Monday, March 24, 2008

Fascinating Facts

Excerpts from 2201 Fascinating Facts by David Louis:

In New York state it is illegal to shoot at a rabbit from a moving trolley car.

In Idaho a citizen is forbidden by law to give another citizen a box of candy that weighs more than 50 pounds

There is no documented proof that Betsy Ross created the first American flag.

A chameleon can still change to the color of its surroundings even if it is blind.

47 Bibles are sold or distributed throughout the world every minute of the day.

In some executions notably that of Mary Queen of Scots it took 15 whacks of the blade before the head was severed.

Poison Oak is not oak, poison ivy is not ivy, both are members of the cashew family.

The onion is a lily.

George Washington was not the first president of the U.S. The first president was John Hanson, Maryland's representative at the Continental Congress. On November 5, 1781, Hanson was elected by the Constitutional Congress to the office of President of the United States in Congress Assembled. He served for 1 year.

A rat can fall from a 5 story building without injury.

In July 1950 a patent was issued for an automatic spaghetti spinning fork.

In downtown Lima, Peru there is a large brass statue dedicated to Winnie the Pooh.

The Baby Ruth candy bar was named after the first baby girl born in the White House. Ruth Cleveland, daughter of President Grover Cleveland.



Aaaaaaaaaand mine and Shannon's favorite:

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantsiliogogogoch is the Welsh name of the town of Llandfair in Wales. Translated the name means, "Saint Mary's Church in a Hollow of White Hazel Close to a Whirlpool and Saint Tysilo's Church and Near a Red Cave."

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Reflection on the Cross

Last year, I was in a completely different state emotionally then I am now. Last year at this time, my divorce was just filed for. I had just moved back home permanently, I had just been getting re-involved at Placerita Baptist Church. I had just started attending the ladies Bible study, I had just started being discipled by Marie. There were a lot of changes. Lots to work through. It was nothing. Nothing compared to what Christ endured in His time on Earth and the cross that He died on.

I've been thinking back to last year and remembering how poignant Easter was to me. At Easter time words like "sorrow" and "suffering;" "hurt" and "pain" are mentioned often. Words that were near to my heart and soul. In Bible study (the book of John) last spring, right at Easter time we got to the passage on the final supper, the garden, the trial, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. It was seriously, perfect.

I reflected a lot on the Savior, Jesus Christ and His suffering. I reflected on the separation He endured from His Father when He was on the cross. I reflected on the torture His body went through. And for the first time that I really recall. I cried. It hurt so deeply inside to know that He did all that for me. For this sin loving, world that really doesn't care what that meant. I reflected on what it meant to me, to lose my best friend and my love, and realized multiply that by like, a billion and I'm still not even close to what Christ went through. For the first time in my life, the cross was really really real.

Now this year, I look back and I think on all that was attached to what I learned and reflected on last year and I am thankful. This year I give thanks. I reflect still on the wonder of the cross, and the wonderfulness of the cross, and the fullness of the cross. And I still cry. I think I always will now. I hope I always will. And I am thankful for what Christ endured. I am thankful that He took it all on His heart and His brain and His body. I encourage you all to think about these things often. It will put you quickly in a place of humility.

Whatever is happening in your life, just view yourself in light of the cross. Your hurt and suffering is nothing compared to what Christ's was. You are a sinner who can or is saved by Jesus Christ because He loved you and therefore, you have HOPE to look to for the rest of your life. And when you realized how much Christ endured and sacrificed, look to that to be your example in how much you love others in this life. That is truth.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

The Cross

And in light of the cross, some brief song lyrics that I think about. They call it how it is:

Man of Sorrows what a name for the Son of God who came. Ruined sinners to reclaim. Hallelujah! What a Savior.
I love this. It's our Savior spoken of in Isaiah 53. Seriously, read it, it's only 12 verses. It will take you like 3 minutes.

Isaiah 53 - Amplified
Isaiah 53
1WHO HAS believed (trusted in, relied upon, and clung to) our message [of that which was revealed to us]? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been disclosed?
2For [the Servant of God] grew up before Him like a tender plant, and like a root out of dry ground; He has no form or comeliness [royal, kingly pomp], that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him.

3He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him.

4Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy].

5But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.

6All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has made to light upon Him the guilt and iniquity of us all.

7He was oppressed, [yet when] He was afflicted, He was submissive and opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth.

8By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who among them considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living [stricken to His death] for the transgression of my [Isaiah's] people, to whom the stroke was due?

9And they assigned Him a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.

10Yet it was the will of the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief and made Him sick. When You and He make His life an offering for sin [and He has risen from the dead, in time to come], He shall see His [spiritual] offspring, He shall prolong His days, and the will and pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.

11He shall see [the fruit] of the travail of His soul and be satisfied; by His knowledge of Himself [which He possesses and imparts to others] shall My [uncompromisingly] righteous One, My Servant, justify many and make many righteous (upright and in right standing with God), for He shall bear their iniquities and their guilt [with the consequences, says the Lord].

12Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great [kings and rulers], and He shall divide the spoil with the mighty, because He poured out His life unto death, and [He let Himself] be regarded as a criminal and be numbered with the transgressors; yet He bore [and took away] the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors (the rebellious).


Cross of Sorrow, Cross of Love
Upon the cross of sorrow, He suffered; upon the cross of love, He died. What greater sacrifice could He have offered, than His own life for mine? The Man of Sorrows bore my sin. The God of Love redeemed my soul, and all eternity revolves around the cross.

The Savior's Lament
See the Savior in the garden. See Him as He kneels to pray. All His sorrow, all His anguish, all our sins upon Him weigh. Though He cries, "Lord, come and help me. Come and take this bitter cup away." He surrenders, "It is not My will, but is Your will I must obey."
See the Savior on the cross. Hear Him cry, cry in agony. Feel His sorrow and His anguish as He suffers on that tree. There He cries out, "Come and help me. My God, why have You forsaken me? Into Your hands Lord, I commit My Spirit." And then He dies for all humanity.


O, To See the Dawn
Ev'ry bitter thought, every evil deed, crowning His blood stained brow.
This last line just makes me think of how vast Christ's death was in regards to every sin. Even if the world had no murder, rape, genocide, abuse..if this world had no sin that we could physically detect; just one single sinful thought would be enough to require Christ. So even if life is looking personally pretty good, not so much sin is being manifested, there is still an evil heart and mind that conjures up enough sin that Christ had to die for it. For your sinful thoughts. Christ died for those.

Aren't we thankful and hopeful? And sooo glad HE ROSE!! We are allowed to live amazing lives now. Redeemed and eternal.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Thoughts Please

Do I look like her? I've been told I do?




Wednesday, March 12, 2008

FYI

susan isaac has a blog. www.susansbrain.blogspot.com
go visit it.. leave her comments.

Anna and I

Because we have fun together and love each other: "ethed"

PBC Women's Retreat

At the Mariott in Manhattan Beach. 'Twas fun.


Lisa got an eclair and I got a chocolate chip scone to be sugared up for the drive down.














We caravanned with Susan and her mom and Chrisie. Here is Susan saying "Hello."


















They were salt and vinegar too, burns the lips.
























Dinner for Friday night. Crispy tacos, rice, carnitas, fresh salsa, corn salsa, and cheese. Lisa and I should have invested in stocks for Chipotle.

















Playing in our room.


















The nametags barely fit over our heads.


















Free time on Saturday afternoon. Nine of us went thrift store shopping. Susan found some hairdos.