Declaring Him worthy from the elliptical machine

My precious Sarah Beth. She took this while at Victory Park, her favorite place in Moscow. I'm so proud of how she just gets out and goes and explores. She is a pretty great kid (and cute, too).
Also at Victory Park--the Russian Orthodox onion dome. This style of architecture, which is so closely identified with all things Russian, is a combination of two giant influences in Russian culture--Europe and Asia.

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. II Corinthians 4:1-2

Worthy is the Lamb/Worthy of our praise/Worthy is the One who has overcome the grave/Let the people dance/Let the people sing/Worthy is our mighty King! Alive Forever Amen--Travis Cottrell

You're going to look at the time stamp on this post, do the math, and wonder what in the world I'm doing up at 6:15 a.m. on a Saturday. Well, truth be told, I've been up since 3:30, when I got up to turn on the projector and slingbox for Hannah and her friends Abby and Amielle to watch Camp Rock, the newest Disney channel movie. Clearly, I have got to get a life! Actually, listening to them giggle and laugh at the movie (which stars the Jonas Brothers, who are purported to be Christians) was well worth the three hours of sleep I actually got last night. Plus, I got a nice, long quiet time with no interruptions...that alone is worth getting up early. I think I convinced them to go back to sleep for a little while, so hopefully they will take my advice. Otherwise, I'm going to have some very tired girls on my hands.

The big news of the week, besides that the dryer can be fixed for relatively little, is that I purchased an elliptical machine. Those of you who know me will remember that I had to lose quite a bit of weight in order to be appointed by the IMB, which has very strict weight guidelines, and that I spent a good amount of time on a treadmill in order to walk off the pounds. I am very excited about my machine. I have used it every day since I've had it. It's the hardest exercise I've ever done, but I like it because I can listen to my iPod at the same time. I like to listen to MercyMe, Third Day, or Travis Cottrell while I exercise--it just helps motivate me and pump up my commitment.

Yesterday I was listening to one of my all-time favorite songs, "Alive Forever Amen." I have sung this song in all kinds of contexts and groups--large choirs, small praise teams, etc, and it never fails to move me. So I was sweating away--I had washed my exercise clothes, so they were still wet, and I was wearing an old OBU t-shirt and long john pants--and it occurred to me that everything we do declares Him worthy...or doesn't. Yes, going to the mission field makes a statement about Christ's place in my life, but raising my children to honor Him does, too. Going to church every Sunday is a declaration of sorts, but so is handling your business dealings in an ethical manner. Teaching VBS is kingdom work for sure, but so is being nice to the cashier at Publix. I think I always knew that how I lived my life mattered, but it is increasingly clear to me here in the midst of the Russian culture. Russians may come off as distant and aloof, but one-on-one they are very responsive to simple gestures of just being a decent human being. We stopped to help a man Wednesday night who was so drunk he fell over when he got off the bus with us. Marc helped him up, I grabbed his bag, and we got him to a bench. And while the danger of alcohol is an important lesson for my kids, a more important lesson, at least in my opinion, is that part of being real Christians is treating people with compassion and dignity and mercy, even when they have not earned it. Literally stooping down to pick someone up declares Him worthy of any sacrifice we could possibly make. More than anything else I want to teach my children, I want them to see in my life a model of what it means to daily declare Christ worthy of my praise.

It's almost time to get Marc up, so I should go. It's quiet in the living room, so I'm hoping the girls went to sleep. Marc and John are asleep in our room--John-John wanted a sleepover, too--and Sarah Beth managed to get some sleep in her own bed. Luckily, we only have a light day, though we will likely be up late because Russia is playing The Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the Euro Championships. Try to imagine the frenzy of the Super Bowl plus lots of vodka. Actually, it is really fun to watch, and we can hear people cheering and celebrating in the apartments around us and on the street. The match tonight doesn't start until 10:45, so there's little hope that we'll be in bed early. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are living a life that declares Him worthy of your very best, and that your daughter's sleepover friends are as wonderful as Hannah's. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye