Heirs to the Kingdom

Lately I've had more free time than is typical for me, so naturally I've filled it with things I love - namely photography and cooking.

In photography: There's this bridge near my mom's house in Austin, called the 360 bridge, to the outsider there is nothing special about it, it's just a bridge. For me though it holds special memories, one thing Austinites know is that it is a marvelous place to catch the sunrise and sunset, and you can see the city skyline from afar. For a while I had this idea of trying to capture the bridge lit up only by car lights and this is my attempt at it.

This is the city skyline, I would zoom it in more, but on the hill where it was taken it was very windy that evening and it's a tad bit blurry.

As for cooking there has been loads of deliciousness going on here. On last Sunday I made potato soup from scratch (unfortunately didn't take any pictures, and I already froze the leftovers) and Italian cheese bread. Friday I made chicken and vegetable soup and French bread.

Apparently I'm in a major soup and bread kind of mood - comfort food? And today I plan to make my famously delicious apple pie!

Heart/Scripture:

God has weighed several scriptures on my heart recently all similar in how they effect me.

"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." -Romans 8:15-17

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will." -Ephesians 1:3-5

"Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba. Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir." -Galatians 4:6-7

I'm sure you will notice as I have that there is a common theme in these scriptures. That we are adopted into the family of God - to be called sons and daughters, to be heirs in the kingdom of Heaven, that we are to cry out to GOD as "Abba, Father." To some, the profoundness of this may be lost, but it has truly struck at my innermost being that The God who created the universe not only loves me and wants to save me, but He wants me to be His child. I who have sinned against Him, I who have turned my back on Him - He wants me. We as Christians could not ask for something better than this for God has not only given us salvation, but He is giving us His kingdom. Sometimes we jest that we just hope God will let us in, but He's not just going to "let us in" He's giving it to us as heirs. That is most remarkable to me.