bekahcubed – Page 92

Book Review: “Has God Spoken?” by Hank Hanegraaf

January 4, 2012 2 Comments by bekahcubed

Has God spoken?

Manuscript evidences say “Yes”.

Copyist practices resulted in a Bible that shows significant harmony in manuscripts spanning up to a thousand years. The way many teachings (especially Jesus’ teachings) were organized for an oral culture ensured accurate transmission of Christ’s words to the authors of the Gospels. The enormous volume of Biblical papyri and parchments and their close proximity to the original autographs makes the Bible the most reliable of ancient manuscripts (that is, the least likely to be contaminated by legend or heresy). The internal evidence of different but compatible eyewitness testimonies is a remarkable testimony to the power of the book. External evidences from credible early AD historians buttress the historical details of the New Testament. And the science of textual criticism allows us to carefully evaluate and identify what the original autographs said.

Has God spoken?

Archeology says “Yes”.

Steles (large stone monuments containing written records of events) and stones corroborate the Biblical stories of the Exodus, of King David and other Israelite kings, and of Pilate’s authority in Judea. Archeology has unearthed the Pools of Siloam and Bethesda, both of which turn out to be just as they are described in the New Testament. Assyrian archeology corroborates the Biblical tale of the Israelite Exodus. The Dead Sea Scrolls resolve the most commonly cited inconsistencies between Biblical record and archeology. And the Epic of Gilgamesh shows clear parallels with the Biblical account of the flood, while setting up a contrast between a clearly mythical and a clearly historical retelling.

Has God spoken?

Prophecy says “Yes”.

The succession of nations turned out just as prophesied by Daniel. Typological prophecies fulfilled in Christ bring together the whole of Scripture (with its multiple antitypes) into the person of Christ. The abomination of desolation predicted by Christ happened “before this generation passes away” just as Christ had said. The prophesied resurrection of Christ can be seen (through many proofs laid out in this book) as having come true. And seven specific prophecies regarding the Messiah definitively pinpoint Jesus of Nazareth as Israel’s Messiah.

Has God spoken?

Yes, He has. And we must listen

Hanegraaff’s apologetic on the inspiration of Scripture takes the reader through his famous acronym M-A-P-S (manuscripts, archeology, prophecy, and Scripture) with subacronyms for each point, all to demonstrate that God has indeed spoken through Scripture and that we have a responsibility to be obedient to His word.

Hanegraaff does a great job of demonstrating some of the best apologetics for the inspiration of Scripture–and does it in an utterly readable style. I have only two beefs with this book: First, the acronyms that can be very helpful for memorizing information are not always the most helpful way of arranging information for understanding. As such, individuals who lack familiarity with some of the basic apologetic arguments presented in this book may feel that they are jumping around from one thing to another quite a bit. Second, Hanegraaff references modern politicos, pundits, and scholars who pooh-pooh the inspiration of Scripture. If he were only referencing scholars, that would be one thing. But he also refers to President Obama and Bill O’Reilly (among others) as anti-inspirationalists. And so they are, but I feel that including them in this book as examples makes what could be a timeless reference work into a period piece that will quickly appear dated.

Nevertheless, I feel that this is a valuable apologetic work and I highly recommend it to those interested in apologetics or Scripture or archeology–or, actually, I think most Christians could benefit from reading this book.

This book was provided to me at no cost via Thomas Nelson’s “BookSneeze” program. My opinion, as always, is my own.

Rating:5 Stars
Category: Apologetics
Synopsis:A detailed apologetic (using easy-to-remember acronyms) for the inspiration of Scripture.
Recommendation: A valuable resource for the Christian library, especially for those who enjoy apologetics or desire to learn more about the Bible.

Homemaking, Work

White Coat Woes

January 3, 2012 5 Comments by bekahcubed

Not every dietitian (even in my company) wears the dress-code mandated white coat. But I do.

Me in my lab coat I wear the white coat because it gives me an extra dose of professionalism, because it differentiates me from visitors, because it has pockets to keep my essentials handy.

Mostly because it has those pockets.

But finding a coat that fits me can be an issue.

If I choose a women’s coat, it’s generally intended for someone much shorter than I–and usually has a band that’s supposed to fall at the waist but instead falls inconveniently just below my bust.

If I choose a man’s coat, it’ll be long enough, but tends to fit rather like a bag on my otherwise shapely figure.

I was thrilled to find a coat that fit a little over a year ago, although I was a bit disappointed to find that it was branded “Grey’s Anatomy”.

When I went back six months (or so) ago to get a second coat to replace the one that was starting to get ratty, I couldn’t find one in my size (medium). I bought an extra-large and cut it down to size.

Unfortunately, the next time I went back, it was to discover that the particular style of coat that actually managed to fit me was no longer being sold.

My new lab coat
What’s a girl to do?

I’m not sure what most girls would do, but this girl went to Walmart and bought some white twill curtains on clearance.

Then she carefully cut her old coat (the first one, size medium) apart and marked each seam and fold. She used the old pieces as a pattern to cut a new garment from the twill and painstakingly pieced it together into a replica coat.

Finally finished, she loads her pockets and takes some pictures before preparing for bed.

(The first picture is of the store-boughten coat, the second of my newly homemade coat. I think I like my homemade one even better than the store-bought one.)

Books, The Week in Words

WiW: Taking Risks

January 2, 2012 5 Comments by bekahcubed

Yesterday being the first of January, I also knew it to be the first of the L.M. Montgomery Reading Challenge. I duly began Anne of Green Gables, which I intend to re-read, along with its sequel Anne of Avonlea over the course of this month. (I also intend to complete at least one additional article of clothing for my doll wardrobe based on the Anne series).

Early on in Anne of Green Gables I came across a passage that’s never really stuck out to me before, but which certainly stuck out this time. Marilla is explaining to Mrs. Lynde why she agreed to adopt a boy from Nova Scotia, despite the risks:

“And as for risk, there’s risks in pretty near everything a body does in this world. There’s risks in people’s having children of their own if it comes to that–they don’t always turn out well.

It’s true. Everything in this world comes with risks. It’s risky to adopt, but it’s also risky to have one’s own children. It’s risky to fly, but it’s also risky to drive. Exercise is risky, but so is being sedentary.

This life is full of risks, some small and some large.

Not that our emotions always know which is which.

Most of us probably recognize that driving a car is quite risky, just as risky as flying in an airplane. But that doesn’t stop some of us from being massively fearful of flying while being completely nonchalant about driving.

Many expressed terror when I told them I was skydiving last year–when, in fact, skydiving isn’t anywhere near as risky (statistically) as many presume it to be.

And then there’s the risk of not taking risks. I read a study once (that I probably have bookmarked or saved somewhere but don’t know where) that suggests that people who do not die taking risks live longer for having taken them. It seems that calculated risk taking can actually, paradoxically, be good for us.

So how does one determine which risks to take and which to avoid?

Marilla took this one out of a sense of duty, at first:

“I don’t deny there’s something in what you say, Rachel. I’ve had some qualms myself. But Matthew was terrible set on it. I could see that, so I gave in. It’s so seldom Matthew sets his mind on anything that when he does I always feel it’s my duty to give in.”

Later, when things didn’t turn out as expected, she made the final decision to keep Anne when she realized that if she chose the lest risky option for herself (giving Anne up), it would mean great risk for Anne (living with “that Blewett woman”).

Ultimately, I think, the Christian has the perfect grid for evaluating risk-taking.

As I taught my Sunday School children yesterday, God is sovereign. Sovereign means that He is the ruler, in control of all things. We discussed how this is a scary thing for the person who does not trust in Jesus, because God hates sin. But we also discussed how this is good news for the person who trusts in Jesus–because God has already said what His plans are for the people who trust in Jesus. God has said that His plan is to conform them into the image of Christ.

So the Christian can evaluate every risk by asking the question: “Has God commanded it?” If so, whatever the earthly risks, there is a heavenly benefit far surpassing: that the believer will be conformed to the image of Christ. Beyond this, the believer can evaluate risks using the grid of I Corinthians 6:12 and 10:23-24: Is this permissible? Is this beneficial? Is this going to bring me under its mastery? Is it going to do good for another?

Presuming that a risk fits those criterion (it’s permissible, beneficial, and does good for another while not bringing you under its own mastery), it is a worthwhile risk.

After all, as my pastor occasionally says, “We’re immortal until God decides our life is over.”

Don’t forget to take a look at Barbara H’s meme “The Week in Words”, where bloggers collect quotes they’ve read throughout the week–and Carrie’s L.M. Montgomery Reading Challenge to see what everyone else is working on.

Family & Friends

Snapshot: Hats and a Happy New Year

January 1, 2012 2 Comments by bekahcubed

The Little Miss’s Christmas Eve outfit completely inspired me. Hats are where it’s at.

Little Miss in a hat

And so I have determined to wear my hats this year. Each hat, in fact. All dozen plus of them.

Starting with Hat #1, a fur number with sequined detailing and a small net veil.

Me in my hat

And I figured I’d share a Christmas picture from my family since we were all together and took photos this Christmas. (Despite my best attempts, I think we’ll have to resign ourselves to having at least one of us looking ridiculous in any photo we choose–since at least one of us was a little too silly in a few too many photos.)

The Menters, Christmas Eve 2011

Books

52 Books to Remove from my TBR List

December 30, 2011 7 Comments by bekahcubed

The bookish blogosphere is awash with book lists this time of year–mostly lists of books read in 2011.

But I’m so over 2011–I’ve been so busy planning 2012.

As part of my personal 2012 Challenge, I’ve resolved to remove 52 books from my TBR list in 2012.

So, without further ado, the list:

Emily of Deep Valley by Maude Hart Lovelace
I’m sorta cheating with this one, cause I plan on accomplishing two goals with the same book. First, I’ll read it to remove it from my TBR list. Second, I’ll use my reading as a means of participating in Sarah’s Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge when it comes around again in Novemberish. Not coincidentally, the Review that Hooked Me was linked up to this year’s Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge.

Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon
Saw the movie, er, one of the movies several years ago. Always been vaguely interested at a character named Anna (which is my older sister’s name and not altogether a common name). Carrie’s review ended up being the Review that Hooked Me–and convinced me that I had to read the real story.

Peace Like a River by Lief Enger
This was one of Lincoln’s “One Book, One Lincoln” picks several(?) years back, and it didn’t appeal to me at the time. But Barbara’s Review Hooked Me–and I’ll be checking it out this year.

Selfish Reasons to Have more Kids by Bryan Caplan
I don’t usually put books on my TBR list based on something the Instapundit says, but this one was an exception. I come from a large family, and rather selfishly desire a large family myself. I’m curious to hear what Caplan considers good “selfish” reasons :-)

Press Here by Herve Tullet
It’s sad to say (since I write the occasional review of children’s picture books), but I very rarely add a children’s picture book to my TBR list. Why? Because I don’t have children of my own and thus have little reason (yet) to purchase children’s picture books, and because I’m already reading through the children’s picture book section at my local library in order by author last name. But Dawn’s Review Hooked Me and I added this one to my list.

Wonderstruck by Brian Celznick
(The Review that Hooked Me)
A Break with Charity by Ann Rinaldi
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Never Knowing by Chevy Stevens
(The Review that Hooked Me)
The Winters in Bloom by Lisa Tucker
(The Review that Hooked Me)
It Looked Different on the Model by Laurie Notaro
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Entwined by Heather Dixon
(The Review that Hooked Me)
The Long Song by Andrea Levy
(The Review that Hooked Me)
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Heads you Lose by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Decision Points by George W. Bush
(The Review that Hooked Me)
33 Men by Jonathan Franklin
(The Review that Hooked Me)
In a Heartbeat by Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy
(The Review that Hooked Me)
The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
(The Review that Hooked Me)
The Things We Do for Love by Kristin Hannah
(The Review that Hooked Me)
The Three Weissmans of Westport by Cathleen Schine
(The Review that Hooked Me)
The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
(The Review that Hooked Me)
The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard
(The Reviews that Hooked Me: 1,2)
Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson
(The Review that Hooked Me)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Matched by Ally Condie
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Split by Swati Avasthi
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Cookie Swap! by Lauren Chattman
(The Review that Hooked Me)
The Language of God by Francis S. Collins
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Don’t Sing at the Table by Adriana Tragiani
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Leaving Gee’s Bend by Irene Latham
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Finally by Wendy Mass
(The Review that Hooked Me)
The Death-Defying Pepper Roux by Geraldine McCaughrean
(The Review that Hooked Me)
8th Grade Super Zero by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Annexed by Sharon Dogar
(The Review that Hooked Me)
Stitches: A memoir by David Small
Breaking Night by Liz Murray
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
Clara’s War by Clara Kramer
The Twenty-One Balloons by William DuBois
Famous by Todd Strasser
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Courting Miss Amsel by Kim Vogel Sawyer
Fragile by Lisa Unger
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
(The Review that Hooked Me)
The Girl who chased the Moon by Sarah Adison Allen
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
I’d know you anywhere by Laura Lippman
Punished by Rewards by Alfie Kohn
????

Do you see that empty space? That’s because I accidentally jumped the gun and read Emma Donoghue’s Room in 2011. Which means that I have to try to come up with one final(?) book to remove from my TBR list during the next year–which is kinda a lot of pressure. How do I decide among the many hundreds still on the list?

2012

Introducing: 2012 in 2012

December 29, 2011 6 Comments by bekahcubed

I’m not at all superstitious–and I happen to believe that no man knows or even can know the time of the end of the world.

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only…Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”
~Matthew 24:36, 42

But the hype surrounding the Mesoamerican calendar that “ends” on December 21, 2012 makes for a convenient excuse for my variation on the bucket list.

Introducing…

In the upcoming year, I propose to accomplish 2012 things–one for each year since the first coming of our Lord.

I have already prepared a tentative list of 2012 items to do–but I reserve the right to change any to all of them as I progress. I also reserve the right to include as many as 366 “sleep” items to the list (since the prospect of accomplishing 2012 things in 2012 might be inclined to infringe upon my sleeping time!)

Of course, I’ll keep you all updated as I race through the year toward [insert scary music] the end of the world!

Technology

Reading My Reader: A Systematic Approach

December 28, 2011 5 Comments by bekahcubed

If your reader is anything like mine, it simply explodes during periods of unavoidable delay (mainly while I’m at work).

I leave with an easy couple hundred posts, but by the time I’m back my reader announces not a number but “1000+” behind “All Items”.

As such, I’ve taken to developing systems for dealing with reader overload.

I say “systems”, for I have several.

System 1 involves starting at the top and working my way down, reading every article in every folder. This is what I did at first–and what I quickly decided was unsustainable. I simply cannot read that much, and it leaves the poor “Younger Bloggers” in the last folder to sit in oblivion for what must seem to a youngster to be forever.

Enter System 2. In this system, I randomly select folders and scroll through posts until I find one that looks interesting. I read that, mark it as read, and continue scrolling. The problem with this approach is that I keep finding articles that I want to read eventually but don’t feel that I have time to read now. These are generally those posts that exceed the golden word count of blogging (500 words). Then, I end up scrolling through those same posts interminably. Very frustrating.

Which is why System 3 is at an advantage. With system 3, I read everything that has been written in the past 24 hours and one further article before moving on to the next folder. This has the theoretical advantage of not allowing me to get further behind–but still risks missing the bottom folders due to time constraints.

System 4 ensures that I get to all my folders. I simply read as many articles as are necessary to reduce my folder count to a multiple of five before moving along to the next folder. This means that folders with fewer posts (“People I know”, for example, or “2012-11-Comments”) get read all the way through, while folders with lots of posts (“News”) are barely skimmed. This is probably my favorite method except that it has gotten so boring to have all those fives and zeros on the ends of things.

That’s why System 5 is currently my preferred route. In this system, I choose an arbitrary number (not 5) to be my divisor. So, if I have chosen “8” (as I did immediately before beginning this post), acceptable ending post counts could be 40, 160, 144, or 24; but not 38. The next time I read through (possibly in the same sitting, possibly on another occasion), I choose a new number. This system has the same disadvantage as System 4, but with the added advantage of regular recitation of my times tables (which are admittedly rather rusty.)

Of course, the most effective system would probably be to subscribe to fewer feeds–but with so much to read each day, who has time to do that?

So tell me (have you ever noticed how often I use “so tell me”?), do you have a system for reading your reader? Please tell me about it–I love adding new systems!

What's on Your Nightstand?

Nightstand (December 2011)

December 26, 2011 13 Comments by bekahcubed

I started my resolutions a little early by resolving to not miss a Nightstand post this month. The fact that state still hasn’t shown up in my overdue facility and that I just finished a five day weekend means that this particular resolution was achievable.

Books to be Read

What I read this month:

Adult Fiction

The Centurion’s Wife by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke
For some reason, I never expect much from historical fiction set around the time of Christ–and always end up pleasantly surprised when I enjoy a piece set in that era. The Centurion’s Wife doesn’t top Francine Rivers’s An Echo in the Darkness (my favorite item from this time period), but it’s still pretty good. I’m looking forward to the rest of this series.
End of Story by Peter Abrahams
Another psychological thriller from Abrahams–this time about an writer who can’t seem to publish anything. When she agrees to teach a writing class for inmates at a semi-local prison, she discovers a convicted criminal (and amazing storyteller) that she becomes convinced is innocent. But can she convince a judge? And what about said criminal’s “guilty” plea?
The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God by Timothy Schaffert
I’m not quite sure how to describe this novel. The characters are a motley bunch–an alcoholic schoolbus driver, his elementary art teacher ex-wife, their young daughter, and their young son who’s gone off in a fit of religiosity to play in band for the “Daughters of God”, a Christian music trio. It’s a fascinating book, was a very entertaining read–but is impossible to categorize. So I’ll just add a few notes: It’s set in Nebraska. Not being a small town girl myself, I don’t know how accurate all the depictions are, but many of Schaffert’s descriptions sound like what I hear tell of from my small-Nebraska-town-dwelling peers. Also, in case anyone might be misled by the title, this is NOT a Christian book.

Adult Non-fiction

God: The Evidence by Patrick Glynn
An interesting treatment of the topic to say the least. Glynn starts with a cosmological argument, but quickly moves on to a more elusive argument from soul to supernatural. Strangely, he considers near-death experiences to be compelling evidences for God. I am inclined to be more skeptical. (Not that I don’t believe that there’s a God–I certainly do–and I know Him. But I am skeptical of near-death experiences, and do not feel that they necessarily are evidences for God’s existence.)
Glen Beck’s Common Sense by Glenn Beck
I know there are plenty of Beck fans out there; but, I don’t think I’m one of them. Beck’s stuff was okay but not spectacular. Thomas Paine, on the other hand, writes a truly jaw-dropping Common Sense.
America by Heart by Sarah Palin
This book convinced me that I have underestimated Palin. I have generally considered her to be high-action/lower-intellect. But America by Heart reveals her as having a keen and well-read mind. Not that Palin doesn’t have the blue-collar patriotism and common sense that has made her so popular among the supposedly “common man”–it’s just that there’s more than meets the eye. She’s no populist, but a true conservative thinker in the classic liberal tradition.
Has God Spoken? by Hank Hanegraaff
An apologetic book on the inspiration of Scripture, this demonstrates Hanegraaff’s definite gift for acronyms. Hanegraaf walks through his famous acronym M-A-P-S (manuscripts, archeology, prophecy, and Scripture) with subacronyms for each point, all to demonstrate that God has indeed spoken through Scripture and that we have a responsibility to be obedient to His word. I’ll review this in more depth later; for now, suffice to say that I greatly enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it. (Disclaimer: This book was provided to me at no cost via Thomas Nelson’s “BookSneeze” program. My opinion, as always, is my own.)

Juvenile Fiction

Bones and the Cupcake Mystery by David Adler
Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Monster Movie by David Adler
The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga
Fanboy is smart. He likes comic books. He lives in the basement. He has one friend. He is bullied by many. He is watched by one–Goth girl. She sees him take the punches. She reads the comic he’s writing. She talks about killing 90% of the school. She hates his guts? This is definitely YA with some violence, some sexual fantasizing (Fanboy is a 16 year old male), some disrespect for authority, and some “tense” family situations. Despite all this, I found Fanboy an endearing character, one who goes from being a downtrodden geek to one who rises above over the course of the book.
The No Place Cat by C.S. Adler
A quite enjoyable Middle grade novel about a thirteen-year-old who rebels against the tyranny of living with her dad and step-mom by running away to live with her mom. Along the way, she picks up a stray cat–and discovers something about the responsibilities of belonging.
The Clue in the Embers by Franklin Dixon
The Summer I Learned to Fly by Dana Reinhardt
A very enjoyable coming-of-age story that I sincerely hope makes the Cybils shortlist. My full review here.
The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman
Another Cybils nominee–this time one I disliked so much that I chose not to finish. High school romance + sex + bad science = not worth my time. My full review here.
The FitzOsbornes in Exile by Michelle Cooper
An ultimately very enjoyable story (despite its potentially very inflammatory content)–but not a prize-winner in my book. This is a much cleaner and more interesting “princess” story than the more modern and baser “Princess Diaries.” Read my full review here.

Juvenile Non-Fiction

The Forgotten Victims of the Holocaust by Linda Jacobs Altman
The Jewish Victims of the Holocaust by Linda Jacobs Altman
A is for Adam by Ken and Maly Ham
An A-B-C book about creation written from a young earth creationist perspective. See my review written from an old earth and language-loving perspective.
1 book about bones
10 Bible Story books

I borrowed a truncated supply of books three weeks ago, and then picked up the rest in Lincoln on Christmas Adam (immediately preceding Christmas Eve.) So I have plenty of books to keep me busy into the New Year!

Books to be Read
Don’t forget to drop by 5 Minutes 4 Books to see what others are reading this month!

Everyday Life

Snapshot: Gift Wrapping

December 23, 2011 4 Comments by bekahcubed

I have absolutely no skill for gift wrapping.

My family can testify that this is neither false humility nor misplaced perfectionism.

I am truly awful at it.

Brown paper packages

Which is why I didn’t even try this year.

The gifts are covered, the names visible. That’s the point of wrapping, right?

And there is something starkly beautiful about all those brown paper packages–so long as you don’t mind lots of wrinkles and large clumps of tape.

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday: Anticipation

December 22, 2011 1 Comment by bekahcubed

I’ve spent the last couple of months anticipating the arrival of state surveyors at one of my facilities.

Every plan I made was “pending state”.

Because when state arrives, every other plan goes out the window. I’ll be in that facility from before breakfast is served to after supper is served. If the facility being surveyed is in another town, I likely won’t be home to sleep in my bed, get on my computer, or spend time with my friends. State puts everything else on hold.

But state has delayed interminably in coming (today marks a day past due), and I’m spent with the anxiety and dread of anticipating a state survey.

Thankfully, I still have a bit of energy left to anticipate a much more exciting event!

This week I’m thankful…

…that God is sovereign over the actions of state surveyors, including when they do and do not come

…that MY LITTLE BROTHER IS COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS! (Even if he was a stinker–or the Marine Corps was a stinker–and didn’t let us know until last night.)

…that all the siblings will be together for Christmas. It’ll be the first time all the siblings have been together for anything since September 2010.

…that my little brother’s (newly acquired) girlfriend will also be in town. We’ve known Kaytee for a couple of years now–but they started dating while they were in the Marines, so we’ve never seen them as a “couple”.

…that the Little Miss is starting to scoot–and I get to see her do so this weekend.

…that Jesus Christ Came…and is coming again. The wait for state has made me think of other “unexpected” but “expected” waits–things we know are coming but don’t know exactly when. The birth of a baby qualifies as one. The second coming of Christ as another.

I’m thankful that unlike the dread I associate with a state visit, the coming of Christ (both times) affords nothing but joy for me.

Because the baby who came over 2,000 years ago is the Redeemer who paid my ransom. The King who is yet to come is my Betrothed–and He returns to make the church His Bride.