i got up at 6 this morning and headed down to the beach access to watch the sun rise. i was supremely comfortable in my light pj pants and favorite green hoodie, though the wind blew stronger than i'd anticipated. the sky was light but the huge ball of light had not broken the surface of the horizon yet. i sat on the steps and took pictures and meditated on the beauty of creation. i don't understand how anyone could believe that it could possibly be an accident. a few pairs of people walked along the sand, enjoying the solitude of the morning. i also basked in the quiet.

when the sun was well risen, i returned to the house and began my study on idolatry by looking up all the references to the word 'idol' in my little Bible concordance and typing them out on a Word document. i'm going to google idolatry and get some other people's thoughts. then i'll probably write some of my own. but the one opinion that i'm really interested to get is God's. i'm beginning to get just a little sense of it from the references in the Prophets. i want this sin removed as far from me as the east is from the setting of the sun.

i'm eager to begin 9-month. work will be nice and i won't deny that i'm excited about being with everyone. i'm also stoked about living for God every day...walking with Him in the morning, through the work day, and in the evening. i anticipate Him changing me this year and i intend to do everything possible to allow Him to work out the character flaws in me and create in me a clean heart that seeks His glory and pursues His holiness. in fact, i'm going to end this thought right here and go write down my goals for this year.

lata'!

on vacation

It’s Wednesday of vacation week. We’re having a great week as a fam and with the Haley’s. We’ve spent most of our time at the beach but the evenings we’ve been watching the Olympics and movies together with cups of hot Starbucks coffee. The caffeine has convinced me to hold to late hours. I’ve been catching up my facebook and working on getting all my camp pix up. I’ve taken a bunch of awesome pictures of us on the beach. I figured out how to do the multiple fast picture setting and we took some fabulous shots of us doing the long jump on the beach. Mom even did it!


I’ve been getting up when I wake up – not early – and reading my favorite book on the deck. Psalm 119 is officially my favorite chapter of the Word. I’ve been so encouraged and simultaneously convicted and challenged by David’s own personal conviction and love for the truth of the Word. As the power of the Word infiltrates my soul, I discover a Spirit-given desire not to just acquire holiness but to pursue it. I also read Isaiah 1 and 2 and decided to study out idolatry. I need to understand the depth and seriousness of that sin. It’s one I struggle with. I do struggle with it because I now REFUSE to give in to it. I will not allow anything to preempt my desire for Christ and Christlikeness.


Well, we’re headed out to an outlet and then to the beach. I may post more later.