tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50133436715387829502024-02-08T08:17:56.241-08:00Thought ChannelThis is what goes on in my head.
All this stuff I'm gonna write about.
Please leave comments giving your thoughts about my subject matter.
And this isn't much about me, this little box for a...description (though it probably was implying a description of the blog); I kinda figure you'll learn more about me through my writing than reading this. =P
After all, it does have a rather self-explanatory title.
This is one of my thought channels after all.EZJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06702356238329837482noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013343671538782950.post-75659972067831804562012-01-05T09:05:00.000-08:002012-01-05T09:05:01.877-08:00A new yearIt is a marvel to me that yet <i>another</i> year has gone by; and so quickly too!! The Lord is so good and ever merciful! His constant faithfulness and love is the only reason the seasons pass and our worlds continue to grow in such an invisible, yet steady way. This past week I've had so many opportunities to simply sit and reflect on all the things He's done in my little sphere of life. And in others, also. I've learned so much about waiting for and leaning on Jesus as my real, true source of life. I would tell of them all, but they would not matter to anyone but me and my Lord. It amazes and fascinates me how diverse our God is in teaching each one of us! Truly is it said in His word that "My ways are not your ways, nor are My thoughts your thoughts." Our Father is a God of surprises, laughter, joy, romance, love, adventure, blind trust, steady faith: LIFE in Jesus Christ His Son! <br />
May this new year be a wonderful, loving adventure for you! May you fall deeper into the heart of God! May He bless you, and bring you ever closer to the Lover of your soul. <br />
Isaiah 55:12EZJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06702356238329837482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013343671538782950.post-1411226941601961072011-09-22T06:44:00.000-07:002011-09-22T06:44:09.816-07:00WowSince May a LOT has happened. In short (since I'm supposed to be doing school), my second oldest sister and her husband have moved across the country to Idaho, my big brother has gone into Marine boot camp, and I've been to Poland and back. God is so strange!EZJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06702356238329837482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013343671538782950.post-34143537497358696112011-05-21T14:22:00.001-07:002011-05-21T14:22:32.081-07:00Bother.I can't understand it, but the blog cut out the beginnings of the second and fourth lines....how annoying!<br />
I suppose your imagination must fill in the blanks! =)EZJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06702356238329837482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013343671538782950.post-18771904925127118952011-05-21T14:17:00.000-07:002011-05-21T14:20:50.726-07:00Soft BeautyPink flower petals and little green leaves strewn on the ground all about my knees, <br />
graceful long nails and soft caresses sweetly scoop up such colorful messes. <br />
Into a vase made simply for this<br />
do hands slowly lower each petal in place.<br />
Light purple irises are added to this, <br />
this curious case of things purple and pink, oh where is the blue? <br />
As my feet touch the earth,<br />
so warm and so deep, that's yielded this beautiful bounty to me, <br />
my mind is set free like the birds in the trees<br />
and my heart breaths true love to the Creator, my King.<br />
He's made each pink petal, each leaf, each blade, <br />
with something sweet in mind...soft, loving beauty, maybe?EZJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06702356238329837482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013343671538782950.post-63350096909461033462011-03-05T10:09:00.000-08:002011-03-05T10:09:03.669-08:00SincerelySincerity. <br />
How often do we even think about what sincerity really means? <br />
I was reading some notes on the Psalms by C.H. Spurgeon and he made a passing comment on being sincere. Then it hit me. <br />
Sincerity is what makes the difference in how we, as Christians, treat others. Think about it. As Christ's children we're called to live from our hearts and to act in love. <em>Sincere </em>love. Agape love. Selfless. <br />
The world doesn't deal in sincerity. Everything revolves around self. "How can this further my interests? How does this help me? Am I happy with this?" etc. Insincere. <br />
Believers are called to do the most mundane, dismal tasks with joy and a sincere desire to help others, without care to how it helps us, or if it even <u>does </u>help us. <br />
Basically, sincere, true love is our motive for what we do and how we do it. It SHOULD be our motive, I should say. <br />
Because that's how Christ lived; from His heart. <br />
With sincerity. <br />
Anyway, I was just pondering that this morning. Food for thought.<br />
<br />
1 John 4:7-21EZJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06702356238329837482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013343671538782950.post-9103789582295141732011-02-01T12:13:00.000-08:002011-02-01T12:13:24.063-08:00FemininityI was thinking last night about what I wrote in my last post (To Take Care of Boys) and I realized that, yes, I said what girls are <i>for</i> but I didn't really talk about <i>why </i>that is our role and why we're the only beings on earth that can fill that role as a suitable helper for man.<br />
<a name='more'></a> Why...it comes down to two words really. At least, in my mind that's how I picture it. It's the difference between these two that is so important. It's the difference between Femininity and Masculinity. <br />
The definition of feminine is simply 'possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a woman.' <br />
So we'll have to go a little deeper than that to really dive into the matter.<br />
Woman: an adult female human being. Feminine or female (womanly).<br />
Let's go still further.<br />
Womanly: Possessing qualities, such as warmth, attractiveness, etc., generally regarded as of a woman, especially a mature woman.<br />
So...being feminine entails much more than simply having the physical makeup that makes us females. It means having the character <u>qualities</u>, those things from our hearts, our very souls, that makes us feminine.<br />
But why do we need to be feminine?<br />
I believe we must be feminine (and the world <b>NEEDS </b>us to be feminine women!) because the image of God is incomplete otherwise.<br />
In the beginning, He "made male and female according to His image."<br />
That means He made both genders as a representation of Himself.<br />
Without woman, man wouldn't be complete, he wouldn't embody the complete character/image of God!<br />
Masculinity. Men in their glorious, strong, leading, magnificent role as warriors are a physical image of God in His awesome strength and power. They are made to take charge and lead, to be the providers, protectors and directors. It is their calling, what they're made for. It is their glory.<br />
And God created it so. <br />
Femininity. Women are the other half to masculinity. We are to be the radiant, warm, kind, beautiful side. We are to bear the image of God in His lovingkindness, the balance of all that masculinity.<br />
Ever noticed how He says something isn't right before He made Eve, when Adam was alone?<br />
Ever noticed how woman is probably one of <b><i>the </i></b>most beautiful creatures on earth? How everything yearns for the presence of a woman in her alluring feminine grace and beauty? <br />
When I say beauty I mean much more than beauty of form or/and face. I mean beauty of the character, of the heart and soul. <br />
It is hard to write about this and NOT sound as if I'm undermining one or the other gender.<br />
I am not at all. The one is the compliment and completion of the other. As God made it to be. <br />
Masculinity and femininity result in the most amazing, beautiful image of God and His person that we will ever find. <br />
Being feminine is not something to be ashamed of. Not at all!<br />
We are beautiful in our femininity. <br />
Just as God intended it to be. <br />
The very essence of femininity <u><i>is</i></u> beauty. <br />
God delights in beauty. I cannot look at the awesome world and all it contains and conclude otherwise. <br />
I would write more on this important subject but I have to go play violin and am being pestered. Love you boys!<br />
I'll try and come back to it sometime soon.EZJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06702356238329837482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013343671538782950.post-74926870195013985472011-01-31T14:15:00.000-08:002011-01-31T14:15:55.763-08:00To Take Care of Boys<div class="uiHeader uiHeaderBottomBorder mbm">
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"Uncle, I have discovered what girls are made for."</div>
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"Well, my dear, what is it?"<br />
"To take care of boys."<br />
<br />
Most
would likely read this merry, sweet ending to Louisa May Alcott's Eight
Cousins and simply think "Awww, how touching!" or at the very least
smile at the sincere thought and love written in every word. But I do
believe there is more, much more, to the simple statement "To take care
of boys" than we would readily give credit to.<br />
What <i>ARE </i>girls made for?<br />
<br />
One
of my dearest, closest friends whom God has blessed and honored me with
knowing said something once that stuck fast in my mind. You may or may
not think that this pertains to the subject topic, but really I think it
has much to do with it.<br />
She said, (a little paraphrasing is
involved), "We girls are really engaged to one man from our very first
breath. God has picked this one man for each of us (except those whom He
has chosen to have serve His kingdom as singles) since before we ever
thought about boys. We should behave as if we DO have a ring on our
finger that means 'I am going to marry this man' before we've ever met
him. We should understand and <i>respect </i>ourselves as one prepared
to be given to that one man already. That way, when we do marry that
special, God prepared man, we present to him without shame a helpmeet
kept safe, unused and faithfully tended JUST for him."<br />
<br />
With that also in mind...what <i>ARE </i>girls made for?!<br />
<br />
The answer was given us in His word, as are most answers to many of life's questions.<br />
Genesis 2:18, 22-24.<br />
Yes,
I would rather you go look it up for yourself. That way, you'll read it
with your own eyes and can't even pretend I imagined this answer up.
;)<br />
Pay close attention to verse 18.<br />
"...I will therefore fashion a <i>helpmeet suitable </i>for him." (Emphasis mine.)<br />
The conclusion?<br />
Girls were made to help boys. For boys. Because of boys. To care for boys.<br />
More specifically, women were created to help men in honoring and serving God.<br />
There
are most likely, rather than not, more than a few girls snorting and
shaking their heads thinking "Yeah, maybe, but what about us? Can't we
have a life too?"<br />
Of course!!<br />
But we have to ask ourselves:
if we are true women of God, and Proverbs 31 women at that!, what other
aim could we possibly have in life other than to serve our Lord, Jesus
Christ?<br />
The Prov.31 women didn't sit around simply keeping house
and rearing children and being cheery 24/7. (Not that that is a bad
thing.) She put her mind and body to work!<br />
Furthering her
husband.To help her husband. To please him. Not only because she loved
him but because she understood herself to be honoring God in doing so.<br />
And not just after she married him, but "...all the days of her life."<br />
That
implies way before she even liked boys as people and not as dirty,
obnoxiously annoying specimens that happen to live on this planet. (not
that guys are always like that, not in the least! We just tend to think
of ya'll like that when we're younger.)<br />
I could make many a speech about how our culture has so twisted and perverted the order God created.<br />
Women were, and still <i>are!, </i>to be the homemakers, the child bearers/rearers, the <i>helpmeet's</i> to their husbands!!<br />
And to be those things requires channeling our God given intellect, ambitions, love and life into the role, the very <i>PURPOSE, </i>of being a helper worthy of "praise in the gates."<br />
From
all that you might think, and understandably so, that I am completely
against such things as working outside the home (having a career), going
to college, etc.<br />
Not necessarily.<br />
On working outside the
home: I see no problem with young ladies (unmarried) working outside the
home to help take some of the burden off of their parents, Even simply
for the experience perhaps, depending on the job. Particularly where
buying clothes, going out, etc. is concerned. It IS nice to not have to
wonder if you're taking some of the grocery money to go out for coffee
with a friend or two.<br />
On married women working outside the
home...that is between you, God and your husband. Also, financial issues
can be a factor. The wife might have to work just to help put food on
the table.<br />
Personally, I believe as a married woman my job will be to take care of my husband, our children and our home.<br />
There may come a day when I will have to work outside the home, but I sincerely hope not.<br />
<br />
Going
to college: it used to be that while the young men were gleaning an
education at college to equip them to wade into life fully capable of
being men, and the man of the house too, that we young women were at
home learning to care for the household and all that that entails.<br />
We really, very truly, had no need to go to college.<br />
Not that getting a more intense, perhaps thorough, education is at all bad. No, not at all!<br />
But I ask you this: what could you possibly want to study that you cannot learn at home?<br />
We are surrounded by technology that makes this possible.<br />
I understand that there ARE certain things that are almost quite impossible to learn at home.<br />
But then that begs the question: are you going to further <i>your </i>future in the world as a business woman...or to, in the future, be a blessed help to your husband?<br />
We
are all endowed with certain talents/gifts that will determine what we
do and what skills we develop with more attention and thoroughness. But
those talents were given you to be a complement to your spouse (when you
attain one, if you're unmarried) and to be a help to him in furthering <b><span class=" fbUnderline">his</span></b> ministry<b> </b>.<br />
For example: I want very much to study music.<br />
It is likely I will attend college, if I must.<br />
But
everything I can study for that course beforehand, I will. I, as of
now, cannot find a way to get college level training in music from home.
Though if there is a way, God willing I will find it.<br />
Why do I want to study music?<br />
To
make a long story short, because I am convicted that God wants me to,
for whatever reason. I have a feeling it will in some way promote my
husbands ministry, whatever that may be. (when I say ministry, I do not
necessarily mean actually going into the ministry as we recognize it
today.)<br />
I have no idea what my husband will do; not one inkling.<br />
But
I want to complete my musical education because I know it would be a
failing not to nurture it to the fullest extent so that it may bless,
not solely my husband (though mainly him), but those God will put around
me, and God Himself, foremost of all.<br />
Now why did I explain all of that?<br />
To show you that just because I have the ability and the means to "go somewhere" with my gift, doesn't mean I should.<br />
If I get my college training and never use it but to entertain my family, then it is still worth it.<br />
<br />
You might be wondering what happens if you're in your late 20's, maybe early 30's, and you're still unmarried.<br />
Do you just live at home?<br />
Why
not? Why should you not live at home, work, and be a help to your
parents in whatever they're doing, whatever their ministry is??<br />
If you set about being a woman that is used of God as He intended you won't be a burden.<br />
You'll be a blessing.<br />
And if you crave space away from them, have you ever considered turning the garage/old shed, into your own space?<br />
And
yes, I am serious. There are creative ways to remain under the umbrella
of your parents while being a help to them. Though maybe not in such
close proximity, hhmm? ;)<br />
If you feel living away from home is best, that is between you and God and the godly counsel He has given you.<br />
<br />
To take care of boys doesn't mean only your husband when you are married to him.<br />
It also means learning to care for your father/ brother(s) in the proper, respectful and biblical way.<br />
My mom once told me that God gives us the men in our lives before we are married as practice for when we ARE married.<br />
How
you treat your father/brother(s) will determine how you treat your
spouse. Believe it or not, it will. The home is the training ground, the
establishment of your character starts there and solidifies there.<br />
This is can be a challenge. You may not find it easy to respect and honor the men in your life. But we have to.<br />
You
know all those day dreams of happily ever after and prince charming and
the perfect life of love you'll live after you're married?<br />
It
won't be like that. Maybe it will occasionally in little moments, but
most of the time it's just gonna be living with that one person whom you
really do love with all your heart but who right now is bothering you
because maybe he stomps his feet or leaves the towel off of the
perfectly good towel rack, or whatever that little pet peeve might be.
Learning to live with those things and yet show honor and respect 24/7
is no walk in the park.<br />
That's why we have to start learning to think, feel and act this way now.<br />
We have to be ready to live it out everyday. Eph.5:33 "...and let the wife see to it that she <i>respect </i>her husband."<br />
Some of you might be wondering why I haven't suggested loving our men.<br />
That's because to men, respect <b><i>is </i></b>love.
Yes, love them! By all means we should and we need to and they need to
know we love them! But respect is of more importance to them; respect is
love to them. Honor is important too, just as is admiration and esteem.<br />
Respect
is to men as love is to us women. Our most deep need is to be loved
unconditionally by one man (outside of Christ's never ending love). We
start having that need met when we start respecting them no matter what.<br />
That's a bit of a different topic though.<br />
<br />
Titus 2:4b-5 "...young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, <i>workers at <b>home</b>, </i>kind, being submissive to their own husbands, <span class=" fbUnderline"><i>that the word of God <b>may not be dishonored</b></i></span><i>.</i>" (emphasis mine.)<br />
<br />
Do
not go solely by what I say. Never believe someone simply because what
they say appeals to you or because you know them, or for any reason.<br />
ALWAYS compare everything to the Bible.<br />
And there's always the chance I copied a verse out wrong, but please search and pray for yourselves.<br />
And
as most of you probably thought throughout the reading of this "She's
not married, why does she talk like she has been?" please feel free to
critique, advise, etc.<br />
You're right. I'm not married. But I would sure love to be someday. =)<br />
If this has come across as do-or-die, my apologies. I'm still learning.<br />
<br />
So...for
me, the question of what are girls for was answered some time ago,
though I only very recently began thinking about why I believe the way I
do and what basis do I have for my manner of belief.<br />
Now I have a question for you all: did this answer that elusive question?<br />
I pray it did.<br />
We were made "To take care of boys."<br />
<br /></div>
</div>EZJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06702356238329837482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013343671538782950.post-64385245614390487032011-01-31T14:11:00.001-08:002011-01-31T14:11:55.690-08:00Blue Like Jazz...If only...<div class="mbl notesBlogText clearfix">
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I read the book Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller and was astounded.<br />
I wish so much that I could write like him!!<br />
He
is open, honest, realistic, funny and says what everyone else is
thinking and admits to feeling things that we've most likely all at one
time or another felt.<br />
And he is real.<br />
Real about life, real about Christianity. Or rather, as he calls it, Christian Spirituality.<br />
As to why he calls it that, you must read the book yourself. <br />
I
know, I know, "Just tell me!" but what fun and adventure is that?
Besides, it is a book more than worth your time and thought.<br />
I
recommend reading it on a day when you quite literally have nothing else
to do, for if it pulls you in like it did me, you'll read it in one
sitting.<br />
No joke.<br />
It's that good.<br />
But what really
makes me desire to write like him is this: he writes from the heart,
without condemnation of you, what you believe, or anything else. No
judgment. Just simply lays it out there for you to analyze, then humbly
asks you to consider what he has written about life and God.<br />
He doesn't write in a chop-chop, do-this-or-die, fashion at all.<br />
He, honestly, lays it before you with the love of Jesus in his heart.<br />
And that makes it so worth while to read!<br />
I
laughed out loud more than once (ask my friends who were with me!) and I
paused and sat for minutes on end pondering what he had said way more
than thrice. Much of it such simple, everyday truth that it is profound
in its simplicity.<br />
You may, and probably will, think much
differently about it than I do once you read it. Everyone has a
different view on everything, after all.<br />
If only I could write like that...<br />
I'm
afraid my writings are much more chop-chop and sharp. Demanding even,
perhaps. I know my mind and what I think and how to say it, and I do.<br />
And that's part of the problem, I think.<br />
I am practicing and trying to soften things. Don't know if it's working or not.<br />
I
suppose I use the Notes capacity on facebook for testing. I can get
feedback from you all and judge how I'm doing by that, though so far the
things I've really expounded about have been very sure subjects for me.
But with me, I treat everything like a sure thing, a known thing;
something to be talked about with definite, solid opinions. I suppose
that's why my good friends pick on me about knowing everything, and
rightly so.<br />
I sure sound like it.<br />
But for the record, I don't, not even close. I just like to think I do, it messages my ego.<br />
I
need to be reminded every now and again to chill out and quite thinking
I have to get my thoughts/opinions out there all the time.<br />
You learn more by listening and pondering than by making yourself heard, I've noticed.<br />
And
people are generally more willing to listen to you if they've asked for
your opinion than if you just give it like a fountain sprouts water.<br />
Blue Like Jazz...now he knows how to write all those things I want to write, and in the manner I long to write.<br />
Thank God for my friends who love and accept me despite my blunt, blow-up-the-bush-instead-of-beat-it, self!<br />
And for all of you who actually read my lengthy thoughts.<br />
If you don't know me all that well, I come across as rather hard and do-or-die sometimes.<br />
If only I COULD be Blue Like Jazz...<br />
<br />
Why on earth did I write this?<br />
Not entirely sure. I suppose I had to get it out of my head, even though I talked it over with a few girlies of mine already.<br />
Thanks for reading it, if you managed to survive the muddle of my mind until this last thought!<br />
<br />
P.S: you really should read the book now!!</div>
</div>EZJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06702356238329837482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013343671538782950.post-37835589803822432862011-01-31T14:10:00.000-08:002011-01-31T14:10:24.400-08:00Particles and PurposeI actually wrote this a while back...maybe a month or so. It's been sitting on FB for a while. <br />
<a name='more'></a>Waiting for your sister to wake up so you can play violin gives one ample time to think and watch the dust particles float by.<br />
No kidding.<br />
That's what I'm doing.<br />
Watching DUST.<br />
It's actually rather entertaining. Makes me think about time. I find it infinitely intriguing that God's time is not our time.<br />
You're
probably wondering what I had for breakfast to make me connect dust
particles with the flow of time, but do keep in mind I'm female; which
means my track of thought might not be very distinguishable. I should
probably say definitely.<br />
Anyway, back to the main topic.<br />
Have
you ever stopped, REALLY stopped, and thought about the fact that our
life on earth is but shadows and dust compared to eternity with Him?<br />
Dust.
Thin and light, frail even, being blown any which way the wind happens
to be flowing, not even making an appearance on a scale. Weightless. So
small, we don't even blink when a particle makes contact with our eye.<br />
We are but dust.<br />
Genesis 2:7 "...formed man of dust from the ground..."<br />
A very mind-boggling thought.<br />
Add
time to that, and you start wondering why it matters; our day to day
existence while we're waiting for the return of the King.<br />
Psalm 31:15 "My times are in Thy hand;..."<br />
Coupled
with Acts 1:7 "He said to them 'It is not for you to know times or
epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;" and you're
going, "What on earth do we DO?"<br />
Deuteronomy 6:5 "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."<br />
Love God with ALL of me...how the heck do I do THAT?!<br />
At least, that thought enters my head usually. But that might be just me.<br />
I suppose we can't.<br />
No, actually, I KNOW we can't. At least, on our own we cannot.<br />
You see, being humans, or dust (excuse me), we were created with this need for God. To depend on Him.<br />
If
we hadn't been, and if we DIDN'T need God, WE would be God, and just
think about how truly terrible that would be. We can't even manage the
earth like we're supposed to, let alone be king over it all!!!<br />
Genesis
1:26, 28 "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to
Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the
birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over
every creeping thing that creeps on earth....And God blessed them; and
God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and
subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the
sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."<br />
We're
mediocre at best with the first dictate: to rule over the creatures on
the earth and to harvest the earth itself; and the second, well, most of
us don't have more than 2 kids, and even THAT is a "big" number.Those
of us in families of over 4 kids know what it's like to be gawked at and
have to stand there, red as a cherry, as some person gaps and asks your
parents, "Are ALL of these yours?!"<br />
Pardon me, but say that to
Eve, the mother of all living.We don't know how many kids SHE had. The
Bible only mentions 3 of them!<br />
And I'm pretty sure 13 wasn't such a big number either. Sorry Jacob.<br />
I'm
also fairly certain it was a rare thing for a couple NOT to have kids.
Unless something was wrong physically, families that didn't have 6 or
more kids were probably scarce.<br />
Don't get me wrong, people with only 2 or 3 kids: thank you for having children at all!!<br />
Every single child is a gift from God, and amen, He is worthy to be praised!<br />
How did this go from watching dust to our human existence/purpose?<br />
Not sure. Like I said, it might not make sense how I go from one thing to the next.<br />
Going
from the astonishment of persons when they are told "Yes, ALL of these
midgets following me like I just might be their mother are our children,
and no, we've never been married to anyone other than each other,
thanks for staring like we're retarded, have a nice day" (to be honest,
no, my parents have NEVER said to that to anyone who asks us about it,
but boy, I'm sure they wanted to a time or two! I know me and my
siblings did!)...WHY is divorce considered normal?? Divorce is a
HORRIBLE thing. It's something to be SAD about not to shrug off and say,
"Everyone does it, it's normal."!!!<br />
Biblically, you only get
divorced IF your spouse committed adultery. And for those of you who
aren't clear as to exactly what that means, adultery is voluntarily
having sex with a married man/woman other than your spouse. (For further
no-no's on this, see Matthew 5:27-28. And girls, he ain't just talking
about men!)<br />
But even then, if your spouse DOES commit adultery,
you don't HAVE to divorce her/him. You can, should be encouraged to!,
work it out and stay married.<br />
But in our culture today, divorce is
talked about, and DONE, without even a flinch or frown of sadness, and
oh my if someone should see it as wrong! (I'm not saying EVERYONE
behaves this way toward this practice, this is just a generalization.)<br />
We're told "You can always back-out afterwords if you don't like it."<br />
Sounds like something you say to your child or sibling when discussing an sports/artistic/musical activity.<br />
We're also expected by our society to have sex before marriage with more than one person.<br />
I don't know about the rest of the youths/singles out there, but I absolutely REBEL against such an expectation!<br />
It
sickens me how Gods word is thrust aside for our mere fleshly pleasure!
Does His word just glance of us without a dint in our self-conscious?<br />
Genesis 2:24 "...they shall become <em>one </em>flesh." (emphasis mine.)<br />
Who are we to severe and ignore and brush-off such a God-ordained union??<br />
Dust.<br />
The last I looked, dust didn't control where the furniture was placed.<br />
Going back to Deut.6:5.<br />
We can't love Him with all our being of our own efforts.<br />
But
that's why we must trust in Him. To receive Jesus Christ as your
Savior, to invite Him into your heart as Lord of your life, is to ask
for a life of loving Him. And He has promised "Ask, and you shall
receive, seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened
unto you." (Matt.7:7)<br />
And "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt.6:33)<br />
If you've asked Him into your life, you've asked for Him to rule your life. We were made to love Him, to serve Him.<br />
Some of you might make faces and grumble at my terminology, but it's true.<br />
If you love Jesus, truly, what does it matter what you do? For "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do <em>all </em>to the glory of <em>GOD</em>." (emphasis mine.)<br />
We were made to worship Him.<br />
WOW, do I get excited whenever I think about it!! Bring it on Jesus!<br />
I can do ALL things through Jesus, even love Him with all of me.<br />
Proverbs
3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your
own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make
your paths straight."<br />
I challenge you to do everything you do to
the glory of God, serving Him wherever you may be, serving whomever He
has put in your life today and tomorrow, etc., with joy and
contentment.<br />
Ecclesiastes 12:13 "The conclusion, when all has
been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies
to every person."<br />
<br />
Psalm 68:19 "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation."<br />
Psalm 24<br />
2
Samuel 7:18-22 "Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord,
and he said, 'Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that Thou hast
brought me this far? And yet this was insignificant in Thine eyes, O
Lord God, for Thou hast spoken also of the house of Thy servant
concerning the distant future. And this is the custom of man, O Lord
God. And again, what more can David say to Thee? For Thou knowest Thy
servant, O Lord God! For the sake of Thy word, and according to Thine
heart, Thou hast done all this greatness to let Thy servant know. For
this reason Thou art great, O Lord God; for there is none like Thee, and
there is no God besides Thee, according to all that we have heard with
our ears."<br />
Matt.6:13b "...For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."<br />
<br />
<br />
Perhaps that was all a bit random and strangely connected, but I never said my brain links subjects normally. ;)EZJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06702356238329837482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013343671538782950.post-65986214802755141812011-01-31T11:36:00.000-08:002011-01-31T11:36:19.775-08:00Why I'm Starting This BlogSo....hi. <br />
<a name='more'></a>I started this blog really because my Papa said I should. He thinks it's a good way for me to "get my thoughts out there". I'm not arguing with that. I think a lot anyway, so why not? I began actually writing about what goes on in my head using the Notes capacity on Facebook. Then I kinda realized there were too many thoughts for that little thing. So...here's the result of that. <br /><br />
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<br />EZJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06702356238329837482noreply@blogger.com0