Author: James Hogan

Life

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So yes – I really should be going to bed soon now, even as I sense sleep crouching like a hungry lioness, waiting to pounce. But no! Not yet, I say. I’m eating a delicious cupcake(yeah, the girls that live downstairs are excellent bakers, this I cannot deny!) and just enjoying sitting here on my bed, warm and at peace.

But the reason I am posting this entry? Just wanted to mark this momentous occasion – Chris and Jo are expecting a baby!!!! Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!! Seeing the pictures of tiny baby(12 weeks old right now!) this night…wow. Oh how wonderful! Oh how miraculous! And yes, I am ridiculously happy for them. I now wish I could ensure I’d be living in Scotland until their baby is born!

And now I will continue to eat my celebratory cupcake and think on the staggering wonder of life. Oh is our God amazing!!

Rainy Days

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Saturday afternoon here in the flat! Would have written earlier in Books and Beans…but for some reason their internet wasn’t working. I spent the time cleaning out my computer and finding lots of old random pictures and videos. I realized it’s been four years since I’ve been in college. Wow.

Anyways, now back at home and going to read a bit this fine wet afternoon. Soon enough, going to walk down to Sainsbury’s to pick up ingredients for chicken parmesan tonight! I figure that’ll be a nice meal as I watch the Gators play basketball – going up against Alabama in the SEC tourney semifinals. Go Gators!! Sadly I can’t watch it with dad, alas.

Before I get to my book, just thought I’d leave you with the tentative playlist for my newest CD. Approve? It’s my “preparation for summer” CD. And yes. Summer is coming. Eventually.

Peace y’all!!

1. Oohs and Ahhs – Needtobreathe
2. Charlie Brown – Coldplay
3. High of 75 – Relient K
4. Last Summer – Lost Prophets
5. Arise Shine – Hope Bible Church
6. Oh My Stars – Andrew Belle
7. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye
8. We are Never Ever Getting Back Together – Taylor Swift
9. Knowledge of the Glory of the Lord – Hope Bible Church
10. Time of Your Life – Green Day
11. In Your Sleep – Andrew Belle
12. You Belong with Me – Taylor Swift
13. All Those Pretty Lights – Andrew Belle
14. Crags and Clay – Gungor
15. The Boxer – Simon and Garfunkle
16. 22 – Taylor Swift
17. Stars – Switchfoot
18. One Day More! – Les Miserables International Cast
19. Worthy is the Lamb that was Slain – London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir
20. Amen – London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir

Evensong

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This evening I sip on my coffee and read from my book, Spiritual Depression, by M. Lloyd Jones. I have to say, I really think it should have a different title, as the current one was initially a bit off-putting to me. I feared that the book would end up being depressing in and of itself! But happily my fears were for naught, as it’s been delightfully encouraging and wonderful to read. So instead of writing a lot of my own words tonight, just thought I’d leave you with a brief quote from it, at the end of the chapter titled ‘Weary in Well Doing’.

“Well, remind yourself of your blessed Master and look to Him and ask Him to forgive you for ever having allowed yourself to be weary. Look at your life again in this way, and as certainly as you do so, you will find that you are filled with a new hope, a new strength, a new power. You will not not need your artificial stimulants or anything else, for you will find that you are again thrilled with the privilege and joy of it all, and you will hate yourself for having grumbled and complained, and you will go forward still more gloriously, until eventually you will hear Him saying: ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord’, ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.'” – M.Lloyd Jones

Truly, this is only a small sample of the awesomeness of this book. If you need a new book to read, I heartily recommend this one!

Now, I think I shall read a bit more before John turns on the TV. It is Suits night, after all!

God Always Richly Provides

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So I’m a bit sleepy this night.

And today at work was the definition of hectic as my project not-so-slowly begins to heat up in anticipation of end-of-the-month deadline and so right now I’m weary and dreading the coming days just a bit…and yet. God richly blessed today, as always. And He will continue to do so. Now. And forever.

Now, in preparation of my pizza and salad dinner(perfect Tuesday meal, no??), computer goes off as I contemplate the beauty of my Lord.

Light Uncloaked

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Before I turn off my computer for the night, thought I would just say again how amazing of a day this Sunday has been! A beautiful evening service at church(rejoicing in the sovereignty and love of our God!!) and some pretty sweet times talking with friends afterwards. As always.

And now I sit cozy in the lounge, nice and warm and at peace. Me and John are enjoying some pretty awesome apple pie(if I do say so myself) and now I think it’s time to get back to that, my coffee and my book. Blessings in abundance! Peace and love, my friends. Always.

Clouds and Snow

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So as I look outside the window now, I see the grey skies of this morning have vanished, although snow still graces the rooftops and lingers on the pavement below. But the winds of winter are strong, sending beautiful cottony clouds to billow across the blue of the sky. And the sun shines!

I did so think that winter was over and spring was coming, but apparently I was mistaken. Awoke this morning to see – snow everywhere!! So I spent a nice morning with my eggs and coffee and reading before tramping through the snow to church. And oh what a joyous time at church it was!! Singing with all our hearts(Psalm 24 was particularly lovely – The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains! …who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty!) and enjoying being together as a church – an amalgamation of people from all over this earth, people from all walks of life and manner of living. And yet we all share a common bond – we are heirs of God and brothers of Christ and bought by the blood of this Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirit and desirous of being with our King and God forever and ever!! And so today, as our local fellowship of believers in Christ – what a wonder it is that I have been blessed so be included therein!! – met for the first time as a new church, we couldn’t help but exult in the Lord and worship him oh so heartily!! We are no longer part of the Church of Scotland – nay, we are no longer tied to an organization who deems servility to the world of higher value than being submissive to Christ and all He has told us in His Word. And so this new church – Gilcomston Church – is no less a church because we are not tied to a denomination or hierarchy of men. Gilcomston Church remains part of the church universal – the body of Christ – and as we long to worship Him in spirit and truth with all our might and all our heart and all our soul, I simply bow my head and rejoice in my spirit. That God has blessed me so…by putting me with people here with such a passion for God and His Word – what have I done to deserve this? Nothing. And yet God blesses me.

And indeed, God our Father – the King of glory! – has blessed our simple church. And as we rejoiced this morning in song and word and love(Dominic had a beautiful sermon from Psalm 98…oh, how we long for the return of the King!), I was overwhelmed by what God has done for us. He has given us much. May our hearts continue to cry out to Him all day long and through the watches of the night! And if you are reading this and don’t know our church, pray for us, I ask. Pray for us.

And I was not planning on writing all that, but I shall let it remain.

Now time to prepare some dinner before evening service! Oh how I love Sundays! A day to worship God and enjoy the rest He has given me and be at peace in my soul. And y’all – I pray that you may have such a peace – a peace as sweet as the most beautiful sunrise, and no less glorious. Grace and peace.

This is Not the End

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Hey all!! Just thought I’d briefly pop my head up and wave hello, as much as I should probably soon go to bed! The rain drums softly on the roof overhead and I sit on my bed in contentment, having enjoyed a night sweet and full of peace. Made a heap of burritos for dinner for me and John…disgracefully, we could only manage to eat five of the twelve. Shocking, I know. Now I’ve been reading for a while, but taking a short internet break now and chatting with a few people on gmail(Hi Laura!!). I really should sleep, as my body is weary and needs it. And tomorrow promises to be a busy(but awesome!) day, and so let me treat my body well and grant it the rest it so needs.

I may read a touch more first as I enjoy my hot cocoa! Have a lovely and most restful evening, my dear friends.

Inkstains

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And night falls. I am home somewhat early this evening(not yet half past six!) and am now sitting sleepily on the couch before I prepare dinner(either leftover hamburgers and green beans, leftover spaghetti, or a frozen pizza. What shall I eat – too much delicious possibilities!)…so even though dinner-making(er – dinner-heating-up) would be a good plan, sipping on my smoothie and relaxing for a few moments feels amazing.

Anyways, why am I writing this? No idea, simply felt in a bit of a writing mood! I also feel in a bit of a running mood, but it is dark and cold and yes I am a fair weather runner.

And because I’m clearly incapable of writing half-decent sentences at the moment…the following gasp of poetry I leave with you. Now I’m off for my dinner! And after that…who knows? A book and a song and a prayer for help divine.

I see stars
welling through my window
I see candles
lighting up the sky.

I see heaven
reflected in these pages
I see stars
singing in the sky.

At the End of the Day

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As so often happens, I feel like I have many words stored up in me waiting to spill out…yet now that my fingers touch the keyboard ever so softly, I draw back. I don’t think words on the page can quite describe my thoughts this night. So maybe I will just sit back and rest in that wondrous peace of God. I sit on the couch here in the lounge right now, the music of Les Mis spilling out and swirling about me, the smell of my meatballs floating through the air. Tonight, a delicious dinner of spaghetti and meatballs awaits! YES. I called home earlier to get the meatballs recipe and got to talk to both Dad and Mom for a while as I browsed the aisles at Sainsbury’s – oh how I love them!

Now is it time to put down this computer? Surely it is.

Be valiant in the glorious strength of the Lord, my friends! May we seek our Lord as a lion stalks its prey – may we draw close to Jesus and look upward into heaven as we long to see Him standing at the right hand of God and may we find our purest joy in knowing Him. Always.

And truly, what pitiful words are mine! Oh that my fingers could express the true song of my heart.

Praiseworthy

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As I begin my dinner of hamburgers, fries and green beans…I simply wanted to say what a glorious week it has been!! Through the ups and the downs and swirling emotions and pits of vain sorrows and cries of fierce longing and jagged peaks of joy, I can only boast in the strength of my Father, my God. Him alone have I sinned against. Him alone do I serve. To Him who is the Almighty God and Eternal Father and who saved me from my iniquities – be all praise and glory and dominion and honor! To my Lord Jesus Christ who loves me so – hallelujah!

Praise the Lord!!