Daddy's Girl

Today is Father's Day, and it wouldn't be appropriate to let the day pass without giving some kind of acknowledgement to the man who has so shaped my life...my dad. In looks, everyone tells me I take after my mother, but in personality, I am my father's daughter. We share so much in common; the desire to learn, understand, and question until we get things right, a love for reading, writing, and occasionally waxing poetic, a love for people, a stubborn streak, the tendency to be slightly distracted, and a dry, if not slightly ridiculous sense of humor. ;-)

I have learned so much from my dad. He showed me by example what it means to be faithful in the tasks of everyday life, through ups and downs, and times of drought and blessing. He taught me how to ride a bike, how to drive, and how to balance a checkbook. He supported and helped me through minor car accidents, boy problems, and spiritual struggles. He constantly challenged me to be reading God's Word, applying it to my life, and to keep looking to Jesus. To this day, he continues to support, listen, and challenge me and help me through each new phase of life.

I'm thankful for the incredible influence he's had in my life...and today I want him to know. I love you, Dad!

A page from my highschool scrapbook

Playing baseball in the yard

(If you look closely you'll see my stylin' green jellies!)

Oh the nineties...

Still enjoying baseball together!

Just bein' ourselves! :-)

Six Flags and Suffering

The title of this post might leave you a little puzzled....hang on a minute and I'll explain. I've learned two things related to these topics this week and I wanted to alliterate the title so thats how it came about. :-)

Six Flags. On Tuesday of this week, I learned that I am getting old. After spending the day riding in a van and running around an amusement park with a group of mostly seventh and eighth graders I realized that, at last, the aging process has begun! The first hint at aging came in the surprised look on the face of one of the seventh graders when she found out that I had graduated from high school in 2004. However, I am not about to let a little thing like my age ruin a good time...we spent the day riding every roller coaster possible, looking for change on the ground, daring to ride the "Big Kahuna" water slide, and in general, having a great time. I only feared for my life once. ;-)
The second clue to my aging was my utter exhaustion at the end of the day. While the kids bounced around the van on a sugar high after supper...I was ready for bed. So ended my day at Six Flags.

Suffering. Believe it or not, the suffering is not related to my trip with the Youth Group. I just finished reading the book Jesus Freaks: Martyrs by DC Talk. Basically, its a modernized Foxe's Book of Martyrs, including stories of Christian persecution from ancient history up until modern times. This was a challenging book to read, simply because it made me realize that I have suffered nothing for my faith in comparision with what countless others have been willing to suffer for Jesus Christ. The horrors some people have faced in order to pass from this life to eternity are nearly unbearable...yet their firm faith brought them through even the worst torture and enabled them to claim Christ until the very end. I pray that my faith would be that strong. One particular quote brought tears to my eyes,

"My dear Jesus, my Savior, is so deeply written in my heart, that I feel confident, that if my heart were to be cut open and chopped to pieces, the name of Jesus would be found written on every piece."
-- Ignatius (a student of the Apostle John, devoured by wild animals in Rome, 111 AD)

If you are interested in being informed about or praying for current Christian persecution, check out this web site...
www.persecution.com

Change: The Rhythm of Life

Hello, blogging world! Once again, after only a five month absence I am returning to this cyber-existence where I can pour out my thoughts.... Actually, I am quite excited about writing again; it has been far too long. So, here I am again to share my ponderings about things serious and trivial. Maybe I will entertain a few of you who stumble across my writings, and maybe, hopefully, I will provoke some of you to sit and think a little longer about some of the deeper meanings of life. And if no one really cares to read at all...thats ok with me.

Change. In music, rhythm is the element that brings a beat; it adds a pulse, creates varying patterns and provides an element of surprise...rhythm is what keeps music interesting, allowing every song to differ in style and presentation. Granted, many other elements are equally important, but without rhythm, nothing would drive the song forward.

I've decided that change is 'the rhythm of life'; it keeps life from becoming dull, always bringing movement, surprise, and a 'recurring pattern.' Once in a while, I start to wish that life didn't bring so many changes. Change is difficult to cope with at times; it gets us out of our comfort zones, it forces us to explore new places and ideas, it moves us from the familiar out into the unknown. Now, more than ever, I feel the effects of change. Here I stand, a recent college grad (yay!), up-rooted from my 'home' for four of the past five years, separated from friends and my dear boyfriend, pursuing a full-time job, and feeling slightly at a loss as to how to go about establishing myself in the 'adult' world. Sometimes, the rhythms of life are complex.

At times like this, I am thankful for a God who does not change. He has the 'rhythm of life' all figured out and I can trust Him to direct it in His 'perfect timing'. (Yes, that was an intentional pun). I am ready to face whatever is to come in this new stage of life...my world will continue to change, but my God will not. Because of that I will joyfully move ahead into what He has orchestrated for me.

Proverbs 3:5-6 " Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."