Free time

In an effort to make better choices on how to use my free time, we recently decided to get rid of our cable. We really only want to watch network stations, which we found out we could get for about 35$ less each month. It's amazing what you can get from companies when you're trying to stop giving them money! Anyway, this means that when I come home from work there are not 15 stations full of junk for me to waste time vegging in front of (i.e. HGTV, lifetime, TLC, etc.). So, I got some great book suggestions and bought 4 new books! I started with John Stott's the Incomparable Christ and thought I'd share a thought about it to help me digest what I'm reading.

Stott has this great section right at the start where he summarizes the focus of each Gospel author. He states that while, yes, the Gospel authors were concientious historians, they were also evangelists and theologians. So, each Gospel has a different focus as it deals with the earthly ministry of Christ.

Matthews focuses on Christ as the fullfillment of prophecy, the law, and Israel. As Stott develops this point and brings up different Scripture references it's fascinating to see how correct that is. And it makes sense in light of Matthew's strong Jewish heritage.

Mark's gospel focuses on Christ the suffering servant. As a Mark manuscript junky I could not agree more. The Cross is the center of Mark's Gospel as he answers the key questions: Who was Jesus, what did he come to do, and what does He ask of us?

That's as far as I've gotten. I got all excited about that and wanted to get it down before I kept reading. I enjoy reading these kinds of books in short, frequent intervals so that I can consider and absorb everything presented.


In conclusion, one thought that has occurred to me recently over and over again comes to me again now after starting Stott's book and it is this:

That I love Scripture. I love that I can say with certainty that it is REAL and it is TRUTH. It has become nearly impossible for me to understand how anyone who has taken a sincere, open-minded, honest look at Jesus and how every word of Scripture points to Him could possibly think otherwise.

check it out!

Hey, I will post something long and interesting soon, but for now check my hubby's blog!! It's great, he's very witty.

Life Goes On

So, I know you've all been waiting with baited breath to hear how things are going out here in sunny SoCal (cool slang term for southern california). In light of that, here it is! We've been living out here for about 4 months now, i can't believe how time has flown. I'll start with Andy.

Andy has finished his first term of school at Gnomon School of Visual Effects and is now enjoying some down time until it all starts again. Only 6 more to go! His projects all turned out really well, and he enjoyed his classes a lot, of course excelling in them all (although I"m sure he'd never admit it!). We aren't sure if he gets some kind of report card or something because my hubby just hates asking questions, but in any case he did well. He spent the rest of his time working on a very time consuming project for the Visual Effects Society (like the Screen Actors Guild, but for VE people). The VES is having an award ceremony this February where they focus on VE stuff in movies, TV, and video games and it's a pretty big deal. (For Example, last year they presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to George Lucas and this year it will go to Brian Singer...I think that's his name anyway). So Andy was part of a very small team of students who put together an intro reel for the award show...it's turning out to be very cool and worth all the headaches. I mean, my poor baby had to wake up as early as 8am some days!! (::teasing::) All in all he seems very happy and excited about what the future will bring.

Now me.

I'm still working the same job at CHLA and really getting to enjoy the kids I work with. Despite some frustrations with co-workers I am happy. I also really feel like God is using those frustrations to work on my ability to be compassionate and humble. There is not a lot of grace amongst co-workers here and I know God is challenging me to be different. Otherwise I fill my time with scrapbooking, Sim playing, and my super cool new toy that turns Andy's road bike into a stationary bike.

Also, we have found a church that we are really excited about. We've been attending new member classes and learning about the specifics in terms of their doctrine and practices. No church is perfect, but I see us finding a home here. Praise God!

Alright, that's enough...I'll post pictures soon.