Kill the TV
The grass is always greener where you water it
Be the change you want to see
Produce don't just consume
Talk a walk
Embrace hardship because there is always a lesson and God is always ever closer
Eat Healthy
Listen and think
Be faithful
Take joy in the little things in life
Invest in relationships
Dance and laugh
Be outside
More to come...
Friday, July 24, 2015
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Real Life Stories
My roommate and I were talking tonight about stories... all kinds. I tend to talk a lot and tell stories when I'm in a good mood - and I've been in a great mood lately. Probably because of her. She cracks me up. ALL the time! Let me just give you a quick synopsis of our evening... we intended to get some homework done (we are both in grad school). However, we watched two episodes of our favorite story... some old timey story about a teacher back in the early 1900's in a coal mining town. :) It's pretty much perfect. We competed at washing/drying the dishes together and laughed hysterically at far too many things. But then we got to talking about more important things. Stories that really matter. Love stories... of course! What else is there?!? (Kidding...well partially).
I shared the story about a girl named Janice who grew up around a guy named Matt. They went to school together and they were great friends. Matt had always pined for Janice, but Janice never saw him that way. Matt pined for Janice so much that it was eating at him. He knew he needed to get over her and move on, but he did something really beautiful. In his lowest moment he took all the Janice momentos and buried them... in her backyard. He buried them by a tree so that he would know where to find them if he ever needed them again.
Well, wouldn't you know that one day, Janice saw Matt and she realized that everything had changed. He was her match - she just hadn't seen it. So, the day before their wedding Matt dug up the box he had buried years before and he gave Janice all the letters that he had written for her. The most beautiful part of the letters was that they started out addressed to his future wife, but as time grew on and the letters were more detailed, he addressed them to Janice. sigh. Now, that is some crazy awesome real life stuff.
Seriously, who doesn't want to live like that?!? That's what dreams are made of. Crazy living. Bold. Courageous. Heart wrenching. I mean, that takes guts. Put your heart on the line. Cry when it doesn't work out. Hope beyond what anyone else thought was possible - I mean why not? I serve a God that is ALWAYS able. And I think he totally delights in surprising us, because it brings him glory in the most beautiful way.
So, my challenge to you.. my challenge to me: Live boldly. Don't be afraid to invest your heart into that friend who you know before you get to know her will be moving in less than six months. Go after that dream of owning a business and run it like a boss - because you can. Treat marriage like the sacred covenant that it is... and don't let anyone including yourself steal away that precious gift that is meant for you and your spouse only. Love lavishly. Give so much that you aren't sure where the next bill will be paid from.
After telling my roommate about Matt & Janice she looked at me and said that there must be something in the water where I come from because apparently I am full of real life stories of people just like Matt and Janice who live boldly and reap the benefits of those dreams on a daily basis. It's true. I DO know people like that... a lot of them. It's so much fun to live life with other really passionate people. God can do so much through broken vessels who are willing to be used. I also mentioned that people from Texas just have a cool motto: Go big or go home! Or at least that's my motto.
If you're married, please do something so special to tell your spouse you love them. If you are holding anything back from God, don't. The only way to get closer to Him is by giving up another piece of yourself. And if you have been living in fear of something, let go of that fear, because there is only one worth fearing: God. He made you, me, the heavens and everything else and believe it or not, he DOES care about our little needs.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
When the world gives you lemons....
When the world gives you lemons, sometimes you say... thank you!
My realization came with a beautiful song, let me share the lyrics with you. :) I hope you get to enjoy it as much as I do....
I take all the gifts that You have given and I stake my claim like they're my own
Will you help me when I forget to remember the good I've got is Yours alone?
Oh 'cause I don't wanna tell some arrogant story or let myself believe I'm You
I don't wanna be a thief who's stealing Your glory
Will You help remind me of what is true
The only hope I've got
It's You, You
It's You, You
Why do I think I have anything to offer when You have overcome the world?
Couldn't take Your place cause You're the author of the greatest love this world has known
Oh and I don't wanna tell some arrogant story or let myself believe I'm You
I don't wanna be a thief who's stealing Your glory
Will You help remind me of what is true
The only hope I've got
It's You, You
It's You, You
Well, it's only by Your grace that I've heard You whisper my name
And I don't have the power to save, to change a heart
Won't You come and change my heart?
'Cause I don't wanna tell some arrogant story or let myself believe I'm You
I don't wanna be a thief who's stealing Your glory
Will You help remind me of what is true
The only hope I've got
It's You, You
It's You, You
Yeah it's You
I realized an important lesson just now. It has been a long time in coming, but I think its definitely a real piece of truth that I can take hold of.
Have you ever been told you don't measure up? Maybe you lost a job, got dumped by your girlfriend or fiancé, missed that big promotion, whatever...
Well, I've experienced some of these things lately, and it made me really question my worth. For a while I was pretty upset. How could they pass me up for the job? Why would he choose that girl instead of me? Etc. I have been left to re-think some of my gifts, talents, beauty, worth, etc. And well, lets face it... I wanted to come out of the race with the first place prize - but I didn't.
I was listening to this song tonight by Ellie Holcomb and I am so glad for her insight, because for the first time I have been able to look at my circumstances and see the truth. I have been arrogant. I needed to be kicked off my horse to remember that I am not the best thing since sliced bread. I am not the smartest person in the room or the prettiest woman out there. I am not the most gracious person with more to offer than God does.
I mean I don't really want to admit it, but I have to face it: I needed to be told that the only hope I've got in this world is God - not anything that I have or done. So, thank you kind sir for not choosing me. And thank you lady for passing me over for the job. The only good things I have in this world are from Christ. I am not him - and the moment I think I can fulfill the price that he paid, please, knock me off my horse again. Pride is an ugly thing - its sin - and it separates us from Christ.
I was recently reading in Numbers 16 from the Bible and I was skimming over the story about some group of people that were upset with leadership and they wanted some equality. At this point, I became a little more interested in the story and I thought, "Oh good, some people I can actually relate to" - I wasn't really sure as to why they were upset with the leadership, but it sounded like they probably had a legitimate reason since they were described as "people of renown" - and they apparently represented a lot of people. I figured that had to equate to down to earth folks who would only make reasonable demands.
About the time that I realized I was connected with these people, God got angry with them and caused the earth to swallow them up. At that moment my eyes got really big and I realized I've got some big problems here... I just identified with the people who God was so angry with that he sent them straight to hell while they were still living. So , needless to say, I was disturbed. How have I gotten so off base that I just connected with the people in the story who were totally condemned to hell and made a spectacle of?!?!
Well, I think its easy. It starts with just a small amount of pride and then it takes over your life and you want to be better than God. You forget that the only hope you have in this world comes from the gift that Jesus Christ gave you by sacrificing his life for yours. And you remind yourself that you could never be good enough - we are only saved my grace. Life is a gift. Every good thing we receive is a gift.
Thank you Jesus for the lemons that you gave me. They are a true gift. Change my heart and please help me to remember that every gift I am given is only because you are good.
My realization came with a beautiful song, let me share the lyrics with you. :) I hope you get to enjoy it as much as I do....
I take all the gifts that You have given and I stake my claim like they're my own
Will you help me when I forget to remember the good I've got is Yours alone?
Oh 'cause I don't wanna tell some arrogant story or let myself believe I'm You
I don't wanna be a thief who's stealing Your glory
Will You help remind me of what is true
The only hope I've got
It's You, You
It's You, You
Why do I think I have anything to offer when You have overcome the world?
Couldn't take Your place cause You're the author of the greatest love this world has known
Oh and I don't wanna tell some arrogant story or let myself believe I'm You
I don't wanna be a thief who's stealing Your glory
Will You help remind me of what is true
The only hope I've got
It's You, You
It's You, You
Well, it's only by Your grace that I've heard You whisper my name
And I don't have the power to save, to change a heart
Won't You come and change my heart?
'Cause I don't wanna tell some arrogant story or let myself believe I'm You
I don't wanna be a thief who's stealing Your glory
Will You help remind me of what is true
The only hope I've got
It's You, You
It's You, You
Yeah it's You
I realized an important lesson just now. It has been a long time in coming, but I think its definitely a real piece of truth that I can take hold of.
Have you ever been told you don't measure up? Maybe you lost a job, got dumped by your girlfriend or fiancé, missed that big promotion, whatever...
Well, I've experienced some of these things lately, and it made me really question my worth. For a while I was pretty upset. How could they pass me up for the job? Why would he choose that girl instead of me? Etc. I have been left to re-think some of my gifts, talents, beauty, worth, etc. And well, lets face it... I wanted to come out of the race with the first place prize - but I didn't.
I was listening to this song tonight by Ellie Holcomb and I am so glad for her insight, because for the first time I have been able to look at my circumstances and see the truth. I have been arrogant. I needed to be kicked off my horse to remember that I am not the best thing since sliced bread. I am not the smartest person in the room or the prettiest woman out there. I am not the most gracious person with more to offer than God does.
I mean I don't really want to admit it, but I have to face it: I needed to be told that the only hope I've got in this world is God - not anything that I have or done. So, thank you kind sir for not choosing me. And thank you lady for passing me over for the job. The only good things I have in this world are from Christ. I am not him - and the moment I think I can fulfill the price that he paid, please, knock me off my horse again. Pride is an ugly thing - its sin - and it separates us from Christ.
I was recently reading in Numbers 16 from the Bible and I was skimming over the story about some group of people that were upset with leadership and they wanted some equality. At this point, I became a little more interested in the story and I thought, "Oh good, some people I can actually relate to" - I wasn't really sure as to why they were upset with the leadership, but it sounded like they probably had a legitimate reason since they were described as "people of renown" - and they apparently represented a lot of people. I figured that had to equate to down to earth folks who would only make reasonable demands.
About the time that I realized I was connected with these people, God got angry with them and caused the earth to swallow them up. At that moment my eyes got really big and I realized I've got some big problems here... I just identified with the people who God was so angry with that he sent them straight to hell while they were still living. So , needless to say, I was disturbed. How have I gotten so off base that I just connected with the people in the story who were totally condemned to hell and made a spectacle of?!?!
Well, I think its easy. It starts with just a small amount of pride and then it takes over your life and you want to be better than God. You forget that the only hope you have in this world comes from the gift that Jesus Christ gave you by sacrificing his life for yours. And you remind yourself that you could never be good enough - we are only saved my grace. Life is a gift. Every good thing we receive is a gift.
Thank you Jesus for the lemons that you gave me. They are a true gift. Change my heart and please help me to remember that every gift I am given is only because you are good.
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