Thursday, April 30, 2009

Death of Christ and Camps of Death

 

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Mia and I have started or will talking about this book for the first time tomorrow. While reading the Introduction, I came across something very interesting, Although I have read this book before, I probably skipped the Introduction and went straight for Chapter one. Who reads the intro? Why did I? Mia told me to! :) Thanks Mia..

So, while I was reading… I came across something very very interesting. So the next couple paragraphs are from the hand of John Piper.

It is a tragedy that the story of Christ’s death has produced anti-Semitism against Jews and crusading violence against Muslims. We Christians are ashamed of many of our ancestors who did not act in the spirit of Christ. But true Christianity- which is radically different from Western Culture, and may not be found in many Christian churches- renounces the advance of religion by means of violence. Christians are called to die, not kill, in order to show the world how they are loved by Christ.

The death of Jesus Christ is the most important event in history, and the most explosive political and personal issue of the twenty first century. The denial that Christ was crucified is like the denial of the Holocaust. For some it is simply too horrific to affirm. For others its an elaborate conspiracy to coerce religious sympathy. But the deniers live in a historical dreamworld.

(**Stay with me, it gets better**)

I am not the first to link Calvary and the concentration camps- the suffering of Jesus Christ and the suffering of Jewish people.  Elie Weisel tells of his experience as a teenager with his father in the concentration camps. There are always the threat of “the selection” the taking away of the weak to be killed and burned in the ovens.

Akiba Dumer, a victim of the selection. Told everyone of this weakness: “I cant go on” “It’s all over” He would not listen to the encouraging words, but talked about how he could no longer keep up with the struggle. He had no strength or faith. Suddenly his eyes would become blank, nothing but two open wounds, two pits of terror.

Then Weisel make this provocative statement: “Poor Akiba Dumer, if he could have gone on believing God in this Calvary, he would not have been taken by the selection.”

Why the link between Calvary- the place where Jesus died- and the concentration Camp?

When I ask this question, I am not thinking of cause or blame. I am thinking of meaning and hope. Is there a way that Jewish suffering may find, not its cause, but its final meaning in the suffering of Jesus Christ? Is it possible to think, not of Christ’s death leading to Aushwitz, but if Aushwitz leading to an understanding of Christ’s death? Is the link between Calvary and the camps a link of unfathomable empathy? Perhaps only Jesus, in the end can know what happened during the “one long night” of Jewish suffering. And perhaps a generation of Jewish people whose grandparents endured their own noxious crucifixion, will be able, as no others, to grasp what happened to the Son of God at Calvary. I leave it as a question.  I do not know.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Going to The Villages

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It’s Wednesday and I only have 2 more days to go until I leave for my get away.. Party of 1.

If you are interested in this unique retirement community, go to their website: http://www.thevillages.com

I am super excited to have a few days by the pool, doing nothing but breathing all day… of course I am packing up all of my good books, my Holy Bible, the Pleasures of God by Piper, What is Reformed Theology and whatever else I can find in the library tonight.. all on top of an IPOD packed with worship songs from church that Shannon Maxey generously let me borrow!!! Thank You Shannon & Samantha!!! :)

I have two more exams this week, and then I will be done.

Friends, my husband will be here all alone and will be missing me.. please have him over to your house and feed him your scraps… :) He will enjoy anything. Really!

Oh, and I am seeing all your poll responses and I am currently trying to get him to write a post.. I am hoping that he will be coming up with something very soon…

As for blogging some of you have asked me if I will be keeping this up while I am gone.. answer is YES!! YES! YES!! I will be.. but it may look different because I use something on my computer to transfer pictures, and can watermark them etc, and unless I download that on their computer, my posts won’t look like normal.. so we will see…..

..AND.. I have been wanting someone to drop what they were doing and come with me to Florida.. not any of you could drop your life and go… BUT… I am THINKIN’ that maybe my friend Betty will be able to fly down.. but I am not sure… she does not know yet either… we will see… but if she cannot, I will be just fine sitting at the pool.. reading and listening to music.

Although I have not started relaxing from the hustle and bustle from school the past 4 months, I am seeing warm water at the end of the tunnel… and that is good… really good. . 

I think 6 days is a little long, but its the way that the airport schedule worked out that keeps me away for an awesome price! $29.00 per way..

***** BY THE WAY**************

if you have NOT received the email about Saturday, May 9- then LISTEN UP…

We have moved the time from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.

My flight does not get me back in Roanoke until 4:00! So… if you show up at 3:00- party hard ALONE.. because Dennis will be picking me up from the airport!

(this party is for our Sunday School Class- )Children are WELCOME. Bring em’ on.. and bring a dish.. we are having hot dogs and hamburgers!! Dennis is doing the shopping in my absence.. So please call or email me and let me know if you will be coming so I can direct him properly! It is important!

Ok! Until Next time….

 

Monday, April 27, 2009

I need a loan…..

 

Does anyone have one I could borrow for a week??

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I am leaving on Saturday and I will quite possibly have to ride on a plane and sit by the pool for many hours without anything to listen to… and I don’t own a MP3 player, or ipod… so I was wondering… anyone trust me enough to loan it to me for a week?? It does not have to be one of these… but something close.. packed with tons of great worship music and/or sermons! Anyone?????

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Off, Off and Away… for me too, soon!

*** THEY MADE IT THERE SAFELY, 12:42 A.M. OUR TIME.. 9:42 THEIR TIME.. THANK YOU LORD FOR KEEPING THEM SAFE****

So, today I took my mom, brother, and Keith to the airport so they could take off to Vegas! :) IMG_4781 IMG_4782 IMG_4783 I was glad that I could help them out!!!

I had the most fun admiring this young love in front of me! IMG_4784 IMG_4785 IMG_4800 IMG_4801 IMG_4803 This was a man and a little boy waiting for their mom/wife to get home. I thought that it was so neat to see this. It was adorable… but when the wife got off the plane I thought that she would be very happy to see her husband and little boy but instead she grabbed the flowers, said thanks, and walked on. I was expecting a dramatic homecoming… Gosh! It was not. Hmm… :(IMG_4808

IMG_4813 I love this…. They are so sweet.IMG_4816IMG_4819IMG_4820IMG_4821 I got another one of those window pictures of me… hehe.. I like those. . . IMG_4829 Later on, Dennis & I went over to the Fernandez’s and had lunch and played with Vivian! It was nice to get to know them a little better. . IMG_4833

As for the off, off and away theme of this blog.. I am preparing to do so myself in a week or so….. I have exams and projects this week, and then I am heading down to Florida. Dennis has to work, but I am going.. I need a break!!!

So… I will be leaving Saturday or Monday night at the latest, I hope. It’s going to be nice.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Dinner with my classmates. .

Tonight for dinner, I met some friends at Kobe, a Japanese Restaurant for dinner, and to celebrate Jessica’s birthday. I spend a lot of time with these ladies every week, and usually we are scrambling around trying to get work done, but tonight we just got to laugh about scenes in movies, and the cocky “seater” at our Praxis exam at 7:30a.m. this morning.

As you know, on the way I only bumped into a 1,000 amazing angles on the beautiful cloudy/sunny sky…. So, I took a picture of some rain drops on my windshield and some beautiful clouds as the backdrop.

IMG_4728 It was a nice dinner. we had a mean chef, though. He as not fun, and slightly rude…. but to give him the benefit of the doubt, we was surrounded by 8 pre-service teachers stressed beyond belief.. and needing a nice laugh or two.  IMG_4752 Please meet below, Kazia, and her husband, Patrick. Kazia and I work on a lot of things together… and usually the day before its due. Two procrastinators=trouble. IMG_4753 and Whitney…. IMG_4755 And Amanda, and ChelsieIMG_4756  And Alisha, who looks out for me tremendously through each semester. . . Thanks Alisha…IMG_4758 and some food………IMG_4760 and the meeny chef……….IMG_4762 Kelli made these AMAZING cupcakes. They were beyond delicious. They had strawberries and a dark chocolate gnosh in the middle. Mmmm……IMG_4764 And this is the the whole clan. IMG_4768 (above) from left to right, Whitney, Kazia, Chelsie, Kellu, Amanda, Jessica, Me, and Alisha on the very end.IMG_4770 (above) Kelli. She is the sweetest, and so much fun. (Thanks for the cupcakes!!!!)IMG_4771

And this was the sweet view home…. I cannot make my camera do it justice… So I guess I can stop boring you with the clouds…. or well, I will try!

 

Thanks Ladies for a fun night out!!!

Friday, April 24, 2009

I love where we live

 

I love where we live, I do. I have been able to take some awesome pictures lately of God’s beautiful creation. I get to capture what I see only when I have Mr. Canon with me.. not to mention what I get to enjoy when I don’t have the ability to preserve that particular second in time.

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So. Imagine how quickly Mr. Canon had to wake up and snap this……. I did not get this picture as clear as I wanted, but the plane was moving rather quickly!!!

IMG_4707 We had dinner last night at Shakers… and I loved all that I got see while I stood and waited. . . IMG_4710 After a few rounds of funny photos with mom, I chose to post this very good one of her……IMG_4716

And then we had this amazing view last night when we walked out of Shakers! I love where we live. .. Its beautiful….

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

More pictures

 

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Remember that bud? This is what it looks like!! I could not believe it!!!

IMG_4605 So, I played around with Mr. Canon, and he amazingly obliged! I love this picture above….

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And THIS ONE… (above) I love it!!! WOW.

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Does this not look like a bug??? (above)

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aww.. those pretty tulips are dying! :( sniff sniff

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Monday I took these pictures going to bible study….

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God’s creation is amazing……..

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

How long will our voyage be??

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It’s weird, Dennis and I was sitting in our office the other day, and I was literally in tears because I am 23 years old, and I felt weary how much longer I had to fight my sick fleshly nature. I was ready for it to be over at the very moment. I hate sin, and I hate it even more in me. So, I was so encouraged last night when I read what Spurgeon had to say on the April 20th posting. I am going to cut it short, highlighting the important parts.

…… that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death. Hebrews 2:14

Spurgeon says: “The distance between the glorified saints still serving here on earth seems great, but that is not true. We are not far from home, for in a mere moment we may be there. Our sails have already been raised to the wind and our souls have launched out upon the deep.

HOW LONG WILL OUR VOYAGE BE? How many wearing winds must beat upon our sails before we are safely moored in the port of peace? How long will our souls be tossed about by waves before we sail upon that sea that knows no storms?

Listen to the answer! “Away from the body and at home in the Lord” (2 Cor 5:8) A distant ship has just departed but has already reached its safe haven. It just now spreads its sail and was there. Consider the ancient boat upon the Lake of Galilee. A storm tossed to and fro, but Jesus said, “Peace! Be Still!” (Mark 4:39) “and immediately the boat reached the shore” (John 6:21)

NEVER THINK THAT A LONG PERIOD ENSUES BETWEEN THE MOMENT OF DEATH AND THE ETERNITY OF GLORY!

When out eyes close on earth, (if we are saved) they open in heaven. The chariot of fire and horses of fire are NOT EVEN AN INSTANT ON THE ROAD.

Thus, dear child of God, what is there for you to fear in death, knowing that through the death  of your Lord its curse and sting are destroyed? Death is now nothing more than Jacob’s ladder who feet are in a dark grave, but whose top reaches to glory everlasting!

Monday, April 20, 2009

Dialogues from The Maggi-Kennedy Emails Part Two

 

:) Are you ready again for some more Kennedy- Maggi emails?????

this conversation started out by working out some plans for Thursday.. then we ran into the “Dead Meat Night” on Thursdays.

that is what we are talking about. Enjoy, and laugh a little.

from old computer 2334  I found a dead possum today that I am bringing!

from old computer 1690 Oh, yea.?? Dennis beat you with freshly dead skunk, right off the side of the road! ';)

from old computer 2334 We can make skunk pancakes?

from old computer 1690No, possum jerky! with skunk juice to marinade in.

from old computer 2334 You read my mind! Have you ever had road kill squirrel roll ups with earthworm slaw? Mia will fix that the next time you guys come over.

from old computer 1690no. but I have had fried possum tails smothered in cow pie with a side of bird turd.

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