The surreal life...

This last week was kind of crazy... I mean, most of my weeks are crazy, but this one...

Steve's cousin called last Monday to tell us that he wanted to take us on his private jet to Las Vegas for dinner.  I was assuming he meant sometime in the future, but Tuesday night I get a call saying it was all set up for Thursday.  This was not a good week for me.  I was going away for the weekend on Friday and had much to accomplish -- so the idea of "jetting off to Vegas" was just stressful.

I also was not thrilled because every time I've gone in a small aircraft I've gotten off and promptly barfed.  I was sure we were going to crash.  And, the thought of spending such an exorbitant amount for dinner was just down right head spinning (600 gallons of gas an hour to fly, limo, dinner, etc etc etc).  And Vegas --- not my favorite place, not even close!  

I had only met this cousin once.  He sells supplements, but his business takes him to places and puts him in contact with people I'm not interested in hanging out with - rather, I would avoid like the plague.  So I have not wanted to start any type of relationship with him.

But he is longing for family and we Bartoschs are all he has (besides his dad).  This would be Steve's 1st cousin by adoption (his grandparents adopted Robert's mom, although I don't know if it was "official" or not, but she grew up with them).  So very begrudingly, I went, as I know Steve has been wanting to share with him for some time.  Steve's mom also went and Steve's brother and his wife - and Robert's (the cousin) girlfriend.
I have pictures... but they were taken with my phone, so they aren't so good.

The airplane was plush.  A 13 seater -- 10 big comfy chairs and a couch the sat 3.  Oh and the bathroom was cool -- plush as well -- nothing like the regular air plane, can't move around in, bathrooms.

Taking Off...

I got to sit in the jump seat for the landing in Vegas which helped tremendously with not getting sick -- I could see where we were flying and when we were landing, etc. Robert flew the plane.

On the flight over, Robert came and talked to us a bit.  Bob asked how his business was going.  He casually says, "This year we made about a hundred million, and expect to double that next year."  I was trying to look casual as well....  but I was on the inside.  When he walked away, my sister-in-law and me almost fell out of our chairs.  I mean, I knew he was rich, but I was NOT expecting that!

He also casually says that they fly to Hawaii all the time for a few days and we should go with him before the end of the year if we can find some time.  Steve chimes in saying how busy December is for us -- but I'm like, "My schedule's totally clear." hahahahaa.... Don't know that I'd actually go, but the thought of it is appealing..........

We arrived and were picked up by limo to be taken to the restaurant. I can't remember the name, but I think it was called Joe's Stone Crab or something like that. 

    
The limo

Robert ordered a couple of plates of crab for us for an appetizer.  I was thinking that I'd like to have crab for dinner as well -- I looked at the menu... the crab he ordered was $79 a plate.   I had steak instead, but it was $69.  The pretty much tells the story of dinner... it had to be at least $100 a person -- because nothing came as a meal; you had to order everything.  Everyone ordered dessert (not me, but I did have some of Steve's) -- his girlfriend ordered 2 because she couldn't make up her mind.  Later on the way out, she bought a pair of $800 sandals.  Dang.  That's all I have to say. Surreal.  She did say that if she bought them she would wear them all the time cuz she couldn't think of just having a pair of $800 shoes just sitting in her closet.  But still... dang, I can't even comprehend.

Because I couldn't see out of the limo, I don't even know where we were in Vegas, but this is a picture of the inside.

 
Now, I've got to say... for all my whining and complaining -- I did have fun.  It was hard not to.  Being pampered like that was a treat.  Sharing the time with my sister and bother in law was the best -- don't know how much "fun" I would have had if it has just been us and Robert and his girlfriend.  Coming home I did not sit in the jump seat and did get very nauseous -- woke up the next morning still nauseous.

The thought of spending so much money is still troubling.  I could see so many things to do with that much money -- this was just so extravagant.  And surreal -- it's like it never happened.

I know Robert is wanting to connect more with family, so I'm curious as to how this will work.   I don't want him to think he has to buy us to be around him.   I don't really want to expose my kids to him for any length of time because he's lost, and his words are lost and actions are lost.  Yet we definitely want to share the Lord with him and demonstrate to him a family in love with the Lord and dedicated to purity.

I'll keep you posted.

~Di

Posted 11/4/2008 at 8:1 AM

John Calvin on the Book of Psalms:

John Calvin on the Book of Psalms:

... I have been accustomed to call this book, I think not inappropriately, "An Anatomy of all the Parts of the Soul;" for there is not an emotion of which any one can be conscious that is not here represented as in a mirror. Or rather, the Holy Spirit has here drawn to the life all the griefs, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities, in short, all the distracting emotions with which the minds of men are wont to be agitated. The other parts of Scripture contain the commandments which God enjoined his servants to announce to us. But here the prophets themselves, seeing they are exhibited to us as speaking to God, and laying open all their inmost thoughts and affections, call, or rather draw, each of us to the examination of himself in particulars in order that none of the many infirmities to which we are subject, and of the many vices with which we abound, may remain concealed. It is certainly a rare and singular advantage, when all lurking places are discovered, and the heart is brought into the light, purged from that most baneful infection, hypocrisy. In short, as calling upon God is one of the principal means of securing our safety, and as a better and more unerring rule for guiding us in this exercise cannot be found elsewhere than in The Psalms, it follows, that in proportion to the proficiency which a man shall have attained in understanding them, nill be his knowledge of the most important part of celestial doctrine. Genuine and earnest prayer proceeds first from a sense of our need, and next, from faith in the promises of God. It is by perusing these inspired compositions, that men will be most effectually awakened to a sense of their maladies, and, at the same time, instructed in seeking remedies for their cure. In a word, whatever may serve to encourage us when we are about to pray to God, is taught us in this book. And not only are the promises of God presented to us in it, but oftentimes there is exhibited to us one standing, as it were, amidst the invitations of God on the one hand, and the impediments of the flesh on the other, girding and preparing himself for prayer:thus teaching us, if at any time we are agitated with a variety of doubts, to resist and fight against them, until the soul, freed and disentangled from all these impediments, rise up to God; and not only so, but even when in the midst of doubts, fears, and apprehensions, let us put forth our efforts in prayer, until we experience some consolation which may calm and bring contentment to our minds..."


Isn't that awesome?!!!

We are  in Maryland.  We came here for a 4 day worship conference.  It was wonderful beyond anything I could express adequately.  I learned so much -- was so refreshed and washed with the Word!!  Can't wait to get home and share!!

While we were here we also did some sightseeing.  We spend a couple of days in DC and also went to Gettysburg and Annapolis.  Tomorrow we are going to Arlington Cemetery. 

We fly out tomorrow evening.  It has been so difficult to get adjusted to this time zone and now it's time to leave it!!! I'll be messed up for a few weeks I'm sure!

Sin is a faith "disorder"...

Our pastor has started the long journey on Sundays through Romans.  It has been good. We are currently on Romans 1:16-17.

He brought up some good points to think about this last week. I'm paraphrasing off of my notes... so this may not be exactly what he said but what I understood him to say.

He said that sin is a faith "disorder" -- meaning that sin is not a matter of unbelief, that is, not believing in anything, rather it's believing in the wrong thing.  Our circumstances sometimes look to us as though what God promises us will never come true, so we reject God and do our own thing (like the Israelites after they left Egypt).  So we sin because we choose to believe in the wrong thing (usually what we think is best, rather than submitting to the will of God in our situations). 

So we need to ask ourselves when we are tempted to sin: What is it that I am believing in that isn't true?

He also talked about Truth needing to be received by faith.  He said sometimes we will say that we spend time reading the word but it isn't speaking to us or enlightening us or strengthening us.  The problem isn't that the word isn't speaking to us (etc), rather that we don't see (comprehend) what it is saying.  Sometimes we must seek for Truth to be found, but once found, it does us no good if it isn't believed.

He said that we need to be diligently praying and asking ourselves: Am I praying for eyes to see until God give me sight (or am I giving up!)?

Good stuff. Yes, good stuff to ponder.