A Rebel I am because I can?

A story from Russia:
"While i had no classes to teach at the moment, and all the student were in class, I decided to take a stroll down the halls and look out the windows at the snow falling down..  I was in another world enjoying the white beauty falling from the heavens outside, that I started whistling a cheerful tune.. ... all of a sudden a fellow teacher walks up and says, 'Don't whistle, it will bring bad fortune; you will lose all your money'.  I looked back at her as if wondering if she was serious or not.  She was.  To myself I was thinking how silly to think that whistling indoors will make me loose all I have.

I could easily turn around and keep whistling because I can, and I know that I will not lose my money because of a superstition.... Yes I have the right to do it if I want, I have that freedom.  I also have a responsibility to respect others.

Another incident that happened:  My teammates and I were going to visit Christ The Saviour Cathedral, and on of my friends without thinking anything of it, put his hands in his pockets while admiring the interior of the cathedral.  A nun came over and pulled his hands out of his pockets, saying something fast to him in Russian, but the jist he got from it was that it was very rude to put your hands in your pockets when inside the cathedral.  Would this condem his soul if he chose to keep his hands in his pockets? no, but would it offend many there? yes

For you and me:  Because we know that we have freedom in Christ, does that mean we can do whatever we want?  no.... Paul confronts the Romans about the issue of whether or not to eat sacrificed meat, even though they could freely eat it and it not harm them.  In conclusion our liberty has a responsibility.

I could be a "Rebel" if I wanted to, and prove that  i can do many things outside of traditions and they will not destroy my relationship with Christ, ... but ... it might make a brother or sister stumble, who are new and just beginning to grow.  Be careful my friends, ... Freedom in Christ holds a responsibility to be discerning.

Romans 14:20" Do not for the sake of food, destroy the work of God.  Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats."

The Prodigal Soul has come HOME!

"Help me wipe away the cobwebs in my heart my dearest Lord.  Cleanse this soul from it's rebellous lifestyle and filth.  You bring me back- back to when I said "Yes" to You and my life was changed forever.  You have told me to not dwell on my past, not to waste anymore time.. "get out there and be as real and as genuine as you can be for My Glory"- You say.  This dry and thirsty sould has been flooded by Your mercies and love!  So don't stop working on my heart, Jesus! That is my cry!  Even when I'm not focused- press Your presence upon me to surrender to my convictions. Let this prodigal sould come home!"

The story of the Prodigal Son can be found in Luke 15: 11-32.

KNOW THIS: God is a God of SECOND CHANCES

Keith Green - Your Love Broke Through

Keith Green has an amazing testemony!  His music was definitely something that touched many people's lives...but you appriciate this man more when you hear his story, and know where he came from.

Seasons..Winter then Spring

As I was hanging out with friends, one of them told me simply:  "After winter comes spring.. wait" encouraging words, hard to take in, but TRUE.  Spending time with family the next day, my sister, grandmother and I were talking about seasons in our life, and they could tell I was in a peaceful time in my life.  Things have definitely changed over time.

Its true:  I feel like I'm in such a peaceful time right now (yes even with the good and bad days).  But it is like winter right now and I'm having to BE STILL.  It reminds me of the snow in Russia.  For the city of Moscow to be such a gloomy dirty place, the snow made it beautiful, and in the spring, the tulips would blossom everywhere, even while the snow had not yet melted.  Talk about a BEAUTIFUL SITE!

The snow works as a blanket, to protect the flowers.  Who would have thought?  I feel like it is definitely that season:   Its beautiful, peaceful, and I'm blanketed in place... God's working on my... before the spring will blossom through.  Its not easy sometimes, because I want to go and achieve, but its not that season yet.  So I am STILL, and I soak in the AWARENESS that God is at work.

For You and Me:  What season is it for you?  And are you content in that season you're in right now?  All seasons are beautiful in their own way and they happen for a reason.

"For Everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven..." Ecclesiastes 3:1

Nearer than you Think

As I was driving to my hometown at 6am this morning, I called my grandmother about half way, suprising her that I was nearer to town than she thought.  She was excited that I was a little early as was I; I always enjoy having family time, hanging out, drinking coffee, talking about life, laughing a silly jokes... but thats not the moral of the story...

It takes on more than one tale for the focus of NEARNESS. (in the context of life, death, and eternity ether way)

My family has informed me of 3 tragic happening that occured in my hometown, all in one weeks time.  Of course when one reads this, they have to understand this has all happened in a town population less than 40,000.  I do want to warn you that if you are easily offended by violence please don't read the rest of this post.


The first news was that of a woman working at a burger joint.  Supposedly, she went to the bathroom, had a baby, threw it in the garbage, and told her boss she was going home because she had blood on her.  They found the baby, and the baby and her were taken to the hospital for emergency care, and the mother has been sent to jail, while the baby is under the care of foster parents as soon as the baby is released.

The second was of a trailer home found burnt with 3 people found dead inside.  They were found with gunshot wounds and stab marks.  One of them was pregnant when murdered.  They still are investigating the situation.

The last is of a fatal car accident, involving three cars.  3 people died, because someone was in a hurry and wanted to swurve around another car carlessly.

In one week:  6 people have died, actually 7 counting the baby not born yet, one arrested for attempted murder of her baby, and one survivor (the baby), and one mystery killer.

saying all that, I am sad, thinking this can't be real, but this is! and this just happened this last week in one small town.  So now you may ask why I jumped into such sad news with a great begining of family and love, and fellowship... placing all this together.. We are NEARER than we THINK to the end.

Jesus is coming soon... very soon.  He is NEARER than you THINK.  And what weeping there should be for the sadness in the world.  ... Even more so...what is the condition of your OWN HEART.

For You and Me:  Evaluate your Heart!  Stop judging others and get the plank out of your own eye.  Then "help" others around you.  Maybe you've heard of this phrase, "LOVE IS a VERB"... so be a doer of the word and not just a hearer... 

James 1:22  says, "But be doers of the word, and not hears only, deceiving yourselves."

More than the SAND on the Shore

A story from Hurghada, Egypt, on the Beach of the Red Sea: Journal Archives

"As the tide is roling in, the water is smoothing out the coast where the footprints are at.

As the tide roles over my feet my toes can feel the tiny little grans of sand blanket my feet.

I understand this to be a metaphor of the sand grains and the thoughts that YOU think towards me... but WOW... to know this to be a reality of who YOU are...leaves me in awe.

...............

I have just now scooped up some sand with one finger and I am to be sure that there were at least 100 grains... 100 thoughts YOU think towards me, but no... YOUR word says that every thought that YOU think of me are MORE than the sand on the shore.  That is amazing and I don't deserve it.  YOU really do love me. "



I remember that day on the beach, lying in the sun... and a pinch of sand had more than 100 grains!  Can you think of 100 wonderful thoughts to think about someone... better yet, can you even think of 100 good things to think towards yourself???

My attempt

1.  you are ........

okay I got nothin'

For You and Me:  Reflect on HOW AMAZING God is.  He's so amazing that He had to give us an example of sand on the shore just so we might have a glimpse of how grand He really is.

It's OK to be a KID

As life happens, we get caught up in it, and we trying our hardest to stay on schedule with rutine of life. 
Pay my bills on time
make dinner
go to work
go to sleep
go back to work
come home make dinner
pay my second round of bills

Need I go on?

Then there is the way of thinking...
No time for fun
must work
no smiling
stop playing around
not for me...thats for kids
you just go without me...I'll stay behind

WAKE UP...and smell the JOY

Wherever you are or whatever you're doing  there is always an opportunity to find JOY and to have fun.  Yes there are down times... that is life...but don't forget the good times too.

Confessions of a Grown-Up: 
I love to watch cartoons
I love to push the buttons on the talking books when I walk down the toy ilse in the stores
I own a coloring book and yes I color in it... why not?

Whats your confession?   
It's OK to be a KID

Jesus describes in Mark 10: 13-16  about the characteristics of children and how we should come to Him with a childlike faith. 

Just the other day I pulled out Prince of Egypt and watched it.  Instead of trying to analyze it, I allowed my thinking to be in awe of the fact that God did mighty things in Egypt and it was no fairytale...it was REAL.  You can find such joy just setting your mind on these kinds of things.

For You and Me:  Drive this idea home to the heart.  What are some ways you can put your grown up ways aside and be like a child sitting in the Savior's lap, listening to His stories?

Admiring or Accepting

In times of need... we look for comfort.

I try to seek out comfort with family..with friends... but they can only give so much.
But the obvious... right in front of me... my Beloved Saviour waits for me to call upon Him.

And As I lift my request for comfort, here He comes...

To comfort.
Not to be admired as the Comforter.

No, He's waiting for me to lay my head on His shoulder, for me to sigh a deep sigh and for Him to embrace me and comfort me and whisper peace to me.

For You and Me:  Let us look deeper into the concept of what the Comforter is suppose to do.  Is He to be Admired from afar with showers of complements of what He can do.... or is He to be Accepted into your embrace to actually comfort you. 

sometimes "saying" you trust God and give your cares to Him ... is only an action of words, not of doing. 
So Do It!  throw your hands up, surrender your pride, breathe in His embrace, and sigh a sigh of peace.

The Tulip

When I was at OBU I was sitting along the fountains, listening to the water trickle and the aroma was fresh of grass and dew. 
..the sun started rising over the hills..
..and in the midst of God's nature, I was thinking about the worries of my life, and the stresses of my tomorrows....
And when that sun poured out over the hills, its rays were captured and ingulfed inside this simple red tulip sitting right next to me, keeping me company.

The glory of God, present in such a petit, simple, small, flower.. so small, I leaned forward to take a closer look, and as I studied it, I could trace each vain with my finger.  Such intricate design and rich color to such a simple flower!

Simple, yet taking a closer look ...so beautiful.

Don't belittle the little things... they are greater if you look closer.
Being filled with His Glory the Tulip revealed itself to the grandest.
You also be filled.

He waiting for you to drop your worries to His feet.  Watch Him spill sun's glory and splendor into that tulip just for you.