Homeless

My wife made an astute observation concerning the immediate Reeves family (of which I have been grafted in). We are all homeless.

That's not to say that we don't have a roof over our heads; we most certainly do. It's just that none of us currently possess or rent a domicile.

1. Mark, Julia, Rachel, David, and Philip are residing in the home of Julia's parents.
2. Aaron is in Boston, the U.K., what have you.
3. Hastings is in Fargo, about to finish high school, living with the illustrious Conants.
4. Rebekah and I have been granted a roof over our heads in the semi-vactated Johnson/Lammers apartment.

We may not know what is coming next in any of these situations, but I do know this: we are all exceedingly grateful to those whom have been so generous with us in these transitional times.

Intergalactic Christmas

Here is a great combination of two things rarely coupled: Christmas and space.

The Big Picture has put together an advent calendar, but instead of candy, you get a new photo taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.

It's a call to marvel at the majesty and immensity of the handiwork of God and be grateful for granting us His Son in the most humble of circumstances. It might serve to put things in a little perspective this holiday season...

God Answers All Types Of Prayers

Rebekah and I spent this weekend in Florida visiting her family. On Saturday night, as we were going to bed, we prayed together. The Lord prompted me to pray out against materialism in our lives. And the answer came quickly.

Today, upon returning home, we received a completely unexpected medical bill for $282.72 and immediately any talk of "it would be nice to have this or that" was squelched.

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Matthew 7:9-11

In relation to the latter Scripture reference, when fish is asked for, a serpent is not given. It is also then implied that if a serpent is asked for, a serpent is not given. God is not sitting up in heaven waiting for us to ask for the right thing. He knows what's best and He executes it. "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). The idea is not that we get when we ask, but rather that God knows the good that we need. So if I were to request affluence and God gave me a medical bill, I had requested a serpent, but God delivered a fish.

With this in mind the medical bill is more encouraging to me than affluence. Why? Because when I prayed with my wife for God to mitigate against materialism, He heard my prayer, and it was in line with His perfect will. I asked for a fish and I received a fish.

Thank you, Lord.

Two Things I Learned About/From Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Yesterday I picked up Bonhoeffer's Letters and Papers From Prison at the library. I read approximately the first ten communications that he had with his friends and family and here are two things I learned:

1. He enjoyed a good smoke. At one point he requests his mother to bring him his pipe and some cigarettes. I would have never guessed it. "Respected people from the history of the Church can't smoke." I thought. This thought may be a good indication of how our current culture has shaped how I think.
2. Although his situation was less than ideal, Bonhoeffer made it sound quite tolerable. The bed wasn't too hard and there were even a few varieties of dry bread to eat. And when they let him outside for a few minutes each day to smoke he claimed that he barely remembered that he was in prison. Wow. That is hardly the perspective I have. I complain about getting up at five in the morning and not having enough natural light at work. And I have not been persecuted for anything. I need to be more thankful.