Trying not to complain...

I'm trying to hurry and a little bit tired so please forgive any jumbleness to my thoughts.
I really miss Faith Presbyterian, as it was back in the day. I miss Rev. Arnold (and his wonderful family) and the things we would do every Advent season at church. Sure, it wasn't very high-liturgical, but we did the Advent wreath, and each Sunday lit the candle/candles and had a reading pertaining to that week... I also miss the Christmas programs and Christmas Eve services we did, especially getting to hear and participate in the special music. I wish we did that sort of thing at our church now. I suppose I shouldn't be discontent. Maybe someday, though, we can do something like that. Wherever God has us in the future, church-wise. I miss being able to play my viola or use my voice for something that really feels like I'm being used. Used by God to glorify Himself. I need an outlet for my music. Otherwise, although I still enjoy practicing, it doesn't feel really worthwhile.

Well, that was a rabbit trail. Anyway, I just really pray that our church will grow (which I think it's probably going to take getting a pastor) both in number and in maturity, to where we can actually make this glorious Advent season a great time of anticipation for the coming Messiah (not so much for the coming presents, but for what the presents are a mere symbol of!) and DO things together as a church in celebration.

I've been thinking lately, and the posts on people's blogs that really get the comments are often controversial. So I need to say something that I know a lot of people are going to either disagree with, or be very interested in finding out whether they disagree with it.

And so here I go talking about something non-controversial and housewifey again. I finished David's quilt top today! It turned out very nicely, and I have the batting & back pinned to the top of Timothy's quilt. I need to get more safety pins, or else use straight ones, to do the same for David's. But they're coming along. We'll see if they're completely done for Christmas, but they'll be usable.

Only less than 2 weeks 'til Rick & Rachel come. (And, R&R, you have to stay at our house a little of the time! We can stay up late and play games and Rick and Forrest can drink rum and stuff and Rachel, you & I can drink a gallon of egg nog from Costco, and we can watch movies and eat cookies and maybe we could practice some songs and you & I can do soprano/alto, and Rick can do tenor and Forrest bass...)

Our Christmas tree is up but undecorated. We'll do that tomorrow...on the first Sunday in Advent. :) We got candles for our Advent wreath, which I am going to assemble one of these hours.

In the words of Leomard Sportsinterview, "Snow falls from the 'bove."

Advent is coming!!

And I can hardly wait. Although when I think about it, it's pretty scary how little time we have left before the busy weeks come! Thanksgiving is in two weeks and a day, and Advent starts the following Sunday. I'm done with the top of Timothy's quilt for Christmas, and just have to do the same for David's quilt. Tomorrow I'll get batting & backing for them, and quilting thread...we've been looking for gifts for family members, and need to come up with a list of recipients for Christmas letters. It's been a lot of fun.
Grandma Nancy (Nana to the boys) is coming, I think next week, for Thanksgiving; she's staying until about 3 days before Rick & Rachel come up for Christmas! Then we're going down to Forrest's parents' for the week of Christmas. Toldja they was gonna be busy weeks.
I also need to look for Advent wreath materials while I'm at the store...

Always reforming...

I remember hearing a reformed guy say once, "I like to think of reformed baptists as on a journey." But wait a minute...aren't we all? Yesterday was All Hallow's Eve, known to many of us Protestant Catholics as Reformation Day. We had a little to-do at my parents' house, with some friends, and roasted hot dogs & marshmallows, had chili, cider, and watched the kids break open a pinata in the shape of a bull. (pun: the "papal bull" :-P ) It was rather freezing outside but we enjoyed good fellowship and celebrated, especially later by gathering and singing some hymns, God's reformation of His church. We watched a movie about Martin Luther made in 1953--it was quite good--and there was a great spot where he said, "A simple layman, armed with Scripture, is better than a Pope without it." Preach it, brother! For that matter, you could fill in the "Pope" space with many a name and apply it to even cases in reformed churches today. Let's not get so carried away by holding to our precious systematic theologies that we ignore the Bible. Scripture is to be the interpreter of scripture, not a systematic theology book, no matter how great the man who wrote it. God is greater.
So maybe I'm rambling...what I'm trying to say is, none of us are "there" yet, and although we are blessed to be able to stand on the shoulders of our forefathers in the faith, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't always go back to the foundation of the faith: Jesus Christ--The WORD of the LORD. Otherwise we get too highminded.
Praise God for His shepherding His church, and may we pray that He will preserve it in the years to come and perfect His bride, always reforming her.