NIPTO, Day 142

Busy, busy, busy!
Let's see... yesterday:
I ended up going to the Gorge with Uncle Tom. We shot lots of stuff. It was fun! I learned a couple new things. (I'll do a photo post with pics sometime soon... maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow.)
We came home and ate dinner... the adults went on a walk (Hannah was working) and I took a shower and surfed the 'net. Read Katie's latest blog post. The SUPER long one. It was fantastic. I think I might've read a book or something.... But I can't remember...
Eventually, Hannah got home and I went to bed.


Today we had Urban Vision. I helped with piano, ballet, and reading. From what I remember things went well. ;)

We came home. Hung out with/talked to Uncle Tom&Dad.
Uncle Tom left for Atlanta. Dad left to go golfing. I mowed the yard. Took a shower. And I just got home from Target with Mom!

You see, I have to make these ice cream pies. They'll look something like this. One of them will have a chocolate pie crust, peanutbutter, moose tracks ice cream, reese's cups, more moose tracks ice cream, and more peanut butter and reese's cups on top. The other one will have a grahm cracker crust with peanut butter, cocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, reese's cups, more chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, and more peanutbutter and reese's cups on top. I'm not sure about all the peanutbutter in the second one. We'll see.

But that's what I'm going to be doing tonight. (The pies are for Encounter tomorrow. We're celebrating June birthdays! :) Come if you want. (And you're not in Germany. *rub rub*) I'm pretty sure it starts at 6... or 7. =P)


Let us seeeee... anything else interesting happen today or yesterday.... not that I can remember!

Acts 1:12-26
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. 13When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Okay. There's a lot going on in this passage (total. But this passage (vs 12-14) has a lot going on in and of itself!)
After the disciples saw Jesus go back up into heaven, they went back to Jerusalem. And they went to where they were staying. And then they all prayed. Constantly. Uhm. That's crazy. Today while I was mowing, I was praying. But at a certain point, I zoned out. I guess with 12+ people there's a little more consistancy =P
But praying while I mowed today was great. You might've been prayed for ;) In fact, if you just read that, I prayed for you.

15In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16and said, "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus— 17he was one of our number and shared in this ministry."

Peter was a preacher man. And he told the people stuff. Like what was going on. And how Judas was part of a fulfilling piece of scripture.


18(With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

That's gross. I'm sorry. But I guess he bought the field himself and kinda sorta killed himself?
And everyone heard about it. I mean, betraying Jesus was big news. Annnnnd then to kill yourself? Probably big news too.


20"For," said Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms,
" 'May his place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in it,' and,
" 'May another take his place of leadership.' 21Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection."

Peter gives the people an example from the Bible that these people would've known well. And he observes that, in order to fulfill what was written, they have to choose another person to take Judas's place.
I think when he says "one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection" it doesn't necessarily mean that they had to actually see Jesus's resurrection. (Even though no one did?) But the person who was chosen for this leadership role had to believe completely and be willing to give up everything in order to tell other people his "eye wittness account" of Jesus's ressurection.



23So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs."

They had two guys to choose from. And they prayed about it. They asked God to show them which man he had chosen.
Do we pray about who should be put into leadership? I know that I don't really pray about it. I mean, I guess we pray for the President. But do we really pray to make big dicisions. All the time. Even small disicions.


26Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

So they cast lots. Which I understand to be like... kind of gambling, but not?
Okay. I just looked it up. It's like drawing straws. Or choosing a pebble type thing.
And that's how they chose. They let God decide who the "lot would fall to." And so Matthias was added to the apostles!


Alrighty. I have to go. And I'm not making the pies tonight. But they will be made tomorrow morning/afternoon. Definitely in time for Encounter. People are counting on me. Especially Brandon. =P
Hope you had a good day!