t many of us there, but there didn’t need to be. We had the sweetest and most lovely time of singing praises to our King and praying deeply and fervently to our Father. I can’t really describe it any further other than I wish you could have been there if you were not…oh how much our God blesses us, giving us such times as these!!

And no, the night was not over yet. We all came home(picked up some delish Pizza Hut on the way! SO GOOD) and watched another episode of 24 before watching the Redskins/Cowboys game…winner-take-all, loser-go-home! And in fine fashion, the Redskins won, 28-18, to take the NFC East crown and a spot in the playoffs! Hail to the Redskins!! And better than all of that…was being with Mom and Dad and Maryanne and Laura and just soaking in the love of my Lord and my God…

And as my grammar continues to deteriorate, it is time for bed, my friends!!

I love you all.

Peace.

Second Breakfast

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And I was planning to write a bit more this morning, but now it is no longer morning and I no longer have time! Me and Dad are about to go out to lunch(destination: unknown) so I’ll just write a few lines. Currently importing the 6th CD(!!) of the Jascha Heifetz collection I got for my mom. Gorgeous violin music – truly, he is one of the best. But yes, this morning has been nice and restful, been able to read a bit with my morning coffee(Coffee always tastes better at home, why is that??) and try to help Laura feel better(I think she’s got the flu, no!!). I picked her an orange from the tree outside…being able to eat a yummy hand-picked orange two days after Christmas? I love Florida.

Now I want to read more of David being awesome(he’s currently on the run from Saul), but I think it is time for lunch. It is half past twelve after all! Oh and I want to write more, but alas my time runs out. Maybe later I’ll be able to talk about my perfectly lovely time at home…from watching Jack Bauer awesomeness on season 8 of ’24’ almost every night…talking and praying and resting and relaxing with Dad and Mom and Maryanne and Laura(truly the best part of being home!!)…eating delicious foods(fettuccine alfredo, chicken burgers, Ledos pizza, yummy pork chops…) and partaking in far too much coffee!!…going to see “The Hobbit” last night with Mom and Maryanne(magnificent timid Bilbo as he goes out to adventure to lands he knows not…loved it!!)…and truly, just being with my family. Love them so.

And I guess I lied before because I wrote quite a tome above, but now – I’m off. Lunch with Dad time!!!

Peace, ya’ll.

A Sprig of Parsley

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And a Merry Christmas Eve to you all!! I sit here as the fettuccine is beginning to boil on the stove. The salad is made and dished out and soon enough the family shall be sitting around the table about to celebrate the wondrous love of our God and Father and the Most Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ – the Messiah and our Saviour!

While it has been a most dazzling few days behind me, days of catching up with Dad and Mom and Maryanne and Laura and moments of utmost bliss sprinkled throughout the pain and sorrows that come with living in a weary and sorrowful world. Yet shrink not back do we from that ancient foe, that serpent of old – nay, we celebrate this day of Christmas as the day when God was born a Man – the Seed of woman and the Son of God. This Child was born and truly was it proclaimed – ‘Glory to God in the highest! And peace on earth to men upon whom His favour rests!’ And this Jesus was sent to this world to reconcile the shattered form of mankind to Himself and to herald the time when He would once and for all crush the dragon’s head – that devil and father of lies.

And this Messiah was born on this world as the most lowly child so that the love of God might be proclaimed in all the world – Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King! And that love of God – so blissful, so sweet, so achingly beautiful – is proclaimed to us abundantly. Hear the call of the King! The Most Almighty God gave us the most shockingly lavish gift of all time – that gift of His Son Jesus, the Anointed One of God. This very God died so that we could come to Him in humble and broken adoration – this Jesus has died for the very forgiveness of our sins. What wonder! What hope! What love! Hear the cry of the King! Hear how he weeps for those who are lost and broken and in utter and complete darkness. Hear the trumpets of the heavens, the songs of the stars! Hear the chorus of the angels as they sing praises to our God! Hear the cry of our King!

A chorus of stars and angels high,
A dance of lovers in midnight sky,
A song of bliss and sparkling mirth –
A sigh of praises – oh God’s own birth!

Hope for Hope

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And as I lie here on my bed in my room in Tampa(!!!), I just wanted to write a few words, despite the fact that I’m about to roll out with Dad to have lunch! I’ve been home for almost a week now, and oh how marvelous it’s been!! While hopefully later this afternoon I’ll have a chance to write a few more words, I just wanted to take this moment on the 21st of December 2012 to thank my most wonderful Father in heaven for the blessings He has poured out on one such as me!!! To be here with Dad and Mom and Maryanne and Laura…to rejoice in the beauty of our Lord Jehovah’s most magnificent presence and glory…what can be better, I ask you? No, don’t answer. For there is none. Hopefully I’ll write more later about the gorgeous times I’ve been having in Tampa and Gainesville these past days, but for now, just know this – no matter the fires and corruption of this world, no matter the blasphemies and depravities of this present age, there is still beauty to be found upon this earth. And that beauty belongs to the faith and hope we have in the most marvelous love of Jehovah God. Oh how I love y’all!!!!

Goodnight Moon

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And now this Thursday evening I fondly say goodbye to Aberdeen! Because yes, I will soon be on my way to Tampa, what!! Flying out tomorrow night, staying a night in London and then flying across the sea to America on Saturday! It’s going to be oh so good to be home, yo. But as I eagerly look forward to being home and delighting in the love of my family – I’ve realized this week how much I will miss everyone here! Truly, how blessed am I to have such good friends!! As I said goodbye to so many people at Gilc this past Sunday evening, I got ridiculously sad(Seriously – I’m only going to be gone three weeks!).

And then this past week I’ve been having some pretty sweet evenings with dear friends…Tuesday dinner with Graham(Handmade Burger at the mall, mmm..) and as always, oh so encouraging! Last night, went over to Chris and Jo’s and enjoyed delicious sweets and lovely tea as we enjoyed watching first half of Fellowship of the Ring together! (Side note – Me and Chris were having a discussion about the make-up of the Fellowship, wondering why the party was so obviously overbalanced with an abundance of fairly useless hobbits. Really, only one wizard? And *four* hobbits!?! And then Jo pointed out how well this matches up to our lives in Christ….thank goodness our Lord didn’t choose all wizards or skilled swordsmen to make up his followers! He also chose people like me…simple hobbits(hairy feet and all!). Thank God.) And yes, that was a fairly long digression. Oops.

And now, as busy and nerve-wracking as this week has been at work, I can still be comforted in the fact that my Lord watches over my paths and my Father holds me in His arms. Amen!!

And this night I was blessed yet again as I decided to go over to Ruth and Zara’s to drop off their Christmas cards. I meant to stay for only a minute…definitely stayed over an hour! But enjoyed some lovely chat and tea with Ruth and was reminded for the thousandth time this week how blessed I am to have such dear friends!! I walked back home in the cool night air, relishing this one last night I have in Aberdeen and enjoying the good gifts that our Father has given me.

And now these are many more words than I meant to write. It is time for me to sleep. Tomorrow night at this time, I will be in London! Sleep well, my friends!

Glories upon glories

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O LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have displayed Your splendour above the heavens!
From the mouth of infants and nursing babes
You have established strength
because of your adversaries,
to make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
what is man that You take thought of him,
and the son of man that You care for him?
Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
and You crown him with glory and majesty!
You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

O LORD our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth!
-Psalm 8

Simply and blissfully glorious!! Maybe I’ll write more later tonight once work is done for the day, but for now, have a marvelous Thursday, my friends!!

Railway Station

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Sipping on my coffee and listening to Charlie Brown Christmas music as I sit on the brown sofa and relax at the end of this lovely Saturday…

Today was truly a day that God gave to me as a precious gift, a day of rest and joy, a day of peace and love and bliss. Started out oh so sleepily as I woke up around 8:30. (And now John’s back from skyping his sister, so we’re about to start watching Avengers – his Christmas gift to me!! So my fingers must fly to finish this!) And so I sat in Books and Beans, drinking my raspberry mocha as I read epic words from Scripture and sweet words of love from my dear sister Laura! Following, spent a gorgeous day at Ruth and Zara’s flat, where John and Mike Patrick and I played an epic game of RISK while munching bacon rolls…sadly my usual strategy of over-aggressive warlord failed to pay-off and I was first off. I could not hold Africa! Me and Zara spent the the rest of the game reading on the couch while Ruth ended up winning in fine fashion! Next time, Ruth. Next time. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching Back to the Future and then random youtube videos before eventually we made our way home…and then me and John exchanged Christmas gifts! I can’t wait to watch Avengers! John is awesome, if I haven’t already said that. Sadly, it’s already almost 9, and as we are old and responsible(shhh…), we’ve decided to watch only half tonight.

So yeah, while I wouldn’t say this day has been overly eventful, it’s just been a day where I’ve been fully aware of the love that God has so richly given us. Sitting with friends and talking and soaking in the sweet companionship of ones that know our Jesus and love Him just as much as I…oh so lovely! Not much that can beat that, say I. Pondering the beauty and ineffable grandeur and terrifying majesty and unknowable mysteries and perfect love of God with others – I think this will be a part of heaven, no? So I can safely and joyously say I’ve experienced a blissful slice of heaven this day.

And now, think it’s Avengers time. G’night, y’all!!

Resurrection

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So sleepily I slowly put my fingers to the keyboard this eve, as I would like to share at least a little of the beauty I’ve been enraptured by. I’m feeling a little bit sick(no, must fight this off!!), but enjoyed a beautiful spaghetti dinner while watching some classic Band of Brothers. Once that finished, been reading the book of Matthew and oh – loving it so! You should really just read it for yourself to experience the glory of Jesus…but I’ll just share a bit of my favorite before I get ready for bed(it’s not even 10 on a Friday night! I am shamed).

So the “religious” Sadducees are trying to make Jesus admit the ridiculousness of life-after-death by spinning a tale of a woman marrying seven brothers, each as the previous one dies. They pose the question – so whose wife will she be in the resurrection? They sneer, seeing no way Jesus can answer this without admitting the absurdity of the resurrection. Oh how wrong they are.

But Jesus answered and said to them,
“You are mistaken, not understanding
the Scriptures nor the power of God.
For in the resurrection they neither
marry nor are given in marriage, but
are like angels in heaven.

But regarding the resurrection of the dead,
have you not read what was spoken to you by God:
‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC,
AND THE GOD OF JACOB.’?

He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

And the Sadducees are quiet. And the crowd marvels.

Truly, how good these words are to my soul! When we doubt God or fear Him not, thinking that surely there can not be an all-powerful God in this messed up universe of ours…we are then gravely mistaken. Not understanding the Word that God has given us through His prophets and His Son nor acknowledging His power which we see every moment through the marvels of creation that surround us! And our God is not the God of fevered imagination or vain poetry, nay. He is not the God of the dead. And well this is, for then grim would our future be! He is our God, now and forever. When we live in this dark and bloody world, He is with us. When the day comes that we breathe our last and our mortal flesh withers, He gathers us into His arms. He is with us. We shall never die the final death, but instead, we shall live with our God and Father. Forever. Hallelujah!

And apparently I am slightly less sleepy than I thought! But still, time to get ready for bed, methinks. Have a sweet night, my friends!! Sleep well!

Chocolate Mint

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Just had a brief and oh so sweet talk with Dad…thousands of miles away we may be, but that makes no difference!! Oh how wonderful it is!

And now I’m going to eat my frozen pizza(don’t worry, it’s not frozen anymore!) and spinach salad. And later tonight, Christmas cookie time! Yes, it is that time of year! Young adult group social tomorrow night and I’ve been requested to bring my Christmas cookies…so thus it shall be. I may have to test a few tonight too after I’m done baking. Of course.

And really, I just wanted to post here to say again how good our God is. Despite our troubles and weariness and sorrows of heart, we can be at peace in the knowledge of knowing Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Paler Beauty

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Thought I’d treat y’all with a rare Monday lunchtime post! I don’t have that much to say, but I’m enjoying a few minutes of rest before I return to work. A couple of tuna sandwiches standing me in good stead as I look outside at the sullen greyness of the day. And now, just had a nice chat with Mark from Shell to remind me that lunchtime does not guarantee a haven from work!

Before I go and demolish the remainder of my sandwiches, I’ll leave you with a tattered fragment of the wildly chaotic writings spawned last night during my evening musings. I for some reason did not quite feel like going to the church evening service but instead spent a night at home. A few cups of coffee and many richly coloured threads of pen-strokes later, I retired to my bed in peaceful abandon of my earthly cares…

Sometimes I feel
a farther calling,
sometimes my eyes burn
for the longing
of heaven’s son.
Sometimes I hear
a father calling,
sometimes my soul aches
for the longing
for heaven home.

Sometimes my heart burns.