Sometimes...

you hear exactly the song you need exactly when you need it.

Listen...

Lord I Need You
by Chris Tomlin

Lord I come, I confess
Bowing here I find my rest
Without You I fall apart
You're the one that guides my heart

Lord, I need You, oh I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are Lord I am free
Holiness is Christ in me
Yes where You are Lord I am free
Holiness is Christ in me

Lord, I need You, oh I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

So teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way
And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You
Jesus You're my hope and stay
And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You
Jesus You're my hope and stay

Lord, I need You, oh I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Lord, I need You, oh I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Does it really matter?

During our weeks of fun, Charlie and I have started doing some little Bible lessons to make the most of the time we have together and ensure that he doesn't forget how to learn over the next two years at home with mom.

The focus of the curriculm we are using is "We Can Trust the Bible" and it has really opened my eyes to the need to not only believe that the Bible is from God, but to know it well enough to use it to explain to others why it is so important.  Not surprisingly, we've been doing the same study (though age appropriate) during my Monday night ladies' study (you all know how I get when I am interested in something). 

Below are last night's notes.  Just some food for thought for anyone who might question if it matters whether or not Christians know the Bible.

The Bible Is Complete

Q: If you could time travel, what one Biblical event would you like to witness in person?

• Origin of the Bible (II Timothy 3:16-17 & II Peter 1:19-21)
• God through the Holy Spirit inspired ordinary men (prophets) to record His words.
• The recorded words are inspired Scripture.
• Scripture is for each of our individual benefit. 
• The Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32)
• Setting
• 2 Disciples (Cleopas & ?) and Jesus
• Between Jerusalem and Emmaus (7 miles)
• Easter Sunday (after He appared to ladies and Peter)
• Mood: Disappointment/Sadness
• Disciples knew He had died and that it was the third day
• Disciples had expected Him to "redeem" them from Rome (expecting earthly, not heavenly kingdom)
• Jesus' Response: Disappointment/Rebuke
• Same as He gave to Pharisees, "didn't you read the Scripture?!?"
• Explains to them how He was present from the beginning
• Examples from Scripture that He may have used 
• Beginning (John 1:1)
• Fall (Genesis 3:15)
• Exodus (I Corinthians 10:4)
• Prophecy of Abused, Beaten & Crucified Messiah (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53)
• Prophecy of Righteousness & Healing (Malachi 4:2-3)
• Jesus' Point - Scripture testifies to His life, death and resurrection, if it is understood
• Jeremiah & the Scroll (Jeremiah 36:1-4, 17-31)
• Type of Literature - History
• Who did God command to write His word: Jeremiah
• Who wrote the word: Baruch
• Message: God will judge Israel & Judah; they must repent before it is too late
• Overseers response: Urged them to hide & hid the scroll before telling King about it
• Jehoiakim's response: Cut up & Burned it; did not take it seriously
• Others' response: Mixed (36:25)
• God's response: Protected Jeremiah & Baruch, inspired Jeremiah a second time
• Key: Did King believe it was the word of God? no;
• Did God consider His lack of understanding/faith a legitimate reason/defense for his actions? No (36:30-31)
• Big Picture: God preserved His word
• Does He still? Yes - Dead Sea Scrolls
• 24,000 partial and complete manuscripts found in Qumran in 1947
• Prior to 1947 oldest Isaiah manuscript dated 980 AD
• Found Isaiah manuscript dated to 150 BC
• 2 manuscripts 95% the same
• Conclusion
• Does/should Jesus' view of the saving power of Scripture change our view/use of Scripture?
• Does/should God's miraculous preservation of Scripture for thousands of years change our view/use of Scripture?
• Final Question: If given the chance to use one single Biblical Passage to defend the need for Scripture, what would you choose?
• Group responses: John 3:16; Romans 10; II Timothy 3:16-17
• Rich Man & Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) - shows the horror of separation from God after death, and Jesus' teaching that those who don't believe the teachings of the Scripture would be no more inclined to believe (and be saved) if someone were to return from the dead and tell them

"The failure to know the Jesus of the Scriptures is to know only the Jesus of our imagination."

 - Chester A. McCalley 

Best Conversation Ever

This morning as Jason got ready for work and I sipped my coffee on the couch, Charlie asked random questions as usual...

Charlie: Mommy, who is your boss?
Mommy: (laughing) Well, Daddy is. 
Charlie: No.  Who is your other boss?
Mommy: (a bit perplexed)  Buddy, I don't have another boss.
Charlie: Yes, you do!
Mommy: Oh, you mean Mr. David.  Well, he's not Mommy's boss anymore.
Charlie: Yes, he is!
Mommy: No, Sweetie.  You see, he's still my friend, but he's not my boss anymore.
Charlie: Why not?
Mommy: Well, I don't work for that company any more.  (laughing again)  They fired me!
Charlie: Oh, noooo.  Why did they fire you?
Daddy:  Buddy, they just had too many people working there and had to let some go.
Charlie: Buy why you, Mommy?
Mommy: Because I was the big winner!  (laughing harder)
Charlie: You won????  Yay, Mommy!  (giving a thumbs up)

Jason quietly shakes his head and goes on about packing his bag.

And for any readers who may not have either heard and/or guessed, yes my "retirement" is official -- for the next two years at least.  Since my "sweet deal" with CenturyLink ended, and Jason and I realized how much sweeter it is to spend all my time with my favorite three-year-old, Charlie and I will be hip and hip until kindergarden.   

Memory Lapse...

Clearly, Charlie enjoyed himself in September...

Despite the trauma of last spring, we put Charlie in soccer again.  Maybe our friend Kelley was right -- maybe the problem last year was the shoes, because this year he is having a ball.  And yes, that is my son you see actually touching the soccer ball!  While he will run with it a bit, defense is definitely his preferred position -- he just loves denying goals to his buddies Sully & Landon -- hopefully he'll do as well when the games start!

And since we're home for now, Charlie and I signed up for a Childrens' Museum membership and have been spending Tuesdays there with our good friends Calvin, Claire and Mrs. Sophie.  Basically, the boys muddle through French class and then go crazy in the castle and on the pirate ship and fire truck -- usually making for an exhausting morning, but well worth it!

One of our September highlights was our trip to KC.  As always, it was jam-packed with fun, but the purpose of the visit was to celebrate with cousin Patrick and his new wife Claya.  Sadly, I managed to get no pictures of them, but here we are dancing the night away at their reception.

And of course, we managed to squeeze in a bunch more fun in our 2 1/2 days in KC with a trip to Deanna Rose for tractor races, a hayride, goats and slides.

And finally the most questionable (but perhaps the most fun) event of the month was Charlie's first shooting trip.   I can't really explain how my opinion went from "Absolutely not!" to, "I think he'd really enjoy it..." over the course of a morning, but enjoy it he did.  After all, what is better than hanging out with Daddy, PaPa, Uncles and Cousins and making things go boom?

Creepy...

Charlie thinks of it as "the potty book", but to Jason and me it is one of the creepiest books ever written.  Most of you parents with young children in the last couple decades know the one, "I love you forever, I like you for always, etc etc."

Don't get me wrong, it starts out really sweet with a mom rocking her sweet infant and still loving him just as much when he terrorizes the bathroom (aka Charlie's favorite part). 

I'm sure many parents find the subsequent scenes just as endearing, but from our first reading Jason and I just couldn't help but shudder at the thought of either of our moms hauling a ladder across town (or across the country in our cases), climbing in through our window and rocking one of us in our sleep. 

Seriously, my mom is one of my three favorite people in the whole wide world, but if she showed up in my bedroom in the middle of the night I would probably have her committed -- no telling what Jason would do if he woke out of a deep sleep to find her there.

So as loving parents, we consistently hid this book, and I think it might have permanently "gone missing" at some point -- it was just too weird for us -- but last week en route home from Kansas City (and yes, I do plan to eventually post pictures) I had a shocking realization.

Charlie zonked towards the end of our first flight, so I carried him off the plane and since my shoulders are so much narrower than Daddy's, he's only comfortable if I carry him lying across my arms like a baby. 

As we were walking up the jetway I joked to Jason that if he'll let me, I'll still carry him this way when he's 17.  Jason just rolled his eyes, and the image of the little gray haired woman in the book rocking her grown son came to mind (and as white hairs have started appearing this summer, was all too real!)

I am the creepy old lady!

 

 

And yes, I do still find it creepy, but I have a feeling that given the opportunity I would be overjoyed to rock my 43 year old baby in my arms when I'm in my mid 70s.  Hopefully I will stop short of climbing through his bedroom window...  (and yes, I believe this would be an appropriate time for everyone to say a prayer for patience, grace and love for my future daughter-in-law).

 

I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always.

As long as I'm living

my baby you'll be.