March 6 and 7 with Emma

Saturday/Sunday:  Emma and I did not get back to my place after returning Kaity to Jesse until about 9PM Saturday night. I was under the false impression that tonight was the night we were to set our clocks AHEAD one hour; so in my head, I was already setting the clock ahead to 10:00 to prepare for going to bed sometime before midnight. SIDENOTE: I was completely mistaken by one entire week about the "spring ahead" clock thing--but no damage was done at least. I'll get to that later.

Emma and I intended to watch "Hunger Games: Mocking Jay, Part I" tonight. Since I rented it and it showed that it was actually TWO hours and FORTY-TWO minutes long, we decided to watch just half of it tonight and finish the other half tomorrow afternoon (Sunday).

I think "Hunger Games" is one of the most compelling stories I have ever read. And here's the thing: they are tense, for sure, and sometimes difficult to watch the story as it progresses--but it is SO well written and the characters are SO well developed. It's difficult not to believe they aren't REAL. Another thing I love about this series is that I felt so connected to Emma as we watched them. These movies are more than mere entertainment--they speak about true heartache and such terrible loss--Emma and I have experienced both of those things and we have lived daily in difficult times. 

Anyway, we paused the movie at about the halfway mark and went to bed. I turned my clock radio ahead the one hour and set my alarm for 6:50AM so that I would have time to shower and get ready before waking Emma up at 8AM. However, for some reason I awoke in the middle of the night and had a mis-giving about this being the correct date for setting our clocks ahead. I couldn't find my phone to check the exact time, so I went back to sleep. When my alarm rang, I got up and showered and got myself ready. I tiptoed out to the front room, found my phone, and checked the time only to discover that ... I WAS ONE HOUR AHEAD but the rest of my state was NOT. Pooh. I adjusted my clock(s), let Emma sleep and studied for an hour or so. 

We went to church--it was Mission Conference weekend, so we had a guest speaker who talked about the challenges all of us face when sharing the Gospel--fear, embarassment, rejection ... it was good to ask the Lord to help us speak His truth no matter what--because Jesus is worthy ... no matter what.

We came home and ate our lunch and then returned to our movie ... only to find out that there was really only about 20 minutes left of Part I of MockingJay--the rest was outtakes and interviews, etc. PLUS, Part I left us hanging at a very pivotal place in the story ... so I rented Part 2 and we settled down to watch it.

WOW. What a story. What interesting characters! What excellent acting. I was so INTO it. I was glad how it ended. I was happy for Katniss and Peeta. Emma was too.  I have now ordered the trilogy (books) because I simply MUST read them to fill in some "blanks" that I don't understand about the movies. I have read the "Hunger Games" probably 15 years ago now, but I never read the other two books. They are due to arrive Tuesday.

 These next pictures posted in the opposite order that they were intended ... I truly do not know how that happens. These first pictures are from our walk in Rockford Sunday afternoon. It was a brief walk, but I'm glad we did it. It's beautiful in Rockford. There are many choices of trails to walk too.

It is a bleak-looking time of year--rather lacking in color ... but STILL ... I can't get over the beauty God has created, and I seem to love every tree that I see ...

Before we took our walk, though, I was super happy to present Emma with her new Bible. We debated what name to use for engraving the cover--should it be just "Emma" or "Emma Joy" OR "Emma Pahman"? Emma thought it over throughout the afternoon and concluded that she didn't want her name on it at all; but rather the reference to her life verse: John 13.35: "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." This is a verse Emma memorized years ago while she lived in Texas and attended a nice church in El Paso. Wednesday, I'm going to take Emma's Bible to Baker Book House and have just JOHN 13.35 engraved in silver on the cover. I think this will be perfect.

For years now, Emma and I have been doing Bible studies together. This began way back when she first returned to Grand Rapids from El Paso. We have a huge 4-inch binder, actually two of them, with Bible stories and coloring pages that Emma did to go with the stories. I have tried to teach Emma how beautiful God's Word is, how important it is that we read it and study it ... because it isn't just any old words ... this is the actual WORDS of our Creator, our Savior, our God ... His love letter to us.

"Every word of God is flawless (true); He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words--or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar." Proverbs 30.5-6.

"All Scripture is GOD-BREATHED and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servants of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3.16-17

I got a Large Print, Red-letter edition, that has index tabs for the various books of the Bible. It's a Life Application Study Bible and it is truly a beautiful book. I prayed and asked God to show me just the right one to get for Emma and He answered my prayer.

I was also able to get Emma some marking pens, especially made for Bibles--they will not bleed through the pages. I also purchased a Bible case--(you can kind of see it just at the left of Emma) but it's really more like a BAG than a Bible cover. This Bible is SO thick--2.5 inches--and I couldn't find a case that was that wide. The bag has pockets and it's nicely made--however, even it is a tight fit for this particular Bible. Emma thinks that perhaps she will only use it when the weather is wet--to protect her Bible.

"The Word of God is LIVING and ACTIVE. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." Hebews 4.12

My continuing prayer is that You, Lord, will teach Emma Your ways, Your laws, Your LOVE through Your book and that by Your Spirit, You will change her heart from the inside out to be more and more like You, to know You better and better, and to be known BY You for ever as long as she lives.