Monday, June 7, 2010

NIPTO, Day 120

Hi.
It's kinda late. But I'm blogging. It's pretty quiet around here right now. Everyone else has to get up early tomorrow. Hannah's getting her wisdom teeth out. Mom got a lot of movies from the library today. And I made jell-o. And Mom bought pudding at the store today. We're prepared. We also have the entire dance recital for her to watch if she wants it!

I started cleaning my room today. Mostly changing my clothes from winter/spring clothes to summer clothes. And cleaning surfaces. Like my dresser. It's mostly cleaned off. But I'm still in the "messier before cleaner" stage. It's kind of frustrating. I really need to dust and vacuum tomorrow. It's kind of gross...
I'm wondering if I could take my mattress off of my bed to vacuum under my bed... before I bunk them. I think it'd be a good idea. I just need a little bit of help ;)
I've been listening to Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events" for a while. I finished the 4th book and am about 1/3 of the way through the 5th. Listening to something while you clean makes things go a LOT faster!

After dinner today we went on a walk and put fliers in/on mail boxes for Mom's M. Y. Study Skills (I think it should actually be Skillz, but my opinion was not given. And it might deter people from having their child tutored... haha) and for our newest "Second Self Household Help" idea... to read more about these you can go here :)

Then we came home and watched a movie. The Nanny Diaries. It was good. A little bit sad though. The fact that there are a ton of kids who are raised by someone who isn't their parent when their parents are around. There are definitely circumstances where extra help is needed, but when a child wants the nanny more than Mom or Dad.... it's sad.
I think the movie did a really good job of portraying the situation. It's based on a novel that was written by two former NY nannies. So it's kinda accurate. The book&movie aren't based on any particular family. Just a mix of all the families that both of them had nannied for and had observed too. It was an interesting movie.



Today for NIPTO we start Ephesians! It's the next book we're going to tackle :) I'm also going to be reading a Psalm a day. And it just so happens that Psalm 1 has 6 verses. So you're going to get 6 verses analyzed by me over the course of this week. Plus some tidbits from other Psalms probably!

Ephesians 1:1-10
 1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
      To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
 2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This book/letter was written by Paul to the church in Ephesus. 
Paul was an apostle of Jesus by the will of God. The will of God seems like such a confusing and complex thing to us. It's really just what God wants us to do... and that's not exactly complicated. We're the ones who are complicated. We screw things up because we don't listen. We don't like what God has planned for us... but is there really any other option? Isn't following God and his plan for your life the only way you'll feel completely fulfilled and satisfied?
These are the questions I ask myself. 

Spiritual Blessings in Christ
 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Oh my goodness! This is so crazy. God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. In the heavenly realms. I'm not exactly sure what kind of "conditional" that is, but yeah. It's still sweet. No matter what circumstances you put around. But watch out. It gets even better. Keep reading.


4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

He chose us. To be holy. To be blameless. He chose to adopt us. Because he wanted to. Because it was in accordance with is pleasure and will. It was to praise his glorious grace. That he gave to us. For free. Tell me that's not ridiculous. It's so impossible to get my mind around it! God's love is so amazing. (steady and unchanging. Your love is a mountain firm beneath my feet. Your love is a mystery, how you gently lift me. When I am surrounded, your love carries me.) Ahh bursting into song. :)
But seriously. It's crazy. God's crazy. And I think that's how he likes it...
 

7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

So we're saved through Jesus's blood. And our forgiveness of our sins directly corresponds to the riches of God's grace. How could we be forgiven without grace? And when he gives us forgiveness, he also gives us wisdom and understanding. It's lavished upon us. It's not a burden. It's a gift.


9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

These verses reminded me of a sermon that my Dad did last year in March. I would encourage you to go watch it here. It's fantastic. He might "re-vamp" it for LT this summer. Or have Tom Short re-vamp it. Or something. The theme for LT this year is "unleashed" I think. So it would go along with things quite nicely. But you'll have to watch/read it if you want to know what I'm talking about ;)

I feel kind of funny not really writing anything about these 2 verses... but I feel like my dad explains things much better. The sermon isn't exactly on these 2 verses or whatever, but I think it still all corresponds. 


Psalm 1:1
 1 Blessed is the man
       who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
       or stand in the way of sinners
       or sit in the seat of mockers. 


When we walk with God and don't hold to the things of the world, when we don't listen to people who tell us to do the wrong thing, when we don't stand in the way of sinners, and when we don't become mockers, we're blessed.


I'm going to go to sleep now. I'm going to try to not laugh at my sister too much tomorrow. I've promised that I won't take any pictures... *sigh* I guess I'll have to keep my promise... unless I can get the OK while she's still drugged up =P Just kidding. I would never do that. I'm a much better sister. I wouldn't exploit my sister while she's under the influence of drugs. (All legal, of course).

Okay. Really. I'm going to sleep now. Good night! 


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