Late on a Saturday Night

Quick Tiffani Update:

Spiritually - feeling OK. had regular bible study time this week, regular prayer, good talks about lots of topics.
Physically - the season has caught up with me. I feel (whisper) fat. But I worked out three times this week, hope to do at least as much next week. And I feel super rested today after sleeping over nine hours last night. but now i'm up at 12:30... so that might not be good for tomorrow.
Emotionally - pretty fair. probably a 6.75 on a 10, which is slightly low, but not bad.
Financially - much better now that my checkbook is up to date after three months... yikes. it only took 2.5 hours, with maybe 30 minutes more tomorrow for current stuff. but that's a load off my mind.
Technologically - out of control, in a good way. been taking my work computer home with me to do some transcription work on the side for the AD, today figured out how to hook up my phone line so I could log on to the internet from my living room (instead of on my main computer in my bed room).
Weird Fact: and frankly.. i don't know how this can be. but i'm watching NBC and they are showing CSI (old one) which is normally on CBS. Funny.

Last night I recieved the quarterly "World Vision" magazine. I confess that often I don't have a minute to devote to it, but last night I did and I read it almost cover to cover before going to bed. I've sponsored a WV child (Stephen Pole, from Uganda) for a number of years now and I enjoyed reading last night about the various World Vision ministries and workers.

I was inspired by the cover story on the beatitudes and the profiles of WV workers for each beatitude. And excited to learn that I could communicate with Stephen now via email (the letters you send on email are transcribed into the appropriate language and given to the child)!!

Here follows some "excerpts" from the magazine written by Rev. Tim Dearborn, PhD (world vision; pp 12-23, world vision press):

* for more information on world vision and child sponsorship, check out www.worldvision.org.

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit:
Our experience of life in Christ begins as we recognize our need. We cannot turn to our material successes, our personal accomplishments, or our spiritual piety. The Gospel proclaims that this recognition can lead us through the doorway to blessedness, where joy and suffering can exist simultaneously.

Blessed are the Meek:
Meekness is one of the most misunderstood moral qualities. In our society, a meek person is a spineless weakling. Actually, Jesus uses a word that expresses the relinquishment of all illusion and control. Those who know their utter dependance on God, and are trained to trust God in all things, know that they have nothing to lose.

Blessed are those who Hunger:
Life in the kingdom is described as a banquet, a perpetual feast to which all are welcome but to which only those who know their hunger come. The Gospel promises that God feeds those who hunger for righteousness - the holiness and justice that will cure the suffering of our world.

Blessed are the Pure in Heart:
Only when we live with nothing to hide can we experience blessedness. We need no longer linger in the darkness, for we have come completely into the light. We are set free to stand joyously before God when we know that in mercy, he has cleansed our shameful sin with the goodness of Christ.
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"We are set free to stand joyously before God when we know that in mercy, he has cleansed our shameful sin with the goodness of Christ."

"he has cleansed our shameful sin with the goodness of Christ"

what blessed words. the beatitudes show us that we must first recognize our need (become poor in spirit) and that through the process of Christ cleansing our shameful sin we are transformed into the "pure in heart" - who rejoice so joyfully in our cleansing that we overflow into gratitude and praise of Christ and in doing so bring others along for the journey.

Christ has cleansed my shameful sin.

Do you have shameful secrets? embarassing truths? sin? I can relate. I did, and sometimes do still.

If you do, please allow me to introduce you to Jesus - the only one who can truly make you clean and whole, and who is only waiting for you to recognize your need to BE clean and whole to do it.

I'm off to sleep now. I've already seen the CSI. Its sad, but satisfying. I spent a GREAT day today, being productive at "work life" and also enjoying time with Leah, and then Heather and her mom - and had a great talk with MY mom on the phone today, to boot. Satisfaction.

But nothing compared to the satisfaction in my soul.

Love, Tiffani