It's been a while since I've blogged, but I just felt like sharing this today. I'm not sure where you find yourself in life, but I've gotta say, I'm loving the place I'm at right now. Michael and I (along with the girls) have been at our "new" church for a few months now and know that we are exactly where God wants us to be. He's opened doors for us to serve and to be fed, both of which are important for growing, and we are part of a church family that is such a grat example of how the body of Christ is supposed to work. I'm not saying it's perfect, because none of us are perfect and no church is perfect, but when there's an issue, it's dealt with in a timely and compassionate manner. Our pastor and his family are such a blessing to us, and when his wife says "I'll be praying for you", you know beyond a doubt that she really is.
Sometimes we settle for what's easy and in our comfort zone instead of really listening to what God has for us. I know there's a reason that we were at our former church, and we made some dear friends while we were there, but we never truly felt peace about being there. Michael and I started praying about what God wanted us to do and where He wanted us. It was clear that we were supposed to move on and find a new "home". Having always been part of a BBFI (Independent Baptist) church, the thought of changing was kind of daunting. Again, I was choosing my comfort over His calling. Way too many times in my life, I was told it was about grace but was shown through "convictions" and such that more was required to be seen as good in God's eyes. Yes, He wants me to grow in my relationship with Him, but does the style of music I listen to (or sing in church services) or the superficial prayers I pray make me closer to Him? Does wearing onl skirts get me a better spot in Heaven? I've come to accept that His grace truly is enough. Grace + nothing = salvation. It's not grace + wearing the "right" clothes (although I feel that modesty is very important, but it's not going to save you)+ listening to only hymns = salvation. I may step on a few toes here, so if you're toes are sore, I'll give you some spiritual Dr. Scholls (Ephesians 2:8-9 should do the trick). Do I dress modestly, yes, and I expect my daughters to as well. I don't do it because I HAVE to in order to keep my salvation. Does my defination of modesty include only wearing certain clothes? Nope. I've seen more than my fair share of girls/ladies in shirts and skirts or culottes that show off more than I do in my jeans anyday. Just yesterday at the park, I saw an older lady wearing a long jean skirt and a "girl cut" tee, and trust me, I know way more about her curves than I wish to. Anyway, my point is, that God's more concerned about what's in your heart than He is what you're wearing. If you're relationship with Christ is where it needs to be, you won't want to dress in an immodest way. Just sayin'.
Ok, so I feel like I've been rambling, but I just want to put this out there. If you're not where you need to be, bite the bullet and ask Him to show you what He wants for your life. Trust me, once you get there, you'll be SO much happier.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
What Not To Wear (Inner Self Edition)
Today, my 7 year old picked out her clothes for church. I don't make them "dress up", they choose their own clothes and if it's not a complete fashion disaster, I let them wear it. Well, she came out with a plaid skirt that I would consider more of a winter look, and a pink shirt. The skirt was a bit too short (not too bad, but not long enough to wear without some leggings) so we picked out some leggings to wear under it. Then it was time to fix hair. She'd gone to bed with all of her in one big braid last night (to prevent tangles) and so it was kind of wavy. Overall, not the best look, but I wasn't going to make her change. After all, going to church isn't about wearing the coolest clothes, it's about worshipping God, nurturing the soul, growing in Him and fellowship with other believers, isn't it?
After I walked away from the slight fashion disaster that she'd chosen, I went to blow dry my hair. Then it hit me, is this how God feels when He sees us choose to clothe ourseves in vanity, pride, selfishness, lack of compassion, or so many other things that He despises? Does He sit back, letting us "do our own thing", even though He sees the disaster? As His creation, He gave us free will, and we can make our own choices. Choices to either "put on love" like Colossians 3:14 says, or to turn away from what He longs for us to "wear".
Isaiah 64:6 says
" We are all infected and impure with sin.
When we display our righteous deeds,
they are nothing but filthy rags.
Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,
and our sins sweep us away like the wind." (NLT)
When Isaiah was saying this, he was saying that the things the people did to bring glory to themselves are like nothing more than menstrual rags. That's right, back in that day, women on their period were were considered impure. They obviously didn't have the fancy feminine products that we have now, so they used literal rags to absorb their menstrual flow. I know it's a bit much to bring this up, but it's true. God sees our so-called "righteous deeds", they're as dirty and impure as a menstrual rag in His eyes.
So, what if when we start to dress more like He wants. What if, instead of putting on our filthy rags, we put on His goodness and righteousness. One meaning for righteousness is being shielded by God and receiving favor with Him. Honestly, who wouldn't want to be shielded by the Creator, to receive favor from our King?!? Sometimes we think we're good enough on our own to obtain this, so we do our own thing and expect Him to bless us for it. Others of us may not feel worthy of His favor, even though His grace and mercy are offered to every human, not just those that we think deserve it. His love brought Him to the cross, and His blood was shed to cover every sin and every sinner...from the rapist in prison to the child who knowingly steals a piece of candy from the corner store. There is no sin that is greater or less than the other, anything that is displeasing to God is a sin. Even sins of omission...you know, when you see something that is right to do and you do nothing. James 4:17 says "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." (NLT).
What's it gonna be...will you choose to put on His righteousness and be an example of His love to a dying world, or will you decide to lean on yourself and what you think is "in" at the moment. What if, for just this week, you lay everything at His feet, kind of like a spiritual "What Not To Wear", and let the greatest Designer clothe you in His favor and shield you in His hand. I'll be clearing out my closet this week, laying all of my filthy rags at His feet, asking Him to give me a new wardrobe, one that is pleasing to Him.
After I walked away from the slight fashion disaster that she'd chosen, I went to blow dry my hair. Then it hit me, is this how God feels when He sees us choose to clothe ourseves in vanity, pride, selfishness, lack of compassion, or so many other things that He despises? Does He sit back, letting us "do our own thing", even though He sees the disaster? As His creation, He gave us free will, and we can make our own choices. Choices to either "put on love" like Colossians 3:14 says, or to turn away from what He longs for us to "wear".
Isaiah 64:6 says
" We are all infected and impure with sin.
When we display our righteous deeds,
they are nothing but filthy rags.
Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,
and our sins sweep us away like the wind." (NLT)
When Isaiah was saying this, he was saying that the things the people did to bring glory to themselves are like nothing more than menstrual rags. That's right, back in that day, women on their period were were considered impure. They obviously didn't have the fancy feminine products that we have now, so they used literal rags to absorb their menstrual flow. I know it's a bit much to bring this up, but it's true. God sees our so-called "righteous deeds", they're as dirty and impure as a menstrual rag in His eyes.
So, what if when we start to dress more like He wants. What if, instead of putting on our filthy rags, we put on His goodness and righteousness. One meaning for righteousness is being shielded by God and receiving favor with Him. Honestly, who wouldn't want to be shielded by the Creator, to receive favor from our King?!? Sometimes we think we're good enough on our own to obtain this, so we do our own thing and expect Him to bless us for it. Others of us may not feel worthy of His favor, even though His grace and mercy are offered to every human, not just those that we think deserve it. His love brought Him to the cross, and His blood was shed to cover every sin and every sinner...from the rapist in prison to the child who knowingly steals a piece of candy from the corner store. There is no sin that is greater or less than the other, anything that is displeasing to God is a sin. Even sins of omission...you know, when you see something that is right to do and you do nothing. James 4:17 says "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." (NLT).
What's it gonna be...will you choose to put on His righteousness and be an example of His love to a dying world, or will you decide to lean on yourself and what you think is "in" at the moment. What if, for just this week, you lay everything at His feet, kind of like a spiritual "What Not To Wear", and let the greatest Designer clothe you in His favor and shield you in His hand. I'll be clearing out my closet this week, laying all of my filthy rags at His feet, asking Him to give me a new wardrobe, one that is pleasing to Him.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Did you hear the one about the Baptist ostrich?
Honestly, you could insert any Christian denomination in the place of "Baptist", but speaking as a Baptist and having grown up in Baptist churches my entire life, I'm coming from the "generic" Baptist perspective. Throughout the Old Testament, you see God's command to His people to care for the widows, fatherless and orphans. Exodus 22:22, Deuteronomy 10:18, 14:29 and 16:11 all tell us that we are to show love to these people and help them along the way. He even goes so far as to tell His people to leave the extras they have after harvest and make sure that they have food. Psalm 68:5 says "Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy." Another verse says "Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other." (Zechariah 7:10). There are SO many more verses that talk about what God expects of us in regard to being His hands and feet to those who, as the world may see it, been dealt a bad hand.
Although the Bible doesn't specifically mention what we know as "single parents", I fully believe that they fit into this group as well. No matter how they found themselves parenting a child alone, whether it be divorce, infidelity, abusive situations, or just finding themselves alone through other circumstances, we need to reach out to them! Teen mothers, for example, are not society's model parents. They often struggle to stay afloat and have little or no family support. Their boyfriend splits and they find themselves at a loss. The expectant teen moms who choose life are faced with not being able to provide for themselves and their babies. If they were "churched", most of their fellow church members turn their backs and consider them unworthy of the church's time and efforts. I'm not saying that I believe it's ok to continue in the ways that they were in and keep having sex outside of marriage. Sex is a gift that God gave us to share with our spouse in the bonds of marriage.
That's where another type of judgement comes into play in way too many churches. The Bible doesn't condone divorce, but it also doesn't condone over-eating, breaking the speed limit (or any other laws of man), or running up your credit cards with no way to pay. All sin is equal, and because we in this world, we will face it. Divorce rates are almost the same in churches now as they'd been with unchurched couples. I personally have seen couples that I would have never thought would split up, and now they don't even want to talk to each other. I believe that it gives Satan great joy to see this, that he loves seeing families being torn apart and leaving the fold. When divorce happens in a Baptist church, the spouse who tried everything to make their marriage work and still attends church is treated horribly! Why is it so hard to acknowledge that we live in a broken world with broken people, and that Christ wants us, the church, to reach out to them? I really struggle with seeing divorcees treated like 2nd class Christians. My own mom was married 3 times. Her first husband was in the Air Force and was killed in a plane crash off the coast of Spain. She was only in her early 20's and was faced with raising 2 little girls by herself. She then married a man who had 4 kids, and then she of course had my 2 sisters. They had my other sister together and after years of dealing with some tough issues (which I won't disclose because it's not appropriate to share with the blogosphere)they were divorced. A few years later, she met my dad and they were married. I was the only child born of their marriage and I believe they'd still be married today if he were still alive. Sure, they had their tiffs, but all in all, I can truly say that they loved each other. When I was little, a person in a leadership position at a church was talking about how divorced people don't have any value to the church, that they shouldn't be doing any kind of ministry. This particular person apparently didn't know my mom was a divorcee and she asked him, "So, what are you going to do with all of us divorced people?" He stood there gobsmacked, not knowing how to respond. My mom has now been a widow for almost 13 years and as far back as I can remember, she has served wherever she could. In her mid 60's, she even travels to the women's prison in Arkansas and volunteers as a chaplain. She reached out to the orphans and needy in Guyana and eventually adopted my little sister. Tell me, does this sound like God can't use a divorced person? If you join a church and you're already divorced, you're really blessed if you can actually find a church with a divorce recovery class or some type of support. Even if you're remarried, I feel like the church should still offer some kind of outreach to show you that you ARE of worth to our King.
Look at the Samaritan woman in John 4. First of all, being a Samaritan put her on the edge of society, with no one reaching out to her. On top of that, she'd been married multiple times and was living/sleeping with a man that she wasn't married to. Jesus came to the well to get a drink after his long journey. He saw her and asked for a drink. She was blown away that a Jew would talk to her, much less ask for a drink. Jesus started to tell her about water that would quench her thirst forever. She said she wanted that water, and He told her, "Go and get your husband." "I don't have a husband", the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” Can you imagine how she must have felt? Jesus then goes on to say "“Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!” Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” So the people came streaming from the village to see him. Verses 39-42 go on to say "Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.” Wait, did you really get that?!? Not only did he reach out to the Samaritan woman who so many thought of as a worthless tramp, but He spent 2 more days with the people of Samaria, sharing His love and pouring compassion on them.
So, does God want the church to reach divorcees, single parents, teen parents, the kid down the street or at your child's school that doesn't have anyone to show him/her the love of Christ, or even the little old widow woman down the street? Does He expect a higher standard of living from His children, one that means that we step out of our comfort zone and our legalistic "convictions" about how many times someone has been married, how many tattoos they have, or even how many children they have out of wedlock? Yes! We are to be salt and light, but if we're too busy inside the doors of our church building, doing the same thing that those before us had done to actually be "the church", the bride of Christ, we can't and won't reach the lost and hurting where they are. Many in situations that I described above feel like they're not worthy to come to church or are afraid of being judged because of their past. It's time to pull our heads out of the sand and get down to the business of our Father, not just during church hours, but all of the time! It's almost as if churches in general would rather love the lovely but not reach out to the hurting. There are folks in our churches that did everything they knew to save their marriage, but if their spouse wasn't willing to come back to Christ and renew their love for the other, nothing they could do would change the outcome. I've cried and prayed over couples that I thought surely would make it, and sadly, some didn't make it through. God doesn't like divorce, but He is a God that forgives, provides healing and loves them through the storms, and so should we. Pastors are called to be "the husband of one wife", therefore, the common belief in Baptist churches is that means never divorced. But do you see anywhere else that says God doesn't want you if you've been through a divorce? Why is it so hard for Baptists to reach out beyond their 200 year old comfort zone and meet people where they are? In doing so, Christians aren't saying the "sin" is ok, but we're saying that we, the sinners, are no different than them in God's eyes. If we see a brother or sister struggling, we are supposed to reach for them and help them get back on their feet and show them the indescribable love of God!
I'm not going to lie, I used to find myself judging others choices in life, such as having a child outside of marriage, divorce, and not taking care of their children the way they should. It's something I've gotten better with, but occasionally I still struggle. Growing up so sheltered, I didn't see that my sin of backtalking my mom or any number of "little white sins" was, in fact, just as displeasing to God as the girl my age who was sleeping around or the boy who had a hidden porn stash. We need to remember that no matter the situation we may see others in, we wear His name! To quote Newsong..."In a world that's lost in hopelessness, we've been called to be the light, we wear His name!"
I know this has been a lengthy blog, but I've had this on my heart for a while, and after watching "The Blind Side", I knew I had to write. God has been so good to all of us, and we just sit back and expect someone else to reach out to the single mom who is struggling to take care of 2 or 3 kids, or for another person to reach out to someone who is still living every day knowing that their husband or wife rejected them. We want someone else to take care of the dirty little kid down the street, whose mom lets him play in the road and roam the neighborhood after dark, because she's too busy with her own life. Even harder is to be the one to reach out to that mom! As a mom, sometimes I just want to walk up to parents and smack them across the face and ask what their deal is, why don't they take care of their kids, when in fact, I should be showing that person that no matter where they are in life, God cares and so do I. So what'll it be? Will all of us continue to be like the ostrich, keeping our head in the sand and ignoring issues that are all around us, or will we truly be the body of Christ?
(All verses were quoted from the New Living Translation)
Although the Bible doesn't specifically mention what we know as "single parents", I fully believe that they fit into this group as well. No matter how they found themselves parenting a child alone, whether it be divorce, infidelity, abusive situations, or just finding themselves alone through other circumstances, we need to reach out to them! Teen mothers, for example, are not society's model parents. They often struggle to stay afloat and have little or no family support. Their boyfriend splits and they find themselves at a loss. The expectant teen moms who choose life are faced with not being able to provide for themselves and their babies. If they were "churched", most of their fellow church members turn their backs and consider them unworthy of the church's time and efforts. I'm not saying that I believe it's ok to continue in the ways that they were in and keep having sex outside of marriage. Sex is a gift that God gave us to share with our spouse in the bonds of marriage.
That's where another type of judgement comes into play in way too many churches. The Bible doesn't condone divorce, but it also doesn't condone over-eating, breaking the speed limit (or any other laws of man), or running up your credit cards with no way to pay. All sin is equal, and because we in this world, we will face it. Divorce rates are almost the same in churches now as they'd been with unchurched couples. I personally have seen couples that I would have never thought would split up, and now they don't even want to talk to each other. I believe that it gives Satan great joy to see this, that he loves seeing families being torn apart and leaving the fold. When divorce happens in a Baptist church, the spouse who tried everything to make their marriage work and still attends church is treated horribly! Why is it so hard to acknowledge that we live in a broken world with broken people, and that Christ wants us, the church, to reach out to them? I really struggle with seeing divorcees treated like 2nd class Christians. My own mom was married 3 times. Her first husband was in the Air Force and was killed in a plane crash off the coast of Spain. She was only in her early 20's and was faced with raising 2 little girls by herself. She then married a man who had 4 kids, and then she of course had my 2 sisters. They had my other sister together and after years of dealing with some tough issues (which I won't disclose because it's not appropriate to share with the blogosphere)they were divorced. A few years later, she met my dad and they were married. I was the only child born of their marriage and I believe they'd still be married today if he were still alive. Sure, they had their tiffs, but all in all, I can truly say that they loved each other. When I was little, a person in a leadership position at a church was talking about how divorced people don't have any value to the church, that they shouldn't be doing any kind of ministry. This particular person apparently didn't know my mom was a divorcee and she asked him, "So, what are you going to do with all of us divorced people?" He stood there gobsmacked, not knowing how to respond. My mom has now been a widow for almost 13 years and as far back as I can remember, she has served wherever she could. In her mid 60's, she even travels to the women's prison in Arkansas and volunteers as a chaplain. She reached out to the orphans and needy in Guyana and eventually adopted my little sister. Tell me, does this sound like God can't use a divorced person? If you join a church and you're already divorced, you're really blessed if you can actually find a church with a divorce recovery class or some type of support. Even if you're remarried, I feel like the church should still offer some kind of outreach to show you that you ARE of worth to our King.
Look at the Samaritan woman in John 4. First of all, being a Samaritan put her on the edge of society, with no one reaching out to her. On top of that, she'd been married multiple times and was living/sleeping with a man that she wasn't married to. Jesus came to the well to get a drink after his long journey. He saw her and asked for a drink. She was blown away that a Jew would talk to her, much less ask for a drink. Jesus started to tell her about water that would quench her thirst forever. She said she wanted that water, and He told her, "Go and get your husband." "I don't have a husband", the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” Can you imagine how she must have felt? Jesus then goes on to say "“Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!” Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” So the people came streaming from the village to see him. Verses 39-42 go on to say "Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.” Wait, did you really get that?!? Not only did he reach out to the Samaritan woman who so many thought of as a worthless tramp, but He spent 2 more days with the people of Samaria, sharing His love and pouring compassion on them.
So, does God want the church to reach divorcees, single parents, teen parents, the kid down the street or at your child's school that doesn't have anyone to show him/her the love of Christ, or even the little old widow woman down the street? Does He expect a higher standard of living from His children, one that means that we step out of our comfort zone and our legalistic "convictions" about how many times someone has been married, how many tattoos they have, or even how many children they have out of wedlock? Yes! We are to be salt and light, but if we're too busy inside the doors of our church building, doing the same thing that those before us had done to actually be "the church", the bride of Christ, we can't and won't reach the lost and hurting where they are. Many in situations that I described above feel like they're not worthy to come to church or are afraid of being judged because of their past. It's time to pull our heads out of the sand and get down to the business of our Father, not just during church hours, but all of the time! It's almost as if churches in general would rather love the lovely but not reach out to the hurting. There are folks in our churches that did everything they knew to save their marriage, but if their spouse wasn't willing to come back to Christ and renew their love for the other, nothing they could do would change the outcome. I've cried and prayed over couples that I thought surely would make it, and sadly, some didn't make it through. God doesn't like divorce, but He is a God that forgives, provides healing and loves them through the storms, and so should we. Pastors are called to be "the husband of one wife", therefore, the common belief in Baptist churches is that means never divorced. But do you see anywhere else that says God doesn't want you if you've been through a divorce? Why is it so hard for Baptists to reach out beyond their 200 year old comfort zone and meet people where they are? In doing so, Christians aren't saying the "sin" is ok, but we're saying that we, the sinners, are no different than them in God's eyes. If we see a brother or sister struggling, we are supposed to reach for them and help them get back on their feet and show them the indescribable love of God!
I'm not going to lie, I used to find myself judging others choices in life, such as having a child outside of marriage, divorce, and not taking care of their children the way they should. It's something I've gotten better with, but occasionally I still struggle. Growing up so sheltered, I didn't see that my sin of backtalking my mom or any number of "little white sins" was, in fact, just as displeasing to God as the girl my age who was sleeping around or the boy who had a hidden porn stash. We need to remember that no matter the situation we may see others in, we wear His name! To quote Newsong..."In a world that's lost in hopelessness, we've been called to be the light, we wear His name!"
I know this has been a lengthy blog, but I've had this on my heart for a while, and after watching "The Blind Side", I knew I had to write. God has been so good to all of us, and we just sit back and expect someone else to reach out to the single mom who is struggling to take care of 2 or 3 kids, or for another person to reach out to someone who is still living every day knowing that their husband or wife rejected them. We want someone else to take care of the dirty little kid down the street, whose mom lets him play in the road and roam the neighborhood after dark, because she's too busy with her own life. Even harder is to be the one to reach out to that mom! As a mom, sometimes I just want to walk up to parents and smack them across the face and ask what their deal is, why don't they take care of their kids, when in fact, I should be showing that person that no matter where they are in life, God cares and so do I. So what'll it be? Will all of us continue to be like the ostrich, keeping our head in the sand and ignoring issues that are all around us, or will we truly be the body of Christ?
(All verses were quoted from the New Living Translation)
Thursday, December 24, 2009
What the "code of elves" taught me about life...
What the “code of elves” taught me about life…
I absolutely love the movie “Elf”. I can watch it over and over and still laugh, it’s just that kind of movie for me. We first saw it when Mackenzie was almost a year old. We bundled up and went to the theater to watch it, and she sat quietly the whole time, just taking it all in. Then, when it came out on DVD the next year, we bought it as a family gift.
This may seem kind of odd if you know us, because you probably know that we don’t do the whole “Santa” thing and never have. We’ve always taught the girls that Christmas is first and foremost the time we set aside to celebrate Christ’s birth. How He left the amazing surroundings of Heaven to come to this dirty planet and dwell with us. He became flesh and lived with us! I still can’t wrap my mind around the love that it takes for the God of the universe to live as a human and deal with everyday humanity! As Max Lucado talked about in one of his books, Jesus was sinless and perfect, but He still dealt with human issues. As a pre-teen, He dealt with that pesky change in his voice, as a teen, He probably had a few bouts of acne, you know, just everyday things! I also feel like Jesus had to have had a great sense of humor. He knew after all, that a merry heart is like good medicine! So that brings me to “Elf”. I could be in the worst mood and that movie just makes me smile. Even hearing a quote makes me smile, “I just like to smile, smiling’s my favorite!”.
Tonight while it was starting and Buddy is in elf school, the “code of elves” struck a chord. For those of you aren’t “Elf” aficionados, I’ll share it with you.
1. Treat every day like Christmas.
2. There’s room for everyone on the nice list.
3. The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!
So #1 is fairly simple, or is it? Do we celebrate our King every day? Do we dwell in His presence and revel in the fact that He cared enough to come as a baby, born in a stable? In place of the soft clothes and cooshy diapers we put on our babies these days, do we remember that He was in fact, wrapped in pieces of cloth and laid in a feed trough? I don’t think you can get more humble than that…I mean, the King of Kings put aside all He had in Heaven and came here! He knew that He was born to die. Treating every day like Christmas isn’t about eating candy canes 365 days a year, checking your stocking every morning or getting/giving gifts! If we do it the right way, it’s about taking time to honor our Saviour with everything we do.
#2 couldn’t be more true! It’s not Santa’s nice list that I think of though, it’s God’s! There’s room for everyone in the Book of Life, if only they’d accept His free gift of grace! It’s more than doing good deeds to get on God’s “nice list”, it’s about believing that He is the Creator of the universe, that He sent His one and only Son to earth, to be born to a virgin, live a sinless life and then give His life to atone our sins. Past, present, future sins, they’re all covered by His blood! No matter what you’ve done or where you are in life, Jesus Christ longs to give you forgiveness and salvation that stems from His great love! There truly is room for everyone on the “nice list”!
And lastly, we come to #3. Our lives are a song that everyone around listens to, whether we want to admit it or not. When we live out the Gospel and the love of Christ, our song reaches hearts that may have been hardened and bitter for years! We can truly spread Christmas cheer (remember, treat every day like Christmas) by singing loud for all to hear! Our neighbors, co-workers, teachers and family are the obvious audience that hears our song, but far deeper than that, think of the cashier at the grocery store, the bank teller and the server at your favorite eatery. They may not be listening at first, but when they see His love shining through your life-song, they’ll see a difference! A difference that could bring them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ! What better gift can you give someone than a life that is blameless and running over with His love?
Thanks Buddy the Elf, you have given me inspiration this Christmas! During the remainder of 2009 and throughout 2010, I will try to treat every day like Christmas, remembering that God has room for ALL on His “nice list” (the ground is level at the foot of His Cross) and that the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing (or living) loud for all to hear!
Merry Christmas to all of my friends! My prayer is that you too will learn a lesson from the elves!
I John 4:10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins!
I absolutely love the movie “Elf”. I can watch it over and over and still laugh, it’s just that kind of movie for me. We first saw it when Mackenzie was almost a year old. We bundled up and went to the theater to watch it, and she sat quietly the whole time, just taking it all in. Then, when it came out on DVD the next year, we bought it as a family gift.
This may seem kind of odd if you know us, because you probably know that we don’t do the whole “Santa” thing and never have. We’ve always taught the girls that Christmas is first and foremost the time we set aside to celebrate Christ’s birth. How He left the amazing surroundings of Heaven to come to this dirty planet and dwell with us. He became flesh and lived with us! I still can’t wrap my mind around the love that it takes for the God of the universe to live as a human and deal with everyday humanity! As Max Lucado talked about in one of his books, Jesus was sinless and perfect, but He still dealt with human issues. As a pre-teen, He dealt with that pesky change in his voice, as a teen, He probably had a few bouts of acne, you know, just everyday things! I also feel like Jesus had to have had a great sense of humor. He knew after all, that a merry heart is like good medicine! So that brings me to “Elf”. I could be in the worst mood and that movie just makes me smile. Even hearing a quote makes me smile, “I just like to smile, smiling’s my favorite!”.
Tonight while it was starting and Buddy is in elf school, the “code of elves” struck a chord. For those of you aren’t “Elf” aficionados, I’ll share it with you.
1. Treat every day like Christmas.
2. There’s room for everyone on the nice list.
3. The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!
So #1 is fairly simple, or is it? Do we celebrate our King every day? Do we dwell in His presence and revel in the fact that He cared enough to come as a baby, born in a stable? In place of the soft clothes and cooshy diapers we put on our babies these days, do we remember that He was in fact, wrapped in pieces of cloth and laid in a feed trough? I don’t think you can get more humble than that…I mean, the King of Kings put aside all He had in Heaven and came here! He knew that He was born to die. Treating every day like Christmas isn’t about eating candy canes 365 days a year, checking your stocking every morning or getting/giving gifts! If we do it the right way, it’s about taking time to honor our Saviour with everything we do.
#2 couldn’t be more true! It’s not Santa’s nice list that I think of though, it’s God’s! There’s room for everyone in the Book of Life, if only they’d accept His free gift of grace! It’s more than doing good deeds to get on God’s “nice list”, it’s about believing that He is the Creator of the universe, that He sent His one and only Son to earth, to be born to a virgin, live a sinless life and then give His life to atone our sins. Past, present, future sins, they’re all covered by His blood! No matter what you’ve done or where you are in life, Jesus Christ longs to give you forgiveness and salvation that stems from His great love! There truly is room for everyone on the “nice list”!
And lastly, we come to #3. Our lives are a song that everyone around listens to, whether we want to admit it or not. When we live out the Gospel and the love of Christ, our song reaches hearts that may have been hardened and bitter for years! We can truly spread Christmas cheer (remember, treat every day like Christmas) by singing loud for all to hear! Our neighbors, co-workers, teachers and family are the obvious audience that hears our song, but far deeper than that, think of the cashier at the grocery store, the bank teller and the server at your favorite eatery. They may not be listening at first, but when they see His love shining through your life-song, they’ll see a difference! A difference that could bring them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ! What better gift can you give someone than a life that is blameless and running over with His love?
Thanks Buddy the Elf, you have given me inspiration this Christmas! During the remainder of 2009 and throughout 2010, I will try to treat every day like Christmas, remembering that God has room for ALL on His “nice list” (the ground is level at the foot of His Cross) and that the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing (or living) loud for all to hear!
Merry Christmas to all of my friends! My prayer is that you too will learn a lesson from the elves!
I John 4:10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
just a ragamuffin (repost)
Friday, February 24, 2006
I'm just a Ragamuffin Current mood: refreshed Category: Religion and Philosophy
Ok, so since I've read all of the books to date from my fav authors, I'm gonna re-read an old favorite. I read it a LONG time ago, back when I first graduated high school, and I figured it would make a good re-run. For those of you who've never heard of this book, you probably aren't alone. It's not one that a lot of people know about, but I'd definately recommend it. Before he died in a tragic car accident, the singer/song writer Rich Mullins was an avid promoter of this book, which is what led me to read it. I love the way Rich poured his heart and soul into his music, and he seemed to be like a modern day David. Like he was so close to God, and it made me yearn to have that kind of relationship too.
This book talks about how we're just dirty, plain, every day ragamuffins that you'd see on Commercial street or the like that most people would turn their back on. In fact, even those with the best intentions slip up and turn away those who need them the most. But thru His grace, God see us as more than that. He see us as a precious gift, a treasure that just needs a little tender loving care. But in order to recieve that grace, we have to come to Him, and acknowledge that we need it. It's ALWAYS there. There is never a time that you could go to Him and He would turn you away. No matter how mucky, dirty or disease ridden you are. He loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way. He sees us all the same. Me, you, the prostitute, the meth cooker down the street, the orphaned child whose parents died of Aids in Africa and even Bill Gates or Sadaam Hussein. He loves us, and died for our sins. And this love is a free gift that is never ending! When everyone else in your life turns you away, HE IS THERE! When you're a ragamuffin to the rest of the world, your a treasure to God. Always remember this.
I'm just a Ragamuffin Current mood: refreshed Category: Religion and Philosophy
Ok, so since I've read all of the books to date from my fav authors, I'm gonna re-read an old favorite. I read it a LONG time ago, back when I first graduated high school, and I figured it would make a good re-run. For those of you who've never heard of this book, you probably aren't alone. It's not one that a lot of people know about, but I'd definately recommend it. Before he died in a tragic car accident, the singer/song writer Rich Mullins was an avid promoter of this book, which is what led me to read it. I love the way Rich poured his heart and soul into his music, and he seemed to be like a modern day David. Like he was so close to God, and it made me yearn to have that kind of relationship too.
This book talks about how we're just dirty, plain, every day ragamuffins that you'd see on Commercial street or the like that most people would turn their back on. In fact, even those with the best intentions slip up and turn away those who need them the most. But thru His grace, God see us as more than that. He see us as a precious gift, a treasure that just needs a little tender loving care. But in order to recieve that grace, we have to come to Him, and acknowledge that we need it. It's ALWAYS there. There is never a time that you could go to Him and He would turn you away. No matter how mucky, dirty or disease ridden you are. He loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way. He sees us all the same. Me, you, the prostitute, the meth cooker down the street, the orphaned child whose parents died of Aids in Africa and even Bill Gates or Sadaam Hussein. He loves us, and died for our sins. And this love is a free gift that is never ending! When everyone else in your life turns you away, HE IS THERE! When you're a ragamuffin to the rest of the world, your a treasure to God. Always remember this.
face transplant (repost)
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Face transplant Current mood: amused Category: Life
Ok, so the world's first ever face transplant recepient spoke to the press and public early this week. For those of you who don't read or watch the news, she had her face pretty much bitten off by a dog. The transplanted "face" was a circlular area from the nose, around the cheeks, and down to her chin. Now imagine, she'd been without all of that, or let's just say it was mostly mangled and not recognizible as a face for a while. Most people would even think she couldn't live like that, but she did.
So these doctors in Europe give this lady a new face, from a cadaver donor, and poof! She has a new lease on life. She has a nose, cheeks and a functioning mouth and lips again! Of course as with any transplant, she has to be on anti-rejection medication, since her body knows the "face" is not hers. Apparently she's doing well. So well in fact, that she's decided to go back to her old habit of smoking. Her doctors have warned her that this can make her body reject the precious gift that someone literally died so that she could have. The media made a HUGE ordeal about this, and the first thing I thought (along with most of the people who heard it I'm sure) was "What is this lady doing? She's got a new lease on life, and she's throwing it away by doing something that she knows can kill her or make her life miserable."
Right after I thought this, it was like God thumped me on my head and said, "Hello, that's what I did for you. I gave you a new life, and you keep on going back and doing things that you know will make you miserable, and keep you from healing the pains that I died to save you from."
So, thanks and kudos to the face transplant lady. Everytime I see or hear anything about you or any future odd transplant, I'll think of how my Saviour died for me, rose from the dead, and gave me, a sinner in the need of grace a "grace transplant". And it's there for me all of the time. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Face transplant Current mood: amused Category: Life
Ok, so the world's first ever face transplant recepient spoke to the press and public early this week. For those of you who don't read or watch the news, she had her face pretty much bitten off by a dog. The transplanted "face" was a circlular area from the nose, around the cheeks, and down to her chin. Now imagine, she'd been without all of that, or let's just say it was mostly mangled and not recognizible as a face for a while. Most people would even think she couldn't live like that, but she did.
So these doctors in Europe give this lady a new face, from a cadaver donor, and poof! She has a new lease on life. She has a nose, cheeks and a functioning mouth and lips again! Of course as with any transplant, she has to be on anti-rejection medication, since her body knows the "face" is not hers. Apparently she's doing well. So well in fact, that she's decided to go back to her old habit of smoking. Her doctors have warned her that this can make her body reject the precious gift that someone literally died so that she could have. The media made a HUGE ordeal about this, and the first thing I thought (along with most of the people who heard it I'm sure) was "What is this lady doing? She's got a new lease on life, and she's throwing it away by doing something that she knows can kill her or make her life miserable."
Right after I thought this, it was like God thumped me on my head and said, "Hello, that's what I did for you. I gave you a new life, and you keep on going back and doing things that you know will make you miserable, and keep you from healing the pains that I died to save you from."
So, thanks and kudos to the face transplant lady. Everytime I see or hear anything about you or any future odd transplant, I'll think of how my Saviour died for me, rose from the dead, and gave me, a sinner in the need of grace a "grace transplant". And it's there for me all of the time. 2 Corinthians 5:17
bubbles, mmmm! (repost)
Monday, April 10, 2006
Bubbles... mmm yummy! Current mood: content Category: Life
Why?
Why does my 19 month old delight in putting wierd things in her mouth? Like bugs, lids from water bottles, "smarties" wrappers, and most recently, bubble foam from when her big sister washed her hands!
Ok, so I'm striving to make my household a safer place by cutting out a lot of stuff that I know is bad for our bodies. Quaternium or polyquaternium as it is sometimes listed, is basically formaldehyde with a prettier name. Formaldehyde is of course what is used in enbalming dead bodies. But it's also used as a preservative in tons of cosmetic products, including hand soap. So at Wal-Mart the other day, I found a hand soap that didn't have it, which is really rare. But it does have triclosan, which is the "antibacterial" agent in most products. Maddie decided to taste it, and luckily it was just the bubble foam after Kenzie washed her hands, and not the soap itself. Either way, there was warning on the label stating to contact poison control if ingested. So, being the cautious mom I am, I called. The nice nurse from Cardinal Glennon in St. Louis who answered the call advised me that she might throw up, but other than that, she'd be ok if I had her drink milk to neutralize the chemicals. As I was talking to the nurse, Maddie coughed, and actually blew a soap bubble! I laughed so hard. I told the nurse, and she was cracking up too. Then she apollogized, but I told her it was ok. She needed a good laugh anyway after taking calls from frantic parents or baby-sitters.
So, long story short, Maddie is ok, but her breath smelled "lemony fresh" from the Softsoap. I'm sure that's not the last mystery object she'll put in her mouth. Honestly, how did all of us who were toddlers before the internet and poison control hotlines survive? I remember "eating" an entire necklace worth of seed beads, because I thought they were candy. Also, because it was my sister's necklace, I wanted to get even for taking my toy.
Kids really are innocent and blameless, they're just exploring their world. Maybe that's why Jesus loved being with them so much, and why we're told to come to Him like little children. If we're as trusting and innocent in thought as little kids are, we'll glean so much from our Saviour's teachings and love. I'm trying to not be so skeptical and just learn to bask in His love. Just like my girls run into my arms when they see me come into the room in the morning as they wake up, I want to be like that with my Heavenly Father. Letting Him wrap His arms around me and hold me like a dad holds his little girl.
Bubbles... mmm yummy! Current mood: content Category: Life
Why?
Why does my 19 month old delight in putting wierd things in her mouth? Like bugs, lids from water bottles, "smarties" wrappers, and most recently, bubble foam from when her big sister washed her hands!
Ok, so I'm striving to make my household a safer place by cutting out a lot of stuff that I know is bad for our bodies. Quaternium or polyquaternium as it is sometimes listed, is basically formaldehyde with a prettier name. Formaldehyde is of course what is used in enbalming dead bodies. But it's also used as a preservative in tons of cosmetic products, including hand soap. So at Wal-Mart the other day, I found a hand soap that didn't have it, which is really rare. But it does have triclosan, which is the "antibacterial" agent in most products. Maddie decided to taste it, and luckily it was just the bubble foam after Kenzie washed her hands, and not the soap itself. Either way, there was warning on the label stating to contact poison control if ingested. So, being the cautious mom I am, I called. The nice nurse from Cardinal Glennon in St. Louis who answered the call advised me that she might throw up, but other than that, she'd be ok if I had her drink milk to neutralize the chemicals. As I was talking to the nurse, Maddie coughed, and actually blew a soap bubble! I laughed so hard. I told the nurse, and she was cracking up too. Then she apollogized, but I told her it was ok. She needed a good laugh anyway after taking calls from frantic parents or baby-sitters.
So, long story short, Maddie is ok, but her breath smelled "lemony fresh" from the Softsoap. I'm sure that's not the last mystery object she'll put in her mouth. Honestly, how did all of us who were toddlers before the internet and poison control hotlines survive? I remember "eating" an entire necklace worth of seed beads, because I thought they were candy. Also, because it was my sister's necklace, I wanted to get even for taking my toy.
Kids really are innocent and blameless, they're just exploring their world. Maybe that's why Jesus loved being with them so much, and why we're told to come to Him like little children. If we're as trusting and innocent in thought as little kids are, we'll glean so much from our Saviour's teachings and love. I'm trying to not be so skeptical and just learn to bask in His love. Just like my girls run into my arms when they see me come into the room in the morning as they wake up, I want to be like that with my Heavenly Father. Letting Him wrap His arms around me and hold me like a dad holds his little girl.
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