I've Been Tagged!

So, Russell tagged me on my break from blogging, and I'm here again to have some fun! Here’s how this tag works:

1) Grab the book closest to you
2) Open to page 123, go down to the fourth sentence
3) Post the text of the following 3 sentences
4) Name the author and book title
5) Tag three people to do the same

Ok, so this is supposed to work, but the first three books I picked up don't go to pg 123...should reveal something about the depth of my reading ability! HaHa

"A true shepherd loves and cares for his sheep at all times. In John 10:1-6, Jesus contrasts a true shepherd with a hireling. The true shepherd is willing to give his life for the sheep." Stuart Scott 'The Exemplary Husband'

Taking a break

Well, I guess it's obvious to anyone stopping by this blog that I haven't written anything in a long time. So here I am to formally say that I've been taking a break from blogging to finish the work on my house. I've been pretty occupied with that in all of my spare time, so my writing energy is going to my journals. I'm not sure when I'll pick this up again, but I do intend to be back sometime...

The Secret Life of Lobsters

If you like the outdoors, science, boating, lobsters, statistics, or biology, The Secret Life of Lobsters is the book for you. I just finished reading it and was riveted all the way through. From underwater exursions with the scientists, to hauling in lobster traps with the locals of Cranberry Island, ME, Trevor Corson depicts the life of lobsters from every angle imaginable. Intertwined with lobster facts are the lives of Bob Steneck, a lobster scientist, Mark and Bruce Fernald, lobstermen, and many others who are devoting much time and energy into preserving the lives of our favorite crustacean, the American Lobster. So, I give it four stars out of five, and recommend it to anyone wanting to read a great literary non-fiction book. But don't just take my word for it. The Boston magazine reports, "Corson's readable portrait braids scientific history with a fisherman's view of a lobstering town, keeping one foot in the lab, one on the deck, and the other eight in the mysterious deep."

On a journey

One thing I love about reading God's word is that the journey never ends. There is an eternity of glory and majesty being revealed around every corner. I just finished reading the Gospel of Luke and have now started reading through the Bible in a year with D.A. Carson's book, For The Love of God. It's a wonderful tool to use, with daily readings mapped out. So, a few days ago, I traveled into the world of Elijah and immediately was amazed yet again at the awesome power of God. Here's what struck me the other day in 1 Kings 18:46. Elijah ran faster than a chariot! If I'm reading my Bible correctly, it says in verse 44 that Ahab was in a charoit headed to Jezreel. And with the hand of the Lord on him, Elijah "gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel." That is amazing! I'm not sure exactly why the Lord gave this supernatural power to Elijah at this time (there were other instances too), but it reminds me that the God we serve is all-powerful. Psalm 86:8-9 says, " There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name." Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." When I read these words, my faith and trust in God was renewed and strengthened for the day ahead. Oh how much I need to stop resting and relying on myself and lean on my God who can accomplish anything!

"Maybe Baby?"

For the past few months these were the words I told Danielle every time she said something relating to feeling pregnant. She would laugh and say, "Maybe...we'll have to see!" And so when the symptoms would go away, we would say, "Maybe baby another day." Well, as most of you already know, Danielle is expecting and we are so excited! We are looking foward to the joys and pains of being parents and are acutely aware of our need of God's grace. As we prepare for this season, we are asking for your counsel, encouragement and prayers. One thing I have been waiting to find out is the size and facts about this baby. My wife is six weeks pregnant, and I'm wondering what stage the baby is in. Well, it didn't take very long for me to find out. Apparently, one of Danielle's blogger girls pointed her to babycenter.com. In our email in-box is a description of the baby at 6 weeks. Here's the report:

"This week, your baby is about the size of a small lentil bean. Her brain, muscles, and bones are beginning to take shape. Her hands and feet resemble little paddles, with thick webbing still in place between her developing fingers and toes. And her tiny heart has begun beating."

Wow! This is really happening! I never knew that the baby would develop this fast! It is very apparent that a human life has been created. This is all God's doing. I'm reminded of the wonderful truth found in Psalm 139:13-16. In a world that denies a Sovereign Creator, daily pregnancies around the globe are another reminder that He is the Maker and Sustainer of all things. I'm grateful for this fact tonight. Even as my wife is learning about her body and womb, the Lord already knows everything and has got this baby all figured out. He is carefully crafting another display of His glory for us to marvel at and respond in worship to Him.

Under Construction

No, this site is not under construction...it's my house! I've been taking some time away from the computer and other things to finish the work that's underway even as I write. I'm almost done framing in the extended porch on the front of the house, and new windows along with siding are soon to follow. God has been so kind as to provide the time, energy and finances to do all of this work. It was 15 months ago Danielle and I bought our "fixer-upper" (which God also graciously provided!) and were immediatly faced with setbacks in getting the building permit. Well, God knows best for us, and we trust that even more now. He saw best for all of our remodeling plans to wait until now to begin. And because of this timing, we have been able to spend the past year enjoying time together (in our very sad looking house) without the burdens and strains that would have naturally come with this project. I know that God has strengthened our marriage over the past year, and now He is providing all the necessary grace to complete this work. My wife has been a trooper already. We woke up this morning at 6:00 AM to rain dripping very steadily into our living room (due to the half-completed roof), which included the cds, hardwood floor, and the T.V.! She quickly mobilized me - half asleep - gave me a mop, and got on her hands and knees to clean up the brown-stained water that had filtered through our 50 year-old attic insulation. This kind of godly support and encouragement is the only reason I can work on this project. My wife is the most amazing woman in the world, and I am even more motivated now to finish our house for her. She took a step of faith to leave our nice, cushy apartment and settle into this small, quaint disaster zone, and has never once complained. She loves our home and has done many things to transform it into a homey place, despite the fact that half of the windows are sealed shut from some foreign glue-like substance. From cheering me on, to using a nail gun for the first time, Danielle has found many ways to jump in and join the revitilization efforts. It will be great when it's all over and we can enjoy together God's favor together while sitting in a swing on a new covered porch! I'll post some pics when I get a chance to scan them in.

Home From Vacation

My wife and I just returned from beautiful Maine last week after an very restful vacation. We thoroughly enjoyed every moment while we were gone. Not surprising for us, because we just love spending time alone together! I didn't even think about work for a moment, and neither did Danielle. That's why we take a vacation. It's purpose is not just to go to exotic places and spend lots of money, but to slow down the pace of life, and listen. We purposed to listen to the sounds of nature: birds in the trees, moths fluttering in the morning, horses snorting through the fog, water crashing and shaping the coastline, and logs crackling in the fire. And we listened to God through His word as we enjoyed extended quiet times, unhindered by the business of life. Since we didn't have anyone else with us, we were able to listen to each other as we discussed the upcoming fall season, the schedule, the future in general, and whatever else we wanted to say! We also enjoyed the finest in Maine cusine. We ate Lobser, chowder, strudel, scallops, popovers, and much more. We took in the sights of Mount Desert Island and savored some of the most pristine real estate on the face of the earth. If you've never been there, please arrange your schedule one year and go visit Acadia. It will be well worth it, and you will want to go back again and again as I do. I actually have been there before on a family vacation a few years back and was so taken by the beauty of it all that I wanted to show Danielle everything. She loved it!