Hammocks & Piper

I love me some weekend. I tell you what. This morning, the sun was out (even though they had predicted rain- yes!) and so Adam and I layed in the hammock and he studied, I read, and Powers chased voles around the backyard. Speaking of the weather, the past couple of weeks, the weather people have predicted rain, rain, rain and it hasn't rained. I actually kind of like this because then you get it in your head, you know, that it's going to be ugly and rainy this weekend. THEN, when the sun's out, you're like, "Yes!!!!" because your expectations were so low. So, keep it up weatherfolks.

I'm still working on "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper. It's taking me a while to get through. One chapter in the book is about pain & suffering as followers of Jesus. He talked a lot about Paul in Galatians and how Paul's ultimate desire was death, that is, to be united with Christ. However, while he lived, his goal was Christ- that is, to make disciples of Jesus & to encourage them in their faith. Meanwhile, Paul suffered while he was on Earth. Piper addresses the suffering that we as believers will walk through and says that we are to consider it mercy. Because as things we value are stripped from us (comfort, approval of man, what have you) and we find our contentment, our peace, in Christ alone- he is glorified.

Piper also also says, "He himself is what we need. If we only trust Christ to give us gifts and not Himself as the all-satisfying gift, then we do not trust Him in a way that honors Him as our treasure. We simply honor the gifts."

On a different note, I think that voles are really slow and kinda blind because Powers catches them all the time. and he's not the best hunter. He doesn't bring them to us like a lab would. He just puts his paw on it and sniffs it. Then he bobs his head up and down and lifts his paw and lowers it. He's kind of like a cat, that one. Except then he let's them run away after a few minutes. Hopefully, they'll remember him and burrow somewhere else.