A not so random picture...

I have just finished a couple of books I had been reading. They are both listed in the recommendations list on the right and if you'd like to read them let me know (you can borrow them). One is "Wanting To Be Her" by Michelle Graham. It is a dicussion on our culture's view of beauty, body image and the like as well as how those things relate to what the scriptures have to say about beauty, body image and the like. The second book is "Life Together" by a guy named Dietrich Bonhoeffer (yeah, that's his picture). He was a German pastor during World War II who was executed by Hitler . The book is about how we live together as a Christian community. There was a lot of good stuff in it, but here is a little quote that I found more than a little bit convicting.

“One who lives by justification by grace is willing and ready to accept even insults and injuries without protest, taking them from God’s punishing and gracious hand…In any case, none of us will really act as Jesus and Paul did if we have not first learned, like them, to keep silent under abuse. The sin of resentment that flares up so quickly in the fellowship indicates again and again how much false desire for honor, how much unbelief, still smolders in the community.”
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, pg. 96)

I tend to prefer to try and come up with a sarcastic quip, or some witty response to "save" my image. I guess I have some work to do.

What do you think (I mean about the quote...)?

Some notes on blogging, safety and a random photo...

Sometimes things are in your brain but they don't make it out into the rest of the world until someone brings it up (by the way, that has nothing to do with the "random" photo of the tights-garbed-swashbuckler, that's a whole 'nother story). Anyway...the internet can be a lot of fun. That fun can be not-so-fun anymore (as well as dangerous) if you are unwise about how you interact on it. So, with that in mind, here are a few coments on making good use of this blog:

- When posting comments, don't post things that would give people personal information about YOURSELF (where you live, what your name is, placeswhere you will be, etc.). I will be moderating the comments, but we want to be wise about what we post.
- When posting comments, don't post things that would give people personal information about ANYONE ELSE (where THEY live, what THEIR name is, places where THEY will be, etc.).
- It is a good idea to post under a name that would not identify you to a stranger. For example, if your name is John Jacob Jingle Heimer Schmidt, you might want to log your comments under something like "mynametoo". If you think yourself to be a comedian you might log comments under something like "sir laughs a lot" or some such moniker. It is never a good idea to post comments under a name like "sam samson of 123 main street whose phone number is 000-0000". You get the idea...
- Read the blog and enjoy it, but don't post any comments that you wouldn't want the whole world to read (it is the world wide web you know). Think about what you say, and speak with love and discernment.
- If your comment, be it ever so astute, does not remain on the blog you can always ask me why I removed it and I will give you my reasons.
- There are links on the blog, enjoy them. You might note the one to the church web page and the church calendar.
- Exercise your internet useage in joyful submission to your parents. If you are a parent, thanks for giving thought to how your students cruise the internet.
- Lastly, if you have ANY questions about this blog, ask me.

I look forward to seeing ya'all soon. Toodles...

Worst Ornament Ever???

So basically I was looking for any Christmas picture I could find to go with this post...so I picked one of this "incredible" ornament. Some friends of ours gave it to us as a gag, so we put it on the tree (I don't know why...its just who we are I guess).

Anyways...I wanted to be sure and remind you all that there is no youth group this week. Also, there is no Sunday school this week either. We'll have a time of fellowship in between the services so come and enjoy some snacks.

I hope everyone likes their new sweaters...

Getting Started

OK, so I (and when I say I, I mean mostly Danielle) have finally gotten this thing started. I hope that it will be useful for you guys!. It may take some time to work out the bugs (and by that I mean I have to figure out how to use this thing) but be patient with me and we'll make it work. More to come soon...