fine camille, here's a new post.

Gosh. Camille is like the blog police. Should I watch out for your red and blue lights and annoying siren at my back as I sit at my kitchen table and look at my computer.

So, I figure I better make this blog thing a habit since I start my new job one week from today. Some say it takes 7 days to create a habit so here's my seven free days (but then others say it takes 30 days....lets see if seven does the trick).

I'm going to be pretty honest here. My personal life of the study and knowledge of my friend and redeemer, Jesus, has taken a little sabbatical. My heart grieves over my neglect of the one who made me and purposed this amazing life of tremendous blessing, joy, and freedom. I sit here amazed at His grace and mercy. What a great feeling to return to His open arms of love and redemption. For, Christ, I am eternally grateful.

Makes me think of The Parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15. Here, a young man takes his inheritance(or his life's blessing) and wastes it on silly things. Then he comes to his senses and returns home. As his father saw him coming from a ways off, he"was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." I don't even need to mention how the dad gave him a beautiful robe and jewelry and threw a huge welcome home party for him. The compassion and love that the father displayed in his return brings me to my knees today. I am amazed by God's compassion in the case of this parable that Jesus told and in my personal situation. Thank you Jesus.

I'm reading this book by Jan Winebrenner called Intimate Faith: A Woman's Guide to the Spiritual Disciplines. It's really good so far. It's actually the type of book that I have started reading about 4 times over the past 2 years (embarrassing, I know), but I have always found something else to read or do. So, since something has interested me enough to start reading the book so many times I am for real going to read it this time. Today I read about the disciplines of submission and humility. The author points out that "our very strength as a society, is the fatal flaw of the life of faith." The strength she mentions refers to the fact that our culture thrives on the tenacity of medical researchers who resist the unknown with every atom of their beings. She says.."we build labs and think tanks and hire people to examine mysteries and solve them for us." Makes me think of how I just couldn't sit still until I had a new job secured. And now that it is secured I am so dang nervous and anxious about the start of school that once again I am having trouble sitting still.

The author makes the point that "The disciplines of humility and submission train us to live joyfully, peacefully, in the realm of divine mystery."

I need to work on submitting my life, plans, and future to the omnipotence of Christ and humbly accept what he brings me. I KNOW his will is pleasing and perfect. I just need to REST in it.

"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn. the justice of your cause like the noonday sun." Psalm 37:3-6