The Truth About Vaccines -- Episode 1 {video}

This is good and so worthwhile. Not pro-vaccine or anti-vaccine. It encourages discussion and critical thinking. It's almost two hours long, so I broke it down and watched 10-20 minutes at a time ;)

Recording a Spiritual Timeline

For one of my courses in college, I was asked to create a spiritual timeline -- just jotting down notes of ways you see God at work in your life. It's usually chronologically recorded and things noticed in hindsight. Mine consists of both big events and insights.

Anyway, it was one of the best things I've ever done! I usually try to update my timeline every year. This way when I'm asked to speak or share or whatever, I can pull it up, browse through it, and jog my memory of God's faithfulness to me in my life so far (I have a terrible long-term memory).

I did things a little different when I spoke last month. I read through my timeline on my own, selected and named 21 stories, gave the group the titles, and let them pick which stories sounded interesting to hear. It was fun!

I cannot recommend recording your personal spiritual timeline enough! It's so rewarding to remember and see God's handiwork in your life. Every time I read over mine, praise and awe and tears combust :)

Family Under Construction

• May -- friends unexpectedly stop by; final small group before our leaders leave to adopt their little girl from China; day of appointments -- chiropractor, OB/Gyn, prenatal massage (birthday present from Ricky); new friends visit; Grandpa and Uncle Robby visit, and the men go shoot guns; I speak at a women's luncheon; go to a new restaurant for Mother's Day; go on a prayer walk; attend kids' art exhibit (ice cream social with art stations); a friend visits overnight; another friend hung out one afternoon to play games; and, some friends came over for a Memorial Day cookout/kid swim :)

with Uncle Robby and Grandpa

Kindle time

her house at the art exhibit

Micaiah's sculpture house

tea party and hymn sing with Daddy

The final meal cooked by our neighbor girl

Some of his Lego creations

One of the 17-year cicadas that took over our area this month. The kids loved playing with them everyday and treating them like pets. Every morning it sounded like an alien invasion outside. Micaiah liked his new nickname, "Micaiah the Cicada".

with our friend from China

4 months pregnant

• School verses: Micaiah -- Ephesians 5:25, Matthew 5:10, Exodus 20:7, Matthew 6:20, Proverbs 11:1 ; Aolani -- Psalm 119:11, Psalm 150:1-6, John 14:23
• Verses I memorized: Matthew 5:15-19

Forgiven Much

There's a story in Luke 7:36-50 about Jesus forgiving the sinful woman (who washed His feet with tears and anointed them with oil). In that passage Jesus makes His point in verse 47,

"Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

We are all disgusting, hopeless, death-deserving wretches on our own with many sins needing forgiveness. So, who is being forgiven little? The good man with fewer sins who needs less forgiveness? Oh wait, he doesn't exist! So who? The one who is forgiven little... who's that?

You can only be forgiven little if you only ask for forgiveness for a little. The one who is forgiven little is the one who repents of little. 

If you want to love more, repent more! We need to continually pray that God opens our eyes and reveals more of our sin to us. From my experience, this is a prayer that He always, quickly answers!