A love note

A Love Note from Your Father,

Taken from the Psalms

My dear child,
I am with you. Stop striving and know that I am God. I have chosen your inheritance for you. I rule over everything. Remember Isreal - they didn't possess the land by their own swords. It wasn't their hand that saved them. It was my right hand and my arm and the light of my presence. I favored them. So it is with you - I have poured out grace on your lips and will bless you forever.

I will always guide you, until the day you die. You thought I was just like you. But my lovingkindness endures all day long, every day. Know this - I am for you. My lovingkindness toward you is higher than the heavens. Stay with me and take refuge under the shelter of my wings.

Trust in me at all times and pour out your heart before me. I am the one who bears your burdens. I am your salvation and am the God of deliverance for you. I will show Myself strong in the way I act on your behalf. Just trust me and praise me more and more.

Listen to what I am saying - I speak peace to you, my godly one. Your springs of joy are to be found in me. I will satisfy you every morning with my lovingkindness. When you find anxious thoughts multiplying in your mind, my consolation will delight your soul. So be glad.

I never change. My sovereignty rules over all. Meditate on that and I'll be pleased. I have sent my word and healed you and delivered you from your destructions. I am God. I do whatever I please and it pleases me to be gracious and compassionate and to preserve you. What I have said is settled in heaven.

I don't count sins, or else nobody could stand. You are forgiven and my lovingkindness is everlasting. My lovingkindness is everlasting! I will accomplish the things that concern you. I know you - when you sit down and get up, what you think. I carefully watch over you as you move through your day and then sleep at night. I am intimately acquainted with everything about you. I wrote the script for every day of your life before you lived a single one of them. I know your path and the way where you will walk.

And my child...I so take such pleasure in you!

With eternal love,
Your proud Father

(Taken from The Grace Walk Experience by Steve McVey)

Treadmill Life

Once again it has been way too long since my last post. I was explaining to a friend that I feel like my life is on a treadmill. The problem is that the speed is set too fast and my feet cannot quite keep up. Do you get the picture?

Every day I leave my house just after 7:00 am and I usually don't get home until between 6:00-7:00 pm. Obviously, this makes for really long and tiring days.

But this post really isn't a complaint about life, it is just an explanation. I am loving all that I am doing right now! I love teaching and I am excited about my research.

What is keeping me sane, you may ask? My time with the Lord, friends, and running. Although I am busy, I make sure to get plenty of all the above.

Snow, Snow, Snow

I am making up for my lack of posting this past week with three today. :)

Yesterday it was above freezing here (YEAH!) and so the snow slightly melted. I saw these icicles hanging off of the building across the street from my house. Amazing!



What happens if there is a fire and they need water?


This is a bush in my neighbor's yard. See how much snow we have!

Jesus: The Gospel

I believe Jesus is
Lord of all
And judge of all

He came to earth
Died for the forgiveness of sins
Was raised to life
And is seated with the Father

We must
Believe in Him
Repent
And receive forgiveness

School

It has been over a week since my last blog entry. It was a very full, busy week. We started back to class and I am teaching an undergraduate course for the first time. So far I love it! But I am learning that it takes a lot of prep work. I am also taking one course and doing independent study with both of my professors. I think that it is going to be a very busy semester. Anyway, I just wanted to give a quick update about what is going on in my life.

The joys of winter

Today I spent over two hours clearing 3+ weeks worth of snow (it came up to my knees!) from my driveway...only to find the garage door frozen closed. I was too tired and cold to crack the 2 inch thick ice that is encasing the entire bottom of the door. All well, I guess I will not be using my car this week. Good thing I live in small town Ames.

Home

Today I left home (Arizona where my family lives) to go home (Iowa where my life is). It is kind of weird because I do feel like I have two homes.

Yesterday morning I woke up and pulled on shorts and a t-shirt, stepped out the front door, and went for my familiar 5 mile run. This is not the story now. When I got to my home in Ames, I needed to go to the grocery store because I had nothing to eat. Well I realized that I could drive my car because it is in the garage and there is a few feet of snow in front all up the driveway that is going to take a few hours to clear. So I decided to take the bus. I pulled on my boots, scarf, hat, winter coat, and gloves. As I was heading outside someone passed down my street on cross country skis! I guess that's one way to get around with all of the snow. Unfortunately I got to the bus stop about 10 feet too late. I decide to walk the 1/2 mile to the store. I trampled through knee-deep snow drifts! I managed to make it there with only one face-plant into the snow and luckily it was on my way to the store. :)

Anyway, now I am home safe. I always hate leaving AZ because I am so sad to leave my family. The Lord has blessed me with a family who really loves each other. So here I sit, wearing three layers to stay warm and eating a bowl of warm oatmeal (comfort food) for dinner.

Welcome to winter in Iowa!