reckless abandon.
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psalm 25
To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in You I trust, do not let me be ashamed; do not let my enemies exult over me.
Indeed, none...
Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
To receive the food of Your Holy Word.
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us;
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness,
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us
All Your purposes for Your glory.
Teach us, Lord, full obedience,
Holy reverence, true humility;
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
In the radiance of Your purity.
Cause our faith to rise; cause our eyes to see
Your majestic love and authority.
Words of pow’r that can never fail-
Let their truth prevail over unbelief.
Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us-
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time
That will echo down through eternity.
And by grace we’ll stand on Your promises,
And by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us.
Speak, O Lord, till Your church is built
And the earth is filled with Your glory.
# 6 of 1000 Gifts: Visiting Mi Media Naranja
“You’ll be with me—like a handprint on my heart.” -Wicked
Media Naranja literally translates from Spanish as “half orange,” but culturally it means “other half,” or “soul mate.”
I started taking Spanish in middle school. And by “taking,” I really mean that Magui (pronounced like “Maggie”—how much cooler is it to spell it that way?!) sat in the gym locker room with me before class and helped me with homework and taught me how to pronounce words correctly. :) How did we meet, you ask? It’s a great story.
It was September 11, 2001. The day before my 13th birthday. I walked into my English class to the tv screen of a plane crashed into the World Trade Center, and my heart instantly began pumping at a speed I didn’t think was possible. What was going on? Then, there were rumors of another plane striking DC. My dad works in DC. And I knew that her dad also worked in DC, at the Argentine Embassy. I don’t remember exactly what we talked about, but I do remember that we immediately connected, shared each other’s worries, and have been best friends since.
She moved back to Buenos Aires in our senior year of high school. Though it was a long time coming, my emotions were raw and my heart broke and overflowed at the same time. I was devastated to have my best friend leave in the middle of our senior year, but so happy that she was going back home—the place she always wanted to end up.
The beautiful thing? We kept in touch. And will continue to. She will always be one of the first ones I call when something huge happens—and actually, even when the little things happen. How many people in the DC metro area have a best friend in Buenos Aires? Not many. But I do.
And in December of 2009, I got to see her again! I got to visit her in Buenos Aires—seriously the best vacation of my life. I got to experience and appreciate her beautiful city—a city so full of life, culture, history, stories and beauty—and it was as if we were never apart.
So here’s to you, mi media naranja. Even from 5232 miles away you still make such an impact on me. I am so thankful for you.
#5 of 1000 Gifts: Cherry Blossoms
“Happiness quite unshared can scarcely be called happiness; it has no taste.” -Charlotte Brontë
I love flowers. I love trees. I love DC. I love cherry blossom season. There’s something about the cherry blossoms—perhaps their delicate and mesmerizing beauty, perhaps their quiet and elegant demand for attention, perhaps the contrast of trees with the marble monuments that populate this city. Perhaps it is because cherry blossoms around the tidal basin are so distinctly DC, and people come from all over to see them. Perhaps it’s the collective fascination that so many people have to these trees with the exquisite pale pink flower petals. Perhaps it is because we all get to share our love and appreciation for these flowers and this season.
Yes, the best part of cherry blossom season is sharing it with those around you. It’s about marveling at the glimpses of God’s power and splendor, individually and collectively.
#4 of 1000 gifts: Smoothies
I just really like getting my fruit intake for the day, okay? :) But seriously, there are few things more delicious than the cold, sweet, natural taste of a nice fruit smoothie.
Favorite flavors: Mango & Mixed Berry.
Now you know.
The gospel of justifying faith means that while Christians are, in themselves still sinful and sinning, yet in Christ, in God’s sight, they are accepted and righteous. So we can say that we are more wicked than we ever dared believe, but more loved and accepted in Christ than we ever dared hope – at the very same time. This creates a radical new dynamic for personal growth. It means that the more you see your own flaws and sins, the more precious, electrifying, and amazing God’s grace appears to you. But on the other hand, the more aware you are of God’s grace ad acceptance in Christ, the more able you are to drop your denials and self-defenses and admit the true dimensions and character of your sin.
This also creates a radical new dynamic for discipline and obedience. First, the knowledge of our acceptance in Christ makes it easier to admit we are flawed because we know we won’t be cast off if we confess the true depths of our sinfulness. Second, it makes the law of God a thing of beauty instead of a burden. We can use it to delight and imitate the one who has saved us rather than to get his attention or procure his favor. We now run the race ‘for the joy that is set before us’ rather than ‘for the fear that comes behind us.’
