Beginnings

Brooke and I just recently decided to do a lot of "Non-New-Years, New Years Resolutions." While in China, we resolved to do P90x, partly because we have always wanted to, and partly because it was $10 for all of the videos.

We are also reading through Isaiah together, and while it is a very complicated book, it has been and will continue to be a great blessing to our marriage. Something that is very important to Brooke, and also something that I have the tendency to neglect is our times together in the word. Not necessarily doing a quiet time together or even reading the same thing, but when she sees me in intimate times with our Father, it speaks to her. Some of the best times we have had in our short relationship have been the times where neither of us have spoken a word to each other, but in those times where we sit together and are completely engrossed in what the Lord is saying to us through prayer and reading and journaling.

The other "resolution" is to do this blog together. It allows us to share what is going on in our lives, and more important than that, share things with each other. My first experience with the blog was not a good one. It took Brooke hours upon hours to have the visual and aesthetic qualities that she was looking for. She had the background perfect. The pictures arranged in a particular order. The fonts and quotes and colors perfect. It took me exactly 3.2 minutes to undo all of it. After a lot of panic and a couple of hours I was able to get it back to "nearly" right, and I hoped she wouldn't notice. She did. Immediately. It has finally been fixed and changed up so as not to be as girly, but her stipulation for my joining of our blog is that I am allowed to post only...and I have to be under direct supervision if I am attempting to change anything.

Unrelated to anything I have written so far:

Such a tiny offering
Compared to Calvary;
Nevertheless,
We lay it at Your feet.

These lyrics speak so much. Sometimes I feel like the sacrifices or offerings I have to make are enormous and how could God want me to do some of the things he wants me to do. How can I sacrifice more money or more time or more energy to make his name bigger or carry out what he has prepared for my day. Additionally, how can I give him an entire day, or a week, or a month, or a lifetime of devotion. It seems to much to ask of me.

Then I am reminded of Calvary, and the Cross, and what was sacrificed on that day. And I am reminded of what was sacrificed for Jesus to disrobe himself of the glory and power he had in heaven and come to mankind and live as one of us. How could I not want to give more, sacrifice more, do more, and at the end of it all...Love more? The sacrifices I make, aren't sacrifices, but merely an expression of my love for what he has done and continues to do for me. It's hard for me to remember that, but God definitely reminded me of that today.

Namaste

(Brooke is doing YogaX right now)