A Few from the 'SMART' Phone

I KNOW I'm awesome!

On a McDonald's outing

Sittin' In a Tree

What's the Use?

It's easy to become discouraged - either by circumstances in our own lives - or from what we see going on in this fallen world. Many of our friends report being shocked and saddened by recent events in Aurora, Colorado - and rightly so. We struggle every day to follow God's commands in thought, word and deed - to love God and love our neighbor. But, sometimes I wonder, 'What's the point? What good is it when the horrors of sin seem to prevail on every side. Brother John Calvin is usually pretty level headed, so when this verse came to mind earlier this morning, I thought I'd see what he has to say on the subject.


 Calvin on Galations 6:9. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.. 

"Let us not be weary in well-doing. Well-doing (kalo men. We are instructed not to be weary in assisting our neighbours, in performing good offices, and in exercising generosity. This precept is highly necessary; for we are naturally reluctant to discharge the duties of brotherly love, and many unpleasant occurrences arise by which the ardor of the best disposed persons is apt to be cooled. We meet with many unworthy and many ungrateful persons. The vast number of necessitous cases overwhelms us, and the applications which crowd upon us from every quarter exhaust our patience. Our warmth is abated by the coolness of other men. In short, the world presents innumerable hinderances, which tend to lead us aside from the right path. Most properly, therefore, does Paul admonish us not to relax through weariness.
If we faint not. That is, we shall reap the fruit which God promises, if we "persevere to the end." (Matthew 10:22.) Those who do not persevere resemble indolent husbandmen, who, after ploughing and sowing, leave the work unfinished, and neglect to take the necessary precautions for protecting the seed from being devoured by birds, or scorched by the sun, or destroyed by cold. It is to no purpose that we begin to do good, if we do not press forward to the goal.
In due season. 2 Let no man, from a wish to gather the fruit in this life, or before its proper time, deprive himself of the spiritual harvest. The desires of believers must be both supported and restrained by the exercise of hope and patience."

Long-Time Comin'

About one year ago, our prescription-drug plan, gave subscribers a mandate to go on mail-order refills or risk loss of coverage altogether. There was one exception to this rule - using a CVS pharmacy - and there hasn't been one within 200 miles of Las Cruces - until now, that is! When the store was being built, Rick would always comment on the progress of the construction if we happened to drive by, 'There's my store!' he would say. Silas soon began to echo Grandpa's exclamation, 'There's MY store!', he'd say if he was in the car with us. He's enjoying his first visit below.

MY STORE, MY CAR!

Consolation

"...we are hidden under the shadow of God's wings; for  although to outward appearance we lie open, and are exposed to the will of the wicked and the proud, we are preserved by the hidden power of God. Accordingly, it is said 
"In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me." (Psalm 27:5)From Calvin's Commentary on Psalm 83

On Living Temporarily Away From Home

Heidelberg Catechism

"Question 76. What is it then to eat the crucified body, and drink the shed blood of Christ?

Answer: It is not only to embrace with believing heart all the sufferings and death of Christ and thereby to obtain the pardon of sin, and life eternal; (a) but also, besides that, to become more and more united to his sacred body, (b) by the Holy Ghost, who dwells both in Christ and in us; so that we, though Christ is in heaven (c) and we on earth, are notwithstanding "flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone" (d) and that we live, and are governed forever by one spirit, (e) as members of the same body are by one soul."

I just returned from a solo road trip to California, and this past week, was my first Lord's Day back. The church 'care group' to which Rick and I belong, has been making its way through Kevin DeYoung's fine book, 'The Good News We Almost Forgot', which takes the reader systematically through each Lord's Day. This last Sunday we came to Lord's Day 28, which contains the above question.

From time to time I have had occasion to ponder the Christian's state of being sojourners and pilgrims in this world. I think the answer to Question 76 brings out an important point regarding that fact. Christ is, indeed, in Heaven and we, His followers, are on earth, but we are UNITED, '...flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone...' together, though separated by a vast gulf!

David M. VanDrunen, WSC, puts it this way:

"....The New Testament refers to Christians as 

“sojourners and exiles” in this world (1 Peter 1:1, 17; 2:11). By God’s grace in Christ we are already citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20), but we live temporarily away from home, “in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation” (Phil. 2:15)....

Rick and new friend, Kiki!

I enjoyed seeing friends and family in California, and I felt so welcome in the fellowship in which I joyfully found myself, but it was an even GREATER joy to return to my earthly beloved, Rick! In our brief sojourn, I've gotten quite fond of this dear man - and it's only been thirty-nine years!

 I don't know about you, but I find it quite a comfort to realize I'm just 'temporarily' living away from home', but some day, I get to return for the first time to my Beloved who has known me and loved me from the foundation of the world!

OLD Battle Creek, Mineral, Calif.

'OLD' Battle Creek Campground: Site of the happiest memories of my childhood, shared first with our own kids and now 'children's children' too!

DOES Absence make the heart grow fonder?

Return to my blog after an absence of over one year! I just returned from a 10 day, whirl-wind visit to Northern California, and these are a few choice photos of the trip.
A few photos from our visit with Great-Grandpa Richard in Chico on June 25th

Rick modeling his special Dark Knight shirt - his 'left behind' present!