New Year's Greetings!

Happy 2008 to you all! We welcomed in the New Year with Amanda and Chris by dressing up as historical figures and attending the annual Costley New Year's Eve Party. You can undoubtedly figure out that you're looking at a suave William Shakespeare, an "80's chick," and one of the Bard of Avon's literary creations--Titania from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Our wonderful evening was filled with a mega-game of Bunko, a white elephant gift exchange, and engaging and witty conversation with our newfound family members. Needless to say, the evening served as an intriguing and exciting precursor of things to come in the Black-Costley clan.

On New Year's Day, Momma June, Cortni, Sabrina, and I traveled over to Sunriver and enjoyed several days of cross-country skiing, snowman construction, reading, rock-wall climbing at Maverick's (the new fitness center at Sunriver), and much more. I think my mom's favorite part of the trip was sitting in front of the beautiful fireplace and watching Cortni best her dad on the rock wall.

On the health front, there's not much new to report with Mom's cancer. She hasn't had a check-in with the oncologist for about three months, so she is due for one in the next week or so. She has been spending much of January traveling between Eugene and Vancouver, with a recent stay at Cannon Beach. She also recently purchased a Wii, so all her kids and grandkids are fighting for more "Grandma Time" as never before! (Mmmm, what's with that?!) My dad is currently in Kauai, having recently completed a dose of chemo and no doubt laying in a lounge chair somewhere soaking in some tropical sunshine. He told me he was REALLY looking forward to getting out of chilly Central Oregon and heading to the islands!

One of my favorite things about having time off in the winter is the time it affords for reading. This Christmas I received about $200 in combined gift cards from my own family and Bridlemile students, so I had a great time shopping at Powell's, Borders, and other bookstores around town. I'm certain it'll be August before I've ploughed through all of my new reading material.

I recently read a book by Walter Wangerin, Jr.--one of my favorite authors (I highly recommend his The Book of the Dun Cow, by the way)--that was entitled Paul. Wangerin is such a great storyteller, and he really has a way of sweeping you into the life and times of the man who brought Christianity to the world. The unique thing about this book is that he tells the epic story of Paul's life through the eyes of the apostle's coworkers and contemporaries. Timothy, Priscilla, Barnabas, Luke, James, and Seneca (the Roman tutor of Nero) all speak in the novel. Aside from the fact it is just a great book, the novel created a thirst to delve into the Book of Acts and the epistles as various episodes occurred in Paul's life. If you're looking to gain an even deeper appreciation for what the early church went through in the first century, this is definitely the book for you! You'll come away with a real sense of the true cost of discipleship and Paul's brutal battle to preserve the simple message of grace through Christ.

Another great discovery I made at the bookstore was Abraham J. Heschel's The Prophets. I've only just gotten my feet wet with this one, but if his introduction and his chapters on Hosea, Isaiah, and Amos are any indication of things to come, I'm really in for some very deep and rewarding stuff. Our pastor at Athey Creek Christian Fellowship has been preaching through the last half of the Old Testament for some time now, so my Bible reading and personal meditation has been right up this alley. Here's just a taste of some of Heschel's work on the prophets:

"Prophetic utterance is rarely cryptic, suspended between God and man; it is urging, alarming, facing onward, as if the words gushed forth from the heart of God, seeking entrance to the heart and mind of man, carrying a summons as well as an involvement." (pg. 7)

"The prophet is human, yet he employs notes one octave too high for our ears. He experiences moments that defy our understanding. He is neither 'a singing saint' nor 'a moralizing poet,' but an assaulter of the mind. Often his words begin to burn where conscience ends." (pg. 12)

Merry Christmas!

Ah, it's that time of year again. I must admit, I've been so busy with our Shakespeare on Broadway production at Bridlemile I've hardly had time to reflect too much on all that lies ahead for our family around this time of year. Our tree is up, the house is decorated (inside and out, mind you!), gifts are accumulating under the boughs of the noble fir, and I have one more week of teaching left for 2007. I can hardly wait to STOP and SAVOR the true meaning of Christmas, worship the King of kings, read about three or four books I'm halfway through, and just hang out with "the fam."

Chris and I recently celebrated our 22nd and 47th birthdays, respectively. Amanda (Chris's fiance and seen in the photo above), her parents Susan and Greg, Momma June, and Sabrina's parents and her sister's family joined us for a great celebration a week ago. Charlie taught us how to play Hearts, and we had a great time together. One of the supreme blessings of this year has been getting to know Amanda more and more, and experiencing the process of merging two families together as Chris and Amanda move closer to their July 19th wedding date.

On the health front, Momma June has finished her chemotherapy for awhile, and the oncologist will make a determination after the holidays whether or not she'll need a regiment of radiation treatments. At this point, surgery doesn't appear to be the way they are headed. It seems she is getting her strength back a bit and I'm sure longs for spring and summer to come so she can get back to her flower gardening and all that she enjoys doing when the weather is better. If you would like more specifics on how she is doing physically or otherwise, I'll leave it up to you to communicate directly with her.

As for my dad, he recently received some discouraging news with his lung cancer. According to the doctors in Bend, it has spread from its origin in the pleura of the lung to the liver, pelvic region, spine, and ribs. We continue to invite you to pray for both of my parents during this difficult and often depressing time in both of their lives.

With all the mix of emotions we can feel during this time of year, especially when serious health issues are an abiding reality, I'm comforted in knowing I have a Rock (Psalm 62) to stand on during life's tempests. Recently, I dug up this encouraging and inspirational quote from Malcolm Muggeridge; it's a reminder of the significance of the Deliverer who was born a child and yet a king:

"We look back on history and what do we see? Empires rising and falling, revolutions and counter-revolutions, wealth accumulating and wealth dispersed, one nation dominant and then another. Shakespeare speaks of 'the rise and fall of great ones that ebb and flow with the moon.'

In one lifetime I have seen my own fellow countrymen ruling over a quarter of the world, the great majority of them convinced, in the words of what is still a favorite song, that, 'God who's made the mighty would make them mightier yet.' I've heard a crazed, cracked Austrian proclaim to the world the establishment of a German Reich that would last a thousand years; an Italian clown announce that he would restart the calendar to begin his own assumption of power. I've heard a murderous Georgian brigand in the Kremlin acclaimed by the intellectual elite of the world as a wiser than Solomon, more enlightened than Ashoka, more humane than Marcus Aurelius. I've seen America wealthier and in terms of weaponry, more powerful than the rest of the world put together, so that Americans, had they so wished, could have outdone an Alexander or a Julius Caesar in the range and scale of their conquests. All in one little lifetime. All gone with the wind.

England part of a tiny island off the coast of Europe, threatened with dismemberment and even bankruptcy. Hitler and Mussolini dead, remembered only in infamy. Stalin a forbidden name in the regime he helped found and dominate for some three decades. America haunted by fears of running out of those precious fluids that keep her motorways roaring, and the smog settling, with troubled memories of a disastrous campaign in Vietnam, and the victories of the Don Quixotes of the media as they charged the windmills of Watergate.

All in one lifetime, all gone. Gone with the wind.

Behind the debris of these self-styled, sullen supermen and imperial diplomatists, there stands the gigantic figure of one person, because of whom, by whom, in whom, and through whom alone mankind might still have hope. The person of Jesus Christ."

Come Thou long expected Jesus,
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us;
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of ev'ry longing heart.
(Charles Wesley)

Kazakh Paintings, Nazi Hunters, and the Power of Memory

This past Saturday I got the surprise of my life when, following a lunch with a longtime friend from Kazakhstan, I was presented with a painting we had once owned in Almaty, Kazakhstan. In fact, this item was one of the first things we "accessorized" our apartment with upon arrival there in 1994. Boy, did it bring memories back for Sabrina, me, and the kids!

Dave and Theresa Knauss really pulled a fast one on us! We had given them this painting as a gift when we moved back to the U.S. in 1997 and never imagined we would ever see it again. As Sabrina and I spent much of last Saturday gazing at the painting, we were reminded of the power of an object to bring your mind back to the past and relive old memories. I was translated back to all of our Russian language lessons with Gulya, our language teacher, sitting on the couch under this painting, not to mention all the Bible studies, birthdays, times of worship, and, yes, even a few "cultural stress breakdowns." Oh, if only this painting could talk!

I was thinking about the powerful connection we can have with people, places, or things in our lives all this past week, especially after my lunch with Dave Knauss. For much of the 1990's, the "Knauss House" (now expanded to number six and seen here in the pic to the right) was a big part of our lives, particularly as we prepared to move to Central Asia and work together there. We had spent a couple of holiday seasons together in their little village of Vanovka (as it was once called) and benefited from their encouragement, gracious hospitality, and shared vision in Christ.

As I was recently watching a documentary on the life of famed Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal (The Life and Legacy of Simon Wiesenthal), I was reminded once again of the enormous power a thing like a painting or a place like a hotel can have on your memories. Mr. Wiesenthal had lost 89 family members in the Nazi death camps and had subsequently spent six decades tracking down over 1,100 Nazi war criminals around the world. On the occasion of his 90th birthday, he requested that he celebrate it at the Imperial Hotel in Vienna, Austria. Ironically, the same hotel was one of Hitler's favorite places to hang out and conduct WWII. Himmler had a suite there and there was even a bunker underneath for Hitler and the rest of his henchmen. I was so struck with something Simon Wiesenthal said as he contemplated the irony and utter joy of celebrating one of his lasts birthdays there: "I want the history of this hotel to read that Simon Wiesenthal held his 90th birthday here with a kosher dinner. Hitler is gone, the Nazis are no more, but we are still here singing and dancing."

Whether it's encouraging us with something like a graciously returned painting or bringing to light the irony of having a Holocaust survivor celebrate his 90th birthday inside one of Hitler's old hangouts, I'm reminded of how faithful God really is. In Wiesenthal's case, it speaks to the living, breathing, and historic reality that God keeps His promises through time. From the calling of Abraham to the last pages of Revelation, He has promised to preserve a remnant of Jewish people unto Himself. As a Gentile believer in Christ, I've been grafted into "Abraham's tree" (Romans 11:17-18), and now have the blessing of being connected to my Father and all that the Kingdom promises entail as a member of the Bride of Christ. What an amazing salvation!

"Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!"

Did You Know; Shift Happens - Globalization; Information Age

Very interesting statistics regarding globalization and the exponential impact of technology on our nation and world.

Big Headlines at Villa Noir

The big news continues at the Black household in Sherwood. Today's big headline is Chris and Amanda's engagement. Chris had a creative proposal, Amanda acquiesced, and they plan on getting married this coming summer. We joyously congratulate them and wish them the very best as they continue to seek the Lord together and forge ahead with their plans.

A few other headlines...

"Young Lad Crashes and Totals Granny's Only Car"

Just last week, while Grandma June was up in the Seattle area visiting Debbie, Chris borrowed his grandmother's car, rounded a slippery corner on a country road as he was picking up his girlfriend for church, and ran into two trees. Long story short...he came out safe (praise God!), but dear ol' June's Honda Accord was totaled. Fortunately, her collision coverage with Allstate has only a $100 deductible. We are still awaiting Allstate's final assessment on what they'll settle on as sale value of the car.

"The emperor does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation" (Darth Vader)

"An Offer on Mom's House in Eugene"
We are pleased to tell you that there has been an offer on 1283 Brookside, my mom's house in Eugene. She made a counter-offer, and it has been subsequently accepted by the other party. We are still waiting on a structural engineer to assess a small crack in the foundation, but we should know if everything is good to go by the middle of this month. Please lift up prayers as we
wait to seal the deal.

"Residents of Villa Noir Continue to Learn Important Spiritual Lessons"
With everything from breast cancer to "strep arm" infections, to crashed cars and wedding plans, we continue to learn that we puny humans are not in control. I'm always amazed at our Heavenly Father's loving (yet seemingly harsh) methods for conforming us into the image of His Son (His ultimate plan for his adopted kids). In times like these, I'm reminded of this quote from one of Alistair Begg's recent sermons I listen to on my iPod via podcasting:

"If dependency is the objective, then weakness is an advantage."

This clearly runs counter to most Americans' materialistic, autonomous, "self-made-man" mentality, but it is undoubtedly right where God wants us as He takes His "trial lumps of clay" and transforms us for a life in the Eternal Kingdom.

God Knows What He's About

When God wants to drill a man

And thrill a man, and skill a man

When God wants to mold a man

To play the noblest part,

When he yearns with all His heart

To build so great and bold a man

That all the world shall be amazed

Then watch His methods, watch His ways!

How He ruthlessly perfects

Whom He royally elects;

How He hammers him and hurts him

And with mighty blows converts him

Into shapes and forms of clay

Which only God can understand

While man's tortured heart is crying

And he lifts beseeching hands...

Yet God bends but never breaks

When man's good He undertakes

How He uses whom He chooses

And with mighty power infuses him

With every act induces him to try His splendor out

God knows what He's about!

Four Hands Guitar

Okay, I'll admit it has been a rough week...I need a little light humor in my life right now!

William Tell Overture

Here's a humorous take on motherhood (sung to the tune of "The William Tell Overture"