My Church

My church isn’t perfect, (show me one that is!) but I love them, every last whiny one; they are awesome. ;) They know how to love, they know how to eat, and they take care of their own.

Yesterday, the Kelly’s had some friends round, and naturally, they invited their corps friends. It’s a great house, they have all the cool things that cool houses have, but my favourite things about that house are Zachary and Noah. They are cuter than you could ever imagine. As I was driving over to the house, I was thinking about the family, about Chip and Grandpa, Zachary and Noah. Chip and Grandpa are two men who show Christian integrity to the extreme. For the way they have lived their lives, they have caused their sons to be “marked” wee boys; marked as wee men of God. If we can inherit sin, how can we not inherit integrity? Sure, they are wee boys, they sometimes tell fibs, and sometimes lose their temper, but they’ll work through that; they are just being wee boys.

My church fusses over kids like it’s their job! I heard one of them say yesterday as others were laughing, “What’s going on? Is it cool little boy stuff?” (This was a grown “boy.”) I loved that, I loved how it came out, I loved that it validated everything about the wee boys. Sure the wee ones didn’t hear it, but what they do see is in the faces of those older than them, they see the love. They see it in the giggles, the cuddles, the smiles, the stolen sweeties shared, and the games, and even in the correction they are given.

To the Kelly’s and the Montclair Corps!

Cheers!

Haha, I sound so manipulative!

Proverbs 27:19

"As water reflects the face,
so one's heart reflects the heart."



Imagine, for everything that you ate, you had to stick the exact same to your body! (This isn't that strange a question, my mother used to wonder how hard it would be if you took apart an iceberg lettuce and then attempted to put it back together again...we bought her a jigsaw that year for Christmas!)

Most women may feel like this is exactly what happens. Imagine, that for every doughnut you ate, you had to stick another to your hips; that for every hot fudge sundae you consumed, you'd have to stick another to your back. I know we all love that back fat! (I know some exercise for that, don't do them, but I know them, LOL!)

I think it does happen, just in a different way... I found this Proverbs verse a couple of months ago; it was good to hear. When I was a wean, my mammie would tell me this story when she caught me doing something naughty. She would tell me that my heart was like a garden, and so I had to fill it with as many good plants so that no weeds could grow. If I was to leave it unattended, or put rubbish in it, I would lose control of it. I use this story all the time, it may be cheesy, but it makes sense.

As Christians, we spend our lives trying to be like Christ. We sing songs about wanting our hearts to be like the heart of Christ, we commit to getting closer to the heart of Christ, getting to know more about His heart, and here, we see that that doesn't happen without a HUGE benefit to us. I've noticed some of the kids I am around getting more and more beautiful. In their usual, fear-of-accepting-a-compliment-in-case-someone-thinks-I-am-big-headed manner, they blow it off. I really think that there is something to it. I've yet to meet a women who loves the Lord, heart and soul, who is not beautiful. I'm not talking cat walk, I'm talking gentle, humble, sincere, sensitive, all adding to the beauty of a person. I like this verse; if I'm wrong, and have totally misunderstood it, and there is some deeper meaning that the one that I am drawing, feel free to correct me. I just like it, I like that my obedience can show in areas that I have no control of; that God can bless my obedience to Him in ways that I couldn't pay the best cosmetic surgeon; ha ha, but then He is the Great Physician! What could be more beautiful than a face that reflects the heart of Christ... how hot would that person be?

Da Vinci and Disney - could they have been friends?

I haven’t blogged, (would you believe that blogged is now in the Oxford English Dictionary! I was quite impressed by that. Genius I am!) in a wee while; not since coming back from the Motherland! Ha ha. Still painfully recovering from jet lag; Scotland is only 5 hours in front of New Jersey, but wow, it’s taken its toll on me.

Yesterday on my way to work, I called browneyedgirl, (my sister/mentor/pastor,) as her husband Al, (not a blogger, technically knowledgeable male, who loves gadgets and gizmos, but has the most incredible work ethic that he wouldn’t waste his time writing a blog for fun, he’d rather make a spreadsheet! Ha ha, love him!) is in England with his big sister. So while, running a corps, a house, I thought I’d be helpful and watch her “weans,” as soon as I used all the energy I had left for the day, I crashed! I was so far from helpful to the kids, they put themselves to bed.

Heather said, “What’s wrong with you? You are no fun today!” I was supposed to be playing Trivial Pursuit Disney, and was supposed to be whooping their bottoms, but I was laid out on the couch, only opening my eyes to play referee, and sometimes I didn’t even open them to do that, I just yelled from the couch, and lost the game!

Carole came home, and I was out. She had gone to see the Da Vinci Code. I have just finished reading it; it messed with my head. You ever read something, and have a feeling that there is something very sinister about it? I’m not talking head knowledge; I knew going into it that I had to view it as a pretty wee story, that some of it would insult my own faith; but throughout the book, I ended up praying protection over myself. I felt the same when I visited Salem, Mass. I did not have the knowledge or experience to know that I could take control of the situation, (thank Heavens for the wee things He teaches us, Amen! Seriously, He’s rockin’!) but I knew that there was something bigger than me. (I am not trying to demonize the Da Vinci Code, its author, or Salem Mass. I am just highlighting that for me, they were object and places that challenged my own faith, made me feel awkward in my own skin.)

Carole Jeanne and I got to talking, not like us; we are very quiet, un-opinionated women. ;) The Da Vinci Code is very thorough when it takes apart what we believe about Christ. Some of it, I am just not clever enough to even attempt to disprove. I leave that to smart people with the surnames Rader, Forster, Bussey and Ashcraft. I know He’s King, and while my certainty is not something that I would be able to articulate to convince the masses, “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.”

And yes, I did use scripture that is reputedly fallible, (so are the people who are proposing the arguments!) You know what, if all of it is true, all of what they charge Christ with is true, I’m okay with that. I don’t know anyone who could do for me what Christ has done for me; if there is anyone, they never offered…

More Pictures...

So we are home. The New Jersey Youth Band trip is over for this year. It was braw! For more pictures click on my blogger!






















The house that George Scott Railton was born into! A wee bit of Army trivia for you!

Day Two - Freak Weather For Scotland; First Full Day without Rain for a Century

So I just previewed this, I hope you can make sense of the pictures and the comments, (all of you being Carole Jeanne and Fiona!)
Enjoy... these are precious moments in the history of Scotland. Just like pounding the english at Murrayfield; one day that may happen again; I only hope I live to see it...

Christine and Mark in action... wow...

You ever seen a 6"6 football player try and play a set of bagpipes made for a 3 year old? Really? The class ring must have had something to do with it, right? As part of our CD sales, Mark and Christine are tag teaming, hilarious...my words will not do it justice, we shall need a encore at the Corps during fellowship... oh my goodness!!!

I have no words Kathryn Rose

Brandon and Jason on the Gorgie Road

The gardens of Gorgie Road Park, bonnie init!

Katie, Mhairi and Joanna boom de ae!

So, after our delicious tea of Chinese carryout; we decided to take a wee donner, (walk, for all you english speaking sorts,) to the park. As we walk into the park, we notice to the east of us, is a small group of locals playing a game of football; (soccer.) Quickly, the natives noticed that we were all dressed alike, and called to us, "Ur you's fae New Jersey?" "Why yes," was our reply, " we are just taking our evening stroll to refresh our tired limbs before we sit down again to play a concert of magnificent brass-ness."
"Ocht aye," says the natives, " ye want to plae a gam' a' fitba?"
"No," I said, "for these people you see before your eyes, are not normal, they are American, they do not understand the intricacies of the magnificent game of Fitba!" At that, Major Alastair Bate rips of his jacket, and says, " I may look old, but don't let the gray hair fool you! I can still tear up a pitch as if I was Maridonna himself!"
Chip, not to be shown up, says, "Aye, what he said!"
Al and Chip were pummelled, 87-0; fair play to them, even with a broken collar bone, Al played on! (Osteoporosis is very common nowadays in people over 40.)

In the newsagent, Lindsay found 4 Chickenburgers in a can! Can you say, "Ritual fast?"

And by accident we brought Natasha Bate instead of Al...oopsie!

You classy boy...

Sound checking at Gorgie

Oh Miss Christine, the world is not ready for you!

Jo setting the DC straight!


Ever dramatic Pinsy!

I have Caryn's permission to publish this picture! Honest!


Cheryl, this one is for you! Your boy is well, even though he hadn't called you yet! Don't worry, I gave him a hard time about it! My mammie thinks he is a lovely wee boy; he bought a Scotland sweater and he came and showed her and asked her what she thought; she just thought he was lovely, and the sweater was nice too. He keeps asking about the haggis, but we haven't caught one yet! I'll get him to call.