She looks away from the troubles and miseries and obstacles of life that seem to make the future bleak, and she focuses her attention on the sovereign power and love of God who rules in heaven and does on earth whatever he pleases (Ps. 115:3). She knows her Bible, and she knows her theology of the sovereignty of God, and she knows his promise that he will be with her and will help her and strengthen her no matter what. This is the deep, unshakable root of Christian womanhood. And Peter makes it explicit in 1 Peter 3:5. He is not talking about just any woman. He is talking about women with unshakable biblical roots in the sovereign goodness of God—holy women who hope in God.

–John Piper, This Momentary Marriage, pg.97

Planning meeting with a sheik in Karmat Ali

Originally uploaded by The U.S. Army.

U.S. Army Soldiers tell a sheik at Karmat Ali, Iraq, Sept. 10, 2009, that the Al-Hajrat Grammar School in his town has been chosen to be refurbished. The Soldiers are assigned to the 1314th Civil Affairs Company, 17th Fires Brigade. The Al-Hajrat Grammar School has 13 teachers and 600 students.

U.S. Army photo by Spc. Samantha R. Ciaramitaro

When used as an accessory to a suit, a handkerchief is known as a pocket square. There are a wide variety of ways to fold a pocket square, ranging from the austere to the flamboyant:

*The Presidential, perhaps the simplest, is folded at right angles to fit in the pocket.
*The TV Fold looks similar but is folded diagonally with the point inside the pocket.
*The One-point Fold is folded diagonally with the point showing.
*The Two-point Fold is folded off-center so the two points don’t completely overlap.
*The Three-point Fold is first folded into a triangle, then the corners are folded up and across to make three points.
*The Four-point Fold is an off-center version of the Three-point Fold.
*The Cagney is basically a backwards version of the Four-point Fold.
*The Puff or the Cooper is simply shaped into a round puff.
*The Reverse Puff is like the Puff, except with the puff inside and the points out, like petals.
*The Astaire is a puff with a point on either side.
*The Straight Shell is pleated and then folded over to give the appearance of nested shells.
*The Diagonal Shell is pleated diagonally and then folded.

I have often heard people say that many things in life are analogous to riding a bike. You may not have done it in a long, long time, but despite the hiatus from that activity, you should still remember how to do it–how to balance and pedal once you get back on that bike for a ride.

Is it really true for all things in life? That because you have done it in the past, you will definitely remember how to do it today?… And you can just resume that activity, as if you never forgot how to, like you never even had that long hiatus?

I am a personal testimony to the fact that it is not always possible to just get back on the bike and start riding. After four years, I still have trouble getting back on the bicycle. It’s been so long of not cycling that I have a tremendous fear of falling, of slipping and sliding, of crashing and burning.

The fear is because of my last experience with cycling, where despite my supposed skill and intentions of biking successfully, I lost my balance and fell, flipped out and rolled over, breaking my leg. I was in a cast and on crushes for six months, the doctors having to put a steel rod into my leg. After my leg healed, I was able to walk again; the rod was removed, but still there were scars left from the accident and the surgery that was necessary for my healing.

In the past couple years, I have wanted to start cycling again. I even bought new shoes and cycling gloves, and have been training in the Rec center with the stationary bikes. I really wanted to get back to cycling. So intent and desirous of cycling again, I consulted cycling trainers and other cyclist who have been on the bike circuit for a long time. I read books on the methods and techniques of successful bicycling, how-to’s and also how-not-to’s. Furthermore, I have even gone so far as going to various bike stores to check out what is available today in terms of bikes — new ones and old/used ones.

I have on occasion found a bike that I wanted. Some looked really nice on the outside, but the parts and mechanics of the gear system did not fit my preferences. One looked good, but was an 18-speed while I wanted at least a 21-speed. Other times, I found a bike that had all the specs that I wanted, but the paint job did not look the way I wanted. There was another one that had the perfect gears, brakes and suspension, and even looked amazing, but it was just too expensive and out of my price range! Or, there was a similar one where the price just seemed way too good and cheap to be true. All in all, I have not ridden a bike in all these years.

As I have mentioned, I have recently started training in the gym again, working out on the stationary bike and elliptical machine, getting ready to start cycling again. It has been a tiring experience so far, because I have not ridden in so long and am so out of shape. I wish there was another way to rid myself of the fear of getting back on the real bike, to build my strength and endurance, but such a training regiment pales in its effectiveness compared to just getting back on a bike and really cycling.

And thus, I am seriously considering cycling again. I have found one bike that I’d like to try right now, and would like to commit to cycling with it. However, I still don’t feel like I know how to cycle; I am trying to rid myself of the fears of falling and getting hurt. Even so, I have been reminded on many occasions that the benefits outweigh the negatives.

I just pray that I am ready for this, and hope that my heart can take it.

(Originally published Aug.29, 2007; republished March 27, 2009)

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Romans 5:1-5, NLT