Glowing Rectangles

http://www.theonion.com/articles/report-90-of-waking-hours-spent-staring-at-glowing,2747/

It's true! It's true I say!

Thanks Irene!

As you may know, Hurricane Irene blew through the East Coast late last week.

The Scriptures say we should "in everything give thanks" and so I'm grateful for

• the team at work truly coming together to build contingency plans and give Hurculean effort to expedite a project planned for the weekend
• four friends from church who came from an evacuated area in NYC to stay in my apartment (particularly when both roomies were out of town, it was nice to have friends close by!)
• the opportunity to spend some "quality time" & "quantity time" with these same friends :)
  
• God answered our specific prayer for minimal damage to New York City
• that the most damage in my neighborhood was the below (ie not very much at all!)

Quote on Suffering

Well worth a think...

"The chief pang of most trials is not so much the actual suffering itself as our own spirit of resistance to it." - Jean Nicolas Grou #Bible http://is.gd/zHbTUY

Reflections

Twila Paris has a song titled "Could You Believe." I heard it one morning this week and was challenged once again by the lyrics -

"I am meant to be a pure reflection of the truth
So above it all I pray that I will not obscure the view"

There is a process for metal being refined, it is essentially this: the metal is heated so much so that it melts, impurities are skimmed off the top, and the process is repeated until the metal is so pure that the metal worker sees his own reflection.
My hope and in fact my prayer is that I am cooperative with God (the metal worker in our analogy) so that when the heat is on, I'm separating myself from the impurities of selfishness and self-interest to be, truly, pure in heart so that I can love and serve freely, reflecting Christ.
And yes, it's tough enough I need divine intervention if it's to happen!

Time to make pesto!

Basil from Mom's garden is a-plenty!

Road to Recovery

For the past 4 weeks I've had the plague. That's my diagnosis, at least. I'll spare the details but suffice it to say that I've not been in bed for 3 days solid since I was about nine years old. And then it continued to the following week. I knew I was stronger when I made it out of my bedroom and to the living room. Yep, I was that pathetic.

Scripture says we should "In everything, give thanks" (1 Thes 5:18) And I'm grateful for many things, including:

• two remarkable roommates and friends who looked after me, between their own international travels (one packing for the Middle East, and one coming home from Asia)
• a doctor who knows me for many years and her excellent care
• medical insurance!
• a personal relationship with God, who is always with me, hears my prayers and gives comfort & peace
  
• a local church family who reaches out and asks how they can be praying
• caring and supportive family who calls and emails to check in
• support at work from an understanding boss as well as colleagues who sent the below "Get Well Basket"* - a treat and it made my day!
  

Am I grateful to actually be sick? Not quite yet, but I know God will work things out for the best, and in the end I trust Him if I don't quite see why today.

*Yep, that's a Sharpie marker on the far left in the basket. My friend asked "Huh? Why a Sharpie?" "I don't know why they did it," I replied, "but I LOVE Sharpie markers!!"

In a Word... It was Great!

Over the past week many friends and family members have asked "How was your trip to DR??"
In a word... It was Great.
Five days, three orphanages, one elderly care home for widows, nine fellow Christian team members, countless hugs, one purpose: to love and serve others in order to glorify God a la Romans 15:5-6

⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ⁶ so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

More stories & photos shortly!