abide in me (part 1)

I've just started to re-read Andrew Murray's Abide In Me, which I read for the first time about 6 years ago. I still can't believe that it has been that long, but apparently it has! There are so many little bits of wisdom to pull from the book. I'm trying to read a section every night before I go to bed, which was the thought when he wrote it. (31 sections, so that it could be read in a month.) The book as a whole is based off of John 15:1-12:

¹ "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. ¹² "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

These are the nuggets that I've pulled so far:

Chapter 1: All You Who Have Come to Him
Come unto me. -Matthew 11:28
Abide in me. -John 15:4

He had destined you to something better than a short-lived blessedness, to be enjoyed only in times of special earnestness and prayer, and then to pass away, as you had to return to those duties in which the far greater part of life has to be spent.

Chapter 2: And You Shall Find Rest to Your Souls
Come unto me...and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your soul -Matthew 11:28-29

They did not know how, when Jesus said, "My yoke is easy" (Matt. 11:30), He spoke the truth; how just the yoke gives the rest because the moment the soul yields itself to obey, the Lord Himself gives the strength and joy to do it.

A full surrender is to obey as well as to trust, to trust as well as to obey.

That's all I've got for now. Stay tuned.

meow.

Thank you, Lindy. This is great.

http://thirdmill.org/answers/answer.asp/file/99694.qna/category/pt/site/iiim

And in other news. I love the I Dream of Jeannie from Mitchell's Coffeehouse. Thanks for keeping me awake and thanks to Gina for bringing me one!

The evils found at work

I walked back into work after lunch and found this on the table.


The evils found at work.

Now that's just wrong. TWO boxes of my favorite Girl Scout cookies just sitting on the table.

once upon a time...

Ok, boys and girls. It is story time! I finally have two minutes together to write something out, so here goes...

I'M ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!

And now, for my story.

Friday night, (February 13th- yes, Friday the 13th) Ben and I went to Pics on the Promenade down at Lake Mirror. It is an community event that our city puts on where we show a movie out by the lake. Lots of fun. Our church was sponsoring the movie Cinderella Man this month. We had a lovely picnic dinner with sandwiches, wine, cheese and crackers while we watched the movie. After the movie, we chatted with our friends Adam and Lindy and told them about our plans for the rest of the evening. I was really excited because Ben was going to take me to look at the moon through a telescope. (I'm still not sure how I've never seen the moon through a telescope considering how much I love the night sky and the fact that I'm a big nerd.) He had gotten a telescope with all of the Coke Rewards that we'd been saving, although I didn't know why we were saving them until after he ordered it. So, we walked back to my apartment to kill a little time before the moon started to rise.

When it got a little closer to moonrise, we headed out to Lake Hollingsworth where Ben had already picked out a spot for us to look at the moon. We also had his friends' (Brad & Ashley) telescope with us. We both carried a telescope out to Anchor Park. I had brought a blanket for us to sit on, so I set that up while he set up the telescopes. It was still a little cloudy and the moon and just started to rise, so we couldn't look at it just yet. I laid down on the blanket and closed my eyes while he continued to fiddle with the telescopes. He came and sat down with me for a few minutes and then it looked like the moon had cleared the clouds and would be in a good spot for us to look at it. He got up and checked and said, "Ok, I think I have it focused in on it." He had lowered the telescope so that it would be easier for me to look through. I walked over and looked into the telescope and written on the moon, I saw Heather, will you marry me?. I turned around and he was down on one knee and had the ring box in his hand. He opened it and told me that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. Apparently, I never actually got any words out. (I couldn't remember. I had to ask him if I did.) I nodded my head yes and kissed him and made sounds like "Mmmhmmm!" (Apparently, I also took forever to turn around from the telescope according to Ben!) We then started making phone calls to family and close friends. Well, close friends who were awake. It took a LONG time for me to get to sleep that night!

So, that is my story. Well, I guess it's really our story. And honestly, it is simply the beginning of the next chapter of our story. There is much more to come. Stay tuned...

"Stormy" Monday

I love it when Stormy visits the office. She brought a full tea set.

Tea at the Office