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the list..

Due tomorrow - 2 "thumbnails" of a still life - 11 various objects - the same objects in two different layouts.  The process is made more difficult because the cat also likes the layout.  One thumbnail is done and the "stuff" is rearranged.

Due Thursday

  • my "line" board - 3 projects on a poster board, lesson plans on the back.  I need to do 3 line drawings of a lace up shoe (the other 2 projects are already done, but need to be put on a construction paper backing
  • read 3 chapters and complete the chapter reviews (6, 7, 11)
  • my "color" sleeve - three small color projects (completed) with lesson plans on the back (not completed) in a "page protector" sleeve.

I'm having a hard time focusing today...I woke up with a headache and generally a little caffeine takes care of it...after drinking a couple of cups of coffee with no effect...realized that I had made decaf.

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From Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening"...good words

Justified by Christ

"Just, and the justifier of him which believeth."
--Romans 3:26
Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Conscience accuses no
longer. Judgment now decides for the sinner instead of against him. Memory
looks back upon past sins, with deep sorrow for the sin, but yet with no
dread of any penalty to come; for Christ has paid the debt of His people
to the last jot and tittle, and received the divine receipt; and unless
God can be so unjust as to demand double payment for one debt, no soul for
whom Jesus died as a substitute can ever be cast into hell. It seems to be
one of the very principles of our enlightened nature to believe that God
is just; we feel that it must be so, and this gives us our terror at
first; but is it not marvellous that this very same belief that God is
just, becomes afterwards the pillar of our confidence and peace! If God be
just, I, a sinner, alone and without a substitute, must be punished; but
Jesus stands in my stead and is punished for me; and now, if God be just,
I, a sinner, standing in Christ, can never be punished. God must change
His nature before one soul, for whom Jesus was a substitute, can ever by
any possibility suffer the lash of the law.

Therefore, Jesus having taken the place of the believer--having rendered a
full equivalent to divine wrath for all that His people ought to have
suffered as the result of sin, the believer can shout with glorious
triumph, "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?" Not God,
for He hath justified; not Christ, for He hath died, "yea rather hath
risen again." My hope lives not because I am not a sinner, but because I
am a sinner for whom Christ died; my trust is not that I am holy, but that
being unholy, He is my righteousness. My faith rests not upon what I am,
or shall be, or feel, or know, but in what Christ is, in what He has done,
and in what He is now doing for me. On the lion of justice the fair maid
of hope rides like a queen.

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From the blog of Lydia Brownbeck:

A wise man told me, "Life is a testing ground, not a resting ground."

Life may not turn out the way we want it to...many times it may not turn out the way we expect it to.

We may lose that which we cherish, we may never get that which we want desperately.

Through it all, we are told to trust God...but trust in what?

Trusting that God will make it all turn out the way that we have it all planned is not trust.

Trusting that God is in control and will make it turn out according to His plan...that is trust.

God sees with eternity in mind...we can only see this life. HOW we trust God may end up nearly as important to our spiritual growth as THAT we trust God.

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Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid,
nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

God has led me through some frightening times...times of not knowing what the future will bring.

Maybe even more frightening have been the times when I knew exactly what the future was going to bring.

And there is more frightening times and more uncertainty facing me right now.

Yet God has commanded us...commanded...that we not be afraid.

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." (Romans 8:15)

Woodrow Kroll writes "Lessons for Living"

A child had to walk each evening past a dark, spooky house. Some adult
friends tried to give him courage. One handed him a good-luck charm to
ward off the ghosts. Another installed a light at a particularly dark
corner near the house. A third took a more spiritual approach, saying,
"It's sinful to be afraid. Trust God and be brave!" It was good advice,
but not much help. Then one friend said with compassion, "I know what it
is to be afraid. I'll walk with you past the house." Instantly the child's
fears were gone.

"Lucky charms" don't work, mantras don't work.

It is because we are adopted children of God that we know that He walks with us.

It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. (Psalm 18:32)

So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:6)

Do not trust men...they will fail you  Only God will never fail.  And He will walk with you through the scary parts.

You can go through life thinking that there will always be somebody there - a "rock" - but that's not true.

Sometimes, it's just you...and God.

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Typical throat and chest congestion and stuffy nose.  Time to start the nasal rinse again.

On a similar note...we are really going to be pushed to get both flu shots this years.  The more research I do on the swine flu shot, the less I want it.

On the other hand, I work with some pretty immuno-compromised people and our campus would be decimated if a bad flu hit us there.

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My church is a venue for "ArtPrize" - the first piece of art that committed to being in our building was a Calvin College grad.

Our building will be open to the public for 10 hours a day for 2 weeks...I've committed to working for a couple of 5 hour shifts...serving coffee, greeting people and answering questions.

This morning I helped hang up artwork and got to chat with a few of the artists.  I also got the chance to talk a little more with fellow congregation members (who happen to move from a certain mega-CRC I used to be a member of)

And I asked...what if I want to go to Rehoboth...for real.

I got a "preview" of what is going to happen tomorrow in service.  I cried this morning and I'll cry tomorrow.