Simply Amazing

For the last several weeks I've been reading the Gospel of Mark, with the goal of ending it on Easter Sunday. It has been rich! Today after reading chapter twelve I was struck again by the amazing reality that the Lord Jesus Christ lived a sinless life. In all of His encounters with people, in His life as a citizen of the Roman Empire, in every teaching event, in His observations of people's religious lives He was totally sinless. It occured to me this morning that in the immense amount of living that is not recorded for me to read He was also sinless. There was never a private moment in which He "let His hair down" so to speak, and gave in to the temptations He faced. I am so grateful because I so need a Savior!!!
There's a little bit about my days coming up to Easter. What about you? Have anything you could share?

Let Go of The Bar

I'm one of those people who was fortunate enough to have grown up out in the country. There are just so many things in that setting that were so much fun!! In the summers when we were done with work a gang of us boys (ages 8-10 or so) would run wild around the little community of Verbena, AL. One of the places we hung out was at a deep pool of water in Chestnut Creek which runs through the town. Hanging from a tree on the waters edge was a cable with a bar (sort of like a red-neck trapeeze). The idea was to hold onto the bar, get a running start from the bank and swing out over the water and just when you reached the highest point of the arch let go and dive or go feet first, or cannon-ball, or belly-flop into the water. I have to admit that it took me several days to get up enough nerve to try it after I first saw Benny Frucci take the plunge. Fear cancelled out any prospect of fun. All kinds of bad things could happen-I might hit a rock; or maybe I would land on top of a cotton-mouth moccasin; I might drown! No matter that people had been swimming in that hole for decades without ever touching a rock, and no snake in his right mind would come into the area with a wild group of rock-slinging boys. Drowning? Highly unlikely with everybody around. I took a few embarrasing runs at it one day but could never let go of the bar. My "friends" pelted me with names like-wait I probobly can't use language like that on the blog-anyway they let me have it. Finally, I let go. The terror of flying through the air was quickly replaced with the thrill of freedom. To this day that was one of the best days of my life.
I see this blog as something like that. Sharing my life with you-my victories, my struggles, my journey with the Lord-is a risky thing in some ways. Yet it has the potential to be freeing and thrilling and life-giving. Punching that post button for me is often like "letting go of the bar". Maybe some of you who read these posts would like to comment but for you letting others get a glimpse of who you really are is frightening. What will people think? Will they still like me? Will they run from me in terror?(Maybe that's overstatement) You know what I mean. I see this blog as a tool through which some can connect in the Body of Christ. Who knows where it will lead? Anyway, I want to encourage you as you take the time to read my story (which I really do appreciate) if you've got something you'd like to say go ahead and "let go of the bar". The impact of your story can be life-changing for others who read it. That's how the Body works.

By the way, is there a swimming hole around here anywhere? Wouldn't that be fun?!!

Killing Anger

I thought it would be good to share something that I came across in my study which has been helpful to me and hopefully will be to anyone who needs it.
It is an article by John Piper which can be found at Desiringgod.org. When you get to the homepage type Kill Anger in the search box. That will hook you up to a list with the title Kill Anger Before It Kills You or Your Marriage.
I'd love to hear what you think.