Tuesday, January 26, 2010

My Brain Hurts

I feel like my brain was to explode with all the stuff that is on my mind right now!! Last night Schramm and I went to the gym for some hot-tub-sitting and lap-swimming. It was really fun and relaxing. Lindsay told me to pray for a different person each lap that I swim. Time really flew once I started chatting to God. There are lots of people to be praying for...





In the hottub, we talked about how great her DL class was and about biblical submission between husband and wife. There are very mixed feelings from women about "submission." It's a scary word - and not natural, especially since the woman's rights movement and with high divorce rates, children are used to the mother running the home. And let's be honest, there are few men in this world who "are worthy of submission." KV and Brian Loritz put it pretty well, however, "If your man is under the submission of God, no woman is going to have a problem submitting with that man." Which is so true! I like to use the umbrella example:












Ok, I'm the small person on the far right. PJ is next to me holding a holey umbrella. God is the big guy on the left holding the giant, hole-free umbrella. Ephesians tells wives to submit to their husbands and husbands to Christ. I submit to PJ, who is holding an umbrella that has holes in it because he is a sinner saved by grace - not perfect. If PJ is submitting to Christ, who is perfect, holy, and set-apart, we ain't getting wet when the storms fall... It's actually a pretty perfect system - very orderly. But for women who are not married to men who submit to Christ... submission is difficult and scary, however still a command.... Life isn't easy or fair and no one said it would be.
Also, Shantell and I are memorizing James, which is so much fun. We worked on Philippians last year, and it is such a blessing! God speaks really beautifully through the Word and memorizing it really does something unexplainably wonderful to my soul. It's the best way for me to be in the Word. I'm a very task-oriented and like having measurable goals. Sitting down and reading is very difficult for me because I feel like I'm not "doing anything." Which is totally a lie from the pit of hell, but I've found something that really encourages me to dig deep and meet with God. I've got the first 16 verses pretty good and can't wait to keep going!!
Lastly, my heart was fulfilled a bit yesterday when teaching one of my students math. It came to my mind that I may pursue my teaching degree and teach math to children - it's so fun. Being praying for me about that one...
Mrs. Scalf

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Haiti

The earthquake is really sad. But I can't help but think a few things about it....

How powerful is our God? It's his earth and he can do what he wants, and he sent a ginormous earthquake to hit an Island. I mean, an earthquake.... that's so cool.

How fragile is life? In the matter of seconds, 200,000 people were wiped out. Completely out of control of any human being. I was made aware of a family that STREETS is familiar with who experienced the fragile-ness of life. The father was driving and fell asleep at the wheel; they hit an 18-wheeler. The mother died instantly, the father is in intensive care on life support, the son broke both of his hips, and the 2 daughters are okay. Can you imagine how different their lives all become now? Life is fragile.

How sweet would it be if this Haiti earthquake is a birthpain? Look at Matthew 24:4-8 -

Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains."

I love life, and it is good. But because I know that "my citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ," I'm ready to go home and be with my Lord. So the idea of birthpains kind of excites me.

The idea of birthpains kind of scares me. I know that I am going to be held accountable of what I have been entrusted with (the gospel) and that God expects that interest has been made (i.e. I've made disciples. See Luke 19:11-26). I'm pretty confident that I'm the servant who laid it away in a cloth so that it would be safe... I'm the wicked servant. So these birthpains should make me do something... Let me explain the parable of the ten minas (one of my all time favorite parables)

"A man of noble birth" - Christ

"Servants" - followers of Christ, disciples.

"Subjects" - nonbelievers, people of the world

(I LOVE verse 15. Jesus states that the people didn't want him to be king, but the following verse basically says... I'm king anyways, sorry. hahah I LOVE IT!)

"Money" - the good news

Look at verse 15... "Then he sent for the servants (believers) to whom he had given the money (gospel), in order TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY HAD GAINED WITH IT."

Keep reading....

The first servant took what he was given, and earned 10 more. Then he was rewarded with ten cities. The next servant took what he was given, and earned 5 more. He was rewarded with 5 cities. The last servant didn't earn anything and his mina was given to the servants who had earned interest... and he is called wicked. Then he kills all the subjects in front of him....

I don't know about you, but I really want to be the good and faithful servant who took what I was given, and "earned 10 more." I've got some serious disciples to make...

It's interesting to notice that from this parable, Jesus talks as if what we do on earth is directly proportional to our rewards in heaven. So much work to do.. "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few..."

I love our children!!!

-Mrs. Scalf

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Apt #1

It's been nearly one entire month since I've last blogged. Shame on me.



Christmas was wonderful. The mister and I began our celebration by a little thing I like to call Sticky Buns... Check these bad boys out:




We heated up the first batch, ate a few, and then ripped open our Wii, Punch Out, Mario Kart, and other sorts of gifts from our families (thank you!). Next we grabbed the laptop and headed to the Starbucks parking lot to Skype. This was quite the humorous experience... my family all sounded like chip munks.

Next we made a breakfast with Craig, Claire, Bear, the Jones Family, and the Detamores. More sticky buns, eggs, sausage, OJ, coffee, hot chocolate, ect. YUMMY!!!

Settlers of Catan was next. Wow...PJ won and it took 2 hours (at least!)

Dinner was FABULOUS! Lamb, Cider Ham, Garlic mashed potatos, Fresh Salad, Green Beans, Rolls, Pumpkin Pie, Christmas Punch.... DELICIOUS! Thanks to the Jones help :D

Good sleep, good times, wake up on Saturday and MOVE!! The week was followed by sorting junk, HOURS AT MLGW (kill me now), and cleaning. There is a spare bedroom so please come for a visit! Our new place has a fireplace, which PJ is loving. We've only set off the fire alarm once! Look at this blaze we've got going on!!



Until next time...

Mrs. Scalf