Hey guys (or gals),
As many of you know, my sister Jenny is spending this semester working in Kitale, Kenya. Well, it turns out I am going to be her neighbor for about a week during the month of June. That's right, I am headed to Uganda approximately 6 weeks from now. My team of young adults from Highland Baptist Church will be doing a threefold ministry through medical clinics, VBS/children's ministry, and Hoops for Hope basketball ministry at Restoration Gateway. I'm interested to see (and you may be, too) how we can squeeze all of this in during a week's time! Restoration Gateway was started by a couple from Waco, Texas and I am very excited to be a part of what they are doing for God's children in Uganda.
I will certainly post an update with pictures when I get back from my trip. In the meantime, I would love to have some of you sponsor me on this trip if you are able. The total cost will be just over $2000. If you would like to help by sending a check, you can write it to Highland Baptist Church and put "Uganda 11" in the memo line. You can send them to me, or to HBC at 3014 Maple Avenue in Waco, TX (76707).
Thanks y'all!
LB
4.26.2011
4.07.2011
Prayer
I've just finished John Piper's study on missions, entitled "Let the Nations Be Glad!" It is the best DVD study I have ever done and I highly recommend it. I have always struggled with reading Piper because he is so wordy, but the DVD allowed us to watch him speak his words and while it didn't reduce the wordiness, listening to his own inflection and watching his body language made it much more alive and understandable, if that's a word. The weekly homework was short and to the point and really opened God's word to me. The last session was on prayer, and one thing he brought up was the Lord's prayer. We all know it:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory. for ever and ever. Amen.
If you notice what Jesus asks for in His prayer, it is:
1. that God's kingdom come (and it will)
2. that God's will be done
3. that He provide our basic necessity (food, and/or His Word)
4. that God deliver us from evil and temptation
It is not for a comfortable and cush life. It is not for that he make our way easy-going, or that he save us from suffering. For Jesus told us that we WILL suffer in this life. (There is a whole other section about suffering that follows which is also really good, but I will save that for another time.)
Piper's main point about prayer is that it is meant to be a wartime walkie-talkie, a direct line to the Father while we are down here fighting for His kingdom on earth, and that prayer malfunctions when we turn it into a domestic intercom (i.e. praying for a comfortable, easy, and pain-free life). He says, "You cannot know what prayer is for, until you know that life is WAR."
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory. for ever and ever. Amen.
If you notice what Jesus asks for in His prayer, it is:
1. that God's kingdom come (and it will)
2. that God's will be done
3. that He provide our basic necessity (food, and/or His Word)
4. that God deliver us from evil and temptation
It is not for a comfortable and cush life. It is not for that he make our way easy-going, or that he save us from suffering. For Jesus told us that we WILL suffer in this life. (There is a whole other section about suffering that follows which is also really good, but I will save that for another time.)
Piper's main point about prayer is that it is meant to be a wartime walkie-talkie, a direct line to the Father while we are down here fighting for His kingdom on earth, and that prayer malfunctions when we turn it into a domestic intercom (i.e. praying for a comfortable, easy, and pain-free life). He says, "You cannot know what prayer is for, until you know that life is WAR."
4.04.2011
Birthday fun
I had a great birthday weekend. It was packed with family and food and driving and movies (in the car) and beautiful weather! Here are a few things I got for my birthday:
I got to ride around with Ben in his new Jeep. This was the one thing I wanted to do for my birthday and it happened! He took me to Sonic and to dinner. And as it turns out, he's a pretty good driver.
I took a road trip. Mom, Mero, and Pam picked me up from work on Thursday and we drove to Houston for the night. Mero had her test on Friday morning and passed, so we all got to go downtown to the Federal Courthouse to watch her take the oath of citizenship. Then we all went out for BBQ to celebrate! It was very exciting, and it truly blessed all of us to be there. We drove back to Waco that night and then onto Dallas, Flower Mound, and Fort Worth for the rest of the weekend. I got to see Marcus High School and the Botanical Gardens. We even took Mero to the stockyards and had her picture with a real longhorn. It was lots of fun! Last night they went to Crawford and had their picture taken with George W!
I got to try new foods - one of my favorite things! We went to Ciro's on my birthday and I ordered seafood pizza. I know, it sounds weird, but it was tasty. Friday night we stopped at Ninfa's in College Station. Then on Saturday night we went out for Korean food in Fort Worth, and on Sunday we had lunch at Fadi's (Mediterranean). I found out that I love grilled cauliflower. If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE to eat, and I LOVE ethnic foods. Here is one of the cakes we had for my birthday!
I finally got to redo my flower beds. This has been an ongoing process in March and one I have really looked forward to. We took out the old bushes, brought out the beds, and put in fresh new pretty things. I really hope I can make them last!
I got to ride around with Ben in his new Jeep. This was the one thing I wanted to do for my birthday and it happened! He took me to Sonic and to dinner. And as it turns out, he's a pretty good driver.
I took a road trip. Mom, Mero, and Pam picked me up from work on Thursday and we drove to Houston for the night. Mero had her test on Friday morning and passed, so we all got to go downtown to the Federal Courthouse to watch her take the oath of citizenship. Then we all went out for BBQ to celebrate! It was very exciting, and it truly blessed all of us to be there. We drove back to Waco that night and then onto Dallas, Flower Mound, and Fort Worth for the rest of the weekend. I got to see Marcus High School and the Botanical Gardens. We even took Mero to the stockyards and had her picture with a real longhorn. It was lots of fun! Last night they went to Crawford and had their picture taken with George W!
I got to try new foods - one of my favorite things! We went to Ciro's on my birthday and I ordered seafood pizza. I know, it sounds weird, but it was tasty. Friday night we stopped at Ninfa's in College Station. Then on Saturday night we went out for Korean food in Fort Worth, and on Sunday we had lunch at Fadi's (Mediterranean). I found out that I love grilled cauliflower. If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE to eat, and I LOVE ethnic foods. Here is one of the cakes we had for my birthday!
I finally got to redo my flower beds. This has been an ongoing process in March and one I have really looked forward to. We took out the old bushes, brought out the beds, and put in fresh new pretty things. I really hope I can make them last!
3.23.2011
Thankful
Today I am feeling thankful, just reflecting on so many of the blessings in my life. Here are a few.
A job. Where they pay me. Crazy! (and no homework)
My family. I have the best parents, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles that anyone could ask for.
My health. And my family's.
My home, and my car, and my dog. Certainly not things I deserve. I am privileged.
3+ meals a day. And choices. Abundant options, even when the pantry seems "empty."
My coworkers. They all treat me like family.
God's grace. So I don't have to earn His acceptance. It would be impossible.
A job. Where they pay me. Crazy! (and no homework)
My family. I have the best parents, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles that anyone could ask for.
My health. And my family's.
My home, and my car, and my dog. Certainly not things I deserve. I am privileged.
3+ meals a day. And choices. Abundant options, even when the pantry seems "empty."
My coworkers. They all treat me like family.
God's grace. So I don't have to earn His acceptance. It would be impossible.
3.12.2011
Hands!
A basketball in my hands is worth about $19.
A basketball in Michael Jordan's hands is worth about $33 million.
It depends whose hands it's in
A baseball in my hands is worth about $6.
A baseball in Roger Clements' hands is worth $475 million.
It depends on whose hands it's in.
A tennis racket is useless in my hands.
A tennis racket in Andre Agassi's hands is worth millions.
It depends whose hands it's in.
A rod in my hands will keep away an angry dog.
A rod in Moses' hands will part the mighty sea.
It depends whose hands it's in.
A slingshot in my hands is a kid's toy.
A slingshot in David's hand is a mighty weapon.
It depends whose hands it's in.
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches.
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in Jesus' hands will feed thousands.
It depends whose hands it's in.
Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse.
Nails in Jesus Christ's hands will
Produce salvation for the entire world.
It depends whose hands it's in.
As you see now , it depends whose hands it's in.
So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes, your dreams, your families and your relationships in God's hands because...
It depends whose hands it's in.
This message is now in YOUR hands.
What will YOU do with it?
It Depends on WHOSE Hands it's in!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
A basketball in Michael Jordan's hands is worth about $33 million.
It depends whose hands it's in
A baseball in my hands is worth about $6.
A baseball in Roger Clements' hands is worth $475 million.
It depends on whose hands it's in.
A tennis racket is useless in my hands.
A tennis racket in Andre Agassi's hands is worth millions.
It depends whose hands it's in.
A rod in my hands will keep away an angry dog.
A rod in Moses' hands will part the mighty sea.
It depends whose hands it's in.
A slingshot in my hands is a kid's toy.
A slingshot in David's hand is a mighty weapon.
It depends whose hands it's in.
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches.
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in Jesus' hands will feed thousands.
It depends whose hands it's in.
Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse.
Nails in Jesus Christ's hands will
Produce salvation for the entire world.
It depends whose hands it's in.
As you see now , it depends whose hands it's in.
So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes, your dreams, your families and your relationships in God's hands because...
It depends whose hands it's in.
This message is now in YOUR hands.
What will YOU do with it?
It Depends on WHOSE Hands it's in!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
3.07.2011
Ben in Belize
That's right, another Butler is leaving the country. Ben will spend his spring break outside Belize City in the town of Orange Walk, staying on a compound called La Estima Ranch, complete with beds, showers, and INDOOR TOILETS! Wahoo!
Pray for their work at 4 schools outside the compound. They have construction jobs & VBS type fun planned.
Pray for their work at 4 schools outside the compound. They have construction jobs & VBS type fun planned.
I hope to be able to update you soon on the trip I have coming up this summer!
2.10.2011
Jenny in Kenya
Jenny should have arrived in Kitale, Kenya by now. To keep up with her happenings, follow the link above or to the right!
1.21.2011
Comfort
As we have studied Isaiah this year at BSF, the way God comforts his people has been a theme. Certainly throughout the Bible it shows up many times. The dictionary defines comfort as: (1) a feeling of freedom from worry or disappointment, (2) assistance, or (3) satisfaction or physical well-being provided by a person or thing.
What a blessing to know that God considers it His responsibility and even His pleasure to provide us with such a feeling of freedom and comfort and satisfaction!
Here are a few more places this theme pops up:
May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Psalm 119:76
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4
For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
God comforts us so that we can comfort others!
"We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19
What a blessing to know that God considers it His responsibility and even His pleasure to provide us with such a feeling of freedom and comfort and satisfaction!
Here are a few more places this theme pops up:
May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Psalm 119:76
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4
For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
God comforts us so that we can comfort others!
"We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19
1.17.2011
Hezekiah's prayer
After Sennacherib, king of Assyria, threatened to wipe out Jerusalem as he had already done to many other nations, Hezekiah came before the Lord.
18 “It is true, LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands. 19 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. 20 Now, LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, LORD, are the only God.[c]”
And He did.
18 “It is true, LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands. 19 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. 20 Now, LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, LORD, are the only God.[c]”
And He did.
35 “I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!” {said the Lord}. 36 Then the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies!
Isaiah 36-37
Isaiah 36-37
1.12.2011
Curry Scented Butternut Squash Soup
I am currently working my way through a Pampered Chef cookbook called Soups, Stews & Chilis. Last night I made Curry Scented Butternut Squash Soup. Let me just say it was a pain and a mess to make but it was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend it!
1 butternut squash, 2 1/2 lbs (6 cups cubed)
2 large sweet apples (fuji or honeycrisp)
3 medium onions
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 8 oz container mascarpone cheese
2 tsp salt
sour cream and snipped fresh chives (optional)
*Peel squash and apples. cut into 1 inch cubes and dice onions.
*Melt butter in large pot over medium low heat. Add onions. Cook 5-6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add squash, apples, brown sugar and curry powder. Cook and stir 1 minute or until curry powder is fragrant. Add stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer 24-26 minutes or until squash is very soft. Remove from heat.
*Carefully ladle about one-third of the squash mixture into blender container. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour blended soup into a large bowl. Repeat two times with remaining squash mixture.
*Return soup to pot and whisk in mascarpone and salt, until mascarpone is completely dissolved. Return to simmer over medium heat and remove from heat. garnish each serving with sour cream and chives if desired.
2 large sweet apples (fuji or honeycrisp)
3 medium onions
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 8 oz container mascarpone cheese
2 tsp salt
sour cream and snipped fresh chives (optional)
*Peel squash and apples. cut into 1 inch cubes and dice onions.
*Melt butter in large pot over medium low heat. Add onions. Cook 5-6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add squash, apples, brown sugar and curry powder. Cook and stir 1 minute or until curry powder is fragrant. Add stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer 24-26 minutes or until squash is very soft. Remove from heat.
*Carefully ladle about one-third of the squash mixture into blender container. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour blended soup into a large bowl. Repeat two times with remaining squash mixture.
*Return soup to pot and whisk in mascarpone and salt, until mascarpone is completely dissolved. Return to simmer over medium heat and remove from heat. garnish each serving with sour cream and chives if desired.
1.11.2011
12.15.2010
12.14.2010
A little alliteration for you
Sadie sits silently, steadfast as a statue, surveying the squirrels serenading her safely from the sky, surrounded by stillness and soft rustling leaves.
11.25.2010
Jenny and Ben delivering Grandpa's shoe box to the OCC processing center.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
11.15.2010
Get Packin'
Hey Everyone! Just wanted to give a plug for Operation Christmas Child because:
1. That's who my sister works for this year.
2. This is national collection week.
3. My family is volunteering at the Denver processing plant over Thanksgiving.
4. It's a really easy way to make a difference this Christmas.
5. Oksana's story rocks.
I hope that's enough reasons to encourage you to pack a single shoebox with simple gifts for a young child, wrap it up, and drop it off somewhere this week (Nov 15-22). You can even download labels online, pay your $7 shipping fee online, and track your box online at http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/ . Please consider taking an hour out of your busy week to pack a box and change a life. It's really the least we can do!
1. That's who my sister works for this year.
2. This is national collection week.
3. My family is volunteering at the Denver processing plant over Thanksgiving.
4. It's a really easy way to make a difference this Christmas.
5. Oksana's story rocks.
I hope that's enough reasons to encourage you to pack a single shoebox with simple gifts for a young child, wrap it up, and drop it off somewhere this week (Nov 15-22). You can even download labels online, pay your $7 shipping fee online, and track your box online at http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/ . Please consider taking an hour out of your busy week to pack a box and change a life. It's really the least we can do!
11.12.2010
10.31.2010
Happy halloween!
I may have had a little too much fun with the pumpkins this year!
Also had a great time working the mechanical bull at Highland's fall festival!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Also had a great time working the mechanical bull at Highland's fall festival!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
9.11.2010
Does it matter what your kids listen to?
Well, maybe it does...
He may have won top regional and state science-fair honors, but probably at least some of his friends aren't talking to him. Sixteen-year-old David Merrill, a student at Nansemond River High School in Suffolk, Va., thought that the loud sounds of hard-rock music must have a bad effect on its devoted fans and came up with a way to test that damage.
Merrill got 72 mice and divided them into three groups: one to test a mouse's response to hard rock, another to the music of Mozart and a control group that wouldn't listen to any music at all, rock or classical.
The young vivisectionist got all the mice accustomed to living in aquariums in his basement, then started playing music 10 hours a day. Merrill put each mouse through a maze three times a week that originally had taken the mice an average of 10 minutes to complete.
Over time, the 24 control-group mice managed to cut about 5 minutes from their maze-completion time. The Mozart-listening mice cut their time back 8-and-a-half minutes.
But the hard-rock mice added 20 minutes to their time, making their average maze-running time 300 percent more than their original average.
He may have won top regional and state science-fair honors, but probably at least some of his friends aren't talking to him. Sixteen-year-old David Merrill, a student at Nansemond River High School in Suffolk, Va., thought that the loud sounds of hard-rock music must have a bad effect on its devoted fans and came up with a way to test that damage.
Merrill got 72 mice and divided them into three groups: one to test a mouse's response to hard rock, another to the music of Mozart and a control group that wouldn't listen to any music at all, rock or classical.
The young vivisectionist got all the mice accustomed to living in aquariums in his basement, then started playing music 10 hours a day. Merrill put each mouse through a maze three times a week that originally had taken the mice an average of 10 minutes to complete.
Over time, the 24 control-group mice managed to cut about 5 minutes from their maze-completion time. The Mozart-listening mice cut their time back 8-and-a-half minutes.
But the hard-rock mice added 20 minutes to their time, making their average maze-running time 300 percent more than their original average.
8.29.2010
8.11.2010
Life is good.
For the first time in my life, I am finding myself with very few responsibilities. And loving it. After 8 years of studying and projects, I am enjoying all the free time I can get. You may think that keeping a job, owning a home and having a pet count as big responsibilities... but really they are privileges. I find myself thanking God often for the many blessings He has given me. I'm trying not to get too comfortable with this lifestyle, because I know that time will fly and I don't want to look at my life 5 or 10 years down the road and realize I've done nothing with my time. I am still looking for how best to make a difference here in Waco, but I want it to be something I am really passionate about so I'm not just doing it to check something off a list. Please pray for me that I would find a place to plug in, serve, grow and share. For now I am enjoying the blessing of having a little time to myself. What a concept!
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