Butterflies in the City

roll out of bed

turn off alarm

feed cat

make coffee

drink coffee while applying make-up

get dressed

sip on coffee

brush teeth

grab purse

lock door

hurry up...

meander through parking lot of apartment

verbally coach traffic around me

rush to switch lanes

impatiently wait for light to turn green

slam on breaks

press on gas

switch lanes again

wait a while to turn into work's parking lot

Finally park

gather purse and keys

slam door

AND THE FIRST THING I SEE when I look up

is a

BUTTERFLY

fluttering about in a frolic above me

so gentle

no rush

no fuss

no schedule

so beautiful

so meek

and I'm reminded of God's beauty in the midst of chaos.

And I breathe in that moment and take my time walking into my workplace

A beautiful creature

for a beautiful reminder

God in the midst of chaos is like Butterflies in the City

On a Mission: Thinking about Death, Life...

On a Mission: Thinking about Death, Life...: (Archive Journal Entry: Russia 09/09/06) There are these times when I find myself thinking about death. Like a little child, we don't wan...

Every Season

This has always been a touching song for me to hear, and always a good reminder as the seasons change.  Also here are the words to reflect on. 

ENJOY!

Every evening sky, an invitation
To trace the patterned stars
And early in July, a celebration
For freedom that is ours
And I notice You
In children’s games
In those who watch them from the shade
Every drop of sun is full of fun and wonder
You are summer

And even when the trees have just surrendered
To the harvest time
Forfeiting their leaves in late September
And sending us inside
Still I notice You when change begins
And I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks for what has been and was to come
You are autumn

And everything in time and under heaven
Finally falls asleep
Wrapped in blankets white, all creation
Shivers underneath
And still I notice you
When branches crack
And in my breath on frosted glass
Even now in death, You open doors for life to enter
You are winter

And everything that’s new has bravely surfaced
Teaching us to breathe
What was frozen through is newly purposed
Turning all things green
So it is with You
And how You make me new
With every season’s change
And so it will be
As You are re-creating me
Summer, autumn, winter, spring

Christians religiously rebelling

Trying to fit in during middle school on was hard to do... I remember being watched by every eye to see if I would join in on the "cussing"... simple thing... but the temptation to do it was there, and the eagerness to fit in was wanted... and to be honest, I joined in a time or two.

When I became a "new creation", a child of God saved by His grace,...things changed.  I started understanding that I couldn't be what I was before.  The lifestyle wasn't easy... trying to say something good about somebody instead of trash talking them and tearing down their character, was very challenging... I started to realize that it was not so bad if I asked for help from the Holy Spirit (my saviour).

Being set apart, being holy, would not be easy in the coming years, it would only get more difficult and challenging...which would urge me to lean more and more on my Jesus for strength and help.

But now... I see it is most difficult to set ourselves apart, to be holy, when we are surrounded by believers, with no challenge.  Its as if we are hungry for social entertainment:  we grow closer and closer to wanting to be "like the world".  Its as if we are setting our journey out to make peace with division among Christians and worldly ways by "religiously rebelling" against our own teachings... because we have a small understanding that we are FREE, but this is what Paul says:

"Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.  But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble."  -1 Corinthians 8:8-13

So we are free to do many things, but we don't want to cause another to stumble and grow week from not understanding.  And especially an unbeliever.

What is your weakness when around others, that's easy to fall into?

I'll make a list of examples: (and I even fall under some of these categories)
1.  Gossip
2.  Bragging about your vices
3.  pushing to see how "bad" you can be while still being "good"

???

Let your standard be set high, and stop trying to always be cool... or fit in... or be accepted by the crowds.. you are not of this world, but a sojourner.  You have found the reason for truly living and are out now to set the example to others on how to find, accept, and live this same truth.

JUST SAY NO

TURN THE OTHER CHEEK

FLEE FROM TEMPTATION

** Find a motto to follow and hold yourself (and here's the tricky part) and others ACCOUNTABLE.

simple

"Searching the Soul" by: Jamie Cook

I just wanna run away

find a place were I can pray

To flee from the peoples

and their scruples

I just wanna hide

with you beside

and dig in your word

study Your ways

clean my heart out

give you praise

I just wanna get back to the basics

to a little girl that I was

asking a simple question

who are you God?

why am I here?

and God answers me

"I am that I am"

"You were designed for me"

simple:  I understand

I love You my Beloved Saviour

and I desire to live for You.

and I want to share this great love with others

SIMPLE

...singing with the radio...

I love those moments when I'm in my car on my way to work and I'm at a stoplight and I look over to the left of me.  There is a mom belting out the words to a song, probably a love song or some country song... something mid-tempo to the looks of it, and a meaningful song frong the looks of her expression.

I look to the left of me and there is this young man maybe 16 or 17, and He reclined back some in his seat, cap to the side, and nodding his head to the beat of his heavy base music.

I look in my rearview mirror and see a car full of college kids, dancing and singing to what looks like some rock n' roll. 

This made me think of all the things we sing to on the radio.  Its fun... it passes the time... its entertainment... here is the challenge... have you ever sang a song directly to someone with the words ment actually for them, or a song where when you sang it, you meant what you said?  This hit me one day when I was cleaning my house and playing some 80's music, and Michael Jackson's song "Man in the Mirror" started playing, as I was cleaning I started singing the words to it and yes...sure enough I came across a mirror (perfect timing I know :D ) and realized the realness of this song...and I thought twice about the words I was singing.  I ment what I was singing.

Now here is another challenge:  If you have ever attended a church, or go regularly, or have sang a song in your car where it is about God, have you ever focused on singing that straight to the VERY CREATOR HIMSELF...the God of the universe and the One Who shaped your very being?  Its gets personal really quick. 

I haven't alway gone to church my whole life... but when I started going, and I understood what it was to have a personal relationship with the Lord, my understanding of "HYMNS" and other "church songs" gained a whole other meaning.  One song that is old but very special to my heart is the song "I EXALT THEE".. you should look up those words and sing that personally to HIM... its beautiful.

So the ultimate challenge is:  when you sing a song... think about the audience its directed towards and then sing it in a whole new light.  I leave you with the "Man in the Mirror"

Rob Bell, Francis Chan, and the rest of them

There is a man named Rob Bell who is a pastor at Mars Hill Church in Michigan.  He has come out with many books and has taught in a short film format called NOOMA.  I have seen some of his NOOMA videos and they are pretty good... they capture your attention from a different perspective.

Well not too long ago, He came out with a book called "Love Wins", it raised big contraversy amungst "believers" and "non-believers".  His topic was the issue of Hell, and if there really is one.  His topic was also with the idea that God will take everyone in the "end" even if they reject him. 

This was a reality hit for me that I can't just go to a store pick up a book and trust that it is right.  Most of the time, if we really admit it, there have been times we put our guard down and read something with full trust that it is correct.  Spite the comments from the masses concerning his book "Love Wins", I decided to read it myself and make my own decision instead of the crowd making it for me.


So I started to read, and there was a bump in the road that kept me from speeding through it.  Bell's demeaner was very arrogant, rebellious, and confusing (might I remind you that I still love many of his lessons that I have encountered).  I had to stop many times and research what he was writing, and finding out some things referenced were not correct, though he does pose some good challenging  questions. But his attitude towards the more concservative side of "believers" was like a smack in the face.  Thats when I lost all respect.  I say, if he wants to "win" me over with his book, his choice of words have to persuade me, not leave a bad taste in my mouth. And with that, I still think its okay to be BLUNT and REAL, but as the saying goes, "you can catch more flies with honey, than with vinagar"

Putting aside the manners of his book, He starts to dig into some good topics, but doesn't get anywhere with a conclusion or get a point across.  He leaves you confused.  Honestly I could go on about his book for a while, but that is not what I'm trying to bring home.

I'm trying to point out that we can't put our trust in every author's book.  REALITY CHECK:  they are just as human as you, and just as human as me... not perfect, full of mistakes, sometimes full of ourselves, sometimes thinking we are without fault, and our nature is to always have our own 2 cents to put into a topic or conversation.

Francis Chan has just this past week came out with a book called, "Erasing Hell", to argue against some ideas that Rob Bell has put out there.  I have not read it yet, but I recommend you maybe reading both and pray for WISDOM when "ideas", "issues", "concerns" come to your thoughts and trouble your belief. 

In all things (including, reading books) Seek the Lord with all your heart, ask for His wisdom and He shall give it to you.