How might I be Justified before Almighty God?

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'The just shall live by faith.'"

By faith alone, through His grace alone, for His glory alone.

Faith: Belief in Jesus Christ, God's son, fully God who humbled Himself, became man, killed by men, took the wrath and punishment of God ONE time, dead for 3 days, rose on third, ascended to heaven and there He sits at the right hand of the God the Father.

Grace: God demonstrated His grace by sending His son Jesus to be a man, die, take the punishment that the just God must give, and we are now not only forgiven but adopted as heirs - as sons of God, just as Jesus Christ.

His Glory: Why would God do all of this?  Because He is perfect, holy, righteous, and it declares His glory to the world.  He's the main thing.

How am I to be saved?  Only through faith.  Only by making Him Lord/Master of your life.  Going to church, paying money to the church, confessing your sins, believing that Jesus existed, taking part in communion, or living a good life, or any other work isn't enough, one must have faith, must submit as a slave to the great Master who is perfectly good, loving, holy, righteous, just, powerful . . .

I found Fall in California!!

I found this tree this morning. How pretty watching the leaves drift off of it gently to the ground . . . 

My View the last 4 Days

I wasn't quite as successful as I had hoped in getting 20 hats made Thursday, but that's ok.  I figured a lot of stuff out.  Today Joey came back from a trip to MN where my parents, Natey boy, and Mikey (my nephew) were visiting my grandma and brought me back 21 hats that I had all ready to go from home.  So, my count as of right now is 42 hats.  It doesn't look like that many pinned up on the wall, but it's a lot.  I'm not sure the burlap will hold up too well.

The James 2 Project, as it's been called for a couple of years, started when we were in AK.  It was either dark all day and cold (which was cozy) or light all day and cool.  We were in the middle of nowhere according to most standards, were on the verge of being friendless, although God provided a few select very dear friends, and there really wasn't much to do.  (Although, honestly we did learn to entertain ourselves quite successfully, but those stories are for another time).  James 2:14-17 says "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?  Can faith save him?  If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?  Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." After reading these verses, I was challenged to do something.  I didn't want to just sit around and be cold and lonely, but to do something active and slightly crazy.  Reading Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris had an impact on my moving too.  After talking to my parents, I decided to put my crochet/knitting skills to work as a ministry.  

The project has developed from collecting 200 hats for Samaritan's Purse to hand out to destitute children the first year to collecting 100 hats and some Children's Bibles for some particular children in a particular place in Russia this year.  I'm excited.                                                                                                                                                                                                                              The point of the ministry is to show Christ's love in a very simple way by giving the gospel, hats, and Bibles to a group of orphans in Russia. 

 James 1:27 says: "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."  This is just a bit of a round about, long distance way to practice "visiting the orphans."  Wanna help?  Let me know :)

    

Wedesday

Outreach Week = Ministry = No Classes = No Roomate = Take Over the Room = James 2 Project = 100 Hats = Ufda!

Actually though, I only got 4 made yesterday! Do you think 20 for today is too big of a goal?  Not me!

Nora Jane

"You are so precious to me, sweet as can be, grandbaby of mine" Author: Dumbo

Vanity of Self Improvement: Session 2

Yesterday I was listening to a John Macarthur sermon on principles for giving.  He pointed out many valid, biblical reason we are to want to give as Christians.  As always, he went through a lot of scripture, but 2 Corinthians 2:9 stood out to me in light of the way I was treated this weekend.  "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver."  I think that was the kind of giving that the people I was with this weekend practiced.  No grudges, no guilt trips, no future expectations.  Money was given, time was given, acts of kindness were given quickly and simply because God laid it on their heart.

Session 2: Ecclesiastes 2:12-17

• Wisdom is better than foolishness, but wisdom is not the best.  Even wisdom can become an idol. 
• Madness: people get so tired of dealing with pressure of the world and they revert to complete madness
• Folly: lacking biblical sense; doing morally wrong and thinking nothing of it; rude, crude, obstinate (knowing the truth and refusing to do it). 
• Wisdom not his pursuit - Proverbs 17:24
• Wisdom not his passion - Proverbs 17:16
• No delight in wisdom - Proverbs 18:2, 1:22
• Not protected by it - Proverbs 1:32
• Even wisdom, as good as it is, cannot be ultimate priority because one event happens to all: death. 
• Only in death can we reach everything we were ever intended to be.  
• There are three types of remembering: 
• Metal understanding
• Active remembering
• audible speaking (verbal) 
• Solomon's "remembering" is the verbal.  
• God remembers you.  He pays attention to you forever.  That is the wisdom that escapes Solomon.  
• Hate for life: this is not a genuine depression or intense dislike. Just a stark contrast to love.  He is not fulfilled by it.  It failed to bring him meaning, so he is dissapointed.  This is a confession of failure.  
• Conclusion: 
• Wisdom will make you happier than foolishness.  
• "It is better" are different than the words "It is best."
• The wise die just like the fool, but see that even though all men die alike, not all men live alike.  Live in wisdom and joy rather than as a fool. 

Gabe's Iwo Jima

Gabriel Isaac Bueno.....Age 5

Favorite Things: building things, reading, soccer, and mud

Vanity of Self Indulgence: Session 1

This weekend, I had the privilege of going on a retreat with my new bible study Foundation.  I was blessed by all the people who put out and served me.  Honestly, I have never experienced such true, genuine, Christ-centered love from so many people at the same time.  It was quite the experience.  On the way back last night, we were talking in the car about why in the world the weekend had been such a blessing.  The conclusion was that it was because this genuine, selfless fellowship of believers for the sake of Christ is a very good earthly picture of what heaven will be like.

I was thinking about putting everything in one post, but I think it would be too long.  So I'll just mention a couple of things now and a couple of things later.

Johnathan Rourke was the main speaker and I loved hearing from him again.  He left GCC a little over a year ago and I have missed his passionate love of the word.  He reminds me in some peculiar way of CJ Mahaney.  Just a little anyway.

Ecclesiastes 2 was the passage of the retreat and John spoke for three sessions.

The title of these sermons was Disappointing Discoveries.

Session 1: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

• Holy Scriptures give divine examples that we can look up to and learn wisdom from.  
• Solomon is the great example.  
• He was wise enough to enjoy some things to their peak and then stop.  He guarded himself with wisdom.  
• "The quicker we come to the reality that we will die and be forgotten, then the quicker we will have an eternal perspective and have the mindset we're supposed to." 

Just 3 Cowgirls

We had fun this summer when our friend Sam (Samantha) visited us for a week. One of the highlights was going to the rodeo and donning our cowgirl attire. Two years ago Sam lived with us for the summer and worked in Blanco. It was a time of growth for all of us. Sam was growing up. We were getting used to living in Texas. Sam became part of our family that summer. We laughed, cried, argued (just a bit), and learned from each other. Sam is heading into new ventures in life. The kind of ventures almost every young lady wants out of life. We love you Sam. We're thankful for your part in our home.

The Art of Cupping

Home Ec Buddies!!!

The Aftermath

I don't do finals . . . I do projects.

Now Why This Fear?

A couple of weeks ago, I was at church and was introduced to this song.  Enfield is a group that sings at my fellowship group (or Sunday school type thing) at Grace Community Church.  They sang this song from Sovereign Grace Music.  It's called, Now Why This Fear?  It came in a timely manner for me as I have been struggling with trusting in God's eternal plan, in His love, in His will.  He is good.  I am inherently sinful.  I am deserving of hell.  He sacrificed Himself on my behalf to justify me before the Righteous Judge (Himself).  I know all that.  I'm thankful, but I have a hard time living it.  I have a hard time believing it.  What an amazing reminder this song was to me.  Singing this song to myself allows me to talk God's truth to myself.  To talk to myself and not listen to myself is a good thing.  If you are struggling with trusting in God and in His love, learn the words, and sing it praying it to God.  I hope it blesses you as much as it did me!

 Now Why This Fear?

Verse 1
Now why this fear and unbelief?
Has not the Father put to grief
His spotless Son for us?
And will the righteous Judge of men
Condemn me for that debt of sin
Now canceled at the cross?

Chorus
Jesus, all my trust is in Your blood
Jesus, You’ve rescued us
Through Your great love

Verse 2
Complete atonement You have made
And by Your death have fully paid
The debt Your people owed
No wrath remains for us to face
We’re sheltered by Your saving grace
And sprinkled with Your blood

Bridge
How sweet the sound of saving grace
How sweet the sound of saving grace
Christ died for me

Verse 3
Be still my soul and know this peace
The merits of your great high priest
Have bought your liberty
Rely then on His precious blood
Don’t fear your banishment from God
Since Jesus sets you free

credits

from The Gathering: Live from WorshipGod11, released 15 November 2011
Music, and alt. and additional words by Doug Plank, original verses by Augustus Toplady (1772)
© 2011 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP)

Faerie Queene

“. . . as soon as I looked out of the window, a gush of wonderment and longing flowed over my soul like the tide of a great sea. Fairy Land lay before me, and drew me towards it with irresistible attraction. The trees bathed their great heads in the waves of the morning, while their roots were planted deep in gloom; save where on the borders the sunshine broke against their stems, or swept in long streams through their avenues, washing with brighter hue all the leaves over which it flowed; revealing the rich brown of the decayed leaves and fallen pinecones, and the delicate greens of the long grasses and tiny forests of moss that covered the channel over which it passed in motionless rivers of light.”(MacDonald, 1858)

Home Economics-Family and Consumer Sciences 

Flat Pattern Design 

Charity Jacobson 

 MacDonald, G. (1858). VII. In G. MacDonald, Phantastes (p. 91). London: Smith, Elder and Co.