Spiritually Nourishing Reading

I have come across some really thought-provoking, inspiring, and convicting Christian writing (and video) on the Web lately and wanted to share it with you.

* Jon Acuff (of Stuff Christians Like) on the movie Man on Fire: I watched this movie quite a while ago, and it touched me. Jon draws a parallel between the love of Creasy (Denzel Washington's character) for Pita (played by Dakota Fanning) and Christ's love for us. It's a unique perspective on the film and provides another way for us to try and understand the mind-boggling awesomeness of God and His Son. Check it out!

* Tim Sweetman (of Boundless webzine) on God and Facebook: Just really convicting.

* Does Satan exist? Watch Pastor Mark Driscoll's ABC Nightline debate about this by clicking here.

* Candice Barnard (my cousin-in-law) and Zane & Tara Porter (friends from high school) on change and trusting in God: I was devastated to read about Candice's recent loss but have been inspired by the strengh of her faith and her willingness to share it. It's amazing how God is able to use even the saddest of circumstances to ultimately bring glory to Himself. Zane and Tara have been attending seminary in preparation to become Bible translators for Wycliffe, and they, too, have encountered challenges and changes in plans along the way. These brothers and sisters in Christ remind us that God is in control, and we just need to trust in Him to direct our steps.

Happy reading!
~ Christina

Sweet 16!

Arizona plays Louisville tomorrow night at 5:07 pm MDT (4:07 for those of you in AZ). Don't miss all the action; tune in to CBS or NCAA.com to watch everything unfold. I'm pulling for an upset, of course! Look for Hill, Wise, and Budinger to deliver strong performances, hopefully with some surprises thrown in by Fogg and others. And in the spirit of the Sweet 16, and my recent focus on being more grateful, the following are 16 things (out of many!) for which I am currently very thankful:

1. Arizona basketball (haha)

2. the small cold spell we're having in Albuquerque

3. my husband (of whom I am so proud!)

4. my family

5. Mexican/New Mexican food

6. Max

7. my friends

8. the awesome community at City on a Hill

9. Texas-style BBQ

10. my job (and the cool people with whom I work!)

11. running

11. opportunities to grow

12. breathtaking sunsets

13. Spring (so awesome to watch all the plants wake up and come back to life!)

14. God's grace

15. a safe neighborhood

16. reliable transportation



What are you thankful for?


And once again, go Cats!

March Madness

I've never cared much about sports, although falling in love with an athletic guy has increased my interest level quite a bit. One sport I have always really enjoyed, however, is basketball, and while attending U of A I developed an interest in college basketball in particular. (Who couldn't love watching Arizona's games? Well, most of them, at least...) What I like about basketball is that I can actually follow what is going on (unlike with football), and the game is fast-paced enough to keep my attention (unlike baseball, golf, etc.). My husband says I'll grow to like the other sports more as I learn the intricacies of the games, but we'll see! Anyway, last year, I teamed up with a colleague at work to participate in a March Madness bracket pool, but I didn't have much of an idea about what I was doing because I had pretty much only watched Arizona games. This year, however, I've tried to make it a point to watch other teams' games and highlights when I've had the time. I teamed up with the same colleague again on a bracket for a work pool, but I also completed my own bracket for the first time - and without any input from Aaron, at that! So far, five of seven of my first-round picks have been victorious (Butler and Cal let me down). Is that good? I have no idea. At the very least, I figure that 5/7 in school is passing, so I can be somewhat proud of myself, right?

I'm very excited to watch all the upcoming games that I can! Most importantly, make sure to tune in for Arizona's faceoff with Utah tomorrow evening at 5:10 pm MDT (4:10 for you lucky Arizonans who do not observe daylight savings time!) on CBS. I, for one, intend to be planted in front of the television eating corndogs and drinking margaritas (a tradition my husband and I have for watching Arizona games). I will probably be on the phone with Aaron also, giving him the play-by-play as he makes the drive here from CO to visit Max and me before he finishes out the last two weeks of his clinical rotation. While I'd like to say that Arizona will spank Utah, I actually think they'll give us a pretty good game, and of course I'll be pulling for Arizona all the way!

My Final Four Prediction: Wake Forest, Memphis, Pittsburgh, North Carolina
My Prediction for Champion: North Carolina (as much as it pains me to say it! not a fan of UNC or Duke...)

Thankfulness

I was reading 2 Timothy 3 again today, and the following passage stood out to me:

"For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power" (my emphasis).

There's a lot to unpack here, all of which really stems from the first item in the list: love of self. What I want to focus on right now, however, is the "ungrateful" part. Since we live in a culture of entitlement, I think it can be easy to fall into a pattern of negative thinking, focusing on what we think is wrong or missing instead of praising God for everything we have for which to be thankful. For example: What if, instead of complaining about the occasional rough day at work, we praised God that we have jobs (especially in this economy!)? Or what if, instead of bemoaning the loss of a job, we thanked God for more time with friends and family, shifting of priorities, new opportunities around the corner, etc.? I pray that, as God breaks down my pride and grows my trust in Him to direct my path, He would also develop within me a more grateful heart, an attitude that reflects the joy that is found in Him, to His ultimate glory.

Not my will, but Yours, be done.

I am, by nature, a planner. Unlike my fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants husband, whose spontaneity I love and admire, I like to know what is coming next. I try to orchestrate everything; I am all about safety, security, and contingency plans. I like to think I'm in control. As the completion of graduate school looms ever closer for Aaron and me, and we find ourselves spending any precious moments of free time reviewing job postings and perusing homes for sale in multiple states, I find myself struggling again with this sinful tendency of mine. Instead of trusting fully in God and His plans for our lives, I try to map it all out, to push my own agenda. As pastor Mark Driscoll has put it, I sometimes pray to move God, instead of praying for God to move me.

How arrogant am I, to think even for a moment that anything I can imagine could be better than what God has in mind? How do I even dare to take away from His sovereignty? Time and time again, God has made clear to me, both through His word and the ways in which He has directed my steps in the past, that He possesses the blueprints for my life, and they're brilliant beyond belief. (If you want to hear an incredible example, just ask me about how Aaron and I ended up in Albuquerque a few years ago.)

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you..." (Jeremiah 1:5)

"The very hairs of your head are all numbered." (Matthew 10:30)

"This is what the Lord says, your Reedemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself." (Isaiah 44:24)

"Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it; surely I will do it." (Isaiah 46:11)

"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things." (Ecclesiastes 11:5)

"We [have been] predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will." (Ephesians 1:11)

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" (Jeremiah 29:11)

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will continue changing my heart, transforming my will to match God's. I pray that I'll learn not only to hear, but also to acccept, His will for my life. I want to sincerely pray like Jesus did the night of the Lord's supper, just before his crucifixion, when he pleaded, "Not My will, but Yours, be done." (Matthew 26:42)

Restaurant Review: Independence Grill

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of trying a newer restaurant called Independence Grill. I'd heard that it's owned by the same people who operated Albuquerque's Great American Steakhouse, which had a great reputation for tasty food, so I was hopeful. The restaurant is located at 6910 Montgomery NE, on the south side of the street just west of Louisiana. Though the restaurant is set back from the street a bit, the large sign makes it easy to find. It was a Tuesday evening, and the parking lot was packed. From the outside, nothing about the restaurant impressed me other than the promising aroma wafting through the air. When I entered, however, I was greeted by a warm, classic, wood-paneled atmosphere. It had a comfortable, "homey" type of feel. We were seated near the bar.

The average price on the menu is around $10-$15. You can view the menu online by clicking here. I had the Bacon Avocado Jack Burger, 1/3 lb. of American Kobe beef, with a side of garlic mashers. The burger was excellent. I ordered it "medium," and the restaurant obliged me rather than overcooking the meat like many establishments tend to do. While I am not sure that my palate could discern that the beef was special Kobe, the burger's perfectly cooked bacon (thick, yet crisp) and the delicious bun (which tasted homemade) combined in such a way that I couldn't help myself from eating all of it. i loved the texture of the garlic mashers, and with their spot-on seasoning, they were among the best I have ever had. My friend ordered the Grilled Chicken w/ Roasted Red Pepper sandwich, which contains mozzarella and basil aioli, and a side of pineapple coleslaw. She, too, finished her entire plate and told me that it had all been delicious.

The service we received was good as well; our drinks were refilled frequently, and we did not have to wait eons to receive our check.

I'm still anxious to try the pig wings and one of the "drunken" dishes (chicken, fish, or shrimp fried in a beer-lime batter), so I intend to return with my husband.

"Big boy" pictures of Max

At just over a year old and at least 85 pounds, Max has grown into quite a handsome dog! When he stretches out, he is almost as long as our bed, and standing up on his hind legs, he can easily look over our four-foot wall to visit with our neighbors' chocolate lab. Here are some "big boy" pics, for those of you who've asked!