Meaningful quotation from John Calvin:
"Our Neighbor bears the image of God: to use him, abuse him, or misuse him is to do violence to the person of God who images himself in every human soul, the Fall not withstanding. Not only do I despise my flesh when I wish to oppress someone, but I violate the image of God which is in me."
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Friday, December 28, 2007
I haven't had time to keep up the blog, but now that Christmas is over, I'll get back to it. It was good to have all the family (with the exception of Matt, who couldn't get the time off) together for our Christmas celebration on the 23rd. We had our usual dinner @ the Oregon electric station, & this year, since Mariah's age is in double digits, she was allowed to order steak from the adult menu, much to her delight.
On Dec. 16, we were able to attend a Christmas concert by harpist Bronn Journey in Auburn, WA. Matt played cello & guitar in Bronn's orchestra. The music was great, & Bronn's humor kept the crowd engaged.
More later.
On Dec. 16, we were able to attend a Christmas concert by harpist Bronn Journey in Auburn, WA. Matt played cello & guitar in Bronn's orchestra. The music was great, & Bronn's humor kept the crowd engaged.
More later.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
updates
Hi,
Haven't had a chance to blog lately. We had Thanksgiving at Merrick & Hannah's this year - their first Thanksgiving in their first home. It was a wonderful meal, & we had a great time with everyone, especially the Grandkids. Diefenbaughs were in North Bend this year for Thanksgiving, but they stopped by on their way down & back.
We are on vacation this week & are presently at the Diefenbaughs. I presented a German lesson to Kyler's 1st grade class at Veritas School in Newberg. We'll head up to Hillsboro to spend some time with Gracie, oh, & Merrick & Hannah too. Then on up to Sultan to the Haverlys. We' re celebrating Maleah's 7th birthday on Dec. 1 (real birthday is Dec. 5). She's having a ballet party at the dance studio in Monroe where she takes lessons.
Mariah has the lead role in her church's Christmas play: Hark the Herald Angel who Sang Off-key. (She's Hark.) Hopefully singing off-key is just acting, as she will be singing a solo in the school's Christmas program. All of the grandchildren are doing well & developing their God-given talents
All for today. Hope this day you become closer to the Lord.
Haven't had a chance to blog lately. We had Thanksgiving at Merrick & Hannah's this year - their first Thanksgiving in their first home. It was a wonderful meal, & we had a great time with everyone, especially the Grandkids. Diefenbaughs were in North Bend this year for Thanksgiving, but they stopped by on their way down & back.
We are on vacation this week & are presently at the Diefenbaughs. I presented a German lesson to Kyler's 1st grade class at Veritas School in Newberg. We'll head up to Hillsboro to spend some time with Gracie, oh, & Merrick & Hannah too. Then on up to Sultan to the Haverlys. We' re celebrating Maleah's 7th birthday on Dec. 1 (real birthday is Dec. 5). She's having a ballet party at the dance studio in Monroe where she takes lessons.
Mariah has the lead role in her church's Christmas play: Hark the Herald Angel who Sang Off-key. (She's Hark.) Hopefully singing off-key is just acting, as she will be singing a solo in the school's Christmas program. All of the grandchildren are doing well & developing their God-given talents
All for today. Hope this day you become closer to the Lord.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Interesting thought from our church bulletin:
"We are a nation obsessed.
American culture is nothing more than a pastiche (hodgepodge) of fixations. We are obsessed with health. We are obsessed with pleasure. We are obsessed with speed. We are obsessed with efficiency. In simplest terms, we are obsessed by the desire to accelerate every element of our existence in a futile attempt to experience as much of life as we can in the shortest possible time. We have all entered a race to devour the largest volume of gratification before it kills us."
A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas
"The Amazing McNugget Diet (November 1996)
Chuck Klosterman IV
"We are a nation obsessed.
American culture is nothing more than a pastiche (hodgepodge) of fixations. We are obsessed with health. We are obsessed with pleasure. We are obsessed with speed. We are obsessed with efficiency. In simplest terms, we are obsessed by the desire to accelerate every element of our existence in a futile attempt to experience as much of life as we can in the shortest possible time. We have all entered a race to devour the largest volume of gratification before it kills us."
A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas
"The Amazing McNugget Diet (November 1996)
Chuck Klosterman IV
Sunday, November 4, 2007
This evening we will go to our Bible study in Cottage Grove. As I mentioned before, we are studying Phillip Yancy's book on Prayer. Here's another good thought from the book:
"I realize that my image of God, more than anything else, determines my degree of honesty in prayer. Do I trust God with my naked self? Foolishly, I hide myself in fear that God will be displeased, though in fact the hiding may be what displeases God most. From my side, the wall seems like self-protection; from God's side it looks like lack of trust. In either case, the wall will keep us apart until I acknowledge my need and God's surpassing desire to meet it. When I finally approach God, in fear and trembling, I find not a tyrant, but a lover.
The apostle Paul prayed 'that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.' I doubt Paul prayed this prayer once only; for my part I have to pray it every day. The most important purpose of prayer may be to let our true selves be loved by God."
Hope you have a wonderful week!
"I realize that my image of God, more than anything else, determines my degree of honesty in prayer. Do I trust God with my naked self? Foolishly, I hide myself in fear that God will be displeased, though in fact the hiding may be what displeases God most. From my side, the wall seems like self-protection; from God's side it looks like lack of trust. In either case, the wall will keep us apart until I acknowledge my need and God's surpassing desire to meet it. When I finally approach God, in fear and trembling, I find not a tyrant, but a lover.
The apostle Paul prayed 'that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.' I doubt Paul prayed this prayer once only; for my part I have to pray it every day. The most important purpose of prayer may be to let our true selves be loved by God."
Hope you have a wonderful week!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Reformation Day
Happy REFORMATION DAY !
On this day in 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany. These papers debated doctrine & practices within the Catholic Church & sparked the Protestant Reformation. We have reaped the benefits ever since.
More excerpts from Phillip Yancy's book on Prayer:
"In the process of writing, however, I have come to see prayer as a privilege, not a duty. Like all good things, prayer requires some discipline. Yet I believe that life with God should seem more like friendship than duty. Prayer includes moments of ecstasy and also dullness, mindless distraction and acute concentration, flashes of joy and bouts of irritation. In other words, prayer has features in common with all relationships that matter."
Melaney & Gracie:
At 6 months Melaney is 28.5 inches long (off the charts) and 17# (50th percentile). When corrected for being born 1 month early, Gracie (@ 4 months) is in the 50th percentile for both height & weight. Both are a joy & a blessing.
All for today.
Margaret
On this day in 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany. These papers debated doctrine & practices within the Catholic Church & sparked the Protestant Reformation. We have reaped the benefits ever since.
More excerpts from Phillip Yancy's book on Prayer:
"In the process of writing, however, I have come to see prayer as a privilege, not a duty. Like all good things, prayer requires some discipline. Yet I believe that life with God should seem more like friendship than duty. Prayer includes moments of ecstasy and also dullness, mindless distraction and acute concentration, flashes of joy and bouts of irritation. In other words, prayer has features in common with all relationships that matter."
Melaney & Gracie:
At 6 months Melaney is 28.5 inches long (off the charts) and 17# (50th percentile). When corrected for being born 1 month early, Gracie (@ 4 months) is in the 50th percentile for both height & weight. Both are a joy & a blessing.
All for today.
Margaret
Monday, October 29, 2007
Thoughts for today
Here are some quotations from our church bulletin:
"The great paradox of our time is that many of us are busy and bored at the same time. While running from one event to the next, we wonder in our innermost selves if anything is really happening. While we can hardly keep up with our many tasks and obligations, we are not so sure that it would make any difference if we did nothing at all. While people keep pushing us in all directions, we doubt if anyone really cares. In short, while our lives are full, we are unfulfilled." Henri Nouwen
"My father says that almost the whole world is asleep. Everybody you know, everybody you see, everybody you talk to. He says that only a few people are awake, and they live in a state of constant, total amazement." Patricia Graynamore in Joe Vs. The Volcano
"Dance and game are frivolous and unimportant down here --for 'down here' is not their natural place. Here, they are a moment's rest from the life we were placed here to live. But in this world everything is upside down...Joy is the serious business of Heaven. C. S. Lewis
October in the Northwest is always enjoyable, with plentiful days of sunshine, crisp mornings, & leaves that look as if a dedicated & imaginative artist had loaded His brush with intense chroma and left His mark for the world to enjoy.
It was just such a day that we spent at Remlinger Farms in Carnation, WA to celebrate Mariah's (oldest granddaughter) 10th birthday. There was a huge pumpkin patch, corn maze, & gift shop with restaurant, a hay jump, train ride & ponyrides. The ponies walked a winding path among tall green hedges. In the carnival area there were small-scale rides, which the kids loved. Around each ride was a short stone wall with nicely-done landscaping behind. This will undoubtedly be a repeat destination next year.
Thanksgiving will be at Merrick & Hannah's in Hillsboro this year. But everyday we like to reflect on the things for which we are thankful. Today I am thankful for the technology that allow us to so easily communicate. Hope you have a day full of blessings.
Margaret
"The great paradox of our time is that many of us are busy and bored at the same time. While running from one event to the next, we wonder in our innermost selves if anything is really happening. While we can hardly keep up with our many tasks and obligations, we are not so sure that it would make any difference if we did nothing at all. While people keep pushing us in all directions, we doubt if anyone really cares. In short, while our lives are full, we are unfulfilled." Henri Nouwen
"My father says that almost the whole world is asleep. Everybody you know, everybody you see, everybody you talk to. He says that only a few people are awake, and they live in a state of constant, total amazement." Patricia Graynamore in Joe Vs. The Volcano
"Dance and game are frivolous and unimportant down here --for 'down here' is not their natural place. Here, they are a moment's rest from the life we were placed here to live. But in this world everything is upside down...Joy is the serious business of Heaven. C. S. Lewis
October in the Northwest is always enjoyable, with plentiful days of sunshine, crisp mornings, & leaves that look as if a dedicated & imaginative artist had loaded His brush with intense chroma and left His mark for the world to enjoy.
It was just such a day that we spent at Remlinger Farms in Carnation, WA to celebrate Mariah's (oldest granddaughter) 10th birthday. There was a huge pumpkin patch, corn maze, & gift shop with restaurant, a hay jump, train ride & ponyrides. The ponies walked a winding path among tall green hedges. In the carnival area there were small-scale rides, which the kids loved. Around each ride was a short stone wall with nicely-done landscaping behind. This will undoubtedly be a repeat destination next year.
Thanksgiving will be at Merrick & Hannah's in Hillsboro this year. But everyday we like to reflect on the things for which we are thankful. Today I am thankful for the technology that allow us to so easily communicate. Hope you have a day full of blessings.
Margaret
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