Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Psalm 122:1

"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."

This past weekend I was blessed to be able to attend Five Mile PB's annual meeting in Akron, AL. The people and place there hold a special spot in my heart. Elder D. Pyles from Jackson, MS, was the invited minister.

My mouth dropped as Elder Pyles began his sermon Friday night. His sermon was going to be "What happened to the nation Israel?" He said that first, though, he must define Israel as the Apostle Paul defined it in Romans 9. I was very excited for this reason: Elder Pyles preached at my church's annual meeting in April, and on Saturday night, he, Elder L. Mozingo Jr., my dad, and others, were discussing this point. I came in half-way through the conversation, and I never quite grasped what Elder Pyles was saying. Elder Pyles was richly blessed to elaborate on Romans 9 and 10 over the course of the weekend, and I greatly rejoiced.

We spent Friday night with some wonderful cousins of mine. When I and my siblings were around the ages of 4, 6, and 8, these same cousins used to stay with us, who at that time were the same age as us now. Now, we are staying with them and their children, who are 2, 4 or 5, and 6 or 7. (I can't remember their exact ages.) Table of Stone, Elyow'eynay, my brother, Eugene, and Eugene's brother discussed how old we would be when my younger cousins turn 16. We will be in our thirties, and Lord-willing, with children and husbands of our own. We giggled in the fact that one day they might be staying with us. "Let the circle be unbroken..." :-)

Sunday I was able to visit another dear church in Tremont, MS. There you will find some of the sweetest people on the earth. I have some very fond memories of visiting there one Sunday a month when I was younger. I particularly remember being told by my mother, "Do not get off this blanket, or you'll get a whipping!" Before there were pews, there were theater seats, and since my dearest mother was afraid we would fall into the seats and get stuck or pinch ourselves, she put us on blankets in the aisle. I also remember how cold the toilet seats were in the outhouse during winter, before the bathrooms were built onto the church. :-)

So, basically, I just wanted to share what a blessed weekend it was. I am so thankful for times such as these when we can "leave the world", and enter a place of worship, fellowship, and encouragement.

Bird's Eye View


Bird on Telescope



I just wanted to try to post a picture. And...now I have. This picture was presented to me by my graduate teaching assistant in Astronomy during my freshman year. That was a really great class. I didn't necessarily agree with everything that was taught...but, I did gain an even greater appreciation for God's creation. I could only laugh when we were taught about "dark matter." Scientists have discovered that 95% (I may have to check that number...may be 99%) of the universe is made up of somthing that they cannot see. It holds everything together. They call it "dark matter." I call it the Word of God.

Each day our class was presented with a really neat picture of space - a distant galaxy, a nebula, etc. This picture, however, is of a bird's bottom. It happened to sit on a telescope one morning, and the scientists, finding it amusing, took a picture. I found it amusing myself. :-)

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

The Pilgrim's Progress

Ever since moving to Tuscaloosa for school, I have been an avid supporter of the Friends of the Library Bookstore. It sits on the edge of Tuscaloosa's Public Library, and it opens three or four days a week. The books, as well as magazines, tapes, etc, are all donated. The books are then sold for 25 cents or 50 cents, and some of the older or hardback or first edition books are $2.00. (All the money raised supports the library and its events.) I love to spend my free afternoons wandering through my favorite sections of the store, looking for a good find.

Last week, I found one of my favorite finds thus far - The Pilgrim's Progress on audio cassette! Unfortunately, it is the abridged version, but in this case, I decided to not be picky. I am on the second cassette now, and I feel that I will spend quite a few trips back and forth to Jasper or Birmingham or wherever enjoying this great story.

We can relate to Christian in so many ways. The people he meets. The trials he faces. Yet, Christian tells each person he meets of his journey, where he came from, and where he is going. He constantly refers to his "good book." He knows what it says, he believes it, and it comforts him.

I pray that I would "take the name of Jesus" with me wherever I may go, and I pray that I would be more dilligent to read His holy word, from which I can draw strength, encouragement, comfort, and instruction.