The Last Testament Tuesday

Wow the book of Revelation! What a complicated read! I even have trouble reading other people's take on the book.  Beth Moore does a good job in explaining things in her book, The Beloved Disciple, but I even had a hard time reading that.

I think the reason the book of Revelation is so hard for me to read is because there are so many things that I don't know what to do with.  Strange flying creatures aside, I have a hard time processing things like the rebuke of the "kings of the earth".  Who are these "kings of the earth"?  Are the literal kings or are they people like you and me who make the world our little kingdom at the sacrifice of greater things?

Another thing that makes me pause is Rev 20:10.  I think we often like to think of God as just the picture of the child in his lap or feeding large groups of people, but he is so much more than that and we see that in this verse:

¹⁰and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

You see the judgement of Satan does not match our peace loving kingdom culture.  The Saints aren't going to work to rebuild a better hell or educate the demons when this is all over.  Nope Revelation makes it pretty clear that it ends real badly for the other side and with no relief.  I think the main reason this is so hard for me to read is because I know that I am in relationship with a lot of "kings of the earth" who will see this dark and very real fate if they don't turn to Jesus.  Yep Revelation is a very hard read but one we can't choose to ignore.

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT- Thanksgiving Getaway and a Few Things to be Thankful For

This weekend we went to Pine Cove's Thanksgiving Conference, but before we left, Sam came down stairs with a list of what our family is thankful for and it was too cute not to share.

Here is a little translation for you:
Takeful- Thankful
Family- Family
Frinds- Friends
PineCove- Pine Cove
Transportion- Transportation (i think)
Godd and Jisus- God and Jesus (glad he didn't forget that one even if it came last)


Here are just a few pictures from our weekend and I will have many more in the days to come

Christmas Pictures

Enjoy!

Testament Tuesday- Peace

^{2 Thess 3:16} Now may^(Z) the Lord of peace himself^(AA) give you peace at all times in every way.^(AB) The Lord be with you all.


I know it is a little strange for the verse I choose to be a closing, but it has the word "peace" in it and that is something I so long for that I can't help but stop and take notice. 


There are 2 mistakes I make when it comes to peace in my life:
#1 - I will seek peace in my circumstances and um that doesn't work.  If you haven't made that mistake you can save yourself the heartache and skip it.  
#2-  I get too busy and I lack peace because I feel like I am running in circles. 


When we look at this verse, we clearly see that it says "may the LORD of peace himself give you peace".  I don't know about you but I have never seen a verse that says "may the peace of your circumstances surround you".  Clearly Christ is the source of our peace which throws out my first mistake as being acceptable.  We are never going to find peace in our circumstances so our only choice is to seek Him for it.  


For #2 I think it is a little more involved.  You see, when I get overcommitted (like right now), the first thing to go is my time of real reflection and sitting with the Lord.   Real reflection is a time consumer and unfortunately it goes out the window. So I believe the answer to #2 is that we have to SLOW DOWN, spend time with the Lord and then no matter our circumstances, His peace will come.  Preaching to myself here.  Trust me.

Sunday Snapshot

We are one of those crazy families who like to break the rules and put up our Christmas tree BEFORE Thanksgiving. Of course I had to take pictures! I wonder how long I will be able to get them to wear matching Christmas pajamas?

This next picture is Sam running with an ornament that has Jack's baby picture on it.  It is so fun to watch them act like brothers.

Sam finished off the evening by making me my first Christmas card of the season.  Oh and the reason Ruthie isn't in darling Christmas pjs is because it is harder to fit a long sleeve over that cast than you think.

Well It Wasn't Kate Middleton's Ring

...IT WAS BETTER!



My sweet Sam used his AWANA bucks ($ he earns for learning his verses) to buy me a plastic ring.  It was so cute because he was sad at first because he thought he lost it.  When he found it, he came running down the hall to put it on my finger.  That kid has the sweetest heart.

Oh and sorry for the chocolate on his face.  It was Thanksgiving feast day at school.

Blessing of Sunday School Teacher

There are a lot of great things about being a part of the church such as a having a community of people who think like you to share life with, the opportunity to sit under good teaching (Lord willing), and the blessing of other adults called Sunday school teachers who give of their time to pour into the life of your child.

We have experienced that first hand lately.  Jack's Sunday School Teacher, Mrs. Rhonda, was great following his surgery.  She prayed for him, checked on him, and sent a card.  Jack loves Mrs. Rhonda and often quotes the things she teaches him when he is at home.

Sam's Sunday School Teacher also went the extra mile this week.  Sam had a karate belt test yesterday that he has been talking about for 3 weeks and apparently it came up in Sunday School also.  Well guess who showed up for Sam's belt test last night?  Yep- his SS teacher.  How cool is that?

So here are some pics of Sam in his new orange belt courtesy of Mrs. Pennison, Sam's Sunday School Teacher.

         

My Girl Won A Character Award

Ruthie had a Thanksgiving party at school today, but the cooler part was that she won the Character Award for Obedience.  That's my girl!

Here she is picking out her prize for winning

And here with her award!  We are so proud of you Ruthie!

Testament Tuesday- Husband Style

Yep I am punting to my husband this week.  I didn't get much reading done last week having the kids by myself so I am going to let the man who gets paid to read his Bible deliver some insight for you today. :)

Here is what he wrote on his blog today while reflecting on the NT readings

I saw something this morning that I've never seen before.  I'm still working it out in my mind, so this blog entry will be as much me quite literally thinking thoughts as it will trying to say something or teach.  Here's what I saw...

In Romans 5.2, Paul speaks of boasting (rejoicing, praising, etc.) in hope of the glory of God.  Because of peace with God and access to grace (v.1 and first part of v.2), Paul boasts in hope of the glory of God.  What does it mean to rejoice in hope?  I think it's probably something like rejoicing in the certainty of an event that hasn't happened yet. 

I remember my friend Steve and his wife Cindy sitting in our living room when Baylor won the women's national championship in basketball.  Steve blurted out, with a huge smile on his face, that he couldn't believe that we were going to win it.  This was with about 5 minutes left and Baylor was up something like 20 points.  That feels like rejoicing in hope.

Here's the connection I hadn't made before, though.  Paul also boasts/rejoices in sufferings because they bring about perseverance, which yields proven character, whose product is...hope.

And I think it's the same hope that he is referring to in v.2.  I think it's hope in the glory of God.  I think I had always put the hope in v.4-5 in a different category.  Hope that God is working through suffering.  Hope that God is producing character.  Hope that God will not forsake me in hard times.  I think instead Paul is writing about this hope as hope in the glory of God.  The suffering I endure will actually increase the acuteness of hope in the glory of God.  This seems to be the driving force behind Bunyan and Bonhoeffer and thousands of other saints through the ages who have struggled and suffered and maintained hope in the glory of God.  Bunyan even blessed the prison that held him for helping him see God.

Maybe that's because Bunyan's hope doesn't disappoint, because God has poured out His love in his heart by the Holy Spirit (v.5).

A Message from the Slacker

I have been a horrible blogger lately and I am so sorry.  Trent was in England for a week and I had my hands full with younger 3 Hendersons.  Also, this new photography business is taking up a lot of time.  I absolutely love doing it and believe God has blesssed me with this opportunity but something has to give.

Okay so enough whining.  Here is an update on the surgicals (I thought that sounded cooler than "those who had surgery recently)

Jack-  Jack is back at school full time except for the 3 days a week that I take him out early for PT.  Several people have said that they can really see a difference in his walking. PRAISE GOD!  I have been nervous to say that because I am just a little more cautious with that.  What Trent and I definitely feel like we have seen is that his knees are straighter when he walks, his step length is longer, and he is doing a better job of walking heel to toe.  I am hopeful for more improvement over the next few weeks.

Ruthie- Well Sam sprayed her with a water hose which got her dressing wet so we have been on infection watch for a week.  I am glad to say that we are now pretty much out of the infection window and doing well.  This operation has been much more painful than the first one.  Her Dr. believes this is because she is older and able to express herself better.  I absolutely agree with the "express herself better" part. :)

Thanks for still checking in.  I am going to figure out how to manage my time better so I can be a better blogger. :)

Guess What We Have Been Doing

Yep it's that time of year again.  Time for Operation Christmas Child.  Don't know what Operation Christmas Child is?  Then you have to go HERE and check out this super cool ministry!

Cool Giveaway

Stefanie over at Ni Hao Y'all is having a kickin' giveaway between now and Christmas.  If you have never seen her blog, you should check it out.  Her passion for helping orphans inspires me regularly to do more.

Check it out here

Testament Tuesday

Trent received an email from a missionary friend in Haiti the other day and at the end, the friend wrote, "May you be filled with all the fullness of God, be ready to speak a word in season, be anointed daily, be filled with faith and boldness and see God move beyond your wildest dreams! "


When I read that my first thought was "Cool blessing.  I want to put that on my Christmas card."  Then I immediately thought of all the people I know who wouldn't be comfortable with phrases like "be ready to speak a word in season" or "see God move beyond your wildest dreams".  Phrases like that don't fit in their spiritual vocabulary and so they might think I am weird if they read it coming from mine. 


Shortly after that thought, I moved from my email to Biblegateway to do my reading for the day and came across this...


^{2 Timothy 1:6-8
6} For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. ⁸ So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.


I think God let me go through the initial thought process so He could reveal something in my heart to me through His Word.  I wonder how often I shy away from sharing the truth because I am worried about what people might think?  It feels like such a hard balance to find between boldness and not making those around you unnecessarily uncomfortable.  Looking at this verse, my prayer is that we would all not act out of shame or timidity but with love speak and walk out the truth in our daily lives.  


I am pretty sure I am going to go ahead and use that blessing on my Christmas card because it is hard to say it better than that. 

Free Desktop- Love 'Em

The girls over at the Shabby Shoppe make a free desktop every month that you can drop a picture in.  They  are super cute and super easy to do. You can access November's HERE

Here is mine for November.  This honestly took me 30 seconds

"This" Home

It has been an interesting few weeks around here with 2 kids recovering from surgery.

We have had a lot of this...

Then thanks to some good meds we get a little bit more of this...

As we have felt better, we looked more like this...

And this (a little homeschooling)...

Now I am just ready for a whole lot more of this...

Testament Tuesday- Sometimes We Don't Know Why

This has been a weird week to say the least.  I spent the first part taking care of Jack and then I put Ruthie in the car and drove to Dallas for her surgery and spent the end of the week taking care of her and still some of Jack.  I stressed today over what I would write here because nothing really stood out to me this week except for my role as nurse and this one verse:


Mark 14:51  A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, ⁵² he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.


I know- completely random! How do you write an entry about a naked guy? That is exactly why it stood out though.  


Picture something with me.  You are at a stage production of The Passion Play and they are wrapping up the 2nd Act with Judas betraying Jesus with a kiss just before He is captured and led away.  You are preparing for intermission when just before the curtain closes one of the characters drops his clothes and runs naked across the stage.  I don't know about you, but I am not going to turn to the person with me and say, "You know that is Biblical".  No, not at all.  I am going to wonder, "What in the world just happened?"


I can't stop asking myself why God and Mark felt it was necessary to conclude the story of Judas' betrayal with an account of a random naked man.  I am sure there are a lot scholars out there who "think" they know why this is there.  Actually if you google this passage you can find all kinds of opinions, but the truth of why this is included is probably one of those things that we won't really know UNTIL WE ARE MEANT TO.


That revelation came to me a few moments ago and it hit me that this verse is not so random after all and might just say something to you and me if we let it.   I have a lot of why questions and at times have asked myself what in the world was happening.  Why do children have to be born with tethered cords?  Why do little girls have to be orphaned in China and with special needs? Why do the people of  Haiti have to suffer an earthquake, a cholera outbreak, and now maybe a hurricane all in one year?  Really?  Is that necessary?  What is happening?


But there is One who knows the answer.  He knows why sweet little Chinese girls have to die from heart defects that would be reparable in the States.  He knows why others die prematurely.  He knows why He hasn't given you that deep desire of your heart.  And He knows who the random naked man was in Mark 14:51 and why we needed to just know he was there.  I think we will know all of this one day too - when we are meant to.