Doggies

The black lab on the left, Max, is ours.

Letters

I've been in the States for over a month now. I think that the time passes more quickly if it is over a month, because you don't have to count each day (although each day does, of course, count for something).

Today I got a letter from Russia! It is so nice to receive something in a friend's handwriting and to see the smudges where your friend touched the paper. Also, I think she mailed it out before receiving mine, so maybe they crossed somewhere over the ocean...

Sir, more than kisses, letters mingle souls, /For, thus friends absent speak. (John Donne)

Contract or covenant?

I finally saw Fireproof. But I'm going to refrain from reviewing it since there are probably a lot of reviews out there.

I have to admit, I was impressed at the end when they slipped in the point about marriage being a covenant, not a contract.

I liked it because it reminded me of one of my favorite sermon illustrations-the same concept, but in terms of our relationship with God. For example: a contract is between two people who do not have a close relationship or trust each other, so they draw up the document to protect themselves. A covenant is a relationship of trust, in which each person gives of himself. A contract is signed for a certain period of time...a covenant is for life.

And so on.

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
-Heb.13:20,21 (NIV)

Women in the kitchen

Louisa helped me make dinner last night.

She's dressed in various African garments; I'm looking sort of Russian with my slippers on. Except that a Russian person probably wouldn't be wearing a souvenir from Russia. But you never know.