Four Months

Tuesday will be Malaki's 4-month birthday. I can hardly believe he has been around that long. It was just about this time last year that we found out we were expecting. What a wonderful surprise.
This is just a short post to remind me to be thankful for blessed surprises!

The beginning of my bliss

I just started attending a ladies book study. We are going to be going through the book The Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan. I'm looking forward to what I can learn from it. Yesterday, as we were reading, Christian came to the foot of the cross and his burden fell off of his back and rolled into the tomb. below is the song Christian sings as an expression of joy and relief. Reading this really encouraged me. The notes in my book also add, "A Christian can sing, though alone, when God doth give him the joy of his heart. "

Thus far did I come laden with my sin;
Nor could ought ease the grief that I was in,
Till I came hither: what a place is this!
Must here be the beginning of my bliss?
Must here the burden fall from off my back?
Must here the strings that bound it to me crack?
Blessed cross! blessed sepulchre! blessed rather be
The man that there was put to shame for me.

Lord - thank you for relief!

Baby, it's cold outside... and inside

I apologize.
My lack of posting is a result of two things:

1. It's cold! Our computer is in the basement and it is just plaing uncomfortable to spend time down here. When I come downstairs I rarely feel like staying very long. As I type, I am wearing gloves with the fingertips cut out for typing. I look like a mugger, but it's a little warmer this way.

2. The second reason I have not posted in so long is a little more weighty. I just haven't been "feelin' it." Sometime after Christmas I seem to have fallen into a sort of blue funk. It didn't seem right for me to try to post something meaningful on the internet when I could barely feel my heart beating (spiritually). I've been plodding through, reading my chapters and trying to pray but still held captive in the slough of despond. I'm thankful for Brian, who has not given up on me. he brought it up the other night - and while that was painful - it was the best thing for me. It showed me that he hadn't given up on me and he wanted to see me better. I needed to be called out on my attitude. Since he talked to me I have started to feel the thaw. Brian was an example to me of Christ. He spoke to me in a loving way - not glossing over my fault - but pointing me to my blessed hope. Every day is not a happy day; but it can be a joyful and hopeful day if my mind is on things above.
Thanks Bri.

1 Peter 1:3-9
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.