Thursday, March 03, 2005

Rolls, Roles, and the McDonald's Drive-Thru

I've been obsessing at work lately about the fact that people don't know the difference between rolls and roles. One resume I read stated "[employee] holds many leadership rolls," while another coworker jotted me a note asking me to get two roles of stamps. I'm sure it's just absentmindedness, but I'm still obsessing. And lead and led. That's another word pair that some people just can't grasp.

Guess who I saw in the McDonalds drive-thr(o)u(gh) tonight??! My friend Heather!! She is so fun. I didn't get a chance to eat before our childbirth ed class tonight (more about that another time - it's late and I'm tired, but it was good!) so I stopped by McDs on the way home. As I pulled around to the order box thingy, I noticed the car in front of me looked like hers. The Operation Christmas Child and West Virginia University stickers in the back window confirmed my suspicions. She is such a doll. :)

Please pray for Heather's father-in-law, Joe. He is in what is most likely the final stages of cancer. Heather shared at Bible study on Tuesday that the cancer has spread throughout his body to other organs. Mr. Throckmorton does not want treatments and simply wants to go home. John (Heather's husband) is taking it well, Heather says. The elder Throckmortons live in Morgantown, WV, as do Heather's parents; Morgantown is about 3.0 hours from here (it's where Ryan was taken after his accident) and so it is do-able for trips to see them, but I'm sure that has to be a lot for Heather. She works more than full-time as the director of programs and a zillion other things at Trinity (where I taught) and so please pray for the Throckmortons, Joe's health, peace for the family, and strength for Heather.

Our Bible study is Believing God by Beth Moore and it is SO good. This past week we discussed that we are who God says we are. Joshua 1:5-9 has stuck in my mind the last few days, maybe because I'm such a chicken. Here is what Scripture says:

"No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Heather shared some verses that a friend of her mom treasured when the friend was diagnosed with cancer. I know I have read these verses before, but they struck me in a new way this week. It's 2 Corinthians 5:1-10:

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

I especially love verse 5: "Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." That is so awesome! I love the deposit idea - like a deposit on an apartment or something. A wonderful deposit for something even more wonderful to come. I love it. :)

Okay. Bedtime.

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