Pray Continually

Daniel 3:17-18 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if he does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.

Pray to God in confidence that He hears, but even if His answer is not what I expect or desire, it does not take away from the deity of God. Never stop asking. Matthew 21:22. Never stop praying. 1 Thessalonians 5:19

Eric Married Elissa

Rehearsal dinner
Waiting
First sight

Married

Excerpt from Courage and Calling by Gordon Smith

...Two assumptions: that all people are responsible for the choices they make, and that these choices are meaningful and significant. they make a difference. Without God, such a thought leads only to despair- as it has for many twentieth-century existentialists. But with God and with faith in God, we are rather empowered by this knowledge. We make our choices in response to God, and we make our choices knowing that God is Lord of the universe and that our choices therefore carry significance and meaning.

Our only hope for a genuine and full response to our current life circumstances is a theology of the Christian life that takes our complete humanity seriously; we must have an intentional theology of human actions and human responsibility. I cannot help but wonder if it is a great fear of Pelagianism- the doctrine that human beings are capable of obedience to God through their own strength and will power- that undercuts our capacity to embrace human responsibility. We must affirm the priority of divine action and grace, but we need to do so in a way that calls us to God's grace and enables us to respond fully to it. As Gary Badcock aptly puts it, "A theology of response does not need to be Pelagian; it need only be a theology in which the reality of the human is taken seriously."

To take the human seriously is to recognize the power and destructive reality of sin, and thus the existence of what Paul calls the "old self," which is corrupted and deluded (Eph 4:22). But it is also to embrace the new self, which has been "created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Eph 4:24). We are called to deny the old self and to live in congruence with the new self, which finds its origin in God's creative act. This is the true self, created to respond to God, the self that is given generously in service, and the self that is found in community.

... move from self-absorption and become selves that are centered in God and true to our own identity and call.

Once again

After four days of work in Eugene, I once again headed back to Bend! The first comment my friend Matt made when we met at a concert was "Did you even leave?" A pleasent surprise to my planned visit was that my parents were temporarily off the PCT and at the house! It was really nice to share some meals and hugs. My original intent in visiting was to spend time with my friends Bryne (We celebrated her birthday attending the Bite of Bend) and Megan (It had been two years since we were both in Bend at the same time.). The weather once again was wonderful. So, I went on a bike ride, floated the river, hiked, visited the grandparents, ate a lot of good food, watched some good movie flicks, and attended an outdoor concert/ benefit- I won a silent auction ceramic bowl and salad spoons! Yes, I had a wonderful time and even got a little tan from the visit :)

When I returned to Eugene I remembered that it was the Oregon Bach Festival. So, my new roommate, Collett and I went to see "Bach and Britten Cello #2." The Cello is my favorite instrument and the concerrt displayed wonderfully the wide range of sound it is capable of creating. Besides these adventures I am back to the routine of work, cleaning and regular life business.

Back to Bend

It is always so great to go back some place and feel completely at home; and Bend did not disappoint me this last weekend
My four day weekend started with a quick trip to Corvallis to visit my friend Nathan. We did the usual: Play hard, eat well routine. Then I drove over the pass with enough time to get my oil changed (for free!) and dress up for my friends Janna & Mike's wedding. The wedding was lovely and it was so wonderful to see my Bend church family. Saturday was packed full with fun events. An early bike ride, some random paddle boarding, volleyball and lunch with my friend Shaphan. (My friends Shaphan and Bekah just moved to Bend.) Then I met up with Megan for some hot tubing, brownie baking, and good conversation with our friend Bryne. Megan and I then went downtown to the poet house for some live music. After that Bekah and I went back to here home for the summer and made dinner and watched a movie. -Such a great Saturday!
Sunday, I went to church with the Eugene crew, plus two. Afterward, Richard and I went on a motorcycle ride out east of town. Then I ran some errands with the German grandma :) In the mid afternoon I met Jeremy and Bryne and their dogs to walk the River trail. We also enjoyed some of the free music at the Les Chewab amphitheater. The evening came to a finale at the Common Table for dinner. (Check it out! Great food and great concept of community! commontable.net ) Lastly, we drove to Shaphan's new casa for milk shakes. Monday was a little slower pace. My grandmother and I went to Jackson's Corner for breakfast and then ran some errands before noon. I then met up with my friend Maddy and her mother to hike at Tumalo Falls. The trail was covered in snow about 3 miles in so we came back to town for "Cuppa Yo" and a walk in Drake Park. Then I had dinner with Maddy and her husband, Guy, before heading back over to Eugene.
Going to Bend, I definitely pack in all that I enjoy and find wonderful about Central Oregon. Next weekend, I need to hike the butte and float the river to accomplish the basics though ;)

Believe- from an old housemate

If you believe not in Christ,

To what purpose is the present life?

Our sojourn here is like the twinkling of an eye

And all our struggle would be but a futile gesture

If there is no hope of life beyond the night.

But Holy Scripture affirms that Christ is the Word made flesh,

And dwelt among us as our fellow man:

He came to die upon the cross for all our sins,

And on the third day He arose from the tomb

To grant salvation to all who believe in Him.

If you believe not in Christ,

How do you explain the universe of miracles?

Is not every leaf, every star, the wind and the rain

Only an iota of his handiwork, each made for man:

To feed him, to light his way, to soothe and to cleanse him?

And the greatest miracle of all is the giving of life-

The miracle of birth and the conquest of death

Which, through His crucifiction and being raised from the dead,

Restores man to his original and benign state:

A state of immortality for all who believe in Him.

If you believe not in Christ,

There will be no peace in your soul throughout your life:

The quest for power, fame and fortune, even if attained,

Becomes useless and counterfeit and unwholesome to the taste:

For these things are at best ephemeral and as sounding brass

that five no true pleasure in their possession.

But how different it would be if the purpose for their achievement

Is to feed and clothe the sheep as it was commended to us by Christ:

Only in this will true joy abound us

And bestow life everlasting upon those who believe in Him.

If you believe not in Christ,

May prayers cause the light to shine upon you,

Beseeching you to ponder the limitless evidence of His presence:

For He has said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life..."

And too, "He who believes in Me shall not perish but have life everlasting."

Yes, there is a purpose for our creation and existence:

It is that we praise and believe in Christ.

Reject not him Who created all things from the beginning,

Setting all things in motion for all time- past, present and future,

And all he asks in return is that we believe in Him.

- Milton Velasco Cook

Busy Days

Yesterday became Chaos so quickly I was left spinning. - It was wonderful to look back and say the many things accomplished and enjoying people. In the moment I was a little concerned though.

The day started at 7am.

I biked to Alton Baker to meet with Michael and plot the evenings goings on (ill explain later). I then biked to the duck park to meet Sarah and go on a ride along the river. Oh, and I should mention I failed at riding my bike while talking on the phone and totally crashed hard. (No worries it was just dumb and I only have bruises and scratched to prove it.) I then met up with a friend to make rice pudding. Then I biked back downtown to fill water balloons and execute a water balloon fit/ ambush in University Park. the group then player Frisbee and volleyball. Then we went to campus and played sand volleybal. From there I picked up my ordered earrings went to a BBQ back at University Park. I then met Mark near Alton Baker and we canoed to the previously scouted point that Michael and I visited earlier in the day. After I made it home and showered the final activity for the day was a movie at the new IMAX. To say the least I was exhausted... so, I fell asleep for a couple minutes during the show- oops!

Weekends are supposed to be exhausting :D