Let it snow...I guess...

Well, after a week or two of subzero temperatures and ice and snow, I think I can safely say that I strongly dislike winter in the city. It seems so cozy when you are all tucked into a house in the woods, and the snow is actually white. Here, people still go 70 miles per hour, barreling through inches of gray, wet, dirty snow and ice, and I don't think I can remember a time when I didn't spin out at an intersection or fishtail when turning onto the road to my house. Ahhh, winter.

However, I do have to be grateful. I am warm at night, I have amazing friends, and I get to see my family for more than 24 hours this weekend. A lot of us have so much in this world and don't even realize it. The other day at dinner, some friends and I were discussing how when it gets this cold, we think about all of those people out there-- for some of us, actually just down the street or outside our front door--who don't have a home to go to when it gets to be 10 or 20 below. Where do they go? I encourage you to think about that in the coming days--not just to be thankful for what you have, but to realize that the body of Christ has a responsibility to others. I admit I am often guilty of forgetting about those who live differently than I do, and I want to remember them all year, not just when it's cold, or Christmas, or Hanukkah. It's a rough world...and aren't we supposed to be shining a little of Christ's warmth into every corner? It's just something that deserves our attention, whatever that means for you--praying, giving, or spending time helping.

I'll be heading to my parents' for the holidays, so on a Christmas note, I thought I'd share this clip from my favorite Christmas movie, The Muppet Christmas Carol:









Have a happy holiday season! Bring on 2009!


Peace,

J

Up and Down

It's amazing what can happen in a day, and how quickly a person can go from happy to extremely frustrated in a matter of hours.

For example, last night, Linds and I went to concert that she had won tickets to. Not just any concert, mind you. This was JINGLE BALL 2008. We had been trying to win tickets for weeks, and she finally won! It was like six concerts in one (hosted by our favorite radio deejays). So, I was bopping along to Rihanna, having a generally great time in this crowd:



A few short hours later (it all pretty much felt like the same day though), I was bringing my roommate to the airport, and got stuck in this for an hour and twenty minutes:




Ahh, the highs and lows of life.

Catch it!

It seems the topic of late, at least in 2008, has been that of suffering. I don't want to use that word melodramatically, nor do I want to get into the discussion of comparing sufferings. Each person has their own problems and tolerance for pain, I believe (physical and emotional), and God gives us each what we can handle. So, on this topic, I was collecting my thoughts this afternoon, and reading over some old notes from books I've read, and I found this quote. It's from The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger:

Once you get past all the Mr. Vinsons, you're going to start getting closer and closer--that is, if you want to, and if you look for it and wait for it--to the kind of information that will be very, very dear to your heart. Among other things, you'll find that you're not the first person who was ever been confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You're by no means alone on that score, you'll be excited and stimulated to know. Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are now. Happily, some of them kept records of their troubles. You'll learn from them--if you want to. Just as someday, if you have something to offer, someone will learn something from you. It's a beautiful reciprocal arrangement. And it isn't education. It's history. It's poetry.

I was driving home the other night, listening to the radio, and a horrible thought came into my head. I just kept wondering why bad things happen to me, why my life seems so hard, and why can't things go smoothly ever for me. I felt awful about it, but I just couldn't seem to get out of that mental framework. I feel like I've been stuck there for many months now, and witnessing my friends go through hard times makes me wonder if life just isn't one big constant struggle. However, I tried to remember everything I've been given freely, it would seem. Number one, God has given me his grace. I also have a very warm bed and home, food on a regular basis, plenty of clothing, a decent job, opportunities to go to graduate school, a family who would take me in again, if I was ever on the street, the list goes on and on. When I think of these things, I don't try to diminish and push away the pain and suffering that I personally feel, I just try to fit things into perspective, and try to see the situation through God's eyes. This quote by Salinger made me just realize, I am not the first person to see the tragedy that so often is this world. And I have others before me whom I can read, listen to, and speak with who remind me that I am not alone. And I think that is the point--God filled this earth with six billion people and counting: a pretty strong hint that he wants us to spend time together, I'd say. Whether we are bonding over shared happiness, sadness, loneliness, or joy, at least we have someone to share it with!

Lator (v.)

In response to a comment left on the previous post:

The term "lator" is actually a twenty-first century colloquial abbreviation derived from the phrase "See you later, alligator." The phrase is most often employed when an adult (defined as one who finds it interesting to overuse the phrase in the name of "cute" or "funny") is saying his/her farewell to a much younger child (often defined as one who once found such a phrase as hilarious, but now simply puts up with it to appease said adult). The stress is found on the "o" in the word (pronounced lay-TORE), and is often followed by the phrase "After a while, crocodile!" The phrases, combined, hold humor due to the fact that alligators and crocodiles are closely related, divided only by the continents on which they are found. (For "lator" see illustration below).



Of course, when used as a proper noun, LaTor, the word holds a completely different meaning altogether.

My Dearest Sanguines

I told my friends I would write about them, so here I am--fulfilling a promise! Imagine that. I hope they don't mind me actually posting about them, but I hardly equate being written about on this blog with loss of anonymity.

Honestly, I've been wanting to do this for a couple of weeks, just because they are so fabulous. This was prompted moreso by my recent stress freak-out regarding the GRE, and how wonderful these two were to me throughout my mental breakdown. I am speaking of two of my best friends, whom I also happen to live with, Linds and Amanda.

Amanda: Where do I even begin? We met in our second year of college as we happened to live across the hall from each other. I have known her now for four years and I can say quite positively that she is one of the gentlest souls I have ever come upon. I give her a lot of crap for being such a positive person (which she puts up with with a pleasant smile on her face), but in reality, without her around, everything would be a little bit less cheerful. She often sees things in a completely different light than I do, and I have learned so much about people from her.

Our year has been a very difficult one, to say the very least, but it has done nothing but draw us closer together, and when she moves in January, I'm not quite sure what I'll do. She keeps me sane! What God has chosen to give us in this life has just made me realize what a truly unique and special person she is, and I am so grateful that God had our paths cross.

Linds: Ahh, yes, the pepper to my salt. I have known this lovely lady pretty much since college started (five years now), and again, have no idea where to begin. I've come to depend on this girl for so many things, and am so amazed, again, that God has seen fit to put her in my life. She is wonderfully outspoken and intelligent, and has no problem being open to others, which is a trait I envy in others more often than not. We often have the same random, skewed perspective on life. But most importantly, she is probably one of the funniest people I know, if not the funniest. I don't think we laugh harder than when we are around each other.

I think I can speak for all of us when I say that though things have been difficult this year, it's pretty obvious that God led each of us on a path that put us together for the past six or seven months. Where we will go from here, none of us really know, because life can change in an instant. I cannot forget what these girls have done for me, and the bonds that we have created between the three of us--nor would I ever want to (yes Linds, I am being very dramatic--but I don't know how to say it better!). To sum it up, I love you both very much, so don't forget it!

Amanda, Linds, and me on an impromptu trip to Lake Superior.

Hurrah!

Oh, the amazing things Google image search can find you! I went in to take the GRE on Saturday morning. For those of you who don't know, the GRE is the test one takes to get into graduate school. Unlike the ACT or SAT, you can register to take the GRE pretty much any time, any where. I signed up to take it all the way in Woodbury, which, at 7:00 am on Saturday morning, was a good half an hour drive through a snow storm with blustering winds (yeah, yeah, I realize that is dramatic, you know--"uphill both ways"). But my lovely friend L woke up with me to cook me a delicious breakfast full of brain food, and off I went! It had caused me a lot of stress in the past two weeks, just dangling over my head. Now, I can breathe and march onward with my graduate school application process. Thank the Lord!



In book news, I am currently reading the novel Speaker for the Dead. The second book (chronologically speaking) in the Ender series by Orson Scott Card, which I mentioned in a previous post, has been a very interesting read so far (that's not vague at all, is it? Sorry! It is just hard to explain without giving away the other books). I had postponed starting it while preparing for my exam, so it was a bit slow-going for awhile, but I'm now getting into it and feeling that swept-away, can't-put-it-down-until-I-know-what-is-going-on feeling. It's so easy for my overgrown imagination to just launch itself into another world, especially on cold, snowy, lazy December days. Check it out, if you want!

Peace,
J

And we're back!

I hope everyone had a pleasant Thanksgiving. I realized today it had been a week since my last post, so I thought I'd share something that has been in the recesses of my mind lately. I also wanted to say, I am studying/preparing for a test I'm taking on Saturday, so I'm not sure I'll post again before then.

I've been trying to put into words the frustration I feel with my generation, or with society in general (apologies for the cliche). I was reading a book by Chuck Colson called How Now Shall We Live a few years ago, and found this quote that I had marked. It's within a discussion about God's divine authority:

Yet, at the same time, many of us don't want to submit to that divine authority ourselves; we don't want to recognize an external, transcendent source of moral truth that restricts our own behavior. That would be a blow to human pride and self-centeredness, and a denial that choice is our ultimate right, that we are morally autonomous. What's worse, it would mean that when we fail to live up to that transcendent truth, we are in the very uncomfortable position of having not only to admit guilt before the divine tribunal but also to accept the consequences. This is the price we pay for accepting the Christian answer.
And yet the price for rejecting it is much higher. When morality is reduced to personal preferences and when no one can be held morally accountable, society quickly falls into disorder. Entertainers churn out garbage that vulgarizes our children's tastes; politicians tickle our ears while picking our pockets; criminals terrorize our city streets; parents neglect their children; and children grow up without a moral conscience. Then, when social anarchy becomes widespread in any nation, its citizens become prime candidates for a totalitarian-style leader (or leader class) to step in and offer to fix everything. Sadly, by that time many people are so sick of the anarchy and chaos that they readily exchange their freedom for the restoration of social order--even under an iron fist.

I want to focus more on the first portion of this excerpt, and how I see this reflected in those my age around me. I have said before, entitlement is a topic that I have a hard time keeping mum about, and my frustration with my generation is rooted in entitlement. In this case, moral entitlement. I have had countless conversations with people who are just seeking to "do what is right for me," without a second thought to the consequences to those around them. Don't get me wrong, some of these people are very genuine, caring people--but when push comes to shove, "me" comes first. The main problem I see is that people will push a social and political agenda of caring for others in need, i.e. the poor and the sick, but at the same time, protect themselves above it all. When their perceived "moral autonomy" is threatened, say by one of those in poverty, or one who is ill, you can bet who gets priority, and which political agenda is thrown out the window. It is an ugly dual personality that few people seem to take issue with, but that is so glaringly obvious to me.

To be more clear, I am frustrated with the general self-centeredness of those my age, myself included. I can see tendencies in myself to want to pick my own morals, forgetting that I have given myself to Christ, and his authority. I want to have my morality defined by "personal preferences." And this, I believe, is the crux of the issue. We set our moral authority by what is around us, by what we desire, and do not recognize the divine authority that God has. To be sure, even when we deny it, even for those who have never followed Christ, that authority is still there, and we will answer to it, whether on this earth or off.

In ending, this quote by C.S. Lewis has been in my head for months now, and inspired this post. I pray that we will not find ourselves to easily pleased, and rest in our Lord's perfect and sovereign authority.

It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

Books

I absolutely love reading. I love reading anything, factual, fictional, fantasy--anything. As a result, I decided I want to start posting on books I love, or don't love, or am indifferent to, whatever I happen to be reading, etc.

I will also say this--I firmly believe that everyone should find time for leisure reading. By this I mean, take time to read something that you are not required to. I always hear people say they "don't have time" or, in school, were required to read and thought it would suffice. I could go on and on about how much reading benefits a person (benefits such as gaining a greater appreciation for those outside of oneself, or even just a better vocabulary), but I will restrain myself.

Just an example: one of my close friends always has claimed to "just not be a reader," and didn't mind not finding the time or desire to sit and read through a 400 page book. Being the obnoxious person I can be, and just knowing this friend so well, and knowing how much she was missing out on, I followed her around with books for a while. I'd place one on her nightstand, her bed, anywhere. It was a bit of a joke for us, but one day she picked up the first Harry Potter book, and it just went from there. I love it! So READ READ READ!




This week, I'm going to put this book up, because I was discussing it with a friend this weekend. My brother recommended it to me in high school, and since then, I've read it multiple times, and it is still just as good. Orson Scott Card is a very intelligent author, and also penned sequels and complimentary novels to this little gem. You can find more information on it here.

I will say though, it is not for everyone, primarily due to its sci-fi nature (I love it though!). If you don't like that genre, just note that it is a very good commentary on society and politics, if you can force yourself to get past the "Nebula Winner" aspect.

Oh yes, Happy Thanksgiving!

Blogs

One of my old friends from college started a blog a few years ago, after she got married. I just wanted to share it with any of you who read this. If you can find the time, it is definitely worth reading through her thoughts and growth as a fellow sister in Christ.

I also wanted to share with you the reasons behind the choosing of the name of this blog. L and I were discussing what we could express in the address, and somehow found the verse posted on the side:

Psalm 34:14

Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

The phrase "seek peace and pursue it" stood out. To me, the word peace can mean many things. It does not necessarily mean political or international peace (though, if you have ever spoken to any of us, this is something we, especially L, feel very strongly about around here), nor does it mean unequivocal tolerance of all ideas, wrong or right. What I am seeking, above all, is God's peace. It is hard to define this, because it is so many things. It is shalom in all its glory. I hope to write more on this in the future, as it is so very important to me. The process of seeking peace is not one easily laid out.

As was stated in the first post, we wanted this to be a place for exchanging stories, ideas, and lessons we have learned. I also want it to be a place of safe discussion, of questions, of doubts, etc. I am the type of person who does indeed find it hard to put into words every single day what I am learning or feeling (the reasons I have never kept a journal consistently). I would love it if this eventually became a place where people who have the same trouble as I do felt free to write in what they have learned (That being said, if anyone would like to do so, please email at seekersofpeace@gmail.com).

Again, I do not claim to have any superior ideas, or methods, or way of life. I'm simply trying to reach out to those who are also seeking God's peace.

Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read my little thoughts!

J

A Favorite Poem

From In Memoriam, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

L.

Be near me when my light is low,
When the blood creeps, and the nerves prick
And tingle; and the heart is sick,
And all the wheels of Being slow.

Be near me when the sensuous frame
Is rack'd with pangs that conquer trust;
And Time, a maniac scattering dust,
And Life, a Fury slinging flame.

Be near me when my faith is dry,
And men the flies of latter spring,
That lay their eggs, and sting and sing
And weave their petty cells and die.

Be near me when I fade away,
To point the term of human strife,
And on the low dark verge of life
The twilight of eternal day.

History

Ok, so yes, this is my own little plug. I could honestly talk about history all day, and am lucky enough to have found friends who feel the same way. Not only is history incredibly important to know and learn, it can be very amusing as well.

I was reminded of this last night while tutoring my eighth-grade student. We spent an hour or so discussing the American Revolution, its impact on the world, and everything that has come from it. The conversation moved from whether or not George Washington actually cut down the cherry tree (he did not) to what it means to have dual citizenship. I love it! And in the wake of the recent election, I am so excited to see what happens next--living and breathing history.

So, perhaps to spread the joy that is history (and by history, I don't just mean boring old dead guys and random dates), I'm recommending checking out The Living Room Candidate. This website gives you a chance to view all of the major political commercials since the election in 1952. When I was in college, I wrote my thesis paper on the impact of a certain political ad from the 1964 election between Barry Goldwater and LBJ (check it out, it's called "The Daisy Girl" or something along those lines). Some of these are hilarious, and give you an idea of the times. It gives you a chance to see history from a different point of view.

Since I could still go on and on, I'll have to cap it here. But check it out--and enjoy!

Funny

I found this article last week, and I thought it was really funny. Check it out if you want!

We are nearing Thanksgiving, I've noticed. I'm not sure where November went. However, more often than not, around this time my friends and I usually start discussing how this country was created--as in, how colonists came in and shoved aside those already native to the land. I understand that history is not black and white, but I do think it is important to remember our true roots while being thankful for all that God has given you, specifically, in life.

I'd like to end this post with a "fantastic" photo:




How ridiculous is that? I can't even begin to start with how funny this is to me. I hope you find it funny, too. Could be just me, though.

Have a wonderful day!

Late Night Musings

There's a reason people keep dream journals. I hear that usually, the best ideas come to people in that state between sleeping and waking. Since it takes me between a half an hour and an hour to fall asleep at night, I spend a lot of time in the "falling asleep" mode, where my brain is slowly shutting down, but in actuality, it is cranking out more ideas than I could think possible.

All this to say, I had a picture come to my mind last night, and I thought I'd share it.

I was thinking of the tendency some people have to be so introverted that they don't see a need to share themselves with those around them, and once that decision is made, it becomes a very careful balancing act. Once someone has set a precedent for him or herself to not be open, that person is viewed a certain way by his or her close friends, and it seems hard to backpedal and become someone who shares once one is viewed as an introvert. If that person spoke out then, it would upset the balance created in the circle of friends.

Let me draw a picture for you. If you can, recall one of those sets where someone sets up a giant domino display, carefully arranging each piece while trying not to knock any over. It's a very delicate, time consuming, careful task. Being an introvert, it seems to me, is like standing in the very middle, surrounded by a circle of five or six friends (or pieces, for this analogy), and knowing that if you make the wrong move, if you breathe wrong, you knock over the piece close to you, and it all goes tumbling down. So to prevent such things from happening, the introvert withdraws, and makes each move with much calculation so as not to upset the balance.

But then it occurred to me--what happens when one of those domino pieces is knocked over? One of two things. First, it very well could wreak havoc on the whole domino picture. One miscalculation, and the entire thing could be ruined, and it will have to be started over.

Or, one move and it could start a chain reaction. Move one domino, and the next falls, and the next, and then the next, etc. Such chain reactions are usually carefully set up to create a wonderful or fun design (like this one).

I remember once a close friend a few years ago told me about a conversation she had with her mother, where she remembered her mother reminding her that "vulnerability begets vulnerability." I think it's true. Just like with the dominoes, being vulnerable with someone allows them to be graciously vulnerable with you, and then with another person, and another, etc. It can create an environment with no hostility, and draw people closer together.

So the next time you are thinking of the risk of making a false move, think not only that you could destroy the balance around you, but that destroying it could possibly be a good thing.

Bowie

Sometimes, the afternoons get a little long, and I just have to put on some David Bowie.

I love David Bowie.

A little of this and that...

If you are ever bored, and are sitting on the good old inter-web, here's some funny sites that I enjoy:

Found Magazine

A collection of interesting scraps of notes, pictures, and other miscellaneous items that people find in parking lots, used books, etc. I can waste a lot of time on this website.

Unnecessary Quotes

Finally! Someone who shares one of my pet peeves--putting quotation marks where they don't belong.

Stuff White People Like

A very funny, well written social commentary. It's very subtle, dry, sarcastic humor, which I think is hilarious.


I recommend checking them out, if you want a laugh. :)

Peace--

J

Different Gods

Ever since I was about fourteen years old, I have been frustrated as I look around American culture at the watered down versions of religion, faith, and God that are so prevalent. Being from the Midwest, I am very familiar with a particular denominational sect in which many churches have diluted the truth of God to become a "welcome all, we are all good, let's have fun together and reassure each other" building. I do not mean that churches should not welcome all, nor that they should cease to assure their members, but there is a difference between doing so out of love and doing so out of denial of who God is. And this is where the problem lies. We have taken the fundamental idea of God, in his truth, and fashioned him to fit our whims and desires. We have set him on a pedestal, but every now and then we take him down and "tweak" out the parts we don't like, slowly reshaping the God who gave us life in the first place. We change him, then replace him on high, saying that it was him all along. We see ourselves as the potter, he as the clay. How can we get this so wrong? This is nothing new, it is what fell Adam and Eve. The desire to be the one in charge, to be God.

This is something that must be addressed, but for the moment, I want to point out the differences between this reshapen God and the God of the Bible. We need to recognize the differences. The change in American religious belief has not come suddenly or with scandal and controversy, it has been accepted little by little and therefore is far more dangerous. In order to point out the differences, I will show you two scenarios. These came to my mind one night as I laid in my bed, unable to sleep, contemplating just what it is I couldn't put my finger on about the differences. Do not all who claim to be Christian believe in the same God?


Scenario One

You know him, you love him. He is your God. This particular day, you are coming before him with sin in your heart. You are not naive enough to believe that we are perfect, and know that "by grace you are saved through faith." You confess your sins to God, and have accepted Christ "as your personal savior." You know that God is bigger and far beyond all of this world, and that he has a plan for you. So today, you are burdened with one particular sin, and desire to be washed free of it, convicted by the Holy Spirit.

You are in a room. It is a comfortable, white, soft, dreamy room. You are waiting to see God. Soft, relaxing music plays through the speakers, relaxing you and calming you, almost drowning out the nagging guilt you hold. Your name is called and you rise up to meet a man in long, white, flowing robes who hugs you and leads you through the door. You recognize this man as Jesus, your savior. He smiles at you, his friend, and is so happy to be with you.

And there he is. Loving, smiling, like a grandfather, waiting with open arms. So often you find comfort in these arms. He smiles lovingly at you.

"Welcome, my child."

You are filled with emotion, and so desire to be rid of your guilt. "God, I am so thankful to you."

"It is nothing, it is nothing my child. I love you, and for that, I would give you anything." He sits calmly by you, emanating love and acceptance. Yet still, it is nagging on you.

"God, I need to confess to you my sins. I have been living my life as--"

He interrupts you. "I've told you, I forgive you. I do not need to hear. You are human, you make mistakes. That is why I have given you my son. I love you just as you are, you are perfect to me because of my son."

You sit for a moment, waiting for relief to wash over you. But it doesn't. "But I need to tell you--"

"My child, I do not remember it. You are one of mine. Be at peace now." He smiles at you once again, and stands. He walks you back to the door, and pats your back reassuringly. "You are doing fine." You are ushered out the door, and see someone else enter. Before the door shuts, you hear God say to the next person, "Welcome, my child....." and the conversation that ensues sounds familiar to your own.

God, the ultimate power in the universe, who is love, has just given you the peace and assurance you ask for. Yet you do not feel better. You want him to know who you are, to look at you as a unique individual, not a member of an entity of family. You feel looked over, ushered through, as though God is fulfilling some sort of contractual obligation to you, and is merely waiting till the time is over, so he can clock out. Yes he is love, and forgives you, but somehow you feel....ordinary.

Scenario Two

You are in a room again, waiting to speak to him. Your Father, your Creator. You again, have come with sin in your heart, feeling horribly guilty. You have followed God, recognized his authority in your life, but you have also slipped up.

A door opens, and Jesus steps out to meet you, and stands between you and God. God is both formidable and loving as he stands. You approach with great awe and reverence. At his side is his son, Jesus, who is at the same time both separate yet entwined with his Father.

God greets you by your name. Immediately, your guilt comes pouring out. God listens intently as you describe each and every way you have disobeyed him. You look into his eyes, which flash of both disappointment and righteous anger at the sin that you have committed. You continue speaking until you are finished. You know that this angers God, and rightfully so. You also see the pain it causes him that you have chosen to disobey him and deny him. Yet still, amazingly, God places his hand upon your head. "I know you struggle with such things. I know your every thought. I know your heart. You are mine." He pulls you off of your feet and looks you in the eye. "Because of my son, you are forgiven." Instantly, you feel whole, and rejoice and praise the Father and the Son. You soak up the grace and gratefulness pours from you heart. You feel loved, and you feel at home. He speaks again, to warn. "You know my Word. Follow it, obey me, and you will live in such joy that you are feeling now. Do not allow this sin to become part of who you are." Both Father and Son are beaming at you, and you continue to speak. You know they both know you infinitely better than you know yourself, and you feel no time constraints as you converse freely, forgiven. Through the strength and peace that God has given you, through Jesus, you feel unique. You feel extraordinary.

As you can guess, this is the God of the Bible. This is the Lord Jesus whom you claim to follow. They do not tolerate sin. While people are born sinful, they can overcome it. This does not mean accept the sin, and then justify yourself and the way you are living your life by changing the very God who gave you that life. God does not change. You know, deep down, what is true.

I personally, would not give any respect or authority to a god who is like that of the first scenario. I would feel alone. Yes, God is love, but he is so many other things than that. He is a jealous God, with righeous wrath. He is not one to be "softened around the edges." I warn you, if you are not living as you know you should--do not go to a God who will simply accept and justify you. Go to the true God, the God who will truly forgive you and accept you as you are, but then give you the strength to become more like his Son.

This country is in trouble. Supposedly a vast majority of Americans claim to be Christian, and even more claim to believe in God. Know what you are claiming. What God do you follow? What God should you follow? There is one right answer, and only one.

A few of my favorite things...

The most delicious salsa! I absolutely love green olives and anything spicy, so stick them together into this wonderful Kramer's Garden Olive Salsa mix, and I am happy. Unfortunately, they only sell it in Iowa, as it is from a private company. It's hard to get ahold of--but well worth it!



This show has been playing in our house lately. Telling the story of the Tudor dynasty in England, it begins with Henry VIII. It is on Showtime, though, so keep that in mind (rating-wise) if you decide to check it out.





I just finished this book. I realize it's probably not the most demanding reading, but it was an interesting topic. Not an easy one, either. It kept me thinking, though.


I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Is anyone surprised?

To quote everyone from last night, it would seem, what an historic night! I'll not say much, simply that as part of a younger generation, it was exciting to witness history in the making. Maybe I'm a huge nerd in that sense, but I like to know that when history books print this, I'll be able to say, "Oh yes! I remember when that happened."

Just kinda cool.

Free Stuff!

Everyone, breathe.

I got up early this morning to vote, as everyone seems to be telling me how voting lines are going to be eight hours long, and since I work until eight tonight, I figured I better get an early start. I made it to my district voting place around 7:45, and stood in line a whopping ten minutes. The atmosphere there was a lot more tense and quiet than the last time I voted.

Now, I realize a lot of people will have to wait in line longer, but seeing as this election seems to have everyone on their toes, I just wanted to remind everyone to breathe.

God is sovereign, and he will place whomever he desires into the position of leadership for this country. As Christians, we need to remember that it is not a life or death situation.

This video says it better than I can.

On a less serious topic, there are many businesses giving out free items today! It was found to be illegal for Starbucks to only give free coffee to those who vote, so they are giving it out to everyone. And because we around here love free stuff, I encourage you to take advantage. :)

Be at peace! God is in control.

Growing Up

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween!

This is something I wrote a few years ago, and am just now finding the courage to post it. For me, putting my thoughts in print, whether in a journal or on here, is very difficult (this is why I own many barely started journals). There's just something about seeing what I actually think exposed in front of me.

So with that intro, here it is.


If you are a close friend of mine, or actually anyone within earshot and who has had the "privilege" of hearing me spout my opinions, you will know that entitlement, specifically in western culture, is something I have chosen to be my own personal battle. For me, it is the core of the apathy and selfishness that keeps people from their Creator.

Specifically, I abhor misplaced entitlement. An example of this is a typical spoiled child. A mother takes her son into a store, and he whines and throws a temper tantrum in various aisles. The mother is embarrassed, and decides to leave the store. Her son sees a toy he wants, and voices his desire. The mother, of course, says no, and the kid throws the king of all hissy fits. Why? He feels entitled to the toy. Does he deserve it? No, but he thinks he does. Therefore, his entitlement is misplaced. If the mother knows what she's doing, she will refuse the child his toy, and take him home. After various scenes like this, her son will learn to grow out of feeling entitled to things he has no business feeling entitled to.

This is what the western world, specifically America, needs to do. Grow up, I mean. I find myself appalled by the behavior of teens, twenty somethings, thirty somethings, middle aged folk, and even the elderly. When it comes down to it, it is childish behavior. I see older, wiser people admonishing those who are younger, only to turn around and act the same way themselves. In fact, it is more aggravating to see those who have lived far longer than me act like children.

Thankfully, God has more patience than I do. He sees us for the children that we are, and loves us anyway. He gently reminds us, like the mother in the store should, that we are misplaced when we feel entitled to anything. He reminds us that everything we have, be it material possessions, relationships, family, our rights, our free will we have only because he chooses it to be so.

Yet many of us, like a spoiled child, grow infuriated at this reminder. We act out more harshly. We deny the very God who created us, and all for what? Our false sense that we deserve what we want? Why do our wants always come first? Should we not expect to get what we deserve, whether or not it is what we want? Who do we think we are? To act as though we are the center of the universe is a far worse slap in the face of God than many other things we can do. Again, this is the very center of the human problem--we place ourselves as most important, at the center of our universe, in essence, as our own personal god. How dare we?

Thank Jesus for bridging us and our God. I wouldn't be able to stand the sight of me.


You who deny him--what is the cost? What are you gaining? A false sense of peace? Of entitlement? Your own personal control? Are you happy? Have you gotten everything you want, or are you waiting for something more to happen? Are you sitting in your middle class home, surrounded by evidence of your intellect and great mind, thinking you have it all? Or have you given up all that, because you can see beyond material possessions, sitting quite proud of yourself because you have proven to be so selfless--but still feel discontent? Do you have more wealth and fame than most in the world, completely zen, yet still feel misplaced somehow? What is the cost?

He is a merciful God, but he is also just, and he will not wait forever. You choose, your misplaced entitlement, your essentially self-worship, which is merely a shadow, or the one true God, the living Jesus, who created you unique and desires you to simply follow him.

I'm afraid you cannot have it both ways, but then again, why would you want to?

Let's grow up.

An Early Halloween

A few nights ago, I went with some friends to an old Victorian mansion for a night of dramatic readings of Victorian ghost tales. The actors read many poems and short stories, such as this spooky story by Edith Wharton, and the ever-popular Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. Perhaps the lights being out and someone reading them makes them a little scarier, but it was fun nonetheless! We love our scary stories.

So, to add to the fun, here is my favorite creepy story by Charlotte Perkins Gillman, written in 1892. If you are looking for something other than the modern gore and ghost tales you get at Halloween, try this one! It's good old-fashioned subtlety and gives you goosebumps without resorting to homicidal maniacs and machetes (although I can get a good laugh out of those, as well).

Happy Halloween!

Re-do

**Disclaimer** I am writing this, not knowing if anyone actually reads all this, but I do owe an apology. This site has not really lived up to what it should be, because I have not been. A lot has happened since it began, not an excuse, I know, yet I find it more difficult to write lately.

That being said, you will see some slight changes in posts. I still hope to have friends post now and again, but seeing as this was my project from the start, most will be based upon my experience. I also don't want to box myself in, so I'm hoping this blog can evolve as I go along, by God's will.

So here we go!

I recently read the book To End All Wars. My parents recommended it to me and gave me their copy to read. To preface this, I was somewhat reluctant, as my parents and I tend to have differing views when it comes to topics such as wars, politics, etc., and my mom told me it would "change the way I think." Whenever someone tells me how I will be affected, I tend to become determined to have a different reaction, just to prove that I can. Stubborn, I know.

At any rate, this book is excellent, and I highly recommend it. As I read books, I keep a notebook or a computer nearby and write down different quotes and thoughts that come to mind. The following is a short paragraph that the author wrote near the end of the book. For a short background, the book was written by Ernest Gordon, who was a Scottish soldier captured by the Japanese in World War II. The book was also one of the sources for the movie "Bridge Over the River Kwai."

We did not know the full answer to the mystery of suffering, but we could see that so much of it was caused by "man's inhumanity to man", by selfishness, by greed, and by all the forces of death that we readily support in the normal course of life. The cry of the innocent child, the agony I had seen in the eyes of a Chinese mother as she carried her dead baby, the suffering caused by earthquakes, fires or floods, we could not explain. But we could see that God was not indifferent to such pain.

I was sitting at work today, looking over some of these past quotes I had marked, and came across this one, and felt compelled to post it. I remember reading this and thinking that Gordon got to the truth of the matter. While I in no way have gone through any pain or suffering remotely near what those soldiers did, I still am one who wonders about the suffering I see in this world. So many of us get hung up on it all--wondering how God could let it happen, how can we theologically explain it, how do we answer for it to unbelievers, etc.--but we miss out on the point--God is not indifferent to the pain, whatever its cause. I cannot stress how important this is!

I guess I am at a point in my life where I can see more pain around me than joy or blessings--but I must remember that God recognizes this and has equipped me to be able to cope. I am reminded of a quote by C. S. Lewis:

Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.

I'm sure many of you can testify to this. I pray we do not drown out his shouts!


With hope, and peace

J

Side Note

For you, my elder brother, on your birthday:

Strong Son of God, immortal Love,
Whom we, that have not seen thy face,
By faith, and faith alone, embrace,
Believing where we cannot prove;

Thine are these orbs of light and shade;
Thou madest Life in man an brute;
Thou madest Death; and lo, thy foot
Is on the skull which thou hast made.

Thou wilt not leave us in the dust:
Thou madest man, he knows not why,
He thinks he was not made to die;
And thou has made him: thou art just

Thou seemest human and divine,
The highest, holiest manhood, thou
Our wills are ours, we know not how;
Our wills are ours, to make them thine.

Our little systems have their day;
They have their day and cease to be;
They are but broken lights of thee,
And thou, O Lord, art more than they.

We have but faith: we cannot know,
For knowledge is of things we see;
And yet we trust it comes from thee,
A beam in darkness: let it grow.

Let knowledge grow from more to more,
But more of reverence in us dwell;
That mind and soul, according well,
May make one music as before,

But vaster. We are fools and slight;
We mock thee when we do not fear:
But help thy foolish ones to bear;
Help thy vain worlds to bear they light.

Forgive what seem'd my sin in me,
What seem'd my worth since I began;
For merit lives from man to man,
And not from man, O Lord, to thee.

Forgive my grief for one removed,
They creature, whom I found so fair.
I trust he lives in thee, and there
I find him worthier to be loved.

Forgive these wild and wandering cries,
Confusions of a wasted youth;
Forgive them where they fail in truth,
And in thy wisdom make me wise.

--Alfred Lord Tennyson


I love and miss you.


With hope,

J

The Cost of Cynicism

This post comes out of my own conviction today.

There are a lot of followers of Jesus today who have fallen into a trend of being Christian cynics. Those who do this, myself included, find something to criticize about every single Christian we come across. We constantly pick out what is wrong with believers around the world.

I believe that this is happening not because we are hateful, but because we are taking too far the desire to self-evaluate, as well as to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ to reassess their motives, values, and intentions in their walk with God. The problem, however, lies in the fact that there is no perfect human. The more we focus on the negative in others, and in ourselves, the more disappointed and cynical we become. Then the arguing begins. Friends and family turn on each other, and label it "tough love."

There is a time when tough love has its place--I believe that if we are walking with God, we will know when he desires us to rebuke a fellow believer out of love. However, I do not believe that God is glorified or happy when we walk around in a constant state of pessimism and skepticism about other believers, let alone those are not yet saved. God calls us to a hope, found in him through Christ, and whenever we fail to hope in him, and fail to hope that he is working in others, just as we know he is working in us, we are creating more harm then good. The point is, we cannot possibly know how God is working in the hearts of others-and we have no place assuming that he is not. God is a God of all possibilities, and to act in a constant state of cynicism, I believe, is not what he desires for us.

In Paul's letter to Titus, he gives us good practical instructions for living every day:

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of the eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

(3:1-11)


Why is it that we seem to be able to have more grace toward those who do not follow God, and forget to have grace against our fellow believers? Perhaps they know better, yes, but knowledge does not mean a person is less deserving of God's grace. I pray that we can continue to guard our tongues, and our minds from pessimism--because such thoughts will be acted out in our actions.

And what, then, is the cost?

A Prayer

Our soul waits for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.

For our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.

Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.

Psalm 33:20-22

Joy Through a Broken Heart

For the first time in my life, I truly believe I am in communion with God. Understand, I am eternally grateful for this, this relationship he has given me and allowed to grow and evolve as I do, from a child, to an adolescent, to a so-called "adult." I am not spiritually superior because of this, I am merely a daughter communing with my Lord, and I cannot begin to express the joy that comes with it.

In church recently, my pastor reminded us that we are to be broken before God--but this does not necessarily mean that we are unhappy! I have come before God with a broken heart that is not my own--it is broken for the hurts of my closest and dearest friends. My only thought today is, if this is the amount of joy that comes from a once-removed broken heart, when my own trials come, I cannot imagine the intensity of the joy that will follow. Praise him! I cannot even begin to use words to describe this feeling, this speaking to God and knowing without a doubt that he answers. It is like breathing. He is the way, the truth, and the life. My oxygen. I am utterly dependent. He sent from on high, he took me, he drew me out of many waters (2 Sam. 22:17)

So today, I am reading the Old Testament. It is most precious to me, because to me, there is no question as to who is in charge.

A portion of David's song of deliverance, found in 2 Samuel 22:28-32

You save a humble people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down. For you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness. For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God--his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?


My God, my God, my God! He is everything. His way is perfect, his word proves true---what more do we need to trust? If we put all of our trust in other humans, we will be disappointed, just as those who put trust in me will be disappointed--but what is our imperfection but a way to reveal his perfection? If we could do this on our own, if we could handle situations the way they ought to be, what need would there be for our Lord? To me, disappointment is proof that he exists. Every hit we take, it is further proof that he is perfect and whole. This does not mean that we expect to be disappointed, that we do not trust, but merely that we remember when we are let down, there is Jesus there, who will not ever let us down. It is complex, it is not easy, and it most certainly does not have a practical step by step program that we can wake up and implement into our lives. To be short, it is life!

Remember--

If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful--

for he cannot deny himself.

(2 Timothy 2:11b-13)


With hope,

J

An unintended hiatus! It seems that it is difficult to pinpoint an exact thought or idea that we are learning, as every day brings with it new challenges and insights. I pray you are all well, and learning every day, as we are. For now, I will leave you with a thought that God has been communicating to me, though my own stubbornness fails to let it soak in completely. But God is good--he gives us his word during trials in his life to sustain and uplift us.

Isaiah 55:6-9

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Even as you go about your day, planning for the present and future, contemplating the past, keep in mind that it is not you in control, but the Lord.

Peace

J

These Colours Don't Run

As we near the Fourth of July here in the States, I thought it fitting to discuss patriotism. I actually wrote these thoughts a while back in an email, and nothing has really changed in terms of how I feel, so I decided to post on it.

What sparked this was an email L had sent me, asking me what I thought of patriotism, in particular the fact that people from the U.S. tend to enjoy sticking the American flag on everything from bumper stickers to coffee mugs to beach towels, when few other countries do the same with their own flag. As I said this was written as an email awhile ago, so forgive me if the flow of thoughts doesn't always make sense.

First of all, it's hard to define what is meant by patriotism--it is usually defined as being completely devoted and loyal to one's country. American patriotism seems to be inexplicably tied to democracy, which I suppose makes sense, considering we are a democratic country. We are told to be proud of our country, be proud of our form of government--though it is quite obviously imperfect, but we are to behold it like we would an imperfect child, mistakes and all--and to be unashamed to the point where it is generally believed that bringing democracy to another country, any other country, will undoubtedly resolve conflict. What Americans most commonly fail to remember is that each country has its own past. I am not trying to appear enlightened here, for I think that people from every place tend to be egocentric, like young children who do not see outside themselves. It is a result of a fallen world--people fail to look outside their own perspectives.

It's important to remember that each country has its own past, starting with our own. For instance, the U.S. was founded on principles of rebellion and those ideals played a large part in the decision of what type of government the new country would have. Our founders were adamantly against others deciding their future--some would say rightly so. As a result, it was decided that a democratic republic would be the best form for what was desired by the citizens of the U.S. at the time. Somehow, centuries later, we have decided that it is our responsibility to give the same options to everyone else. But it is necessary, at this point, to recognize that certain countries, specifically, have a very different foundation and history than our own. Before even beginning to suggest that those governments change, that history needs to be considered.

Let me be clear--I am not saying that those governments are any better--clearly there is something wrong with one human being deciding he has the authority over others for various reasons (ethnicity, gender, etc.) and then abusing that authority to grotesque measures--but is there any difference in a group of humans determining the course of millions of others simply because they are deemed most popular? I would probably be accused of not caring, of not being compassionate if I were to suggest such a thing--after all, the U.S. is only trying to help. And I do recognize the compassion that our country generally has toward some other countries, though when you walk down the street of a city in the U.S., or talk to someone who is vehemently patriotic, it is often sadly apparent that compassion is lacking on a less grand scale. In terms of our government, the constant change brought by democracy is not necessarily more stable or helpful.

I do suppose it is true that Americans tend to slap that flag on any and every thing, and many become defensive if one suggests that we are not doing the right thing at the moment. It is obvious to some that being blindly patriotic (meaning, one who doesn't question why he is patriotic, or thinking for himself) is ignorant, because God has graciously allowed some to see glimpses of the world as he does. So much more obnoxious it is then when someone claiming to be a Christian is blindly patriotic. And you'll often find, these types of people are the first to lack compassion for those outside our borders, when the very country they live in has many times in the past been compassionate to those very people (though obviously, I will note, we have also been completely selfish as a nation, as well).

One part of patriotism in America that I have always thought of is the song "God Bless America." First of all, the phrase simply seems like a command, and I have a problem with anyone telling God who or what he can bless. Furthermore, this phrase embodies the attitude in America that I hate the most--entitlement. The idea that the U.S. is somehow higher up in God's list, and thus we are more entitled to his blessings, is something I could speak endlessly on. But also, the phrase also seems to symbolizes the term "Christian Nation," a term which gets under my skin. If you define "Christian" as you ought (as in, one who has entered into the kingdom of God by way of a personal relationship with our savior, Jesus), it obviously cannot apply to a nation, because a nation in and of itself cannot be "a Christian," especially when there are 300 million people pulling in different directions, and many of those would be appalled at that descriptor. I believe that God views our nation no differently than any other, and holds no favoritism. And besides this, God is a personal God, not one who deals with his children through governments and nations. That's the beauty of it all.

Another song that is popular around this time of year is "Proud to be an American." The portion of this song that sticks out to me is the phrase "where at least I know I'm free." Again, this just does not sit well with me. We take the relative freedom God has graciously given us in this country and lord it over others, which is not something I think he'd want us to do. We should be using this freedom to glorify him, and to work to bring others into the kingdom.

But even more so, the phrase made me wonder, what does it mean to be free? What is freedom? According to the context of the song, and what we are told in our schools and lives, is that we are free to do as we want. From a biblical standpoint, is that really freedom? What are we knowing that we are free from? Authority? And our Christian brothers and sisters tell us to be grateful that we are free to meet without persecution or fear of dying, but if we are only grateful to not have death as imminent as others may find it, are we not still sinfully holding onto a fear of death and loss of material possessions? I see this as what is most unsettling about Christian American patriotism: If our identity is in Christ, are we not free no matter where we are? It seems that those who follow Christ in the supposed "persecuted" and "oppressive" countries have far more freedom than I do. Freedom from fear, from hypocrisy, from many things. They seem to have a much easier time placing their identity in Christ than I do here in the U.S., with perhaps too much freedom to do what I want.

However, it is entirely true that God has given us many things in the U.S. that we should be grateful for. We will most likely, Lord willing, live longer, without fear of being tortured. We have been able to see children and grandchildren grow. We can sit in a cafe and discuss theology at any moment. I am proud of this country, for doing what it has done. It has pulled itself up by its proverbial bootstraps in a manner of 200 years and become one of the most powerful and influential nations in the world. It inspires all of us to not limit ourselves, or the possibilities--a good thing to remember, as a Christian, that through Christ, all things are possible. But we must not forget that no matter what country we happen to be born into, if we are called by God to be his child, our identity should not be found in that country where he put us--our identity, our loyalty, our allegiance, should be pledged above all to Christ.

As we celebrate the Fourth of July this year, I pray that we would all remember to be thankful to God for giving us life--no matter which country, town, house, family we were born into. I pray that we would remember to keep all people in our prayers (including leaders of our respective countries), that they might turn away from the world and toward God--as the apostle Paul reminds us:

1 Timothy 2:1-6

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.



Blessings,

J

I found this poem today in a book my grandmother gave me for my birthday by Darrelyn L. Tutt.

Overwhelmed

Be more overwhelmed by the grace of God
Than the test you face today;
Be more overwhelmed by the Word of God
Than the words you've heard men say.
When you stand alone then stand in Him
And He says, "I'll be your stay,"
Live in the grace that God provides
And be overwhelmed this day.


I'll leave you with Isaiah 26:3-4

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.



In Him,

J

A Slight Change in Perspective

One day last year in Amsterdam I was really being challenged in some way. I can't even remember what it was specifically anymore. But like all trials that arose whilst in Amsterdam, I reclused. I grabbed my Bible and my Ipod and started walking around the city I held so dear. On this particular day I stopped at a familiar bench. It was on this bench that I had a conversation that changed my life forever. I've sat there before. Actually alot. I knew the area. I've faced that canal, that bridge w/the lights, that blue house on the water all before. I listened to my music and I prayed asking God for guidance. I felt Him telling me to "look to the side". "Um...I'm sorry, God, I didn't seem to get that." "Look to the side, not right in front of you, Lindsay." So, I did. I wish I could say when I looked to the side I saw something magical, something triumphant and life changing. No, it was not that way. It was another set of houses, a few ducks, another bridge. Nothing exciting by any means. But I did realize that I had sat on that bench a million times before and would only look straight ahead, I never even thought to look on either side. All it took was a slight shift in my head and I saw something the same, yet different. And God said, "Lindsay, you always look ahead. Try turning your head. See what's right next to you."

I am what some (especially J) would call a future seeker. I always want to look to the next thing, tending to pass up opportunities that are right in front of me. I think, "Ok, well I am doing this now, but in 2 weeks I'll be doing this" that is how I've always gotten by. I never enjoy the moments I'm in, it's hard for me. Why focus on boring today when tomorrow seems so much more exciting?! This isn't just an issue I have, this is a common thing for most people. Why don't we enjoy the time we are in right now? I was reminded of all this when I was reading James this morning. This is how James breaks it down:

James 4:13-17

"Come now, you who say 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.' Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.' But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin."

First off, let me just say James knows how to make us feel good, "a vapor", thanks James. But James isn't about his readers making themselves feel all that great, which is why I love James so much. But he's saying it is arrogance to assume we can make plans w/o God in the making of them. I think we as Westerners don't even think about that. We just assume it's our right to have a future. I know I will be the first one to say one day can change the course of your life forever. We should not assume that there will be a tomorrow. Which sounds morbid and cliche, but brohem James says so himself. So what do we do? We live in the present. Yes, Lindsay, we live in the present ( I need to remind myself of this). So I ask, "God what do you want of me today?"
"Shift your head, Lindsay. Look to the side. Enjoy, embrace, and learn from today."

Peace, Love, & Hugs,
L

After many months of skeptically scoffing at the blogger world, I find that humorously enough, God has directed me to that very same world. I could argue with him for awhile, but the past weeks and months have taught me that even if I enter a discussion with my ideas of how my life should be, and what I should or should not do, God usually likes to set me straight. And of course, he has now told me to do one of the things I avoid like the plague--write. I usually avoid writing anything real, preferring to create fictional stories that spark my imagination, and help me to escape reality for moments at a time.

So, God told me to write, and for better or for worse, here I am. I immediately went to my dear sister in Christ, L, and enlisted her support and encouragement, but in actuality, she has a lot to say too, so we decided that since God seems to have had it in mind to bring us together at this point in life, we'd make this a joint endeavor.

This place, first and foremost, is not about either of us. We are simply coming here because we are called to share what we are learning about our Lord. We hope you will see that we do not claim to know God, what he does, or why he does it, any better than anyone. Our desire in life is simply to read God's word, pray, and learn more about him every day as each of us grows in our relationship with Jesus. If our words help you, encourage you, or make you think, then praise Him! If they irritate or anger you, or you disagree, then praise Him! We welcome discussion--the last thing we claim to know is all the answers. We merely are here to share our thoughts.

The following is a passage written by the disciple Peter that L and I both love, and want to put here as our foundation.


1 Peter 1:3-11

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.



By God's grace,
J