Here's the sad thing...

I just took this geography quiz. I got a 6 out of 8 after my husband got an 8 out of 8. Now, I'm not too concerned with the result. I know I'm not terribly good at geography. And I didn't learn anything new about myself by learning that I could identify where Iran is and not Afghanistan. I've never been good with the 'stans.

What concerns me is that I took another quiz immediately after, just out of curiosity. It was on scenes from horror films. I make a practice of NOT watching horror films, due to my overactive imagination. I just don't feed the beast and we all seem happier that way. But I took this quiz, which gave murder scenes and 3 movies to choose from. I had to decide which movie the scene was taken from. I had not seen a single one of the films. Not one. My score on that? 10 out of 10.

That's right. I am better at the trivia from horror films I've never seen (and many I'd never even heard of) than I am geography. That's just sad.

Loving Well

This weekend was our Ladies' retreat at New Hope. I decided that going to the retreat would be the best way to get to know the other women in the church, so I signed up. I did get to know the women, and I had a great weekend, but I also heard a message that I think I really needed to hear. The topic was loving well and the study was by Beth Moore, who was our speaker via DVD.

Along with the lessons for the weekend, we were given a 4 week follow up booklet. It is sort of a devotional guide, but I think the questions are good ones to think about, so I'll do a little thinking...


1:1 (Week 1 Day 1)

Do I love others better than I did 5 years ago?

Five years ago we had just moved to Montana. I don't know if I love better now than I did 5 years ago, but I definitely love better now than I did 2 years ago. I think. I have a pretty hard time gaging how well I love. I know I make more of a concerted effort to love now than I did then, but maybe that's because I don't love as well now and it's harder. So I guess I don't know the answer to this question. But I do know that I am working on becoming a more loving person, and that in 5 years I certainly hope I will be more loving than I am today.

Am I growing in my ability to love others more openly, with more vulnerability?

Yes. I am in a Bible study with some wonderfully supportive women and I am working on being more open and vulnerable with them. Seeing how the body of Christ is supposed to support and love, without judgment, while holding each other accountable is a beautiful thing.

What marked change or transformation has come about in the way I love?

Hmm... I try harder. I make an effort to love when I don't want to. I am quickER to love and slowER to anger. I certainly have areas I need to work on, but I am getting better.

I John 4:7-8 "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God and everyone who loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love."

Bleak House: Chapter 7

I find Charles Dickens extremely verbose. Soooo many words... so little plot movement. I couldn't even read the last paragraph of the chapter because I couldn't keep my eyes open. It will be a sheer act of will if I ever finish this book. 100 pages in, 717 to go...

Prayer for Jennifer Vidmar

I have mentioned Jennifer Vidmar before. She was in our Bible study earlier this year and is one of the women in our church. She is also a Petra parent. We've known the Vidmars since my first year at Petra, and we were in a Sunday school class with them at E-Free. We don't know them as closely as I'd like, but over the years we have witnessed the Lord's work in their lives through good times and bad. Jennifer is one of the strongest women of faith that I know, and her response to the struggles she has faced has always been a response of praise and glory to God.

This week we found out that Jennifer has Leukemia, and it appears to be fairly advanced. Please hold her up in prayer as she undergoes chemotherapy in Seattle, and hold her family up as they support her and go through this with her. Once again her response is one of glory to God, and we know that He is using her for His glory once again, but it is still hard to see her and her family suffering as she goes through this. Please pray specifically for her nine year old daughter Jessica. Jennifer almost died about 4 years ago in a completely unrelated health crisis. Jessica is old enough to remember that and is currently staying with family here in the area while her parents are in Seattle for Jennifer's treatments. The separation is hard on both Jessica and Jennifer during this time, so please pray for strength for both of them while they are apart. Jennifer and Bruce also have another daughter Rebecca, who is a year old. She is staying with family, too, and is too young to know what is going on, but she notices her mother's absence and is having a hard time dealing with it.

We know that Jennifer's desire is to be used for God's glory, whether through her life or death. She is ready for whatever He has in store for her. We know that God can heal her if that is His plan, but we also know that His ways are not our ways and He may have another plan for her. So we pray for her healing, but place her in His hands and trust in His sovereignty.

Please, when the Lord brings them to mind, pray for them too.