Archive for April, 2011

April 30 Pruning

Saturday, April 30th, 2011

The pastor who married us gave a homily/charge that was practically perfect. He zeroed in on John 15:2 – “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”

Pruning is painful. But sometimes God needs to prune us so we can grow. The shears might be a spouse, a parent, a friend, or circumstances.

I’m thankful for the pruning relationship of marriage, laced with patience and love.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Thought | Comments Off

April 29 My Bed

Friday, April 29th, 2011

A lot of people got up super-early to watch the royal wedding today. I, however, enjoyed my wonderful bed. It is so comfortable. I’m thankful I don’t have to sleep on the ground, or in a hammock, or on a pile of hay.

Tags: ,
Posted in Possessions | Comments Off

April 28 Things I Don’t Have to Worry About: Paparazzi

Thursday, April 28th, 2011

That’s right. It’s a royal wedding-related post. Ha ha! Everybody’s doing it! One of the news threads related to tomorrow’s nuptials between Prince William and Kate Middleton: all the freedoms Kate is giving up when she marries into the royal family. Of course, it’s been quite some time since she had a normal level of privacy (please pronounce that as the British “PRIV-uh-see” in your head).

During a moment of mindlessness today, I paged through some photos of celebrities on People.com. I love how magazines describe the outrageous getups celebrities wear. If I stepped out (have you noticed how they always describe famous folk as “stepping out”?) in a bright orange suit (yes, suit!) with a navy-and-white striped knit shirt underneath, I can only imagine 1) the looks I would get and 2) my co-workers’ laughter and queries about where the circus was. But when Ashley Olsen does it, she “makes a bright and bold statement in a coral suit as she steps out Wednesday in downtown Manhattan.”

Hilarious. I’m just glad I don’t have to deal with photographers documenting my every move and fashionistas picking apart every wardrobe choice. “Amy stepped out today in Old Navy shoes, carrying a Macy’s clearance handbag…”

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Fun, Thought | Comments Off

April 27 No Cavities!

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

It’s that time again – the dental checkup. I’ve heard horror stories from so many people and have had rather unpleasant oral surgery myself. I am thankful to get a happy checkup! Now that’s worth a pearly smile.

Tags: ,
Posted in Health | Comments Off

April 26 Online Reviews

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

What did we do before we could read product reviews – and restaurant reviews, and hotel reviews, and reviews of everything in the world online??

Reviews have helped me make a couple of purchases lately, and I’m grateful for the help.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Services | Comments Off

April 25 Not Dreading Mondays

Monday, April 25th, 2011

A friend of mine posted on Facebook today that she is happy she no longer dreads Mondays. She quit the job that was ruining her Sundays (and I’ll wager most of the rest of the week!).

I can identify. When you combine work you enjoy with a good workplace, it’s a massive blessing that cannot be ignored. Sure, I don’t like getting up early, but I don’t dread going in to work. Hooray!

Tags:
Posted in Work | Comments Off

April 24 The People of Easter

Sunday, April 24th, 2011

I wrote about Peter earlier this week. This Easter I’m thinking of particular songs that inspire me this time of year and how they refer to the individuals who were living and breathing at that first Easter.

Yesterday’s was from Caedmon’s Call: “It’s like the long Saturday between Your death and the rising day, when no one wrote a word – wondered, ‘Is this the end?’”

A fantastic line. How devastated the disciples must have been on that day. Can you imagine? It brings new humanity to the story.

Another favorite of mine is from Glad: “Mary, Mary, don’t you worry. Jesus is not dead. He’s opened wide the gates of Heaven, just as He said. …You haven’t been misled.”

This song describes the scene when Mary visited the tomb on Easter morning – how she wondered what could have happened, and how Jesus appeared and spoke her name. “And when she heard Him say her name like a thousand times before, she could hardly wait to tell the others, ‘I have seen the Lord!’”

From Saturday’s devastation to Sunday’s rejoicing. What faith it must have taken to get from one day to the next.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Encouragement, History | Comments Off

April 23 Great Family-in-Law

Saturday, April 23rd, 2011

My sister-in-law and her husband are visiting us this weekend. We’re having a grand time playing tourist and of course eating delicious food (one of my favorite pastimes in case you haven’t figured it out). I am very blessed to have a great family-in-law. They welcomed me when my husband and I first started dating, and I love having siblings now!

Tags: , ,
Posted in Family | Comments Off

April 22 It Is Finished

Friday, April 22nd, 2011

It’s been sort of a churchy week here on the ol’ blog, but hey, it’s Holy Week. Today is Good Friday, and the Good Friday service has become one of my most favorite of the year.

The sanctuary grows progressively darker as we go through the story of the events leading to the cross. Candles are extinguished one by one. At the end of the service, it is completely dark, and the final candle is carried out of the sanctuary. It’s not extinguished – to signify Christ’s victory over death. In total darkness, the large Book is slammed shut (causing most of us to jump an inch off our chairs), reminding us that “It is finished.” (I learned this is called the “strepitus” – see more here.)

Then, the still-glowing candle is brought back in.

It’s extremely powerful.

“Ye who think of sin but lightly, Nor suppose the evil great,
Here may view its nature rightly, Here its guilt may estimate.”

– Hymn by Thomas Kelly

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Encouragement | Comments Off

April 21 A Squishy Rock

Thursday, April 21st, 2011

Today is Maundy Thursday, the day that Jesus enjoyed the Last Supper with His disciples. I’ve been reflecting on Peter, the disciple who infamously denied any connection to Jesus – three times. He was probably afraid for his life, because at that point Jesus had been captured, and Peter didn’t know what was going to happen.

Despite his denial of having anything to do with Jesus, Peter was the man of whom Jesus said, “upon this rock I will build My church” (Matthew 16: 13-19).

Peter was certainly squishy on loyalty and that whole to-the-death thing. In other words, he was profoundly human. So I’m glad he was still chosen for leadership.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Encouragement, Thought | Comments Off