bits and pieces
of my paper on Jeremiah:

the Hebrew word of shub. This word relates to repentance in a covenantal way as well as practically. It means to “arrive again at the initial point of departure”, or indicates a change of loyalty. In other words, the people needed to make a full commitment, nothing half-hearted or compromising. The requirements for a right relationship with God were very clear and straightforward: He wanted the right relationship between them as before.

Repentance is still a very hard thing for people to do. It means giving up something comfortable and familiar because it hinders a relationship with God. Repentance suggests a confession that we are wrong about something. We like to think we have it all figure out; it’s all under control.

Repentance is often half-hearted. We are willing to admit that some things are wrong, but others we would like to keep for ourselves. We hope for a compromise in order to stay comfortable, but that is not what God desires. God desires shub. To restore the relationship that once was, we must repent whole-heartedly

So often the focus is the effects of a disloyal heart – what the consequences will be for failing. What about the truly repentant heart? Is it simply a mystery that is revealed in an epiphany once we repent?

God provided a remnant for his covenant promise. There is a promise to hold on to despite the destruction of Israel. This was a bad day in the history of the Israelites. They were destroyed and led into exile by the Babylonians. But we have a hope because we believe. Here is hope to hang on to during your bad days: that because of God’s great love we are not consumed. The Hebrew word Hesed means God’s covenant love. It is God’s distinct choosing of a people and promising that he will never let them go.

Hesed also means covenant loyalty. It’s the same kind of loyalty God desires for us to return. Hesed is the love that remembers what was promised at the beginning, and calls us back toward that way of living. It is the love of the Father: the love that says He would rather send His Son to die than ever live without them. It is the love that says, “I will not let go, I promise”.

God wraps his arms around us in covenant love, even on the bad days, and especially in the bad days. God doesn’t promise to hold us above the pain, but does let me know that in the midst of what’s going on I’m being held. The promise of being held is a hard lesson to learn on a bad day.

Lamentations 3:22 says, “The LORD'S loving kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail"

an open bottle and a blank page

i decided i would try the "free wine" that matt and dan picked up when they were booze cruizin. it still sucks. it ended up down the drain.

recently, the blank page has been filling with song lyrics (or simply put, poems that don't really rhyme). it's refreshing to finally be able to write down some meaningful lyrics. hopefully i can find the music for them now.

to study is to knowingly abuse oneself. i know, because i am trying to do that very thing. and while the open bottle and blank page didn't help any either, i think it's a general case of procrastination at this point.

i couldn't be more thankful for jana. she is wonderful, she really is. we had a great time bowling tonight, being crazy and dancing in our bowling shoes. we didn't even care, and that was the beauty of it. we didn't care.

enjoy the delicious moments of life. savor the flavor... just don't talk with your mouth full.

take 3.

elaborate blog post - abandoned
mental capacity at this time - low

just think of someone you know and care about, right now. got someone? good.
now look up their phone number.
dial the number, ask how they are doing - really doing
tell them one reason why you appreciate them, and ask how you can pray for them.
you might just make their day... with five minutes of your time.

love wins folks. it's simple.

love has got to be one of the greatest experiences of anyone's life. to fall in love and the world stops. suddenly the past, the future, they don't matter anymore - only the present. it's like golden waves crashing down all around, leaving you with an almost helpless feeling, but it's all good. my moment - every day since that first day in math class when i asked her for her calculator.

i think the love i am able to share with my wife helps me to understand the love i have for God even more. we share an "i will not let you go" love - hesed. it is a covenantal love that promises unconditional love. mmm, those three little Hebrew letters pack a punch.

and the fact that love can also cause pain contributes to it's greatness. love has great power over us, even if we fail to admit it. the fine print at the bottom of the page says there will be pain with this love, but it helps us to grow. the fine print doesn't seem very important in the moment, but it's real.

love and some verses - love cannot stand alone. it is accompanied other hosts of greatness. that's what makes it so tricky, but it's also half the fun. live it, experience it. it's a trip.

i have always been interested in songs like lullabies. i couldn't tell you why, but i have. even throughout the years of loving hard rock and such, lullabies have always been appealing.

perhaps it is their calming nature. they are written to help us settle down, calm, relax. in this crazy, hectic world sometimes that is just what we need. a sweet melody and a soothing voice to tell us everything is going to be ok.

i recently learned where the term lullaby came from. there is a theory that suggests eve was not adam's first wife. it suggests that a woman named lillith was adam's first wife (because of the two creation accounts in genesis). lillith was unhappy with adam because she felt like she was being dominated (the first femanist?). she left adam, promising to curse his children and haunt children in their sleep forever.
parents who believed that lillith was haunting their children's dreams would sing comforting and soothing songs to them, often boding goodbye to lillith through song - "lulla bye"

personally, i believe that this suggestion is inaccurate and quite silly, but i like to know where things came from and how we got to where we are today.

matt vander ark, a good buddy of mine from dordt came to visit us for thanksgiving. it was wonderful and refreshing! we had duck, we drank beer, we ate a lot, and we enjoyed each other's company. thanks friend!

to the rest of our friends back at dordt - we miss you, and we can't wait to see y'all in a few.

last night i went to a rosie thomas concert. it was spectacular. sheila saputo made a guest appearance, and josh caress opened for her. the music was absolutely amazing. rosie makes aprons too, and i was going to get one, but they were all pretty girly.

my friend brian from school went with me. we went out to get a beer after the show, at this place in downtown GR. it was a cool little place, and the beer was awesome! new holland lucid microbrew - mmmm, delicious.

i'm off to see another concert put on by the gospel choir at calvin today. jana sings in the choir, and it's always a treat to go watch her sing. but before that, i must clean! onward and forward.

I changed the title of my blog to "love and some verses". This reflects the title of a song written by Iron & Wine, of the mellow folk genre.

My previous title was "anywhere but iowa...", and while that reflected my sentiments toward my home state in the not so distant past, I have now realized that iowa, though stinky and closed minded sometimes, is really not all that bad a place.

it's getting colder outside, but the colors are beautiful. every autumn i seem to be more and more amazed at the artistry of God. He paints a new picture every year, with a seemingly brighter, more vibrant palette of colors.

Sam Gutierrez came to visit yesterday, and we had a wonderful time. we made steak and talked about the places were God leads. it's always nice to see friends.

I always thought playing rugby would kill me, but I enjoyed it so much. thanks to the youth group, i have another favorite sport to play.

long time since i posted... anywhere...

live and love friends, live and love.

i wish i had something profound to say.

shalom