I was thinking about the Rocky Top's cheesesticks coming my way in about 2 hours and wanting to be stoked about them, but I'm full. I'm still happy they're coming, but it's not the same feeling as if I was starving.
It's hard to anticipate something when you're already filled up with something else.
Hunger sounds like something you want to avoid. You don't want to be hungry, right? But I was thinking, I don't want to be filled up with food I don't even like (a substitute) when driving to eat sushi! I wasted all that time, energy, money...er, room...on a whole bag of cheetos when I could have been hungry for a while longer and been able to enjoy what I was anticipating: SUSHI!
The hunger actually makes the Godzilla Roll worth it. So, of course I'm going to relate this to God. Didn't see that coming did ya? (I hope you caught that sarcasm because I was laying it on prettttty thick.)
I don't want to fill up with the world when I'm hungry because it's easier to ingest than God.
Substitutes that make me feel better for a time make the ultimate prize less sweet. TO ME. Of course God could never be sweeter or less sweet than He is right now, He rolls like the littlest bear's porridge. Yeah that was lame, but it made me giggle. So, it's ok to feel uncomfortable for a season when you know what is coming. It makes getting there and so much more worthwhile.
This was rambly TO SAY THE LEAST, but at least it's outta my head haha!
Words fail me pic
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Lessons from a child
This happens A LOT! When the kids are playing and paying no attention to me or fighting some battle with me and I stop because whoa. I just got schooled...by someone who doesn't even know algebra!
Zoe was doing homework and she kept messing up on purpose, just so she could erase her mistake and do it again. I was getting so aggravated (I wouldn't make a good God, huh?). I started to think about why she was doing this. It seemed so backwards and was taking up so much time that could be better spent, I don't know PLAYING!
2+2=7 Oops, no. Erase. 2+2=4 Bingo!
Uuuuuugggggghhhhhhhhhh, GET ON WITH IT, ZOE! Suddenly, I had the ol' "ohhhhh" moment. I think I do this, too. Except with my life and with God. Sometimes I mess up just so I can erase the mess I've made, make it all neat and tidy and start over on the eraser bits of my past.
Why? It seems so counterproductive. It's because I'm a self-sabotager. If I know something is good for me, before I realize it I've gone out of my way to make sure I don't do that thing. I don't even know what this is about. Like with Zoe, I want to grab her hand and make her do it right the first time, because SHE CAN! I get sick of saying "focus Zoe" because it's not that she has a problem with focus, it's she not using it.
And well... I CAN! I can do these things that I think "normal" wives and "normal" moms do because they need to be done. Instead, I convince myself I'm just not that woman.
I can be that woman.
And I'm not talking about that woman, Miss Super Mom doing every activity under the sun and running every school event. There are some moms that thrive in that environment, but I wither. So I won't run in the direction of something that won't also be fun. But, I can do more than what I'm doing, period.
I'm sick of messing up so I can say "see, I just can't do it" and then I end up doing it right the 2nd time AFTER I've proven I can't do it. Oh people of the blog world, I AM INSANE!
Zoe was doing homework and she kept messing up on purpose, just so she could erase her mistake and do it again. I was getting so aggravated (I wouldn't make a good God, huh?). I started to think about why she was doing this. It seemed so backwards and was taking up so much time that could be better spent, I don't know PLAYING!
2+2=7 Oops, no. Erase. 2+2=4 Bingo!
Uuuuuugggggghhhhhhhhhh, GET ON WITH IT, ZOE! Suddenly, I had the ol' "ohhhhh" moment. I think I do this, too. Except with my life and with God. Sometimes I mess up just so I can erase the mess I've made, make it all neat and tidy and start over on the eraser bits of my past.
Why? It seems so counterproductive. It's because I'm a self-sabotager. If I know something is good for me, before I realize it I've gone out of my way to make sure I don't do that thing. I don't even know what this is about. Like with Zoe, I want to grab her hand and make her do it right the first time, because SHE CAN! I get sick of saying "focus Zoe" because it's not that she has a problem with focus, it's she not using it.
And well... I CAN! I can do these things that I think "normal" wives and "normal" moms do because they need to be done. Instead, I convince myself I'm just not that woman.
I can be that woman.
And I'm not talking about that woman, Miss Super Mom doing every activity under the sun and running every school event. There are some moms that thrive in that environment, but I wither. So I won't run in the direction of something that won't also be fun. But, I can do more than what I'm doing, period.
I'm sick of messing up so I can say "see, I just can't do it" and then I end up doing it right the 2nd time AFTER I've proven I can't do it. Oh people of the blog world, I AM INSANE!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Yesterday 2011
September 11, 2001 I was at Marshall, in between classes in the student center. Everyone was gathered around the tv and I thought "how horrible, a plane probably carrying tourists taking pics just ran into a big building." I'd never thought of the World Trade Center, except while looking for potential jobs in editing, there were many offices there.
I left feeling a little shaken for the loss of life, but that was it. I left town, drove a few hours to judge a cheerleading try out with a friend and when we got to the school, we saw the television. During that drive, everything had changed and I didn't even know it.
Looking back, when people said "it's terrorism" I didn't even really know what that meant, nor did I know to be as scared as I should have been. I didn't know it could mean war or what war could even mean to me, as a 20 year old American.
I was single, focused on getting through school, knew no God and was suddenly scared about what all that meant. What did anything mean. I couldn't wrap my mind around the estimates of the loss of life. I don't even remember being scared that more would happen. WHAT MORE COULD HAPPEN? 4 planes, hijacked, such staggering loss of life. I remember hearing 50,000 people presumed dead in one area of NY.
On the drive back home, there were cars, 20 in a line to get gas because there were rumors on the radio that it would jump to $10.00 a gallon by morning and continue to rise after that. All the way home, I had an irrational fear that someone had put something in my gas tank or someone was hiding in the back of the car. Even though I knew no God, I was playing some type of spiritual music on the way home, whatever I could find on the radio. Pleading with SOMEONE to make this all stop, it was too much already. That night was the start of my journey that led me to Christ. I didn't necessarily believe, but always had something in me that said "i was created for..." and if I was created, who created me? I can't explain it, but that was a night I couldn't ignore the fact that if I had a loving creator, I wanted Him RIGHT THEN. And still it took weeks for me to find Him and rest in His love.
The next morning in class, everyone showed up. No one knew what else to do or where else to go. One girl was from Jersey City and she couldn't get in touch with her family and she didn't know anyone else. It was Sociology class at Marshall or sitting in her dorm with no contact.
I (like everyone else) could not tear myself away from televisions. I would stay up all night and watch people take cameras through what was once their apartment, now covered in a foot of ash and who knows what. They had no options. They couldn't stay and they couldn't leave. After I saw the first living body fall from the towers on live TV, I would turn my head away (and still do) when there is a close shot of either tower. I can't see that again.
Something that has struck me on Facebook especially is that even though a lot of the people that post anything about never forgetting were not even old enough to remember. Some, maybe 4 or a little older. Zoe's age. And yet, 9/11 is a part of their lives and they feel it as much as I do. That is how connected such a horrible tragedy made us. It's in them to feel it too, even though they weren't physically present at the time.
I don't remember who explained terrorism to me or what it meant for the future, but I think it was mostly in the rumors. Especially the ones where people were saying we live in an area with all of these power plants and if anything nuclear were to happen, this is where it would start. I didn't even question if that was true, just believed it because it felt better to put my fear somewhere else. It was the first time, i really felt vulnerable in my safety. I was a wide open target because we all were. And the night before 9/11/11 I was scared in the same way. What if it starts again? I was up all night, worried.
Now everything has changed and I'm not even sure we realize it anymore. We're more connected yes and I'm proud of that, but I can't help but wonder if that was worth it. It's not. I want to be connected, but I want all of those people back more. I've watched 9/11 coverage again this year for the first time and there are a few things that I grasp now that I could not have at the age of 20.
1. The people in the towers had NO IDEA what was going on. And when they got to the lobby, to what they thought was freedom, they witnessed a scene that looked like it was out of an end of times horror movie. What must they have been thinking? Did they think the whole world was like this?
2. I can't even imagine what it was like to lose so many service men and women. Whole fire stations gone. Families forged, GONE. It's something I never thought about as much as I am today. When one was lost, saving us, it was horrible for them, but over 300? How could they even process that?
I have no conclusion, just wanted to share some thoughts. It's not everything I'm thinking, I just can't write anymore about it.
I left feeling a little shaken for the loss of life, but that was it. I left town, drove a few hours to judge a cheerleading try out with a friend and when we got to the school, we saw the television. During that drive, everything had changed and I didn't even know it.
Looking back, when people said "it's terrorism" I didn't even really know what that meant, nor did I know to be as scared as I should have been. I didn't know it could mean war or what war could even mean to me, as a 20 year old American.
I was single, focused on getting through school, knew no God and was suddenly scared about what all that meant. What did anything mean. I couldn't wrap my mind around the estimates of the loss of life. I don't even remember being scared that more would happen. WHAT MORE COULD HAPPEN? 4 planes, hijacked, such staggering loss of life. I remember hearing 50,000 people presumed dead in one area of NY.
On the drive back home, there were cars, 20 in a line to get gas because there were rumors on the radio that it would jump to $10.00 a gallon by morning and continue to rise after that. All the way home, I had an irrational fear that someone had put something in my gas tank or someone was hiding in the back of the car. Even though I knew no God, I was playing some type of spiritual music on the way home, whatever I could find on the radio. Pleading with SOMEONE to make this all stop, it was too much already. That night was the start of my journey that led me to Christ. I didn't necessarily believe, but always had something in me that said "i was created for..." and if I was created, who created me? I can't explain it, but that was a night I couldn't ignore the fact that if I had a loving creator, I wanted Him RIGHT THEN. And still it took weeks for me to find Him and rest in His love.
The next morning in class, everyone showed up. No one knew what else to do or where else to go. One girl was from Jersey City and she couldn't get in touch with her family and she didn't know anyone else. It was Sociology class at Marshall or sitting in her dorm with no contact.
I (like everyone else) could not tear myself away from televisions. I would stay up all night and watch people take cameras through what was once their apartment, now covered in a foot of ash and who knows what. They had no options. They couldn't stay and they couldn't leave. After I saw the first living body fall from the towers on live TV, I would turn my head away (and still do) when there is a close shot of either tower. I can't see that again.
Something that has struck me on Facebook especially is that even though a lot of the people that post anything about never forgetting were not even old enough to remember. Some, maybe 4 or a little older. Zoe's age. And yet, 9/11 is a part of their lives and they feel it as much as I do. That is how connected such a horrible tragedy made us. It's in them to feel it too, even though they weren't physically present at the time.
I don't remember who explained terrorism to me or what it meant for the future, but I think it was mostly in the rumors. Especially the ones where people were saying we live in an area with all of these power plants and if anything nuclear were to happen, this is where it would start. I didn't even question if that was true, just believed it because it felt better to put my fear somewhere else. It was the first time, i really felt vulnerable in my safety. I was a wide open target because we all were. And the night before 9/11/11 I was scared in the same way. What if it starts again? I was up all night, worried.
Now everything has changed and I'm not even sure we realize it anymore. We're more connected yes and I'm proud of that, but I can't help but wonder if that was worth it. It's not. I want to be connected, but I want all of those people back more. I've watched 9/11 coverage again this year for the first time and there are a few things that I grasp now that I could not have at the age of 20.
1. The people in the towers had NO IDEA what was going on. And when they got to the lobby, to what they thought was freedom, they witnessed a scene that looked like it was out of an end of times horror movie. What must they have been thinking? Did they think the whole world was like this?
2. I can't even imagine what it was like to lose so many service men and women. Whole fire stations gone. Families forged, GONE. It's something I never thought about as much as I am today. When one was lost, saving us, it was horrible for them, but over 300? How could they even process that?
I have no conclusion, just wanted to share some thoughts. It's not everything I'm thinking, I just can't write anymore about it.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
God's silence, pearls and stuff
So, I was reading Story by Steven James (again) and this part especially jumped out at me and I wanted to share it :)
God's silence offers us the choice--faith or sight. We can either abandon our faith or learn to trust in the dark. God leaves that choice up to us. And all the while he's more interested in our faith in him than our ability to decipher his silences. The poet Coleman Barks wrote, "The only way we know the play of destiny and free will is to dance the mystery and die inside it."
When you listen to a song, you only hear the harmony because of the emptiness between the notes. If the song is too full of notes, it becomes nothing but noise. To hear the harmony you have to let the silences have their place in the song. It's like each note is a pearl upon a necklace and the silences are what strings them all together.
Maybe God knows that without his silences in our lives, we will never hear the melody of faith.
I think in every person's life a day comes when faith becomes a choice. You can either give up on the silence of God or choose to trust him in the dark as Jesus did while he was dying on the cross.
In the end, most of the Israelites gave up on God.
And at last, God stopped sending his prophets. He stopped speaking to his people. The Old Testament ends with the word curse. And that terrible word echoed in the hearts of his people for four more centuries.
While God remained silent. As silent as the sky.
I had to fight to not put quotes around the word SILENT. I feel like what we think of God being silent isn't what He thinks silence really is. But, maybe He is silent. And maybe silence is all of that...what we both think.
I've been thinking a lot about how crazy the story of creation and everything from there to here sounds. Pastor Steve spoke about that today, I was talking to Jen on the phone and she touched on it today, I was reading Story and that was the part I came to... Now, I could say "that's coincidence, like so many things in my life" or I could say "Cool God, thanks for putting it all together for me." I choose the latter because I believe in God. BUT when it's hard to swallow, but I know I believe my Father, then I just trust Him and believe it. I would rather just have faith and believe than try to explain it all away. I love how Steven James put it here, too:
It's so absurd, this king of the galaxies lying in a feed box for animals, this Creator crying in the stable. Anyone can see at this point that this story isn't man-made. Who would ever believe it? If I were making up a religion that I wanted people to believe in, I'd never insert stuff like this. Only God could tell a story this ludicrous and then claim that it is true.
Also, I can't explain a feeling. I just know inside of me that I have yearnings for something bigger than the here and now and life would be too hard to accept without a Creator who made us with a purpose in mind (to reflect him in love).
It's so cool to think about God and time. I won't get into it here, but OH EM GEE, right? We have time and everything is governed by it. God doesn't, so my right now is the same as my conception and the same as Zoe's college graduation. It's happens simultaneously...or no, that's a time word. Everything that WILL happen to us, HAS ALREADY happened. Wild! I could talk about it for hours and discuss and debate, but I shant here.
I think I'm in a time of wonderment and enjoying Jesus as a hippie would and as a fist pumping lunatic would . I'm all "oooh, pretty Jesus" while simultaneously all "POWERFUL GOD, SEND ME! SEND ME! I WILL GO FOR YOU, JUST TEACH ME HOW! I WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD AND SHOW THEM YOU ARE LOVE AND THEY CAN BE LOVED"
But then, the flesh side comes in and I'm afraid I'm offending someone. But, we're all adults right? You can take what I say, like it or toss it. Wow, how did I get here in this blog? Haha, my mind is a hot crazy mess all hopped on the Holy Spirit (and i love it). That's what I get for going to Celebration Church... ;) I just didn't know it could be like this.
God's silence offers us the choice--faith or sight. We can either abandon our faith or learn to trust in the dark. God leaves that choice up to us. And all the while he's more interested in our faith in him than our ability to decipher his silences. The poet Coleman Barks wrote, "The only way we know the play of destiny and free will is to dance the mystery and die inside it."
When you listen to a song, you only hear the harmony because of the emptiness between the notes. If the song is too full of notes, it becomes nothing but noise. To hear the harmony you have to let the silences have their place in the song. It's like each note is a pearl upon a necklace and the silences are what strings them all together.
Maybe God knows that without his silences in our lives, we will never hear the melody of faith.
I think in every person's life a day comes when faith becomes a choice. You can either give up on the silence of God or choose to trust him in the dark as Jesus did while he was dying on the cross.
In the end, most of the Israelites gave up on God.
And at last, God stopped sending his prophets. He stopped speaking to his people. The Old Testament ends with the word curse. And that terrible word echoed in the hearts of his people for four more centuries.
While God remained silent. As silent as the sky.
I had to fight to not put quotes around the word SILENT. I feel like what we think of God being silent isn't what He thinks silence really is. But, maybe He is silent. And maybe silence is all of that...what we both think.
I've been thinking a lot about how crazy the story of creation and everything from there to here sounds. Pastor Steve spoke about that today, I was talking to Jen on the phone and she touched on it today, I was reading Story and that was the part I came to... Now, I could say "that's coincidence, like so many things in my life" or I could say "Cool God, thanks for putting it all together for me." I choose the latter because I believe in God. BUT when it's hard to swallow, but I know I believe my Father, then I just trust Him and believe it. I would rather just have faith and believe than try to explain it all away. I love how Steven James put it here, too:
It's so absurd, this king of the galaxies lying in a feed box for animals, this Creator crying in the stable. Anyone can see at this point that this story isn't man-made. Who would ever believe it? If I were making up a religion that I wanted people to believe in, I'd never insert stuff like this. Only God could tell a story this ludicrous and then claim that it is true.
Also, I can't explain a feeling. I just know inside of me that I have yearnings for something bigger than the here and now and life would be too hard to accept without a Creator who made us with a purpose in mind (to reflect him in love).
It's so cool to think about God and time. I won't get into it here, but OH EM GEE, right? We have time and everything is governed by it. God doesn't, so my right now is the same as my conception and the same as Zoe's college graduation. It's happens simultaneously...or no, that's a time word. Everything that WILL happen to us, HAS ALREADY happened. Wild! I could talk about it for hours and discuss and debate, but I shant here.
I think I'm in a time of wonderment and enjoying Jesus as a hippie would and as a fist pumping lunatic would . I'm all "oooh, pretty Jesus" while simultaneously all "POWERFUL GOD, SEND ME! SEND ME! I WILL GO FOR YOU, JUST TEACH ME HOW! I WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD AND SHOW THEM YOU ARE LOVE AND THEY CAN BE LOVED"
But then, the flesh side comes in and I'm afraid I'm offending someone. But, we're all adults right? You can take what I say, like it or toss it. Wow, how did I get here in this blog? Haha, my mind is a hot crazy mess all hopped on the Holy Spirit (and i love it). That's what I get for going to Celebration Church... ;) I just didn't know it could be like this.
Monday, June 27, 2011
It's not About Me -Max Ludado part 5
see part 1 of this Lucado blog for more info on why I'm writing it
The Hebrew word for “holy” is “qadosh” which means cut off or separate. Holiness, then, speaks of the “otherness” of God. His total uniqueness. Everything about God is different from the world he has made. -Lucado
I guess that's how He can do what is best for us, because He's separated from us. He can see objectively while lovingly. We can sort of do that as parents, but not really. We are so empathetic with our children that we can't see straight half of the time. We don't exactly have an objective view. But He made us this way as parents, so there must be a reason why WE are like this and HE is different.
NOT EVEN GOD MADE GOD. -Lucado
Yeah, I'm just gonna let that sink in. I LOVE LOVE LOVE thinking about things like this. When was the beginning? What was before that? Who made time? God had to start somewhere... Well, no He didn't. He. Just. Is. That is such a cool, crazy concept. One we can't wrap our minds around, but when we rise sometime in the future and stand before Him, and whenever the time is that we know all the whys and why nots, and hows of the world, IT WILL ALL BE CLEAR!
He knows your beginning and your end, because he has neither.-Lucado
This is just a cool statement to turn around in my head.
“he has set eternity in their hearts” Ecc 3:11 Tucked away in each of us is a hunch that we were made for forever and a hope that the hunch is true. -Lucado
This is how we can feel homesick for a place that we don’t even remember! Isn’t that crazy? That feeling when life is rushing alllll around you, and you can’t keep up and you long for something you can’t put your finger on. Haven’t you ever felt it? Out of place, but in the place you’re “supposed” to be???? I think we all have, but when we can’t define it, we try to erase it with whatever addiction/coping mechanism your body responds to best: spending money, sex, alcohol, escape, depression, shopping, ignoring life. The homesickness is from God; the self destruction you use against it is from the enemy.
Whatever weakness you hold in your body, the enemy will exploit and use it against you. And guess what? He'll do that to your strengths, too.
"Throw off your old evil nature...Yes you must be a new and different person , holy and good. Clothe yourself with this new nature." Eph 4:22, 24
The Hebrew word for “holy” is “qadosh” which means cut off or separate. Holiness, then, speaks of the “otherness” of God. His total uniqueness. Everything about God is different from the world he has made. -Lucado
I guess that's how He can do what is best for us, because He's separated from us. He can see objectively while lovingly. We can sort of do that as parents, but not really. We are so empathetic with our children that we can't see straight half of the time. We don't exactly have an objective view. But He made us this way as parents, so there must be a reason why WE are like this and HE is different.
NOT EVEN GOD MADE GOD. -Lucado
Yeah, I'm just gonna let that sink in. I LOVE LOVE LOVE thinking about things like this. When was the beginning? What was before that? Who made time? God had to start somewhere... Well, no He didn't. He. Just. Is. That is such a cool, crazy concept. One we can't wrap our minds around, but when we rise sometime in the future and stand before Him, and whenever the time is that we know all the whys and why nots, and hows of the world, IT WILL ALL BE CLEAR!
He knows your beginning and your end, because he has neither.-Lucado
This is just a cool statement to turn around in my head.
“he has set eternity in their hearts” Ecc 3:11 Tucked away in each of us is a hunch that we were made for forever and a hope that the hunch is true. -Lucado
This is how we can feel homesick for a place that we don’t even remember! Isn’t that crazy? That feeling when life is rushing alllll around you, and you can’t keep up and you long for something you can’t put your finger on. Haven’t you ever felt it? Out of place, but in the place you’re “supposed” to be???? I think we all have, but when we can’t define it, we try to erase it with whatever addiction/coping mechanism your body responds to best: spending money, sex, alcohol, escape, depression, shopping, ignoring life. The homesickness is from God; the self destruction you use against it is from the enemy.
Whatever weakness you hold in your body, the enemy will exploit and use it against you. And guess what? He'll do that to your strengths, too.
"Throw off your old evil nature...Yes you must be a new and different person , holy and good. Clothe yourself with this new nature." Eph 4:22, 24
Monday, June 20, 2011
I was reading the book of John and...
a few things popped out at me. They aren't necessarily insightful, just things that popped into my head. Here they are, friends:
12:19 So the Pharisees said to one another, "You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him."
-- no one could deny "the world" was drawn to Jesus and that made the Pharisees mad. And what comes out of ignorance and jealousy? Destruction. Destruction in the name of God.
2:26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
-- so maybe we have it backwards.. We always say where WE go, God goes; but I think it's where GOD goes, we go
12:42-43 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
-- so some may believe but for fear of others or for their own glory do not confess therefore are not saved. Ugh, we're such humans.
13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
--"his own" and he "loved them to the end". I love how the disciples are shown to be close to Jesus on earth. Even though Jesus is God and therefore created us all, when he was on earth for those 33 years, He had family and forged friendships. That is very cool.
13:27Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."
-- why quickly? And crazy how with that bite he allowed Satan in. Could Judas have stopped it?
15:7-9If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
--now that is just awesome. "Abide in my love." The dictionary defies "abide" as : to continue in a particular condition, attitude, relationship,etc.; last. to remain; continue; stay. to wait for; await
So, He is saying REMAIN IN MY LOVE; STAY IN MY LOVE; WAIT IN MY LOVE; CONTINUE IN THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH ME IN MY LOVE
15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
-- lay down his life. What does this mean? I've definitely always thought this meant death, but maybe "lay down your life" means something else, too?
16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
--so why is the Holy Spirit better than having Jesus in the flesh? And why did Jesus have to leave for The Holy Spirit to come?
16:21When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
--I know why this one always sticks out to me, it's because of my love of childbirth/pregnancy education, so I GET IT. Also, I've given birth so I know what that feeling is like. I can relate it to how after childbirth, such a rush of oxytocin "the love hormone" just going crazy in my body. So, that is what he is talking about here. I totally understand. And I love it!
17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth
--just really cool. Sanctify means to "purify or free from sin; the make holy; set apart as sacred" So it means He wants for us to be purified in the truth. And we'll get that way by reading the word.
Random: Whatever happened to Pilate?
19:38-39 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.
--these 2 buried him...why is it two people who followed him in secret or at night? What is the symbolism here?
12:19 So the Pharisees said to one another, "You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him."
-- no one could deny "the world" was drawn to Jesus and that made the Pharisees mad. And what comes out of ignorance and jealousy? Destruction. Destruction in the name of God.
2:26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
-- so maybe we have it backwards.. We always say where WE go, God goes; but I think it's where GOD goes, we go
12:42-43 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
-- so some may believe but for fear of others or for their own glory do not confess therefore are not saved. Ugh, we're such humans.
13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
--"his own" and he "loved them to the end". I love how the disciples are shown to be close to Jesus on earth. Even though Jesus is God and therefore created us all, when he was on earth for those 33 years, He had family and forged friendships. That is very cool.
13:27Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."
-- why quickly? And crazy how with that bite he allowed Satan in. Could Judas have stopped it?
15:7-9If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
--now that is just awesome. "Abide in my love." The dictionary defies "abide" as : to continue in a particular condition, attitude, relationship,etc.; last. to remain; continue; stay. to wait for; await
So, He is saying REMAIN IN MY LOVE; STAY IN MY LOVE; WAIT IN MY LOVE; CONTINUE IN THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH ME IN MY LOVE
15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
-- lay down his life. What does this mean? I've definitely always thought this meant death, but maybe "lay down your life" means something else, too?
16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
--so why is the Holy Spirit better than having Jesus in the flesh? And why did Jesus have to leave for The Holy Spirit to come?
16:21When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
--I know why this one always sticks out to me, it's because of my love of childbirth/pregnancy education, so I GET IT. Also, I've given birth so I know what that feeling is like. I can relate it to how after childbirth, such a rush of oxytocin "the love hormone" just going crazy in my body. So, that is what he is talking about here. I totally understand. And I love it!
17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth
--just really cool. Sanctify means to "purify or free from sin; the make holy; set apart as sacred" So it means He wants for us to be purified in the truth. And we'll get that way by reading the word.
Random: Whatever happened to Pilate?
19:38-39 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.
--these 2 buried him...why is it two people who followed him in secret or at night? What is the symbolism here?
It's Not About Me-Max Lucado part 4
see the beginning of part 1 for reasons behind this Lucado blog...
Moses says “show me your glory”. We cross a line when we make such a request. When our deepest desire is not the things of God, or a favor from God, but God himself, we cross a threshold. Less self focus, more God focus. Less about me, more about him. -Lucado
Less self focus. That...is a hard one. (BTW, right now Show Me Your Glory by Jesus Culture just came on my computer which is really a big "coincidence" listen if you haven't heard it, you'll understand).
I want to cross the threshold. Finally, I WANT TO CROSS THE THRESHOLD! I've always said I want to know Him, but haven't really put much effort into that relationship, instead I focused on the works I was doing FOR Him. Those works are great, but don't mean as much if not done to show God's glory but to show my own. And how can I even know what His glory is, if I don't know Him?
Shouldn’t Moses’ request be yours? You’ve got problems. Look at you. Living in a dying body, walking on a decaying planet, surrounded by a self centered society. Some saved by grace; other fueled by narcissism. Many of us by both. Cancer. War. Disease. You and I need what Moses needed--a glimpse of God’s glory. Such a sighting can change you forever. --Lucado
I want that. The end.
How?
To seek God’s glory is to pray “Thicken the air with your presence; make it misty with your majesty. Part heaven’s drapes, and let your nature spill forth. God, show us God.” God’s glory carries the full weight of his attributes: his love, his character, his strength, and on and on.
"GOD, SHOW US GOD." That statement really got to me. I can see why Moses was literally glowing after seeing the back of God. Can you imagine being hit with the full weight of everything that is God. It is our love multiplied infinitely. It is our emotional and physical strength magnified to a point we can't even imagine.
God exists to showcase God.
And I’m ok with that. If I’m a part of how He does it, so be it. Who said life had to be any certain way, anyway? Well, aside from God, but that’s the point! Who says we have to be the center of it all and get to the top. Here’s a thought. What if everyone DID get to the top? We would topple…
We need to learn our place, which may be at the "top" by earthly standards, or it may be a lot lower. But, we are all children of God put here for one purpose: TO GLORIFY HIM AND TO REFLECT HIM. That sort of puts us all in the same place.
Moses says “show me your glory”. We cross a line when we make such a request. When our deepest desire is not the things of God, or a favor from God, but God himself, we cross a threshold. Less self focus, more God focus. Less about me, more about him. -Lucado
Less self focus. That...is a hard one. (BTW, right now Show Me Your Glory by Jesus Culture just came on my computer which is really a big "coincidence" listen if you haven't heard it, you'll understand).
I want to cross the threshold. Finally, I WANT TO CROSS THE THRESHOLD! I've always said I want to know Him, but haven't really put much effort into that relationship, instead I focused on the works I was doing FOR Him. Those works are great, but don't mean as much if not done to show God's glory but to show my own. And how can I even know what His glory is, if I don't know Him?
Shouldn’t Moses’ request be yours? You’ve got problems. Look at you. Living in a dying body, walking on a decaying planet, surrounded by a self centered society. Some saved by grace; other fueled by narcissism. Many of us by both. Cancer. War. Disease. You and I need what Moses needed--a glimpse of God’s glory. Such a sighting can change you forever. --Lucado
I want that. The end.
How?
To seek God’s glory is to pray “Thicken the air with your presence; make it misty with your majesty. Part heaven’s drapes, and let your nature spill forth. God, show us God.” God’s glory carries the full weight of his attributes: his love, his character, his strength, and on and on.
"GOD, SHOW US GOD." That statement really got to me. I can see why Moses was literally glowing after seeing the back of God. Can you imagine being hit with the full weight of everything that is God. It is our love multiplied infinitely. It is our emotional and physical strength magnified to a point we can't even imagine.
God exists to showcase God.
And I’m ok with that. If I’m a part of how He does it, so be it. Who said life had to be any certain way, anyway? Well, aside from God, but that’s the point! Who says we have to be the center of it all and get to the top. Here’s a thought. What if everyone DID get to the top? We would topple…
We need to learn our place, which may be at the "top" by earthly standards, or it may be a lot lower. But, we are all children of God put here for one purpose: TO GLORIFY HIM AND TO REFLECT HIM. That sort of puts us all in the same place.
Friday, June 17, 2011
It's Not About Me -Max Lucado Part 3
see part 1 for more info on why I'm writing about this book :)
Self promotion. Self preservation. Self centeredness. It’s all about me! We thought SELF CELEBRATION would make us happy. But what chaos this philosophy creates.-Lucado
We can’t be self celebrators…we have to be Son reflectors. SOUL REFLECTORS. Our own self should not constantly be celebrated, we should push all of that aside because it hinders us. Our focus needs to be on letting others know who God is by living it. THEN, we will get the outcome that we THOUGHT would come from celebrating ourselves, which is happiness, crazy love, contentedness, and peace.
I know it sounds like I'm being pushy with all of this, or self righteous like I know it all, but it's an important part of our lives and our relationships with God. And purpose. Everyone is seeking out their purpose in life, WELL HERE IT IS. It's to reflect God. That's it. I don't think it's as much about our career or decisions as much as it is that. If we are reflecting God, it means we know Him and when we know Him, we know His voice. It's kind of a big circle for me.
So, how do you hear His voice? Pastor Steve says, the more you get into the word of God and pray you'll learn to know what He sounds like. Basically, spend time with Him. I could pick out Isaac's voice anywhere because I spend so much time with him and invest so much energy caring about what he says. Same with God. Hear Him. Reflect Him. Follow what He says. By doing that, you love Him.
LIFE MAKES SENSE WHEN WE ACCEPT OUR PLACE. The God-centered life works. And it rescues us from a life that doesn’t. -Lucado
As we live a life that is centered around our own interests, we become our own God. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be in control because then I’m responsible for how it all works out. I am who everyone will come to when it doesn’t go as planned. And who wants more pressure in life?
We’d see our suffering differently. “My pain proves God’s absence.” would be replaced with “my pain expands God’s purpose.” -Lucado
While I "get" this one, it's not one I'm going to pretend to be able to perform in life just yet. I've gained some perspective lately in realizing that in reading the Bible, you can see the start, middle and end of these peoples' lives. Because of that, you can see WHY certain things happened and HOW their suffering not only glorified God, but made a way for better things to happen.
The story that comes to mind is one I've been studying and that's of Lazarus (John 11ish). I've been wondering what Jesus felt in the 2 days that he stayed behind even though he knew Lazarus would die. But he also knew that him being raised from the dead after FOUR DAYS would glorify God and bring so many people to Him. And it did.
But that doesn't dismiss the fear, confusion and pain that Mary and Martha had to suffer in between. They must have been thinking "Our brother is dying and that brings an unimaginable pain...and JESUS who CAN heal him is not, he's not even rushing home to be with us in the midst of it." They felt pain, hurt, left alone. They wondered if God had left them. How many of us have felt that? Are feeling that now? Everyone who is reading this has felt that. But we see, that God has bigger plans that doesn't put our comfort at the forefront. He cares if we hurt, but He sees how our hurt can expand His purpose and set us up for better things. Is the pain then worth it? I can step away from it and say yes, but I'm not sure if I can when in the midst of it. But, that's ok, it's why He sent his Helper, His Holy Spirit to comfort us and intercede for us.
Ok, that's all for today.
Self promotion. Self preservation. Self centeredness. It’s all about me! We thought SELF CELEBRATION would make us happy. But what chaos this philosophy creates.-Lucado
We can’t be self celebrators…we have to be Son reflectors. SOUL REFLECTORS. Our own self should not constantly be celebrated, we should push all of that aside because it hinders us. Our focus needs to be on letting others know who God is by living it. THEN, we will get the outcome that we THOUGHT would come from celebrating ourselves, which is happiness, crazy love, contentedness, and peace.
I know it sounds like I'm being pushy with all of this, or self righteous like I know it all, but it's an important part of our lives and our relationships with God. And purpose. Everyone is seeking out their purpose in life, WELL HERE IT IS. It's to reflect God. That's it. I don't think it's as much about our career or decisions as much as it is that. If we are reflecting God, it means we know Him and when we know Him, we know His voice. It's kind of a big circle for me.
So, how do you hear His voice? Pastor Steve says, the more you get into the word of God and pray you'll learn to know what He sounds like. Basically, spend time with Him. I could pick out Isaac's voice anywhere because I spend so much time with him and invest so much energy caring about what he says. Same with God. Hear Him. Reflect Him. Follow what He says. By doing that, you love Him.
LIFE MAKES SENSE WHEN WE ACCEPT OUR PLACE. The God-centered life works. And it rescues us from a life that doesn’t. -Lucado
As we live a life that is centered around our own interests, we become our own God. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be in control because then I’m responsible for how it all works out. I am who everyone will come to when it doesn’t go as planned. And who wants more pressure in life?
We’d see our suffering differently. “My pain proves God’s absence.” would be replaced with “my pain expands God’s purpose.” -Lucado
While I "get" this one, it's not one I'm going to pretend to be able to perform in life just yet. I've gained some perspective lately in realizing that in reading the Bible, you can see the start, middle and end of these peoples' lives. Because of that, you can see WHY certain things happened and HOW their suffering not only glorified God, but made a way for better things to happen.
The story that comes to mind is one I've been studying and that's of Lazarus (John 11ish). I've been wondering what Jesus felt in the 2 days that he stayed behind even though he knew Lazarus would die. But he also knew that him being raised from the dead after FOUR DAYS would glorify God and bring so many people to Him. And it did.
But that doesn't dismiss the fear, confusion and pain that Mary and Martha had to suffer in between. They must have been thinking "Our brother is dying and that brings an unimaginable pain...and JESUS who CAN heal him is not, he's not even rushing home to be with us in the midst of it." They felt pain, hurt, left alone. They wondered if God had left them. How many of us have felt that? Are feeling that now? Everyone who is reading this has felt that. But we see, that God has bigger plans that doesn't put our comfort at the forefront. He cares if we hurt, but He sees how our hurt can expand His purpose and set us up for better things. Is the pain then worth it? I can step away from it and say yes, but I'm not sure if I can when in the midst of it. But, that's ok, it's why He sent his Helper, His Holy Spirit to comfort us and intercede for us.
Ok, that's all for today.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
It's Not About Me-Max Lucado Part 2
Go to part 1 for the full story on this many part blog :)
Our comfort is not God’s priority. If it is, then something’s gone awry. If God exists to please us, then shouldn’t we always be pleased? -Lucado
Hmmmmmm. I don't like the sound of this. BUT, I get it because I'm a mom. Zoe's safety and overall well being trumps her comfort. I don't like it, because I'd like for her to have both, but that's not always possible. I can imagine that is how God thinks about it. He can see our beginning and He can see our end, so he knows all those parts in the middle that may not feel so good, or may feel completely devastating are for our greater good. That's why we *should* praise Him anyway, no matter what we are going through. I put the little stars around should because, I'm not saying it's easy or may even feel possible, but it's the right thing. After all, WHO ARE WE to praise and glorify Him for the good, then leave Him out of the bad? I wouldn't want Zoe to do that...
SO. If we are here on this earth, but we aren't the center of the universe and our comfort is NOT a main priority, then WHY ARE WE HERE?
What does the moon do? She generates no light. Apart from the sun, the moon is nothing more than a pitch black, pockmarked rock. But properly positioned, the moon beams. Let her do what she was made to, and a clod of dirt becomes a source of inspiration, yea, verily, romance. The moon reflects the greater light. And she’s happy to do so! You never hear the moon complaining. She makes no waves about making waves. The moon is at peace in her place. And because she is, soft light touches a dark earth. -Lucado
And what if “our place” is working in an office or staying at home to take care of the kids and the house when we’d rather be working? If “your place” isn’t where you hoped it would be, then I would suggest STOPPING and thinking “hmmm, maybe God knows better?” OF COURSE HE DOES, so while you find out WHY He wants you where He does, bask in the happiness of knowing you trust Him and that He’s never let you down and never will. He knows best, so shouldn’t that take the pressure off? That alone makes ME happy! It’s not about me finding out what is the best direction in my life, it’s just listening and following. I can do that! Which is good news because in this life, it feels like I can't control a lot and can't figure a lot of things out but God is telling me that I don't have to! I don't have to have it all together, I just need to reflect Him, listen to His voice and ....follow.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE ACCEPTED OUR PLACE AS SON REFLECTORS? -Lucado
If I can get child like for a minute, it makes me think that we are moon beams! Is that child like or hippie like? Either way, I like the idea! I may name my next child that. Wait a minute, I'm even having another child...
What would happen if we quit worrying about what we look like, what time our kids go to bed so we can have “me time”, or what we can do to lose weight or what our friends are doing or what would happen if we lose our jobs or what people think of us. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE JUST LET ALL OF THAT GO AND LIVED TO RELFECT HIM TO OTHERS? I have a feeling that all of our senses would be elevated and we would feel that purpose we are always trying to find. And I have to say "I have a feeling" because I really haven't been doing it, so I have no idea. I worry too much about silly things that not only don't matter spiritually but don't even matter in day to day life. I AM A WORRIER, I get anxious about the silliest things. I can't make decisions, I'm a mess sometimes. What if I let all that go and began my purpose?
"Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, [we] are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Corinthians 3:18
Beholding the glory of God. It. Changes. Us. And I don't know about you, but I really need a change in my life right now. It's good. It's an amazing life really, but I can sense that I'm not doing what I've been sent to do and it's an uneasy feeling. I want to feel content in my purpose, even if things are falling down around me or even if things have never looked better. Because it's just not about "things." It's about God and reflecting him.
Our comfort is not God’s priority. If it is, then something’s gone awry. If God exists to please us, then shouldn’t we always be pleased? -Lucado
Hmmmmmm. I don't like the sound of this. BUT, I get it because I'm a mom. Zoe's safety and overall well being trumps her comfort. I don't like it, because I'd like for her to have both, but that's not always possible. I can imagine that is how God thinks about it. He can see our beginning and He can see our end, so he knows all those parts in the middle that may not feel so good, or may feel completely devastating are for our greater good. That's why we *should* praise Him anyway, no matter what we are going through. I put the little stars around should because, I'm not saying it's easy or may even feel possible, but it's the right thing. After all, WHO ARE WE to praise and glorify Him for the good, then leave Him out of the bad? I wouldn't want Zoe to do that...
SO. If we are here on this earth, but we aren't the center of the universe and our comfort is NOT a main priority, then WHY ARE WE HERE?
What does the moon do? She generates no light. Apart from the sun, the moon is nothing more than a pitch black, pockmarked rock. But properly positioned, the moon beams. Let her do what she was made to, and a clod of dirt becomes a source of inspiration, yea, verily, romance. The moon reflects the greater light. And she’s happy to do so! You never hear the moon complaining. She makes no waves about making waves. The moon is at peace in her place. And because she is, soft light touches a dark earth. -Lucado
And what if “our place” is working in an office or staying at home to take care of the kids and the house when we’d rather be working? If “your place” isn’t where you hoped it would be, then I would suggest STOPPING and thinking “hmmm, maybe God knows better?” OF COURSE HE DOES, so while you find out WHY He wants you where He does, bask in the happiness of knowing you trust Him and that He’s never let you down and never will. He knows best, so shouldn’t that take the pressure off? That alone makes ME happy! It’s not about me finding out what is the best direction in my life, it’s just listening and following. I can do that! Which is good news because in this life, it feels like I can't control a lot and can't figure a lot of things out but God is telling me that I don't have to! I don't have to have it all together, I just need to reflect Him, listen to His voice and ....follow.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE ACCEPTED OUR PLACE AS SON REFLECTORS? -Lucado
If I can get child like for a minute, it makes me think that we are moon beams! Is that child like or hippie like? Either way, I like the idea! I may name my next child that. Wait a minute, I'm even having another child...
What would happen if we quit worrying about what we look like, what time our kids go to bed so we can have “me time”, or what we can do to lose weight or what our friends are doing or what would happen if we lose our jobs or what people think of us. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE JUST LET ALL OF THAT GO AND LIVED TO RELFECT HIM TO OTHERS? I have a feeling that all of our senses would be elevated and we would feel that purpose we are always trying to find. And I have to say "I have a feeling" because I really haven't been doing it, so I have no idea. I worry too much about silly things that not only don't matter spiritually but don't even matter in day to day life. I AM A WORRIER, I get anxious about the silliest things. I can't make decisions, I'm a mess sometimes. What if I let all that go and began my purpose?
"Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, [we] are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Corinthians 3:18
Beholding the glory of God. It. Changes. Us. And I don't know about you, but I really need a change in my life right now. It's good. It's an amazing life really, but I can sense that I'm not doing what I've been sent to do and it's an uneasy feeling. I want to feel content in my purpose, even if things are falling down around me or even if things have never looked better. Because it's just not about "things." It's about God and reflecting him.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
It's Not About Me -Max Lucado PART 1
I read a book in less than 24 hours that changed my life, my perspective completely. It's called It's Not About Me by Max Lucado. Every part of that book that affected me greatly, I typed out and then didn't know what to do with it. I've struggled with blogging, and it hit me, I can type parts of it out here, add some commentary and hope it affects you as strongly as it did me. I don't know how often I'll do it, hopefully every other day or so, but maybe sometimes a few a day. I literally can't stop thinking about it and may be driving my husband crazy. Maybe. Probably. But I know he doesn't mind. **I want to remind you here that Max Lucado is not God. These are his thoughts and while they resonated with me, it's your biz if you believe them or not. It's up to you to research things that pop into your head while reading this and decide if you agree or not.**
I'll always put Lucado's words in font like this:
la la la la la la
So, here goes...something.
When God looks at the center of the universe, he doesn't look at you. -Lucado
Wow, that was the first thing that rocked my world. I read it in the bathtub and had to put the book down and just breathe for a minute. It's crazy. I always assumed God made me, so that He could sit in awe as I lived. As each of us lived. I had it in my head that we all individually were the center of his universe.
We aren't.
God does not exist to make a big deal out of us. We exist to make a big deal out of Him. It's not about you. It's not about me. It's about Him. -Lucado
It's about the glory of our loving God. DOWN, EGO, DOWN! So, how do we act, what do we do? WHAT IS THE POINT OF IT ALL??????? More to come...
I'll always put Lucado's words in font like this:
la la la la la la
So, here goes...something.
When God looks at the center of the universe, he doesn't look at you. -Lucado
Wow, that was the first thing that rocked my world. I read it in the bathtub and had to put the book down and just breathe for a minute. It's crazy. I always assumed God made me, so that He could sit in awe as I lived. As each of us lived. I had it in my head that we all individually were the center of his universe.
We aren't.
God does not exist to make a big deal out of us. We exist to make a big deal out of Him. It's not about you. It's not about me. It's about Him. -Lucado
It's about the glory of our loving God. DOWN, EGO, DOWN! So, how do we act, what do we do? WHAT IS THE POINT OF IT ALL??????? More to come...
Monday, May 9, 2011
DRINK
"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink," said Jesus. "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." John 7:37-39
When you look before you and you see God's cup OVERFLOWING with love, grace, forgiveness, happiness, the cure for oppression, healing, confidence, and did I mention GRACE?...
TAKE A HUGE DRINK AND DON'T STOP, LET THE OVERFLOW THEN SPLASH OFF OF YOU ONTO OTHERS.
When searching for God or searching for anything mentioned above, don't search so hard that you forget to stop and take a big drink anyway, trusting that what you need is in there.
- Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, John 4:6–15
- HE IS OFFERING THIS WATER, NOT SO YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DRINK IT BUT SO YOU CAN FREELY DRINK IT WHEN YOU NEED IT AND WHEN YOU THINK YOU DON'T.
- If any man thirst, let him come into me, and drink, John 7:37
- AND THERE ARE DEFINITELY TIMES WHEN YOU WILL NEED IT MORE THAN OTHERS. WE ALL GET WEARY AND WE ALL NEED TO RETURN TO HIM DAILY
- The rod of iron led to the fountain of living waters,
- 1 Ne. 11:25
HIS WATER IS LIVING! WHAT THE HECK DOES THIS MEAN? ONE DICTIONARY ENTRY IS "ACTIVE OR THRIVING; VIGOROUS; STRONG" HIS WORD KNOWS HOW TO REMAIN THE SAME WHILE ADAPTING TO YOUR EVERY NEED. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?
- Partake of the waters of life freely, D&C 10:66
AND THIS VERSE DEMONSTRATES THAT WE SERVE A GOD THAT IS OFFERING HIMSELF UP FREELY EVERY SECOND, AND YOU DON'T "NEED" TO HAVE A REASON TO COME TO HIM. HE WANTS YOU ALL OF THE TIME. ALTERNATELY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE "GOOD" ENOUGH TO COME TO HIM, HE WANTS YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE. HE LOVES YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE RIGHT NOW, BUT HE LOVES YOU TOO MUCH TO LEAVE YOU THAT WAY. YOU HAVE A PURPOSE IN LIFE BUT YOU DON'T STOP DRINKING ONCE YOU ARE DOING IT, THEN YOU'LL NEED IT MORE!
So, I guess I'm saying keep seeking Him and keep drinking in His love. Even if you're doing nothing else, NEVER stop doing this.
Much Love,
C
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
And whose hope is the Lord.
For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes...." Jeremiah 17:7-8
Friday, April 8, 2011
prayerprayerprayerprayerprayerprayer
Prayer is intense. Prayer makes me feel safe. Prayer is..confusing. I've often wondered, why pray when God knows what will/can/should happen. God can do everything. Why pray to a God who has it all under control? What difference could I possibly make by praying? Except...i kind of like it.
I've started to realize over the years that prayer isn't just requesting something. I've always remembered what i learned a few years ago about prayer
Praise
Repent
A
Y
Ok, maybe I didn't keep it in mind because I can't remember what the A and Y mean. Atone? Yearn? Basically, when I pray I come to God first as open as I can possibly be. I thank Him for life, my relationship with Him and others and a lot of random things. Then I ask Him to forgive me for...being me (human) and even for things I don't know I've done. Then, I usually get into the request.
BUT, that is my scheduled prayer. I "pray" to God hourly and sometimes minute to minute. I think that is what He wants more than me only praying when I need something. I have this continued conversation going on with God throughout the day and I can be funny or sarcastic or mad or crazy happy. I know that He gets it.
"There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God." -Brother Lawrence
SO. Why pray? I think it's mutual gratification. He gets to keep up conversation with his created child (and why else would He have created?) and His child gets to feel connected with their creator. He's not too big and far away to chat. He literally is with me 24/7 and always yearning for our conversation. I am wanted and that will never change. I don't have to worry about if he's in the mood to talk to me. He is.
I should probably stop and say here that prayer works. It works in extreme times of duress and pain and healing, but that's not really what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about why we should pray daily and keep up this relationship.
"Like all good things, prayer requires some discipline. Yet I believe that life with God should seem more like a friendship than duty. Prayer includes moments of ecstasy and also dullness, mindless distraction and acute concentration, flashes of joy and bouts of irritation. In other words, prayer has features in common with all relationships that matter." Philip Yancey
On Wednesday at Bible study, Pastor Steve spoke about when people ask about hearing the voice of God. Why is it so hard and what does it sound like and where does it come from? The questions are endless. There aren't any answers, by the way. It's all personal and only you can answer it, but there are ways to "better your chances of knowing" haha
1. READ THE WORD OF GOD AND GET TO KNOW WHAT HE SOUNDS LIKE.
2. SHUT UP LONG ENOUGH TO HEAR HIM
3. MAKE ONE OF YOUR PRAYERS TO HEAR HIM
Ok, this has kind of been all over the place and I'm struggling with blogging. I want it to not be like I'm writing a paper in college, but I don't know how to find my voice. Jennifer Wayne said "maybe you should pray about it" haha Ok Jenn, I will.
"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." John 15:7
To "abide" means to remain; continue; to stay. So, if you remain in Him and His words stay with you, you can ask for whatever you wish and it will be done.
Talk to Him today and see what happens...
I've started to realize over the years that prayer isn't just requesting something. I've always remembered what i learned a few years ago about prayer
Praise
Repent
A
Y
Ok, maybe I didn't keep it in mind because I can't remember what the A and Y mean. Atone? Yearn? Basically, when I pray I come to God first as open as I can possibly be. I thank Him for life, my relationship with Him and others and a lot of random things. Then I ask Him to forgive me for...being me (human) and even for things I don't know I've done. Then, I usually get into the request.
BUT, that is my scheduled prayer. I "pray" to God hourly and sometimes minute to minute. I think that is what He wants more than me only praying when I need something. I have this continued conversation going on with God throughout the day and I can be funny or sarcastic or mad or crazy happy. I know that He gets it.
"There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God." -Brother Lawrence
SO. Why pray? I think it's mutual gratification. He gets to keep up conversation with his created child (and why else would He have created?) and His child gets to feel connected with their creator. He's not too big and far away to chat. He literally is with me 24/7 and always yearning for our conversation. I am wanted and that will never change. I don't have to worry about if he's in the mood to talk to me. He is.
I should probably stop and say here that prayer works. It works in extreme times of duress and pain and healing, but that's not really what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about why we should pray daily and keep up this relationship.
"Like all good things, prayer requires some discipline. Yet I believe that life with God should seem more like a friendship than duty. Prayer includes moments of ecstasy and also dullness, mindless distraction and acute concentration, flashes of joy and bouts of irritation. In other words, prayer has features in common with all relationships that matter." Philip Yancey
On Wednesday at Bible study, Pastor Steve spoke about when people ask about hearing the voice of God. Why is it so hard and what does it sound like and where does it come from? The questions are endless. There aren't any answers, by the way. It's all personal and only you can answer it, but there are ways to "better your chances of knowing" haha
1. READ THE WORD OF GOD AND GET TO KNOW WHAT HE SOUNDS LIKE.
2. SHUT UP LONG ENOUGH TO HEAR HIM
3. MAKE ONE OF YOUR PRAYERS TO HEAR HIM
Ok, this has kind of been all over the place and I'm struggling with blogging. I want it to not be like I'm writing a paper in college, but I don't know how to find my voice. Jennifer Wayne said "maybe you should pray about it" haha Ok Jenn, I will.
"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." John 15:7
To "abide" means to remain; continue; to stay. So, if you remain in Him and His words stay with you, you can ask for whatever you wish and it will be done.
Talk to Him today and see what happens...
Friday, April 1, 2011
About me these days...
Right now, I am spiritually open. I've never been more hungry for the knowledge of God's words. I want to know what He REALLY means in the Bible as opposed to what has become normal. And what is normal, may be what He wants for us...but it may not. Example: I used to believe that if I didn't pray before a meal, I may be letting sickness into my body. Ah jeez, it's embarrassing to even write. This is nothing I preached about or told my kids, I didn't even realize that's what I was thinking when I did it. If I forgot, then I would be scared that I was gonna get it!
I firmly believe this is NOT how God wants us to live. Being scared of a set of rules He has set before us. That's not what "the fear of God" means.
Hebrews 12:28-29 says “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ’God is a consuming fire.’” The fear is a reverence and an awe for our creator.
I won't get into the whole fear thing here, because I think it literally means to fear him too, I just think we have misconstrued the meaning of the word fear. I digress..
SO, since Proverbs 1:7 says "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" then I'm coming before Him asking to be schooled. I was saved 10 years ago and I'm pretty sure I haven't made it past the spiritual toddler stage. Believe me, any toddler stage has points that are NO fun (see my posts about Asher) but it also has these amazing stages full of wonder and experience and soaking things in like you'll never be able to soak it in again. I want to do that now before I grow up and never get this chance again.
I'm open. I'm learning. I'm loving. I'm letting things go.
You are welcome to join me on this journey via blog (i'm a newbie) It won't always be about spiritual matters alone, but because Christ is in me, He's in my blog.
Much love to ya,
C
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