On the soapbox!

More words of wisdom from Corrie Ten Boom. "We [as Christians] can be led by spirit of criticism, just focusing on others' wrongs--however unorthodox they may be. Our hearts can be so ready for battle with those who think differently that it makes us gloomy....a spirit of criticism is always hard-hearted. Led by a spirit of criticism, we set ourselves up to judge felllow Christians who don't think the same way about the inspiration of the Bible, the gifts of the Spirit, or the Millennium. It doesn't help them and it doesn't help us." At times I want to scream this from the rooftops to my fellow Christians, there are also times when I need someone to scream this to my soul as well, for I have been guilty. I do not see division as an acceptable part of faith. The Bible is very clear about us being "one body" and "united in love." We constantly build up walls and He desperately wants us to tear them down. No good can come from them..it is useless to argue.

Reflection

I'm currently reading a book of broadcasts made by Corrie Ten Boom. The book is called "Messages of Gods Abundance." There have been several quotable statements in the book and so many that prick me to the heart. One of them is on reflection. She states, "A mirror doesn't have much to do. To do its job it just must hang or stand in the right direction. You and I don't have to do a great deal either. We need only to look to the Lord Jesus and He will make us like mirrors, and He does it so well! We don't need to strive and try to be a blessing but just look in the right direction. Then Jesus makes us a mirror of Himself... We are moons, not suns. The moon only reflects the light of the sun. We need only to reflect light, then we live to His glory." So....be a mirror! :)

Symphonic Port-o-potty!

I had an incredible evening tonight! I was able to hear the Fort Worth Symphony on the lawn at Botanical Gardens. It was also my first experience with a port-o-potty! (which is not necessarily incredible)It was interesting, however, because you could still hear the symphony while inside! That was a unique experience I must say! As if that wasn't humorous enough, I discovered that you don't flush port-o-pottys. Who knew!! (I'd like to say that I didn't look very long for a way to, but that would be a lie!) Anyway, enough of that...back to the orchestra! It was a night of Russian composers (including Tchaikovsky) and it was beautiful. The Lord blessed us with a nice breezy evening and, while the sun was still out, a beautiful sky! Whenever I experience events like that, especially spectacularly played music while being outside, I can't help but think about His creation! He didn't have to create such a vast and glorious sky. He didn't have to make it blue. He didn't have to fill it with fluffy clouds and a sunset. Yet, he did it anyway. He did it to remind us of Him! On top of that...He didn't have to create music....or a way of hearing it! He could have kept it all to Himself! Yet, He didn't! He allows us to enjoy it with Him! It blows my mind to think that He was listening and enjoying the sound of that orchestra just as I was. Perhaps, the part of the performance tonight that brought tears to my eyes, made His eyes tear up as well! After all, the music is for Him...all of our gifts and abilities are given to us as a display of His workmanship! How great is His love for us that we are allowed the honor of playing music, singing, painting, or writing for Him. The fact is...we are all gifted in some way. We all have abilities that are better developed than most. The only question is...what are you doing with them? Are you hoarding them for yourself or using them for selfish gain? Is it something you do to bring praise and adoration for yourself?? He longs for you to use it for Him. For those that sing...He delights in hearing you sing for Him. For those that tell great stories...tell stories that will bring Him joy to hear. For those that write...write words that will make a difference and allow Him to use those words to touch lives! I guess my thoughts can be summed up in this verse, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

Communication!

I was reminded Sunday of one of my biggest frustrations. It drives me insane not to be able to communicate with someone. Every time that it happens I'm reminded of why we have different languages. It was the because of the people who were building the tower of Babel. (Genesis 11) In my opinion, and I know it is true because God thought of it, scattering them and confusing their language was the perfect consequence. It breaks my heart not to be able to talk with everyone that crosses my path. Sunday,in church, there was a hearing impaired family and I was heart-broken because I couldn't talk to them. I pray that I will learn to be aware of people and their needs and then allow God to use me to help meet those needs. I also pray that I will be willing to study, or do whatever necessary, to overcome the boundaries that may hinder the work that He wants to do. I think one way to show someone who speaks another language, even signing, that you care about them is by learning their language and speaking with them. Even if they speak you own language. Truly they will see the likeness of Christ when you take the time to be part of who they are and part of their culture.

Shopping with the pops!

If you don't know my father, which most of you don't, let me explain a little about him. He has just turned 60 years old and, amazing enough, still acts like he's 20! He served our country in the Vietnam war and came back twice; once with a bullet wound to the foot and the second time with shrapnel in his hip. Unfortunately, the latter wounding left him with a quite a bit of chronic pain and a slight limp. He is a funny little man. (I get my vertically challengedness from my father.) For those of you who know me and have seen my Cabbage Patch cheeks, they come from my father. He has them too, although his are a little droopier these days!(ha! Love you dad!) I mess with him and call him an oldfart and I really don't mean it, until I shop with him. Shopping with my father is quite the experience. It starts with the drive to the grocery store. I've lived in this town my entire life, and although I've had a few incidents of getting lost in this town recently, I know how to get to Winn Dixie! He must be repressing the 18 years that I lived here because he starts giving me directions on how to get there. He makes several comments on my ability to drive and says that I am going too fast and that it scares him. I give him partial credit on this matter because I was speeding, in spite of my recent ticket. I was doing 48 in a 45! Speeding, yes, scary driving, NO! (This from the man who once put a Porsche engine in a Voltswagon Bus so that it would go faster!) So we arrive at the Winn Dixie, FINALLY! Our first stop is the produce section. Every grocery shopping experience with my dad involves complaining about the prices! Except this time, I agree! I mention several times that we could get back in the car and drive to another, lower priced grocery store, but he refuses. We roam among the produce and are equally appalled at the price of bell peppers. Finally, we select the produce that we are willing to pay for and head down the regular aisles. And it begins...if there is a sale my dad feels the need to purchase it. It actually started with the cucumbers back in the produce section, they are three for a dollar. We have no need for three cucumbers, but because the sign said three for a dollar, he says we must get three! So, the whole time we are shopping I'm having to remind him that just because it is on sale doesn't mean we need it! There is another thing that my dad does while shopping that I just don't understand. For some odd reason he goes up and down every aisle! Today I said to him, as we headed down the baking goods aisle,"Dad, do you need any baking goods?" He said he didn't and when I asked him why we went up and down aisles that shelve items we don't need, he just said that it was part of his routine! Aaaggghhh! So, we finish the routine of shopping and finally get to the checkout. Wouldn't you know the sales weren't ringing up correctly and the clerk had to void everything and start over. I bagged our stuff and, after he paid the extremely high priced total, we headed out the door. The clencher of it all...my father looks at me and says, "we should have gone to Food World!" Hmmm....why didn't I think of that????? Oh how I love that crazy man!

The Preferred Community

My sweet home here in Alabama is nestled in the best city ever, self titled, "the preferred community"! Prattville, Alabama is where I have lived for the majority of my life and I absolutely love it! It is the perfect size and we have just about anything that you could want. (Except for something to do on the weekend that doesn't cost money!) It is a wonderful place for families. A funny thing happened today though. I have been a resident of Prattville since I was five years old. It has changed a lot over the years but, for the most part, is still pretty much the same. Well, today I went to get my dad's car fixed at Gilmore Ford here in Prattville because a part was recalled on it. So I head out and drive to where I think the car dealership is located. Turns out, Gilmore Ford isn't where I thought it was...I had driven to Larry Pucket Chevrolet! Now, how is it that I can live somewhere for so long and forget where things are. Granted, Prattville is a big, growing, city but it is not big enough to forget where things are. These businesses have been around longer than I have been here. Although they have relocated it was over ten years ago that they moved to the new locations! So, here is my question, am I alone in this??? Has anyone else gotten lost in their own home town!?

Sweet Home Alabama

I must say that Lynard Skynard may not have much to say in life, but he stated well the truth. Sweet home Alabama, where the skies, really are, soooo blue! It is good to be here! Its amazing to me that no matter where I move to and no matter how well I fit in there, this is always home! I love it here. The trees are greener, and they actually exist naturally (unlike Texas!), the sky is bluer, and the birds, I swear, sing sweeter! *sigh* I love it! Now I know that we have a bad rep amongst the other states and I maintain that if you experience it yourself you will see they are all wrong. Our accent doesn't mean we're stupid and the laid back atmosphere that is part of our culture does not mean we are slow. We are a people who realize that people matter! You stand in line at Wal-mart and by the time you are ready to leave you will have at least one new friend! For those who mock, and I know you will, I say, don't speak on matters which you don't know, unless you are willing to openly give it a try! So come on down, or over, or up for that matter, and find out what good ole Lynard sings about so proudly! (It is not every state that has its own anthem!)

Procrastination!

Ever wonder why procrastination only comes when you need to concentrate most?? For instance, all semester you're on target and then finals come and you let yourself get behind! Why is that? I'm sure all you preacher boys will say it is because we live in a fallen world and I'm sure you are right. You'd think that being aware of the problem would make you more likely to change the situation. Not at all! Turns out that it only makes the problem worse. As a human, I find it natural to adopt the flaw simply as part of my personality and so it becomes an acceptable part of my life. Well, no more! Yet, even now...I could be studying and I'm not! I feel it is a vicious cycle! Perhaps I'll work on it next semester. :) Right!

Resting

Jesus I am resting, resting
In the Joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power
Thou hast made me whole.

Chorus:

Jesus, I am resting, resting
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.

O how great Thy loving kindness.
Vaster, broader than the sea!
O how marvellous Thy goodness,
Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in Thee, Beloved,
Know Thy certainty of promise,
And have made it mine.

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings;
Thine is love indeed!

Ever lift Thy face upon me,
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting 'neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth's dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father's glory,
Sunshine of my Father's face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting;
Fill me with Thy grace.

Whew!

One of the many great feelings in life is how you feel after finishing a huge assignment. That is what I'm feeling right now! With a thirty page paper under my belt I'm feeling pretty great! I'm not used to feeling this quite this early, you see I'm a procrastinator. Generally, I would still be at it and would be pulling an all-nighter because, before, I would have started the paper today, when it is due tomorrow. I feel that I am progressing! How great to finally learn the value of starting early! Okay, so it was just last week that I started it, but it was still early! So, for those of you who still have that horrible burdensome assignment waying on your mind...GET TO WORK and stop reading the blogs! For those of you who have experienced the freedom of accomplishment...Job well done...or maybe it was just done, not necessarily well! :)

And so it begins!

So....I guess I'm jumping on the banwagon of this new addictive craze of blogging! Turns out I don't have time to write much and I won't for the next few weeks, but I figured...why not start one anyway! So I will have to leave it like this and, hopefully, be disciplined enough to leave it alone for awhile! Here's hoping!