We had another frosty morning, the sort of morning where if you have cars outside, you have to give them a good fifteen minutes of running with the defrost on before you go anywhere. Madison took this picture through her side of the window, a photo of the light of sunrise coming through. She was taking a lot of other pictures today too, and you can see a few from earlier in the week too here below.
And this shot was actually from yesterday, a picture of the frost on the lamb's ears there. It was a chilly morning yesterday, and a chilly one today too, although the temperature eventually warmed up enough to not be as unwelcoming.
This morning, I walked from St. Michelle to Champs-Élyseé, at least on my treadmill. Tomorrow I hope to make it from there to the Eiffel Tower. That will be a shorter walk, but you have to make it there if you're in Paris. Of course I'm not actually in Paris, but it's been a fascinating walk, and a brisk-paced one too that gets the heart rate up.
Madison is up and going with school, studying science tonight, reviewing her Georgia studies and even doing a bit of artwork, something she's been working more on lately because of her class. Meanwhile, Mom and Nana were out at a thrift shop to get some jackets that can be donated next week as a part of that coat drive, a part of her Live to Give club.
I was proofing booklets and writing some more today, as we're getting ready for "The Spirit Awakens" in March. In fact, I wrote this new entry for the devotional below, and plan to add a few more to the thirty existing entries.
“If I don’t have love, I am only a loud gong or a noisy cymbal.” 1 Corinthians 13:1 NIRV
“This is the way.”
Anyone who has seen “The Mandalorian” knows this phrase really well, because it’s a motto of all the Mandalorians. It means simply that all who truly call themselves Mandalorians must obey the laws and rules set in place a long time ago, and followed ever since.
Din Djarin knows this very well, as he has been taught and trained “the way” ever since his childhood. Part of that training involves an intense respect for each warrior’s Beskar armor, and never, ever taking off that helmet.
But something else suddenly steps in, and it is a power so strong that it overrides this law entirely. Simply put, it is love.
Din Djarin finds himself in a position where in order to save a life, he has to do something he’s never done in front of anyone else. He has to take off that helmet. There’s a choice he faces: follow the law he’s always known, or save another’s life.
Because he is a hero, you know the choice he makes. And his decision is based on a law that is bigger than any other. It’s the law of love.
Some time ago, Jesus told us all these simple words, “I am the way.” His way was love, and it was a way that is so strong that the curse of sin and death were broken forever. Everything he ever did was based in love. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only son that whosoever will believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
Not long after this, a man named Paul wrote about the importance of love. In fact, he said we could have the greatest gifts in the world, but if we don’t have love, we have nothing. Put in the way of a Mandalorian, we could have the best armor, a jetpack, and most incredible skills in the galaxy, but if we don’t have love, we’re not a real hero.
If you want to know how to be the best hero in the universe, and to know what real love is, look to Jesus, and don’t forget: “He is the way.”
Another few months of Star Wars is on the way at KidPak, so we'll probably be diving into the movies soon enough. As for tonight, there wasn't much time, as Madison had her longer night at taekwondo. She had leadership class afterwards, where she heard about an upcoming "immersion" class on Saturdays that takes things even further, where maybe she'll become a part of Team Edge. She'll be a black belt around that time, and she's certainly got talent. She is still working on this one kick that involves a lot of movement. I think only one student could really get the hang of it tonight, but that's just the thing - these kids are learning some pretty elaborate new moves, and it takes time and practice. If you see her doing the regular class moves, the ones that are advancing her towards her black belt, you'll see really focused, strong and very quick movements. She's really earning this black belt, really fantastic at what she's applying herself towards.
We got home, and she was spending her time studying and getting some additional work done for school. Meanwhile, the rest of us continued the Pink Panther series with the movie "A Shot in the Dark." After that, it was bedtime - we continued reading from Esther tonight, and of course there's the famous scripture referring to "for such a time as this." When we're done reading this, we'll probably watch the movie "One Night With the King," which tells that same story. Maybe we'll be able to see that play too, the one Sight&Sound had put on earlier last year.
Afterwards, we were reading about Bink and Tavia, and Chewbacca too. And Winter. Just a few of the "Scoundrels" in that Star Wars book we're moving through quickly. We're still moving through our nightly traditions, from hide-and-seek to the surprise groundhog, and the precise layering and tucking in with several blankets. And of course prayers. We were praying for healing, not only for all of us, but for our country. It would be great if our government leaders were working towards healing and uniting, but apparently that is still a long ways off.
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