Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Cooking...Club

I think we need to get our Cooking Catastrophe Commiseration Club movin' again. It's been neglected since we had to start the blog over. So, I'm startin' it with no catastrophes, no commiserations, but yes, a recipe. I promised a friend the other day that I would post this recipe:my favorite salad dressing. I know, you're gonna look at it and think "Gross. She actually eats that stuff...on purpose?!" I know that. But I'm tellin' ya, it is so good! It has a unique flavor: I can't even describe it. So, just try it for yourself! And, if you have any great recipes to contribute (I would love more salad dressing recipes), any catastrophes to report, or any commiserating that needs to be attended to please send them our way: girleytalk@gmail.com

I hope you are all havin' a great week. I can't believe tomorrow we'll be half-way through....half way between Sundays!

Have a wonderful evening. I'm off to read Calvin!

For His kingdom,

Sarah



Ketchup Salad Dressing

1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon worshestershire sauce
1/4 cup sugar

Mix well. Refrigerate. Enjoy!

Sunday, September 28, 2008

The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment


Good Day,

As I promised, I'm finally going to say something about the book club we're supposed to be doing. Ummm, since the blog was deleted, it's been hard to get my thoughts together and to do a post. I've gotten out of the habit, I think. So I set aside time today to pull some stuff together. Really, I wish I didn't have to say anything, because it's such a good book, and you all should read it for yourselves. Well, actually All Things For Good is a great introduction to the puritan writers and it's also incredibly short and easy. I just finished that this past week. So, according to Burroughs, contentment is: "that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition" But lest we think that we can't possibly be Christians since we lack such an important character, he goes on to say later that contentment isn't something that we automatically possess in the Holy Spirit. It is something that we learn; something that the Holy Spirit teaches us. What contentment is not, is merely a passive acceptance to the circumstances we have been given. We must work for contentment.

To be perfectly honest, contentment is something I have been learning for the past 4 years, during our residence here in Atlanta. A lot of things have happened that have "disturbed my outward comforts and darkened my inward comforts" (Watson, All Things For Good). For a while I looked for something external to change. Guess what! The change never came!!! I am still faced with the same problems. I am finally learning that contentment is an inward frame of spirit. "To be content through an inward disposition of the soul is like the warmth that a man's clothes have from the natural heat of his body." (Rare Jewel, p. 28)

So how exactly am I supposed to get this inward contentment? "The Christian has another way to contentment, that is, he can bring his desires down to his possessions, and so he attains contentment. ... But though a man cannot bring his circumstances to be as great as his heart, yet if he can bring his heart to be as little as his circumstances ... this is the way to contentment."(p. 45) If I stop believing that my circumstances have to change in order to love God and take pleasure at his disposal, well then I shall be able to love no matter what the trial. I will need people less, and love people more. I will not expect people to reach my expectations, but rather meet them where they're at. So contentment "consists not in bringing anything from outside to make my condition comfortable, but in purging out something that is within."

It's one thing to know all this, but it's all together, entirely different to keep believing it daily. So that's the first two chapters, briefly!!! It would take a post a mile long to cover everything that he said...so you'll have to see for yourself. I've only covered a tiny speck of what is there in just the first two chapters! Any personal anecdotes relating to contentment? It would be a great time for us all to share!

Cheers,
Lily

Thursday, September 25, 2008

A Mid-Week Thought

It's Thursday evening. I'm in the middle of a busy...a great...but nevertheless busy week. Lily's in the middle of a busy week. I'm sure that our readers are in the middle of a busy week. But, in these last few minutes of Thursday evening before I head to bed I wanted to give you a paragraph from John Piper's book Future Grace to encourage you in the rest of your week~

"...The glorious might of God that we need to see and trust is the power of God to turn all our detours and obstacles into glorious outcomes. If we believed that our hold-up at the red light was God's keeping us back from an accident about to happen, we would be patient and happy. If we believed that our broken leg was God's way of revealing early cancer in the x-ray so that we would survive, we would not murmur at the inconvenience. If we believed that the middle-of-the-night phone call was God's way of waking us to smell smoke in the basement, we would not grumble at the loss of sleep. The key to patience is faith in the future grace of God's "glorious might" to transform all our interruptions into rewards.
In other words, the strength of patience hangs on our capacity to believe that God is up to something good for us in all our delays and detours. This requires great faith in future grace, because the evidence is seldom evident.


May we be a contented people because heaven's King does all things well...and is always working all things together for the good of His godly ones. He continually, tirelessly, faithfully "transforms all our interruptions into rewards." Let us strive, therefore, to glorify and enjoy Him forever...we have every reason to be a joyful and contented people!

All by His grace,

Sarah

Monday, September 22, 2008

Book Club ~ Institutes of the Christian Religion

It's such a beautiful, autumn day in Charlotte, North Carolina. And I've been thoroughly enjoying it. I've spent the past several hours with Calvin right next to my open bedroom window. The breeze was blowing in and the sun is shining. I had my water bottle full of water with no ice and a pencil to mark "all the best stuff." And now, Book Two of the Institutes is done! It has been wonderful to spend the whole afternoon reading about how completely all-sufficient my Savior is. Basking in the sunlight and the Son of Righteousness!

A very dear friend of mine gave me this analogy: (maybe this is common and I've just never thought about it this way before so bare with me if I'm treading over old ground) but she said that life is like lookin' into a mirror. When we look into a mirror we can see ourselves and we can see whatever's around us. But the less we see of ourselves in the mirror the more we can see what's surrounding us. So, in our lives we want to see less and less of ourselves and all our sinfulness in our mirrors and more and more of our Savior so that He's all we can see...He's all that surrounds us. This afternoon was a wonderful way to start the week: seeing so much less of myself and much much more of the Savior.

And of course, you need a quote from this book of the Institutes, right? Of course you do! I love this quote and it ties in with contentment, also. I hope it proves a blessing to you:

“The happiness promised us in Christ does not consist in outward advantages—such as leading a joyous and peaceful life, having rich possessions, being safe from all harm, and abounding with delights such as the flesh commonly longs after. No, our happiness belongs to the heavenly life.

Christ enriches his people with all things necessary for the eternal salvation of souls and fortifies them with courage to stand unconquerable against all the assaults of spiritual enemies. From this we infer that he rules—inwardly and outwardly—more for our own sake than his.

Thus it is that we may patiently pass through this life with its misery, hunger, cold, contempt, reproaches, and other troubles—content with this one thing: that our King will never leave us destitute, but will provide for our needs until, our warfare ended, we are called to triumph.”

What a wonderful way to begin the work-week: being reminded that all our joy is in the Savior! I hope you are all enjoying your Monday.

Glorifying and enjoying Him forever,


Miss Blair

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Autumn - My Favourite Season

I am just basking in this glorious weather!!! This is my absolute, favorite time of year. Fall has such energy in the air. It's the back-to-school feel accompanied by the leftover summer projects. It's the football weather. Autumn Saturday afternoons in our house sound like the neighbor kids playing outside, street noise blowing through our open windows, football games on TV, (enthusiastic cheering) and Sunday's laundry. I love the sounds of fall. Does anyone, like me, think that cars driving on the pavement sound different in the fall than they do in Spring and Summer? And the light looks different, right? It seems brightly filtered.

Today I opened all the windows and I have my favourite Yankee candle burning in my room. It's actually a discontinued scent called Apple Rose. It's the ultimate autumnal smell in my opinion (besides bouquets of sharpened pencils, scotch tape...etc). Speaking of apples, I can't wait to go to the orchard. Definitely the season's highlight. I've been knitting up a storm too (filling family orders...one of the scarfs will be blue and orange striped for one of my brother's favourite teams, Auburn.) Oh, and it's almost closet cleaning time too, when all the cold weather clothes replace the warm weather clothes.

Autumn evenings are so peaceful. It's darker sooner, giving more reading time in the evening...that's got to be good. I like getting up when it's only just starting to lighten up, because then I feel like I've started the day ahead. Likewise, dinner time dusk seems to slowly bring closure to the day. ::Sigh::: The joys of the season! I realize this isn't exactly what Sarah had in mind when she said I'd be commenting on our book club. However, this post just oozes with contentment, right? Someone back me up! Okay, I promise I'll get my thoughts together and do one, just for Sarah! In the meantime, enjoy the beginnings of Fall (wherever you are)!

Friday, September 19, 2008

An Un-officially Official Post

Good afternoon,

I know, it's been over a week since we last posted. And this is a very un-official post. Lily is, Lord willing, going to post a book club post either tonight or tomorrow. We've sadly neglected our book club -- not the reading, just the posting. But she's hopefully gonna fix that before a new week starts.

Yet in the mean time, I had to share this...sort of as an explanation. I got an e-mail from a very dear friend yesterday and this is the first paragraph:

You must be so busy -- I've been checking your website every day and THERE ARE NO NEW POSTS!!! Of course, I know all you do all day is sit around and drink hot tea -- oh wait, you drink WATER WITH NO ICE -- and wait for your maid to finish cleaning. Yeah, right?!?!?


*side note: for all of you that are new to the blog since we deleted the first one: I have a "thing" for water with no ice. So, whenever we have surveys, etc. my fav. drink is always "water with no ice." Or, if I'm gonna go curl up with a book and read all afternoon I take my water bottle of water with no ice.*

Anyway, yeah, my maid....I don't know what happened to her! Lily and I have both been really busy lately...thus no posts. So, we haven't forgotten about the blog (really we haven't) and thank you for being patient with us. I'm sure Lily will provide us some meaty reading on contentment later this weekend.

I hope you're all having a great day! More thoughts, ramblings, musings, meanderings, conversations,,,,from the tea table later!

In His grip!

Sarah

Thursday, September 11, 2008

A Day That Saved Lives

It really has been seven years since September 11, 2001. What a terrifying day for our nation. A day that began all the security regulations in the airport. A day that caused men to fall to their knees. A day that started a war. A day that snatched the life out of thousands of our fellow citizens. And, a day that saved lives.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love God; who are called according to His purpose.


We cannot understand the nature of our God. He is just so above us. There is no comprehending all the facets of His nature. And, when we look at September 11 we cannot see how the death of thousands -- thousands that we suddenly begin to love...because they (as our fellow country-men) aren't there anymore -- can be worked together for our good. How can the sin of terrorists be used to bless the people of God? It is not within our power to see or even begin to comprehend how these things can be for our good.

And therein lies the difference (one of them) between us and our King. We cannot think outside of the immediate circumstance...He cannot keep His thoughts within the immediate circumstance.

My ways are so much higher than your ways; My thoughts than your thoughts.


September 11 was a terrible day for our nation. But the Lord has used that day to draw many of His saints closer to Himself and to save some who were perishing. Even as thousands were snatched from our "kingdom" on that day, many, many souls have been brought into the Kingdom of Light by that day!

This world is a world of uncertainty: a world that has no peace. And these days -- campaigning, election days -- are particularly not peaceful. But we know, we know! that our King is the King of all the nations. That He sits on His throne over all creation. And we know that on the sunshiny days and on the days when thousands of our brothers and sisters are killed He is over all. He does cause all things to work together for our good. And even when we sin -- when we (individually or as a nation) stray far from His commands -- He works it all for our good and He will be glorified. He will snatch for Himself glory even in the midst of our darkest midnight.

He is faithful to all His promises. He keeps watch over His godly ones. He is the King of all the nations! We are a blessed people, indeed.

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!

For the Kingdom,

Sarah

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Sarah Palin

Good evening,

I've been watching the news here and there lately, trying to educate myself on the upcoming election. As in many other homes, (I'm sure) Sarah Palin has been the cause of great excitement in the Freeman home. I don't want to discuss whether or not we should be "for" her or not, here. However, I really like what this young lady said, below. Elizabeth Botkin is one of the authors of a favourite book of mine So Much More. She posted this on the blog she and her sister administrate. This article helps give some perspective on the real problem.

Why Sarah Palin Inspires Us
Posted September 6, 2008, by Elizabeth

Palin and McCain

The nation is aglow over the manifold triumphs of women over the last century, reaching their climax during this years’ election. Women have never been so close to holding the “highest” position in the country, that of Chief Executive, and woman’s collective journey has been a major political theme this month. In Senator Hillary Clinton’s speech at the Democratic National Convention, she made an impressive statement, putting a face on how far our nation has come: “My mother was born before women could vote. My daughter got to vote for her mother for president.”

Powerful women on all sides are taking big strides — and will be bequeathing quite a future to their daughters. That means us. How should we see this future, and how should we respond to their example?

In the opinion of just two of these American daughters, this picture is troubling, and brings with it promises of more trouble. Part of the tragedy, as we see it, is that it’s not just secular feminists who are excited about this future. Christians across the nation are cheering the entrance of Mrs. Palin, forgetting that, according to the biblical qualifications for a civil magistrate, she as a woman is not qualified to hold this office (Ex. 18:21, Pro. 31:23, 1 Tim. 2:12).[1] We believe that Mrs. Palin’s appointment as civil ruler, and indeed the feminist strides that made it possible, are a judgment from God (Isa. 3:12). We’re already suffering from one consequence of this judgment more severely than America realizes.

An exultant Ann Coulter scored a bulls eye in (unwittingly) identifying this judgment in the title of her first piece on Palin:

“The Best Man Turned Out To Be A Woman.”

To be honest, we’re impressed with Sarah Palin. She is a remarkably talented, well-spoken woman. She has many fine policies. And we like her practical, moose-hunting style of femininity. But it is not a day to rejoice when the best man in the room happens to be a woman — Sarah Palin nor is it a cause for cheer when men can’t compete with women in doing their own job. During this year’s unprecedented election, the key players have been strong women and flaky men. This is a sign of judgment. The scenario is reminiscent of Gloria Steinem’s boast, “We are becoming the men we wanted to marry.” Men have been stepping into the background — women are trying to become the men they wish existed. We challenge any young woman to see this as a happy prospect. It’s hard to be inspired by the abdication of real men and the subsequent rise of pseudo-men.

(Interestingly, Gloria Steinem has little confidence that American women will go for Palin, who, in Steinem’s words, “opposes everything most other women want and need.”[2] We believe she underestimates the inconsistency of Evangelical feminists. Ms. Steinem, on the other hand, remains one of the most consistent men in the room; she will not compromise her radical left-wing principles just to support another woman.)

American Christians may be turning their ears from the plain teachings of Scripture to harken to what they believe is “the crying need of the moment.” They may decide our desperate need for a conservative VP trumps the teachings of Scripture. But we know from Scripture that we are to fear God, and not men — not even liberals. It has been rightly noted that people usually get the government they deserve. If we continue to make pragmatic compromises based on fear of man, God may see fit to continue chastising us with the government we deserve. God is on the Throne, regardless of who is in the White House, and He declares: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Psa. 3:6)

The people are right that America has desperate, crying needs. However, Mrs. Palin’s nomination for the Vice Presidency is not answering the cry — it is making it louder. Looking back over the last year, what’s glaringly obvious is that what America needs is more qualified male leaders. The real cry of the moment is: Give us men!

Seeing women in leadership does not inspire men to be better leaders. We believe Sarah Palin’s example will not inspire men to be men — it will inspire them to make way for more Sarah Palins.

So how are strong women supposed to respond when men are not being men?

The example of the prophetess Deborah, though set in a time of more severe judgment than ours, gives interesting insights. She was living in a time when “the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord” (Judges 4:1), “Village life ceased” (Judges 5:7), and the leaders had not been leading (Judges 5:2). Despite the desperation of the time, Deborah clearly did not become a civil magistrate or “judge” in the modern sense of the word, nor did she run for any kind of office, nor did she sit in the gates (Judges 4:5). Even when pushed toward positions of leadership, Deborah never actually took the reins of authority, but rather extended them to Barak and stood supportively behind him (Judges 4:6, 4:14). Deborah succeeded in bringing a man into leadership, rather than take the leadership herself.

So why are we inspired by Sarah Palin? Because her example puts a stronger fire in us to answer the cry, the way we believe God intended. We are more inspired than ever to help our father, brothers, husbands and sons to fill the role we are not called to fill.

It has rightly been observed that women have already been elected to the highest position they can hold, and that any “promotion” in the civil sphere would be a step backward. Their womanly sphere is where this hurting nation needs them most.

So let us resolve to give the world what it really needs, in the way that only women can give it. We have our work cut out for us, building strength into our men; It will call out every gift and talent within us. In doing so, we’re not just answering the cry — we’re obeying God, Who holds our first allegiance.

Mrs. Palin, you have inspired us to take stronger action for our God and for our country.

As for us, we don’t aspire to become the presidents we wish we could vote for. We aspire to raise them.

____________________________

Footnotes:

1. Many excellent, timely articles have already been written on the qualifications for civil magistrate and the role of women — go here for a directory.

2. “Palin: Wrong Woman, Wrong Message,” by Gloria Steinem


Any thoughts? Agree?/Disagree? I'm interested in anyone's perspective...

Monday, September 8, 2008

This Psalm...

...Never ceases to give me chills when we sing it! We sang this in church last night after the sermon and I almost started crying...except it was so exciting and wonderful and oh! I just love this psalm that I couldn't cry. This is a setting of Psalm 91 the way it's layed out in the Book of Psalms for Singing produced by Crown and Covenant Publications. (to the tune of Jesus! What a Friend For Sinners)

Who with God Most Hugh finds shelter
In th'Almighty's shadow hides.
To the Lord I'll say, "My Refuge!"
In my God my trust abides.
From the fowler's snare He'll save you,
From the deadly pestilence;
Cover you with outspread pinions,
Make his wings your confidence.

God's own truth, your shield and buckler:
You will fear no ill by night,
Nor the shafts in daylight flying,
Nor disease that shuns the light,
Nor the plague that wastes at noonday.
At your side ten thousands fall;
You will only see this judgment
Which rewards the wicked all.

You have made the LORD your refuge,
God Most High your dwelling place;
Nothing evil shall befall you;
In your tent no scourge you'll face.
He will angels charge to keep you,
Guard you well in all your ways.
In their hands they will uphold you
Lest your foot a stone should graze.

You shall trample serpents, lions,
Tread on all your deadly foes.
For his love to Me I'll save him,
Keep him, for My name he knows;
When he calls Me I will answer,
Save and honor him will I.
I will show him my salvation,
With long life will satisfy.

I hope you're all having a wonderful day. It's hard to not have a great day when He says, "For his love to Me I'll save him, Keep him for My name he knows..." What a treasure we have been given...our all-sufficient Savior. "' The Lord is my Portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in Him.'"

Lovingly,

Sarah

Saturday, September 6, 2008

More Notable Quotables

Good morning!

This is another great (but longer) quote that one of my buddies sent to me this morning. I can't even tell you how timely this was: how it has refreshed my soul this morning. So, I'll just let you feast on it for yourself~



"And if you ask where Christ is to be found, I will answer, in your own heart and nowhere else. But you will say to me that it is your own heart that keeps you such a stranger to Christ, and keeps Him such a stranger to you, because your heart is a very den of devils. Now to that I answer that your finding this to be the real state of your heart is already the finding of Christ in your heart. For nothing else, and no one else but Christ, can make manifest to you the sin and misery that is in you. And the Christ who discovers sin is the very same Christ who takes all sin away. Be you sure, that as soon as your sin and your misery make your heart absolutely unbearable to yourself, that is Christ already in you of a truth. For Christ first comes to your heart as the Discoverer and Reprover of your sin. Acknowledge then His presence, and His power, and His grace, in making you to know the plague of your own heart; and then He that wounded you will heal you; and He who showed you the den of devils that is within you, He will not leave you till He has made your heart into a holy temple, for the indwelling of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. ~ Alexander Whyte


What a wonderful Savior! I hope you are all enjoying your last day of the week.

All by His grace,

Sarah

Friday, September 5, 2008

Notable Quotable

A very dear friend sent me this quote a few weeks ago. I have read it so many times since then and have been so encouraged by it. It's too long to post in our notable quotable column but I didn't dare let you quote-lovers miss out on this one...so here's a rippin' quote by Martin Luther. (oh yeah, Martin Luther definitely said "rippin'" ha ha...)



"Labor therefore diligently, that not only out of the time of temptation, but also in the danger and conflict of death, when your conscience is thoroughly afraid with the remembrance of your sins past, and the devil assaults you with great violence, going about to overwhelm you with heaps, floods, and whole seas of sins, to terrify you, to draw you from Christ, and to drive you to despair; that then, I say, you may be able to say with sure confidence, Christ the Son of God was given, not for the righteous and holy, but for the unrighteous and sinners. If I were righteous and had no sin, I should have no need of Christ to be my reconciler. Why then, Oh you peevish Satan, will you make me to be holy, and to seek righteousness in myself, when in very deed I have nothing in my but sins, and most grievous sins? Not feigned or trifling sins, but such as are against the first table; to wit, great infidelity, doubting, despair, contempt for God, hatred, ignorance, and blaspheming of God, unthankfulness, abusing of God's name, neglecting, loathing, and despising the word of God, and such like." ~ Martin Luther


Have an outstanding day!

In Him who died for the unrighteous,

Sarah

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Something that Brightened My Day

Good afternoon!

My goodness...it's been a while since I've posted anything up here! I was inspired to publish this because it gave me great pleasure...I like to listen to the Bahnsen/Stein debate on the existence of God. This is a portion out of the debate that never fails to put a triumphant smile on my face:

The following is an excerpt from "The Great Debate: Does God Exist?" a formal debate between Dr. Greg L. Bahnsen and Dr. Gordon S. Stein that was held at the University of California (Irvine) on February 11, 1985. Dr. Bahnsen begins the cross examination:

Dr. Bahnsen: "Are all factual questions answered in the same way?"
Dr. Stein: "No, they are not. They're answered by the use of certain methods, though, that are the same - reason, logic, presenting evidence, and facts."
Dr. Bahnsen: "All right. I heard you mention logical binds and logical self-contradictions in your speech. You did say that?"
Dr. Stein: "I said. I used that phrase, yes."
Dr. Bahnsen: "Do you believe there are laws of logic, then?"
Dr. Stein: "Absolutely"
Dr. Bahnsen: "Are they universal?"
Dr. Stein: "They are agreed upon by human beings. They aren't laws that exist out in nature. They're consensual."
Dr. Bahnsen: "Are they simply conventions, then?"
Dr. Stein: "They are conventions, but they are conventions that are self-verifying."
Dr. Bahnsen: "Are they sociological laws or laws of thought?"
Dr. Stein: "They are laws of thought which are interpreted by men and promulgated by men."
Dr. Bahnsen: "Are they material in nature?"
Dr. Stein: "How can a law be material in nature?"
Dr. Bahnsen: "That's a question I am going to ask you."
Dr. Stein: "I would say no."
Moderator: "Dr. Stein, you now have an opportunity to cross examine Dr. Bahnsen."
Dr. Stein: "Dr. Bahnsen, would you call God material or immaterial?"
Dr. Bahnsen: "Immaterial"
Dr. Stein: "What is something that is immaterial?"
Dr. Bahnsen: "Something not extended in space."
Dr. Stein: "Can you give me an example of anything other than God that is immaterial?"
Dr. Bahnsen: "The laws of logic."
Moderator: "I am going to have to ask the audience to hold it down please. Please. Refrain from laughter and applause. Can you hold that down please?"

Basically, after that one statement from Dr. Bahnsen, Dr. Stein began to lose the debate...(lol) I love it! Enjoy the rest of the week...

In Christ,
Lily

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Subduing Kingdoms


Ah, school has started...officially for me 10 hours and 33 minutes ago: 8:45 this morning! So, the posts will be fewer and farther between now. If Lily is reading this she's probably laughing because she knows that I will probably post "only" once or twice a week now...instead of every day! But then, I'll just remind her that if she's not gonna blog on "our" blog then I guess I'll just have to do it for her. ha ha....

So, I did not finish Book Two of Calvin's Institutes. Am I discouraged? No way! ha ha... I am really close. I think I have less than 50 pages. It was a goal on top of a goal to finish it by the end of August. So, I did bite off a big chunk and now I have an "appetizing" portion to do for September while I get back into the hang of this whole school thing. So, I'll settle for the first goal: finish it by the end of September :)

But, I did read Jane Eyre this summer. Leah and Lily are so happy with me. I mean, I actually read what they wanted me to read! It's rare that they have their way with me in the reading department. But I did read Jane Eyre...and really enjoyed it!

Now I need to read David Copperfield. Leah "gave me permission" to read it after I finish the second book of Calvin. So, she's given me a little slack in the tight rope of reading assignments she has for me :) ha ha... So, that's the next thing I need to tackle.

But for now I'm just enjoying the school year: all 10 hours and 33 minutes of it! It's so wonderful to really get back into the routine of it. It can be wearying when you begin to realize that the same kingdoms that you subdued yesterday are waiting to be subdued all over again today. But, the Lord is so gracious...and provides us with everything that we need to bring Him glory right now...in this moment. So, that's how we come before His face: just give us the grace to bring You glory. Even if not every little check-box is checked by the end of the day remind us that our calling is to glorify You! Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him.

So, I hope you have all had a wonderful second day of September...bringin' Him all the glory because that's our calling: whether we're doin' a grammar lesson, practicing piano, folding another load of laundry, cleaning the kitchen, or just enjoying a cup of tea and a couple quiet moments...may His name be magnified in all the earth! Have a great evening!

Always for the King,

Sarah