first of all, it's been a while. i honestly don't even know if this post will make it to the viewing public, because the blogger interface looks so different. i hope i'm doing this right. note to self: blog more so you'll see changes coming and be better equipped to deal.
quite a few things have happened/are happening in our life in hometown. i really have lots to share but today, i want to tell you the story i just lived. it's just a little story, in a little town, that i was blessed to share today, but i think it's pretty awesome.
i help organize our church's involvement in the presbyterian church's casserole kitchen ministry (follow the link if you'd like to get involved!) on the first saturday of every month. there's a lady who comes every time, and her name is ida mae. i think she's something of a local character. i also am the volunteer coordinator of the starkville community market (facebook link here) and saw her there this morning. after the market, and after i'd filled up my car with gas, i'd started on my way home when i saw ida mae walking home with her bag of vegetables and some flowers. she doesn't walk very well. and i heard the Still Small Voice, asking me to do a small thing and offer her a ride home. so i did, and she accepted. but i didn't take her home.
instead, she directed me to her neighbor's house, the one with the yellow truck. she told me he's 89 years old and recovering from pneumonia, and she wanted to go check on him and fix his medicine for him before she went to the casserole kitchen. we pulled in, and i got out with her, determined to follow this little path i'd been led down. she took me through the back gate.
knockout roses. day lilies, in orange and aubergine and pink and yellow. a covered cart of 50-year-old cacti. green plants on tiered tables. manicured grass. a pear tree. and an old man wearing an msu hat eating cereal on the porch. ida mae introduced us, and said she wanted to show me his garden. he commented he'd had to cut off his peppers, because the wind was knocking them down, and that'd he bought 2 trees once for $5, when he really couldn't afford more than 50 cents, and how mad his late wife had been. and then ida ma took my hand and gave me the tour. she showed me all of his plants, all of his flowers, all the different paths in his garden. she told me he still mows his own grass, and probably had that morning, even though his sight isn't very good. then she took me down to the back. tomatoes. peppers. rows of vegetables. ida mae's black and white dog. a grapevine, even. more lilies.
this backyard was the most beautiful thing i'd ever seen. i could see the love and the care and the attention this man had devoted to his bit of earth, and i was amazed. and i'd have never seen it. i'd have driven by his house and overlooked it and never have thought anything like this existed, just like ida mae said. i'd have never known that the lady who comes to get a hot meal, who can't walk very well or even uncurl her fingers, who probably doesn't have a lot in this world, takes care of her old sick neighbor simply because he needs it. i'd have never known this story.
i left ida mae to take care of her neighbor and drove home. i couldn't help thinking how God is exactly like that. He asks us to do small things, things we may think are uncomfortable or inconvenient or unimportant, and then shows us enormous beauty and kindness we never expect. so often we ignore Him, and we miss it. today, i was blessed by two pretty inconspicuous strangers, and i got to share a piece of that story and that beauty. what Love the Father has for His children.
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Friday, May 6, 2011
friday post numero uno
i'd like to share this site with you:
http://blog.al.com/wire/2011/05/tuscaloosa_tornado_experience.html
if you live in the south, you know that last week we were ripped up by deathly tornadoes from huge seemingly never-ending storm systems. whole towns are gone. small town managed to dodge about 8 of them last wednesday - i still don't know how. smaller communities on the edges of town were less fortunate.
the tornado in the above story came right through the middle of tuscaloosa. but even with all the death, devastation and destruction, there are still stories of hope and miracles. Jesus was with us in these storms, and this post is a reminder of His love when we need it most.
http://blog.al.com/wire/2011/05/tuscaloosa_tornado_experience.html
if you live in the south, you know that last week we were ripped up by deathly tornadoes from huge seemingly never-ending storm systems. whole towns are gone. small town managed to dodge about 8 of them last wednesday - i still don't know how. smaller communities on the edges of town were less fortunate.
the tornado in the above story came right through the middle of tuscaloosa. but even with all the death, devastation and destruction, there are still stories of hope and miracles. Jesus was with us in these storms, and this post is a reminder of His love when we need it most.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
how great is our God
"...I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
it's true. i witnessed it yesterday.
i will share the entire story here later, but for now i give you:
the edited-for-dramatic-and-timing-purposes version.
(deep breath)
as many of my readers know, we are planning to move back home this summer. the law student is thrilled to bits and pieces. i have been considerably less so. not that i don't love our hometown, but i was hoping for something bigger, with more people and culture and art and music and space and hills...you get the idea. but, my reasons are all emotional. the law student's are irritatingly practical, and apparently God, in His infinite wisdom, wants us there. how do you effectively argue with the Creator while throwing a fit like a 3-year-old? that's been my struggle.
well, we hit a hiccup on tuesday. i got some very unexpected news that impacts us considerably.
and no, it's not baby lang, for those (all) of you who are wondering.
i knew God knew what was up. He was not surprised. He has guided us back home so far, and i knew He was going to provide, even in this. so i sent a text to family and friends, asking for prayer over the situation and praise for His plan. i received so many responses - they mean so much! needless to say, the law student didn't handle this news very well, so tuesday night was kind of blah, and i went to bed a little upset, but not shaken.
y'all.
God answered that prayer. YESTERDAY. in less than 24 hours. and with a bonus to boot. my face almost fell off. i could never have imagined something this perfect, and i know it's because we stepped out in faith. how could i have ever doubted His plan to move us home?
i can't wait to share the ENTIRE story with you - just give me a week or so.
squeal!
it's true. i witnessed it yesterday.
i will share the entire story here later, but for now i give you:
the edited-for-dramatic-and-timing-purposes version.
(deep breath)
as many of my readers know, we are planning to move back home this summer. the law student is thrilled to bits and pieces. i have been considerably less so. not that i don't love our hometown, but i was hoping for something bigger, with more people and culture and art and music and space and hills...you get the idea. but, my reasons are all emotional. the law student's are irritatingly practical, and apparently God, in His infinite wisdom, wants us there. how do you effectively argue with the Creator while throwing a fit like a 3-year-old? that's been my struggle.
well, we hit a hiccup on tuesday. i got some very unexpected news that impacts us considerably.
and no, it's not baby lang, for those (all) of you who are wondering.
i knew God knew what was up. He was not surprised. He has guided us back home so far, and i knew He was going to provide, even in this. so i sent a text to family and friends, asking for prayer over the situation and praise for His plan. i received so many responses - they mean so much! needless to say, the law student didn't handle this news very well, so tuesday night was kind of blah, and i went to bed a little upset, but not shaken.
y'all.
God answered that prayer. YESTERDAY. in less than 24 hours. and with a bonus to boot. my face almost fell off. i could never have imagined something this perfect, and i know it's because we stepped out in faith. how could i have ever doubted His plan to move us home?
i can't wait to share the ENTIRE story with you - just give me a week or so.
squeal!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
lyrics
we sang the song below at church on palm sunday.
i probably hadn't been to church in 2 - 3 weeks, and had just broken lent the night before (one of two times). a woman from pakistan, a graduate student here, spoke about her family's persecution from their own government over their christianity, and another woman they knew who was in prison for allegedly speaking out against islam. this woman has contracted chicken pox, likely due from fasting during lent.
in prison.
that hit me like a ton of bricks, and still does. these people are suffering for the Lord - what have i done or had to endure for Him?
hope you enjoy the lyrics.
i probably hadn't been to church in 2 - 3 weeks, and had just broken lent the night before (one of two times). a woman from pakistan, a graduate student here, spoke about her family's persecution from their own government over their christianity, and another woman they knew who was in prison for allegedly speaking out against islam. this woman has contracted chicken pox, likely due from fasting during lent.
in prison.
that hit me like a ton of bricks, and still does. these people are suffering for the Lord - what have i done or had to endure for Him?
hope you enjoy the lyrics.
How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
And make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the man upon the cross
My sin upon His shoulder
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Why should I gain from His reward
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
And make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the man upon the cross
My sin upon His shoulder
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Why should I gain from His reward
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
*disclaimer - please know this post is not bashing islam or muslims. i am simply relaying a story from a woman i heard at church.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
bible lesson
so, our church here in small town is pretty cool. our pastor is young, the church is growing now that we have a building, we have small groups instead of sunday school, and everything is really relaxed. it's one of our favorite things about this town. and for 2011, our pastor, pat, has a new project to sort of "transform" our church experience - from consumption to participation.
right now, our "pulpit" is in the middle of the room, with chairs on all sides. the law student, who used to be an actor (didn't i tell you that?) says this is theatre in the round. i just nod and pretend to know what he's talking about. one or two sundays we had no music, and then the following sunday everyone brought instruments, if they played, and our church all played together.
pat is also trying to get us to talk in church - really. we get emails about the sermon topic and are encouraged to pray about it and then, we are asked to share in church. here's last week's email:
Please take some time to read these verses and pray about what they mean.
See you Sunday at 10:30AM or 6PM.
Luke 6:39-49
39 Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch? 40Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher. 41 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 42 How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
The Tree and Its Fruit
43 “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 44 A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. 45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
Building on a Solid Foundation
46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? 47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. 49 But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”
if you know me, you know i procrastinate. i live life 10 minutes late. naturally, i looked this stuff up on xenos.org right before morning service. i took notes. i was prepared, albeit quickly. but when we were asked to share, i didn't. i waited, with everyone else, in the silent tension. no one spoke. just left pastor pat hangin'. and i felt bad about it. i should have spoken up. so many times we wait for someone else to pave the way, to put themselves out there and make others comfortable, when that someone could be or should be us. so, since i didn't share sunday, i thought i'd share here.
according to the website i looked at, these verses illustrate 3 common spiritual pitfalls. the first is gullibility (blindness) - not having enough experience or even caution to know who or what you are following. knowledge is key here. Jesus answers this this parable with the parable about the tree and the fruit. it's so simple - good cannot produce bad, but only good, and bad cannot produce good, only bad - but so true. if we study the word and learn God's nature and fruit, it will be a lot harder for us to be deceived.
the second pitfall is hypocrisy (the speck and the plank). this is probably the church's biggest drawback - members who claim to follow but act like the world. it's hard. we're human, and we fail, and we wound. this verse isn't really talking about not judging - obviously, per the scripture, we are able to and should correct other believers, but we cannot be their savior. there is only One. furthermore, we need to be examining our hearts and our actions as well. refusing God's correction means we believe we know better, which always gets us into trouble.
the third pitfall is passivity (the houses). the first builder listens to how to build his house and acts accordingly. it changes his actions and changes his life. the second builder hears, but doesn't listen and doesn't change. he is not active in his knowledge because his faith is not increased, and his house is washed away.
i really love these verses and the way Jesus speaks. they are simple, easy-to-understand images of everyday life mixed with a little hyperbole that speak truth to our souls when we look just a little deeper. to me, these verses all show a heart that hears the word and refuses to be changed by it. the gospel is radical and powerful and should transform our lives! these verses show what happens to us when we do not allow our hearts to be changed: we will be misled, we will wound and bear false witness, we will not grow in our faith, and we will be destroyed. to say i was convicted was an understatement.
i don't want to miss the blessing. so this week, i pray we bear good fruit, and that it will show.
right now, our "pulpit" is in the middle of the room, with chairs on all sides. the law student, who used to be an actor (didn't i tell you that?) says this is theatre in the round. i just nod and pretend to know what he's talking about. one or two sundays we had no music, and then the following sunday everyone brought instruments, if they played, and our church all played together.
pat is also trying to get us to talk in church - really. we get emails about the sermon topic and are encouraged to pray about it and then, we are asked to share in church. here's last week's email:
Please take some time to read these verses and pray about what they mean.
See you Sunday at 10:30AM or 6PM.
Luke 6:39-49
39 Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch? 40Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher. 41 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 42 How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
The Tree and Its Fruit
43 “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 44 A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. 45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
Building on a Solid Foundation
46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? 47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. 49 But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”
if you know me, you know i procrastinate. i live life 10 minutes late. naturally, i looked this stuff up on xenos.org right before morning service. i took notes. i was prepared, albeit quickly. but when we were asked to share, i didn't. i waited, with everyone else, in the silent tension. no one spoke. just left pastor pat hangin'. and i felt bad about it. i should have spoken up. so many times we wait for someone else to pave the way, to put themselves out there and make others comfortable, when that someone could be or should be us. so, since i didn't share sunday, i thought i'd share here.
according to the website i looked at, these verses illustrate 3 common spiritual pitfalls. the first is gullibility (blindness) - not having enough experience or even caution to know who or what you are following. knowledge is key here. Jesus answers this this parable with the parable about the tree and the fruit. it's so simple - good cannot produce bad, but only good, and bad cannot produce good, only bad - but so true. if we study the word and learn God's nature and fruit, it will be a lot harder for us to be deceived.
the second pitfall is hypocrisy (the speck and the plank). this is probably the church's biggest drawback - members who claim to follow but act like the world. it's hard. we're human, and we fail, and we wound. this verse isn't really talking about not judging - obviously, per the scripture, we are able to and should correct other believers, but we cannot be their savior. there is only One. furthermore, we need to be examining our hearts and our actions as well. refusing God's correction means we believe we know better, which always gets us into trouble.
the third pitfall is passivity (the houses). the first builder listens to how to build his house and acts accordingly. it changes his actions and changes his life. the second builder hears, but doesn't listen and doesn't change. he is not active in his knowledge because his faith is not increased, and his house is washed away.
i really love these verses and the way Jesus speaks. they are simple, easy-to-understand images of everyday life mixed with a little hyperbole that speak truth to our souls when we look just a little deeper. to me, these verses all show a heart that hears the word and refuses to be changed by it. the gospel is radical and powerful and should transform our lives! these verses show what happens to us when we do not allow our hearts to be changed: we will be misled, we will wound and bear false witness, we will not grow in our faith, and we will be destroyed. to say i was convicted was an understatement.
i don't want to miss the blessing. so this week, i pray we bear good fruit, and that it will show.
Monday, November 22, 2010
day 12
#12 - what i believe
i always say people behave the way they really believe.
but it's not always true.
but it's not always true.
John 11:27
She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son,
he who comes into the world.”
i believe God is Who He says He is.
i believe His promises and the redeeming power of His blood.
i believe the world rejects Him.
i believe my sin nailed Him to the cross.
i believe He rose and conquered the grave.
i believe He is sovereign over all.
i believe He rejoices and mourns with us.
i believe He is here with us, and He is good.
i believe Jesus saves.
it is hard to be in the world, and not of it. it is hard for me to follow God sometimes and show Him to others, like when i am tired or angry or stressed or even just lazy and selfish. i have so much sin in my heart.
it's hard to trust God when life comes crashing down around us, when i see so much pain and suffering in the world, or when i don't understand.
but He still loves me so, even with all my failure and all my doubt.
so i will choose each day to believe in the One who knows my sin and remembers it no more.
She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son,
he who comes into the world.”
i believe God is Who He says He is.
i believe His promises and the redeeming power of His blood.
i believe the world rejects Him.
i believe my sin nailed Him to the cross.
i believe He rose and conquered the grave.
i believe He is sovereign over all.
i believe He rejoices and mourns with us.
i believe He is here with us, and He is good.
i believe Jesus saves.
it is hard to be in the world, and not of it. it is hard for me to follow God sometimes and show Him to others, like when i am tired or angry or stressed or even just lazy and selfish. i have so much sin in my heart.
it's hard to trust God when life comes crashing down around us, when i see so much pain and suffering in the world, or when i don't understand.
but He still loves me so, even with all my failure and all my doubt.
so i will choose each day to believe in the One who knows my sin and remembers it no more.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
heart strings
my heart is heavy this week.
first and foremost, the bulldog nation mourns the passing of one of our own, nick bell. this kid went from playing football on september 24, 2010, to gone on november 2, 2010. he was bright, humble, and just beginning to shine, but cancer doesn't fight fair. #36 will always be remembered.
http://blogs.clarionledger.com/msu/2010/11/02/bell-after-short-battle-with-cancer/
video of memorial in the junction
secondly, my friend's uncle is also losing his battle with cancer. cancer. sucks. see above. their families are really really close, and cancer has struck them so many times over and over - her father, her uncle, her aunt, her cousin's wife, the wife's sister - it's almost creepy. and so now, they prepare for the inevitable. and it is hard and it is painful. why God chooses to heal one and not another is a mystery. i hurt for my friend and her family.
katie from uganda (amazima) lost one of her daughters. i can't imagine the sense of loss, of injustice, the physical pain of her heart.
it's so hard to understand God sometimes, to fathom why He allows such pain and sorrow for any of us, why He heals one and not another, why He sometimes seems so far away and unmoved. and it is hard to cling to the fact that God is good, all of the time, and can't be anything else. it's just hard. and it hurts. but it's also hard for me to understand His love for me, His unfathomable and unending love, that drenches us in mercy, grace, compassion and kindess, even in the midst of our pain and our doubt. He is here. He is with katie and her daughter. He is with my friend's uncle. He is with the bell family. and His heart hurts with theirs. so i will trust my God, who goes with us when He takes us to hard places.
speaking of hard places, i read this verse today: james 2:20 - 24
"you foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? was not our ancestor abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son issac on the altar? you see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. and the scripture was fulfilled that says, “abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. you see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone."
that is hard. and yet God was there with him. and He provided a ram, not only to abraham, but to us as well, hanging on a cross. i'm so scared of only giving lip service to God, when the bible commands us to follow Him, to go where He goes, taking His good news to the sick, the poor, the hungry, the orphans - to do, not just hear, to have my faith live out in my actions. that is uncomfortable for me. it is so much easier to just go to church, read our bible study together, sing along to christian radio, and tell people i am a christian and all the good things about God and Jesus and stay in my little bubble. but i believe God, and i believe He is good, and His heart is for everyone, not just me. i want faith like abraham. and while i don't think God is trying to create a new hebrew nation out of me, i still want to say "yes" with no hesitation or doubt, or even anger, when He tells me to go to the hard places with Him.
first and foremost, the bulldog nation mourns the passing of one of our own, nick bell. this kid went from playing football on september 24, 2010, to gone on november 2, 2010. he was bright, humble, and just beginning to shine, but cancer doesn't fight fair. #36 will always be remembered.
http://blogs.clarionledger.com/msu/2010/11/02/bell-after-short-battle-with-cancer/
video of memorial in the junction
secondly, my friend's uncle is also losing his battle with cancer. cancer. sucks. see above. their families are really really close, and cancer has struck them so many times over and over - her father, her uncle, her aunt, her cousin's wife, the wife's sister - it's almost creepy. and so now, they prepare for the inevitable. and it is hard and it is painful. why God chooses to heal one and not another is a mystery. i hurt for my friend and her family.
katie from uganda (amazima) lost one of her daughters. i can't imagine the sense of loss, of injustice, the physical pain of her heart.
it's so hard to understand God sometimes, to fathom why He allows such pain and sorrow for any of us, why He heals one and not another, why He sometimes seems so far away and unmoved. and it is hard to cling to the fact that God is good, all of the time, and can't be anything else. it's just hard. and it hurts. but it's also hard for me to understand His love for me, His unfathomable and unending love, that drenches us in mercy, grace, compassion and kindess, even in the midst of our pain and our doubt. He is here. He is with katie and her daughter. He is with my friend's uncle. He is with the bell family. and His heart hurts with theirs. so i will trust my God, who goes with us when He takes us to hard places.
speaking of hard places, i read this verse today: james 2:20 - 24
"you foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? was not our ancestor abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son issac on the altar? you see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. and the scripture was fulfilled that says, “abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. you see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone."
that is hard. and yet God was there with him. and He provided a ram, not only to abraham, but to us as well, hanging on a cross. i'm so scared of only giving lip service to God, when the bible commands us to follow Him, to go where He goes, taking His good news to the sick, the poor, the hungry, the orphans - to do, not just hear, to have my faith live out in my actions. that is uncomfortable for me. it is so much easier to just go to church, read our bible study together, sing along to christian radio, and tell people i am a christian and all the good things about God and Jesus and stay in my little bubble. but i believe God, and i believe He is good, and His heart is for everyone, not just me. i want faith like abraham. and while i don't think God is trying to create a new hebrew nation out of me, i still want to say "yes" with no hesitation or doubt, or even anger, when He tells me to go to the hard places with Him.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
in the spirit of halloween
a post about chocolate.
apparently, most chocolate is made with child slave labor. did not know this.
read this blog post yesterday. "we can lick the chocolate off, but the blood is still there."
yuck.
tonight, the international justice mission is showing the documentary "the dark side of chocolate" on the UM campus. link here for info. i encourage you to see it if you live in this area.
coincidence? probably not. i love it when God just kind of sets things down in my lap like that. so, now i'm totally convicted about my chocolate purchasing habits. i found this list of fair trade chocolate, but it's over a year old, so you may want to research more.
4 links in one post. i'm helpful like that.
so, now you know. read, be educated, pray, and then DO.
apparently, most chocolate is made with child slave labor. did not know this.
read this blog post yesterday. "we can lick the chocolate off, but the blood is still there."
yuck.
tonight, the international justice mission is showing the documentary "the dark side of chocolate" on the UM campus. link here for info. i encourage you to see it if you live in this area.
coincidence? probably not. i love it when God just kind of sets things down in my lap like that. so, now i'm totally convicted about my chocolate purchasing habits. i found this list of fair trade chocolate, but it's over a year old, so you may want to research more.
4 links in one post. i'm helpful like that.
so, now you know. read, be educated, pray, and then DO.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
thoughts
the law graduate and i have read radical: taking back your faith from the american dream by david platt, and are now reading the bible together in 1 year. we get up every morning, pray, then read, then pray. it's good. and as much as it physically pains me to get up that early and read, i miss it if i don't do it. p.s. i already know this, but genesis is loooooong. and a bit strange.
current facebook status: Football. Bulldogs. Starkville. Friends. Maroon. Can't. Wait.
i think if you ask your man to go buy you tampons, he should be ecstatic, not embarassed. because when he buys said tampons, it not only shows that he does, in fact, have a relationship with a woman, but also that the woman is not pregnant. i think this is a good thing.
getting old sucks. i have these crazy "blond" hairs and a rather persistent 5 pounds that threatens my wardrobe. and then there's that thing called responsibility. i'm pretty sure i should have it all together by now. i don't.
current facebook status: Football. Bulldogs. Starkville. Friends. Maroon. Can't. Wait.
i think if you ask your man to go buy you tampons, he should be ecstatic, not embarassed. because when he buys said tampons, it not only shows that he does, in fact, have a relationship with a woman, but also that the woman is not pregnant. i think this is a good thing.
getting old sucks. i have these crazy "blond" hairs and a rather persistent 5 pounds that threatens my wardrobe. and then there's that thing called responsibility. i'm pretty sure i should have it all together by now. i don't.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
carolina in my mind
once again, i'm back from vacation with a big case of wanderlust and general dissatisfaction with my current geographical standing. however, every time i bring up the subject, the job-searching law graduate ever-so-kindly reminds me that 1) it is more realistic to get a job in our home state, 2) bar exams are expensive and not exactly in our budget, and 3) no one is going to hire him and pay for him to take the bar in a new state. sigh. but not really the point of my post. the real point of my post is to update you on our lastest cross-continential trip.
after a late night and an even later start, we arrived in carolina for a weekend visit with tim, sara and olivia. after about 9 hours in the car, we arrived to a home-cooked dinner and fabulous dessert (i'll post the recipe once i get it) and just hung out. saturday morning was a bit rainy, but nonetheless we drove up a big blue mountain (with limited visibility due to fog and rain) to pick blueberries. we were soaked in a matter of minutes, but the berries were delicious. we did have to abandon our trip out to sliding rock though. we went back home for fabulous italian takeout and a walk downtown. sunday began with church and lunch out. miss olivia did fantastically--hardly got upset at all! we drove to jump off rock to get a view of 5 different states over the mountains. you don't actually jump off though. there's a railing preventing people from being too literal. we went to park to walk around and let olivia watch the skater kids, then came home and cooked out. can i just tell you my fabulous sister-in-law cooked us not only dinner and desserts, but breakfast? i never cook breakfast, unless it's 9 am on a saturday and i have nothing to do. we had such a great time visiting with tim and sara and playing with olivia, we just hated to leave. she's so fun now! she's starting to crawl and has 4 teeth. she's starting to eat table food and will constantly talk to you. she especially likes to walk with you. she's so sweet i could eat her with a spoon! i'll leave you with pictures of the cutest family member:
olivia
2 brothers and a baby
after a late night and an even later start, we arrived in carolina for a weekend visit with tim, sara and olivia. after about 9 hours in the car, we arrived to a home-cooked dinner and fabulous dessert (i'll post the recipe once i get it) and just hung out. saturday morning was a bit rainy, but nonetheless we drove up a big blue mountain (with limited visibility due to fog and rain) to pick blueberries. we were soaked in a matter of minutes, but the berries were delicious. we did have to abandon our trip out to sliding rock though. we went back home for fabulous italian takeout and a walk downtown. sunday began with church and lunch out. miss olivia did fantastically--hardly got upset at all! we drove to jump off rock to get a view of 5 different states over the mountains. you don't actually jump off though. there's a railing preventing people from being too literal. we went to park to walk around and let olivia watch the skater kids, then came home and cooked out. can i just tell you my fabulous sister-in-law cooked us not only dinner and desserts, but breakfast? i never cook breakfast, unless it's 9 am on a saturday and i have nothing to do. we had such a great time visiting with tim and sara and playing with olivia, we just hated to leave. she's so fun now! she's starting to crawl and has 4 teeth. she's starting to eat table food and will constantly talk to you. she especially likes to walk with you. she's so sweet i could eat her with a spoon! i'll leave you with pictures of the cutest family member:
olivia
2 brothers and a babyMonday, June 14, 2010
a promise
i was reading psalm 90 the other night. here it is below.
Lord, you have been our dwelling place
in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You return man to dust
and say, “Return, O children of man!”
4 For a thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,
or as a watch in the night.
5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning:
6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.
7 For we are brought to an end by your anger;
by your wrath we are dismayed.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 For all our days pass away under your wrath;
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,
and your wrath according to the fear of you?
12 So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
and your wrath according to the fear of you?
12 So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be shown to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.
and right there, right in front of my face--my promise from my Father that HE is the Lord, and always has been, and always will be. Nothing escapes Him. He does not leave, He does not change, He does not forget, and He never will. and even when it feels like He has not heard, or seems like He is doing nothing, i remember He is right there, mourning with me. from everlasting to everlasting. i will cling to that.
Friday, April 23, 2010
umm, really?
ok, so who has heard of stephen baldwin? a brother of alec baldwin, proclaimed born-again Christian, actor, and has a show on AFR (american family radio).
my first encounter with stephen baldwin happened via friend marty. she used to work at afr and got to meet him once. here is proof.
in the link's video, apparently he makes remarks about harry potter. i've just realized i probably heard this diatribe on the radio one evening. sometimes i listen to afr to see what they are saying. i usually end up annoyed, amused or frightened. not always, but usually. in this particular show, he and another guy discussed harry potter and listened to caller's comments. and it was astonishing. stephen baldwin does not like harry potter--fine. but i really doubt parents are using it in place of the Bible, dude, and teaching their children sorcery. seriously--people would call in, you would hear their comments on the radio with your own ears, and then stephen baldwin would butcher and twist whatever they had just said. i remember listening to the show and baldwin would start with his over-inflated comments to a caller, and i would think, "that is not what that guy said." he got all over people for letting their kids read them, or even reading them themselves, or heaven forbid, see one of the movies! ok, i have never read the books, simply because i never wanted to give in to sensationalism. and i have no problem with parents being vigilant about what their children are exposed to. and if you happen to be convicted about them, fine! but i do not in any way believe harry potter books are anything more than kids' literature that also engages older readers.
anyway, that is not the point of my post.
what is the point is this website: www.restorestephenbaldwin.org. and then this one: www.imdb.com
on the first website, he is asking for people to give him money. he likens himself to job and (shocker) even quotes scripture to this effect. sorry, i fail to see the resemblance. you spent money outside your means and didn't pay your taxes. job was tested. and i'm pretty sure job didn't set up a fund asking people to restore him. so, stephen baldwin wants people to restore his wealth so he can be restored spiritually and God can be glorified? i imagine the only thing to be glorified is going to be his bottom line. he is not raising funds for God, but for himself. for himself, because he spent too much!!! he makes no mention of donating that money or using it for a just cause. it's purely to fill his bank account. just calling it like i see it.
part b, second website: imdb.com is for actors, movies, etc. you can even find the law student on there! but i won't tell you where. when you click on that link, please scroll down and find mr. baldwin's name attached to 3, possibly 4, movies. do you think he is doing those for free? just asking...
so there. my rant for the day. enjoy.
my first encounter with stephen baldwin happened via friend marty. she used to work at afr and got to meet him once. here is proof.
in the link's video, apparently he makes remarks about harry potter. i've just realized i probably heard this diatribe on the radio one evening. sometimes i listen to afr to see what they are saying. i usually end up annoyed, amused or frightened. not always, but usually. in this particular show, he and another guy discussed harry potter and listened to caller's comments. and it was astonishing. stephen baldwin does not like harry potter--fine. but i really doubt parents are using it in place of the Bible, dude, and teaching their children sorcery. seriously--people would call in, you would hear their comments on the radio with your own ears, and then stephen baldwin would butcher and twist whatever they had just said. i remember listening to the show and baldwin would start with his over-inflated comments to a caller, and i would think, "that is not what that guy said." he got all over people for letting their kids read them, or even reading them themselves, or heaven forbid, see one of the movies! ok, i have never read the books, simply because i never wanted to give in to sensationalism. and i have no problem with parents being vigilant about what their children are exposed to. and if you happen to be convicted about them, fine! but i do not in any way believe harry potter books are anything more than kids' literature that also engages older readers.
anyway, that is not the point of my post.
what is the point is this website: www.restorestephenbaldwin.org. and then this one: www.imdb.com
on the first website, he is asking for people to give him money. he likens himself to job and (shocker) even quotes scripture to this effect. sorry, i fail to see the resemblance. you spent money outside your means and didn't pay your taxes. job was tested. and i'm pretty sure job didn't set up a fund asking people to restore him. so, stephen baldwin wants people to restore his wealth so he can be restored spiritually and God can be glorified? i imagine the only thing to be glorified is going to be his bottom line. he is not raising funds for God, but for himself. for himself, because he spent too much!!! he makes no mention of donating that money or using it for a just cause. it's purely to fill his bank account. just calling it like i see it.
part b, second website: imdb.com is for actors, movies, etc. you can even find the law student on there! but i won't tell you where. when you click on that link, please scroll down and find mr. baldwin's name attached to 3, possibly 4, movies. do you think he is doing those for free? just asking...
so there. my rant for the day. enjoy.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
for all sorts of different reasons...
i really liked this poem i saw on another blog. thought you might too.
Wait
Desperately, helplessly,
longingly, I cried:
Quietly, patiently, lovingly,
God replied.
I plead and I wept
for a clue to my fate,
And the Master so gently said,
“Child, you must wait.”
“Wait? You say, wait!”
my indignant reply.
“Lord, I need answers,
I need to know why!
Is Your hand shortened?
Or have You not heart?
By faith, I have asked,
and am claiming Your Word.”
My future and all
to which I can relate
Hangs in the balance,
and YOU tell me to WAIT?
I’m needing a “Yes”,
a go-ahead sign,
Or even a “No”
to which I can resign.
And Lord, You promised
that if we believe
We need but to ask,
and we shall receive.
And Lord, I’ve been asking,
and this is my cry:
“I’m weary of asking!
I need a reply!”
Then quietly, softly,
I learned of my fate
As my Master replied once again,
“You must wait.”
So, I slumped in my chair,
defeated and taught
And grumbled to God,
“So, I’m waiting … for what?”
He seemed, then, to kneel
And His eyes wept with mine,
And He tenderly said,
“I could give you a sign.”
I could shake the heavens,
and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead
and cause mountains to run.
All you seek, I could give,
and pleased you would be.
You would have what you want~
But, you wouldn’t know Me.
You’d not know the depth
of My love for each saint;
You’d not know the power
I give to the faint;
You’d not learn to see
through the clouds of despair;
You’d not learn to trust
just by knowing I’m there;
You’d not know the joy
of resting in Me;
When darkness and silence
were all you could see.
You’d never experience
that fullness of love
As the peace of My Spirit
descends like a dove;
You’d know that I give and save,
for a start,
But you’d not know the depth
of the beat of My heart.
The glow of My comfort
late into the night,
The faith that I give
when you walk without sight,
The depth that’s beyond
getting just what you asked
Of an infinite God,
who makes what you have last.
You’d never know,
should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that,
“My grace is sufficient for thee.”
Yes, your dreams for your loved one
Overnight would come true,
But, Oh, the Loss!
If I lost what I’m doing in you!
So, be silent, My child,
and in time you will see
That the greatest of gifts
is to get to know Me.
And though oft’ may My answers
seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all
is still, “Wait.”
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
on my heart
Luke 14:"Hate family, pick up cross, give up everything” - A lot different than admit, believe, confess & pray a prayer.
that is from david platt's facebook page. (check him out here for more information.) it's a pretty strong and discomforting statement, and yet, the gospel truth. but i never heard that in sunday school. i struggle with God's plan for my life--about how i am living for Him, showing His love through my every word, thought and action. i fail Him a lot more than i care to think about. it's easy to get caught up in myself, my "needs," my comfort. but my comfort does not advance His kingdom. i often feel very small and very inadequate and very much at a loss as to how to "do" it.and then there are servants like Katie. here is a young girl who left her family to care for orphans in uganda. she has adopted 14 of them. she gave up everything to take up her cross and care for those the world has forgotten. she is an example of hear and obey, the hands and feet of Christ, obedience and faith, because faith without works is dead. now, i do not feel called to move to africa and adopt children, but she continues to inspire me to live out my faith, which still a work in progress.
and that is what i really desire--a life of servitude to my Father, for His glory and His kingdom. but that life is a choice, every day. every day, life and death are set before us, and we must choose which path to walk. our very lives, mortal and eternal, depend on it. americans have been given so much simply by being born in this country, and to whom much is given, much is expected. so i ask for prayer, that i may continue to seek my place and my post in His kingdom here on earth, and that i will not grow weary, or more likely, distracted.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
instead of wussy wednesday
a passage of comfort. i was reading a bible study last night, that i haven't picked up in months, and this was one of the passages. it really spoke to me about a friend's struggles, and God's attitudes to our struggles in general, and i wanted to share it with you. God's timing is like that.
2nd corinthians, chapter 1.
2nd corinthians, chapter 1.
The God of All Comfort
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.Tuesday, February 23, 2010
obedience
please check out this post. i am always so challenged by katie. this post is so true--we are called to God's heart, and faith without works isn't worth much. we have to choose the story we want to live in: the world's, or our God's. and i struggle daily, because i am so comfortable. and in the spirit of the lent season, i thought it was so appropriate. enjoy!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
bride of christ
the glorious hem
such a sweet sweet message. i got chills and tears in my eyes. what a wonderful promise!
"... I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." -Revelation 21:2-5
such a sweet sweet message. i got chills and tears in my eyes. what a wonderful promise!
"... I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." -Revelation 21:2-5
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