Skip to main content

2011 in Review

    The beginning of a new year generally encourages reflection on the previous year.  Today at church all the men of the congregation stood up and gave a general update of the state of the union, if you will, from the past year.  It was encouraging and divinely challenging.  We have been so blessed as children of God, and we need to live our lives in a manner that manifests our appreciation of this familial blessing.

    I began my short time (that lasted longer than I planned) with these words from Luke 11:11-13: "What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”  God is a powerful Father, but more significantly, He is a good Father who seeks our good.  As Romans 8 tells us, He works all things for our spiritual and physical good.  That is a powerful thought that we'd do well to cherish!  God, the author of life and of all things, is concerned about our well being!  He knows what is best and has the power to accomplish it for us in our lives.  Sometimes it won't feel that way, and that's where faith in His character comes into play.  In tough situations we are called to believe firmly that God is not only able, but also willing to do what is best for us. 

    I have experienced much this year.  I have been overwhelmed with good things.  My cup has not ceased to overflow with the abundance God has provided for me.  I began a new job April 11.  I married my wife the 18th day of June.  I'm not sure why she married me.  I didn't do much to warrant her desire of such a commitment.  People say that all the time, but my mistakes in this relationship actually prove I'm right.  She has followed her Heavenly Father's example in forgiving, and I keep that fact before my eyes constantly. 

    On July 15 my wife met me at the door with a smile and a positive pregnancy test.  Four pregnancy tests later (just to make sure), we decided she was probably pregnant.  Her bulging belly and the kicking baby are growing right along and we expect a covenant child in the middle of march.  We have been blessed abundantly in preparing for our baby.  Two words: free stuff! 

     This next year promises to be even busier than last year.  I have decided to start many edifying habits this year, and I pray the Lord strengthens me in my endeavors.  God bless and Happy New Year!  May He keep our eyes on Him.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Father, Forgive Them"

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Forgiveness is hard.  Forgiveness is really, really hard. It’s difficult to forgive others who have genuinely harmed or offended us.   It’s easy to say , “I forgive you,” but it’s extremely difficult to feel it–to make peace in our hearts with the injustices that others have perpetrated against us. It just doesn’t feel right.  Sin should be punished!  Wrongs should be righted!  Right?! It’s difficult to forgive others when they ask for it.  It’s even more difficult to forgive them when they haven’t asked for it–when they don’t even recognize what they’ve done to hurt us. As our Savior hung upon His Cross, He asked the Father to forgive those nearby–those who were unwittingly contributing to the greatest injustice in the history of the world. These thieves, soldiers, and standers-by had no idea what was happening.  They had no idea that the jealousy of the Jews had placed Christ on that Cross...
Post a Comment
Read more

5 Reasons I Want my Wife to Start Wearing a Head Covering during Corporate Worship

    Of late, the issue of head coverings has come up in my circle.  Okay...my cousin and I have been discussing it, but the point is, the issue has been bouncing around my head for the past few days.  It is a topic that I have avoided for some time.  Every time I read through 1 Corinthians, I would tell myself, "We'll get around to that."  The reality is that I didn't want to be "that guy"...that guy who people view as a chauvinistic jerk who wants to make sure everyone--especially his wife--remembers that he's the head of his home.  I think I'm beginning to respect "that guy"--those men who have cared enough to stand for what they believe.     Let me be clear that I am referring to head coverings for women (those old enough to leave them on...)  DURING CORPORATE WORSHIP.  I am not advocating head coverings at all times.  Though I see nothing necessarily wrong that practice, I don't see any command for it either.   ...
15 comments
Read more

The Real Presence & Paedocommunion: A Deeper Rift Between Reformed Churches

You're going back to Rome! Theological disagreements within the Reformed world, especially those of the last half century, often devolve into these sorts of accusations.  As controversialists like Doug Wilson and Peter Leithart began to break away from the larger conservative Presbyterian and Reformed denominations, it became clear that the rift was deeper than semantics and systematic minutiae.  Much like the Reformation four centuries before, the Table was a primary point of conflict.   What does it mean?  Who may partake?  What do we call it?    These questions, along with a few more, divided Reformed brethren as the physical elements of our religion reflected deeper conflicts.  Good men began to understand that the problem wasn't just in our logos, but in our pathos and ethos, as well. Paedocommunion (hereafter PC) has been one of the hottest points of contention.  PC has always been normal to me as I grew up with it.  I underst...
Post a Comment
Read more