Jun 12, 2009 | Scotland, South Africa, The Good Word, Top Ten Lists
After a good chat with a friend of mine who’s going through a hard time, I started thinking about some of the things I think the Lord might like to say to her, to speak to her heart in the place where she is right now. I thought it might be something a lot of other people need to hear, too, so I thought I’d share it.
I hope this is a Top Ten from the Heart of God…
10. You are so wonderful, so special, and so precious to Me. I knit you together in your mother’s womb, and there is no one else in the universe like you. (Psalm 139:13-14)
9. Before your life even began, I sent my one and only Son to die for you. I did this because I love you. Â (Ephesians 2:4&5)
8. I know sometimes it feels like I’m a million miles away. But I told you I would never leave you, and I meant it. Even when it feels like no one is with you, I Am. (Hebrews 13:5)
7. Even during this time when you’ve felt so far away, I’ve been with you. I’m always with you. (Matthew 28:20)
6. My darling, you are so beautiful, special and precious to Me. Â (Song of Solomon 1:15)
5. Even before you went away from Me, I forgave you. (Luke 23:34)
4. I don’t change, and My love for you will never change. (Hebrews 13:8)
3. You don’t have to do anything to earn My love. Please know that My grace is sufficient. In these moments when you are feeling so weak, My strength can be made perfect in you. (2 Cor. 12:9)
2. I miss you. I want to hear you speak again, and I want to see your face again — your voice is so sweet to Me, you face is so lovely to Me. (Song of Solomon 2:14)
1. No matter where you are, no matter how far away you feel, if you search for Me with your heart and soul, you’ll find Me. (Deut 4:29) I want to be found by you. If you look for Me, you’ll find Me. (Jeremiah 29:12-13)
Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens. Your faithfulness, stretches to the skies. Psalm 36:5
Apr 30, 2009 | The Good Word, Top Ten Lists
Being from the American South, I’m intimately acquainted with cultural Christianity — the kind of Christianity that makes people feel sure they are Christians because they’ve been going to church all their lives and they don’t drink much. Â One particularly interesting thing about the development of this type of ‘cultural Christianity’ is the development, along with it, of a number of ‘sayings’ and even ‘cherished proverbs’ that are most certainly God-breathed Scripture…ahem, not. Â Upon responding to one of these statements with a “whereabouts in the Bible is that?” you might get a “I don’t know, but it’s in there” or a “Well my grandma said it was in there” or even a “somewhere in the middle part.” Be ye warned, friend — and put not your faith in the colloquialisms of the people! Â They’ll nae hold their ground when times are tough!
Do note, there has also been a special development of a world-wide phenomena called Christianese. It probably finds its roots in the American South. This important and related topic deserves its own post on another day. In the meantime, I think we should take a moment to enjoy a few of these ‘cherised proverbs’ together.
Top Ten “Bible Quotes” Not Actually in the Bible:
10. Cleanliness is next to godliness!
9. Seriously. Black people and white people aren’t supposed to get married. [I don’t know if you’ve heard this one, but I heard it all the time growing up.]
8. This too shall pass.
7. To thine own self be true.
6. The Lord works in mysterious ways.
5. Money is the root of all evil. [Misquotation of 1 Timothy 6:10]
4. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
3. God’ll never give you more than you can handle!
2. Spare the rod, spoil the child. [This is a misquotation of Proverbs 13:24]
1. (A Personal Favourite)Â The Lord helps them who helps themselves.
The Sermon in a Nutshell: If you want to stand on the promises of God, make sure you know what they are!
Apr 16, 2009 | Scotland, Stories, Top Ten Lists
We attended a wonderful wedding in the highlands this weekend, on Easter Sunday, where our friend Claire got married. It was absolutely stunning.
There were some delightful moments along the way that made me think… there are many folks around the world who would like to plan a destination wedding in Scotland. With my experience of uh… two Scottish weddings…perhaps I’ll clue them in on how to make it a proper Scotsman’s event!
10. Choose a delightfully gorgeous venue, preferably in the Scottish highlands, where out-of-town guests will pass a few castles and half a dozen lochs to get there.
9. Choose a proper wee, bonnie Church of Scotland church, in a wee highland village. Pure dead brilliant!
8. At least a third of the gentleman in attendance should be wearing kilts. This is very important. If there is a baby there dressed in a kilt, well then that’s just an added bonus.
7. Encourage a few of the congregants to have a wee dram of whisky while they’re sitting in the church pew, waiting for the bride’s arrival.
6. The bride should be piped in by a proper player of the bagpipes, dressed in full regalia.
5. As the bride arrives, she should shout something very Scottish, like “What am I like?!” from outside the church, as she’s preparing to come in, so that everyone inside will hear and have a giggle.
4. Following the ceremony, the bride and groom should be piped through the streets of the wee village to the reception venue. Congregation should follow.
3. The speeches will not be complete without a good bit of humour almost crossing the boundaries of propriety. They should most certainly be filled with cheeky cracks at the bride and groom, and hopefully also make a bash or two at England because, well, it’s England, and it’s not Scotland.
2. The event must end with a ceilidh (pronounced KAY-lee), which is for lack of a better explanation, kind of like a squaredance. This delightful moment should climax with the singing of Auld Lang Syne, with the bride and groom in the centre of the circle.
1. During the ceremony, the church should be filled with praises to God. The sound of the Scots – once a people so on fire for the Lord Jesus- worshiping their creator in such a lovely and worshipful venue, is unlike any other! I’ve yet to meet a more passionate people on the face of the Earth — and their passion is truly inspiring, when turned to Jesus.
Congratulations, Claire & Andy! Â It was a privilege to be a part of your special day! We rejoice with you at what’s ahead!
xCC
Apr 2, 2009 | Stories, Top Ten Lists
A friend of mine and I have been chatting about the food budget recently, hence the kitchen inspiration…
When Mark and I first got married, I continually asked his advice about whether water was boiling or not. I was okay in the kitchen but not great. Â We’ve been married almost two years now, and I’ve learned a few things that have made my time in the kitchen a bit more enjoyable. And hopefully made dinner time a bit tastier.
10. A watched pot never boils. A forgotten pot boils over and makes a big mess.
9. Pay attention to the recipe you’re doing! You don’t have to follow it exactly, but (bless Mark’s heart) I’ve produced some funky cuisine simply because I got distracted and put the wrong things in at the wrong time.
8. Creativity counts for something. Leftovers can be amazing new creations with a little thought and a little love. There’s a lot to be said for old bread. I’ve made tasty appetizers and salad croutons with the end pieces of last week’s loaf.
7. Rosemary is my favourite … besides brown sugar, smiling and of course bacon. I’m buying it in bulk now. If it’s not supposed to be sweet, it might just taste better with a little rosemary.
6. Give your husband some credit. He does have ideas that can make kitchen life easier.
5. If you have a baby, pureeing and freezing large amounts of baby food in ice trays is the way forward. We’ve saved so much money and gotten Asher to eat the real thing that way!
4. Double up and do yourself a flavour. For a lot of meals I’ve been cooking twice the amount and freezing half of it for another night. This has saved so much money and been super handy. Instead of feeling like you should eat more so you won’t have so many leftovers, you save it for next week or the next emergency. Great for spaghetti sauce and chili.
3. You’re right, Mom — washing dishes as you go along does make cooking time better.
2. When in doubt, don’t throw it out. Alternative uses for old stuff always seem to pop up — baking banana bread with very ripe bananas, throwing old veggies into a pot with chicken stock — and I haven’t killed anybody yet!
1. Always set a timer. You might think you can remember you have something in the oven, but then your Mom calls and ten minutes later you’ve burnt your buns.
xCC
Mar 3, 2009 | Baby Photos, Top Ten Lists
I’ve been a parent for about six months now, and I really think it rocks! Here’s my first crack at an inexperienced parent’s top ten reasons why having a wee one is cool bananas.
10. Examining poopy diapers has become a special discussion Mark and I can share.
9. Traveling is so much better: We get to board the plane first, no one gets mad if we’re in the wrong passport line (at least not in South Africa), and sometimes we even get rushed through security if the baby’s crying (but I still get patted down, thanks.)
8. I no longer need to set my alarm clock.
7. I finally have someone to laugh at all my jokes! (As long as I add in a goofy face at the end). And he likes my singing, too!
6. The British government is hooking us up with like 18 pounds a week just for having a kid in Scotland. (Mark is a British taxpayer, mind you.)
5. We’ve decided to cancel our TV license because the baby is so entertaining. (And we can watch stuff on iTunes and hulu).
4. Two Words. Tax Deduction.
3. I’ve been reaquainted with my childhood affection for dressing and undressing baby dolls. And this one really laughs and cries and pees and poops!
2. Listening to your baby laugh and coo, and seeing him smile at you, is an incredible incredible blessing. (Awwwwww….)
And the number one reason parenthood is the best thing going…
1. I no longer need to search the world for the fountain of youth! I find it regularly when changing diapers.
xCC
Feb 12, 2009 | Stories, Top Ten Lists
So. I’ve caved in to some peer pressure, a little encouragement, and the desire to let friends and family  know a little more of what’s happening with life in the UK.  And here’s my first blog!  I wanted to call the site “baconandavocadoplease” but Mark didn’t like it so much. Alas.
Anywho. The good news is, in honour (yeah … I’ve decided to use British spelling because it’ll get too confusing switching back and forth) of my soon-to-be brother in-law (yay for all those hyphens!) I’ve arranged a special Inaugural Top Ten List that I hope will tickle your blog-enjoying fancy. [Note: You will probably enjoy his blog more than mine. He’s funny.]
The story is, I’m currently back in the Original Washington, North Carolina, enjoying some time with family, connecting with ministry partners and friends, and attempting to raise additional support for our ministry in Edinburgh. And ya know, I think it’s pretty darn nice around here. Â This trip has been especially delightful.
Just yesterday, I was working out at the gym, and I noticed a gentleman in Sperry Topsiders (boat shoes) pumping some iron a wee ways away. I smiled and thought, “yeah, I’m back in the south.” Ending my workout, I was on the treadmill and I noticed one of the gym staff personnel come over to speak to the older gentleman sauntering along on the treadmill beside me. And what did my ears hear above the U2 lyrics from my iPod?
“Mr. So and So, You’ve got your cowboy boots on!”
And so it was. I couldn’t make out what Mr. So and So said, but he looked down and smiled and I’m sure explained how comfortable he was. This 60 or 70-something hard worker was in his dungarees and his cowboy boots. Working it on the treadmill. Awesome.
Yeah, I’m back in the South. And it’s good to be home.
Down Home, Down the Street
Top Ten Reasons Why It’s Great to Be Back in the South
10. (Since you already know it) Seeing cowboy boots on the treadmill at the gym.
9. Mountain Dew. Although I’m really avoiding it and trying to go for water, it’s great to have ridiculously caffeinated options.
8. The novelty of shopping for groceries at a place called “Piggly Wiggly” will never wear out. I’m sticking with the pig.
7. It’s nice to occasionally let “y’all” roll off my tongue and have no one think anything of it.
6. When I first arrive, it’s a multi-sensory overload, but still, you gotta love the Walmark.
5. It’s nice to have a complete stranger call you “Sugar” every once in a while.
4. Bill’s Hot Dogs.
3. It snowed when we got here, and two weeks later, it’s 70 degrees and I’m debating whether the baby needs a light jacket for his stroll.
2. Piggly Wiggly, people!!
And finally…
1. This here’s where my family’s at, y’all!
The Sermon in a Nutshell: I’m not moving back next week or anything, but as a famous Kansian once pointed out, “home is the place like no other.” Or something like that.
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