No matter how much he tries to feel at ease, Caleb will never shake the feeling of being out of place in this comfortable home on the streets of Rexxentrum. His cottage is a quaint and charming place, evoking memories both fond and painful of his childhood home. His friends have put in a great deal of effort to create a warm and inviting atmosphere within its walls. Colorful artwork from Jester adorns the walls, vibrant and playful. Yasha's thoughtful touch can be seen in the fresh array of flowers. The aroma of Caduceus' teas tucked away in his cabinet. Little notes from Essek, scattered about his office.
And upon his counter, a sending stone. Though it currently serves no purpose, with its other half resting idly in the possession of someone currently lounging in his kitchen. Caleb's culinary skills leave much to be desired, a fact he has quickly learned since moving out on his own. The proof of this in the lackluster stew he passes across the table to Beauregard, catching the way she looks at it. He has never claimed to be a good cook—a young Bren never learned how, and Caleb never needed to learn.
“We should discuss what we are going to do now, Beauregard.” Months have passed since Ikithon's trial, and both he and Beauregard are aware this would never end with Trent alone.
For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.
Graphic via Verse of the Day - Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)
Isaiah 9:6 (NLT). “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Week One:
“In this Scripture we find the message and meaning of Christmas. Isaiah the prophet gave five awe-inspiring names of our Lord that encourage us, thrill us, and fill us with hope at this Christmas season.
Wonderful. When He did His many miracles, the Scripture says, “The people wondered” (Luke 11:14, KJV).
Counselor. The people said, “No one ever spoke the way this man does” (John 7:46, NIV).
The Mighty God. He is the God-Man. He said that He and the Father are one (John 10:30).
The Everlasting Father. It was by Him, the living Word, that all things were created. He is the designer of the whole universe (John 1:3; Hebrews 11:3).
The Prince of Peace. There will never be lasting peace on earth until He comes again to reign in righteousness. But He is also the Prince of Peace in other ways. None can have peace with God apart from Him and the peace that He made through the blood of His cross (Colossians 1:20).
The full meaning of these words from Isaiah should give us enough strength, hope, and joy to face any crisis, endure any sorrow, and meet any temptation.
How has Jesus shown you recently that He is “Wonderful, Counselor... the Prince of Peace”?
Sonic, Mighty, Ray, Espio, and Trip all have Japanese as their first language and will occasionally just start talking in Japanese to each other. Everyone else just looks on in confusion.
"Beloved: Clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for: God opposes the proud but bestows favor on the humble. So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your worries upon him because He cares for you."
The blue tiefling’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she leaned in closer to Astarion, never very cognizant of personal space. "I wonder if my blood would be like a super fancy tiefling wine, with extra cinnamon and sugar."
Jester's taste buds were never one for fine wines and their complexities, but the analogy was simple enough to grasp. "Maybe someday you'll get lucky! But not with me, of course. I need all my blood to stay inside me, you know, for living and stuff." With a smile, she lifted a finger and gently scratched beneath the chin of the crimson-colored weasel perched across her shoulders. "You’re not going to eat my weasel, are you?"
With each sip of ale, Caleb can feel the tense stress of the past week slowly melt away. The frothy liquid slides down his throat, leaving a soothing trail of warmth behind. His mind, finally able to relax and let go of the traumatic events that had taken place in such a short amount of time—his friends taken, Mollymauk's death. They should consider themselves fortunate; their friends returned, and Lorenzo dead. Yet, it's nearly impossible not to dwell on the absence of their departed friend.
The Gentleman's, with its dimly lit corners and heavy air, is hardly the ideal setting for indulgence of any kind. However, despite the less-than-ideal ambiance, Caleb finds himself sipping on yet another glass of cold ale. His companions are fine, so he supposes he is too. From the corner of his eye, he catches Jester lounging in her seat, her sketchbook propped open as she absentmindedly doodled with her empty glass of milk beside her.
“Ja, hallo, could I get another glass of milk for the lady?” He signals the bartender, who nods before pouring him another glass of white liquid. With the glass in his grip, he makes his way over to Jester's side and offers her the drink as he takes a seat. “You looked like you needed a refill.”