I finally get to see pictures of her, which makes me even more desirous of seeing her in person! Thanks to Tony for sending these to me!
Here she is in all her cuteness:
Sleepy!
One Beautiful Family
Great Grandparents
Foods!
Man, God is so good.
My beautiful niece (I have yet to see her, but I just have a hunch), Reece Lee, was born less than an hour ago (at 1:17 pm MST)! She’s a healthy 8 pounds, 1 ounce, and (middle) named after her mother and her father’s grandmother. Labor was just over 4 hours, and my sis is doing well!
I really wish I could be there with everyone, but am so thankful that God blessed Reece with good health and an uncomplicated birth.
Reece, I love you already and am so excited to meet/hold/kiss you!
I have a mission trip coming up in mid-September and there’s a need for someone to lead singing/worship, preferably with a guitar. I’ve been wanting to learn guitar for a long time, but just haven’t been disciplined in sticking with it, and this would obviously be a good time.
So, particularly for you guitar players out there, how realistic is it that I could pick up just the basics in time, and what’s the best method to do so? Lessons? Watch YouTube guitarists? Forget the guitar and buy a ghetto blaster? Help me out!
Thanks in advance!
If you’re like me, you grew up in the church. You learned Christianese as your second language, you have the “good kid” routine down to a science, and somewhere along the line, you displaced heart with action. This wasn’t something that happened overnight and it wasn’t even necessarily intentional or malicious – you may have just had the desire to be close to God, saw other folks who were, and rather than develop an intimate relationship with Him, just started acting like they did, hoping one day you would arrive on the same plane.
Well as we now know, it just doesn’t work that way – action apart from heart is meaningless, and in this case, quite harmful. The dilemma, though, is that we now have these negative habits and motivations ingrained. These suckers hold on, too. And in my experience, change starts not by sitting there and muttering “no, no, no”, but by marinating in the sweet basic truths of the gospel.
To that end, a friend just directed me to an incredible article that I would recommend to you, as well. Come with me as we toss the guilt of our sin aside, rest in Jesus’ work on the cross, and live radically committed lives for Him as a result.
From his book, Neither Poverty Nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Possessions, Craig Blomberg concludes his chapter on Jesus’ teaching in the synoptic gospels with the following (from pgs. 145-6). It would do you well to read it slowly, thoughtfully, and personally.
It goes too far to say that one cannot be rich and be a disciple of Jesus, but what never appears in the Gospels are well-to-do followers of Jesus who are not simultaneously generous in almsgiving and in divesting themselves of surplus wealth for the sake of those in need. ‘This free attitude to possessions may be expressed in a disposal of private property, though this is not mandatory. It will certainly find expression in an almost reckless generosity, motivated not by a dour sense of obligation but by a warm and unselfish compassion’ (France 1979:18). There is room for the periodic celebration of God’s good, material gifts, even at times to a lavish extent. But these celebrations will be the exception, not the norm. The covenant model that assumes material reward for piety never reappears in Jesus’ teaching, and is explicitly contradicted throughout. As in Proverbs 30:8-9, Jesus is concerned to moderate extremes. But the main focus of his ministry, the road to the cross, and this call to disciples to imitate him in similar self-denying sacrifice rather than basking in glory, suggests the overarching paradigm of generous giving, rather than ‘godly materialism’, for the one who would faithfully follow Christ.
Legacy. It’s a word I never fully comprehended until today. Sure, I’ve known the definition, at least loosely. I’ve used the word to compliment people, particularly older folks who have admirable character qualities, like my grandparents. And at introspective times, I’ve even considered what sort of legacy I’ll leave behind.
But I never really “got it” until today at my grandma’s memorial service.
As I sat and listened to testimonials, I noticed something odd. These people were not describing my grandmother, they were describing my mother. From her faith, uncanny hospitality, graciousness, birthday dinners of our chosen favorites, care for others, and inclusion of her children-in-law as her own, to her generosity, incredible friendship, notes of encouragement, emphasis on family, unconditional love for people, and even right down to her special birthday lamb cakes, they were eulogizing my own very-much-alive mother.
Sitting there at my grandma’s funeral, several things hit me for the first time. First, and most obviously, I was surprised at the striking similarities between the two women. There are so many parallels, it’s almost uncanny. Second, I became deeply appreciative to my grandma for her influence on my mom. While I’ve long loved so many things central to my mother’s character, I had never really realized the root of those things. And that root is in my grandma. I don’t think I have ever appreciated her as much or in the way I do today. Third, I realized anew the influence we may have on others, particularly in our intimate relationships. It can be amazingly beneficial, as it was in this case, or a lost opportunity. It’s a sobering realization and one that I hope affects me with conviction in the future. And fourth, I realized the true essence of a legacy.
Legacy is not the stamp you leave on the world. It’s not the investments you made, the inheritance you leave behind, or how acutely you’re remembered. It’s not even characterized by good things like new inventions, novel ways of interpreting the world, or charitable donations. It’s not trophies, or accomplishments, or medals.
Your legacy is how you’ve affected others’ lives.
So grandma, thank you. Your full character has greatly affected me, not only in how you’ve influenced my mom, but also in how you’ve impacted me, instilling virtues of faith, family, love, friendship, charity, and compassion. You left a beautiful legacy.