Wednesday, July 22, 2009


Images are everything. In the world of news, if you don't have video, usually no matter how dramatic the story, you don't really have a story.

That's first and foremost why most of us put a picture into our blog attempts.

For this rant, I give you Levi. The third son of Jacob, but the forth child in the Trimble family.

I had to take him yesterday to the doctors for his 9-month check-up. Loads of fun. Only one vaccination for this visit, so no real tears.

As we were waiting for the doctor to examine him, I was holding him and we were looking in the the huge mirror on the wall. At first he was all giggles about the mirror. There he was. There I was. Laughter. It was funny.

But then he got all serious. He kept looking in the mirror, then looking at me. He would reach out for the mirror, and only get the cool glass. But then he would turn to me and reach out. And usually I got a cheek or lip pulled, or I received a finger in the mouth or nose.

Back and forth he went. Impressed with the mirror, however, definitely more impressed when he could squeeze my face.

1 Corinthians 13:12 (NET Bible)
"For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face."

Yep, I was reading the love chapter the other night and this verse popped out at me. Seriously, I had to re-read it, because I wasn't sure I could remember that in chapter 13.

Right now, we see God indirectly. As the footnotes in the NET Bible say:
"Paul’s point in this analogy, then, is not that our current understanding and relationship with God is distorted (as if the mirror reflected poorly), but rather that it is “indirect,” (i.e., the nature of looking in a mirror) compared to the relationship we will enjoy with him in the future when we see him “face to face”.

That played out for me in the pediatrician's office yesterday. Levi was impressed and enjoyed the company of the mirror; but he was certainly engaged with the real "face to face" me.

And then I think this: how awesome is God's grace and mercy and love to me as I view Him in the mirror? It is beyond words. Yet, he promises us an eternity "face to face".

Friday, July 17, 2009

"MLB: Mightly Low Buccos"


I must confess I would rather not do much complaining on this blog. No one really wants to read it, and really, I don't particularly like rehashing my frustrating experiences. But for this one moment in time, I digress.

My family is having a reunion this weekend. Lucky for us, the Pittsburgh Pirates have a home game. SO, a few of the family have gotten tickets to the game. I didn't get into the desire for going to game until after they had already purchased tickets. But one would think it shouldn't be too hard to add a ticket to the game in the same rows as them, or the row in front or in back of them. IMPOSSIBLE.

I have tried now for 2 days to get ahold of the Pirates, but am only met with the never-ending ringing of the phone. I tried online. But in an effort by MLB to make ticket buying ridiculously impossible for re-salers (i won't call them scalpers) you can't choose exactly the seat you want to sit in that maybe available.

SO what am I left with. Well... GO SAN FRAN GIANTS, BEAT THE TERRIBLE BUCCOS!

I mean, really, the Pirates are on the verge of their 17th straight losing season. That would be a record for years of futility by one team-oriented organization in any of the team professional sports (NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB). It is pathetic.

I used to love baseball. But really, when Barry 'roids Bonds can't throw out one-legged Sid Bream at his attempt to score from second, then your organization deserves this legacy forever.

I guess the thing that really gets me is MLB's anxiety over re-salers and their lack of anxiety of juicing. HOW PATHETIC! Personally, I think it's time for baseball's anti-trust exemption to be revisited... i mean, renigged!

Locally, I am so thankful for the Penguins and the Steelers.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

"He Watches Over Me"

A few weeks ago, the kids and I found these two baby sparrows in the front yard. We watched as the mother sparrow kept coming and feeding them as they hid the browning grass of our front yard. That night we went to sleep well aware they were hiding out in the long dying grass out front. The next day I had planned to cut what little green grass there was in the front, and the thick lushes grass in the back of our home. So Luke (the soon-to-be 3 year-old) went on a mission to find out if it was safe to cut (safe for the sparrows that is). What we found was one baby hopping and hungry... and the other, lifeless.
We buried the one in the back yard and helped (with the aid of a shovel) the other into the tree. (Hence the picture above).

Fast forward today's (7/12/09) Daily bread and this promise from God:
"Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. Even all the hairs on your head are numbered. So do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31 NET Bible

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.



Thursday, July 9, 2009

"Changes"

It is time to stop wallowing in my own self and start living the live Jesus bought for me.