Nailed 'em!

So yesterday our new pastor gave this great sermon on Colossians 3:1-10. He got to me on something I find myself doing all too often. As Colbert would say, "Nailed 'em!" I know as a Christian we hear phrases like "you are redeemed" or even "Christ has died for your sins," and terms like "sin management" that can eventually lose their clarity and definition as they're thrown around in "Christianese" conversations and sermons. But the reality hit me anew this time.

Pastor Eric commented on our tendency as believers to spend so much of our time trying to deal with sin by countless hours of self-reflection on motives. We think that if we can just peal back layer after layer of causal linkages (my term) in our hearts and minds like an onion we'll uncover the source of our mistakes and sins and we'll eventually have them conquered. The problem is, like an onion, there's always one more layer to uncover and evaluate. We spend so much time in introspective analysis that we fail to get anywhere else--we become stagnant. That is so me!

Eric's point is we really aren't that complicated. It shouldn't take you more than a minute to reveal the quality and source of your sin and from there we are called to put to death, that "old self" or that "old man" (Colossians 3:3, 5, 9). That really begins by recognizing that it's there and then focusing on "things that are above" (Col 3:2). That in itself can sound kind of nebulous and vague, but it really is pretty simple.

This doesn't mean that we don't struggle with the same things over and over. We do. But it may not always be necessary to dwell on those things. "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God... and put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator" (Col 3:3, 10).

The battle is already won. Live like it!

- L

April = Spring

So the benefits of living in a slightly-more-southern region begin with the weather. You may recall that we experienced "snowpocalypse" since our arrival--but that isolated incident pales in comparison to the relentless winds and sub-zero temperatures of the planes.

In the past few weeks we have been experiencing almost summer-like temps in the 80's and 90's, which was nearly too much too soon, but things have settled down a bit this week into the 60's and 70's. Additionally, we've discovered how beautiful our area really is... flowers are blooming everywhere, the trees are green and blooming, it's great!

Courtney and I have been busy. True, it seems we (people in general) are always busy. But we've been on a two-week cycle of visitors now for a couple of months. It's been great, but we enjoy our weekends off :). Court's mother and grandmother were here for Easter last weekend. It was so great to be with family on Easter! ... and to enjoy the culinary repercussions of the event :)! We're still trying to finish the ham. I love leftovers. Anyway, we expect to have new guests again in a couple weeks!

We're also becoming more steadily involved with our new church, Redeemer Church of Arlington. We have been so blessed to connect with the people there and to arrive there when we did--the church is a new plant in its infant stages of development (they officially open their doors to the general public tomorrow, I believe). We've begun a six-week, weekly evangelism group started by a young couple at church and have enjoyed the discussion, the new people and the effect it's had on our lives. Tomorrow I meet with the musicians of our local body for the first time. I'm so pumped to get back into music and worship. Personally, I've been really blessed to get connected with some really solid guys in our church as well.

The jobs are going well. Courtney has her first theatre internship interview on Friday this next week--we're hoping that goes well. Still, she's enjoying substituting and is becoming more familiar with the schools, students, and teachers in the area who are beginning to request her when they need her! Work is getting increasingly busy for me as I get the hang of things and gain responsibilities--which is encouraging for me.

On a side note, I experienced Chick-fil-A for the first time last night with my wife and the Moores. Though it was an struggle to break through my initial adversion to fast-food joints of that kind, the food ultimately met with my approval. Pressure-cooked chicken sandwiches, nice.

Well, that's everything in a nut shell. Happy Spring! Cheers!