Mary's Side of the Story

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

This is a portion of the Christmas story as told in Luke 2. It is an awesome place to read of how Christ was born in a lowly estate; yet, His birth was announced by a choir of angels--I never cease to be amazed at the dichotomy between His humility and His glory. But inside of that story, I am always drawn to verse 19:  Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself (The Message).

Here we find a young woman, most likely scorned because of the state of her Child's birth. Humbled by God when the angel, Gabriel, tells her of the plan He has for her in bearing the Savior of all who will believe. Humbled by her betrothed after he, too, is assured by God that this is all a part of His plan, and he does not do as expected and ask for a certificate of divorce. Humbled by her family when her cousin, Elizabeth, blesses Mary when the child in Elizabeth's womb, John the Baptist, leaps with joy at being near his Lord inside of Mary's womb. Mary is humbled by all of these events; yet, she is most likely reassured by them because, from the moment she tells others of Gabriel's message to her, there would be much unbelief and ridicule for her to face.

Then, after delivering the promised Child [aside here:  I have always wondered, "Was this a normal birth with a painful, drawn out labor?" Or was God like, "Well, since you are delivering the Deliverer, I'll give you a break"?], Mary sees her Son's visitors--the shepherds and, later on, the Magi--and is reassured. Not only was it all worth it, but as others worship Jesus, she must have had peace in her heart. As a virgin, she must have been sure of His divinity. But now she knows others are, too. Mary sees all these things and hears the shepherds tell her of the angel's proclamation and the heavenly host. What does she do? She treasures up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

I love Mary for this.

We already know that she is a woman of humility, but here would be her chance to shout out, "Look at me! God chose me, He picked me, and He obviously thinks I'm pretty stinkin' amazing. Where's my angel choir?" This would also be her chance to say, "Okay, God, what now? I've delivered your Son. Answer all of my questions. Now." And I am sure she had plenty of questions. Instead, she holds dear this knowledge of her little one. She treasures the homage that others pay to Him. And she keeps her questions to herself. She reflects on all she has seen and heard, confident, and doubtless repeating what she said to Gabriel in Luke 1, "I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled." Because, as Gabriel said, "No word from God will ever fail."

Here is what Matthew Henry has to say about all of this:

The virgin Mary made them the matter of her private meditation. She said little, but kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:19). She laid the evidences together, and kept them in reserve, to be compared with the discoveries that should afterwards be made her. As she had silently left it to God to clear up her virtue, when that was suspected, so she silently leaves it to him to publish her honour, now when it was veiled; and it is satisfaction enough to find that, if no one else takes notice of the birth of her child, angels do. Note:  The truths of Christ are worth keeping; and the way to keep them safe is to ponder them. Meditation is the best help to memory.

I want to follow Mary's example. For one, when I become a mother, I want to treasure up all the things I hear my children say or watch them do, not forgetting what I have had the privilege to observe. And I want to trust their unknown futures to their Father, pondering what He has for them. But, more importantly, I want to treasure what I know about Christ:  why He came to earth, how He lived, how and why He died and rose again, and how His life gives me new life. I want to ponder anew His mercy and His grace. And I want to be an eyewitness of His majesty this Christmas.

I'm an Aunt!

Well, sort of. Actually, I inherited the best little nieces and nephew when I got married, but they were already past the baby stage. One of my best friends ever, the one we threw the baby shower for, had her baby on Wednesday!

Annie with her husband, Chris,
and new son, Jaden Paul!

Now that she's posted it on facebook, I feel like I can mention it on here, since I imagine she'll be too busy to blog for awhile. I can't wait to meet the little guy! I seriously walked around all day Wednesday and Thursday in a super-excited state. Yet, it's somehow surreal. Like when the first one of your good friends gets married, and you think, "How are we old enough--or mature enough--to be getting married already?"

In October, our couples' class at church had a bonfire. Now, I usually end up playing with the kids because:  A. Their parents play with them all of the time and are craving adult conversation. B. The children ask me to, and I just can't say no. We were playing out this one scenario where the boys were capturing the girls and holding them hostage in the tree house. The girls escaped, and a chase scene ensued; while the girls were running from said boys, one of the older girls yelled out, "She can't run! She's a parent!" Or something like that.

So, I guess, in all children's minds, they separate people between kids and parents. And, even though we do adult things--like hold a steady job or get married--we sometimes see the kid in ourselves more than the "parent". But it's inevitable. Whether you ever have children or not, you eventually have to acknowledge the responsible adult in you. That's okay, right? As long as, every now and then, you can go back and play in their world. And maybe that is why we have children anyway. 

They Don't Call it the Sunshine State for Nothing....

Wow. So, I know that it has been a couple of weeks since I last posted, but every time I get on to post something, I get distracted by everyone else's blogs! Did you know that you, my blogging friends, lead very interesting lives? And that you write well about them? Kudos, and my hat's off to you.

I suppose I should start by summing up my little jaunt down to Kissimmee, Florida, that I mentioned in my last post. According to their tourist page, "a day that starts in Kissimmee can become anything you want it to be." Well, that might be true for tourists, but I'm not sure that those who live there everyday feel that way. It seems to me that most people do the same things everyone else in America does, except that their class trip will be to Universal Studios instead of Adventureland. :)

In the past, we've gone to Sea World or Epcot together, but I said I just wanted to relax and be with my family as they do whatever it is that they would normally do. Since my sister is thirteen (-and-a-half) years old, that meant a lot of shopping! It brings me back to the good old days of shopping with my mom and telling her, "Mom, that is not what girls my age wear." My sister and I also saw Tangled in 3D--and we loved it! Well, I think she really liked it, but I loved it. I don't know why, but, although I have never liked really sappy movies, I have always gotten wrapped up in the magic of the best Disney movies. There was a summer when I was nine that I watched The Little Mermaid everyday, just to figure out how I could become a mermaid.

We also went to some "parties". My family has really good friends that always want to have dinners so that we can all come over and they can see me. It's a really nice sentiment, and I am always touched that they remember me, but it has to be more for my parents' benefit, since I always end up with my little sister and the other kids. :) In addition, we ate at my family's favorite restaurant that serves kababs, falafel, and other deliciously yummy Middle Eastern cuisine. And my dad almost had a heart attack when we went to Cold Stone and he spent $16 on three ice creams. Why anyone would mix gummy bears in their ice cream is a mystery to me....

So, I've been home for a little over a week now, getting back into the swing of things, and we have less than two weeks until Christmas! I am almost finished with my Christmas shopping; I just have a few of the guys to find things for and a couple of homemade things to work on (I want to make some flowers to attach to headbands for the nieces and was thinking about this one on Or so she says or this one by Little Bella Bean). We also had a wicked snowstorm this weekend that prevented me from going to a friend's wedding and seeing our children's Christmas program at church yesterday. It's sooooo cold! The day before I left Florida, it was 85 degrees outside. Right now, it is zero degrees outside, and it feels like 18 degrees below zero with the wind chill. Crazy! So, I'm just going to cuddle down into my blankets a little more and think warm thoughts. :)

Thirty...Er, Well, Sixteen Days of Thankfulness

It's not that I couldn't think of 30 things to be thankful for--it's just that, after awhile, they all seem to be sort of related. Or someone makes fun of you for being cheesy.

In the spirit of the "Thirty Days of Thankfulness", I posted at least one thing I was thankful for as my status on Facebook everyday for 16 days. I wanted to make myself of think of answers that you wouldn't find on a fifth grade Thanksgiving essay. I wanted to be attentive to God's provision that is always supplied to me but often overlooked. Here is my list of random--and not-so-random--things. "Sabrina is thankful..."

1. for forgiveness.
2. for the for the freedom to vote--and for 90 years of the women's vote, too.
3. for C8H10N4O2 (caffeine!).
4. for Someone who conquered death.
5. for her husband:  strong, handsome, tender, compassionate...full of integrity and laughter...someone who loves God more than he loves her--but loves her all the same for reasons she cannot comprehend.
6. that distance is no match for a good friendship.
7. for a God who works out all things for our good and His glory...for picking up right where you left off with family...and for chocolate cake!
8. for Dutch Blitz. :D
9. for having a job.
10. for the the wonderful women she has in her life to look up to (literally and figuratively).
11. to always have "just enough". Just enough to eat...just enough strength...just enough to be able to give to others. But grace? More than enough.
12. that I am who I am. I am unique. I can change and learn and grow, but there was no mistake--I was meant to be me. :)
13. for books to read...and for a love of reading, too.
14. for sleep...oh, glorious sleep.
15. for her cozy apartment with enough room to have people over. :)
16. for Old Chicago pizza and and friends. Yum! :)
17. for no snow!

For Thanksgiving Day, I will be heading down to Florida to see my dad, stepmom, and little sister and am staying through Wednesday. Jordan will be staying behind to see his family and keep working. :(  Hopefully, I can sneak in a blog post, though, with all the adventures. In the meantime, have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Jordan's homemade "Pumpkin Spice" soap

Seek to Show Hospitality

I wish that I had been taught hospitality.

There are many women in my life that model hospitality--that ability to make people feel at home whenever they are around you. Two of them are the wives of my college pastors. Another one is my amazing mother-in-law. She loves having people over, decorating her home, making tasty foods and delicious desserts, gifting, and just  plain being a servant. My husband has inherited this servant's heart, and it is one of the things that made me fall in love with him. He may not be the most outspoken person, but his actions speak louder than any conversation I have ever had.

But hospitality can be learned. The first hurdle, I think, is to be prepared. If your place is always a disaster, then you will feel more hesitant to say, "Sure, come on over!" Resign yourself to the fact that your home does not have to be sparkling clean. If there are a few dishes in the sink or the blinds sorely need to be dusted (two things that I could say about my place), know that your friends are your friends for a reason:  they want to spend time with you--not your things! And family loves you no matter what happens. If you can relax, others will relax and have a good time regardless of your state of cleanliness. Still, trying to keep things in order will probably mean that more impromptu movie nights or Sunday lunches will occur.

The second hurdle is to let go of perfection. This is harder for some than for others. I know that sometimes I want to be "Le Gourmet Chef" and wow everyone with my stunning culinary and amazing hostess skills. And while sometimes "it's all in the details", when you are showing love to others it should be about them and not about you. Do what you can with what you have in the time you have. Work hard, yes, but let your guests know that they are not a burden to you, and you enjoy having them over.

...And doesn't all this talk about hospitality and guests make you think of this guy?

Recipe Ready: Breakfast Casserole

I have really wanted to create a food/recipe post for quite awhile, and while breakfast casserole would not be my first choice, it is a simple, tasty recipe that (in my opinion) could work for breakfast, lunch, or dinner (or as they say on Scrubs, "brinner").

You'll need to make sure you have these ingredients on hand:

• 1 (2 pound) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1 pound pork sausage (mild? spicy? turkey? your choice)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 12 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese (or cheese of your choice)

I used Colby-Jack cheese--and only about six ounces of it--because I forgot to buy cheese, and that's what I had on hand.

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with your favorite spray (I love the Crisco spray), and fill with the thawed hash browns.

Brown the sausage over medium heat in your most amazing cast iron skillet.

While the sausage is browning, chop and dice your onion meticulously by hand.

Or, bring out your handy, dandy food chopper and let it do the work for you.

Add the onions to the sausage and finish browning, then drain.

While that cools a little, add five eggs to a medium bowl.

Add your half cup of milk.

Add your spices, too. Here's where taste may differ from person to person. The recipe calls for a 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, an 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. To me, this is a little bland next to the savoriness of the sausage and onion. I would up it to at least a full teaspoon of onion powder, a 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, a 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. But that's just me. :)

Whisk ingredients together.

And pour over your hash browns.

Layer with half of the shredded cheese, and spread the sausage mixture on top.

Then sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese on top.

Cover with aluminum foil...

...and place in the 350 degree oven. After an hour, uncover, rotate, and bake for ten more minutes.

Your result should be this:

And maybe, if you're lucky, you will also end up with cheese stalactites (you have to think of what they would look like upside down):

If you can insert a knife into the middle of the casserole, and it comes out clean, then you'll know it's done. Let the dish stand for at least five minutes, if not more--it is best when it has thickened.

While you are enjoying your breakfast-y goodness, put some yummy, delicious cookies into your already preheated oven!

Won't You Lead Me?

Today, Jordan and I were driving to a birthday lunch for his grandpa's 83rd birthday. While on our hour-long trek to "the best Pizza Ranch in Iowa," Jordan turned to me and said, "I heard this song the other day that I think you would really like."

"Oh, yeah?" I said. "What was it?"

"I don't remember. It was a song about a guy and his wife and stuff, but when you hear it, you'll like it."

Oh, okay.

On our way home, filled with salad, pizza, and birthday cake, we were just pulling into town when this song came on the radio, and Jordan started poking me. In this relationship, I am the music lover, so when a song actually stands out to my husband, I know it is worth listening to.

Product Review: Better Than Bouillon

That's right. It's time for another review! Recipe and product reviews are always my favorites; however, product reviews can be extremely frustrating. The other day, our vacuum cleaner (that Jordan bought for $60 or so four years ago for his "bachelor pad") breathed its last breath. Actually, it refused to breathe at all, which led to its promptly being thrown in the dumpster. Or promptly sitting out on the porch for a couple of days before we decided that no one was fooled--we were not going to vacuum the porch.

While looking at vacuum cleaners online and scanning through hundreds of reviews, I became somewhat agitated as I discovered the dark side of consumer reviews. It loosely relates to Newton's Third Law of Physics:  to every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction. In this case, for every positive, glowing review of a product there is always an equal and completely opposite and degrading review. For instance, the vacuum cleaner you just read about has industrial-strength suction...but is also so extremely wimpy that you might as well just buy a broom for all the good this product will do for you.

Now, on to my product review: Superior Touch's "Better Than Bouillon." 

Better than Bouillon Concentrated Stocks are made from meat (or vegetables). This gives them a richer, more robust flavor than ordinary bouillons or soup bases. Our Chicken tastes like Chicken because it IS Chicken; our beef tastes like beef because it IS beef. No Fat, Lower Sodium: Better Than Bouillon Concentrated Stocks are fat free and have 1/3 less salt than ordinary bouillons.

Superior Touch's repertoire includes their premium bases, such as chicken, beef, lobster, vegetable, or chili; organic bases; vegetarian bases, such as No Beef Base and No Chicken Base; all-natural, reduced sodium bases; and kosher bases.

I first heard of this option for stock or broth from the infamous blog, The Julie/Julia Project. We don't always have the time or initiative to make our own stock, and sometimes you just leave it off of your grocery list. Better Than Bouillon has the look and consistency of baby food and can easily be used by adding one teaspoon to eight ounces of boiling water. Or, if you are making something in the crock pot, just throw some in there with some water. :) I only have the chicken and the beef base, but I truly think that it does work wonders. My dishes have yet to come out salty, and I always have some on hand for impromptu recipes (Jordan has taken to making a lot of noodle soups). At grocery stores I have only seen the chicken, beef, and vegetable bases, but would be very interested in trying their chili or mushroom bases. Perhaps I'll find them at the new Trader Joe's that opened up in West Des Moines?

Contemplating the Glory of God

Someone else shared this with me, so I thought I would share it with you--that you might also "contemplate the glory of God." 

P.S. I think you should read this while listening to this song. :)

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
—Philippians 2:5-8

This text is set apart in its description of Jesus becoming a human being. It seems that often readers focus so much on the humility of Christ detailed in verses 6-8 that the exaltation of Christ in verses 9-11 only plays the part of an exegetical crescendo. The grammatical connection between verses 6-8 and verses 9-11 is an obvious "therefore." But there is also a conceptual connection unpacked in verses 9-11 that I think sheds light on how we understand what precedes the "therefore" in verses 6-8.

Richard Bauckham's essay, God Crucified, has really helped me to understand that Paul's primary concern is not Jesus' what-ness, but his who-ness, or identity. Paul alludes to Isaiah 45:23 in verses 9-11 and declares that Jesus is the divine identity. Jesus is raised from the dead by the Father and His divine identity is proclaimed—Jesus is the LORD, the one true God to whom one day all flesh will come.

If Paul's concern is the identity of Christ rather than the faculties of his deity, how would this affect our reading of Jesus' humiliation? I think that because the issue is about divine identity that the "equality with God" in verse 6 is less about the divine privileges of how much "god-ness" Jesus gave up, and more about how He yielded the vindication of His identity to the Father.

The glory of Jesus' humiliation was not Him coming to earth as anything less than who He was. Jesus was not God with His 'arms tied behind his back,' nor did He renounce his deity in some type of kenotic cleverness. The glory of Jesus' humiliation was that He did everything that He did as God. The wonder of the cross is not the death of a man who was the shadow of deity, but the death of God who had become a man. It was God as a man who hung there and heard the scoffing:

“He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He is the Christ of God, His Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up and offering Him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” (Luke 23:35-37)

And yet Jesus was silent. He humbled Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross. His identity was challenged and He opened not his mouth. Here is humility: Silent to His death. Silent to His grave. Silent for three days. Silent until the Father raised Him from the dead and declared Him to be the Son of God in power!

© 2010 Desiring God

My New Pet Peeve

The other day, I was at the mall looking for different pieces to put together my Halloween costume.

While I was there, I discovered the most hideous new trend in fashion:

Jeggings.

Jeggings are leggings that are made to look like tight denim jeans. Okay, so they look pretty good on that girl. But I'm sure that less than one percent of the population can pull them off; however, we all know that something like thirty percent of them will try it anyway. Just when it seemed like fashion was starting to favor those erring on the side of modesty, it seems like pants are getting tighter and dresses are getting shorter. Which wouldn't be so much of a problem if, while looking for a dress, you found one that actually looked like you could sit down in it.

I'm all for being trendy, but I guess I'm not girlie enough because, when push comes to shove, I will usually choose function first and fashion second.

Hand Sanitizer

Autumnal

I don't know why, but I really like that word:  autumnal. :)

Last Saturday, our church held a little family fall festival as a way to fellowship together and reach out to our community. There were inflatables for the kiddos:

There were also some really neat areas set up with different games, experiments, crafts, face-painting, and the like:

I believe they were making lava lamps here.

Ah, the joust! Always reminiscent of fall, doncha think?

Plinko!

And, what is fall without at least one hayride?

Of course, you cannot have a gathering without food! We had a chili cook-off as well as a pie-judging contest (neither of which I participated in--I made brownies--but I did partake of them!). And hot dogs. Yum.

Our Awana group had a dunk tank for children to dunk their leaders and such. For every friend a child brought to Awana, they received one free throw at the target--hopefully achieving this:

Talk about dedication!

One of the men in our church, a chemistry professor, gave a little chemistry show for kids and their parents. There was foam, explosions, and even a gospel message through it all.

A chemical version of the wordless bracelet.
...Look at that lab coat!

It was a perfect day for being out in the sun, eating, and talking with friends. I even saw some new faces!

Long or Short?

Right now, my hair is at that frustrating middle stage:

Sometimes, I really want to grow it out, and sometimes, I just want to chop it all and get rid of it. So, I guess I what I want to know is, "What do you think?" Should I let it grow out?

Or cut it short again?

Post your opinion by checking out my poll on the right!

The Grand Tour

It seems like it was only yesterday that I posted about getting settled in and how I would soon have pictures for you. After having our friend, Vern, stay over Monday through Tuesday during his 20-days-on/eight-days-off schedule (yikes!), I decided to finally take some pictures while the place was all in order. :) So, with what little battery I had left, I flitted about the apartment, quickly snapping photos before supper and rushing off to Awana. Instead of posting all of them here, I made a little slideshow for your viewing enjoyment! The pictures are a little grainy because of the lighting and my hurried state causing me to not always wait for the camera to get into focus. There are still some things that I want to change, but in general, I am pretty satisfied with how everything has turned out.  I may be a little prejudiced, though--in the words of Jane Austen, "How quick come the reasons for approving what we like!" Nonetheless, enjoy!

P.S. Check out the dresser Jordan made! His plan is to make a whole bedroom set for us. :D

"Our Home"

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Album Review: "Until The Whole World Hears"--Casting Crowns

I wish I could just gush about this album. Jordan's sister gave it to him as a gift for Christmas, and I fell in love with it! I have always enjoyed Casting Crowns' music--it is hard-hitting and truthful, with amazing instrumentals and vocals. And while I don't often listen to their first album (their six-year-old debut), I find that I can never really tire of their songs because they never stop being true and I always need to hear what they have to say.

The title of Crowns' fourth studio album, Until The Whole World Hears, comes from lead singer and songwriter Mark Hall's mentor, who would always end his e-mails with the phrase. This is the rocky single many people have heard on the radio calling listeners to "ready yourselves"--you know, the one with all the "Whoa-oa-oas" and some excellent electric guitar riffs. :) The second track on the album "If We've Ever Needed You" is a song about crying out to God in desperate need. This song is followed by "Always Enough," a sweet, piano-led melody inspired by a student in Hall's youth group who lost his father in Afghanistan. The line "In a dry and weary land, Lord, You are the rain" ends the song and, I think, sums up its message. 

"Joyful, Joyful" is a fun, rockier version of the 1907 hymn set to Beethoven's classic "Hymn to Joy." You can't help but love the violin on this one, as well as the way the group breaks out during the chorus. And the tracks "At Your Feet" and "Blessed Redeemer," my two favorite songs on Until The Whole World Hears, are filled with striking harmonies that I can never get enough of. I just can't help it--I'm a sucker for good harmony, and violinist Melodee DeVevo does it oh, so well. In fact, my friend, Jenny, and I are going to sing the latter at church on the 17th, which is why this is at the forefront of my mind once again. Not only do I love the story of this 21st century rendition of the 1920's hymn, but I am enamored by the sound, as well.

The song "Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me)" amazingly describes the gospel in the chorus:

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

Based on Psalm 63, "Holy One" is another e-guitar-led tune calling everyone to praise the Holy One--a call Casting Crowns makes difficult to ignore. "To Know You" and "Mercy" are songs that speak of brokenness and finding rest in the One who is enough. You'll find that "Jesus Hold Me Now" is a song based off of the story in Luke 15 about the prodigal son. Mark Hall describes it this way:  "The Prodigal Son is a big story for me. I always thought it was amazing how they never mention his name. That’s because I think he has a lot of names and one of them is Mark." Lastly, you may stumble upon the "secret" song, "Shadow of Your Wings," which is a precursor to Holy One that originated with the youth group band and was one of the first "up-beat rocker songs" Mark had ever written.

Okay, so I know that my reviews are totally prejudiced (I'll admit it, Ryan) nor are they very technical, but I will honestly share whether or not I like something and why. And, honestly, I find it difficult not to like anything on this album. Normally, you have that one song that you always skip, but not on this one (except maybe the secret song, but that doesn't count, does it?). Until The Whole World Hears is an encouraging, convicting collection of songs with just the right variety of slower and up-tempo songs. I love that, in one song, I can feel the electric guitar leading the way, in another the piano, while in another it's the violin--and all of the combinations in between. This is definitely a must-try. Hop on Pandora or Grooveshark and see what I mean!

Digital Devices

I publish the monthly newsletter for our church; in it, I have a small column entitled, "Digital Devices." "Digital Devices" is a continuing segment that aims to provide readers with God-honoring digital and online tools to aid in their pursuit of knowing and loving God and His people. Having a little more space to fill, I wrote the following:

Recently, I have been researching e-readers like the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes and Noble Nook. I love the idea of having so many books at my fingertips at one time, as well as the frugality of acquiring many novels and study materials at half price; however, I do realize that, while the reader may pay for itself in savings, it would also cause me to purchase more books. Researching this product and talking about it with others has caused me to reflect on my conflicting desires. On the one hand, I really would like to possess "the latest thing;" on the other hand, I do not want to feel cheated and would like to know that I am getting my money's worth by not spending more than someone else did. All of this led me to wonder, "How has the evolution of electronics caused us to view wealth and materialism?"

While looking to shed some light on my question, I stumbled upon a dictionary topic about this very subject in the Holman Bible Dictionary by D. Glenn Saul. In it, he discusses the Bible and wealth as well as the Bible and materialism:

The Bible has two basic attitudes toward wealth. In the first place, wealth is acknowledged to be a blessing from God. This can be seen from the witness of the Old Testament. God chose Abram and promised to bless him and make his name great (Genesis 12:1-3). In the process, Abram became rich (Genesis 13:2). Further, we are told that God blessed Isaac; and he became very rich (Genesis 26:12-14). Solomon's wealth was seen as a sign of God's favor (1 Kings 3:13; 1 Kings 10:23). Job, too, was blessed by God, and his wealth increased greatly (Job 42:12).

Saul goes on to say that poverty is not a sign of God's disfavor. "In the parable of the seed and the sower Jesus warned that riches and the pursuit of pleasure may keep some from maturing in the faith. ...Personal worth and success are not to be measured in terms of material wealth or possessions. This is different from the way that the world views possessions." 

© Mattwatt | Dreamstime.com

Clearly, we are supposed to be different from the world in this. It seems that now, more than ever, we face the temptation of wanting "the latest thing." Who wants a second generation version when the fourth generation was just released? Who wants a 36-inch television, when your neighbor has a 50-inch one? Should I upgrade to a Blu-ray Disc player? We say that money has no power over us, then we contradict that with our lives.

When I was sixteen, I dreamt about the fancy cars I wanted. I knew that having a brand-new, shiny vehicle would somehow give me that sigh of contentment. Instead, I got the '94 Geo Metro passed down to me. What a blow.

Now, I realize that there are much better things I could spend my money on than a new car that loses its value so quickly. Yet, I wonder if I consistently invest my money in the things Christ sees value in.

For a while members of the Jerusalem church pooled their resources for the common good (Acts 2:44-45). To provide for the needs of those in their midst, owners of land and property sold it and gave it to the apostles (Acts 4:34-35). While this kind of sharing may not be a requirement, it provides a model for the responsibility that Christians have for one another.

Saul reminds us that Jesus viewed money or wealth as a spiritual power, "identifying wealth as an object of worship, a rival to God." He also reminds us of the encouragement in Hebrews to "Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have (Hebrews 13:5, NRSV)." We have learned that the problem is not with money—the problem is with us. We can easily be led astray by the attraction that we find in the things money can buy. "Paul may be implying that people who love money will resort to all kinds of things to get it. The desire for money has a way of enslaving the person seeking it."  Romans 6:6 tells us that "our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."

Christians are to learn to possess money and not be possessed by it. Wealth is to be channeled into ministries that serve people and spread the gospel. The pursuit of wealth as an end in itself, or the desire for luxury and personal indulgence are evidences of materialism. Christians must take a stand against the persistent idolatry of materialism that focuses on the material stuff of this world and not God.

Showers of Blessing

Alright, let's count them up. This year, I have attended...at least eight showers and would have attended more, had I RSVP'd "yes" to them all. Some of them I've thrown, some of them I've just attended. I love the anticipation of the event--whether it be an upcoming wedding, the birth of a baby, or seeing a newborn grow into a little person. This weekend, I had the privilege of helping with a baby shower for one of my best friends, Annie. 

I met Annie and her twin sister at that camp that keeps making its way into my posts when someone ran up to me and said, "Come on! Come on! You have to meet these 4'11" twin Egyptian girls! They're the same size as you!" A year later, when I was a freshman in college, I looked Annie up to see if I could ride with her to church. Six months later we were good friends, another six months passed and we were roommates, and four-and-a-half years later we would have still been roommates had I not married and acquired a new roommate. :)

I am really thankful for the many friends that I have and how many of them are sincerely close friends that I can say with all truthfulness really know me. 

It was so much fun to see people I hadn't seen in a long time and to see everyone share in the excitement of one person whom they all had in common. My dear friend looked so cute and received a lot of really fun gifts. Plus, her sister made an amazing centerpiece and another friend planned some really fun and creative games.

I have often offered to plan and make the food for showers or parties. For some reason, that's what I feel most comfortable with. But I never remember to take pictures! Why?! Anyway, I like to do themes when I'm making food for a group--something to connect all the items together. It could be as simple as a seasonal or a cultural theme. This time, I picked a theme of "miniature" or "bite-size". Here's my list:

• Roasted red pepper, sesame, and black bean hummuses with white and wheat French bread cubes
• Baby BLTs (cherry tomatoes with a creamy, bacon-y filling)
• Sliced strawberries with fruit dip
• Mini peanut butter pies
• Mocha punch (why just have punch when you could have mocha punch?)

Unfortunately, my camera died after just a few pictures, so I hardly got any food pictures, and absolutely no people photos! Still, I had so much fun and, as much work as it always is, would do it again in a heartbeat. :D

Roasted red pepper, sesame, and black bean hummuses

Baby BLT's...get it? Baby?

Photo Friday

Three-and-a-half years already....

Your Roots Will Make You Strong

Disclaimer:  This will be somewhat long and not a guy-friendly post, so you may want to grab a snack!

For me, 2010 will always be marked by the many weddings I had the joy of participating in. Every wedding has its own personality, and there is usually a sense of the couple's unique love story throughout the day. I do not usually define myself as an overly sentimental person, but getting married has opened my eyes to the wonder and expectation involved in one's wedding day, and I have learned to get wrapped up in the couple's perspective of hope and commitment. 

On our wedding day, Jordan and I chose a passage from Ephesians 3 to define our day, our marriage, and our lives:

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

I love that sentence, "Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong." I would never have gotten married had I not had a confident assurance that the redeeming love of God would be the soil into which the roots of our marriage would grow. So, my greatest joy has been to watch my friends make this same commitment in a way that was theirs alone.

In January, I was a bridesmaid in Beth and Dan's wedding:

This couple had waited quite awhile for their day to come, and when it did, you never saw bigger smiles in your life! One of my favorite aspects of their wedding was seeing Dan lead worship during his own ceremony. I love watching them because I know that they want to always point to God first, and their day was such a testimony of His work in their lives. A winter wedding was so much fun, and little details like silver pine cone necklaces for the bridesmaids added special touches that rounded out the day.

In May, I was a matron (major dislike of that word) of honor in Becky and Jake's wedding:

Becky and Jake's thoughts were on everyone but themselves that day--okay, I know they were thinking about each other quite a bit, but their concerns were for everyone else. Their ceremony was such a special time of honoring the people who have been a godly influence in their lives and a humble expression of their thanks to the One who brought them together. Plus, I love that Becky's decorations (browns, deep orange, and a deep green) were purchased with the intention of later decorating their new home.

In June, I had the privilege of singing in worship at Emily and Brian's wedding, as well as singing a solo during their unity candle ceremony:

I miss Emily and Brian a lot! Soon after their honeymoon, these two moved down south for a job Brian accepted while Emily finishes college. It was so much fun to get to witness these two as they grew in friendship, then see their dating relationship begin, progress, and eventually lead to marriage. Emily and I had many talks about marriage, and I really respect these two for being honest about the struggle involved in building a relationship God's way. Though on their day I was a bit distracted with making sure I did my part right, I loved seeing these two demonstrating love in Christ.

In July, I took a break while Jordan ushered in a Fourth of July weekend wedding.

In August, I embarked on a new venture and coordinated decorations for Bekah and Nate's wedding:

This was my first time experiencing an outdoor wedding. It was amazing to see how God worked everything out for their day. The wedding took place in Bekah's parents' backyard, which was flooded before and after the wedding, but dry for the weekend of the wedding. To me, it felt a little like taking a trip back to the Pride and Prejudice era. There was definitely an ethereal quality to the day; yet, it was also a relaxing time with a picnic reception. One of my favorite aspects of this wedding was the vows these two wrote themselves that reflected their priorities, their perspective on marriage, and their deep joy in each other. Bekah has a wonderful eye for decorating and all things vintage, and helping her vision become real was really enjoyable because of her good taste!

Labor Day weekend, I was again a matron of honor in Ruth and Matt's wedding:

Ruth and Matt's wedding was a perfect balance of solemnity and fun. Their ceremony focused on God and the families that raised them to become the people they are today. When each of their parents came on stage to encircle them in quiet prayer for their new life together, that's when the tears came to my eyes. What an awesome foundation these two have! I really enjoyed their reception and the photo booth that the best man built for the couple so guests could get their pictures taken, too. Another fun aspect of the reception was the way that the host dismissed tables to the buffet lines--someone would draw a table number out of a basket, and when your table number was called, your whole table had to excitedly yell out your number back, or your table would be skipped. :)

I think I may be done with my involvement in weddings for awhile, but after all that shower-throwing and the weddings themselves, I am starting to wonder if my new hobby should be wedding planning.... Any thoughts?

Here are just a few more pictures I can't resist including:

Singing at Emily and Brian's wedding

How cute was Bekah's idea of buttons around the flowers as centerpieces?