To Be A Christlike People

So, my family and I are reading a little book, Listen Up! A practical guide to listening to sermons, at dinner. Tonight we were reading point #4 which was Hear the Sermon in Church. It was talking about how listening to a sermon in church is so much better than listening to an mp3 sermon. Now before I continue, it's not a bad thing to listen to other preachers sermons while running on the treadmill etc., but it's healthier to be in an actual church. Here is an excerpt from the book::

"The normal place for preaching is the gather of the local church. We are to hear sermons as a people gathered together; they are not preached so that we can listen to them solo later. The word 'church' means an 'assembly' of men and women who gather physically together. There is no such thing as 'virtual church'. The assembly of the people of Israel in the Sinai desert was called (literally) 'the church in the wilderness' (Acts 7 v38).

This church was defined by the call of the word of God to gather under the word of God. It began when God said to Moses: 'Assemble the people before me to hear my words' (Deuteronomy 4 v10). This set the standard shape and pattern for the people of God (God take the initiative to summon them, and us) and gathered to sit together under the word of God ('to hear my words'), to be shaped together by His word. God's purpose is not to shape a collection of individuals to be each like Christ, but to form a Christlike people."

That last sentence "God's purpose is not to shape a collection of individuals to be each like Christ, but to form a Christlike people" is the part that really hit home for me. Of course I want to be like Christ, but more than that I want to be a part of the Christlike People. I want to surround myself with amazing Christ like people so that we may become the Bride.

In today's culture, the goal is to be an individual. When you are "hipster" you are an "individual". *disclaimer: I love hipsters. I like to think that I'm one sometimes.. not always but sometimes. I hangout with a lot of hipsters. Being Hipster Is Not A Bad Thing. I was just using it as an example. But back to my point. In the statement above it states that the goal is not to be an individual but to be a people. I want to be a people. You can't do it by yourself. Being a Christian and being alone is hard! You need a community to keep you in line and eyes set on the prize.

New Goal: To Be a Part of a Christlike People.

what do you think? Do you want to be a part of a Christlike People? What does your People look like? How does carrying out this call look like in your life? Comment below!::

C•A

Fallnesssss

Last Tuesday, Kate Kelly and I went on a photowalk. We took some cool pictures around the city. That night I came home and edited the pictures with photoshop..for the first time. I'm so excited! I figured out how to use photoshop (by myself) and I can now do everything that I've been wanting to do photo-editingwise. I'm so excited. So here is a photo from that walk::

Wednesday Awesomeness::

Wow. What a Wednesday. Today was great! And I'm oh so thankful.

Here are some highlights::

• The weather was lovely. I took the dog for a walk and the air was brisk, the leaves beautiful, the sky blue, and color vibrant. I loved it.

• I went to CHC to write some of my paper. Nate made me a mocha with a fun picture in the foam. I look forward to that every time I get something there. I sat at the bar with a bunch of other people. Man, the cafe was packed! It's never that busy after 4 o' clock on a Wednesday.. Anyway the mocha was good and the paper writing fine.

• As I was sitting in CHC writing, an older gentleman came in to order. He sat about two or three chairs down. I had sat near he and his wife before. He was a regular like me, and Nate knew is name and what not. Anyway, about halfway into him sitting there, he spoke to me. He asked what school I went to and what grade I was in. I answered. He then asked what my plans were for after highschool. It was so dear. He was very encouraging about everything. He said that I need to keep my mind open, to know what I want, and to let no one tell me that I couldn't live my dream. It was so nice. He reminds me a lot of my grandfather, sitting there, drinking his coffee, making conversation with a complete stranger. It completely made my day. I was so thankful. I hope to run into him again. I like having older gentlemen in my life who remind me of my late grandfather, because I miss him. A lot.

• My family went to Rockford Plantation for a dinner picnic. It was so cold but really fun. We saw deers. :)

• I went back to CHC after dinner to work some more on my paper. I find that I can concentrate so much better there.. Anyway Kate Kelly, my lovely friend, was there (she had gotten there before I left the first time) and so I sat next to her. We get along so well and make each other laugh so much. We made a new friend, Carl from Prince St., who was sitting next to us. Good music and good friends while studying is such a nice thing. I'm very thankful for Kate. This also made my day.

• Mumford & Sons while studying= yes. :D

I'm write, write, writing right now... but writing this was my break from paper writing. woohoo.

I hope yall had a good Wednesday!

xoxoCA

Playing For Keeps::

I've started playing the piano regularly again. I stopped taking lessons last year because my schedule was so crazy with school and work. Because of my busy life I kind of stopped playing all together. I would play a lot of songs that I could sing along with but not a classical or instrumental piece. But I got to the point were I really missed it. Like A Lot. I'm working on a Yann Tiersen piece from Amelie {La Valse d'Amelie} and a Brahms piece {that I've been working on for three years but have yet to master..}. Playing the piano, playing well, is a very satisfying feeling. I'm thankful that God gave the gift of music, even if it isn't a gift I'm amazing at or am using as a career.

{this lady looks so beautiful. Now I feel I should dress up to play the piano..}

I Have This Urge..

I found some yarn in my closet and I had this sudden urge to take up knitting again. Only, I have a problem.. I could only find one knitting needle. As soon as I find another one I will start knitting. I'll let you know how it goes..... I'm hoping to one day be able to make a hat.. maybe that's a little too optimistic...