Closing Down Shop

...And re-opening over here. C'mon over, the water feels great!

Fullness

And from His fullness we have all received. John 1:16

• Fullness of essential Deity - Colossians 2:9
• Fullness of atoning efficacy in His blood - 1 John 1:7
• Fullness of justifying righteousness in His life - Romans 8:1
• Fullness of divine prevalence in His plea - Hebrews 7:25
• Fullness of efficacy in His resurrection from the dead - 1 Peter 1:3
• Fullness of triumph in His ascension - Ephesians 4:8
• Fullness of blessings
• ~fullness of grace to pardon
• ~fullness of grace to regenerate
• ~fullness of grace to sanctify
• ~fullness of grace to preserve
• ~fullness of grace to perfect
• Fullness at all times
• ~of comfort in affliction
• ~of guidance in prosperity
• Fullness of every divine attribute - Colossians 1:19
• ~of wisdom
• ~of power
• ~of love

Fullness: impossible to survey

From Minneapolis to El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río de Porciúncula

Living Quarters - Two days after moving to California, I found a beautiful place to live with a wonderful family in North Hills (on the border of Northridge). I live in a lovely blue Colonial house with a mom and dad; their 16-year-old son (I finally get to "try out" that brother I've always wanted); and their dog, Champ. Currently there is work being done in the backyard as they are putting in a pool, hot tub, and grotto. Should be done by Christmas!

Job - It took me a little longer to find work. But three weeks ago, OfficeTeam placed me in a Temp-to-Hire position at a Jewish High School. I'm the Front Receptionist in the office where my main job description is multi-tasking! But what a neat environment. I'm also learning / teaching myself Hebrew and currently working on learning the alphabet. (Thankfully, I have many resources to assist me...many teachers at the school are fluent.)

Seasons...? - While Minnesota has two seasons (Winter & Construction), California has two seasons as well. Summer & Summerer. A week after arriving here, it reached highs of 117. At night, we found relief when it cooled down to somewhere in the range of 89-91 degrees F. It's now mid-90-ish during the day, but cools down to about 70-ish at night.

A month ago, when I walked into a Starbucks and found they were promoting their seasonal Pumpkin Spice Latte, I smirked thinking, they totally put their Fall drink out waaaay too early. It's nowhere near Autumn yet. Oh, wait!... It still feels like the middle of summer here! Not only that, but ridiculous of all ridiculous, stores have had Christmas decorations up for three weeks now! It's just so wrong in 90-degree weather.

Church - Now attending Grace Community Church, home of John MacArthur, I am adjusting to a new "church schedule" (Sunday morning services, Sunday School, Sunday Evening services, and Wednesday night services - all with different messages), as well as trying to get plugged in with a new church group, Hillside, my Bible Study within Crossroads, the Young Adults Ministry at Grace. I'm also starting to remember Bethlehem as the "little" church I used to attend, as Grace is about 9,000-strong. It's wonderful to sit under the teaching of Pastor John, No. 2. And Rick Holland is a fantastic College Pastor; I appreciate his teaching so much! (I miss Pastor John [Piper] terribly.)

Language Barrier - There are two, actually. Being Minnesooooootan, I talk a particular way...and, like, totally not like I'm from, like, the West Coast, or anything! Yeah, duh! No one seems to process the word 'pop.' They all cock their heads to the side and give me a wary look until I realize that I am, in fact, having 'soda.' (I will not convert to saying soda. It is pop and always will be.)

The other is far more prominent due to the overwhelming population of zero-English-speaking-Mexicans who somehow landed a job that services the public. Consider the following conversation:
Armchair: Hi, I'd like to find out how much a man's haircut costs.
Lady: Y'u wan' haircut?
A: No, I'd like to know how much one costs.
L: Ok. Haircut?
A: No, how much?
L: One o'clock haircut, ok?

Gym - After frequenting World Gym for about a month with Armchair, it has become a favorite activity several days a week. My most recent accomplishment was 4 pie (360 lbs.) on seated leg press. YEAH BUDDY!

Appearance - The aim of this paragraph is to announce the new addition to my face: a pierced nose!

Any more updates? - I'm sure there's much more to share, but that's all for tonight. Hope that catches many up on where I've been the last...several...days.

Titus 2:11-14

-Why must I renounce ungodliness and worldly passions?
Because of my blessed hope of the appearing of the glory of my great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

[-What significance does He have?
He gave Himself for me in order to redeem me from all lawlessness and to purify me--to be zealous for good works--for Himself for his own possession.]

-And to what end do I repudiate ungodliness and worldly passions?
To live with self-control, uprightness, and godliness in the present age.

-How am I able to do this?
By the grace of God which was effectual to bring me salvation.

There's a rainbow in all of us

This is certainly a different take on the whole "Noah story" than I've ever heard. Not realizing it was about planet-care, I had always thought it was an account of how God destroyed the wicked on the earth, displaying God's holiness and intolerance of evil, and then it being a display of God's faithfulness that He keeps covenant and keeps for Himself a remnant. Meh, my mistake. I guess it's actually a story to teach us about caring for the earth and "building a better world."

Tid bit from the Robb Report

It doesn't get more superlative than this. One of the most elite, limited-edition cell phones made by GoldVish Illusion, Le Million Piece Unique, is composed of at least 150 grams of 18-karat gold and covered with 1,800 diamonds. The price tag for this little charmer comes in at a swanky $1.26 million.

Adds new meaning to the phrase, "Dang, I lost my phone!"

Who let that thought in?!

As I was here at work, singing under my breath O, Church Arise by the Getty's, while performing one of the mundane tasks associated with my job, I thought happily to myself, I like my job.

What?! My face dropped in surprise, and I almost laughed out loud. Where did that come from?

Astonishing! I just had to document this day. When God comes in, changes a heart, renews a mind through the truth of Scripture, and adjusts an attitude...there is no doubting that it was Him that brought about such a change.

Teach me, my God and King, in all things Thee to see;

And what I do in anything to do it as to Thee.

All may of Thee partake, nothing can be so mean,

Which with this tincture, for Thy sake, will not grow bright and clean.

A servant with the clause makes drudgery divine;

Who sweeps a room, as for Thy laws, makes that and the action fine.