I tend to people watch. I don’t mean the people watching you might do at the mall -- although I admit to having indulged in that brand of people watching as well. The type of people watching I’m talking about here is the more in depth, ongoing type of observation made of those in your life on a regular/recurring basis. One thing that strikes me is that we don’t know how to live! Sure, we have moments, maybe even fairly large segments of time where we are at least content, if not happy. But on the whole we aren’t living. Not truly living.
Life is a verb. Life is meant to be lived purposefully. Instead of trudging through life simply enduring we should actively participate. Most of us live life as a noun. Nouns are usually things. Things don’t really do anything. They simply are there until acted upon by an outside force. That’s not how life was meant to be lived. And it surely isn’t how life is enjoyed.
I’ve found the most important aspect to living life as a verb is to be an active participant in your own life. For me, this required a profound shift in my thinking. I had to leave behind the mistaken notion that life was something that happed to me and only required a reactionary response. That required me to reprogram myself to acknowledge that the things that happened in my life were the results of my decisions and actions -- or lack thereof. In essence I had to take responsibility for my life. (A novel idea for many people unfortunately.)
Once I accepted my role in determining my future, I then had to decide what I would do as a result of my newly acquired knowledge. For me it wasn’t a difficult decision. I’m a take charge type of person. My answer was to take life by the horns and have a come to Jesus meeting with it. No longer was life a big scary monster that happened to me and I just had to accept it. Nope. I am the captain of that ship now and we’re going where I want to go.
A big part of taking charge was sitting down and taking inventory. I looked at every aspect of my life from religion to housekeeping. Yes, even housekeeping. I decided how the present condition of that particular aspect of my life made me feel. Then I asked myself if it was even something I wanted in my life at all. Especially if that particular aspect of my life made me feel inferior or evoked some other negative feeling. I’ll be honest, most of the things that made me feel bad were eliminated. In most cases it became obvious these things were aspects of my life other people felt needed to be there.
In addition to scrutinizing every aspect of my life, I also took a long hard look at the people in my life. Sad to say, I had to eliminate some of them as well. I simply did not want or need drama, spitefulness and hatefulness in my life. Those were not easy decisions to make, but I could not overlook the fact that after spending time with some people I left feeling worse than when I started out.
Since I’ve made these changes, I can say I actually have a much better outlook on life. I certainly feel more mentally balanced and so much of the stress I used to experience has melted away. That’s not to say everything is great and fine and we all live happily ever after, but things are at least on a more even keel. And I’ve freed myself up to more actively participate in my own life.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Lyrical Debauchery
Music represents an intriguing dichotomy. On the one hand music can be the tie that binds. On the other hand music can be extremely divisive. Few issues seem to be more divisive than music. I find this to be especially true in Christian circles.
Often music is blamed for a myriad of ills. I find it interesting that religious leaders not only blame lyrics, but also the beat of the music. This is an intriguing concept to me. I can’t say that the beat of any music has ever done anything more than inspire me to dance. Yet to hear some religious leaders tell it, the beat of music has inspired everything from drug use to murder. I truly fail to comprehend this concept. I will allow that the lyrics may inspire the weaker minded among us to do things that are universally considered wrong, but I simply cannot see how the beat would do that same thing.
I’ve also often heard fundamental leaders say that music for worship can’t be of the contemporary genre. Why? Why is contemporary Christian music considered bad for worship? One argument I’ve heard often is that contemporary Christian music cannot pass the Philippians 4:8 test. According to these people, contemporary Christian music is not honest, just, pure, or lovely. They contend worship music hast to be 100+ year old hymns. Obviously I have an issue with this.
Music is continually evolving and changing. One hundred years ago those hymns were contemporary Christian music. Thus, those hymns are every bit as “bad” as current contemporary Christian music if we apply the reasoning equally across all time periods.
Don’t misunderstand me. I like the old hymns as much as the next fundamental Baptist. However, I also truly enjoy incorporating contemporary Christian music into my worship. I’ve been told this is because contemporary Christian music appeals to my emotions and that I’m wrong to follow my emotions because emotions lie to us and lead us astray.
Really? Really?!
Wow…
Let me try to wrap my mind about this…
Isn’t religion the marriage of a purposeful decision born of a conviction? Isn’t that conviction predicated on emotion? Does not worship of it’s very nature demand an emotional response? If your emotions are not involved in your worship is it worship at all? Our whole existence as humans is an emotional one. How could one separate such an integral part of our earthly lives from out spiritual lives?
When I go to worship I feel peace, well-being, contentment, happiness and sometimes even sadness, unease or guilt. Does this mean my worship is wrong? Perhaps my belief in and of itself is no more than my emotions leading me astray?
At it’s very core worship must involve our emotions. The love we profess for our God is an emotion. So, if emotions in worship are wrong, bad, lead you astray, etc that would mean our belief in God is bad, wrong, errant, etc. when we apply this logic. And, logically speaking, that makes no sense at all!
If we actually look at this logically, music has the ability to bridge even the largest of gulfs between people. Why not take advantage of that? All types of music can be beautiful, enjoyed and incorporated into worship. Simply because a certain style may not be your choice doesn’t mean people who use that style of music to worship are wrong.
Instead of infighting about the type of music to use in worship, wouldn’t it make more sense for us to be cooperative and go into our communities and put actions to the faith we profess? We don’t have to agree on music to work together, to take food to the homeless or labor with others to build a house for the needy. Let’s focus on the many needs of our communities and what we can do to meet those needs rather than bashing each other for the type of music we use in our respective houses of worship.
Often music is blamed for a myriad of ills. I find it interesting that religious leaders not only blame lyrics, but also the beat of the music. This is an intriguing concept to me. I can’t say that the beat of any music has ever done anything more than inspire me to dance. Yet to hear some religious leaders tell it, the beat of music has inspired everything from drug use to murder. I truly fail to comprehend this concept. I will allow that the lyrics may inspire the weaker minded among us to do things that are universally considered wrong, but I simply cannot see how the beat would do that same thing.
I’ve also often heard fundamental leaders say that music for worship can’t be of the contemporary genre. Why? Why is contemporary Christian music considered bad for worship? One argument I’ve heard often is that contemporary Christian music cannot pass the Philippians 4:8 test. According to these people, contemporary Christian music is not honest, just, pure, or lovely. They contend worship music hast to be 100+ year old hymns. Obviously I have an issue with this.
Music is continually evolving and changing. One hundred years ago those hymns were contemporary Christian music. Thus, those hymns are every bit as “bad” as current contemporary Christian music if we apply the reasoning equally across all time periods.
Don’t misunderstand me. I like the old hymns as much as the next fundamental Baptist. However, I also truly enjoy incorporating contemporary Christian music into my worship. I’ve been told this is because contemporary Christian music appeals to my emotions and that I’m wrong to follow my emotions because emotions lie to us and lead us astray.
Really? Really?!
Wow…
Let me try to wrap my mind about this…
Isn’t religion the marriage of a purposeful decision born of a conviction? Isn’t that conviction predicated on emotion? Does not worship of it’s very nature demand an emotional response? If your emotions are not involved in your worship is it worship at all? Our whole existence as humans is an emotional one. How could one separate such an integral part of our earthly lives from out spiritual lives?
When I go to worship I feel peace, well-being, contentment, happiness and sometimes even sadness, unease or guilt. Does this mean my worship is wrong? Perhaps my belief in and of itself is no more than my emotions leading me astray?
At it’s very core worship must involve our emotions. The love we profess for our God is an emotion. So, if emotions in worship are wrong, bad, lead you astray, etc that would mean our belief in God is bad, wrong, errant, etc. when we apply this logic. And, logically speaking, that makes no sense at all!
If we actually look at this logically, music has the ability to bridge even the largest of gulfs between people. Why not take advantage of that? All types of music can be beautiful, enjoyed and incorporated into worship. Simply because a certain style may not be your choice doesn’t mean people who use that style of music to worship are wrong.
Instead of infighting about the type of music to use in worship, wouldn’t it make more sense for us to be cooperative and go into our communities and put actions to the faith we profess? We don’t have to agree on music to work together, to take food to the homeless or labor with others to build a house for the needy. Let’s focus on the many needs of our communities and what we can do to meet those needs rather than bashing each other for the type of music we use in our respective houses of worship.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Why Can't I Be Both?
I’m trying to wrap my mind around this concept that I can’t be Christian and goth. Apparently you have to choose between the two. I find this to be a patently absurd idea. I truly cannot comprehend how an aesthetic disqualifies you. I’ve come to the conclusion that the pompous windbags spouting this drivel haven’t even taken the time to learn, even in the most general terms, what being goth really is, nor have they truly gotten to know me and what I stand for.
So what does gothic mean when the word refers to a person or group of people? Frankly, this is where it gets confusing because there are things that many goths like that are not really “gothic” in the strictest sense, say for example, industrial or classical music. Likewise there are things that are gothic that many goths actually don’t care for. Such as vampires and an unhealthy fascination with the morbid. Then to confuse the issue further, there are things that are not gothic that people consider gothic. Unfortunately, violent tendencies toward others and oneself would be a very good example of this. Then you have those that think goth is defined only in terms of music. This couldn’t be more wrong. Goth is a lifestyle. Yes, goths tend to share similar musical tastes, but it is not only the music that defines us as a group. Nor is it fashion lest someone decides to jump on that bandwagon.
I think the biggest thing to remember is that there is no Council sitting around deciding what is gothic and what is not. Even the people who identify as goth have diverse definitions of what goth really is. So, if the people actually involved in the lifestyle don’t have hard and fast rules as to what it means to be goth, what makes those outside of the lifestyle think they are capable of labeling and judging us?
I found this on a website quite some time ago. I wish I could remember what site it was so I could properly credit it. Regardless, I wish to share it:
This is probably the hardest question any goth could try and answer, one may as well ask 'what is society?' as it has so many facets it defies any definitive explanation. Goth in its simplest form, is a subculture. A group of people who feel comfortable within each others company. There is no specific thing that defines what you need to do or be to fit into the goth scene. People in the goth scene all have different musical tastes, follow different religions, have different occupations, hobbies, and fashion sense.
So maybe we could find an answer if we back things up and ask why people choose to identify as gothic. Truthfully, that is likely the easiest question to answer. Goths tend to be tolerant free thinkers. We do not simply accept the whole “this is how it is” thought process. We are not sheep to be led mindlessly about never questioning the one leading us. We tend to gather information, be it through listening and discourse, or study. Once we have gathered our information we then make our decision based on our own values and morals and not those values and morals society says we should have. Sometimes our conclusions do not dovetail with how society thinks it should be. So we’re spurned by “normal” society because we dare to buck the status quo. Eventually we meet up with others like ourselves and we band together.
Once that happens we then get to fight the gothic sterotype. You know the one I mean. The one that says we’re all 23 or younger; we all listen to Marilyn Manson, who by the way is NOT gothic; we all cut on ourselves or in some other way self mutilate; we’re all Satanists or part of some kind of cult; we’re all obsessed with vampires and death; and last, but by no means least, we all dye our hair black, wear black clothing and death makeup. Yeah, across the board that stereotype is WRONG.
The goth scene encompasses a wide variety of people. And really, that’s what those outside of the scene need to remember. First and foremost, there are people in their 30s and 40s still active in the goth scene. There are *le gasp* parents involved in the goth scene. (Someone pass the smelling salts please. I just heard a few of my readers hit the floor.) The goth scene embraces a wide variety of musical tastes, not all of them gothic. And, as with any segment of society, sure there are those who may self mutilate or not have the strongest grasp on reality, but really this is hardly a hallmark of only the goth scene. Additionally, we are not all Satanists. I happen to be Baptist. Others are Catholic, some are pagan, a few are atheists -- you get the idea. There are religions of all types present in the goth scene. And we don’t all think we are vampires nor do we dwell on death constantly. Many of us are volunteers. We give of our time and of ourselves to make the world we live in a better place. Neither do we all have piercings, weirdly styled black hair, closets full of nothing but black clothes and makeup baskets containing only white foundation, black lipstick and dark black liquid eyeliner. Most of us have jobs. Thus we wear business clothing on a daily basis. It is not our clothing that makes us goth; it is our mindset. It’s how we look at the world and how we evaluate the things around us; it is how we react to these things that make us who we are.
And before you read past that last paragraph thinking that it’s only retail store clerks or fast food workers in this lifestyle, I would suggest you open your eyes and look at your doctor, lawyer or accountant. Or maybe your network administrator at work. Or, heaven forbid you ever need him, but the firefighter that pulls you out of your burning house. Goths come from all walks of life and all professions. You know that real nice librarian that helped your kid find a book for her book report? Yeah, he was goth too.
Also, to be sure I’ve very clear: We don’t all dress like medieval vampires. I happen to have been around the goth scene practically since the beginning and I’m what is now considered a loligoth. Although admittedly I also have heavy EGA tendencies. There are so many fashions within the goth scene. Please don’t limit us to the stereotype.
Now that we’ve established what a goth is, let’s return to the original question. Does being a goth automatically disqualify me from being a Christian? From what I’m seeing -- no. But to hear others tell it…. Well you know how they’re telling it. What I get from them is that something I do/identify with means I can’t be a Christian. That’s the same as me looking at them and saying because I saw them drinking Friday night, spending time with their gay friend Saturday, and saw them mowing their lawn Sunday morning instead of being in church, they are no longer qualified to be Christians.
I’m not sure what Bible they are reading, but my Bible doesn’t say anything like that at all. My Bible says: For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It doesn’t say that the Goths have sinned and come short of the glory of God. From what I’m reading in my Bible, it says that the only thing that keeps you from being a Christian is not believing that Jesus Christ died for your sins and not calling on Him to save you.
So help me out here. If I believe Jesus died for my sins and I’ve asked Him to save my soul and I truly believe that He can do that, how am I not a Christian?! The very definition of Christian is Christ follower. That is why His name is the root of the label by which we are called!
Oh, wait….
I’m starting to understand. People’s preconceived notions -- their JUDGING -- have decided I’m not a Christian. They are falling back on the goth stereotype and just assuming all I think about is death and evil. They are just assuming I don’t believe in God or Jesus. Yeah, I think the Bible has something to say about judging others. Something along the lines of only God knows a person’s heart.
Understand I’m not saying I’m a perfect Christian. I am so far from it! But that doesn’t mean I’m not a Christian. It doesn’t mean that I don’t give God the credit for all the blessings in my life. I know who is in control and I know who is the Savior of my soul. So, don’t tell me that because I identify with a certain group I’m not a Christian. Instead of judging, just accept people for who they are. Hmmm….and once again we are back to the main thing that binds goths together -- TOLERANCE.
So what does gothic mean when the word refers to a person or group of people? Frankly, this is where it gets confusing because there are things that many goths like that are not really “gothic” in the strictest sense, say for example, industrial or classical music. Likewise there are things that are gothic that many goths actually don’t care for. Such as vampires and an unhealthy fascination with the morbid. Then to confuse the issue further, there are things that are not gothic that people consider gothic. Unfortunately, violent tendencies toward others and oneself would be a very good example of this. Then you have those that think goth is defined only in terms of music. This couldn’t be more wrong. Goth is a lifestyle. Yes, goths tend to share similar musical tastes, but it is not only the music that defines us as a group. Nor is it fashion lest someone decides to jump on that bandwagon.
I think the biggest thing to remember is that there is no Council sitting around deciding what is gothic and what is not. Even the people who identify as goth have diverse definitions of what goth really is. So, if the people actually involved in the lifestyle don’t have hard and fast rules as to what it means to be goth, what makes those outside of the lifestyle think they are capable of labeling and judging us?
I found this on a website quite some time ago. I wish I could remember what site it was so I could properly credit it. Regardless, I wish to share it:
This is probably the hardest question any goth could try and answer, one may as well ask 'what is society?' as it has so many facets it defies any definitive explanation. Goth in its simplest form, is a subculture. A group of people who feel comfortable within each others company. There is no specific thing that defines what you need to do or be to fit into the goth scene. People in the goth scene all have different musical tastes, follow different religions, have different occupations, hobbies, and fashion sense.
So maybe we could find an answer if we back things up and ask why people choose to identify as gothic. Truthfully, that is likely the easiest question to answer. Goths tend to be tolerant free thinkers. We do not simply accept the whole “this is how it is” thought process. We are not sheep to be led mindlessly about never questioning the one leading us. We tend to gather information, be it through listening and discourse, or study. Once we have gathered our information we then make our decision based on our own values and morals and not those values and morals society says we should have. Sometimes our conclusions do not dovetail with how society thinks it should be. So we’re spurned by “normal” society because we dare to buck the status quo. Eventually we meet up with others like ourselves and we band together.
Once that happens we then get to fight the gothic sterotype. You know the one I mean. The one that says we’re all 23 or younger; we all listen to Marilyn Manson, who by the way is NOT gothic; we all cut on ourselves or in some other way self mutilate; we’re all Satanists or part of some kind of cult; we’re all obsessed with vampires and death; and last, but by no means least, we all dye our hair black, wear black clothing and death makeup. Yeah, across the board that stereotype is WRONG.
The goth scene encompasses a wide variety of people. And really, that’s what those outside of the scene need to remember. First and foremost, there are people in their 30s and 40s still active in the goth scene. There are *le gasp* parents involved in the goth scene. (Someone pass the smelling salts please. I just heard a few of my readers hit the floor.) The goth scene embraces a wide variety of musical tastes, not all of them gothic. And, as with any segment of society, sure there are those who may self mutilate or not have the strongest grasp on reality, but really this is hardly a hallmark of only the goth scene. Additionally, we are not all Satanists. I happen to be Baptist. Others are Catholic, some are pagan, a few are atheists -- you get the idea. There are religions of all types present in the goth scene. And we don’t all think we are vampires nor do we dwell on death constantly. Many of us are volunteers. We give of our time and of ourselves to make the world we live in a better place. Neither do we all have piercings, weirdly styled black hair, closets full of nothing but black clothes and makeup baskets containing only white foundation, black lipstick and dark black liquid eyeliner. Most of us have jobs. Thus we wear business clothing on a daily basis. It is not our clothing that makes us goth; it is our mindset. It’s how we look at the world and how we evaluate the things around us; it is how we react to these things that make us who we are.
And before you read past that last paragraph thinking that it’s only retail store clerks or fast food workers in this lifestyle, I would suggest you open your eyes and look at your doctor, lawyer or accountant. Or maybe your network administrator at work. Or, heaven forbid you ever need him, but the firefighter that pulls you out of your burning house. Goths come from all walks of life and all professions. You know that real nice librarian that helped your kid find a book for her book report? Yeah, he was goth too.
Also, to be sure I’ve very clear: We don’t all dress like medieval vampires. I happen to have been around the goth scene practically since the beginning and I’m what is now considered a loligoth. Although admittedly I also have heavy EGA tendencies. There are so many fashions within the goth scene. Please don’t limit us to the stereotype.
Now that we’ve established what a goth is, let’s return to the original question. Does being a goth automatically disqualify me from being a Christian? From what I’m seeing -- no. But to hear others tell it…. Well you know how they’re telling it. What I get from them is that something I do/identify with means I can’t be a Christian. That’s the same as me looking at them and saying because I saw them drinking Friday night, spending time with their gay friend Saturday, and saw them mowing their lawn Sunday morning instead of being in church, they are no longer qualified to be Christians.
I’m not sure what Bible they are reading, but my Bible doesn’t say anything like that at all. My Bible says: For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It doesn’t say that the Goths have sinned and come short of the glory of God. From what I’m reading in my Bible, it says that the only thing that keeps you from being a Christian is not believing that Jesus Christ died for your sins and not calling on Him to save you.
So help me out here. If I believe Jesus died for my sins and I’ve asked Him to save my soul and I truly believe that He can do that, how am I not a Christian?! The very definition of Christian is Christ follower. That is why His name is the root of the label by which we are called!
Oh, wait….
I’m starting to understand. People’s preconceived notions -- their JUDGING -- have decided I’m not a Christian. They are falling back on the goth stereotype and just assuming all I think about is death and evil. They are just assuming I don’t believe in God or Jesus. Yeah, I think the Bible has something to say about judging others. Something along the lines of only God knows a person’s heart.
Understand I’m not saying I’m a perfect Christian. I am so far from it! But that doesn’t mean I’m not a Christian. It doesn’t mean that I don’t give God the credit for all the blessings in my life. I know who is in control and I know who is the Savior of my soul. So, don’t tell me that because I identify with a certain group I’m not a Christian. Instead of judging, just accept people for who they are. Hmmm….and once again we are back to the main thing that binds goths together -- TOLERANCE.
Monday, August 1, 2011
A Morning in the Life of...
Several of you have asked what a typical day is like for me, where I go in a typical day, etc. Honestly, I can't imagine that you would find this interesting, but, OK, I'll show you. The only catch is, I can't show my work or say where I work. But other than that, you'll see a typical day.
Well not a full day. I'm just doing the morning. Trust me, there isn't much for the morning. I do *not* do mornings. If my day started at 3pm I'd be very happy.
So, this morning when I went out the sky was looking pretty cool. It had something to do with the impending rain. And, I have little doubt, it looked cool to me because I am rarely truly awake enough at 7am to even pay attention to the sky, much less appreciate its beauty.
I have a 15 minute drive to work. Some days I stop at McDonald's for oatmeal and a large sweet tea. Not sure why I try to get something healthy like oatmeal and then get a 44oz drink that has so much sugar in it it's like drinking syrup. But yeah, that's breakfast a few times a week. Do I really need to take a pic of McDonald's? I think not. Y'all know what it looks like.
So I drag my butt into my office. Barely awake. Functioning on only the most basic of levels. Skin burning from the sun. Oh wait, no....I'm not supposed to mention that!
Right...moving right along....
I plop down at my desk and unlock it and begin my morning ritual of staring out the window for the next hour or two. This is what I see:
Window #1
That is Veteran's Park that you see off in the distance. It has flagpoles for every state in the Union. Unfortunately they don't fly said flags every day. It would be really cool if they did though. And around 1100am a guy comes and plays his bagpipes every day. I always open my window so I can hear him better.
Window#2
It's hard to tell in this pic, but that's bamboo. Yep, bamboo. It makes me happy. Very happy. It reminds me of Japan. But I love the moss that fell from the oak trees into the bamboo. It combines two things that are so very me. The bamboo for Japan and the moss for the South.
So, that's my morning. I don't do much in the morning. I'm barely coherent in the morning. It's just wrong for a person to be required to be awake at that hour!
Well not a full day. I'm just doing the morning. Trust me, there isn't much for the morning. I do *not* do mornings. If my day started at 3pm I'd be very happy.
So, this morning when I went out the sky was looking pretty cool. It had something to do with the impending rain. And, I have little doubt, it looked cool to me because I am rarely truly awake enough at 7am to even pay attention to the sky, much less appreciate its beauty.
I have a 15 minute drive to work. Some days I stop at McDonald's for oatmeal and a large sweet tea. Not sure why I try to get something healthy like oatmeal and then get a 44oz drink that has so much sugar in it it's like drinking syrup. But yeah, that's breakfast a few times a week. Do I really need to take a pic of McDonald's? I think not. Y'all know what it looks like.
So I drag my butt into my office. Barely awake. Functioning on only the most basic of levels. Skin burning from the sun. Oh wait, no....I'm not supposed to mention that!
Right...moving right along....
I plop down at my desk and unlock it and begin my morning ritual of staring out the window for the next hour or two. This is what I see:
Window #1
That is Veteran's Park that you see off in the distance. It has flagpoles for every state in the Union. Unfortunately they don't fly said flags every day. It would be really cool if they did though. And around 1100am a guy comes and plays his bagpipes every day. I always open my window so I can hear him better.
Window#2
It's hard to tell in this pic, but that's bamboo. Yep, bamboo. It makes me happy. Very happy. It reminds me of Japan. But I love the moss that fell from the oak trees into the bamboo. It combines two things that are so very me. The bamboo for Japan and the moss for the South.
So, that's my morning. I don't do much in the morning. I'm barely coherent in the morning. It's just wrong for a person to be required to be awake at that hour!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Destiny
It occurs to me that very few people know where their true destiny lies. As I watch the people around me it has become very obvious that people settle for contentment and security as a paltry substitute for pursuing their true destiny. Have we become so dead that we no longer hunger to reach our destiny? Are we too lazy to try?
I often hear people say that they just gave up. Gave up?! Really? Why?
I've heard many answers to that question. Sometimes obligations are cited as the reason someone quit striving to reach their destiny. Other times people have told me they just never could figure out what their destiny was.
Apathy anyone? How can you live your whole life never knowing your destiny? How could you quit trying to figure it out? Why won't you take a chance?!
Some have told me that they are afraid they might be wrong. They are afraid they might risk everything only to find it wasn't their destiny after all. OK...that I can understand. Often to reach a point in our life where day to day life and destiny peacefully co-exist we have to risk a lot. But isn't getting up in the morning a risk? Life is uncertain. Wouldn't it be better to live our uncertain life striving for happiness instead of living contentedly a shadow of what could be?
I think people often mistake contentment for happiness. Until you know the difference you can never truly live your life with awareness.
I often hear people say that they just gave up. Gave up?! Really? Why?
I've heard many answers to that question. Sometimes obligations are cited as the reason someone quit striving to reach their destiny. Other times people have told me they just never could figure out what their destiny was.
Apathy anyone? How can you live your whole life never knowing your destiny? How could you quit trying to figure it out? Why won't you take a chance?!
Some have told me that they are afraid they might be wrong. They are afraid they might risk everything only to find it wasn't their destiny after all. OK...that I can understand. Often to reach a point in our life where day to day life and destiny peacefully co-exist we have to risk a lot. But isn't getting up in the morning a risk? Life is uncertain. Wouldn't it be better to live our uncertain life striving for happiness instead of living contentedly a shadow of what could be?
I think people often mistake contentment for happiness. Until you know the difference you can never truly live your life with awareness.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
The Simple Things
This morning I'm sitting on my deck watching the pup romp in the back yard and simply enjoying the morning. City life, well suburb life, to be precise, is very different from country life. My neighbor is out mowing his lawn. I know this would drive my dad crazy. He hates the sounds of the city. I don't mind it. Granted I can't breathe, but that's hardly my neighbor's fault. He didn't make me have allergies!
Before Jim started to mow I could hear all my song birds singing and they were flitting around the backyard. The lizards were out too. We have a very interesting type of lizard that lives here. It's very large and has black, brown and tan patches of color on it. I believe it's called a spiny lizard.
This is the type of morning I truly enjoy. It's very lazy and relaxing. Eventually I'll have to leave to run a few errands and go to the doctor, but for now it's a great start to the day.
It's the simple things in life, that break from the daily rat race, that make life worthwhile. Sitting on the deck in the morning. Watching the puppy play. Listening to the birds sing. It's very easy to forget these things. Yet these are the things that truly recharge you and give you something to look forward to.
Before Jim started to mow I could hear all my song birds singing and they were flitting around the backyard. The lizards were out too. We have a very interesting type of lizard that lives here. It's very large and has black, brown and tan patches of color on it. I believe it's called a spiny lizard.
This is the type of morning I truly enjoy. It's very lazy and relaxing. Eventually I'll have to leave to run a few errands and go to the doctor, but for now it's a great start to the day.
It's the simple things in life, that break from the daily rat race, that make life worthwhile. Sitting on the deck in the morning. Watching the puppy play. Listening to the birds sing. It's very easy to forget these things. Yet these are the things that truly recharge you and give you something to look forward to.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
I'm Dreaming....
If you're in the same frame of mind as I am then you'll be able to finish my thought. But I'd be willing to bet a fair sum of money, the vast majority of you are not even close to thinking what I'm thinking. The worst part is that I've been thinking it since April!
Yes, it's true. I am dreaming of a white Christmas!! And I have been for awhile now. Christmas is my favorite holiday. The whole Christmas season is my favorite time of year. I'm always in a hurry for autumn to come because that means we're ever so close to Thanksgiving! And, in my house, Thanksgiving kicks everything off. Halloween, even though we don't participate in Halloween to any appreciable degree, starts the build up. Of course New Years closes the season out.
I remember my mom's mother loved Christmas too. She decorated and enjoyed the seasonal music and simply loved the Christmas specials on TV. She cooked a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner. It was the same every year because it was my dad's favorite meal. We always, always, always had hog maw, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, deviled eggs and apple dumplings. All of it was made from scratch -- nothing store bought.
Of all my grandparents, my mom's mother was the one that really got into Christmas. My dad's father enjoyed decorating the outside and putting up a large manger scene he had painted inside. And, of course, my dad's mother made Christmas dinner. But the best part of Christmas with that part of the family was Christmas breakfast at their house. We always had a large breakfast to kick off Christmas day and we would open presents. That night we would go back and have Christmas dinner and then play The Game. It was a silly game, but it got quite spirited sometimes.
Today, I have my own traditions. Our family isn't "normal" and never has been. It's not uncommon for us to celebrate Christmas days, even weeks, late. All of my grandparents are dead. My mom and dad don't work traditional jobs so they are, of course, working Christmas day and pretty much all days in December and most of January. That means it's up to me to provide Christmas traditions for my son.
Because it's only us, we have some traditions that others might not find "normal". Thanksgiving is rarely spent with my parents. Usually they are working. On the years that we have Thanksgiving at home, I usually get up and watch the Macy's parade, cook a good breakfast and then spend the day cooking dinner. After we eat dinner we decorate the tree. While we decorate the tree I start playing Christmas music. It's the first time all year I've let myself play Christmas music! That is what I look forward to the most!
Christmas Eve, after my son goes to bed, I attach strings to his stocking presents and then hide them. On Christmas morning he has to follow the strings from his stocking to his presents. Believe it or not, this is his favorite tradition.
Sometimes I wish we could have a "normal" traditional Christmas. But what's left of my family doesn't really care about "normal" or "traditional". I just do what I can to make it what I feel is normal and traditional and hope my son will appreciate the simplicity of a nice family oriented holiday.
Yes, it's true. I am dreaming of a white Christmas!! And I have been for awhile now. Christmas is my favorite holiday. The whole Christmas season is my favorite time of year. I'm always in a hurry for autumn to come because that means we're ever so close to Thanksgiving! And, in my house, Thanksgiving kicks everything off. Halloween, even though we don't participate in Halloween to any appreciable degree, starts the build up. Of course New Years closes the season out.
I remember my mom's mother loved Christmas too. She decorated and enjoyed the seasonal music and simply loved the Christmas specials on TV. She cooked a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner. It was the same every year because it was my dad's favorite meal. We always, always, always had hog maw, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, deviled eggs and apple dumplings. All of it was made from scratch -- nothing store bought.
Of all my grandparents, my mom's mother was the one that really got into Christmas. My dad's father enjoyed decorating the outside and putting up a large manger scene he had painted inside. And, of course, my dad's mother made Christmas dinner. But the best part of Christmas with that part of the family was Christmas breakfast at their house. We always had a large breakfast to kick off Christmas day and we would open presents. That night we would go back and have Christmas dinner and then play The Game. It was a silly game, but it got quite spirited sometimes.
Today, I have my own traditions. Our family isn't "normal" and never has been. It's not uncommon for us to celebrate Christmas days, even weeks, late. All of my grandparents are dead. My mom and dad don't work traditional jobs so they are, of course, working Christmas day and pretty much all days in December and most of January. That means it's up to me to provide Christmas traditions for my son.
Because it's only us, we have some traditions that others might not find "normal". Thanksgiving is rarely spent with my parents. Usually they are working. On the years that we have Thanksgiving at home, I usually get up and watch the Macy's parade, cook a good breakfast and then spend the day cooking dinner. After we eat dinner we decorate the tree. While we decorate the tree I start playing Christmas music. It's the first time all year I've let myself play Christmas music! That is what I look forward to the most!
Christmas Eve, after my son goes to bed, I attach strings to his stocking presents and then hide them. On Christmas morning he has to follow the strings from his stocking to his presents. Believe it or not, this is his favorite tradition.
Sometimes I wish we could have a "normal" traditional Christmas. But what's left of my family doesn't really care about "normal" or "traditional". I just do what I can to make it what I feel is normal and traditional and hope my son will appreciate the simplicity of a nice family oriented holiday.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Of Tattoos and Childbirth
I never thought I'd think of these two things together! But after an interesting conversation at work.... Well, what can I say?
It all came about because one of the guys came in and I had to escort him to his meeting. I noticed he had some very nice body art and I asked if I could get a better look at it. He showed me everything! LOL I was surprised at all that he had.
One of his tattoos was on the inside of his upper arm! When he showed it to me I said, "That had to be the most painful one!" He said I sounded like I had experience with getting a tattoo there and I said, "No, I'm not even that brave!" He told me it wouldn't be so bad if I had a coach who had already gone through it.
That got me to thinking. Lamaze for tattoos? The mental image of someone coaching me to breathe through it as I got my tattoo had me giggling for the rest of the day. The only thing I can say is: I hope it works better than Lamaze for childbirth! What a crock! Breathe through it?! You've got to be kidding me. More like curl up in the fetal position and hope you survive the ordeal. Frankly I was thankful I ended up with a C-section after 23.5 hours of labor. It hurt less!!
I digress...
I've heard people say that getting tattoos is addictive. I've not had that experience, but then again I have only one child too. I've heard a lot of women say they just love being pregnant and giving birth. What?! Really?! They must get some good drugs in the hospital! I can't say I enjoyed being sick every day of my life for nine months or feeling like a beached whale. Neither can I say I relish the feel of a needle poking me a gazillion times and injecting ink into my skin. And I like the buzz of the ink gun about as much as I like the sound of all the monitors I'm hooked up to during childbirth. Addictive? Right. Maybe for the masochistic.
And let's not forget what comes after. Both experiences leave you sore, tired, moody and swearing you'll never do it again. Yet, I know people with so many tattoos they can't possibly get more. I also know people with so many kids they can't possibly afford them. (That's a rant for another day.)
So, to my surprise, tattoos and childbirth do have a lot in common. Much more than I thought, actually...
It all came about because one of the guys came in and I had to escort him to his meeting. I noticed he had some very nice body art and I asked if I could get a better look at it. He showed me everything! LOL I was surprised at all that he had.
One of his tattoos was on the inside of his upper arm! When he showed it to me I said, "That had to be the most painful one!" He said I sounded like I had experience with getting a tattoo there and I said, "No, I'm not even that brave!" He told me it wouldn't be so bad if I had a coach who had already gone through it.
That got me to thinking. Lamaze for tattoos? The mental image of someone coaching me to breathe through it as I got my tattoo had me giggling for the rest of the day. The only thing I can say is: I hope it works better than Lamaze for childbirth! What a crock! Breathe through it?! You've got to be kidding me. More like curl up in the fetal position and hope you survive the ordeal. Frankly I was thankful I ended up with a C-section after 23.5 hours of labor. It hurt less!!
I digress...
I've heard people say that getting tattoos is addictive. I've not had that experience, but then again I have only one child too. I've heard a lot of women say they just love being pregnant and giving birth. What?! Really?! They must get some good drugs in the hospital! I can't say I enjoyed being sick every day of my life for nine months or feeling like a beached whale. Neither can I say I relish the feel of a needle poking me a gazillion times and injecting ink into my skin. And I like the buzz of the ink gun about as much as I like the sound of all the monitors I'm hooked up to during childbirth. Addictive? Right. Maybe for the masochistic.
And let's not forget what comes after. Both experiences leave you sore, tired, moody and swearing you'll never do it again. Yet, I know people with so many tattoos they can't possibly get more. I also know people with so many kids they can't possibly afford them. (That's a rant for another day.)
So, to my surprise, tattoos and childbirth do have a lot in common. Much more than I thought, actually...
Sunday, May 22, 2011
The End of the World....Really?
Well either I'm a really bad person and didn't make the cut, or someone was just a little delusional and didn't read Mark 13:32. I'm *really* hoping it was option #2.
Seriously...
I'd have to say that this whole thing really got me to thinking. We all talk about being "good Christians"; we all say we "believe". But are we really "good Christians"? Do we truly "believe"?
My son and I have talked about these things in the days leading up to this alleged rapture. And he made a good point the other day. It's misleading to say we are "good" Christians. We may be Christians and we may even be "good" by the world's standards, but by God's standards we are far, far from good.
He's right in his observation. The "good" standard was set by Jesus Christ. That's why we are called Christians. We are Christ followers. And we all fall short of the example set by Him. So to call ourselves good is a stretch.
I also pointed out to my son when someone calls us good, they are focusing on our works. Think about it. When you say someone is good you say that because of something they've done. Or a lot of somethings they've done. Our faith is not about our works. Yes, we do good works as an outgrowth of the change that's taken place within our heart, but the works don't make us good.
We've also talked a lot about what it means to truly believe. The Bible says that even the devils believe and tremble. I think it is wise of us to read that and truly understand what it means. Simply put: Do you have a "head belief" or a "heart belief". A "head belief" is what the demons have. They know that Jesus's death on the cross happened and that His shed blood has the power to save. They have that knowledge. But they haven't believed that in their heart. They haven't accepted the gift of salvation. Just as a lot of people believe that there was a Jesus. They believe He died for our sins. But it stops there. They haven't accepted the salvation offered. They haven't repented and given their lives to the One who died for them.
I often wonder how many people will be surprised at His coming. How many people thought they believed, but had only believed with their head and not their heart.
Are you one of them?
Seriously...
I'd have to say that this whole thing really got me to thinking. We all talk about being "good Christians"; we all say we "believe". But are we really "good Christians"? Do we truly "believe"?
My son and I have talked about these things in the days leading up to this alleged rapture. And he made a good point the other day. It's misleading to say we are "good" Christians. We may be Christians and we may even be "good" by the world's standards, but by God's standards we are far, far from good.
He's right in his observation. The "good" standard was set by Jesus Christ. That's why we are called Christians. We are Christ followers. And we all fall short of the example set by Him. So to call ourselves good is a stretch.
I also pointed out to my son when someone calls us good, they are focusing on our works. Think about it. When you say someone is good you say that because of something they've done. Or a lot of somethings they've done. Our faith is not about our works. Yes, we do good works as an outgrowth of the change that's taken place within our heart, but the works don't make us good.
We've also talked a lot about what it means to truly believe. The Bible says that even the devils believe and tremble. I think it is wise of us to read that and truly understand what it means. Simply put: Do you have a "head belief" or a "heart belief". A "head belief" is what the demons have. They know that Jesus's death on the cross happened and that His shed blood has the power to save. They have that knowledge. But they haven't believed that in their heart. They haven't accepted the gift of salvation. Just as a lot of people believe that there was a Jesus. They believe He died for our sins. But it stops there. They haven't accepted the salvation offered. They haven't repented and given their lives to the One who died for them.
I often wonder how many people will be surprised at His coming. How many people thought they believed, but had only believed with their head and not their heart.
Are you one of them?
Sunday, May 8, 2011
bin Laden
I've spent the past week watching the reaction to bin Laden's death with great interest. I've also given myself this week to process the information and form an intelligent opinion on the whole situation. Of course my knee jerk reaction was, "Good! It's over now." But really, that reaction is wrong on many levels.
One thing that struck me about the initial reaction to the announcment of bin Laden's death was the bloodthirsty tenor in which people responded. Don't get me wrong, I understand that people were relieved, but to literally rejoice in someone's death? It struck me as wrong.
Something that really bothered me about the whole thing was that this man is now in hell. He won't ever leave hell. He will suffer for the rest of ETERNITY. Our minds can't truly comprehend eternity. Nor can we truly comprehend the horror that is hell. It bothers me to think that anyone will have to spend their eternity in hell.
Yet...
It is what he deserves. The Bible tells us that everyone in their lifetime will have the gospel presented to them. They will have a chance to make the decision to either accept salvation or not. Obviously those who don't go to hell.
bin Laden also did horrible things and encouraged others to do terrible things. So, yes, he deserves hell. Just like Hitler and Hitler's cronies.
Regardless, I cannot bring myself to rejoice in bin Laden's death. I am glad that he is gone and no longer able to lead people to do bad things to others, but even that is only temporary.
Hence the reason I earlier stated that my knee jerk reaction to the news of his death was wrong. So bin Laden is gone. There's another to take his place. Al Qaeda will continue with its terrorist activities under a new leader. Those activities will probably be intensified as bin Laden becomes a martyr to these people.
Regardless, I understand and agree with the fact that he had to go. Martyr or not, bin Laden had to be removed. Unfortunately, we're going to have to decide what to do about the next leader now.
I also think that people in some way equate bin Laden's death with the end of our military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. While it would be nice if that were the case, I believe people are forgetting that it's the Taliban, not Al Qaeda, that we are pitted against in Afghanistan. And in Iraq we've decided to take on the role of nation building. Unfortunately that role is not dependant upon a change in leadership of Al Qaeda. Bottom line: We're stuck.
Which makes me wonder: What now? After ten years we've found and removed bin Laden, but what have we truly accomplished? What does this really men for the US both in the immediate future and down the road?
One thing that struck me about the initial reaction to the announcment of bin Laden's death was the bloodthirsty tenor in which people responded. Don't get me wrong, I understand that people were relieved, but to literally rejoice in someone's death? It struck me as wrong.
Something that really bothered me about the whole thing was that this man is now in hell. He won't ever leave hell. He will suffer for the rest of ETERNITY. Our minds can't truly comprehend eternity. Nor can we truly comprehend the horror that is hell. It bothers me to think that anyone will have to spend their eternity in hell.
Yet...
It is what he deserves. The Bible tells us that everyone in their lifetime will have the gospel presented to them. They will have a chance to make the decision to either accept salvation or not. Obviously those who don't go to hell.
bin Laden also did horrible things and encouraged others to do terrible things. So, yes, he deserves hell. Just like Hitler and Hitler's cronies.
Regardless, I cannot bring myself to rejoice in bin Laden's death. I am glad that he is gone and no longer able to lead people to do bad things to others, but even that is only temporary.
Hence the reason I earlier stated that my knee jerk reaction to the news of his death was wrong. So bin Laden is gone. There's another to take his place. Al Qaeda will continue with its terrorist activities under a new leader. Those activities will probably be intensified as bin Laden becomes a martyr to these people.
Regardless, I understand and agree with the fact that he had to go. Martyr or not, bin Laden had to be removed. Unfortunately, we're going to have to decide what to do about the next leader now.
I also think that people in some way equate bin Laden's death with the end of our military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. While it would be nice if that were the case, I believe people are forgetting that it's the Taliban, not Al Qaeda, that we are pitted against in Afghanistan. And in Iraq we've decided to take on the role of nation building. Unfortunately that role is not dependant upon a change in leadership of Al Qaeda. Bottom line: We're stuck.
Which makes me wonder: What now? After ten years we've found and removed bin Laden, but what have we truly accomplished? What does this really men for the US both in the immediate future and down the road?
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
This Thing We Do
As I sit down to write this, I have no clear cut idea of what I intend to write. I know only that it's time to write. This isn't an obligation; I want to write. The problem truly lies in what, of the many topics I've thought I'd like to write about this past month, I will focus on.
Much has happened in my little part of the world. Spring has come to Florida, and with the temps lately I'd say we're well on our way to summer. OBS has come and gone with this year beating out the previous year. A terrible crime was recently committed, made all the worse by how young the suspects are and how henious the crime was. And I've had many enlightening conversations with my friends. I could write about all this and more....
....But I won't....
As I was typing the foregoing I was thinking about this whole writing thing. As everyone knows, I'm a writer. I have been asked about it often. The thing that I get asked the most is: What makes you write?
That's actually a good question. What really does make me write? I'd like to say something like my soul just yearns for a way to express itself, but that's a little too easy. Oh, yeah, and cheesy. It's true there is something within me that wants to express itself with the written word, but it's more than that.
I suppose I could say that I enjoy it, but that would be a lie. Writing is enjoyable for about the first thirty seconds. After that it's work. A lot goes into making a story readable. The only time I can say I enjoy writing beyond the first thirty seconds is in November when I do NaNoWriMo. I love NaNo. I don't have to do anything but crank out 50,000 words in a month. That's only 2000 words a day. (If you do 2000 a day you can skip days and not have to cram at the end.) With NaNo, the only thing that matters is getting the words out. You don't have to plot, your characters don't have to make sense, you don't have to develop your characters....
Hey....wiat....I just had an epiphany!
The Twilight series is simply four years of unedited NaNoWriMo's published for mass consumption!
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.....
So, why do I write? Well, I do have a need to write, I do enjoy it (usually....to a degree....sometimes), but I think the real answer is that it's a challenge. Those of you that know me well know I never back down from a challenge.
I see the skeptical arching of brows! Hear me out here.
A lot of work goes into plotting, character creation, character development, setting -- you know, all of those things that make words on a page into a story you want to read. It's not easy to pull that all together. Beyond that, there's the requirement that this all be done using well developed sentences, good vocabulary and engaging style.
And if all of that wasn't enough to challenge you, there's the whole publishing nightmare. Errrr....I meant process. You might have the best story ever, but do you know how many agents and editors turned away Harry Potter before Bloomsbury picked it up? (I don't know about you, but I think those that said no go home and cry in their port every evening.)
All I can say is: I can't wait for November! Until then I'll keep working on my other projects, some of which are showcased on my writing blog.
Much has happened in my little part of the world. Spring has come to Florida, and with the temps lately I'd say we're well on our way to summer. OBS has come and gone with this year beating out the previous year. A terrible crime was recently committed, made all the worse by how young the suspects are and how henious the crime was. And I've had many enlightening conversations with my friends. I could write about all this and more....
....But I won't....
As I was typing the foregoing I was thinking about this whole writing thing. As everyone knows, I'm a writer. I have been asked about it often. The thing that I get asked the most is: What makes you write?
That's actually a good question. What really does make me write? I'd like to say something like my soul just yearns for a way to express itself, but that's a little too easy. Oh, yeah, and cheesy. It's true there is something within me that wants to express itself with the written word, but it's more than that.
I suppose I could say that I enjoy it, but that would be a lie. Writing is enjoyable for about the first thirty seconds. After that it's work. A lot goes into making a story readable. The only time I can say I enjoy writing beyond the first thirty seconds is in November when I do NaNoWriMo. I love NaNo. I don't have to do anything but crank out 50,000 words in a month. That's only 2000 words a day. (If you do 2000 a day you can skip days and not have to cram at the end.) With NaNo, the only thing that matters is getting the words out. You don't have to plot, your characters don't have to make sense, you don't have to develop your characters....
Hey....wiat....I just had an epiphany!
The Twilight series is simply four years of unedited NaNoWriMo's published for mass consumption!
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.....
So, why do I write? Well, I do have a need to write, I do enjoy it (usually....to a degree....sometimes), but I think the real answer is that it's a challenge. Those of you that know me well know I never back down from a challenge.
I see the skeptical arching of brows! Hear me out here.
A lot of work goes into plotting, character creation, character development, setting -- you know, all of those things that make words on a page into a story you want to read. It's not easy to pull that all together. Beyond that, there's the requirement that this all be done using well developed sentences, good vocabulary and engaging style.
And if all of that wasn't enough to challenge you, there's the whole publishing nightmare. Errrr....I meant process. You might have the best story ever, but do you know how many agents and editors turned away Harry Potter before Bloomsbury picked it up? (I don't know about you, but I think those that said no go home and cry in their port every evening.)
All I can say is: I can't wait for November! Until then I'll keep working on my other projects, some of which are showcased on my writing blog.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Conservative Christians
Recently I left a discussion group that claimed they were a group of conservative Christian woman. The reason I left is that these women were nothing but mean hateful biddies! They were more concerned with raking people over the coals for tiny insignificant things that simply didn't matter instead of being concerned with important things like exploitation of children, the starving people in our own country or witnessing to others. I was simply taken aback that these people wanted to go off on someone saying crap, but never talked about witnessing or reaching the unsaved for Christ.
Within that group I noticed something that I've noticed within our churches. These women, and so many in our churches, want to hold the title conservative Christian when the title they should hold is Legalist. What these people fail to realize is that you don't have to live by this huge set of rules in order to be a good Christian.
I've been away from those hard hearted biddies for about a month now and I can't believe how much happier I am! It's amazing how truly beautiful life can be when you don't have the shadow of legalism blocking your ability to see the wonderful life God has given you!
Within that group I noticed something that I've noticed within our churches. These women, and so many in our churches, want to hold the title conservative Christian when the title they should hold is Legalist. What these people fail to realize is that you don't have to live by this huge set of rules in order to be a good Christian.
I've been away from those hard hearted biddies for about a month now and I can't believe how much happier I am! It's amazing how truly beautiful life can be when you don't have the shadow of legalism blocking your ability to see the wonderful life God has given you!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Just Rambling
I hadn't intended to write anything tonight. It's 1130 PM and I wanted to read before going to sleep. I've enjoyed a quiet evening at home sorting through email and watching wrestling with my son. Yes, I'll admit it... I watch wrestling AND I enjoy it! I guess I tolerate it because it just isn't real. I cannot watch MMA and UFC. That's real. I know people are actually getting hurt.
My cousin Sean fought in his first MMA match a few weeks ago. It didn't end well. He got a broken nose and he loves it. He thought it was the coolest thing. His mother did not agree. As a mother, I get where she is coming from.
While reading my emails one of my friends wrote about inflation. Her question was if inflation had affected others as it had her. That got me to thinking. I realize I am blessed. Yes, I notice inflation. But not so much so that it worries me. I realize, too, that I am wrong. I should be concerned -- deeply concerned.
The Bible says that in the last days it will take a week's wages to buy just a loaf of bread. The Bible foretells the coming economic crisis, yet I sit here unconcerned. That is wrong on many levels.
It is obviously foolish simply because inflation is not going away. The way our government has run things has ensured inflation -- crippling inflation -- will be a part of our lives for the foreseeable future. I would be wise to be saving more than I currently am.
But there's more to it than just that. The Bible has plainly stated that the economic crisis of the end times will be but one indicator that the Lord's return is near. Taking that into consideration, Christians need to WAKE UP! If we are living in the end times, and I believe we are, we should be on fire for the Lord. We should be talking to those around us all the time about the Lord and salvation. I don't mean you have to preach at those around you, though if you are moved of the Holy Spirit to do so, that's fine. I mean that our testimony should be strong and instead of hesitating to mention God in every day conversations, we should boldly mention God.
As Christians we've often heard it said that our lives may be the only "Bible" some people ever read. What does your "Bible" say? I'm afraid all too often my "Bible" reads of selfishness and apathy. It's easy to say you're a Christian, but sometimes it's a lot harder to *be* a Christian.
Don't get me wrong. I know sometimes it's uncomfortable to bring God into a conversation. I was faced with this about a month ago. The chiropractor I see is a Christian and the women I usually see when I got in are Christians. But I am having to see the massage therapist now. I don't know if she is a Christian or not. As she was doing my massage I was thinking to myself that it's amazing how God made our bodies to respond to touch. It's truly amazing what a simple massage will do for you. I caught myself hesitating to voice my thoughts because I wasn't sure if the massage therapist was a Christian.
It can't be that way. As Christians we have to voice our thoughts. Maybe the conversation won't go any further than the comment you made, but maybe that comment will get the person to thinking. If you plant the seed, then another Christian that God put into that person's path may water that seed. And when the seed germinates, God, who controls everything, will see to it that a Christian is available to nurture that seed as it grows.
I find often that people think they are failures as Christians because they didn't lead someone to Christ. It's like people have taken their professional lives and applied the "closing the deal" principle to soul winning. I don't agree with this outlook. I believe that God sometimes puts you in someone's path simply to plant the seed of the gospel. He will send others to water the seed and nurture the seed.
Of course, we can't use that as an excuse to back off either. It's all too easy to just mention something and quickly move on because you're unsure of your ability to communicate the gospel message. But really, do you think God would put you in such a position? Of course not! If you're in a position to witness, then you can rest assured God has given you the words with which to witness.
My cousin Sean fought in his first MMA match a few weeks ago. It didn't end well. He got a broken nose and he loves it. He thought it was the coolest thing. His mother did not agree. As a mother, I get where she is coming from.
While reading my emails one of my friends wrote about inflation. Her question was if inflation had affected others as it had her. That got me to thinking. I realize I am blessed. Yes, I notice inflation. But not so much so that it worries me. I realize, too, that I am wrong. I should be concerned -- deeply concerned.
The Bible says that in the last days it will take a week's wages to buy just a loaf of bread. The Bible foretells the coming economic crisis, yet I sit here unconcerned. That is wrong on many levels.
It is obviously foolish simply because inflation is not going away. The way our government has run things has ensured inflation -- crippling inflation -- will be a part of our lives for the foreseeable future. I would be wise to be saving more than I currently am.
But there's more to it than just that. The Bible has plainly stated that the economic crisis of the end times will be but one indicator that the Lord's return is near. Taking that into consideration, Christians need to WAKE UP! If we are living in the end times, and I believe we are, we should be on fire for the Lord. We should be talking to those around us all the time about the Lord and salvation. I don't mean you have to preach at those around you, though if you are moved of the Holy Spirit to do so, that's fine. I mean that our testimony should be strong and instead of hesitating to mention God in every day conversations, we should boldly mention God.
As Christians we've often heard it said that our lives may be the only "Bible" some people ever read. What does your "Bible" say? I'm afraid all too often my "Bible" reads of selfishness and apathy. It's easy to say you're a Christian, but sometimes it's a lot harder to *be* a Christian.
Don't get me wrong. I know sometimes it's uncomfortable to bring God into a conversation. I was faced with this about a month ago. The chiropractor I see is a Christian and the women I usually see when I got in are Christians. But I am having to see the massage therapist now. I don't know if she is a Christian or not. As she was doing my massage I was thinking to myself that it's amazing how God made our bodies to respond to touch. It's truly amazing what a simple massage will do for you. I caught myself hesitating to voice my thoughts because I wasn't sure if the massage therapist was a Christian.
It can't be that way. As Christians we have to voice our thoughts. Maybe the conversation won't go any further than the comment you made, but maybe that comment will get the person to thinking. If you plant the seed, then another Christian that God put into that person's path may water that seed. And when the seed germinates, God, who controls everything, will see to it that a Christian is available to nurture that seed as it grows.
I find often that people think they are failures as Christians because they didn't lead someone to Christ. It's like people have taken their professional lives and applied the "closing the deal" principle to soul winning. I don't agree with this outlook. I believe that God sometimes puts you in someone's path simply to plant the seed of the gospel. He will send others to water the seed and nurture the seed.
Of course, we can't use that as an excuse to back off either. It's all too easy to just mention something and quickly move on because you're unsure of your ability to communicate the gospel message. But really, do you think God would put you in such a position? Of course not! If you're in a position to witness, then you can rest assured God has given you the words with which to witness.
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