1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is famous, and usually associated with weddings. But when God commands us to love others the way we want to be loved, that means everyone. Including co-workers. I know most of us don't really think of "loving" our co-workers. Usually we are lucky if we can tolerate some of our co-workers. Anytime you have a lot of people working closely together in a small area, there will be conflicts of ideas, personalities and agendas.
So I'm going to look at how Paul defined love as inspired by the Holy Spirit in this famous scripture and how we can use this to love our co-workers, and create a more peaceful and productive work environment.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
Let's break this down, description by description, in regards to co-workers (and you can apply it to bosses and people you manage as well):
Patient - Be patient with your co-worker who may have a different work style from you, and may not have a fast turnaround on projects. Everyone has a different learning style as well. Introverts may want to work more independently than extroverts.
Kind - Always talk to your co-workers with a kind tone, respectful and so they know you are not against them. A smile every morning, a "have a great day," "what a beautiful shirt," and a "how was your weekend?" can have a big affect on someone having a crappy day.
Do not envy - Allow all individuals in your work place to shine in their own individual ways. If one person is given public appreciation by bosses, be happy for them. Work should not be a competition, but a team effort where each person is used for their strengths, and no one is put on the spot because of their weaknesses.
Do not boast - Pride is a sin. Be humble. It's nice to be recognized, but do not go overboard in bringing attention to your successes over others.
Not proud - See above.
Not rude - i.e. BE KIND. Each person has a right to respect and dignity in the workplace. Remember your co-workers are someone's mother and father, someone's son and daughter. How would you want your parents or your children being treated in the workplace? Think and listen to your tone before you speak.
Not self-seeking - Again, work can only be successful if people work as a team. Help others out, and not for your own glory, but because you care about seeing others succeed.
Not easily angered - If things go wrong, someone forgets something, a big deal doesn't go through, remember it's not the end of the world. Tomorrow is another day, with new decisions and choices and chances. And in the end, this is just a temporary resting place. In eternity with God, these things won't even matter. So relax, go with the flow, learn good conflict management skills. Negativity breeds negativity and positivity breeds positivity. If you want to work in a positive environment watch your anger.
Keep no record of wrongs - Don't hold a grudge. It will seep into everything you do, keep your mind on the things that aren't important, and severely affect all the relationships you have at work. You will be known as the person that won't let things go. Why not be the person who forgives? The person who lives and learns. The person people go to when they have an issue, not the person people walk on eggshells around because they're afraid to upset you. If people are too afraid to talk to you, that can severely impact work relationships, cause gossip, and decrease efficiency.
Do not delight in evil - Do not manipulate others for your own pleasure or gain. As a worker, you are part of a team, a family, and should be a supportive member wanting only the best for everyone involved.
Rejoice with the truth - Do not lie to get ahead. Instead maintain your moral integrity in your workplace. The idea of tattle tales is not looked at positively, but if someone is hurting someone, harassing someone, or taking advantage of the company, you should be the one to bring it to the attention of an appropriate individual. And not for your own satisfaction and gain, but because you care about the integrity of the organization you work for and the morale of the people on your team.
Always protect - Come to the defense of others when needed. Is someone you know being harassed? Is your co-worker being jumped on because of THEIR success. Is someone telling racist or sexist jokes? Be a good friend, and let people know you will have their back. Defend those you care about and let people know that that sort of behavior is not professional (but in a tactful, respectful way). Diversity training is always a good start.
Always trust - Don't assume people are bad, out to destroy you, or out to get you fired. If everyone decides to trust first, then working as a team will come much more easily. All good teams must have trust before they can be successful. I know people say "trust must be earned." But if you truly love those you work with, you will trust first until someone gives you a reason not to.
Always hope - Even when things aren't going the way you expect, know God is in control and he has a plan that is right and good. We can't control everything but we have hope in Jesus Christ. God turns all things into good, even if you can't see where the good can come from when you're in the midst of the struggle.
Always persevere - Even if morale is low, your co-workers complain constantly, and are even manipulative, cynical or destructive, do not stop loving them. Walk in every morning with a smile on your face, bring in donuts or bagels, write little encouraging notes once in a while. Let them know YOU care about them, their job, and their position in the organization, and them as a friend. This will help make them more confident, and give them more motivation to succeed if they know their work affects others who care about the.
A little bit of love in the workplace can go a long way. Love is not just for spouses and children, it's for every single person you come into contact with on a daily basis. Jesus said the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. In some cases we spend more time with our co-workers than our family. In fact, some studies show that your relationship with your boss affects your level of overall happiness in life more than your relationship with your spouse. So let's start loving everyone we come into contact with, including our bosses, our co-workers, and those we manage. It's not hard when you have Jesus as your role model. How did he deal with his "co-workers" (i.e. apostles)? He SERVED them. He showed humility by washing his discples feet. He encouraged them even when they had no faith. He even allowed them to deny him but did not hold it against them. In fact, Peter, who denied Jesus three times, went on to be one of the most influential apostles in church history.
Next time you go to work, remember you are serving those you work with. God put you in that place of work, in that position, not to be the #1 sales person or the smartest engineer, he put you there so you could have a positive impact on the people you come into contact with every day. Use the opportunities he provides you to do his will here on earth. It's a challenge every day, believe me I know, but remember with God, all things are possible.
God bless.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Church
Today Richard and I skipped out on church. I feel a little bit guilty, not because not attending church is a sin, but because of what I'm missing out on by not being there.
Growing up as a lax catholic (raised to go to church on hoidays and go to religion class, but never told what we're actually supposed to believe and why), church always seemed to be a chore to me.
At 12 years old I sat in the pew, stared at the lights, and made bargains with God ("if you let "Mike" like me, I will promise I won't be mean to my sister"), while not really listening to the priest or understanding why I was there. I especially did not know why church even really existed.
I went 7 years where I didn't believe in God at all and only attended church for family weddings.
I gave my life to Christ at 22, just after getting married. I knew I wanted to find the right church, the perfect church (little did I know that idea didn't exist). To me church was still a building where you went on Sundays to sing a few songs, and listen to a pastor for an hour and that was it. I was ignorant to what the true definition of "The Church" was according to the Bible.
Before I explore God's design for His Church, I'll explain my experience with attending church up until today and then look at how I see church now (and why I feel guilty, even though I shouldn't).
When I became a Christian, I realized that salvation came through faith in Jesus alone, so I figured I should probably attend a Protestant church to learn more about God. I did some research on denominations and was a little hung up on things like Contemporary Worship (use of guitars, drums, keyboards) and somewhat liberal theology. I had stereotypes about certain denominations and at first only tried out "mainline" denominations. I tried Prebyterian, United Methodist, United Church of Christ, and Free Methodist. I stayed away from Lutheran and Episcopal because I thought the would just be "Catholic-Lite" and stayed away from Baptists because I thought it would be a bunch of right-wing conservatives, and stayed away from pentecostal churches because I thought speaking in tongues was nuts.
My first impressions of the Presbyterian, United Methodist and United Church of Christ were that they were still too traditional for my own tastes in terms of worship, and the majority of the congregation were older than 70, which made me feel like it would be a hard place to raise a child within the church if their were no kids their age (little did I know that 8 years later that argument would be moot due to our "issues".)
So we started attending a Free Methodist Church, with a contemporary worship style, a conversational/down-to-earth pastor (no suits, just polos and khakis) who focused on applying the truths of the bible to every day life, and a multi-generation congregation. The best part of the church was how the pastor made a point to say "for those of us who are Christian," recognizing that he may have seekers in his audience who didn't know much about God yet and still had unanswered questions. The pastor always made newcomers feel welcome. My first time there 6 people greeted me.
We eventually left that church because I felt a need for more in depth bible study and closer spiritual relationships. But looking back, I was not spiritually mature enough to know how much commitment I should have been putting in to get something out of the church.
We attended three more churches over the course of 4 years, including an "emergent" type church, another Free Methodist church, and a more charismatic non-denominational church. Through those years I learned what it was like to go to a church where you had friends, where people prayed together, where people felt safe to question God and admit doubts, where church was a real family, where worship was heartfelt, pure and overwhelmed by the presence of the Holy Spirit. I believe I grew spiritually and am grateful for all I've learned and the people who have come and gone through my life through attending different churches.
At the same time, some of these churches displayed lack of organization, sermons that did not focus on the Word but more on people's life stories, sermons that focused too much on the Old Testament and less on the saving grace of Jesus, isolationism, and false prophecy in one way or another. They all worshipped slightly differently, taught slightly different messages, and had a different type of family feel to them. I could write whole books on my experiences at each.
We left our last church after being there for a year and a half, and getting baptized there. It was truly was the first time we felt part of a church family, so leaving was difficult and it was very hard to find a new church. Some people never find that "church family" they are looking for. I don't want to go too in depth, but we had strong theological differences with our "church family" and both Rich and I felt called by God to leave and seek out a new church.
I still wrestle with our decision to leave, because the truth is you will never attend a church where you agree with everything that everyone else believes, or everything that is preached. However, at the same time, Christians are called to discern what is truth in the eyes of the Lord. Rich and I agreed as a family God was calling us leave.
We searched for a year, and I even went to a few Baptist churches and was impressed with the style of preaching. But one day I decided to go back to Liverpool Community Church, the church I attended when I was a new christian, after we had first gotten married. I don't know what led me there that day. But I was glad I went. It reminded me that every time I went I felt like I was where God wanted me to be at that moment. At LCC, I always heard what God wanted me to hear that day. He always knows what on our minds, and works his way into our hearts through His word and His message.
I realized no church is perfect, but there are certain things that I know I need from a church: a loving pastor and lay leadership, welcoming to both christians and non-christians (not living in a church bubble), bible-based teaching, good mix of internal and external outreach. Basically, the great commission and the great commandment working together.
So what is Church? Finally, the point of my blog. Let's look at what God says about His Church:
1 Corinithians 12:27-31 reads "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way."
Yes, the church is a building that brings together people with the same basic belief system to learn about and worship God together. But it's first and foremost the BODY OF CHRIST. It is the Bride of Jesus. Just as Adam and Eve became one flesh, Christians are the Body of Christ, His Bride. Together, Christians, followers of Christ, come together to worship and praise Jesus, to grow in their relationship with Jesus, and with one another, and become one body.
Romans 12:4-8 reads: "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
As a church body we are connected to each other, we belong to each other, and we are responsible for each other. We must support each other and the gifts we bring to the body, and be accountable to each other as we are accountable to God. An hour long service once a week will not suffice to accomplish this task. Churches should look like a family. Just like a family, we all have our roles, our gifts, and it takes effort and work to make the family run smoothly, yet there will always be issues that need to be addressed.
Some Non-Christians (and even Christians) are weirded out by people spending so much time at church outside of Sunday, but if you want to have a healthy church, it includes being relational with those in your church. Encouraging each other when you're down, being generous and helpful when others are in need, celebrating together after milestones and successes, and mourning together after tragedies.
Church is not just a building, but a body of believers, brought together by God for fellowship, for praise and worship, and love.
Colossians 3:12-17 reads: "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
There are healthy churches and non-healthy churches. If you have been turned off by church in the past remember a few things:
1. No church is perfect. They are all led by imperfect people, however, you should be able to trust your pastor and that s/he is being led by the Holy Spirit to provide a message from God's Word. In fact, we left every church we've ever attended due to differences with either the style of the pastor's preaching or the actual sermons themselves. LCC is more life-application, but I can supplement that by joining a more in-depth Bible Study.
2. Church has to be about fellowship, so get to know other attenders by joining a bible study, attending pot luck dinners, or joining a ministry. Until you truly know the people who attend the church, you will not know the heart of the church.
3. Don't let things like the style of music (contemporary vs. traditional), or how people dress (casual vs. dressy) turn you off immediately. Give the church a chance. Listen to the message and meet some of the people. If they have love in their heart for the Lord and for each other and for people outside the church, you are on the right track. Music and dress is usually just dressing, it's not meat and bones.
4. Since a church is a family, there will always be some dysfunction, but it's the perfect opportunity for us to show how God changed our lives, by letting Him guide us through conflict-resolution and other issues that may arise anytime a large group of people get together and may have differences of opinion.
5. Consider becoming a member once you decide the church is right for you and your family. By becoming a member you are establishing a bond with the people that attend the church. You are committing yourself not only to Christ but to His Body. You will be provided with numerous opportunities to serve as Jesus calls us to serve, and love others the way God loves us.
I'll just finish by saying I'm thankful for God leading me back to Liverpool Community Church. Although I'm not a member yet and still getting to know people, I can see how this one church building with its members is just a small part of Christ's Church, the Body of Christ. So yeah, I felt guilty for not going today because I missed another opportunity to grow in fellowship with other believers and get to know my church body more. I missed another opportunity to hear what God wanted me to hear, and learn something about how to be a follower of Christ. It's so easy to become complacent. But I know God forgives me. I'm so thankful for His mercies!
There are many denominations that make up the Body of Christ. My hope is that one day they can put aside their differences completely and just work towards establishing the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth. That's right! We don't have to wait until Jesus returns. If you're interested in what I mean, check out the book by Rick McKinley "This Beautiful Mess." He talks about how Jesus called his Body to start establishing the Kingdom of God here on earth. Everything that Jesus calls us to do as His children is part of that (Sermon on the Mount, etc.).
There's a lot more that I want to say but I should probably spend time with my husband now.
Good night and God Bless,
Love,
Debi
Growing up as a lax catholic (raised to go to church on hoidays and go to religion class, but never told what we're actually supposed to believe and why), church always seemed to be a chore to me.
At 12 years old I sat in the pew, stared at the lights, and made bargains with God ("if you let "Mike" like me, I will promise I won't be mean to my sister"), while not really listening to the priest or understanding why I was there. I especially did not know why church even really existed.
I went 7 years where I didn't believe in God at all and only attended church for family weddings.
I gave my life to Christ at 22, just after getting married. I knew I wanted to find the right church, the perfect church (little did I know that idea didn't exist). To me church was still a building where you went on Sundays to sing a few songs, and listen to a pastor for an hour and that was it. I was ignorant to what the true definition of "The Church" was according to the Bible.
Before I explore God's design for His Church, I'll explain my experience with attending church up until today and then look at how I see church now (and why I feel guilty, even though I shouldn't).
When I became a Christian, I realized that salvation came through faith in Jesus alone, so I figured I should probably attend a Protestant church to learn more about God. I did some research on denominations and was a little hung up on things like Contemporary Worship (use of guitars, drums, keyboards) and somewhat liberal theology. I had stereotypes about certain denominations and at first only tried out "mainline" denominations. I tried Prebyterian, United Methodist, United Church of Christ, and Free Methodist. I stayed away from Lutheran and Episcopal because I thought the would just be "Catholic-Lite" and stayed away from Baptists because I thought it would be a bunch of right-wing conservatives, and stayed away from pentecostal churches because I thought speaking in tongues was nuts.
My first impressions of the Presbyterian, United Methodist and United Church of Christ were that they were still too traditional for my own tastes in terms of worship, and the majority of the congregation were older than 70, which made me feel like it would be a hard place to raise a child within the church if their were no kids their age (little did I know that 8 years later that argument would be moot due to our "issues".)
So we started attending a Free Methodist Church, with a contemporary worship style, a conversational/down-to-earth pastor (no suits, just polos and khakis) who focused on applying the truths of the bible to every day life, and a multi-generation congregation. The best part of the church was how the pastor made a point to say "for those of us who are Christian," recognizing that he may have seekers in his audience who didn't know much about God yet and still had unanswered questions. The pastor always made newcomers feel welcome. My first time there 6 people greeted me.
We eventually left that church because I felt a need for more in depth bible study and closer spiritual relationships. But looking back, I was not spiritually mature enough to know how much commitment I should have been putting in to get something out of the church.
We attended three more churches over the course of 4 years, including an "emergent" type church, another Free Methodist church, and a more charismatic non-denominational church. Through those years I learned what it was like to go to a church where you had friends, where people prayed together, where people felt safe to question God and admit doubts, where church was a real family, where worship was heartfelt, pure and overwhelmed by the presence of the Holy Spirit. I believe I grew spiritually and am grateful for all I've learned and the people who have come and gone through my life through attending different churches.
At the same time, some of these churches displayed lack of organization, sermons that did not focus on the Word but more on people's life stories, sermons that focused too much on the Old Testament and less on the saving grace of Jesus, isolationism, and false prophecy in one way or another. They all worshipped slightly differently, taught slightly different messages, and had a different type of family feel to them. I could write whole books on my experiences at each.
We left our last church after being there for a year and a half, and getting baptized there. It was truly was the first time we felt part of a church family, so leaving was difficult and it was very hard to find a new church. Some people never find that "church family" they are looking for. I don't want to go too in depth, but we had strong theological differences with our "church family" and both Rich and I felt called by God to leave and seek out a new church.
I still wrestle with our decision to leave, because the truth is you will never attend a church where you agree with everything that everyone else believes, or everything that is preached. However, at the same time, Christians are called to discern what is truth in the eyes of the Lord. Rich and I agreed as a family God was calling us leave.
We searched for a year, and I even went to a few Baptist churches and was impressed with the style of preaching. But one day I decided to go back to Liverpool Community Church, the church I attended when I was a new christian, after we had first gotten married. I don't know what led me there that day. But I was glad I went. It reminded me that every time I went I felt like I was where God wanted me to be at that moment. At LCC, I always heard what God wanted me to hear that day. He always knows what on our minds, and works his way into our hearts through His word and His message.
I realized no church is perfect, but there are certain things that I know I need from a church: a loving pastor and lay leadership, welcoming to both christians and non-christians (not living in a church bubble), bible-based teaching, good mix of internal and external outreach. Basically, the great commission and the great commandment working together.
So what is Church? Finally, the point of my blog. Let's look at what God says about His Church:
1 Corinithians 12:27-31 reads "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way."
Yes, the church is a building that brings together people with the same basic belief system to learn about and worship God together. But it's first and foremost the BODY OF CHRIST. It is the Bride of Jesus. Just as Adam and Eve became one flesh, Christians are the Body of Christ, His Bride. Together, Christians, followers of Christ, come together to worship and praise Jesus, to grow in their relationship with Jesus, and with one another, and become one body.
Romans 12:4-8 reads: "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
As a church body we are connected to each other, we belong to each other, and we are responsible for each other. We must support each other and the gifts we bring to the body, and be accountable to each other as we are accountable to God. An hour long service once a week will not suffice to accomplish this task. Churches should look like a family. Just like a family, we all have our roles, our gifts, and it takes effort and work to make the family run smoothly, yet there will always be issues that need to be addressed.
Some Non-Christians (and even Christians) are weirded out by people spending so much time at church outside of Sunday, but if you want to have a healthy church, it includes being relational with those in your church. Encouraging each other when you're down, being generous and helpful when others are in need, celebrating together after milestones and successes, and mourning together after tragedies.
Church is not just a building, but a body of believers, brought together by God for fellowship, for praise and worship, and love.
Colossians 3:12-17 reads: "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
There are healthy churches and non-healthy churches. If you have been turned off by church in the past remember a few things:
1. No church is perfect. They are all led by imperfect people, however, you should be able to trust your pastor and that s/he is being led by the Holy Spirit to provide a message from God's Word. In fact, we left every church we've ever attended due to differences with either the style of the pastor's preaching or the actual sermons themselves. LCC is more life-application, but I can supplement that by joining a more in-depth Bible Study.
2. Church has to be about fellowship, so get to know other attenders by joining a bible study, attending pot luck dinners, or joining a ministry. Until you truly know the people who attend the church, you will not know the heart of the church.
3. Don't let things like the style of music (contemporary vs. traditional), or how people dress (casual vs. dressy) turn you off immediately. Give the church a chance. Listen to the message and meet some of the people. If they have love in their heart for the Lord and for each other and for people outside the church, you are on the right track. Music and dress is usually just dressing, it's not meat and bones.
4. Since a church is a family, there will always be some dysfunction, but it's the perfect opportunity for us to show how God changed our lives, by letting Him guide us through conflict-resolution and other issues that may arise anytime a large group of people get together and may have differences of opinion.
5. Consider becoming a member once you decide the church is right for you and your family. By becoming a member you are establishing a bond with the people that attend the church. You are committing yourself not only to Christ but to His Body. You will be provided with numerous opportunities to serve as Jesus calls us to serve, and love others the way God loves us.
I'll just finish by saying I'm thankful for God leading me back to Liverpool Community Church. Although I'm not a member yet and still getting to know people, I can see how this one church building with its members is just a small part of Christ's Church, the Body of Christ. So yeah, I felt guilty for not going today because I missed another opportunity to grow in fellowship with other believers and get to know my church body more. I missed another opportunity to hear what God wanted me to hear, and learn something about how to be a follower of Christ. It's so easy to become complacent. But I know God forgives me. I'm so thankful for His mercies!
There are many denominations that make up the Body of Christ. My hope is that one day they can put aside their differences completely and just work towards establishing the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth. That's right! We don't have to wait until Jesus returns. If you're interested in what I mean, check out the book by Rick McKinley "This Beautiful Mess." He talks about how Jesus called his Body to start establishing the Kingdom of God here on earth. Everything that Jesus calls us to do as His children is part of that (Sermon on the Mount, etc.).
There's a lot more that I want to say but I should probably spend time with my husband now.
Good night and God Bless,
Love,
Debi
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Fruits of the Spirit
Sorry it's been a few days. I promised you some kind of commentary on the Fruits of the Spirit, so here goes. It may be a little half-done because I've been dealing with stupid fatigue for a few days, but it doesn't hurt to try:
Galatians 5:19-26 (New Century Version) reads:
"The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: being sexually unfaithful, not being pure, taking part in sexual sins, worshiping gods, doing witchcraft, hating, making trouble, being jealous, being angry, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people, feeling envy, being drunk, having wild and wasteful parties, and doing other things like these. I warn you now as I warned you before: Those who do these things will not inherit God's kingdom.
But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. There is no law that says these things are wrong. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their own sinful selves. They have given up their old selfish feelings and the evil things they wanted to do. We get our new life from the Spirit, so we should follow the Spirit. We must not be proud or make trouble with each other or be jealous of each other."
I've engaged in most of the sins listed above at some point or another. Since I've become a Christian, I've engaged in much less, and God continues to move in me to display the fruits of the spirit. I'm not perfect, no Christian is perfect. But once you surrender yourself to God, you are reborn in the holy spirit. John 3:5 "Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit."
Works alone cannot save you, as Paul relates in Ephesians 2:8-10: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
However, once you have been saved through faith, and reborn of the Holy Spirit, your faith is manifested through your works, which are the fruits of the spirit. Paul explains in Romans 6:15-22 that before we were saved we were slaves to sin, but once we are saved we are slaves to righteousness. Our faith in Jesus Christ demands our complete surrender to him, and that will manifest itself through our works, through our actions. Once your heart changes, so does your actions. But anyone can ACT righteous without having a pure heart.
I try to love others with a pure heart because that's what Jesus calls me to do. And even when it's difficult, because I am a sinner, I call out to Him for strength, for I know I've been redeemed by His blood, and do not need to give in to the sin. How many people love others so they will get something back in return? By being reborn in the spirit, you now live your life for Jesus, call to Him for strength when you are weak, and praise him for his blessings continuously.
Remember our Pat Robertson discussion a few days back... well he said something stupid, very stupid. And although from the outside that may appear his heart has not changed through his faith in Jesus, I want to respond a few ways:
1. We cannot truly know what's inside a man's heart and if he's truly saved. Only God knows what's in someone's heart.
2. Christians will continue to make mistakes after becoming a Christian. We will never be perfect like our Father in Heaven.
3. We don't always bear all the fruits of the spirit. (Self-control is REALLY hard for me and I fail at it often, but I think I'm pretty faithful).
People should not judge all Christians based on Pat Robertson's untimely and insensitive remarks, just as they should not judge all Christians based on my bad hormonal days when I'm screaming at Rich and calling him names (neither Pat nor I are being very gentle!).
All humans are incapable of being perfect, so my hope is that we all stop judging each other for something we are all guilty for, and start loving each other, caring for each other, and forgiving each other when we fall. God knows I need it!
Galatians 5:19-26 (New Century Version) reads:
"The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: being sexually unfaithful, not being pure, taking part in sexual sins, worshiping gods, doing witchcraft, hating, making trouble, being jealous, being angry, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people, feeling envy, being drunk, having wild and wasteful parties, and doing other things like these. I warn you now as I warned you before: Those who do these things will not inherit God's kingdom.
But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. There is no law that says these things are wrong. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their own sinful selves. They have given up their old selfish feelings and the evil things they wanted to do. We get our new life from the Spirit, so we should follow the Spirit. We must not be proud or make trouble with each other or be jealous of each other."
I've engaged in most of the sins listed above at some point or another. Since I've become a Christian, I've engaged in much less, and God continues to move in me to display the fruits of the spirit. I'm not perfect, no Christian is perfect. But once you surrender yourself to God, you are reborn in the holy spirit. John 3:5 "Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit."
Works alone cannot save you, as Paul relates in Ephesians 2:8-10: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
However, once you have been saved through faith, and reborn of the Holy Spirit, your faith is manifested through your works, which are the fruits of the spirit. Paul explains in Romans 6:15-22 that before we were saved we were slaves to sin, but once we are saved we are slaves to righteousness. Our faith in Jesus Christ demands our complete surrender to him, and that will manifest itself through our works, through our actions. Once your heart changes, so does your actions. But anyone can ACT righteous without having a pure heart.
I try to love others with a pure heart because that's what Jesus calls me to do. And even when it's difficult, because I am a sinner, I call out to Him for strength, for I know I've been redeemed by His blood, and do not need to give in to the sin. How many people love others so they will get something back in return? By being reborn in the spirit, you now live your life for Jesus, call to Him for strength when you are weak, and praise him for his blessings continuously.
Remember our Pat Robertson discussion a few days back... well he said something stupid, very stupid. And although from the outside that may appear his heart has not changed through his faith in Jesus, I want to respond a few ways:
1. We cannot truly know what's inside a man's heart and if he's truly saved. Only God knows what's in someone's heart.
2. Christians will continue to make mistakes after becoming a Christian. We will never be perfect like our Father in Heaven.
3. We don't always bear all the fruits of the spirit. (Self-control is REALLY hard for me and I fail at it often, but I think I'm pretty faithful).
People should not judge all Christians based on Pat Robertson's untimely and insensitive remarks, just as they should not judge all Christians based on my bad hormonal days when I'm screaming at Rich and calling him names (neither Pat nor I are being very gentle!).
All humans are incapable of being perfect, so my hope is that we all stop judging each other for something we are all guilty for, and start loving each other, caring for each other, and forgiving each other when we fall. God knows I need it!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
I digress
Things that make today a good Saturday:
yummy tuna
awesome indie/folk/country music by the Avett Brothers
40 degree weather in January (especially when it causes almost two feet of snow to melt away) hanging out with my husband without fighting
napping with two puppy dogs nestled next to me
watching funny Daily Show episodes
And...
We're seeing Avatar in 3D this afternoon.
yummy tuna
awesome indie/folk/country music by the Avett Brothers
40 degree weather in January (especially when it causes almost two feet of snow to melt away) hanging out with my husband without fighting
napping with two puppy dogs nestled next to me
watching funny Daily Show episodes
And...
We're seeing Avatar in 3D this afternoon.
Friday, January 15, 2010
That being said...
Now that I've covered forgiveness for our sins, you still have to repent and have faith in Jesus. Once you are born again in the Holy Spirit, you will be a new life in Jesus. Next blog I will look at scripture that addresses the types of changes that take place in a person's soul when they accept Jesus as their Lord and savior (i.e. the fruits of the spirit). And then I will look at what Jesus expects of us, as part of his church, according to scripture (some of which Pat Robertson seemed to forget from Sunday School).
Just because God forgives you, and he commands us to forgive others doesn't mean we should continue sinning against each other and against God. If you love God, you will want to live for God, by showing the love of Christ to others.
Just because God forgives you, and he commands us to forgive others doesn't mean we should continue sinning against each other and against God. If you love God, you will want to live for God, by showing the love of Christ to others.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
We are all Pat Robertson
As a Christian I feel a need to defend my faith when people like Pat Robertson say stupid things. But on the other hand, I feel Jesus compelling me to tell both Christians and non-Christians that we shouldn't be so judgmental re: Pat Robertson, because we are all like him, the only difference is we are judging people on different issues that we have decided to become self-righteous about.
We are ALL like Pat Robertson, judgmental, discriminatory, with hate in our hearts for one another (us for Pat Robertson for being a complete douche bag, and him for those who don't live up to his version of righteousness). We are always judging one another, believing we are the better ones, when in reality only God can truly judge us.
"For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us." Isaiah 33:22
Believe it or not, I had a small tinge of happiness in my soul when I heard Rush Limbaugh may have had a heart attack (how horrible is that!). I have cursed out my husband. Wished harm on people I hardly know (bad drivers "just wait until you crash because you were following too closely, you deserved it!").
In reality, no one is 100% good. Evil lurkes inside all of us. Rich and I always discuss the fact that all humans are capable of murder. This fact is what has kept us separated from God for all of eternity.
I believe Jesus died so we all (that's every single imperfect human who ever walked the face of the earth) could have a chance of being in a relationship with God. No one can make it on their own merits, not Pat Robertson, not me, not even Mother Theresa. We've all judged others, lied, stealed, called people names, been greedy, or disobeyed God in some manner. It's impossible to be holy enough to enter heaven without a mediator, Jesus Christ, who paid the price for our sins. He took on our punishment, so we wouldn't have to.
Isaiah 53:4-6
"Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all."
The good thing is once you're in Heaven there is no hate, there is only love. There is no judgment from other humans, only peace with God. We will forget we ever had animosity towards one another. All we will know is God. God is love, he is the way, the truth and the life. To be in his presence in heaven will be in the presence of complete holiness and goodness.
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" Revelation 21:4
I believe that to be the truth, whether or not Pat Robertson says stupid things. I say stupid things all the time that I'm sure God and other Christians may not agree with. I guess in the end the real question is what is his relationship with God like, what is in his heart. Only he and God can answer that one... It's so easy to say someone isn't a "real christian." But like I said before, am I a "real christian" when I'm cursing out my husband and not forgiving him for stupid stuff like leaving his jacket in the recyling bin (Don't ask!)?
I know I will continue to judge Pat Robertson and his big mouth, but I will try to bite my tongue, remembering I too am a sinner, with a knack of saying the wrong thing, and fall short of the glory of God. How many times have I said something to make myself feel better about myself, or something to make others feel negatively about someone else...
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29
I will pray to God to to forgive me when I say stupid things. And I will pray to God to help me forgive Pat Robertson and other Christians I believe are tarnishing the Kingdom of God. If we can't forgive others, how can we expect God to forgive us. I know I need forgiveness.
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:21-35)
"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
There's so much more I can say about this - but they'll be plenty of other opportunities to blog (about having a pure heart, the fruits of the spirit, loving the least among these, etc.)
Good night and God bless everyone, especially those in Haiti right now. Take shelter in God's loving arms. He is ready and willing to take on your burdens.
"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." - Isaiah 68:19
We are ALL like Pat Robertson, judgmental, discriminatory, with hate in our hearts for one another (us for Pat Robertson for being a complete douche bag, and him for those who don't live up to his version of righteousness). We are always judging one another, believing we are the better ones, when in reality only God can truly judge us.
"For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us." Isaiah 33:22
Believe it or not, I had a small tinge of happiness in my soul when I heard Rush Limbaugh may have had a heart attack (how horrible is that!). I have cursed out my husband. Wished harm on people I hardly know (bad drivers "just wait until you crash because you were following too closely, you deserved it!").
In reality, no one is 100% good. Evil lurkes inside all of us. Rich and I always discuss the fact that all humans are capable of murder. This fact is what has kept us separated from God for all of eternity.
I believe Jesus died so we all (that's every single imperfect human who ever walked the face of the earth) could have a chance of being in a relationship with God. No one can make it on their own merits, not Pat Robertson, not me, not even Mother Theresa. We've all judged others, lied, stealed, called people names, been greedy, or disobeyed God in some manner. It's impossible to be holy enough to enter heaven without a mediator, Jesus Christ, who paid the price for our sins. He took on our punishment, so we wouldn't have to.
Isaiah 53:4-6
"Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all."
The good thing is once you're in Heaven there is no hate, there is only love. There is no judgment from other humans, only peace with God. We will forget we ever had animosity towards one another. All we will know is God. God is love, he is the way, the truth and the life. To be in his presence in heaven will be in the presence of complete holiness and goodness.
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" Revelation 21:4
I believe that to be the truth, whether or not Pat Robertson says stupid things. I say stupid things all the time that I'm sure God and other Christians may not agree with. I guess in the end the real question is what is his relationship with God like, what is in his heart. Only he and God can answer that one... It's so easy to say someone isn't a "real christian." But like I said before, am I a "real christian" when I'm cursing out my husband and not forgiving him for stupid stuff like leaving his jacket in the recyling bin (Don't ask!)?
I know I will continue to judge Pat Robertson and his big mouth, but I will try to bite my tongue, remembering I too am a sinner, with a knack of saying the wrong thing, and fall short of the glory of God. How many times have I said something to make myself feel better about myself, or something to make others feel negatively about someone else...
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29
I will pray to God to to forgive me when I say stupid things. And I will pray to God to help me forgive Pat Robertson and other Christians I believe are tarnishing the Kingdom of God. If we can't forgive others, how can we expect God to forgive us. I know I need forgiveness.
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:21-35)
"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
There's so much more I can say about this - but they'll be plenty of other opportunities to blog (about having a pure heart, the fruits of the spirit, loving the least among these, etc.)
Good night and God bless everyone, especially those in Haiti right now. Take shelter in God's loving arms. He is ready and willing to take on your burdens.
"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." - Isaiah 68:19
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Dichotomy
I was driving home from work today and realized that it's actually light out at 5pm. That brought joy to my heart, thinking each day from now until June 21st will be a little bit lighter later than the one before. As I admired the beautiful pink/blue sky horizon, I realized that you cannot realize the importance of something until you understand its opposite. Imagine if it was always dark out (half the year in parts of Alaska), then when you would see the sun it would be a joyous occasion, because of what you knew you had been missing. And the same thing if it was always sunny out. Once you had a glimpse of darkness, you would be happy with the change.
I realize how much I love the summer heat after four months of below freezing weather and snow in Central New York, even though in the middle of the hot summer, I'd rather it be snowing.
Farmers realize the need for rain after a long drought, and the need for sun, after lots of rain flooding their crops.
Although, God our creator made the world and saw that it was "good," he also allowed for free will. Within his created world, angels (like the devil who fell from grace) and humans had the freedom to be disobedient and "bad." God wanted us to choose Him. He didn't want to force Himself on us.
How would we know what God's goodness was all about unless we first knew what it wasn't. God's first interaction with humans provide us with that chance.
"And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Genesis 2:16-17
He told us what to do and what not to do. It wasn't until Adam and Eve made the wrong choice that they realized what the right choice truly was.
God gave the 10 Commandments to the people of Israel to help them realize that doing certain things are AGAINST the laws of God. In order to help people understand His laws, He told them when not to do. "Thou shall not..."
But just because you have two options doesn't mean each one has to be experienced.
I don't know if I have any real points with this. I think in the end it's just important to remember that when you're really annoyed with something think of the reasons why it exists in the first place.
Rain nourishes plants to grow, as does a hot sun. And although some things are "wrong" or "evil", they help us realize what is truly important. Think of all the horrible moments (9-11, earthquakes, hurricanes) that force us to look at our lives and what's truly important.
Let me digress a little further, for each thing that takes our thoughts off God, imagine if we were forced to only think of God 24/7. Instead God gives us the freedom to put Him first. He puts the desire for Him in our heart so we'll want him and strive to be closer to Him. Everything we find beauty in, everything we feel we're lacking, and everything we feel we need to be complete, is an internal desire to be closer to God and reconcile that relationship in our soul.
Thank you God for the rain, for the sun, for our freedom, and for the desire to be close to you in our hearts.
I realize how much I love the summer heat after four months of below freezing weather and snow in Central New York, even though in the middle of the hot summer, I'd rather it be snowing.
Farmers realize the need for rain after a long drought, and the need for sun, after lots of rain flooding their crops.
Although, God our creator made the world and saw that it was "good," he also allowed for free will. Within his created world, angels (like the devil who fell from grace) and humans had the freedom to be disobedient and "bad." God wanted us to choose Him. He didn't want to force Himself on us.
How would we know what God's goodness was all about unless we first knew what it wasn't. God's first interaction with humans provide us with that chance.
"And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Genesis 2:16-17
He told us what to do and what not to do. It wasn't until Adam and Eve made the wrong choice that they realized what the right choice truly was.
God gave the 10 Commandments to the people of Israel to help them realize that doing certain things are AGAINST the laws of God. In order to help people understand His laws, He told them when not to do. "Thou shall not..."
But just because you have two options doesn't mean each one has to be experienced.
I don't know if I have any real points with this. I think in the end it's just important to remember that when you're really annoyed with something think of the reasons why it exists in the first place.
Rain nourishes plants to grow, as does a hot sun. And although some things are "wrong" or "evil", they help us realize what is truly important. Think of all the horrible moments (9-11, earthquakes, hurricanes) that force us to look at our lives and what's truly important.
Let me digress a little further, for each thing that takes our thoughts off God, imagine if we were forced to only think of God 24/7. Instead God gives us the freedom to put Him first. He puts the desire for Him in our heart so we'll want him and strive to be closer to Him. Everything we find beauty in, everything we feel we're lacking, and everything we feel we need to be complete, is an internal desire to be closer to God and reconcile that relationship in our soul.
Thank you God for the rain, for the sun, for our freedom, and for the desire to be close to you in our hearts.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Headaches
I have a headache today and don't really feel like writing anything. All I feel compelled to say is that I felt for a moment today like the devil was trying to take control of me. Feelings of anger towards strangers in cars, feelings of being discontent with my life the way it currently is, feelings of wanting to do nothing because of a stupid headache (I skipped bible study tonight). It all came on very suddenly and I knew immediately, this feeling isn't right.
I still have my headache but I'm trying to remind myself that I shouldn't listen to the "voice inside my head" if that voice is leading me away from God.
Discernment is a gift that some people have more than others. I try my best but I realize the more I dig into God's word, the more the devil tries to lead me astray. He's sneaky that one...
In my bible study at church we are reading alot of scriptures from Psalms that are very inspiring. I think I will dive into that to bring me closer to God, and maybe I will try to memorize some and utilize them if I have another evening like this.
My goal is to put God first. He has blessed me so much, it's the least I can do.
I still have my headache but I'm trying to remind myself that I shouldn't listen to the "voice inside my head" if that voice is leading me away from God.
Discernment is a gift that some people have more than others. I try my best but I realize the more I dig into God's word, the more the devil tries to lead me astray. He's sneaky that one...
In my bible study at church we are reading alot of scriptures from Psalms that are very inspiring. I think I will dive into that to bring me closer to God, and maybe I will try to memorize some and utilize them if I have another evening like this.
My goal is to put God first. He has blessed me so much, it's the least I can do.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Music and Regrets
About 10 years ago my brother bought me a guitar for Christmas. He promised to teach me how to play. He taught me a few chords one evening but we never had another lesson again. A few years passed and then my husband taught me a few chords (probably the same ones). I practiced for a few days and was able to play the first few notes to "Not for You" by Pearl Jam. I was so proud of myself! That was probably 5 years ago.
Here am, tonight, watching the documentary "It Might Get Loud," and thinking about my dusty guitar sitting in the closet, lonely and unplayed. Whatever happened to my ambitions? Not to become some amazing, famous guitarist (because God and I both know that would never happen!) but to just learn the basics of this beautiful instrument that has brought so much joy to my life since I was 15 years old.
I came to realize that you truly have to have a passion and amazing motivation to learn something new at 25 years old. It's not as if I was 15 years old and spent an entire summer playing guitar. When I was 15 years old I spent my time listening to alternative rock, reading music magazines and biographies, and watching 120 minutes on MTV. My life was music, like the kid down the street who played guitar, but I was learning the lyrics, the music from the song as a whole, the feeling I got from the albums, and learning about the history of these bands. My passion was for the experience of listening to and feeling the music. My passion was for the story behind the music. I never had or knew the passion for playing.
But that's ok! God provides us all with different passions and different talents. I have a talent for becoming obsessed over things that bring me joy (like Pearl Jam). I have a talent for finding information and sharing that information with others (even if it's about things I care about and they don't, like Pearl Jam!). I believe I have a talent for writing, but about 8 years ago I went from writing poetry and fiction to just writing editorial emails to my family (and now editorial blogs for myself and the two people who read this). That still is writing though, right? I'm thinking about joining a creative writers meetup on Wednesday nights when Rich starts school in two weeks. I feel if I get back involved with the creative writing process and be forced to write because I know every week people will be expecting something from me, maybe I can conjur up something of some value.
I may have changed though. Poetry and fiction may not be where my interest or motivation lies anymore, and that's ok. But sometimes I wonder, what if I had kept writing after I got married. What if I had a whole book full of poems that wasn't about the depressing and anxiety filled moments of my teen years and college years? What would my poetry look like if I had written it when I was actually pretty content with my life? Don't get me wrong, I'm still learning about myself and life, and where God wants me to be, but the last 8 years were so much happier than the previous 8. I know my creativity would have been pushed in a whole different direction...
We can't hold on to what if's. In fact, "what if's" really don't exist. They can't exist! You can't change the past, plain and simple. I am who I am right now based on my past experiences and nothing can change that. All I can do is continue forward each day of my life and try to make the decisions that I feel God wants me to make and that I feel will best help me in my life.
...So I will continue to listen to beautiful music, whether it's alternative, hard, indie, folk, classic rock, whatever! ...And I will continue to be jealous of those individuals who can create those amazing sounds (Mike McCready on Yellow Ledbetter, every time you make me want to cry!) ...And I will continue to write what my fingers want to write, even if it's just a blog devoted to random things that no one really cares about except me.
Good night.
ps - Check out "It Might Get Loud" with Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White, it's fascinating!
Here am, tonight, watching the documentary "It Might Get Loud," and thinking about my dusty guitar sitting in the closet, lonely and unplayed. Whatever happened to my ambitions? Not to become some amazing, famous guitarist (because God and I both know that would never happen!) but to just learn the basics of this beautiful instrument that has brought so much joy to my life since I was 15 years old.
I came to realize that you truly have to have a passion and amazing motivation to learn something new at 25 years old. It's not as if I was 15 years old and spent an entire summer playing guitar. When I was 15 years old I spent my time listening to alternative rock, reading music magazines and biographies, and watching 120 minutes on MTV. My life was music, like the kid down the street who played guitar, but I was learning the lyrics, the music from the song as a whole, the feeling I got from the albums, and learning about the history of these bands. My passion was for the experience of listening to and feeling the music. My passion was for the story behind the music. I never had or knew the passion for playing.
But that's ok! God provides us all with different passions and different talents. I have a talent for becoming obsessed over things that bring me joy (like Pearl Jam). I have a talent for finding information and sharing that information with others (even if it's about things I care about and they don't, like Pearl Jam!). I believe I have a talent for writing, but about 8 years ago I went from writing poetry and fiction to just writing editorial emails to my family (and now editorial blogs for myself and the two people who read this). That still is writing though, right? I'm thinking about joining a creative writers meetup on Wednesday nights when Rich starts school in two weeks. I feel if I get back involved with the creative writing process and be forced to write because I know every week people will be expecting something from me, maybe I can conjur up something of some value.
I may have changed though. Poetry and fiction may not be where my interest or motivation lies anymore, and that's ok. But sometimes I wonder, what if I had kept writing after I got married. What if I had a whole book full of poems that wasn't about the depressing and anxiety filled moments of my teen years and college years? What would my poetry look like if I had written it when I was actually pretty content with my life? Don't get me wrong, I'm still learning about myself and life, and where God wants me to be, but the last 8 years were so much happier than the previous 8. I know my creativity would have been pushed in a whole different direction...
We can't hold on to what if's. In fact, "what if's" really don't exist. They can't exist! You can't change the past, plain and simple. I am who I am right now based on my past experiences and nothing can change that. All I can do is continue forward each day of my life and try to make the decisions that I feel God wants me to make and that I feel will best help me in my life.
...So I will continue to listen to beautiful music, whether it's alternative, hard, indie, folk, classic rock, whatever! ...And I will continue to be jealous of those individuals who can create those amazing sounds (Mike McCready on Yellow Ledbetter, every time you make me want to cry!) ...And I will continue to write what my fingers want to write, even if it's just a blog devoted to random things that no one really cares about except me.
Good night.
ps - Check out "It Might Get Loud" with Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White, it's fascinating!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
God's blessings
I just want to take this time to thank God for all the blessings he has given me.
My loving and beautiful husband
My supportive family
A great job
Cute cuddly dogs
Awesome genuine and nice friends
A roof over my head
Food on the table
Peace of mind
Personal struggles that have led to having a compassionate heart
Desire to help people
A running vehicle
Being there for me as I have dealt with my own personal burdens
Funds to pay my bills on time
Music and lyrics
Books
Butterflies
All dogs
Forgiveness
God is constantly at work in our lives, providing us with things to be at awe over, things to use, and things to help us through tough times. Best of all, God has blessed us with the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ. Thank you!
My loving and beautiful husband
My supportive family
A great job
Cute cuddly dogs
Awesome genuine and nice friends
A roof over my head
Food on the table
Peace of mind
Personal struggles that have led to having a compassionate heart
Desire to help people
A running vehicle
Being there for me as I have dealt with my own personal burdens
Funds to pay my bills on time
Music and lyrics
Books
Butterflies
All dogs
Forgiveness
God is constantly at work in our lives, providing us with things to be at awe over, things to use, and things to help us through tough times. Best of all, God has blessed us with the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ. Thank you!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Little dogs and sloth
As I sit here I have a little white dog on my lap. This makes it very difficult to type, but that's ok because I'm not really feeling the urge to write anything thought-provoking or insightful. So I'm getting a little lazy (slothful, if you will, if that's even a word). Which is interesting, because this morning I really didn't want to wake up. I had a dentist appt. and then had to go to work afterwards. I just kept thinking about how I didn't want to go to the appt. I wish I could call in. But even though I felt fatigued, I didn't feel sick, and I didn't want to waste my sick time unless I was really sick. But then I was thinking, what would I do if I called in sick today? I would lie around the house for a few hours watching stupid shows on TLC and Discovery Health. Maybe I would search the web at the same time and a few more hours on top of that. If I got really adventuress I might have done a load of laundry. But in reality, I would just be hanging out doing nothing productive, and not even "getting better" cause I wasn't really sick. And in the end I would be left with a crap load of extra work at work the next day.
So why do we so desire to do nothing? I don't think it's that way all the time. Most days I actually look forward to going to work because I love my job and I have so much to do. I want to accomplish something, and when I do accomplish that thing (finish a project, what-have-you) I feel a sense of pride in myself. Now I know pride isn't good (that's another blog for another time), but it's good to have moments where you are proud of yourself if you had doubts about your ability to do something. It gives you confidence.
Anyway, back to being a sloth... there are also days when I wake up and don't want to do a damn thing. Today was one of those days. But then I was riding to work after my appointment, I thought about God and why he put us on this earth. I also thought about Genesis, the story of God's creation... God has a job. He is the Creator of the universe. Everything that is in nature has become what it is because of Him. God rested on the 7th day. He didn't take day 3 and 4 off cause he was tired of working. He put in his 6 days and then rested.
I also realized after my two 4 day weekends in a row (thanks to working for a school district) that it was actually TOO much time to have on your hands without any productive plan. In fact New Years weekend I was pretty much tired of being tired, and looking forward to getting back to work. I felt unaccomplished, lazy, and almost down on myself for not taking advantage of the free time I had to do more productive things. We watched a lot of movies, ate a lot of chocolate and gained a few pounds in the process.
(As you can probably tell from how much I've written so far, the little white dog is no longer on my lap, forcing me to be more productive in my blog writing).
In conclusion, we were made by Our Creator (who is by nature a Creator) in His image and likeness. The thing that separates humans from other mammals is our ability to create. Humans create things through their jobs. They make hamburgers, make wood pallets, made lesson plans, I make memos. Name a job, and that person creates something. People create images, they can create advertisement, they create ideas, they create music (and on and on, you get the idea). But we have to take time away from our creation to focus on God (i.e. the Sabbath). God doesn't want us becoming lazy, so He puts us to work, just as he worked and still works to this day. But he understands the energy it takes to create, and provided us with a day to rest and refocus. When provided too much time, we can become lazy. When not provided enough time, we can become burned out. There has to be a middle ground. Make sure you take your breaks, make sure you find time to yourself, but do not let yourself go. If you need to get something done, do it and gladly, and then reward yourself with a short break. God put us here for a purpose, work balanced with the appropriate amount of rest. And know you CAN glorify God in secular jobs (but again, another blog for another time).
I don't know if I have any other points to make. Rich is home, so I think we're going to be lazy tonight and go out to eat. Good night :)
So why do we so desire to do nothing? I don't think it's that way all the time. Most days I actually look forward to going to work because I love my job and I have so much to do. I want to accomplish something, and when I do accomplish that thing (finish a project, what-have-you) I feel a sense of pride in myself. Now I know pride isn't good (that's another blog for another time), but it's good to have moments where you are proud of yourself if you had doubts about your ability to do something. It gives you confidence.
Anyway, back to being a sloth... there are also days when I wake up and don't want to do a damn thing. Today was one of those days. But then I was riding to work after my appointment, I thought about God and why he put us on this earth. I also thought about Genesis, the story of God's creation... God has a job. He is the Creator of the universe. Everything that is in nature has become what it is because of Him. God rested on the 7th day. He didn't take day 3 and 4 off cause he was tired of working. He put in his 6 days and then rested.
I also realized after my two 4 day weekends in a row (thanks to working for a school district) that it was actually TOO much time to have on your hands without any productive plan. In fact New Years weekend I was pretty much tired of being tired, and looking forward to getting back to work. I felt unaccomplished, lazy, and almost down on myself for not taking advantage of the free time I had to do more productive things. We watched a lot of movies, ate a lot of chocolate and gained a few pounds in the process.
(As you can probably tell from how much I've written so far, the little white dog is no longer on my lap, forcing me to be more productive in my blog writing).
In conclusion, we were made by Our Creator (who is by nature a Creator) in His image and likeness. The thing that separates humans from other mammals is our ability to create. Humans create things through their jobs. They make hamburgers, make wood pallets, made lesson plans, I make memos. Name a job, and that person creates something. People create images, they can create advertisement, they create ideas, they create music (and on and on, you get the idea). But we have to take time away from our creation to focus on God (i.e. the Sabbath). God doesn't want us becoming lazy, so He puts us to work, just as he worked and still works to this day. But he understands the energy it takes to create, and provided us with a day to rest and refocus. When provided too much time, we can become lazy. When not provided enough time, we can become burned out. There has to be a middle ground. Make sure you take your breaks, make sure you find time to yourself, but do not let yourself go. If you need to get something done, do it and gladly, and then reward yourself with a short break. God put us here for a purpose, work balanced with the appropriate amount of rest. And know you CAN glorify God in secular jobs (but again, another blog for another time).
I don't know if I have any other points to make. Rich is home, so I think we're going to be lazy tonight and go out to eat. Good night :)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Hormones part II
So I'm still hormonal. I haven't really done too much research on the God & Hormones thing, except some quick internet searches (Bible Gateway, Google, etc.) and there really isn't anything out there.
I saw some essays written by people with strong opinions on what they think God uses hormones for. One individual believes PMS is a recent manifestation from processed foods and growth hormones in cows. The author of this one article believes that before the mid 1800's no women ever had PMS. The symptoms of PMS are based on what we put into our body. I find that hard to believe. I know that certain foods and medicines may not help, but the Bible still says that God gave women the pains of childbirth... and I believe every month women have a small dose of those pains to prepare us.
Another article I read talked about how hormones are necessary for God's purpose for a woman's reproductive system. So basically, hormones and menstruation are God's way of furthering the human race: "be fruitful and multiply." That's common sense in my opinion. This is an obvious example of how God created us with a purpose... but that made me a little depressed. I have all the symptoms of "be fruitful and multiply" without the ability to meet the ends. So I got a little angry for about 2 minutes. Why do I have to feel crappy a few days out of each month for most of my adult life and still not be able to reap the rewards God intended from my body's efforts? Bitter, 100 percent yes...
After years of "throwing caution to the wind" and then more years of intentially trying to start a family, my monthly friend has become a source of pain and bitterness. Every month I go through another day or two of anger, sadness, and bitterness. I know this is getting kind of personal, but this is important to look at when thinking of how our body and its functions relate to what God intended for our lives.
How do I reconcile my mood swings, and icky feelings with the fact that, as far as I know, these hormones aren't doing anything to help me start the biological family I believe I deserve to have - the family everyone else is allowed, but we're not? If I could turn off my body's hormone switch because I'm not getting anything out of my efforts, I would definitely do it. But God has other plans.
The truth is I want a family, but God knows my needs better than I do, and he has a perfect plan for my life. He has had this plan before I was born. Psalms 139:16 says "your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
It's really hard to sit back and let God do His thing. I go back and forth between being faithful and being bitter. I hope I'm faithful more than I'm bitter, but I do get angry with God sometimes. He knows it. But we all have burdens we are meant to carry. Not that God intends for anyone to be sick. That goes against his initial will for His people. But God still uses all things for good. Romans 8:28 says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Something good will come out of my burden. I know it. I have already been able to talk with others about my experience and encourage them to seek out God to help comfort them in their own experience of loss.
I guess I have to try to remember all of this each month when I rip Rich apart, and cry for no reason because my hormones are doing their job the best they can, even if God has other plans for me for the month. God is still with me every day (the good and the bad) and His plan for me is better than anything I could ever plan for myself and my husband.
But lastly, the most important thing I need to remember is I already have a family. Richard is my family. Children do not make a family. Love makes a family.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Good night.
I saw some essays written by people with strong opinions on what they think God uses hormones for. One individual believes PMS is a recent manifestation from processed foods and growth hormones in cows. The author of this one article believes that before the mid 1800's no women ever had PMS. The symptoms of PMS are based on what we put into our body. I find that hard to believe. I know that certain foods and medicines may not help, but the Bible still says that God gave women the pains of childbirth... and I believe every month women have a small dose of those pains to prepare us.
Another article I read talked about how hormones are necessary for God's purpose for a woman's reproductive system. So basically, hormones and menstruation are God's way of furthering the human race: "be fruitful and multiply." That's common sense in my opinion. This is an obvious example of how God created us with a purpose... but that made me a little depressed. I have all the symptoms of "be fruitful and multiply" without the ability to meet the ends. So I got a little angry for about 2 minutes. Why do I have to feel crappy a few days out of each month for most of my adult life and still not be able to reap the rewards God intended from my body's efforts? Bitter, 100 percent yes...
After years of "throwing caution to the wind" and then more years of intentially trying to start a family, my monthly friend has become a source of pain and bitterness. Every month I go through another day or two of anger, sadness, and bitterness. I know this is getting kind of personal, but this is important to look at when thinking of how our body and its functions relate to what God intended for our lives.
How do I reconcile my mood swings, and icky feelings with the fact that, as far as I know, these hormones aren't doing anything to help me start the biological family I believe I deserve to have - the family everyone else is allowed, but we're not? If I could turn off my body's hormone switch because I'm not getting anything out of my efforts, I would definitely do it. But God has other plans.
The truth is I want a family, but God knows my needs better than I do, and he has a perfect plan for my life. He has had this plan before I was born. Psalms 139:16 says "your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
It's really hard to sit back and let God do His thing. I go back and forth between being faithful and being bitter. I hope I'm faithful more than I'm bitter, but I do get angry with God sometimes. He knows it. But we all have burdens we are meant to carry. Not that God intends for anyone to be sick. That goes against his initial will for His people. But God still uses all things for good. Romans 8:28 says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Something good will come out of my burden. I know it. I have already been able to talk with others about my experience and encourage them to seek out God to help comfort them in their own experience of loss.
I guess I have to try to remember all of this each month when I rip Rich apart, and cry for no reason because my hormones are doing their job the best they can, even if God has other plans for me for the month. God is still with me every day (the good and the bad) and His plan for me is better than anything I could ever plan for myself and my husband.
But lastly, the most important thing I need to remember is I already have a family. Richard is my family. Children do not make a family. Love makes a family.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Good night.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Hormones
What does the Bible say about hormones? I'm going to figure it out. Because, honestly, this whole mellowness in 2010 thing is proving a lot harder than I thought (I know! It's only been two days). And it appears whenever I'm hormonal, I kind of forget that God even exists and is there for me. In fact, I get pretty crazy and mean. This seriously bothers me. Did God realize when he created male and female (and their corresponding hormones) that this may prove to be an issue for relationships and marriages for life? I'm going to do some research and see what the Holy Spirit has to say about it.
Friday, January 1, 2010
New Years 2010
I just finished reading Donald Millers "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years." The entire book is about creating the stories of your life, not just the written story on a page and Miller did writing this book, but story by story, the life you are living. We all have stories in our lives, some we are proud of, some we are not proud of. I realized that I'm always trying to create new stories in my life, but that IS my story, the desire to create, not the creation itself, which in the long run is not a good story (in my opinion). I need to stop thinking about the future, and just think about the present. The now. The day God has given me today to do something with. Each day does not need to be a huge accomplishment in terms of success at work or within my career. I realized that my success in each day, in each story, has to do with how am I glorifying God in this moment. I don't always make it though. Today I will be vegetating, watching a lot of TV, reading, maybe do a little cleaning if I feel up to it. But I'm taking a day to rest. But I can still try and glorify God through my interactions with my husband and dogs. I told Richard 2010 will be a mellow year. I won't let things get to me like I usually do. I can only do that through focusing myself on God. I know we all make new years resolutions, but this resolution is one that I should be making every day of my life, not just at new years. Everything else is secondary and will fall from being successful in meeting this resolution.
Put God First
Happy New Year!!!
Put God First
Happy New Year!!!
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