non nobis domine

the screwtape letters

2008-01-05T13:33:00.001-05:00

"no man who says 'i'm as good as you' believes it. he would not say it if he did. the st. bernard never says it to the toy dog, nor the scholar to the dunce, nor the employable to the bum, nor the pretty woman to the plain. the claim to equality, outside the strictly political field, is made only by those who feel themselves to be in some way inferior. what it expresses is precisely the itching, smarting, writhing awareness of an inferiority which the patient refuses to accept.

and therefore resents. yes, and therefore resents every kind of superiority in others; denigrates it; wishes its annihilation. presently he suspects every mere difference of being a claim to superiority.... 'here's a fellow who says he doesn't like hot dogs - thinks himself too good for them, no doubt.... if they were honest-to-God all-right joes they'd be like me. they've no business to be different. it's undemocratic.'"

"in the long run either our father or the Enemy will say 'mine' of each thing that exists, and specially of each man."

"as one of the humans has said, active habits are strengthened by repetition but passive ones are weakened. the more often he feels without acting, the less he will be able ever to act, and, in the long run, the less he will be able to feel."

"do not be decieved, wormwood. our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys."

"provided that meetings, pamphlets, policies, movements, causes, and crusade, matter more to him than the prayers and sacraments and charity, he is ours - and the more 'religious' (on those terms) the more securely ours. i could show you a pretty cageful down here."

"don't forget to use the 'heads i win, tails you lose' argument. if the thing he prays for doesn't happen, then that is one more proof that petitionary prayers don't work; if it does happen, he will, of course, be able to see some of the physical causes which led up to it, and 'therefore it would have happened anyway', and thus a granted prayer becomes just as good a proof as a denied one that prayers are ineffective."

"you must therefore conceal from the patient the true end of humility. let him think of it not as self-forgetfulness but as a certain kind of opinion (namely, a low opinion) of his own talents and character. some talents, i gather, he really has. fix in his mind the idea that humility consists in trying to believe those talents to be less valuable than he believes them to be."

"but we want a man hag-ridden by the future - haunted by visions of an imminent heaven or hell upon earth....

we want a whole race perpetually in pursuit of the rainbow's end, never honest, nor kind, nor happy NOW, but always using as mere fuel wherewith to heap the altar of the future every real gift which is offered them in the present."

"he made the pleasures: all our research so far has not enabed us to produce one. all we can do is to encourage the humans to take the pleasures which our Enemy has produced, at times, or in ways, or in degrees, which He has forbidden. hence we always try to work away from the natural condition of any pleasure to that in which it is least natural, least redolent of its Maker, and least pleasurable. an ever increasing craving for an ever diminishing pleasure is the formula."

"he saw not only them; he saw Him. this animal, this thing begotten in a bed, could look on Him. what is blinding, suffocating fire to you, is now cool light to him, is clarity itself, and wears the form of a man."

"the general rule which we now have pretty well established among them is that in all experiences which can make them happier or better only the physical facts are 'real' while the spiritual elements are 'subjective'.... your patient, properly handled, will have no difficulty in regarding his emotion at the sight of human entrails as a revelation of reality and his emotion at the sight of happy children or fair weather as mere sentiment."

"the value we have given to that word ['puritanism'] is one of the really solid triumphs of the last hundred years? by it we rescue annually thousands of humans from temperance, chastity, and sobriety of life."

"nowhere do we tempt so successfully as on the very steps of the altar."

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T15:17:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone! May God bless you all this Christmas season. And may we never forget what Christmas is all about! God sending His own Son to be born on this earth. The divine and the human in one person. Completely God. Completely man. Christ had to become like us so that He could redeem us and be the perfect and acceptable sacrifice. What amazing love!

John 1:14 - and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

2 Corinthians 8:9 - for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Thou who was rich beyond all splendour, all for love's sake becamest poor. Thrones for a manger didst surrender, sapphire-paved courts for stable floor! Thou who art God beyond all praising all for love's sake becamest man. Stooping so low, but sinners raising heavenwards by thine eternal plan. Thou who art love beyond all telling, Savior and King we worship thee. Emmanuel, within us dwelling, make us what thou wouldst have us be!! --frank houghton

Come let us adore the newborn King!
Let us worship Emmanuel, God with us!

Merry Christmas.

lo, how a rose e'er blooming

2007-12-18T10:11:00.001-05:00

Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming, as men of old have sung.
It came, a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.

Isaiah ’twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind;
With Mary we behold it, the virgin mother kind.
To show God’s love aright, she bore to men a Savior,
When half spent was the night.

The shepherds heard the story proclaimed by angels bright,
How Christ, the Lord of glory was born on earth this night.
To Bethlehem they sped and in the manger found Him,
As angel heralds said.

This Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere;
True Man, yet very God, from sin and death He saves us,
And lightens every load.

O Savior, Child of Mary, who felt our human woe,
O Savior, King of glory, who dost our weakness know;
Bring us at length we pray, to the bright courts of Heaven,
And to the endless day!

My favorite Christmas hymn. :)

the trinity

2007-12-03T22:37:00.000-05:00

Three in One, One in Three,
God of My Salvation,

Heavenly Father, blessed Son, eternal Spirit,
I adore thee as one Being, one Essence,
one God in three distinct Persons,
for bringing sinners to thy knowledge and to thy kingdom.

O Father, thou hast loved me and sent Jesus to redeem me;

O Jesus, thou hast loved me and assumed my nature,
shed thine own blood to wash away my sins,
wrought righteousness to cover my unworthiness;

O Holy Spirit, thou hast loved me and entered my heart,
implanted there eternal life,
revealed to me the glories of Jesus.

Three Persons and one God, I bless and praise thee,
for love so unmerited, so unspeakable,
so wondrous, so mighty to save the lost
and raise them to glory.

O Father, I thank thee that in fullness of grace
thou hast given me Jesus, to be his sheep, jewel, portion;

O Jesus, I thank thee that in fullness of grace
thou hast accepted, espoused, bound me;

O Holy Spirit, I thank thee that in fullness of grace thou hast
exhibited Jesus as my salvation,
implanted faith within me,
subdued my stubborn heart,
made me one with him for ever.

O Father, thou art enthroned to hear my prayers,

O Jesus, thy hand is outstretched to take my petitions,

O Holy Spirit, thou art willing to help my infirmities.
to show me my need,
to supply words, to pray within me,
to strengthen me that I faint not in supplication.

O Triune God, who commandeth the universe,
thou hast commanded me to ask for those things
that concern thy kingdom and my soul.

Let me live and pray as one baptized into the threefold Name.

Amen.

from the Valley of Vision

five year goal

2007-11-27T23:51:00.000-05:00

i recently completed an assignment for one of my classes, child development. the assignment was called a personal development portfolio. part of the portfolio consisted of four essays. one of the essays was to be called "five year goal". it was to be about what we hope to have accomplished and where we hope to be five years from now. i wanted to share my five year goal essay with all of you. enjoy.

FIVE-YEAR GOAL

Five years from now, I will be 23 years old. Many people would expect me to say that my five year goal should be graduate from college and maybe get married. But honestly, I cannot say for sure what I hope to accomplish in the next five years. Whatever happens, I know that God is in control and that he already has my life planned out perfectly. I hope that everything I do will be to give Him glory. Of course, I do have my own plans and ideas of what I want to do, but God could have something entirely different planned for me and I am extremely thankful for that. He is infinitely wise and all things that He ordains are for my good and His glory.

One of my goals for the next five years is to have graduated from college with a degree in music. I know that studying music is a great challenge, but I am up for it. I love music and desire to excel in my musical studies so that I may honor God with my talent. I play the piano and a little bit of guitar, but lately I have been too busy to practice. I look forward to studying music with more intensity than I ever have before. I also hope to gain a greater appreciation for music in all of its different forms. I am still unsure as to which college I will attend to accomplish this goal. My ideal college to attend would be a Christian college that offers degrees in music. I may have to move quite a distance from home to attend such a college if I cannot find one that is fairly close.

Another dream that I have, also related to music, is one day playing in a band. My sister is an excellent guitarist, and some of our friends can play different instruments as well. Another friend of ours enjoys writing song lyrics. I think it would be amazing if we could all get together, write songs, and make music.

My goal for my job in the next five years is also one that I have no idea about. I will probably not be living around Dover five years from now. I currently work at Chick-fil-a. It is a job that I enjoy and love. I will probably continue working with this company for a little while longer. However, even though I love my job, I don’t see myself working there five years from now. Chick-fil-a is a great place to work when you are young and in school. It’s a wonderful job to help you prepare for whatever your field of work may be later on in life. Wherever I am working in five years, I hope to be working hard, and doing my best to serve God and others.

As for marriage, that is completely and totally in God’s hands, as is every aspect of my life. If I am to be married one day, God has already chosen a man for me. I do not want to spend these next few years dating around, trying to find that person on my own. As of now, I have never been on a date. I have been asked out several times, but I have never said yes. I take dating very seriously and I think that its purpose should be to determine if it is God’s will that two people should marry, not to just “go out and have a good time”. None of the young men who have asked me out have any idea of the seriousness of dating. Nor do they desire to honor God with their relationships and to save themselves for their future wives. This is not the type of man I want to marry. I want to marry a man who saves his love just for me, and who serves the Lord with all that is in him. I trust that God will bring us together in His time. It is our job to wait patiently and to trust Him. But until then, I want to save all of my heart for my future husband and not give any part of it to anyone else. I hope and pray that he will do the same. So it really does not matter if I am married or not five years from know. It ultimately does not even matter if I have graduated from college and secured a steady, well-paying job. What matters is if I am honoring, trusting, and living for God in all that I do.

soli deo gloria

the ten marks of a flesh-pleaser

2007-11-13T20:15:00.000-05:00

by richard baxter

the signs of a flesh-pleaser or sensualist are these:

1. when a man in his desire to please his apetite, does not do it with a view to a higher end, that is to say to the preparing himself for the service of God; but does it only for the delight itself. (of course no one does every action consciously with a view to the service of God. nevertheless, the general manner or habit of a life spent in the service of God is absent for the flesh-pleaser).

2. when he looks more eagerly and industriously after the prosperity of his body than of his soul.

3. when he will not refrain from his pleasure, when God forbids them, or when they hurt his soul, or when the necessities of his soul call him away from them. but he must have his delight whatever it costs him, and is so set upon it, that he cannot deny it to himself.

4. when the pleasures of his flesh exceed his delights in God, and his holy word and ways, and the expectations of endless pleasure. and this not only in the passon, but in the estimation, choice, and action. when he had rather be at a play, or feast, or other entertainment, or getting good bargains or profits in the world, than to live in the life of faith and love, which would be a holy and heavenly way of living.

5. when men set their minds to scheme and study to make provision for the pleasures of the flesh; and this is the first and sweetest in their thoughts.

6. when they had rather talk, or hear, or read of fleshly pleasures, than of spiritual and heavenly delights.

7. when they love the company of merry sensualists, better than the communion of saints, in which they may be exercised in the praises of their Maker.

8. when they consider that the best place to live and work is where they have the pleasure of the flesh. they would rather be where they have things easy, and lack nothing for the body, rather than where they have far btter help and provision for the soul, though the flesh be pinched for it.

9. when he will be more eager to spend money to please his flesh than to please God.

10. when he will believe or like no doctrine but "easy-believism", and hate mortification as too strict "legalism." by these, and similar signs, sensuality may easily be known; indeed, by the main bent of the life.

wow

2007-11-07T22:32:00.000-05:00

Wow it's been quite awhile since I have posted on here! I guess I could use the excuse of being too busy. Which I pretty much am, what with all my school work and work work. But basically it just comes down to: i am lazy.

Anyway, since I last posted, my sister Emily and I have been baptized and became members of our church. It was such a wonderful experience and I am so thankful for our church and the fellowship of believers. And even more so for God's amazing gift of salvation. "Great God of wonders, all Thy ways, are matchless, Godlike, and divine. But the fair glories of Thy grace more Godlike and unrivaled shine. Who is a pardoning God like Thee? Or who has grace so rich and free?"

These past few months have also been extremely busy like I already mentioned. School sometimes overwhelms me, but I am thankful that I have made it this far and that I only have a few more weeks to go before I am done. It's been a good experience for me and I have learned so much but I'm not going to continue in this major with this school. I'll be taking next semester off and I would like to choose a different school I can go to where I can study music! But God may have a different and better plan, so may His sovereign and perfect will be done. May He subdue my will to His.

I have also been learning a great deal about trusting in Christ. I am finding out that sanctification is a very long and very difficult process. Praise God that His grace is sufficient for our every need!

Well farewell for now. Who knows when I'll get back on here to post again. I love comments. And e-mail. And your prayers. And all of you... <333

In Christ Alone,
Katherine

becoming undragoned

2007-07-20T10:52:00.000-05:00

I came across this very good article on Boundless Webzine today. It talks about one of my favorite parts in the entire Chronicles of Narnia. Read it and enjoy!

Becoming Undragoned
by Jenny Schroedel

There was a boy named Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it. His parents called him Eustace Clarence and his masters called him Scrubb. I cannot tell you how his friends spoke to him for he had none. So begins one of the most delightful books in C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, featuring the unforgettably appalling Eustace, who liked animals — most especially when they were dead and pinned on cards.

I love Eustace, because as horrible as he is — pouting all the time, self-centered, delighting in tormenting his Pevensie cousins — he me chuckle because I can see a little bit of myself (and almost everyone I know) in him. He is funny because he is so utterly recognizable.

The richest part of his story is his conversion, which occurs in a moment is worked out slowly over the rest of his life. Like Eustace, my own conversion hasn't been quite as linear as I might have hoped — instead, it has been a fitful journey with steps forward and back, moments of grace and stumbling, courage and weakness.

Eustace's conversion involved a remarkable transformation — from beastly boy to dragon and then back to boy — only of an ultimately less beastly sort. For most people, conversion does not involve becoming a dragon first, but then again, most of us don't have an opportunity to sleep in a dragon's lair.

Eustace became a dragon after a sudden downpour forced him to take refuge in a cavern. While there, his thoughts followed their typical dragonish trajectory. He fell asleep and then woke with rough and bumpy scales all over himself. At first he tried to look on the bright side, imagining that his fierce new image would provoke fear in others and give him power. He liked the idea of being a Force To Be Reckoned With.

But he quickly realized that power is a poor compensation for friendship. Why is it that so often in life we're forced to chose between these things? Eustace reminds me of one of my childhood acquaintances. I've worried about him for years — he's even been popping up in my dreams — because he was so cruel. A few weeks ago, I ran into his aunt and asked how he was. She told me that he was doing really well as an attorney. But that wasn't what I was asking about. I didn't want to know about his career. I wanted to hear if he had become more human.

For Eustace — and for most of us — he had to face the ugly truth about himself before he could become more human:

He realized that he was a monster cut off from the whole human race. An appalling loneliness came over him. He began to see that the others had not really been his friends at all. He began to wonder if he himself had been such a nice person as he had always supposed.

As a dragon, Eustace began to see how difficult he had been. Compelled by his desire for companionship and understanding, he lugged himself back to the camp where his cousins and the other sailors were. After they realized that under all those layers of dragon skin he was actually Eustace, they begin to genuinely enjoy him, perhaps for the first time ever.

It was however, clear to everyone that Eustace's character had been rather improved by becoming a dragon ... after it became chilly as it sometimes did after the heavy rains, he was a comfort to everyone, for the whole party would come and sit with their backs against his sides to get well warmed and dried; and one puff of his fiery breath would light the most obstinate fire.

Eustace began to experience what it is really like to love and to be loved by others. He began to devote himself to concrete acts of kindness. As he poured his energy into caring for his friends, he forgot to think about himself constantly. A loving community does help balance out the pain of authentic self-knowledge. Perhaps this is this part of why 12 Step Programs tend to be successful. The awakening occurs in the context of a loving, transparent and supportive community.

These relationships protected Eustace from the despair that is never to far away, because it is, after all, "a dreary thing to be a dragon," just as it is a quite dreary thing to own up to our own weaknesses. It was so bad for Eustace that he could barely tolerate his own reflection in the mountain lake, and he needed to sneak off by himself to eat, because he was so ashamed of his rough ways.

But God does not inspire an awaking just so that we can see who we are — the knowledge is given to inspire transformation. God is light, but he doesn't shine his searing rays into our life just to expose our ugliness and sin. His light, like the sun coaxing new life out of seeds, seeks change. And this is what happened to Eustace the Dragon, whose awakening preceded encounter.

That night, a lion came to him and told him to undress. Eustace began to scratch at his skin, and it slipped off like a banana peel. As sweet as it was to be free of that scaly skin, he quickly discovered that beneath the top layer, there were more and more layers.

Anyone who has begun to try to break free of sinful patterns knows how discouraging this process can be. I often feel like I've conquered a vice in one area of my life only to see a fresh manifestation of that same vice in another. Like Eustace, I can begin to peel away layers but I cannot "undress myself" completely.

Here's Eustace, describing his encounter with the lion:

Then the lion said — but I don't know if it spoke — "You will have to let me undress you." I was afraid of his claws, but I can tell you, but I was pretty nearly desperate now. So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it.... That very first tear he made was so deep that thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I'd ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peeled off.

Part of conversion is recognizing our own powerlessness to change ourselves. We must surrender. The change begins in a moment but we choose it again and again for the rest of our lives. Our ongoing surrender to grace is a slow walk — more turtle than hare. We are nudged along this difficult and discouraging path by hope, just like Eustace, who was always just "beginning to change."

It would be nice and fairly nearly true to say that "from that time forth Eustace was a different boy." To be strictly accurate, he began to be a different boy. He had relapses. There were still many days when he could be very tiresome. But most of those I shall not notice. The cure had begun.

accepted!

2007-07-11T13:38:00.000-05:00

Yay! I was officially accepted into college on Monday! I went for an interview with my counselor (who wasn't there but I met with another *very nice* lady) and she accepted me! I am so thankful! And then I spent about an hour with my advisor, Mr. Wells. *also very nice* He helped me plan my courses for this semester and helped me register. So now I am also registered for all my classes!! :-) Yay! I will find out if I got the scholarship sometime this month. Here are all the classes I will be taking: Childhood Nutrition and Safety, Composition, Child Development, Infant & Toddler Methods & Lab, and Early Childhood Education Technology Seminar. Total credits: 15. I am a little scared about going to college but am very very excited and thankful! Mr. Wells also showed me around the Early Childhood Development center they have at the college where I will be alot of the time, observing kids and learning about them and stuff. It was so neat. He was introducing me to everyone "This is Katherine, our new Early Childhood Education student!" Wow that sounds so weird. I am a college student now! AHHH!

Anyway, I won't bore you anymore with my boring college news.

Yesterday Emily and I went with some friends from church down to Rehoboth to go outlet shopping and then out to eat at Cracker Barrel. It was very fun. Except for the time when a horrible car accident happened about 10 feet away from one of our cars. We drove in 2 cars and the people in the other car saw it happen but we just heard the crash and then saw the car after it had flipped over. But our friends in the other car actually saw it fly in the air and flip over. It landed on its roof, and totally smashed in the roof on the driver's side. We got so scared and just started praying. We are not sure if anyone was killed or anything. I am so thankful that God was watching over us. We were so close to the accident, it very well could have happened to us.

Well, I must be going to work now. Talk to y'all later!

finished!

2007-07-01T18:25:00.000-05:00

That's right! As of last Friday, I am officially done with school! I can't believe I am finished with high school. It feels so awesome but yet so weird. Now I have to start thinking about college! I have an interview at DelTech next Monday. I am most likely going to be attending there in the fall. At least for now. I also applied for a scholarship so hopefully I will get free tuition. My chosen field of study (since this small community college doesn't have anything involving music, which is what I really want to study): Early Childhood Education (0-K). I am really excited about this and I hope & pray that this will be a really good experience for me. I am a little scared but it is very exciting! God is good and I am thankful that my parents have homeschooled my sisters and I all of our lives. I think it is an awesome privilege to be homeschooled. I wouldn't have traded it for anything else in the world.

My family and I are planning a graduation celebration dinner sometime this month or next. I wish you all could come. I will be sure and send you announcements though!

prayer for my dad

2007-06-23T20:25:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! Could you please pray for my dad? He went to the hospital early this morning with severe stomach pains. The doctors took forever to figure out what he had, but they eventually discovered he has pancreatitis. He is feeling better now but is trying to decide whether or not he should go on his trip to Arizona tomorrow. Please pray for healing and wisdom! Thank you.

the beauty of holiness

2007-06-19T13:47:00.000-05:00

by Arthur W. Pink

"Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness" (Psa. 29:2). Holiness is the antithesis of sin, and the beauty of holiness is in direct contrast from the ugliness of sin. Sin is a deformity, a monstrosity. Sin is repulsive, repellent to the infinitely pure God: that is why He selected leprosy, the most loathsome and horrible of all diseases, to be its emblem. When the Prophet was Divinely inspired to depict the condition of degenerate Israel it was in these words, "From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores" (Isa. 1:6). O that sin were sickening and hateful to us: not merely its grosser forms, but sin itself. At the opposite extreme from the hideousness of sin is "the beauty of holiness." Holiness is lovely in the sight of God: necessarily so. It is the reflection of His own nature, for He is "glorious in holiness" (Exo. 15:11). O that it may be increasingly attractive to and earnestly sought after by us. Perhaps the simplest way of bringing out the beauty of holiness will be to contrast it from the beauties of time and sense.

First, the beauty of holiness is imperceptible to the natural man, and therein it differs radically from the beauties of mere nature. He can behold and admire a lovely glen, the softly flowing river, the mountain pines, the rushing waterfall; but for the excellence of spiritual graces he has no eyes. He regards one who (by grace) meekly submits to sore trials as a milksop. He looks upon one who denies self for Christ's sake as a fool. He considers the man who adheres strictly to the narrow way as one who misses the best of this life. The natural man is totally incapable of discerning the excellence of that which is of great price in the sight of God. Do some think we are stating this too strongly? Then let them be reminded of the solemn fact that when the Holy One tabernacled here upon earth the unregenerate saw in Him "no beauty" that they should desire Him (Isa. 53:2); and it is the same today. God must remove the scales from the eyes of our heart before we can perceive that holiness is beautiful.

Second, the beauty of holiness is real and genuine, and therein it differs radically from much of the beauty which is seen in this world. How much that appeals to the gaze of the natural man is artificial and fictitious. How much human beauty is made up, the product of the artifices of the salon. Even when physical beauty is natural, how rarely it is accompanied by moral virtues. No wonder our forefathers were accustomed to say, "Beauty is but skin deep." Not so the beauty of holiness: it is rooted in the inner man, and sheds its purifying influence over the entire being. "Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain" (Prov. 31:30). But holiness disappoints not its possessor, for its beauty is spiritual and Divine. True, it has many counterfeits in the religious world, yet the genuine article has a ring to it which the godly cannot mistake.

Third, the beauty of holiness is abiding, and therein it differs radically from all the beauty of earth. The wooded glen, whose varied tints are so pleasing in the summer sunlight, is leafless and drab when winter comes. The glorious sunset which human skill can neither produce nor adequately reproduce disappears within a few minutes. The fairest human countenance quickly withers: "all her beauty is departed" (Lam. 1:6). Even when it is preserved to the end of a short life, "their beauty shall consume in the grave" (Psa. 49:14). Yes, change and decay in all we see. The only beauty which is unfading and everlasting is the beauty of holiness. The fruit of the Spirit will never lose its bloom: spiritual graces shall endure after this poor world has all gone up in smoke. How fervently, then, should we pray, "Let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us" (Psa. 90:17).

Fourth, the beauty of holiness is satisfying, and herein it differs radically from the beauty of the things of time and sense. Sooner or alter they either pall on one or else leave an aching void. Take the globe-trotter who journeys east and west, north and south, seeking fresh scenes. How soon he tires, discovering that the loveliest landscape cannot supply contentment of mind and peace of heart. Man is more than a material creature, and therefore it requires something else than material things -- no matter how beautiful -- too meet his needs. It is the things of the Spirit which alone afford satisfaction. "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6). True, the Christian is never satisfied with his own holiness: rather does he continue to hunger and thirst after righteousness to the end of his wilderness journey. Nevertheless, the holier we are -- the closer we walk with God -- the more real rest of soul shall we enjoy. And the blessed sequel will demonstrate the contrast still more plainly: instead of discovering that we have only chased the shadows, the Christian has the assurance: "I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness" (Psa. 17:15).

Fifth, the beauty of holiness is glorifying to God, and therein it differs radically from much of human beauty. To glorify his Maker is the bounden duty of man, and nothing honours Him so much as our walking in separation from all that is displeasing to Him. But alas, physical charms and spiritual graces are rarely found in the same persons. A notable example of this is seen in the case of Absalom, of whom it is recorded, "In all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him" (2 Sam. 14:25); yet he feared not God and perished in his sins. How many a woman has used her personal attractions to entice men rather than magnify God. How many a well-proportioned and handsome man has employed his gifts for self-glorification rather than the praise of God. But the beauty of holiness ever redounds to the honour of its Author.

"O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." This is the only kind of beauty which the Lord cares for in our devotions. "Godliness is to the soul as the light is to the world, to illustrate and adorn it. It is not greatness which sets us off before God, but goodness" (Thomas Watson). Ornate architecture and expensive apparel God delights not in. It is the loveliness of inward purity and outward sanctity that pleases the thrice Holy One. Sincerity of heart, fervour of spirit, reverence of demeanour, the exercise of faith, the outgoings of love, are some of the elements which comprise the "beauty of holiness" in our worship.

good times

2007-06-12T10:17:00.000-05:00

We just got home from Texas last night. Our trip was AWESOME! The best part was seeing our friends. Well, I guess I will give y'all a quick summary of our trip. Hope it's not too boring for ya. I'll try to liven it up and not make it too long.

Saturday, June 2 - We left for Texas from the airport in Baltimore. We had to wait in line forever, so by the time we got to our gate, they were already boarding and we had no time to eat. And of course, they only serve light snacks on the plane, and even those cost money. So by the time we arrived in Texas we were famished. Our grandparents met us at the rental car place BUT they didn't have our reservation and they had no other cars available. So we had to go to the other rental car place and thankfully they had a car for us. It took mom a while to figure out the car (Nissan Altima). Instead of shifting, she kept turning on the windshield wipers . She ran the car almost completely out of washer fluid doing that. :) Then we went to get some dinner, then to my grandparent's house, where we stayed all week.

Sunday, June 3 - Church.Faith and Audrey were at the door waiting for us. It was sooo good to see our friends again. This church was where we used to go when we lived in TX 13 years ago. So it is always nice to go back and see the many families that are still there and see how much the church has grown. Sunday night we went to my grandparent's church and saw this youth choir sing a bunch of songs. They sounded pretty good. This was the church my mom grew up in so she saw some people that she knew that remembered when she was born and all that. I had no clue who anybody was.

Monday, June 4 - Didn't really do much during the day. Mom and Abby went with my grandparents to the store and the library. Monday night we went over to our friends (the Browns) house for dinner and Emily spent the night. It was so nice to spend time with the Browns since we rarely get to see them. They are such a nice family. Abby kept everyone entertained. She played video games with Faith and her brothers (Micah and David). We learned that David is not Abby's type. Then five minutes later we learn that Abby thinks David is cute. That girl confuses me. Mom got lost going back to my grandparent's house from the Browns. That was fun.

Tuesday, June 5 - Picked Emily up at McDonald's. Then we drove to McKinney to visit our 89 year old great grandmother. She was so happy to see us. They had an organ in the room we were in (at the nursing home) and they made me play some songs. But I don't even know how to play the organ so it didn't sound too nice. We got lost (again) driving back. That was fun too.

Wednesday, June 6 - Went to the Dallas Zoo. It was very hot and the animals had interesting aromas. But it was pretty fun anyway. Abby loves going there so we went and had fun since she couldn't go to Six Flags. I liked the gorilla. Wednesday night we went to church. I got to see Stephanie! :)

Thursday, June 7 - Went to the Parks Mall in Arlington. That place rocks. Compared to our mall, especially. I ate at Chick-fil-a. Since I missed it so much. (Yeah right.) I just wanted to see what other Chick-fil-as are like since I have only been to mine since I started working there. Emily and I went to see Pirates 3 while Abby and Mom ice-skated. The movie was pretty good. Then we walked around and bought some candy and I got this awesome Texas t-shirt. After that, we drove Emily down to the Hodsons, for Audrey's sleepover party. Mom backed into a ditch in front of their house, so I ran and got Ruth and her brothers to help us push her out. :)

Friday, June 8 - Ate breakfast at IHOP without Emily. Then went and picked up Emily. Abby went crazy over the Hodsons' puppies. Didn't really do much that day. At night we ate out at a Mexican restaurant.

Saturday, June 9 - Our awesome trip to Six Flags! (Click here to see a picture of Emily, me, Faith, Audrey, and Micah going in) Audrey's mom got us some discount tickets since she worked there. It was the first time I'd ever been to any Six Flags. I LOVED it. We went with Faith, Micah, Audrey, Stephanie, Andrea, Christina, and Jonathan. We got there when it opened so the lines were not long at all. We rode so many awesome rides. The only 2 I did not ride were Superman and Titan. Only now I wish I had, of course. I promise I will next time, guys!! :) It was really hot there, but I didn't really mind since I was having so much fun with my friends (who are just about the coolest in the entire world). And I drank alot of water, which is good. The best rides were the rollercoasters of course. I rode about 7 of them, 2 I rode twice (Batman and Shockwave). Emily decided that she is going to have her 16th b-day (in July) at Six Flags America in Baltimore. Yay! I only wish our Texas friends could come too!

Sunday, June 10 - Went to church, of course. Pastor Vincent preached a very good sermon. Had to say goodbye to everyone. (*sniff*) If the Lord wills, maybe we can come again next year. I hope so! :)

Monday, June 11 - Drove to the airport. A humongous truck hit the back of our car and somehow all we got was a few tiny dents. We were so thankful. The flight we were on was overbooked so it was crowded and we had the very back seats, so we couldn't see out the window. And it was LOUD. Oh well, it was nice to be back home and see Dad. My class ring came in the mail when I was gone. I love it. Dad also bought us gifts since he missed us so much. (I got Ralph Lauren perfume.) Oh and the weather got much cooler up here while we were gone! Yay!

Well there you have it. A "short summary" of our trip. I had an amazing time and I am so thankful for God's protection and care over us & that he blessed us with such a wonderful time.

Talk to y'all later!

google search fun

2007-05-24T15:35:00.000-05:00

"Katherine looks like"...

...Katie Holmes

...she's right where she's always wanted to be

...a bad pageant performer

...she takes the task very seriously

...a pretty cool character

...a linebacker (what?!?)

...she's having some runny nose

...a chunky Ashlee Simpson

...someone else entirely (you mean I don't look like myself? waaah)

...she is heading out for the neighbor's annual pig roast (yup, stepping out as we speak)

"Katherine is"...

...an integral part of Grey's Anatomy and its success (really? and I don't even watch the show)

...a fictional character from Highlander: the Series

...a native English and Spanish speaker originally from NYC (hola!)

...eventually richly rewarded (oooh!)

...about to undergo Gamma Knife radiosurgery (AAAAHHH!!)

...smart, pretty, [and] talented (thanks)

...lucky

...one (I am not, I am 18, thank you)

...represented by a manager enterprise object

...one of two large towns you will come across on the route between Darwin and Alice

Now you guys do it! :)
Have fun...
Katherine

of confession and forgiveness

2007-05-10T13:23:00.000-05:00

by C. H. Spurgeon

"Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness." -Psalm 51:14

In this solemn confession, it is pleasing to observe that David plainly names his sin. He does not call it manslaughter, nor speak of it as an imprudence by which an unfortunate accident occured to a worthy man, but he calls it by its true name, bloodguiltiness. He did not actually kill the husband of Bathsheba; but still it was planned in David's heart that Uriah should be slain, and he was before the Lord his murderer.

Learn in confession to be honest with God. Do not give fair names to foul sins; call them what you will, they will smell no sweeter. What God sees them to be, that do you labour to feel them to be; and with all openness of heart acknowledge their real character. Observe, that David was evidently oppressed with the heinousness of his sin. It is easy to use words, but it is difficult to feel their meaning. The fifty-first Psalm is the photograph of a contrite spirit. Let us seek after the like brokenness of heart; for however excellent our words may be, if our heart is not conscious of the hell-deservingness of sin, we cannot expect to find forgiveness.

Our text has in it an earnest prayer - it is addressed to the God of salvation. It is His prerogative to forgive; it is His very name and office to save those who seek His face. Better still, the text calls Him the God of my salvation. Yes, blessed be His name, while I am yet going to Him though Jesus' blood, I can rejoice in the God of my salvation.

The psalmist ends with a commendable vow: if God will deliver him he will sing - nay, more, he will "sing aloud." Who can sing in any other style of such a mercy as this! But note the subject of the song - "Thy righteousness." We must sing of the finished work of a precious Savior, and he who knows most of forgiving love will sing the loudest.

from Morning and Evening by C. H. Spurgeon

just keepin' it real

2007-05-01T12:43:00.000-05:00

What's up?

I worked last night and had a lot of fun as usual. My boss even told me one of his corny jokes.

There was this girl potato sitting on the couch watching t.v. She says to her dad "When I grow up I want to marry Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather, or Peter Jennings. Her dad says "No, dear, you can't." The girl potato says "Why not?" Then her dad says "Because they're just commontaters."

John and Philip had lid fights all night. (Where you throw lids at one another). If you've ever thrown lids at other people, you may know that lids are hard to aim with. So it turns out, instead of John hitting Philip, John hit me right in the face. And instead of John splashing Philip with water, he splashed water right in my eyeball. Why me? I was just the innocent bystander. ;)

Will continued to prove himself accident-prone. The other day he dripped paint in his eye at home, so his eye was red and swollen for several days. He has also hurt his shoulder recently. His wrist is hurt from falling while playing basketball. (So he bascially had to do everything left handed yesterday.) Last night he was getting a heavy box down and it somehow hurt his ear. Poor guy he is getting hurt all over the place!

Matt continues to tease Casey and I about our shortness. We came in at the same time and Matt said "What is this, the midget hour?" I said "That's not funny!" To which our boss replied "Yeah, they're called little people."

Casey continued to make fun of my school. He told me he had detention and then he goes "Does your school have detention?" No. "Does your school have demerits?" No. That's because my school is GOOD! "I don't think so!" Whatever! Then when I got out to my car, a "mysterious" note was on my windshield that said "You drive a white van. Haha!" Casey sure is horrible at being mysterious. I know it was him for several reasons.

1. He parked right next to me.
2. He left before I did.
3. He teases me about lots of things, including that I drive a white van.
4. It was in his handwriting.
5. The paper he wrote on was ripped, and on the back was part of an address including the last three letters of the name: "YER". Casey's last name is SawYER. The city and state were Cheswold, DE. Well, guess where Casey lives. Uh-huh.

The one bad thing that happened last night was the chicken sandwich I ate. I don't know what was wrong with it. The first half was delicious. But the rest? It was so nasty, I don't even want to think about it. Strange. I'll let it go this once, but if it ever happens again I am never eating another chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-a. :-) (Yeah right).

Until next time...

the founder of salvation

2007-04-30T13:01:00.000-05:00

5 Now it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere,

“What is man, that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man, that you care for him?
7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honor,
8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.”

Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying,

“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”

13 And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”

And again,

“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 2:5-18

erosion

2007-04-23T13:00:00.000-05:00

Rain is a bad reminder of everything I don't wanna know
Rain is a backseat driver that takes me where I don't wanna go
And it looks like the sky is caving in again
I'm dry and cracked, the sky goes black
And tut, tut, it looks like rain

Erosion
Oh, Spirit fall like rain on my thirsty soul
Erosion
Oh, sweet erosion, break me and make me whole

The thirstiest grounds can't take the rain
My undecided vices washing on down the drain
And it looks like the sky is caving in again
My heart is cracked, the sky goes black
And tut, tut, it looks like rain

Erosion
Oh, Spirit fall like rain on my thirsty soul
Erosion
Oh, sweet erosion, break me and make me whole

Oh, Erosion, would You wash away my sins
Oh, Erosion, I need a second start again
Oh, Erosion, would You break my heart again
Oh, Erosion, I am a broken hearted man

"Erosion" by Switchfoot

friday night concert

2007-04-19T13:02:00.000-05:00

Okay, I bet you all are just on the edges of your seats waiting for me to tell you about the Concert for Life (w/ Jeremy Casella and Joe Bassett) I went to last Friday... or not. But I will tell you anyway! It was awesome! :-)

Joe opened up with a few songs, with Jeremy Casella accompanying him on guitar and his wife Rhonda singing background vocals on 2 of the songs. He sang some songs from his new album coming out May 15th (which I preordered by the way - can't wait to hear it), including the title track, a very cool song called "Nothing Hurts Like the Truth" (which, by the way, has been stuck in my head ever since the concert, so sometimes I start singing it out loud, to the great annoyance of my sister Abby.)

Then, Jeremy did some songs. He also did some new songs, from his new album coming out May 15th (yes, the same day as Joe's... I also preordered this one). They were fantastic. I especially loved the one he did on the piano: "Hand of God". Absolutely beautiful! He also did some of my favorites from one of his his other CDs "10,000 Angels", such as "Love that Will Not Let Me Go" and "Cast Away Stones".

So, all in all, it was one great evening of music. I would highly recommend checking out these guys (click on their names to visit their sites) and ordering their new CDs coming MAY 15th!!!!! (Did I say that already? Sorry.) I hope Jeremy and Joe do another concert together soon!

So long & fare thee well!
Katherine

only hope

2007-04-16T12:55:00.000-05:00

Depth of mercy, can there be

Mercy still reserved for me,

Can my God, your wrath forbear,

Me, the chief of sinners, spare

It's my only hope,

You're my only hope,

It's my only hope of Heaven,

At the cross forgiven

I have long withstood your grace

Long provoked you to your face,

Would not harken to your calls,

Grieved you by a thousand falls,

It's my only hope,
You're my only hope,
It's my only hope of Heaven,
At the cross forgiven

There for me the Savior stands,

Shows his wounds and spreads His hands,

Face to face before the Son

And like Isaiah I'm undone

Depth of mercy, vast and free,

So much deeper than the sea,

God of love, you heard my cry,

Now into your open arms I fly

It's my only hope, You're my only hope, It's my only hope of Heaven, At the cross forgiven

"Only Hope" by Caedmon's Call

the rescue

2007-04-05T12:17:00.001-05:00

This is something that some of you may remember from the old Twiggs blog. I posted it there back in November. Anyway, I thought since tomorrow is Good Friday, it would be fitting to post it again.

the rescue
by Steven Estes and Joni Eareckson Tada

The face that Moses had longed to see -- was forbidden to see -- was slapped bloody. (Exodus 33:19-20). The thorns that God had sent to curse the earth's rebellion now twisted around his own brow...

"On your back with you!" One raises a mallet to sink in the spike. But the soldier's heart must continue pumping as he readies the prisoner's wrist. Someone must sustain the soldier's life minute by minute, for no man has this power on his own. Who supplies breath to his lungs? Who gives energy to his cells? Who holds his molecules together? Only by the Son do "all things hold together" (Colossians 1:17) The victim wills that the soldier live on - he grants the warriors continued existence. The man swings.

As the man swings, the Son recalls how he and the Father first designed the medial nerve of the human forearm -- the sensations it would be capable of. The design proves flawless -- the nerves perform exquisitely. "Up you go!" They lift up the cross. God is on display in his underwear and can scarcely breathe.

But these pains are a mere warm-up to his other and growing dread. He begins to feel a foreign sensation. Somewhere during this day an unearthly foul odor began to waft, not around his nose, but his heart. He feels dirty. Human wickedness starts to crawl upon his spotless being -- the living excrement from our souls. The apple of his Father's eye turns brown with rot.

His Father! He must face his Father like this!

From heaven the Father now rouses himself like a lion disturbed, shakes his mane, and roars against the shriveling remnant of a man hanging on a cross. Never has the Son seen the Father look at him so, never felt even the least of his hot breath. But the roar shakes the unseen world and darkens the visible sky. The Son does not recognize these eyes.

"Son of Man! Why have you behaved so? You have cheated, lusted, stolen, gossiped -- murdered, envied, hated, lied. You have cursed, robbed, overspent, overeaten -- fornicated, disobeyed, embezzled, and blasphemed. Oh, the duties you have shirked, the children you have abandoned! Who has ever so ignored the poor, so played the coward, so belittled my name? Have you ever held your razor tongue? What a self-righteous, pitiful drunk -- you, who molest young boys, peddle killer drugs, travel in cliques, and mock your parents. Who gave you the boldness to rig elections, foment revelutions, torture animals, and worship demons? Does the list never end! Splitting families, raping virgins, acting smugly, playing the pimp -- buying politictians, practicing exhortation, filming pornography, accepting bribes. You have burned down buildings, perfected terrorist tactics, founded false religions, traded in slaves -- relishing each morsel and bragging about it all. I hate, loathe these things in you! Disgust for everything about you consumes me! Can you not feel my wrath?"

Of course the Son is innocent. He is blamelessness itself. The Father knows this. But the divine pair have an agreement, and the unthinkable must now take place. Jesus will be treated as if personally responsible for every sin ever committed.

The Father watches as his heart's treasure, the mirror image of himself, sinks drowning into raw, liquid sin. Jehovah's stored rage against humankind from every century explodes in a single direction.

"Father! Father! Why have you forsaken me?"

But heaven stops its ears. The Son stares up at the One who cannot, who will not, reach down or reply.

The Trinity had planned it. The Son endured it. The Spirit enabled him. The Father rejected the Son whom he loved. Jesus, the God-man from Nazareth, perished. The Father accepted his sacrifice for sin and was satisfied. The Rescue was accomplished.

prayer for my boss

2007-04-03T20:41:00.000-05:00

Hey guys...
I would really appreciate it if you guys could just pray for my boss, Joe. He is going through a really hard time right now. Please pray that Joe would fix his eyes on the Savior during these struggles and that God would fill him with His perfect peace. Thanks guys...

Derek Webb in USA Today

2007-03-30T15:00:00.000-05:00

Hey folks!

I just heard about this article. Derek Webb was featured in Monday's edition of USA Today. If you've never heard any of Derek Webb's music, you are seriously missing out! It's really awesome. Click here to read the article.

concert for life

2007-03-29T13:01:00.000-05:00

I am super excited about the Pregnancy Help Center's upcoming fundraiser, the Concert for Life. (My sister and I volunteer at the Center, as do many others in our church.) I am posting the information below. If you know anyone who lives in this area who may be interested, let them know! Help get the word out! :) Also, please keep this concert in your prayers. Pray not only that we will raise money, but also, and more importantly, that God will be glorified and honored in this event and in the hearts of those present.

Concert for Life
All proceeds benefit the Pregnancy Help Center of Kent County, Delaware

The Pregnancy Help Center of Kent County will present the Concert for Life Friday, April 13, 2007 at 7 p.m. at Grace Presbyterian Church in Dover, Del. The concert will feature Jeremy Casella with local artist Joe Bassett. Since 1999, Jeremy Casella has been crafting his unique singer/songwriter style, a blend of acoustic folk and rock with occaisonal harmonica thrown in for fun. Joe Bassett is an independent singer/songwriter whose first solo record, Promised Land, was released the summer of 2004. Tickets are $12.50 and are available through the Pregnancy Help Center. Call (302) 698-9311 to reserve tickets.

Both Jeremy and Joe have great talent and are awesome in concert. It's sure to be one great show.... Hope to see you there!

the treasure of Jesus

2007-03-26T13:36:00.000-05:00

This quote comes from a wonderful, thought-provoking book I am reading. Some of you may have heard of it. It's called Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper (definitely a must-read!). This section is one of the many that really hit me. It's very sobering, but nevertheless it is true. I hope this gets you thinking as it did me. This quote comes from the chapter titled "Living to Prove He is More Precious Than Life".

Why Don't People Ask Us About Out Hope?

"There is no doubt that if we lived more like this, the world would be more likely to consider whether Jesus is an all-satisfying Treasure. He would look like one. When was the last time someone asked you about 'the reason for the hope that is in you'? That's what Peter said we should always be ready to give an answer for: 'Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you' (1 Peter 3:15).

Why don't people ask us about our hope? The answer is probably that we look as if we hope in the same things they do. Our lives don't look like they are on the Calvary road, stripped down for sacrificial love, serving others with the sweet assurance that we don't need to be rewarded in this life. Our reward is great in heaven (Matthew 5:12)! 'You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just' (Luke 14:14). If we believed this more deeply, others might see the worth of God and find in him their gladness."

As I read this, I was reminded of the Steven Curtis Chapman song "Treasure of Jesus". The album it came off of ("All Things New") is based on Don't Waste Your Life. So as I read more of this book, I keep finding little parts that remind me so much of a certain song from that album. It's pretty neat. :) Anyway, here are the words to the song. May this be the desire of all our hearts - to show the world the Treasure of Jesus!

"Treasure of Jesus" By Steven Curtis Chapman

What can I do
How can I live
To show my world
The treasure of Jesus

What will it take
What could I give
So they can know
The treasure He is

And if I can sing
Let my songs be full of His glory
If I can speak
Let my words be full of His grace

And if I should live or die
Let me be found pursuing this prize
The One that alone satisfies
The treasure of Jesus

Amen!

God Be Merciful to Me

2007-03-23T12:25:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite hymns, and possibly one of the greatest ever written.

God, be merciful to me,
On Thy grace I rest my plea.
Plenteous in compassion Thou,
Blot out my transgressions now.
Wash me, make me pure within,
Cleane, O cleanse me from my sin.

My transgressions I confess,
Grief and guilt my soul oppress;
I have sinned against Thy grace
And provoked Thee to Thy face;
I confess Thy judgment just,
Speechless, I Thy mercy trust.

I am evil, born in sin;
Thou desirest truth within.
Thou alone my Savior art,
Teach Thy wisdom to my heart;
Make me pure, Thy grace bestow,
Wash me whiter than the snow.

Broken, humbled to the dust
By Thy wrath and judgment just.
Let my contrite heart rejoice
And in gladness hear Thy voice;
From my sins O hide Thy face,
Blot them out in boundless grace.

Gracious God, my heart renew,
Make my spirit right and true;
Cast me not away from Thee,
Let Thy spirit dwell with me;
Thy salvation's joy impart,
Steadfast make my willing heart.

*by Richard Redhead*

prayer request

2007-03-23T12:20:00.000-05:00

I have a prayer request for a man from my church. He has been having lots of pain in his legs, so he went to the doctor, and they found numerous blood clots in his legs, so many that they can't even count them. One of the clotted veins leads to his heart. He has to be on bed rest for three weeks. Also, he just started a new job and he won't be paid for this time off. So please pray for his healing and also for comfort and provision for his family during this hard time. His name is Mr. Dunlap. Thank you everyone!

God Bless,
Katherine E.

new blog

2007-03-21T13:17:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone!

Welcome to my new blog: pure aire! In case you are wondering where I got that name, I will tell you.

1. My first name (Katherine) means "pure".

2. I am committed to purity.

3. Aire is my Elvish name.

4. Pure air is good.

Hope you enjoy reading my blog. . . May God alone be glorified in all that takes place here and may Jesus Christ be lifted up!

Soli Deo Gloria...
Katherine E.