Rest

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said...............

”Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

I will give you rest.

REST.

Not a smack in the face, not a swift kick, but rest. He didn't say come a little closer so I can slap you upside the head. He said "Come......I will give you rest."

He didn't say “Come to me, all.....except the lesbians.” He said all.

All can rest in him.

REST

Many times its hard to hear that message through the loud voices of this world telling us to do things their way.

The greatest law

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." -Jesus (John 13:34)

"Love is an unconditional commitment to an imperfect person." -Anonymous

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. -Romans 12:9-13

Love seeketh not itself to please,
Nor for itself hath any care,
But for another gives its ease,
And builds a Heaven in Hell's despair.

-William Blake, Songs of Experience

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. -1 Peter 4:8

......"love your neighbor as yourself." Leviticus 19:18 / Matthew 19:19

No cord or cable can draw so forcibly, or bind so fast, as love can do with a single thread.
-Robert Burton

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." -Jesus
Love is a choice you make from moment to moment. -Barbara de Angelis

The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. -Galatians 5:13-15

When I think about love, I often find myself thinking about Jesus. For me, it's through him that I learn how to love genuinely each day. It is where I understand and practice the word sacrifice and selflessness. It is through him that I learn I am really not all that, but you are. It is by his example that I learn to love deeply, often feeling the pain and grief of my fellow brothers and sisters. It is through the understanding of his own life, that I learn what love really looks like. When I think about Jesus, I can't help but think about love and when I think about love, I can't help but think about Jesus and the life of Jesus.

I want to to touch the hem of his garment, not only to be healed, but to learn more of what it means to love.

Yes, if there is one law to hang on to, let it be the law of love. Let us love each other with pure hearts and pure motives.

New adventures

We have arrived at seminary and have moved into our quaint, little apartment that is on campus. I love it! We all love it. It's simple. I love simple.

We live in a small 500 and some odd square foot apartment that has character! The toilet talks back at ya when you flush it. Personally I think it's just letting you know you have done a good job flushing. I love this place. We have this common area that is like a wonderful backyard with this huge tree that expands across our bedroom and living room windows. I feel like we live in a tree house, it's great.

There are so many wonderful things about this place, I just love! What I love most about it is the community. We have become friends with the lady across the hall from us. Her and her daughter are here most every night for dinner and her daughter has become best friends with our oldest. We are constantly borrowing and swapping things, picking things up for each other and just taking care of each other. I like that. To me, this is how it should be.

It's not just the lady across the hall either, the same community attitude is with most everyone we have met here within the last 3 weeks. I imagine it will only get better and I will not want to leave in a few years. We have community potluck dinners once a month and I have come to realize I love to cook again (more than ever). I love to have the neighbors over and the neighborhood kids over for dinner. Some nights there will be 8-9 of us sharing a meal together. Yup, I like that.

The girls are adjusting very well to everything. I was very concerned with how they were going to be with the downsizing of all their stuff, but they have done great with it. All the kids around here will start school on Monday and we will resume homeschooling with them. This is also a new experience for me. I did a little with them at the tail end of the school year last year, but it is all still very new to me.

Michelle is also starting Monday and has a crazy schedule! I know she is looking forward to it and I'm just so excited for her that all of this is happening. Her passion, her desire and her call, it's all coming together.

As for me, I am still getting use to being a stay at home mom, which I love. Staying at home is giving me a lot more time to look deeper into my faith, the word and some of the things I have been taught. I've been exploring and learning so much. I look forward to more.

Tomorrow (Sunday), for the first time we will be going to the church that Michelle has been assigned to for at least the next 2 years while she is in seminary. They aren't classified as open and affirming, which is what we have been use to in the past year.

It will be interesting and I look forward to all of it.

New adventures. They are great.

Time for a change

Although this isn't the greatest background, I just couldn't take the pink any longer.