This is something that we all need to be reminded of from time to time. I love this video and come back to it often. Piper hits it dead on the nose. God is glorified when we are most satisfied in HIM...not health, wealth, prosperity, etc... The Gospel has been tainted by churches and preachers who feed this message to millions across the globe - that is terrifying to think about.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
School is coming to a close
Wow, the boyos have one more week (well, technically they just have Tues-Thurs...) of school and then they are free for the summer. For the J-Man, he will not only be free for the summer, but will be free of high school altogether! WOW. I know I probably sound somewhat like a broken record lately, but seriously, how is it that time can fly so quickly?
It feels like just yesterday that the three of us were gallivanting around the old farm house in IN collecting moss, tracking raccoons and gophers, and running through the corn fields. Or running around the cotton fields in south TX and hoarding random rusted out pieces of farm machinery and old nuts and bolts in our water tower fort. {yes, you read that correctly, be jealous} Not to mention our adventures in Panama...monkeys, red squirrels, hiking through the rainforest, pipa, making awesome "independent films" with Seaner. Ah...memories.
And now it's off to this production for J-Man or that concert for Fariz (aka: C-Fizzle, haha, I love my brothers)...band camps and comps, theatre camps and comps...etc, etc. CrAzY! When did they grow up?!
It's one thing to cope with Fariz closing out his sophomore year, but it's another to cope with J-Man's high school graduation. I mean, really...he's still 5yrs old, promise. But they both really are growing up and I need to suck it up and accept it and embrace it. I am so beyond proud of them - if you can't tell. From the time they were itty-bitty they have both been go-getters. Timid at times, but always outgoing. They have dabbled in sports and the arts, and are both superb students. I absolutely cannot wait to see where their lives take them. At this point they both want to further their studies in theatre and band, independently. I'm excited to see what that looks like for them.
I'm all nostalgic because last night was C-Fizzle's last concert of the school year (with the exception of graduation, but that doesn't exactly count...it's not as fancy as his jazz band concerts)...and possibly the last concert of his I will see for quite some time - thanks, Frozen Tundra. {bitter-sweet} And the Wee Ones had all of their banquets and award ceremonies last week and this week, and I'm pretty sure I've cried at every one of them...especially J-Man's theatre banquet - blast the emotions that come with the close of senior years!!!
And, I love these kids' friends - they are just fun, and I feel like most of them would have been people I would have been friends with in high school. They are just neat bunches of kids. And all extremely talented in one way or another.
So very, very proud of you kiddos. Keep up the good work!
Fariz's Band Banquet
Shalom!
~MW
It feels like just yesterday that the three of us were gallivanting around the old farm house in IN collecting moss, tracking raccoons and gophers, and running through the corn fields. Or running around the cotton fields in south TX and hoarding random rusted out pieces of farm machinery and old nuts and bolts in our water tower fort. {yes, you read that correctly, be jealous} Not to mention our adventures in Panama...monkeys, red squirrels, hiking through the rainforest, pipa, making awesome "independent films" with Seaner. Ah...memories.
And now it's off to this production for J-Man or that concert for Fariz (aka: C-Fizzle, haha, I love my brothers)...band camps and comps, theatre camps and comps...etc, etc. CrAzY! When did they grow up?!
It's one thing to cope with Fariz closing out his sophomore year, but it's another to cope with J-Man's high school graduation. I mean, really...he's still 5yrs old, promise. But they both really are growing up and I need to suck it up and accept it and embrace it. I am so beyond proud of them - if you can't tell. From the time they were itty-bitty they have both been go-getters. Timid at times, but always outgoing. They have dabbled in sports and the arts, and are both superb students. I absolutely cannot wait to see where their lives take them. At this point they both want to further their studies in theatre and band, independently. I'm excited to see what that looks like for them.
I'm all nostalgic because last night was C-Fizzle's last concert of the school year (with the exception of graduation, but that doesn't exactly count...it's not as fancy as his jazz band concerts)...and possibly the last concert of his I will see for quite some time - thanks, Frozen Tundra. {bitter-sweet} And the Wee Ones had all of their banquets and award ceremonies last week and this week, and I'm pretty sure I've cried at every one of them...especially J-Man's theatre banquet - blast the emotions that come with the close of senior years!!!
And, I love these kids' friends - they are just fun, and I feel like most of them would have been people I would have been friends with in high school. They are just neat bunches of kids. And all extremely talented in one way or another.
So very, very proud of you kiddos. Keep up the good work!
Fariz's Band Banquet
J-Man's Theatre Banquet
Shalom!
~MW
Monday, May 24, 2010
Quick & Healthy Foodz...in an ebook?!
Yes! It's true! This little ebook has all kinds of recipes that are easy on-the-go and GOOD FOR YOU snacks!
And, guess what?! There are currently TWO giveaways for it. TWO!!
Check out these two ladies' blogs and enter their giveaways for your chance to win a "copy" of the book for free!
Simple Organic - Healthy Snacks to Go Giveaway
Passionate Homemaking - Healthy Snacks to Go Giveaway
Best of luck to you, readers!
Shalom!
~MW
And, guess what?! There are currently TWO giveaways for it. TWO!!
Check out these two ladies' blogs and enter their giveaways for your chance to win a "copy" of the book for free!
Simple Organic - Healthy Snacks to Go Giveaway
Passionate Homemaking - Healthy Snacks to Go Giveaway
Best of luck to you, readers!
Shalom!
~MW
Ta-da!
Well, I am calling it done. What do you think of the new layout? It isn't perfect, but I like it and I've tweaked it for far too long, now. I owe a big thanks to the Background Fairy for providing the foundational work for my new digs. She's awesome! Wonderful work and is quite helpful, as well. Hope you all like it - it's a bit more pleasing to the eyes than my previous layout, I think; less of a strain on the eyes :)
Legit post to come later on tonight or else tomorrow...
Shalom!
~MW
Legit post to come later on tonight or else tomorrow...
Shalom!
~MW
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
5 simple minutes...
In my blog-stalkings of today I was reading through the Hendrick's latest updates and Heather posted this David Platt video that I think we would all be wise to watch and digest and maybe watch again...it's things we all know about or have at least heard something about in the passings of our day to day lives, but how many of us really stop to think about how the way we live here in America truly impacts the world...? Just something to think about. Here's the video:
Shalom,
~MW
Next Five Minutes from David Platt on Vimeo.
Shalom,
~MW
Thursday, May 20, 2010
My love affair with HONEY...
Yes, it's true...I am involved in a serious love affair with honey. Are you aware of how wonderful this stuff is?? And, let's be clear here, I am not referring to the honey most of us find in our everyday grocery stores...that stuff has been so overcooked and "sanitized" to the point that it no longer possesses the precious elixirs it has naturally. No, I'm talking about that delectably delicious, gorgeous raw, unprocessed, local honey that you can get in some grocery stores, but will mostly find at your farmer's markets or places like Whole Foods.
I've always been a fan of using honey as a natural allergies queller, but I'm not so good at being diligent when it comes to that 1-2tbs a day ritual...you would think it wouldn't be difficult to remember to lap up that yummy goodness every day...but, alas, I generally forget to do it half the time - we'll see how bad allergies end up being for me in the Frozen Tundra :]
But here is where I have fallen head-over-heels, get ready for this one, kids:
Honey makes the best face mask eVeR!
I'm just sayin'....
So listen to this: You take a couple tablespoons of honey and add 3 or so tablespoons of cinnamon to it...aaaand then add a couple tablespoons of nutmeg to that and you have a recipe for the most divine, soothing, skin perfecting face mask on the face of the planet. Spread that amazing mixture all over your face and then sit back and relax for 30min to an hour...amazing. (Some people like to leave this on over night, in which case you can stick some toilet paper to your face so the honey doesn't get all over everything. I haven't done this, 'cause, with my luck, I'll still get it all over my pillow and sheets or something.)
This is my little nightly ritual of awesome:
I will say one thing, though: I would test this out before covering your face with it. Some people can have an allergic reaction to one or all of the ingredients...I didn't/don't, but I'm not allergic to any of those ingredients on any level. If you are uncertain how you will react and don't want to risk some sort of reaction just test it out somewhere inconspicuous and see what happens.
This particular recipe is great for soothing acne-prone/scarred skin...I have noticed a serious difference after going through this ritual regularly (I've missed a few days here and there, but this week I've been totally on the ball!). My skin is much smoother, my skin hardly seems to get oily anymore (WHOOP!), acne is chilling the heck out (finally!), and my skin just looks and feels healthier in general.
I'm a huge fan.
Back to my love of honey for a sec before I close: there are all kinds of recipes you can use for different needs you might have. One article that has some good stuff is this one if you're interested in trying something else. You can put oatmeal in it, eggs, lemon, whatever your facial needs are, pretty much.
Yeps, so there you have it...I'm in love with honey. I think this relationship will be long-lasting.
And with that, I'm off.
Shalom!
~MW
So listen to this: You take a couple tablespoons of honey and add 3 or so tablespoons of cinnamon to it...aaaand then add a couple tablespoons of nutmeg to that and you have a recipe for the most divine, soothing, skin perfecting face mask on the face of the planet. Spread that amazing mixture all over your face and then sit back and relax for 30min to an hour...amazing. (Some people like to leave this on over night, in which case you can stick some toilet paper to your face so the honey doesn't get all over everything. I haven't done this, 'cause, with my luck, I'll still get it all over my pillow and sheets or something.)
This is my little nightly ritual of awesome:
- Wash my face using the OCM, which I love as well.
- Follow that up with a nice little exfoliating sugar scrub (every few days). This is just a simple blend of granulated sugar and brown sugar; pour a little onto your fingertips add a touch of water and gently massage it around your face...niiiice.
- Now that my face is all clean and my pores are nice and open I slather my honey mask all over the place (yes, it is messy but so worth it)...and laughing promptly ensues as that orange-ish-brown face that I end up with always looks funny. Small price to pay ;)
- Finally, I brew myself a little mug of tea, usually chamomile or some other soothing brew and sit back with a book and settle down for the night.
- 30min to an hour later (depending on how tired I am, but never less than 30min) I rinse it off with warm water and follow that up with a splash or two of cold water to close up my pores for the night.
I will say one thing, though: I would test this out before covering your face with it. Some people can have an allergic reaction to one or all of the ingredients...I didn't/don't, but I'm not allergic to any of those ingredients on any level. If you are uncertain how you will react and don't want to risk some sort of reaction just test it out somewhere inconspicuous and see what happens.
This particular recipe is great for soothing acne-prone/scarred skin...I have noticed a serious difference after going through this ritual regularly (I've missed a few days here and there, but this week I've been totally on the ball!). My skin is much smoother, my skin hardly seems to get oily anymore (WHOOP!), acne is chilling the heck out (finally!), and my skin just looks and feels healthier in general.
I'm a huge fan.
Back to my love of honey for a sec before I close: there are all kinds of recipes you can use for different needs you might have. One article that has some good stuff is this one if you're interested in trying something else. You can put oatmeal in it, eggs, lemon, whatever your facial needs are, pretty much.
Yeps, so there you have it...I'm in love with honey. I think this relationship will be long-lasting.
And with that, I'm off.
Shalom!
~MW
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Teacups
Along the lines of my last post, I wanted to share this little story with y'all. It's something that was shared with a group of women at my church here, at the close of a month long daily Bible study that we did individually, but together. We closed out the month with a tea party up at the church - it was a sweet time of fellowship with the ladies. But, here's the story - I thought it was really sweet and a beautiful expression of the refining process we go through as daughters of the King.
The Teacup Story - By Joyce Meyer:
A couple went into an antique shop and saw this BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL MAGNIFICENT little tea cup sitting high up on a shelf. And they just fell in love with that tea cup. They said,” We have got to have that teacup!” They were admiring the teacup – all of a sudden the teacup began to talk to them.
It said, " You know, I have not been always like this! There was a time when nobody would have wanted me. There was a time when I was not attractive at all. You see there was a time in my life when I was just an old, hard, gray lump of clay. And the master potter came along and he picked me up one day and he began to pat me and reshape me; and I said,” STOP IT! What are you doing? That HURTS! Ahhh, LEAVE ME ALONE!’ and he simply looked at me and said,”Not yet!”
And then he put me on this wheel and he began to spin me around, and around and around! And I got so dizzy and could hardly see where I was going anymore! I was losing it! Everything was spinning around and around and I felt sick to my stomach. And I said; “LET ME OFF HERE!” and he said: “ Not yet!”.
Finally, the day came when I had taken on another shape. All of that spinning around finally gave me another shape. All of that patting and molding and squeezing and pinching gave me another shape. And all of a sudden – he put me into this FURNACE! It is called the first firing. And ‘twas SO HOT in there! Oh, I could not believe how hot it was. I thought, " I can’t stand this! I’m going to DIE in here! ‘GET ME OUT OF HERE!!! Don’t you love me??(Crying.) Why are you leaving me in here?’ You see, the oven door had glass in it and the master would just look in his eyes AND HE WOULDN’T LET ME OUT!! But he would just smile at me and say, ‘ Not yet!!
FINALLY, the oven door opened and he took me out – set me on a shelf and I thought, ‘Whew! Thank God that is over!’. Then he began to paint me all over with this stinky paint! Changing my color from gray to this pretty blue that I am now! And I said: ‘This stuff STINKS! It is choking me!(coughing) I don’t like this smell! STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!’ He would just say: ‘Not yet!’.
Then he put me back in a SECOND oven. It is called the second firing, and ‘twas TWICE as hot as the first oven! And I thought, ‘Now, I will DIE in here for sure! This is the end of me. This will finish me off! GET MW OUT OF HERE! I CAN’T STAND IT! I CAN’T STAND IT! Really – I am telling you – I can’t stand it! This is going to kill me ! GET ME OUT OF HERE!’ And he would just look through that glass and say: ‘Not yet!’
Then one day the door finally opened – he took me out and he put me up here on this shelf to let me cool off. After I cooled off, one day he came by and he handed me this mirror and I looked at myself and I could not believe how BEAUTIFUL I was! I could not BELIEVE how I have CHANGED! Why, I did not look anything at all like that old gray clay that I started out to be!
Now, I am this beautiful, little, delicate teacup! And EVERYBODY wants me now! But there was a time in my life when NOBODY wanted me; NOBODY liked me; NOBODY paid any attention to me! They just kicked me around; walked on me.
But now – I AM SPECIAL! But I WASN’T ALWAYS this way!”
That's all for now.
Shalom & Blessings!
~MW
Saturday, May 15, 2010
...Sigh...
...Following Jesus is really hard.
...He makes me do a lot of things I selfishly do not want to do.
...He shows me things about myself I would much rather remain ignorant to.
...And then He turns around and wraps me in His mighty arms and reminds me that He still and will always love me, in-spite of me and my innumerable shortcomings.
...Hallelujah...what a Savior.
--Lately my Heavenly Daddy has been doing some serious breaking and remolding in me. And, to be completely honest, it really hurts. A lot. {Not to be confused with the alot.}
--When God shatters the "perfect little world" you have allowed yourself to be deceived into believing exists, there's a lot of really loud sounds as walls come crashing down, shelves fly off the walls, every last trinket that once sat prettily arranged on those shelves shatters into millions of pieces, buildings go up in smoke while red and embery-orange tongues of fire lap at that blackest of night skies while you stand in total and complete disbelief and eventually end up crumpling to the ground in a heap of brokenness, confusion, pain, loss, disappointment, anger...utterly heart-broken. And that's just the external part of it all...once He starts working on you the pain multiplies at an exponential rate, as your spirit is wrenched from the grips of your carnal flesh, and you beg for mercy. Only to discover that this pain is the mercy...
--When God says it's time to cut the crap He means it and He's not going to let you get away with anything...and that is beautiful.
--How is it that something so graphically horrid can be beautiful? Because God doesn't leave that scene of endless rubble in that state. He doesn't leave your spirit broken and seeping.
--He very carefully, deliberately, and lovingly starts to clean up the mess He had to make of you so He can start planting, building, and growing the things He wants to see in your life and knows are absolutely best for you.
--He tenderly, yet firmly, sets those broken bones and bandages those seeping wounds, soothing them with the salve of His precious blood.
--He heals your broken world and broken spirit.
--He renews it.
--He remolds it.
--He makes everything absolutely beautiful.
This has been my life over the last 5-6 months...He warned me it was coming about 10 months ago, but I put up quite a fight. I knew it was going to be painful. And, even with my high pain threshold, I didn't want to experience it. I thought I could maybe just make a few adjustments here and there and make it all look like I was lining up with what God wanted for me...why/how I thought I could ever pull a fast one on my all-knowing Father, I have no idea - yay humanity... Well, needless to say, I did not succeed. Shocked, anyone? Yeah...I really wasn't either.
Two big things God has been teaching me about and rewiring in me: (1) HE IS ENOUGH. (2) IF HE SAYS "GO"...YOU GO.
1. He is enough.
With this one it was an issue of me wanting to be at a stage of my life that God does not want me in right now. While I may be ready to start a family, God told me, "No." Boo. It was a difficult yet peaceful realization to come to. In my heart I felt one thing and when that question was raised and finally answered my will did not align with God's. So...I took that answer, laid myself humbly before my God and let Him break me. Wow...such beautiful lessons He has taught me. Some excruciatingly painful, but so beautiful in the finished product. I've started working through Jackie Kendall & Debby Jones' Lady in Waiting with another sister, and the things God has been showing me in working through this amazingly honest study are mind-numbing. This is the second time I've gone through this book, and it's like I never read it the first time through.
God has told me point blank that right now I am single. I don't like it...but I accept it, and I'm actually quite excited to see why I am single right now. He told me that He needs me right now...all of me. Scary!! In recklessly abandoning yourself to God you open the door for Him to move in your life in ways that you could never imagine - and, it can be really scary when you look at it all on earthly terms...I mean, terrifying. I don't know what He's planning (er...already has planned...He's God!!) or what He is going to do with me, but I cannot wait to know! Ah, patience...that's another lesson He's been teaching me the last 5 months, haha. Neat.
2. If He says "Go"...You go...
...Geesh...this one has been hard, too - even more so, I think. He's making me go to the frozen tundra. Yes, I want to go.
...But I've been realizing more and more that this is not going to be a breeze of a move for me. I thought I was kind of numb to the whole process of picking up my shallowly planted roots and setting them down some place else after having moved about 9 times over the course of my life...
...But then I realized something: I finally invested myself in a community. That's not to say that I wasn't busy as a bee in all the other places I have lived, but I have truly invested myself in a family here in CS.
...Leaving Living Hope is going to be one of the most difficult things I have ever done...I mean, I think I have worshiped here as much as, if not more than, I have been worshiping at home this semester, and home is three hours away. Desperate to stay much??
...The relationships I have made here go deeper than friendship and deeper than family in many cases - this is the family of God and those ties are not broken easily.
...I don't want to find another church...
...I don't want to find another church family...
...I want to take this one with me.
...I'm frustrated with God for not calling me to go to grad school at A&M. He put me at Living Hope for a reason almost a year and a half ago and now He's ripping me away from them. Why?? It doesn't seem fair. But I have comfort in knowing that He would never do anything that won't lead to bettering me and my walk with Him.
...It's exciting to move off to a new place...I mean, let's face it, the frozen tundra is pretty much a foreign country...and move into a new home (complete with kitty and new puppy...and the bugs too!) and start a new life; meet new people and experience new things...the list goes on.
...But when you find, for the first time in 16 or so years, a community that strives to live as Christ would, holds one another accountable in love, pours into one another, lives as a family with nearly unfailing love (I mean, we're human...things happen) it's hard to imagine ever finding that anywhere else.
...I'm afraid I won't be able to find sisters and brothers who will challenge me in my faith like my brothers and sisters do here.
...I'm afraid I won't find older believers who will impart wisdom and teach like the older believers do here.
...I'm afraid I won't find a place with younger/newer believers who I can pour into and encourage like I have here...
...I'm afraid of leaving the comforts of the Bible-belt. I mean, if we are really honest it's insanely easy to be a Christian in the South - it's pretty much politically correct for goodness' sake!
...I'm afraid of the inevitable heightened persecution (especially in the world of science). I'm afraid I'll deny my God before men... This is going to be a severe test of my faith and devotion to my God. My precious, unfailing, mighty, everlasting God! How can I even imagine denying Him when I know all of that about Him?! I have denied Him even here...
...But, I will go.
...He is with me and He is for me. I'm so thankful for Chris Tomlin's new reminder of that beautiful Scripture with his new song Our God, it makes it so much easier for me to remember things when they are set to music!
...Suffering is inevitable (Philippians 1:29, 2 Timothy 3:12, 1 Peter 2:21, etc...), but endurance comes from suffering...as long as I rest in the Lord nothing will be unbearable, but rather I am looking forward to rejoicing in all things!
I've been extremely conflicted lately. I've allowed the Enemy to weasel his way into my mind and I've allowed him to deceive me.
I've knowingly believed his lies...why do we do this to ourselves?! Why do we allow ourselves to believe Satan when we know he is feeding us lies dripping with poison?!
I hate being human.
Come, Lord Jesus!
I've allowed myself to believe Satan's lies about my personal worth, about God's mightiness and provision...allowing Satan to enter in definitely makes it more difficult to willingly and joyfully follow God's commands and call.
This song, By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North (along with Healing Begins), is another sweet reminder to my soul right now: no matter how much I might forget that God is in control and so try to do things on my own He will always love me and always be by my side:
Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away
Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run
And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you
Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life
Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go
...Sigh...
God never ceases to amaze me. Even in all of my uncertainties and pain right now He has placed my spirit in an amazing state of peace. It's been mind blowing to begin to understand the difference between what I feel in my flesh and what I feel in my spirit - they are worlds apart and so often conflicting, which can be confusing, but therein lies the beauty of resting in God's powerful hands. He's still refining me...I promise He is nowhere near being done...I'm still bleeding too much, fires are still smoldering, debris is still scattered...but new life is growing, foundations are being laid, wounds are beginning to heal, bones are beginning to re-grow. It's painfully beautiful. {Whatever You're Doing = my anthem (I know...I have a lot of those right now)...thank you Sanctus Real!!} I'm still broken, but I'm being re-built God-times stronger. Glory!
And with that I will close. Be blessed in our Savior.
Shalom,
~MW
...He makes me do a lot of things I selfishly do not want to do.
...He shows me things about myself I would much rather remain ignorant to.
...And then He turns around and wraps me in His mighty arms and reminds me that He still and will always love me, in-spite of me and my innumerable shortcomings.
...Hallelujah...what a Savior.
--Lately my Heavenly Daddy has been doing some serious breaking and remolding in me. And, to be completely honest, it really hurts. A lot. {Not to be confused with the alot.}
--When God shatters the "perfect little world" you have allowed yourself to be deceived into believing exists, there's a lot of really loud sounds as walls come crashing down, shelves fly off the walls, every last trinket that once sat prettily arranged on those shelves shatters into millions of pieces, buildings go up in smoke while red and embery-orange tongues of fire lap at that blackest of night skies while you stand in total and complete disbelief and eventually end up crumpling to the ground in a heap of brokenness, confusion, pain, loss, disappointment, anger...utterly heart-broken. And that's just the external part of it all...once He starts working on you the pain multiplies at an exponential rate, as your spirit is wrenched from the grips of your carnal flesh, and you beg for mercy. Only to discover that this pain is the mercy...
--When God says it's time to cut the crap He means it and He's not going to let you get away with anything...and that is beautiful.
--How is it that something so graphically horrid can be beautiful? Because God doesn't leave that scene of endless rubble in that state. He doesn't leave your spirit broken and seeping.
--He very carefully, deliberately, and lovingly starts to clean up the mess He had to make of you so He can start planting, building, and growing the things He wants to see in your life and knows are absolutely best for you.
--He tenderly, yet firmly, sets those broken bones and bandages those seeping wounds, soothing them with the salve of His precious blood.
--He heals your broken world and broken spirit.
--He renews it.
--He remolds it.
--He makes everything absolutely beautiful.
This has been my life over the last 5-6 months...He warned me it was coming about 10 months ago, but I put up quite a fight. I knew it was going to be painful. And, even with my high pain threshold, I didn't want to experience it. I thought I could maybe just make a few adjustments here and there and make it all look like I was lining up with what God wanted for me...why/how I thought I could ever pull a fast one on my all-knowing Father, I have no idea - yay humanity... Well, needless to say, I did not succeed. Shocked, anyone? Yeah...I really wasn't either.
Two big things God has been teaching me about and rewiring in me: (1) HE IS ENOUGH. (2) IF HE SAYS "GO"...YOU GO.
1. He is enough.
With this one it was an issue of me wanting to be at a stage of my life that God does not want me in right now. While I may be ready to start a family, God told me, "No." Boo. It was a difficult yet peaceful realization to come to. In my heart I felt one thing and when that question was raised and finally answered my will did not align with God's. So...I took that answer, laid myself humbly before my God and let Him break me. Wow...such beautiful lessons He has taught me. Some excruciatingly painful, but so beautiful in the finished product. I've started working through Jackie Kendall & Debby Jones' Lady in Waiting with another sister, and the things God has been showing me in working through this amazingly honest study are mind-numbing. This is the second time I've gone through this book, and it's like I never read it the first time through.
- My ultimate fulfillment will not be found in marriage.
- Ultimate fulfillment comes in following Christ with reckless abandonment...ho, this looks legitimately insane at times...
- I will receive His terms without resentment.
- Faith cannot be a lifeless ritual - it must be a vital love relationship with Jesus.
- Incompleteness is not the result of being single, but of not being full of Jesus.
- I can never complete another: we were not created to complete another, but to complement. Completion is Jesus' responsibility and complementing is a woman's privilege. I have absolutely loved coming to this realization. We are bombarded with the idea that, even in a society where women are more and more "independent," we won't be complete until we are married and have children (most recent case-in-point The Backup Plan). Thank you, Hollywood... This is SO far off base. If we think we will find completion and fulfillment in our spouse we are setting ourselves up for failure - we are being totally and completely unfair to our spouses by expecting them to fill every last emptiness in our beings. How can one person ever do that?! Living under this false pretense leads to nothing but a strained and broken marriage as husbands and wives drain and exhaust one another. GOD COMPLETES, WE COMPLEMENT. What a relief!!!
- I need to courageously determine to pursue Jesus with my whole heart, soul, and mind - I need to establish a radical relationship with Christ.
God has told me point blank that right now I am single. I don't like it...but I accept it, and I'm actually quite excited to see why I am single right now. He told me that He needs me right now...all of me. Scary!! In recklessly abandoning yourself to God you open the door for Him to move in your life in ways that you could never imagine - and, it can be really scary when you look at it all on earthly terms...I mean, terrifying. I don't know what He's planning (er...already has planned...He's God!!) or what He is going to do with me, but I cannot wait to know! Ah, patience...that's another lesson He's been teaching me the last 5 months, haha. Neat.
2. If He says "Go"...You go...
...Geesh...this one has been hard, too - even more so, I think. He's making me go to the frozen tundra. Yes, I want to go.
...But I've been realizing more and more that this is not going to be a breeze of a move for me. I thought I was kind of numb to the whole process of picking up my shallowly planted roots and setting them down some place else after having moved about 9 times over the course of my life...
...But then I realized something: I finally invested myself in a community. That's not to say that I wasn't busy as a bee in all the other places I have lived, but I have truly invested myself in a family here in CS.
...Leaving Living Hope is going to be one of the most difficult things I have ever done...I mean, I think I have worshiped here as much as, if not more than, I have been worshiping at home this semester, and home is three hours away. Desperate to stay much??
...The relationships I have made here go deeper than friendship and deeper than family in many cases - this is the family of God and those ties are not broken easily.
...I don't want to find another church...
...I don't want to find another church family...
...I want to take this one with me.
...I'm frustrated with God for not calling me to go to grad school at A&M. He put me at Living Hope for a reason almost a year and a half ago and now He's ripping me away from them. Why?? It doesn't seem fair. But I have comfort in knowing that He would never do anything that won't lead to bettering me and my walk with Him.
...It's exciting to move off to a new place...I mean, let's face it, the frozen tundra is pretty much a foreign country...and move into a new home (complete with kitty and new puppy...and the bugs too!) and start a new life; meet new people and experience new things...the list goes on.
...But when you find, for the first time in 16 or so years, a community that strives to live as Christ would, holds one another accountable in love, pours into one another, lives as a family with nearly unfailing love (I mean, we're human...things happen) it's hard to imagine ever finding that anywhere else.
...I'm afraid I won't be able to find sisters and brothers who will challenge me in my faith like my brothers and sisters do here.
...I'm afraid I won't find older believers who will impart wisdom and teach like the older believers do here.
...I'm afraid I won't find a place with younger/newer believers who I can pour into and encourage like I have here...
...I'm afraid of leaving the comforts of the Bible-belt. I mean, if we are really honest it's insanely easy to be a Christian in the South - it's pretty much politically correct for goodness' sake!
...I'm afraid of the inevitable heightened persecution (especially in the world of science). I'm afraid I'll deny my God before men... This is going to be a severe test of my faith and devotion to my God. My precious, unfailing, mighty, everlasting God! How can I even imagine denying Him when I know all of that about Him?! I have denied Him even here...
...But, I will go.
...He is with me and He is for me. I'm so thankful for Chris Tomlin's new reminder of that beautiful Scripture with his new song Our God, it makes it so much easier for me to remember things when they are set to music!
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"
~Romans 8:31-32
...He definitely has me covered.~Romans 8:31-32
...Suffering is inevitable (Philippians 1:29, 2 Timothy 3:12, 1 Peter 2:21, etc...), but endurance comes from suffering...as long as I rest in the Lord nothing will be unbearable, but rather I am looking forward to rejoicing in all things!
I've been extremely conflicted lately. I've allowed the Enemy to weasel his way into my mind and I've allowed him to deceive me.
I've knowingly believed his lies...why do we do this to ourselves?! Why do we allow ourselves to believe Satan when we know he is feeding us lies dripping with poison?!
I hate being human.
Come, Lord Jesus!
I've allowed myself to believe Satan's lies about my personal worth, about God's mightiness and provision...allowing Satan to enter in definitely makes it more difficult to willingly and joyfully follow God's commands and call.
This song, By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North (along with Healing Begins), is another sweet reminder to my soul right now: no matter how much I might forget that God is in control and so try to do things on my own He will always love me and always be by my side:
Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away
Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run
And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you
Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life
Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go
...Sigh...
God never ceases to amaze me. Even in all of my uncertainties and pain right now He has placed my spirit in an amazing state of peace. It's been mind blowing to begin to understand the difference between what I feel in my flesh and what I feel in my spirit - they are worlds apart and so often conflicting, which can be confusing, but therein lies the beauty of resting in God's powerful hands. He's still refining me...I promise He is nowhere near being done...I'm still bleeding too much, fires are still smoldering, debris is still scattered...but new life is growing, foundations are being laid, wounds are beginning to heal, bones are beginning to re-grow. It's painfully beautiful. {Whatever You're Doing = my anthem (I know...I have a lot of those right now)...thank you Sanctus Real!!} I'm still broken, but I'm being re-built God-times stronger. Glory!
And with that I will close. Be blessed in our Savior.
Shalom,
~MW
Friday, May 07, 2010
"I'm too lazy to come up with a title and actually forgot one initially...."
Hello, lovebugs.
How's life? Marvelous, I hope.
So...remember a few weeks back when I posted that huge long post where I talked about a buuunch of stuffs, including my ventures to Town Talk and a quick brush-over on fair trade vs. ethical trade? Well, if not, you can refresh your memory here. My amazing big brother who is much more well-versed in these topics than I am gave a little more insight into Celestial Seasonings as a company. Here's what he had to say (very good to know):
Let's see, what else is there to say...
OH! The J-Man did an outstanding job opening night of Anybody Out There? The kid was pulled into the show last minute and had a week to learn an entire role...he's awesome...just sayin'. The entire show was a hit, but my did that thief steal the show?! (It's funny cause he played a thief...hahaha...ok, I'll stop now) All the kiddos did a great job. I love that they all know me now and always come see how I liked the show or if they see me before the show starts come say how excited they are that I'm there to watch it and hope I enjoy the show - they -- are -- awesome! I also get lots of hugs from them, which is always a plus :]
How's life? Marvelous, I hope.
So...remember a few weeks back when I posted that huge long post where I talked about a buuunch of stuffs, including my ventures to Town Talk and a quick brush-over on fair trade vs. ethical trade? Well, if not, you can refresh your memory here. My amazing big brother who is much more well-versed in these topics than I am gave a little more insight into Celestial Seasonings as a company. Here's what he had to say (very good to know):
As for celestial seasonings, it really depends on how deep you're willing to go. celestial seasonings is owned by the hain celestial group, which is a publicly traded company with majority ownership going to heinz, and other large shareholders being exxon-mobile, phillip morris, monsanto, citigroup, walmart, and lockheed martin. all of these companies are unethical. that means that every product you buy from hain celestial puts money into the pockets of big tobacco, the war industry, the (arguably) most insidious agricultural company in the world, one of the largest oil companies (environmental destuction much? talk about the opposite of stewardship...), a company responsible for the collapse of of the u.s. small business domain and the transference of work and vast sums of money out of our local economies and directly to china, and a financial institution that received enormous bailout monies (to the tune of the u.s. government covering 90% of it's losses on it's $335 billion portfolio), who's largest single shareholder is the prince of saudi arabia, and who awarded approx. 1200 employees bonuses ranging from $1 million to $10 million *EACH* after it received bailout money. on the surface celestial seasonings may seem like an ethical choice, but you don't have to dig too deeply to see some of the problems with supporting this company. but like i said, it really depends on how deep you want to go with it.So, for those of you who were wondering, there you have it - a run-down of who Celestial Seasonings is...kinda depressing, but good to know.
Let's see, what else is there to say...
OH! The J-Man did an outstanding job opening night of Anybody Out There? The kid was pulled into the show last minute and had a week to learn an entire role...he's awesome...just sayin'. The entire show was a hit, but my did that thief steal the show?! (It's funny cause he played a thief...hahaha...ok, I'll stop now) All the kiddos did a great job. I love that they all know me now and always come see how I liked the show or if they see me before the show starts come say how excited they are that I'm there to watch it and hope I enjoy the show - they -- are -- awesome! I also get lots of hugs from them, which is always a plus :]
{I'm not ridiculously proud of my little brother or anything...}
And, tomorrow, Fariz has a trumpet competition that the public is allowed to watch! Who's excited?!?! =] I'm pumped to see (er...hear??) how he does - he tells me that he has a solo in the first piece and a duet and TWO solos in the second one!! Yeah...he's kind of a big deal.
I am officially done getting all of my TB tests out of the way for the U, I sent my final transcript in, have all of my letters, now it's just a matter of filling out some final paper work and finding a place where I, BigBoy, Jakers, Little Bubba & Tevye, and Squishy (if he's still around...) can crash...that won't break the little bank of this future grad student, haha. I'm optimistic, for sure. I've found quite a few places that allow cats and doggies (the kicker on the dogs is the weight limit...Jake is not under 25lbs, hmmm...)....and the roaches and beetles....well, we just won't tell them about those dudes - they really don't need to know ;)
Nothing new on the car search front...contemplated looking at a **little** Toyota Echo, anyone familiar with them?? The estimated gas mileage is AWESOME!! We'll see, I'm taking this as slowly as possible. While poor old Cornelius is in no condition to brave the frozen tundra with me he is still running, so a "new" car is not imperative at this moment in time.
Welps...I'm hungry, so I'm outty. Lata!
Shalom,
~MW
P.S. - here's Josh's latest Man Talk post.
I am officially done getting all of my TB tests out of the way for the U, I sent my final transcript in, have all of my letters, now it's just a matter of filling out some final paper work and finding a place where I, BigBoy, Jakers, Little Bubba & Tevye, and Squishy (if he's still around...) can crash...that won't break the little bank of this future grad student, haha. I'm optimistic, for sure. I've found quite a few places that allow cats and doggies (the kicker on the dogs is the weight limit...Jake is not under 25lbs, hmmm...)....and the roaches and beetles....well, we just won't tell them about those dudes - they really don't need to know ;)
Nothing new on the car search front...contemplated looking at a **little** Toyota Echo, anyone familiar with them?? The estimated gas mileage is AWESOME!! We'll see, I'm taking this as slowly as possible. While poor old Cornelius is in no condition to brave the frozen tundra with me he is still running, so a "new" car is not imperative at this moment in time.
Welps...I'm hungry, so I'm outty. Lata!
Shalom,
~MW
P.S. - here's Josh's latest Man Talk post.
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Wata, wata...and chickens!!
Soooo sorry for the crazy long time between posts...myyyy bad. I needed a little break...and I was busy in CS all last week ;)
So, what are we going to talk about today?? Water...and some chickies.
Water
So...have you ever stopped and thought about how many plastic water bottlesyou we throw away yearly, monthly, weekly...daily?? Take a look at this article posted on MSNBC March of 2005 (you can imagine how much the numbers have changed in the last 5 years). The numbers are astounding... Sure, we use recycled plastic water bottles to make lots of stuff, but the article makes a good point when it says that, "...most bottled water is consumed away from home, usually at a park, in an office or even while driving — areas where there's usually no recycling." So true...think about it. Where are you when you usually guzzle down that "crystal clear" water? Where there isn't a recycling bin...there is an astounding number of homes that aren't equipped with recycling bins either... Problem? I'd say yes. So...what are we to do about this? Buy sturdy, long-lasting water bottles! I know, I know there is always the scare of purchasing a long-lasting plastic water bottles because of the fear of BPAs (this is also popping up in aluminum bottles)...do your research before you buy it, kids - most bottles now-a-days will tell you right on the package if they are BPA free; if you don't believe them do some digging around on the interwebs...take like 15min and check stuff out before you buy it. BUT, if you want something totally risk-free, then I'd say you are making excellent use of your time in reading through this blog post right now!! Check this out:
So, what are we going to talk about today?? Water...and some chickies.
Water
So...have you ever stopped and thought about how many plastic water bottles
Pangea Water Bottles and Klean Kanteens are both eco-friendly companies that make 18/8 food-grade stainless-steel, reusable, recyclable, sturdy water bottles!
Pangea's mission is to take profits from their water bottle sales and drill water wells in developing countries so that the people in those communities can have clean water essentially at their fingertips! They won't have to walk miles to just get some sort of water (usually dirty) allowing them to go to school, work, and so much more. Not to mention that these wells go deep so the water is clean, which means less chances of illness, which means fewer premature deaths!! What an awesome idea, yah? AND, for you Texans, it was founded right down/across/up the way in Waco by a Baylor grad - cool.
Klean Kanteen has been around for quite a while now. They started in 2004 in Chico, CA (Plug for my Chico readers!). Their story is pretty cool in that it was a group of Chicoans (what doooo you call yourselves??) putting together resources from a local hardware store to make their own eco-friendly reusable water bottles. Neat!! Their little business has absolutely exploded into a ginormous global name - while still maintaining fair labor standards that are important to the heart of their business. Props, kids, props.
Sooooo...if you're in the market for a non-earth killing water bottle (which we all should be...hello stewardship of the earth...) check these two companies ooooout! Both have great heart and ideas. Take care of our world and it's peeps, yo!
Chickens!
Now, for the chickies! So, not sure if any of you keep up with the Organic Consumers Association (you should), but they posted this video today and I had to share it:
Klean Kanteen has been around for quite a while now. They started in 2004 in Chico, CA (Plug for my Chico readers!). Their story is pretty cool in that it was a group of Chicoans (what doooo you call yourselves??) putting together resources from a local hardware store to make their own eco-friendly reusable water bottles. Neat!! Their little business has absolutely exploded into a ginormous global name - while still maintaining fair labor standards that are important to the heart of their business. Props, kids, props.
Sooooo...if you're in the market for a non-earth killing water bottle (which we all should be...hello stewardship of the earth...) check these two companies ooooout! Both have great heart and ideas. Take care of our world and it's peeps, yo!
Chickens!
Now, for the chickies! So, not sure if any of you keep up with the Organic Consumers Association (you should), but they posted this video today and I had to share it:
So yeah...think about it. Think about those chickies you are gobbling up and where they come from - remember my post referencing Josh's Food, Inc. post?? This is the same concept.
Hokay! G'night!
Shalom!
~MW
P.S. - check this out!! Crazy that buying raw milk via milk clubs could become illegal...
Hokay! G'night!
Shalom!
~MW
P.S. - check this out!! Crazy that buying raw milk via milk clubs could become illegal...
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