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!