Simply Complicated

Keep it to Yourself?

2012-01-31T16:58:00.001-08:00

I often hear comments about religion along the lines of it being a "private" thing and needing to be kept that way. Comments like "That's good for you, but not if you want to share it with me." "Don't shove your religion down my throat". Etc.

I understand that there are some "religious" people who are less than sincere and less than loving. I'm sure we can thank them for a lot of these comments.

But to be fair, I often hear these comments over no such type of religious folk. Instead people react this way over very kind, gentle people who want to share their God story. Or just mention some praise to Him. Then SNAP. That's private!! Put it away...

The thing that bugs me about this is it's SO inconsistent with the rest of our conversations. We void privacy through gossip constantly, yet then suddenly it's so critical? Also, I wish people who made these types of comments realized it's like telling someone "Don't tell me if you win the lottery" or "Don't warn me if I'm about to run in front of a bus."

We want to know if we've got toilet paper on our shoes, or if there's something in our teeth, and yet we're offended when people want to share their faith with us?

I mean, I understand if you don't want to hear it. But just say that. It's the guise of "That's private" or when people are actually offended that someone would talk about their walk with God with them.

Inconsistent.

That's one of the reasons I love this video. I actually blogged about it a couple years ago, and it's still on my mind. So challenging. So convicting. So compelling.

And finally honest.

An atheist himself who totally gets why Christians witness. Who himself says, "How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and NOT tell them that??"

So here's the story...

2012-01-24T17:16:00.000-08:00

This past summer my hubby and I officially decided to start trying for a baby. Awkward phrase? Yes.

And as we started this process, I was one of those this-will-be-tons-of-fun and I-will-get-pregnant-right-away types. Literally. I was convinced we'd get pregnant on the first attempt.

That didn't happen, and sheesh was I crushed. What a unique pain to realize that the "attempt" was a fail; and there was for sure no prego ego.

But after google-ing and figuring out exactly what we needed to do differently, my hopes were high again as round 2 came up.

And again, nope.

Round 3? Uh, no.

And 4.... nope.

And of course, each month I had different reasons for being pretty expectant that I was expecting. Every time, I was wrong.

This was getting less fun. This was getting to be work... and math, and when was the science gonna kick in??

So as this journey went on my frustrations grew. I believed in my mind and said with my mouth that God was in control and for goodness sake's it was none of my business to tell Him when to make a life. But deep down I knew I had a plan, I had a timeline and none of this was matching up.

It didn't make it any easier when at the grocery store a teenage girl was buying a pregnancy test and giggling with her friends about how she was so excited that she thought she was pregnant.

Frustration increased. I told my husband "I'm so tired of this roller coaster ride... every month it's up and down and then the next month it's alllll over again!!"

And then the end of October my pastor preached a sermon that I blogged about because it impacted me so deeply. The title that popped up on the power point, "Ride the Roller Coaster, Trust the Designer", mine as well have said "Emily, this sermon is for you so listen up!". My pastor talked about everything I already knew... that life is a roller coaster and when we give our highs and lows to God they even out. He read a ton of awesome Scripture. At the end we all stood for the invitation time, and next thing I knew, I couldn't stand. I was sobbing sitting in the pew being under deeper conviction then I've ever experienced before. And I prayed and apologized and felt such sweetness in my faith... it was unreal. It was priceless. It was God.

And as I prayed... I needed less and less words. I could literally feel God take the baby burden from me and replace it with such peace.... peace that passed my understanding.

Right after the service was over, as I was still wiping my blotchy eyes, another couple in the church came over and started chatting and shared that they were about to work on starting a family. An hour ago that would have hit my heart and brought the discouragement waves a comin'. Instead, I inwardly smiled and thought "Sorry Satan, this battle's done. Go pick on somebody else!" :)

That next week I actually kept forgetting that I needed to be tracking certain things and what-not to get ready for attempt #5. Jason says I was like a different person. I was. The things I believed in my head and said with my mouth where now a part of my soul and deep in my heart. God had it... my plan was handed over... complete trust in Him was truly in me.

If I were God, I'd look at me and smirk and say "Yeah... we'll see how much you mean this. Let's give it another year and see if you pass the test."

Thankfully, I'm not God:)

And God, in His kindness... in His mercy... in His grace... let us have a "successful" attempt #5. Just a few weeks later we took the at-home pregnancy test and were so thrilled at the precious plus sign!

I can with deep conviction say that if we hadn't seen that plus sign, it would have been okay. My boat would not have been rocked because Jesus was Captain, and I was no longer telling Him how to drive.

Isn't God amazing??

Oh, and here is the link to my baby blog... I've been working on it for several weeks, starting it secretly since Baby Hart was still a secret to everyone else. Now it's finally a public blog! Too exciting:):)

http://baby-step-by-step.blogspot.com/

Huge Tiny Miracles

2012-01-17T16:42:00.000-08:00

Well it's been several weeks since I last blogged, thanks to the crazy holiday season and being in my first trimester of pregnancy:)

While it's totally public now that I'm pregnant (once it's on Facebook, everyone and their puppy knows;)), this is the first time on this blog that I've talked about it. And while it's caused a lag on this blog, be happy to know I've still been blogging- on another new blog I've started to journal this journey! And while I haven't published it yet, keep posted as I'll be making it public in the next handful of days!

For now, I want to share this video clip a great friend shared with me. It is AMAZING to watch and think about the miracle God does creating a baby!! It's so interesting and truly sad to see the perplexity of Mr. Tsiaras as he wonders how this could all happen. He talks about the "magic" of the process and how it is "beyond our comprehension". Ah, but we can comprehend more than just this:) It's not magic... it's a miracle. And while it is indeed overwhelmingly impossible to figure out completely, we can know that the "how" is all God. It beautifully blows our minds, as God always should. And instead of simply being baffled, we can turn our wonder into praise and glory for Him! Honestly, I don't know how you could have any other reaction! "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." Jeremiah 1:5.

Resolved

2011-12-20T16:28:00.000-08:00

I admit that I am often skeptical of New Year's Resolutions, and find them frequently empty and cheap. However, I also think because of the common lack of follow-through, New Year's Resolutions have gotten tossed out with the bath water. And while for many these types of decisions and commitments may not be a good fit, I think there are also many who can not only benefit from making a New Year's resolution, but truly thrive. So if you are one of those people, or would like to be, I have here three simple ideas to jump start what could be a simple but profound change to your 2012:

1. Read the book Radical and follow its one year challenge at the end of it. It's an easy but extremely compelling read. You can start it now, and have your one year challenge ready to go on January 1st, or begin reading it for the new year, and let your challenge carry you into 2013!

2. Read the Bible in a year. It's a lot, yes, but SO worth it. I love the Bible reading plan I'm following because the days of the week are divided by different areas of the Bible- Epistles, history, etc. So I'm not bogged down for a while in an area that may be more difficult to read:)

3. Pray for the whole world in a year. Operation World is such a neat book- it goes through every country in the world, divided over the days of the year, giving stats and prayer requests for each place. You can also follow the plan on their website, so you don't even have to buy the book if you don't want to!

I hope this new year draws you closer to Christ and brings Him more glory! Happy soon to be New Year!

We Are The Reason

2011-12-06T15:45:00.000-08:00

I've always thought of the following song at Easter time; but after hearing it the other night at a Christmas program, I realized that it really is great for Christmas (as is now obvious to me by the first chunk of lyrics!). I love this song, and wanted to share it with you all as we get ready for Christmas. We need to remember the real reason for this season, as well as the reason for the cross! What a humbling, challenging, and inspiring reminder this is:

Roller Coaster Ride

2011-11-29T16:04:00.000-08:00

Life can sure be a roller coaster ride, can't it? You hear it all the time from people. You experience it yourself frequently. And while at times it can be like a kiddie ride, at other points in life it's an all-out record-breaking thrill ride.

p
U   and d
             o
               w       p
                  n. U   and d
                                    o
                                     w
                                        n.

Whew, it's exhausting.

Lately I've been feeling like my life is quite the roller coaster. Various reasons have pooled together to give me the up and down experience. So when my pastor preached a sermon called "Ride the Rollercoaster, Trust the Designer" I knew I was in for it. Sure enough, by the end of the sermon I found myself in one of the sweetest moments of my faith with face tear-covered and burdens handed over to God.

One of the neatest points that my pastor made was that when we are trusting God on our roller coaster ride our roller coaster itself actually changes form. Suddenly are highs aren't so high because we're not jumping to false states of bliss. Our lows aren't so low because we have hope and joy in God. We trust Him with our roller coaster; and He then starts to even it out.

I read a similar thing in my devotional book, One Year With Jesus:

   ~"When our lives are intertwined with His, He will help us to walk through adversity without sinking into debilitating lows and to manage prosperity without moving into deceptive highs. The joy of living with Jesus daily will keep us level-headed, no matter how high or low our circumstances."

Tim Tebow seems to be grasping this concept as well. When asked in a press conferece how his faith affects his game he says, "It's never as good as it seems and it's never as bad as it seems. And at the end of the day, it's just a game. That's the perspecive my faith gives me."

It's just a game. Funny how God giving us perspective changes our roller coaster ride.

Thankful for the Dirty Dishes

2011-11-22T15:02:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and the sermon at church last Sunday was perfect for helping me get into the appropriate, thankful spirit. The most impacting point to me was that we need to be thankful for the dirty dishes. Why? Because of what they represent. Think about it... they represent food to eat, as well as the people who ate it. Wow, so true!! I have been trying to see more "dirty dishes" in my life to be thankful for!

I invite you to listen to the whole, challenging sermon here.

And Happy Thanksgiving!!

Socially Acceptable

2011-11-15T16:19:00.000-08:00

Recently I was at a women's conference that was superb. Absolutely fantastic. Except for one area that I must say was quite discouraging. During the part of the music segment of worship, I was shocked to see how distracted and distracting the women around me were. Totally disinterested in singing or even just listening to the singing, they instead picked this time to catch up with one another, organize purses, or sit and take a break.

Hmm.

Since then I've noticed that while especially predominant at that conference, these tendencies are not uncommon in worship at all. It seems like they are indeed quite regular, expected, and accepted.

Now let me say, I am more passionate about this issue because my strongest mode of worship is music. While the preaching and prayer are certainly times of worship for me as well, I am most focused, Spirit-filled, and inspired when praising and praying through music.

Let me also say that I don't expect everyone to be that way. I know we all have our different "love languages" with God. Some people's main mode of worship is Bible study; others, prayer; others, quiet meditation; etc. And of course that's not to label these our sole modes of worship. Just the ones that seem to regularly bring the most intimate and powerful interactions with God. I don't expect or even want everyone to worship the same way as me- it doesn't bother me if others stand and listen to the music instead of sing; it doesn't bother me that lifting hands to God in praise isn't more common. And I don't want it to bother others that I'm not "amen-ing" through the sermon or going forward at invitations.

But it seems like we've picked the times that are musical in a church service to take care of other business. That's when we unwrap candy, walk in late, offer our neighbors gum, and get in quick conversations.

We say it's because it's less distracting and rude. Wouldn't want to make the preacher uncomfortable by our behavior; wouldn't want to make a scene during prayer.

But let's face it, the only one's we're concerned about is ourselves. We blame it on others by not wanting to "distract" or "bother" them. But really we just want to pick the most unnoticeable time for us. So that we are not embarrassed. So that others won't stare or glare at us.

And so we wait. And when that song starts, then we walk in. Then we get that candy. Then we share that story.

If we behaved to this extent in this way during the rest of the service we'd be viewed as immature or even offensive. But for some reason we've decided that it's all okay when it's during a song.

Forgetting that it is during prayer. And it is during preaching. And it is during an invitation.

And it is during worship.

No Fear, Part 2

2011-11-08T16:20:00.000-08:00

The passage I shared on my last blog has become so powerful in my life lately. I love when God speaks in such a way to a life that it is unmistakable and undeniable.

That is the way He has worked in my life in the last several weeks with Romans 8:35-39. I've always thought this passage to be beautiful. But God has revealed a deeper depth in it to me.

We all have things we can fear... and while as Christians we know we shouldn't and needn't fear, we still know deep down inside that these fears are somewhat founded. Death, sickness, betrayal, disease, disaster. We shouldn't. We needn't. But we can fear these things.

But there is one thing we as Christians have no reason to fear.
Because NOTHING can separate us from God's love.

We can have NO fear of this because it is IMPOSSIBLE! Our joy, satisfaction, and peace in Him is OURS for the taking, no matter what.

And the greatest part that God whispered so loudly to my heart? It's the best thing we have.

Our greatest treasure is untouchable. Our GREATEST treasure is untouchable! Of all the other things that we have to be uncertain of...that we know are so vulnerable and weak... our relationship with our Saviour is not one of those things! He is ours for forever with NO doubt. NO fear. No chance of losing it.

And at the end of every "What if..." we can say "...then God." Then God!

He is untouchable. Unstoppable. Unquenchable. Ours.

No Fear, Part 1

2011-10-25T17:11:00.000-07:00

"Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? ...

Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.

Neither DEATH nor life,

neither angels nor demons,

neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow

not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, NOTHING in all creation will EVER be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:35-39, NLT

Camping, the World, Words, and Insecurity

2011-10-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

1. Camping is never camping enough.

The past few days were spent by me, my husband, and our two dogs at our local campground. It was quite the enjoyable experience. What cracks me up about camping though is it's never "camping" enough for someone else. If you're a tent camper like me, then you tend to give the stink eye to those hotels on wheels with TVs hanging off the sides. "That's not camping!" I think to myself. But then someone looks at me and sees that I have a water hook-up to my site and suddenly I'm not camping either. "You're staying in a campground?? Nope, sorry that's not camping. See what you need to do is go out into the middle of some random woods with that tent. Then you'd be camping." I can imagine my then doing so. I'm sure then some more rustic Joe is going to come along, and I can just hear the conversation.

"You're sleeping in a tent? EHHH sorry that's not camping. What you need to do is sleep on the ground in that sleeping bag under the stars. Then you'd be camping."

And then more, MORE rustic Joe:

" What?? You have a sleeping bag?? Nope, sorry..."

....

" You brought matches? That's not camping! You need to rub two sticks together to make fire. Then you'll be a real camper."

.....

" You went to Walmart and got trail mix before you left?? Nope, sorry that's not camping. If you want to be a real camper you're gonna have to jump into that creek there and grab yourself a fish and cook it over that fire that you started with those two sticks. Then you'd be camping."

I mean, what is the definition of camping anyways? It seems we pretend like it's "Live as animalistically as possible. Forgo any step of progress made over the last thousands of years". According to an actual dictionary though, it's "To live temporarily in or as if in a camp or outdoors, usually for recreation. To reside or lodge somewhere temporarily or irregularly." Well I'll admit that definition leaves a lot of room for... um, interpretation. But I guess that's the way it should be. Camping should be what each person wants it to be, free of turned up noses, even if that means sitting out at the campfire watching TV on the side of your bus, er.. camper. Truly, I'd like the definition of camping to be something like this: " Accidentally almost eating bugs. Waking up in the middle of the night freezing cold, hearing frogs die. Smelling like smoke for the next 30 years." If that were the case, I'd say I'm quite the successful camper.

2. He's got the whole world.

We were sitting out on a dock one night watching a stunning sunset. And it just hit me.... looking at all the birds, bugs, trees, lights... hearing all the creatures and technology.... it just hit me how big this world is, and how much is going on, and how God has every little part of it in His hands. And that lil' simple song came to me with such power I knew it wasn't just a child's song: "He's got the whole world in His hands..." Wow. So amazing. He's got the WHOLE world in His hands... and that includes me and everything in my life. When I feel like it's too much... to think that it's not for Him. Because the whole world isn't too much for Him... so neither am I.

3. Words are so scarily powerful.

One of the down sides of our camping trip was a set of neighbors we had for a couple days (yes, we had neighbors. While you're rolling your eyes thinking "That's not camping" please see above). They consisted of a father and his 12 year old daughter and whatever friends he had over for the time being. They did most of the things I found annoying: were loud, up late, and played music, etc. But those weren't what got under my mosquito-eaten skin. What got me most irked was that this guy felt the need to verbally abuse his daughter continually. Nothing she did was good enough, quick enough, careful enough, or just plain enough. Guess who ended up looking like the child the whole time? . It was all I could do to keep myself planted at the picnic table; but at least from there I could shoot him death looks that he couldn't see through the smoke. One if his peaks was when his way too young girlfriend came over with a puppy. The guy had already made it clear to his daughter throughout the previous time camping that he thought her "stupid". Well when lil' puppy ate the 12 year old's hair bow she said "stupid dog" (accurate). Guess who got yelled at for calling the dog stupid? Sheeesh. Another peak was when the guy not only offered the 12 year old beer, but pretty much commanded her to taste it. I wanted to go remind the guy that there was no alcohol permitted in the campgrounds, and oh, did you know 12 is too young to drink beer?? Instead I prayed for his soul.

Words are so powerful. I hope that girl grows up to be the next Beth Moore and makes her lousy upbringing bring bigger, better things. Because while all those words she's hearing are so powerfully destructive, God can redeem them and harness that power for so much more.

4. "So Long Insecurity".

Speaking of Beth, one of the books I finished reading while camping was "So Long Insecurity" by Beth Moore. I cannot recommend this book more strongly! It was absolutely, overwhelmingly refreshing, convicting, and inspiring. If you are a female, I dare say you MUST read this book. You will be forever glad that you did!

My new friend, Pain.

2011-10-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

My husband challenges me often with his deep, analytical brain:) One of the greatest thoughts he's impressed upon me is to think of pain as a friend, and embrace hardships because of the deeper lesson. To hear it in his better words, you can read his blog here.

Recently I discovered a song that presents this same point. I have come to love this song, and every time I hear it I am challenged again. Please listen to it and read the lyrics:

Expectations

2011-09-27T15:52:00.000-07:00

I pass this church sign every day to and from work; and it consistently has postings that I find challenging, thought-provoking, and inspiring. This day was no exception, and I even had to take a picture! It says "Expect the ungodly to behave that way. Repentance begins with God's people." I love this, and feel it portrays a current stirring in Christianity. It seems like often we expect the unsaved to behave as if they were... we want them to be sanctified before they are even converted (something I've blogged about several times before).   It seems like lately though maybe we're starting to see this blind area for what it is. This sign is a great example and reminder of how we should instead be thinking. We should not only not expect the ungodly to act as though they're saved, we need to actually expect them to behave ungodly... because they are! Instead, we need to be the ones aspiring to greater levels of sanctification.

   This also reminds me of something new I learned about a passage I'd heard several times. A pastor was preaching on 1 Corinthians 5, specifically vv. 9-13:

"When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, 'You must remove the evil person from among you.' ” ~NLT

"I wasn't talking about unbelievers..." "I meant... anyone who claims to be a believer"...  Huh.. light bulb?

Here we are specifically and clearly told NOT to worry about the unsaved's behavior.... but to instead worry about fellow Christians' behavior (starting with ourselves- Matt. 7: 3-5). I have heard this passage so many times and often what is emphasized is the sins listed in it, instead of who the sinner is in it. And who it is not.

So maybe we can shed more light on this blind spot. Start caring more about the souls of the unsaved and not their behavior. And start taking our sin more seriously.

10 Years Later... Remembering 9/11

2011-09-11T14:59:00.000-07:00

In honor of this 10 year anniversary of the horrific events on 9/11/2001, I want to share with you something that gives me chills. It is my diary entry from that terrible day. It is so eerie to me to read, and brings back the memories that are still vivid even without reading. I will type out the entry, exactly as it was written, below the images:

                                                        Tuesday 9/11/01
Dear Diary,

    I wanted to have even just a brief entry from today, because today a horrable attack took place against America. Four US planes were hijacked & crashed, 2 into the Trade Towers in NYC, one into the Pentagon, & the other one crashed in an area in Western PA. The 3 horrable attacks on our buildings, all happened w/i an hour- it was so horrific. @ first every1 thought there was just some kind of fire or explosion in the tower, & @ about 5 min. to 9 they had Diane Sawyer & Charie Gibson interrupt the commercials on ABC w/ live video of the tower. It had 2 huge holes in it & was on top, a ball of fire. As they were discussing what might have caused it, they mentioned how there were a couple ppl who claimed that there was a plane that crashed into it. So some speculation was that there was the accident w/ a plane & then they were discussing it being some explosion in the building. They had some guy that heard the noise of whatever it was, and he was talking, & they were showing

a picture of live video of the top 1/2 of the building, most of which was on fire... and a couple of x a helicopter would fly by... Then Daniel & I saw the plane come in, really low & really big, And in the second we had to think, we thought it was some kind of rescue plane... & the next thing we know, it flys RIGHT INTO the other twin tower, & the thing explodes! Diane, Charlie, & the other guy started saying how "that was anothe plane... it flew right into the tower!" And they didn't know what to do, they were mostly just like "Oh my God! Oh my God!" again and again... none of us could believe what we had just seen. Then word came that the Pentagon had also been struck by an airplane! Then they were showing live video of the Twin Towers when the   one collapsed... it just crumbled down right there... clouds of dust & debree billowed across & spread down the city... smoke filled the air. Then, later, the 2nd one did the same. They just collapsed... w/ hundreds, even thousands of ppl trapped -->

inside, including firemen & policemen. All airways were closed... every plane was to land... our national borders along w/ Mexico's and Canada's were closed. NYC looked like some bombing from the middle East- ppl ran, screaming, everywhere, dirt filled the air, piles of rumble lay all over. Then we found out that @least the 2 planes, (one from one of the towers, the other, from the Pentagon) had been identified as commercial jets w/ 92 on the one plane and on the other. We are confident there are no survivors. They estimate there might be up to tens of thousands of ppl killed. It's the worse tragedy since Pearl Harbor- ppl are already saying "war". War! I just can't believe this is happening. And they showed a clip of Palistinians in Jerusalem shouting & parading in the streets, so happy that America had been hurt. How can ppl hate that much? And @ least a dozen ppl jumped from the top floors of * buildings because they would otherwise burn to death... at one point a man & woman jumped holding hands, all the way to their deaths. Bodies and parts of -->
    *the Trade (b4 they collapsed)

   bodies were & are everywhere, even some on the roofs of other buildings. We don't know quite yet who did this... possibly a terrorist group, but quite possibly another government,... but they have an idea and a ton of clues yet & not yet discovered and/or looking in2. There's such a huge chance of war when we find them... I can't believe this is happening to my country... who could do this to us? Who could be this evil & hateful? To think, even now, of the boddies laying in the debre... The thousands of families torn apart... How awful this is!

      God, help America!

           -Emily

Why does God allow bad things to happen?

2011-09-06T16:38:00.000-07:00

This question is one that has been asked and asked again... and again. When trials and suffering come upon a Christian it's easy to wonder "Why, God??". This last Sunday my pastor preached some answers to this question; and as part of that he shared this short video, that impacted me deeply:

What a great way to turn this question around. Think about the person who is wondering why God is allowing the bad things in their lives. You ask them what they want God to do about the bad things? They want Him to destroy them. To get rid of them. To not permit them. Then you ask that person if they have done bad things....

So God, in agreement with this suffering person, should destroy us. Should get rid of us. Should not permit us. We are, indeed, bad ourselves.

And this is true. He should.

It reminds me also of a quote I recently read in G. K. Chesterton's book Orthodoxy: "If Cinderella says, 'How is it that I must leave the ball at twelve?' her Godmother might answer, 'How is it that you are going there till twelve?"

So instead of asking why we must leave the ball at twelve... let's instead remember how amazing and undeserved it is that we're going at all.

Top 3 Conversation Starters

2011-08-30T15:32:00.000-07:00

In case you're looking to be the next winner of your social network's popularity contest, I'd like to introduce you to the top 3 conversation starters. These questions are sure to help you get friends and make Emily Post proud.

1. Why aren't you using your degree?

    The best part of this question is it reeks of sensitivity to our current economic climate. Never mind the recession we're in, just go get your dream job!! Recommended follow up questions include:

   "Didn't you take out student loans??
   "But I thought you wanted to become a                ??
   "Have you even applied anywhere??

   So instead of asking yourself if you really want to know.... how many nights they've spent filling out endless applications... how many interviews they've been in... how many interviews they haven't even gotten... how hard that person is trying to be grateful for the job they do have... instead just keep probing and looking disgusted!

2. When are you gonna have a baby??

The fantastic aspect of this question is it comes in many forms. So if you feel like changing it up you can try:

    "Have you guys thought about kids?"
    "Do you guys wanna have kids?"
   "Don't you want a baby?"
   "Aren't you getting the baby itch?"
    "Any babies on the way?"
    "What is your plan for having children?"
    "Do you know what a baby is???"

You can even change this conversation starter from question form to command form (an even more likely way to make friends!) such as: "You need to have a baby!" "You better have a kid soon!" "You should have had 3 already!!"

   So instead of asking yourself if you really want to know... how happy they are without kids... how they would love to if they only could... how much "fun" they're having trying... how much fun they were having trying when they started so long ago...   instead just whip away the intimacy and privacy boundaries and ask, ask, ask!

3. Why aren't you married or even dating anyone???

   This question is best accompanied by a confused and concerned look on your face. Pretend while you ask the question that you know something deep and dark is wrong.   It might be a good time to also ask:

"When was your last date?"
"What are you looking for in a spouse?"
"Would you like to meet my son??"

   So instead of asking yourself if you really want to know... how many dating websites they're on... how many bad dates they've had... what's happened in their past to make them wary of relationships... how happy and content they are single, if only everyone else would be for them... instead offer your prayers and start seeking out a spouse for that person with as much vigilance as you can muster!

~ Well, if you want to win friends and influence people, just use one of these great conversation starters and you'll be sure to... umm... make an impression!~

Americans, Politicians, Christians, and Jesus- Part 3

2011-08-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

The last link I will share is to a sermon by Pastor Ben Rust, whose blog I shared with you last week.

As a side note, I would like to say that this pastor and this church are not one I expected this sermon from. It is a very conservative church.... and to some this might sound like a controversial/progressive sermon. Trust me... this pastor and this church are not! :)

You can listen to the sermon here. If you need to save time, go ahead and skip ahead 20 minutes into it. That's where he starts discussing government. I hope you do get a chance to hear the first 20 minutes as well though as they are fantastic! Below I've condensed the points he makes that are my favorites- as you can see I have a lot of favorites! I do hope that while you see the points below you know that is just so you are aware of what I want to highlight for my series. If you decide not to listen to the sermon then please forfeit your right to judge it! :)

Highlights from Pastor Ben's sermon:

1. It doesn't matter what kind of environment we're in, our commands about government still stand. Paul himself in Titus 3:1,2 is writing to Christians in Crete, which was a very wicked place. In Romans 13- one of the main passages for how Christians should respond to government- Paul is writing to the people of Rome who were under Nero!

2. God puts everyone in office. Our political leaders are ordained by God and He has a purpose. When we resist them we resist God.

3. Recognize the exception that we don't obey government laws when it conflicts with God's commands.

4. We are to be quiet and tranquil and praying - 1 Timothy 2:1-7 our only aggressiveness should be an "aggressive goodness"!

5. Why should we respond this way? Because of Evangelism! It's about our testimonies and adorning the Gospel of God!

6. We are not to oppose our government or protest it! We are often caught up with trying to change government -to "overthrow" it! We make it all about protecting our values and our way of life- that is not what God calls us to do with our government! We are not called to change our culture through our government. Our culture will only change through salvation, which brings us back to evangelism! What's our goal?? We are often too ready to jump into the ring with our fists up! So what if we get a law... what if we prevent gay marriage... does that change their hearts?? Or does that make them angry and alienated from us? We don't need laws- we need changed hearts!

7. We spend so much time trying to preserve something that God is not going to preserve... a way of life, values in our culture... God is not going to do that. It WILL get worse- we are promised it! Do we lack faith in God's plan? Do we not trust what He's doing in our government and how he's using it as a tool to further His church? Why do we resist His work?

8. How should we respond? Obey, live a tranquil and quiet life, pray for our government, and be a good testimony. We can speak truth and speak against false teaching but it must always be respectful and we are never to slander anyone! Too often we go too far and it turns into personal hate. All that does is make them hate us and make us enemies. We are not called to hate!

9. We ourselves were once lost and enslaved to sin! How did God treat us? With kindness and love!

10. We are not placed here for a political agenda. It is not our role! Stand for our convictions, yes; but don't take that next step and be combative and unwilling to suffer injustices patiently. We need to remember how Jesus patiently took ill-treatment from Pontius Pilate!

11. We need to remember Who our real King is and where our real citizenship lies!

Remember 2 Timothy 2:24-26:

~And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil.~

Americans, Politicians, Christians, and Jesus- Part 2

2011-08-16T16:19:00.000-07:00

"What does the American flag have to do with Christ, the gospel, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, salvation, the cross, etc.?"

Such a fantastic question asked in a Pastor's blog series "Why We Don't Display a National Flag When Our Church Meets". I am going to share the series's link with you, as Pastor Ben Rust specifically focuses his blog series on the relationship between the church and government. So as we think about what exactly "separation of church and state" means, these thoughts will help us understand the concept more and see how it applies.

Here a couple highlights of my favorite points that Pastor Ben makes:

~"How confusing it must be to those who are not American citizens but who visit our American churches and see the flag displayed front and center. Unknowingly the message we convey is that the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Bible, and Christianity is somehow connected to and related to Americanism, and by logical extension our foreign policies, our culture, our laws. How it must incense those who have suffered unjustly because of our policies or the consequences of them. I wonder how American Christians would respond to attending a church where the communist Chinese flag was on display? Would it not rile our prejudiced patriotic passions into a heated fervor."

~"We do the church no service by displaying a flag, and neither do we do our country a service when we naively and unwittingly undermine our rights as free citizens by reintroducing the state back into the realm sacred to Christ, His church."

I now ask you to read Pastor Ben's full blog posts here.

Americans, Politicians, Christians, and Jesus- Part 1

2011-08-09T17:09:00.000-07:00

We all know the saying, "Separation of Church and State". But do we really know what it means? Or more importantly... what it looks like?

Over the next few blog posts I'd like to explore this subject further. I will be sharing some thought provoking links to help us answer these questions. And other questions like...

~ What is the Christian's role in politics?

~ What should our attitude and response be towards our government?

~ How should we go about seeking change?

I've blogged about politics several times before, so you may have an idea of where I stand on this issue. However, I hope you will stick with me in this short series and also expose yourself to the links I will be sharing. For the first link I would love for you to read the following article. It is pretty much pure newsy-ness... not a lot of writer's opinion or bias here... and I think it's a good way for us to get our wheels turning:

"Onward, Christian voters: Religion plays growing role in politics"

Say So

2011-07-19T16:28:00.000-07:00

Today I finished reading Rob Bell's "Love Wins". I'm not going to give you all of my thoughts from this book because I know my hubby is planning to review it on his blog soon. But one thing I will say...

Of all the offensiveness of Rob Bell's book, the worst to me was the fact that I still don't know what exactly he believes. After investing hours of my life into the couple hundred pages of his book, I STILL am utterly confused as to what he thinks (though what I think are some of his beliefs are definitely disconcerting). When he shared his own "salvation experience" (you better believe he doesn't call it that) he talks about saying a prayer and "something" happening.

It's so frustrating to me when people are wishy-washy like that. Vague. Lukewarm.

Revelation 3:16 says, "So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." Looks like God doesn't like wishy-washiness either!

This reminds me of a sermon I sat through at a previous church of mine. The sermon was on "finding God" and for 30 minutes the pastor rambled on about... finding God. At first I was thrilled at the sermon choice because I had two unsaved friends with me visiting that night. It was a rare opportunity to say the least. As the pastor rambled on and on, I kept waiting for the punchline. The "Oh and here's how to find God" explanation. But for 30 minutes he just kept talking about finding God as if it was this mystical thing to try to grasp. Imagine my dismay... truly, heartbreak... when the sermon ended with him saying, "I hope you find God."

No salvation presentation, no call or invitation, no Romans Road.

My friends laughed after the service was over and left. I bawled.

It really stunk that I found myself sobbing because I had a meeting on this church's council group right then. Boy, did I want to GIVE some counsel!

Psalm 107:2 says, "Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!"

Say it! Spit it out! Don't beat around the bush, camouflage it, or ignore it. SAY so.

To me the only good reason one would have to not come out and give a clear presentation of how they were saved and how someone else can also be is if... well... that person actually isn't.

So if you are one of the "redeemed of the LORD"... say so. Tell people. Don't hide it. Don't blur it. Don't be lukewarm. Say so.

Misunderstood

2011-07-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

I certainly hope you read and enjoyed my last blog. If you did, then I even more hope you are fluent in the language of "Sarcasm", as the blog was written heavily in that dialect.   I would certainly hate for anyone who does not speak Sarcasm to think for any part of that blog that I meant the opposite of what I was trying to say and misunderstand my meaning.

Ahh misunderstandings... such a sad and dangerous happening. It's truly frustrating when someone misunderstands you... but what about when you're the one misunderstanding? And you don't even know it?

This brings to mind a funny story. A few weeks ago my husband and I were sitting in church. He always brings approximately 8,000 Bibles.  And so he lays out on the pew his favorite translations as well as the Septuagint and Greek (that last sentence is literal, no Sarcasm speak there). He also pulls up whatever other translation he feels like on his fancy I-can-do-everything phone.  And so we're sitting in church, listening to the sermon, and he whips out his phone and brings up Bible # 8,001.   The following events had me nearly LOL-ing in church. You see, down the pew a bit on the other side of me sat an older lady. She glanced at Jason on his fancy phone, and I immediately thought her judging wheels were turning. "Stupid yougins! And their stupid fancy phones! In CHURCH!!! Outrageous!!" I could hear her in my head.

But I had misunderstood her glance. Because she then reached in her pocket and pulled out her cell phone.  She looked around slowly and deviously and began.... texting.

Now I really wanted to LOL. First of all because I didn't know people that age texted. Secondly because of her extreme nervous, sneaky, guilty disposition. She would hide the phone in another page of her Bible and flip back to it when the page on top of it lit up. Then she'd sneak it to her side where she would type as un-obviously as possible.

The best part was that she couldn't figure out how to turn the vibration off and so every time a text came back her phone would vibrate and she would turn even whiter-faced and glance around quickly as she smothered her phone.

HILARIOUS.

But this is a smaller thing, so it's easy to giggle. These types of misunderstandings can become truly sad. Think about this on a bigger scale... someone misunderstands someone else's actions and then basis their actions on a misunderstanding. And so people without knowing it jump off cliffs cause they think that's what Joe Smith did, when in reality Joe wasn't even near the cliff.

The question is... what am I misunderstanding? What are you? What blanks are we filling in... the wrong way? What sins am I... are you... committing because we are looking at a false reality?

You see, the only true truth... the only for-shizzle... is God.  We need to be careful of basing things on what other people believe, think, say, do. Because if we are not basing our beliefs, convictions, practices, and decisions solely on God, the Holy Spirit, the Bible.... than maybe we've misunderstood.

And that's not funny.

New Bible Version!!

2011-07-05T16:35:00.000-07:00

MyWay Press is proud to announce the release of a new Bible translation, the "Whatever You Want" Bible. Bible thumpers across America are excited for the spread of this new release and feel many fellow Bible-twisters will agree.

The WYW Bible is especially aimed towards our current Christian culture, specifically in elevating grey areas to be real core issues as well as ignoring clear Biblical commands that we just don't really want to follow.

The WYW opens the gates to focus on areas that we especially enjoy bickering over. This gives further ability to judge, criticize, and -let's face it!- hate people who differ in these grey areas and now be more focused on those who are exactly like us. It also frees us from the heavy burden of worrying about issues like anger, pride, gluttony, etc. that other versions seem to make critical life issues.

In the WYW, verses that are frequently taken out of context are now highlighted with the surrounding context blurred so as not to shed light on true meaning. Also, commands that other Bible versions make highly important are now printed extra small so as not to be taken too seriously.

Genesis 1 now includes clear verses that state "24 hour day" so as to make the time period of creation more clear.

The whole book of Acts now shows churches as they should be- every church mentioned in Acts is also mentioned with a pulpit, piano and organ (no other instruments are ever mentioned in the WYW!), and dressed-up church members.

Jesus is now mentioned as being a 5-point Calvinist, and the word "Pharisee" is now switched to the word "liberal".

Commands against drunkenness now state "It is a vile sin to drink at all". It also now says that instead of Jesus miraculously changing the water into wine He changes it into Welch's grape juice.

The poor are never mentioned in the WYW so that we can increase our ignoring of them without feeling badly!

Among other features of the WYW are perforated pages so that whole sections can be taken out easily and quickly. A thick, black Sharpie marker is also included for hiding smaller sections. Wide margins with lines are included so that you can add in whatever verses you want!

In the back of the WYW (located where other versions put maps, because really, who needs that??) is a check-list where you can write in whatever rules you want and begin to worship them even more deeply.

Thanks to the WYW we are able to continue our Christian lives in much the same fashion we have been: pointing fingers over small, menial issues in other people's lives while ignoring areas of coal-black sin in ours. With further spread of the WYW, in a few generations Christianity will hopefully be even more powerless, highly divisive, and nearly completely ineffective against real sins. Conversions will be at a minimum, and churches will be even more self-centered and withdrawn from their communities (so as not to be seeker-sensitive of course!). So here's to the WYW and several more years of denial and delusion!

Tattooed

2011-07-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am...

...tattooed. The right ankle says "Dead to Self" and the left ankle says "Alive to Christ".

This summer I had the amazing experience of reading the book "Radical" by David Platt. I HIGHLY recommend it (and who knows, maybe you'll come away with some other permanent body art after reading it too!;) ). The book breaks down the core of Christianity and how a Christian should live... from finances, missions, reading the Bible, etc. It was SO convicting and inspiring. I have liked tattoos for a long time and wanted one for a while, I just hadn't been able to think of something that I could truly commit to forever like that. As I was nearing the end of the book I remembered someone I worked with in college who would write "Dead to Self, Alive to Christ" on their arm every day. It was such an awesome and challenging reminder to me each time I saw that message. And so, ding! The tattoo light bulb went off and a few weeks later, viola! My now new ankles.

The point of this tattoo is three-fold:

1. It's such a challenging and great reminder to constantly have on me. Almost like a "WWJD" bracelet except there's no taking it on and off... it's on me alllll the time. No matter what problems, temptations, or sufferings I go through in my life I cannot escape this message from God, to live to Him and die to myself. It truly has already influenced me as in moments of temper or pride I happen to glance down and let the Holy Spirit put me back in my place.

2. It keeps me more accountable. It's almost like driving a car with a Jesus Fish on it. Suddenly we're driving better. Now when I'm in the grocery store, at work, in a long line... I'm finding myself feeling more careful about how I'm treating people and behaving because who knows who's read my ankles?

3. It's an awesome witnessing opportunity. Suddenly the question "What's your tattoo?" is like asking "Share your faith with me!"

I recognize for some tattoos still carry a certain stigma, and some even view it as sin; but I know it would be premature, defensive, and wrong of me to come out swingin' from the Tattoo Closet. So instead, I have desired this opportunity to explain my reasoning here and thank you for hearing my tattoo story.

I truly hope you don't think I've jumped off the spiritual cliff, fallen into the wrong crowd, or slipped off the sinful slope. If you do, I encourage you to remember... I'm still me. And I would love the opportunity to discuss it further with you!

So if this isn't your thing, that's totally fine! I'm glad you listened to my story. I just hope we can say, "Eh, that's not for me, but whatever", and not blame it on God and pretend like it's His rule. I've heard arguments and read articles that seem to merely whip verses out of context (like Leviticus 19:28) and preach principles that we don't really follow anyways (like "it has some health risks"... well so does driving and cheese pizza...). Maybe instead we can accept and respect our differences in such areas.

One of the other neat thoughts to me is that one day I will die and leave this body and my tattoos.. and then, when my soul has begun it's new and eternal state in heaven, my body left behind will present a message still that will be truer then then it ever was.... "Dead to Self, Alive to Christ"!

The Pledge to Win

2011-06-21T17:07:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, during the U.S. Open Golf Championship, NBC aired a short patriotic video that included a montage of patriotic pictures and the sound of kids saying the pledge of allegiance. I missed seeing the clip at first (sorry, golf just doesn't fascinate me:) ). But then I looked it up after hearing that NBC had cut the words "under God" from the pledge. I rewound the DVR to see what exactly the deal was. I also then read this article that had been brought to my attention and had come out in great haste. If you click that link to read the article, you can also see for yourself the video clip from NBC. Near the end of the championship NBC announced that they had heard that the video clip offended people, they apologized for editing a portion out, and claimed no ulterior motives.

This of course was still not good enough as another article was posted complaining that NBC said "portion" instead of "admitting" the words were "under God", even though in reality they did omit a portion and not only the words "under God" (but I guess their apology just didn't fit the drama-fix needed for that day).
Now, do know before I say much more that I’m not naive, nor am I saying that NBC for sure had no ill-intentions or secret reasons for leaving out “under God” with the other words they also left out. Maybe they did mean it to be a statement against the words "under God" being in the pledge. But maybe not. And EITHER way, should our reaction be in the same style and spirit of these articles? Let me give you some thoughts:

~ I did not appreciate the exaggerations. To say, as the title of the article does, "NBC omits 'Under God' from the pledge" is an exaggeration, period. Oh sure technically it's true. But is it fair? I mean when I first heard that, I thought they led the crowd at the championship in the pledge and took out those two words. Not the case. First of all, it was a video montage, altered and choppy. Secondly, there were other words taken out such as "one nation" and "indivisible". So no, I did not appreciate the exaggerations.
~Can we not give the benefit of a doubt? I mean we fly off the handle right away assuming the worst. We KNOW something dark and seedy is going on, and if there's a battle to be fought, by golly we will NOT miss it.

~ What real good does it do anyway for people to say it if they don’t mean it? I mean really, so what if we force people to say "under God" in the pledge.... will that get them into heaven?? Will that cause them to walk with Jesus??

~ Newsflash folks: not everyone’s a Christian. We’ve GOT to stop wanting people to be sanctified instead of wanting them to be saved. We’ve got to stop expecting the lost to act like Christians, and start instead showing them who a Christian is supposed to be. And quite frankly I think this last Sunday we dropped the ball. What a great opportunity to handle a sensitive subject with care and tenderness and to show grace and mercy. Nope, instead we had to get on the bashing-bandwagon and be all outraged and indignant throwing out exaggerated phrases and slamming words like “disgraceful”.

~ What would have been the risk in handling this differently... maybe like say things like "Hmm it seems like maybe NBC was trying to sneak out God from the pledge...maybe we should kindly and politely let them know we want these words kept and included." What would have been wrong with reacting like that? If it is true that NBC was trying to sneak out those words, then great we handled it like loving Christians. If it was not true that they were being devious, than super! We saved ourselves from looking like overreactors.

But, as many reactions were offended, outraged, and disgusted, we instead have a different scenario. And if it is true that NBC was sneaking out those two words, than all we did was show them our mean, angry side and desire to get our way. And if it isn't true and they really didn't mean anything, then we look like sensitive, quick tempered, finger-pointers.

And yet they apologized for offending...and we still don't forgive. It's still not enough. We still want to fight. We still have to win.

Boy am I glad God doesn’t handle our mistakes the way we handle others. Yet if He has given us such grace… forgiveness… mercy…. love… patience... how dare we refuse to give these to others.

Back to Reality

2011-06-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

You know the feeling... the "slump"... that you have from coming back from vacation? The dragging yourself around to be productive because you now again have to? The I-could-not-be-less motivated blues?

It's like you've been in this tiny bubble of bliss and then POP, it's gone.

We got home from an eight day vaca of glory last Sunday night. It was the first time since our honeymoon that me and my hubby went away with just the two of us for more than a couple nights. It was a celebration of our 5 year anniversary so that tells you we were definitely over-due for it. It was fantastic! This last Monday however, not so much.

I began the dreary task of unpacking all of our never-ending junk that we had taken and the extra junk we got there and brought back. I piled together our mountain of laundry and began the loads. Despite my pre-vacation attempts to leave the house neat and clean for when we got back, all I saw now was grime and clutter. I went to see what I could put together for brunch and was greeted with the Fridge of Death. Don't ask me why I forgot to get rid of the already outdated milk before we left or why I felt the need to save spaghetti in there the whole time we were gone. Yuch.

Then as I unpacked I began to realize the things we had forgotten and had unknowingly donated to the resort we had stayed at. Sigh.

Amongst the joyous day back in reality were some awfully nagging thoughts and worries that I had been carrying with me for a while and had enjoyed my eight day break from. Now, though, I felt the need to pick that burden back up, and as I worked around the house my mind worked on solving my problems. Actually, nothing was solved. That's the essence of worry- fretting over things we can't solve.

Around the worry circles went my mind... again, and again, and again.

And as I was unpacking a glass and putting it into our kitchen cupboard I knocked it on the edge, and glass came shattering down around me like sharp rain. At first I was utterly frustrated at breaking something we had so carefully packed and traveled with and it was only two inches away from survival. Then I realized the red dripping down my face and the nausea hit. You see, I don't do blood. Can't handle it. So as I fought the nausea, I debated between looking in the mirror to see how bad it was and possible passing out or just waiting and seeing when the blood stopped. As I debated and nearly vomited, I decided instead to just collapse on the floor.

And as I curled up in a ball with my head down to fight the dizziness, I started sobbing.

Not about the blood.

Not about the glass.

Not even about the fridge.

I started sobbing tears of complete frustration and sadness about the thing I kept worrying about. And the sobs came harder and harder.

I finally found myself where I needed to be. And I stayed there for quite a while. Sitting Indian-style next to my bed crying and pouring out my prayers to God.

I laid it all out there for Him- told Him how it was (in case He didn't know) and begged Him to move in this situation. There I was vulnerable, weak, and hurting right before my Master. And as I prayed and held a bloody paper towel to my face, my sobs decreased and His peace came.

I now have the tiniest cut to the left of my right eye as a reminder to not worry nor forget the lesson I learned to pray instead. I ended my prayer that day thanking God for that cut. That broken glass was the last straw that snapped me out of my enslaved mind and gave me the freedom to let go and let Him. Too bad it takes breaking things and feeling pain to get us to pay attention to Him...

Or is it?

Remembering Memorial Day

2011-05-31T16:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Memorial Day, and I have just a few thoughts. Now, first and foremost do know how much I appreciate everyone who has served this country and greatly honor those who gave their lives for it. Ok, now for my thoughts;)...

1. I think every church I've been in seems to celebrate or somehow recognize patriotic holidays during the corresponding Sunday church service. Whether it's Fourth of July, Veteran's Day, or Memorial Day, suddenly churches whip out the American flags and patriotic music and give rousing messages of freedom. Now, maybe this is all fine and dandy or maybe it doesn't even matter at all... I don't know. But I do know this: I don't like it, and I don't get it. I just always feel like instead of worshipping God I'm being called to worship America. And instead of putting all else aside so I can focus on Him, I've got a big American flag in the way. I mean, I know our country is great and I'm thankful for it, but sheesh I also often wonder how ticked off God is at it. I mean really, it's in many ways a very sleazy country. Does it earn a Sunday service praising it, or should we use the holiday Sundays on our knees in prayer for it? Again, I don't totally know the black and white of this, and maybe I'm way off. But maybe I'm not.

2. I find comments like "I'm so thankful to the men and women who served and the freedom they gave us" interesting... no wait, offensive. Yes, I appreciate them immensely. But who gave us our freedom? Them?? Nope. God did. And we MUST remember to thank HIM for the freedom HE gave us through their service.

3. Lastly, I think it's important to remember that Memorial Day is to honor all who gave their lives. That doesn't mean those who won. We must remember that many lives were lost for battles lost. I think it also doesn't hurt to try to remember those all across the world who lost their lives in like manner. Sure, I know "technically" we don't have to because they're not one of us and by-golly it's a God-bless-AMERICAN holiday. But really, isn't it appropriate to give some credit and honor to anyone and everyone who have given their lives in war for what they believe was right? Isn't it heroic to head out into battle and risk it all for your country, even if it's a different country than ours?

So thanks and applause to ALL who have served, sacrificed, and died in war. And God bless... and have mercy on... America.

Fairy Tales

2011-05-24T17:48:00.000-07:00

We all know the routine... it starts with, "Once upon a time..." and ends with "Happily ever after". Throw in a few evil schemes, magical moments and glorious victories and ta-da, you have your classic fairy tale.

What is it about the fairy tale that's so alluring? I mean not just for children, but for everyone? Why do we produce movies such as "Ever After" to carry the fairy tale to adulthood so that we can keep it with us? Why do princes and princesses still touch our deepest heartstrings? What is it about a good fairy tale that we just can't let go of?

In my opinion, the fairy tale, no matter if it's Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, etc. is so alluring because it is so true and close to real life. Ok, ok... before you think I'm a total whack-job let me explain. Of course I realize that wicked step-mothers, poison apples and magic potions are NOT a common thread in our lives, but think of all the underlying themes that DO ring true to each of our daily routines and hearts.

Ahh yes, whether it's at your work place, social outings, families, school, etc you've certainly had your share of fairy tale themes. The good guy/bad guy wars, the witches and ogres, the princesses and princes, the weak and the strong, the captive and the free, the oppressed and the oppressive.

Those who work the hardest get paid the least. The number of moral, ethical, and even legal crimes that people get away with. People who know the least about something yet know it the loudest. People who mock and tease. People who absolutely seep with negativity and criticism. People who squander others in a selfish constant quest for only helping themselves. The villains in your own fairy tale.

Fortunately there's the other aspects of fairy tales that rings true to life as well. The heroes, the moments of vindication, the battles won for the right team, the moment the prince finally appears and the princess wakes up. The time when finally the witch is banished and the wicked step-mother is seen for her true colors.

Sure these delightful moments seem few and far between. And while we will still be misunderstood and wronged, it's amazing as a Christian to know that we will for sure get a happy ending. As God tells us in Romans 8:28, all things WILL work together for good in the end. And an eternity in Heaven with Him is certainly the best "happily ever after"... ever!

Tornadoes, Weddings, and Bin Laden

2011-05-19T17:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks since my last blog, and much has gone on.... such as...

Tornadoes

The area here was hit with dozens of tornadoes a few weeks ago, 4 of which were F4 tornadoes (F5 is the worst). It was so sad and truly surreal to see the news reports and pictures the days after. Fast food chains, grocery stores, houses, cars, trees, completely demolished, flattened, and crushed. Lives ended. Such an overwhelming reminder of the power of- nope, not nature- God, and a grave reminder of the fragility of life. He gives and takes away, indeed. We must remember that nothing material that we have is truly ours, no matter how hard we cling. It is so quickly and easily gone, that we must cling to the deeper truer treasures, for here and eternity.

Weddings

A couple days after the tornadoes hit was the "Royal Wedding". The events of the tornadoes sure did tone down the craze and excitement that was buzzing before they happened. It really did adjust my perspective. I mean, can you really get excited about a $400,000 dress when so many around you just lost everything? Now before you think I'm bashing royalty, remember to look at the other side of the coin too. How many sick people in 3rd world countries could look at my life the same way that I look at a princess'... how many starving children would be baffled at my blowing $6 on mascara... could look in awe at my 1,200 sq ft "mansion"? It's all about perspective.

Bin Laden

So apparently Bin Laden was found and killed. Go USA? I don't want to share much of my thoughts here, because I am interested in yours. The whole fiasco brought about the question of our celebrating death. Should we ever celebrate death (remember before you answer too quickly what we celebrate every Good Friday)? Or just justice? Can we separate the two in this type of case? Please share your thoughts!

Not just another love song...

2011-04-19T18:24:00.000-07:00

Ok... before you read this you should know that included in this blog are song lyrics that are quite offensive and adult. I am not editing them because quite frankly, that would miss my point. Before you get upset about them being on my blog, try instead to direct that upset-ness at them being on kids' radios.

You see, these songs aren't your typical adult rap, heavy metal, or seedy rock n' roll- not one of the music genres that we'd expect such things from... the music genres that we know are singing for a certain audience with a certain message. No, these songs are chipper, light, teeny-bopper pop tunes. Songs that if you couldn't totally understand the words you would think were just some more peppy love jingles. But with the words you realize the lyrics are loudly and clearly declaring nothing of the sort.

It's not like I'm the type to say "Christian music is good, secular music is bad." Not true. There's plenty of meaningless Christian songs and great secular music messages. But lately the trend has grown that these pop songs no longer sometimes push the limits.... they knock them down and stomp deviously all over them.

I try to keep up with current pop music because I work with kids at a school everyday as well as minister with the youth at our church, and I'd like to have an idea of what they're humming. Boy, am I fed up with it.

Such lyrics are as follows:

"All my life I've been good but now,
I'm thinking 'What the hell'
All I want is to mess around,
and I don't really care about
If you love me, if you hate me,
you can't save me, baby, baby,
All my life I've been good but now,
whoa 'What the hell'.

You say that I'm messing with your head
Boy, I like messing in your bed
Yeah, I am messing with your head
When I'm messing with you in bed."
~Avril Lavigne, "What The Hell"

"I may be bad, but I'm perfectly good at it
Sex in the air, I don't care, I love the smell of it
Sticks and stones may break my bones
But chains and whips excite me."

~Rihanna, S&M

"Got a water bottle full of whiskey
In my handbag.
Got my drunk text on
I'll regret it in the mornin'.
Now we're getting so smashed.
Knocking over trash cans.
Everbody breakin' bottles
It's a filthy hot mess.

There's a place downtown,
Where the freaks all come around.
It's a hole in the wall.
It's a dirty free for all.
And they turn me on.
When they take it off.
Everybody take it off.

Lose your mind.
Lose it now.
Lose your clothes
In the crowd.
We're delirious."
~Kesha, "Animal" (I will point out that this pop singer's lyrics are smothered with of being wasted on alcohol)

These are just parts of the songs, and trust me, the rest of the lyrics are on the same par. Also, these are only a few examples of the types of songs I'm discussing.

My point in this blog is two-fold. First, I want to create awareness in you to realize what messages are being broadcasted on seemingly harmless radio stations by seemingly harmless tunes. Secondly, I want to create sympathy in you. Sympathy for the teens, pre-teens, and even children who are being poisoned by these messages constantly. Even today when discussing one of these songs with a fellow employee, I sang part of the tune... and a 5 year old's face perked up as she said, "Oh I love that song!". Heartbreaking.

Whether the listener is 5, 10, 15... these songs, these lyrics are just as dangerous. I've known there are "bad songs" out there, but my issue is that now they are under the guise of just another pop teen song. No longer are there subtle hints of edginess... the messages are in your face bold slime. The tunes, the singers, the radio channels... seem so unalarming. But the words... well, alarming indeed.

The Bible talks about how Satan disguises himself as an Angel of Light (2 Corinthians 11:14). He is also working hard to disguise his messages as well. I for one am not going to be fooled.

Not-so-super-model.

2011-04-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

For the first time, I've been watching "The Celebrity Apprentice", and for one single reason. No, it's not because I feel like torturing myself on Sunday nights (I really do hate the show!). It's for Academy Award winning Deaf actress, Marlee Matlin, who is on the show this season, and in my opinion is its only redeeming value.

Amongst the drama filled, gossip loving, hissing women's team is Hope Dworaczyk, one of Playboy's Playmate of the Year winners (did I mention Marlee is the only redeeming value of The Apprentice??). I'd love to list for you Hope's other known qualities, like notable volunteer work, scientific breakthroughs, or any other great talent of hers that involved her clothes on, but alas... she's famous for solely one thing.

During last night's Apprentice the teams were given the task of setting up and decorating a huge glass box advertising tanning lotion for Australian Gold. Of course, great opportunity to exploit some skin. The guys' team did just that, with plenty of scantily clad pirate models. The girls' team however shocked me. The team project manager decided that instead of having Hope be a tanned sex icon for the display, she would instead take care of some other needs for the ad and then, fully clothed, toss around a volleyball in the sand around the display. I have no idea what the project managers reasons were for this, but boy was I thrilled! Not only could I stand to miss seeing a bikini clad Hope, but I was impressed that she was shown being able to work in other areas and be more than for a one-track use.

My feelings of thrill were sadly diminished when the teams sat before Mr. Trump in the board room. He, Australian Gold executives, and others in the room shared there dismay that Hope wasn't used in other more "obvious" ways for the ad. I wish I could communicate my disgust. The wordage was quite carefully picked by saying things like:

"We wish Hope had been more front and center." ~Australian Gold executives (she was LITERALLY standing at the front and in the center of the display).

"You're the playmate of the year... you would think that for sun tanning and all of the things Australian gold stands for, she (the project manager) would have used you, and yet you were not used in that fashion." ~Trump to Hope (I'm glad to be clear on what things Australian Gold stands for).

"Why did you not use Hope? She just became playmate of the year??" Trump questioning the project manager.

"Those girls (the models the guys had) couldn't hold a candle to Hope. We would have got a crowd" " ~Star Jones

"It was cold, and I was still willing to do it. I only needed to be a model one day." ~Hope

"You could have just said, 'Hope, guess what enjoy the bathing suit." ~Trump to the project manager.

Sigh. And so the project manager was made to be the bad guy, Hope the victim, and everyone else the wonderful geniuses who would have stripped down Hope for the sales.

Hope, I'm sure is truly a sad, torn, desperate person. Goodness knows what happened to the little girl in her that decided she wanted to become a professional slut when she grew up. Seriously, I truly do feel heartbroken thinking of her. She has and still is being sold the lie that she is only worth her body and can not be good enough without showing it. That is precisely the message The Apprentice and most modern media tells us.

Hope, though actively involved in the whole project was viewed as "not used" because clearly, they only view her as useful for one single thing. Hope was viewed as not being the model that day, even though she is a model and was there, in the main part of the display. But for the SINGLE reason that she was not showing her body, she was not viewed as a model or a use.

A sick, distorted definition of beauty was given.... to Hope... to men.... to women.... to all of us. Hope has clearly accepted this definition. And I'm sure that inside, she knows that according to that definition, she will expire. Once her beauty fades and the younger version isn't her, she will no longer be viewed as a use to us. I truly believe that thought haunts Hope and other models constantly.

We chew them up and spit them out. We serve ourselves slavery on a silver platter. We continue to push sex in nearly every ad and commercial, joke, movie, book, etc. It's all about sex and sexy women, with no limits. As Dr. Phil says, how's that working for us?

Sin sure is fun for a bit, but boy is the path dark and the end destructive. No wonder we have so many porn and sex addicted men, divorced marriages, cheating spouses, used-to-be-models in rehab, and drug addicted Hollywood women.

I'm so glad God gives a better definition of beauty and brighter path to follow. For more thoughts on this, please read my series "The Distortion of Beauty" Parts 1-3. And please remember to be careful and discerning of what messages the media is sending you.

Satan the Lent-hater

2011-03-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you a couple things about Satan. #1 He HATES Lent. #2 He knows you.

Let me start with a week ago. Tuesday about this time I put up my chipper little blog about Lent. Filled with enthusiasm, I later headed to bed contemplating the great things that would happen between then and Easter.

Ok this brings me to the Satan hating Lent part. You see, I RARELY dream. Yet that night was filled with dreams, er... nightmares. Crazy, awful, vivid nightmares allllll night long. Now, if you read my blog comments from last week, you'll know that one of my Lent commitments is to get up earlier to spend time beginning the day with God. Well that certainly was made a lot more difficult after a restless night of bad dream torture.

As I sat down that first Ash Wednesday morning beginning my time with God, countless things wrestled for my attention. Distraction after distraction came, from dog, hubby, phone, etc. Even my worship music kept crashing.

Grr... Satan!!!

Long story short, later that day got even better as someone I'd never met from my workplace decided to call the cops on me on a hit-and-run. Yes,bizarre and don't worry, FALSE. She claimed I put damage on her car that... guess what... the cops knew had been there for a looong time. Nice try chic. But the ordeal was pretty long awful and so a big chunk of my day was spent crying and being attacked by people I work with. Ah yes, my other Lent commitment... to not worry.

So the next day... guess what? I was sick... I mean I felt AWFUL. Kinda hard to follow up on my Lent commitment to make the bed every day when I'm stuck IN it for 3 days. Ended up finally going to the doc and found out I had strep.

SATAN!!!!

You know, it's so awesome and cool to know that God knows us so well. But it's important to remember that, while he doesn't know us NEARLY as well as God does, Satan does know us. He knows are weaknesses, strengths, and everything in between and he WILL use it to take us down.

Not only did Satan specifically attack each area of my Lent, but He also knows this about me: I am a black and white person. Hardcore. It's all or nothing to me. And it was hard after the Penicillin wore off to not give up already on Lent. Thoughts of "Well I already missed some days... so much for hitting every day during Lent... what's the point now?" Thankfully, God's voice was louder than the Devil's and I got back on the horse.

Maybe you've already faced some attacks during Lent, or whatever attacks from Satan you are facing, remember this:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." -Ephesians6:10-13

It's not too late to Lent!

2011-03-08T16:34:00.000-08:00

Last year I blogged an explanation of why I participate in Lent. In case you missed it, please read it here!

Tomorrow begins this years Lent. I am so utterly excited for all that God is going to teach me and do in my life! I am more than looking forward to the end of Lent, not because I can go back to my normal habits, but because Lent takes us at its end right into Easter, which is the most beautiful day of the year to me!!! And by that day, God will have revealed so much to me through my Lent.

I want to encourage you tonight to consider participating in Lent this year. Maybe you never have, or maybe you have but were thinking of skipping this year. If you never have before, I suggest to you to try something new with God. Give Him yet more access to you. Be amazed with me over the next 40 days of what all He will show you! If you have done it before, and are thinking of skipping this year, then I encourage you to pause and remember with me what great things come from Lent. The sweetness in sacrifice. The challenge in change. The lessons in Lent.

Maybe you need to stop and do some research before you jump into Lent. Then please do; but don't use ignorance as an excuse. If you have not yet committed to Lent this year, then put a little effort out there tonight to make that decision. It's not too late to Lent this year. Why not?

Next time I'll pass on the taco and head to Subway.

2011-02-22T16:01:00.000-08:00

Along with interpreting at my church, I volunteer teaching a sign language class. Recently I assigned the class to go to the Hamilton Place mall, and we were not allowed to talk. They could only sign so that they would come closer to experiencing the daily communication barrier that Deaf people deal with.

The first event of the day was lunch at the food court. Many of the students went to Subway. One student and I hopped over to Taco Bell, which was right next to Subway. As we stood in line we signed to each other since we were not allowed to talk at all while at the mall. As we waited we also took the time to write our orders down on pieces of paper so we could just hand them to the cashier. I decided to pay for my friend and snagged her order paper as it came up on my turn.

When I got up to the counter, I handed my papers to the woman working. She looked at them and loudly said to me, "Are they together?" I nodded my head to show her that was fine but also signed. She rolled her eyes and angrily said, "You're gonna have to talk to me, I don't speak that sign language, honey." Since she had refused to acknowledge my head nodding, I went to reach for a pen and set it down on the counter for her to use; meanwhile another friend of mine who was there, but not in my class, told the woman I said that was fine. I guess that still was not enough for the woman because she then proceeded to shout at me "ARE THEY TOGETHER?" I scooted the pen towards her. She rolled her eyes again, shook her head angrily, smacked the counter, and wrote "Split checks?" I looked at her and AGAIN nodded my head. She then handed me the receipt and told my friend my order number. I signed "Thank you" and the woman mockingly said "De Nada".

The woman's name was Regina, and I am SO sad to say that she herself is the manager of that location.

Subway gave the other students kind, patient, and extremely helpful service. They were willing to write notes and point and gesture to make the communication work.

I was SO humiliated and angry. I realize now though that I should not have felt embarrassed in front of all the other people around; Regina should have. Her temper tantrum was consistent with a young child's. I have rarely seen someone get so angry so fast. She could have made the whole transaction so much simpler by either paying attention to my head nodding, listening to my friend interpret for me, or by writing on the paper without making a scene about it.

I do not know if Regina realized I was hearing. If she did, and that's why she insisted I talk to her, then I still don't understand her behavior and reaction. As someone very involved in the Deaf Community, I should be able to bring that culture without being treated that way.

If Regina did not realize I am hearing and thought indeed that I was Deaf, then her behavior is even more appalling. Deaf people often do not read lips and it makes no difference to shout at them. They are DEAF for goodness sake. I also cannot believe that she demanded I talk to her. If I had been Deaf I very well couldn't have. So her being unable to sign is the same as a Deaf person being unable to talk. Deaf people are expected to change to match the hearing world; can the hearing world not change to match the Deaf world?

I'm sure Regina views Deaf people as being handicapped and limited; I however view her as way more disabled than any Deaf person I know. Her inability to accept differences, and do what is necessary to help WHATEVER costumer she has, no matter their language, race, or culture is infuriating and outrageous.

A very sad part in me wonders what has gone on in Regina's life to make her this way. Maybe someone has treated her that bad that now she treats others the way she's been treated. Maybe it's just the evilness that can run in all of us.

Whatever it is, I pray she can change. And I will definitely pick Subway in the future.

The Rest of the Story

2011-02-01T16:57:00.000-08:00

Last week as I was driving I was hit by a spacey young girl who apparently thought there was room enough in my lane for her car as well. As the traffic lights were then red, I rolled down my window to see where she wanted to pull over. She proceeded to tell me (as she laughed) that she was fine, we didn't need to pull over. What followed was what felt like an eternity of my trying to explain to her that we did indeed need to pull over as I needed to check my car. As I continued to bang my head against this wall, the turning lane's (that I had been forced to pull into) light turned green. Well I sure wasn't going to turn away when chica was confused on protocol. So of course, the cars behind me had a great honking fest at me.

I'm sure if they had known the rest of the story, and realized that I had just been stinkin hit by Ditzo, they mighta understood.

Often in life, we don't know the rest of the story. And so we honk... verbally, emotionally, spiritually, physically... out of ignorance and frustration.

This takes me to another story that I recently heard. You have to read it first here.

Ahh to know the rest of the story. How many times we've been delayed, inconvenienced, and irritated... but we don't know the rest of the story. We don't know what heroic actions are happening; what tragedies are being suffered; what miracles are taking place; what hearts are breaking.

We need to become a little more patient. A little more selfless. Give that benefit of a doubt. Stop filling in the blanks. And start wondering... what's the rest of the story?

Second Chances

2011-01-11T15:52:00.000-08:00

One of the worst feelings for me is regret.

One of the most amazing feelings is getting a second chance.

A couple weekends ago I experienced both.

My first couple years of college in Iowa I made some amazing friends. They were the type of friends that were always there to laugh with, rant with, cry with, whatever. They always listened, understood, and sympathized. These frienships were as close as close could be.

I didn't appreciate them nearly as much as I should have. After my second year of college, I ran out of funds. Off to community college it was. Then, through a series of God's leading, I transferred again to a college in Tennessee.

Over time and distance, we lost touch. We are now spread across states and even oceans. At first there were the quick notes and phone calls. Then eventually our friendships were not much more than the facade of facebook. A few "likes" here and there; a couple comments. Such a cheap trade-out.

One of these amazing friends got married on New Years Day, and God incredibly and graciously worked it out for me to go. And so we all found each other again:

The overwhelming flood of feelings throughout the trip were hard to wrap my head around. But through many wonderful conversations and God's continued prompting, I have learned a deep lesson. You see, since my move I've been waiting to make such friends again. Waiting for that type of tight relationship. And as I've waited, I've experienced plenty of loneliness and self-pity.

The facts are that those type of friendships are RARE. Especially since I don't live in a dorm anymore:) The facts are also that those friendships can still be there- across the states and oceans. I mean for goodness sake we are all still alive after all!

And so I've given myself plenty of shame-on-me speeches and am committing to keeping in touch with these girls again.

But mostly, I'm thankful to God for the lessons learned in the regret and the grace of second chances!

Resolution

2011-01-06T16:51:00.000-08:00

Recently, and in honor of the New Year, I heard a song called "I Then Shall Live". It is sung to the tune of "Be Still My Soul", but there are different words written by Gloria Gaither. The words impacted me very strongly, especially when staring down a brand new year. The message of this song reflects my resolutions for 2011.

I then shall live as one who’s been forgiven;
I'll walk with joy to know my debts are paid.
I know my name is clear before my Father;
I am His child, and I am not afraid.
So greatly pardoned, Ill forgive another;
The law of love I gladly will obey.

I then shall live as one who’s learned compassion;
I’ve been so loved that I'll risk loving too.
I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges;
I'll dare to see another’s point of view.
And when relationships demand commitment,
Then I'll be there to care and follow through.

Your kingdom come around and through and in me,
Your power and glory, let them shine through me.
Your Hallowed Name, O may I bear with honor,
And may Your living Kingdom come in me.
The Bread of Life, O may I share with honor,
And may You feed a hungry world through me.

Here With Us

2010-12-21T15:34:00.000-08:00

Often in Christian circles I hear people say things like "I hope God shows up... "God really needs to show up for this..." "Let's pray God shows up"...

Guess what, He did.

And that is what Christmas is all about. God showed up. In manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes, as a baby. God showed up.

We don't have to pray and ask Him to show up. We don't have to wonder if He will. We don't have to hope He does. He did. As stated each time we call Him Emmanuel, God is with us.

The following song is a beautiful reminder of the real meaning of Christmas, and is a wonderful praise for this Baby Jesus being and bringing God with us.

What's the Problem? Part 3, Conclusion

2010-12-14T16:51:00.000-08:00

Of these two scenarios I see three main sad commonalities in the responses:

1. Both contain uninvolved people who loudly and clearly spread exaggerated and untrue statements. It's like the saying goes, "People who know the least about something, know it the loudest."

2. In both, the complainers forget about what truly matters. And the "what" is actually a "who"- the children. The children are the point of both scenarios- the Deaf children in our program, and all children in the public school systems. The complainers sure do get all upset, yet they forget to show the burden for the children. Maybe you disagree with me at this point and claim that concern for the children is truly the point of the complaints in both scenarios. Then I would again ask why there is no stepping up to be a part of a solution? Why people complain about the public schools but don't show up at the prayer walks (See "Public Schools" in Embarassed -Part 2), and aren't involved in any ministries in the schools? Why people who complain about our county's Deaf Ed. program aren't coming along side to help improve it? No, if it truly was about the children then these people wouldn't be only complaining, they would be taking action.

3. Often the people who complain about both these areas also insist that the response should be one of getting out. For example, these Christians often say that our Christian kids should never be sent to the public schools and Christians shouldn't work there. People who complain about our Deaf Ed. program also say that interpreters who have credentials should get out of this county and go to that near-by state. To these suggestions I say this: Well, that's when you'll have the problem. That's what would really be the demise of these areas. Take out all the Christian lights from the public schools and that's when you can watch the darkness win. Take the credentialed interpreters out of the county and that's when you'll have a lousy program. And again, then the children will be the ones to suffer. I mean really, how do you think that by running away, that will make things better? But that's just it- the interest is not in making the problem better; they're merely concerned about making points, keeping their noses up, and being outraged.

There's a philosophy out there that says, "If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem." I don't agree with this view. There are so many problems in this world that is just not possible to be a part of every solution. So, that is not the philosophy I'm pushing in this series.

What I am saying is that if you are all worked up about a problem to the point that you are complaining a lot about it to plenty of people, then you better be a part of a solution. Merely griping about something does not mean that you truly care. In fact, it really says you don't.

Maybe this blog seems harsh, and maybe it is. But I've gotta tell ya, I'm over it. Please, if you see a problem either, pray up and step up, or pray up and hush up.

There needs to be a greater vision- a focus on the bigger picture. And unfortunately, that vision usually means getting involved and putting in some elbow grease. But boy, if we could do that instead of simply whining, what a different world it would be,

What's the Problem? Part 2

2010-12-07T15:42:00.000-08:00

Of these two scenarios that I mentioned, I want to focus more now on the second. As I explained, I have personally heard so many negative comments against the public schools and experienced many people's attacking of them. Often these have to do with the public schools not teaching creation but instead teaching evolution, not allowing prayer, and other aspects that are not "Christian-like". Unfortunately usually these complaints I hear are not presented as well explained arguments or thought out views; they are instead basic rants and quick-tongued insults. Comments like "sending your kids to the public school is sending them to the pits of hell", or "Sending your kids to the public schools is like sending lambs to wolves" are such comments that infuriate me.

One specific situation I explained in my blog "Prayer, Alcohol, and Halloween". Some more thoughts on this and the general complaining I described above:

~I know that we would love to have a perfect Christian country where we all believe the same and share the same faith. That will be heaven; this is now. The public schools are just that. We do have Christian schools in our country, so if you'd like the Bible read, Jesus taught, and prayer, then the option is out there.

~Check your facts. I've heard comments like "They don't allow prayer in the public schools..." Not true. Such general and vague comments like these cause complete misunderstandings and misnomers. Children are free to pray in the public schools, teachers and staff just may not lead them in prayer.

~Speak only for what you truly know. For example, I can speak and know a lot about the county I'm employed in, however I cannot speak for all public schools everywhere. Neither can you, and if you are not truly involved in any public school than you really can't speak for any of them at all.

~What if everything you wanted of Christianity in the public schools was another religion- and it was prayers to another god and another faith being taught. How would you feel about that? That's how unbelievers feel about Christianity in the public schools. Whether you agree or disagree, try to sympathize.

~If you do decide to homeschool your kids or send them to Christian school because of your concerns with the public schools, then please keep your mouth quiet about the public schools. You have opted out, so please do so. Your kids are "safe", so really, why the outrage?

~If the outrage is because you're sure the public schools are just one more area that is pulling this country down, then DO something about it. That is my main point in this blog- if you are so worked up about something and feel there is so much danger going on then STEP UP and do something. Saying, tweeting, facebooking your gripes and worries do no good. You might say "Oh, I'm creating awareness about what's going on". So what? Creating awareness about a "problem" but doing nothing to then create a solution is pointless and weak. I greatly respect Christians who are involved in Good News Clubs, KidVenture, and other ministries in public schools. The options are out there and access to Jesus can be shared in the public schools through these venues. You CAN get plugged in, if you so choose. If not, then please stop complaining; it's not truly that important to you.

What's the Problem?

2010-11-30T15:40:00.000-08:00

One of the most flabbergasting things to me is when people get all outraged and fired up about something, complaining loud and clear to anyone and everyone, but never take any steps be a part of a solution; and in fact they think the appropriate response is to then distance themselves as much as possible from the problem.

To explain what I mean I will specifically share two situations.

First of all, each state has different regulations and requirements for their educational interpreters. The state that I am employed in has very little requirements, unfortunately. The state near us has high requirements. These are just facts.

The county I am employed in is very close to this other state. I am personally thrilled with my job, and have had countless positive experiences. While I do wish stricter requirements were put in place, I recognize the great program that I work in, and the many more-than-qualified interpreters I work with. I am there for the children, anyway, above all.

Sadly, I have known people who have relentlessly verbally torn my county apart and view it as the pits of Deaf educational programs. They seemingly forget that these are state, not county, laws.

What bothers me the most is there are those of these who complain who have actually never entered one of the schools in this county and truly know nothing of our program specifically. Yet they are the ones who seem to speak the loudest. What also bothers me is that they have put forth zero effort to be a part of any solution or change. They truly just want to complain and have something to talk bad about.

The second specific area is that of the public schools. I have personally heard so much complaining about and attacking of the public schools by Christians that I am truly sick of it. Again, my frustration stems from a lack of involvement by these complainers to be a part of any solution and a loss of true understanding and greater vision. Another main reason the public school bashing bothers me is that it is bashing the location of my job as well as my personal mission field.

In this short series, I will explain further the commonalities I see in these two situations in the ways of responses, misunderstandings, and a loss of greater vision. I hope you will stick with me and possible reconsider some problems you may be able to handle better.

Giving thanks, for everything.

2010-11-24T14:28:00.000-08:00

This last Tuesday night our church had a "usual" Thanksgiving service, full of special music, songs of thanks, and a sermon on being thankful.

But there was nothing usual about this service.

You see, it was in honor of a local Pastor named Joe Miller who's body is full of cancer and according to the doctors only has a few months to live. He is in our human view, way too young to be so close to dying. This man is the one who preached the sermon for this Thanksgiving service; it was as far as we know, his last sermon he preached.

Let me tell you, when someone says to thank God for everything, the good and the bad, in all circumstances, it tends to go in one ear, I nod and smile, then out my other ear it goes. But when a man who is going through all that Joe is going through says that, I listen up. Boy, did I listen up.

Joe shared with us that God IS good and He can bring good out of EVERY situation if we let Him and follow Him and keep praising Him. I know he meant it- I know he believed it. This man is definitely living what he's preaching as he's dying.

I encourage you to listen to his own words from him here. It was a powerful and challenging reminder for this Thanksgiving and for all the time. God is good!

Girl's Best Friend

2010-11-16T17:38:00.000-08:00

Thirteen years ago, I became a dog owner for the first time. One of the best things that has ever happened to me!

I was 13 years old, and my family was camping at a local campground- then someone dumped a little puppy out of their car and took off. Nice, huh?

The following day involved a lot of crying and begging... "Daddy, PLEASE?!! I promise I'll take care of him!!!!" My dad ended up giving in..:) I named him Nicholas Matthew King- Nicky. In a diary entry I still have, I see that I wrote, "I fell in love with him immediately! OOOOH!"

I did take care of him- along with feeding and walking him, I made him watch "Wishbone" with me everyday so that he could learn from the TV star dog:) I also taught him many tricks- "Speak", "Sit", "Whisper", "Kiss", "Bow-down", etc.

Nicky turned out to be a wonderful, smart, sweet, and pretty much perfect dog. He was a continual companion through my early teen moods, high school dramas, and college adventures. He stayed my friend each time I lost many others. He put up with each loser boyfriend and let me cry on him after each break-up. He celebrated with me as I graduated high school and waited for me when I went away to college. He even became a part of a new family unit as I got married to Jason Hart and we all moved to Iowa- and so my doggy became "Nicholas Matthew King Hart." He moved with us again when we went to Tennessee and was officially the only friend we had here for a while as we didn't know anyone.

A week and half ago I had to make the toughest decision ever- I had to decide to put down my little best friend. A normal vet appointment ended up revealing serious illness for my darling Nicky, and after an eternal time of crying in the vet's room, I said a painful goodbye to my best friend.

Thirteen years, three moves, many memories, many adventures, countless changes, one faithful buddy.

Even now my face is drenched in tears as I miss him.

Through a series of sudden and great circumstances, God has given me the chance to have another dog love. Next week I will receive my next precious pup. I am thankful for the opportunity to head down another path of puppy! Though I will forever miss my Nicky, I'm excited to meet and love a new best friend, Ferdinand Nicholas Hart, Ferdy:

Prayer, Alcohol, and Halloween.

2010-11-05T14:12:00.000-07:00

Prayer:

Recently, one of our area high school's decided to cancel leading in prayer before their football games because a student complained about them. Of course, Christians are outraged, and I'm sure I am just supposed to be as well. But my outrage is actually directed towards the Christians in this situation. While I will further explain my view in a following blog series called "What's the Problem?", for now let me leave these few thoughts:

~I used to interpret high school football games, and once I asked why they prayed before them. I was told it was for good luck. I wonder to how many people these prayers are indeed merely good luck charms. So what are we really losing? If these people don't even know or believe in God, then were they really even praying? Were they even being heard?

~Think about what exactly our "voice" as Christians is to the public school system. Are we known as loving, helpful, giving, kind? Or are we just known as gripers?

~What's the goal? Sure, fight it and force people to say a prayer, but what does that really do? Do we want them to truly pray, or just go through a motion to appease an angry crowd?

~You can still keep praying if they don't lead in it. Just like we see the example of Daniel in the Bible- I don't see Daniel leading any protests or making angry speeches, he just keeps on praying.

~What if this school was leading a different religion's rituals before the football game? Would you be on the other side wanting removal as well?

Halloween:

I don't know all of the ins and outs of the history of Halloween, and as I don't have kids yet, I have not had to personally formulate my own full philosophy on it. I do know that some Christians are against Halloween and view it as sort of a Satanic day. I must say, again without fully studying the history, that my view of the here-and-now Halloween is not so harsh. I am not a fan of making light of the spirit world or demons, but do feel that Halloween now has many other aspects to it.

Often church's do what is known as a "Trunk or Treat" where family's set up cars in the church's parking lot and give out candy there. It is a great way to promote safety on Halloween as well as be an outreach to the community as neighborhood kids are invited to come. Surprisingly to myself, I know Christians who are even against this. Some churches who this year had Trunk or Treats on Sunday night also then had regular services inside for those who didn't approve of nor want to be a part of the trunk or treat.

One question that bugs me is this: If Halloween is indeed such a deep, dark, demonic day then shouldn't the last place Christians be is sitting in their comfy pews? Or hiding in their houses with their porch lights off? It just isn't consistent to me to hear people's outrage over it being such a sinful, Satanic day yet they just sit back and criticize without doing a thing to shed a light. I mean if they truly believe what they say, shouldn't they be out in those parking lots loving on those children? Or heading through the neighborhoods sharing Jesus and fighting against this darkness?

Alcohol:

I greatly enjoyed a sermon preached at my church a couple weeks ago. It asked the overall question of whether or not we are following Jesus or following traditions. One specific issue discussed was alcohol. The point was clearly preached that while the Bible does speak against drunkenness it does not condemn drinking alcohol. And while there are important principles to use, one cannot honestly say that drinking in itself is a sin. One of my favorite lines was "We cannot blame God for our rules."

I am very tired of Christians condemning something that the Bible never does, while at the same time treating lightly areas that the Bible does clearly condemn. For example, we almost condone gluttony. In the book of Proverbs there are indeed warnings against drunkenness (not drinking, but drunkenness) and with these warnings often hand in hand are warnings against gluttony and the warning that we should not be given over to our appetite. I'm sure a lot of Christians would freak out if someone walked in to church with a Bud light, yet we joke about being "good Baptists" because of our love for food and ability to eat a lot.

If we are going to condemn all drinking because it is "addictive, unhealthy, and expensive" (as I've often heard) then we better also condemn pizza. My point is, know your Bible, and what clear-cut rules it gives and what rules it does not give. Also remember, "In the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you." (Matt. 7:2)

Three

2010-10-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

Well, yet again there's been another long lag in my blogging life. Due to pure busyness, indeed!

Among the busy events of these last several weeks was a trip to Des Moines, Iowa to see my husband's family and some friends we knew when we ourselves lived there. My husband and I lived there for the first couple years of our marriage and it was a great home! We have many wonderful memories there and uplifted roots that are still healing.

I've been very privileged to now have three places I feel are as such- where I grew up in Pennsylvania, then my home in Iowa, and now good ol' Chattanooga, Tennessee:) On one hand, this is all quite flabbergasting as, of course, moving isn't the easiest or the funnest thing in the world; and also is really quite tearing for the heart, as relationships are suddenly long-distance and most friends are now seen on Facebook. On the other hand, each time I miss, visit, and remember each place is another smile and fulfilled feeling.

So on one side of me, I'm saddened by the location changes in my life and the chapters that have closed; but on the other side I'm so grateful to have three great places I can be at home in when I know too many people have not one.

In a way, I often feel like these three places are really three "me's"... three different lives I've lived. Three different big stages I've gone through. And through each "stage" came new lessons, challenges, and transformations. I often wonder if others feel this way... especially when I think of the people who have moved many MANY more times than I have!

While I'm so happy for this third home and stage, I definitely ache over the past ones. The chapters I can't re-open, the memories I can't re-create, the friendships that I'll always miss.

Who knows how many more chapters will be written and ended. And I know with each chapter a part of me will find it harder and harder to let the roots grow and be at home wherever I am. I know I will fear making the friends that I might very possibly have to say goodbye to one day.

But I will be grateful for each and every one; and in the meantime I will crave more and more the permanency of the place and the lasting relationships in my final home of Heaven. God didn't intend for us to say goodbye and break down roots- and in the end, I won't have to anymore.

Just a bit of Deaf Awareness, Conclusion

2010-09-07T13:36:00.000-07:00

I want to make sure as I finish this series that you understand that I am NOT an expert. The only ones who deserve to be called experts on these issues are Deaf people and hard-of-hearing people. So remember that they are the best sources for learning about these things.

At the same time, I certainly have learned and experienced more than most, simply because it is the field of study I chose and career path I've followed.

So to leave you with a final thought: remember what you don't know. To make this a little clearer, I'll share another story:

I once observed the following:

A teacher who had a hard-of-hearing student with an interpreter in the room felt the need to say to the class with the most pitiful expression, "Have you ever muted the TV? You know what it's like when you mute the TV? Can you imagine if that was how it always was for you?? Can you imagine if you never heard the birds??" The teacher then proceeded to look at the hard-of-hearing student and asked while shaking their head back and forth, "Have you ever heard the birds??" The student looked at the teacher and voicing for them-self said "Yup." I thought the teacher was going to fall over;)

I must tell you, if I had been the students' interpreter, I probably would have lost my job that day by telling that teacher what they could do with their comments in the future! You see, this teacher was speaking out of two things: ignorance and pity. Not a good combination. She was ignorant in the sense that it's RARELY like the mute button is on for a Deaf person. Most can hear some! The teacher also showed their ignorance by assuming the student had never heard birds. But the worst of all of this was the pity. I couldn't believe this teacher would really have the nerve to use this student as a spectackle in front of the whole class, the student's own peers, to have a pity party for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people. I wondered if the teacher would do this for say, a student who is in a wheelchair- would this teacher have the nerve to say, "Have you ever walked?? Ohh students can you imagine never walking!!" I don't think she would do this- I think she would see how embarrassing and insulting this would be for them. But for some reason we have decided it's okay to pity the Deaf Community no matter their embarrassment or hurt feelings.

So try to remember to say what you truly know, and hold or humble your tongue in areas that you just don't. And please, PLEASE refrain from showing such pity to people who do not want it! Think of an insecurity YOU have, and imagine if you were constantly pitied for it! Helpful? I think not! Encouraging? Hardly!

Thank you SO much for reading this blog and desiring to grow in your understanding of the Deaf Community! Hopefully in time and progress, we will all appreciate our differences more and equality will be recognized!

Just a bit of Deaf Awareness, Part 3

2010-08-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

It is SO ironic that I was planning to blog this on today of all days! Here's why...

Today as I was going through the Walmart line, the cashier felt the need to ask me 20 questions. Finally she got to the one, "Where do you work?" and I shared that I work at the elementary school. "Oh, so you're a teacher!" she said. "No, actually I'm an interpreter for a Deaf student," I explained. Upon saying this, the Walmart lady gave me a look of disdain and in the most condescending tone said, "Don't you know that they read our lips??"

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to either cry, laugh, or both!!! I clarified to her, "No, not always, and definitely not when they're 5 years old!!!"

It KILLS me when hearing people think that all Deaf people automatically read lips, as if they are born with the skill! On the contrary, NOT all Deaf people read lips, and even great lip-readers are still not 100% accurate and often still use interpreters. Also, lip-reading is a learned art that takes much, MUCH work.

But apparently the Walmart lady thought she knew more about my field than I did;)

So, along with recognizing that not all Deaf people read lips, here are a few other quick tips (some review, and some new) to file away:

1. The Deaf Community is a cultural/linguistic minority group. Basically that means they have their own culture and language. Deaf people generally preferred to be viewed as such, instead of as a disabled group.

2. American Sign Language (ASL) is NOT English put to motions. It is a separate, visual language that has its own grammar, rules, and structure.

3. The term "Hearing Impaired" is generally a negative term to the Deaf Community. While some individuals may claim the label, it is best not to use it unless you know someone wants to be called it. The terms "Deaf" and "hard-of-hearing" are generally acceptable.

4. Just like any group, you can’t put Deaf people in a box- some use their voice; some don’t. Some wear hearing-aids; some don’t. Some read lips; some don’t.

5. When using an interpreter it is important to just speak naturally and directly to the Deaf person. Look at the Deaf person, not the interpreter, and refrain from saying things like "tell him"/"tell her" to the interpreter. Also, no need to shout! :)

6. Generally speaking, Deaf people do NOT wish they were hearing. They are happy the way they are, and the last thing they want is to be pitied!

7. Deaf people are just as smart and capable as anyone else. Some famous Deaf people you may have heard of are Marlee Matlin, Beethoven, and Helen Keller. There are also many Deaf people successfully living and working in YOUR area!

Just a bit of Deaf Awareness, Part 2

2010-08-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

- The Deaf Community is a culture/linguistic minority group. This basically means that they are a group of people who have a different culture and use a different language. They do not generally want to be viewed as a disabled group, and the last thing most Deaf people want is to be pitied. It is important to view the Deaf Community as another culture with another language, not as broken people. This is one of the reasons the term "Hearing Impaired" is generally viewed as a negative term by the Deaf Community. Shocking, right? I know it is plastered everywhere as the "politically correct" term; but unfortunately politically correct doesn't actually mean it is sensitive to what people truly want to be called. Instead the terms "Deaf" and "hard-of-hearing" are generally preferred, unless of course a specific person wants to be called Hearing Impaired. (For more of my thoughts on the whole "disabled" term, please see my blog "Disabled, or Abled?")

- American Sign Language (ASL) is a valid, complete, language. That means that to those who don't "speak" it, it is a foreign language! It is not motions, nor is it "English on the hands". There are many different types of sign languages just like there are spoken languages- British Sign Language, Portuguese Sign Language, French Sign Language, etc. There are even different forms of sign language used in America. There is English Sign Language, which is VERY different from ASL. There is also what is known as CASE (Conceptually Accurate Signed English) which is a mix of ASL and English Sign Language. Because English Sign is still English, and CASE is a mix of different the sign systems, ASL is the only one of the three that is linguistically viewed as it's own true language.

~There is much diversity among Deaf people, just like there are with hearing people. Some Deaf people voice/talk, some don't; some Deaf people read lips; some don't. Some Deaf people wear hearing aids; some don't. There are also different levels of deafness- it's not always like the "mute" button is on. So basically remember not to try to put Deaf people in a box.

~Generally speaking, Deaf people are happy the way they are and do not wish they were hearing! You probably don't or even can't understand that, and that's ok, you don't have to. Just believe it. Don't look at Deaf people with pity and sadness- do you want them to do that to you? Some probably do on the inside! Remember that Deaf people have a culture, a language, a world... and generally they are quite content!

Just a bit of Deaf Awareness, Part 1

2010-08-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

One of the most exciting things in my life right now is that I'm preparing to start an interpreting ministry for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing at my church! I was called to Deaf Ministry a few years ago, and graduated with my degree in Sign Language Interpreting this past May. So now is the time to get ready to put into practice what I've learned! Myself and various staff members at my church have been putting preparations together to begin this ministry this September.

One of the most critical components of this preparation has been to create a level of Deaf Awareness among the pastoral staff and attendees of the church. This has got my brain buzzing to think of all the different small and big pieces of information to pass on to them so that we can then bridge the gap between these people and the Deaf Community! As I've been turning my wheels, I figured at the same time it would be a great opportunity to pass on the tid-bits here on my blog as well. So I will share just a few thoughts in each blog and have a sort of mini-series on this topic.

Rather than jump into these facts today, I will instead just share with you my "why" for all of this.

Like I said, a few years ago I felt the call into Deaf Ministry. I was already in an interpreting program, and one day my teacher gave me a gift- it was the Book of Mormon on DVD in ASL. It was a super well-done piece of work with very skilled signers. While sad that it was the Book of Mormon, my curiosity was peaked to find out what had been done by Christians to interpret the Bible into ASL. I found nothing. Later I found out the New Testament had just been finished being done in ASL on DVDs. The Old Testament is still not translated.

I once asked a Deaf women I knew where she went to church, and she laughed and signed, "You mean the Catholic church, right?? Cause they're the only ones who have an interpreter."

As my burden and searching continued, I found out that the Deaf Community is the 4th largest unreached people group for the Gospel. WOW. And Deaf people are RIGHT HERE in our neighborhoods!

For a church to have an interpreter is rare; for a church to have an educated and skilled interpreter is even more rare. Too often churches accept anyone who claims they sign and moves their hands, without knowing if they are really able to do the job. Hence the common Deaf phrase, "Lousy church interpreters!" This is SO sad and breaks my heart.

So, hence my burden. Deaf people do not have the same access we do to understanding the Bible, the Gospel, or our Saviour. They too often cannot, CANNOT be a part of a church. Christians have failed reaching this group and yet they live right down our streets.

The ADA covers Deaf people at their jobs, at courts, at hospitals.... it guarantees them a qualified interpreter. But laws do not cover churches, and so they still remain places that Deaf people do not have equal access...

It's time we step up as Christians and do our part to reach the Deaf Community! If we don't, someone else will.

Summer's End

2010-08-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

Well, it has certainly been a bit since I last blogged! I guess summer swept in and then got away from me:) Ahh summer... it was nice! Ok so technically it's still summer, but as I went back to work yesterday to get ready for the new school year starting next week, I'm already mentally moving on to Fall.

As summer comes to an end, here are just a few thoughts from it...

~~~~~~~~~~
Goals: Since it was the first time in 6 years that I didn't have the demands of a job and college on me, I decided it'd be wise to set some goals for myself to keep active and purposeful. I set about 8 goals and had the first 7 done in the first two weeks. While it was nice, I also learned that I have a hard time relaxing! Getting myself to accept that it was ok to not be busy all the time was challenging and jarring. I learned a good lesson though that my identity is not in what I do or in how many to-do lists I get done; it's in who I am in Christ. The goal I set that was the most rewarding was to spend more time with the friends and family He has given me. Pouring love out and receiving love from them all gave me such satisfaction in my summer and was a reminder to me of the great love He has given me. The good ol' Sanctus Real song, "We Need Each Other" is certainly true. He made us that way. Indeed, the greatest of these is love!

New Family Member: God gave me a special gift this summer through a new little nephew, Jonah James! My older brother and his wife had their first little one:) While I have a nephew and niece that I love to death on my husband's side, I must admit that there was something different with Jonah. I guess it's the whole "blood-relative" thing or something. All I know is when I first saw him, my heart grew:) It was truly a weird and overwhelming experience. It's weird to think that my simple family of 5 that I grew up with has a new chapter in its book! But the love for this little guy overwhelmed my heart and spilled over through many, many tears when I had to say goodbye to this tiny being. I'd finally gotten to the point where visiting and leaving my family in PA was not nearly as emotional and, really kinda normal for me. I guess that all changed now! How great it will be in Heaven to have no more goodbyes and not miss out on things!

Unplugged: The last couple weeks of summer were spent away on vacation- the first of the weeks was spent with my brother and sis-in-law in Gatlinburg, and the second week was spent in PA visiting family. One of the things that happened in both locations was that I had rare and limited access to internet and often did not have cell signal. This left me, well... rather unplugged. To my surprise, it was nice. I was forced to live more in the moment, focus on those around me, and invest more in what was actually going on. Now, I'm not saying that I'm about to quit my phone and internet use, or even cut it down. All I'm saying is that it was a good reminder and warning to not let them become too demanding or leashes that pull me away from reality. Too often I have found myself texting one friend while another is right with me! Then later I find myself facebooking the friend that I had been with. Now, this isn't always a bad thing but I think there is a pattern, at least for me, of missing moments and cheapening relationships through it.
~~~~~~~~~~

I could go on and on, but sum it up to say this summer was great. God taught me a lot, and gave me a lot. I am VERY thankful!

Feeling Critical?

2010-06-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

I read a devotional entitled "Beware of Criticizing Others" by Oswald Chambers from his book "My Utmost for His Highest". It was so well said and so convicting, I had to share at least most of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The average Christian is the most piercingly critical individual known. Criticism is one of the ordinary activities of people, but in the spiritual realm nothing is accomplished by it. The effect of criticism is the dividing up of the strengths of the one being criticized. The Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to criticize, and He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding.

Criticism serves to make you harsh, vindictive, and cruel, and leaves you with the soothing and flattering idea that you are somehow superior to others. You must constantly beware of anything that causes you to think of yourself as a superior person.

There is no escaping the penetrating search of my life by Jesus. If I see a little speck in your eye, it means that I have a plank in my own (Matt. 7:3-5). Every time I judge, I condemn myself (Romans 2:17-24). Stop having a measuring stick for other people. There is always at least one more fact, which we know nothing about, in every person's situation. The first thing God does is to give us a thorough spiritual cleansing. After that, there is no possibility of pride remaining in us. I have never met a person I could despair of, or lose all hope for, after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This time I want your thoughts...

2010-06-08T12:43:00.000-07:00

Okay....

So this time I'm not gonna blog. I want your thoughts now. There's an area of thought/belief that I've never been able to tackle... I don't know quite what I think about it, and so I want your comments with your views/thoughts. The question at hand is this: Can you forgive yourself? Like, is that something that is even a possible or appropriate transaction, or is it only that you can forgive other people and only other people and God that can forgive you? I've known people who do not "believe in" the thinking that you can/should forgive yourself. But yet, we all have things we regret... we all have made mistakes and done wrong. And it's not easy to let go. Personally, I think regret is quite possible the worst feeling ever.

But do we forgive 0urselves? CAN we??

Thoughts please!!!

Putting the Sanctification cart before the Salvation horse

2010-05-31T16:25:00.000-07:00

As stated in Romans 5:8, Christ died for us while we were still sinners.

So why do we insist on seeking the unsaved's change of behavior before the conversion of their souls? Why do we allow the differences and disagreements to cause us to blur our vision of their need for salvation? Why do we lose compassion for their souls in a sea of frustration with their views?

God's only requirement of us in order for His Son to die for us? Be a sinner. So why do we slab on a long list "be just like us" requirements?

Too often we push our own lists and agenda's instead of the Gospel. Why do we not instead seek and strive for their salvation? We become so flabbergasted with the issues yet all the while missing THE issue- their salvation.

God never calls us to sanctify the unsaved. He calls us to go to them with the Good News of the Gospel. Period. First comes the faith, then the works. I am afraid that too often Satan is using our even good and godly beliefs and convictions to ruin our testimony.

I have heard and seen so many Christians investing so much time and energy in trying to convince and debate the unsaved on different issues, but they never get to the main problem of the lack of their relationship with Christ. I have also heard way too many jokes and sarcastic speeches against people with "other" views. Apparently we have forgotten that "ALL have sinned and fallen short..." (Romans 3:23).

And while I may agree with these Christians on some of the issues, what breaks my heart is the lack of love. We have sacrificed our love and burden in exchange for needing to be right.

How dare we ever laugh. How can we EVER joke? We should be in tears and on our knees praying, NOT for these people to change their views, but for them to know Christ.

You see, we want a Christian-like world. Yet we miss the step where people become Christians.

God has promised us the world we live in is His enemy (James 4:4). Why do we not believe Him on this? So maybe we should stop trying to sanctify this world and instead take the gospel to it.

Can we ever find ourselves in the same place as Paul, where when dealing with people without understanding we can forget all the other less important issues expect Jesus Crucified (1 Cor. 2:2)? Is there any way we can remember as he did that those who are without the Spirit cannot, CANNOT understand these issues in the same Spirit-lead light that we can (1 Cor. 2:14)?

I'm not saying the issues are not important. I am saying they are less important. I am saying to stop expecting this world to be Christ-like when they don't know Christ. And I'm not saying to stop dealing with the issues; I'm saying to stop attacking the people. I'm saying to not forget their GREATEST need. I am saying to desire and strive for people's salvation before their sanctification.

LOST and Found

2010-05-25T13:58:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday night was the series finale of ABC's show "Lost". Now, whether you're a fan or not, you must admit this- it was a big deal.

Now, please hear what I am NOT about to say in this blog. I am NOT saying to get your theology from Lost. But I am going to point out a couple wonderful spiritual thoughts that true Christians can enjoy from its finale.

As we watched the joyous and emotional reunion in the church, it hit me that that's how it will be for us. Seeing friends and family that we'd been separated from. Sharing memories of our earthly life. Embracing in a bunch of "finally together forever" hugs. This point is especially comforting and mind-blowing to me as I think about how many people I miss right now. Thinking about how many close family members and friends I live far away from and see only sometimes. Thinking about the dearest friends that I had growing up and in college that have since gone on into life somewhere else. Those who have impacted my life and changed it forever. And especially when I think about the family and friends that have since passed on to the next step to eternity. Right now we're all spread out from Hawaii to Ohio, Pennsylvania to Korea, Massachusetts to New York, and from Iowa to Heaven. Someday, we will be together, forever.

Also, it hit me as we watched the group together prepare to take the step of entering Forever together, that while we Christians leave earth at different times, we will go to the New Heaven and the New Earth together. What an amazing experience to share! The permanent Heaven and Earth that God has planned for us is one that we will be able to enter hand-in-hand together.

What an incredible future we have to look forward to! And while the only choice we make that changes the location of our future is what we do with Jesus Christ, it is also true that our choices are important and what we do matters. It matters for God's plan for us now and His work in our lives. It also matters for what we can bring to eternity, because news flash folks, it won't be anything you can carry. It's all gonna be about what we did for eternal impact and God's glory.

The Power of the Cross

2010-05-13T17:16:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law and amazing friend shared this song with me, and I'm so glad she did! The lyrics are SUCH a powerful message and a great reminder....

The Power of the Cross
Oh to see the dawn of the darkest day,
Christ on the road to calvary,
Tried by sinful men, torn and beaten then,
Nailed to a cross of wood.

This the power of the cross,
Christ became sin for us,
Took the blame, bore the wrath,
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh to see the pain written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin,
Every bitter thought, every evil deed,
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

This the power of the cross,
Christ became sin for us,
Took the blame, bore the wrath,
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Now the daylight flees, now the ground beneath,
Quakes as its Maker bows His head,
Curtain torn in two, dead are raised to life,
‘Finished!’ the vict’ry cry.

This the power of the cross,
Christ became sin for us,
Took the blame, bore the wrath,
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh to see my name written in the wound,
For through Your suf‘fring I am free ,
Death is crushed to death, life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

This the power of the cross,
Son of God slain for us,
What a life, what a cost,
We stand forgiven at the cross.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope YOUR name is "written in the wound"...

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

Cum Laude

2010-05-10T16:54:00.000-07:00

So it's been a couple weeks since I blogged, but this time I have a really good excuse. I was busy graduating college (can i get a *woot woot*?!)

Throughout the past let's-just-say-more-than-the-usual-4-years of college, there's certainly not one step that has been easy. My first college proved too expensive for my budget. Since I wasn't a preacher's kid nor a preacher-to-be, it was clear any grants or scholarships from the private college itself wasn't gonna happen. Since I was really from PA and this college was in IA, the state and country offered only loans. No grants/scholarships for outsiders. Throughout that experience, it became increasingly frustrating to me that while I strived and succeeded to get great grades, there were too many other "factures" that left me disqualified.

So on to the next college I went. A community college that while remaining much more in my comfort zone of finances also offered the new world of sign language to me. This then offered me the world of Sign Language Interpreting, and hence, my call.

A crystal clear call from God to me. Calling and burdening me with a love for the Deaf Community.

With one college transfer under my belt, why not spring for another? Ya see, with this new call from God came a new predicament. The community college was not going to train me for ministry. And while its own program was shaky and uncertain, I was already knowing I needed to seek another. One that would train me for Deaf Ministry.

Hence, Tennessee Temple University- the university I just, and finally, graduated from.

Scraping pennies to make it through yet another private school, I made it- working full time as well through it all. Not easy, but God's grace is more than enough.

And, through it all, I managed a 3.6 GPA. These grades that I had worked so hard for, but had never been enough in themselves to qualify me for any financial help, would now earn me one piece of recognition.

Cum Laude.

I was so excited for that yellow honors sash to wear with my gown! So excited for the star by my name in the program!

But, alas.

I found out that because I had not taken quite 60 credits at this last college of mine, that I could not be given Cum Laude nor the yellow sash. Sure, the grades matched. But yet again, there were other stipulations. Stipulations that despite my hard work made me still not quite good enough.

And so I looked as the yellow sashes were handed to many others, but not me. I looked at my name without stars. And I cried, a lot.

Because, you see, it was just so unfair. Transferring colleges and moving to TN was one of the hardest things I'd ever done. And I had transferred TO this school, yet they were punishing me for that. Still not counting me as one of their own. All those long nights of studying and slaving for what felt like nothing.

From this disappointing and heartbreaking experience that I know will mean nothing in a few years, I found a couple spiritual lessons that have been soothingly on my heart:

1. God knows the whole story: He will not gyp us. He won't throw out any surprise dumb rules that all the sudden make what we accomplished not good enough. He knows our hearts and hard work; He knows the whole story. And God is fair.

2. God knows the whole story: Deja vu? Sure. But the second way to apply this is to remember that indeed God does know everything. Yikes, huh? I mean sure I can pat myself on the back and think "Whew, at least God knows that great thing I did!" But then you have the "Oops..." How many times in private do we do/think/say things that we would hide from people, but forget that God witnesses? He knows our hearts; He knows the whole story. And God is fair.

The Modern Day Good Samaritan

2010-04-27T14:44:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know it's been another long lag in my blogging life, however I have been quite busy getting ready for my college graduation (more on that later:) ). So that's a good excuse, right?

Ah, so anyways.

In case you missed this news story, here's the basic gist from The Associated Press:

"NEW YORK -- The homeless man lay face down, unmoving, on the sidewalk outside an apartment building, blood from knife wounds pooling underneath his body.

One person passed by in the early morning. Then another, and another. Video footage from a surveillance camera shows at least seven people going by, some turning their heads to look, others stopping to gawk. One even lifted the homeless man's body, exposing what appeared to be blood on the sidewalk underneath him, before walking away.

It wasn't until after the 31-year-old Guatemalan immigrant had been lying there for nearly an hour that emergency workers arrived, and by then, it was too late. Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax -- who police said was stabbed while intervening to help a woman being attacked -- had died." Read the whole story here.

Back in the day, Jesus taught us -er, tried to teach us- a lesson with a similar story:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Luke 10:30-37
Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some key points to remember:
1. If this was written about America today, it would probably say "Christian preacher" or something like that instead of "priest". Yeah, he is one who kept walking. Oh, and same with the Levite- he'd pretty much be your modern day Christian layman.
2. Also if written today, this Good Samaritan would NOT be translated as a "Good Christian". Probably would be something like the "Good Atheist" etc. Basically, I'm just letting you know that "we" Christians were not picked to be the hero in the parable, but pretty much the opposite case; and I'm guessing that would be the same role we'd get today.
3. Jesus asks who was really the neighbor. This was all spurred on from his command to "Love your neighbor as yourself". Remember how critical this command is for a true Christian to live out? Jesus calls it his "second greatest command" (Matthew 22:39), and we are also told that people will know us by our love (John 13:35). And of course, don't forget 1 Corinthians 13.
4. Sadly, in the current New York story, there really was no Good Samaritan.

A Taste into the Deaf Community

2010-03-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

Here is the new Marlee Matlin official YouTube show about a Deaf/Hearing family that uses ASL to communicate...

Embarrassed- Part 4- In Conclusion

2010-03-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

I don't know when it was that we decided to re-do Christianity. When it was that we changed what God has been saying to us all along. It's like at some point we got so scared of being "like the world" that we pendulum swung right off balance to the other side. We ignore that we are to be a light to this world; instead we just want to hide with the other lights and glare in disdain at the darkness. And we have extremely specific lists of what we think it takes to be able to be a light. And we ignore our own darkness, as if we don't have darkness still in us.

We forget that God used prostitutes and murderers, thieves and liars. God called King David a man after His own heart... ever seen the list of what David did? We sure wouldn't hail him as king in our Christian circles. We probably wouldn't even let him serve in our churches.

We must remember that the only good in ANY of us is because of Jesus. None of us have any good on our own! I don't care if you bow your head to pray before a meal or not; there is no good in you on your own. It is ALL ONLY Jesus.

Maybe we just need a good dose of 1 Corinthians 13. Maybe the next time you see someone you disagree with or don't like you can remember 1 Corinthians 13. Remember that it doesn't just apply to those who agree with you and look like you.

Otherwise, I'm afraid that the darkness will win this battle. I'm afraid that both the darkness outside of Christianity that we're so afraid of as well as the darkness within that we ignore, will win.

Embarrassed- Part 3

2010-03-17T15:24:00.001-07:00

And so I feel brainwashed. Part of me wishes it could go back in time and get rid of everything I've learned and heard and been taught. Just so I could sit down with a blank slate and a Bible. I feel like I can't really understand what God wants to say to me because I carry so much baggage. Now, of course I have also learned many wonderful things and I don't really want to get rid of that. But I feel like I have to sort through and re-think through everything I've learned. To try to figure out what was just coming from people and their personal agendas and what was really coming from God. Because when I look at what God says...

I see that faith without works is DEAD- "What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,' and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. ~James 2:14-17

I see that showing partiality is a SIN- "My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes... have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,' you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors." ~James 2: 1-4,8,9

I see that judging is never to be put above loving- "So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment." ~James 2:12, 13

I see that God HATES pride- "Therefore it says, 'GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." ~James 4:66 "There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers". ~Proverbs 6:16-19
(There are zillions of more verses on pride and humility; the Bible is filled with it and the clear message that God despises pride).

I see that our tongue should never tear apart others if it is to be used praise God- "But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way." ~James 3:9

I see that God really, really cherishes peace and gentleness- "Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly,natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." James 3:13-18

I see that God demands that we love, and that demand is the greatest one. Oh, and that doesn't mean just loving those who are easy and agree with you- "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." ~Luke 6:27-37

~~~~~
I plead with you to read these verses like it is the first time. Not just reading over them the way we always do. Really think about them, and listen to what GOD is saying. Then think about the areas I mentioned in Part 2, and even others you may be thinking of that I didn't mention. Make the examples and language of these verses current to today. The crazy thing is how many more verses I could have put in that have to do with this list... but then, that would be nearly the whole Bible.

Embarrassed -Part 2

2010-03-08T14:33:00.001-08:00

So let me give you some more specific examples of why I feel this way. Now, this is not a conclusive list, but these are several that I've been especially burdened with lately:

1. Grey areas: Somewhere along the line we've decided to ignore Romans 14, and instead decided that we can judge certain grey areas with no clear Biblical back-up. Oh sure, we'll take 1 Thess. 5:22 "Abstain from all appearance of evil" and smack it in each other's faces; and BOOM what are truly grey areas become WRONG. We don't care about the facts, about each specific circumstance, we just judge. We forget that Romans 14 says to worry about yourself in grey areas and 1 Thess. 5:22 is a command for YOU to keep, not a tool to judge others. We have elevated what are truly grey areas to be black and white; and ignored true black and white Biblical commands about pride, love, anger, etc.

2. Government: When did Christians decide that being an American or political party came first and being a Christian came second? Sure, I know we've got problems in our country. But the way I hear Christians talk about our government and its leaders is shocking. I might even agree with their main points, but when they berate, mock, sarcastically tear apart, and personally attack, both the real issues and our testimony gets ignored and ruined. Romans 13 anyone?

3. Public Schools: Sure, they have problems. But yet again, the way Christians attack and talk about our public school system is more than demeaning and less than caring. Maybe instead of pretending it's all bad, washing our hands, and acting as if our Christian schools have it all together, we should get involved in outreach in our public schools and pray for them. We claim we're outraged at the lack of prayer in school; yet recently our school district opened all high schools for pray walks. When I showed up there were 7 people. 6 were actual students from there. Where were you, outraged Christian? You didn't show, and I wasn't surprised.

4. Evolution: Again, our mockery ruins our testimony. I recently actually watched a creation seminar where the Christian presenter blanketly called all evolutionists "stupid". He also mocked them because they don't have science; they only have faith, "and man do they have a problem!" Well, we only have faith too, so I guess we have a problem as well. So the next time an evolutionist mocks creationists, the creationists should swallow it and remember that we are called to treat others how we want to be treated. Too bad the Creator became less important than the process of creation.

5. Daily Life: Ask a cashier which day is the worst to deal with customers. I've been told on several occasions that it's Sundays, because all the dressed up Christians come in and treat them bad, right after church. If we can't be nice during the simple daily tasks of life, we will have no chance at a good testimony.

6. Sinners: As if we aren't one our self. We find out someone committed one of those "worse" sins, and we pin that scarlet letter on. We have received so much mercy and grace ourselves, but we sure won't give it.

7. Other denominations: Sure, the question of what exactly is "core Christianity" might be difficult and complicated. But I can tell you this, the answer isn't "Baptist". Too often that is viewed as the golden ticket to get to heaven. A Baptist Christian finds out someone is Baptist and well yay, they must be saved! And on the contrary, if they aren't, well then they probably aren't saved. If someone crosses themselves after praying, speaks in tongues, etc. then they immediately get a stigma of being lost. I think there's a very short list of what it takes to be a Christian, and a lot of room for many other differences in doctrines; doctrines that yes, are important, but have nothing to do with the state of ones salvation.

8. Rules: We just have to live by a checklist, don't we? Go to church, read a chapter of the Bible a day, etc. And then we have our massive list of "don't"s. Uff da. The power and love of Christ never truly takes hold of our lives and never truly transforms us. Because instead of that, we worship our lists.

9. Fundamentalists/conservatives: The pendulum swings both ways. And now we have it swinging towards a prejudice against all fundamentalists and conservatives. We now equate these terms with legalism and fanaticism. So while a lot of churches are sadly places where someone with jeans, piercings, and tattoos cannot feel welcome, we also have churches where people with dresses and suits cannot feel comfortable. Because we have decided all fundamentalists are fanatics and all conservatives are legalistic.

~~~~~~~~~~~
We pat ourselves on the back for fulfilling a "love" checklist. But some money to the hungry and orphans doesn't cut it. That is still not a lot different from the world's love. If we can't be loving in the areas listed above and many others as well, we will never spread Christ's love to the lost. In the next and last post I will point out what God says on the issue.

Embarrassed -Part 1

2010-03-03T13:52:00.001-08:00

I've been suddenly yet slowly experiencing a new understanding. Sudden in the sense that it's been about a year. Slow in a sense when you compare that to my 25.

This understanding has led to my current feelings of being brainwashed and embarrassed.

You see, the more I've read the Bible and thought about true Christianity, and the more I've looked at and listened to current Christianity, the more these feelings grow.

I feel like my eyes have been slowly opening in agony at these understandings.

We've made a mess of things.

We blame unbelievers that they hate us, that they mock us, that they want nothing to do with us. We use Scripture to back this up (John 15:18,19) and actually seem smugly proud of this fact (oooh if they hate us we must be doing something right, huh??). But I blame us. And I think it's time for Christianity as a whole to actually accept some responsibility for this great divide.

God tells us that others will know who are true Christians because of their love (John 13:35). THAT is the distinguishing feature that will set us apart. He also says that through that love people will experience His love to them (John 17:23). Yet right now, I think love would be far down on the list that Christians are known for. I think we have shown ourselves to be a lot of things other than loving. We've decided that rules, disagreements, separation, and judging are more important than love. As if they can't coincide. Whether it be to unbelievers or to fellow Christians, true Christian love is way too rare.

We've just got it all together though don't we? We are the loudest to scream out at those who don't match our standards, to our government, to those who *gasp* fall into sin; but you don't loudly hear us admitting our own struggles, failures, and weaknesses. As if we have arrived and are perfect. As if our churches are.

In the next couple blogs I will explain more specifically what has made me feel this way; what I see as true Biblical love; and how I hope we can possibly mend our ways.

For now, I am simply embarrassed.

No, I'm not Catholic, but...

2010-02-17T13:35:00.001-08:00

...I am practicing Lent this year. Usually when people have found out about this they look at me pretty confused thinking something along the lines of, "I thought you were a Baptist chick??" Yes, I go to a Baptist church. But, it's not a box that I am in.

And while Lent is often associated only with Catholicism, Lutherans, Methodists, and Anglicans recognize Lent just as strongly. And previous to the Protestant Reformation, all Christian groups practiced Lent just as strongly. Lent is still currently viewed as a general Christian practice.

Christian... what a marvelous term. One that does not depend on where you go to church or what denomination you claim. Now, hear me correctly here: I am not Catholic, and it is because of some very strong differences in belief. Hear me correctly again: I think a lot of Baptists will go to hell and a lot of Catholics will go to heaven.

Basically, where you go after you die doesn't depend on where you went to church when you were alive. But more on that later.

Yes, I am practicing Lent. Here are some reasons:

~ It gives me an early focus and preparation for the Easter celebration. Easter is by far my favorite time of year. What a beautiful, amazing day full of opportunity to celebrate Jesus' resurrection! As it leads up to that precious day, I find a period of self-denial to be more than appropriate. I mean one thought of self-pity at what I gave up just gives God more opportunity to remind me of how much His Son gave up for me.

~ I find that self-denial is crystal clear in the Bible as being much more than a good thing. Often, it's a must. Too often we get used to getting what we want, when we want it, how we want it. So it takes some extra effort on our part to experience self-denial. In the Bible we see examples of many including Jesus Himself who go through periods of fasting, wilderness experiences, and other practices similar in heart to Lent.

~ Not getting what we want often leaves a vacuum. At Lent, it's a great way to give up something to create that vacuum for the sole purpose of God filling it. So with the self-control comes a greater need to pray and depend on God. Through the sacrifice comes praise and realization at just how much we do have. And through the self-denial we get to put into action our beliefs on self-discipline.

I am not Catholic. I believe very strongly with Baptists' doctrines. But that doesn't mean that I can't look at another denomination and learn from them and find value in some of their practices.

I am a Baptist, but not in a box.

And I am practicing Lent.

So much to learn from 5 year olds....

2010-02-12T15:27:00.000-08:00

I love my job. Love it. The main reason? 5 year olds.

I get the joy of working with kindergartners every day. Each morning for me begins with their sweet smiles and hugs.

Maybe you're wondering what the big deal is. They're just kids, right? Allow me to explain some of the beauty of these little ones.

~They know truly how to forgive and forget. If one hits the other, tears are shed, teachers told, apologies made (usually repeated from the teacher), and that's that. They go back to playing with each other like nothing ever happened.

~They live in the moment, with no sense of urgency for the clock. Sure, this can be frustrating as there is a class to get to on time. But when it's recess, and someone falls and ends up with a boo-boo (usually impossible for adults to see, but crystal clear in the eyes of all the kiddies), a whole group of children will help that crying injured one to a nearby teacher. They don't think *Oh no, this is my recess time and I must hurry and enjoy it*. They think about who to help and who to take care of.

~They get over it. I scold a child one minute, put their chart on a frown-face for the day, and make them walk laps at recess. But later that afternoon, if I smile and tell them their hair is pretty, they couldn't be happier. My small compliment was eagerly accepted despite my harsh words earlier. Though being reprimanded hurt, their relationship with and love of me was unchanged.

~Their eyes and minds are incapable of seeing popularity, imperfections, and differences in others. They don't care who's hair is dirty, who shows up in old raggy clothes, or who smells like their mom's cigarette smoke. They merely see a friend, someone to play with, run with, and dance with.

~They have no chips on their shoulders. They are completely willing and wanting to give to those who need, no matter what "rights" they have or hurts they've been through themselves. The greatest thing I've ever heard was from a 5 year old boy who had previously recounted stories to me of his watching his parents' drug use and how they were now in jail. The teacher mentioned that she did not have a Christmas tree; and this precious child, who has already been through more than most of us, said to her with all kindness and sincerity, "You can have my Christmas tree."

The fact is that these children are untainted from our culture. We have not yet infected them with our diseases of judgment, grudges, bitterness, and the clock. Sure, they also haven't learned our cultural norms. They pick their noses with pride, sneeze without covering, and don't sit still.

It would be better for us to never learn those manners and rules if we could hold onto the attributes of childhood. If we could still so easily forgive and forget. If we could live in the moment, stopping to take care of current needs instead of making it to our meetings on time. If we could accept being reprimanded for our wrongs and continue to love those who took the hard step of correcting us. If we could get rid of our prejudice, freeing ourselves from the brainwashing that people who look, smell, and act different our somehow not as good as us. If we could just love and give to others and think less of ourselves.

Children are nearly pure; they are precious.

Every day I go to a place that claims to teach these little ones, but every day they teach me.

Disabled or Abled? Part 2

2010-01-31T15:18:00.000-08:00

So what do you think? If you got a chance to look at the video in the first post of this series, then I'm hoping that you formed some reply to this question, or at least that the wheels started turning.

I personally cringe at labeling someone "disabled". Not because I'm just that politically correct nor because I view us all as "winners". I cringe because I find it very shallow to label someone broken just because of a physical difference.

Now, I know you might me thinking, "Aw c'mon. It is what it is. Facts are facts, and we don't need any more touchy-feely fluff. Don't get so worked up about this." To those of you who might be thinking along these lines, I encourage you to take your brain-washed narrow American-mindsets and try to open them for just a minute.

Patrick Henry Hughes is viewed as someone who is disabled. He is viewed as someone with a lot of "can't"s. And because his specific can'ts are of a physical nature he is labeled as disabled. But is he? His hands are viewed as disabled, yet he can play the piano better than I could ever dream; and I can see, I've had years of lessons, and I am not publicly viewed as "disabled". But when it comes to the piano, Patrick is way more abled than I ever will be.

A dear friend and the person I respect the most highly is viewed as "disabled". I got the amazing opportunity to live with her for a while. I will never, ever view her as disabled. I watched her all day every day love, serve and encourage others, even though I know she physically suffered the whole time. She is stronger than I ever will be physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I am so much more disabled than she.

The Deaf Community is one that is labeled disabled. My personal studies and interactions with them have shown me they are anything but. They are a linguistic and culture minority group. But because they have a "can't" we call them broken and pity them.

Who of us doesn't have "can't"s? Why do we have the gall to decide that certain can'ts make you disabled, despite all your other "can"s??

I am not speaking for the Deaf Community. I am not speaking for my friend. I am not speaking for Patrick Henry Hughes. I am speaking for no one accept myself.

And I am saying this: The really broken unabled people out there look great. They are physically near perfection. Inside, emotionally, spiritually they are so crippled. Some of the ugliest people are the most physically attractive. I think the people we call disabled are anything but. All of us are different physically and have different abilities.

"God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

Are we getting any closer to seeing as God sees?

Disabled or Abled? Part 1

2010-01-08T14:47:00.000-08:00

Warning: You've been poisoned.

2009-12-28T13:52:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't realize it, there is a toxic, deadly poison in you right now. Its power is one that you stand no chance against on your own.

This poison is sin, and we are all contaminated.

The remedy is Jesus Christ's blood, which has been poured out for you and all. Upon your accepting this remedy, the deadly affects of the poison of sin are overpowered with God's forgiveness, grace, mercy, and life.

Yet while we have the remedy, we still have the poison; and how often we choose to poison ourselves again.

What a struggle indeed.

The thing that shocks me is that while Christians would agree with this, we do not live to match. We claim we understand that we are all sinners and that we can do nothing good apart from Christ. But that's just not how we live.

I think if we really understood all of this, we would be a lot less trusting of ourselves, consumed with ourselves, and impressed with ourselves.

If we really believed that we have a dangerous and dark pull towards sin.... that we are nothing good on our own... and that God is our only chance of true success, meaning, and good...

Then why... why are we so self-sufficient? Why are we so proud? Why do we feel so safe and comfortable?

Thankfully, God will not take our remedy away. He holds us tight in His hands. Even while we take the poison back.

If you claim to believe that this poison exists and that your human tendency is towards taking the poison, then respond appropriately. I think an appropriate response involves a lot of things... including humility, service, worship, praising God, prayer, memorizing Scripture, putting on the WHOLE armour of God, having an eternal perspective...

If you claim you believe in this tendency towards the poison of sin, but don't implement the things listed above, then who are you kidding? Have you no fear of this poison? Are you that confident of yourself? If you think you're standing strong, get prepared to land on your backside.

Galatians 2:20 says that if you've been crucified to Christ it is no longer you who live, but Christ Who lives in you. Can't have both. Can't be crucified to Him and keep your own self alive. Dying to self is the only way to live to Him.

We need to be broken. Broken of ourselves and our pride.

I'm tired of hearing Christians claim these convictions yet consistently live however they want. They watch what they want, eat what they want, wear what they want, say what they want, do what they want etc. etc. etc.

If you're not struggling daily for the right thing- fighting to make godly decisions, then you're probably not making them. Doing the right thing is not easy because the poison wants us. So fall on your face before Him, die to yourself, and live to HIM.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

Tis the Season

2009-12-19T19:19:00.000-08:00

There's not much more of a discouraging thing than seeing people grumpy and rude around the Holiday Season. I mean isn't it the time for cheer? The time for glee and gladness? The time for strangers being friendly and united?

Or not.

Well, while we can't change the stressful shoppers, panicked parents, or dangerous drivers.... while we can't change the fact that doors will still get slammed in your face, parking spots swiped, and lines cut.... and yes this will all sting more as the first thought in your head says, "Really? But it's CHRISTMAS time!".... yet we can change one thing. One person that is, and that person is you.

So if you want to make this Christmas a little more special, a little more meaningful, and a little more real, here are 10 ideas for you. Keep in mind, while the list might seem simple, it will often require murderess actions as you must die to self and slaughter pride. For while these might seem like simple acts of kindness, the challenge is to do them not only for the like-able, attractive, and kind.... but to do them to the rough, the tough, and the ungrateful. In other words, these acts are at their greatest when they are the hardest and least natural for you to do them:

1. Let someone ahead of you in line, even if they have more things to buy than you do.

2. Make eye contact and smile to someone at the store.

3. Hold the door for a stranger.

4. Give a Christmas card to someone who's not a friend or family. Maybe just an acquaintance or someone that you've struggled with getting along with.

5. Give someone the gift of your time, which is especially rare and valuable this time of year.

6. Use your best manners to retail workers, clerks, mail workers, etc. as they are treated the worst this time of year.

7. Tell random people "Merry Christmas" with a big smile.

8. Buy the person's coffee behind you in line at Starbucks.

9. Instead of fuming over the driver who cut you off or wouldn't let you in, pray for them.

10. Give someone a gift without them knowing it was from you.

Of course, the greatest thing you could do this Christmas Season is to tell someone about the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ; and the ultimate gift of forgiveness from Him, a relationship with Him, and an eternity in Heaven with Him.

Time is of the Essence

2009-11-12T14:22:00.000-08:00

November came, November went. And while time does usually consistently fly by, November flew a little faster. This is evident in the fact that I did not blog at ALL in November! YIKES.

Time is quite the trickster, isn't it? Sand held slipping through desperate, angry fists.

It never ceases to amaze me to see my own lack of time management. It never ceases to amaze me to see it in others. The manifestations are all around- someone flying in their car to get to work on time, driving recklessly without any concern for the little children in the car in front of them or even the little children in their own backseat. Maybe if the driver had gotten up 10 minutes earlier instead of hitting snooze the roads would be a little safer.

We all just must make time for our TV shows, but those half hours and hours turn into days and weeks and suddenly relationships are a little weaker and priorities are ignored.

To-do lists are left undone, and usually the more important things on the lists are the ones left. Some important things never even make the list.

Charles Hummel talks about the "tyranny of the urgent". He states, "We live in constant tension between the urgent and the important. The problem is that the important tasks rarely must be done today or even this week. But the urgent tasks call for instant action- endless demands pressure every hour and day."

And so we go through the same monotonous motions again and again... the car needs gas, bills need paid, groceries bought, the house cleaned, dinner cooked, car oil changed, laundry washed, grass mowed....

And we get nowhere. A vicious hamster wheel indeed. But what to do? How can we ignore these things? We can't just not pay the bills, live in a pig pen and have a field in our front yard.

God knew the battle we would have with time. Of course, He knows everything; but I'm so glad He specifically speaks to us on this issue of time.

"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.' Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.'" ~James 4:13-15

"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring." ~Proverbs 27:1

"Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.' And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?'" ~Luke 12:18-20

"Remember that my life is but a breath." ~Job 7:7

"Man is like a mere breath; His days are like a passing shadow." ~Psalm 144:4

"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." ~Col. 3:2

"Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it." ~Psalm 37:5

So yes, time flies. It is intended to do just that. Your life is but a vapor, a breath. It's your responsibility to seize it and make good use of it. To do that, you need to be about your "todays" and not your "tomorrows". But ultimately, you need to be about your eternity.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." ~Matthew 6:19-21

Too hard on yourself? Probably not.

2009-10-27T18:07:00.000-07:00

Last week and the two weekends encasing it I enjoyed my fall break. 10 days of being far, far away from work, house duties, homework, and all the other daily stresses of life. Ahh.... vacation. It was so nice to take it easy!

Taking it easy... is this really only something we do on vacations? These musings remind me of a recent conversation that I had with a good friend. We were discussing time management (gew) and other challenges of being a grown up. In the discussion she mentioned to me that she realized she was being too easy on herself.

Too... huh?? Too... easy? Surely she means to say she's too hard on herself... right?

I'm confused. No... wait a minute. I'm refreshed.

To hear someone talk about their struggles and actually take personal responsibility is SO refreshing. We live in a culture... both American and Christian... that is sopped with sympathy, excuses, and "poor you" philosophies. The mere shock of my ears on hearing someone say they were being too easy on themselves and that it was time for them to step it up and gain some self discipline is well... I really shouldn't be so shocked. Shouldn't we be hearing this more often?

Shouldn't we be saying this more often?

In the Bible, we rarely see a lot of pity going on. And there are some real reasons in there to show some! I mean c'mon... lion's dens, world-wide floods, prisoning for one's faith, beatings, stonings, mockings, and on and on it goes. Instead of pity parties, we read calls to courage, faith, and control. We read that the Christian life is one of wars and races. NOT easy. So why do we expect it to be?

It's time for Christians to get over themselves and accept that life is life and heaven will be heaven. Sometimes when I find myself going down a mental path of poor poor pitiful me I stop and remind myself that I am living in a sin-cursed world that is no longer the way God intended. And neither am I. After this life is all said and done, the reward of being in heaven with HIM and the way it all was meant to be will make the struggle and hassle of this earth more than worth it. And in the meantime the mental image of Jesus dying on the cross for ME makes me ashamed of being so inward focused. He certainly did not take the easy way.

Our culture tells us to follow our "likes". We eat what we like, do what we like, think what we like, and pursue what we like. And our desires become far from His.

So basically, let's mature up and learn some self-discipline. The world will say you're being too hard on yourself... I challenge you to avoid the dangerous path of being too easy on yourself.

First Day of School

2009-10-04T14:32:00.000-07:00

Welcome to kindergarten... remember that first day?? The beginning of structure and learning, of small yet also huge achievements, of wonder and opportunity. Charming!

But imagine if you were still there. Though physically grown up your academic level and common capabilities were still that of a kindergartner. There you are in your grown up body with a room full of children learning how to tie your shoes, say the alphabet, and count to 20. Not so charming, huh?

Working in the kindergarten wing of a school has made me ponder the process of learning and and growing that we all take. Physically, intellectually, and emotionally we progress and increase. We develop our talents, life skills, and various capabilities as we become older.

I wonder if we showed our spiritual level of maturity phsyically what stage we would look like. How many of us, though adults, are still in spiritual kindergarten?

Hebrews 5:12-14:
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

So, spiritually speaking, are you eating solid food or still sucking the bottle? Are you in elementary school or able to be the teacher?

Surely we would all be embarrassed to whip out a baby bottle and start drinking. We would never seek to repeat kindergarten. Yet we are not embarrassed of our equally ridiculous spiritual immaturity.

What evidence do you possess of spiritual maturity? Does your lifestyle reflect maturity? Does your understanding of doctrine and spiritual matters reflect maturity? Do you evidence discernment? The fruits of the Spirit? Is your daily walk with God one that is truly walking, or still crawling?

I for one am thankful we do not through physical maturity reflect our spiritual maturity. I'm worried too many days I'd be seen sucking my thumb.

Embarrassing.

The greatest of these is love your enemies.

2009-09-14T18:24:00.000-07:00

"The greatest if these is love"- quoted from 1 Corinithians 13:13, and displayed proudly and frequently by Christians, churches, Christian bookstores, t-shirts, cards, bookmarks, bumper stickers, yadda yadda. What warm fuzzies we feel; what empowerment and hope rise in us due to this phrase!

Christians talk a lot about love- from our worship services, camps, Bible studies, etc. Love the poor and needy! Love the broken and different! Absolutely! We love love. And who doesn't? I mean really, isn't this one thing we can all agree on?

Yes, indeed. By speaking of love Christianity really brings nothing different to the table than Oprah, Dr. Phil or Hallmark. True, the love of God is quite different than the love that they represent. And that type of love is what we're talking about, right? If that is our claim, does Christianity really practice what is being preached? Do you?

I see the messsage of love crumble when it comes to loving our enemies. Sure we proclaim and act on our love to the poor, broken, needy, sick, and other victims. We do very well at loving those who love us and appreciate us. But when it comes to those who go against us suddenly true sincere love is replaced with gossip, cheap shots, impatience, ill-thinking, "putting up with them", and mockery (mainly of course behind their backs because that is how we do it, right?). Suddenly because someone else is opposing us we lable them as guilty (which may in cases be true, but that should not matter) and allow that "guilt" to become our excuse for throwing out the window all the things we've preached and proclaimed about love. They're just not good enough for our love, right? By being against us, they've sort of given up the right to our love, right? Yikes.

You might say you do love them on the inside, but what is coming out on the outside? Anger? Frustration? Gossip? Blow offs? Lack of respect? A lower view of them? If you really loved them on the inside these things would not come out (Matthew 15:18,19).

Even now if you are thinking "That's exactly what 'so-in-so' needs to realize", then you are not hearing me. I am not talking about how your enemies should treat YOU. I'm talking about how YOU should treat them. So step up, shut up, and realize that yes, the Bible says the greatest of these is love, and it is also filled with a plethora of verses, stories, and examples of the need to love your enemies (Matthew 5:44/Luke 6:27,35/Luke 10:25-37-the example of the Good Samaritan/etc.). Loving your enemies is the true test of the depth of your love.

How quickly Christians forget that we were once not so long ago enemies with God Himself (Romans 5:10). And to reconcile our relationship with Him, His Son Jesus Christ had to be brutally crucified. That's how He responded to our being His enemies. So, what if God had treated you how you treat your enemies??

I encourage you to read this passage with the words "for my enemies" added after the word love througout it...

1 Corinthians 13:1-13"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love for my enemies, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love for my enemies, I am nothing.
And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love for my enemies, it profits me nothing.
Love for my enemies is patient, love for my enemies is kind and is not jealous; love for my enemies does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love for my enemies never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
But now faith, hope, love for my enemies, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love for my enemies.

Ah, Changes.

2009-09-12T10:18:00.000-07:00

Well, it's officially been over 2 months since I've posted on here. Ouch! I must say I have some pretty good excuses, like.... buying a new house and moving into it, finishing summer school and starting a new semester, getting and starting a new job (and officially finally doing what I've wanted and gone to school for:) )...

Whew! Moving, college, jobs... life! It never ends its whirlwind of craziness and changes. Changes. Gew!

I absolutely hate transition. Always have, probably always will. Even when they're wonderful and positive, there is just something about the process that I find threatening. Getting used to new things for me is just dizzying.

That's why God's immutability is so refreshing for me. He NEVER changes. He alone is the only constant in life. And this attribute of His is by far my favorite.

"For I, the Lord, do not change..." Malachi 3:6

"...the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." James 1:17

"Of old You founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. Even they will perish, but You endure; and all of them will wear out like a garment; like clothing You will change them and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end." Psalm 102:25-27

So, here's to changes. To blogging before the next two months are up. And to our one Constant. Our one true Guarantee. Our never-changing, great, and almighty God!

Oh, Oprah.

2009-07-11T13:48:00.000-07:00

I know this video has been out for a while now, but I wanted to post it on here.

I find this clip very disturbing. Here's why:

1. Debate for Jesus? Risky: You can try, but I can't think of the last time someone was debated into faith. It just isn't in the nature of debating. Debating is in itself argumentative and closed-minded. The goals of debating are to manipulate words, make your points, and in essence, win. Debating is generally all about winning, not about seeking the truth together. And it tends to be hostile. So even if you're debating for truth, the nature of debating in itself tends to take away from the focus of truth and seeks instead a competition. While I appreciate that the women in this stuck up for Jesus, I find the one at the microphone to have a much better spirit about it than the one sitting down. I am not picking on that woman, and I TOTALLY understand her frustration; but I'm just saying that the debating nature made me cringe.

2. Oprah's philosophy is not uncommon: The powers of "evil and good" or"light and darkness" are then renamed "fear and love". Oprah says, "One of the mistakes human beings make is that there is only one way." "There are many paths to what you call God..." "There couldn't possibly be one way!" This philosophy is not uncommon. Actually, it is very much common. And scary. So, the people that plowed into the World Trade Towers... did they serve the same God I do? Maybe Oprah thinks so. But they definitely did not.

3. We won't get to the same point, Oprah: "Her loving and her kindness and her generosity, if it brings her to the same point that it brings you, it doesn't matter if she calls it God." Hate to tell ya Oprah, but we won't end up at the same point.

4. She can't get into a religious argument? She sure thought she could until she didn't have an answer back. Oprah's claim that she can't get into a religious argument at the end is poor timing, since she was on board for that argument until she couldn't think of an answer. This is what people around us do every day.... as soon as the questions get tough enough, they turn off the thinking process and give up on seeking answers.

Some truth:

John 3:18- "He that believes on Him is not condemned: but He that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

John 14:6- "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. "

John 3:16- "16"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

Hillsong says it well in their song No Reason to Hide:

"We've got nothing to lose,
We've got no reason to hide.
We've got the answer inside of us,
Its time we took the disguises off.
We'll see Your glory revealed,
And see Your Name lifted high.
There's nobody else for us,
Jesus, You are the only One!
There's not a minute to waste,
Not a second to lose!"

To Oprah: If you're gonna deny my God, do it; but do not claim that He is one of "millions" of ways to "the light". If Jesus wasn't Who HE SAID He was, then He was a lying lunatic. So pick one or the other.

To those who personally know the Jesus of the Bible and have a relationship with Him: People are dying and going to hell every day. Oprah asks the question of what about those who never hear of Him? Do we ask that question? Are we taking EVERY OPPORTUNITY to preach the truth of Christ? Do you realize there are many misconceptions about Jesus today? So many claim to believe in Him.... but they do not believe in the "Jesus" we do. Let's not give ourselves a big pat on the back for just claiming Jesus as our friend. JESUS IS OUR SAVIOUR. We need to share the message of His Salvation! There's not a second to lose!

Some final thoughts... Part 4

2009-06-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

To close, here's some things to keep in mind and principles to remember...

Modest clothes+movement can = quite the revealing show. A lot of times I see a lot more than I want on a lady not necessarily because of what she's wearing, but because she bends, leans or stretches and the clothes flop out, pull down, etc. Some simple fixes: 1. If you lean over, use one hand to keep your shirt to your chest. 2. bend at the knees. 3. Body Tape- this stuff is AMAZING. For like $3 you can buy it at a fabric/craft store or @ Sally's Beauty Supplies. You stick one side to your skin and one side to your clothes, and you're good to go for the day without worrying about coming apart. 4. If you're wearing a skirt, remember when you cross your legs, do it carefully and keep your knees together as much as possible (maybe that seems a little 3rd gradish but I've had a quite a few occasions where I knew what underwear some ladies were wearing just because of their not being more careful in a skirt).

We are created in HIS image. Even though we have girly bodies, girls are made in His image too. What are you doing with His image? Are you protecting it, or violating it? Bearing this image of Christ means that we are an impression of Him to other people whether or not we are doing an accurate job. If God was a girl, what would He wear? Are we giving others a good impression of Him, or a distorted one?

Yes, it's hard. Trust me, I know how difficult and annoying it is- I usually shop in the teen department, where modesty is a foreign term. I know it's hard. Some days I'll change again and again because I think "neh, that's not gonna work..." Oh, it's hard. But isn't it about time more Christians determined to do something hard?

Adam and Eve knew their nakedness- so should we. There are just some things that are obviously over the line, and if they're not to you, they should be. I think we've been desensitized to the revealing of a women's body because we are bombarded with it in our culture every day. But that desensitization is not a good thing, and it's definitely not an excuse. For example: bikinis. I mean, really? How that is ever considered appropriate I will never understand. I have yet to see a bikini that doesn't pretty much draw the whole image of the body it's on without much use from the imagination at all.

Ask yourself: Would you feel comfortable wearing (fill-in-the-blank) in front of Jesus if He was a human man on earth again, or would you be seeking more cover like Adam and Eve did with God in the garden? We need to realize our nakedness.

God created beauty. It is NOT wrong to be attractive. It is NOT wrong to work on your appearance. God is the author of beauty! God loves beauty! He REVELS in it. Look at the sunsets HE made! He is NOT against beauty- He is for it. The problem is when beauty is tainted, cheapened, exploited, and worshipped.

Have a spirit of modesty. You could be the "modesty" queen of the year, but still not be modest. Modesty is more than skin, it's your heart. What attention are you seeking? How do you carry yourself? What consumes your concerns: if God's impressed with you, or if people are?

If you're married, be the most immodest chick for your man. There is a time and place for everything:) Remember, God made men's minds and women's bodies- and He did it for a reason! Enjoy God's plan and design in the way He intended you to; and help your guy fight for you and your marriage by giving him some sweet rewards.

If it shouldn't be touched, it shouldn't be showed. If you hear NOTHING but this, hear this. One of the most helpful tips I keep in mind is this: If it would be wrong for a guy to touch a place on your body, then it is wrong for you to show it. THAT SIMPLE. I know some places, like say the knees, could be inappropriate for a guy to touch if he did it in a seductive way; but I mean if no matter the how it would just be wrong for the guy to reach out and touch it.

Men are sued all the time for inappropriately touching a woman. Imagine if the guys sued back?? Women are stimulated by touch. Men are stimulated by sight. If a guy touches a woman in a place that is other-wise stimulating, we take his money, job, and reputation. But women get away with showing what is other-wise stimulating ALL THE TIME and NOTHING is done except the theory "men are pigs with dirty minds". What a double-standard. How ridiculous! If it can't be touched, IT SHOULDN'T BE SHOWED. Ladies, what you are revealing should be able to be touched without feeling violated. Stop violating men.

~~~~~
In the Bible, we see examples of actually fleeing from sin, of Christian warriors giving up their rights so that they wouldn't cause another Christian to stumble, of taking the extra mile to be even farther away from the line and getting as close to purity as possible. Do we have that same drive today? Do we seek His glory ultimately? Do we seek to edify and help our Christian brothers? Or do we want to get away with as much as we possibly can.... to maintain OUR rights and seek OUR best. What motivates you when you get dressed?

The Modesty Talk... gew. Part 3

2009-06-30T12:28:00.000-07:00

I remember hating modesty talks. Camp and college was where I'd hear them. We'd have the day at camp that the boys were taken to the gym and the girls went to the chapel so that we could talk about boy/girl things without the opposite gender to be embarrassed in front of. Then at Bible college we'd have the once-a-semester talk in the dorm lounge.

I'm glad these people tried. Problem is, I don't think it was very affective. Ya see, when you're being told by a woman who's old, over-weight, fashionelss, and/or married (I mean this with zero offense, I'm just being honest) that modesty's important, it's hard to believe. It's hard to feel like she gets it. It's hard to feel like she knows what it's like. And here's why:

1. A girl telling me how guys think and what helps them? Really?
2. If she's married, she's getting the attention at least from someone.
3. If she's older/etc. it's hard to feel like she can really relate.

A lot of times I and others would leave these modesty talks feeling like modesty was something for another time and place and planet.

Then I heard a modesty talk from a guy. He was the dean of men at my Bible college, and when we showed up for the talk we knew we were gonna get, we were shocked to see him instead of the dean of women.

It sunk in. Sometimes it just has to come from the horse's mouth, ya know?

He held up some images that were only partly drawn, sometimes barely drawn at all. They were pictures of shapes and basic things. He would hold them for just a split second and then take them down and ask us what they were. We knew. "And that is just a taste of how guy's mind works," he said. *gulp*. He went on to explain that if we show even just some cleavage, midriff, etc. we start to draw a picture... and a guy's mind's tendency is to complete the picture. He asked us to stop starting drawing pictures that they have to fight to not complete.

Now, before you start going "Ew, guys are sick! What dirty minds.." get a grip and start realizing that GOD MADE THEM THAT WAY. America is such a hypocritical mess of letting and ENCOURAGING girls to be slutty sex-objects while being disgusted with the piggishness of men. GET A GRIP. Girls like the looks and glances, and if they don't, they shouldn't be showing it. Did you catch that? If you don't want a guy looking then STOP SHOWING.

Ok, now before I get accused of saying that guys' minds are just the way God made them and they're stuck on auto-pilot mental mode, doomed to fail, allow me to say that they should fight. If the challenge and temptation is there, for goodness sake's THEY need to fight. They can mature-up and learn to work at controlling their thought life. My problem is that godly men do this almost ALL THE TIME and of all people to step up and help them out it should be our Christian circles. I'm tired of us putting all the work on them. I'm not saying that it should be all the girls' or the guys' job- maybe we could actually both be working on this issue.

I'm not the horse's mouth, I know. But I have a few other reasons for choosing to blog about modesty. Jason, Dan, and Tim. My husband and my brothers. I'm tired of all the work, blame, and burden being on THEM. Ladies, it's time to step up and help husbands, brothers, fathers, pastors, etc. fight the battle. And if you don't think it's a valid battle, get a clue.

God made men's minds. And God made women's bodies. And God commands us to be pure. Let's all step up to that challenge, shall we? Sure, not everyone struggles to the same degree as others. And I'm not speaking for everyone. But I'm speaking for most. We don't know what each other's weaknesses are. But we can make educated guesses and use some basic principles. The next and last blog I will do on modesty will give some thoughts and principles to keep in mind to help fight the battle.

Ah, the pendulum swing... round 2

2009-06-23T15:05:00.000-07:00

One of the most interesting current characteristics of Christianity to me is that of the good ol' pendulum swing. Basically, we lack balance. We see an extreme and we swing as far as we can the other way. I believe this is the current case in modesty. It's often either dress no differently than the world around us and don't even think it through or swing away to the other extreme of anti-fashion and the worship of rules.

What I'm saying is that the two choices aren't A. either show more than you should or B. cover up as much skin as possible because it's allll tempting. What I'm saying is that we need some balance.

To a point, I understand the confusion. There's a lot of conflicting messages today, aren't there? Let's listen for a second to what we're being told...

1. From the world: "If you've got it, flaunt it!" "Men are pigs! How dare they look at you... what pervs!" and, though not cleary stated with words, clearly stated nonetheless: "Your body is what defines you, what gives you worth, and without showing it, you will never be noticed nor fully appreciated."

2. From the other extreme of the pendulum swing: "Skirts are modest." (really? try this one in the Iowa wind, getting out of a car, etc.), "Don't show your knees!", "Culottes are a must!" and basically it's a lot of rules, rules, rules..
.
3. From the church: (silence)

*sigh* oh for a voice of reason.

Wait... what's that? The Bible??

1 Timothy 2:9- Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments."

Now, I'll pause while some chuckle thinking to themselves, "This isn't applicable! There's a cultural difference here! Surely we can braid hair and wear pearls, right?"

*sigh again* And so often we toss out principles from Scripture because we read of specific practices from these principles that are outdated. In fact, many do that also for the verse before this one that talks about "men raising holy hands in prayer". Readers who do not want to accept that this verse could be approving, even commanding the raising of hands start knit-picking it and say "that was a different culture... we can't take this literally anyways, we don't have holy hands." And we miss the meaning of the message, again and again. If you think you still don't have a problem with tossing out these verses becauese of cultural differences, stop and think about how much more of Scripture we could ignore because of the same reason.

I'm sure if 1 Timother 2:9 were written today it would indeed give culturally appropriate examples; instead of pearls and braided hair, I can just imagine what would be put in place. I'll let you fill in the blanks.

Be careful of the messages that are being whispered to you from the extremes. Notice the silences as well. And be careful of your pendulum swinging to extremes because it is afraid of the other end of the swing.

Here goes nothing... let round 1 begin.

2009-06-20T11:31:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a while.

It's not because I've been busy, though I have. And it's not because I've had writer's block.

It's because I've been too scared to post what I know I've been needing to post about.

You see, the Christian audience is one of the most critical, judgmental, and closed-minded audience out there. I said it.

Now, maybe my little audience of readers on here will be anything but. That would be fantastic. If you guys could be open and gracious and not easily offended, wow... yes, fantastic.

The issue is that from day one of this blog I've wanted to write on a topic that is not popular. So I've blogged about many other things that are important to me as well; but I've been pressed lately that it's about time I blog about what I've wanted to write about for so long. Actually, even long before this blog I have been wanting to write or in some form express my view on this unpopular area. But I have kept my opinions of it to only those closest to me.

A couple of disclaimers first:

I know I'm a strongly opinionated person. I know it can get ridiculous. Like it really drives me nuts when people can't even go in the correct "Exit" or "Entrance" signs at Walmart. Or if anyone heard me while driving they might think I were insane. My first disclaimer is that I want you all to know that that is not the case here. I am not merely ranting about something I know shouldn't be such a big deal. And I am not ranting. I am burdened. And I have thought and prayed so much over this topic for YEARS. Many many years.

With that being said, I am also probably not completely what a lot of people think I am. There are quite a few areas that Christians label as black, while I would put them in the gray or even the white. I have some views that are very different from what a lot of Christians have and from what I grew up with. I would only tell these views of mine to a very few trusted and close friends who I know wouldn't judge or write me off. So basically my disclaimer #2 is that the topic I will be blogging on is not coming from a legalistic, extremely conservative writer, because I am not one.

Disclaimer #3: This is not an attack against ANYONE in particular. It is not meant as an attack at all, but especially not against specific people. Many experiences, places, people, and events have caused me to write what I will be writing on.

My current topic will be a short series on modesty. There ya go. Unpopular, un-dealt with modesty. Well, I take that back... it's sometimes dealt with but not in effective or even appropriate ways. Usually these end up doing more harm than good.

But the fact is that I'm tired of being shocked at our current Christian culture and how Christian women and girls in it dress. I'm tired of us not even trying or caring anymore. I'm tired of those who should know better crossing lines. And I'm tired of those who truly don't know better having zero guidance from our Christian leaders and environments to help them know better.

I've been in many many MANY churches, two Christian colleges, several Christian book stores; and have many Christian friends on facebook who's pictures often do more than surprise me. I'm tired of being shocked. I'm burdened for those who don't know better. I'm flabbergasted at those who do.

So these are my disclaimers. My next few posts will be taking a deeper, realer, and straight up look at this issue. I will be blogging from the depths of my heart. If you choose now to tune out to my next several postings, fine. That stinks, but fine. My hope is that those who are willing to listen.... those who are open.... those who care, keep reading.

Motivation to Proselytize

2009-06-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

The video I'll put at the end of this blog hit me hard. And I'm not being dramatic when I tell you it changed me deeply.

I'll admit often when the opportunity comes to tell someone about Jesus, I choke. And many other times, the opportunity would be there if I would make it but I don't put forth the effort.

It's funny (strange funny, not ha ha) to me when I stop to think about it, how I can't wait to tell people about the most truly meaningless things in my life, but get nervous at telling them about the most important aspect of it.

I know I need to witness for Christ more. I know I should get off my lazy and self-conscious can and tell people about my Saviour. And I know that it is a command from God Himself to do so.

I'm sick of giving myself brownie points for the handful of times I feel like I really took advantage of the full opportunity to talk to someone. I'm tired of wasting my tongue and enthusiasm on pointless conversations with people who are going to hell. I'm fed-up with hiding behind invitations to church as cop-outs to directly talk to someone about my faith.

I'm done. It's time for me to get serious about this.

Watch this video, and look within yourself. See if you feel the same kick-in-the-pants I did. Commit with me to take complete advantage of the opportunities we're given; to steer the conversations in more meaningful ways; to sincerely show our love for Christ and others; to proselytize.

Worship Through Music

2009-05-26T12:24:00.000-07:00

I am so thankful for music. I adore music. I worship God through music.

Every relationship has some aspect of it that makes it especially close. Maybe it's going out to dinner, watching a movie, going for a walk, talking, etc. It's no different in our relationship with God. We all have something that brings us especially close to Him, and it differs among us. From reading the Bible, to prayer, to looking at His creation... to music. Mine is music. I worship God in many ways, all of the above being included. But I especially worship Him through music. That is the mode of worship that brings me so very close to Him.

I am so thankful to be in a church that sincerely, deeply, and loudly worships Him through music. It's amazing! I look forward to every worship time at our church. I get excited about what songs we'll sing, and I nearly die on the Sundays that we greet at the door. I can hear the music being sung and played inside as I stand at the door wishing I was in there being a part of it!

Music is a gift from God. I thank Him for this present! When I'm depressed, discouraged, tempted, lonely, or any way struggling, God uses music to break through to me. He uses it to encourage me, love me, convict me, and hold me.

I can't wait to sing in heaven. It is going to be unbelievable.

So that is why I am so quickly again putting up another song on my blog here. My worship leader just introduced me to yet again another wonderful song by Hillsong. Look and listen to these words! WOW. Can we truly pray this?? Do you realize the ramifications of these words??

Take my life,
I lay it down,
At the cross,
Where I am found.
All I have I give to You, oh God.

Take my hands,
And make them clean.
Keep my heart,
In purity,
That I may walk in all You have for me.

Oh, here I stand arms open wide.
Oh, I am Yours and You are mine.
Jesus.

Take my moments,
And my days,
Let each breath,
That I take,
Be ever only for You, oh God

Oh, here I stand arms open wide.
Oh, I am Yours and You are mine.

Oh, here I stand arms open wide.
Oh, I am Yours and You are mine.

My whole life is Yours,
I give it all surrendered to Your name.
And forever I will pray,
Have Your way,
Have Your way.

Oh, here I stand arms open wide.
Oh, I am Yours and You are mine.

Children, Children

2009-05-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago I went to the dentist. Not. Fun.

The really interesting part was that as I squirmed and sweat through the scraping, stings, and sounds, I just wanted to hear a "Good job!" or "Wow, you're brave!"

Oh, to be young again. When I was little and went through such agonies as the dentist, my mom would always be at my side to cheer me on. Even the dentist herself would comment on how well I sat still and didn't whine. Now I feel like I fight just as hard to be good, but receive no affirmation.

As I sat and held my hands together as hard as I could to get through the torture, I pondered this feeling within me. This desire to be noticed, appreciated, and encouraged the same as when I was little. The need to be told I'm brave. Silly, right? I don't think so.

You see, I don't think I'm the only adult that longs for this. I am sure there are grown men that sit down to pay bills and hear whispers of their past saying "Whew, you are a brave guy." Grown-ups who get up and ready for work and long to hear "Wow, good job!" again.

The fact is that a woman will always be that little girl twirling in her dress wanting to be told she's pretty; and a man will always be that little boy playing warrior and wanting to be told how big and strong and tough he is.

We are still so much like children. I think that's part of why life gets so hard when you grow up. The desires to hear these phrases and be affirmed are the same on the inside; but it'd just be silly and embarrassing to admit that or to actually say things like that to an adult.

We are still SO much like children. But you know what blows my mind? God asks us to be like children in the most intimate of ways. He asks us to be HIS children. Amazing, huh? And He asks us to behave like children in our faith- to have a childlike faith in Him (Matthew 18:3,4). To simply have faith and trust Him without questions, fears, or taking the controls.

And this is where we stop being so much like children. This is where we go back to being grown-ups and can't seem to step back to our childhood... maybe we even don't want to.

But this is where we need to be children- we desperately need to be His children, act like His children, and trust Him like His children. He's just waiting for us to live with a daily faith in Him- completely resting in Him and adoring Him as our Father.

Can you do this? Step back from being a grown-up and revel in being His daughter or son. Crawl up in His lap and lean your head on His shoulder. Let Him wrap His arms around you. Whisper, "Daddy".

And find the real peace and joy of being a kid again.

Whew, it's been a while...

2009-05-18T14:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I probably should have put up a warning post back, oh... about a month ago!... to say that I probably wouldn't be posting for a while because of the semester's crazy end.

But I didn't, and indeed it was crazy, and I have just not posted. However, the semester ended about a week ago, and I have a bit of a life again:) So please keep checking here, as I am working on a couple of blogs that should be up this week.

In the meantime, I want to leave you with the words of a song that my church started singing that is so moving and encouraging. The thought that as true believers in Christ we will NO DOUBT stand before Him one day and spend eternity in peace with Him, living as we were meant to be is amazing. It just blows my mind! Life is so hard and for so many people filled with pain. But one day for us, there will be no more crying, pain, sickness, darkness, etc. Not only is that an incredible future to look forward to, but it's so comforting for the here and now as well.

~*~

On that day when I see, all that You have for me,
When I see You face to face, there surrounded by Your grace,
All my fears swept away in the light of Your embrace,
Where Your love is all I need, and forever I am free.

Where the streets are made of gold,
In Your presence healed and whole,
Let the songs of heaven rise to You alone.

No weeping, no hurt or pain,
No suffering,
You hold me now, You hold me now.
No darkness, no sick or lame,
No hiding,
You hold me now, You hold me now.

In this life I will stand, through my joy and my pain,
Knowing there’s a greater day, there’s a hope that never fails,
Where Your name is lifted high and forever praises rise,
For the glory of Your name, I’m believing for the day.

Where the wars and violence cease, all creation lives in peace,
Let the songs of heaven rise to You alone.

No weeping, no hurt or pain,
No suffering,
You hold me now, You hold me now.
No darkness, no sick or lame,
No hiding,
You hold me now, You hold me now.

For eternity,
All my heart will give,
All the glory to Your name.
For eternity,
All my heart will give,
All the glory to Your name.

Finally some fresh air...

2009-04-17T18:05:00.001-07:00

In case you're not yet one of the nearly 20 million (so far) viewers of the amazing clip of Susan Boyle on "Britain's Got Talent", check out her song here.

Finally, some true talent and beauty! Not only does this woman have an incredible and beautiful voice, I find her personality delightful. How interesting to watch this situation play out- Susan does not outwardly fit the media's definition of success, beauty, or attraction, and the crowds make it clear that they are not impressed and don't plan to be. But alas! Boy do people's jaws drops when that woman opens her mouth and her amazingly gorgeous voice comes out.

The cheers, applause, and standing ovation that follow show me one thing: this is what we truly crave. This proves to me that people in general are fed-up with the fake beauty and physical requirements that we're given. The superficial never satisfies and this proves to me that we are not satisfied.

Finally a breath of fresh air. Thank you Susan Boyle!

Look at What We Did

2009-04-11T19:26:00.000-07:00

Look at what we did with Him! Do you see?

He came as our Prince, our Saviour, our Rescuer. He was our Healer, Provider, and Counselor. He fed us, loved us, helped us, taught us. Humble and gentle, He ministered. Day after day, we followed Him. He never ceased. Miracle after miracle amazed our eyes, minds, and souls.

We yearned for advice, He gave it. We thirsted, He quenched it. We hurt, He healed it. We hungered, He satisfied it.

Our heart issues were guided, our physical needs met, our minds dazzled. He patiently, caringly, strongly was.... our Hero.

Look at what we did...

We scorned Him, beat Him, mocked Him, begrudged Him.

We crucified Him.

"Crucify Him!!! Crucify Him!!!!" Our lips of praise and thanks turned to lips of hate and vengeance. We had gotten what we wanted and needed and now we wanted something else. We wanted to destroy, obliterate, and kill.

And so we turned on Him. He had helped us, loved us, served us. And we spat on Him, abused Him, cursed Him, and cruelly killed Him for all to see. Crucifixion. What a dark, crushing, humiliating, and excruciating way to kill Him. Kill Him. We killed Him. That is what we did with our Holy and loving and giving Jesus.

He cried out "Father forgive them" as He hung by the nails in His hands and feet on a cross of blood and sweat and death. And He died.

But He did not stay dead. No, oh no He did not. You see we didn't just kill a benevolent and amazing man. This man was God! God in human form! And He could not stay dead. He arose! He arose!!! He conquered death, once and for all. And because of His sacrifice, we may be forgiven and we may have a personal relationship with God. Oh, thank you Jesus!

Here we are now, and it's Easter season. The day to celebrate this amazing sacrifice and powerful resurrection two thousand years ago. So what's similar today?

We are still given beautiful and godly things that were intended to be holy but we have instead defiled, despised, and destroyed. From our bodies, to $ex, to our families, we take things of beauty and we crucify and ruin them for our own sin and pleasure.

We are also still given a choice of what do with Christ. Are we going to admit our sin and accept His forgiveness? And then what... what are we going to do with Him on a day to day basis? Do we keep reveling in the sin that He was crucified for? Or do we strive towards sanctification and seek to bring HIM glory, and not our own.

What are we doing with Jesus? Do you see?

He IS our Prince, our Saviour, our Rescuer. He IS our Healer, Provider, and Counselor. He feeds us, loves us, helps us, teaches us. Humble and gentle, He ministers. Day after day, we should follow Him. He never ceases. Miracle after miracle amazes our eyes, minds, and souls still.

We yearn for advice, He can give it. We thirst, He can quench it. We hurt, He can heal it. We hunger, He can satisfy it.

Our heart issues can be guided, our physical needs met, our minds dazzled. He patiently, caringly, strongly IS.... our Hero.

The Distortion of Beauty Part 3

2009-04-08T10:31:00.000-07:00

We have recognized the distortion of beauty from the how's to the who's. But what now? How should we respond to this assault?

First, we must push aside the distorted view and see beauty for what it truly is. By rejecting the sinful and contaminated perspective from the world, we are compelled to find a new perspective. This can only be found through a Biblical one.

Do you want to have a Biblical perspective of beauty? Then you must know its Maker.

You see, God Himself is the Creator of beauty. If we want to understand it, we have to understand Him. God designed beauty to be an attraction on the outside and inside- and in its original perfect creation, beauty is a pure and lovely pleasure and a holy attractiveness. Some forget that God loves beauty- He designed it and enjoys it (Genesis 1:31)! So I'm not suggesting that we must be plain, drab, and not spend a second of care on our appearance. Of course not! Who created the sunset, the sparkling ocean, the starry nights, and the female form? God did, and He not only finds beauty in it Himself but He made us to enjoy the beauty as well. Women should enjoy their loveliness! From little girls spinning in their dresses to grown women with a new set of jewelry, we should revel in our prettiness. Too a point.

You see, the problem comes when this drive for beauty consumes us. The time we spend on ourselves spins out of control. Our mental focus is driven to what others think of us. Our good stewardship is lost as our finances are cast away on our search for beauty. Our satisfaction goes only as deep as our appearance pleases us and others. Instead of enjoying our gift of beauty, it becomes an idol.

Do you see how beauty is so often an idol? Is it an idol to you?

We need to use and enjoy our beauty only so much as we can still glorify God in it. This means having an attitude of beauty. We must be beautiful on the inside before we can be truly beautiful on the outside.

Do you know any "beautiful" people who are actually hideous because of their inside self? Are you inwardly beautiful?

We must have a spirit of humility, kindness, thankfulness, and servitude if we want to be truly beautiful (Proverbs 31:30). We also need to limit the time we spend on ourselves! I wonder what would happen to the Church if the women in it spent as much time in the Word and prayer as they do on their appearance. Amazing things could happen!

And also, don't allow the worlds sickness to become yours. Refuse to settle for its cheap definition of beauty. I encourage both men AND women to look away from the ads and magazines. And don't absorb yourself in movies and novels that teach you to live skin deep. View others in a deeper way and view yourself the same. Don't judge others for their appearance- look within.

Look within. This is the key to true beauty. This takes us full circle to my original point in Part 1. As we saw then, man's tendency is to look merely on the outward, but God looks within (1 Samuel 16:7). As Christians, we are called to also look within.

The Bible (in James 1:23,24) talks about how if we look in a mirror physically it matters so us. We primp and remember our appearance. Yet how often we look within ourselves at our spiritual mirrors, see something we know needs changed, and just walk away, completely forgetting what we even look like! We need to be maintaining our inward beauty with much more care and drive than our outward beauty.

So to men and woman alike: next time the world whispers its offer of beauty to you, don't listen. See it for what it really is- fake, distorted, and dying. Choose true beauty, Biblical beauty, instead. Seek the inward first, and enjoy the outward in its Biblical limitations (whether this means a time limit, pride limit, or marriage limit).

The outward is passing, but the inward is eternal. Revel in true beauty, and settle for no less.

The Distortion of Beauty Part 2

2009-03-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

The fact that beauty is being distorted more and more is not something I'm going to try to argue or defend. This fact is the foundation for my current blogs, and I'm going to assume it is a common ground for us.

The question I now want to pursue is this: what is it that is distorting beauty? The devil and sin would be safe Sunday School answers, and at its root this is indeed the cause. But I want to think more deeply. What are the tools that Satan is using in this attack against beauty?

There are certainly quite a few tools he uses, but for this blog I just want to focus on one. The media. I would readily say the media is one of the largest weapons of his against true beauty. I'm sure it is no surprise to you that I think this, considering my video in Part 1. Amongst all the airbrushing, fashion, make-up wonders, plastic surgeries, and perfectionist mentalities, we are definitely taught that beauty is indeed skin deep. From television to magazines it is the made-up, fake, and flawless surface beauty that we are given as our definition and goal of beauty. It is one that is for the most part unreachable without a crew of beauty artists and Photo-shop. Yet how many of us find ourselves striving for this? We try our hardest on our own to meet the world's demands for beauty. We think if we could just find the right concealer, mascara or hair dye we would be that much closer to matching the images we are given. We keep striving and keep coming short. We find ourselves insecure and frustrated. This is because the standards we are given are fraudulent. Cheap, unreal, counterfeit images. Instead of becoming discouraged or unsatisfied with our appearance we should be outraged at the requirements before us.

Look at the media and look at how much the world is pouring into this so-called beauty. Think how many magazine articles, television shows, critics, and movies are nothing but a revelry of this cheap counterfeit. Magazine after magazine tells us the secrets and hints of beauty. Movies and TV shows depict the longed-for, if only we were that beautiful. Critics define one's status and success by what they wear. So much money, energy, time, and emotions are poured into this thing we call "beauty". We should be sickened.

I challenge you to sit for even one hour and watch TV with all the discernment you can muster up. Listen to what the media is telling you. Hear that? Listen to what it tells you would make you beautiful. Listen to what it tells you you need. Listen to who it tells you is beautiful, and who is not. Listen to what it tells you to do with that beauty. Listen.

Listen, and start fighting Satan's biggest weapon against beauty.

The Distortion of Beauty Part 1

2009-03-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

According to the Bible, man loooks on the outward appearance while God looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). We often take this as a good reminder that God is looking within us and cares more about our status within than without. But the drive of humanity towards the outward focus is also present in this verse, and it is a drive that is stronger than ever today. Beauty has become something it was never created to be, and it really no longer is beauty that we see but instead a cheap fraudulent imposter. In the next few posts I hope to explore this issue of our loss of true beauty. One prevailing problem is that the fake beauty we are constantly being presented with is a standard that woman can never achieve and an allure that men will never find.

To kick off this topic, I am posting this video by "Dove" to get our hearts and mental wheels turning.

Oppression alive and well in America...

2009-02-26T14:07:00.000-08:00

http://sssdsos.org/index.htm

This link will take you to the current website for tring to save the Scranton State School for the Deaf. Pennsylvania's Governor Rendell has decided to shut down the state's ONLY state run Deaf ...ANYTHING!... to help the PA's budget. Wow, oppression is very real in America today.

I grew up near Scranton and always admired this Deaf residential school. I am now, though far away from Scranton, in training to become a Sign Language Interpreter. I adore the Deaf community. I have also become more and more aware of the daily experiences of oppression that Deaf people go through. This takes the cake though! To shut down the only state run Deaf residential school while the nearby Abington Heights school district's teachers' salaries average $63,336 is despicable! Not to mention the many far from worthy causes that the state's budget goes to- but these are not what's being questioned. What is as of now being shut down to save the state's dime is this precious Deaf school- a place for quality learning and cherished community.

I am ashamed of this state that I grew up in, and I hope and pray that Governor Rendell has a change of heart and mind. Please help me fight for this school, Pennsylvania's Deaf people, and all of the Deaf Community!

"Fireproof"

2009-02-24T14:36:00.000-08:00

I recently saw the movie "Fireproof" (yes, just recently:) ). Warning: If you haven't yet, reading this will give away nothing vital to the movie, but will give away parts of it. I have seen all the craze over this movie for some time now and wondered if it was just a fad or truly something great. Now that I have actually seen the movie itself, I can indeed say this is not just a fad. "Fireproof" is truly great, and something I can recommend to everyone. What is it about this movie that is so amazing?

~It's real. Even though it might make you squirm in your chair, "Fireproof" depicts life as it is. The shouting matches, temper fits, and silence treatments might not be fun to watch, but isn't that what goes on in our homes? If you haven't experienced one of these three things specifically, look at the heart issues at hand and how they are manifesting themselves in different ways in you.

~It's not fake. I know this seems to be the same as the first point listed. But my first point discusses the presence of realness that is brought out. Now I want to point out the lack of fakeness as well. Notice the scene when Catherine is sick in bed. She's not all done up with make-up and jewelry as most movies would depict. As a female, I really appreciate this accurate depiction of a woman who's going to stay home sick in bed! There are many other areas in the movie that you notice the Hollywood gloss and glam is put aside. What a relief!

~It's well done. With increasing technology and many improved areas in the media, it is only appropriate that Christians, churches, and ministries strive to keep up. This movie definitely does that. I was super impressed with the professional and over-all good job that this church did!

~Modesty. Animated films aside, I can't remember the last time my husband and I sat down to watch a movie without him having to glance away and/or gaurd where he looks on the screen. Most movies also include my own feelings of frustration, and -let's face it ladies- insecurities over what female image is being presented on the screen. How amazing to watch an entire movie with my husband where we could both look at everything the whole time, and I actually felt respect and honor was given to the female body. Just because it was a Christian movie did not mean this would be the case, because our Christian circles are often just as much to blame in this area. But that's a whole other blog.

~ It deals with issues that we usually keep quiet about. What Caleb brings up on the computer screen, Catherine's (at first subtle) flirting with a guy at work, gossiping with friends- these and other sins are faced head on in "Fireproof". This movie is not afraid to call it like it is and show the actual reprocussions of these sins. There's no beating around the bush- the effects and ugliness of these and other struggles are laid out plain as day in this movie. If our churches and Christian circles could deal with these sins so boldly and directly, I wonder how much more we could conquer them?

~ The Christian perspective. We've all seen struggles in a man and woman's relationship from Hollywood before. But it is so great to finally get this from a Biblical view. Instead of condoning the struggles with "Men will be men", or "Women have needs" labels, this movie shows what it's like to work through these temptations and problems, instead of giving in to them. "Fireproof" also gives a clear gospel message. To tell the truth, I think if I were going to make a movie and hope for it's success, I would be tempted to make the gospel a little more vague, a little more subtle. Not these guys! I commend them for dealing with such truths as Jesus death, burial and resurrection; our being sinners in need of a Savior; and Jesus being the only way (notice especially in the firestation when one fireman tells another that either he [who believes our bodies will just rot in the ground] or our Christian character Caleb is wrong- they can't both be right).

~ Many different relationships. Even if you're not married or in a relationship that could be headed there, you can glean different points on other relationships as well. We see this through friendships, co-workers, and the relationship between parents and their children. The importance of accountability, respect, and kindness in relationships are brought out several times in this movie.

Again, I highly recommend this movie to everyone. If I've missed any other great aspects of it, I certainly didn't intend that:)

God Bless America?

2009-02-18T18:39:00.001-08:00

"God bless America"- a simple phrase that we hold dear, sing about, and fight to keep. But can we truly expect God to bless America? Can we honestly ask Him to bless America?

The recent reports of Nadya Suleman have turned my mental digestive system chewing over the current condition of our "land that (we) love". Sure, I appreciate and take part in the patriotism and many bonuses of living in America. However, I'm compelled once again to take off the rose-colored glasses and see if I can sneak a peak at America through God's eyes. The view? Pretty yucky.

America- a land that has orphanages, adoption agencies, and foster homes that are far more than congested with lonely children. Countless babies, toddlers, children, and teens have no family and may never get one. Meanwhile, we take a woman with no job, house, or husband and say "Sure!" to giving her IVF. The results? 14 children brought into this world and this selfish woman's life to try to satisfy her "dream" of children. Apparently rescuing 14 children out of orphanages or agencies didn't quite fit into Nadya's dream. Through God's eyes? The daily pain of children without families can only conflict with the breakthrough's in science as we pat ourselves on the back for IVF.

America- where after implanting that same woman with six embryos, discussed the options of "selective reduction". Through God's eyes this nice little term is seen as murdering babies. This happens a lot in America, and God sees each and every murder.

America- #1 land of gluttony and obesity as other countries wither with starvation. Every 5 seconds another child dies of hunger related causes. Through God's eyes? You get it.

America- financially savvy? I think not. We are so far into debt and yet seeking more debt to try to "fix" it. I find it repulsive that we claim we're in such a "economical crisis" while the $ figures from Britney Spear's 2008 concerts alone is staggering. We pay trillions to keep Hollywood going and wonder why our own checkbooks look so grim. Meanwhile other countries get trampled by poverty. Through God's eyes? We should be more than ashamed.

America- the media. Let's go there, shall we? America can thank their own precious media for eating disorders, broken marriages, unsatisfied men, and insecure woman (including teens and even young girls). The air-brushed images that women can never live up to and men can never truly find are plastered everywhere for us to see. If God did not create $ex, I wonder how we would advertise? Potato chips, toothpaste, perfume, cars... our media finds a way to incorporate a God created blessing and turn it into a cheapened, unattainable forgery. Our movies roll around in our own vomit as we revel and amuse ourselves with horror upon horror and sin upon sin. Through God's eyes? Yet another part of His amazing and beautiful creation twisted. I can't really fathom what this looks like through God's eyes... and I can't fathom how longsuffering He is.

I know I dealt with a lot of issues here without really dealing with them. That wasn't my goal. My point of this is also not to stop waving your American flag, move to Canada, or feel sad. My point of this is to encourage you stop and pause. Think for a second. And try to peak through God's eyes. Look at the bigger picture. And ask youself, are you part of the problem, or part of the solution?

So God bless America? I ask instead, "God have mercy on America."

A Sad Divide in Worship

2009-02-06T11:04:00.000-08:00

A week ago at my college's chapel service, I got the opportunity to hear a speaker I had never heard before. I will keep from mentioning his name, though some of you fellow classmates will know exactly whom I am talking about. The man said many things that I disagreed with, but which I could let go and inwardly say "Well, we all have differences". However, there was one thing he said that I find myself still churning over today. It is this that I want to seek to respond to now.

First, a little background. I currently go to a church that has a praise and worship band, and I prefer that. I grew up in a church with a piano and organ, and, though I enjoyed and worshipped with that type of music, I do enjoy more having the drum set, guitars, and other more contemporary instruments and sounds. I recognize the fact that to many more conservative worshippers this type of praise band can be offensive and carry the wrong connotations. It saddens me that they feel this way. I definitely have basic standards for worship music, such as needing to make sure the words are understood, and that it does not have a rock concert feel. But I feel in no way that these or other standards are automatically compromised by having a contemporary praise and worship band.

You see, music is my strongest way of worship. Everyone has different ways that they feel more easily connected to God in worship, whether it be through prayer, meditation, Bible study, etc. Mine is through music. When I sing, I pray and praise and the truths that I know about God become so much more tangible for me. So it hurts me deeply to see the Body of Christ divided so often over this form of worship. We look at others who raise hands and judge them. We look at different forms of music and judge it. We judge each other for how they worship. Wow. Like I said, I agree that there are definite black and whites. But what I'm saying is that we step out of those bounds and judge the greys just as strongly. We take an understandable reaction of feeling uncomfortable with how someone else worships, and turn it into an inappropriate reaction of feeling offended.

Now, back to the speaker. He discussed the praise and worship band we had at our school. He expressed how great it was, and how we had "men like him to thank for it." How much progress the church has made, he exclaimed as he looked around at our band. Then he said the real clincher. He started discussing churches with pianos and organs and "other such red-neck philosophies". I was appalled.

To this man: It is to you that we indeed owe our "thanks". Not our thanks that we have our band. Not our thanks that we can now praise in a more current way. Our thanks to you is for the dirty looks we get from those who are more conservative. Our thanks to you for the divide between the contemporary and conservative. Our thanks to you for the jaded spirit that exists in our pews and auditoriums that has replaced a spirit of peace and praise. It for all of this that our hats are off to you. For your cutting tongue and insulting labels. For your arrogant show and Pharisaical views. Thank you for the hurt feelings. Thank you that those of us who seek to worship in a contemporary way are viewed as rebels and troublemakers. Because of YOUR lack of acceptance of different worship styles we will not be accepted for ours.

So yes, we indeed can thank you.

Praise Him in the Storms!

2009-02-01T14:58:00.000-08:00

Sometimes... actually, a lot of the time... I look around at Christians going through hard times or even some in reality not-so-bad times with their heads hung low and their doubts raised high. I wonder, do we even deserve a smooth life if as those who have been saved from sin and Hell can't learn to praise God in the storms? I mean, we've had Someone DIE in place of us! Jesus was crucified on a cross... He Who knew no sin became sin FOR US. And yet we hold our hands out saying "Please sir, I want some more?"

I'm not at all saying we can't mourn, can't weep, can't be frustrated. I completely believe that grief is one of the strongest salves for healing and a way to just say "this matters". I'm all for affirming the fact that we live in a cursed world and it can really hurt at times. What I am saying is that I believe despite that God is simply waiting for us to just praise Him in the storms. Shouldn't He always be our ONE reason to hold on, to be thankful, and to keep praising?

Casting Crowns sings my absolute favorite song and it is along these lines:

"Praise You In This Storm"

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen"
and it's still raining.
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away.

And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are Who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm.

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You.
But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away.

And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are Who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm.

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth.
I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth!

And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are Who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm.

Listen here

First Things

2009-02-01T14:40:00.000-08:00

Hello all!

I am a born-again, redeemed and renewed, saved from sin by God's great grace, child of God. I am a young wife, college student, and part time worker. I am majoring in American Sign Language Interpreting, and my main goal of that will be for Deaf Ministry. I love the Deaf Community and want to bring to them Christ's love in their own visual language.

My purpose of this blog is to take some of the challenging thoughts and issues I'm working through in my mind and heart and organize them on here while sharing them with others. I appreciate any feedback, comments, questions, or answers.

Thank you for your reading!