stop! stop!

And when these things begin to come to pass,

then look up, and lift up your heads; 

For your redemption draweth nigh.

Luke 21:28

nur eine woche!

That's right, folks. Only one week until I depart my homeland once again to the land of my sojourn for yet another five-month adventure. Practically speaking, this world is the land of my sojourn, and as such I am a stranger and a pilgrim therein. I was speaking the other day with a fellowhearted sojourner [although we'd only just been introduced] upon this very subject, and we took great joy in the fact that, at any place on this green earth, God can work in us, love through us. And so, after these eight weeks in this little bit of prairie, I'm off again to the woodland hills of Germany. I grandly anticipate these forthcoming months and the ensuing chapters of Storyland which they shall write. May I be found a willing servant, wise steward, and faithful witness.

I've been thinking today about life. It seems as though friends are being married left and right, and to all accounts my summer last year was continually ringing with wedded bliss. And yet, despite the glory of such momentous occasions, there are also funerals. Greg Laurie's son, Christopher, passed away last Thursday, and just this Sunday, the youth pastor at a local church, with whom I was acquainted and whom many of my friends knew well, was killed in a car accident. Both of these young men have so quickly [and paradoxically] passed from Death to Life and seen the face of their dear Savior, and for this we rejoice! Yet it's a vivid lesson on the brevity of life. "So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom." [Psalm 90:12]

Among other sundry matters, I've lately been devouring a delicious bit of literature by L.M. Montgomery. Although the dear old films mayn't speak its name, I am greatly enjoying Anne of the Island, which, as you may well guess, is part of the well-beloved succession of Anne books, beginning with its namesake, Anne of Green Gables. I suppose this has really no impact on life or eternity whatsoever, but I'm always up for a wordy bit of fun. Many of the escapades treasured within this story are featured in the second film based on the series, Anne of Avonlea. Of course, the book remains much superior to the film and carries the theme more truly and rather differently, but both are highly recommendable and enjoyably pleasant, if for nothing more than a splendid lesson in vocabulary.

oh boy.

photo credit: tyler johnson

excerpts.

Quotes taken from An Old-Fashioned Girl, by Louisa May Alcott, written 1870.

[Perhaps, upon reading, you shall come to sympathize with me in fondness for this book, and enjoy its timeless wisdom and insight. -a.]

"Fashionable"

p. 12- That night she saw one of the new spectacles which have lately become the rage, and run for hundreds of nights, dazzling, exciting, and demoralizing the spectator by every allurement French ingenuity can invent, and American prodigality execute. Never mind what its name was, it was very gorgeous, very vulgar, and very fashionable; so, of course, it was much admired, and everyone went to see it.

"Rich"

p. 34- ...But he was a busy man, so intent on getting rich that he had no time to enjoy what he already possessed.

"Simplicity"

p. 42- "...The old fashion of simplicity is best for all of us. I don't want my Polly to be loved for her clothes, but for herself. The least of us have some influence in this big world; and perhaps my little girl can do some good by showing others that a contented heart and a happy face are better ornaments than any Paris can give her." -Mother.

"Young Men"

p. 171- Young men often often laugh at the sensible girls whom they secretly respect, and affect to admire the silly ones whom they secretly despise, because earnestness, intelligence, and womanly dignity are not the fashion.

"Sincerity"

p. 172- "Well, whatever you do, Will, don't have a great, costly church that takes so much money to build and support it that you have nothing to give away. I like the plain, old-fashioned churches, built for use, not show, where people met for hearty praying and preaching, and where everybody made their own music instead of listening to opera singers, as we do now. I don't care if the old churches were bare and cold, and the seats hard, there was real piety in them, and the sincerity of it was felt in the lives of the people. I don't want a religion that I put away with my Sunday clothes, and don't take out till the day comes round again; I want something to see and feel and live by day by day, and I hope you'll be one of the true ministers, who can teach by precept and example, how to get and keep it." -Polly. [emphasis mine]

"Service"

p. 172- "I am glad to give my best and brightest son to the service of God. I shall let my boys follow the guide that is in them, and only ask of them to use their gifts conscientiously, and be honest, useful men." -Father.

"Popularity"

p. 230- "My children, beware of popularity; it is a delusion and a snare; it puffeth up the heart of man, and especially of woman; it blindeth the eyes to faults; it exalteth unduly the humble powers of the victim; it is apt to be capricious, and just as one gets to liking the taste of this intoxicating draught, it suddenly faileth, and one is left gasping like a fish out of water," and Kate emphasized her speech by spearing a sardine with a penknife, and eating it with a groan. -Kate King, authoress.

update.

time is winding down at an uncanny [defined as strange or mysterious] pace. i've been home since june 11th, and now my departure date is a mere 2 weeks away!

home has been amazing. it's been incredibly busy, but i've been blessed with a great job and lots of hours, and lots of time with my family. we all went on vacation to northern wisconsin/minnesota in early july, and i've been able to attend many of my little [i refer to age, not size] brothers' soccer games, coached by my dad. this past weekend they won the district championship, so we're going to state on friday! 2 years ago their team placed second in the state tournament in a double overtime match. so this weekend should be exciting.

as noted in the previous post, i attended the Madden wedding in Appleton, Wisconsin, last weekend. it was a wonderful time, despite an almost 9-hour drive in each direction by myself. i noticed a trend in myself that after about 7 hours in a car by myself, intense boredom sets in, which generally results in some form of photographic adventure whilst zipping along the road at a good 70-mph clip. my time in wisconsin was a huge blessing; i was able to hang out with some other bible college grads from all over the Lower 48, meet a few new friends from wisconsin, and celebrate a very joyous occasion of a couple soon to be on their way to Anchorage, Alaska. most of you know Peter and Jessica, so i'm sure you echo my excitement on their behalf!

yesterday was basically my first day off at home [meaning no work, day-long projects, or long car rides] since i arrived, and it was amazing! i rode a bike to the library, and picked up my annually-read favourite book. it's Louisa May Alcott's "An Old-Fashioned Girl," and it's quite the most enjoyable and recommendable piece of literature i've ever devoured.

i spent a while yesterday posting pictures online from the past few months; you can view them on my picasa if you'd like.

tomorrow my friend jessica is coming over with her brother and sister-in-law and we're going to make Thai food! pineapple curry, here we come.

to those of you in germany, i'll see you in 2 weeks! i arrive the 6th of august. to those of you elsewhere, you're in my thoughts and prayers! may the Lord draw each of us ever nearer to His precious side. He is so good- He continues to bless my heart and blow me away with His grace. the epistle of 1 John has been speaking depths to my heart lately. all about Life, and walking in Love, and the Fellowship we have in Christ! oh so rich! i love the Living-and-Activeness of the Word.

Bis bald, und Gott segne euch!

annie.

three cheers for the Maddens!

this weekend, my dear friend Jessica Reid married her sweetheart Peter, and they are now The Maddens.

it was lovely!

it's not business, it's personal.

It holds true that when we commit our way to the Lord, He is faithful to use us and to teach us amidst any circumstance or occupation. I was just praying this morning that the Lord would prepare me for what's ahead, so that I'd be useable, and be ready to learn whatever He had to teach me [thinking in somewhat long-range terms, i.e. the next 6 months]. Soon afterwards, I headed out the door for a full day at work.
This afternoon, an older gentleman who is a very regular customer, came by in his gruff sort of manner, and really had no idea what to order. So when he asked for my opinion, I readily suggested my new favorite sandwich, made with a few personal twists. His face brightened up, and he told me that it sounded good. I brought it to him; he ate it, loved it, and told me so. [This pretty much made my day; to be able to share a personal idea with someone, and have them like it, is really encouraging.] Then after his meal, he pulled me over to his table, and asked me to sit down for a minute.
He told me how he had been feeling pretty depressed when he came in just that half an hour earlier. "When I asked you for help and you gave it to me, it changed my whole day." With tears in his eyes, he thanked me for taking the time to help an old widower like himself. I was able to sit for a few moments and talk with him about simple things like bread-baking and the weather- but I know it meant the world to him. And my heart was full with the blessing of being the hands and feet of Jesus.
How often I breeze by the main objects of ministry [namely, People], in the name of "getting things done." And how often I neglect to realize that even daily business is simply one opportunity after another to share my Jesus with the ones He loves. For all our "doing" on His behalf, we mustn't forget one thing: that the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. I Corinthians 13:3

brethren, let us love...

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.
1 John 3: 16-19

This particular verse was a great matter of thought during a long, busy day at work today. For I encountered several believers and countless [likely] nonbelievers, and in several cases the latter "loved in deed" much better than the former. One particular group of older people came in, were very friendly [albeit rather needy in terms of service], and took an interest in my current situation. They asked if I was full-time at the restaurant, and I told them I was working for a couple months before heading back to Germany to finish my Bible College internship. At this they all smiled and proudly declared their accurate guess at my soul's position and Christian lifestyle. I thanked them for their business and well-wishes, and kept on working. Now, throughout my hard day's work, I received many very generous tips from my customers. Unfortunately, these rather vocal Christians ended up being a little less generous in deed than in word. Oh, I didn't mind so much about the sub-average tip; in fact, I expected that as much as they expected I was a Christian. But it spoke volumes to my heart; namely, this verse: "Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."

I think no less of my believing customers; however, I pity them for the reward they've chosen to opt out of. I am one of several believers at work, but there are plenty of nonbelieving, rough-around-the-edges kind of people with whom I work. There are also a few believers in name who are often spoken of in a negative light, particularly concerning their work ethic [often low] and overall likeability [not high]. Brethren, if we are going to "love" in word and in tongue, we had better be ready to "love in deed and in truth" before and after our self-assertion. Actions really do speak louder than words.

If they don't see Christ in us, they may never see Him at all.

more to come.

bine sent this to me! hooray for friends.