Day Twelve Joshua 2:18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father's household. The strongest city in the ancient world, substantial stone in the baking Mediterranean Sun, solid and safe, stands as nothing before the wrathful justice of God. Jericho's wickedness had risen up to the attention of the... Read more
Here is my sermon from yesterday. Enjoy! We'll be in John chapter 20 this morning. Some of you were out of town last week, and sadly missed the end of Mark. I commend to you the podcast. Mark leaves us abruptly at the end of his gospel. The women, having heard the news that Jesus is alive, But before seeing him flee from the tomb in fear. Mark wants us to stand close to them, before they see Jesus,... Read more
One Jen's book is coming out next week! The cover looks very pretty. As I was looking at all the lovely pictures and excitement I thought, oh, I will probably never write a book, sob, but I could do podcasts of myself reading home decorative magazines out loud. Instead of Sarcastic Devotionals for Angry or Worn Out People I could do Sarcastic Readings of Architectural Digest and spare us all from possible heresy. If Matt had turned on his phone... Read more
We memorized this last year after also memorizing a goodly portion of John 3. It seemed the obvious next text. This has a certain rhythm to it if you go over and over and over it. Anyway, we talked about the text a lot as we learned it and it may be that I sometimes descended into preachiness. Day Eleven Number 21:4-7 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land... Read more
Matt and I are going out for the day and so I should absolutely not be sitting here doing this. I should be zipping around wiping the grime off the kitchen table so that the lovely people who are coming to endure an entire day with the children won't feel sad and depressed by all the dirt as well. Can I do this in three minutes? Going to seriously try. {pretty} The flowers on my table turned out petty nicely... Read more
Day Ten Exodus 34:34 Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, 35 the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him. You've survived the horror... Read more
Of all the food of Holy Week and Easter, including the hassle of having to eat food for a whole week when so many other obligations press in, Dessert on Easter Day is nearly always a point too far. For one thing, the average person in my house, and in that summation I do not include myself, is morbidly jacked up on chocolate and lollipops. Another sweet could be construed as pointless. For another, Matt mostly cooks all the other... Read more
Day Nine Exodus 16:15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. Long gone is the single stain of forbidden juice from that fallen fruit, the fruit that was grabbed, was stolen, the fruit that produced suffering and woe. Now The Lord has given you something to eat.... Read more
Every time I have made eye contact with anyone over the last thirty six hours I have muttered, “it's been a long week,” and then trailed off hoping the other person would pick up the thread. But everyone else had a long week too and so then we both, me and whoever, have just stared dumbly but contentedly at each other, and then wandered off in a daze. At least I think that's the way it's been. I'm too tired... Read more
I meant to post this yesterday but I didn't manage to gather any thought or energy together, so here it is today. And now that I read it over, of course it would have been better for last week. But maybe we all need a few more days to absorb the lessons of the week. Day Eight Exodus 12:11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your... Read more
Preventing Grace
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