Go Play

Hurrah for the summer that stretches before us!
The long days of freedom will simply be glorious.
Sweet sunshine, it beckons you, "Come out and play!"
Now what will you do with this marvelous day?

Get up from those boxes of wires and whirrings,
The smother your mind with monotonous purrings.
TV and computers can wait for the rain;
Don't waste a fine day feeding junk to your brain!

Go play in the yard, throw a ball, run around,
Fly a kite, shoot a basket, or roll on the ground.
Climb a tree, jump the fence, play hide-and-go-seek,
Make mud cakes, build castles, go fish in the creek.

Play house with your sister or catch with your dad;
Explore with your brother, your mom will be glad.
God gave you a body to wisely employ,
So open the door and go use it with joy!
                                         ~By Emily Rubottom, 5/08

If:Then--New Attitude Wrap-Up

Abby did a great job of reporting the New Attitude conference, so I recommend that you read her notes if you want a summary of the weekend.  Here are my additional thoughts.

I love God's Word.  I need it desperately.  Yet, I do not make time in my day to give it (and Him) devoted attention.  My personal study times are often a battle to stay awake as I plow through chronologies and endless lists of names (see 1 & 2 Chronicles).  But I know the sweet, valuable nuggets are in there somewhere.  I need them.  I want them.  God's Word is powerful and it is changing me.

I'm afraid of using God's Word.  When visiting with friends in challenging situations, I want to share words of wit and wisdom.  I'm afraid of throwing Bible verses at people for fear it will seem trite or cliched.  But shame on me, for what can I say that would be better than an always fresh, always applicable, always appropriate word from the God of the universe?  Struggling people don't need my so-called wisdom.  They need God.

During C.J. Mahaney's message about managing emotions with Scripture, I was convicted about my lack of mental discpline.  I do allow negative and discouraging thoughts to settle in my mind and eat away at my spirit.  Once again, I need God's Word.  That is what should be settling in my mind in order to strengthen my spirit.

Jeremiah 15:16
Your words were found, and I ate them,
   and your words became to me a joy
   and the delight of my heart,
for I am called by your name,
   O LORD, God of hosts.

Currently Reading The Holy Bible English Standard Version (ESV) By Crossway Bibles see related

New Attitude 2008: Sunday Night

Louisville is nice.
Na music is loud.
Design of logos and decor are postmodern.
Horses seem to be a big deal in this town.
Al Mohler is very smart.
Only a highway separates our hotel from the Ohio River.
The KY International Convention Center is rather confusing and has more escalators than I can count.
Josh Harris dresses just like C.J. Mahaney.
I met the Boundless people...happy me!
C.J. Mahaney is more comfortable here than he was at the Ligonier Conference.
The KY International Convention Center is trying to use up earth's remaining fossil fuel supply to air condition the buildings this weekend.  It must be 58 degrees and I forgot to bring a sweater.
Our hotel room overlooks some sort of power plant.  I took pictures for my class.
Mark Dever is pretty smart, too.
There is a Beatles festival going on this weekend, and all the Beatles fans are staying in our hotel.  The Beatles aren't here, though.
My "family group" is great.
It's impossible to hear the string orchestra when the drums are on.
Louisville is in the Eastern Time Zone.

Good night!

Currently Reading Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village By Laura Amy Schlitz see related

So many books, so little time

As I sit here in front of this box of wires and whirrings, I am thinking about all the books I am reading.  I would like to finish them and get on to other books.  Alas, I have a job.

-Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!, by Laura Amy Schlitz, is the latest Newberry award winner.  It is a collection of poetic monologues set in Medieval times.  So far I think my favorite is the one about the young shepherdess.

-God Is the Gospel, by John Piper, is one I picked up from the Ligonier Conference.  I needed something to encourage my soul after reading Of the Mortification of Sin in the Believer by John Owen.

-The Man Who Was Thursady is the latest selection of a recently conceived G.K. Chesterton discussion group of which some of my siblings and I are proud participants.  I have read 3 chapters and it is VERY intriguing.

-The Small Bachelor, by P.G. Wodehouse, I have mentioned before.  It will take me a while to get through this, because it has no due date, such as a library book or a discussion group book.  It's hilarious, though.  I love Wodehouse's ridiculous characters.

Now I command myself to detach from this time stealer and make headway on one of these selections.

Oozing Eyes