At what cost?

Francis Chan speaking on Luke 14...

Don't start this Christianity thing and then leave halfway. Once you go , "Oh, I didn't know it was going to be this hard." It's like going to war. You don't start the battle and go "Huh. I should have never done this." Think about it ahead of time. I love this battle analogy, I love this war analogy, because we've forgotten what Christianity is. We forget that we're a part of an army and that's why there's so much complaining when it gets difficult because we thought Christianity was going to be this, or it would be that. We complain because things don't go the way we thought they were going to because someone misled us and told us that this life was going to be full of good things and easy things and fun things rather than suffering like Jesus said it would be. Can you imagine if a soldier was in the middle of a battle and he comes running to the general or the commanding officer out of the battlefield and goes "Man, those guys are shooting things at me! This guy threw this thing and it exploded everywhere!" Well, what did you expect? We're in a war here. I get these people who go to church and complain about this, this, and this. You guys, we are at war. Jesus wants us to understand where we are going. We may go to the cross. This is what you've signed up for... Don't sign up for this battle unless you're ready to die for it. Jesus tells us, if you are not willing to pick up the cross and die for me, I don't have a use for you.

How far are we willing to go for Jesus?

It might cost us the financial freedom we thought we had.
It might cost us the comfortable farmhouse we fixed up with vintage flooring and creaky stairs.
It might cost us hours of practicing lines of scripture and ironing costumes and rewriting scripts to share the Resurrection story.
It might cost us our friends who tell us we've crossed the line.
It might cost us our pride to repent and accept salvation freely.
It might cost us our spare room and laundry detergent to give someone a home.
It might cost us six weeks at boot camp obeying orders from a drill instructor.
It might cost us to take a shaky step of faith into an unknown future.

It's Good Friday and Jesus is bearing the cross of our iniquities. He was able to finish the task His Father set before Him because he knew there was to be victory after He drew His last breath. And THAT'S why we can bear ours.

It's official.

Saltwater season has arrived.

I bought mine ten years ago when we went to California for a wedding. $39.95 divided by ten years equals a penny a day. If you're bored, just pretend my whole post is said with an Australian accent.

"Though I've only had them for about ten years, they are probably the coolest thing I've ever come across."

Go big or go home.

Let me just begin by saying that I recognize my problem. In my medical book under personality disorders it is labeled "grandiosity." And so it begins...

My $100 digital camera fell off of the island and now makes a buzzing noise when turned on and will not take pictures or show anything on the screen.

And so I begin Google-ing.

The smart decision is to go with the same brand camera because I did that the last time and now I have two camera chargers and two batteries.

So this would be the smartest route:But this is what I really want:

But this is what I really really want:

A friend gave me a Polaroid Land Camera 80A because she was going through her grandma's stuff and found the camera still in the box and thought it looked just like me. I really really really want to save my money and get it refurbished at landcameras.com.

But after perusing several hip photography blogs for cool cameras I have decided.

THIS is what I really really really really want:

To start a business that would convert vintage cameras into digital point and shoots.

There is a niche for people that have wads of money and Photoshop and can make anything look professional or a niche for people that only use film cameras or a niche for restoring Polaroid cameras. But no niche for someone like me that just wants a cool vintage digital camera that is not a little silver box.

Here's where the problem comes to light... I have spent all morning researching and I began to get the feeling that I was on to the next big thing. BUT I still don't have a simple camera to post photos on my blog. And now I am depressed because that is what happens when people that struggle with grandiosity are "confronted by a failure to fulfill their high opinion of themselves."

I hope YOU have a great day. I really really really really really need to be sewing.

P.S. I can't ever post a blog without feeling the need to Jesus-Juke myself.

1 Corinthians 4:7-8 The Message
For who do you know that really knows you, knows your heart? And even if they did, is there anything they would discover in you that you could take credit for? Isn't everything you have and everything you are sheer gifts from God? So what's the point of all this comparing and competing? You already have all you need...

I do. I truly feel that I have all I need. Anything else is pure wants. I am very thankful for everything God has blessed our family with and I have no desire to appear ungrateful.

P.P.S. I used the blog CameraLuv to get my pictures. Because I don't have a camera of my own. Remember? :)

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Snow Day for Dad:
Work. Play guitar with "the band."

Snow Day for Mom:
Sleep in. Big pot of coffee. Knit. Shower and then put pajamas BACK on. Wii. Snack.

Snow Day for Finn:
Sleep in. Put robe on. Watch movie. Wii. Eat glazed donuts when hungry.

Snow Day for Drew:
Check weather at 6 am. Pile on snow clothes to check the potential for snowboarding. Undress. Wake everyone up. Pile on snow clothes. Check trap while snowboarding. Drag trap and raccoon back to house on snowboard. Skin coon. Tan hide. Undress. Dress. Undress. Dress. Undress. Collapse into bed completely worn out and happy.

To each his own.

I am pretty sure Drew has a plan for where the coon skin will go.

That self tanned squirrel skin gives me the creeps. I would NEVER EVER hang a dead animal above my pillow for fear of what might drop into my mouth at night.

But, hey. To each his own.

Grace like Raine.

channing raine

channie banannie

channie chan chan

channie

chan

Finn said it the best.
"And now Channing is the youngest in our family."

If you want to get technical, she's his double third cousin. But I don't like technicalities.

We are praising God for the marvelous works of His hands. Welcome to the world Channing Raine. We accept the honor of being some of your prayer warriors and biggest fans.

Hallelujah.

Maybe? Baby?

Just a LITTLE bit longer until we see your face.

Just a LITTLE bit longer until we smell your skin.

Just a LITTLE bit longer until we squish your chubby legs.

Just a LITTLE bit longer until we hear your wimpy cries.

Just a LITTLE bit longer until we burrito your blanket.

Just a LITTLE bit longer until we make the drive to Lewis Gale with butterflies of excitement.

Just a LITTLE bit longer until we can stop praying for safe delivery and start praying for your growth in Christ.

We love you already baby girl. Looking forward to spending the rest of the winter snuggling with the new babe in town.

Praying for Kevin, Regina, Macy, Laurie, Maddie, and Jude Tucker. Hang in there just a LITTLE bit longer! God makes everything beautiful in His time.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. Ecclesiastes 3: 1-14 NIV

Good intentions

I think that God looks at my intentions like I look at my yarn stash. There is the potential for good works, but right now they are just sitting there looking pretty. I've done the research, watched Youtube videos to learn new stitches, printed out patterns, and I know the lingo (k1, p2, yo, bind off) but every time I sit down to start a project I choke. "What if I run out of yarn? My circular needles are too long. Is this what I want to do with this color? What if it doesn't fit? I know, I'll make a hat for the new baby. No, I really want to make a sweater for the new baby. But wool is itchy and I don't have cotton."

I found notes on a sermon that said it better than I could... the only changes I made was to put in the current year.

I’m sure many of us have made New Years resolutions for 2011 with good intentions. Yet, how many of us have started on them? Or, failed in the first week of this year? Good intentions are good because it’s in our hearts; however, there’s more to just having good intentions. In fact it’s important to God for us to move beyond our intentions. And, He was pretty serious about them.

“'What do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, “Son, go work today in the vineyard.” And he answered, “I will not”; but afterward he regretted it and went. The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, “I will, sir”; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.’” (Mat. 21:28-31)

Isn’t this interesting? This scripture shows us a contrast between good intentions and moving beyond good intentions. In this scripture Jesus was conversing with the Pharisees. As it goes, the first son said he’d go, but didn’t. Later, he felt bad and moved beyond good intentions. Whereas, the second son said he’d go and then didn’t. Most importantly, the one who did the will of the father was the defining difference. This teaches us was about bridging the gap between intentions and action.

This also tells us the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before the Pharisees. Why? Well although the Pharisees were filled with good intentions, they did nothing with their intentions. The same goes for us in 2011. How many of us are serious about getting beyond good intentions? If you are, you are well on your way.

I've hesitated making resolutions this year, because why should I set myself up to fail? I do it every year, I make the list and then by the time I've flipped to my February calendar I have already forgotten them. I pray that when 2012 arrives, Lord willing, I will be able to look back and see that I have acted on my good intentions...

study DAILY. pray HARDER. give WILLINGLY. eat LESS. get STRONGER. knit MORE. blog WEEKLY. clean BETTER. sew FASTER.

Why does this sound so much like Daft Hands?