"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."
"Simply trusting every day, trusting through a stormy way, even when my faith is small, trusting Jesus that is all. Trusting as the moments fly, trusting as the days go by; trusting Him whatever befall, trusting Jesus that is all."
Ps. 25:15- Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
I read this verse in my devotions a couple days ago and although I've read it before it really jumped out at me this time. I really tried to think about what it meant. I realized that it says "for..." That means because. So I put it all together- I don't ever have to worry about where God is leading me. If my eyes are on Him, then they are not on my feet, or on the distractions around me, or on a guy, or on my problems... they are on Him. And I think sometimes I worry that if I don't look where I'm going and if I can't see the next step then I will trip and fall and get hurt. But this verse says that if my eyes are on Him then he will make sure my feet don't get tangled in a net. If I just keep trusting eyes on Him, and let Him guide every step, then He will keep me from falling or getting caught up in something I'm not supposed to be in.
I worry a lot, and my parents can testify, about making the wrong choices and missing God's will. I always say..."Well, what if I choose to marry the wrong person, or go to the wrong school, or some other big decision.... then I will miss out on God's will and get messed up." Well, God promises that if we are seeking Him, and are really focused on Him, He will take care of which path our feet take. ..... That is so reassuring to me. I need to learn to better focus on Him... I think I'm learning all the time but I still get so distracted. But, keeping my eyes UP is the only safe way to travel through this life; although it may sound strange and seem foolish to the world.
Stop worrying about what path to take. God doesn't want us to worry. He wants us to keep our eyes on Him and let Him lead. He will keep us on His path if we are focused on Him.
Hope that all made sense.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
HE knows the plans
"Sometimes I feel so small, and wonder what God wants from me, What will I be?
I listen for His call, and try to wait so patiently, Though I may not see
And when I cannot find my way, I just remember the promise He made...
'I know the plans I have for you, I know exactly what to do, I will work a wonder for your good.
I will listen when you pray, Give you peace for each new day, Trust in me your whole life through, I know the plans I have for you.
The working of His hand sometimes seems so strange to me, it's a mystery.
I try to understand and follow everywhere He leads, For my heart believes
When I cannot see the end, I hear Him say it again and again...
I know the plans I have for you, I know exactly what to do, I will work a wonder for your good.
I will listen when you pray, Give you peace for each new day, trust in Me your whole life through, I know the plans I have for you.
Search me with all your heart, Seek me and you will find, A future filled with hope, The purpose for your life..."
-"I know the plans"- Lordsong
This has become one of my favorite songs. The verse in the Bible actually says -Jer 29:11- "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." The word "thoughts" in this verse means purpose. Expected means "the thing that I long for". God wants to give us what we long for (as long as our longings match up with His purpose) We know this from the verse in Psalm 37:4- "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Our life is in good hands with the Lord because he has a purpose for our lives that He knows all about and His desire is to give us our expected end. The end that we long for. How encouraging! The part I like to put the emphasis on is the fact that HE knows the thoughts or the purpose. I don't have to know it. He already has it planned out. I may not know what the end looks like but He does. I may not know what to do, but He does. And He always has my good in mind- that is, to make me more like His Son. So if He is the one who knows the end and the purpose and the plan, all the more reason to stay close to Him huh? :)
Just some simple thoughts of encouragement today. If you struggle with wanting to know God's plan for your future like I do.... take this to heart. It could allow you to live with a little more peace.
I listen for His call, and try to wait so patiently, Though I may not see
And when I cannot find my way, I just remember the promise He made...
'I know the plans I have for you, I know exactly what to do, I will work a wonder for your good.
I will listen when you pray, Give you peace for each new day, Trust in me your whole life through, I know the plans I have for you.
The working of His hand sometimes seems so strange to me, it's a mystery.
I try to understand and follow everywhere He leads, For my heart believes
When I cannot see the end, I hear Him say it again and again...
I know the plans I have for you, I know exactly what to do, I will work a wonder for your good.
I will listen when you pray, Give you peace for each new day, trust in Me your whole life through, I know the plans I have for you.
Search me with all your heart, Seek me and you will find, A future filled with hope, The purpose for your life..."
-"I know the plans"- Lordsong
This has become one of my favorite songs. The verse in the Bible actually says -Jer 29:11- "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." The word "thoughts" in this verse means purpose. Expected means "the thing that I long for". God wants to give us what we long for (as long as our longings match up with His purpose) We know this from the verse in Psalm 37:4- "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Our life is in good hands with the Lord because he has a purpose for our lives that He knows all about and His desire is to give us our expected end. The end that we long for. How encouraging! The part I like to put the emphasis on is the fact that HE knows the thoughts or the purpose. I don't have to know it. He already has it planned out. I may not know what the end looks like but He does. I may not know what to do, but He does. And He always has my good in mind- that is, to make me more like His Son. So if He is the one who knows the end and the purpose and the plan, all the more reason to stay close to Him huh? :)
Just some simple thoughts of encouragement today. If you struggle with wanting to know God's plan for your future like I do.... take this to heart. It could allow you to live with a little more peace.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
spiritual eating disorders
Eating disorders are so sad. Perhaps even more sad is when you meet a spiritually anorexic or bulimic Christian.
This thought came to me when I was thinking about a common illustration about a man who held dog fights for people to bet on with his two dogs. The man would always place his own bet on the dogs and he always ended up winning. One time, someone asked him how he always knew which dog was going to win. The man replied, "It's simple, the dog I want to win this week, I will feed and the other I will starve. The one who has been fed always wins." This is a good story to illustrate the fight that's going on between our flesh and our spirit. The side we feed the most will win. If we want to please God in all our decisions then we need to starve the flesh and feed the spirit. We do this through prayer, Bible study, involvement in ministries etc...
So I was thinking about that story when I thought about how some people starve themselves spiritually. They refuse to pick up their Bible or pray or sometimes even go to church or be involved. And yet, they don't understand why they can't win the battle against sin. Jesus has already won the war, but there are battles to face every day. If we are starving our spirit, we will be too weak to win against the lusts of the flesh. Anorexia is when someone refuses to eat and is therefore holding an unhealthy weight that makes them sickly and weak. What a shame that we do that to our spirit.
I did a little research on eating disorders for this post... Did you know that when a person is starved for a longer period of time, their eyesight worsens. I thought this was interesting. The longer we go starving our spirit, the worse our spiritual eyesight will be. We will not have the ability to see danger coming or to see sin as it is. The starved person's taste buds often disappear as well. I thought this was symbolic of how, after a while a spiritually starved person would lose a "taste" for God's Word completely. The muscles of the body waste away. There is also a disinterest in what is going on around the person. "Listlessness, tiredness and apathy may also occur. Dull spirit, possible irritability, and poor memory" are likely as well, according to research. Sounds like the same things that can happen if we starve ourselves spiritually.
I have to admit, I've realized that I'm backsliding a little this summer. I've started taking relaxation to an extreme and become lazy.
Lord, Help me to stay strong in the Spirit and not "starve" myself.
I also thought of how some people are bulimic. They do eat but then they force their body to get rid of it; afraid of what it might do to their body (afraid it might make them fat). I think we can do this to our spirit too. Sometimes we are going to church and maybe even reading our Bible but what we take in we "throw back up". We don't allow it to nourish us and grow us. We hear what we should do or not do but we are afraid of what will happen if we listen so we take it in and then throw it up. (Excuse the crude language. I wasn't sure how else to say it). We need to stop being afraid of what God might ask of us or how it might change us and take in His Word. What is the point of reading our Bibles if we never hold on to it and let it change us?!?
James 1:23-25
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Just some thoughts. Don't starve your spirit and take in what He wants to tell you. Don't spit it back out.
May the Lord help me to do the same.
This thought came to me when I was thinking about a common illustration about a man who held dog fights for people to bet on with his two dogs. The man would always place his own bet on the dogs and he always ended up winning. One time, someone asked him how he always knew which dog was going to win. The man replied, "It's simple, the dog I want to win this week, I will feed and the other I will starve. The one who has been fed always wins." This is a good story to illustrate the fight that's going on between our flesh and our spirit. The side we feed the most will win. If we want to please God in all our decisions then we need to starve the flesh and feed the spirit. We do this through prayer, Bible study, involvement in ministries etc...
So I was thinking about that story when I thought about how some people starve themselves spiritually. They refuse to pick up their Bible or pray or sometimes even go to church or be involved. And yet, they don't understand why they can't win the battle against sin. Jesus has already won the war, but there are battles to face every day. If we are starving our spirit, we will be too weak to win against the lusts of the flesh. Anorexia is when someone refuses to eat and is therefore holding an unhealthy weight that makes them sickly and weak. What a shame that we do that to our spirit.
I did a little research on eating disorders for this post... Did you know that when a person is starved for a longer period of time, their eyesight worsens. I thought this was interesting. The longer we go starving our spirit, the worse our spiritual eyesight will be. We will not have the ability to see danger coming or to see sin as it is. The starved person's taste buds often disappear as well. I thought this was symbolic of how, after a while a spiritually starved person would lose a "taste" for God's Word completely. The muscles of the body waste away. There is also a disinterest in what is going on around the person. "Listlessness, tiredness and apathy may also occur. Dull spirit, possible irritability, and poor memory" are likely as well, according to research. Sounds like the same things that can happen if we starve ourselves spiritually.
I have to admit, I've realized that I'm backsliding a little this summer. I've started taking relaxation to an extreme and become lazy.
Lord, Help me to stay strong in the Spirit and not "starve" myself.
I also thought of how some people are bulimic. They do eat but then they force their body to get rid of it; afraid of what it might do to their body (afraid it might make them fat). I think we can do this to our spirit too. Sometimes we are going to church and maybe even reading our Bible but what we take in we "throw back up". We don't allow it to nourish us and grow us. We hear what we should do or not do but we are afraid of what will happen if we listen so we take it in and then throw it up. (Excuse the crude language. I wasn't sure how else to say it). We need to stop being afraid of what God might ask of us or how it might change us and take in His Word. What is the point of reading our Bibles if we never hold on to it and let it change us?!?
James 1:23-25
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Just some thoughts. Don't starve your spirit and take in what He wants to tell you. Don't spit it back out.
May the Lord help me to do the same.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Sad Stumbling
"Where am I today I wish that I knew
'Cause looking around there's no sign of you
I don't remember one jump or one leap
Just quiet steps away from your lead
I'm holding my heart out but clutching it too
Feeling this short of a love that we once knew
I'm calling this home when it's not even close
Playing the role with nerves left exposed
Standing on a darkened stage,
stumbling through the lines
Others have excuses, but I have my reasons why
We get distracted by dreams of our own
But no body's happy while feeling alone
And knowing how hard it hurts when we fall
We lean another ladder against the wrong wall
And climb high to the highest rung, to shake fists at the sky
While others have excuses, I have my reasons why
With so much deception it's hard not to wander away"
-Nickel Creek
I'm not going to pretend to fully understand all the words to this song but I gotta say, I think I get the main idea and I like it. It's talking about backsliding. Realizing that you are far from the Lord and not even knowing how you got there. Sometimes we get so distracted and pulled away from God. But it's not like we take one huge leap from his side and end up in the dark. It's the quiet steps away from His leading. We even come to the point sometimes where we start calling the backslidden place we are in "home". We get comfortable there and convince ourselves that we are where we are supposed to be. And most of the time... WE KNOW BETTER! We are just playing a role. Somehow we have stopped seeing God as holy as He is and stopped seeing sin for as bad as it is. On top of that, we start making excuses for why we are the way we are. I think it's interesting that the song says "Others have excuses, I have my reasons why." That's exactly what we do. Our pride blinds us to the fact that all we are doing is justifying ourselves in our own sight and making excuses not to follow God.
I've been listening to this song over and over lately and every time I do, I keep seeing visions of people that I care about who were once a big part of my life who have now turned away from everything that they were taught and knew.... KNOW... to be right. I see them in my mind plastering a smile on and feeling so bad inside, not living with true peace. I can see them literally stumbling around in the dark, alone, getting farther and farther from God because they have hardened their hearts. And every time He tries to get their attention through His Word or maybe through a difficult circumstance, they blame Him and become more bitter. It really makes me feel like crying. It makes me wanna cry tears of helplessness because I feel that there is not much I can do for those people. Just watch them mess their lives up and live a life that they have convinced themselves (by lying to themselves) is ok and even making them happy. But we all know that when we backslide into the world and into sin we end up feeling empty and alone. And "no body's happy while feeling alone."
But there is one thing I can do for those I know who have chosen that road. I can pray... I can beg God to open their eyes and to send such strong conviction that they can't escape it. And, as hard as it may be, I can pray that God would do whatever it takes to get their attention... To bring them back to Himself. I can pray that He would show Himself to them in a powerful way. And I can be a good influence whenever I have opportunity. I can live the life I know God wants me to and be living proof that only He satisfies.......... It makes me want to step it up a notch in my Christian life.
"God has created each of us with a thirst that only He can quench."
"Teach me that if I do not live a life that satisfies Thee, I shall not have a life that satisfies myself."
"The soul of man bears the image of God; so nothing can satisfy it but He whose image it bears."
"Having been created by God for God, the "self" can never be "self-satisfied." Yet, having lost sight of the God revealed in the Bible, all we can see is our self, with its futile drive to meet its own ever-changing but never satisfied cravings for the second-rate pleasures of this world."
"On the one hand we long for God and on the other hand we run from Him. Accordingly, instead of seeking Him out to find lasting meaning, we turn to other things instead to try and satisfy that deep, spiritual thirst inside, only to discover it is like drinking salt water… We can never find success in these things under the sun because we were never meant to find lasting profit in them but only in God."
"Real satisfaction comes not in understanding God's motives, but in understanding His character, in trusting in His promises, and in leaning on Him and resting in Him as the Sovereign who knows what He is doing and does all things well." ................ AMEN AMEN AMEN! I LOVE THIS ONE!
Isn't it sad when we, as Christians, know the true way of peace and satisfaction, and decide that we know a better way? How silly we are.
'Cause looking around there's no sign of you
I don't remember one jump or one leap
Just quiet steps away from your lead
I'm holding my heart out but clutching it too
Feeling this short of a love that we once knew
I'm calling this home when it's not even close
Playing the role with nerves left exposed
Standing on a darkened stage,
stumbling through the lines
Others have excuses, but I have my reasons why
We get distracted by dreams of our own
But no body's happy while feeling alone
And knowing how hard it hurts when we fall
We lean another ladder against the wrong wall
And climb high to the highest rung, to shake fists at the sky
While others have excuses, I have my reasons why
With so much deception it's hard not to wander away"
-Nickel Creek
I'm not going to pretend to fully understand all the words to this song but I gotta say, I think I get the main idea and I like it. It's talking about backsliding. Realizing that you are far from the Lord and not even knowing how you got there. Sometimes we get so distracted and pulled away from God. But it's not like we take one huge leap from his side and end up in the dark. It's the quiet steps away from His leading. We even come to the point sometimes where we start calling the backslidden place we are in "home". We get comfortable there and convince ourselves that we are where we are supposed to be. And most of the time... WE KNOW BETTER! We are just playing a role. Somehow we have stopped seeing God as holy as He is and stopped seeing sin for as bad as it is. On top of that, we start making excuses for why we are the way we are. I think it's interesting that the song says "Others have excuses, I have my reasons why." That's exactly what we do. Our pride blinds us to the fact that all we are doing is justifying ourselves in our own sight and making excuses not to follow God.
I've been listening to this song over and over lately and every time I do, I keep seeing visions of people that I care about who were once a big part of my life who have now turned away from everything that they were taught and knew.... KNOW... to be right. I see them in my mind plastering a smile on and feeling so bad inside, not living with true peace. I can see them literally stumbling around in the dark, alone, getting farther and farther from God because they have hardened their hearts. And every time He tries to get their attention through His Word or maybe through a difficult circumstance, they blame Him and become more bitter. It really makes me feel like crying. It makes me wanna cry tears of helplessness because I feel that there is not much I can do for those people. Just watch them mess their lives up and live a life that they have convinced themselves (by lying to themselves) is ok and even making them happy. But we all know that when we backslide into the world and into sin we end up feeling empty and alone. And "no body's happy while feeling alone."
But there is one thing I can do for those I know who have chosen that road. I can pray... I can beg God to open their eyes and to send such strong conviction that they can't escape it. And, as hard as it may be, I can pray that God would do whatever it takes to get their attention... To bring them back to Himself. I can pray that He would show Himself to them in a powerful way. And I can be a good influence whenever I have opportunity. I can live the life I know God wants me to and be living proof that only He satisfies.......... It makes me want to step it up a notch in my Christian life.
"God has created each of us with a thirst that only He can quench."
"Teach me that if I do not live a life that satisfies Thee, I shall not have a life that satisfies myself."
"The soul of man bears the image of God; so nothing can satisfy it but He whose image it bears."
"Having been created by God for God, the "self" can never be "self-satisfied." Yet, having lost sight of the God revealed in the Bible, all we can see is our self, with its futile drive to meet its own ever-changing but never satisfied cravings for the second-rate pleasures of this world."
"On the one hand we long for God and on the other hand we run from Him. Accordingly, instead of seeking Him out to find lasting meaning, we turn to other things instead to try and satisfy that deep, spiritual thirst inside, only to discover it is like drinking salt water… We can never find success in these things under the sun because we were never meant to find lasting profit in them but only in God."
"Real satisfaction comes not in understanding God's motives, but in understanding His character, in trusting in His promises, and in leaning on Him and resting in Him as the Sovereign who knows what He is doing and does all things well." ................ AMEN AMEN AMEN! I LOVE THIS ONE!
Isn't it sad when we, as Christians, know the true way of peace and satisfaction, and decide that we know a better way? How silly we are.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Dumb stuff
Things you didn't know about me...
Do you have your own room? Yes... for the first time in 4 years
-Is your closet usually messy? not usually. Every once in a while though.
-Do you have a box of “this and that’s"? Yes... My junk box. I actually have several
-Where was the last place you went outside of your home? The church
-What are you listening to right now? just buzzing of computer and ticking of a clock
-When was the last time you went to a mall? don't remember. Probably about a month.
-What color is your toothbrush? pink
-Name one person that made you smile today? Rachel
-What were you doing 45 minutes ago? Just sitting down to the computer
-What is your favorite candy bar? Don't eat much chocolate. I like carmelos and milkyways and twix and kit kats
-What is the last thing you said aloud? "So we don't have the books for vbs yet?"
-What is the best ice cream flavor?Chocolate fudge brownie
-What was the last thing you had to drink?milk for breakfast
-What are you wearing right now? kulots (however you spell it) and my heartland t-shirt. Im totally looking like a bum today
-What was the last thing you ate?Eggs and toast
-Have you bought any new clothing items this week? lol... yeah
-When was the last time you ran? The other day at the river... Rachel was trying to drag me further out in the freezing cold water and I lost my flip flop in the current!
-If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Venice but there are a million places i would love to go.
-Do you take vitamins daily?nope but i should cuz i don't eat anything healthy
-Do you go to church every Sunday?yes
-Do you have a tan? NO! I'm pasty and I hate it! lol... Im gonna work on it this summer
-Do you like Chinese food over pizza?never!
Do you drink your soda with a straw?when we eat out, I use a straw but everywhere else...no
-Who was your last text to? Ryan Davenport... which is weird cuz we hardly talk
-Are you someones best friend?I think so...
-What are you doing tomorrow? Not a clue. I don't start work til next week
-Where is your dad? Out working on the truck
-Look to your left, what do you see?a desk
-What color is your watch?don't have one... I have a cell phone
-What are you doing right now?Waiting on my mom cuz I rode with her up here to the church.
-What color is your hair? light Brown
-What is your favorite thing to wear? Jean skirt with a cute top... preferably black or brown.
-What is your favorite thing to do? watch movies, talk to my family, read, i don't really know. Go to the river or go to an amusement park and ride a huge roller coaster. There that sounds a little more interesting.
What do you usually do all day? Now that it's summer... watch tv or run errands with mom until i start work next week. Then it will be running in the morning, work, cooking dinner, anything else that needs to be done and then tv before bed
-What do you like better, Shoes or Sandals? flip flops or my slip on crocks
-Do you like to shop? of course
-Do you use chap stick?I'm addicted to it.
What is your birthstone?Emerald
-Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive through?It depends on what we're doing, who I'm with, and how long we have.
-Do you have a dog?yes- Daisy and Gilbert
-Last girl you talked on the phone with? mom
-Any plans today?it's late afternoon. Rest of the day just gonna be organizing my room and finishing unpacking from school
-Do you dye your hair?no, I use to tho
-Can you say the alphabet backwards? probably not
-Do you have a maid service clean your house?yeah sure- when my brother and i are MADE to do it. lol ok that was corny.
Do you like cats?yeah they are ok. Dogs are better
-What’s on top of your dresser? perfume, knick-knacks, pictures, and my earring box.
-Have you ever been to Six Flags? yes! I love it!
-Have you told the guy/girl you like that you like or love them? I have told the guy i liked that I did... unfortunately...but i can honestly say that I don't like anyone and haven't for a while now. It's a good feeling.
Do you have your own room? Yes... for the first time in 4 years
-Is your closet usually messy? not usually. Every once in a while though.
-Do you have a box of “this and that’s"? Yes... My junk box. I actually have several
-Where was the last place you went outside of your home? The church
-What are you listening to right now? just buzzing of computer and ticking of a clock
-When was the last time you went to a mall? don't remember. Probably about a month.
-What color is your toothbrush? pink
-Name one person that made you smile today? Rachel
-What were you doing 45 minutes ago? Just sitting down to the computer
-What is your favorite candy bar? Don't eat much chocolate. I like carmelos and milkyways and twix and kit kats
-What is the last thing you said aloud? "So we don't have the books for vbs yet?"
-What is the best ice cream flavor?Chocolate fudge brownie
-What was the last thing you had to drink?milk for breakfast
-What are you wearing right now? kulots (however you spell it) and my heartland t-shirt. Im totally looking like a bum today
-What was the last thing you ate?Eggs and toast
-Have you bought any new clothing items this week? lol... yeah
-When was the last time you ran? The other day at the river... Rachel was trying to drag me further out in the freezing cold water and I lost my flip flop in the current!
-If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Venice but there are a million places i would love to go.
-Do you take vitamins daily?nope but i should cuz i don't eat anything healthy
-Do you go to church every Sunday?yes
-Do you have a tan? NO! I'm pasty and I hate it! lol... Im gonna work on it this summer
-Do you like Chinese food over pizza?never!
Do you drink your soda with a straw?when we eat out, I use a straw but everywhere else...no
-Who was your last text to? Ryan Davenport... which is weird cuz we hardly talk
-Are you someones best friend?I think so...
-What are you doing tomorrow? Not a clue. I don't start work til next week
-Where is your dad? Out working on the truck
-Look to your left, what do you see?a desk
-What color is your watch?don't have one... I have a cell phone
-What are you doing right now?Waiting on my mom cuz I rode with her up here to the church.
-What color is your hair? light Brown
-What is your favorite thing to wear? Jean skirt with a cute top... preferably black or brown.
-What is your favorite thing to do? watch movies, talk to my family, read, i don't really know. Go to the river or go to an amusement park and ride a huge roller coaster. There that sounds a little more interesting.
What do you usually do all day? Now that it's summer... watch tv or run errands with mom until i start work next week. Then it will be running in the morning, work, cooking dinner, anything else that needs to be done and then tv before bed
-What do you like better, Shoes or Sandals? flip flops or my slip on crocks
-Do you like to shop? of course
-Do you use chap stick?I'm addicted to it.
What is your birthstone?Emerald
-Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive through?It depends on what we're doing, who I'm with, and how long we have.
-Do you have a dog?yes- Daisy and Gilbert
-Last girl you talked on the phone with? mom
-Any plans today?it's late afternoon. Rest of the day just gonna be organizing my room and finishing unpacking from school
-Do you dye your hair?no, I use to tho
-Can you say the alphabet backwards? probably not
-Do you have a maid service clean your house?yeah sure- when my brother and i are MADE to do it. lol ok that was corny.
Do you like cats?yeah they are ok. Dogs are better
-What’s on top of your dresser? perfume, knick-knacks, pictures, and my earring box.
-Have you ever been to Six Flags? yes! I love it!
-Have you told the guy/girl you like that you like or love them? I have told the guy i liked that I did... unfortunately...but i can honestly say that I don't like anyone and haven't for a while now. It's a good feeling.
HOME!
I'm finally home from college and I couldn't be more thrilled! I needed a break from OKC that's for sure. This past year seemed so different. It seems like every year things get more difficult or maybe it's just that the problems are so different. My freshman year school work was hard and I dealt a lot with homesickness. Sophomore year, first semester was good although I let myself get very distracted. Second semester was hard and I did a lot of crying. But at least I had my best friends and we still had our good times. This year... the whole year... things just got worse and worse. I struggled with my own spiritual battles and then big time homesickness, and fighting with friends... one of my friends got a guy and that was different... especially since it was an over-the-phone relationship since he did not go to Heartland. It didn't help that I was roommates with her. So it's just been a different year... I struggled with things that I never really had to deal with before. But through it all, I think that I learned A LOT! This has probably been the most growing time for me at college. So I am thankful for that. But I'm still just thankful to be done and to be able to rest a little. It turns out that growing is a tiring process.
I still have to have a job this summer. I will be working at the same daycare I did last summer. I also have a lot of plans to stay busy. I want to lose a little weight this summer by walking around the track in town. I want to do a lot more cooking and get better at that. I will be taking turns with another lady in the church teaching children's church and teaching the pre-k and k vbs class for a week. I'm excited though.
Well... hopefully I will do a better job at keeping up with this over the summer. I will try to post tomorrow.
"Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired."
"When you stop growing, you start dying... Nobody ever arrives."
"Growing up is a process, not an event."
I still have to have a job this summer. I will be working at the same daycare I did last summer. I also have a lot of plans to stay busy. I want to lose a little weight this summer by walking around the track in town. I want to do a lot more cooking and get better at that. I will be taking turns with another lady in the church teaching children's church and teaching the pre-k and k vbs class for a week. I'm excited though.
Well... hopefully I will do a better job at keeping up with this over the summer. I will try to post tomorrow.
"Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired."
"When you stop growing, you start dying... Nobody ever arrives."
"Growing up is a process, not an event."
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Guilty as charged
I have a nasty habit of thinking that I have everyone around me figured out. I'm really bad about thinking that everyone has double motives and that people don't really mean what they say. I suppose the reality of it is that I struggle with being judgmental. Wow, I'm sure being transparent. A thought struck me out of no where today... I hate it when people think they know my motives and they judge me based on who they THINK I am and why they THINK I'm doing something. Now, isn't that something. Maybe the reason I always feel like people judge me and falsely accuse me is because I do that to other people.
So this thought hit me as I was walking back from class and when I got in my room I decided to read my Bible some more since my time was cut short this morning by dorm duties. So I opened up where I left off in Luke 6:27-49- It's all about loving your enemies (which I needed to read) and forgiving (which I also needed) and JUDGING others. It says "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not and ye shall not be condemned: forgive and ye shall be forgiven." If I don't want others judging me and my motives then why should I feel at liberty to do that to them. Goodness! This is something that I need to work on.
I was also reading vs 39-49 about being a hypocrite. It was like that was written just for me. The words "Thou hypocrite" in the middle of verse 42 seemed to be directed right at me. It might as well have said "Jenny, you hypocrite..." I always seem to know what is wrong with everyone else but do I do much to try to fix my own problems? I'm not one to sit around and act like I don't have problems but do I do anything to fix the ones I have. Before I can help anyone else or judge anyone else or lift someone else up, I first have to get myself right. I need to stop being a hypocrite! Stop pretending! Stop trying to judge others when I do the same things. Stop trying to help others out of their sin when I still struggle with getting up to read my Bible everyday. Lord, Please help me!
So this thought hit me as I was walking back from class and when I got in my room I decided to read my Bible some more since my time was cut short this morning by dorm duties. So I opened up where I left off in Luke 6:27-49- It's all about loving your enemies (which I needed to read) and forgiving (which I also needed) and JUDGING others. It says "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not and ye shall not be condemned: forgive and ye shall be forgiven." If I don't want others judging me and my motives then why should I feel at liberty to do that to them. Goodness! This is something that I need to work on.
I was also reading vs 39-49 about being a hypocrite. It was like that was written just for me. The words "Thou hypocrite" in the middle of verse 42 seemed to be directed right at me. It might as well have said "Jenny, you hypocrite..." I always seem to know what is wrong with everyone else but do I do much to try to fix my own problems? I'm not one to sit around and act like I don't have problems but do I do anything to fix the ones I have. Before I can help anyone else or judge anyone else or lift someone else up, I first have to get myself right. I need to stop being a hypocrite! Stop pretending! Stop trying to judge others when I do the same things. Stop trying to help others out of their sin when I still struggle with getting up to read my Bible everyday. Lord, Please help me!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
