Why don't I "feel" my faith?

"You can either define life by feeling and life itself or you can start defining life by first facing up to death. Not the death physically, but the death of your own self-centeredness.
Unless you're willing to be crucified with Him, you'll never understand what it is to live above emotions, however legitimate they may be. But the day will come where there is joy forevermore and the tear is wiped away. 'Til then, feelings much conform to reality always seeing through the eyes of our Lord as He was on the cross who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despised the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father.
Why don't you feel your faith? Ask yourself if you've been to Calvery and crucified yourself. That life then lives within you as God Himself reigns within your heart."

Ravi Zacarius


Baby update:

At 15 weeks. Baby is the size an apple, in length being 4 inches long. Baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb!
I'm still not feeling well and needing to endure the morning sickness, but I have my couple of good days every now and then. I've lost a lot of weight, so eating more and more often is a soon set goal. Thankfully, I trust that this child's life (as well as my own) is in God's hands and I know He knows best for what the baby needs... beyond a physician. I'll do my best to do what I can, beyond that, the trust lies where it should.

2 Samuel 7:28-29

PROJECTS

Re-roofing with family and friends...

This is Adam and Adam. Carmichael and Terpstra.

Left to right: Jason (my sister Tami's boyfriend), my brother Aaron, my Dad, and Tami.

Mother-in-law Cindy and Tami. Working hard or hardly working? Just kidding... there's always time for goofing around! :)

Jason, rockin' it out broom style!
Faithfully working hard, our friend Robert.Here's some landscaping Cindy and I did in the front of the house.
I don't remember all the plants names on hand, one's a something, something Cherry bush and the flowering plant in the front is Columbine. I love those, they look like a flower in a flower.Carmichael's working hard on our new path from the front of the house to the back patio. It was either through the garage or the grass before. Cindy's design.3/4 of the way done, with the solar lights as a final touch. Lots of hostas on the side.
And THIS... is my project. I started a garden from seeds indoors to start. Lots of veggies: 3 different kinds of tomatoes, green beans (the really tall ones), lettuce, cucumbers, some herbs, I plan to plant sweet corn and watermelon when I transplant these to the garden too. Oh, and I have redskin potatoes to plant.
So, needless to say, the Carmichael house has been busy with projects. 3 new roommates starting tomorrow (Terpstra has been moved in for just over 2 weeks now, which has been great). Full house certainly comes to mind. :)


Revelation 4:8

Picture Time

These were taken when I was 10 weeks 3 days along... I am currently 11 weeks 2 days along. I'm starting to feel a bit better as I'm moving closer to my second trimester, but the heartburn is starting to kick in. I'm sure that will only get worse and I continue to inflate. :)
The technician said that the baby looks perfect and that down syndrome has already been ruled out (of course we'd take what we can get but that's a nice blessing). Currently the kid is the size of a fig; 1.5 inches long.
That's about all I got right now... so yeah.
Peace!

Kumquat

Based on my doctor visit today, we heard the heartbeat when we didn't expect to so the doc assessed that I'm at 10 weeks, not 8 weeks. I have an ultrasound next Monday to find out for sure.
Can I just say, hearing the heartbeat was the kewlest thing I've ever heard? Especially because we weren't expecting it. The doc said to not be worried about not hearing it... she almost didn't do the heart test. I'm glad she did.
We love the doctor (Adam came with... glad he did so he could hear the baby he fathered (that's what the RN called him)). She's funny and blunt. We get along great. :)

This is what we're looking at:


"Your baby, now barely the size of a kumquat, weighs less than a quarter of an ounce. (Length: a little over 1 inch, head to bottom.)"
http://www.babycenter.com/slideshow-baby-size

Psalm 139:13

Purity and Driscoll

My new favorite quote on interpreting the Bible by Mark Driscoll talking about purity goes something like:

If the man you are dating, claims to interpret the Bible and the result is you being naked... you might want to rethink things.

2 Corinthians 6:3-10

Offerings

2 Samuel 24:24:
"But the king (David) replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I WILL NOT SACRIFICE TO THE LORD MY GOD BURNT OFFERINGS THAT COST ME NOTHING."

Wow. I think is speaks for itself, huh?

Matthew 18

Matthew 18:1-5:

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

¹At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

²He called a little child and had him stand among them. ³And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

⁵"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.

When I think of these verses I am so very humbled. I know these verses well, yet I'm sure that I don't completely grasp all that Jesus was saying here.

Going a bit deeper with Henry M. Morris:

Like Little Children- "One does not receive salvation by bargaining or arguing, although the prior clearing of obstacles to faith is helpful and often necessary. ...we are saved through faith-unconditional faith-like the unquestioning trust of a little child."

Unquestioning... I love that. But it also comes with the security of the one they are trusting. If a person has given a child no reason to not trust them and they know them, then a child will trust blindly. So, by knowing God and what He's done and sacrificed (through His Son), we should believe without hesitation.
The world tells us otherwise though doesn't it? It tells us to be independent, do-it-yourselfers, and take pride in your work. Those things are all conflicting with what Jesus teaches. So how do we fight against the world yet be in it? How are we "ordinary radicals" in our faith?