Happy news

I got a call from my daughter in California, and I'm officially a grandpa again! My second granddaughter was born 5:41 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time. Nine pounds and three ounces, and 19 1/2 inches long. Both mother and baby are doing very well.

The Evening Rambler for April 14, 2010 (Tax Day Eve)

When I was younger, my dad would deliberately wait until April 15th to send in his tax return. Mind you, he already had it done, but the IRS wasn't going to get his check any earlier than necessary. His quiet mannered form of protest, I suppose.

He got audited one year; someone at the IRS questioned the amount he deducted for meals and lodging. Gee, I wonder if they looked at the line where dad wrote his occupation...Airline Pilot. Do you suppose staying at a lot of motels when he was away from home and eating out in restaurants had anything to do with that? Anyway, I could tell he was steamed, and I remember him putting all the receipts - he'd saved each and every one, of course - in a shoebox and wrapped it up.

It was a Big shoebox. It could be he took it to the local IRS office, or maybe he mailed it in; I'm not sure now (this was back in the 1960's). Long story somewhat shorter...he got the box back; as if to say "You're okay, never mind".

For some years I followed in the wait until April 15th tradition, but in recent years I've opted to get it done early and save the last minute rush.

So this isn't really about taxes, that's not what I sat down to blog about anyway.

Let's see, where was I...

Easter 2010 was a quiet day, just the family. Church was good, and I had it in mind to choose a particular scripture from the service or line from a hymn to post here, as a follow up to my Good Friday post. But I couldn't choose, it was all good and encouraging. Choose your favorite Gospel account and read the whole thing.

He is risen indeed!

The passage that did catch my attention was from a devotion for Monday, April 12th, titled "Our Certain Hope in Christ". Romans 8:38-39 has been a favorite passage of mine for years, but the devotion began earlier, and I was struck by the power of the statement in these preceding verses (31-37), and it stayed with me since...

31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (New International Version, italics mine for emphasis)

There will be big news tomorrow. Daughter number one is scheduled for a c-section to deliver her second child.

The word excited doesn't begin to cover it here.

Happy Good Friday

You who think of sin but lightly
Nor suppose the evil great
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the sacrifice appointed;
See who bears the awful load;
It's the Word, the Lord's Anointed,
Son of Man and Son of God.

"Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted"
verse 3