I want to write an anthology of all the stories of the people I met in San Francisco.  Their stories are fantasitic, their lives unique, and their faces so memorable.  It's crazy being back after spending a week hearing peoples' stories.  I met EVERYONE this week!  Every bus I took, every person I stood next to or sat by, I talked with.  Listened to whatever they wanted to share.  It makes me start looking at life differently now.  I found myself staring more intently into the cars driving along college ave wondering what that person's life was like, wishing for the blessing of crowded public transportation so I could find out. 

One of the biggest blessings of the week was the way I experienced God's love and deep concern for each person I met.  I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, how deeply God cared for their well-being.  And in knowing that, I began to believe in a new way that love Christ has for me.

My trust is growing.  As I hear God telling us in Scripture how much he cares for us...for me.  In Jeremiah God sends a prophet in His name to warn His people to turn rom their sin.  "But I will be merciful to you...only if you stop harmng yourselves by worshiping idols".  As Jesus looks over the city of Jerusalem and weeps..."If only you knew what would bring you peace".  He has such a heart for us, weeping over us and desiring us to experience peace.  He created us to take delight in Him and He delights when we enjoy Him and the fullness of His life.  When we serve idols the Lord asks, "Am I the one they are hurting?" No. "Most of all, they hurt themselves to their own shame".  I saw a lot of people hurting themselves and shaming themselves in San Francisco.  Thank the Lord for His care! 

aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

let that mean what it will

i know for me right now it could express ten different things with ten different tones

aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

welcome to lent!

I am anxious about this season.  Anxious in a good way.  Actually, expectant would be a good word.  A very lent-ish word. 

I've been in an amazing class this semester called Calvin, Poverty and the Church.  We've talked a lot about the voluntary poverty and incarnational living of Jesus.  We've also discussed the role of poverty and affliction in the life of a Christian and how Jesus' example on the cross is a model for us.  Calvin understands poverty and abasement to be foundational in the mission of Christ, establishing His kingdom as spiritual.  Christ’s reign on earth appears to be utter foolishness to the eyes of flesh, but his poverty acts as a veil concealing his glory and divinity and does not “render his glory inoperative or given up".  Christ was not impoverished by nature, but rather adopted this state of poverty that He might redeem the world.  His life and work has been emptied of anything attractive—all allurements of earthly kingdoms and palaces--so that if we follow Him we are entering the throneroom of a heavenly palace, not an earthly one.  Poverty is present both in the person of Christ and in us, His followers.  It acts as a pattern, a model for us.  Poverty and affliction, in the eyes of Calvin, are a blessing because they train people to obedience, humility, and dependence on Christ. 

It has been lessons like these that have led me to this expectancy during lent.  In a time of self-denial, repentance and humility, we are not doing these things to punish ourselves, but rather as a gateway to receive God's grace.  It is in imitation of Christ, who layed down His life, that we might also lay ours down for Christ to take up. 

Some winter fun...I LOVE SNOW!!!

Slightly more scandalous snow fun.  :)

And in honor of a wonderful Valentine's Day...

Cheerio!