Grace Realities: Day 1
One Sobering Thought in Praying for Our Son
I’m in the middle of a prayer-writing project in Ephesians. Will hopfeully get it off to my editor by the time I find out if the next baby we have will be a boy or a girl. Exciting times.
But, also, this has proved to be a very sobering time for me. Much of Ephesians is about the dichotomy between life and death, between darkness and light, the difference between believers and unbelievers, adopted son and daughters or forever separated.
As I’ve been praying these for E – I know he is a believer so they are easier to pray with assurance that these verses of new life apply to him. As I pray for little e, I do not have that same assurance.
Mister and I can pray for our little e. We can train him up. We can desire that he be saved. But, that is all we can do. The saving comes to God. I don’t know for sure that God called and adopted our little boy before the foundations of the world. All I can do is wait and see – and live with the knowledge that all God does is good and for His own glory and live my life in such a way that it would point our son to Christ.
The proverbs are sayings of wisdom not necessarily to be taken as divine promises. And how many people do you know have sons and daughters they have raised in The Lord but they reject Christ. And how many spouses pray for their entire lives for their husbands or wives to come to know Christ, but they never do.
God is our eternal Father and sent Jesus to save some. There will be some in hell. I can pray with all my might that our little boy will be one of the elect, chosen in Christ – but God is the knower of all things.
I will pray and live to that end.
Why Do We Write?
I am sitting here in Louisville, KY chilling while my husband attends the T4G gospel. While I was waiting for my dinner, I picked up the April edition of The Towers, which is a SBTS publication. Marvin Olaski, who is the editor-in-chief of World magazine gave an interview in 2009, and here was one of the questions/responses:
Q: How would you define Christian journalism?
A: “There is room to cover church activities and informational things, but in a way that is more public relations than journalism, but I think Christian journalism should be biblically objective journalism. Our goal is to read the Bible and see the way God’s writers perceive things and then try to go and do likewise. So, when we send reporters out to do news, the idea is to try to think through how one of God’s inspired writers might cover it. None of us is inspired and we have limitations, nevertheless we’re not just trying to present a Republican view, a Democratic view, a liberal view or a conservative view, we are trying, as best we can, to present God’s ideal and I hope we approach that with humility or else we’re in trouble. But nevertheless, that’s our goal: biblical objectivity and that is the only objectivity there is.”
I took a class my senior year of high school that was called “Biblical Worldview” and I think this class started me on a trajectory (to use one of my husband’s favorite words) down a road where I tried to examine what I see, here, and intake by the lens of the Bible. Whether it is country music, news articles on sports, church happenings, discussions with friends, etc: this is what I’m called to do as a writer (no matter how poorly I write).
Why do you write? How do you see the world?
31 Days: a new union
What steps do you take to become a better writer?
Well, here is one for me.
Emily Freeman is hosting a 31 days writing “assignment”. And it just so happens to fall in the month that I am getting married.
But, so be it. I was planning on journaling through all of it anyway – now I get to actually write about it.
It will help in finishing a little book I am calling “Marriage Isn’t” and it will help me remember the days leading up to my wedding, our honeymoon, and first days in our new home together. It will make me use car rides successfully. It will help me be a better communicator to my soon-to-be-husband. It will teach me more about the gospel. It will help me take and think through better photographs.
I can’t wait! It will be fun. And hopefully you will get a nugget of truth – when I post them all (post wedding day) when I return.
What would you want to write about for 31 days?
My Favorite Tools: Pencils
I need to be more diligent in writing on this blog. So…on Tuesdays for a while you are going to get a look into some of my favorite tools: whether they be writing or cooking.
Pencils. I love the smell of pencils, feel of pencils, the erasers, the famous line in You’ve Got Mail about fall in new york – it makes you want to go be pencils, the colors, the designs, or just the plain yellow #2.
I used to hate using pencils: they reminded me of standardized tests. I DESPISE those things. I am not very good at them – I’m surprised I got into college, though I would never have been allowed in to UF. Oh, well, Flagler had to do.
But, now, they take me back to a simpler time. I love sharpening them – oh the joy of pencil sharpeners – one of the most modern-less pieces of office equipment, now almost extinct. We have one in the copy room next to my office. I may need to invest in one for me office, especially if I move offices.
I love the smell of freshly sharpened pencils.
I love the mistake factor already built in. Did you know Sharpie came out with a permanent mechanical pencil? Well, mechanical pencils are fine – but that takes away the simplicity, smell, and beauty of a slim line and fine point that a freshly sharpened pencil can leave on a paper.
What do you like to write with?
Come back next Tuesday to learn about my love of fountain pens!
Much and Link Love (November 8 edition)
Daylight savings time and colder weather. But pretty red trees on my way to work. Almost makes up for it.
1. I love fall. Everything about it.
2. I love really long meals with friends (at a restaurant) where you are just talking, sipping, and you have a great waiter.
3. 13 miles hiking through downtown Richmond on Saturday have made my feet really tired.
4. But, that doesn’t negate the really cute boots I got yesterday at Kohls. I love Kohls.
5. I’m doing pretty well on my goals I’ve set.
6. This week is Bstudy, baking, CMA awards, bday dinner for a friend, trip to Asheville and Ridgecrest, youth discipleship weekend with Troy Temple, and a conference with Tedd Tripp (even though I’m not a parent).
7. Vacation is coming soon. 4 WHOLE DAYS. Can’t wait. That means I’ve got some things to accomplish before I go.
8. Here is what is on my coffee table right now: InStyle, Durham Foodie, Dorie Greenspan’s Baking Cookbook, a recipe I must share tonight with pictures.
Link Love:
1. Thank you Katie McCoy for this post on single girls waiting for Mr. Right.
2. And while we are on relationships, Ken offers this bit of advice for single guys in Toy Story 3.
3. I have always wanted a map of the world…how cool is this one?
4. Mom and I are going to try this over Thanksgiving, Thanks CasaBrasi!
5. Love how Carolyn McCulley presses on with hospitality and shares with the rest of us!
6. Another thing I’m getting over Thanksgiving…my Christmas tree!
7. I’m going to a holiday open house here, can’t wait!