I visited Lauren at IWU this weekend (after spending part of Saturday with my mother...Deanna was scrapbooking, hereafter dubbed 'scrapping!'). It was good to see her in her school environment. She is so happy there, and her friends continue to bless her with encouragement. I was served a cup of freshly brewed "strong" coffee by the resident "marathoner" (glad your toe is better...watch out for nail shrapnel). Apparently, no parental visit is complete without the obligatory sharing of "scaring each other in the bathroom" humor. I'm scarred by the visual!

Lauren is still playing catch-up, but is "putting others to shame" with her study habits...according to suitemates. I'm wondering if money exchanged hands for that comment?! She returned to Indy Saturday night to help with the Fall Festival at Northside Baptist (Whitney was there too).

Lauren and Beej share a quality which has been important to both of them...They are both very artistic. Both are writers and draw well. Lauren has expressed her art in other methods too. She has made some amazing pottery. They were handed this trait from their Grandpa (who passed in 1994). One thing Lauren does well that her Grandpa didn't is sing!

He liked to sing in the shower, and had quite the voice in those moments, but if instrumentation was added, tone deafness was exposed, and his attempts at matching pitch, were...oh, painful... so he mostly didn't sing. It didn't stop him from praising Jesus, though. What an awesome example he was.

Lauren sings and writes songs, beautifully. Her spirit in praising the Lord is incredible! What she can do with her voice blows me away, as she is self taught (well there was that year in the Indianapolis Childrens Choir). She has learned to play the piano on her own as well...I don't understand this. I think one time while I was out riding my bike, Deanna taught my three children amazing secrets about music, and they won't share with me. It really isn't funny, and it really isn't fair. I want to be amazing at music, too. But, like my dad, I guess somebody has to keep the shower opera going...you know, for that audience of One.

BJ wrote many songs and loved to draw. As I write, I am looking at an amazing pencil drawing he did, of a cross, a sword and a palm branch. The cross is 6 inches tall by 3 inches wide, and is 3 dimensional. The sword shows significant detail, and is crossed, forming a "V," with a palm frond of similar length. The cross descends into the "V". It really makes me curious what was on his mind while he doodled this (likely at school, as it was mixed among his notes).

Perhaps Christ's death on the cross and the way the crowd ushered Him into the city on a colt with palm branches. These two things seem to be at odds. These same people who shouted "Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord" then turned on Him, and insisted on His crucifixion! Before we move on to the next image, and reach for our own "swords," let's be reminded that we too, Praise Him one moment, and struggle to remember who we are in Christ in the next.

Jesus came to fulfill all of scripture! Being stretched onto a tree, included. Your sin is paid for, so is mine. The Resurrection happened! He is alive!!! Now! Let's gear up! Grab your sword! Just remember who we are fighting...it's Satan, not those who have yet to surrender to Christ. Use your sword offensively, but don't strike at the ear of those who have failed to listen. Those are the ones we're to fight for, cause when the appropriate number have received Christ, He shall return!

Serving the King beside you,

dad


Our prayer support is added to the number who lift up the pastor's family from Waco. (See comments from 10/29/05 blog). We grieve at the tragic loss, but rejoice in his presence in the Kingdom!