Tree of Life Outreach Program Slideshow: Arapal’s trip from Summerville, South Carolina, United States to Bogo (near Batad, Cebu), Philippines was created by TripAdvisor. See another Batad slideshow. Create a free slideshow with music from your travel photos.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Daniel "The Littlest Missionary"
Daniel "The Littlest Missionary" Slideshow: Mook’s trip from Summerville, South Carolina, United States to 3 cities Narita, Lapu Lapu and Bogo (near Batad, Cebu, Philippines) was created by TripAdvisor. See another Japan slideshow. Create a free slideshow with music from your travel photos.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Somebody's Getting Married!
Look what came in the mail today! A save the date card for my brother-in-law and (soon to be) sister-in-law! Of course, I already knew they were engaged, but it seems more official now.
Jerome is in the navy and stationed at Pearl Harbor. A few months ago, I noticed a surprising number of photos of him on facebook. Interestingly, all of the photos were tagged by a young lady named Kara Myers. I told Jesse, "Some girl named Kara has the hots for your brother." He didn't think anything of it.
J: "She probably just likes to take pictures."
me: "Yeah, pictures of your brother. Because she thinks he's hot."
I thought about friending Kara on facebook, but it seemed a little psycho. Hey, you don't know me, but you seem to have a crush on my BIL, so I want to keep tabs on you, m'kay? Psycho. So I waited. But, I didn't have to wait long, because they started dating this spring, and became engaged just after Easter. My mother-in-law was here when Jerome proposed to Kara. It was fun and exciting. We are all very happy for them.
So, now we're facebook friends, soon to be sisters-in-law. I'm wondering: does this mean I'm not the favorite daughter-in-law anymore? After nearly nine years of being the favorite (and only) daughter-in-law, it seems fair to give Kara a turn.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Gospel of John: Reflection Question
this is a paper i wrote for my gospel of john class while at Harding University. enjoy.
What is the implication of Jesus' statement "I am the bread of heaven"? What did that mean to his original audience? What does it mean to us?
Exodus 16:11-15, 31, 34-35
The Lord said to Moses, "I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God. That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. The people of Israel called the bread manna. The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.
Joshua 5:11-12
The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites.
As a little girl, the story of the manna was my favorite miracle. I wondered what it looked like and how it tasted. I imagined that it was white and crispy, sort of like communion bread. My parents taught me that manna tasted good because it was sweet like honey. I don't like honey but as a little girl, I was sure I would like manna if I ever got the chance to try some. I remember being very small when I began to pray that God would let me eat some manna when I got to heaven. I continued to ask for many years. After all, God made manna for the Israelites. Maybe he would make some more for me.
I am not alone in my desire to taste manna. The Hebrew nation held the gift of manna as the greatest of all miracles. The Jews of Jesus' day longed to eat the manna of their forefathers. As Jew looked forward to the coming Messiah, they anticipated the return of manna. The Messiah was expected to be a second Moses, sent to free his people. Like the first Moses, the Messiah would feed his people with bread from heaven.
In the beginnign of John chapter six, the crowds have been following Jesus. They have been watching his miracles and hearing his teaching. Many are becoming convinced that he isthe Messiah. The time of the Passover is near. For the Jewish listener, it is time for the manna to come again. If Jesus is the Messiah, n ow is the time to prove himself. Now is the time to call forth the bread of heaven.
Jesus calls his disciples to find food for the crowd. On little child hands over the barley loaves. Jesus takes the bread of a poor peasant boy and broke it to feed 5,000 people. Todays's readers are impressed. "Surely this was enough for Jesus to prove himself! Surely this was enough for Jesus to prove himself! Surely the Jews will see Jesus for who he is!" Yet, the Jews don't. They were looking for a Messiah with manna, not a fanatic with barley loaves. A Messiah who cannot give them the bread of heaven is no Messiah at all.
In the later part of John chapter six, we find the Jews questioning the validity of Jesus' claims. They demand that he prove himself, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?" (vs. 30). Revealing their desire to see manna, they suggest a miracle, "Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert, as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat'" (vs. 31). Jesus is not impressed, nor is he threatened. He demeans their trust in the manna. The forefathers may be been lucky enough to eat manna, but manna did not save them. Though manna is from Gold, it is only physical food. Manna cannot save.
Jesus discredits their demand for manna. He is not threatened by their demands that he prove himself. Jesus never proves himself. Instead, he claims to be who he is. Without hesitation, he asserts "I am the bread of heaven." What?! The listeners want a Messiah who will feed them with manna and fill their physical needs. They want a second Moses. God did not send a second Moses, he sent himself. This Messiah is not worried about how the physical needs of his followers. He concerns himself with their spiritual hunger. No longer will God's people survive on honey flavored wafers. They will feast on the salvatoin that is Jesus Christ. Verse 47-48 of chapter six promise eternal life for the one who will accept Christ as the bread of heaven. This is not food from God; this is food that is God. Christ failed to live up to the Jewish expectations for a Messiah. He immeasurably surpassed their expectations.
How do I respond? As a little girl, I longed to taste the manna that God provided for his people a long time ago. I don't have to hope to someday taste manna. Jesus is the bread of life. He isthe manna that came down from heaven. He sustains our spirit and gives eternal life. The gift is greater than any I could have wanted or imagined. Just like the Jews of Jesus' time, my expectations have been greatly surpassed by God's goodness to me.
What is the implication of Jesus' statement "I am the bread of heaven"? What did that mean to his original audience? What does it mean to us?
Exodus 16:11-15, 31, 34-35
The Lord said to Moses, "I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God. That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. The people of Israel called the bread manna. The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.
Joshua 5:11-12
The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites.
As a little girl, the story of the manna was my favorite miracle. I wondered what it looked like and how it tasted. I imagined that it was white and crispy, sort of like communion bread. My parents taught me that manna tasted good because it was sweet like honey. I don't like honey but as a little girl, I was sure I would like manna if I ever got the chance to try some. I remember being very small when I began to pray that God would let me eat some manna when I got to heaven. I continued to ask for many years. After all, God made manna for the Israelites. Maybe he would make some more for me.
I am not alone in my desire to taste manna. The Hebrew nation held the gift of manna as the greatest of all miracles. The Jews of Jesus' day longed to eat the manna of their forefathers. As Jew looked forward to the coming Messiah, they anticipated the return of manna. The Messiah was expected to be a second Moses, sent to free his people. Like the first Moses, the Messiah would feed his people with bread from heaven.
In the beginnign of John chapter six, the crowds have been following Jesus. They have been watching his miracles and hearing his teaching. Many are becoming convinced that he isthe Messiah. The time of the Passover is near. For the Jewish listener, it is time for the manna to come again. If Jesus is the Messiah, n ow is the time to prove himself. Now is the time to call forth the bread of heaven.
Jesus calls his disciples to find food for the crowd. On little child hands over the barley loaves. Jesus takes the bread of a poor peasant boy and broke it to feed 5,000 people. Todays's readers are impressed. "Surely this was enough for Jesus to prove himself! Surely this was enough for Jesus to prove himself! Surely the Jews will see Jesus for who he is!" Yet, the Jews don't. They were looking for a Messiah with manna, not a fanatic with barley loaves. A Messiah who cannot give them the bread of heaven is no Messiah at all.
In the later part of John chapter six, we find the Jews questioning the validity of Jesus' claims. They demand that he prove himself, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?" (vs. 30). Revealing their desire to see manna, they suggest a miracle, "Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert, as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat'" (vs. 31). Jesus is not impressed, nor is he threatened. He demeans their trust in the manna. The forefathers may be been lucky enough to eat manna, but manna did not save them. Though manna is from Gold, it is only physical food. Manna cannot save.
Jesus discredits their demand for manna. He is not threatened by their demands that he prove himself. Jesus never proves himself. Instead, he claims to be who he is. Without hesitation, he asserts "I am the bread of heaven." What?! The listeners want a Messiah who will feed them with manna and fill their physical needs. They want a second Moses. God did not send a second Moses, he sent himself. This Messiah is not worried about how the physical needs of his followers. He concerns himself with their spiritual hunger. No longer will God's people survive on honey flavored wafers. They will feast on the salvatoin that is Jesus Christ. Verse 47-48 of chapter six promise eternal life for the one who will accept Christ as the bread of heaven. This is not food from God; this is food that is God. Christ failed to live up to the Jewish expectations for a Messiah. He immeasurably surpassed their expectations.
How do I respond? As a little girl, I longed to taste the manna that God provided for his people a long time ago. I don't have to hope to someday taste manna. Jesus is the bread of life. He isthe manna that came down from heaven. He sustains our spirit and gives eternal life. The gift is greater than any I could have wanted or imagined. Just like the Jews of Jesus' time, my expectations have been greatly surpassed by God's goodness to me.
Friday, June 3, 2011
So Much Time, and So Little to Blog!
Strike that. Reverse it.
Name that movie. Better yet, quote your favorite line from that same movie. Or another favorite movie. Or not. Whatever.
So, here is our spring in review:
My mother-in-law came to visit South Carolina. She came before my due date and stayed for three weeks. She did a great job with the house and the kids. She kept the kids in line and the laundry washed.
Daniel's birthstory = AWESOME. In short, I delivered him quick. The midwife was on her way but missed the actual delivery. Jesse caught the baby, making him possibly the coolest dad/ husband ever. After much deliberation, we named the baby Daniel, "God is my judge."
Update on our Philippine plans? Yes, the Philippine plans are moving along. We have a website www.9goats.com detailing more about our goals. We are going to be overseeing the children's home on the island of Cebu, near the town of Bogo. Right now we are raising money. We need monthly support, along with an initial sum to get us established. So, give me your money!
I have about a dozen other blog posts swimming in my brain. Maybe (just maybe), I will be able to tweak my schedule to include some blog time? If it's on the to-do list, I will remember to do it.
Name that movie. Better yet, quote your favorite line from that same movie. Or another favorite movie. Or not. Whatever.
So, here is our spring in review:
My mother-in-law came to visit South Carolina. She came before my due date and stayed for three weeks. She did a great job with the house and the kids. She kept the kids in line and the laundry washed.
Daniel's birthstory = AWESOME. In short, I delivered him quick. The midwife was on her way but missed the actual delivery. Jesse caught the baby, making him possibly the coolest dad/ husband ever. After much deliberation, we named the baby Daniel, "God is my judge."
Update on our Philippine plans? Yes, the Philippine plans are moving along. We have a website www.9goats.com detailing more about our goals. We are going to be overseeing the children's home on the island of Cebu, near the town of Bogo. Right now we are raising money. We need monthly support, along with an initial sum to get us established. So, give me your money!
I have about a dozen other blog posts swimming in my brain. Maybe (just maybe), I will be able to tweak my schedule to include some blog time? If it's on the to-do list, I will remember to do it.
Monday, May 2, 2011
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