Cram packed week.
Packing and cramming a suitcase and heading out on a jet plane.
One fantabulous Adventure awaits.
Just the facts:
I have A.) never traveled longer than a 45 minute flight away or a 10 hour drive,
B.) never flown with my husband,
C.) never been farther west than Katy Tx,
and D.) have never seen the Pacific Ocean.
None of those will be true after next week- Yeah!
Don't worry my loyal two followers, I will post tons of pictures in two weeks.
Somethings just seem so wonderful, you are just sure you have made a mistake and it's someone else's life.
This is one giddy 36 year old.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
The sweetest thing
I attended the sweetest little wedding this weekend.
It was the no stress kind.
A small family wedding for my sister.
12 people.
1 couple.
The point, the focus of it was two people making a promise before God to spend their lives together loving each other.
The setting was simple yet had a feeling of stablility.
A church made from reclaimed lumber (from another church) and new construction.
A great symbol of our lives in Christ- reclaimed lives built on new construction.
God wants to do miracles of that kind in our lives but we don't want to give him a chance.
Submit to God, obey Him, read His word, pray daily, trust in unseen things- I'm too busy for that.
Yeah, to busy squandering your life, wasting your treasures and chasing lies.
I am struggling this week watching people do this. At times watching myself do this.
oh, me of little faith.
James 1
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
Perseverance
doggedness, steadfastness. Perseverance, persistence, tenacity, pertinacity imply resolute and unyielding holding on in following a course of action. Perseverance commonly suggests activity maintained in spite of difficulties or steadfast and long-continued application
Perseverance: exactly what is missing in most of our lives.
From what this verse says you cannot have spiritual maturity with out perseverance.
What is the key here?
By holding out and giving Him all that you are, you are saying that all your chips are on the bet that He is all He says He is.
By holding on and submitting, we give God the chance to prove He is all He says He is. When we see, hear, feel and finally know He is good through what He does, then our lack becomes a non-issue.
It was the no stress kind.
A small family wedding for my sister.
12 people.
1 couple.
The point, the focus of it was two people making a promise before God to spend their lives together loving each other.
The setting was simple yet had a feeling of stablility.
A great symbol of our lives in Christ- reclaimed lives built on new construction.
God wants to do miracles of that kind in our lives but we don't want to give him a chance.
Submit to God, obey Him, read His word, pray daily, trust in unseen things- I'm too busy for that.
Yeah, to busy squandering your life, wasting your treasures and chasing lies.
I am struggling this week watching people do this. At times watching myself do this.
oh, me of little faith.
James 1
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
Perseverance
doggedness, steadfastness. Perseverance, persistence, tenacity, pertinacity imply resolute and unyielding holding on in following a course of action. Perseverance commonly suggests activity maintained in spite of difficulties or steadfast and long-continued application
Perseverance: exactly what is missing in most of our lives.
From what this verse says you cannot have spiritual maturity with out perseverance.
What is the key here?
By holding out and giving Him all that you are, you are saying that all your chips are on the bet that He is all He says He is.
By holding on and submitting, we give God the chance to prove He is all He says He is. When we see, hear, feel and finally know He is good through what He does, then our lack becomes a non-issue.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Passing the Test
School is about to start up.
I am a normal mom, I pray hard that my kids would be successful and take advantage of every moment of learning.
It makes me wonder if these parental urges are the same ones God feels for me.
Does our heavenly Father long for us to "get it", to take full advantage of the learning opportunities He gives us?
I think yes.
For example Jesus gave us a test we could use to tell if we really loved Him.
John 21:15-17
Jesus was talking to Peter, who was a rather hyped up guy. He was the type to heartily declare "I love ya, Lord. I love ya more than most".
But Jesus had really only one measure for Peter. He asked him the same question 3 times.
Do you love me?
Every time Peter gave an enthusiastic yes and after the 3rd time he got his feelings hurt. What's the deal Jesus?
Can't you see my heart bursting with love for you?
Jesus told him there was one measure of his love, one thing that would easily show if he had the love.
FEED MY SHEEP
Now I have heard many sermons that go deeply in to the words used and that dissected the language and I think that is great.
But, the very simple message there is profound all by it's self.
Do you love Jesus?
Well, the proof when we examine your life is not how loudly you say it, or how beautifully and strongly you sing it in a praise song, or how many times you post scripture on facebook.
The proof is that you live to uplift and grow fellow believers. You seek out sheep that don't even know they are part of the flock and you make sure they get some sweet feed.
Kind of laughs in the face of the idea of finding a Church that feeds you.
Jesus did not say "feed my gentle sheep", "feed my sheep that agree with you", or "feed my sheep that feed you back", or "pay someone good to feed my sheep".
I have come to terms with this.
How am I loving the church?
Do I have lines I have drawn that show my love level is almost on empty?
I am a big mouth like Peter. Full of fire and gusto for Jesus. So this one really get's my attention.
I pray I will also be like Peter- humble enough to pour my life out serving God's people.
Later in Verse 18 Jesus straight up tells Peter he will die doing this mission. Jesus was not worried that feeding the sheep had a high cost for Peter. Jesus loved Peter and He knew Peter would ultimately be satisfied by the life he was to live.
I am a normal mom, I pray hard that my kids would be successful and take advantage of every moment of learning.
It makes me wonder if these parental urges are the same ones God feels for me.
Does our heavenly Father long for us to "get it", to take full advantage of the learning opportunities He gives us?
I think yes.
For example Jesus gave us a test we could use to tell if we really loved Him.
John 21:15-17
Jesus was talking to Peter, who was a rather hyped up guy. He was the type to heartily declare "I love ya, Lord. I love ya more than most".
But Jesus had really only one measure for Peter. He asked him the same question 3 times.
Do you love me?
Every time Peter gave an enthusiastic yes and after the 3rd time he got his feelings hurt. What's the deal Jesus?
Can't you see my heart bursting with love for you?
Jesus told him there was one measure of his love, one thing that would easily show if he had the love.
FEED MY SHEEP
Now I have heard many sermons that go deeply in to the words used and that dissected the language and I think that is great.
But, the very simple message there is profound all by it's self.
Do you love Jesus?
Well, the proof when we examine your life is not how loudly you say it, or how beautifully and strongly you sing it in a praise song, or how many times you post scripture on facebook.
The proof is that you live to uplift and grow fellow believers. You seek out sheep that don't even know they are part of the flock and you make sure they get some sweet feed.
Kind of laughs in the face of the idea of finding a Church that feeds you.
Jesus did not say "feed my gentle sheep", "feed my sheep that agree with you", or "feed my sheep that feed you back", or "pay someone good to feed my sheep".
I have come to terms with this.
How am I loving the church?
Do I have lines I have drawn that show my love level is almost on empty?
I am a big mouth like Peter. Full of fire and gusto for Jesus. So this one really get's my attention.
I pray I will also be like Peter- humble enough to pour my life out serving God's people.
Later in Verse 18 Jesus straight up tells Peter he will die doing this mission. Jesus was not worried that feeding the sheep had a high cost for Peter. Jesus loved Peter and He knew Peter would ultimately be satisfied by the life he was to live.
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