Joy...

30 Second Video HERE.

Love, Justin.

Lesson in Life: Never be afraid to throw a rock into a cave.

Sometimes I still cannot believe that a human being walked on the moon. Conspiracy theories aside, I sometimes stop myself and think: That is the most remarkable discovery coming out of the 20th Century. I was in utero when it happened. I assume that my mother, who was with twins, was deeply uncomfortable when she watched the grainy footage of Armstrong taking that step.

But here’s the thing: I reckon that something else is bigger. I think that the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls is more wondrous, more remarkable, and more significant than what you see in the pic above [I have made two friends here in NYC who may beg to differ: Space nuts, both of them. :)]

Why say this?

I just listened to THIS talk on my subway ride. Sensational. [Download the PowerPoint as well as the talk.]

If you know any interesting facts about the Dead Sea Scrolls, then please share them here in your comments.

Imagine, as the story goes, being a shepherd throwing a rock into a cave [1947] and finding Bible manuscripts that were 1000 years older than anything anyone had to work with up to that point. 1000 years older. And then finding that the translations we always had were incredibly accurate.

So, as I flip open and read Isaiah 53 again, I take delight in knowing that this prophecy fulfilled in Jesus is not made up by some monk-dude in the middle ages. When I read Psalm 145, I’m thrilled that we found the famous missing verse [‘The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works’.], and when Jesus sends proof to John the Baptist that he is the Messiah in Matthew 11, he offers a list of things in our Old Testament as indications of Messianic expectations: the blind see, the deaf hear, the good news is preached to the poor etc. All quotes from Isaiah. The one thing not in our bibles: that ‘the dead are raised’.

That bit, and the rest, was found by a kid who throws rocks.

Must teach that to the Boy.

Love, Justin.

The Girl's First Birthday - Laurel Post

For birthday fun we had a breakfast picnic this morning (second breakfast to be precise) complete with bagels...

birthday cake...

and present...

The Girl was quite taken with her birthday cake at first, but then returned to her first love...the bagel.

We are so thankful to God for our sweet Girl. She is a joy and a delight. So we had a party with some of her her new New York friends. Spur of the moment, and organized this morning. Here is the pic: [including Simon and Clare from Sydney]

Love, Laurel