The Crenshaw Family Blog: Isaiah 58

First blogspot endeavor...Everyone I know uses it, so it must not be that hard, right? I will find out! Bear with me while I try to change and move around and see what works. There are some old stories and posts on my other blog, but we have a new journey that we are starting (I will give details soon, but we are adopting a precious little one from Ethiopia!), and with that, I thought it would be a good "transition time" for blogging, too!

So, why I-58? The "I" is for interstate...this road we are on. The road of our life and journey with God. May be cheesy, but that is what we Crenshaws can be sometimes! :) There are ups, downs, twists, turns, and smooth flat areas. We welcome them all and will strive to obey and glorify Him. We really want our lives to count for something for the Lord. With that being said, the "I" is also for Isaiah...Isaiah 58! We want our lives to be a "true fast" for Him. The beginning of Isaiah 58 goes through a lot of RELIGIOUS things we can do for God...seeking God daily, delighting in knowing His ways, fasting, humbling ourselves, etc. God's word says "behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure" (we do it for ourselves...for what we will look like to others...for what we will feel like). Religious things aren't acceptable to him. The "appearance" of righteousness is not acceptable to him. I don't want to seek my own pleasure...

He says the fasting that He chooses is this: starting at verse 6: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke. Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, "Here I am." If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. (ending in v. 12)

There is so much richness in all of that. I will go into more pieces in more detail, but I just wanted to introduce us a little...

Here are a couple of fun family shots...

We love the beach...