The last couple of weeks have been super busy with preparing for end-of-year contracts. A big part of my job is to review and renew contracts each year, as well as answer questions regarding current contracts and association documents. Several times lately I ran into obscure meanings or phrases that were not clear as to either who was responsible or what exactly they were responsible for. How did I go about figuring out the meaning or determining the interpretation?
I actually referred back to my Bible college days. You may wonder why, what does that have to do with it? There were Eight Rules of Interpretation that we learned. And most applied to interpreting the contracts.
1. The rule of Definition - what does the word or words mean. While we may think we know what they mean, looking up the Webster definition (or Greek or Hebrew using a concordance) can help narrow and clarify the meaning. Also, some of these construction based scope-of-works and contracts (100+ pages, I kid you not) have words that I'm just not that familiar with. Same often happens with studying the Bible.
2. The rule of Usage - how is the word used? Many words have multiple definitions based on usage. This is especially important in the Bible where there were different cultures. So taking this into account is an important part.
3. The rule of Context - what is the setting? This is probably one of the most important. Many people pull out one verse, or even one phrase, of the Bible, not taking into account any of the verses around it. By reading the verses and/or chapters before and after the one in question can help decipher it. Same with the contracts. Is the phrase in question in the section on services rendered, services needed, in the main part, for an additional fee, etc? Reading before and after can narrow down based on what section it is written in and the surrounding context. As with the Bible, the interpretation of one section can't contradict the contract itself. This is why to me this is a critical aspect of interpretation.
4. The rule of Historical Background - while much more relevant in Bible study, it still can come into play in contract readings. Was this contract done by the developer, the association, the management company, the vendor? When was the date? Was it during a storm? Was it during a construction phase or once turnover had occurred?
5. The rule of Logic - does it make sense? Check the grammar, the language (written by a lawyer or contractor?) and apply the rules of reasoning. What is the intent?
6. The rule of Inference - this is facts based on being implied elsewhere. Such as love your neighbor as yourself. In other places what is meant by "neighbor?" If the intent of the contract is to provide quarterly pest control, you can pretty comfortably assume that a phrase won't be in there that would cause pests. Just by the name of pest control it is implied that you are getting rid of pests, not making more.
7. The rule of Genre Judgement - which section of the Bible is it in? The prophets, the gospels, the historical books, the epistles, etc. Harder to use with contracts, but back to what section is it in? The scope, the services provided, the costs?
Last, but not least...
8. The rule of dependance on the Holy Spirit - go to the source! While all the other seven rules provide great guidance to interpretation, the only SURE way is to go straight to the source! The Bible is the Word of God, God has given us the Holy Spirit. We have been given the Holy Spirit for illumination. We can't understand it all, and we never will fully while here on earth. But with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can understand it. He gives us gifts of knowledge and discernment. I Corinthians 2:10-12 "But
it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his
Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us." This one is also the most accurate on contracts - go to the source! Most of the disagreements or differences on opinions on the contracts I have been working on I was able to use the first seven to determine the outcome, one that both vendors and the association agreed with. But one..ack, this one has very valid arguments from both sides whether this one detail was included in the scope or an additional fee to the association. I went to other managers and to board directors. Everyone had a view point, differing view points I might add...who was right?! Finally I decided it was time for rule eight. And I called the lawyer who wrote the contract. I mean who better to interpret it than the one who wrote it?! Right? And he gave me a definitive answer, no more combing words, phrases and pouring over definitions. Same with the Bible, it is God's Word. When you study a passage and still don't understand it, ask the one who wrote it. Pray about it, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and reveal the meaning to you! And the best part? You don't have to wait to use it as a last resort, because unlike my consultation with the lawyer, the Holy Spirit is in you. No appointment necessary and no fees.
Great news if you ask me! And that is how I used a class on Rules of Bible Interpretation from my college days in my current job.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Friday, September 12, 2014
Golf Stories
Today I went golfing for the first time. In preparation I did go once last weekend to a driving range and then to a puttering course yesterday. But today was my first time actually playing on a golf course and started with a bang at Burnt Pine, a private course designed by Rees Jones. While my game, if you can even call it that yet, leaves much to be desired and much, much to be learned, it was an incredibly fun time laughing, talking and enjoying the gorgeous day. There were six of us and we played three and three. As much fun as whacking balls was driving the golf carts, especially off the path and on the rolling hills.
The caddy was probably entertained by our accidental insinuations, that were truly said in complete innocence, but had me biting my lip not to start laughing out loud. First he grabs two of our golf bags and was waiting to pick up the third. But we weren't sure which bag we wanted to use. So told him go ahead and take those two over to the golf carts then come back. One of the other ladies commented, "I think he was wanting to wait and do a threesome." Not positive he heard that one as he was walking away from us with his back to us. But when he came back we were trying to decide which would be better for me, men's that were taller (for my tall self) but heavier, or ladies that were shorter but much lighter. He was trying to explain the difference in the clubs and told us that the men's clubs had stiffer shafts. Another lady asked, "why would men want stiffer shafts?" That is when I had to bite my lip not to bust out in laughter! I was quite impressed by his ability to maintain his composure (you could tell he was amused though) and finish explaining the reasoning.
This week while getting ready Ron started telling me about his golf experiences. The craziest part of that is that I've known him for 18 years now and never knew he used to golf! But during high school he used to golf, had his own set of clubs and took golf lessons with his dad at the club. He was trying to give me tips. I looked at him and said, "How can you give me tips when you've never played?" And that is when I learned that you can live with someone for years and years and still find out new things about them. Today while telling him about the golf carts he proceeded to tell me about how he was swerving on a path and flipping a golf cart while on the course one time, hurting himself and his brother and nearly totaling the cart. While that wasn't really funny, it has been interesting learning more about my husband and things he used to like and enjoy and things I never knew about him.
But for a funny, funny golf story, my dad wins hands down! Talked to him on the phone tonight and this is the story he told me. Granted he is a master story teller so to get the full effect, you'd have to hear him tell the story. This is my best effort at relaying it how I heard it via writing. Back when he was in the Navy he and a buddy went to a course to play golf. You are just hitting a ball, so how hard can that be, right? Neither of them had ever played or even been on a driving range before. So they check out a set of clubs and head off to tackle the popular sport of golf. My dad is up first. He pulls his club back and swings.....the ball flies into the air, and hits a tree (yes, Dad, I totally know that feeling after today, my first swing also hit a tree). His buddy steps up and its his turn to tee off. The ball is lined up, the guy takes his stance, pulls the club back and swings...the ball rolls 6" forward. BUT the club continues to fly far to the left. So far to the left that it flies in front of the shooting range! Why the military would have guys shooting next to guys golfing is beyond me, but that is beside the point. The guy shooting stops and looks at this club now lying in front of him. My dad's buddy looks at my dad and says, "YOU go get the club." My dad, always the most practical person I've ever known, responded with, "No way, that guy has a gun!" Needless to say his buddy finally retrieved his club. They look at each other both decide they are done and walk back to return the clubs. This is where I thought the story ended, but one last little laugh. It had been a drizzly day so the lady at the clubhouse asked them if they would like a rain check so that they can come back and try again later. Handing over the clubs they emphatically decline the rain check and announce they are done. And that was the ONE and ONLY time my dad has played golf!
What is your most memorable golf experience?
The caddy was probably entertained by our accidental insinuations, that were truly said in complete innocence, but had me biting my lip not to start laughing out loud. First he grabs two of our golf bags and was waiting to pick up the third. But we weren't sure which bag we wanted to use. So told him go ahead and take those two over to the golf carts then come back. One of the other ladies commented, "I think he was wanting to wait and do a threesome." Not positive he heard that one as he was walking away from us with his back to us. But when he came back we were trying to decide which would be better for me, men's that were taller (for my tall self) but heavier, or ladies that were shorter but much lighter. He was trying to explain the difference in the clubs and told us that the men's clubs had stiffer shafts. Another lady asked, "why would men want stiffer shafts?" That is when I had to bite my lip not to bust out in laughter! I was quite impressed by his ability to maintain his composure (you could tell he was amused though) and finish explaining the reasoning.
This week while getting ready Ron started telling me about his golf experiences. The craziest part of that is that I've known him for 18 years now and never knew he used to golf! But during high school he used to golf, had his own set of clubs and took golf lessons with his dad at the club. He was trying to give me tips. I looked at him and said, "How can you give me tips when you've never played?" And that is when I learned that you can live with someone for years and years and still find out new things about them. Today while telling him about the golf carts he proceeded to tell me about how he was swerving on a path and flipping a golf cart while on the course one time, hurting himself and his brother and nearly totaling the cart. While that wasn't really funny, it has been interesting learning more about my husband and things he used to like and enjoy and things I never knew about him.
But for a funny, funny golf story, my dad wins hands down! Talked to him on the phone tonight and this is the story he told me. Granted he is a master story teller so to get the full effect, you'd have to hear him tell the story. This is my best effort at relaying it how I heard it via writing. Back when he was in the Navy he and a buddy went to a course to play golf. You are just hitting a ball, so how hard can that be, right? Neither of them had ever played or even been on a driving range before. So they check out a set of clubs and head off to tackle the popular sport of golf. My dad is up first. He pulls his club back and swings.....the ball flies into the air, and hits a tree (yes, Dad, I totally know that feeling after today, my first swing also hit a tree). His buddy steps up and its his turn to tee off. The ball is lined up, the guy takes his stance, pulls the club back and swings...the ball rolls 6" forward. BUT the club continues to fly far to the left. So far to the left that it flies in front of the shooting range! Why the military would have guys shooting next to guys golfing is beyond me, but that is beside the point. The guy shooting stops and looks at this club now lying in front of him. My dad's buddy looks at my dad and says, "YOU go get the club." My dad, always the most practical person I've ever known, responded with, "No way, that guy has a gun!" Needless to say his buddy finally retrieved his club. They look at each other both decide they are done and walk back to return the clubs. This is where I thought the story ended, but one last little laugh. It had been a drizzly day so the lady at the clubhouse asked them if they would like a rain check so that they can come back and try again later. Handing over the clubs they emphatically decline the rain check and announce they are done. And that was the ONE and ONLY time my dad has played golf!
What is your most memorable golf experience?
Sunday, September 7, 2014
A Calling?
When I was 9 years old I heard a missionary speak at church and felt God was calling me to the mission field, at that point I was thinking Peru, as he was a missionary to Peru and had a great slide show that just captivated me.
After graduating from college I went on to New Tribes Bible Institute (Waukesha, WI) in pursuit of missions training. During that time frame I spent a summer living in Papua New Guinea hands on learning how to do missions (including language acquisition, cultural studies, etc), and went on a missions trip to Spain and another couple of weeks in Honduras working in an orphanage. While at NTBI my fiance broke up with me, amongst several other things. Felt like I had spent my whole life (yeah, all 20 years..lol..but at that time it felt like forever) trying to serve God but my life was not working out like I wanted it to. So decided it was time to live life however I wanted to do it. And I did just that. Enter about a decade of me living mostly for me (and for my two children who I thank God for as I know they kept me going).
But even through everything I kept getting pulled back toward feeling I was being called to some kind of Christian vocation. I didn't really change a lot of how I was living, but I did start working at a church. Felt like that must be the fulfillment of my childhood "calling." Spent almost 12 years on church staff (two different churches) and in that time frame also did multiple volunteer things, such as lead a Celebrate Recovery group (12-step study and small group facilitator), occasionally taught in my adult Sunday School class, led a few small group Bible studies, went into the prison preaching to women once a month, and volunteered with Project Adam (local men's recovery home). All these were good things, but eventually burnt out. And several things in my personal/family life were falling apart. Ron moved to Florida and a few months later I left my dual position in Publications and as Student/Children's Ministry Assistant at a church to follow him. Started my first full time secular job in over a decade. Once again felt like whatever that "calling" was must have just been a childhood fantasy. I mean what kid doesn't have crazy dreams, how many kids answer doctor, firefighter, astronaut, etc when asked what they want to be? And how many actually become that?
We moved to the beach, the beach is always where we left the "real" world behind and partied and had fun. Now it was our new way of life. No one knew me, knew our family. No expectations to have to live up to as a church staff member, small group leader, recovery/prison volunteer. That lack of accountability wasn't too good for me.
Long story short, spent one year down here just living the beach life, and all that comes with whatever that means. And then the whole past year has been a journey. A much longer one than I had anticipated, but forward motion none the less. During this year God has brought a wonderful group of ladies into my life, our "condo mates" group. The six of us went to a retreat together last February (2014) and we all were roommates in the same condo. Only one I knew pretty well, and two I had never met. This has been a great experience and much work of ironing sharpening iron as we have grown closer and shared struggles and victories and lots of just plain ole good, clean fun. Expanded from just fun times to team challenges like a 5K Mud Run to meeting weekly studying The Holy Spirit (by John Bevere).
And now I keep hearing "calling" over and over, inwardly and from external sources. Was talking to someone and told them I felt like Jonah who ran from his calling, spent time in the darkness of the belly of the whale, then was thrown up onto the shore. Feeling like a "washed up/has been." But as I was relaying that to her, it dawned on me... Despite the muck covering Jonah, despite him running in the complete opposite direction God told him to go, despite spending time in the utter darkness and in the deep abyss of the sea, God never took away his calling. Here he was on the shore, all stinky and just emerging back into the light. Yet God never said, "forget it Jonah, I have more capable people, you ruined your shot, you aren't good for anything else but to be put on the shelf as an example of what not to do." Nope, his calling was still there and he still had a mission from God to do.
On our way to the Florida Keys the first week of August I felt God telling me, you have a new career, and its a good career. It was given to you for a purpose, but don't forget, its just a career, it is not your calling. Since then I've gotten more and more comments or just things happening to confirm a shift or change coming. Things that I feel God telling me that needs to be changed in my life so that He can reveal what's next. I have no idea what the next it, and quite frankly it scares me. Today we had a guest speaker and he was saying that at his church and from their view point the age 40 is the change, the change from living for yourself to taking the knowledge you've learned and using your life for others. I'll be 40 in five months. Then he was talking about calling on our lives too (not the main part of his sermon, just a blip, but one that definitely caught my attention).
There is no nice neat wrapped up ending to this post. I don't know what is next, I'm not even really sure of what direction God is trying to point me or His time frame. But I do know I strongly feel I'm coming up to a transition period. I don't know how that will tie in and work with my new job position, as I LOVE my new job as a community association manager and maybe that new position is a part of the plan. Mainly I wanted to note this time in my life, so that one day I can look back and see where this part of my journey started and be able to look back and see how far God has brought me.
After graduating from college I went on to New Tribes Bible Institute (Waukesha, WI) in pursuit of missions training. During that time frame I spent a summer living in Papua New Guinea hands on learning how to do missions (including language acquisition, cultural studies, etc), and went on a missions trip to Spain and another couple of weeks in Honduras working in an orphanage. While at NTBI my fiance broke up with me, amongst several other things. Felt like I had spent my whole life (yeah, all 20 years..lol..but at that time it felt like forever) trying to serve God but my life was not working out like I wanted it to. So decided it was time to live life however I wanted to do it. And I did just that. Enter about a decade of me living mostly for me (and for my two children who I thank God for as I know they kept me going).
But even through everything I kept getting pulled back toward feeling I was being called to some kind of Christian vocation. I didn't really change a lot of how I was living, but I did start working at a church. Felt like that must be the fulfillment of my childhood "calling." Spent almost 12 years on church staff (two different churches) and in that time frame also did multiple volunteer things, such as lead a Celebrate Recovery group (12-step study and small group facilitator), occasionally taught in my adult Sunday School class, led a few small group Bible studies, went into the prison preaching to women once a month, and volunteered with Project Adam (local men's recovery home). All these were good things, but eventually burnt out. And several things in my personal/family life were falling apart. Ron moved to Florida and a few months later I left my dual position in Publications and as Student/Children's Ministry Assistant at a church to follow him. Started my first full time secular job in over a decade. Once again felt like whatever that "calling" was must have just been a childhood fantasy. I mean what kid doesn't have crazy dreams, how many kids answer doctor, firefighter, astronaut, etc when asked what they want to be? And how many actually become that?
We moved to the beach, the beach is always where we left the "real" world behind and partied and had fun. Now it was our new way of life. No one knew me, knew our family. No expectations to have to live up to as a church staff member, small group leader, recovery/prison volunteer. That lack of accountability wasn't too good for me.
Long story short, spent one year down here just living the beach life, and all that comes with whatever that means. And then the whole past year has been a journey. A much longer one than I had anticipated, but forward motion none the less. During this year God has brought a wonderful group of ladies into my life, our "condo mates" group. The six of us went to a retreat together last February (2014) and we all were roommates in the same condo. Only one I knew pretty well, and two I had never met. This has been a great experience and much work of ironing sharpening iron as we have grown closer and shared struggles and victories and lots of just plain ole good, clean fun. Expanded from just fun times to team challenges like a 5K Mud Run to meeting weekly studying The Holy Spirit (by John Bevere).
And now I keep hearing "calling" over and over, inwardly and from external sources. Was talking to someone and told them I felt like Jonah who ran from his calling, spent time in the darkness of the belly of the whale, then was thrown up onto the shore. Feeling like a "washed up/has been." But as I was relaying that to her, it dawned on me... Despite the muck covering Jonah, despite him running in the complete opposite direction God told him to go, despite spending time in the utter darkness and in the deep abyss of the sea, God never took away his calling. Here he was on the shore, all stinky and just emerging back into the light. Yet God never said, "forget it Jonah, I have more capable people, you ruined your shot, you aren't good for anything else but to be put on the shelf as an example of what not to do." Nope, his calling was still there and he still had a mission from God to do.
On our way to the Florida Keys the first week of August I felt God telling me, you have a new career, and its a good career. It was given to you for a purpose, but don't forget, its just a career, it is not your calling. Since then I've gotten more and more comments or just things happening to confirm a shift or change coming. Things that I feel God telling me that needs to be changed in my life so that He can reveal what's next. I have no idea what the next it, and quite frankly it scares me. Today we had a guest speaker and he was saying that at his church and from their view point the age 40 is the change, the change from living for yourself to taking the knowledge you've learned and using your life for others. I'll be 40 in five months. Then he was talking about calling on our lives too (not the main part of his sermon, just a blip, but one that definitely caught my attention).
There is no nice neat wrapped up ending to this post. I don't know what is next, I'm not even really sure of what direction God is trying to point me or His time frame. But I do know I strongly feel I'm coming up to a transition period. I don't know how that will tie in and work with my new job position, as I LOVE my new job as a community association manager and maybe that new position is a part of the plan. Mainly I wanted to note this time in my life, so that one day I can look back and see where this part of my journey started and be able to look back and see how far God has brought me.
The End of My 90-Days Probation Period
September
6, 2014, work probation period finished. 90 days, on my own officially in my new
job position. Just a few steps away from my old desk, yet worlds away
inside my new office.
Cheers!! Here's to tons of meetings, contract negotiations, never ending email, climbing high condo roofs, seeing incredible views, digging/dirt under nails with irrigation issues, water leaks, great owners, unrealistic vacationers, feeding the koi in the pond, walking the beach, testing pool chemical levels, stretching my finance knowledge with creating budgets, investment strategies, laddered CD's, $ signs followed by numbers in the millions, dealing with employees of my own, confidence building while pitching my ideas/public speaking, taking management classes, peace in chaos, calm in stress, discovering the multitudes of insurance policies available and required, state certifications of pools/elevators/balconies, mold remediation, working with great board members, management reports, meeting so many new/exciting people, stretching my wings, learning to fly, long days, some long nights, even a trip to the ER from work with heart issues, but satisfaction with the knowledge (and acknowledgement) of a job well done and that I thoroughly enjoy!
Thank you God for your blessings! Two years ago when I started working for this company I prayed for the Lord to expand my territory and bless the work of my hands and He has. My prayer now is to honor Him in the midst of it all.
Above my office door I have the words "Forgiven" and "Grace." Priceless gifts from my Heavenly Father.
Cheers!! Here's to tons of meetings, contract negotiations, never ending email, climbing high condo roofs, seeing incredible views, digging/dirt under nails with irrigation issues, water leaks, great owners, unrealistic vacationers, feeding the koi in the pond, walking the beach, testing pool chemical levels, stretching my finance knowledge with creating budgets, investment strategies, laddered CD's, $ signs followed by numbers in the millions, dealing with employees of my own, confidence building while pitching my ideas/public speaking, taking management classes, peace in chaos, calm in stress, discovering the multitudes of insurance policies available and required, state certifications of pools/elevators/balconies, mold remediation, working with great board members, management reports, meeting so many new/exciting people, stretching my wings, learning to fly, long days, some long nights, even a trip to the ER from work with heart issues, but satisfaction with the knowledge (and acknowledgement) of a job well done and that I thoroughly enjoy!
Thank you God for your blessings! Two years ago when I started working for this company I prayed for the Lord to expand my territory and bless the work of my hands and He has. My prayer now is to honor Him in the midst of it all.
Above my office door I have the words "Forgiven" and "Grace." Priceless gifts from my Heavenly Father.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Dog Leash - Mean or Caring?
Tonight I was walking Barkley back from the beach and kept him pretty close to me as he has no fear of vehicles or any traffic in the road. A huge box truck came up behind us and I pulled his leash up tight and clicked the safety on, as soon as the truck passed I clicked the safety off and he tried to take off toward the truck. I shook my head and told him, "silly dog, that truck would squish you so flat if you weren't on this leash."
At that moment I thought that keeping him on a leash, while some may consider it mean as he pulls and strains against the restraint of it, is one of the most caring things I can do for him. Keeping him out of sand spurs, out of traffic and away from danger.
This is the message I want to share with my daughter the next time I talk to her. She has strained and pulled at the parental leash for some time now, and the other week finally broke free. But the freedom was short lived and she is now living in a situation and place that she regrets. The safety, comfort and ultimately the love of our boundaries and rules were all for her benefit, not to keep her from fun or freedom. Breaking away from that has hurt not only her, but all those that love and care for her.
I wondered if that was like us as the children of God. However, God does not have us on a leash. Yes, He has set guidelines and boundaries, but it is more like an invisible electric fence. We may get a shock when we try to leave the safety of the zoned areas, but we are able to leave. But at what price? I know for myself I often stand at the boundary line, barking, yelping and whining about it, and sometimes decide it's worth the shock to escape. However, time and again, I realize with 20/20 hindsight, that the fence was for my safety.
Unfortunately, my daughter is having to learn this lesson for herself now in a very hard way. As I walk Barkley each day I hope that his pulling at his leash reminds me that the "freedom" I think I'm yearning for, is not freedom at all, but the boundaries are there to keep us safe and from harm.
At that moment I thought that keeping him on a leash, while some may consider it mean as he pulls and strains against the restraint of it, is one of the most caring things I can do for him. Keeping him out of sand spurs, out of traffic and away from danger.
This is the message I want to share with my daughter the next time I talk to her. She has strained and pulled at the parental leash for some time now, and the other week finally broke free. But the freedom was short lived and she is now living in a situation and place that she regrets. The safety, comfort and ultimately the love of our boundaries and rules were all for her benefit, not to keep her from fun or freedom. Breaking away from that has hurt not only her, but all those that love and care for her.
I wondered if that was like us as the children of God. However, God does not have us on a leash. Yes, He has set guidelines and boundaries, but it is more like an invisible electric fence. We may get a shock when we try to leave the safety of the zoned areas, but we are able to leave. But at what price? I know for myself I often stand at the boundary line, barking, yelping and whining about it, and sometimes decide it's worth the shock to escape. However, time and again, I realize with 20/20 hindsight, that the fence was for my safety.
Unfortunately, my daughter is having to learn this lesson for herself now in a very hard way. As I walk Barkley each day I hope that his pulling at his leash reminds me that the "freedom" I think I'm yearning for, is not freedom at all, but the boundaries are there to keep us safe and from harm.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
"Playing" God and Baptizing Cats
Recently we crossed paths with a homeless, hungry, scared addict at Wal-mart. She was given some money for food and our phone number if she wanted more help. Last night she made the call. But in the midst of mega drama, her hiding from her pimp or boyfriend or whatever he is, him supposedly beating on her as she was trying to get away, us trying to find her at Wal-mart to take her to dinner, hear the rest of her story and help her...she got paranoid. And hid, then changed her mind, then wanted help, then got scared again, then hid again. One hour and two trips into town later, we had to let it go. Later in the night she said she'd leave but only if we took her back to his place to get her stuff first. I'm not exposing myself to that sorry excuse of a man who was beating on her just a couple hours earlier. Today she is back to wanting help, promised to go to a rehab, but doesn't want a ride there. Wants some cash first, rehab later. We can't give her cash knowing it would go to more drugs. Food we can do. Helping find shelter we can do. Driving her to a safe place or rehab we can do. But she has to be willing to meet us, to want to help herself, to want to change. As much as I want to scoop her up and fix her poor, sad broken life, I can't. Only God can truly change lives.
While on lunch break today I took a hike in the woods and was praying for her and pondering what I could do. It's one of those things I had to hand over to God and let go. Thinking about it made me think of a story from when I was very young. Another time when I thought I could "save" someone...or something.
Growing up we had an outdoor momma cat and some kittens
that were a few months old. Somehow I became completely convinced that
this whole family of cats was in dire need of baptism. And I was the
person chosen to "help" them. I grew up with an intense list of sins, sins that in reality were mostly human appointed rules. My cats were breaking several. I wasn't allowed to wear pants, forget pants, the cats ran around naked! And we weren't supposed to eat unclean meats, while the cats would have eaten bacon daily if given the chance. And Sundays? That was a day of rest, not to be outside playing or eating at restaurants, again the cats in willful acts of sin and rebellion, continued to hunt and play on Sundays. Surely they needed saving from their many transgressions.
After filling up a 5 gallon bucket with
water I proceeded to round up the kittens. Momma cat refused to
participate, but the kittens were too stupid to realize that they were
about to be "saved." Ceremoniously I lifted the first kitten, sat up
straight and in my best "preacher voice" announced "I now baptize you in
the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!" And put the
kitten in the bucket of water.
I knew I had said the proper words but
the kitten screeched, clawed and fought to not go under. Now having
attended an independent Baptist church until age 5 (at which point our family joined a cult, true but different story) and having been "properly"
dunked in the independent Baptist fashion myself at age 4, I knew this
partial wetting of the kitten was not sufficient for its salvation. In
my mini self-appointed God-like status I had put myself in, I had to fix
that.
Looking around I found the bucket lid, pried the kitten's claws
off the buckets edge and while sympathetically but desperately trying to explain to it that I had to finish baptizing it the correct way, I slammed the lid on.
Next I (somewhat) gently shook the bucket to insure a complete water-soaked dunking. As I opened the lid it literally flew out of the top of
the bucket and went running far, far away. To this day I do not know how
it propelled itself so high or so far.
The remaining kittens sat close by, oblivious to their impending salvation....or doom, depending on how sorry you are feeling for the kittens at this point in the story. And just in case they had decided to slip out of "church" my little brother, whom I had ordained as my deacon/usher, was on guard to keep my mini parishioners from escaping.
This whole process was then repeated for
kittens #2 and #3 before I decided that the remaining kittens weren't
worth my scratched arms and attempts at salvation!
So, while we can be light to others, we can pray for them, we can help, we can share God's love and we can share the truth, WE can't save people. We aren't God and He is our ONLY way of salvation. Tonight I continue to pray for "Wal-mart" girl....and I promise not to "play" God and half drown her in an attempt to save her!
Saturday, April 5, 2014
18th Wedding Anniversary
Tomorrow Ron and I will celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary! Well, actually we decided to do most of our celebrating today as the forecast for tomorrow's weather is stormy.
We have a picnic backpack that holds plates, cups and utensils for two, a
thermal wine holder and a thermal zipper section for cheeses. I bought
this and have been anticipating using it on a romantic picnic for a
while now. One of the things I appreciate about Ron is that while we have gone on some great trips or eaten at incredible restaurants on previous anniversaries, he and I can also have just as good a time chilling together on the beach.
There is a road from Navarre Beach to Pensacola Beach that is 7-miles of nothing but beach, dunes and the road. It is beautiful and Ron had never seen it. So this is where we decided to head for our picnic. We dropped the top down on the car and headed out to beat the rain.
We found a secluded spot on the vast empty beaches and spread out the picnic. On our way there we had stopped at Fresh Market and the lady in the cheese section did an incredible job of helping us to select some cheeses.
Our picnic ended up consisting of all-natural grain crackers, olives, summer sausage, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, smoked sharp provolone, black wax asiago, smoked gouda, Don Julian 12-month manchego (a pricey cheese), aged gouda and mini baby bell laughing cow cheese. As well as a chilled bottle of Blondie Chardonnay.
We had a great time eating, chatting and talking about how far we have come and future dreams. A relaxing time to just enjoy each other and watch the waves crash up on the shore. We both agreed that if we had it to do again, we would both marry each other again. It's nice to know that we aren't together just because that is how it is, but because we are still in love with each other. Probably even more so than when we first got married. Back then it was just feelings; now there is a bond of raising children, maneuvering through life, moves to new cities and a new state, travels together, good times, bad times, silly times, sad times, basically 18-years worth of memories and life together that makes for a love that is deeper than just our feelings. Right as we finished packing up our picnic it started raining. Grateful that we were able to have that time before the rain hit.
During our picnic I took this photo of our wedding rings. They say the ring is a symbol of unending love, with no beginning and no end.
Happy Anniversary, Ron. I love you!
We have a picnic backpack that holds plates, cups and utensils for two, a
thermal wine holder and a thermal zipper section for cheeses. I bought
this and have been anticipating using it on a romantic picnic for a
while now. One of the things I appreciate about Ron is that while we have gone on some great trips or eaten at incredible restaurants on previous anniversaries, he and I can also have just as good a time chilling together on the beach. There is a road from Navarre Beach to Pensacola Beach that is 7-miles of nothing but beach, dunes and the road. It is beautiful and Ron had never seen it. So this is where we decided to head for our picnic. We dropped the top down on the car and headed out to beat the rain.We found a secluded spot on the vast empty beaches and spread out the picnic. On our way there we had stopped at Fresh Market and the lady in the cheese section did an incredible job of helping us to select some cheeses.
Our picnic ended up consisting of all-natural grain crackers, olives, summer sausage, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, smoked sharp provolone, black wax asiago, smoked gouda, Don Julian 12-month manchego (a pricey cheese), aged gouda and mini baby bell laughing cow cheese. As well as a chilled bottle of Blondie Chardonnay. We had a great time eating, chatting and talking about how far we have come and future dreams. A relaxing time to just enjoy each other and watch the waves crash up on the shore. We both agreed that if we had it to do again, we would both marry each other again. It's nice to know that we aren't together just because that is how it is, but because we are still in love with each other. Probably even more so than when we first got married. Back then it was just feelings; now there is a bond of raising children, maneuvering through life, moves to new cities and a new state, travels together, good times, bad times, silly times, sad times, basically 18-years worth of memories and life together that makes for a love that is deeper than just our feelings. Right as we finished packing up our picnic it started raining. Grateful that we were able to have that time before the rain hit.
Happy Anniversary, Ron. I love you!
Friday, April 4, 2014
Even at the 11th Hour...
Have you ever seen something from only one perspective, and then when you finally see it from another you are like WOW, how have I missed that?!
I did that today with a parable in the Bible. The parable of the workers.
Matthew 20:1-16 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. 3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. 4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing. 6 “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’ 7 “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’ “The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’ 8 “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. 9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’ 16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”
Occasionally I see this just in the aspect of the very last sentence regarding those who will be last will be first. But more often I view it as earning what you are promised and not comparing wages to others. In both my past job and my current job I've shared this parable as coworkers have discovered what another coworker makes. Yes, it can be irritating to think someone is working the same, or even less, but making more than you. But I remind them, and myself when irritation creeps in, that we are working for the wages we agreed on (its different when your responsibilities change). Everyone in the story worked the hours and job they were asked and were paid the wages they agreed on. Even though to us it seems that those who worked less, deserve less. Or at least those who worked more should get more.
Up until today I have never seen this parable as anything else. I saw a comment on this parable in Our Daily Bread devotional that triggered this blog post. This can also be a parable about grace. It's so much easier for us to accept God's grace for those who ask for it and then go on to live good lives. But what about those who accept God's grace on their deathbeds, or even on death row in prison? What if they did something despicable, inhuman or incomprehensible? How easy is it to then accept that they too, at the 11th hour, can be a recipient of God's grace? Much harder isn't it? It is for me.
A friend and I were talking about child molesters yesterday, discussing with (righteous) anger, how they can ruin the life of another and how they deserve hell. We tend to put child murderers, molesters and anyone who harms or damages children at the bottom of the worst of the worst list. But even they can have a heart change and if they accept Jesus' death, burial and resurrection as payment for their sin, can go to heaven. Much like in the parable, we gripe and complain and say it isn't fair.
On the other hand my grandpa accepted Christ as his Savior three months before he died. My grandma accepted Him many years before she died last week. In this case, I'm so grateful that God forgives and redeems, even at the 11th hour. Albeit, it's much easier to be grateful for as he was a good and loving person.
My thoughts today - Am I really so full of pride that I think I deserve God's grace more than someone else? Am I really that hateful that I resent the love of God and His kindness that is shown to others?
The landowner went out seeking workers. Some of them weren't working, not because they were lazy, but simply because no one had hired them, no one had given them a chance. Do we pass up sharing the Good News of salvation because we think someone isn't deserving? God's grace is for EVERYONE. As an unworthy recipient of His grace myself, I should be be telling those who have never heard and sharing the good news. Not sulking because in my own prideful opinion I think someone else isn't as deserving. Maybe they aren't accepting His grace simply because no one has shared it with them, much like the workers who weren't working only because no had taken a chance on them and hired them.
Who can you share God's grace and mercy with today? How can you apply this to your life? Is there resentment over the showering of God's grace and love on someone who think doesn't deserve it? Stop and take a minute to realize that you are also a recipient of His undeserved grace and mercy.
Today I'm thanking God that He hasn't given ANY of us what we deserve, instead He has shown His kindness to ALL who accept Him.
Dear God,
Thank you for sending your one and only son, Jesus Christ, to earth to seek out and save those of us who are wondering around the market place,lost and without purpose. Thank you that you share your kindness with all who accept. Thank you that you didn't write me off when I spent time living for myself and that You showed me Your grace no matter what time of day or where I was at. Help me share that grace and love to others. Thank you that You never give up on us, even if it is at the 11th hour or if we seem hopeless or worthless to all others. Your loving kindness is overwhelming and incomprehensible. You deserve all my worship and praise. Free me from my pride so that I can freely praise you with all of my mind, soul and body.
I did that today with a parable in the Bible. The parable of the workers.
Matthew 20:1-16 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. 3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. 4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing. 6 “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’ 7 “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’ “The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’ 8 “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. 9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’ 16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”
Occasionally I see this just in the aspect of the very last sentence regarding those who will be last will be first. But more often I view it as earning what you are promised and not comparing wages to others. In both my past job and my current job I've shared this parable as coworkers have discovered what another coworker makes. Yes, it can be irritating to think someone is working the same, or even less, but making more than you. But I remind them, and myself when irritation creeps in, that we are working for the wages we agreed on (its different when your responsibilities change). Everyone in the story worked the hours and job they were asked and were paid the wages they agreed on. Even though to us it seems that those who worked less, deserve less. Or at least those who worked more should get more.
Up until today I have never seen this parable as anything else. I saw a comment on this parable in Our Daily Bread devotional that triggered this blog post. This can also be a parable about grace. It's so much easier for us to accept God's grace for those who ask for it and then go on to live good lives. But what about those who accept God's grace on their deathbeds, or even on death row in prison? What if they did something despicable, inhuman or incomprehensible? How easy is it to then accept that they too, at the 11th hour, can be a recipient of God's grace? Much harder isn't it? It is for me.
A friend and I were talking about child molesters yesterday, discussing with (righteous) anger, how they can ruin the life of another and how they deserve hell. We tend to put child murderers, molesters and anyone who harms or damages children at the bottom of the worst of the worst list. But even they can have a heart change and if they accept Jesus' death, burial and resurrection as payment for their sin, can go to heaven. Much like in the parable, we gripe and complain and say it isn't fair.
On the other hand my grandpa accepted Christ as his Savior three months before he died. My grandma accepted Him many years before she died last week. In this case, I'm so grateful that God forgives and redeems, even at the 11th hour. Albeit, it's much easier to be grateful for as he was a good and loving person.
My thoughts today - Am I really so full of pride that I think I deserve God's grace more than someone else? Am I really that hateful that I resent the love of God and His kindness that is shown to others?
The landowner went out seeking workers. Some of them weren't working, not because they were lazy, but simply because no one had hired them, no one had given them a chance. Do we pass up sharing the Good News of salvation because we think someone isn't deserving? God's grace is for EVERYONE. As an unworthy recipient of His grace myself, I should be be telling those who have never heard and sharing the good news. Not sulking because in my own prideful opinion I think someone else isn't as deserving. Maybe they aren't accepting His grace simply because no one has shared it with them, much like the workers who weren't working only because no had taken a chance on them and hired them.
Who can you share God's grace and mercy with today? How can you apply this to your life? Is there resentment over the showering of God's grace and love on someone who think doesn't deserve it? Stop and take a minute to realize that you are also a recipient of His undeserved grace and mercy.
Today I'm thanking God that He hasn't given ANY of us what we deserve, instead He has shown His kindness to ALL who accept Him.
Dear God,
Thank you for sending your one and only son, Jesus Christ, to earth to seek out and save those of us who are wondering around the market place,lost and without purpose. Thank you that you share your kindness with all who accept. Thank you that you didn't write me off when I spent time living for myself and that You showed me Your grace no matter what time of day or where I was at. Help me share that grace and love to others. Thank you that You never give up on us, even if it is at the 11th hour or if we seem hopeless or worthless to all others. Your loving kindness is overwhelming and incomprehensible. You deserve all my worship and praise. Free me from my pride so that I can freely praise you with all of my mind, soul and body.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Reminders at My Desk
This is a photo of some trinkets I have on one of the ledges at my desk. They are my reminders. Why reminders? Because how easily I forget lessons and how often I need a visual reminder. They are also a great subtle way to share with others who ask what my eclectic collection is.
The cotton ball I picked in Georgia - it reminds me that the fields are ripe to harvest and also that our sins are washed white.
Wooden signs are self explanatory.
Feather in old jar- it reminds me to write His words on my heart as well as to rise up with wings as Eagles (an eagle is often sitting on the beach near where I found this feather).
Old green bottle, old aspirin bottle, driftwood, shell, claw and seed- all reminders that not all washed up and broken things are trash to be discarded. What we may see as trash, God scoops us up and displays as treasure.
In Memory of Loraine Sheeks, my Beloved Grandma
Loraine Catherine Sheeks
ALBANY - Loraine Catherine Sheeks,
88, of Albany, GA died Friday, March 28, 2014 at her residence. A
25-year cancer survivor, Mrs. Sheeks bravely battled heart disease for
30-years before succumbing to heart failure. She often said she was too
stubborn to die and with a tenacity rarely seen as she fought and
conquered many health battles as well as blindness. Her positive
attitude and determination to carry on despite her growing limitations
inspired many of those around her. She loved life and aimed at living it
to the fullest, right up until the end. She had “big shoulders” with a
compassionate heart and listening ear so that many of her friends and
family found wise counsel and solace from her.
Funeral services will be conducted
Tuesday, April 1, 2014 at 3:00 PM at Mathews Funeral Home. Mr. Ross
Powell and Rev. John Spencer of Sherwood Baptist Church will officiate.
Mrs. Rebecca Miller and Mrs. Deborah Berry will provide the song
service. Interment will follow in Floral Memory Gardens Cemetery.
A native of Lanett AL, Mrs. Sheeks
adopted Albany, GA as her home, after moving from Ft. Lauderdale, FL in
1949. She was a homemaker, a member of Sherwood Baptist Church for over
30-years and an active participant in the Agape Sunday School Class. She
received much joy in sharing with almost everyone she came in contact
with what the Lord Jesus Christ had done in her life. As a member of the
SOWGA Chapter of the Good Sam Club and The Winnebago Camping Club she
enjoyed traveling all over North America with her husband and family,
often taking her grandchildren with them.
Mrs. Sheeks is now reunited in
heaven with her husband, Garland Sloan Sheeks. Her sisters, Jennie
Gregory and Mary Rollefson, as well as her brother, Hammett Parker, all
preceded her in death.
Survivors include her daughter and
her son-in-law, Pam and Mike Amos of Albany, GA. As well as her eight
grandchildren, Hannah Bowyer and husband Ron, Thomas Amos and wife
Christina, Nathan Amos and wife Jewell, Joel Amos and wife Wendy,
Catherine Mutter and husband Lance, Jonathan Amos, Caleb Amos and wife
Katie, and Elliot Amos. She is also survived by eleven
great-grandchildren. Her faithful and loyal Chihuahua of 12 years, Bell,
has been adopted by Dr. Love of Bush Animal Clinic.
She was known to all as a prayer
warrior, and her friends and family saw many answers to her requests to
her heavenly Father. One such notable prayer request was when she first
began battling health issues she prayed that she would live long enough
to see one great-grandchild. Not only did that happen, she joyfully
welcomed great-grandchildren ten and eleven to the family in January of
2014. A pillar of the family, she is leaving a Godly legacy to the
grandchildren and great-grandchildren that she loved so dearly. She will
be greatly missed by the many lives that she touched.
Those desiring may make
contributions to Albany Community Hospice, 320 Foundation Lane, Albany,
GA 31707 or Albany Rescue Mission, 604 N. Monroe Street, Albany, GA
31701.
The family will receive friends Monday from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Mathews Funeral Home.
To sign our online registry or to send condolences to the family, you may visit Mathews’ website at www.mathewsfuneralhome.com.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Soul Detox
The book, Soul Detox: Clean Living in a Contaminated World by Craig Groeschel was very good! I read it over my Christmas and New Year holidays. It had some very inspiring and eye-opening quotes and I felt it deserved its very own blog entry/review.
My desire to even read this book came from the realization that cleaning yourself up from the outside in was not only backward but just not working, at least not long-term. To truly change it has to be from the inside out. How do we change what's inside? Well a good start is by what we are putting in us, through what we see, listen to, read, believe and immerse ourselves in. This book explains that we are surrounded by "toxins" that assault us daily and just as you do detox to remove toxins from our bodies we must do a soul detox to remove those toxins from our soul.
What was really neat is that many of the places I highlighted in this book were things God had just shown or told me. Being the extremely stubborn person I am, I guess He knew I need confirmation that yes, this is what He was telling me. Like the whole taking steps thing. As I posted on New Year's Day, I felt He was telling me to just take it one step at a time, one day at a time. And this was covered in the book as well.
My first marked place was on page 12, the author was talking about how back in the day people didn't realize the dangers of second hand smoke. So they smoked in the house and unintentionally subjected their children to the toxins of the smoke. He wrote, "I'm convinced that many of us are living in this same kind of dangerous trap with our spiritual health. We know something doesn't feel quite right, that we're not growing closer to God and following Christ the way we would like, but we can't put our finger on it. Even though we believe in God and want to please him, we find it hard to serve him passionately and consistently. We want to move forward spiritually but fee like we're running against the wind. We want more -- we know there's more -- but we just can't seem to find it." This immediately hit home with me and I was hooked.
Later in the same chapter he talks about the process of how if you drop a frog in boiling water it would jump out. But if you put the same frog in barely warm water and slowly increased the water you could eventually boil the frog and he would stay in it until he was dead. "In our culture, the water temperature increases daily. Without realizing it, we slowly become acclimated to a toxic environment full of poisonous influences. As the water temperature rises, we keep pretending we're soaking in a hot tub having the time of our lives, never dreaming that we're scalding our souls. As we become scarred and desensitized to what is right and wrong, good and evil, life-giving and live-draining, we lose sight of our first love. We move away from God one degree at a time." Oh, so easy to fall into this trap. My "fun" was slowly scalding my soul, searing my conscience.
The whole book spoke to me, but to avoid simply retyping the book out, I'll try to stick to just the parts that really jumped out at me. The next one was on page 40. "The root of most sins we commit outwardly is the false beliefs we embrace inwardly. In order to experience a life of purity with a clean heart, we must identify and reject the toxic thoughts that keep us from God's best. We don't need Dr. Phil to tell us what God revealed to us in his Word thousands of years ago: your thoughts determined who you become. Proverbs 23:7 says, 'For as a person thinks in his heart, so is he' (NKJV)."
"If you want to live a clean life in a polluted world, you must remove the seeds of poison from within. Practice taking every thought captive. Ask God to identify and help remove the life-draining ideas and images from your mind. Fill your thoughts with his truth and the beauty of his goodness. Renew your mind and watch your faith grow in ways that will astound you." To this end, during our church-wide 21-day corporate fast, I am choosing to not listen to secular music. I can't pick up the Christian station in my car but I can listen to Pandora in the car and on my work computer. (ps - if anyone wants to bless me with a year subscription to Pandora, that'd be cool...lol)
While encouraging us not only to listen and put in our minds what is good, he also encouraged us to speak life-giving words to ourselves, our circumstances and those around us. This tied in well to last week's sermon where Pastor Steve was basically saying the same thing about what we speak. From the book, "Your words, whether externally spoken or internally absorbed, shape your future."
He also talked about the things in our life and how we let them make us feel. He used the example of if you drove up to a friend's house in a rusty clunker or a new sports car. One you might hunker down and hide in, the other you'd be blaring your radio, honking your horn and feeling hot. "Unquestionably, in either car, you are the same person. But the way you feel about yourself likely would be worse in the clunker and better in the shiny sports car. Why? Because you've smoked the culture's cigarette and inhaled the lie." Referring to the lie that things are what define us....."Your things and your money don't make your significant, but you believe they do." Our significance should come from God. "Jesus said, 'Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions' (Luke 12:15). You are not what you have. You are not where you live. You are not what you wear. You are not what you drive. (For me right now I'm having to add, you are not your job position.) You are who God says you are. You are his child. You are a join heir with Christ."
Moving on to the things we watch. He was talking about how this kid knew his mom didn't let him watch movies with questionable things. But he begged about this one movie, saying it only had a little bad spot, and all his friends were watching it. So the mom said fine. He was very excited over this. On top of saying he could go, she then proceeded to make her son his favorite batch of cookies, only she added a tiny bit of "extra" ingredient, dog poo. The son smelled the brownies and eagerly ran in the kitchen for some. She cut him a piece and just as he was about to eat she told him it had an "extra" ingredient. Dog poo, but she assured him it was only one tiny little bit in the otherwise very good brownies and she was sure that little bit wouldn't hurt him at all. At that point he realized he wouldn't be seeing that movie with his friends after all. "Ask yourself, is there a little bit of poop in the media you normally enjoy? Do your friends lead you into places or situations that stink? How about the television shows you watch regularly? Think back over what you've watched this past week." I loved all the examples he gave and his tongue in cheek responses to answers we often give.
On page 192, "If you don't think anything is wrong with all the cultural influences that invade your life daily, chances are that you're interpreting right and wrong through a distorted lens." Yikes.
He then changes gears to make sure that we aren't confusing what we do and don't do and rules and religion with our relationship with Christ. "In its purest sense, Christianity is not intended to be one of the world's major religions, but rather it is supposed to be a relationship with the one, true, living God through his Son, Jesus." He says, "some scholars even argue that the root of the word religion means 'return to bondage.'"
While wrapping up the book and tying it all together on how we can use this information to make a change in our own lives, he tells the story of Moses and God calling him for a purpose and Moses thinking he isn't qualified. "Moses immediately focused on his inabilities rather than God's unlimited abilities. He looked at his limited power rather than God's unlimited power. You might be temped to do the same thing. When God shows you something that he wants you to change, you might hesitate and think, 'I can't do that.' But God will do the same thing to you that he did to Moses - get right up in his business: 'The LORD said to him, Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD?' (Exodus 4:11)." A few paragraphs later he continues, "When God shows you what he wants you to change, don't you think he's going to help you get it done? Don't you know that he put this book in your hands at this particular time in your life for a reason?....If you're reading this and you know what God wants you to do, then put this book down and go do it! Seriously. Someone said, 'Delayed obedience is disobedience.' Don't you dare delay! If God has shown you how he wants you to live differently, if he's revealed what you need to give up or what you need to embrace, then do not disobey him by procrastinating and waiting until 'the time is right.' The time is right, now. The time is right now!"
And in conclusion of his book, "Think about what could be different in your life and in the lives of those around you if you quit making excuses, if you lived with God intentions and let go of your own agenda. If you truly want to live a cleaner, purer life, a more Christ-centered, Spirit-filled life, then it's time to take the next steps that you know to take. Do what you can do and trust God to do what you can't. My prayer is that right now, God is speaking to your heart and making his message loud and clear. Can you hear him? Now, go - in his strength and by his power - just do it! Godspeed!"
I hope these excerpts from the book encourage you to read it for yourself, as I'm sure there are points in it that might speak to you differently than the ones that spoke to me. But if not, then hopefully take these highlights that spoke to me and let them speak to you as well.
My desire to even read this book came from the realization that cleaning yourself up from the outside in was not only backward but just not working, at least not long-term. To truly change it has to be from the inside out. How do we change what's inside? Well a good start is by what we are putting in us, through what we see, listen to, read, believe and immerse ourselves in. This book explains that we are surrounded by "toxins" that assault us daily and just as you do detox to remove toxins from our bodies we must do a soul detox to remove those toxins from our soul.
What was really neat is that many of the places I highlighted in this book were things God had just shown or told me. Being the extremely stubborn person I am, I guess He knew I need confirmation that yes, this is what He was telling me. Like the whole taking steps thing. As I posted on New Year's Day, I felt He was telling me to just take it one step at a time, one day at a time. And this was covered in the book as well.
My first marked place was on page 12, the author was talking about how back in the day people didn't realize the dangers of second hand smoke. So they smoked in the house and unintentionally subjected their children to the toxins of the smoke. He wrote, "I'm convinced that many of us are living in this same kind of dangerous trap with our spiritual health. We know something doesn't feel quite right, that we're not growing closer to God and following Christ the way we would like, but we can't put our finger on it. Even though we believe in God and want to please him, we find it hard to serve him passionately and consistently. We want to move forward spiritually but fee like we're running against the wind. We want more -- we know there's more -- but we just can't seem to find it." This immediately hit home with me and I was hooked.
Later in the same chapter he talks about the process of how if you drop a frog in boiling water it would jump out. But if you put the same frog in barely warm water and slowly increased the water you could eventually boil the frog and he would stay in it until he was dead. "In our culture, the water temperature increases daily. Without realizing it, we slowly become acclimated to a toxic environment full of poisonous influences. As the water temperature rises, we keep pretending we're soaking in a hot tub having the time of our lives, never dreaming that we're scalding our souls. As we become scarred and desensitized to what is right and wrong, good and evil, life-giving and live-draining, we lose sight of our first love. We move away from God one degree at a time." Oh, so easy to fall into this trap. My "fun" was slowly scalding my soul, searing my conscience.
The whole book spoke to me, but to avoid simply retyping the book out, I'll try to stick to just the parts that really jumped out at me. The next one was on page 40. "The root of most sins we commit outwardly is the false beliefs we embrace inwardly. In order to experience a life of purity with a clean heart, we must identify and reject the toxic thoughts that keep us from God's best. We don't need Dr. Phil to tell us what God revealed to us in his Word thousands of years ago: your thoughts determined who you become. Proverbs 23:7 says, 'For as a person thinks in his heart, so is he' (NKJV)."
"If you want to live a clean life in a polluted world, you must remove the seeds of poison from within. Practice taking every thought captive. Ask God to identify and help remove the life-draining ideas and images from your mind. Fill your thoughts with his truth and the beauty of his goodness. Renew your mind and watch your faith grow in ways that will astound you." To this end, during our church-wide 21-day corporate fast, I am choosing to not listen to secular music. I can't pick up the Christian station in my car but I can listen to Pandora in the car and on my work computer. (ps - if anyone wants to bless me with a year subscription to Pandora, that'd be cool...lol)
While encouraging us not only to listen and put in our minds what is good, he also encouraged us to speak life-giving words to ourselves, our circumstances and those around us. This tied in well to last week's sermon where Pastor Steve was basically saying the same thing about what we speak. From the book, "Your words, whether externally spoken or internally absorbed, shape your future."
He also talked about the things in our life and how we let them make us feel. He used the example of if you drove up to a friend's house in a rusty clunker or a new sports car. One you might hunker down and hide in, the other you'd be blaring your radio, honking your horn and feeling hot. "Unquestionably, in either car, you are the same person. But the way you feel about yourself likely would be worse in the clunker and better in the shiny sports car. Why? Because you've smoked the culture's cigarette and inhaled the lie." Referring to the lie that things are what define us....."Your things and your money don't make your significant, but you believe they do." Our significance should come from God. "Jesus said, 'Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions' (Luke 12:15). You are not what you have. You are not where you live. You are not what you wear. You are not what you drive. (For me right now I'm having to add, you are not your job position.) You are who God says you are. You are his child. You are a join heir with Christ."
Moving on to the things we watch. He was talking about how this kid knew his mom didn't let him watch movies with questionable things. But he begged about this one movie, saying it only had a little bad spot, and all his friends were watching it. So the mom said fine. He was very excited over this. On top of saying he could go, she then proceeded to make her son his favorite batch of cookies, only she added a tiny bit of "extra" ingredient, dog poo. The son smelled the brownies and eagerly ran in the kitchen for some. She cut him a piece and just as he was about to eat she told him it had an "extra" ingredient. Dog poo, but she assured him it was only one tiny little bit in the otherwise very good brownies and she was sure that little bit wouldn't hurt him at all. At that point he realized he wouldn't be seeing that movie with his friends after all. "Ask yourself, is there a little bit of poop in the media you normally enjoy? Do your friends lead you into places or situations that stink? How about the television shows you watch regularly? Think back over what you've watched this past week." I loved all the examples he gave and his tongue in cheek responses to answers we often give.
On page 192, "If you don't think anything is wrong with all the cultural influences that invade your life daily, chances are that you're interpreting right and wrong through a distorted lens." Yikes.
He then changes gears to make sure that we aren't confusing what we do and don't do and rules and religion with our relationship with Christ. "In its purest sense, Christianity is not intended to be one of the world's major religions, but rather it is supposed to be a relationship with the one, true, living God through his Son, Jesus." He says, "some scholars even argue that the root of the word religion means 'return to bondage.'"
While wrapping up the book and tying it all together on how we can use this information to make a change in our own lives, he tells the story of Moses and God calling him for a purpose and Moses thinking he isn't qualified. "Moses immediately focused on his inabilities rather than God's unlimited abilities. He looked at his limited power rather than God's unlimited power. You might be temped to do the same thing. When God shows you something that he wants you to change, you might hesitate and think, 'I can't do that.' But God will do the same thing to you that he did to Moses - get right up in his business: 'The LORD said to him, Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD?' (Exodus 4:11)." A few paragraphs later he continues, "When God shows you what he wants you to change, don't you think he's going to help you get it done? Don't you know that he put this book in your hands at this particular time in your life for a reason?....If you're reading this and you know what God wants you to do, then put this book down and go do it! Seriously. Someone said, 'Delayed obedience is disobedience.' Don't you dare delay! If God has shown you how he wants you to live differently, if he's revealed what you need to give up or what you need to embrace, then do not disobey him by procrastinating and waiting until 'the time is right.' The time is right, now. The time is right now!"
And in conclusion of his book, "Think about what could be different in your life and in the lives of those around you if you quit making excuses, if you lived with God intentions and let go of your own agenda. If you truly want to live a cleaner, purer life, a more Christ-centered, Spirit-filled life, then it's time to take the next steps that you know to take. Do what you can do and trust God to do what you can't. My prayer is that right now, God is speaking to your heart and making his message loud and clear. Can you hear him? Now, go - in his strength and by his power - just do it! Godspeed!"
I hope these excerpts from the book encourage you to read it for yourself, as I'm sure there are points in it that might speak to you differently than the ones that spoke to me. But if not, then hopefully take these highlights that spoke to me and let them speak to you as well.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Numbing the Pain or Fixing the Problem?
X-rays, broken bones, hours waiting to be seen, slings, splints, braces, co-pays, pharmacies....I can't think of anything on this list that sounds pleasant. But this week have been through all of the above. First my wrist was put in a sling and splint and told it was broken. It only took 24-hours in the sling to make me miserable. Any of you who end up in a sling or shoulder surgery or anything of that sort will get much more sympathy from me from now on!
Thankfully it was then determined to be a torn ligament and no longer needed the sling. On the flip side the healing process may be slower and more painful. So for pain I was given some pretty strong pain meds (Vicodin and another). Now don't get me wrong on this post, I'm immensely grateful for pain medication when I have been in the pain I have with this wrist. But going back to work this week I noticed an odd phenomenon, I would try to type (with both hands still instead of one handed) or driving or filing, or any of the many other things I do at work. And then it would start hurting to the point where I couldn't use it at all, so I'd take a pain pill. Hallelujah, within an hour the pain is pretty much gone! So what did I do? Start to use it again. It wasn't throbbing or shooting pains up my arm, so I would type, move a box, put pressure on it, try to twist it inside the brace (turning door knobs, etc) or attempt to work out at the gym (I think I messed it up a lot worse trying to do a yoga class and downward dog into plank position on Saturday). But then when the medication would wear off and by the time I get home at night I'm nauseous from the returning pain and spend half my evening with an ice pack on it and unable to do much of anything at all.
This made me stop and think and realize that the pain medication isn't "fixing" my wrist, it's simply numbing the pain, or the symptom of damaged ligaments. And it can actually hinder healing, because the less it hurts, the more I use it and the less time I spend letting it rest in the brace and heal. But how often do we do this with other things? How often do we numb our pain with chemicals, food, addictions, people, fantasies instead of taking the time to stop, evaluate the true source of the hurt and get the support and or help we need to heal the problem? In the end we don't truly solve anything by numbing it, and it can actually make the problem way worse and take much, much longer to heal.
I think about my brother in prison, which is a result of drug addiction. Numbing the issues may have worked for a while, but eventually the true problems must be dealt with. A trip to rehab may take time out of your life, but a few months there would infinitely be better than several years in prison. Of course my wrist is on a much smaller scale, but the same principle applies. I need to listen to the pain as it alerts me to stop and let my wrist heal instead of numbing it and carrying on, possibly causing a much longer recovery or more long-term problems.
Here's to fixing the problem, not just simply numbing the pain.....and to my wrist healing quickly!!
Thankfully it was then determined to be a torn ligament and no longer needed the sling. On the flip side the healing process may be slower and more painful. So for pain I was given some pretty strong pain meds (Vicodin and another). Now don't get me wrong on this post, I'm immensely grateful for pain medication when I have been in the pain I have with this wrist. But going back to work this week I noticed an odd phenomenon, I would try to type (with both hands still instead of one handed) or driving or filing, or any of the many other things I do at work. And then it would start hurting to the point where I couldn't use it at all, so I'd take a pain pill. Hallelujah, within an hour the pain is pretty much gone! So what did I do? Start to use it again. It wasn't throbbing or shooting pains up my arm, so I would type, move a box, put pressure on it, try to twist it inside the brace (turning door knobs, etc) or attempt to work out at the gym (I think I messed it up a lot worse trying to do a yoga class and downward dog into plank position on Saturday). But then when the medication would wear off and by the time I get home at night I'm nauseous from the returning pain and spend half my evening with an ice pack on it and unable to do much of anything at all.
This made me stop and think and realize that the pain medication isn't "fixing" my wrist, it's simply numbing the pain, or the symptom of damaged ligaments. And it can actually hinder healing, because the less it hurts, the more I use it and the less time I spend letting it rest in the brace and heal. But how often do we do this with other things? How often do we numb our pain with chemicals, food, addictions, people, fantasies instead of taking the time to stop, evaluate the true source of the hurt and get the support and or help we need to heal the problem? In the end we don't truly solve anything by numbing it, and it can actually make the problem way worse and take much, much longer to heal.
I think about my brother in prison, which is a result of drug addiction. Numbing the issues may have worked for a while, but eventually the true problems must be dealt with. A trip to rehab may take time out of your life, but a few months there would infinitely be better than several years in prison. Of course my wrist is on a much smaller scale, but the same principle applies. I need to listen to the pain as it alerts me to stop and let my wrist heal instead of numbing it and carrying on, possibly causing a much longer recovery or more long-term problems.
Here's to fixing the problem, not just simply numbing the pain.....and to my wrist healing quickly!!
Burning Coals
Saw the following story on facebook and it really made sense to me. It's so very true plus THIS
is how I learn. I'm a visual learner so I have to either see it or you
tell me in such a way that I can visualize in some way what you are
trying to tell me.
"A member of the church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him.
It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.
The pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat back in his chair, still silent.
The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.
Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.The pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.
As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, 'Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in church next Sunday.'
We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little. Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left unspoken."
The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.
Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.The pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.
As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, 'Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in church next Sunday.'
We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little. Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left unspoken."
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Step by Step
The last five months or so, while a lot of fun in many ways, has also felt like a spiritual downward spiral. It seemed the more I tried to mold my outward actions to be what I thought a "Christian" life should look like, the more I seemed to fail. To the point where I was ready to throw my hands up and just give up. And I did in many ways, including my church involvement dropping to barely existent. My Bible actually had to be dusted off, you could've written "read me" in the dust on it.
As I participated in more activities, that at one point would have bothered me, I realized I didn't feel entirely guilty or too bad about it. It became easier and easier to excuse behaviors. Just look around, compared to a lot of people I'm a pretty good person, I like to help people, am very loving and a dedicated, driven employee. My family - kids and husband, and even dog, are very important to me.
But still, there would be those days I would wake up and look at myself in the mirror and know that I wasn't living the full life that is available. Oh, it looked full, tons of activities, making friends in the area, gaining state licensing in my field of work, weekends laying out and drinking at the pool or beach, cruising around in the convertible I bought in April, kayaking and biking...yes, full as in busy, but something still felt empty, fleeting.
The last week or so has brought many inward changes. I don't know the exact catalyst, but part of it was reading the book Captivating. It made me realize that many things I was craving, being pursued and romanced as well as the desire for adventure is a God-given drive and desire. But we women have that drive in order to turn to the One who is the ultimate one who wants to captivate our adoration and fulfill that craving. From the book, "God has written the Romance not only on our hearts but all over the world around us. What we need is for him to open our eyes, to open our ears that we might recognize his voice calling to us, see his hand wooing us int he beauty that quickens our hearts." Living here at the beach, there is no doubt that I am surrounded by beauty, God painting incredible sunrises and sunsets, emerald waves and white sands. Hard to explain what it was about this book, other then the realization that God doesn't just want me "saved" and going to heaven one day, but He wants to romance me and to become the center of my life. He is calling out to me.
Gradually it dawned on me that I'm going about it all the wrong way. I'm trying, and failing, to "clean" up my act. But God doesn't want my works, He wants my heart. I told Him that I can't handle trying to see the big picture and what I "think" He wants my life to look like, but I want Him to fulfill the longings that nothing else seems to fill. I want to please Him. But in my prayer I asked that He just show me one step at a time, just as they say in the AA slogan, "one day at a time." The first thing that He brought to my attention was my recent consumption of romance books, and we aren't talking lovey-dovey romance, I believe Amazon had them classified as "erotic reading." These books were not only distorting my view of romance and true love, but desensitizing my conscience. The hard part was that I had just bought a couple of new books with my Christmas gift card and was right in the middle of reading them. Maybe I would finish it, then click delete. But no, He didn't say finish them then delete. Just simply DELETE. So I did. Being an avid reader I knew that I would need some new reading material. I downloaded one book titled Soul Detox (that book deserves its very own blog entry, which I hope to do over the weekend) but then for New Year's Beth Moore made an announcement that she was GIVING away some of her books on Kindle. So God, in His love, through her offer, gave me books to replace those which I had deleted.
I also am very independent. You know how people say, "beware of what you pray for?" They are right! In this process of growth and being wooed by God I prayed that He would teach me to rely more on Him and not have this constant attitude of "I got this" that is a persistent attitude with me. You KNOW how God can answer those kind of prayers! Within two days I had my hand X-rayed, told my wrist was broken and my wrist and arm put in a splint and sling. Umm, that is NOT what I meant when I prayed that. But it definitely made me realize I am not entirely self-reliant. Thankfully, on Monday I went to the orthopedic specialist and was told it is a torn ligament, not broken bone. So while it will take a while to heal, I don't have it immobilized in a sling!
The other struggle I've had is with making new friendships. I need people in my life, I crave relationships with people. I'm a very, very people person. A year later I'm still missing my friends from Georgia and most of the friends I've made here are coworkers, which are not conducive to deep relationships, or just not overall healthy friendships. While I know that no person can be all that I need and part of that desire for a deep relationship is a desire God created so that I turn to him for those deep needs, I still prayed for friends to come alongside me, to pray with me and to encourage me. And just as He gave me some new books to substitute those I had deleted, He brought along two situations this past week where I was able to sit down, face to face, with someone and just be encouraged. Isn't God so good? Always providing what we need, when we need it and when we are ready and open for it. Sometimes I wonder why it takes so long for something to come around, but timing is everything. Had some of what was discussed in these two conversations come up just a couple of months ago, my responses would have likely been totally different. I'm sure I would have been much more cocky for one thing. But God softened my heart this past week and I was open and willing to hear what He had to say through these two women.
My prayer for this new year is that my focus switches from cleaning up the outside to cleaning up my inside. And again, it isn't just willpower or what changes I think need to be made. I'm asking God to show me, one step at a time, the changes He wants me to make, step by step, drawing closer to Him. I hope to use this blog through out this year to share with you the steps that He shows me as I travel this journey of life.
"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. (italics mine) Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." Romans 12:1,2 The Message
As I participated in more activities, that at one point would have bothered me, I realized I didn't feel entirely guilty or too bad about it. It became easier and easier to excuse behaviors. Just look around, compared to a lot of people I'm a pretty good person, I like to help people, am very loving and a dedicated, driven employee. My family - kids and husband, and even dog, are very important to me.
But still, there would be those days I would wake up and look at myself in the mirror and know that I wasn't living the full life that is available. Oh, it looked full, tons of activities, making friends in the area, gaining state licensing in my field of work, weekends laying out and drinking at the pool or beach, cruising around in the convertible I bought in April, kayaking and biking...yes, full as in busy, but something still felt empty, fleeting.
The last week or so has brought many inward changes. I don't know the exact catalyst, but part of it was reading the book Captivating. It made me realize that many things I was craving, being pursued and romanced as well as the desire for adventure is a God-given drive and desire. But we women have that drive in order to turn to the One who is the ultimate one who wants to captivate our adoration and fulfill that craving. From the book, "God has written the Romance not only on our hearts but all over the world around us. What we need is for him to open our eyes, to open our ears that we might recognize his voice calling to us, see his hand wooing us int he beauty that quickens our hearts." Living here at the beach, there is no doubt that I am surrounded by beauty, God painting incredible sunrises and sunsets, emerald waves and white sands. Hard to explain what it was about this book, other then the realization that God doesn't just want me "saved" and going to heaven one day, but He wants to romance me and to become the center of my life. He is calling out to me.
Gradually it dawned on me that I'm going about it all the wrong way. I'm trying, and failing, to "clean" up my act. But God doesn't want my works, He wants my heart. I told Him that I can't handle trying to see the big picture and what I "think" He wants my life to look like, but I want Him to fulfill the longings that nothing else seems to fill. I want to please Him. But in my prayer I asked that He just show me one step at a time, just as they say in the AA slogan, "one day at a time." The first thing that He brought to my attention was my recent consumption of romance books, and we aren't talking lovey-dovey romance, I believe Amazon had them classified as "erotic reading." These books were not only distorting my view of romance and true love, but desensitizing my conscience. The hard part was that I had just bought a couple of new books with my Christmas gift card and was right in the middle of reading them. Maybe I would finish it, then click delete. But no, He didn't say finish them then delete. Just simply DELETE. So I did. Being an avid reader I knew that I would need some new reading material. I downloaded one book titled Soul Detox (that book deserves its very own blog entry, which I hope to do over the weekend) but then for New Year's Beth Moore made an announcement that she was GIVING away some of her books on Kindle. So God, in His love, through her offer, gave me books to replace those which I had deleted.
I also am very independent. You know how people say, "beware of what you pray for?" They are right! In this process of growth and being wooed by God I prayed that He would teach me to rely more on Him and not have this constant attitude of "I got this" that is a persistent attitude with me. You KNOW how God can answer those kind of prayers! Within two days I had my hand X-rayed, told my wrist was broken and my wrist and arm put in a splint and sling. Umm, that is NOT what I meant when I prayed that. But it definitely made me realize I am not entirely self-reliant. Thankfully, on Monday I went to the orthopedic specialist and was told it is a torn ligament, not broken bone. So while it will take a while to heal, I don't have it immobilized in a sling!
The other struggle I've had is with making new friendships. I need people in my life, I crave relationships with people. I'm a very, very people person. A year later I'm still missing my friends from Georgia and most of the friends I've made here are coworkers, which are not conducive to deep relationships, or just not overall healthy friendships. While I know that no person can be all that I need and part of that desire for a deep relationship is a desire God created so that I turn to him for those deep needs, I still prayed for friends to come alongside me, to pray with me and to encourage me. And just as He gave me some new books to substitute those I had deleted, He brought along two situations this past week where I was able to sit down, face to face, with someone and just be encouraged. Isn't God so good? Always providing what we need, when we need it and when we are ready and open for it. Sometimes I wonder why it takes so long for something to come around, but timing is everything. Had some of what was discussed in these two conversations come up just a couple of months ago, my responses would have likely been totally different. I'm sure I would have been much more cocky for one thing. But God softened my heart this past week and I was open and willing to hear what He had to say through these two women.
My prayer for this new year is that my focus switches from cleaning up the outside to cleaning up my inside. And again, it isn't just willpower or what changes I think need to be made. I'm asking God to show me, one step at a time, the changes He wants me to make, step by step, drawing closer to Him. I hope to use this blog through out this year to share with you the steps that He shows me as I travel this journey of life.
"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. (italics mine) Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." Romans 12:1,2 The Message
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