becka lippy

I have been learning a lot about myself in the context of dating Jason. Already, so many insecurites have popped their ugly heads up and I have seen fears that I never knew existed come into my mind taunting me. But I have also been happily surprised by many of my reactions to different issues. For example, I have realized that I am much less jealous than I had thought I would be. And this week's lesson: I am not good at long distance. For all the hours I spent in high school talking on the phone with boys, I am no good at long distance relationships. Jason and I spend a good amount of time talking on the phone each night (it's a good thing we have Verizon in-minutes!) And we talk about everything from the mundane to the deep. I am SO blessed to have a guy who can handle, and maybe even enjoy, the mad stream of thoughts that go through my mind. So we are learning that we are very different in many ways, but we also seeing the benefits of being together, of balancing each other.

So this post is a little overdue, but as I have learned in the last few weeks, God is never late in His timing. A few weeks ago, I came to the realization that one of my good guy friends was interested in something more. His name is Jason and we have been friends for about a year and a half. He is also a student at Westminster, and we have both attended New Life Glenside Church for the last year. The picture below is from last year's 4th of July parade. (If you look back in this blog to last year July, you'll find the original posting of that photo!) So, back to the story, I realized that Jason was interested in more, but on my part, I had never seen him as anything more than a friend. A good friend, one that I really enjoyed, but nonetheless, just a friend. So a few Sundays ago, after a conversation with Jason, where I realized he was interested in more, I began to ask myself why I had never considered him an option. After a few days of real hardcore prayer and heart searching

This is a little something I wrote in my journal last night at a Good Friday service... "Tonight we celebrate Your death. Such an odd event to celebrate. And yet it is exactly that horrible death on a cross that is my hope and my joy. My whole hope is in Your death, for on Your cross my sin was crucified. My death happened that Friday so long ago and today I celebrate it. For in death, life was born. You oh Jesus, bore our deaths. Bless You, oh Savior of the World, Lamb that took away our sins! We praise your name forever!"

(Warning: this post is just as scattered in topic as my brain is emotionally scattered right now. If the train of thought presented here doesn't make sense to you, you're normal.) I've been thinking about desires alot this week. I have so many dreams and desires in this life. Some of them are old, going way back to when I was a kid. For example, I remember as a little kid, before I was really a Christian, wanting to be a rabbi's wife. I think my mom would have rather me be a rabbi myself. But I wanted to be the wife of the religous leader. As I have grown in my faith that has translated easily into a desire to be a pastor's wife. I could explain why, but that would bore most of you, so just take my word on it, I would love to be a pastor's wife. But up till recently, I haven't narrowed down who I would marry based upon their vocational calling. I would have happily settled with a teacher, an engineer, or even... an accountant! The last 6 months I have become

The girls with their Matzoh and bitter herbs Reading part of the Hagaddah My roommate Rebekah and I (and yes, sometimes its confusing having two girls with the same name in one apartment!) One of the girls jumped in and joined us for the photo fun.... and Rebekah didn't make it into the whole photo, oh well! So this was the first year in many that I actually celebrated Passover with a Jewish family. Josh (my boss) and Annette Sofer had a few of us over to celebrate the fun feast. It was great, a little tradition thrown in with a little not so traditional... awesome. It made me look forward to the day when I hopefully will host seders for my own family. Who knows, I may turn out to be the next June Cleaver, or at least, the Jewish Christian version of her... :)

Taty, me and Heather Danielle and Chris And Danielle and I looking at the baby cows after devouring the yummiest fresh made ice cream! Here are some photos from Danielle and my visit to Philly last week... good times!

One of the posters in the subway train had this provoking quote on it: Out of the crooked timber of humanity nothing entirely straight can be built. -Immanuel Kant Thoughts anyone? Disagree? Agree?

So this week has begun with some heaviness on my heart. It's a heaviness though that is good because it is teaching me SO much about my heart, my mind, and the insanity that exists between the two. Anyways, this will be a week of meditation on the Lord's promise to guide us, to teach us to worship Him in holiness and to pursue His glory. The next few months will be filled with decisions to be made, in every sphere of life. If you wanna know how to keep me in prayer, please pray for wisdom. A little something from a Puritan Prayer: Let thy Spirit help my infirmities, for I know not what to pray for as I ought. Let him produce in me wise desires by which I may ask right things, then I shall know thou hearest me. May I never be importunate for temporal blessings, but always refer them to thy Fatherly goodness, for thou knowest what I need before I ask. Amen!

Last night was the second of two bible studies that I got to lead while my boss is away. Last week went so well and I was excited to teach again. The bible study is the regular Jews for Jesus bible study on Tuesday nights, open to anyone. Usually there are about 12-15 people there and the people are as diverse as you might expect in New York. Some are Jews, some are Gentiles, some have been believers a long time, some not so long. Men, women, businessmen, students, manual laborers. It's a very diverse crowd. Before last week I had never taught a co-ed bible study before. I had led, kinda, women's studies, but always with my friends and not more than 5 or 6 of us. This was a whole new experience. At Westminster I had taken a class on preparing a sermon, and another on how to counsel someone with the Word, but never on how to lead a bible study. Bible studies are not as personal and specific as counselling, but they also are more didactic than preaching. They are somewhere in the