I would like to point out that I think I would make an excellent administrative assistant.  I know no one cares.........

However.....would someone please tell me what the CC: in email is used for??  

--da

Change

Let's just face it, I'm not at all...ever...really excited about change.  It usually scares me.  Even if what is changing is something that I have wanted (like getting married) or worked towards (like finishing school), I am still prone to be apprehensive about the change.  

I like structure and routines, maybe a little too much.  Wearing the same thing to work every day is almost nice, and my routine of checking the alarm 3 times before allowing myself to go to sleep is the norm.  (Doesn't every one do that, though?)  I plan menus for dinner for the whole week, and like for my clothes to be organized in the closet by long/short sleeve, pants, jeans, dress shirts, etc.  

Life is comfortable when I pretty much know what to expect.  So when something big comes along, or even something small if I'm totally not expecting it, I flip out and put on the brakes.  My immediate reaction is "No, the old way is fine/just as good," or "Do I really have to do this?".   

And you can tell me all day long that change is good, inevitable, causes growth....And although this may be true, for someone like me, even though I may know it is true, I really won't believe you.  And I won't like change just because you tell me it is okay.  But this is what I was reminded of today.

The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,

Because he trusts in You. 

Trust in the Lord forever,

For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.  (Isaiah 26:3-4)

God will not change.  He is an everlasting Rock.  That's refreshing for someone who doesn't like change.  

--da

If your free October 17-18, you should consider going to this:

Job: When the Righteous Suffer

Hope to see you there.

LRH

The Evolution of Morality?

Upon discussing evolution with a co-worker this question came up:

Evolution is suppose to make organisms more suited for their environment over a period of time. Wouldn't you think that human morality would do the same?

Good preaching...

I commend to you Dr. Martyn Llyod-Jones. He is considered by many to be the best preacher in the 20th century. Half of one of his sermons is made available every week. He preached in England during the 50s - 70s. I have found his insight into the culture of his day to be still extremely relevant into understanding the culture of my day. Enjoy!

Click here:

Llyod-Jones Sermons

LRH

ahhh....Sweet Direction

Daryl-Ann and I got our letter of acceptance from the mission board we desire to serve overseas with (sigh of relief). As of now our exact date of departure from the LBK will be January 28th, 2009 with a field arrival date around the first of April. Please keep us in your thoughts as we make the most of these last few months in our homeland. We are stoked!

LRH

the real me

I think I am safe to say that all Christian people are thankful to God for saving them from destructive sins of the past that they were indeed bound to. And rightly so, it is all of grace that we gain victory from our sinful habits, and God must be praised for it. 

I think it is less often to see a person thankful to God for keeping them from sins that they have never committed, which is also of grace. Within ourselves we all posses the faculties to commit great evils, but thanks to God's sovereign hand he has kept us from such. I need to remind myself to stop and think for a moment what kind of person I would be if God were to leave me completely to myself. If I do not see myself in that moment as such a miserable wretch then I probably do not know myself as I really am, a debauched sinner in desperate need of a Saviour. 

LRH

Time at Work...

I have had the opportunity to have many great conversations with a few of my co-workers, and I have learned so much about the Christian life, and how 'being a Christian' should effect us. Most of our conversations have consisted around the idea of suffering and its effect on our soul. The most profound thing I was struck with today is that Christian life is not merely about what we do and do not do. It is completely what we believe and what we don't believe. What we believe about the Gospel, the nature of God, and the Holy Spirit's work in the world determines how we respond not only to specific situations, but how we live our life. For example, if I have no biblical backing in my heart and head on why suffering and evil exists in the world, then when I am encountered by suffering and evil I will respond no differently than a person who does not know God. Or if I do not know God's revealed desire for the lost peoples of the earth (or my neighbor) then there is no way that I will be rightly motivated to go to the hard places and pay the high cost that is required for people to be brought into God's family. Is that not what Jesus did for me? He paid the highest price for my salvation. If I really believed this I should be willing to bear the cost with him and go. 

Said concisely, being grounded in the revealed heart of God in all things governs my thoughts, actions, and the responses I have to any kind of situation. 

I know what I am saying is nothing new, in fact I think God just opened up to me a verse I have read a hundred times in a real practical way.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good, acceptable and perfect" (Rom 12:2, ESV).

Always learning and re-learning,

LRH

typical irony

For those of you who don't know, I work here in Lubbock at Carillon Senior LifeCare Community.  (You may have seen me on tv...)  I actually work in the food and beverage dept., which I said I would NEVER do.  It is enjoyable, sometimes stressful, but what job isn't?

Anyways, all of that to set the background.  I had to run to the kitchen to look for something in the walk-in this morning, and I totally slipped in a puddle of grease (yes, I did say puddle and grease) and wiped out.  No injuries, though.

Ironically, there was a "safety" meeting this afternoon...where we learned all about how to not slip in the kitchen.  

--dh

By the way, I agree whole heartedly with Logan's previous post about the Lewis book.  It was incredible.  

Our Lewis Hook

Over the years I have heard countless people speak of their appreciation for C.S. Lewis. I have  spent time in many of his books and have had the hardest time seeing what the big deal was. I could tell the claims he was making were powerful and truthful, but I was not gripped by them as most others seemed to be. Honestly I think he is in another intellectual class altogether and I cannot reach that high. Nevertheless, I decided to try again, this time with a book that I picked up at Barnes and Noble called Till We have Faces: A Myth Retold. 

I must say that this was one of the most gripping books I have ever read, and most profound. It was Lewis' last piece of fiction and he considered it his greatest. I read it in a few short days (very unusual for me), and enjoyed every minute of it.

I am not going to go into what it is about or even the focus of the book. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves good fiction that aims at stirring your affections, and may have a hard time appreciating the works of Lewis.  The moment I was finished with it I gave to it Daryl-Ann and she finished it in half the time I finished it (which is normal), and we were able to have good conversation and mutually appreciate the man, C. S. Lewis.

LRH