Discretion

Praise the Lord, undergraduate studies done! :) What has been a long journey; from 'really-knowing-what-to-do' out of high school, to 'maybe-not-so-much-after-all', to 'why-do-these-things-smell-so-bad?' lol. But God has been there through it all. What am I saying.. He's been there all the days of my life.

I really do not know how to thank Him.. where to start? The fact that He's always provided for me financially through my parents, how He's always provided me with housing. Oh how He loves you and me. Reading from Jude and Proverbs this morning.

"Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James..." Jude 1

A little background: (if I can explain this correctly...) James=half-brother of Jesus. That makes Jude a half-brother of Jesus. Oh, the humility that's being shown here...

"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."

"Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."

Jude 20, 21, 24,25

Jude's way of walking with Lord seems simple enough: Keep ourselves in the love of God, continue to ask for mercy, and know that He is able to keep us from falling. Let not that great deceiver, that roaring lion, convince you otherwise.

"He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of His saints."

Proverbs 2:8

"When wisdom enters into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speak froward things; Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness."

Proverbs 2:10-13

Vain

Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.

In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for He grants sleep to those he loves.

Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.

Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

~Psalms 127

In The Morning

Do not be Proud

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

~Romans 12:14-16 NIV

He Inclined unto Me

Today's 4th of July. Such a hot & humid day. Earlier I got kind of bored, so I went for a drive to a local 'outdoor mall' to see which stores were open today. As I stepped out of the house, a rush of warm air greeted me, phew!

It was a couple of hours before sunset when I decided to have my little run. Still very much humid out, although now it's showing a little overcast. I wondered what it would take to run 2 miles around these suburb streets. So I went to my car, set the odometer to zero, and off i went to simulate my run (so left on Bel Air and right on 69th then head back=2.2 mi :)

On the way back, just on the last long stretch of road heading back home, water droplets were showing up on my windshield; even more a minute later. "So what can I do right? At least now I know my route." ^^

It's amazing how much cooler it got. I mean it didn't suddenly get chilly or anything, but the rain was so refreshing. I decided to grab my camera and just sit in the front porch and enjoy the rain. In that moment, I asked God, that when He gives me a wife one day, I hope she'd be one who would also enjoy hearing rain drops after a long hot & humid day.

"It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife." Proverbs 21:9

"It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman." verse 19

"House and riches are the inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD." Proverbs 19:14

Man, the attic on a hot day can get really really hot. hahha.

"I waited patiently for the LORD;

And He inclined unto me,

And heard my cry.

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,

Out of the miry clay,

And set my foot upon a rock,

And established my steps.

Many, O LORD my God,

are Your wonderful works

Which You have done;

And Your thoughts toward us

Cannot be recounted to You in order;

If I would declare and speak of them,

They are more than can be numbered."

Psalms 40:1,2,5

Listening to this skillful guitar player while sorting out the pictures...

Mr. Rafael Scarfullery