Carry Your Cross

"Take up the cross, and follow me." — Mark 10:21
You have not the making of your own cross,... but your cross is prepared and appointed for you by divine love, and you are cheerfully to accept it; you are to take up the cross as your chosen badge and burden, and not to stand cavilling at it. This night Jesus bids you submit your shoulder to his easy yoke. Do not kick at it in petulance, or trample on it in vain-glory, or fall under it in despair, or run away from it in fear, but take it up like a true follower of Jesus. Jesus was a cross-bearer; he leads the way in the path of sorrow. Surely you could not desire a better guide!...
Take up your cross, and by the power of the Spirit of God you will soon be so in love with it, that like Moses, you would not exchange the reproach of Christ for all the treasures of Egypt. Remember that Jesus carried it, and it will smell sweetly; remember that it will soon be followed by the crown, and the thought of the coming weight of glory will greatly lighten the present heaviness of trouble. The Lord help you to bow your spirit in submission to the divine will ere you fall asleep this night, that waking with to-morrow's sun, you may go forth to the day's cross with the holy and submissive spirit which becomes a follower of the Crucified. - C.H. Spurgeon

What a natural little expert my heart is at childish tantrums and inward focused despair. What a patiently loving Father, who persists in both requiring obedience and persuading with the sweet mercies of surrender - of which the utmost is relationship with himself.

"Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art."

photo: Longwood Gardens 9.15.12

Ian & Larissa

Desiring God is highlighting the lives of Ian and Larissa (www.prayforian.com). I'm so glad their story is reaching multitudes. God has given them a unique story to exalt him.

  

In May 2006 Ian Murphy led my family group at the New Attitude conference (Next Conference), and that summer he was in Lancaster for an internship. I remember him giving me advice on changing my major at school. College kids with life ahead of us, I think so many of us felt the gut wrenching truth of how life really can be taken away in an instant as we witnessed what happened to Ian's life. He was someone who stood out in a group and was so passionate about God and life. If thi...s could happen to him....well, why not me?

As I read him saying "I would do this (disability) all over again if I knew it would affect this many people. God is glorious," it's really hitting me that God had a special leadership role for Ian in the body of Christ, different from what we may have thought back then. Ian seemed to be the kind of guy who naturally was gifted with influencing people, but then his accident happened and God has taken that and multiplied it in such a powerful way, not decreased it. Ian and Larissa are exalting Christ in the roles God has given them. They are persevering in the faith and treasuring Christ, taking each day and difficult moment at a time by the enabling grace of God.

Soli Deo Gloria

living today: a Turkish evening

So this week I've got easy material to post for "living today." 

My friend Chris Haughery designed the program/invitation for a wine tasting event fundraiser called Heart's Delight Wine Auction to benefit the American Heart Association. They gave him two tickets to a formal private $500 plate dinner at the Turkish ambassador's residence, and he asked me to be his +1. It was a pretty amazing experience. I was privileged and honored to go down to DC last Thursday for the dinner.

Here is the published information about our dinner.

Host: His Excellency Namik Tan, The Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey 

Chef: Hasan Siyam, Ambassador’s Chef
Wine: Collection of Turkish wines presented by Steve Feldman of Potomac Wines & Spirits
Residence of the Ambassador of Turkey 1606 23rd Street, NW
7:00 p.m.
Total guests: 28
Tickets: $500 

ready to go

taking the Metro there

inside the residence

dinner

dessert

do we look like we belong in there?

after a really great evening

I love how it's lit up.

A-mazing...yeah I spent the evening there dining with the Turkish ambassador and hobnobbing with about 25 other guests. Even made a new Turkish friend whose husband works on staff in the embassy.

It was such a treat, and so clear to me that my Father wanted to bless me in a unique fun way.

living today

So, I missed my post last week. I don't know what happened, but life suddenly is jam packed full every moment! I've been really thankful and enjoying it, though I'm exhausted and need to prioritize rest as well as keep tabs on quieting my heart in the midst of the flurry of activity.

Now this post will cover two weeks. :)

Monday, April 16th.

Kid History is a youtube series phenomenon all the rage in recent weeks. While babysitting the Weaver kids two Mondays ago, I captured several of their re-enactments. Here's one. These kiddos make me smile, and tired too. :)

Tuesday, April 17th.
At the end of Uncle Gene's visit he and my grandparents came to get a tour of our church building. Here they are afterwards looking very tourist-y.

Wednesday, April 18th.
This is so precious to me. My mom gave me a surprise visit at work in the morning and brought lilacs from home. I'm not sure if I've ever had a visit from her at work before, maybe once. It's just not anywhere near our end of town. This was so sweet to me because that morning I was feeling homesick and missing her because I hadn't been able to spend much time at home or with my family recently. One of those moments to tuck away and remember God's goodness.

Thursday, April 19th.
Kurt was on the porch and came in to tell Teresa and I  about a mother fox and her kits who were playing around their den and this tree. We took binoculars out and enjoyed a few moments watching their frolicking. You can't see them well here, but we got a pretty good visual. 

Then when I left work, this groundhog reminded me again of the fact that I work on a "farm." Pretty sure he lives right around there, as I've observed him on my walks to the mail. Loved unexpectedly seeing wildlife that afternoon!

Wednesday April 25th.
Professional Administrative Assistants Day (a.k.a. Secretaries Day).  My bosses/pastors did an excellent job of blessing Teresa and I. I love these flowers at my desk (still there!).

We took a tour of the building progress that afternoon. 

The amphitheater is looking green and lovely right next to the building.

I like this one. It captures just a little bit of the feel of walking through the building on a typical busy afternoon. Something is happening everywhere you look. Reminded me of a Richard Scarry book. :)

Thursday, April 26.
Little Miss Greta drew me a picture and gave it to me when I arrived to babysit.

Friday, April 27th.
I loved running an errand to Central Market to pick up a flower bouquet.  I felt so very feminine and metropolitan as I walked the city streets with a big beautify bouquet on that windy day.

Saturday, April 28th.
We had our Women by Design ladies day event. I really enjoyed helping out administratively during my work week and then coming together with the ladies from church on Saturday. The worship, teaching, fellowship, and food was all very good, and I'm very thankful we had that time.

Pretty bird and branch center pieces at our table.

Women by Design

I am very aware of my need for the grace of God to be a good helper and faith-filled like my name-sake. "And you are [Sarah's] children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening." (1 Peter 3:6) I so often fail in this.

Ultimately I need more than Sarah's example.  I need my Savior's, and the power of his life, death, and resurrection in my life.

Some notes from Pete's Women by Design message on Saturday:

• Jesus was full of grace and truth, not just truth without grace. 
• Ask for a gentle and quiet spirit so you can be a helper. 
• Men don't always recognize the help you are trying to bring. 
• Helping doesn't come through striving, but the Lord gives us grace to help even when we see they are going the wrong way.
• It is in cross-carrying and suffering that glorifies God best. 

"they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. ... but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." (1 Peter 3:1-4)

Being precious in my Father sight, oh what a secure thing to know the intimate care and pleasure of my Lord!

living today

This past week . . . 

Uncle Eugene visiting from Beirut, Lebanon

Sara Bruton's 25th birthday cards glowing.

Glow bowling with some of the Hanna care group for Sara's birthday last Friday.

Holly & Sara. :)

They were "dancing" to the song. It was cute. :)
Happy 25th Sara!

Some frisbee at the Sensenig family Easter this past Sunday.
Grandma and Granddaddy have such a pretty yard.

Some visiting kids placed these rocks on a stump at the church office over a week ago.
The evidence of their presence remains, and made me smile.

A sight I see 5 days a week.

living today

I've decided to start something new on this blog. Each week, probably on Monday, I'll post a photo, video, or snap shot in words of life in the past week. I'm calling these series of posts "living today," borrowing from my blog tag. It's similar to what I like to do with instagram, twitter, or facebook, but this will be more routine. I hope it to be a light and fun addition to my blog, helping to recount the moments, sights, and experiences God places around me each week.

This is the stuff life's made of, the stuff we live in today, the context that living today in light of that day is done in. This is the world we live in, the beautiful and the broken. Life is but a breath, and then comes that Day. "Til the day," here are some moments that have caught my eye in the life God's given me in the here and now.

Sunday April 1.
Aunt Cheryl drove up from Charlotte to spend a week with us over Easter.
She brought her friends Jay & Pamela and their two dogs.

Wednesday April 4.
I was getting over being sick the day before.
Skipped the gym and went on a morning walk instead.
Our road is more scenic & fresh than Planet Fitness by far!

Monday April 9.

Last week to file your taxes.

Lady Liberty dances in downtown Lancaster 

(missed the best parts, but here you go).