The Exciting New Year of 2010.

My room is filled with words. I mean, there are words on my door, words on the walls, words in diaries and journals, words all over papers scattered on my desk. Words in the books on my bookshelf, words in my open Bible. Scanning swiftly around me, this is what I read: "In your heart you plan your course but the Lord determines your steps. Proverbs 16:9" "Perseverance in scripture Finish well It's about the last day" "For all things are possible with God. Luke 1:37" "I'm falling for you... please don't mess it up." "Expected fruit - humility Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:3,4" "You shall not go out with haste... for the Lord will go before you and the Lord God of Israel will be your rear guard. ~Is. 52:12~" "Break" All these messages are around me in this January of 2010. The course I have planned for this year includes the following; reading the Bible in a year; climbing Arthur's Seat 52 times in 2010; read a book a month - that's 12 books (in their entirety!) this year. Events that are looking to adorn this year include seeing Stomp, the Index Weekend Away, visiting Tim in Newcastle to see Owl City, turning 25, going to see The Temper Trap and going on a missions trip to Romania. Things that I would like to get better at include photography and being tidy. I want my attitude to be pleasing to God, I want to do good, not to earn salvation or even God's favour - by faith, i already have these things. I want to do good because you reap what you sow. (Gal 6:9 and Rom 12:10). I want this year to be a year marked by prayer. I want to grow in holiness and in wisdom. I want my relationships to be marked by grace. I want to develop a quiet and gentle spirit. I want to be disciplined and diligent. My desire is to not waste my life. My desire is to live for the glory of God - to make his name big, famous, loved, glorious.

Christine's Cottage Cheese Cottage

Half Term!

Half term started this morning, and for the first time in months (literally), I got to wake up past 8am. And so I did. I woke up at 8:49 and felt like I should open an advent calendar. I guess that means it was cold. But a nice cold. A cold that only touched my face since the rest of me was snuggled and curled up in lovely soft warm bed covers. I love that feeling. And the sun was streaming through my window. A beautiful day to begin half term. Sounds lovely. By 9am I was diving right in to my first half-term activity, a cake. Well I say that. I wasn't IN the cake, but I did have a few ingredients on me. Oh and things have disappeared from the kitchen too (I'm hoping one of my flatmates, who are both away for the weekend, will know where these things have got to), so this cake I made, I made without scales or whisk. So we'll try it out on a bunch of unsuspecting students tonight, and see whether 'old school baking' is something I am skilled in. :)

The Fringe 2009

Sin

Jesus has cast our sin as far as the east is from the west. He has forgiven it all, paid the penalty for it all. But we still need to deal with it day to day. How do we do this? From God's point of view, we are no longer sinners, but saints. From our point of view though, we still sin. So what do we do with that? We come to God in prayer daily and confess. By confess, I mean agree with God that you have sinned, thank God that He has already forgiven you and ask and trust God to change your wrong attitude and actions. "Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord' -- and You forgave the guilt of my sin" (Psalm 32:5) "....as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12) Is this all we need to understand and apply? Or is anything that is beyond this trying to do it ourselves and seeking to earn our salvation? Of course we must strive to do the will of God and live by His law, but ultimately when (not if) we fail, He is faithful to forgive and has paid for us. No need for sacrifice or offering! And by His grace and work, bit by bit, as we grow in fellowship with Him, we will grow in holiness and depart more and more from our sinful ways.