Thanksgiving. Airplanes that bring me close to home. Colorado. Cold. Snow. Mountains. Two hours gazing at pure beauty on the ride home. Seeing a new home for the first time. Waking up to snowy mountains framing a wind-swept lake . Wearing my snow boots—finally! Walking through the snow with my mom. Making snow angels. Getting warm by the fire. Playing card games with my family. Five-person solitaire. Go Fish with Alyssa. Indian Rummy and War. Movies. Chick flicks on Hallmark. Clifford on Netflix. “Surrender-Ella.” The Godfather with the guys. Football. iPad and iPod games. Battleship, Solitaire, Sudoku. Getting beat at Sudoku every time by an 11-year old. Warm jackets. Many blankets on a cold night. Flannel snowflake PJs. Cozy socks. Switching hands while reading to keep one hand warm under the blankets. Bathtubs. Jumping on beds. Broken beds. Trips to the hardware store. Grocery store runs. Peanut butter ice cream! Meeting people everywhere you go. Small towns. Thanksgiving dinner. Mashed potatoes beat with a fork by a brave brother. Homemade cranberry sauce and stuffing. Gluten-free pumpkin pie. Real Christmas trees. A fresh pine scent. Ornaments that bringing a little bit of Texas into Colorado (like Texas Santa!) KLOVE. Pandora. Christmas music. Brother. Sisters. Video chat for a brother far away. Crowding around the computer so everyone can be a part of drawing names for gifts. Laughter. Tickles. Random conversations. The Chinese Boston Tea Party (???) “Cheeseman.” Little sisters with attitude. “I tore a page out of your book. I thought you should know.” Dave Ramsey. Finances. Goals. Big plans. Big dreams. Micah 7:18-20. Knowing that God is compassionate. Ice laden trees and grass. Driving back down the mountain. Watching a movie on the way. Gun shopping. Clothes shopping. Starbucks. Macaroni Grill. Saying goodbye… but knowing I’ll be back. Plane rides. Good books to read while flying. Warm cookies to eat! Getting picked up by an awesome Portland roommate who is also making Texas home. Having two homes. Missing one of them, no matter where I am.
Having the chance to do it all again at Christmas.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
When Life is Hard... God is Good.
It has been way too long since I have last posted. Many thanks to my roommate for reminding me that I even have a blog. :)
Part of the reason for my lack of posting is lack of things to share. Or perhaps just lack of good things to share. Because life is hard sometimes. But God is always good. I am going through a Beth Moore Bible Study right now and every page speaks right to my soul. I thought some of this was just too good not to share.
"Do you ever feel too weary, worn, and beaten up by life to believe God can do anything wonderful and miraculous with you? Can you stack up all sorts of rational reasons why you feel you are past God's being able to use you? Many times when He told me through His Word and prayer to believe Him for something very specific, over time the outlook on the matter dwindled from good to slim to utterly impossible before He brought it to pass.
Beloved, is anything "too hard" for you right now? If so, you have the perfect setting for a miracle. Wonders come all sorts of ways, sometimes in the greater miracle that results when we don't get what we were so convinced we wanted and end up with something far more glorious.
In Revelation 3:20 Christ says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." Set the table, Beloved, and greatly anticipate the One who can serve a miracle for dessert.
'Is anything too hard for the Lord?' "
~Beth Moore in The Patriarchs: Encountering the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Part of the reason for my lack of posting is lack of things to share. Or perhaps just lack of good things to share. Because life is hard sometimes. But God is always good. I am going through a Beth Moore Bible Study right now and every page speaks right to my soul. I thought some of this was just too good not to share.
"Do you ever feel too weary, worn, and beaten up by life to believe God can do anything wonderful and miraculous with you? Can you stack up all sorts of rational reasons why you feel you are past God's being able to use you? Many times when He told me through His Word and prayer to believe Him for something very specific, over time the outlook on the matter dwindled from good to slim to utterly impossible before He brought it to pass.
Beloved, is anything "too hard" for you right now? If so, you have the perfect setting for a miracle. Wonders come all sorts of ways, sometimes in the greater miracle that results when we don't get what we were so convinced we wanted and end up with something far more glorious.
In Revelation 3:20 Christ says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." Set the table, Beloved, and greatly anticipate the One who can serve a miracle for dessert.
'Is anything too hard for the Lord?' "
~Beth Moore in The Patriarchs: Encountering the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Autism Is A World.
I just finished watching a documentary called Autism is a World. Everyone has times when they are unable to clearly communicate what they are thinking or feeling. Sometimes we may forget the correct word or our minds just go blank. For individuals with autism or other mental disabilities, however, that feeling may be a continual one. In Autism Is A World, Sue Rubin, a 26-year old autistic woman, showed how individuals with autism—and other mental disabilities—experience that inability to communicate every day.
The resulting frustration from lack of communication must be profound. But one thing is certain; no matter how severe the disability or even mental retardation may be, every individual thinks and feels and yes, even communicates. While an individual may be non-verbal or convey feelings in ways that may be unintelligible to an average person, communication still takes place. The difficulty comes in interpreting the thoughts and feelings when they are conveyed in a non-traditional way.
However, through technological and social advances, individuals in the United States are given the opportunity to be understood. There are still steps to be taken to ensure that these individuals can reach their fullest potential. But my mind is continually drawn towards those individuals living in third world or old Soviet Bloc countries. How many countless of them are just as capable as any one of us, but never given the resources to advance their minds and themselves? Or how many others, perhaps not as intellectually advanced, still long to convey some small part of what runs through their minds? These must also be given a chance, an same opportunity. Someone must go and serve... to unlock their minds and let them touch the world.
The resulting frustration from lack of communication must be profound. But one thing is certain; no matter how severe the disability or even mental retardation may be, every individual thinks and feels and yes, even communicates. While an individual may be non-verbal or convey feelings in ways that may be unintelligible to an average person, communication still takes place. The difficulty comes in interpreting the thoughts and feelings when they are conveyed in a non-traditional way.
However, through technological and social advances, individuals in the United States are given the opportunity to be understood. There are still steps to be taken to ensure that these individuals can reach their fullest potential. But my mind is continually drawn towards those individuals living in third world or old Soviet Bloc countries. How many countless of them are just as capable as any one of us, but never given the resources to advance their minds and themselves? Or how many others, perhaps not as intellectually advanced, still long to convey some small part of what runs through their minds? These must also be given a chance, an same opportunity. Someone must go and serve... to unlock their minds and let them touch the world.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Then God Came
I was asked to write something for another blog... and it turned out being quite a revelation for me as well.
“And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with Him. Then He said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” …And there He blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Peniel, limping because of his hip.” (Genesis 32:24-26, 29-31)
When you read this story, what comes to mind? Do you see it as just another Bible story? Perhaps you see it as strange, or even foolish. (After all, why would Jacob try to wrestle God—the man in this story)? Or maybe you’ve just never thought about it much. Well, I have probably thought one or more of those things at some point, but now this is actually one of my favorite stories in the Bible. I think if we could do what Jacob did, our lives would change. But before I get into that, a little history…
If you read the verses leading up to this section, you’ll find that Jacob was praying. Hard. He was getting ready to face his brother, who was bent on killing Jacob the last time they were together. Now that Jacob is returning with his entire family, he fully expects them all to be wiped out. Talk about problems! I’m sure you have all felt some of the pain Jacob did. You likely have not had the lives of your family threatened. But we all hurt. We all face life. And let’s admit it—life can be hard sometimes. In fact, life can be horrible. There are times when it’s hard to just keep moving and breathing and putting one foot in front of the other. But it is in those times that the miraculous happens.
God shows up.
It’s true. It may be hard to see, but He shows up in our lives today and He showed up in Jacob’s. But did you notice when He came?
“And Jacob was left alone.” It wasn’t when things were going great back at Laban’s house. It wasn’t when his mind was preoccupied with a journey. It wasn’t when he could push his problems to the back of his mind by playing with his kids or something. No. Jacob was at the end of his rope—and alone. There was no more hiding. No more pretending. No more ignoring the truth or hoping for another way out. He was alone, his brother was coming to kill him and his family, and God had been silent to his pleas.
Then God came. That is the beautiful part about God. When you reach the absolute lowest point you can go—God is there. When you can’t imagine another moment of pain or disappointment—God steps in. And when there are no other options available—God supplies your every need.
But there’s another part to this story. You’ll notice that things didn’t immediately turn around for Jacob once God got there. Instead, he spent the night wrestling with God. And this is the lesson that is so valuable. There are times when life becomes so draining or overwhelming that you need God to step in and do something BIG. And God wants more than anything else to do that for you… but He wants you to want it just as much.
And so we must wrestle. Desperately seek His will through His Word and the counsel of others. Beg for His strength and mercy. Live and breathe and eat and drink up Who He is. We must want God more than anything! We have to put our entire beings--everything that we are--into running hard after God. Because it is only when every ounce of our being is focused solely and whole-heartedly on Him that can we can be used the way He wants to use us. Only then can He accomplish His great and perfect will for our lives. Half-hearted prayers and weak desires are not enough. He must bring us to the place where we are desperate for everything He is.
When the sun rose on Jacob that morning, a new day had dawned. He named the place “Peniel,” meaning “face of God.” He had met God face to face, wrestled with Him in desperation and pain, and nothing was the same. He had a new name, a new limp, and a blessing from God. That is what will happen every time we wrestle with God. It will not be easy. It will change who we are. It may leave us scarred. But it will always bring God’s blessing, “a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over.” (Luke 6:38) And we will never be the same.
“And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with Him. Then He said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” …And there He blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Peniel, limping because of his hip.” (Genesis 32:24-26, 29-31)
When you read this story, what comes to mind? Do you see it as just another Bible story? Perhaps you see it as strange, or even foolish. (After all, why would Jacob try to wrestle God—the man in this story)? Or maybe you’ve just never thought about it much. Well, I have probably thought one or more of those things at some point, but now this is actually one of my favorite stories in the Bible. I think if we could do what Jacob did, our lives would change. But before I get into that, a little history…
If you read the verses leading up to this section, you’ll find that Jacob was praying. Hard. He was getting ready to face his brother, who was bent on killing Jacob the last time they were together. Now that Jacob is returning with his entire family, he fully expects them all to be wiped out. Talk about problems! I’m sure you have all felt some of the pain Jacob did. You likely have not had the lives of your family threatened. But we all hurt. We all face life. And let’s admit it—life can be hard sometimes. In fact, life can be horrible. There are times when it’s hard to just keep moving and breathing and putting one foot in front of the other. But it is in those times that the miraculous happens.
God shows up.
It’s true. It may be hard to see, but He shows up in our lives today and He showed up in Jacob’s. But did you notice when He came?
“And Jacob was left alone.” It wasn’t when things were going great back at Laban’s house. It wasn’t when his mind was preoccupied with a journey. It wasn’t when he could push his problems to the back of his mind by playing with his kids or something. No. Jacob was at the end of his rope—and alone. There was no more hiding. No more pretending. No more ignoring the truth or hoping for another way out. He was alone, his brother was coming to kill him and his family, and God had been silent to his pleas.
Then God came. That is the beautiful part about God. When you reach the absolute lowest point you can go—God is there. When you can’t imagine another moment of pain or disappointment—God steps in. And when there are no other options available—God supplies your every need.
But there’s another part to this story. You’ll notice that things didn’t immediately turn around for Jacob once God got there. Instead, he spent the night wrestling with God. And this is the lesson that is so valuable. There are times when life becomes so draining or overwhelming that you need God to step in and do something BIG. And God wants more than anything else to do that for you… but He wants you to want it just as much.
And so we must wrestle. Desperately seek His will through His Word and the counsel of others. Beg for His strength and mercy. Live and breathe and eat and drink up Who He is. We must want God more than anything! We have to put our entire beings--everything that we are--into running hard after God. Because it is only when every ounce of our being is focused solely and whole-heartedly on Him that can we can be used the way He wants to use us. Only then can He accomplish His great and perfect will for our lives. Half-hearted prayers and weak desires are not enough. He must bring us to the place where we are desperate for everything He is.
When the sun rose on Jacob that morning, a new day had dawned. He named the place “Peniel,” meaning “face of God.” He had met God face to face, wrestled with Him in desperation and pain, and nothing was the same. He had a new name, a new limp, and a blessing from God. That is what will happen every time we wrestle with God. It will not be easy. It will change who we are. It may leave us scarred. But it will always bring God’s blessing, “a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over.” (Luke 6:38) And we will never be the same.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
A Levite in the House
"Now a man named Micah... said to his mother, "The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you... I have that silver with me; I took it."
When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, "I solemnly consecrate my silver to the LORD for my son to make a carved image and a cast idol."
...and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into the image and the idol. And they were put in Micah's house.
Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some idols and installed one of his sons as his priest.
In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit...
A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who had been living within the clan of Judah, left that town in search of some other place to stay. On his way he came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim.
Micah asked him, "Where are you from?"
"I'm a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah," he said, "and I'm looking for a place to stay."
...then Micah installed the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house. And Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest."
~Judges 17
Our pastor preached on this passage this Sunday. Micah, the main character, is just one example of what happened when 'everyone did as he saw fit.' He stole a large sum of money from his mother and when he returned it, she "thanked" the Lord by creating an idol! Micah set up a shrine for the idol along with all the other gods he worshipped and then installed his son as a priest. When a Levite came along, he decided to appoint the Levite as his priest instead.
Then notice the last phrase... "I know that the Lord will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest."
Theft.
Greed.
Idol worship.
Utter disregard for the Word of the Lord.
And yet, because Micah has a Levite, he thinks God will bless him.
How foolish. How ridiculous!
But how often do I do the same thing?
My life is also full of sin. Full of false gods.
Security becomes more important than trust. Computer takes the place of spending time with God. "Having fun" overshadows stewardship of what God has given me. Pride interferes with a right relationship with Him.
And yet I think that because I read my Bible or go to church or donate money, God will bless me? How foolish. How ridiculous!
The blessing of God does not come because I have "a Levite in the house." His blessing is not given for the asking. It is not based on outward signs of obedience that serve only to disguise a prideful heart.
But "blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods." ~Psalm 40:4
Only when I humble myself and seek His face... Only when I completely forsake the false gods in my life--my pride, my security, my faith in myself... Only when I stop trusting the Levites in my house to bring blessing and turn wholly and completely to the God of the universe...
Only then will I find His blessing.
"Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory; that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" ~1 Chronicles 4:10
When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, "I solemnly consecrate my silver to the LORD for my son to make a carved image and a cast idol."
...and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into the image and the idol. And they were put in Micah's house.
Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some idols and installed one of his sons as his priest.
In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit...
A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who had been living within the clan of Judah, left that town in search of some other place to stay. On his way he came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim.
Micah asked him, "Where are you from?"
"I'm a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah," he said, "and I'm looking for a place to stay."
...then Micah installed the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house. And Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest."
~Judges 17
Our pastor preached on this passage this Sunday. Micah, the main character, is just one example of what happened when 'everyone did as he saw fit.' He stole a large sum of money from his mother and when he returned it, she "thanked" the Lord by creating an idol! Micah set up a shrine for the idol along with all the other gods he worshipped and then installed his son as a priest. When a Levite came along, he decided to appoint the Levite as his priest instead.
Then notice the last phrase... "I know that the Lord will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest."
Theft.
Greed.
Idol worship.
Utter disregard for the Word of the Lord.
And yet, because Micah has a Levite, he thinks God will bless him.
How foolish. How ridiculous!
But how often do I do the same thing?
My life is also full of sin. Full of false gods.
Security becomes more important than trust. Computer takes the place of spending time with God. "Having fun" overshadows stewardship of what God has given me. Pride interferes with a right relationship with Him.
And yet I think that because I read my Bible or go to church or donate money, God will bless me? How foolish. How ridiculous!
The blessing of God does not come because I have "a Levite in the house." His blessing is not given for the asking. It is not based on outward signs of obedience that serve only to disguise a prideful heart.
But "blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods." ~Psalm 40:4
Only when I humble myself and seek His face... Only when I completely forsake the false gods in my life--my pride, my security, my faith in myself... Only when I stop trusting the Levites in my house to bring blessing and turn wholly and completely to the God of the universe...
Only then will I find His blessing.
"Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory; that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" ~1 Chronicles 4:10
Monday, March 8, 2010
Every day is a journal page. Every man holds a quill and ink.
And there's plenty of room for writing in. All we do is believe and think.
So will you compose a curse or will today bring the blessing?
Fill the page with rhyming verse or some random sketching?
Teach us to count the days, teach us to make the days count.
Lead us in better ways that somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much... Life means so much... Life means so much.
Every day is a bank account and time is our currency.
So nobody's rich, nobody's poor; we get 24 hours each.
So how are you gonna spend? Will you invest or squander?
Try to get ahead or help someone who's under?
Teach us to count the days, teach us to make the days count.
Lead us in better ways that somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much... Life means so much... Life means so much.
Has anybody ever lived who knew the value of a life?
And don't you think giving is all that proves the worth of yours and mine.
Life means so much...
Teach us to count the days, teach us to make the days count.
Lead us in better ways that somehow our souls forgot.
Life means so much...
Every day is a gift you've been given. Make the most of the time, every minute you're living.
And there's plenty of room for writing in. All we do is believe and think.
So will you compose a curse or will today bring the blessing?
Fill the page with rhyming verse or some random sketching?
Teach us to count the days, teach us to make the days count.
Lead us in better ways that somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much... Life means so much... Life means so much.
Every day is a bank account and time is our currency.
So nobody's rich, nobody's poor; we get 24 hours each.
So how are you gonna spend? Will you invest or squander?
Try to get ahead or help someone who's under?
Teach us to count the days, teach us to make the days count.
Lead us in better ways that somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much... Life means so much... Life means so much.
Has anybody ever lived who knew the value of a life?
And don't you think giving is all that proves the worth of yours and mine.
Life means so much...Teach us to count the days, teach us to make the days count.
Lead us in better ways that somehow our souls forgot.
Life means so much...
Every day is a gift you've been given. Make the most of the time, every minute you're living.
Friday, March 5, 2010
You're not alone...
"You're not alone for I am here/Let me wipe away your every fear/My love, I've never left your side/I have seen you through the darkest night/and I'm the one who's loved you all your life." ~Meredith Andrews.
Will you please be there for a little one who is all alone? Please, demonstrate God's love to them, especially little Andrey this month. ReecesRainbow.com
Will you please be there for a little one who is all alone? Please, demonstrate God's love to them, especially little Andrey this month. ReecesRainbow.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
