emmanuel

Our family opened our few small gifts a little early this year (like usual). It's nice to get all that fluff out of the way and be able to think and dwell together on the incarnation.

We sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. It's what we do for each other and those we love, so we decided to do that for Him. Then we talked about the mystery of Emmanuel (God with us)--of God coming to earth and dwelling with us. As Yoda would say, "Hard to understand, it is." :)

I hope you all have a peaceful time this Christmas in thankfulness to God. Being thankful for Him entering into our mess here and redeeming.

I've learned some things recently that have helped me re-focus my life on Jesus where it should be. I'm looking forward to this coming year as we, as a family, more earnestly share that hope, joy, and peace with others here in Gresham.

-John

winter hail

God speaking to Job:

38:14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;
its features stand out like those of a garment.

15 The wicked are denied their light,
and their upraised arm is broken.

16 "Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
or walked in the recesses of the deep?

17 Have the gates of death been shown to you?
Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death [a] ?

18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all this.

19 "What is the way to the abode of light?
And where does darkness reside?

20 Can you take them to their places?
Do you know the paths to their dwellings?

21 Surely you know, for you were already born!
You have lived so many years!

22 "Have you entered the storehouses of the snow
or seen the storehouses of the hail,

23 which I reserve for times of trouble,
for days of war and battle?

24 What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,
or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?

25 Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
and a path for the thunderstorm,

26 to water a land where no man lives,
a desert with no one in it,

27 to satisfy a desolate wasteland
and make it sprout with grass?

dirt

Most guys ask for tools or big toys. I ask for dirt. :)

Winter gard-nin is in full swing here at the Schwartz household. This is three-way I'm adding to newly created beds. We're turning much of the back yard into garden. I'm looking forward to seeing a nice crop o' corn next summer!

the food effect

 
Kids are always happy, just before you feed them. :) This happens to be at Taco Del Mar.

hunting?

Scanned a few photos from a beautiful trip to Mt. Adams with Dad, Shon & Timmy, Joe & Luke, and my boys Zach and Drew. You'll notice no animals. :)

And, here's some phone pics from our trip to the wilderness. You'll notice... no animals. Mighty hunters, we.

dogshoes

Does the dog like them or not?..... :)

great story

...although not sure why they say he's a "green enthusiast"... just a guy usin his noggin to get some juice into his house. :)

a burger with mick

At the pub with Micky last night talkin Jesus, life, fam...

the tree is up

gingerbread houses

Nanny is in the house...

the cure

The cure for the human condition (not good) is not to be found in human books, human wisdom, human psychology, human philosophy, or any other human source for that matter.

As well, the cure for the impotent American church is also not found in humanity and it's perceived "christian" wisdom. It is not found in christian music, christian books, christian paradigm shifts, christian pop psychology, christian seminars, christian leaders/icons, christian t.v., christian internet, emerging christian churches, christian philosophy, ad nauseum...

So, what IS the cure?

The Cure is Christ. That's it.

Jesus is the salve for all wounds, all sin, all injustice, all darkness. He is the only foundation for a healthy man, healthy family, and healthy church. To add anything else is to add our own solution to the precious blood of Christ by which we were redeemed.

don't waste your life - update

After finishing Piper's book, I'd have to say it's in my top 10. It's really nailed me in a couple areas. I finished it on the plane to Iowa and the small church we visited last Sunday was just finishing it up in their Sunday School class! I really believe that was arranged by a caring Father...
-John

some november/december photos

back from iowa

Becka looking out the plane window and shouting, "whooaaaaa!" She delighted quite a few passengers with her comments as we took off and landed.
-John

spiritual supplements

First thing this morning after a shower I grabbed three or four vitamins and chugged 'em down with some water. It's really something you and I do without thinking. We naturally want to take care of our bodies and do what's best for them--which includes supplementing them with vital nutrients they don't naturally create. This prevents sickness and even premature aging and death.

Peter tells us we also need to "supplement our faith". Now that's an interesting truth! Our faith, like our bodies, needs attention. It needs spiritual supplements to prevent it from withering--nutrients like Vitamin V (Virtue) and Vitamin BA (Brotherly affection). And what does Peter say these supplements will prevent? Things like "unfruitfullness", "ineffectiveness", and "spiritual blindness".

In fact those who don't practice and add these spiritual vitamins to their faith Peter says:

...is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

-John

"boo" and i

Boo and i warmin by the fire...

don't ask

crazy people

don't waste your life

An excellent read from John Piper I started over Thanksgiving. I highly recommend it after reading just the first couple chapters.
-John

amen

Still wondering why folks drink decaf... (took a pic of this lovely postcard at my sister Vicki's house over Thanksgiving.)

about to lose

my dad about lose at probe... and lose he/they did! i swept them all three games to none at dad & mom's house. :)

kitty and book

A cat and her book... ("A Thomas Jefferson Education")

sigh

Why are all the important things in life so painful? Off to run 2 miles...
-J

big drewps

Drew is now 10, is taking guitar lessons from Daddy (and doing great!), shot a grouse this year hunting with a shotgun, loves to read and doing great with home-schooling.
-John

from drew

[From Drew awhile ago] It's nice to know your son loves you... :)
-John

stoplight in the water

I love light in water at night....
-John

purple mud

There's no such thing as playdough with unique colors in the schwartzcats home. Boo (Rebecah) loves to mix all the colors together which makes a real nice shade of purple. I notice this batch has just about reached that point. :)
-John

queen o' the yarn

Annie learning to knit.
-John

peppermint mocha

At one of my many satellite offices today. :) Peppermint is back on the menu (shazam).
-John

got webbed feet?

Ha! Dixon just took in for seven big ones on 4th and 5 from the 40. Not looking good for the home team, baby.

First drive for Arizona - interception!

Well... got my 15 minutes of espn coverage of the game. We'll see what happens manyana. Off to better things (reading to kids, talking with wife, etc). :)

2 hours later... amazing.

One moment you're a Heisman candidate, sitting at #2 in the nation... the next you're out for the season with a leg injury and your team probably loses the rest of their games.

I'm glad I only spent 15 minutes watching!
-John

lucky dog

[Photo from Zach!] That's one charmed dog. I'm pretty sure polar bears don't typically frolic with canines. :)

jason in the house

My bro Jason discussin Jesus with me by the fire...

yummy squash

Yummy squash from this year's garden... you either like this stuff or hate it. All the schwartzcats fight over it. :)

i just had to

This photo made me laugh.

Life is full of paradox isn't it? My family uses all kinds of nicknames based off cats (kitty, mew, kittens, etc, etc) and yet I have little love for cats. They think they're king, don't fetch you anything, don't smile and dig up my garden areas.

As the saying goes, "A good cat is a..." :)

teddy is driving

Abbie says, "teddy thinks he's driving, but really i'm pushing."

tired snail

Time for bed...

removing the header

hey folks... i noticed you can get to trash quite quickly with the "next blog" link in the header. if you need help removing that header (as i have done), just let me know. i found out a slick way here. remember to save a link to your dashboard (http://www.blogger.com/home) so you can login/edit your blog as some of that functionality is in the missing header. :)

help mommy

Stuck in a bottle, she says, "help mommy".

compostin

Compost is cookin. The goal? 140 degrees of breakin-down-goodness.

at the office

Zach at "the office" with me this morning. :)

song on my mind

A little song from Waterdeep has been on my mind.... taught it to kids last week:

You have redeemed my soul
From the pit of emptiness
You have redeemed my soul
From death

I was a hungry child
A dried up river
I was a burned out forest
And no one could do anything for me

But you put food in my body
Water in my dry bed
And to my blackened branches you brought the
Springtime rain of new life
And nothing is impossible for you

-John

my kitty

My kitty

the boys

One last post for today to get this blog up and rolling. The boys and I
at the Timbers game (soccer) and one of my lovely bride Christy, from
whence all things "cat" or "kitty" come from.

blazers

At the blazers game... Go ODEN!

the girls and i

My first post to the blog. Ya, I know, I'm a web guy and don't have a
blog yet. Well, issue resolved. :)