Ben's pre-Birthday Celebration

This is Ben's birthday celebration week. They started Sunday when he was honored at Fellowship lunch with the premier place in line. Then he was honored before dessert along with David Morgan and John Spiegel as this year's Sycamore graduates. He got to go first for dessert too.

Then today, he received quite a surprise at SCA with a birthday cake and the singing of the traditional birthday song by his fellow classmates.

The cake which an unnamed mom got for him had a cute baby picture and a snazzy action picture as seen here:

















Here you can see how he was filled with amazement and awe at our astounding surprise:


















Here's a close-up of the snazzy eatable action image which Adam Dinkledine ate. Mr. York asked him if it tasted sweaty:
















Here's a close-up of the cute eatable baby image. He's so cute you could eat him, and we did:

















Here is the traditional candle blowing out ceremony with on-lookers:
















Ben and Andrew shortly afterward on the computer, of course.

Gate of Beautiful

Sometimes aren't we just like the poor soul waiting at the Gate of Beautiful?
We can't get around.
We wait for handouts from the world.
We remain beggars in our helpless state.
We need a little pocket change to make it through another day.

Then something surprising happens.
Another person comes along.
This person is just like us.
This person has failings.
This person has needs.
But they speak about wholeness.
They speak about God.
They speak of an other-worldly love.
They don't have any silver or gold to offer us.
They offer what they have.
They offer the Word of God to us.
The Word reveals the reality of God.
The Word reveals the power of God.
The Word reveals the sacrifice of God.













The Word reveals the Person of God, Jesus Christ.
This name they hold as sacred.
This Person they unashamedly worship.

Our hearts burn.
Our legs burn.
Our hearts and bodies are transformed.
We can get up.
We can move forward.
We have hope.
We aren't stuck anymore.
No choices.
God's strong arm holds us.
And we want to be held,
if you call that a choice.
We have been captivated.
We won't turn away.
Where else would we go?
The Beautiful Gate is beautiful indeed.
There we left the memory of an old life.
There we started anew.

I listened to this song from my youth ...

Love That Will Not Let Me Go

by Steve Camp

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God"
1 John 3:1

In this weary world, chasing after dreams, just left me back where I started. I couldn't see my way. I found it had a place for the broken-hearted. You spoke softly to my soul, with one touch I was made whole!

Now I know that there is a love that will not let me go. I can face tomorrow, because you hold me forever. Stronger than the mighty winds that blow; I'm safe within your arms... love that will not let me go.