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31st
Hebrews 12:1 - 3
Christian Growth is not optional
Everything in our world takes time.
Salvation is just the start.
Justification takes an instant - because of what Jesus has already done.
Sanctification takes a lifetime.
Christian growth
Spiritual maturity
Spiritual growth
Spiritual formation
Becoming more Christ-like
Growing in Faith
What it is is more important than what it is called
Christian growth is the process of becoming more like Christ, deepening in faith, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, God's word, prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:29
2 Peter 3:8
Ephesians 4:22 - 24
Colossians 1:9, 10
Great Cloud of Witnesses
The cloud is associated with God's presence
E.g. God guiding the Israelites through the wilderness after the Exodus.
Run with perseverence the race that is worked out for us.
Make Jesus Christ your model.
22 Attractions of Lawndale - Part 1
It was
still in the early hours when SpiderGirl responded to alarms at the facility on
Lawndale’s northern edge, not far from the Interstate.
She saw
that a window had been smashed. “Subtle, aren’t they?” she quipped as she swung
onto the roof, where she found an open vent and crawled inside.
On the
ground floor, she found a mess. “You must be new. There usually isn’t much of a
mess,” she quipped as she crawled on the ceiling.
She soon
found the thief and was surprised. “Sam Elders?” she asked.
The
would-be thief turned from where he was upending some materials. “SpiderGirl?”
he asked in surprise. “I thought it would be one of the others.”
“You
knew you would get caught by one of Lawndale’s heroes, and yet you’re here.”
“It was
worth the risk,” Sam responded.
SpiderGirl
swung down. “It totally wasn’t,” she said as she tried to web him up.
He
avoided the webs by ducking behind equipment.
“Uh!”
SpideGirl said. “You know that will just make me make more of a mess, right?”
“And get
arrested by Officer Peterson again?” No thanks.”
“Well,
duh! How did you get out anyway?”
“How
else? Bail!” Sam answered as he was cornered and got caught by a web. “Crap.”
“Of
course,” SpiderGirl groused as she webbed Sam up securely.
Half an
hour later, as the Sun rose, Officer Xanthe Peterson found Sam webbed up in the
facility foyer. She sighed. “Yes, SpiderGirl called it in,” she said as she
took out her cuffs. “Sam Elders, you’re under arrest for breaking and
entering.”
“What
about SpiderGirl?”
“It’s
the same as at the Solarium,” Peterson answered.
Sam was
silent as she led him away. Of course it was.
Lawndale
Sun-Herald
Tuesday,
March 13, 2001
Oscorp
Interference with Mound Site Unconfirmed
Melinda
Parris
SpiderGirl
arrived on the school roof a half hour before homeroom. She then changed to her
usual persona of Quinn Morgendorffer, slowly improving, involved, sophomore
student. ‘Brit should be here shortly,’ she thought.
Indeed,
it was only a few minutes before another vigilante hero arrived on the rooftop
and changed to her student persona; Ninja Talon, or rather, Brittany Taylor.
“You said something happened in that message,” she said.
“Yes,”
Quinn answered and explained about finding Sam in that facility.
“You
think he’ll get out again?” Brittany asked.
“Most
likely,” Quinn said as she opened the door to the stairs down. “But the next
question would be, who?”
Brittany
twirled a pigtail. “No real idea, other than maybe Osborn.”
“That’s
only one possibility,” Quinn said as she opened the door.
On the
ground floor after she and Brittany had gone in different directions, Quinn ran
into Jamie White.
“Morning,
Quinn.”
“Morning,
Jamie. Something up?”
“It’s
that most people are talking about their favorite animals,” Jamie answered.
“It’s
probably just a fad,” Quinn responded. “As a way to distract from what’s going
on.”
“I guess
so. But some advice? You're about to embark on a journey that will
change your life. What snacks would you bring along?”
“My life has already been changed, but my snack
preferences haven’t.”
“So, carrot sticks?” Jamie asked as they walked along.
“But what does that tell you about my favorite animal?”
“A
rabbit?”
“Not
really,” Quinn responded. Her actual favorite animal was a small mammal, but
Rabbits and Hares weren’t it.
The
junior grade had Language Arts first period. Brittany wondered what Mr. O’Neill
would be talking about as she entered the classroom. She was sure to arrive
early, to make sure that she and her ex-boyfriend, Kevin Thompson, wouldn’t be
sitting near each other. As she entered the classroom, she saw that Jodie
Landon was already there. “Good Morning, Jodie.”
“Morning,
Brittany,” Jodie said, with an undertone of sadness.
“Is
something up?”
“Oh,
it’s just that Oscorp is trying to make moves on my father’s company. But you
didn’t hear that from me.”
“I won’t
spread it,” Brittany responded. ‘I’d tell at least Quinn, maybe Daria.’
“Thanks,
Brittany.”
Then Mr.
O’Neill arrived. “Oh! Only you two,” he said.
“Yes,
Mr. O’Neill,” Brittany said.
“I don’t
understand why the homerooms are scattered about the school,” O’Neill murmured.
“Probably
the best that Ms. Li could do,” Jodie murmured, before more students entered
the classroom.
“So
class, your assignment is to pick something you know you'll fail at. To prove
that failing isn't the end of the world,” O’Neill said to the class.
“There
goes my motivation,” Quinn’s older sister, Daria, commented.
“Relax,”
Jane Lane said. “At least he’s not making us guess people’s identities by
feeling their hands.”
“Again?”
Daria asked rhetorically.
“Brittany,
what is something you’re sure you’d fail at?” O’Neill asked.
Brittany
twirled a pigtail. “I suppose, learning something really complicated.”
“Excellent!
Although it depends on what that is.”
“Some
science thing.”
‘That
will have to do, although Janet won’t be pleased, ’O’Neill thought, thinking of
the Science teacher he was involved with despite the principal’s anti
fraternization policy. “Brittany! You’ll fail at the science thing.”
‘I hope
not, because I’m sure she’ll bring it up at the next tutoring session,’ Daria
thought.
“Who
else wants to pick what they are going to fail at? Kevin, what about you?”
“Me?” Kevin asked. “I’m the QB. But I’m going to ask
SpiderGirl out.”
Brittany heard Kevin. ‘Quinn told me about that. That he
got a crush on her as Spidey after she rescued him.’
“So, you’re going to fail at trying to get a date with
Lawndale’s first superhero? Isn’t that a bit much?” O’Neill asked.
“No!”
Kevin said. “I’ll find her.”
“She may
say no,” O’Neill said.
“Probably.
But I’ll ask again.”
‘I’ll
have to tell Quinn later,’ Brittany thought.
O’Neill
turned to Jodie. “My parents make me spend my entire summer doing
volunteer work that'll look good on my college application. I'd never be able
to get the summer off.”
“Perfect.
Mack?” O’Neill responded.
After the class, Jane Lane and Daria talked about it as
they headed to their next class. “This is the most stupid idea he’s had,” Daria
said. “If not for everything else happening in Lawndale these days, it would
have been one of the strangest.”
“Especially
with there being two superheroes with strange powers.”
“Especially
that. Speaking of, what do you think of Kevin’s quest?”
“He’s
wasting his time,” Jane said. “SpiderGirl appears where she wants to.”
“Then
there is the fact that people are asking each other about their favorite
animal.”
“I don’t
know how that started.”
“I guess
I could ask Tori,” Daria responding, referring to one of Quinn’s friends.
“But
that probably won’t be until lunch,” Jane responded.
“I know,
but we can ask others if we run into them.”
Elsewhere
in Lawndale, Norman Osborn entered the Main Office of Grace, Sloane and Page, a
so called ‘class firm’. He went up to the reception desk.
“How may
I help you?” the impeccably put together receptionist asked.
He
handed over a business card. “Osborn to see Sloane at 10:00.”
“Mr.
Sloane is ready now, sir.”
Angier
Sloane didn’t really want to meet Norman Osborn. But circumstances had brought
the meeting about, and he couldn’t put it off any longer. He saw Osborn enter.
“Welcome to Grace, Sloane and Page, Mr. Osborn.”
“Lets
get to the point shall we,” Osborn said.
“Of
course,” Angier said as he grabbed a printout. “Your request to join Winged
Tree Country Club is denied.”
“I knew
that,” Osborn said with annoyance.
“I was
getting to the reason. That recent news regarding Oscorp has brought up
concerns about your influence on Lawndale.”
“But
that’s hearsay!”
“Nonetheless,
that is the truth,” Angier responded.
“That
isn’t all is it?”
“I am
aware of your manipulations of the City Council, and of what really happened to
Lynn Anders.”
“All
just malicious rumors,” Norman said.
“I know
there’s no real proof, but whatever you’re going to say is not going to change
my mind.”
“You’re
going to regret this.”
“And
that’s another reason,” Angier added.
The
refusal stung. ‘Just because the Sloanes retained their wealth, and Angier went
to Bromwell!’ Norman groused as he stepped out of Grace, Sloane and Page a few
minutes later. He had to work to get himself through Empire State, work
to establish and grow Oscorp. He turned and looked at the old-style building.
He had done his research, and knew that the Sloanes had been in Lawndale since
it’s founding. ‘I will bring you down, Angier!’ But that was a long-term
project.
But he
had another idea.
Shorty
after the beginning of lunch, Daria entered the cafeteria and heard the
students already in there discussing the ‘favorite animals’ fad, as well as
participating in it. ‘But is Tori here?’ she wondered as she looked around. She
found that Tori Jericho wasn’t there yet, but she saw Jane sitting across from
Sandi Griffin, with the two glaring at each other the way they usually did, as
well as Harry Osborn.
“Daria!”
Jane called when Daria arrived with her meal. “Harry has heard something.”
“What is
that?” Daria asked. “Is it something to do with this fad? Or is it something
else?”
“Something
else,” Harry answered.
“He’s
been talking about the vigilantes again,” Sandi guessed.
“Not
this time,” Harry said. “He was saying something about the Country Club
refusing him.”
“They
probably resent that he is trying to take over Lawndale,” Sandi suggested.
“I can
see how they would think that,” Harry said in a thoughtful tone.
‘Thing
is, Harry, your father is trying to take over Lawndale,’ Jane thought.
She kept that to herself, as she was sure that no one at school still knew that
she was the Shadow, the third of Lawndale’s hero vigilantes to appear, after
SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon.
“Still,
it’s probably a good thing that they refused him,” Daria said.
“But
he’s going to be complaining about it,” Harry said.
“And
probably plotting,” Sandi added.
“Of
course,” Daria said. “But we can probably do more about the favorite animal
thing.”
“It’s harmless,
isn’t it?” Harry asked.
3rd May: https://www.deviantart.com/brenorenz/journal/Church-notes-3rd-May-2026-1328736435
10th: http://fardell30.deadjournal.com/349936.html
17th: http://fardell30.deadjournal.com/350883.html
24th: https://www.deviantart.com/brenorenz/journal/Church-notes-24th-May-2026-1336676518
24th
Pentecost Sunday
Acts 9:32 - 43
Healing
Luke 4:14 - 21
Jesus was announcing that He was Messiah and what He was going to do.
Paul
Galatians 4:13 - 15
Galatians 6:11
2 Corinthians 12:6, 7
Thorn in the flesh.
God wanted Paul to the humble.
You don't have to be perfect for God to use you.
Acts 9:40
Peter was praying to God, calling upon Him.
Peter prayed first. We shouldn't jsut tell dead people to get up! It's not in our authority. We don't get to tell God what to do. It is according to His will.
God answered Peter's prayer.
God was doing the healing.
Ephesians 3:20
“Are you sure?” Dafoanairi asked, having figured out what
the Enigma intended to do.
“Not entirely, but do you or Ninja Talon have any better
ideas?”
“Not right at the moment,” Dafoanairi admitted.
“Um, no,” Ninja Talon added.
Dafoanairi figured that Ninja Talon had figured it out
too. “We need to defend her,” she said.
“I’ll do so too,” SpiderGirl said.
Dafoanairi saw that an agent had exposed more of the
stone. ‘Trying to bury it in the short time left would be difficult,’ she
thought.
The sun began to rise, illuminating everyone there.
“Now, you’re going to witness something.”
“That’s, like, what you think,” the Enigma said. She then
concentrated as she tried to telekinetically lift a large amount of soil
nearby.
Dafoanairi watched as the Enigma strained. ‘It would take
at least ten minutes to get her home if she exhausts herself,’ she thought.
The Enigma strained and realised that she was trying to
pick up too much soil too fast. She settled for just ripping up a sheet of
grass.
“How long can you hold that up?” Osborn asked as he
watched the grass block the rising Sun.
“Long enough,” the Enigma said, although she wasn’t sure.
But the lack of sleep that night had taken its toll on
her and her hold on the grass slipped after another half of a minute. “Sorry,”
she murmured to Dafoanairi.
“We’ll have to….” Dafoanairi started before the Enigma
let go of the grass and leaned against her in exhaustion. ‘She’s not as out of
it as before,’ she thought.
The stone glowed as the sunlight hit it. The mound
started shaking.
“Uh olh!” SpiderGIrl said.
“Finally!” Osborn said.
The vigilantes struggled to maintain their footing, with
SpiderGirl struggling the least. She took Ninja Talon’s hand and steadied her.
“I would have thought I’d be able keep my balance,” Ninja
Talon said in slight embarrassment.
“This isn’t like anything else we’ve experienced,”
SpiderGirl said.
The soil shook free of the mound, revealing that they
were standing on a structure similar to a ziggurat. Bright lines covered it. It
stopped shaking and Dafoanairi examined some of the inscriptions she could see.
“Sort of looks like hieroglyphics, from Egypt,”
SpiderGirl commented.
“Not really,” Ninja Talon added.
“It isn’t that,” Osborn said.
“Not hieroglyphics,” Dafoanairi said. “More like
Cuneiform. But what would something similar to Egypt or Sumeria be doing in
what is now Pennsylvania?”
“I have no idea,” Spark responded. “But it’s going to
spark interest once it gets out.”
“But it won’t get out,” Osborn said.
“Not in the way you think,” Ninja Talon said as she
pointe to the southeast.
Everyone looked and saw a large craft approaching. It had
a pair of dirigible envelopes with a platform between them.
“SHIELD!” Osborn declared with annoyance.
“Must be one of the calls the professor made last night,”
Ninja Talon said.
A quinjet lifted off of the Dirigible Carrier platform
and approached the site.
The quinjet landed and three men stepped out. One of them
produced his badge. “Agent Phil Coulson. Director Fury has ordered us to secure
this site.”
Osborn grumbled. “Of course he has.”
Coulson turned to SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon. “Ninja
Talon, is it? The professor sends his regards.”
“So, what now?” Ninja Talon asked.
“Despite the events that occurred here both yesterday and
this morning, and at the Oakwood hospital last night, Osborn hasn’t done
anything technically illegal,” Coulson answered with annoyance in his
professional tone. “This is officially a warning.”
“Got it,” Osborn said. “I shall clear off. But Fury will
be receiving a complaint!”
“And he’ll read it,” Coulson responded with the same tone
of annoyance. “But please leave immediately.”
“We’ll be leaving also,” Dafoanairi said. “I need to get
this one somewhere to rest,” she added, indicating the Enigma.
“Go ahead,” Coulson said.
SpiderGirl thought about it, as she and Ninja Talon
headed back into Oakwood. “SHIELD,” she murmured.
“Huh?” Ninja Talon asked.
“I was just thinking about what that agent said, I think
he was saying that SHIELD has no solid proof that Osborn was up to something.”
“I think he was saying that he’s aware that he’s up to
his neck in it… Exactly.”
“I think the First Nations people probably wouldn’t be
happy with SHIELD occupying the site. I don’t know what they would think of the
step pyramid thing.”
“I don’t know either.”
Dafoanairi and the Enigma reached the latter’s mother’s
car where they had parked it earlier before changing back into the usual Daria
and Sandi respectively. Daria looked at Sandi, who still looked exhausted. “We
should go back to Lawndale.”
“You know that Mother will just tell me to go to sleep.”
“And she’d be right.”
“I know,” Sandi said with slight annoyance. “I’m not sure
what she’ll make of this situation though.”
“She does need to know,” Daria said as she started the
car.
Sandi nodded.
Oakwood Chronicle
Monday, March 12, 2001
Police Called to Hospital Last Night
SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon arrived on the Story Oak’s
roof half an hour after sunrise.
“I don’t think Joey will be up yet,” SpiderGirl said.
“But I probably won’t get much sleep.”
“Neither will I, but I better get back before
Ashley-Amber sees that I’m not home again,” Ninja Talon said, referring to her
step mother.
“I’ll see you later, Talon.”
Elsewhere in Oakwood, the silent vigilante arrived back
at her home and took off her mask, certain that her mother was still asleep.
But she was wrong. Her mother emerged from the kitchen. “Sarah Robyn? You’ve
been out again?” she asked rhetorically.
Alex Brown knew that her daughter had been up to
something. The look on her face confirmed her suspicions. “I know that you
think you need to do what you’re doing, Sarah Robyn, but I don’t want to lose
you. She went up and hugged her. You know that I miss hearing your voice.”
Sarah Robyn backed off and signed. I met SpiderGirl
last night.
“Have you been going over to Lawndale?”
No, it was here in Oakwood, at the hospital.
“Oh! But I hope that what’s happening in Lawndale is not
going to happen here too.”
I hope so too.
“But we do need to talk about what you’re doing.”
Sarah Robyn breathed out in a silent sigh.
Quinn entered the apartment to find that Joey was still
asleep. She breathed a sigh of relief.
“Now, how long until breakfast? I think Larissa said that the Story Oak will
open at 8:00 today.” She looked at the time. 7:55. “It’ll be quite soon, and I
get the feeling that I need to be in Lawndale by noon.”
After waking up and dressing, Joey saw that Quinn was
waiting in the main room of the apartment. “Oh, you’re here,” he said. “But
you…”
“Look like I haven’t slept?” Quinn finished for him. “I
didn’t get much sleep at all, but I’ll be fine.”
“We don’t have to go to breakfast right now if you don’t
want to.”
“No, I’m up and so is the sun, let’s go.”
The café wasn’t that busy yet, so Quinn saw that Larissa
was already there. “Morning, Larissa,” she said as she came up.
“Morning, Quinn,” Larissa responded with a yawn.
“I guess you’re worried about how the Story Oak will do.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sure it will do fine,” Quinn said in reassurance.
“Did you find anything last night?”
“What do you mean?”
“You were investigating what is happening out in the
mound right?” Larissa asked. “Everyone is going to notice that SHIELD Dirigible
Carrier.”
“Not much, but I’m sure that the professor knows,” Quinn
answered. ‘Sorry, Larissa, only Brittany and Officer Peterson know I’m
SpiderGirl.’
“So, you’r going to talk to him before going back to
Lawndale?”
“Yes, but after breakfast.”
Larissa watched Quinn go to order as she reflected on the
night just passed as a crackle of static flickered between her and the table.
“So, what did you do last night?” Joey asked.
“Looking around Oakwood,” Quinn answered, as she did do
that on her way towards the mound. “And we’re going to talk to the professor
before we go home.”
“I want to know more myself. But what if SHIELD is at the
hospital?”
“I’ll just talk my way past them.”
“But they aren’t teachers or other students,” Joey
responded.
“I’ll make it work.”
It turned out that SHIELD wasn’t at the hospital, but
Quinn saw that Officer Vale was. He didn’t look in her direction more than
once. She relaxed. Peterson had kept her promise and hadn’t shared her
knowledge of her secret identity with him.
“Professor Aldridge is awake,” an orderly said, after
Quinn asked about him.
“Thanks,” Quinn responded.
Professor Aldridge was looking out the window at the
Dirigible Carrier when Quinn and Joey came in.
“Good Morning, Professor,” Quinn said.
He turned to face her and Joey before motioning for them
to sit. “Morning, Ms. Morgendorffer. Ï’m sure you and Mr. Green have a reason
for stopping in so early.”
“We’re heading back to Lawndale today,” Quinn responded.
“And I have heard about SHIELD taking over the site instead of Oscorp.”
Aldridge sighed. “Yes. I can tell you that SHIELD is now
occupying the site. A necessary evil. It’s better they have taken it over than
Oscorp. As an aside, I knew Agent Coulson when he was a student.”
“So, you called in a favor?” Joey asked.
“Yes,” Aldridge answered.
“But what do the First Nations people think?” Quinn
asked.
“They don’t like it, but Coulson has allayed their
concerns,” Aldridge said.
Quinn thought about that answer. ‘That has worked out,’
she thought. ‘But there being a ziggurat, or whatever it is, there is probably their
biggest concern.’
