Happy Foto Friday to all! Our eighth week of work on the house was a bit of a slow one since we took advantage of some President's Day sales and purchased furniture (I'll show you when it comes in). So today mostly for the sake of memories, I'd like to share with you some pictures from our second apartment*:
The Pantry/Laundry Room:
The Kitchen and Dining Areas:
The Living Room:
The Master Bed and Bath:
The Guest Bed:
The Guest Bath:
We have really enjoyed living here and would definitely recommend the facilities and staff to anyone looking to rent in the Newnan, GA area.
*Please ignore the mess; we're still very much packing...and one day when I'm feeling even more sentimental, I'll share pictures of our first apartment.
Welcome to Theology Thursday here on the blog! As always, I invite you to open your Bibles with me as we look at a portion of God's Word. For the next two weeks, we'll be looking at the story of the "rich young ruler" (Luke 18:18-30).
Many of us are familiar with this story (v 18-23); a young man comes to Jesus asking, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answers with, "keeping the commands: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'" To which the ruler answers that he has done all of these things "from [his] youth."
Then comes the challenge. Jesus says, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." The ruler goes away sad because he had many riches. In verses 24 and 25 of the passage, Jesus tells us just how hard it is for people with riches to enter the kingdom of heaven- it's more difficult than fitting a camel through the eye of a sewing needle.
When we study this passage as Americans, we often look at it with relief, saying to ourselves, "I'm glad Jesus didn't ask me to sell everything I have!" While it's true that the 'point' of Christianity isn't necessarily that Christians live in poverty, it's also true that we are to put our faith and trust in GOD and we are to purge our lives of anything that hindering us from fully serving Him. In effect, Jesus has commanded the same of us if our riches are keeping us from the kingdom.
So how do we know if our riches are our personal stumbling block? For starters, if you're extremely relieved thinking that the command to sell everything doesn't apply to you, your riches are probably a problem. Ask yourself how you would feel if all your money and things were stolen, if all was lost, or if you gave all away. Be honest with yourself- do you trust your savings account to help you through a rainy day or God?
What's for Dinner this Wednesday is actually one of my favorite appetizers for Christmas parties (although Mrs. Grantham and I think it's great any time of the year). This holiday dip was developed by the staff at 'my' Williams Sonoma to sample the holiday pecan pumpkin butter and apple-orange cranberry relish.
Ingredients: 4 oz cream cheese (softened), 1/2 - 3/4 cup pecan pumpkin butter, apple-orange cranberry relish, or other fruity spread, 1/4 cup chopped pecans, 1/4 cup bacon bits, 1/4 cup chopped green onions.
Spread the cream cheese evenly on a serving plate. Cover the cream cheese with the fruit spread, and sprinkle the nuts, onions, and bacon over the top. Serve with crackers, pretzels, etc.
For my next reading review, I present to you "Life in the Son" by Robert Shank.
This book discusses the Biblical viewpoint on the Calvinist doctrine of perseverance of the saints (i.e. "once saved, always saved"). Shank is a former preacher who essentially studied himself out of the belief he once held in this doctrine. The introduction is written by another preacher, who, though he still teaches the doctrine of perseverance, states that this book "will stand against any attempt to refute [it] from the Scriptures, and that the passing of time can only prove [it] to be finally definitive on the long-debated theological questions of...perseverance."
In "Life in the Son," Shank examines an extensive list of 'proof' texts for the doctrine of perseverance in their full context both in local passages and in the Bible as a whole. His knowledge of the ancient Greek is monumentally helpful in clarifying the nature of certain passages. Unlike many other books of its kind, this one is very much based on "the scriptures say" instead of "I believe."
To me, one of the most interesting passages investigated is that of the parable of the sower, particularly the wording of the explanation of the second and third types of soils. I learned a lot from this book; it definitely invokes thought, and I see many more readings of it in my future.
The only negative comment that I have is that this book is not the easiest to read. It's a bit older and some of the phrasing is 'out of date.' Having said that, I would definitely recommend that anyone interested in examination of this doctrine should buy this book, both to read (at least once) and keep as a reference. And, as always, I encourage you to read with an open Bible, carefully examining the passages referred to in this work; no book should ever replace the word of God.
It's another (slow) Money Monday here on the blog; although, there are a couple of money makers out there this week:
CVS
Coldcalm, 60 ct. ($6.99) - get $6.99 back in ECBs, use $1/1 printable
Tylenol Precise Pain Patch, 3 ct. ($7.49) - get back $2 in ECBs, use $5/1 SS 2/19
Wags
Just for Men Autostop Hair Color ($6.99) - get back $3 in RR, $6.99 MIR
Dial Soap, 8 ct. ($4) - get $2 back in RR WYB 2
Hot Pockets, 2 ct. - $1.50 w/ in-ad Q
