Big Water

Lila and I went to play in the Big Water at The Domain again this week and I took my camera along this time. I got several great shots of her in varying degrees of soggyness. This photo is after I stripped her down, wrapped her in a blanket, and put her in the car. That's right. I forgot to bring a change of clothes again! To be fair (to myself), I wasn't entirely sure where we were going when we left the house.

The girl is a total nutjob. She has recently re-discovered her volume control and frequently cranks it up to mind-rattling levels. The closer it gets to bedtime, the more running and screaming there is. And she has developed a very maniacal sounding chuckle. This evening, I was in the living room when she came running and giggling through with her dress over her head, but still stuck on her wildly waving arms. Doug had been taking her clothes off for bathtime and she got away... She's crazy, I tell you. Crazy.

And now for "What I learned at the Women's Retreat, Part III." These are notes from the second session, on freedom...

Our needs: clothing, shelter, food - God will take care of them. We are convinced we don't need God. We fear becoming a Christ-follower because we don't want to give up our freedom. We have one thing we need to be free from -> sin. At the heart of sin is a spirit that says, "I am in charge."

The King doesn't become subject to the subject. God loves you more than you love yourself. The church speaks now of committing to Christ, but it used to speak of surrendering to Christ. ([Note to self] Speak of surrender in marriage vs. committment) Surrender conveys humility, committment conveys pride. Committment can be broken; surrender is done. If you want to gain your life, you've got to lose it. Romans 6 -> Why would you keep sinning? - That's not who you are anymore. 6:22 - What it is to be a Christ-follower -> free from sin. "Enslaved" doesn't sound like freedom to us. 6:23 - sin leads to death. You will either enslave yourself to sin or to a Good Master.

Romans 7 -> don't do what I want to do, etc. Sin sits on us like a decaying body. 7:25 - God delivers me through Jesus Christ. We don't have the power to forgive ourselves. Some of us are not letting God forgive us. Did you ever try to love someone who wouldn't receive love? Romans 8 -> 8:15 - you haven't received a spirit of slavery. We have received a Spirit of adoption. So enslave yourself to Him, that you might be free. You cannot repent if you won't receive forgiveness.