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The Perfections of God, Part 2

12/29/2013

I only got through two points today; partly because I got to it late, partly because I'm hungry, and partly because the weather is dreary (i.e. sleepy). The reason I got around to it late is because Daddy and Granddaddy got here! I sat with Granddaddy while he slept for about an hour (after I washed the dishes) and put his feet back up on the recliner's footstool at least three time because he's twitching so badly in his sleep. He is worse shape than I thought he was going to be...

Anyway, back to the Perfections of God. The two points I read on today are these: 1) God is Omnipresent and 2) God is Almighty (Omnipotent).

First, God is Omnipresent:

Although the entire universe cannot contain Him, God fills every moment of time and every atom of space with His whole Being...Two finite beings cannot exist in the same place at the same time. But God pervades and fills every other being that exists, without mixing or confusing His uncreated reality with created reality. (261)

“God transcends all space and whereness. He is not ‘somewhere;’ yet he fills heaven and earth; he does not permeate space as does light or the air, but he is present at every place with his whole being… There is no place or measure of time which contains him within its boundaries; hence, instead of saying that he is in all things
it were better to say that all things are in him.”25. Bavinck, The Doctrine of God, 160. (261)

Secondly, God is Almighty.

Omnipotence is essential to God. It is absurd to think of Him without it. A God limited in power is as repugnant as a God limited in goodness, wisdom or justice. God is not God if He cannot do whatever He will and accomplish whatever He pleases. (263)

God's omnipotence is revealed in four ways: 1) His names and titles, 2) in creation, 3) in providence, and 4) in redemption.

First therefore, His names and titles:

Elohim, the Mighty One of Israel, the Great and Mighty God, the Lord Almighty, the Only Potentate. These designations, and similar ones, make clear that “power belongs to Jehovah” (Ps. 62:11). (264)

Creation declares it:

God created the universe out of nothing by speaking it into existence (Gen. 1:1f.). (264)

God's almighty providence clearly declaims it!

God preserves, guides and governs everything in the universe (Heb. 1:1–4). (264)

Redemption gloriously and wonderously tell of His omnipotence...

God raised Jesus from the dead. He raises the elect from spiritual death and from physical death. And He will conquer the world with the gospel. (Also see Eph. 1:18; Rom. 4:17f; Rom. 1:16). (264)

One way to fully show God's almighty omnipotence, is to detail what He cannot do.

First, God cannot act out of character:

“The power of God is not diminished when it is said that He cannot die, and cannot sin; for if He could do these things, His power would be less. A being is rightly called omnipotent, from doing what he wills, and not from suffering what he does not will.” 28. De Civitate, V,x. (264)

Secondly, God cannot lie, or go against His own will.

Third, God cannot be tempted by evil:

Although God does send trials to the Christian to strengthen his faith (Gen. 22:1; Deut. 8:2f; 2 Chron. 32:31). He is NOT “answerable for the evil effect which trials unsuccessfully met sometimes produce.” 29. Curtis Vaughan, James: A Study Guide (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1969), 29. (265)

Fourthly, God cannot change. He is unchangable.

Fifth, God cannot condemn on of the elect--one who Christ has died to save.

Sixthly, He cannot do meaningless, absurd, or self-contradictory things.

...such as creating a physical spirit, a physical deity, an emotional rock, or a square triangle. God has a perfect mind (1 Cor. 2:16), and does not do irrational or stupid
things. (265)

Here is an interesting point:

In addition to all this, it must be pointed out that God’s almighty power has never been exerted to its uttermost. God’s power is not exhausted in the universe. (265)

As a brief summary of the importance of God's omnipotence...

The omnipotence of God gives activity to all His other perfections. God’s wisdom would be empty without the power to execute His plans. His mercy would be feeble pity, if He had no power to come to our relief. His justice would be no more than a
scarecrow without power to punish. His promises would be empty without the
power to fulfill them. God’s omnipotence is His arm by which all His perfections lay hold if they would act. (266)

Quite often, we foolishly treat God's onmipotence with contempt:

We treat God’s omnipotence with contempt in many ways. (1) When we sin, thinking we will get away with it. “We magnify God’s power in our wants and debase it in our rebellions, as though omnipotence were only able to supply our necessities and unable to revenge the injuries we offer Him.”33 (2) When we fear man, instead of God; and let that fear squelch consistent faithfulness to God. (3)
When we trust in ourselves. (4) When we reject God’s gospel of power, and Christ His Son, Who is the power of God (Rom. 1:16f, 1 Cor. 1:18f.) Such contempt must be avoided at all cost. It is foolish, blasphemous, and dangerous. 33. Charnock, The Existence And Attributes of God, 432. (266)

Hopefully, I can get a little more done next time...

Racheal

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Shifting...Again.

12/28/2013

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With the unexpected news that Granddaddy was getting out of the rehab today and therefore, he and Daddy would be catching a Sunday morning flight, we kicked in gear to finish up a few things.

After I got the morning dishes washed, I pitched in to help Mama move chairs and mattresses. We moved my parents' mattress to the living room floor and hauled our famous photo backdrop into the bedroom and dumped it onto the frame (the dining room feels bigger now! Yes, we had a matteress leaned against the wall in the dining room...) We moved one chair from the living room to the den/fireplace/TV room and returned one of the chairs from that room to the living room. (Someplace early in the day I grabbed my wrist brace and put it on. After the first lift job I had a feeling it was going to bug me, so I preempted it.) We also moved the ceader chest from the living room to the bedroom. If you've ever seen David MacCulay's "Castle", you might remember the scene where two of the servents are carrying a chest and the lady of the castle changes her mind as to where she wants it--I felt like one of them (though not because anyone changed their mind) and it made me laugh.

Mama pinned some curtains in the archway between the dining room and living room (they match the one's hanging in the dining room!) Once they come out of the laundry, she is going to put some white lace curtains on the opposite side of those curtains to add a touch of pretty to the living room/bedroom.

By this time it was time for lunch so we ate left over soup from last night (blended--it tasted better that way). I demonstrated yet again how much I like parsley. Savannah brought some fresh in from outside and I ate of spring of it while strolling through the house. I've always like parsley--dry or fresh.

While I washed the dishes, Mama and Savannah cleaned out the china cabinet that serves as a bookshelf so we could lift it to get the carpet out from under it. When they were done with that, I came and helped Mama pick it up while Savannah pulled the carpet out.

Shortly thereafter, Savannah and I went to the apartment for the "fourth day of Christmas"...

When we came back in, I whipped up a batch of breads. We kind of have this deal with one of our dear friends from church--we swap her a couple of loaves of bread for some jars of fremented food. I hear her boys really like the bread. :)

After that I tended to the chickens. They were out of water and very glad to see that bucket. I had to fight them off it so I could fill the water tower!

When I came in, we checked the weather and Mom told me to start the furnace--since the electric heat was running anyway, we might as well run the wood furnace--it costs less. I didn't have any trouble getting it started this time, unlike last time; I don't think I worked the paper quite right for that try.

The next thing I set out to do was clear out and sweep the portion of the garage that Granddaddy will have to be able to get through (with either wheelchair or walker). In the process of doing that I found my reenacting boots--still caked with Georgia mud. Remember what they looked like?

They got worse than that...

Anyway, I grabbed the boot brush (which it screwed down to a board) and rubbed and rubbed. It knocked some of the red dirt off, but I couldn't get up on the shafts very well...so I went on a scrub brush hunt. I simply cannot find one--I even went into the old garage and scrounged around in Daddy's tool boxes and piles. Nothin'.

Then I had an idea. I grabbed the purple scrubber from the kitchen sink and went to work on my boots with that. It was only a little better. I cut my eyes around to look at the spigot on the side of the house, then jumped up and soaked my boots with water. I srubbed the mud off with the scrubber and ended up standing on the soggy ground in wet socks--but I got my boots clean! They are currently sitting over a register drying.

I did a few other odd jobs before going to make the pizza for supper. I asked Katherine to make the crust even though she's sick, while I got started on the sauce. She did so--with a bandana tied over her nose and mouth. :)

The pizza is in the oven as I type...

Racheal

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Face Off

12/28/2013

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We continue to attempt to get three cats to co-exist. Suffice to say, at this point, I still have two confined to my room.

Abby and Runty would probably get along just fine...but Abby and Curio are going rather head to head. Surprisingly, Curio has been the pugnacious one. She chased Abby under Mom's bed a couple of days ago and yesterday was a total catastrophe!

Abby sat in a window and alternately growled and hissed at Curio who did a little bit of growling herself. After about 30 minutes of that, Curio wondered off and Abby got brave enough to come down and go sit on the table by the window in the dining room. When Curio decided to get too close there, Abby hissed, jumped off the table and took off. Curio was right at her heels...

Minutes later, Curio was dumped back in my room...and Abby hissed at me a couple of time throughout the remainder of the day. She also started sneezing. Mom thinks it was the stress.

Savannah held on to Runty for the whole proceedings almost.

It was our impression that Runty was a bit frightened.

This was shortly after Curio had come around from behind the TV--so Abby was just getting around to turning about. She was getting uncomfortable up on that little narrow window ledge.

At this point, Curio wasn't really being antagonistic...but that changed.

This picture was taken just moments before the cat-race started...

I think we'll give poor Abby a rest from the other cats today...but if I do decide to bring one down, I'll put the harness Mom has on her...that way she can't get away from me.

Racheal

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On the Second Day of Christmas...

12/26/2013

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The song claims "two turtle doves", but that wasn't anywhere near what the grandparents got today. :)

On top of our little bags (which Katherine made), they also got a box in the mail from my uncle and aunt. Most of the pictures are therefore of that stuff.

Grandpa always gets food items...this time sardines and...

Chocolate!!

The uncle/aunt (son/daughter-in-law) box...

Some kind of pecan/carmel gooie things that I'm sure Grandma will just love!

Grandpa: "Oh, socks..." Just to find out that it wasn't socks, but a hotpad and a dish towel on a ring. I think he really kind of wanted those socks. (Cue in the Rebel Gray Socketeer here..."I have to find out how long his feet are first!!")

A pretty calender...

My uncle makes these cedar trivets--they are very nice.

This was from us...(remind you of anyone here?)

She love those German "Stollen" cakes...

After the excitment, Mama and I came back in. I hauled out the trash, after goofing off about "Look how strong I am!" (That was mainly aimed at Grandpa--we goof around like that fairly often.)

Anyway, I have a short list of things I want to take care of before the day is out, so I'd better scram!

Racheal

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Christmas Day

12/26/2013

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Our family has not officially "done" Christmas yet as we are waiting for Daddy to arrive (along with Granddaddy). So...instead, we are doing the "12 Days of Christmas" with Grandma and Grandpa--one little something each day up to January 6th (Epiphany) when we will rejoice and scatter brightly colored paper all over the living room, laughing and eagerly waiting to see what everyone got. It sure can be just as much fun seeing what other people got as to what you yourself received. If Daddy isn't here by the 6th, I reckon we'll push it off a little further. ;)

Anyway, we had our mid-day meal with Grandma and Grandpa yesterday and talked and laughed and of course, ate. Food is such an intergal part of our family...Mama made turkey legs for my grandparents and one for cousin Helen (later on Mama and I took it over to the nursing home to her; poor dear old lady was sitting there by herself and her kids "didn't offer to take me with them" for Christmas supper.) We had lamb shank ourselves (I love lamb!) The rest of the food was something along these lines: green beans, brussels sprouts, salad (for some folks; I'm still not eating raw veggies yet), sweet potatoes (technically, I wasn't supposed to eat one, but I did and enjoyed every bite--afterall, it was Christmas, so I got to splurge), olives (black, green, and kalamati [I only like the black ones]), and Grandma made the traditional osyter dressing and corn pudding. I had completely forgotten about corn pudding (I used to love the stuff) until I smelled/saw it yesterday. I didn't eat any because it's most definitely not GAPS approved, but it evoked some fond memories all the same. :)

Grandpa's plate was the only one with food left on it when I got around to taking food pictures....

For dessert, Grandma had made some pumpkin pie (which I didn't eat--Mama and I took a slice of that to Helen) and some very tasty chocolate pudding pie concocted by Savannah:

After dinner Mama and I went and visited with Helen for a while. She looks much more ill than the last time I saw her (over two years I ago, I reckon). I am glad I went instead of opting not too. That nursing home looks just about like it did when I was spending hours over there when Grandpa was in after his shoulder replacement four years ago. It was there, in that therapy room that I learned what I know about physical therapy and actually considered going into that field.

But anyway, Helen had had visitors earlier in the day--everyone bringing her licky-chewy's that she isn't going to eat because she shouldn't (or can't) due to her health. She gave us a bag full of them to take home to give to Grandma or toss--whichever we preferred. :) She is a lonely little old lady and I don't think much of her kids--one of whom litterally lives right around the corner. They could have checked her out for the day and had her with them for their Christmas celebrations. But...I don't suppose that is really my business.

After we came home from seeing Helen, we gave Grandma and Grandpa their first day's gifts: Grandma got an unique skillet thing that you just flip upside down to turn your pancakes or eggs or whatever you happen to be frying. Grandpa was given (it really was a "family" gift, so to speak) a bamboo silverware/napkin holder for the table. It'll cut down on some of the space taken up by Grandma's plastic silverware basket sprawled in the middle of the table.

The only thing I did to "fancy" myself up yesterday was poke some ribbon in my hair...

Unlike my sisters...(look at the twinkle in her eye! ;P)

Of course, Savannah doesn't feel fully dressed without earrings...but she doesn't ususally gussy up her hair so pretty. :)

Christmas basket from my uncle and aunt...

Ready to eat...

The Christmas "Bandita"...(inside joke)

Me and Grandma (a REALLY good picture of her!!)

Grandpa was talking to me...I forget what about.

(I think she kind of like it...)

"Let them eat pie!"

So you think that's funny, eh, Grandpa??

Overall, it was a pretty nice day...

Racheal

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Concerning Christmas

12/24/2013

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Do you celebrate Christmas? Or not? It doesn't matter to me if you are of the "no-Christmas" category or not. I most definitely do not think it is a subject to break fellowship over.

My mother forwarded this book/pamphlet that Phillip Kayser wrote on why he celebrates Christmas. Whether or not you agree with his premise or not, I thought some of you might enjoy reading it. It's roughly 40-some pages long, in an easy to read style. I found it highly fascinating and at this point cannot disagree with his arguments...it might be an interesting subject to dig further into (some day).

But in case you do not want to take the time to read it, I will attempt to give you a rough idea of what he says. He believes Christ was born on, wait for it...Decemeber 25. Astounding, isn't it? :) He uses both the Bible and extra-biblical evidences to draw that conclusion. They are too numerous to list here, but one of the most striking to me was the parallels (if he is correct) with the building/dedication of the original tabernacle (the one Moses erected) and the birth/dedication of Jesus Christ (*bounces up and down* remember the Hebrews 9 correlation betwixt tabernacle and Christ??) Combine Mr. Kayser's theory with Mr. Larson's theory on the Star of Bethleham (you will find that they disagree on birth date and year) and I think one has something of a very, very awe-inspring glimpse at the incalculable wonder of our God and Savior.

You are perfectly free to disagree with me, for really, I, as Mr. Kayser does, see this as a liberty of conscious issue.

Still, for all that, I shall wish each and everyone of my beloved brethern a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Please receive it in the joy it is given...Christ was born into our world, lived our righteousnesss, and died our death, rising again on the third day, bringing hope and salvation to His people!!

Racheal

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Alone, Yet Not Alone

12/23/2013

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This particular movie has been on my radar for about two years now...and I'm really, really looking forward to it. From the trailer, it looks outstanding!

(Professional actors really help Indy movies! I've seen some good stories that were just not very enjoyable because the acting was terrible.)

Racheal

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The Perfections of God; Part 1

12/22/2013

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Dr. Morecraft lists the Perfections of God in Chapter Three, defining each and showing us why and how they should affect us.

God is a Spirit, not having a physical body:

Therefore, Christianity is a religion of the ear, not of the eye; hence, no graven images or visual representations of God are allowed in worship (Ex. 20:4). (245)

That implies:

Any worship we offer Him must be characterized by these two traits: (1) Worship must be consistent with God’s being, character and perfections, i.e. “in spirit;” and (2) Worship must be regulated by God’s Word, i.e., “in truth.” (245)

God is a Personal Being; one with whom a relationship is possible.

God is perpetually Self-knowing, Self-contemplating and Self-communing, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (246)

Having created man in His image, He has given him consciousness, self-consciousness and God-consciousness. (246)

[W]e live in a personal environment, conducive to life and meaning, not an environment filled with horror and controlled by irrational, terrifying evil. (246)

We must learn to understand ourselves in terms of this living, personal God, and not in terms of some empty, chaotic void around us. (246)

God is both uncreated and non-physical...

Being “Spirit,” God is uncreated, immaterial and non-physical. He does not have a body like human beings. (247)

He may not be worshipped by pictures, images, or by any other physical, visible
representation (Deut. 4:15f). (247)

At this point, it might be asked: Then, how are we to conceive God, if not by a visible or intellectual form? The answer is this: we are to conceive God, under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, as He has revealed Himself in the Bible—in His perfections, His works, and supremely in His Son, Jesus Christ, Who is “the exposition of God” (John 1:18). (247)

God, in His mercy, when inspiring the writers of the Scriptures, used anthropomorphisms to enable our feeble, weak minds to begin to grasp at an understanding of Him.

His “face” denotes His sight and His presence before which we live (Gen. 19:13). His “eyes” signify His omniscience and all-seeing providence (Prov. 15:3). His “ears” are His readiness to hear and answer prayer (Ps. 34:15). His “nose” is His
acceptance of the persons and worship of His people in Christ (Gen. 8:21). His “mouth” is His expressed commands and promises (Jer. 3:16). His “arms” and “hands” are His power and its execution (Ps. 102:27). His “wings” signify His protection of us (Ps. 91:4). It is obvious that none of these phrases should be taken as a literal and physical description of God, although they are to be taken as really true of Him. (248)

Simply put, God is His perfections...

There is no distinction between His being and His perfections, such as His goodness, justice, holiness and truth. Every Divine perfection is identical with God’s being. He is what He has. (248)

God is infinite (something at least my finite mind cannot fully comprehend). God is far, far bigger than we can understand...

In His Being, glory, blessedness and perfection, God is boundless, limitless and immeasurable. In everything God is, He is a God of absolute perfection. His understanding is infinite—it reaches to and comprehends everything. His power is infinite—He is full of it, the earth is full of it, yet it still abounds profusely throughout the future. His justice and holiness are infinite—none is as holy and as
just as He. He is infinitely perfect. (249)

God is a God of glory...He does all things for His own praise and glory.

Because God is infinite in His perfections, He is all-glorious. The word for glory in
the Old Testament, kabod, signifies the splendor and brightness of appearance. In the New Testament the word for glory, doxa, signifies the recognition to which a person is entitled. (250)

God is a God of blessedness...

When God is called “blessed,” three perfections are ascribed to Him. (1) God is absolutely perfect, “for blessedness is the property of every being that is perfect or
complete: that has life, and is free from disturbance, whether inwardly or outwardly.”13 (2) God knows fully and takes great pleasure in His own absolute perfection. He is fully conscious of His infinite glory and He is “happy” in it. (3) God delights in everything He is. He rests in Himself, takes pleasure in Himself, and is perfectly satisfied in His all-sufficient self. 13. Bavinck, The Doctrine of God, 248. (250-251)

God is perfect...

God is totally and absolutely perfect. He is infinitely exalted above all shortcomings and limitations. (251)

God is all-sufficient...

Jehovah is self-sufficient, self-contained, and independent of His creation, while causing His creation to be utterly dependent upon Him. He stands in need of nothing He has made. He possesses in Himself all that is necessary for His glorious self-existence. (252)

Without this perfection of self-sufficiency, God would not be God, for He would be helplessly dependent upon the energies, processes and goodwill of man and the universe. (252)

Being all-sufficient, He does all things for His own glory...

Unbelieving man’s concept of God is quite the contrary. Rather than a God-centered God, he worships a man-centered god. Such a god is one who needs man in order to be truly fulfilled...But a man-centered god is no God. (253)

Not only does God do all things for His own glory, He does them according to the good pleasure of His own will.

In making and executing His plans, God seeks no one’s counsel, assistance or advice. Man in no way supplies any ingredient to the definition of the plans of God; nor does man contribute anything to the working out of those plans.

Creation and providence are derived from God’s sovereign will...

World government is derived from God’s sovereign will...

Christ’s suffering resulted from the will of God...

Election and reprobation result from the will of God...

Regeneration, (the new birth), results from the will of God...

Sanctification results from the will of God...

The Christian’s suffering and affliction result from the will of God...

Our lives and destinies are determined by the will of God...

The smallest and least significant things result from the will of God...

Even things that appear to be “chance-happenings” result from the will of God...(254-255)

In speaking of God’s will, we must distinguish two aspects of His will: (1) God’s revealed will in the Bible, which prescribes what we should do (Matt. 7:21; 12:50; John 4:34; 7:17; Rom 12:2), and (2) God’s secret will, which is what He desires to do (Ps. 115:3; Dan. 4:17, 25, 32, 35; Rom. 9:18f.; Eph. 1:5, 9, 11; Rev. 11). (255)

Just as a father forbids his child to touch a sharp knife though he himself uses it without injury or damage, so God forbids us to sin though he himself is able to use and does use sin as a means of self-glorification. The usual objection advanced
against the decretive (secret) will [i.e., what He has decreed but not revealed] and the perceptive (revealed) will [i.e., what He has revealed in the Bible] namely, that they are in conflict with each other, is not justifiable, for: the preceptive will is really not God’s will but his precept for our conduct; by means of it God does not reveal to us what he will do; it is not a law for his conduct; but it tells us what we must do; it is a rule for our conduct, Deut. 29:29… God’s revealed will instead of being opposed to the secret will is the means whereby the latter is carried out: by means of warnings and admonitions, prohibitions and threatenings, conditions and commandments, God’s counsel is accomplished; while because of the decretive will man, when he transgresses God’s commandment, does not for a moment become independent of God but in the very act of transgressing serves God’s
counsel, and becomes an instrument (however unwillingly) of God’s glory. 18
18. Bavinck, The Doctrine of God, 240–241. (255-256)

God is eternal...

God is infinite in reference to time...God has no beginning of life or end of days. He has no succession of thought or change of state. It is impossible for Him to age or decay. He is neither young nor old. (257)

Note "God is infinite in reference to time"...He created time!

To speak of time is to speak of motion, change, process, limits, finiteness, and decay. Time is the measure of created reality, creaturely existence. (257)

God is unchangable...

God is unchangeable in His being, thoughts, desires, and in all His perfections. God is, at one and the same time, changeless and the author of all change in His creation...His knowledge, thoughts, plans, character and will remain forever the same. (258)

Once again, in His divine providence, God uses anthropomorpic language to put certain aspects of Himself in a way that enables our minds to grasp at His Truth. When God uses words like "repented" and "changed his mind", what does He mean?

This means no change in his [God’s] attributes and character, but only in his manner of treating men. ‘Repentance in God is not a change of will, but a will to change.’ If God had treated the Ninevites after their repentance, as he had threatened to treat them before their repentance, this would have proved him to be mutable [changeable]. It would have showed him to be at one time displeased with impenitence, and at another with penitence.… It is one thing for God to will a change in created things external to himself, and another thing for him to change in his own nature and character. God can will a change in the affairs of men; such as the abrogation of the Levitical priesthood and ceremonial; and yet his own will remain immutable, because He had from eternity willed and decreed the change. In like manner, promises and threatenings that are made conditionally, and suppose a change in man, imply no change in the essence or attributes of God… Jer. 18:7–0.” 22. W.G.T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, 3 vols. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1980), 1:352–353. (258-259)

[I had never considered it in this particular light before, so found this quite interesting!!]

God is incomprehensible...

Although God can be known truly, He cannot be known exhaustively or completely by us. And being the God He is, He cannot be reached by human reason or experience unaided by divine revelation and divine illumination. To be known, He must reveal Himself to His creatures. (260)

Let us reiterate: God can be known--even though we shall never fully understand Him.

Modern liberal theology has substituted the idea of God’s unknowability for His incomprehensibility, advancing the falsehood that God cannot be known at all by man, that He cannot reveal Himself to us, because He is the “Wholly Other,” and because we live in a “closed universe,” i.e., closed to any revelation from God. (260)

BUT

God is incomprehensible. Because He is infinitely glorious, He is incapable of being comprehensibly understood by finite human beings. He is inconceivable, i.e., incapable of being reached by human reason unaided by divine revelation. He is unfathomable, i.e., no one can plumb the depths of His being and knowledge. But
by His own self-revelation, He is knowable. He may be known personally and truly by Christians in Christ by the Holy Spirit through the Bible. (260-261)

There I leave you, pondering the immense, infinite, unchangable God who loved us so to send His only, beloved Son, the second person of the Trinity, to live our Righteousness, die our Death, and be raised...Praise Our Glorious Trinue God and Savior!!

Lord willing, next week, I shall pick up at God's omnipresence...

Racheal

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Snow!

12/14/2013

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It was snowing when we went to bed last night and it was snowing when we got up this morning. By the time I tripped out to the mail-box and got snow in my cowboy boots, it was about 2-3 inches deep.

Shortly after that, Katherine and I went out with cameras in hand and got some some pictures of varying sorts...She took more of me than I did of her, but by the time I was done making a few snowballs with my barehands and all around behaving like a Southern kid who rarely sees snow and taking the ash-bucket up the hill to dump it, my toes were so freezing that I couldn't think straight. (That sounds kind of strange...) Anyway, I think my leather boots probably would have kept my feet warmer than the mud-boots I was wearing, but granted the tops are more open so I would have really swamped myself with cold snow-flakes. Neither did it help that the mud-boots have holes in them and that we lined them with plastic sacks to keep our feet dry.

Anyway, enough musing on the pro's and con's of particular boots...

"Come on in!!"

"Snow! Snow! Snow! SNOW!!"

A very poor attempt at trying to sound like Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye, and Vera Ellen all at the same time. I was completely off key the whole time...

Probably wouldn't have hit her even if I HAD tossed that snowball at her...

Poor little frozen 'mingo...

Abby thinks we're nuts...I'm sure of it!

Pretty winter scene.

By the time I turned around to come down the hill, the snow was coming down harder and blowing straight into my face. I couldn't see very well!

That old round hunk of steel was used as part of a obstacle course several years back for the B. boys on Reformation Day. :)

Bug was getting pretty cold too!

I guess she went to take a self-portrait and forgot to zoom out--anyway, I really like this picture. It looks planned!

Ever the artist, Katherine had to get pictures of the snow melting in her hair! :D

So y'all...that's about it!

Racheal

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Holding Down the Fort...

12/13/2013

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True, Katherine and I haven't had any adventures that near on the extremes that Madeline had to deal with in Madeline Takes Command (I cannot remember the author's name), but we have had a few this past week.

Wednesday morning, shortly before I started on lunch, the internet went down. It was more than just those momentary "outs" that have seemed rather regular of late. It went down completely. I ended up calling the support line and went through the whole thing fairly well--until I was getting off the phone. It was then that I goofed and in such an embarressing (but hilarious) fashion. Before I said "Good-bye" to the lady I was speaking to, I said, "I love you!" Before you gasp too hard, let me explain that there are just a very, very few people I speak to on the phone with any regularity and it is perfectly natural and acceptable for me to say "Love you!" before hanging up. In other words, it's just habit. It really was funny. Katherine was like: "Did you really just say that???" Um, yes....

Next day (yesterday), the tech-guy came out and got us all hooked up with internet--we "upgraded" so to speak, and now the internet is faster! Everybody will like that. :)

I processed carrots this week. I started on Monday and got a little over two gallon bags filled. I didn't get to the rest on Tuesday (we went to town), but I did get around to it Wednesday afternoon and got the rest of the carrots peeled and cut. I processed them yesterday while the technician was here.

I went to the Post Office today--twice. I needed stamps and to send a stack of music books to a friend (you know who you are). Well, I had looked on USPS website and determined there that using two flat rate boxes of a particular size that I could get them shipped (Mom had told me to get the flat rate boxes), but it appears that the local Post Office didn't have those particular sizes. Anyway, the kindly employee got a box that they all fit in--but it really was too big and the edges would have gotten munched very throughly by the time it reached it's destination...so I screwed up my face and thought and told the guy that I had a box at home that they would fit in and that I would be back. So, I came home and packed the box (they fit perfectly in the box I had in mind) and took it back to the Post Office.

I decided to fuel my car on the way home. That went fine and dandy until it came time to pull out of the gas station. I didn't jump a couple of times when I probably could have (that time of day is not the best for going to the gas station on that particular road) and the guy in the Ford whatever-it-was behind me got impatient and started beeping his horn at me. Anyway, I didn't do anything stupid in my irriation like jump out in front of the Mack trucks coming down Main Street. I just simply cannot stand it when people beep their horns at me. I do not like traffic--even light traffic. (I'm a country kid and I'm used to little used back-roads; besides which, I really have done a large portion of my driving in an '93 pick-up truck so I tend to drive everything like that. Careful of not getting myself out there in the way. I tend to forget the red car has a really peppy engine.)

This evening, we had a load of wood delievered. Mr. M from church, with his two eldest sons (I'd guess they are someplace along the lines of 10 and 8), showed up with a truck bed full of wood--most of it split, but some of it needing to be split still. Mr. M told me that this was a celebrity tree--it came from Payton Manning's yard! (For those of you who don't know, Payton Manning was the Indianapolis Colt's quarterback up until about a year, year and a half ago. I think the team's playing has gone sharpely downhill since he left, but don't tell Grandpa I said that! He's a staunch Colt's fan. :D) I thought Mr. M was pulling my leg...but it appears he wasn't; I couldn't hear the greatest over the splitter, but apparently the man the wood came from had a sister or something like that who used to work for Payton Manning (probably greens-keeper or something along those lines) and that's how he ended up with access to this particular "celebrity" tree. Interesting little tidbits one picks up.

Anyway, we cranked up the splitter and went ahead and split the stuff that needed splitting. I ran the machine and Mr. M did the lifting; Katherine stacked the split stuff and the eldest M boy hauled/rolled the stuff to his dad.

I just heard, "When's dinner? I'm hungry!" so I reckon I'd been meander myself out to the kitchen and start slicing onions and such like. See ya around, folkies!

Racheal

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The Perfections of God, Part 2

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Shifting...Again.

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Face Off

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On the Second Day of Christmas...

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Christmas Day

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Concerning Christmas

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Alone, Yet Not Alone

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The Perfections of God; Part 1

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Snow!

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Holding Down the Fort...

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The Middle Kid

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