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I’m just sitting here, with a little bit of return culture shock. I woke up this morning to the sound of Christian radio. Surrounded by Bibles. And surrounded by people that have heard the truth, but don’t live it. Myself included many times.

We’re so saturated here with God. I wish we could all travel and see the perspective, that if Jesus is indeed the way, the truth, and the life, and that nobody comes to the Father except through Him, how blessed we are and how great our burden is to make that known to a world that doesn’t know..

But we mostly take it for granted, ignore it, or work it out where we have a little bit of God, but never have to sacrifice our idols. They’re not sticks or rocks here, but we have them.

I’m praying for the kid that came to Christ at the park Thursday, and that he will attend a Bible study, and that maybe one day I will see him as a church leader, starting house churches or leading other guys.

And I’m praying that as we focus on whatever it is that we focus on, that we don’t lose the message that was given to us, simply because of saturation. If this is the truth, there could come a day when we don’t have it either, when it’s hard to find the Word, when it’s hard to find someone really following Christ. We’re already in the process of doing that in our society. We’re trading in the truth for a lie, thought up in our own wisdom. We need to hear and be convicted of it as much or more than Japan..

There are zero eyewitnesses to macroevolution. There were over 500 eyewitnesses to the resurrection. We don’t believe because our hearts are proud and haughty and we want our own way. It’s never been about science. It’s always been about sinners with their eyes closed and with ears that don’t want to hear, because they know deep down that a risen Christ means they have to change their evil ways. I know, I have been there. I’m still there in many respects!

But if this is the truth, hiding from it will not change it. That’s true for Tokyo and it’s true in the Birmingham suburbs, where it’s so easy to have a Bible covered with dust and locked away in a closet, relegated to the 12th or 13th authority in our lives, when the text works for our plans and what we want.

So that’s what I was thinking about this morning, as we go along in our churched culture, that usually doesn’t really need the Spirit to sustain itself, and I wonder how many times I’ve gone right along with that culture and Christ was somewhere else, healing the hurting and raising the dead to life while I am giving empty lip service, along with so many others. I hope that will no longer be the case.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of salvation, first for the Jews and then for the Greeks. And then for those in Tokyo. And for those in the suburbs of Birmingham who have heard of the gospel all their lives but have never even sniffed of its power.

Praying for them today, as I head back to work, and re-immerse myself into this life that I lead 49 or so weeks out of the year. And I pray for a new movement of the Spirit in my life. And a willingness to bring my experiences there home into my life here, and not go back to the same person I was.

Thank You God, now show me where my Shibuya is here at home…

Yet another update that I haven’t mentioned.

I have been leading a small group for approaching a year now. God has really been blessing us, with guys who are really wanting to follow Christ. I believe it’s a group of leaders and the ground floor of what I pray will be an army of men who want to step up and be the church. It’s really exciting to be a part of.

So I decided we’d try to plan a mission trip together. After a few weeks of discussion, we have decided to go to Arizona together, to the Tohono O’odham reservation, the 2nd largest reservation in the United States, and a very, very forgotten place by most.

There is rampant poverty here, much alcoholism and drugs, and many many single parent families. I’ve been told it’s not much different than a mission trip to any number of other countries. And there are many unreached villages. We will be engaged in sports camps, leading to evangelistic efforts in a particular village, the church events will likely take place at night.

It looks like 7 of us are going, perhaps more, so there’s definitely a huge discipleship component here that I am really excited about as well.

The trip is from June 13 to June 20, so we would all appreciate your prayers. Some of the guys would probably love to have your financial support too. If you’re interested, email me or comment on the blog, and I’ll make sure the money gets to them. They promise they will send you a postcard. :-)

God Bless!

Prayed Psalm 118 tonight, check this section

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them

Gates of Righteousness = Christ, he is the gate, and David asks for him, that we may enter through him.. keep going

and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD;
the righteous shall enter through it.

The righteous shall enter through Christ. They have been given his righteousness. Unbelievable words, wow!

21 I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.

The Lord Jesus Christ’s body has become our salvation. We were answered by his blood and his resurrection. The Lord has literally become our salvation. Ok, now get ready..

22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.

Bam! Luke 20, “What then is this that is written:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’?

Jesus owns Psalm 118 himself, that these words are talking about him. I almost got up and started dancing when I prayed through this. He is our righteousness, he becomes our salvation, he becomes the cornerstone, the everlasting temple of God, tear this house down and in three days he will raise it because he is the cornerstone now! And this all comes from David hundreds of years before Christ! And more….

23 This is the LORD’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.

It pleased the Lord to crush him. It was his doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Pray for better eyes to see spiritually, to see the marvelousness of this, and pray for others to have new faith eyes, to be able to see this awesome truth, foretold long before Christ..

24 This is the day that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

I must admit I have always used this verse in the morning to say it’s a good day. I bet it can still be used as that, but it’s a touch out of context considering what comes before. The Good Friday at Calvary… when Jesus gave his life for ours, I think this is the day that David is specifically speaking of here. This is too cool.

I pray for us all to rejoice and be glad in the day that the Lord provided salvation for us through the Lord Jesus Christ, and to understand this is about so much more than ‘doctrine’ and ‘dogma’ and in fact Jesus came to fight against those things when they interfere with the heart of God. He fought for you to rescue you from them, don’t throw him out with those he came to confront.

Psalm 118 begins and ends with the same thing:

1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!

I pray that we would all see how good he is, and that his steadfast love endures forever, from the suburbs of Birmingham to the streets of Tokyo to the alleys of Indian Reservations in Arizona, to the streets of downtown Tokyo, and everywhere else in between. Learn about who the Lord is and how good he is, and give thanks to him!

Amen!

Ok so it’s quite pitiful that I haven’t mentioned Japan yet on the blog, I have seriously fallen off the wagon folks. But a sick day has inspired me to write a little, which all in all is a good thing, and so I wanted to let you all know where I am.

In early February I got word about the half marathon in Maebashi, Japan. Maebashi hosts Birmingham runners each year for the race as they are our sister city. I hadn’t expressed interest in previous years to go, but this year it definitely grabbed my attention and heart, and so I entered.

Late in February, I found out that I had been chosen to go! So I began preparations. I will be flying out on April 23, and the race is on April 26. I’m really excited about this experience. I’m excited about running in a different country.. and continent, meeting new and different people, representing my town, getting a perspective on what this country is like, so many things, soooo many things I am excited about.

At the same time, separately, I had been praying to God about foreign missions. I really want to give my life to one place, one group of people, one group of missionaries. I want to pray for them specifically, help them financially, give them teaching if possible and encouragement, and then go as I can go to be alongside them.

So in light of this prayer and the way Japan came about, I began seeking ways that I might be able to connect with missionaries in Japan. I contacted the International Missions Board, and I did get connected to a missionary there. And I extended the time that I will be in Tokyo to come alongside missionaries there and offer any assistance I can, which will include some work out on the streets, talking to residents and hopefully introducing them to Jesus.

IMB Tokyo Website

I am excited, nervous, out of the comfort zone thinking about it. But that’s good. And my prayer is that this is only the beginning of my relationship with the people of Japan, and that God may use me to affect Japan greatly for Christ in the coming years.

I will know more of the logistical stuff as well as what I might be doing there in the next couple of weeks. I will keep the blog updated, and definitely hope to write a lot both about the run and Maebashi and representing Birmingham, but also the work in Tokyo and representing Christ. Sweet working these things together!!

I appreciate all of your prayers and support and your friendship. It’s an awesome life God has given me and I can’t wait to see what’s next!

I’m studying the Gospel of John. Today I tracked back to chapter 2, and Jesus with the money changers in the temple. Here’s the text:

John 2

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!”

17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Just a couple of quick thoughts. I love this chapter because it really shows who Jesus is in a couple of ways we don’t see easily. First, Jesus turns water into wine at a party, which I discussed in a previous post. I think we’ve been conditioned not to approach the Bible this way, but Jesus was a fun guy! I mean, we do want to spend eternal life with him right? And he made us to love humor, he was fun and people really liked being with him!

But also, here in these verses, Jesus is very passionate and angry. He is very protective of his sheep. And that’s me.

In the Jewish temple there were many different sections, each closer to the presence of God. The furthest away was the court of the Gentiles. This would be the evangelism center. This would be where those who were not Jews could learn about God. And this is where the ruling authorities put the marketplace. The Gentiles were shut out and marginalized, in the midst of a flea market that was brought about because of lazy worship and corruption.

Jesus loved me enough to go in there and tear that junk up. Because he hates corruption, and loves truth, and stands for it passionately and unafraid, I’m able to hear the gospel now and respond, as are you.

These two pictures are my favorite pictures of Jesus. Fun to be around, the life of the party, enjoying the celebration, yet having passion and zeal for the word and the person of God, and his heart, which is for everyone to hear about the Christ.

I guess in a lot of ways this chapter guides my Christian life. It is FUN, not boring or repressed or anything like that. No it’s not all roses and sunshine, but what is? My reward in heaven more than makes up for anything fleeting I have given up here. And the life I have, the people I get to call friends, the mission I am a part of, is fun. I love it.

But when it’s time to be serious, and have zeal for the Lord, especially amidst corruption of man that alienates people from meeting Christ, that upsets me. This is why I want to post blogs about who Christ really was, and not how 21st Century America has painted him to be.

So go with me, meet Christ. Get to know him. Learn about what he stands for and what he did for you. You may find that to want to follow him is the easiest decision you can make, because he was the one who claimed to be God, then proved it by dying and coming back to life, yet with no personal agenda.. no book deal.. no nothing that would have me believe that he did it for any other reason than that he loves me and wants to hang with me in heaven forever, where there is no corruption and all worship is true.

Anxiety is what I have this morning.

It’s like a new chapter in my life. It’s January 5, 2009. And the journey has turned a new page.

In late 2006, I lost a relationship that was very dear to me, and soon after, my mom became sick. My mission, my ministry, became to honor her by carrying her through that very rough patch in her life.

God was so faithful to me on every step of that journey. I chose to sell my house. He chose to bring about a buyer on almost the last possible day, perfect timing to show His perfect sovereignty over my life.

Then we had the month long hospital stay in 2007, and all the rehab. It was all very difficult, and we both grew in leaps and bounds. And yet God carried us.

Then we had the fight with the Social Security Administration. And yet again, in God’s perfect timing, we received the benefits at the last possible moment for mom to have uninterrupted health insurance. Her old coverage ends February 1 and her new coverage begins that same day.

God wouldn’t be any less God, or any less holy or awesome if He had chosen not to allow these things to happen, but I am confident that He did will them, to strenghen my faith and my mother’s as well.

So having fought these difficult battles, and being on the other side, in my house in Pelham, with mom’s house sold, her Social Security benefits in hand, and her insurance going to Medicare, I took my first true vacation from work since most of this began. Though the Lord was with me, I was spiritually bankrupt, and tired. I had so much built up through times of anger or times of spiritual depression that my heart wanted to hide from God, wanted to hide from the Word, and my soul was anguishing. My chief goal over that 9 days was to rediscover my life in Christ in some manner, as I look forward to what will occur next.

And once again the Lord has been so faithful. What started as a small spark has now broken into a fire. The words of some of the great old theologians has been given to me, people that I have never even heard of, and the Spirit has used that to light me up. And I’m so thankful. I couldn’t wait to wake up this morning and get into the Word, and commune with my Father, and that’s not something I’ve been able to say much.

Which leads me back to my anxiety. Work awaits. The cubicle that I call home most days is waiting not far away in space or in time, and I am anxious, because these 9 days have reawakened me, and I am afraid that my ‘routine’ will take this fire away.

So I spent the majority of my prayer time today asking the Father to help me not let that happen. I want to cling to this feeling, to this openness and softness of my heart, a heart of flesh and not of stone. I don’t want to lose this fire in the need to work harder or work faster or this sense of busyness or worldly importance that I will try to ascribe. No let me live in step with the Spirit, all day long.

I am using the thoughts and prayers of a theologian/mathmetician/professor named Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847) as companions to my morning reading. Today, this particular sentence caught me and I will take it with me the rest of my day.

My God, Thou knowest my infirmities; and Thou knowest my desire to overcome them. Send forth Thy spirit to help in this warfare.

If I ask this, and I let the power of Christ rest on me, there is no need for anxiety. Only joy and confidence in the risen Christ and the spirit that He gives us. Pray that with me??

for a second, I really see life for what it is, and start to enjoy those little things… the ones that I don’t let happen when I’m just too busy for things.

Katelyn was at the house yesterday. It was the first day of my vacation and Benji was over to help me mount my weather equipment in the back yard. Stephanie got off work early so he went to pick her up, leaving me and my mom and Katelyn.

There’s a lot of times that I just walk around and look for things to do. I’m usually so busy that I don’t feel right without something to do. But yesterday, I found a place at the foot of the stairs, and just watched.

Katelyn was eating Tostitos, and decided that she wanted to be a big girl and eat them with silverware. So she asked me to get her a fork (which was hilarious because what was coming out of her mouth was not fork and can not be reprinted on my blog) and a plate. I got her a bowl and a kiddie spoon, close enough. And she broke the chips into pieces and put them into the bowl and then carried them over to me sitting on the stair. Then she would nestle up by me and I’d pick her up and sit her down on the stair I was sitting on and she would eat her chip. Then she would go back and make another one.

About the third time, she got a great idea. She decided to feed me some of the chips. So I got a mouthful of tostito pieces. Then she would giggle, and say ‘More, Geoff?’ and walk back to make another chip for us.

There’s so much you miss when you’re trying to ‘do’ constantly. I hate to think of the awesome moments I could have had, but was too busy doing something else, like blogging. eek. :-)

And I hope that as 2009 nears, I will take more of an opportunity to look for those. And I hope and pray that in 2009 I will be able to live more in the Grace of Christ, rather than focusing so much on what I do for Him. Because sometimes eating chips with your niece is just as glorifying than serving in 100 capacities.. it’s all in the heart behind the actions. And that’s something I pray will continue to improve for me.

32 Christmases… 32 spent single. Yeah it’s a little dramatic, because I wasn’t looking when I was 0. Or 1… maybe 5. :-)

And my heart is always warmed when potential murder suspects are engaged to women 30 years younger than them, and yet I cannot seem to find the one I am looking for.

But it’s never as black and white as that is it?

And strangely that is comforting.

I live in the tension between what I want, and what God wants for me. Many times they are the same. Sadly, sometimes they are not. For instance, there are girls who I have known, or know, and have been interested in, where my interest in them was based off how they felt about me, or how they looked, or a specific thing we had in common. In those cases it was never based on their desire to glorify Christ in their relationship. But still the desire remained, the curiosity remained, and the temptation remained.

And my friends would tell me that my standards are too high, or that I’m too serious about that.

But my life is meant to glorify Christ. And if a relationship does not do that, then it takes away from that. And that’s the most important thing there is. So time after time, I have fought that temptation to settle into some marginal form of faith or to do religion instead of living for Jesus, or to stick my fingers in my ear and try to wish Him away…

I’ve seen it happen. Up close and personal. Best friends of mine. And sometimes I want to walk right behind them.

But I don’t. In the words of Jeremiah

But if I say, “I will not mention him
or speak any more in his name,”
his word is in my heart like a fire,
a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
indeed, I cannot.

And so here I am in the tension. I wish for and dream about what I haven’t been given while all the while subtly resisting the opportunity to take it on my own terms. It can be maddening.

And yet, as this post’s title indicates, it’s also comforting.

You see, many times I feel lost. I live in this culture of excess, in the midst of many people full of religion, but missing the true beauty and ramifications of the Gospel. And I feel like I’m trapped in that, and that I am a fake, playing the religious game. I look for fruit, and I don’t always see it, and that makes me sad.

But yesterday, as I meditated on this subject, the words of Christ came to me from Luke 9

24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.

Which left me with this question… What does it mean for me to lose my life for Christ?? Does it mean that to save my life I must be martyred? Looking at the history there I don’t think so. Yes it may involve that one day. But there’s more..

What if losing my life was fighting in that area of tension, and risking not having the one thing in this world I want more than anything else, because I want to make sure it glorifies Him?

And trusting Him that if He wants me to have it then I will.

Or completely turning my living situation and system of finances around, to help someone else survive?

Or leaving a job that I thought took away from my ability to serve Christ more fully?

What if the enduring thing I take away from Single Christmas #32 is the comfort that I am in the enduring arms of Grace? That I’m willing to sacrifice what’s probably the most important thing I have in the flesh for His glory? I sincerely hope and pray not to have to, but I will.

And tonight that’s where I am. It doesn’t always soothe the dull pain and sense of helplessness that I feel from time to time. It’s not something that puts a fake smile on my face 24 hours per day 7 days per week, while I talk in glowing language about how much further developed on the issue of singleness I am than anyone else.

Just the contrary, I have spent more time mad at God than I care to admit, like a little kid who had his candy bar taken away, turned the opposite direction with his arms crossed, pouting out loud so as to make sure and draw attention to myself. I’ve screamed and shouted, I’ve prayed, I’ve cried. I’ve just felt totally and completely numb from any kind of emotion. If it’s there to be, I feel like I have been there.

It’s a dirty messy journey. But it’s my journey. God gave it to me. And it will glorify Him somehow.

So I forge ahead. I strive to be the man that a girl who loves Christ with all her heart will see and be drawn to. And I pray that in the meantime, I will see and love Him for Himself, and not for what or who He will bring into my path. Far too often I treat God like a candy machine, a means to getting the things I want. God is not the candy machine. God is the candy. And losing my life for Him tastes very very good.

So Merry 32nd Christmas everyone. I hope that if there’s anyone out there who is feeling the way I am feeling this Christmas season that they might read these words and be encouraged to also forge ahead, and to lose their life in whatever way they are called to.

That’s what they call it when you turn on a basketball game and you’ve missed most of it, and they show a little graphic with some of the vital statistics of the game. It’s a game reset. So here’s the game reset of my life, since my blogging has become about as frequent as my training runs.

- Mom sold her house yesterday. It’s really great news. Mom has more money per month now (she has already purchased a new stove with storm doors on her list). It will make her life a lot easier. Additionally, we were able to show grace and hopefully the love of Christ to my dad, who wants to retire in March. Due to the way the situation is playing out, we both thought it best to foster forgiveness and reconciliation by asking that he not pay alimony anymore. This should really help him live more comfortably, and for mom it shows her growth over these last years. It’s confirmation for me that God has been here and working in this. It’s lovely, seriously… I really hope that this is an example of how this life in Christ practically plays out.. how this all comes off the pages of the Bible in the year 2008 and gets in our families and how we deal with each other. This gospel isn’t archaic, it’s the power of God revealed.

- Additionally, Medicare for her begins February 1. Her current insurance would have expired when?? Yep, February 1. Unbelievable. I just don’t know how else to express how faithful God has been to us despite how unfaithful and full of questioning that I have been pretty much the entire way.

- I ran marathon #10 yesterday. There is a price to be paid for not properly training. A bad time, and potentially an injury were what I deserved. We’ll see about the knee and whether it works itself out or not, but the time can’t and couldn’t be helped. 3:50, 43 minutes off my best and 5 minutes better than my worst. But if you could feel the way I felt in the later miles of the race, you’d be pretty proud of that, and I am. I feel fortunate and blessed not to have finished the race in a medical tent with some crutches or something the way my IT band attacked me violently pretty much every step of the last 10 miles.

You know the most unfulfilling thing though? I went through most of this training with little to no motivation. By the time marathon day drew near, I was pretty convinced that once I ran this race, that the pressure would be lifted and I could back off and go do all these other things and feel great about it. But then the race went the way it did… and I feel like I need to come back for retribution or something. :-) It’s like I have the chip on my shoulder a little again. Why couldn’t I find that 2 months ago?

But I know it’s more than that. I guess it was mile 16 or so, before the real pain started, that I was thinking of this marathon and how it related to my life as a whole. The last 2 years or so have been tough. I lost one of my favorite people who I could have seen myself marrying, and about the time I thought maybe I was recovering from that, mom got really sick. There’s been the moving and there’s been changing churches and all the hurt that went along with that, and there’s been this constant of long runs and speedwork and tempo runs, and working an awful lot with little break. And I thought of that as I was running, and I almost teared up a little because I realized that a lot like the race, I was staggering home to this point in my life, and although it was a stagger or a crawl, looking at it and what God has done through me, I was so glad that I was crossing the finish line however God got me there… So I’ve really come to see that what I need more than anything is some real rest for my mind and my body and my soul. And I am looking to get that around Christmas this year. I can’t wait.

- Most everything else is pretty cool. I’m working a lot. I’m working hard on swimming. I completed 400 meters last week. I had to take lots of breaks but I did it. I lead a small group and I love my guys. I want to be a better leader to them. It’s a huge focus for me, to be a leader worthy of copying, worthy of being Paul to Timothy. And at the same time I’m praying to understand grace more, and to quit striving to make it on my own before God. The series we are going through in church right now is really kicking me in the gut there, and I love that.

I’m looking at my mission trip for next year and hoping that some of the guys will be able to come with me. Right now the #1 option is in Africa and will involve a lot of one on one evangelism. I’ll post more as I get everything locked down. But I want to have no excuses for staying in the shadows. I want to be direct with the gospel. I want to reach people who have never heard of Jesus, and I want to be forced to be the one to do it. That’s what has come to me in my prayer time about this, and I would encourage you for your prayers on it as well..

- I had my first experience as a storm tracker the other day. I have my weather station on order, and I should have almost all I will need for my laptop to do some spotting (not chasing) next spring. I went through the training a few weeks ago so I’m really looking forward to that.

- It’s kind of a lonely Christmas again this year. I really get down sometimes. I know I am never alone with Christ. And I have a ton of people around. So it’s not that. But the last few weeks I’ve had some experiences with my little nieces and with the kids of my bosses that have just lit a fire in my heart so completely to be a husband and a dad. I’m trying really hard to be what God wants me to be right now. But in all honesty I daydream a little too much about who he’d potentially like me to become… or to be more fair who I’d like to become. I hope I’m not missing too much of the moment, of right now, pining for what I don’t have. But at the same time I think I’m wishing for good things, for Christ honoring things. And this situation with my mom, and God’s word, teaches me to believe Him. To take Him at His word. And I can’t explain away this desire.

Does that mean He will answer that prayer? That’s not for me to say. I hope so. :-) But even if not, this is training. This is where if you really believe in Him and that He wants the best for you, you will live by faith, and live by obedience, and trust. So that’s what we do.

1 Corinthians 15

58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

So that’s the world of Geoff. Maybe I will get back to blogging daily, maybe not. But if you’re still reading, I thank you very much for doing so. Merry Christmas and much Grace and Peace to you…

- Spending time with my running family this morning… the Montclair Run always just gets me so pumped up for the day. It feels almost like overload for me seeing so many people I know and love

- Climbing the 2 hills to finish Montclair, like I have every year since 2004. I never like them any better.

- Stopping to make sure my friend didn’t puke. She didn’t. :-) I’m glad.

- My uncle’s ‘Mountain of Food’ consisting of everything from the table that we had, topped with at least 2 different kinds of beans, and with bread flags on top. You can check out my photo gallery for the pictures.

- My nieces and their new ‘Barney’ dolls. You can squeeze the hand and it sings. If you squeeze it repeatedly, it goes ‘I..I..I..I..I..I..I love you’ Priceless…

- Sweet potato casserole with orange extract, because mom accidentally added the wrong one. :-) It was still good..

- Seeing on YouTube that the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was Rick Rolled. Our generation took over today. Ha Ha

- Spending time with my dad and my Aunt Yvonne and Uncle Mark. They live in New Mexico and were here for the holiday.

- Taking my niece on a special exploratory mission in the dark for kitties. I held her hand as we walked through the shadows. And then we found the kitties. Two of them. And I held her hand as we chased them across the yard and she yelled out ‘Hey Kittie Dog!’

This just all goes by too fast.

But most of all, I’m thankful for this..

Romans 4

5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness

1 Timothy 1

15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners