9.30.2011

just a few projects.

Although we have been very busy over here at the Pope's place- with work and school and teaching and a weekend trip to Minneapolis [pictures to come...] ! -- I have found a few moments here and there to work on a couple projects...

What do you think?
I made a couple new headband.. yippee!





And, Nicholas helped me spray paint some glass bottles I had been collecting from our after church taco dates to Lily's. Pretty right?

Peace.

9.27.2011

reading.

I love to read. All different kinds of book, but, I only like to read when I want to read, not when I HAVE to read...
This makes school very challenging for me. I am expected to read A LOT.
This quarter (the next 10 weeks) here is what I HAVE to read...













And a 312 page reader of Sikhism!


... Day 3 of school and I'm already behind!

9.26.2011

be encouraged.

picture: here.

Why must I go about mourning?
[Psalm 42:9]
Why do you allow your mind to dwell on gloomy thoughts? 
Who told you that night will never end in day?
Who told you that the winter of your discontent would continue from frost to frost and from snow, ice, and hail to even deeper snow and stronger storms of dispair?
Don't you know that day dawns after night, showers displace drought, and spring and summer follow winter?
Then, have hope! 
Hope forever, for God will not fail you!
[Charles H. Spurgeon]

Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning. 
[Psalm 30:5a]
 

9.19.2011

Keep

Kristen has been really enjoying blogging so I thought I would get in on it. 
                                                  
Here goes: 

I was in Luke this morning during my quiet time, and when I read this I decided to do a little word study on keep:

'Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.' (Luke 17:33) 

Keep in the Greek according to Strong's Concordance means variously; I acquire, earn, purchase, make my own, preserve alive, properly or fully acquire, reserve for myself with deep personal interest or caring.

'…the church of God, which he bought or purchased (kept) with his own blood.' (Acts 20:28b)

This verse in Acts contains the same word as the verse in Luke. 

Behind the command of Luke is the deep, comforting reality of Acts: I (and all the church, really) am now kept by the Lord, and so I do not need to keep, preserve, or reserve my own life.

God has answered Cain's question, 'Am I my brother’s keeper?' with his own body, making Himself the keeper of all men.  I have been wholly acquired by Christ, and reserved for himself and his purposes. I am kept with deep, tender care by Christ's own blood and at a great cost to Himself.  Christ came to tie up the strong man and take his possessions, to redeem this man's prisoners for Himself, to purchase men for Himself from every tribe, tongue, and nation, to keep me. (Gen. 4:9, Matt. 10:29, Rev. 5:9)

I have died, and my life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Col. 3:3)

So, when Paul says that in every city, 'the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.  However I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me,'  he knows that he is kept by the Lord. (Acts 20:23-24)

And, when Hudson Taylor wrote to his children during a hard season of running China Inland Mission 'the dear Lord Jesus who never leaves…says, 'Don’t be afraid; I will keep your heart satisfied'…I wish you, my precious children, knew what it is to give your hearts to Jesus to keep everyday.  I used to try to keep my own heart right, but it would always be going wrong.  So at last I had to give up trying myself, and to accept the Lord’s offer to keep it for me,' he knew he was kept by the Lord.

And, when Jesus, thinking of the cross and his very near passion, said,
'Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say?
‘Father, save me from this hour?’
No it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name!' He knew He was kept by the Lord. (John 12:27-28)

Jesus, and Paul, and Hudson knew that we are kept by the all-powerful hand of God. 

And so they willingly laid their lives down, poured them out, and became an offering for the One who had bought them so He could keep them.

'I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds.  The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.' (John 12:24-26)

Jesus’ words refer to Himself, but also now to me.  They call me, challenge me, and convict me.  If I will be His servant I must follow Him. 

Where? 

To the cross where he died.  To death and suffering, because that is where Christ was. 

Behind this hard teaching is the reality that I am kept by God already.  And I am not left as an orphan; I have One who comes from the Father living in me always.

But still, it is hard to know that following my Lord means that I must no longer keep my life for myself, and must walk the narrow path of faithful, obedient, poured out suffering. 

I don't know exactly what this means.  What kind of suffering am I called to?  What will I have to give up?  How much will I lose?  Will it hurt?

I suspect that I am asking all the wrong questions; after all, Jesus says to me, anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matt. 10:39)

But I have not suffered much in my life, and so suffering and loss seems scary.  But Jesus says to me, Do not let your heart be troubled. (John 14:1) 

And so I pray that I will have the courage and strength to trust in God’s keeping of me, and walk faithfully.  I know that this path has been walked by Christ, and Paul, and Hudson, and thousands more as well.  And I know that I am not alone in walking it.

But still.

I only pray that I am soon able to say not, 'Father, save me from this suffering,' but 'Father, glorify your name!'

And I trust that the Lord will keep my heart, and that it is to God's glory that I bear much fruit in faithfulness, and show myself to be His disciple. (John 15:8)

-Nick




Luke 17:33

Acts 20:22-38


Genesis 4:9

Matthew 12:29
 
Revelation 5:9 

Colossians 3:3

Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret

John 12:23-28
 
John 14:14-21

Matthew 10:38-39

John 14:1

John 15:8 









9.18.2011

Gluten Free.

This upcoming November marks the third year I have been eating wheat free! It was torturous because I was on a veggie fast during Thanksgiving and wheat, sugar and dairy free during Christmas... AHH! I cried so much, we were with Nicholas' family and his Mom and sisters are amazing in the kitchen.
But it has continued to get easier as more and more companies have 
started to create "gluten free" options, 
and many magazines and blogs focus solely on making people like me 
feel like we can eat "normal food". So if you also have a 'special diet' no worries because this holiday season I think I'm going to share some of our favorite recipes on here.

Recently I stumbled across this lovely find...
living without mag
Do you or anyone in your family have food allergies? How has it been trying to readjust your cooking?

outdoor party.

I'm planning an outdoor dinner event and love all the ideas on pintrest for lighting... look at these!

here.
here.

here.
here.
here.
here.
What do you think? How do you decorate for an outdoor party?

9.17.2011

ramblings.

There is so much for me to write in order to keep the blog world caught up on the haps of the Pope family... instead of rambling for the next 4 hours here's my week in a brief 7 bullet points!

-last Friday I took my last final (aced it!) and then slept for 2 days so I could go to work on monday and not feel like death.
-Sunday hubs and I had a very romantic date night! He made bacon wrapped filet mignon and grilled veggies while I worked on roasted potatoes and roasted apple and vanilla bean souffle yum! (Aran knows what shes doing over at Cannelle et Vanille!!)




-Monday I went back to work and felt like death... lame! I taught all my little kiddos about how God made them beautifully unique--which was a great reminder for myself...
-Tuesday, we celebrated a good friend's birthday by going to see Josh Garrels play here in town. You can take a listen here, his album is free to download =)
-Wednesday- work, then came home and made progress on the baby blanket I started back here... at this post... which  I'm knitting for a special little girl! pictures to come...
-Thursday I had a doctors appointment and then we had dinner with some of Nicholas' friends from work. Amazing taco bar! My love made award winning homemade corn tortillas... all night people raved about them! Recipe found on the back of the masa bag-- 1. add water. (haha)
-Friday night Nicholas worked so I did laundry, and worked on the blanket...
-Today we slept in and then went on a walk to grab coffee, had dinner with some pals and now im catching up on my real simple mag.
How was your week?

9.10.2011

La Posh wish list.



Some great new things for the Fall!!

9.09.2011

this week in rewind.

This week was a doozy!
-Researched and wrote 3 final papers... and took one in class exam
-Had three separate meltdowns thanks to such papers
-I took a study break a few days ago and worked on this painting...

-Fell in love with pinterest (my Autumn board makes me so excited for this Fall!)

-Nicholas and I had a date night in I.V.

- I started my first day of subbing, I loved it so much!

-Tonight I got creative with my nails... what do you think?

-Now, I know know this was news like months ago but seriously Kate Middleton is gorgeous!
-Yesterday I started to get sick and today it's in full swing, so I'm planning on sleeping in late and resting this weekend while my hubby is on a surf trip.
-Also my sweet friend Chelsea over at walk with me darling posted pictures of Macha Jewelry and its amazing! check it out!

How was your week? What are you plans for the weekend? I hope you have plans to enjoy the last few warm summer night before the fall chill sets in!
Have a wonderful weekend!

9.07.2011

pinterest classroom inspiration.




fair-weather faith.

  
Remember, our faith is always at its greatest point when we are in the middle of the trial, and confidence in the flesh will never endure testing. Fair-weather faith is not faith at all.
[Charles H. Spurgeon]

9.06.2011

favorites.

1. nude lips.
2. chambray top.

3. men's gold watch.

4. bold reading glasses.




What are some of your fall favorites?

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