Shokoe Bottom, the Canal walk and Belle Isle

I loved the colors on this treeThe State Capitol Building from the canal


Hollywood Falls

I know it sounds silly, but I love this picture...the piles underneath of the bridge are from a bridge that the confederates burned when the union invaded Richmond.

A very busy weekend....

I feel like I haven't stopped moving for a good 5 days now...however, I believe it is a good tired. A "things got done" tired.
Friday after work Bryan and I drove to North Carolina. Unfortunately every time we go to the beach it's cold or it rains...but that's ok because there wasn't anytime for the beach. Saturday my mom and I ordered invitations, flowers, drove two hours to have a fitting for my train bustle and did lots of other random things. It felt so good to get so much accomplished. Oh! and the stationary store sits right on the sound and while we were in the story there were 3 or 4 dolphins just playing in the sound. It was very fun to watch!
Sunday we all went to a church in New Bern that my dad was speaking at. Conveniently enough it is also the church of the Pastor that will be marrying Bryan and I, so after church and a lovely, if not entertaining lunch with my family, McCrary and John and his family, we had our first premarital counseling session. John was very encouraging and both Bryan and I were very grateful for the time that we got to spend with him and for the discussion that we had!
This coming weekend sounds like it is going to busy as well! We have decided that Bryan's apartment is just not going to be big enough for the both of us so we are planning on doing some looking around. We are going to stay with the same company because right now we just can't afford to break the lease altogether, but luckily the company that owns the apartment also owns several other complexes around Richmond that we can move to without affecting our lease. We are praying to find something that will still be close to Bryan's work and will be convenient to work opportunities for me. We are also really excited to be checking out a church this weekend. We haven't both in Richmond on a Sunday lately so we have not been able to see what it is like, but from what we hear it sounds like a very active church and loving church.

"I am praying to you because I know you will answer me, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray. Show me you unfailing love in wonderful ways." Psalm 17:6-7a

Pride

So lately, through various bible studies, books, or conversations, the subject of pride has come up. In a country where the word "no" is not PC, I think we view pride as a characteristic rather then a sin (ok...pridefulness as a characteristic). This is not to say that you can't describe as proud, but we consider it to be "what it is" and nothing that greatly effects that person or the world that they are in. The truth is that not only does the Bible state that pride is a sin, it gives accounts for several kings and countries whose downfall resulted from pride. 2 Chronicles follows a whole lineage of Kings who had pride issues... and not always the "struck down by the hand of God" issues. For example, Hezekiah, who by all accounts was a very Godly man, rebuilt Judah and reclaimed the land for God, struggled with pride at the end of his life. After believing that God had spared him from illness and extended his life 15 yrs based on his merit, Hezekiah showed off everything (gold, silver, army, technology) he had to the son of the Babylon king. Infact, he was even proud that he had shown off everything! Guess who Babylon attacked...
I think we are proud even when we don't realize it...I for one tend to be proud when I'm having a "discussion" with someone about religion... and it's more in the tone of my voice, or how defensive I get (this is not to say that I shouldn't stand up for what I believe in... or say that what someone believes is right for them...if I took that stance then I wouldn't have very strong faith for what I believe to be right [sorry liberals]...just to say that my defensiveness will not bring anyone, myself included, closer to God).
The Bible says that we should have pride in the Lord. 1 Co. 1:31~ Let him who boast boast in the Lord. We can only boast in the Lord, though, if we have faith to see what he is doing in our lives. If we have that sort of faith, then the joy that we have from the work he is doing should radiate...and boast in the Lord.