New Year, New Blog

Hello. Its me, Andrew. I just wanted to say good-bye... sort of. I have decided to start my own blog due to the fact that this one is more for the fam than my random thoughts on God and other things. So, if you like my random thoughts, head over to http://aburdick.blogspot.com/ where I will try to post often and even if you don't like them, head over there anyway. Have a happy New Year!

Road Trip

I just got back from a road trip with my cousin, Eric, from Chicago to here in SoCal. It was long and beautiful, cold and uncomfortable (I swear that the seats in his Saturn were once used as a Chinese torture method). But through the various discussions we had, the time away from my family of whom I can't express how much I missed, and spending countless, barely-conscious hours in middle-of-nowhere America I was able to reconcile some things with God. I've been on a very arduous journey with my Heavenly Father, and it has been frustrating. Mainly, I've been questioning a lot of things I use to take for granted and asking God for some answers. I believe I have reached a great length in my faith through this process, and God has given me peace in a lot of ways. The most outstanding of which, is through a passage I came across in Psalms. It has become my favorite Psalm. David writes in Psalm 77:
I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;let me meditate in my heart.”
Then my spirit made a diligent search: “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
Then David proceeds to talk about the history of God's faithfulness.
The reson this passage has become so enlightening to me is because David is questioning God. I use to be afraid of asking some of these questions and thought that if I did, I would no longer be a person of faith. However, I have learned that questioning God often takes more faith than just taking things at face value. The Lord continually challenges us to seek Him out. I believe that our lives are a great search for God. David made a diligent search, and most of the psalms reflect this journey.
Ultimately, if we choose to be completely honest and open with ourselves, God and others around us we will begin to experience God and His truth in a much more powerful way. Shying away from these questions is destructive and leads nowhere. Every greeat figure in scripture had to embrace the journey of the unknown; Abraham, Moses, Elisha, Paul, the Apostles, Ruth, Mary and Joseph. We are shown that the answers to our questions come through experiencing the faithfulness of God in our most vulnerable state.
It is a scary thing to be completely open with God and asking difficult questions, but that is really the beginning of faith. I don't know where this road trip will end, but I sure am enjoying the ride.

Mia, Kendra, and Gunnar (next Christmas new baby!)

This picture makes me smile so much! If my brother new about this he would not be very happy but Gunnar would not take no for an answer!!!




I tried to make this one come first but please remember to pray for Derek and Kim everyday!!!!

A reminder of Christmas

Last night at school I couldn't help but notice the bright moon. But on this particular night I stopped and spent time actually looking at it and noticed two very bright stars next to it. What I found odd was that there were only two stars in the entire sky. Someone next to me said "you know we won't see them for another 40 years." I asked what they were talking about and it turns out that those stars were actually the planets Jupiter and Venus. I will be 63 the next time I see them.
I have finished reading Job and am in Psalms now. This morning I read through Psalm 10, but found the 8th Psalm to really stand out. In it, David writes, "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" This is how I felt last night watching planets that too were formed by the mere voice of God. David goes on to write about man, "Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor." This reminded me of what Paul wrote about Jesus when he said that he made himself lower than the angels to become born in the likeness of man. I think about the star that lead the wise men to Christ and realize that he can still use his stars to lead us closer to Him. I think about the fact that the creator of this entire thing actually answered our cry for help and came here and saved the world. I felt very small last night standing there, but I felt comforted in kowing that someone very big came here to rescue us, and He will do it again. Maybe He'll do it before I turn 63.
"O LORD how majestic is your name in all the earth!"

Gunnar, Mia, and Kendra trying to fit into a cupboard together. They were successful!

Papa acting crazy!


Well, we went to Ford Park and the ducks were crazy. I have never seen them out of the water trying to get bread from people. I had given Kendra a little piece and the next thing I know a duck had gone around me and tried to snatch the bread from Kendra's hand. My mom reflexes kicked in (literally)and I kicked the duck away from her. The duck was ok and we were than done feeding the crazy ducks.

Thanksgiving

I thought this was a funny picture of grandpa and Mimi! Jadon and Kendra are kissing!

This was the tag picture that came up!!!

A Tale of Two Poets

The book of Job has been fascinating for me to read and I am nearly finished. But with each book I have read many misconceptions and questions that I had were quickly changed and answered simply by reading. For example, I use to think this was a short book, but it is not. I also use to think it was mainly a narrative, but it is actually mostly a dialogue between Job and his friends. Job has always interested me because it is one of the oldest texts in the history of the world and the oldest of all the scriptures. Yet, it is placed not at the beginning of the Bible, but in the middle of the O.T. and, in particular, next to the book of Psalms. This is weird to me. But after reading the book I see why this is. There is one particular passage that really sums up the entirety of the story- chapter 23.
I won't write the entire chapter, but I do recommend you read it. When you do it should sound somewhat familiar to a passage in Psalms. In fact, it is almost the exact opposite of Psalm 139. Job says,
8 “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there,
and backward, but I do not perceive him;
9 on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him;
he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him."
David says in the Psalm;
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.

Kinda similar, yet oopposite. Job can't seem to find God in his circumstances, and David can't get away from God. I can relate to both. Sometimes it seems God is nowhere to be found, and sometimes He seems to be constantly by my side, leading me. The truth is that God never abandons us, but that doesn't mean that Job abandoned God. Job is at a place where he can't rely upon anything else other than faith in God; and though he cannot see him, Job is left to trust that God is still true to his word.
This is why he says;
10 But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
14 For he will complete what he appoints for me,
and many such things are in his mind.
And why David says;
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!


I notice that throughout the Psalms, David, who was a king and a warrior, experienced a lot of ups and downs in his relationship with God. Job was an ordinary family man who experienced his share of ups and downs too. I think these books are next to each other so that we can peer into the lives of men who percevered through hardships and trials and came out as fine gold. This gives me great hope for what God can do with you and me.

Verse of the Day

I read this verse this morning and wanted to share it. I've been reading through the Bible this year not trying to make it to the end in a year, but to consistently read through it. It's amazing how much there is to learn from just reading scripture. Anyway, here it is; I'm in Job.

Job 5:18- "For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal."

This helps answer the age old question, "Why, God?" It encourages me that though we often end up with wounds and can be shattered at times, the Lord is just as quick to heal and bind us up. Sometimes its good to feel wounded and broken. Sometimes its the only way we can learn and grow.

I pray for the sick in hospitals and their family. I have been blessed to know only a few people close to me who have frequented the hospital. I pray that God would use his children to help bind rather than wound.

Last Night in San Diego!

Well, our last night in San Diego we found a community college that was putting on a Dr. Seuss musical. Kendra had so much fun and so did I. It was amazing. It did rain our last night but our trusty tent held up to the water!!!

Papa and Kendra At the Zoo

Every time Kendra saw a bus she would wave like crazy and yell HI!!!

The Next Day At the ZOO!

Kendra's favorite thing was the duck...but it was cool b/c you could see it swimming from under the water!

My favorite was the hippos.

Our Family Camping Trip to San Diego

Kendra Didn't come out of the tent the whole evening, so we all ate dinner in the tent!

Kendra's Sibling (George is Kendra's best pal for LIFE!)

They laugh together, cry together, wrestle together, hug together, and give lots of kisses!

Pumpkin Patch

Herding all the children!



This is my new favorite picture of Kendra!

Halloween