Sometimes life has such a dream like quality..I feel the same type of anticipation before entering sleep. When I'm trying to force myself to sleep, I know that if I just relax I'll drift off so quickly, I'll wake-up and wonder where my sleeping time went..and just when it was that I fell into slumber when I was so awake a moment before. So with life..I anticipate it's flying by, but day by day I wonder when it will start flying, I then turn around and see...where has it gone? It's been flying since the day I was born, and right when I thought it was standing still.

Jode

Thankful for: What time I have, that I can use it wisely, and for sleep..

Proverbs 3:24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

I'm here, I'm alive and I'm bloggin'. So new news, or old news. New news.. my parents have arrived in Calgary, and will take the second leg of their journey tomorrow morning, all the way back to the cold yet beautiful Fort Nelson..I'm not saying the beauty pays for the cold..but it should count for something right? I have yet to find out how the first part has gone, but for the fact that they've arrived.

I took out my sewing machines the other day, made myself some PJs, not big news but I was happy with how they turned out. Still have yet to conquer my serger, as it has been dropping some of my chain stitches, has something to do with the tension, but I have yet to line it up just right, and when I came close to perfect.. is decided to cut a couple threads so back to the beginning with rethreading. :D All this for PJs? Well that and experience, and at least the overlock part is functional.

Donated blood yesterday for the seconds time. That went well, only took 5 minutes and if it wasn't for having to do so much waiting I would have been out of there in no time. Oh, some photographer for a news paper came in to take a yearly photo of some poor person who is stuck to their seat so they don't have the option of running. Well this year that person was me, I just hope my photo doesn't end up in there..and if it does that it isn't accompanied by some great article about how I "rolled up my sleeve" for the x-mass season.

Ah, hm, I'm now drawing a blank so maybe I'll leave that as a short update? Haha I'm such a cheater, but alas life as been so smooth and fast, I can't remember what has happened. Oh, I did the yearly cleaning of the top of the cupboards..there's a thrill.

Off to sort emails or something. :D

Jode

Thankful for: Another weekend, that my parents arrived safely, that I'm able to spend some time on the net, that I don't have as many junk emails as I could have, haha.

PS Put up some newly scanned older photos, if anyone would like to see them just let me know so I can add your yahoo ID. My photos

Oookay, whatever it says. I figure by the end of all these quizzes if I don't know my personality yet I'm not very observant, and never will be.


Splash Mountain: Everybody's got a laughing place
to go-go-go-woah! You are a romp through folk
lore from the old south, a cheery log ride that
is always pleasant despite such unfortunate
circumstances like a five story drop into a
briar patch that proves to be more fun than
scary. You are casual, friend, warm, and
inviting, if a little reckless, it's always a
zip-ee-dee-do-dah day for you even when you get
yourself into some mighty steep trouble. What
movie you sprung from, Disney doesn't like to
tell, some consider it racist, but never you
mind, the critters inside of you (previously
stars of 'America Sings') are always cute and
you are just here to have a good time. You
love the camera and you live life to your
fullest, your thinking is that if 'you WILL get
wet' you might as well sieze the day!


What Disneyland attraction are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Blogging, a duty or a pleasure, you be the judge.

Well, I'm not sure that I'll ever quite understand God's providence. This morning I was on my way to get groceries, when I heard quite a loud continuous noise when I started to driver faster. I got some groceries and when I came out that's when I saw it. Yep, a nice big flat tire, I've never had one myself when driving, although I've had the "how to change" lessons from my parents. Oh great, (that's what I thought at that moment) what to do now? I don't have a phone..and I see no spare, I don't even have a key that will open the back of the van, even if I did see a tire. Well thankfully I wasn't too far from Tim Horton's, maybe a 10-15 minute walk. So off to Tim's I went in search of Mark. While I had a coffee Mark called his boss (who used to own the van) to ask him about the tire. Well turns out there was "convenient" spare pinned under the van, so after getting a good back-of-the-van-opening-key, I walked back, grabbed the manual and got to the first stage of tire changing. Some nice guy (yeah, pretty typical eh?) helped me while his wife went in to do her shopping. By the time the ladies came back out we had the itty-bitty "convenient" spare on (I have to call it convenient in quotes because it's such a sad state of a tire that if I didn't say it was a "convenient" tire, you'd never know it. :D) Then back home to wash my hands and off to the next grocery store..going no more than 50 kilometers an hour. I can say God is very kind, because it was a nice enough experience, no crashing, or being 50 miles from home (yah, so I have yank and canucks mixing with the miles and kilometers, but thankfully you can't sue me for it :P). So all in all it was good, but I'm still left wondering why..I guess I'll never know, or not in this life. :D


I've been doing a lot of thinking about this world lately and it's sad, sinful, wretched state. How as Christians we are no longer part of the world, no longer fitting into the mold of society. Sometimes I wonder how deep my feels are for the things of the world, in my heart of hearts, since the heart is so desperately wicked, who can know it..I know I'm not qualified(Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? vs.10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. ) I just pray that God will continue to soften my heart to Him and the things of heaven, and harden it to lusts of this life. Ah yes, to be a travelin' man (er woman, whatever).

2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

Jam 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

My dad is getting treatment in Mexico, but is still in a lot pain. I would write more, but typing with one hand and a sleeping baby can become quite the task.:)

Hope everything is running smoothly in your part of the world, as smoothly as it can.

Jode

1Ti 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

My kinda quiz, thanks Willena. :)



You are Eliza Bennett from Pride and
Prejudice! Yay, you! Perhaps the
brightest and best character in all of English
literature, you are intelligent, lively,
lovely-- in short, you are the best of company.
Your only foibles are that you stick with your
first impressions... and your family is quite
intolerable.


Which Jane Austen Character Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Well, what to say..sometimes words don't come so easily, whether I have something to say or not..and it can be even harder with a wiggly little Geneva on my lap. She continues to grow bigger everyday, and as she grows her smiles become bigger as well, although sadly they can be quickly accompanied by a much louder cry. :) Ah yes, the human plight, she desired to be entertained 24/7, so she isn't very content with the seat in front of the computer.

As most of my readers probably know, my dad has lately been diagnosed with Pleural Mesothelioma, which is a very aggressive form of cancer, caused by the inhaling of asbestos about 25 years back. It's still kind of surreal, even though I know the statistics... it's hard to believe my dad is one of them. I must say that seeing him going through all these trials the way he has and continues to... has made me so proud of him, more so than ever.. I'm so thankful to God for all of His goodness towards us..to know that no matter what happens..my dad will live
(1Tim 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.) . Far too often you see people going through these circumstances, but they can find no purpose in it but only fear, because they do not trust in the grace and mercy of God (Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? ). They despair for they know not that all things work for the good of those who love God and trust in His Son (Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.) How I pity those people, for we have been shown..how thankful we must be, because as God's people there is always hope of life (Proverbs 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.). Through these trials we draw closer to God, putting off the flesh and adding to our santification. My dad has truly shown this.

Psalm 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

May God truly bless your Lord's day, as you seek to honor him. :)

Jode

PS. Please keep my parents in your prayers.

Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Saturday, October 23, 2004

Look who's not dead, yup I'm still alive and pretty well. I'm sure so many things have happened since I posted last, and although I can probably name a few in some order, most of the details are lot forever, but perhaps that's not much of a loss... I guess we'll see. So then, I guess I haven't blogged since the end of August, which means that we've had 3 birthdays in the family since then, today's being Belinda's 28th, yesterday's being Calvin's 7th, and before that was Tam's 25th. Time flies when you're aging, or is it because you're aging that time flies? Oh well, either way it's a truth, whether you're bored out of your skull, or keepin' busy.

I joined the hospital auxiliary awhile back, volunteered in the gift shop a couple times. Had the joys of observing the lotto machine hard at work, I always wonder at that..that people can never keep track of the fact that for every $4 they win, they spend $8 on more tickets, and if they do keep track of their loses why on earth do they continue? There was one lady who spent over $250 on her visa..yeah that's right gambling can be an addiction, just another proof. I dropped the gift shop thing, since it was too hard to arrange getting there, but I did however replace it with going to a quilting thing every Wednesday. A bunch of ladies make quilts to sell in the gift shop, that works. So for about 4 hours I get to work around a bunch of chatty ladies with lots of history, travel, aches/pains, and fashion savvy. Why do I list fashion savvy? Well that would be because I've talked to one lady (or rather she talked to me) about how small her feet are, so finding shoes is rather hard, and I also learned all about her wardrobe, with the colors, and how nice it was..and so on and so forth, haha.

Went to my parent's place in Fort Nelson and back in 3 days, that was interesting and a good trip, even though it was really short and included a lot of sitting. It also included a lot of talking, which as you (whoever you may be) know, I like to do. :D So yes, we went for the sake of my popsy who's been having a lot of painful health problems for the last few months, with his organs, stomach etc. While Cheryl spent most of her time with my parents, I spent most of my time with my parent's computer. Ah yup, poor ol' Stupid was running out of space and causing my mom a headache, so in the short amount of time I had I did what I could. Got to see my aunt, uncle and a couple cousins, but that was pretty short. Things just aren't quite like they used to be, well they'll never be "like they were" again. Back on the road and with my dad in tow, we arrived back in PG, hope skip and a jump and I was back on the road again to Edmonton...sing it with me, Ooon the road agaain, juust can't wait to be on the rooad agaain..okay you can stop! (besides I don't really remember more of it) :D

Had a splendid trip to Edmonton, went with Dor, Kris and my best pal Amy to a Sarah Harmer concert. That was a lot of fun, very talented group of people..and Sarah had the cutest shoes..and I'm not even much of a shoe person. Other than that I'm a little short of details unless you wanted to know about everyone else that went to the concert, but assuming you couldn't care less, I'm ready to move on. Stayed at Jord and Dor's the first half of the week, than the B's till my departure. The rest of my visit we mostly just did whatever came to mind, a few crazy things, but nothing dangerous. ;) Oh, also got to watch the wedding video from PG, hopefully we'll be able to get a copy of that out to my sistas..would have already if the machine wasn't being a git.

News news, what else..well one of my cousins has recently married. I believe he is the first of my nonstep cousins to do so. Sadly I haven't really been able to get to know his bride, I have met her once at Jord and Dor's wedding, but it was the pretty short version of "met" kinda like "Hi, I'm Jody, and you must be Christy?" "Nice to meet you" * now keeping it moving down the receiving line. :D"

Parents are both in Edmonton right now, my dad is waiting for surgery, which will Lord willing take place today, but if you're short on those details you can read more on the prayer list. :)

Alrighty, well as for now that's all folks and here I thought I had nothing to say..

Jode

Hey ya'll I know it's been an age, but if you still check this I'm pleased to announce that Jordan and Doralynne are going to their first little babe. :) Yeah wow.. my Dorry, the little girl I used to play with for hours without fail is going to be a mother, life is so wonderful, can't wait for another little nephew or niece. Josh and Manda will also be having thier baby around the same time. God is so merciful, and continues to bless us with covenant children. :D

Well I know this isn't long but I plan on getting to bed early this evening, I'll try to blog again soon, although sadly no promises. :)

Jode


Psalm 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

"In this broken state of the church there is no difference between how we are to treat unfaithful churches and unfaithful individuals. If God has commanded us to withdraw from and avoid disorderly and obstinate brethren, how can we deduce that we are to tolerate disorderly and obstinate churches? If the church is so divided that gross sin and error is protected by false judicatories, then how are the children of God to obtain a lawful hearing for their grievances? Should they submit themselves to those who frame mischief by abusing their pretended authority? When the church is so broken and disorganized that disorderly and obstinate churches are going from bad to worse, the answer is not to plead for toleration. Such toleration proclaims a liberty to sin and promises ecclesiastical protection for unfaithfulness. When the hands of the wicked are strengthened and the children of God are encouraged to tolerate evil, true religion is destroyed and reformation is hindered. Thus, Scripture teaches that true religion ought never to require toleration and false religion ought never to be tolerated. Those who rightly understand the distinction between the broken and settled state of the church know that dissociation and separation are the only true means of reformation when the church has divided into rival judicatories and receded from the truth. "


Psalms 94:20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.22 But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.

Well believe it or not I blogged last Friday, then I went to take a look today and well, not sure what happened, I know I pressed post but computers certainly aren't the most reliable hunks of junk. :) Thankfully it was rather a boring post, so you didn't miss much. :D

At the present I'm sitting in front of the computer eating my lunch, with tons of things I must get done after lunch and this blog. Sadly (or thankfully?)I'm eating more than I'm typing so this will probably be pretty short.

Here am I, but where am I at in life right now? As everyone by now must know, my last two sisters are now happily married and in the process of setting up their homes. So that totals 4 sisters and 4 new brothers and Lord willing many little nephews and nieces down the road. Speaking of nephews and nieces, I have the cutest little niece upstairs right now, who goes by the name of Geneva Adair C. she was born July 2nd, the morning of Dorry and Jord's wedding. The weddings were wonderful, the company and fellowship great and although I missed seeing some people I was able to meet others. I wish time hadn't gone quite so fast so that I could have soaked in more of the moments but none-the-less I'm really thankful for all that came about, whether it went quickly or not. I'm now trying to pick up where I left off, albeit it'll never be the same, trying to get my room (wow, "my" room..hm) and the whole house in order, get back into the books, finish a baby quilt and keep up with the piles of laundry and dishes. Belinda and the babe are doing pretty well, I think she's recuperating quite quickly, so another thing to be very thankful for. :)

Not sure if there's bible study this evening, I had better find out..sorry that was just a side thought, not sure why I typed it. :D

Oh, another thing of note I suppose..I turned 20 last hm..Tuesday and no, it doesn't feel any different that 19, 18, 17 or 16 for that matter, I guess it's so much of one day at a time that you don't really feel anything until you stand back and think about how you pictured being 20..when you were 5 years old. I did have a good b-day, got to spend some time with some friends, just sitting back and talking, all the wedding stress having passed.

It was kinda odd getting back into chatting considering how I haven't really chatted for the last couple of months. You kind of become spoiled in seeing people in person, so that boxes are a bit of a rip off, but it beats only talking to them when you can see them in person every 2 years or more. Something to fill the spaces.

As for my reading, no fiction to speak of, but I did finally pick up Covenanted Reformation Defended, been a good read so far, really helps me to frame my perspective and to have at least a rough draft for explaining the principles of covenanting to others. I do however wish I was better with all the dates that belong to such and such events, oh well I guess just something to work on.

Lunch is gone and pretty soon the day will be too.

Take care everyone, it was great seeing ya'll and Lord willing it'll happen again in the not too distant future.

Jode

NOTE: z

No smoking around tellurianiam. Thankyou for your co-operation.

Username:

From Go-Quiz.com

The way it happened.

Friday morning (June 11th)arrived bright and early. Manda, Lonna, Ann and myself went to the Horizon Ridge clubhouse first thing to set up for the ceremony, while Tam tried to catch a little more shuteye. Of course the decorating took longer than planned, but at least it looked nice. :D So after setting out the chairs, lamps, trees with tulle/lights, aisle with petals, cake table, guestbook table and all that jazz we returned to the Prices about an hour off of our original course. Finishing up a rushed breakfast we gathered everything together and loaded up the van. We were to be at Amy Mill's for hair and makeup at 1:00pm, it was now about 1:30 and Kathryn Hart was to meet us there to curl/fix Tam's hair. So late we were, but we got right down to business, hair was fixed, makeup on, clothing and shoes all around, the guys had their ties and boutonnieres, the parents were also gathered and on to the pictures. We had at first allotted about 2 hours to photos but with running late we had to cut it to 45-60 minutes. We walked over to the building, since Amy lives in the same complex (if that's the right was to say it). As the guests were arriving we took a few shots in front of the clubhouse until our appointed starting time, but it turns out we couldn't start on time anyhow because Larry B. had to go pick up more people (there hadn't been enough room in the first car load) so we took about 30 minutes more of photos and proceeded with the ceremony. What to say about the ceremony..it was lovely..beautiful, the music was awesome..only complaint was having to stand in the aisle for over a minute so D. could take a picture. After the ceremony we then went across to a big treed lawn to take still more pictures of all types of groupings. While we the bridal party and family was doing that, all the wonderful ladies were hard at work setting up for the reception by preparing food and decorating the tables. The receptions was also very nice, toasts, pictures, cake etc. it all went swimmingly. The bride and groom took off at about 9 or 9:30 pm, cleanup started then a bunch of us went over to the B's to continue visiting, then off to bed. That was the day of the wedding and I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to get something up about it. :)
Jode

Wedding photos

Sorry there are only a couple on there so far. There are a lot more where those came from, just need to have them resized and posted..soon. :D

Jode

Yo all,

So here I am in the..well outside of the city of Albany. My parents, Tam and I are all staying out at our G & L's place. Tomorrow is the big day, the day of the wedding, we've been here and there and what seems like just about everywhere, buying this and picking up that. We arrived on Tuesday night, later than we were supposed to since there were a couple loops or ditches we had to climb though. :D Leaving Mark and B's late didn't really make for a great start, but we managed to get on the planes despite being the last on and having to run for our lives. We then landed in Vancouver and thought we had quite a bit of time, but still without delay we went to where we thought our bags we get off so we could check them through customs. Yep, that's right we "thought" but after having waited for over 15 mintues we decided that we had better get it in gear and find out what was up. After Tam checked with an Air Canada grumpy pants. On a side note there were quite a few of those (grumps), I say what is the world coming to when the only friendly ppl happen to be those waiting in a huge line and the only thing that really means "have a good day" are the napkins served with the pretzles? Well we found out where we had gone wrong..bags only come to this localtion when you're staying in Canada, but go to a whole other brake for transfers when going to the US. So off we went again going through customs, got Tam's visa stamped and that was followed by an interview at which she got another stamp. It was about 10 to 9am by this time and our flight was set to depart at 9..so we had the last call before we were only half of the way to our gate they were calling our names and we were certainly running for all we were worth. We made it just in time, although maybe just a tad stressed ;). Then to Chicago where we had a long layover that only became longer when our crew got stuck in Dallas due to thunderstorms. That added about 3 more hours to the waiting, so we just hung around with our bags, read, walked around, and I almost finished a bookmarker. So Albany at last with ppl to pick us up, the party which included Shawn's parents, Shawn's bro (Brian) Ed and the man himself (Shawn that is). Then to talk and bed. Next day we had a wedding shower for Tams, went to malls and ate ect. with Shawn's family and hit the hay once again. Today was rehearsal time and was quite busy much in the same way, with a dinner at Jen's and after all that a trip to Walmart. Tomorrow come wedding or bust.

Very tired, signing out, sorry about typos and such, haven't reread and too tired and tired to care, so make of it what you can. :D

Jode

You are a spork! You are a mismatched hodgepodge of a personality, and as such, utterly useless.

what kitchen utensil are YOU?

Hahaha, yeah that's me alright. ;)

Had a wonderful sermon today read by Mike G. and preached by Thomas Watson in 1689..the subject being "How we make religion our business", the text being Luke 2:49. He went through more points than I could poke a stick at, but the basics were pt.1 What is meant by religion pt.2 Why must we make religion our business and pt.3 What is it to make religion our business. We make religion our business when we devote our time to it, he used the example of a ship that is bound for a coast (heaven) and although contrary winds (temptation) may try to drive it back and may succeed in part, the ship still turns again and makes it's way to the coast. We seek first the kingdom of God. We don't tarry in the way on our journey. We put forth all of our might in serving God, redeeming study time, being zealous for His truth. Well anyhow, yeah it was very good, but we have company, so I better cut it short. :D

In case you don't read the rfw yahoo club, Tam posted part of The Unity of the Church by Thomas M'Crie on to it earlier, having to do with keeping covenants (the National and Solemn League). She then read it to me..very edifying.

"The continued obligation of our National Covenants is of greater importance than any particular measure adopted in prosecuting them. In what I have to say on this branch of the subject, I shall keep the Solemn League more particularly in eye, both because it comprehends the substance of the National Covenant of Scotland, and because it has been the object of more frequent attack. It is not every lawful covenant, nor even every lawful covenant of a public nature, that is of permanent obligation. Some of both kinds, from their very nature or from other circumstances, may undoubtedly be temporary. The permanent obligation of the Solemn League results from the permanency of its nature and design, and of the parties entering into it, taken in connection with the public capacity in which it was established. Some talk of it as if it were a mere temporary expedient to which our forefathers had recourse in defending their civil and religious liberties; and, when they have paid a compliment to it in this point of view, they think they have no more concern with the matter. This is a very narrow and mistaken view of the deed.

The most momentous transactions, and most deeply and durably affecting the welfare and the duty of nations and of churches, may be traced to the influence of the extraordinary and emergent circumstances of a particular period. The emergency which led to the formation of the covenant is one thing, and the obligation of that covenant is quite another; the former might quickly pass away, while the latter may be permanent and perpetual. Nor is the obligation of the covenant to be determined by the temporary or changeable nature of its subordinate and accessory articles. Whatever may be said of some of the things engaged to in the Solemn League, there cannot be a doubt that in its great design and leading articles it was not temporary but permanent. Though the objects immediately contemplated by it ? religious reformation and uniformity ? had been accomplished, it would still have continued to oblige those who were under its bond to adhere to and maintain these attainments. But unhappily there is no need of having recourse to this line of argument; its grand stipulations remain to this day unfulfilled.

The Solemn League was a national covenant and oath, in every point of view ? in its matter, its form, the authority by which it was enjoined, the capacities in which it was sworn, and the manner in which it was ratified. It was a sacred league between kingdom and kingdom with respect to their religious as well as their secular interests, and at the same time a covenant in which they jointly swore to God to perform all the articles contained in it. National religion, national safety, liberty and peace, were the great objects which it embraced. It was not a mere agreement or confederation (however solemn) of individuals or private persons (however numerous), entering spontaneously and of their own accord into a common engagement. It was framed and concluded by the representatives of kingdoms in concurrence with those of the Church; it was sworn by them in their public capacity; at their call and by their authority, it was afterwards sworn by the body of all the people in their different ranks and orders; and finally it was ratified and pronounced valid by laws both civil and ecclesiastical.

The public faith was thus plighted by all the organs through which a nation is accustomed to express its mind and will. Nothing was wanting to complete the national tie, and to render it permanent; unless it should be maintained that absolute unanimity is necessary, and that a society cannot contract lawful engagements to God or man, as long as there are individuals who oppose and are dissentient. Sanctions less sacred, and pledges less numerous would have given another nation, or even an individual, a perfect right to demand from Britain the fulfillment of any treaty or contract; and shall not God ? who was not only a witness, but a principal party, and whose honor and interests were immediately concerned in this transaction ? have a like claim? Or shall we "break the covenant and escape?" (cf. Ezek. 17:15).

Some of the principles on which it has been attempted to loose this sacred tie are so opposite to the common sentiments of mankind, that it is not necessary to refute them: such as, that covenants, vows and oaths, cannot superadd any obligation to that which we are previously under by the law of God; and, that their obligation on posterity consists merely in the influence of example.

There is another objection which is of a more specious kind and lays claim to greater accuracy, but which on examination will be found both unsolid and inaccurate. It is pleaded that it is only in the character of church members that persons can enter into religious covenants or be bound by them; and that the covenants of this country can be called national on no other ground than because the majority of the inhabitants in their individual character voluntarily entered into them. At present I can only state some general considerations tending to show the fallacy of this view of the subject. By church members may be meant either those who are in actual communion with a particular organized church, or those who stand in a general relation to the Church universal. But in neither of these senses can it be said that religious covenants or bonds are incompetent or non-obligatory in every other character. This is to restrict the authority of divine law in reference to moral duties, and to limit the obligations which result from it, in a way that is not warranted either by Scripture or reason. How can that which is founded on the moral law, and which is moral-natural, not positive, be confined to church members, or to Christians in the character of church members only?

The doctrine in question is also highly objectionable, as it unduly restricts the religious character of men, and the sphere of their action about religious matter, whether viewed as individuals or as formed into societies and communities. They are bound to act for the honor of God, and are capable of contracting sacred obligations (sacred both in their nature and in their objects) in all the characters and capacities which they sustain. I know no good reason for holding that when a company of men or a society act about religion, or engage in religious exercises, they are thereby converted into a church, or act merely and properly as church members. Families are not churches, nor are they constituted properly for a religious purpose; yet they have a religious character, and are bound to act according to it in honoring and serving God, and are capable of contracting religious obligations. Nations also have a religious character, and may act about the affairs of religion. They may make their profession of Christianity, and legally authorize its institutions, without being turned into a church. And why may they not also come under an oath and covenant with reference to it, which shall be nationally binding?

Covenanting may be said to be by a nation as brought into a church state, acting in this religious capacity ? the oath may be dispensed by ministers of the gospel and accompanied by the usual exercises of religion in the Church, and yet it may not be an ecclesiastical deed. The marriage covenant and vow is founded on the original law; and its duties, as well as the relation which it establishes, are common to men, and of a civil kind. Yet among Christians it is mixed with religious engagements, and celebrated religiously in the Church. Ministers of the gospel officiate in dispensing the vow, and accompany it with the Word and prayer. The parties are bound to marry in the Lord, and to live together as Christians. But is the marriage vow on that account ecclesiastical, or do the parties engage as church members only? The Christian character is, in such cases, combined with the natural, domestic, civil, political.

Much confusion also arises on this subject from not attending to the specific object of our National Covenants, and the nature of their stipulations, by which they are distinguished from mere church covenants. I shall only add that several objections usually adduced on this head may be obviated by keeping in mind that the obligation in question is of a moral kind, and that God is the principal party who exacts the fulfillment of the bond.

If there is any truth in the statements that have now been made, the question respecting the obligation of the British covenants is deeply interesting to the present generation. The identity of a nation, as existing through different ages, is, in all moral respects, as real as the identity of an individual through the whole period of his life. The individuals that compose it, like the particles of matter in the human body, pass away and are succeeded by others; but the body politic continues essentially the same. If Britain contracted a moral obligation, in virtue of a solemn national covenant, for religion and reformation, that obligation must attach to her until it has been discharged.

Have the pledges given by the nation been yet redeemed? Do not the principal stipulations in the covenant remain unfulfilled at this day? Are we not as a people still bound by that engagement to see these things done? Has the lapse of time cancelled the bond? Or, will a change of sentiments and views set us free from its tie? Is it not the duty of all the friends of reformation to endeavor to keep alive a sense of this obligation on the public mind? But, although all ranks and classes in the nation should lose impressions of it, and although there should not be a single religious denomination, nor even a single individual, in the land, to remind them of it, will it not be held in remembrance by One, with whom "a thousand years are as one day, and one day as a thousand years?" (cf. 2 Pet. 3:8)."

Let the fun continue. So the wallpaper was shipped off to the dump and it was onto the painting. At first Belinda was wanting to go with this cool stucco technique, but finding the tools became to hard, pricey and couldn't be done in the dark red we at first contemplated. So after Tam and I spent some time at New Look Decorating Center (awesome place btw) we opted out of stucco and thought we'd just get the red and see what comes of it. Well I wanted a coat of Fresh Start and then applied some red, which didn't turnout to be the same as the swatch, too much magenta I'm guessing so I turned to our left over paints and took a trip to Wal-Mart and got a can of a nice white type of shade. I applied that to the top two thirds of the walls and on the bottom half I smooshed (also known as fresco me thinks) some gray, with a hint of green and cream which gives it a marbled type of look (if you've ever seen our painted flours you'll have more of an idea of what I'm talking about). So yeah, the entry is now complete but for some touch-ups that I've been putting off, eh heh.

Next task on the project list was the upstairs bathroom which was in serious need of new paint since the old stuff was marked and starting to chip off here and there. Well after considering, Belinda consented to a nice looking green, Tam and I took another trip to Wal-Mart and got a small can..next day I started painting, didn't get far since the color looked minty. Now that may not mean much to some of you, but I'm not a fan of mint, and certainly not on our main bathroom walls. :D I then called Tam for moral support (haha, yeah I know faar too many details, but you can skim or skip it all together). :) Tried to see if it changed when it dried (nope) so I took another trip to Wal-Mart to play with the tints. Got the friendly, very helpful guy to add some black etc. then I compared the colors to a swatch and found it was almost a match for a bluesy/green, all I needed was one more shot of green, so it was perfectly providential. Ahh, much better..a bit darker than I had been going for in the first place, but hey it's not mint and that's a good thing.

Well back to painting the basement bathroom, I suppose I'll torture ya'll once or twice more with my renovation details later. :D

Jode

Busy busy. So today and the last couple of weeks have been my "get with it and paint" weeks, also filled with the normal household chores etc.

My project list started with our 14 ft. or so entry way which was covered in a pretty okay looking wallpaper for the 70's or whenever they pasted it up, but it had to meet it's end. I started by taking off about 12 little square mirrors that were stuck onto part of the wall. So yeah the wallpaper could have been easier for sure (or harder), but with my spray bottle and putty knife in tow I hit the walls. After about half an hour I had my method down, of getting it wet, peeling the top off, then spraying it again and peeling the second layer of paper off all the way to the top of the walls. The main challenge was the height, since my 8 ft. ladder plus me on the very top only equals about 13 ft. No, I was careful and didn't risk my life too often, when I could help it. After many hair pullings and sighs I had it all down, sanded the wall and applied my putty in the appropriate areas. I guess there was only one mishap in all that (not counting the stubbornness of the remaining glue). We have an alarm system right? Well I had the upstairs alarm pad hanging from the wall while I carefully removed the paper behind. I was cautious at that point to avoid getting any water in the back of it, the thought of putting a bag on it crossed my mind but "one thing drives out another" so I forgot. I started to rip the paper above it, spraying it well, when I heard a *beep..beep..I looked down and saw that the alarm must have got a bit of moisture in is from the mist. Well after a closer inspection off of my ladder I saw that it proclaimed to be armed; I hadn't pressed anything on it so I called Belinda figuring that she could rescue us from the impending noise. Well the buttons weren't registering, so I thought I'd open the door in the normal fashion of us coming home. The buttons still didn't work, the alarm went off, tried the downstairs' pad, it wasn't working either. It isn't hooked up right now to an alarm company, so noise is about all we got and either our neighbors knew it was us setting it off or they really don't care if we get robbed. After about 15 minutes of that is went silent again, until little Baillie decide to prance down the hallway where we have a motion detector, so off it went again. With silence once more, I called Mark and Tammy to see if they knew what to do with it, which they didn't... so we had to wait for Mark to get back. After the kids setting it off 2 or 3 more time, taking control, Belinda and I blocked of the area with chairs as reminds of why they're *not* to go that way. Mark came home and tried to unarm it but to no avail, he did however have the wits enough to shut of the breaker for it, now why didn't I think of that??

Okay, bedtime I'll have to post the rest of my doings in another addition. :)

Jody

A Song of degrees of David>Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Had a good sermon by John Calvin, read by Mike Grounds. It was the first part to a series he preached on Micah

The Lord's day, it indeed makes the whole week sweet. I get the feeling that a lot of Christians really don't know what they're missing out on. As for Canada the Lord's Day Observance Act was passed by Canadian government forbidding Sunday work, travel commercial entertainments in 1906 and between 1980 and 1997 each province gave it up for the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, although it hadn't been strictly kept for at least a few years before those dates. Of course with the coming of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in came yet more tolerance (the anti-tolerance of Christians) and out with God's law.

Isaiah 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

1 Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

So this morning did some reading on the crc and rfw yahoo groups and still wondering when people will stop misrepresenting our positions on covenanting, head covering, psalm and everything else we hold to.
There were some great responses to those misrepresentations by Mr. Suden as well has Elder Dohms (who was banned from the list for a post that wasn't at all offensive) Anyhow, good reading none the less, always gets us thinking and remembering why we do hold to these things and what would happen if we didn't.

Well anyhow, I shan't go on any rants, but I'll end with saying that God is truly gracious to us, to me.

Hope your Lord's day was as blessed as mine. :)

Jode

Another day, week, month and all gone. So Tam only has 30 days left of work, woohoo! I just hope everything slows down a bit so that I can enjoy the last few weeks she's here, but no doubt it will speed away as fast as the rest of time as.. if not faster. Mind you, I like time going quickly, but it would be nice to soak some of the highlights in, for memories sake I suppose.

Oh, I guess I left this post a little too long, now the Lord's day. Well perhaps I'll post something appropriate later. :)

Hope you have a splendid Lord's day.

Jode

So yes today..it was a Thursday, a lovely, beautiful, bright sunny day. I took a trip to the dentist for x-rays in the morning, to the grocery store for coffee, followed by staring at Tammy's wedding registry on the net till noon. We thoroughly enjoyed the staring part, as she picked out various items, scanning over the ratings on each. We then talked to Manda on the phone for awhile, while eating lunch (enjoyed that part very much indeed..Manda, not the lunch although it too was good). Later in the day we took a trip to the mall: to find a bargain finder, go to the bank, and to get some flats for planting the sweet peas that arrived in the mail today. Turned out that we couldn't find any flats but did manage the bargain finder, and the bank. Stopped by Tim Hortons to see if we could steal the car from Mark, but he needed it for his deposit, so after getting a couple icecaps we returned home to rake the front yard of all the gravel that's been spit on it from the trucks in the winter. Hard work, but at least it was warm out. When Mark returned home we took the car to Wal-Mart, where we managed to lay our hands on some flats. So our sweet peas seeds are now soaking in some wet paper towel, and will be planted indoors tomorrow. I also chatted with my mom a bit in the evening as well as the normal crew, so hey, pretty good day.

So have you guys heard the news, that downloading is once more considered legal in Canada due to a judge's ruling..do you think that it is a ruling we should follow? CD sales don't seem to really going down despite down loaders, so should it still be considered theft? I guess the judge said that he cannot see a real difference between a library that places a photocopy machine in a room full of copyrighted material and a computer user that places a personal copy on a shared directory linked to a P2P service. I'm not sure that my jury is in yet, I'll have to think it over some more, since I know looks can be deceiving and certainly just because a judge said so, doesn't mean it's so..if in deed that "so" is breaking God's law. I suppose it depends on what exact property belongs to whom, if that "what" is being harmed, who the owner of the "what" is and what are his rights, as well as what did he agree to in the first place (sorry almost playing a mind came with the "what"s, but read it again and you'll get it if you didn't the first time:D)
Well anyhow, like I said, I'm still considering it so if you want to throw your opinions at me (please try to aim), feel free to share (unless your thoughts are copyrighted) before my jury comes back with a verdict made from only the defense's side, excluding that of the plaintiff. :D Here are some links so you can read for yourselves if you care or dare to. :) Link 1 Link 2 Link 3
Pretty much the same story word for word, but I felt cheap just putting one up.

Off for a snack and to bed I go.

Jode

Here are some of the parts I was reading in Calvin's Institutes this morning

10. OF THE POWER OF MAKING LAWS. THE CRUELTY OF THE POPE AND HIS ADHERENTS, IN THIS RESPECT, IN TYRANNICALLY OPPRESSING AND DESTROYING SOULS.

This chapter treats, -
I. Of human constitutions in general. Of the distinction between Civil and Ecclesiastical Laws. Of conscience, why and in what sense ministers cannot impose laws on the conscience, sec. 1-8.
II. Of traditions or Popish constitutions relating to ceremonies and discipline. The many vices inherent in them, sec. 9-17. Arguments in favour of those traditions refuted, sec. 17-26.
III. Of Ecclesiastical constitutions that are good and lawful, sec. 27-32.



10. The papal constitutions deny God's law

Moreover the worst of all is that when once religion begins to be composed of such vain fictions, the perversion is immediately succeeded by the abominable depravity with which our Lord upbraids the Pharisees of making the commandment of God void through their traditions, (Matth. 15: 3.) I am unwilling to dispute with our present legislators in my own words; - let them gain the victory if they can clear themselves from this accusation of Christ. But how can they do so, seeing they regard it as immeasurably more wicked to allow the year to pass without auricular confession, than to have spent it in the greatest iniquity: to have infected their tongue with a slight tasting of flesh on Friday, than to have daily polluted the whole body with whoredom: to have put their hand to honest labour on a day consecrated to some one or other of their saintlings, than to have constantly employed all their members in the greatest crimes: for a priest to be united to one in lawful wedlock, than to be engaged in a thousand adulteries: to have failed in performing a votive pilgrimage, than to have broken faith in every promise: not to have expended profusely on the monstrous, superfluous, and useless luxury of churches, than to have denied the poor in their greatest necessities: to have passed an idol without honour, than to have treated the whole human race with contumely: not to have muttered long unmeaning sentences at certain times, than never to have framed one proper prayer? What is meant by making the word of God void by tradition, if this is not done when recommending the ordinances of God only frigidly and perfunctorily, they nevertheless studiously and anxiously urge strict obedience to their own ordinances, as if the whole power of piety was contained in them; - when vindicating the transgression of the divine Law with trivial satisfactions, they visit the minutest violation of one of their decrees with no lighter punishment than imprisonment, exile, fire, or sword? - When neither severe nor inexorable against the despisers of God, they persecute to extremity, with implacable hatred, those who despise themselves, and so train all those whose simplicity they hold in thraldom, that they would sooner see the whole law of God subverted than one iota of what they call the precepts of the Church infringed. First, there is a grievous delinquency in this, that one condemns, judges, and casts off his neighbour for trivial matters, - matters which, if the judgement of God is to decide, are free. But now as if this were a small evil, those frivolous elements of this world (as Paul terms them in his Epistle to the Galatians, Gal. 4: 9) are deemed of more value than the heavenly oracles of God. He who is all but acquitted for adultery is judged in meat; and he to whom whoredom is permitted is forbidden to marry. This, forsooth, is all that is gained by that prevaricating obedience, which only turns away from God to the same extent that it inclines to men.

Colossians 2:20  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21  (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23  Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.


And another snip from part 23 of the same chapter

...Hence we infer that part of the reverence due to him consists in worshipping him simply in the way which he commands, without mingling any inventions of our own. And, accordingly, pious princes are repeatedly praised (2 Kings 22: l, &c.) for acting according to all his precepts, and not declining either to the right hand or the left. I go further: although there be no open manifestation of impiety in fictitious worship, it is strictly condemned by the Spirit, inasmuch as it is a departure from the command of God. The altar of Ahab, a model of which had been brought from Damascus, (2 Kings 16: 10,) might have seemed to give additional ornament to the temple, seeing it was his intention there to offer sacrifices to God only, and to do it more splendidly than at the first ancient altar; yet we see how the Spirit detests the audacious attempt, for no other reason but because human inventions are in the worship of God impure corruptions. And the more clearly the will of God has been manifested to us, the less excusable is our petulance in attempting anything. Accordingly, the guilt of Manasseh is aggravated by the circumstance of having erected a new altar at Jerusalem, of which the Lord said, "In Jerusalem will I put my name," (2 Kings 21: 3, 4,) because the authority of God was thereby professedly rejected.


25. Refutation to Romanist counterevidence

When the patrons of superstition cloak them, by pretending that Samuel sacrificed in Ramath, and though he did so contrary to the Law, yet pleased God, (1 Sam. 7: 17,) it is easy to answer, that he did not set up any second altar in opposition to the only true one; but, as the place for the Ark of the Covenant had not been fixed, he sacrificed in the town where he dwelt, as being the most convenient. It certainly never was the intention of the holy prophet to make any innovation in sacred things, in regard to which the Lord had so strictly forbidden addition or diminution. The case of Manoah I consider to have been extraordinary and special. He, though a private man, offered sacrifice to God, and did it not without approbation, because he did it not from a rash movement of his own mind, but by divine inspiration, (Judges 13: 19.) How much God abominates all the devices of men in his worship, we have a striking proof in the case of one not inferior to Manoah, viz., Gideon, whose ephod brought ruin not only on himself and his family, but on the whole people, (Judges 8: 27.) In short, every adventitious invention, by which men desire to worship God, is nothing else than a pollution of true holiness.


1 Samuel 15:14  And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
15  And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
16  Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.
17  And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
18  And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.
19  Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?
20  And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
21  But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.
22  And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
23  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

May the Lord bless you on His day. :)

Jode

Gregariousness 58%
Sociability 74%
Assertiveness 70%
Poise 50%
Leadership 54%
Provocativeness 34%
Self-Disclosure 42%
Talkativeness 54%
Group Attachment 62%
Extroversion 55%
Understanding 82%
Warmth 70%
Morality 90%
Pleasantness 82%
Empathy 78%
Cooperation 74%
Sympathy 82%
Tenderness 58%
Nurturance 82%
Friendliness 77%
Conscientiousness 74%
Efficiency 66%
Dutifulness 74%
Purposefulness 58%
Organization 70%
Cautiousness 58%
Rationality 66%
Perfectionism 62%
Orderliness 66%
Stability 74%
Happiness 78%
Calmness 62%
Moderation 62%
Toughness 62%
Impulse Control 46%
Imperturbability 46%
Cool-headedness 54%
Tranquility 46%
Emotional Stability 42%
Intellect 66%
Ingenuity 78%
Reflection 78%
Competence 78%
Quickness 70%
Introspection 46%
Creativity 70%
Imagination 58%
Depth 78%
Openmindedness 69%

http://similarminds.com/big45.html

You are Snoopy!


Which Peanuts Character are You?
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Long time no type, yes I know I'm bad, no guilt trips required. :D

So I'm sure you've all heard that Jordan and Doralynne are engaged as of Friday the 12th of this month. Needless to say I'm totally thrilled! :D Jordan and Shawn will be much welcomed additions to what seems to be a quickly growing family, haha. I am to be the maid of honor for Dorry..and as much of an honor that is, it also means I'm going to have to think up a speech, okay not so thrilled about that part, but as Tam would say "It'll be fine". :D It has been confirmed that Dor and Jord will have their wedding here in PG on July the 2nd, so that it'll workout as a wedding and double reception. With all the people we're expecting in town, we're planning for a church picnic on Saturday as well as a fellowship meal on the Lord's day, so looks like it'll be a great time of fellowship. Right now Tam and I are looking into group rates for hotels, just to see what kinda deals they offer. Oh yes, Tam and I booked our flights on Tuesday evening, so we're set for Albany in that regard. Along with a list of accommodations for the reception here, for those who need them, I've also made a list of our volunteers (haha, not a list of slaves Cheryl ;)) and their respective duties, but I think it may still be incomplete, since I'm still not sure who all is come to the reception and who will be willing and wanting to help set things up. :D Wow, so much to look forward to, I'm sure the time will fly.

Well gotta a list of things still to do today, just thought I'd drop a line. :)

Jode

Hm..I hope this thing isn't accurate, since even just with the "Histrionic" on moderate, I think I feel kinda insulted, haha. Oh, and I'm really sorry to all those ppl out there who I frequently interrupt. :D Maybe I need to find some people who hate me..or maybe they do and I just have my vision too blurred by the low lying clouds in which my head is encompassed *ponders.. naw.

Disorder	Rating
Paranoid:	Low
Schizoid:	Low
Schizotypal:	Low
Antisocial:	Low
Borderline:	Low
Histrionic:	Moderate
Narcissistic:	Low
Avoidant:	Low
Dependent:	Low
Obsessive-Compulsive:	Low
-- Personality Disorder Test - Take It! --

http://associates.mannatech.com/training/NEWfoodPyramidarticle.pdf
http://www.doctorsimpson.com/Glycemic-bytype.pdf
http://athletics.colgate.edu/powerperformance/Nutrition/GIChart.htm
http://thecompounder.com/GlycemicIndex.html
http://www.mesquitemagic.com/glycemic_Index_chart.htm

It seems there's still a lot of good foods to choose from, even without our refined goodies. :)

Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion Chaper 23 of the 3rd book, part of point 5.

Whenever they presume to carp, let us begin to repeat: Who are ye, miserable men, that bring an accusation against God, and bring it because he does not adapt the greatness of his works to your meagre capacity? As if every thing must be perverse that is hidden from the flesh. The immensity of the divine judgments is known to you by clear experience. You know that they are called "a great deep", (Ps. 36: 6.) Now, look at the narrowness of your own minds and say whether it can comprehend the decrees of God. Why then should you, by infatuated inquisitiveness, plunge yourselves into an abyss which reason itself tells you will prove your destruction? When are you not deterred, in some degree at least, by what the Book of Job, as well as the Prophetical books declare concerning the incomprehensible wisdom and dreadful power of God? If your mind is troubled, decline not to embrace the counsel of Augustine, "You a man expect an answer from me: I also am a man. Wherefore, let us both listen to him who says, 'O man, who art thou?' Believing ignorance is better than presumptuous knowledge. Seek merits; you will find nought but punishment. O the height! Peter denies, a thief believes. O the height! Do you ask the reason? I will tremble at the height. Reason you, I will wonder; dispute you, I will believe. I see the height; I cannot sound the depth. Paul found rest, because he found wonder. He calls the judgments of God 'unsearchable;' and have you come to search them? He says that his ways are 'past finding out,' and do you seek to find them out?" (August. de Verb. Apost. Serm. 20.) We shall gain nothing by proceeding farther. For neither will the Lord satisfy the petulance of these men, nor does he need any other defense than that which he used by his Spirit, who spoke by the mouth of Paul. We unlearn the art of speaking well when we cease to speak with God.



From point 11 of the same chapter

Here the words of Augustine most admirably apply: "Since in the first man the whole human race fell under condemnation, those vessels which are made of it unto honor, are not vessels of self-righteousness, but of divine mercy. When other vessels are made unto dishonor, it must be imputed not to injustice, but to judgment," (August. Epist. 106, De Praedest. et Gratia; De Bone Persever., cap. 12.) Since God inflicts due punishment on those whom he reprobates, and bestows unmerited favor on those whom he calls, he is free from every accusation; just as it belongs to the creditor to forgive the debt to one, and exact it of another. The Lord therefore may show favor to whom he will, because he is merciful; not show it to all, because he is a just judge. In giving to some what they do not merit, he shows his free favor; in not giving to all, he declares what all deserve. For when Paul says, "God has concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all," it ought also to be added, that he is debtor to none; for "who has first given to him and it shall be recompensed unto him again?" (Rom. 11: 32, 33.)

Fishtank I dare you. =D

Yeah, I know, I really need to get out more. :D



create your own visited states map
or write about it on the open travel guide

Well then, another week, flush..I mean I'm positive, I really didn't mean flush, I meant..another week flitted away.

On Wednesday I went to a home schooling sledding gathering thing. Belinda had been invited to come with the kidlets, but since she wasn't feeling up to standing out in the cold for two hours or more, I took them to the hill. The Grounds weren't there yet, so I parked and walked to the sledding hill making sure Calvin and Baillie stayed on the sidewalk. With our red and blue sleds in tow we hit the hill. I didn't really come fully prepared, since I was missing the winter boots and snow pants, but decided to venture a few slides, taking turns between going down with Calvin and Baillie. All went nice and smoothly and although I didn't know any of the other home schooler ladies there I just played with the kids, pushed them down the hill and did chat a little with one lady. The Grounds arrived after about 1/2 an hour of sledding, so I went down a couple more times with Megan and Julia Grounds, 3 or 4 of us on one sled. You would think that after so many years of sledding I'd learn my lesson, the one about after having escaped 10 slides don't risk another. Well we were going to leave, and although I was cold etc, I thought I'd go down once more with two of the girls. After joking to Theresa that I hope I wouldn't break an arm, I and two of the girls got on our 2 seater and took off down the hill hoping the kids that were climbing up would move out of the way if we started heading for them. With all the weight we were gaining speed, flying down the hill ...we flew off the path and who did we see standing in front of us? Tired little Baillie was plugging up the hill, eyes to the ground. We were rocketing towards her. In a split second I reached over the girl's heads and somehow managed to grab Baillie and take her with us to the bottom of the hill. I held on to her hoping that she was okay, since I knew my right cheek had hard contact with something. At the bottom I lifted her off, all the little girls thought that was a blast..Baillie was unscathed and seemed to have felt nothing, she was however missing one boot and sock which one of the girls went and got for us. I was extremely thankful she was okay, although I had an instent headache after hitting her, I figure I must have ran into the top of her head or something. The pain reminded me of the time I was running for the Shaw's phone (good reason they're not allowed to run in that house)and I slipped on the wood floor, bang, hit really hard (ask Amy, she could heard it from the phone). So after we packed up sleds and kids we went to Mc Donalds with a bunch of the other ppl, had some hot chocolate and fries, kids played in the little, um fun thing, and home again. That evening I looked like someone beat me (haha) and chewing was also painful, must have swelled over an inch. So for once in my life if you minused the bruise it looked like a had a prominent cheek bone.

Finished reading The Fellowship of the Ring again. Started it when I got my wisdom teeth out, finished it in the spare time in the evenings. I think I missed mentioning the teeth on here, oh well you didn't miss much. It all went really well, but now the task of wisdom goes to the gray hairs, problem is that I don't have any yet. Oh well, time will fix that all too soon. So yes my point, I finished the first part and would like to read the others..as soon as they're back at the library. Still haven't come to the point of buying them, although I find great enjoyment from them. I would also like to reread the Silmarillion. So much to read, and no doubt better, more profitable things to read...but there's a little room for fiction. :)

Oh, and the wedding news for anyone who hasn't heard it. The ceremony will be in Albany in June, since the US won't allow them to marry here. It's a long confusing story, having to do with visas and such. At any rate there will be a reception here in town (PG) on July the 2nd, so that our family and church members can still get together if they still have the desire to do so.

Anyhow, I suppose this is long enough to count as a post and since I am running low on anything substantial to say I'll sign off. :)

Hope you all had a wonderful week, I know I enjoyed mine. :)

Jode

I. CONSIDERATIONS TO CONTENT THE HEART
IN ANY AFFLICTED CONDITION.
1. We should consider, in all our wants and inclinations to discontent, the greatness of the mercies that we have, and the meanness of the things we lack. The things we lack, if we are godly, are things of very small moment in comparison to the things we have, and the things we have are things of very great moment. For the most part, the things for the want of which people are discontented and murmur are such things as reprobates have, or may have. Why should you be troubled so much for the want of something which a man or woman may have and yet be a reprobate? as, that your wealth is not so great, your health not so perfect, your credit not so much; you may have all those things and still be a reprobate! Now will you be discontented for what a reprobate may have? I will give you the example of a couple of godly men, meeting together, Anthony and Didymus: Didymus was blind, and yet a man of very 180 excellent gifts and graces: Anthony asked him if he was not troubled at hiswant of sight. He confessed he was, ‘But’, he said, ‘should you be troubled at the want of what flies and dogs have, and not rather rejoice and be thankful that you have what angels have?’ God has given you those good things that make angels glorious; is not that enough for you, though you lack what a fly has? And so a Christian should reason the case with himself: what am I discontented for? I am discontented for want of what a dog may have, what a devil may have, what a reprobate may have; shall I be discontented for not having that, when God has given me what makes angels glorious? ‘Blessed be God,’ says the Apostle in Ephesians 1:3,
‘who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places.’ It may be you have not such great blessings in earthly places as some others have, but if the Lord has blessed you in heavenly places, that should content you. There are blessings in heaven, and he has set you here for the present, as it were in heaven, in a heavenly place. The consideration of the greatness of the mercies that we have, and the littleness of the things that God has denied us, is a very powerful consideration to work this grace of contentment.

The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment Chapters 1-8

Ok, so no more car post for awhile, I promise. :D So whatever happened to the idea that no news is good news? Well sadly I have a little news this week, but it's sure to cause me pain. I'm scheduled to get all four of my wisdom teeth pulled/cut out (shudders) on Monday...I'm blonde, so it's not like keeping the teeth would have helped anyways right? The problem is due to my wisdom teeth trying to hook my back molars on the way out, so better to take no risk and leave no teeth behind. Advil will probably be my best friend and I'll be subjected to soft, mushy, not so tasty foods. The Dentist I'm going to, offers a couple drugs, but I think I'll pass of the sedative one, and maybe go for the one that prevents some of the swelling. I'm sure it's all for the best, since a lot of people end up with the teeth only coming out part way, so over time they start to develop cavities etc. But for that life is pretty normal.

Tam and I will continue to do some further building seeking on Thursday, as well as look at a couple bed and breakfast places. We have a hoard of library books sitting on the dresser all about weddings, food, cakes, flowers and a few other thing, but I've hardly looked through any of them yet, maybe Thursday.

Been having some pretty weird dreams lately, but no fears I shan't share. It would be odd if dreams actually made sense, I wonder what we really have them for, whether for storing long term memories, or just to make us thankful that real life is so nice and orderly. You're friends don't turn into other people who you don't know, when you buy something you get to keep it, no one chases you, and you actually know what role you're playing in life, instead of trying to figure out who you are supposed to be in dreams. Now with dreams being so weird, why is waking up so hard to do?

Well I think I'm going to actually try to be in bed by 10 so I better be off.

Chow, and sweet dreams (are there such things? :D )

Jode

The third episode of The Return Of The Car (Battery Reloaded). Saturday morning I was thankfully able to get an appointment for that afternoon to have the car looked at. Mike Grounds came to boost the car so I could drive it to the shop. His van's battery just happened to be on the far side from the car's, so the booster cables wouldn't reach. So after a few tries with B at the steering wheel, Mike and I managed to push it a little farther out of the garage. Then I directed Mike till his van was about a centimeter from our car, and sometimes closer. ;) It worked, the cables reached, the car started, B drove it forward into the garage, we traded places and I was ready to go. But Mikes van got stuck in our sloped driveway, so he needed some help to get it out. I shut off the car before getting out, that's right, I shut it off and it wouldn't restart, oops. So after getting him unstuck we did it all over again. I was late for the appointment, but it didn't really matter since the shop was behind schedule anyways. I kicked around town for about 3 hours altogether and returned to the repair shop. They had just found out I needed a new battery, but they were out of the right type, so they'd have to get one brought in, which would only take half an hour. To kill the time I went to a health food store/gift shop and browsed around. Back at the shop I paid the bill and life has been pretty good ever since.

As usual I did my grocery shopping today, which went smooth enough although time consuming, but that also is normal.

We had a pretty good discussion on yahoo last night, about attending wedding receptions of nonreformed people. As well as what would happen in a reformed country when nonchristians want to marry.

I'm off to do, well on to do some web surfing, so chow.

Jode

Ok, where was I, oh yes the car was started. Well that was all fine and good, we then drove to Costco. We both had a car key, so we left it running and went in. Then to Supper Store where I actually shut the car off for half a second or less and caught my error and turned it back on. For the next two days it actually started fine. Last night it sounded like it hesitated so that worried me a little, but I thought maybe it'd be fine. I guess this morning Mark went to take it to work and it wouldn't start. I was going to take Tam to work, but thankfully we found out in time for her to catch the bus. One of her co-works was nice enough to driver her home and will also be taking her to work in the morning. Thankfully for Mark, he only works a 10 minute walk from here, so he's able to get there without the car. Ultimately though, given everything I just said, I will be sure to recommend to you all, that you don't depend on your vehicles too much, cuz they're sure to let you down. Tomorrow I try to find a joint that will fix the car, hopefully before the Lord's day. It shouldn't take too long since I think it's just the battery, or the wiring there of.

As the usual Friday I'm up too late, not always due to need or even want, but alas the chatters have had a little on going thing about who can stay up later and I have a stubborn streak.

On to sanity! On to bed!

Jode

You can depend on a few things in this life, but I guaranty you that cars aren't one of them. Earlier this week Tam and I made this shocking discovery (as though it's a new one) when I went to pick her up from work as usual. I was in the parking lot waiting, so I decided I'd pick up my book and shut the car off. Tam was running a couple minutes late due to helping someone get some papers ready. So I sat there reading and after about 7 to 10 minutes of that I decided that car was getting cold, so I had better warm it up. Turning the keys in the ignition, my starter, instead of turning over made a weird clicking noise that I've never heard before. My lights were still working, so what's the big deal, why won't it start? After trying a couple more times to no avail I decided I better go in a tell Tam, before the building was locked and her co-workers gone. I got her just before she came out, we called Mark and he had no idea what is would be. We both thought it was starter or battery related so Tam and a few ppl came out to see what could be done. There was a phone guy there, so we opened the hood and he messed around with the battery cleaning the terminals etc. but still no go. I went to try one more time and the lights in the car died, so we decided to see if a boost would do the job. Much to our relief it started up. Car problems to be continued.

Raewyn look-a-like

New pictures from Tam's trip to Albany up in my yahoo photos. These one were taken by Manda's digital camera, meaning there are four rolls of Tam's film at Costco. I may scan the better pics from Tam's when we pick them up. I'm sorry about the lack of quality in the photos I have up right now, which is due to downsizing them from their original, beautifully huge selves. An easy link for ya --> Photos Make sure to be signed in with your nickname, since I have it set on friends. If you aren't able to view, please let me know and I'll gladdly add your nickname to the list. :)

Have a great evening, morning, noon and week. :D

Jode

Well then, another Friday already come and soon to be gone. As I'm sure everyone already knows, Tam and Shawn were engaged as of the Friday before last being the 26th of December. I'll be sure to fill in a few details when I have more to share, such as the date of the wedding etc. Tam gets home tomorrow afternoon, so I'll be picking her up at the airport. I'll be sure to bring some sugar or something with me, since she may not be in the happiest of moods returning from Albany. What can I say..I've been through returning from Albany too and I think some sugar would have helped and 36 hours of sleep for starters.

This week in my spare time at night I listened to a couple of audio books while folding laundry or crocheting. One was the abridged version of The Idiot by Fyodor Mikhail Dostoyevsky who is obviously a Russian author. This was an odd book..which left a pretty pointless, melancholy feeling. It also has many long Russian names which are hard to keep track of due to the readers speed and distractions such as knots in my thread. :D The second audio book I listened to was Mary Stuart Queen of Scots by Alexandre Dumas who as far as I know is a Roman Catholic so he doesn't exactly present her in the light she deserved, but it was still an interesting listen. It's amazing how people can be so deceived..heading for death expecting eternity in heaven and ending up with something wholly different. Such a guilty, wretched woman, who no doubt thought that she was doing service to God and thinking that with enough prayers and giving to charity her sins would be covered. It brought to mind a few of the chapters I've read in Calvin's Institutes, where Calvin talks about RC's lumping Christ in with saints and how Christ death isn't enough to them, since they needed help from men. Even with the "intersession" of Mary they still believed they go to purgatory, despite the many confessions and prayers to saints that they made during their life time lumped those made by friends for them after death. Odd to think that Mary was diluted enough to even believe that she was dying a martyr's death and would be rewarded for it. Another proof that the road to Hell can be paved with good intentions as well as bad.

Yes, well my apologies to anyone who checks my blog without finding a new post. It's not like I can't post when I set my mind to it, but it's putting my mind in the set that's the hard part. :D So many times I've thought of posting about such and such a topic, but alas my zeal for the topic wears thin as I crawl closer to the computer..one step, two step, sit down, and Poof!! I no longer feel like writing or have run out of
time to do so.

Oh Cheryl, I finally got the David Copperfield videos out of the library, I really enjoyed them and you were 100% right about Agnes, she looking just like Raewyn. I'll have to find out what her name is before I return the video, because I can't seem to find her on the credits list on the computer. :D

Well then till next week, or next year.

Keep those blogs rolling, Cheryl isn't the only one checking. :D

Jodeski