It's almost that time of year....

The trees are nearly bare. The wind sweeps the fallen leaves into piles against the curb and playfully nips at the faces of students making their way from building to building; they are bundled against the weather, their eyes and red noses peeping from their layers of clothing, their arms tightly guarding themselves from the draught. Scattered snowflakes have fallen upon the campus over the past 15 hours, though not enough to stay.

In a week is Thanksgiving break, and I'll be going up to my PA grandparents' for the week. And in a month (give or take a couple days), after a pile of papers and reading and exams (which I'll manage by the grace of God), the semester will be over and I'll be home for Christmas. I'm looking forward to it--to seeing family and friends and once again being home on the Nebraskan plains...to standing in a field blanketed in fresh, virgin snow, a full moon washing it in luminescence, its rays refracted by the ice on the branches of trees.

We've begun to play Christmas music in my wing. :-)

Go check out the Myspace page of the Mountainaires, a North Carolina group of homeschooled guys who play a mix of traditional bluegrass/Celtic/Appalachian music. Two of their members are here at Patrick Henry College (one of them attends the same church as I). They just released their second album, a Christmas album, and I'd highly recommend it.

The Lord be with you all and give you grace; see you soon!

"Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings upon the altar. And the LORD smelled a savor of rest, and the LORD said in His heart, I will henceforth curse the ground no more for man's cause: for the imagination of man's heart is evil, even from his youth: neither will I smite anymore all things living, as I have done. Hereafter seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and Summer and Winter, and day and night shall not cease, so long as the earth remaineth." Genesis 8:20-22

"The Most High bears rule over the kingdom of men; He gives it to whomsoever He wills." ~Daniel 4:29

"The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord; He guides it like a river wherever He wills." ~Proverbs 21:1

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour."
~1 Timothy 2:1-3

"1Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

2Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

4For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

5Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

6For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

7Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour."

~Romans 13:1-7

"13Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

14Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

15For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

16As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

17Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

18Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

19For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

20For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

21For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

25For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."

~1 Peter 2:13-25