Finally!!!

I am finally done with this...

This book was supposed to be last year's Christmas gift to all my in-laws.
This is yet one more excuse why I have been so scarce here. But my Wednesdays (when my mom has Molly) have been sacred in getting this done.
I feel like I can breathe more deeply now.
And I am so excited to actually get the finished product in the mail.
I should have it in about 10 days (maybe less?)

Here are a few of the pages from the book...
(which ended up being 35 pages with 112 photos)

Yay for one more completed project!
And by the way, if you click on the picture you can see it bigger.

Read more...

The third commandment

I've never really studied the 10 commandments in depth before, but we are doing that in our lifegroup and I am loving it.

This last week was about the 3rd commandment:

"You shall not take the name of the Lord Your God in vain."

This commandment has always been about cursing to me.

That's what I learned in Sunday School.

I had never really thought about what "in vain" means beyond that.

Here's what my bible dictionary says...

"To take His “name in vain” means to consider the name empty or meaningless: to deny or doubt His presence and power."

The Hebrew word translated as "in vain" here is often also translated as emptiness, nothingness, worthlessness, to no good purpose. It is a word used for idols. It also connotates using the Lord's name lightly, unthinkable or by rote. Or using God's name for selfish gain.

(Does that last part remind anyone else of the Pharisees?)

Of course that means to not use His name in cursing, but it means soooo much more.

I love John Stott's commentary on this. He says:

"What kind of misuse of God's name is envisaged? The commandment certainly forbids blasphemy and profanity. It will also include false swearing, that is, taking an oath and breaking it. It is better, Jesus taught, not to swear at all. Honest people do not need to make promises by oath; a simple yes or no should be enough (Matt. 5:33-37). Then there is a yet more serious misuse of God's name. It arises from the fact that a name is more than a word; it is a person and that person's character. We then misuse God's name whenever our behavior is incompatible with his character. To call God "Father" and mistrust him or to call Jesus "Lord" and disobey him: this is to misuse his name."

Wow. This goes hand in hand for me with what I said in my last post about words and actions. If I say I trust God and don't represent that in my actions, then I am definitely misrepresenting who God really is.

Forgive me Lord where I fall short here.

Help me to be more aware of my actions and what they truly say.

Am I the only one who never learned the depth of what "taking the Lord's name in vain" means?

Read more...