Advent here we come

Usually I can't wait for Thanksgiving to pass so I can start decorating, buying presents, and playing Christmas music 24/7. But, this year has been different. I find that I am almost forcing myself to move on from this overwhelming thankfulness into preparing for the Advent season. Instead of focusing on what's going on around me right now (that I am so thankful for) I want to be clearing my mind as I await the celebration of Christ's arrival on earth. This is a special time of year that I have come to love not only for the movies, cookies, candy, lights, music, snow, presents, and time with friends and family, but for the 29 days of Advent. 29 days that I get to focus on the Hope, Love, Joy and Peace that came to us through a tiny little helpless baby, with poor parents, in a dirty stable.

As I sat in front of my friends at church this week I was overwhelmed with thankfulness. For the first time in a long time I felt like I had people "who've got my back." I've got friends that love Jesus, that encourage me to love Him more, that let me live with them, pray with them, hang out in their shop with them. I have friends to laugh with, to confess to, who encourage my creativity, and teach me new things. You all know who you are, and you might think that God brought you to Springfield to run a store, open a coffee shop, be a nurse, or work with a church but really, you're here because I needed you in my life.

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. 1 Chronicles 16:8

Simple Truth

“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you." Luke 6:27-31

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Luke 6:37-38

Oh the devil’s singing over me

An age old song
That I am cursed and gone astray
Singing the first verse so conveniently
He’s forgotten the refrain:
Jesus saves!

-Shane and Shane "Embracing Accusations"

These are a few of my favorite things

Chai

In a coffee shop

With free wifi

a good friend

and good music.

And another friend and coffee shop on the schedule tomorrow.

Build Us Back

This song was just released by Know Hope Collective , a group started by Mark Stuart and Will Mcginnis (formerly of Audio A). Its about Haiti, but also the hope that God offers to every situation in each person's life. It really gave me joy this morning. There's nothing better than facing the facts that we're helpless and we have a God who can build us back up from anything!

We’ve been crumbled, we’ve been crushed

City walls have turned to dust
Broken hands and blistered feet
We walk for miles to find relief

When the thief takes, when our hopes cave
You build us back
You build us back
When the earth shakes, when the world breaks
You build us back
You build us back

We are scared, we are poor

All our safety nets are torn
We’ve been humbled to our knees
From these ruins, we believe

Redeemer, redeem us
Restorer, restore us
Oh build us back
Though the mountains be shaken, the hills be removed
Your unfailing love remains
After all that’s been taken, Your promise, still sacred
You build us back with precious stones

Today's Prayer

"Dear Lord,

Help me to understand that you have a plan for my life, even beyond my farthest dreams. You want me to trust You and to be obedient, to seek Your will first, and then to use my creativity and intelligence to carry it out... Help me not to run ahead of You, deciding on my own what is the best action to take without ever seeking Your advice... When I realize that we are to be partners, then I understand that the opportunities You provide me will lead to the greatest fulfillment for my life... Let me accept joyfully whatever You give me to do no matter how small. Let my daily actions be Your gospel.

In the name of Jesus I pray,

Amen"

-D.L. Hammond

Wonder why

Do you ever have days when God puts something before you and you don't really know why? 4 times today I read or heard about how God has plans.

I found hope in the Duggar's story as I read how God provided for them over and over as they waited and followed His plans for their children, home, and business. And I cried as I saw Arthur on the Biggest Loser hold his head high, stop the tears and declare, "I prayed to God 'you make this happen' and he opened up this path for me and if its his plan for me to go home tonight I'm gonna be alright." I knew every emotion that he was feeling at that moment, having no clue what God was up to.

"What we do for God is not something we manufacture; it is something God reveals to us when we are ready."-Tom Blackaby

I know God has plans for me. I know that even though others are counting down the days I have left, and pressuring me to plan my life, if I wait on God he'll show me what's next when I'm ready to know. I'm just kind of puzzled as to why God felt the need to lay all this out for me today when it wasn't really anything new...

But hey, I'm definitely not complaining! God's communicating with me and that is better than anything else in the world.

Today's Prayer

O Jesus, I Have Promised by John E. Bode

O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me, my Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle if Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway if Thou wilt be my Guide.

O let me feel Thee near me! The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle, the tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me, around me and within;
But Jesus, draw Thou nearer, and shield my soul from sin.

O let me hear Thee speaking in accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion, the murmurs of self will.
O speak to reassure me, to hasten or control;
O speak, and make me listen, Thou Guardian of my soul.

O Jesus, Thou hast promised to all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory there shall Thy servant be.
And Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow, my Master and my Friend.

O let me see Thy footprints, and in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly is in Thy strength alone.
O guide me, call me, draw me, uphold me to the end;
And then in Heaven receive me, my Savior and my Friend.

I'd Rather Have Jesus

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand.

Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway,
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame,
I’d rather be true to His holy name.

He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out of the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs,
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead.

Quote of the Day

"We've been doing sprints at 8, 9, & 10 when we could have been doing them at 12! Think about it, how many other things in life are we doing half ass?!" - Jillian Michaels

Forgotten God by Francis Chan

"I wanted God to see that I could be a good servant...But God didn't want a good slave who tried really hard. He wanted me to see that He was a good father. He wants intimacy."

"The way of the Spirit is not a gentle downhill grade. Often, walking with the spirit is an uphill trudge through all sorts of distractions and difficulties."

"His purposes are not random or arbitrary. If you are still alive on this planet, it's because He has something for you to do."

"It's absolutely vital to grasp that he didn't call you here so you could settle in and live out your life in comfort and superficial peace."

"If everyone gave and served and prayed exactly like you, would the church be healthy and empowered? Or would it be weak and listless?"

"I am tired of living in a way that looks exactly like people who do not have the Holy Spirit of God living in them...I want to be different today from what I was yesterday as the fruit of the Spirit becomes more manifest in me."

Catholic

I think about becoming a catholic quite often. I'd be really good at it, I'd learn all the prayers, say them a billion times, go to mass every day, light the candles, say confession, become a nun. I love the tradition, the beauty, and the reverence of it all. (There's just that whole theology thing that I don't agree with.)

Although I will never become a catholic I do try to incorporate their practice of confession into my life. When I hide the truth about myself I feel like its eating away at me. But when I confess I feel freedom. I also feel more urgency to change my behavior when my friends know the true ugliness about me.

Growing up in Christian Union and Baptist churches I never heard much about confession. It was something you did to become a christian, or once a quarter when you had communion. But I love having confession as a regular part of my life now, its so great being 100% open and honest before God.

"Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy." Prov 28:13

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." James 5:16

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

Obsessed?

People who are obsessed with Jesus live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another. Obsessed people believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to Him. (1 John 2:4-6, Matt 16:24-26)

Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. (Luke 14:25-35, Matt 7:13-23, 8:18-22, Rev 3:1-6)

Obsessed people know that you can never be "humble enough," and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known. (Matt 5:16)

People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider service a burden. (Matt 13:44, John 15:8)

Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they do, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world. (James 2:14-26)

A person who is obsessed thinks about heaven frequently.

People who are obsessed with God have an intimate relationship with Him. They are nourished by God's word throughout the day because they know that forty minutes on Sunday is not enough to sustain them for a whole week.

For more check out chapter 8 of Crazy Love by Francis Chan

1 Timothy 6:6-12

THIS IS WHAT I WANT!

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:6-12

Over half of the world lives on $2 a day. I am rich compared to the world, and yet I let money pull me away from my faith and pierce me with "many griefs." Stupid.

Moses

One day Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’ If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.”

The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.” Exodus 33:12-14

I can totally relate with Moses in this passage! He's going on a journey with God and he starts thinking, "wait a minute, I have no clue what's going on here! How is this going to work?" So he goes to God and says "Hey God, if what you are saying is true then let me know what you're up to so I can understand it and find joy on this crazy journey." God does not reply with anything to help Moses understand, he just says "Moses I'm going to be with you, everything will be fine."

On my own crazy journey with God I've asked for understanding so many times. As a kid, rather than making up things to play I would pretend I had an orphanage and plan, organize, and make budgets. I love having understanding of how things could work. But just like Moses, God has never granted me understanding when I've asked for a glimpse of what he is up to. And then, I start to lose my joy.

I need to learn a thing or two from Moses. God, the creator of the universe, tells me I don't need to understand, I just need to know that he's there with me. I HAVE to learn to let that be enough. Moses got it, as the story continues he says, "ok God, just promise you'll be with me! And let me see more of you!" Instead of losing my joy and freaking out that I don't understand I've just got to throw myself at God and say, "you're all I've got, give me more of you!" As Beth Moore puts it "the healthy child of desperation is devotion." In my time of desperation rather than obsessing about what I don't know my devotion to God has got to grow.

Even though I don't understand what's going on in my life right now I've got to believe Psalm 33:4 and 11 "For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does...The Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken." God knows what's up, I don't have to know.

Motivation

I say that I run so that my body will be in good shape. Because it is God's temple, I need to take care of it. I want to be ready and in good physical condition to be able to tackle any sort of service opportunity God should throw at me. But honestly, the reason I'm running today is so that I can eat an ice cream cone tonight and not feel guilty about it. Junk food has pretty much become my reason for running. I'm beginning to see that that is a little hypocritical on my part. If I'm going to say that I run to take care of my temple why would I not also eat to take care of my temple? Gluttony will always be my "deadly sin" and instead of justifying it by working out I should really just learn to turn the other way and live an all around healthy lifestyle. Geeze, this stinks, I hate feeling more convicted after writing something than I did at the beginning. Maybe tonight I'll just go for some post run chocolate milk and a banana instead.

My new mantra

"I am thankful for the unknowns and that I don't have control, because it makes me run to God."- Francis Chan

I talked with a person once who told me that you can know all the answers in your head but still not believe them in your heart. And, if you say them over and over to yourself you actually make that connection from your brain to your heart. So I am taking on this new mantra. I will say it over and over to myself until I actually become thankful in my heart for the unknowns and lack of control because they do make me run to God the safest, most perfect place to be.

He's Answering

I prayed for God to clean me out, to give me a fresh start, and he is answering! The first step was to clearly see the state of my mind and soul. These were all things I've known, but I needed to have God place them in front of me and make me acknowledge their ugliness. This time I couldn't see them out of the corner of my eye and quickly look the other way.

“Yet I want your will to be done, not mine”….Jesus was completely focused on God’s plans…for Himself and others.This submission meant great personal suffering and sacrifice. So many times we “say” we want God’s will to be done, not our own…but then when He doesn’t act the way we want Him to act/use us the way we want to be used/give us the things we want to be given…we rebel, act out, pout, etc. - A Pilgrim"s Potpourri of Perpendings

"Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives. Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control. Basically, these two behaviors communicate that it's okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional. Both worry and stress reek arrogance." -Crazy Love

The Positive Legacies My Parents Passed Down

1. Stability - I lived in the same house from age 1 until I left for college (parents didn't move until I was 22). My parents had the same jobs for over 30 years, and have been married for 34 (I think that's right). I went to the same church every Sunday from age 1 to 16. I am thankful that this is what is "normal" for me.

2. Family ties are important- I have the best Aunts, Uncles and cousins in the world, and their husbands,wives, and kids are turning out to be pretty awesome too. There's about 50 of us now when we're all together I think. My mom is always the one to plan the family reunions and big dinners. I've been so blessed by my relationships with my cousins! I'm glad she has put in the effort to bring us all together over the years. My Dad has also shown this importance as he gives his time and money to his in-laws who are all he has in the way of "family."

3. Real women work hard- I guess I should probably chalk this one up to my Grandma Ruth (from whom I received my middle name). My Grandma's mother passed away when my Grandma was just a kid. She eventually dropped out of school to stay home and care for her baby sister and the rest of her siblings. After taking care of her siblings she became a farmer's wife and raised 10 children of her own. At the age of 81 she continues to help raise her grandchildren that live near by. Her driven "get done what needs to be done, and do it the right way" state of mind was passed down to my mother and is now in my blood as well.

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." Exodus 20:12

Today's Prayers

Thou that hast given so much to me,

Give one thing more- a grateful heart;

Not thankful when it pleaseth me

As if Thy blessings had spare days;

But such a heart, whose pulse may be

Thy praise.

-George Herbert

Far too often I find myself to be demanding and ungrateful. It disgusts me. I want so much to be broken of my hard hearted, entitled attitude toward God. I am nothing but useless to God and a burden to others. All dejectedness in my life is my fault, I will learn to seek God, not his answers, to obey the things he has placed in front of me today, and to recognize the work he is doing in everyday events.

Lord, make my soul

To mirror Thee,

Thyself alone

To shine in me,

That men may see

Thy love, Thy grace,

Nor note the glass

That shows Thy Face.

-Blanche Mary Kelly

R...R...R...

"The Earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world and all its people belong to him." Psalm 24:1

"The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and care for it." Genesis 2:15

The fact that the Earth belongs to God should be enough incentive for us to not trash it up. We take care of the nice TV's God has given us, or our laptops. But what about the nature around us that sustains life?! Say you wanted to go on a vacation so you borrow your friends' RV. Wouldn't you take the best care of it that you possibly could, and return it in just as good of shape as when you got it? (or maybe even better shape!) That's the same thing we are doing here. We are borrowing a temporary home that belongs to God. And, its quite rude and disrespectful to trash it an leave it behind, especially when others are going to borrow it after us.

Not only does the Earth belong to God, the first thing he did after he created man was put him in the awesome garden He had made and said "here, take care of this." He wants us to take care of his creation so lets do it.

Wake Up

I am seriously torn up by how desensitized so many of us have become, especially Americans. We have life nice and easy. We are sheltered and protected and if something doesn't make us feel happy we can look the other way. Generally we are so busy making sure that our lives and our friends lives are awesome that we don't look beyond our little bubbles.

I just got done watching half of Taken with 12 and 13 year old boys. They thought it was good entertainment. They thought a movie about prostitution and teenage girls getting sold into slavery was good entertainment. Not to mention the drugs, corrupt government workers getting slave money, and more murders than could be counted. This crap is REAL, peoples' children are being sold into slavery by the millions. And we just think its a good saturday night flick.

There are more slaves in the world today than there have ever been (LA Times). More slaves than when slavery was legal! That is crazy. The fight to end legal slavery was only won in the United states and England with enormous aide from churches. The fight to end slavery in our day will only become a reality if we start opening our eyes and get our churches involved again.

This is not entertaining, this is real lives, of real people:

• The average age of entry into prostitution in the United States is 13 years old
• Lowest estimates suggest that over 325,000 youth in the United States are prostituted.
• In some countries such as Guatemala, children account for up to 80% of the prostitution population
• Human trafficking has become a trade which earns twice as much world wide revenue as coca-cola
• Human trafficking is the second largest source of illegal income worldwide exceeded only by drug trafficking

http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/

http://www.stopthetraffik.org/

www.ecpat.net

www.unicef.com

www.freethechildren.com

Coming soon: Why the "Slap Game" for iphone isn't funny, especially when 2 and 3 year olds are playing it.

My Utmost 1/26

...we are taken up with confusing considerations. How much time have we taken up worrying God with questions when we should have been absolutely free to concentrate on His work? Consecration means the continual separating of myself to one particular thing. We cannot consecrate once and for all. Am I continually separating myself to consider God every day of my life?

Straight Ahead

"Look straight ahead and fix your eyes on what lies before you." Prov 4:25

When I look straight ahead I see Jesus and Jake and Eli. God has called me to pursue a relationship with Jesus, and to do the best I can to give Jake and Eli healthy diet, and healthy activity, in a patient, fun, relaxed atmosphere. When that is all I'm focused on I am at peace. When I start looking to the sides and noticing all the things I don't have that I want, or what God is doing in other peoples' lives that I wish he were doing in mine I become bitter, jealous, and hurt. God knew it would be this way for us and that's why he gave us a book full of his wisdom to teach us to get our focus where it needs to be. I'm so thankful that God reached out to us all through the Bible and that he still reaches out to us individually today.

"For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." 1 Cor 2:2

Service

Dear Lord Jesus, remind me that although I am busy with acts of service, You really want me to BE a servant. I can serve You and still be egotistical and proud; but to be a servant, I need to humble myself, to put others needs first, and to be willing to "wash feet" as You did...Oh Lord, am I a big enough person for that, secure enough in my own identity? Help me to be all that You want me to be through the power of the Holy Spirit. In your holy name I pray. Amen. (D.L. Hammond)

Prayer

If you have never had any distractions you don't know how to pray. For the secret of prayer is a hunger for God and for the vision of God, a hunger that lies far deeper than the level of language or affection And a man whose memory and imagination are persecuting him with a crowd of useless or even evil thoughts and images may sometimes be forced to pray far better, in the depths of his murdered heart, than one whose mind is swimming with clear concepts and brilliant purposes and easy acts of love...

It is the will to pray that is the essence of prayer, and the desire to find God, to see him and to love Him is the one thing that matters. If you have desired to know Him and love Him, you have already done what was expected of you...

No matter how distracted you may be, pray by peaceful, even perhaps inarticulate, efforts to center your heart upon God, who is present in you in spite of all that may be going through your mind. His presence does not depend on your thoughts of Him. He is unfailingly there; if He were not, you could not even exist. The memory of His unfailing presence is the surest anchor for our minds and hearts in the storm of distraction and temptation by which we must be purified.

-Thomas Merton

Good Morning!

Who needs coffee and donuts...

When you've got a swimsuit and inhaler?

I LOVE SWIMMING!

Phil 4:12-13

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." - Paul and Timothy to the church in Philippi

I have so much to learn. When I was at college I was surrounded 24/7 by people within 2 years of my age. All I wanted back then was to be around some kids and adults, to feel like I was actually part of a functioning world. Now that I'm always with kids and old people all I want is to have someone my age around.

I want to learn the secret of being content. I want to be thankful, focused on and satisfied with what I have here and now. One things for sure, I know the only place I'm going to find this contentment is in the arms of Christ.

These Are Great Days

This is how I spend my days:

Potty Training (aka bribing the boys to use a toilet!)
Napping

Building Santa's house ("Now can I eat one?!" -Jake)
Making decorated brownies ("I want a snowman!" -Eli)

Fishing

Making Playdough

Playing at the lake ("Yee-haw cowboy!")

("Custal, the wake is all fwozen!" -Jake)
Sledding ("swedding is awesome!" -Eli)
Eating Snow

Baking muffins ("They're not muffins they're cupcakes!" -Jake)
(Woody waving at the muffins)
Building a pile