honey vanilla white tea. same cup.

Jeremy's little brother, Zak, came back from Virginia this weekend where he works and is planning on going to school. It was great to see him, and was an excuse for the family to get together today after church. We all had lunch together and hung out, enjoying each others' company.
At one point, during the Inter Milan vs. AC Milan derby match on TV, all the Foreman brothers were sitting right next to each other on the couch. Here's a photo I took of them--I love how much they all look so different, but when they're all together there's not questioning their blood relation. The photo captures all of their personalities too, I love it.


The message this morning at church was one of the best I've heard in a while. We've been going to iSight, and the speaker was actually a guest speaker. His message was about how we, as Christians--as did the Sanhedrin of the Jewish church, tend to put God in a box. We him there to keep ourselves comfortable, and our mindset is such as if we pray, tithe, read the Bible, etc. God's owes us his mercy and grace. The first century Jewish church thought that as long as they kept the law, and the temple covenant, God would bless them. We have a horrible habit of thinking that we deserve something by the "good works" we do. The truth is, we deserve nothing, and God, in his great mercy and grace, gave us a means back into his blessing. Jesus didn't just come to give us free us from the bondage of sin, but also to be a mediator between the Almighty God, and the people who continue, time after time, to turn their backs on him, in order for them to have a chance to see God's grace. It is important to keep in mind that nothing we can do by ourselves is good enough to win the blessing and favor of God. In that humble attitude only can we grasp the immense joy and favor that we have been given through Jesus Christ, and only him. We need to stop putting God in a box, and allow him back into our everyday lives and let him use us to fulfill his glorious plan.
Acts 7 is the story of Stephen's speech to the Sanhedrin, I encourage you to read it and allow yourselves to see the truth in his words, and remember that while Stephen may have been addressing the Sadducees and Pharisees, we commit the same crime today. Search your heart, let go, and let God use you in the way he chooses. Take him back out of the box, and step outside of your own.

Until the next steeping,

Caitlin