just uploaded a whole ton over at my flickr page.

my back pain has decreased dramatically. it gets a little stiff from time to time, but it is nowhere near as painful as it used to be.

having good health is often as simple as doing healthy things. live the future well.

Having pronounced His Church positively full of beauty–our Lord confirms His praise by a precious negative, “There is no spot in you!” As if the thought occurred to the Bridegroom that the carping world would insinuate that He had only mentioned her lovely parts–and had purposely omitted those features which were deformed or defiled–He sums up all by declaring her universally and entirely lovely, and utterly devoid of stain.

A spot may soon be removed, and is the very least thing that can disfigure beauty–but even from this little blemish, the believer is delivered in his Lord’s sight. If He had said there is no hideous scar, no horrible deformity, no repulsive ulcer–we might even then have marveled. But when He testifies that she is free from the slightest spot–all these other forms of defilement are included, and the height of wonder is increased.

If He had but promised to remove all spots in heaven, we would have had eternal reason for joy. But when He speaks of it as already done–who can restrain the most intense emotions of satisfaction and delight! O my soul, here is marrow and fatness for you; eat your full, and be satisfied with royal dainties!

Christ Jesus has no quarrel with His spouse. She often wanders from Him, and grieves Him–but He does not allow her faults to affect His love. He sometimes chides–but it is always in the tenderest manner, with the kindest intentions–it is “My love” even then. There is no remembrance of our follies. He does not cherish ill thoughts of us–but He pardons and loves as well after the offence–as before it! It is well for us that it is so, for if Jesus were as mindful of injuries as we are–how could He commune with us? Our precious Husband knows our silly hearts too well–to take any offence at our follies and faults!

—Charles Spurgeon.

but then this is why Christ has chosen to use the Lord’s supper,a meal, as a symbol of our union with him. it is a vulnerable position, an act of faith. those of you that have tasted have undoubtly seen, as i have again this morning, that the Lord IS good.

this is by far the biggest snow we’ve had this winter. what a ton of fun! click here to see the rest of the photos from the snowtacular.

in pleasure, because our hearts are moved to praise him for being a God who delights in our delight! God made food taste good! God made music sound beautiful to us! and gave us all of these things, not that we may glory in them, but that we may see that he is the supreme delight of our souls!

in pain, because we are prone to worship the creation, and the pain strips away our idols. it reveals to us that we have sought to find our sufficiency and identity in things other than Christ. that we have made the gifts an end to themselves, and used them to glorify ourselves. and so, it is a great blessing that in our pain, we are compelled to gaze on Christ alone, and find in him the healing and redemption we need.

in pleasure and pain God has blessed us indeed. and so we work to reflect his glory to our world, not seeking to obtain his favor from these works, for has given his favor to those who believe in Christ unconditionally. we work out of love for him, and out of joy for what he has given.

our rest is coming soon. so we work now, that others may see, and join us in that rest.

howdy all here are some pictures from Christmas Day, 2009. Click.

Because there’s nothing magical sounding about cosmic explosions that create life randomly and with out plan or purpose. wait…

and it was a winner! check out the set of images of the snow in front of our house here.