Watch What You Say

Blessings are not quite the same as prayers, because the person addressed is not God but other people. You look them in the eye, as it were, and say, ''Grace be to you.'' There is however a prayer-like quality, because implicit in the blessing is the appeal, ''O God, make these very words of mine a means of grace from you.'' (John Piper)

Hmmm. Wow. I'm more of a conduit of God's when I bless someone or say, ''Grace be to you.'' I'm actually asking God to open up a conduit of grace to them. And because we live by faith in future grace, those are powerful words to be uttering. I'm suddenly in on God's work, what he's doing in someone's life.

So when you say, ''God bless you'' or ''Grace be to you,'' remember what you're asking. Maybe say it more often...people need God's grace.

Faith by Future Grace

Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. (Matthew 6:32-33)

So my brother-in-law Dick sends the following picture with the caption: Where is it written that you need water to snorkel?



To which I email back: I think it's written in the general rules of snorkeling - or at least in Wikipedia....

Snorkeling (British spelling: snorkelling) is the practice of swimming at the surface of a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn. Combining these tools allows the snorkeler to observe underwater attractions for extended periods of time with relatively little effort.

Dick replies: And if I am correct the Human Body of Water (98%) completed for me
All that is necessary...fins are there.

To which my brother Jason replies: Wiki is good, but Merriam-Webster's can be counted on for the definitive answer...

Snorkeling
One entry found.

snorkel[2,intransitive verb]

Main Entry:
2snorkel
Function:
intransitive verb
Inflected Form(s):
snor·keled; snor·kel·ing Listen to the pronunciation of snorkeling \-k(ə-)liŋ\
Date:
1949

: to operate or swim submerged using a snorkel

So, as I read it, you need to submerge yourself into your own human body of water and operate with a snorkel. That's a photo-op I shall await with great anticipation!

Jason

Busy, Busy, Busy

So, it's been a month since I've posted anything. Wow.

Right now I'm in Michigan with family. I've already been here almost two weeks and I have another five days to go!

Today we hit the shops in Holland, MI. Got a dress for next year's Oscars (crossing my fingers) for only $5! And it's a really rad dress.

Wish I could scrounge up some stories for you but I'm too busy playing with Elizabeth....

That's What I'll Be Having

Last night I had dinner with some friends at a little Italian restaurant. Our server (and her shadow) took drink orders and came back to tell us the specials as we were looking over the menu, chatting and deliberating.

One of the guys, Kevin, made a couple inquiries about the salmon and linguine dish. Kevin has good manners and is 'ladies first' when appropriate so it sounded so silly and odd when he closed his menu, set it down in front of him and lazily and happily said, 'Well, that's what I'll be having.'

I realize he was probably just voicing his decision but it also sounded like he was ordering and the server followed it with, 'Would you like a salad.' 'Yes, that would be great.'

Done. Kevin had ordered and inadvertently made it a rush for us to decide. The rest of us are like, 'Uh, are we ordering now? Cuz I have no idea what I want.' I for one needed to hear the specials again and needed to know what vegetables came in the bowtie pasta with pesto sauce and chicken (by the way, there was no broccoli in the dish as advertised).

Afterward we walked down to Yogurt Delite. We walked in and focused on the flavor menu. Kevin, though, walked right to the counter and ordered chocolate on a cone. Guess he was just in a decisive mood last night... And of course none of us could resist the follow-up comment, 'Well, guess that's what he'll be having.'