Joey and I made a hasty decision… and opened our presents on the evening of the 20th! We were going to wait and have our own little Christmas celebration tonight, but now we’re going to spend an extra evening with his family. We tried to make it a special night—complete with homemade mochas and A Muppets Christmas Carol. I’m not sure if either of these things will become traditions, but it was pleasant nonetheless. Here’s what Joey got me!

The first two came together in a collector’s set. I really like these new versions of Jane Austen’s classics! Well worth the money. Joey was playing on my bookish side this Christmas. :)

I got Joey a small djembe (drum) and a pasta-maker. Apparently I was playing on his artistic side.

Anyways, I’m sure you’ve found this post very interesting. I’m just trying to do something, ANYTHING, to keep me from doing all the things I need to do before I can truly enjoy the holiday. Merry Christmas!

without the bells and whistles

Mmmm… I hope I never have to abandon my “cup of coffee in the morning” routine. 

Christmas is just around the corner—as if there’s anyone who could be so absentminded to miss that fact.  It’s going to be a very different holiday this year than any I’ve experienced before.  Here’s why:

1. I have never, EVER been away from my family on Christmas day
2. I won’t get to open one present on Christmas Eve, resulting in a brand new pair of “Christmas” pj’s (courtesy of my mom)
3. I’ll miss out on the traditional Christmas Eve Finger Food Extravaganza my family indulges in every year
4. I’M PREGNANT

It’s not like missing any of these things (save the fourth) really makes any difference in my life… and they are definitely NOT what Christmas is about, but I love all the childhood memories of happy times that keeping these 3 little rules conjure up.  I guess my new role is to look back on Christmases past and simply remember.  Life is different now.

In the meantime, I have the things of this Christmas to look forward to, such as…

• spending quality time with my new family
• making new traditions with my side of the family
• taking in everything along with my new husband for the first time
• benefiting from the happy smiles and giggles of my new niece, who is much more over-stimulated than I will ever be
• rejoicing over my new life, brought by my God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who made Himself nothing to be redemption in this fallen world

I truly do love all of the nostalgic feelings that are part and parcel with Christmas time, but I think the greater thing to focus on this Christmas is my role in this life.  And what is that role?  To be a loving, supportive wife, a soon-to-be parent, and, above all else, a minister of the gospel of Christ.  If I had nothing else in this world except Jesus and a burden to bring Him glory, it would be a full life. 

“I no longer live”

The word of God is a delicious spring of wisdom, truth, and love!  That the Lord God Almighty would be so compassionate, so loving as to reveal His very character and His unfathomable sovereignty in the words and pages of a book is remarkable.  More than remarkable!  Words, with all their variety and depth of meaning, fall short to praise Him as He should be praised, I’m afraid. 

You may wonder what could be so earth-shattering to bring about such a sudden gushing of conviction.  It’s nothing, really, Rather, it’s that I’m nothing.  Or, better yet, it’s that God has shown me that I need to humble myself to be nothing.  I’m too prone to believe myself as something, and yet even more prone to exert myself to be the most something something that ever was.  I’ve bought into the lie that this life is about “bettering” myself.  “My life is not what it should be… I need to become better…” 

It sounds pretty bad, doesn’t it?  Fairly “un-Christian”, wouldn’t you say?  Ah ha.  There lies the problem.  Christians are always thinking about how they can “better” themselves.  I won’t condemn all Christians—I’ll just speak for myself.  When I am feeling spiritually dry, my first thought is, “Oh, I haven’t been reading the word.  Perhaps if I just read the word more, I will be content in my faith again.”  When my earthly relationships seem to be faltering, I immediately think, “I don’t have enough love.  I need to become more loving.  Then my relationships will be better.” 

Hold on a second, what’s wrong with those two things?  What could possibly be said against reading the word of God and being more loving?  Aren’t those good things in themselves?  Then how could these good things—and the pursuit of them—ever lead to anything bad? 

Thus our minds rationalize our behaviour, and thus we are deceived.  I see this deception needs to be explained further.  I will leave that to God’s word.

“…a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.  So, we, too have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by Christ and not by observing , because by observing the law, no one will be justified.”  (Gal 2:16)

I would venture to say that being justified is the ultimate form of “betterment”.  To be declared righteous, to have your sins removed—what could be better than this?  So, according to this snippet of Scripture, by observing the law (keeping up practices that seem to be required of all Christians), no one is the better for it. 

Okay.  Hold on a second.  Doing good things, being righteous in deed and creed, does nothing to help my plight?  Goodness, what else can God possibly expect? 

Let’s just heighten the tension a little more, shall we?

“… if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”  (Gal 2:21).

The only thing worse than knowing I can’t behave myself out of condemnation is the realization that by doing so, I, in effect, say that Christ’s death on the cross was useless.  

It looks pretty hopeless, doesn’t it?  I must confess that I have not been entirely fair.  I’ve skipped some of the key parts of the passage that explain the solution. (As an aside, isn’t that annoying when people do that?  Give only half the truth of the verse, or purposely ignore the parts that shed the proper light on the situation?  Be constantly in the word, and you will not be so easily taken in!)  What is this solution you ask?  GRACE!  FAITH!  It is by FAITH in Christ that we are justified!  Doing good or proper things doesn’t make us any better.  It just shows that we feel guilty about something or other.  It is by Christ we are justified—by His gruesome death on a condemning cross for the sake of restoring relationship between man and God. 

When we put our faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross—finished because He not only died, but defeated death and rose again—God looks at us and does not see all of the sins which condemn us to hell.  He sees—and accepts—Jesus Christ’s righteousness as our own.  And that’s what grace is—undeserved favour, being accepted as a child of God when our sin has made us nothing more than an undeserving stranger. 

“…a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.  So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.  If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin?  Absolutely not!  If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker.  For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”  (Gal 2:16-21, NIV, emphasis mine) 

Living by faith does not mean we throw the law by the wayside.  On the contrary, putting our faith in Christ for our justification will enable us to joyfully observe the law and NOT depend upon it for salvation!  Faith—the accepting and believing in God’s grace—frees us from slavery to the law for “justification”. 

Paul (the writer of Galatians) attests that those living by faith in Christ will still fall into sin.  This does not nullify the salvation we have received.  It only proves how much tighter we must cling to Christ's sacrifice, how we cannot be justified in ourselves but in Christ’s death on the cross of shame.  We still need to repent of that sin—do not think that by sinning more, we are simply helping God’s grace abound more (see Romans 6)!

I think the verse that sums everything up in this passage is “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (v 20).  In order to truly have faith in Christ above our own attempts at “being good”, we need to actually die to ourselves.  We need to daily put our faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross, and thereby Christ will live in us.  The life we have on this earth will be one of faith, and not one of works. 

This may be a lot to take in, a lot to understand.  I don’t expect anyone to grasp it without the Holy Spirit revealing it.  He has opened this tiny little section of Scripture to me this morning, and I praise Him for it!  THIS revelation is what inspired my previous explosion of adoration for God, for His word.  What a timely lesson to learn. 

“My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.”  (Proverbs 3:11-12, ESV)

a reason for feeling lousy

I had yet another midwife appointment yesterday—and I’m back with Kari, my original midwife!  This is a cause for celebration.  She’s amazing at what she does!  I don’t know how to explain it.  Even though she gives you the same information that all the other midwives give, you just feel so much more informed and assured of a healthy baby when she tells you what’s going on.  She can tell you exactly where she’ll get the strongest heartbeat, and then be bang on target.  She’s hilarious—I think being British helps her in this area.  I mean, really, what does the phrase “I was in there like a whirling Derbyshire” actually mean? She just makes me giggle. 

This last month has been a tough one for me.  I’ve been feeling dizzy, sluggish, and sometimes flu-ish.  I’ve also had to watch how quickly I stand up, or else I’m in danger of fainting or getting a wicked headache.  With all of the H1N1 hype everywhere, you might guess that I’ve been a little uneasy about my present  condition.  All my fears were silenced yesterday, however, when Kari took my blood pressure.  Over the last four weeks it has dropped significantly.  When Kari told me what it is now compared to what it was four weeks ago, I was astonished—and slightly worried.  Thankfully there was a medical student present in the room who had the ability to ask more intelligent questions than I could have done.  Kari explained it’s common for girls my age to have low blood pressure to begin with (which I did), and it’s expected to drop between 24-28 weeks, which is where I am right now.  For pregnancy, this level is normal.  The student seemed astonished, and rightfully so: if I was sent to the hospital with that blood pressure at any other time in my life, they’d think I was dying.  I’m normal, however, and that knowledge is good enough for me.  It won’t go up at all in the last weeks of pregnancy, but Kari assured me that I will become more accustomed to it, thus I will feel better. 

So, that’s the latest in my road to motherhood.  In the meantime, I’m enjoying sitting back, putting my feet up, and delving into novel after novel. 

omitting “grace” and “faith” from the text

I was searching for verses on “grace” for a project I’m working on, and I came upon a verse that many have heard before:

• Eph 2:8-10

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  (ESV)

I need to use a version of the verse that is easy to understand, but I don’t want to use one that twists the meaning to something “more fitting” to what I’m doing.  That would be misusing Scripture.  My two default translations happen to be the New American Standard Bible and the English Standard Version, but I was curious to see what other translations had to offer.  Here’s a broad look:

• Eph 2:8-10, New International Version 
  
  
  8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

• Eph 2:8-10, New King James Version
  
  
  8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

• Eph 2:8-10, The Message
  
  
  8 Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! 
  9 We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! 
  10 No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

I was completely stunned when I read these verses in The Message.  He deliberately removes the words “grace” and “faith” from the text.  I understand that Eugene Peterson is trying to get away from “church jargon” to make the Bible easier to grasp, but I will not support his version as being Scripture.  God is not a teacher that waters down His “lessons” to the students’ level.  He is God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth!  His ways are above our ways, and its our wonderful privilege to seek out His truth and His ways, to long for bigger things, deeper truths.  Any teacher will admit that in order for her students to learn, they need to be offered knowledge that is beyond their grasp—something they need to work at attaining.  It’s not cruel—on the contrary, it’s extremely loving. 

I suppose what bothers me the most is that the general public regards The Message as any other Bible.  New believers are encouraged to read it as if it is a literal translation. It’s not.  It’s a paraphrase… mortal man’s summary of God’s words.  I’m sorry, Eugene Peterson, but the TRUE Message belongs to God, and, whether you intended it or not, people are being deceived into exchanging the immortal God with “images” or “thoughts” brainstormed by humans.  In our own study of the Bible, we may be led to think about the text in some of the same ways that The Message states it, but I am completely content with relying on the Holy Spirit for that understanding.  The LORD is faithful, and His word never goes forth without accomplishing that which it was sent out to do.  That is HIS role, you know. God is a jealous God, and He jealously guards His Word.   The words of other translations of Scripture are completely understandable—we just need to actually apply our minds and rely on the Holy Spirit for understanding. 

One final thought…

I find it interesting that the world has so readily accepted this paraphrase in place of versions such as the NKJV or NASB, or even the NIV.  I doubt a re-write of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in contemporary language would be so well accepted as the Message.  And that’s a sad thought. 

content

That settles it. I am happily done moving for at least another year. Our "new" house is small, but not unbearable--it's snug and cozy. I have pictures on the walls. My Christmas tree is up. Our cat is surprisingly happy with her new accommodations. And, happy day, we now have a shower IN our house! No more trekking to the lodge on frosty fall mornings! What's more, we will actually have a washer and dryer, plus a new fridge that is bigger than 1 cubic foot! To say that I'm happy would be an understatement. I am relieved, blessed, and able to relax. I have linoleum to wash in place of hastily painted plywood. The walls are painted a colour I helped pick. And our cupboards actually fit our freakishly huge dinner plates. Yes, reader, I admit that my raptures may seem vain to you, and I don't blame you for thinking so. But in this, our first year of marriage, I am more inclined than I ever have been to find joy in the simplest of things. Therefore I see no harm in it, and I will generously give thanks to my Father who has found it right to bless us with this time of rest.

frosty fall morning

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

fall is here (I think?)

Another month has just FLOWN by! It's already October 13--a mere 2 1/2 months to Christmas. Last year around this time I was frantically trying to get wedding invitations out, plan the whole thing, and get all my school assignments done on time. I hardly even remember Christmas because of how absent minded I was. I had good reason, though. Now as I reflect on the past year, I seriously wonder where the time went! Here I am, 8 months married and 21 weeks pregnant. Wow. Life changes. Fast.

Speaking of changes, our seasons are doing some wacky things. Fall's not convinced it wants to be here, Summer is going out with a fight, and Winter has belly-flopped on both. Check out this pic of the valley--green, leafy, and covered in snow.

Other than my latest musings, nothing much is new. I'm working on a few knitting/crocheting projects, one of which you'll see below with Queen Sheba perched on top. I think I'm going to have some difficulty explaining to her that it's for the BABY, not her. You can tell what she thinks of baby already. I should teach that cat some manners.

a faithless fig tree

Sometimes all a person needs to do is find routine. I must admit that my life has been lacking this severely as of late. I mean self-imposed routine, not one forced on you by work or circumstances. It's been easy for me to back slide in this area, what with going to college and working at camp for the past 2 years of my life. But now that I'm a happy little housewife, I need--let me repeat--NEED routine! Suddenly "I'll scrounge up food when I'm hungry" just doesn't cut it. Nor does "it seems that I've got no clean undies for today" (not that this was ever good before!). I've got a hubby to look after! Although he's self sufficient, cooks like a pro, and courageous when it comes to doing laundry, I need to take care of his needs and start providing a comfortable home base that he can come home to and relax in. What a drag to spend part of the evening doing the whole (one? two? three?) day(s)'s dishes!

This is day #3 of my new schedule. It's far from perfect, mind you. I guess the main reason behind my new ways lies deep within me. My soul is thirsty for the Lord. When my life is out of order, when I can see mess, when I know I should be doing something that I'm not doing, misery sets in. It's an apathy spurred on by feeling stressed out about all I have to do. There's to much to do--so I do nothing. I worked the same way through college, but thankfully was always able to focus on that due date and pull together all my projects with flair (at the last minute, of course). Sadly, I can't take this pattern into real life. God's "due dates" are very vague. "Andrea, I'll require all that I've required from you when I require it from you." That's God's answer to my misplaced passions. In other words, He's going to come like a Thief in the Night. There is one small passage of Scripture that rocks me to my core dealing with this very subject: Matthew 21:18-22

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

18 In the morning, as (Jesus) was returning to the city, He became hungry.

19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, He went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And He said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at once.

20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?"

21 And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen.

22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."

In the past I've always slightly ignored this passage. I don't know if it was because I truly couldn't interpret it, or if my heart truly didn't want to grasp the message engraved in it. This story is repeated in different books of the four Gospels, and the line "for it was not the season for figs" is added to the text in verse 19. How unfair! Jesus expects something from the fig tree that has never been expected from ANY other fig tree in history! Come on, Man, it wasn't even fig season. Give the tree a break!

That was wear my interpretation stopped before the Lord revealed this passage to me. And then I realized that if I suddenly found myself before the judgment seat of Christ, it wouldn't matter if I was living in an "off" season or not. God expects things from His children that He would never expect of an unbeliever. He expects the impossible. He expects perfection! If you don't believe me, read the Old Testament. Those expectations have not changed to this day. Don't you think that's a rather unfair requirement? Much like looking for figs on a tree when it isn't even fig season? Don't be fooled. God doesn't accept our limitations--self imposed or circumstantial. "But, God, I've just... well... it's... it's been so busy. I've got no extra time! And then there was that cold I got--remember that? You should have known it would bring down my energy. God, why are you being so unreasonable? It just wasn't my ministry season." Do you see any of those statements actually being acceptable in God's sight? On the contrary, I think the whole argument is abominable. God will curse you and say, "depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!" and you will wither.

That is why this passage is so frightening to me--IF you leave it at that. It's frightening because there is no way that I could ever, ever, EVER be perfect no matter how hard I strive. That fig tree could have never produced fruit out of season even if it was the best fig tree in the whole country. Why? Without faith, we cannot please God. Jesus gives us the answer: By faith you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. Lord, I am a helpless, sin-prone human being. My attempts to please you amount to nothing in my own strength. Father, please, for the sake of Your Name, enable Your servant to walk in victory over sin.

God requires perfection of us, and He is going to come by, looking for fruit, when we least expect it. Have faith, serve God, do not give up hope.

My aforementioned "routine" will mean nothing if I am not bowing my heart, my will, to God. I will be as dry as that fig tree when my Lord comes unless I live by faith.

Midwife appointment #2

Hello, all!

Wow, a full day of painting goes by, and I am exhausted! Our tiny little piece of soon-to-be home is nearly done being painted, which is no small feat when you consider that absolutely EVERYTHING in there needed at least two good, thick coats. Why do people put plywood up on walls?

We saw our midwife yesterday. Again, I must affirm that midwifery is the way to go! No regrets here. It was a really encouraging visit! All my blood work came back with no red flags (even my iron levels are good, which surprised me), and every other test I've had has told me that I'm in good health. Who knew?

Kari (my midwife) took one feel of my belly, paused, and asked, "You sure about your dates, love?" To which I responded, "Y-yes, pretty sure... I mean... I could be wrong... possibly...!?" Apparently my baby is big, because she thought I could be two weeks further along than I'd been planning on. That makes quite a difference at this stage in the game, especially considering that my baby grew from the size of a lemon to a naval orange in one week. Baby was also very active when we went to listen to her heartbeat. Thankfully I can't feel these kicks yet--and I only say that because the amount of kicking would be excessive for a soccer player. I'm sure it will be a wonderful experience when I feel that first thrust! I just hope it's on a calm day. :) Now we're just waiting for the ultrasound to identify exactly how far along my baby is. This is all so exciting!

I'm being a bad wife right now. My hubby's out slaving away in our tiny, fumy house, and I'm sitting here blogging. I think I'll take a look at what's hiding in the fridge and see if I can make it look more spectacular than it actually is.

shebert

Since I don't yet have a baby to flaunt, I will flaunt my kitteh.

Russian Luxury

My blog is currently undergoing a makeover... sorry for the ugliness you'll have to deal with in the meantime. On to the show...

I think the Russians have a very different idea of luxury than I do. I picked up this package of pillowcases for $5 a couple of days ago at Wal-Mart... Please notice the calm, classy packaging...

Like I said, these babies can't be that bad based upon the packaging. WELL! Let me tell you... I open up the package and find... THESE!!!

Thanks, Wal-Mart. I feel somewhat cheated. They were even folded strategically so I couldn't see any part of the BRIGHT RED RUSSIAN WORDS through the transparent packaging. It WAS good for a good laugh, however, and at least Wal-Mart's return policy isn't very strict.

The moral of the story: don't trust packaging!

Of babies, baking, and pestilences

The summer camp season is over for another year. It's my fourth year in a row at this place, but this year did not look like any of the others. To start off, I'm pregnant--that means abnormally low energy levels, aversions to many random foods, and daily fluctuation of emotions. My involvement in the things I love, such as getting to know campers and participating in the occasional wide game, was seriously compromised. But now I have nothing to complain about. I have no pressing responsibilities and I live in absolutely gorgeous countryside. Hooray for a season of rest--and just plain strangeness due to the baby growing inside of me.

We've been dealing with an abnormal amount of little furry pests this year. So far, Sheba's winning the fight in our place with a total of 4 catches, vs. Victor with only one. Still, there's more to be had. I'm just refering to the pests in our chalet. There's been 6 caught in the tuck shop--one of which only got its tail stuck and proceeded to crawl under the freezer and die. We were wondering where that trap went--and where the stink was coming from. Sigh. There has also been capital "P" Pests around/in the lodge, although we didn't know about the "in" part for a while. Again, the mysterious stink has been identified. These Pests are falling prey to an old trick known as POISON. In my dislike of both pests and Pests, I definitely prefer pests. No doubt about it.

Mmm... I am in the process of baking my first successful batch of buns. Okay, I don't know if they are successful yet, but I'm sure hoping! The last time I tried (my first attempt) I mistakenly put half the amount of yeast in than was required. Silly me. They were only tasty while piping hot. After that, well, the NHL could have made good use of them. On that note, I will leave you. I will not risk burning them!

UPDATE: The buns are delicious and Sheba caught another little pest! She may reconsider placing it in Joey's shoe, though...

can there really be a life in there?

It's been... well... another week here at the camp. I can't say that I feel like I accomplished very much. I do my part when it comes to all worship team affiliations--picking songs, organizing the binders, setting up the power point presentation, setting up sound, and making sure any bugs stay very far from all electronic devices. In that area I've kept very busy. But now it seems as if this year's camp season is very well off and set in its ways--who am I to interfere or stick my head where it hasn't been thus far? I'm not too worked up about it, though. I get more time to nap and prepare for BABY!

I guess you could say that my excitement has increased majorly ever since Wednesday. Joey and I went to our first midwife appointment in Brandon. Before I get into the really neat details, I'll just let you know that I think midwifery is DEFINITELY the way to go! I got to skip all the dumb blood tests that don't even apply to me because midwives aren't paid per visit, per hour, per test. A lot of responsibility is placed on you, the soon-to-be parents, to decide exactly what path you want to pursue during pregnancy. My visits are not just 10 minutes long, but a whole hour. YES, I am excited about this!

Anyways... on to the really, REALLY cool stuff! Joey and I heard the baby's heartbeat! It was so small... and so fast! Joey said it sounded like a pow-wow in my tummy. I don't know if that's flattering or not... At this point there was only one baby's heartbeat, but there could quite possibly be another hiding in there. I've heard of women who don't know they are carrying twins until TWO WEEKS BEFORE. Yikes. I'm not opposed to it, but I'd like a little notice! And, with the presence of the twin gene quite strong on both my and Joey's side of the family, it is plausible. Wouldn't that be something? I'd double my parent's yeild in one shot!

I'm sitting at the end of a long white table burning picture CD after picture CD... and this is how I'm spending my time. My back is aching because of poor posture, and my sweet tooth is really hard to ignore. Sigh. Maybe I'll just bury myself in a pregnancy book or two.

It's baby season, apparently

Why prolong this post any longer? I'm fairly certain that nearly everyone I know (who reads this blog) is aware of our happy news. Joey and I have a bun in the oven! Okay, I know that saying is a little dated, but I just couldn't resist. Buns are so yummy... but I don't intend on eating this one when it's "fully cooked". Eww. Bad joke.

I'm sure many of you are aware of random pregnancy side effects, and I have not been spared these in the least. I have really random cravings that I haven't quite figured out yet, such as (today) Gobstoppers, (and every other day) Hickory sticks, orange juice, grapes, yogurt, grapes, grapes, orange juice, yogurt, pears, toast, milk, and toast. And grapes. The amount of healthy things on this list pleases me, because I generally do not crave healthy foods. I've figured out a general pattern for the foods I can't stand, however. Grease, ground beef, farmer sausage, overcooked vegetables, grease, grease, and ground beef. The pattern: overpowering flavours mixed with undesirable textures. I count myself as blessed, however, because my morning sickness, although persistent, never quite gets to the point of imminent release. Enough said.

My mom and dad have been out for a few days, and oh my word did I ever miss them! It's true that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but I'm pretty sure my insane hormones and baby bun have something to do with it. A hug from anyone else just doesn't do their hugs justice. Ever.

Whiny cat is back in our possession. We shipped her off to Grandma & Grandpa's (hee hee) for three weeks while Joey and I were engulfed in the Leadership Development Program. I was worried she'd come back all snobby and stuff, but she's back to her old, messed up self. I'm pretty sure she's rolling me onto my back at night just so she can sleep on my ever-expanding tummy because a) I NEVER sleep on my back, pregnant or not, and b) I keep waking up with her perched on top of me. Silly kitty. We may have some separation anxiety to deal with on her part when our NEW "pet" (as she'll see it) comes out. Poor kitty. Poor baby!!!!

That's just about it for news from my life. For news from Joey's life, check out his blog that he's abandoned. And leave an angry comment that makes him post again. Thanks!

there is joy to be found in sorrow

It would be fair to say that my life is pretty crazy right now. All of a sudden, I am engulfed in camp--happily engulfed, mind you. I have a tiny flock of LDP's following me (and Joey) around and listening when we tell them to do something. There are only three girls in my care this year, but that in itself is a blessing in disguise. For undisclosed reasons, my energy levels have plummeted abnormally low as of late. Three girls is a wonderfully close and comfortable number to have!

In other news, my family has experienced yet another crisis, and it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel in this one. It's hard to see my family mourning... hard to see two young girls being ripped away from those they love. I found comfort in three different places. First, in the song "Mighty to Save", second, through Colossians 3, and third, by listening to the Hutchisons sing of God's providence. All three hold deep meaning to me... and I am too tired to write it all here now. Needless to say, God is GOOD and He will act to preserve His great NAME.

I will post at a later date because my body is trying to convince me it's natural position is supposed to be horizontal.

Fraud isn't Fun

I feel very lethargic this morning. It's a beautiful day outside, I've got the day off... so why do I feel so blah? It may have something to do with Mr. Unknown who hacked into our Rogers account through the phone and proceeded to order 3 iPhones. It's a little shocking to open up your online bill and find out that it's $500 bigger than normal. What??? I couldn't have used THAT much air time...

Joey contacted the Rogers help center to see what the inconsistency was all about. The first clue that it was fraud was that our address had been changed from MacG to some apartment unit in Ontario. Hmmm... either Joey was on something when he gave the information, or our Rep was on something when he took the information. Thankfully the person (we'll call him Mr. T) recognized the foul play right away and put a pause to our account. Joey didn't have to argue his point at all--Mr. T was quite willing to explain what had happened and get someone from the Fraud department on our case immediately. And he should have... it was our Rep that did not follow protocol and let Mr. Unknown abuse our account.

Joey and I have been speculating as to WHY our Rep didn't see the error in this situation. First off, obviously Mr. Unknown called in with the right information--which is completely disconcerting. Rep doesn't get criticised on this point. But when Mr. Unknown asked how many phones can be linked to an account and then ordered 3 of the most expensive phones, Rep should have clued in. WHO in their right mind would EVER need 3 iPhones??? It seems even more ridiculous when you consider that Joey and I have the cheapest phones we could get... We think that Rogers people get some sort of benefit with the more they sell (or something like that). Therefore, Rep was quite happy to sell 3 iPhones. Cha-ching!

The whole problem doesn't seem so bad right now... I talked to my mom about it, and she reminded me that Mr. Unknown's offense isn't against me, but against God. I suppose our role is to forgive Mr. Unknown, even if he never knows or cares to know how we fared out in the end. If I don't forgive Mr. Unknown because I won't get any credit if I do, then I'm worse than Rep seeking benefits by selling more iPhones.

That's it for news today. Joey and I are going to the Zoo today to hopefully see something other than monkey bums. Enjoy the warm weather!

I've never been this homesick before

I'm sitting in the kitchen at camp with a happy boy who's slurping mushroom soup. Conner doesn't like mushrooms, but he's always very quick to defend his appetite for the soup that bears the name because "it doesn't actually taste like mushrooms!" I enjoy the time I get to spend with this kid.

Today was a day of janitorial duties--like sweeping and mopping the dining hall, kitchen, and main hallway floors, vacuuming the entire second level, cleaning up messiness that gets overlooked during the week. Camp season is nearly upon us! Promotion Sunday will take us by storm, and then we'll be hopelessly lost in the middle of IT. Despite the natural oh-my-there's-no-time-left-to-plan reaction, I'm really looking forward to the summer. Bring on the campers---and please, PLEASE bring on the warm weather! (sometime? SOON??)

Last weekend Joey and I went to Saskatoon for a wedding of a friend of mine from Millar. I've decided that road trips are simply marvelous--on a double-lane highway. I'd rather not have any more near-death experiences, thank you. I'm convinced that some people actually believe that they can win in a head on collision. Sheesh. The wedding was splendid, but the company I kept was even better. Hubby and I did a little shopping at Old Narvey... I mean Old Navy... ate a little green peppercorn cheese & wasabi peas... and drove through a town engraved deep in my memory.

Oh, on a side note, isn't it strange how everything seems so MASSIVE and AWESOME when you're little? And then you see those things when you're all growed-up, they really don't look impressive at all. In fact, they seem quite disappointing. I wish I still had the ability to think everything is cool. Anyways... back to our trip...

During a pit stop in Yorkton, Joey observed an elderly fellow teaching a young gaffer NOT---let me repeat that---NOT to wash his hands after using the facilities. That is nearly nauseating. Ewww. It is so gross that I'm going to stop talking about it at this moment.

In other news, Joey and I have been studying up on the Emerging/Emergent Church. What to say, except that there is a lot of twisted theology lying behind many of the hip new preachers and authors that are being so widely publicized. It is vitally important to research where a person stands on foundational Christian beliefs before you start to promote him/her all willy-nilly! I suggest checking out lighthousetrailsresearch.com and challies.com for more info on this postmodern fad.

Hmmm... It's 5:51, my back is aching because of poor posture, and it's FRIDAY. So...

The End.

this is life

Joey and I have been pretty busy lately. There is so much to do at camp--mostly maintenance stuff. Joey's been working hard outside, getting an undeniable farmer's tan. I've been working hard inside, getting unbelievably sick of computers. It can easily start to feel like a simple "day in, day out" type of job if you loose perspective of the greater purpose. I nearly tremble in fear when I think of what God will do here this summer if the leadership are living in obedience to Him. Again, I am reminded that He is calling me to be obedient, and that is all. He will do the rest. It's not up to me to change the hearts of unbelievers!

In the midst of all the busyness, we've been able to find time to rest and recoup. Last weekend we went to Weyburn to visit my parents. We got there completely exhausted from the week, and one would think that our visit would have been a joke as a result. Not so! My parents are also full-time missionaries in their church and with my relatives, so they know well the demands of ministry. We vegged out with them and never felt a twinge of guilt. Oh, how I love my family! The pictures above are from our Weyburn trip.

God's grace is simply overwhelming. In all my years of studying the word of God, I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of this wonderful truth. In preparation for LDP 2009, I've been working my way through Romans, Galatians, and all the other Epistles. I've just finished both Romans and Galatians--such jam-packed books! The overwhelming truth in both of these is the enormity of God's grace! As Christians, we can so easily strive to live our lives so that we measure up to a specific standard, and then call it a day. This is such a heinous distortion of what Christ came to earth to defeat! Christ brought life to all--that means we are no longer held captive by the Law, which only reveals the sin in our lives and has no power to save us. Christ's righteousness has been credited to our account, and we've been considered justified. No more of this beaten-down, robotic adherence to all of the arbitrary laws tacked onto the Law! Because of His sacrifice, we are counted righteous and FREED from the Law of sin and death. It's such a hard thing for me to understand. I so easily slip back into mindless law-obeying behavior. I need to live every day, every moment by faith in my Savior rather than in false confidence in my own flawed self.

These are just some the thoughts that have been swimming around in my head lately. If anyone has anything else to add--their own struggles, lessons they've learned--please feel free to leave a comment. Remember, as Christians we are on this glorious journey together. Though, mind you, everyone's at a different place, learning a different lesson. I have faith that God is a good God who is painstakingly composing every story.

at the mercy of God

Snow doesn't seem quite as threatening when there's no need to go anywhere, at least in an automobile.  Joey and I are doing quite well, thank you, nestled at the top of our hill. The view from our "chalet" is really quite breathtaking--about as close as we come to mountains in this province.  We're basically living in one big room, and it's fantastic.  It's very cozy, and the cat seems to think it's the cat's meow.  With all the room to roam about, Sheba's become even stranger than she was before.  She's taken to staring me down, torpedoing herself across the floor and jumping starfish-style in the air, the only reason being to intimidate me.  She also loves to propel herself onto our bed and roll, jump, and claw furiously at whoever or whatever she finds there.    She's also acquired a couple admirers, but that is not so pleasant.  The sound of toms battling it out for our pretty little feline is an eerie sound to wake up to in the night, especially if your having strange dreams.  Little do they know she's spayed.  Take that, smelly cats.

Joey and I have started to read John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress together, spurred mostly by the comparison of The Shack to this timeless classic.   Apparently the former "has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" did for his."  Thanks, Eugene Peterson, for that quote, but I beg to disagree.  Show me how The Shack reiterates Scripture through and through, accurately quoting from Old and New Testament alike, focusing on the depravity of humanity, the judgment of God, and redemption through Christ's death and resurrection, and I might believe you.  Maybe the book is supposed to reflect today's generation, which is admittedly different from John Bunyan's, but that still disturbs me.  God does not change--EVER--which leads me to believe that the way we relate to Him should not change.  Ahhhh... I get too caught up in my own words.  I believe and serve the God who beautifully knit together the entire Holy Bible, which is sufficient for salvation and for every other thing I need in this life.  I will leave it at that for now.  

Because my understanding is limited, I will devote myself to the Word of God, and no one else's.  I will not even go to John Bunyan for Truth... just the Word.  

I need a new hobby

Packing is not really that fun.  Oh, I'm sure that no one ever thought it was, but I just needed to remove all doubt.  I've done the tiresome task roughly 10 times... ok, it's probably more like 15.  This time is a little different, though.  Instead of having a deadline a month away (which is stressful enough), our current goal is LESS THAN THREE DAYS AWAY.   Joey gave his two weeks notice at work a week ago, and work decided to let him go a week early.  So, now we are chucking things into boxes in a much less-than-orderly fashion than meets my standards.

Sigh...     

 it will be over soon.

the city will be forsaken

Joey and I are certain of God's calling in our lives.  Yesterday we found out that Joey has been officially accepted as the assistant director at Valley View Bible Camp.  Waiting on the Lord seemed to be taxing my patience, but now that the answer has come, I'm realizing that we actually didn't have to wait that long.  Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness!  

After putting around the house for a few hours, mopping floors and doing absolutely anything we could to take our minds off the board meeting that would decide our fate, I suggested to Joey that we pray.  Nestled into each other on the couch, we bowed our heads and Joey led out.  His prayer was short and nearly painful in its passion.  He struggled with words, and ended with, "God, I don't even know what to say right now..." The phone rang as soon as he trailed off...  One word: yes!

Now we are going to enter a VERY busy month-or-so... moving takes time.  Oh, and I suppose we'll need to find a place to live before we move, won't we?

the quest for truth

Isn't it ironic that truth-the word itself-has thousands of meanings to thousands of different people? This world can't even agree on what the word means, let alone what Truth actually is.

Is it an unchangeable, unwavering object?

“The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is.”

Winston Churchill

Or simply the loudest voice among all voices?

“Truth, in matters of religion, is simply the opinion that has survived.”

Oscar Wilde 

It seems to have taken on a very distinct meaning in today's day and age. That meaning: you decide. "If it's right for you, then it's right for you. You feel good? Great! Keep at it. It simply must be true if I think it is! Maybe it's not true for you, but it is for me." This is the attitude that is prevailing in our thriving society, and it is sickening. I honestly don't understand how truth could exist if it varies for each person and if it's there only part of the time. Truth should be as unchangeable as gravity. Can you imagine if the laws of gravity reflected spineless, postmodern "truth"? Some people would float while others would be grounded, and there would never be any assurance of exactly WHEN it would kick in. The world would be in absolute chaos. Now I ask, what state is the world in today with the current understanding of truth? It is in absolute chaos.

There is one Truth, as there is one law of gravity. That truth lies within the covers of the Word of God. It is the Creator of the universe, the fallen reality of the world, and the death and resurrection of the Saviour. It is the Hope that does not disappoint. It is my sinfulness, God's holiness, and redemption.

Why does this world oppose truth so much? We have been deceived into thinking that by living our own lives for our own pleasures, we are living out our own truths. What we are really doing is celebrating our lack of Truth. Unless we earnestly seek out truth, we will continue to be fed this lie.

Seek the LORD God Almighty, who created this world for a purpose-to bring glory to Him. He exists whether you believe it or not, and He loves you. Turn from celebrating the festivities of a multitude of lies to acknowledging the truth that sets you free. Cry out, as a desperate father of a sick child did so long ago, "I do believe: help my unbelief."

Until we earnestly seek Him, we will be fed the lie that consumes us.

I can has fish!

Kitty decided today would be the day that she would finally get a taste of Gilligan the fish. She studied him thoughtfully, sat on his bowl, and decided that there must be a way to get him out. Aware of Joey and Andrea's preoccupation with kneading cinnamon bun dough in the kitchen, she seized the opportunity and made her approach.

There has GOT to be a way to get in! she thought, and nudged the bowl with her nose. Poor Gilligan cowered in the corner saying his prayers.

POP! The latch gave way, and nothing but shiny, fishy water lay between her and the tasty morsel. Her eyes wide with giddy anticipation, Sheba lowered a quivering paw into the depths.

A commotion! A snag! Suddenly the bowl was out of sight and firm hands were imprisoning her.

BAD KITTY!

Those two words, usually cause for terror, allotted her no discomfort. The savory flavour of the hunted now danced on her lips, and she now had a better understanding of exactly what she had been missing all along. The times had changed, and there would be no going back. No amount of discipline could turn her from her decided course.

Fishy will be mine!

Poor Gilligan.

thank you

Thanks so much for your message.  I value you dearly, reader!

One month...

I've been married to Joey one month today. Thus far, my opinion of married life is pretty good. We haven't gotten sick of each other yet! Obviously there are going to be many more things we will have to learn, but I'm ready for it. Maybe not looking forward to it, but ready. I've already discovered that it is a lot of fun to have people over to our house randomly. And it is also fun to call it OUR house! Grocery shopping is also fun. Okay, everything's fun as long as we're together! (does that seem as cheesy to you as it does to me?)

Joey had to work at 4:30 this morning, which meant he was out of bed at 3:00. I always have every intention of getting up with him to see him off, but 3:00 AM hits a person pretty hard. Since his shift was only 4 hours, I proceeded to stay in bed until 10 minutes before he got back from work. Do I feel lazy? Yes. As for the rest of the day, we're planning on going grocery shopping (yay!) and having supper with Jordan. Maybe I'll feel less lazy by the end of the day... we'll see.

That's pretty much all I have to say. Yup, I'm done.

Beware the (honey)moon!

Here are some pictures we took while on our honeymoon. We went to beautiful Banff, AB. The weather was perfect--always above zero. The roads were dry and the skies were clear. Joey and I both prefer cooler temperatures over hot temperatures, and I had only been to the mountains once, so Banff it was! The perks Joey gets from working at a Fairmont hotel and the presence of an extremely nice one in Banff also influenced our decision. Mmmm... half-price fancy meals taste so much better than expensive ones. The only thing that was lacking on this trip was wildlife. Apparently winter isn't a good time for animal spottage. We did see a deer and a couple huge herds of caribou. Caribou would seem exciting, except that they are about as common there as the deer in the PlaP deer pen. Our honeymoon was perfect minus this minor deficiency! Thank you, Joey, for treating me so well!

sheba

This post is entirely dedicated to my wonderful feline, Sheba.

This morning I was trying to play a game on the wii (trying, but failing), and I got so frustrated that I put my head back and said, "why? WHYYYY?" A childish action, to be sure. When i lowered my head to it's usual position, I found Sheba staring at me with an expression that said "You're pathetic", "I can't believe you're the one that feeds me", and "Are you through?" all at the same time. It made me laugh for a good minute, through which she continued to glare at me. My own cat can put me in my place. How sad.

Sheba is not my only pet, however. Gilligan the beta fish taunts her in his cozy little tank with the latched lid every day. She's got it out for him. If the house gets mysteriously quiet all of a sudden, I know where to find her. Peering at him through the glass, Sheba looms overhead and licks her lips. I realized the severity of the situation this morning when I awoke to find his bowl pushed to the very edge of the dresser. Yes, Sheba would have had an early morning snack, but that would be all she got for the entire day. Poor Gilligan.

Did you know that cats can have alter-egos? Sheba's is known as Jean Fast. You can tell when he's taking over by the little smirk that creeps onto her furry lips. Then there's no going back. He rips around the house, watches nothing in particular with great animation, and attacks feet, hands, legs, and faces with no remorse. The only way you can get rid of him is to give him a time out. Then innocent little Sheba trots out of the room sheepishly.

The issue of greatest tension between us happens to be her food bowl. She is a little pig most of the time and shovels in her food as if her life depends on it. I am trying to wean her off to save her girlish figure, but she won't have any of it. Even if she's not hungry, she'll whine if her bowl is empty. I think it's just the concept of the matter that bothers her. GASP! An empty bowl??? How dare they! Meow MEEEEEOW! Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow..... you get the picture. If she had it her way, the only thing she'd be able to do would be to roll around the house. I'm winning this battle, but only until she finally does eat Gilligan to prove a point.

She's being an inactive little bump right now, so I have nothing further to say about her at the moment.

--life--

It's a Thursday, and I'm sitting at home enjoying a wonderful evening with my husband. Actually, we are pretty laid back this evening. He's playing Super Mario 3, and I'm contemplating picking up a book and putting my feet up in our new reading chair. Life has taken on a leisurely pace lately, thanks to two weeks of paid holidays & two weeks of "sorry, there's no work for you this week" (I am referring to Joey's lack of work, of course).

Oh, he just died. Mario died, not Joey.

Where was I? Oh, yes... a leisurely pace. It HAS been pretty slow, but things are about to pick up in pace. Joey and I have applied for the Assistant Director position at Valley View Bible Camp. Yes, this is our first year of marriage, and yes, ministry is tough... but we serve the Lord God Almighty, and He will not abandon us!

Dead again!

If you would like to partner with us in prayer, that would be appreciated. In some ways the application process is the hardest part. We are learning what it means to wait on the Lord.

I hope you were encouraged in Christ today, or that you were able to encourage someone else in Christ. Chances are that if the latter is true, then so is the former. Take care, serve God.

Andrea

Yipee!

I am married!!!!

Um... those three words sum it all up right now. I am so content and happy that I really can't think of anything else to say....

More to come later!

the battle for purpose

I am tongue-tied today. Last night I poured out my heart to God, and He graciously pointed out a thing or two in my life that need(s) changing. Basically what it all boils down to is what my purpose in this life is.

This issue has been gradually brought to my attention over the past week. Having been mortified by the recent life choices of a former peer, I found myself passionately stating, "he was meant to live for so much more than this!" And it's true. This world has taught us to believe that the only thing we should live for is our own prosperity and enjoyment. At first I piously considered myself to be above such an apparent lie, but after further processing, I've come to realize that I have been as trapped as any other person on the face of this earth.

The subjects that have been filling my thoughts for the past few months have been that of my future vocation, marriage, and living circumstances. Don't get me wrong, these are all very important things that should be given serious thought. The problem was that I was looking at them as goals in my life rather than basic needs. I was made to live for so much more than this! I was made to live for God, to make Him my every desire and joy!

When God created man, man's purpose was clear: live for God. When man fell from God's presence, there were consequences involving labour, relationships, and prosperity. Man had to work hard for everything he needed, and this was the curse. Somewhere in history people have started to look at these consequences as goals, for whatever one works for must be of highest importance. This line of thought is so skewed, for people are meant to work hard, but for God's glory, not man's. Nowhere in the Bible are we told to pursue a marriage, a better job, or more power. We are commanded to pursue God. This is where I found myself at fault.

I was reading in Hebrews this morning, only to find that it completely tied in with my aforementioned revelation. The writer of this remarkable book puts a great deal of importance on being diligent to not fall away. I know all to well how easy it is to enter a state of unbelief. Here, consider these verses:

"Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called 'Today,' so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (Heb 3:12-13).

Unbelief creeps into our lives in unbelievably subtle ways. I was redirected last night, but not everyone has experiences such as mine. That is why we are supposed to encourage each other daily--sometimes all it takes is the insight of an outsider to set us on the right track. We are meant to live for so much more in this life, and that "more" is not of this world. The "more" we are to live for is to grow daily in our relationship with our awesome, holy, loving, faithful God.

To everyone who reads this, I hope you are encouraged, and I hope you have the courage to encourage others.

Andrea

of the cross and little old ladies

It's 18 days away from my wedding. I am nearly going crazy with just thinking about all the things I have to do. Why does planning a wedding have to be so difficult? Why can't it just be like the old days where if the preacher was in town, you got married on the spot? Oh all right, that would be rather anti-climatic. But it would save money and give me less to think about... hmmm... Wait a second, snap out of it!

Joey and I have attended Morrow Gospel Church for the past two Sundays, and are fairly certain that we are going to make it our home church. Our reasons: the gospel is preached and the Lord is glorified. Isn't that what church is about?

Anyways, yesterday the congregation (and the speakers, I'd imagine) received a healthy reminder to pick up our various crosses and follow Jesus. The cross is a symbol of rejection, scorn, and separation, which would seem to be unfit for respectable Christians (SARCASM). What so many Christians (myself included) have trouble with is this very concept of alienation. This doesn't just mean that Christians separate themselves from the world by walking through a special doorway once a week. It means living a completely radically different lifestyle than the rest of the world. It means nearly collapsing under the crushing weight of a jagged, bloodstained cross with no one to share the load and spittle streaming down your body. I despise the comfort that this culture preaches.

I was at a loss as to exactly how I've been carrying my cross--to the world I look no different, I'm sure. God, what must I do? How will they see? His affirmation and challenge came from a little old woman eating all alone in a cramped, homely diner. I didn't even notice her, didn't even see her face. Suddenly I felt hands on my shoulders, felt the warmth of someone leaning in close and whispering in my ear, "God bless you for praying in public. It is so good to see. Don't you ever become discouraged and stop doing it." I murmured as many thank-you's as my stunned brain would allow and stared at Joey sitting across from me. What just happened? A complete stranger separated herself from the world to encourage two young Christians to remain separate. God used her to show me that being faithful in the little areas of life is just as important as the big areas. He showed me that carrying my cross starts with something as simple as bowing my head in a busy place and praising God for His provision.

That lady mirrored the face of God to me today. She was faceless and strange, and she was following the leading of God. He moves in mysterious ways.