Christmas day 2004 - all 8 of them!
Friday, December 31, 2004
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Thursday, December 23, 2004
thoughts on Christmas...
"You have only to stay over Christmas with a family who seriously try to 'keep' it... in order to see that the thing is a nightmare. Long before December 25th everyone is worn out—physically worn out by weeks of daily struggle in overcrowded shops, mentally worn out by the effort to remember all the right recipients and to think out suitable gifts for them. They are in no trim for merry-making; much less to take part in a religious act. They look far more as if there had beena long illness in the house." - C.S. Lewis on Christmas
Monday, December 20, 2004
Irritated and angered... (click here for the rest of the story)
Finished writing something at the water's edge site. I'm not going to post it here, but I think it would be worth your while to read and think thru rather than simply say I am on a "Rhine rant." (which may be partly true too...)
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Monday, December 13, 2004
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Saturday, December 11, 2004
You won't believe this...
It's 3:44 am....on a FRIDAY night and I've been studying all night for finals....not wasting any Calvin tuition this year! :) Just wanted to say hi to ya'll... to be honest, my brain is fried and it's late......so yes, this is a pointless post, but it's late....I will see you all at Christmas if not before! love ya'll!!
Thursday, December 09, 2004
Monday, December 06, 2004
God-stories
Sometimes I think I just flow through my days living life without very much reflection on how God is working in my life and the lives of others. Today was not like that, and I'd like to share this story from my day.
After school I went to Kristin to get my hair cut. She was one of the players in the November Piano Extravaganza at Fellowship Church, and so I asked her how the following performances went after the Friday performance we attended. She proceeded to tell me a story that sent goosebumps all over my body and tears down my face. On Sunday night (the last performance) her husband, kids, parents, and grandfather were all there. Her grandfather, at the age of 84, was in pretty good health and was looking forward to seeing/hearing his granddaughter play. The pastor of the congregation ended up sitting near him and spent time thanking him for making music a generational thing so that today Kristin could bless so many people in their church with her gift. The concert started, and Kristin said that as she played, she felt a passion and power for the music that she hadn't experienced in any of the other performances. At the end, her page-turner, who was sitting on the bench next to her, said that there was a glimpse of heaven in this performance not seen in the others. Immediately after the concert Kristin connected with her family who was concerned about a lack of coherency in her grandfather's speech. They took him into the hospital, tests were performed, and the doctor came in later to say, "Take these final hours/days to love your father/grandfather because there is bleeding in his brain, and there is nothing we can do." A couple of days later he passed away. The following are almost exactly Kristin's words....."I cannot tell you what an awesome thing it was for me to be the one playing the prelude to my grandfather's entrance into heaven. As I was playing music to escort him into the heavenly gates, I know that God was knocking on the door of my grandmother's house in heaven and saying, "Marie, today you must put on your best dress, because very soon there is going to be a celebration. Martin is coming home!" It was like we were starting the celebration in the church that night to prepare him for an even greater celebration in heaven. Is it no wonder I felt such passion and power?"
I was truly speechless and felt such a sense of awe at how God works in the stories of our lives. God is so much nearer our lives than we often recognize! Today I paid for a haircut, but received a priceless gift in return.
This is a God-story from my life today, but yesterday I heard a God-story from Andy and Mic that they should share with you, too.... Now everyone is waiting to hear....:-)
After school I went to Kristin to get my hair cut. She was one of the players in the November Piano Extravaganza at Fellowship Church, and so I asked her how the following performances went after the Friday performance we attended. She proceeded to tell me a story that sent goosebumps all over my body and tears down my face. On Sunday night (the last performance) her husband, kids, parents, and grandfather were all there. Her grandfather, at the age of 84, was in pretty good health and was looking forward to seeing/hearing his granddaughter play. The pastor of the congregation ended up sitting near him and spent time thanking him for making music a generational thing so that today Kristin could bless so many people in their church with her gift. The concert started, and Kristin said that as she played, she felt a passion and power for the music that she hadn't experienced in any of the other performances. At the end, her page-turner, who was sitting on the bench next to her, said that there was a glimpse of heaven in this performance not seen in the others. Immediately after the concert Kristin connected with her family who was concerned about a lack of coherency in her grandfather's speech. They took him into the hospital, tests were performed, and the doctor came in later to say, "Take these final hours/days to love your father/grandfather because there is bleeding in his brain, and there is nothing we can do." A couple of days later he passed away. The following are almost exactly Kristin's words....."I cannot tell you what an awesome thing it was for me to be the one playing the prelude to my grandfather's entrance into heaven. As I was playing music to escort him into the heavenly gates, I know that God was knocking on the door of my grandmother's house in heaven and saying, "Marie, today you must put on your best dress, because very soon there is going to be a celebration. Martin is coming home!" It was like we were starting the celebration in the church that night to prepare him for an even greater celebration in heaven. Is it no wonder I felt such passion and power?"
I was truly speechless and felt such a sense of awe at how God works in the stories of our lives. God is so much nearer our lives than we often recognize! Today I paid for a haircut, but received a priceless gift in return.
This is a God-story from my life today, but yesterday I heard a God-story from Andy and Mic that they should share with you, too.... Now everyone is waiting to hear....:-)
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Friday, December 03, 2004
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