Sunday, April 27, 2008
Laughin' Maddie
I love my sweet baby niece. Thank you, God, for Maddie Grace. (Please ignore the puking sounds in the background. Or do as Madison does and laugh at them.)
Thirsty
I went to Heaven the other night with some friends. No, I was not dreaming. I went to Heaven night club on Elm St. Although the Friday-night club is on the rooftop in open-air, the dj was really good, and it was the nicest club at which I have gotten my "dance on," if you will, I couldn't get over the irony of its name.
I find at various places of nighttime entertainment such as these, the goal of most of the attendees is to find someone to hook up with. More profoundly, most club-goers are trying to satisfy some unmet need or desire, mostly for attention, affection, and maybe even a little romance and love. What's sad is that, like escaping through alcohol, the emptiness always comes back. As I was people-watching that night (which is almost as fun as dancing), I was reminded of Will Dungee's sermon the other week about filling our hearts and lives with things other than Jesus, only to feel more parched than ever. (Disclaimer: The intent of this and my other posts is not to sound self-righteous or judgmental. A great way God points out yucky stuff in my heart is learning through others' actions and mistakes. If anyone is like me, I have a very long list of the latter you can learn from.)
Here's my conclusion: Attention and affection from the opposite sex, when it becomes your pursuit and goal (as is the case most of the time at the clubs), is like drinking sand. You expect that it will quench your thirst, only to be disappointed when you become thirstier than ever. In a culture that idolizes lust and disguises it as love, we worship being "in love" and expect it to satisfy us, even if we're discontent with other things in life. We end up getting burned by the other's actions or burned out from trying to make things work in a relationship and are left in the dust, drinking the ashes. We're left thirsty.
My heart aches for people that don't know or haven't heard the real story about the Living Water. This water doesn't leave you feeling empty or guilty. It gives life. It satisfies. And it's the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ. Only an intimate relationship with Him can fill our cups to overflowing. It's not that going downtown is an empty thing devoid of any good purpose or that looking for a relationship is pointless and dumb. But it makes me wonder for others and especially myself, if my soul is thristy, why do I keep filling my cup with sandy things? Why not take the free gift of the water of life that Christ so willingly offers? It seems ironic that a place called "Heaven" could leave me feeling so dry when the one I read about is a place where I will never thirst again.
Lord, I want to stop looking to other things for satisfaction and let you satisfy my thirst on earth. I look forward to the day when I will never thirst again.
I find at various places of nighttime entertainment such as these, the goal of most of the attendees is to find someone to hook up with. More profoundly, most club-goers are trying to satisfy some unmet need or desire, mostly for attention, affection, and maybe even a little romance and love. What's sad is that, like escaping through alcohol, the emptiness always comes back. As I was people-watching that night (which is almost as fun as dancing), I was reminded of Will Dungee's sermon the other week about filling our hearts and lives with things other than Jesus, only to feel more parched than ever. (Disclaimer: The intent of this and my other posts is not to sound self-righteous or judgmental. A great way God points out yucky stuff in my heart is learning through others' actions and mistakes. If anyone is like me, I have a very long list of the latter you can learn from.)
Here's my conclusion: Attention and affection from the opposite sex, when it becomes your pursuit and goal (as is the case most of the time at the clubs), is like drinking sand. You expect that it will quench your thirst, only to be disappointed when you become thirstier than ever. In a culture that idolizes lust and disguises it as love, we worship being "in love" and expect it to satisfy us, even if we're discontent with other things in life. We end up getting burned by the other's actions or burned out from trying to make things work in a relationship and are left in the dust, drinking the ashes. We're left thirsty.
My heart aches for people that don't know or haven't heard the real story about the Living Water. This water doesn't leave you feeling empty or guilty. It gives life. It satisfies. And it's the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ. Only an intimate relationship with Him can fill our cups to overflowing. It's not that going downtown is an empty thing devoid of any good purpose or that looking for a relationship is pointless and dumb. But it makes me wonder for others and especially myself, if my soul is thristy, why do I keep filling my cup with sandy things? Why not take the free gift of the water of life that Christ so willingly offers? It seems ironic that a place called "Heaven" could leave me feeling so dry when the one I read about is a place where I will never thirst again.
Lord, I want to stop looking to other things for satisfaction and let you satisfy my thirst on earth. I look forward to the day when I will never thirst again.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
It's Friday, But Sunday's Comin'
I stole this from another blog I read. Friday may seem hopeless, but halellujah for the hope of Sunday!
Sunday's Comin'
(Just click on the link...I don't know how to get the actual video on my page!)
Sunday's Comin'
(Just click on the link...I don't know how to get the actual video on my page!)
A Marathon, Not a Sprint
I've heard this metaphor about life several times, but God has been reminding me a lot of this recently.
I would love to run a marathon, a half-marathon, heck--even a 5K, but I'm not the greatest with endurance. I'd much rather run and walk in alternating intervals than stick it out for 30 straight minutes of jogging. I've noticed this exact parallel in my walk with Jesus. It's so much easier to have short-lived excitement after a great church service or Bible study than it is to seek out the joy of the Lord on normal day-to-day basis. It's easier to have amazing quiet times on a weekend retreat than it is to seek out quietness for the Lord in the busyness of a workweek. Easier, but not better.
In the same way, as I'm trying to be disciplined about diet and regular exercise, I get frustrated when I don't see the immediate results I want. Oftentimes my "feeling good" about myself is short-lived. I think I'm that way in my relationship with Jesus: I really am following him for a little while, and then I seem to throw discipline out the window and stray away from intimacy with him. Perhaps this is because I don't "feel" his presence or don't see the answered prayers I want to see. And because I forget there's a battle to fight and a marathon to run.
So what to do? I think there's an Almighty Two-Step Plan for Endurance that God's been laying on my heart. First, I don't need to rely on my feelings so much. I never want to completely disregard my emotions, but so often I depend on them instead of God's truth. I know this involves the discipline of memorizing Scripture. Secondly, I want to regularly remember who God is and my identity in him. Being reminded of his freedom, I desire to be disciplined in my relationship with Christ in the way that I try to be diligent about being physically healthy. If I can convince myself that working out and eating healthy will help me be more physically fit, even if it takes a while to see and feel a difference, then surely my spirit can be at peace knowing that daily walking with the Holy Spirit will not be fruitless. My eyes can be fixed not on what is seen, but what is unseen and eternal, which is a relationship with God and the hope of spending forever with him.
Lord, thanks for wanting me to finish the race well. I cannot run it on my own strength. I desperately need your discipline all along the way to remind me who you are and who I am in you. Thank you that I'm not alone in this marathon, and that you're always a step ahead.
I would love to run a marathon, a half-marathon, heck--even a 5K, but I'm not the greatest with endurance. I'd much rather run and walk in alternating intervals than stick it out for 30 straight minutes of jogging. I've noticed this exact parallel in my walk with Jesus. It's so much easier to have short-lived excitement after a great church service or Bible study than it is to seek out the joy of the Lord on normal day-to-day basis. It's easier to have amazing quiet times on a weekend retreat than it is to seek out quietness for the Lord in the busyness of a workweek. Easier, but not better.
In the same way, as I'm trying to be disciplined about diet and regular exercise, I get frustrated when I don't see the immediate results I want. Oftentimes my "feeling good" about myself is short-lived. I think I'm that way in my relationship with Jesus: I really am following him for a little while, and then I seem to throw discipline out the window and stray away from intimacy with him. Perhaps this is because I don't "feel" his presence or don't see the answered prayers I want to see. And because I forget there's a battle to fight and a marathon to run.
So what to do? I think there's an Almighty Two-Step Plan for Endurance that God's been laying on my heart. First, I don't need to rely on my feelings so much. I never want to completely disregard my emotions, but so often I depend on them instead of God's truth. I know this involves the discipline of memorizing Scripture. Secondly, I want to regularly remember who God is and my identity in him. Being reminded of his freedom, I desire to be disciplined in my relationship with Christ in the way that I try to be diligent about being physically healthy. If I can convince myself that working out and eating healthy will help me be more physically fit, even if it takes a while to see and feel a difference, then surely my spirit can be at peace knowing that daily walking with the Holy Spirit will not be fruitless. My eyes can be fixed not on what is seen, but what is unseen and eternal, which is a relationship with God and the hope of spending forever with him.
Lord, thanks for wanting me to finish the race well. I cannot run it on my own strength. I desperately need your discipline all along the way to remind me who you are and who I am in you. Thank you that I'm not alone in this marathon, and that you're always a step ahead.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
7 Strange Things About Me
I think I've been tagged for this shindig a couple times, so I guess folks want to know some quirky things about me. I'm pretty sure I can think of 27 weird things. But here are just a few:
1. 99% of the time I get a shopping cart--Target, grocery store, doesn't matter--it's malfunctional. It squeaks or won't turn correctly or is incredibly loud compared to other shoppers' normal carts. This is why, even if I have many items to buy, I prefer to lug around a basket over pushing a dysfunctional shopping cart.
2. When I was in sixth grade, my mom ran over my foot. There's really no elaborate story. She just didn't put the car in park as I was getting out of the backseat, and rolled right on top of it so my leg was literally caught under the tire. Funniest part is I screamed for a few seconds before she realized what happened and knocked the car in reverse. It was pretty miraculous that there weren't any broken bones.
3. I was famous when I was younger...around Pitt County...and only for a few days during the summer when an annual Crimestoppers telethon was held. My Girl Scout troop used to do a dance video every year and people would call in, pledge an amount, and request to see our video. From "Every Heartbeat" to "Country Boys and Girls" to "Mmmbop," these videos would make really good blackmail.
4. Also when I was younger I loved to dress up. And I really liked studying about the solar system. Put 'em together and whatdya got? A solar system costume for Halloween, of course! My sister and brother-in-law pick on my big time for this one. :) If I can get a picture of this posted, I'll share the humor.
5. I named my car Nina. Nina the Neon.
6. I have a scar on the back of my ear from where my dog bit me. Never hit a dog on the nose when you're 5 years old and eye level with him.
7. A secret (well, not anymore) desire of mine is to take breakdancing lessons, become a hardcore b-girl, and join a dance crew. Look for me in "Step Up 3."
Jeremy, Allen, and Kelly--tag, you're it.
1. 99% of the time I get a shopping cart--Target, grocery store, doesn't matter--it's malfunctional. It squeaks or won't turn correctly or is incredibly loud compared to other shoppers' normal carts. This is why, even if I have many items to buy, I prefer to lug around a basket over pushing a dysfunctional shopping cart.
2. When I was in sixth grade, my mom ran over my foot. There's really no elaborate story. She just didn't put the car in park as I was getting out of the backseat, and rolled right on top of it so my leg was literally caught under the tire. Funniest part is I screamed for a few seconds before she realized what happened and knocked the car in reverse. It was pretty miraculous that there weren't any broken bones.
3. I was famous when I was younger...around Pitt County...and only for a few days during the summer when an annual Crimestoppers telethon was held. My Girl Scout troop used to do a dance video every year and people would call in, pledge an amount, and request to see our video. From "Every Heartbeat" to "Country Boys and Girls" to "Mmmbop," these videos would make really good blackmail.
4. Also when I was younger I loved to dress up. And I really liked studying about the solar system. Put 'em together and whatdya got? A solar system costume for Halloween, of course! My sister and brother-in-law pick on my big time for this one. :) If I can get a picture of this posted, I'll share the humor.
5. I named my car Nina. Nina the Neon.
6. I have a scar on the back of my ear from where my dog bit me. Never hit a dog on the nose when you're 5 years old and eye level with him.
7. A secret (well, not anymore) desire of mine is to take breakdancing lessons, become a hardcore b-girl, and join a dance crew. Look for me in "Step Up 3."
Jeremy, Allen, and Kelly--tag, you're it.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Bon Voyage, America!
Or should I say, "Adios, Estados Unidos"? In about four and a half months, I'll be getting on a plane headed to La Paz, Bolivia in South America. There I'll be teaching first grade at an international school. I'm super excited about this incredible opportunity, but also a little overwhelmed that it's coming so quickly!
Besides being able to serve Christ as a missionary in the poorest country in South America; learning about the culture including the Spanish language, and possibly some other native dialects; and getting to teach a class full of sweet six-year-olds, there are a few other (slightly selfish) reasons why I'm really looking forward to moving to Bolivia:
1. It's a beautiful city! Complete with mountains and valleys to which pictures I'm sure do not do justice, La Paz has a historic but developed inner city as well as plenty of scenic routes for hiking. (La Paz is the highest capital city in the world at almost 12,000 feet!)
2. I might have the opportunity to explore some other countries during Christmas and summer breaks. Bolivia is bordered by Argentina, Chile, Peru, Paraguay, and Brazil. The possibilities for adventure are endless...well, as far as my wallet will take me.
3. La Paz has really good coffee. I may not be getting my Starbucks fill (there are none in Bolivia to my knowledge) but from what I've read, the coffee of Bolivia is quite tasty and much easier on the budget than my lattes and frappuccinos. The fruit and chocolate are also supposed to be exquisite...I can't wait to try 'em! Hopefully some of the families will show me how to prepare meals Bolivian-style.
4. The dance and music look so fun; I really want to learn (without having to wear those dresses, of course)!
5. I sponsor a kid through Compassion International who lives in Cochabamba, just a few hours away from La Paz. What a cool experience it would be to meet him and his family!
Please pray for me as God prepares my heart for this crazy 2-year adventure that only He could've arranged! Thank you for your prayers, and if you're interested in supporting me financially, I'd love to talk with you about that. :)
Thank you, Lord, for this exciting opportunity to serve where you have called me! I'm so grateful!
Besides being able to serve Christ as a missionary in the poorest country in South America; learning about the culture including the Spanish language, and possibly some other native dialects; and getting to teach a class full of sweet six-year-olds, there are a few other (slightly selfish) reasons why I'm really looking forward to moving to Bolivia:
1. It's a beautiful city! Complete with mountains and valleys to which pictures I'm sure do not do justice, La Paz has a historic but developed inner city as well as plenty of scenic routes for hiking. (La Paz is the highest capital city in the world at almost 12,000 feet!)
2. I might have the opportunity to explore some other countries during Christmas and summer breaks. Bolivia is bordered by Argentina, Chile, Peru, Paraguay, and Brazil. The possibilities for adventure are endless...well, as far as my wallet will take me.
3. La Paz has really good coffee. I may not be getting my Starbucks fill (there are none in Bolivia to my knowledge) but from what I've read, the coffee of Bolivia is quite tasty and much easier on the budget than my lattes and frappuccinos. The fruit and chocolate are also supposed to be exquisite...I can't wait to try 'em! Hopefully some of the families will show me how to prepare meals Bolivian-style.
4. The dance and music look so fun; I really want to learn (without having to wear those dresses, of course)!
5. I sponsor a kid through Compassion International who lives in Cochabamba, just a few hours away from La Paz. What a cool experience it would be to meet him and his family!
Please pray for me as God prepares my heart for this crazy 2-year adventure that only He could've arranged! Thank you for your prayers, and if you're interested in supporting me financially, I'd love to talk with you about that. :)
Thank you, Lord, for this exciting opportunity to serve where you have called me! I'm so grateful!
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