The Rev

Dan did it! He passed ordination. He will have the official ceremony in Boston after we move, but you can still call him "The Rev Rogers", in the meantime. Of course, "Pastor Dan" works as well, or for those of you who go way back, he still answers to "Disco".

Thank you for all your prayers for Dan and our family. We know we have been lifted up.

Graced Again

“This life therefore is not righteousness, but growth in righteousness; not health, but healing; not being but becoming; not rest but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it. The process is not yet finished, but it is going on. This is not the end, but it is the road. All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified.” Martin Luther, “Defense and Explanation of All the Articles”

We have found an incredible web page. Check it out and sign up at: http://www.gracedagain.com.

Cheers

Where everybody knows your name.

We are headed to Boston tomorrow for Dan to go before the floor of Presbytery and be examined orally. This is the last step for ordination in the PCA. It has been a long road-Dan started seminary in 2000. That would be 8 years, 2 children, 5 moves, 4 pets, 8 puppies, 9 cars, same wife ago. We are so thankful for all of you that have faithfully been our friends and tracked with us through the years. Cheers to you!

pride

I'm learning that pride leads to not only arrogance, but also autonomy, independence, secrets, hiding, idolatry...to name a few things. The opposite is brokenness, dependency, humility, but then also community and love for one another. Sharing our brokenness and sin with one another leads to people's hearts being bound to one another.

Our only equipping comes from Him. When WE are weak, HE is strong.

Comedy Relief in Election Year

funny princesses

We were tickled by this. The little one LOVES princesses. Here they are in true form.

Homeschool Family

We have reached the height of homeschooling as we attended and participated in a "Silverware" Dance (as our 3 year old calls it). One of the children (not ours) said, "Is this the war we lost?"

It is good to be weary and frustrated with the fruitless search for the good, so that one can reach out one's arms instead to the Redeemer. -- Blaise Pascal

saying goodbye

The time is quickly approaching for us to move from Athens. Emotionally, we have the feeling, "been there, done that, don't want to feel that again". Moving is very hard-not the logistics (although that is no trip to the park), but the ripping of our hearts away from those we love. Our whole family has very significant relationships in Athens. This is the 3rd time we have lived here and our history is rich with our dear friends. The pain of leaving is also a reminder of the past pain of leaving other people we love as well.

Sara Groves has written a song called, "Every Minute" which is a sweet, sweet song about friendship. So, to all of you...

And I wish all the people I love the most
Could gather in one place
And know each other and love each other well
And I wish we could all go camping
And lay beneath the stars
And have nothing to do and stories to tell
We'd sit around the campfire
And we'd make each other laugh remembering when

disco

Pre-teens and disco. What a fun combination. Our oldest child is almost a teenager as we celebrated her 12th birthday. Her sweet friends sang, "We are Family" and "Ladies Night". Not to be outdone, her brothers did a rousing rendition of "Macho Man" and "Shake your Groove Thang."

We are praying for specific things for her as she is in this stage of life. Several of them proved to be true as we "danced the night away". Please join us in praying for our children.
1) Bring godly friends into her life.
2) She won't forget how to laugh.
3) God will bring other godly adults into her life.
4) She will develop a loving and caring relationship with her siblings.

We are thankful for the many people from all over the world who have invested in our children . We are blessed.

Athens to Athens

Boston has been called "the Athens of America." Like Athens, the capital of ancient Greece, and Athens, the greatest city in Georgia, it's a great center of education and the arts.

Seeking the Shalom of Boston

"This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 'Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper...For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Jeremiah 29

We are all familiar with some of the challenges of urban life: gentrification; materialism and poverty living next door to each other; public schools in need of repair; systemic racial and justice issues, etc. But we can also vividly see the intrinsic beauty of the city: it was the birthplace for creativity and innovation, it was filled with a mosaic of all of God's different people, and those who lived in the city were incredibly open to new things (including the life and message of Jesus Christ).

In Old Testament times the global cities were often ignored by God's people, because they carried enormous anxiety towards urban life. They feared that their culture and customs would be overpowered, that they would lose their sense of identity, and that their children would be swayed by the powerful current of city life. The prophet Jeremiah relays a message from God. He tells God's people that they are to go to the most powerful global city of its day (Babylon) and give themselves to the needs of that city. They were to start businesses, build homes, and even marry into the culture. The reason God gave this command was not so they could profit from the economy of the city, but to serve the city. God called them to seek the shalom of the city-caring for it in a holistic way: spiritually, economically, and culturally.

Seeking the shalom of Boston would look like people coming into relationship with God through Jesus Christ, where cultures come together in a way that glorifies God, where justice is fought for and oppression is fought against, and where the children of the city could be protected and nurtured.

Mmmmm....mmmmm....mmmmm....

The more we learn about Boston, the more we see FOOD! What a wonderful place to go for those of us who enjoy a wide spectrum of good eats. Another word for people like us is:
FOODY
One who appreciates good cuisine, or just eats to do darn much.

Our youngest son would tell you his self-proclaimed nick-names are: "Chick-fil-a" and "Snacks". We have heard that the definition of "foody" is also: A friend that shows up every Saturday morning to eat breakfast and watch 3-D programs. This could pertain to him as well.

Here are a few of the items we are so excited to munch on!

Baked beans have been a traditional dish since colonial days. Beans were served so often that Boston became known as Beantown.
Lobster-pronounced "Lahb'-stah" -The pilgrims ate lobster only when there was nothing better to eat. The Puritans served it to prisoners, servants and the poor. Native Americans used the meat for fish bait.
Chowder- pronounced "Chaw'-dah"
Canoli
Boston Cream pie-actually a cake
Pho-Vietnamese noodles
And a good Irish Stew