August 10, 2005
Excerpts from My Letter
Here are some excerpts from a letter which I just typed to my grandparents:
Last week, I attended two out-of-the-ordinary events. In the middle of the week, Angi told me about a free horse show which our whole family attended. We had to pay a small fee to get in the fairgrounds, but the show was free! We saw many different types of horses performing "dances" to music. Friesan horses pulling a chariot dashed nimbly around cones. Two massive Shire horses pranced to music, even rearing and bowing. A man on a quarter horse stallion twirled a pole while guiding his horse through spins and fancy-steps done to Spanish guitar music. One horse was even in costume as an elephant! (I felt a little sorry for the horse. James whispered to me: "I wonder what's wrong with the horse that they feel they must hide it.")
On Friday morning, Aunt Beth and Ranjana hosted a sari party. Ranjana brought saris (traditional Indian dress with 6 yds. of cloth) and other Indian garb for us to wear as we sipped the tea and sampled the dainty foods which Aunt Beth and some other women prepared. The party was held at Aunt Beth's house and twenty women attended. A lovely time was had by all. The two hosts said that they would like to host another party in December. I'm sure Sophie would like to attend!
Aunt Beth and Ranjana
One of the tables...20 women attended!
Ranjana fixing Sarah's Sari
The young women of the party
Meaghen and Zetta
Michelle
Colleen and Katie
Cheryl and Kathy
Anna Lee a.k.a. Snow White
Yesterday morning, I read out of the first chapter of James to the kids. I read out of the English Standard Version which I appreciate. In verse 3, where the NIV says that the testing of your faith produces "perseverance", the ESV instead uses the word "steadfastness" which is a more obvious contrast with the "double-minded man, unstable in all his ways" of verse 8. I didn't catch the contrast between "perservance" and "unstable" in the NIV as I did between "steadfastness" and "unstable" in the ESV. I also then noticed the parallel between the "steadfastness" produced by faith and the character of God Himself described in verse 17: "the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." Perfect steadfastness!!!