Morning Devotion

Here are some thoughts from my morning quiet time:

Isaiah 1:16, 17
The Lord has just finished telling Israel that He doesn't want to listen to their prayers anymore because they are not really seeking Him. They are going through the religious motions, but their hearts are far from Him. So He spells out for them what He desires from them:

• learn to do good - seek after what is good, try to learn it, you don't have to be perfect right now
• seek justice - be proactive about things being right and just
• reprove the ruthless - speak up and against evil
  
• defend the orphan - those who have no rights and no defender
• plead for the widow - one who has no one to protect her

The Lord is saying "This is what I'm all about - goodness, righteousness, kindness, compassion - and you can learn to be like me. No, good deeds won't save you, but they will draw you closer to me. And you know, this is all about a relationship, not religious motions."

And then the Lord goes on to say that if they will just obey Him, all their sins will be removed, forgiven, and as though they had not sinned. They will be provided with the best of the land. If they refuse to obey, they will be destroyed by the sword.

So not only does He continue to tell them what to do to be restored in their relationship with Him, but He also offers grace to remove their sin.

I think it's important in every relationship to understand where you stand with the other person and what you can do to get closer, if that's what you want. God realizes that and spells it out for us over and over again. Our God is so good to us.

School...almost...here

Today is Sarah's last day of freedom before her semester starts.

Joshua has until Monday.

The countdown begins...

Sorry to keep you in suspense. I did make it to the doctor last week and it turns out I had bronchitis. Not fun. But I go on medicine and am really much better now. Which is really just in time. School starts for me Friday and for Joshua on Monday. I have already bought my textbooks, but I left them in my car because I'm not ready to deal with that yet. =)

For those of you who keep up with our blog regularly and are wondering what is going on these days...Sarah is sick, sick, sick. I'm finally going to the doctor today and we'll see what the verdict is. So far Joshua hasn't gotten sick - he's still pulling long hours at work making sure everyone gets things done. =)

More to come later

Ashley's Wedding

Our good friend Ashley Rodenberger got married this past weekend to Ross Pagenkopf. It was a beautiful wedding and a very fun reception! Here are some pics!The bride and her mother before the ceremony. Don't they look beautiful?

A slightly blurry picture of Ash, Ross and her family.

A lot of our pictures turned out blurry. I'm not sure why. But here's one more!
Awww, the old married couple, as we have affectionately been dubbed! =)

Congratulations Mr and Mrs Pagenkopf! Enjoy your honeymoon!

JB Burrell - Papaw

SAN ANGELO — James Bernice “J.B.” Burrell, 91, went to be with the Lord on Friday, July 27, 2007, at home in Kerrville surrounded by family. He was a longtime resident of San Angelo and Odessa.

J.B. was born Dec. 21, 1915, in Gist, Texas, to Henry Ervin and Nora Lee Gist Burrell. He married Dot Eugenia Norman on April 16, 1939, in Miles and enjoyed 68 years of marriage to his bride. They raised their family in San Angelo. -

-excerpt from the Obituary for my grandfather - Papaw.

Sarah and I attended his funeral in San Angelo on Wednesday of this week. We drove to meet my brother in Waco, then drove together to San Angelo. The Funeral was a great time of celebrating with family the life of Papaw, worshiping his Creator and Lord- who's presence Papaw is now enjoying- and grieving the loss of his presence on earth with us.

I was most encouraged and challenged by the remembrance of Papaw's simple life of humility, love, obedience to, and faith in Christ. He led his family into the satisfying embrace of their Heavenly Father leading daily devotionals and consistently attending church. Through the generations that have followed this message and love from Papaw's Savior has been been taken around the world. Papaw's faith has truly rippled down through time and out across the nations in a way that I'm sure he never would have imagined.

Papaw was not a wealthy business man that lived a luxurious life, nor a revered theologian that meditated on the doctrines of scripture. He was a humble man that worked with his hands and walked obediently with Christ living a life of faith, hope, and love. All of which he is now enjoying the fulfillment of. He laid up for himself treasures in heaven.

We were challenged at the funeral to consider life and death, and where our priorities lie with our life left on earth and our life eternal.

Photo taken on Thanksgiving 2006 with Mamaw and Papaw

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinth 15:54-57

We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

2 Corinth 4:14,15