Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Oh where has September gone??

Wow, the end of September already....what the heck?!

Since the month decided to get away from me and haven't updated my blog, here's a recap of my September in a nutshell... I'm back to work at the same community college, interpreting and walking around the hot campus (thank goodness its finally cooling down now, lets hope it stays like this!). I went to the Big Island of Hawaii with my folks over the week of Labor Day and LOVED every second of the Aloha environment, warm water and balmy air. It was an awesome time having my body be restored away from the fires in LA and rest, my lungs and soul were grateful (yes, I will post some pics :). Followed that with some sweet surfing time here in Cali before the warm water goes away and ending it with last weekend in Denver, Colorado for a quick 36 hour trip to celebrate with college friends for the wedding of a dear friend, Eddie Kim (congrats, Eddie!!).

Whew! What a month huh? Overall coming off summer its been hard to adjust back to life at work and in the normal routine. I had such an incredible summer with all that happened with Pipeline to a Cure, going to North Carolina and spending sweet time with friends. It feels weird to be back into a fall routine, but I am grateful to have a job and to be back in the swing of things now. Hope your fall has started out well, dear blog readers :)
~Em

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Standing Firm

1 Corinthians 15:50-58
I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory.""Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

I don't 'preach' very often on this blog, but all that I do and share here is rooted in God whether I talk about it or not. This sermon about heaven and eternity really hit me so hard, I had to share. I have been thinking about these verses all week- about the promise of NEW life, a new body and an eternity in complete peace with God--just as we were intended to be. We will have perfect bodies, no pain, no struggle. Thank you, Lord, that you have overcome death so that we don't have to suffer any longer. I am encouraged to keep pressing on, standing firm, and trusting in the hope given through the Lord.
~Em