Monday, May 19, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
I'm an Aunt!
Monday, May 12, 2008
Heavy Heart
Today, my heart is heavy for many situations...
Myanmar: The tragedy of many killed, injured, left without food, shelter or medical care with a government unable to provide the necessary care and unwilling to accept help... My sister-in-law spent about three months teaching English in an orphanage in Myanmar in 2006. Praise God the orphanage and its occupants were unharmed! She and my brother are terribly burdened for this area and the government's lack of response to the needs of their people.
Joplin and other tornado-hit areas of the weekend: Many tornado victims. One I know of first-hand was reported to me by a friend of mine who attends Forrest Avenue Baptist Church in Joplin. Their interim music minister, his wife, his 12-year-old son, and his mother-in-law were killed when the storm picked up their SUV and flipped it. They have a surviving daughter, a sophomore in college, who was not with the family at the time. Please pray for Kali, who lost her entire immediate family in a single blow.
China: Today's earthquake's death toll is already in the 8,000's. Per my last blog, Josh is heading to China in less than a month. He already knows several people there, and we pray for their safety and for the Chinese Christians and missionaries to minister God's love and grace, praying such tragedy will open hearts that have previously been closed to the Gospel.
In all these tragedies, my heart is heavy for the thousands who have slipped into eternity without so much as hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ. I have to admit my first response to hearing of the China earthquake was fear and a harder grip on my son. But, as I have processed it, though there is still an element of fear and the whole aspect of missing him, I fervently pray that God will use him to show many Chinese the way to Christ while he is there. My friend, we are not guaranteed even one more breath in this life. We do not know what the next moment will bring. Those thoughts that fill our days are largely centered on things that will not matter outside of time. What of the eternal state of those who meet such unexpected death? What of those who have pursued earthly endeavors with fervor, who have perhaps sought out knowledge of things big or small, only to wake up in eternity to find they missed the most important Truth? What about we who have have this Treasure in earthen vessels and somehow don't let the glorious Gospel shine upon this world? Dear God, by your grace alone please burden us and empower us to shine your Light brightly to this lost and dying world! We are completely incapable and powerless to do so without You. You have demonstrated Your power in nature in amazing ways of late! I pray for a demonstration of Your power to save such as we have never experienced before. Use me, God. Use all of your children. Make us willing givers of your glorious Gospel!
Friday, May 9, 2008
Letting Go
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Perspective
A sermon I heard Sunday put a bit of a different perspective on familiar truths. The perspective was not so radical that anyone could take issue with it, but it is, I believe, potentially life changing. I am convinced, that though many Christians believe salvation and "big" things we do for God are through His grace and power alone, we do not exercise that same belief in daily living and "Christian disciplines". Isn't it my responsibility to be disciplined enough to read and pray daily? Isn't it my responsibility to walk through the mundane things in my life in a Christ-like manner? No! ALL of life is by grace through faith. It is God who works in us BOTH to will and to do what He calls us to do. What did He call us to do? Follow Him. Follow Him to my Bible. Follow Him to His Throne of Grace. Follow Him to my kitchen, to work, to my laundry room, to my school books, to my "taxi" job, to the grocery store, to the dance studio, to my lawnmower, to the books I read, to the conversations I have, to my interactions with my family, to my ministries at church. That's it. It's that simple. Follow Him. The preacher said it like this, "Stop trying to be something and let God make you into what you can never be." Yes, I need those "Christian disciplines" in my life -- praying, reading my Bible, fasting, etc. But, I will fail miserably if I try to do them by my own will. I'll either fail by not following through with those good intentions and/or fail to experience the joy of God-empowered daily living. In place of joy will likely be disappointment -- in myself and/or in God because I did everything I was "supposed" to do but... The whole thing, all of life from salvation to eternity is by grace through faith. What beautiful freedom we have to enjoy life more abundantly! I'm responsible for only one thing -- Follow Christ.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Quirky Tag
I've been tagged by Amanda. I'll play along, but this will take some thought. Six unspectacular quirky things about myself...
1. I have a hard time sitting still. In fact, that is the most challenging thing about my job as a medical transcriptionist.
2. I find it difficult to pray when I am not moving. This is NOT related to number one. A few years ago I found that the best time to pray is when I'm out walking or jogging early in the morning -- can't fall asleep and/or get interrupted. The drawback is on those rare occasions the weather does not cooperate, I have to walk around in my house or on my covered patio while I pray in order to concentrate. Hmm, maybe it is related to number one...
3. I have a "black thumb of death" rather than a green thumb when it comes to growing things, which is a real bummer as I love flowers, fresh veggies, etc.
4. I have an eye phobia. I fear being poked in the eyes. I have no idea where this phobia came from, but I could definitely be goggle queen!
5. I'm not good with toenails -- especially on other adults. I don't like someone else to manicure my toenails, and I don't like to do someone else's toenails -- especially the clipping part. Polishing isn't so bad.
6. I have overcome my fear of spiders, thanks to my children. I have grown from having dreams of spider-covered hallway walls and taking literally days to move an encyclopedia off a recently crushed spider to killing them with my bare hands! Oh yeah, I am spider woman!
Here are the rules:
* Link the person who tagged you
* Mention the rules in your blog
* Tell about six unspectacular quirks of yours
* Tag six following bloggers by linking them
* Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged
Uh, I'm going to have to explore the world of blogging to come up with six bloggers. I'm sort of a loner in the blogging world at this point. I'll work on that one as time allows. If anyone has suggestions of who I can tag, please do pass them along. Those of you who are just readers and not bloggers -- get a blog and play tag with me! :o) Sadly, my blogging exploration time is fairly limited until school's out, so until June...




