watched this movie last night. i hadn’t seen it since staff training back in june! can you believe that? dory will always make me think of courtney – “just keep swimming.” and crush will always make me think of cameron – “dude. mr turtle is my father. i’m crush…. you got serious thrill issues dude!” speaking of cameron, anyone out there know what he’s been up to? he hasn’t posted in a month of christmases!
one of my favorite songs
I come into Your presence, with nothing in my hands
I only bring thanksgiving, for Jesus, God and man
I cast myself on mercy, I cast myself on love
I trust Your gracious promise, to wash me with Your blood
I will not feel Your judgement, for me no wrath I dread
For it was spent on Jesus, poured out upon His head
When Satan’s accusations make my pour heart afraid
I hear my King declaring, “Father, that debt is paid!”
Though I am pour and naked, Your prodigal come home
You place your robe upon me, Your holiness alone
Though I be dry and barren, by grace this love springs forth
Love for You and your kingdom, joy in Your glory, Lord
(Chorus)
Jesus, my only hope, my only plea
My righteousness, my great high priest
Who intercedes for me, before the throne
Jesus, I trust in You alone
this was in the notes from a message on sovereign grace that CJ Mahaney gave at the Small Group Leader’s Conference a couple weeks back. i thought it was good….
“After giving a brief survey of these doctines of sovereign grace, I asked for questions from the class. One lady, in particular, was quite troubled. She said, ‘This is the most awful thing I’ve ever heard! You make it sound as if God is intentionally turning away men and women who would be saved, receiving only the elect.’ I answered her in this vein: ‘You misunderstand the situation. You’re visualizing that God is standing at the door of heaven, and men are thronging to get in the door, and God is saying to various ones, “Yes, you may come, but not you, and you, but not you, etc.” The situation is hardly this. Rather, God stands at the door of heaven with His arms outstretched, inviting all to come. Yet all men without exception are running in the opposite direction towards hell as hard as they can go. So God, in election, graciously reaches out and stops this one, and that one, and this one over here, and effectually draws them to Himself by changing their hearts, making them willing to come. Election keeps no one out of heaven who would otherwise have been there, but it keeps a whole multitude of sinners out of hell who otherwise would have been there. Were it not for election, heaven would be an empty place, and hell would be bursting at the seams. That kind of response, grounded as I believe it is in Scriptural truth, does put a different complexion on things, doesn’t it? If you perish in hell, blame yourself, as it is entirely your fault. But if you should make it to heaven, credit God, for that is entirely His work! To Him alone belong all praise and glory, for salvation is all of grace, from start to finish.” (Mark Webb, “What Difference Does it Make?”, Reformation & Revival Journal, Volume 3, Number 1, Winter 1994)
then Ryan (my bro) and i went and did some “mischief” (also known as TPing and saran-wrapping). ::sly smile with sideways glance:: and i must say, we did a nice job. i love doing that with my brother – he’s good! he taught me how to throw the TP roll into the trees and make it drape. and does he know how to saran wrap a car! haha! it was fun! 
yay! it’s a very nice guitar that a (different) guy from our church picked out (’cause he knows a lot about guitars, so i asked him to find one) and got it for a killer price! it’s a beauty. and my brother was so excited!! it was great! 
Zach & Andrea 