boston commoner.
welcome home

2/1/2005

16,801.5 Days and Counting

Filed under: — jen d @ 10:17 am

Psalm 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

In CREATIVE COUNTERPART, a book mentioned in my last post, the author shares a story about a woman who decided to count up the number of days she’d have left on the earth if she were to live to be 70. Today I’m officially 24 years old, and I decided to try the excersize in honor of the event. Forty-six years sounds like a lot more than a mere 16,801.5 days, doesn’t it? Especially since – as we’ve been so potently reminded by recent world events – there’s no guarantee of having them! And, this time last year, I had over 17,000 days… In another 20 years, there won’t even be 10,000 days left in the countdown. It’s a somewhat sobering thought. (more…)

1/27/2005

Rubies

Filed under: — jen d @ 4:26 pm

The other day I was sitting in a Border’s Cafe in New Hampshire with my pastor’s son, Dave, waiting for his sister to get back from a school ski trip so we could head back to Boston. I’d visited their school’s Christian bookstore that day looking for a copy of DISCIPLINES OF A GODLY WOMAN by (I think) Barbara Hughes. I’ve heard good things about that book recently, and thought I’d give it a read. Unfortunately they didn’t have it; they did, however, have a large selection of similar books, and I bought three: A WOMAN’S HIGH CALLING, by Elizabeth George; CREATIVE COUNTERPART, by Linda Dillow; and WOMEN’S MINISTRY HANDBOOK, edited by Carol Porter and Mike Hamel. At the cafe, I started leafing through the books and checking out the chapter headings. I laughed at one point when I mistook a title about loving one’s husband for leaving one’s husband, and told Dave. He laughed too, but then raised his eyebrows and said, “Getting a little ahead of yourself there, aren’t you?”

I guess. (more…)

1/19/2005

I Didn’t Miss a Thing

Filed under: — jen d @ 11:25 am

What I’m about to tell you is scarcely intended to boast of anything. I say and do enough stupid things in a week to know that I am not an unusually bright or intelligent person (note: I’m not begging compliments, either). But, for reasons yet unknown, I graduated second in my class at my public high school, received a book award from Brown University, and all in all had at least a decent shot of getting into one of these high-brow north-eastern institutions of supposedly higher learning. I didn’t go. I’m not saying it would have made me a heathen if I had opted to go; nor am I denegrating by any means people who opt to attend secular universities. In fact, a Christian who is strong in both faith and intellect might do a world of good at a secular, liberal university. Think, “Salt” and “Light.” Someone firmly grounded in Scripture and properly motivated by the love of the gospel message will certainly face some difficulty and opposition in a very leftist academic environment, but will probably come out the other end with even more faith and understanding, not to mention a prestigious degree which he in turn can use to further glorify the Lord. (more…)

1/7/2005

TSUNAMI RELIEF

Filed under: — jen d @ 4:15 pm

My Pastor’s mission recently sent out this note in response to those wishing to donate relief to tsunami victims through a reliable agency. I thought I’d share the opportunity with you:

To the Baptist Mid-Missions Mission family and supporters:

The following information is concerning the needs in Asia due to the recent tsunami disaster. We have received numerous inquiries about our intended response. This is an official and urgent communication that we ask you to forward to your supporters and churches. (more…)

12/29/2004

Quake

Filed under: — jen d @ 12:34 pm

What does one say to the idea–no, to the fact–of 50,000* dead in a moment? When one’s own biggest grief lately has been when to find the time to make holiday returns? Or how to squeeze in an extra half-hour of sleep in the morning? Or the fact that Starbucks has yet to install a drive-through along Route 9 to facilitate the morning commute?

I sicken myself. In my holiday “stress” (please), I hadn’t taken the time to stay abreast of world events. I was late to church Sunday morning, and caught the tail-end of my Pastor’s reminder that, as we closed our first portion of worship with prayer, we ought to pray for this situation in which “these thousands have died.” What thousands? I wondered. I assumed the calamity was Iraq-related. Another offensive. A rebel attack gone awry. Another mistake. “The greatest natural disaster of the millenium” hadn’t crossed my mind. I felt a slight pang of tragedy and prayed quickly and silently for people I didn’t know so as to get back to work preparing the bulletins… (more…)

Powered by WordPress