4.02.09

2 Corinthians 2
14But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? 17Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.

Here he is saying that we are the aroma of God... the sweet savour of Christ. No matter if the aroma touches some and the deny the Lord, or those who come to the knowledge of Him, it is the same purpose. To present the sweet aroma of the Lord - the fragrance of His truth and love. An ancient Jewish writer put it this way: "As the bee brings home honey to its owner, but stings others; so it is with the words of the law." He is also saying that many will try to take God's word and corrupt it; mingle it to their liking. But we are to present the clear message of life and death in truth and in love.

Aroma is a powerful thing. I love the smell of my grandma making spaghetti. Its a secret family recipe and it is amazing! Sometimes when I drive by a restaurant I can smell the food cooking from a block away. My mother in law does not have a sense of smell, but a powerful aroma can still effect her senses. One year we sent her a beautiful bouquet of roses. When she opened the box (fresh cut flowers) she said that the aroma was so powerful she could almost make out the smell. Another way it is powerful is when you walk in your front door and are then smacked with the aroma of "oopps, I forgot to take out the trash" (you all know what I'm talking about!).

Its very clear here that we are to have the aroma of Christ overtaking us and our surroundings. There should be once scent, one clear and truthful scent of Christ, not a mixture of aromas (or odors for that matter!). So, go ahead... smell yourself (ok, put your arms down!). Are you giving off the aroma of Christ??

Lord, I want your fragrance to cover me so that my aroma is You. Amen
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So, day two of my frugal ideas. Here is one for you...

Buy diapers in bulk! No, this isn't a brand new idea, but how many times have you run into the store (grocery stores are the worst!) and bought a package because you were totally out?? I just did a week ago and probably paid an extra 25% more for them. My idea?: purchase them at diapers.com, or at babiesrus.com. Right now I can get a bulk pack for what I'd normally pay for a mega pack, plus right now there is free shipping! Diaper delivery! Check it out and see if it can save you some money. :)

I am going to the library today to get a library card. I had one in AZ and I used it all the time. I have a ton of books (most of them Christian parenting books) that I need to read up on.

Still waiting on getting my "dream" finalized... may sound confusing to you, but I should have more to write about this when it is public knowledge. :)

Tim is loving he assignment at The Highlands. The people are amazing and there will be so much for both of us to learn. We're excited to be there.

Hannah is doing well. She is into singing, reading, coloring, and dancing. My dad came back from Oregon yesterday and she was so excited to see him. She kept saying, "Papa [holding up a book]" and "Papa [raising her arms for him to carry her]." She adores him. I love their bond.

That's all for now.... stay tuned

Cool link for the week: www.livingonadime.com