This weekend had its ups and downs but no matter what happens on friday and saturday, SUNDAY always makes up for it. Not only do I get to go to church but church is with the people I love the most! And this sunday I got to go up to the mountains with some of those people!
Our day started out with a delicious dinner of beef, au jus, mashed patatoes, corn on the cob, and some brownie sundays for the desert, and if a spider had not fell into my au jus during our delightful picnic I think I might have eaten a little more lol. Brian tried to help but he just squished it more and the nasty little things legs were floating around just begging to be eaten. GROSS!
I was in a weird mood all day, not because i was upset or angry, just because I was REALLY tired and when I'm tired and feel weak, for some reason I just like to lay down and listen to other people talk. So thats what I did for the most part. Although after the good news that we will hopefully hear about tomorrow if everything works out, I did perk up for a little bit lol. ::crossing fingers::
But after watching a handsome young pirate brave the fire swamp and ROUS's to save the true love of his life we decided to go for a walk. Now when I think walk I think of a 15 minute stroll down the sidewalk, but considering they dont' have sidewalks up there on the mountain it was more like a HIKE. I LOVE HIKING. I had forgotten how much I love hiking! My legs were burning, my back was tight, the oxygen wasn't getting to my lungs too quickly for some reason, and I loved it! The mountains are a reminder to me of how awesome God is. He created every tree, every plant, every delicious huckleberry that we ate, every rootbeer tasting plant lol, every creature in that forest, including the tick that attached itself to my leg! It just amazes me how beautiful the forest is, how big and vast, and I like to just think while I push myself to the point of exhaustion because I'm so out of shape lol.
AND my beautiful husky got to go on the hike leash free! It was an accident at first because this four month old is SO strong she escaped the leash for the second time that day and started running down the mountain. Knowing that huskies are prone to run away and never come back, I was on the verge of tears and ready to run 20 miles to catch her BUT she waited for us. Then she would run a little more and stop and wait for us. When we called her name, we would see some bushes move and hear her little feet running and then she would pop out of the forest and come right to us. This may sound a little silly but THANK YOU GOD she didn't run away, Brian and I have become so attached to her, and while her poop surprises on the floor and never ending engery sometimes make us very angry, she seems to always make up for it, and shes so cute you soon forget about all the things that made you mad. I <3>=)
Thanks to those of you who opened your home and let us eat all of your food, thanks to those of you who provided interesting conversation, and thanks to God for such a beautiful mountain and wonderful day =)
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
poetry?
Ok so everyone has been really into writing poetry lately and I feel a little left out lol. Even my brother writes hiku's? Apparently his hiku's are about birds soaring through the air...and getting blown up. So I think to myself if my little brother can write a poem about birds getting blown up in mid air, I can think of something. Right now I'm in more of a silly mood so we'll see how this goes....
I love my peeps
they are so much more reliable than jeeps
When I'm down they always know what to say
and encouarage me every day
they still love me when I burn the food
and defend me when Brian calls me a "dude" (lol)
they love and care for my dog
and they read my opinionated and colorful blog
they understand its really late at night
so they will try to appreciate my poetry with all their might
they like to come over and play the wii
and my dog loves them so much she can't help but pee
they know that i'm not good at writing poetry at the drop of a dime
so they'll understand why my next two lines don't rhyme
Although this poem is a bit silly and fun
I thank God for all of you and can't express how much you mean to me =)
lol so theres my poem...if thats what you want to call it haha. But seriously I love wednesdays! We have good times of discussion, self disclosure, and fellowship and I honestly feel like these people are like family. The more I'm around them the closer I feel to them and the more God uses them to bless me. I can only pray and hope that I'm a blessing to them in return and that God will use me in the same way he uses them. THANKS FOR THE ENCOUARGMENT!!!!
Persevering...refusing to get discouraged =)
I love my peeps
they are so much more reliable than jeeps
When I'm down they always know what to say
and encouarage me every day
they still love me when I burn the food
and defend me when Brian calls me a "dude" (lol)
they love and care for my dog
and they read my opinionated and colorful blog
they understand its really late at night
so they will try to appreciate my poetry with all their might
they like to come over and play the wii
and my dog loves them so much she can't help but pee
they know that i'm not good at writing poetry at the drop of a dime
so they'll understand why my next two lines don't rhyme
Although this poem is a bit silly and fun
I thank God for all of you and can't express how much you mean to me =)
lol so theres my poem...if thats what you want to call it haha. But seriously I love wednesdays! We have good times of discussion, self disclosure, and fellowship and I honestly feel like these people are like family. The more I'm around them the closer I feel to them and the more God uses them to bless me. I can only pray and hope that I'm a blessing to them in return and that God will use me in the same way he uses them. THANKS FOR THE ENCOUARGMENT!!!!
Persevering...refusing to get discouraged =)
Friday, July 11, 2008
In Christ Alone
In christ alone
I place my trust
and find my glory in the power of the cross
in every victory
let it be said of me
my source strength
my source of hope
is Christ alone
The past week or so I've been on the verge of tears at least once a day. Just thinking of all the school work I have to get done, how I have to work yet never make any money, I'm having difficulties with my....well... just difficulties, I have to somehow pay very large car bill plus so many other bills. I've thought of not eating anymore but was quickly rebuked by the boyfriend and handed money for lunch (thank God for a boyfriend with cash in his wallet! =) I was so encouarged on wednesday when the girlies had our accountability meeting because as my roomate put it "THIS ISN'T IT!" This is not what the end result is going to be! I'm living for eternity and I'm living for heaven and that thought never fails to bring me out of my worries and problems of this life and this world and put me back on the solid rock of Christ. I know that he will provide and I know that if I put my trust in Him he will never fail me. Yes, life can be stressful BUT the joy of God will keep me through it all and make my life a whole lot less infuriating. Even when people do their BEST to make it that way ;)
IN CHRIST ALONE....COME QUICKLY LORD JESUS
I place my trust
and find my glory in the power of the cross
in every victory
let it be said of me
my source strength
my source of hope
is Christ alone
The past week or so I've been on the verge of tears at least once a day. Just thinking of all the school work I have to get done, how I have to work yet never make any money, I'm having difficulties with my....well... just difficulties, I have to somehow pay very large car bill plus so many other bills. I've thought of not eating anymore but was quickly rebuked by the boyfriend and handed money for lunch (thank God for a boyfriend with cash in his wallet! =) I was so encouarged on wednesday when the girlies had our accountability meeting because as my roomate put it "THIS ISN'T IT!" This is not what the end result is going to be! I'm living for eternity and I'm living for heaven and that thought never fails to bring me out of my worries and problems of this life and this world and put me back on the solid rock of Christ. I know that he will provide and I know that if I put my trust in Him he will never fail me. Yes, life can be stressful BUT the joy of God will keep me through it all and make my life a whole lot less infuriating. Even when people do their BEST to make it that way ;)
IN CHRIST ALONE....COME QUICKLY LORD JESUS
Sunday, July 6, 2008
MEDIA and SEX EDUCATION
Just as I did in the last blog, i'm gonna start this off with something from the word of God and then i'll move on to media and sex education. Just because I want to =)
I was so encouraged in the last week because I got a chance to spend some time with a lot of godly people from my church and some from another state but either way it was so refreshing! I read in Ephesians not too long ago that I should...
EPHESIANS 4:29"let no unwholesome word proceed from 'my' mouth but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment that it may give grace to those who hear" AND
EPHESIANS 5:4 "there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or course jesting, which are not fitting but rather giving of thanks."
I found that these things are SO easy when you're around people who love God. Not only is it easy but its so fun, uplifting and envigorating. You leave the conversation with your focus on God and His promises and it gives you so much more material to meditate on later =) Tonight was really cool because I spent it with two lovely ladies and we talked about a variety of things but it was all centered around Christ. It was really cool because a lot of our conversation went along with EPHESIANS 5:1 "Therefore be imitators of God..." and this is so important because its easy to look up to people who are wiser and more spiritual than us and follow their example in EVERYTHING which makes us disregard personal conviction. I really enjoyed my conversation with these two ladies because I knew I could share my convictions and they would know that if my convictions are different from theirs I won't think any less of them or get angry with them and vice versa. Obvisously if its plainly written in the word theres not room for "different opinions" cuz its very clear, but with other things that are more of a seeking after God to see what he wants for ME, sometimes people are gonna hear different things depending on where they are and where God wants them to go. God really reminded me in the past few weeks that its doesn't matter if other people think certain things are ok, its about what God has shown me personally and the personal convictions that I have. I need to compare myself to Him not anyone else. For example a while ago God convicted me about reading fictional books because I could be reading something like Andrew Murrey or Hudson Taylor etc instead of wasting my time on some christian romance novel. But as soon as I saw that everyone else was reading them I began to "forget" about that conviction and I realized just recently (thanks to my pastor) this was VERY wrong. This was a big OUCH but I'm so glad God showed this to me again.
OK BACK TO MEDIA AND SEX EDUCATION lol
I just took a class in which we learned about the effects that media (tv, advertisements, music, video games, and so on) has on kids, children and adolescents. Let me tell you the effects that media has are OUTRAGEOUS. People think its stupid to blame childrens violent behavoir on violent video games like grand theft auto but study after study after study shows that these kinds of things really get into kids minds and makes them do things they normally wouldn't do. Ok so we were talking about violence and one really stupid intervention tried to deter kids from playing violent video games by teaching them how to creat the violent video game and make the characters bleed all over the place. Basically they were teaching them how to kill. THIS DID NOT WORK. Doing this only made the kids more violent and want to play the violent video games even more. Most people would hear that and say to themselves DUHHHH but then theres sex educaiton...
We think its crazy to try to teach kids not to be violent by letting them be violent, BUT we think that if we teach kids how to have sex we can prevent it. BUT I guess now a days its not really about preventing sex its about preventing pregnancy. My main point here is that if we are teaching kids how to have sex, how to put the condom on, what the different parts are and what their functions are, THEY ARE GONNA DO IT. They are going to get curious and hormones are gonna be raging and its going to encouarge them to do it.
Obviously I'm a big advocate of abstinence but at the same time I don't think thats gonna work either. I hate to say that but its the truth. I've read so many peer reviewed journals and research articles its ridiculous and all the results say that teaching abstinece doesn't work and when they teach abstinence there is actually more pregnancy than when they have sex education. I HATE TO HEAR THIS. The reason is because with abstinence teaching they aren't being educated about birth control (how to use it or where to get it) so the result is more pregnancy. And heres where the media plays a HUGE role (in my opinion).
First of all, I beleive that teaching abstinence is most effective among christians because theres a desire in a christians heart to please God and follow his commandments and theres also the grace of God to guard their hearts and not let them give into temptation. I also think that the abstinece teaching would be more effective among secular crowds as well if it wasn't for the sex that kids see everyday on tv, in movies, on cd covers, on MTV, in songs, and allllllll over the place. Its almost impossible to try to teach kids who couldn't care less about God and his standards to stay pure in a culture that no longer values saving yourself for your partner and flashes body parts moving in very sexual ways before their eyes every single day. And we then encouarge the sexual behavoir by showing them how to do it in sex education classes (I know because I had to go through in the public school system.)
So WHAT DO WE DO????? I'm not trying to scare any of you future parents out there but this is a very serious question to which I have an answer. GET EM SAVED AND PREACH ABSTINENCE. Now this is the most important part but another very important part is to limit their access to media. Limit their tv watching, censor alllll of their music, magazines, and internet use, and just be involved. You're probably gonna put scars on your knees from praying so much and if there aren't any scars you aren't praying enough!!!! This stuff is really powerful but thank God He is more powerful than it all!!! Then theres the question of "what about all the other kids in public schools without praying parents?" Pray for revival people!!! Pray for God to fill those hallways because the percentage of kids who have sex before they graduate from high school is shocking. And it doens't have good effects on these kids, especially girls.
This wasn't very uplifting I know but its something that we need to address and its something us future parents need to be very aware of. So go pray and pray hard!!!
I was so encouraged in the last week because I got a chance to spend some time with a lot of godly people from my church and some from another state but either way it was so refreshing! I read in Ephesians not too long ago that I should...
EPHESIANS 4:29"let no unwholesome word proceed from 'my' mouth but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment that it may give grace to those who hear" AND
EPHESIANS 5:4 "there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or course jesting, which are not fitting but rather giving of thanks."
I found that these things are SO easy when you're around people who love God. Not only is it easy but its so fun, uplifting and envigorating. You leave the conversation with your focus on God and His promises and it gives you so much more material to meditate on later =) Tonight was really cool because I spent it with two lovely ladies and we talked about a variety of things but it was all centered around Christ. It was really cool because a lot of our conversation went along with EPHESIANS 5:1 "Therefore be imitators of God..." and this is so important because its easy to look up to people who are wiser and more spiritual than us and follow their example in EVERYTHING which makes us disregard personal conviction. I really enjoyed my conversation with these two ladies because I knew I could share my convictions and they would know that if my convictions are different from theirs I won't think any less of them or get angry with them and vice versa. Obvisously if its plainly written in the word theres not room for "different opinions" cuz its very clear, but with other things that are more of a seeking after God to see what he wants for ME, sometimes people are gonna hear different things depending on where they are and where God wants them to go. God really reminded me in the past few weeks that its doesn't matter if other people think certain things are ok, its about what God has shown me personally and the personal convictions that I have. I need to compare myself to Him not anyone else. For example a while ago God convicted me about reading fictional books because I could be reading something like Andrew Murrey or Hudson Taylor etc instead of wasting my time on some christian romance novel. But as soon as I saw that everyone else was reading them I began to "forget" about that conviction and I realized just recently (thanks to my pastor) this was VERY wrong. This was a big OUCH but I'm so glad God showed this to me again.
OK BACK TO MEDIA AND SEX EDUCATION lol
I just took a class in which we learned about the effects that media (tv, advertisements, music, video games, and so on) has on kids, children and adolescents. Let me tell you the effects that media has are OUTRAGEOUS. People think its stupid to blame childrens violent behavoir on violent video games like grand theft auto but study after study after study shows that these kinds of things really get into kids minds and makes them do things they normally wouldn't do. Ok so we were talking about violence and one really stupid intervention tried to deter kids from playing violent video games by teaching them how to creat the violent video game and make the characters bleed all over the place. Basically they were teaching them how to kill. THIS DID NOT WORK. Doing this only made the kids more violent and want to play the violent video games even more. Most people would hear that and say to themselves DUHHHH but then theres sex educaiton...
We think its crazy to try to teach kids not to be violent by letting them be violent, BUT we think that if we teach kids how to have sex we can prevent it. BUT I guess now a days its not really about preventing sex its about preventing pregnancy. My main point here is that if we are teaching kids how to have sex, how to put the condom on, what the different parts are and what their functions are, THEY ARE GONNA DO IT. They are going to get curious and hormones are gonna be raging and its going to encouarge them to do it.
Obviously I'm a big advocate of abstinence but at the same time I don't think thats gonna work either. I hate to say that but its the truth. I've read so many peer reviewed journals and research articles its ridiculous and all the results say that teaching abstinece doesn't work and when they teach abstinence there is actually more pregnancy than when they have sex education. I HATE TO HEAR THIS. The reason is because with abstinence teaching they aren't being educated about birth control (how to use it or where to get it) so the result is more pregnancy. And heres where the media plays a HUGE role (in my opinion).
First of all, I beleive that teaching abstinence is most effective among christians because theres a desire in a christians heart to please God and follow his commandments and theres also the grace of God to guard their hearts and not let them give into temptation. I also think that the abstinece teaching would be more effective among secular crowds as well if it wasn't for the sex that kids see everyday on tv, in movies, on cd covers, on MTV, in songs, and allllllll over the place. Its almost impossible to try to teach kids who couldn't care less about God and his standards to stay pure in a culture that no longer values saving yourself for your partner and flashes body parts moving in very sexual ways before their eyes every single day. And we then encouarge the sexual behavoir by showing them how to do it in sex education classes (I know because I had to go through in the public school system.)
So WHAT DO WE DO????? I'm not trying to scare any of you future parents out there but this is a very serious question to which I have an answer. GET EM SAVED AND PREACH ABSTINENCE. Now this is the most important part but another very important part is to limit their access to media. Limit their tv watching, censor alllll of their music, magazines, and internet use, and just be involved. You're probably gonna put scars on your knees from praying so much and if there aren't any scars you aren't praying enough!!!! This stuff is really powerful but thank God He is more powerful than it all!!! Then theres the question of "what about all the other kids in public schools without praying parents?" Pray for revival people!!! Pray for God to fill those hallways because the percentage of kids who have sex before they graduate from high school is shocking. And it doens't have good effects on these kids, especially girls.
This wasn't very uplifting I know but its something that we need to address and its something us future parents need to be very aware of. So go pray and pray hard!!!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
"To honor and obey"
This has nothing to do with the main topic of this post BUT I feel the need to share it anyway before i get into other things. I'm overwhelmed with the sweetness of my salvation and greatness of the cross of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:12-13 --> we had "no hope and without God in this world" but Jesus has "brought us near by the blood of Christ!" I just can't go without thanking God for taking me out of the muck of sin in which I was chained to do the works of the enemy and considered a "child of disobedience" (eph. 2:2) He washed me clean of EVERY wrong doing and gave me a grace to stay that way!!!!! THANK YOU GOD!! lol I can't help it, I gotta praise Him!
ON TO THE MAIN TOPIC OF THE DAY =)
Bridesmaid: You aren't going to put anything about honoring and obeying in your vows are you?
Bride: Oh no, nothing like that. I wouldn't do that.
Metheotherbridesmaid: WHAT?
People have no understanding of what the bible means when it says "Wives obey your husbands" AND they completely miss the part that says "and husbands love your wives as Christ loves the church." People get this view of the wife being the frail and helpless woman who gives up who she is to be who her husband wants her to be and as her husband barks off orders while sitting in front of the tv the wife does a little curtsey and says "yes your majesty" and works into the wee hours of the night while waiting hand and foot on her husband. YES being a wife is a lot of work (or so I've heard lol) and as my Mom just said you are to be the helper of your husaband, and YES the bible says to obey your husband but that isn't a bad thing. Every structure needs a leader or it won't get anywhere, that includes the family structure. AND the husband isn't going to make decisions without first going to wife and discussing it with her (every house divided will fall). The wife doesn't lose who she is when she gets married either, she shouldn't anyway. The husband is marrying her because he loves who she is in Christ and loves her personality and is being pulled in the same direction as her (by God) so wouldn't you think he would be very disappointed if he lost the person he fell in love with? You can be a WIFE and a MOTHER and a ARTIST and a MUSICIAN and a FOLLOWER OF POLITICS and a BASKETBALL PLAYER, and whatever other things that you are all at the same time. There are sacrafices you have to make to be a wife but losing who God made you and called you to be is not one of them.
One thing that really bothers me is that no one recognizes the sacrafices the husband makes as well. He works hard every day to provide for his family and pay all the bills and gives up his free time to take out the trash and mow the lawn and maybe even do the laundry or dishes if you're lucky ;) Even though the bible says that he has the final word on things and wives are to obey him, this final word isn't just something he pulls out of the air. If he is a man of God he will seek what the bible says, seek godly counsel, and thoroughly discuss it with his wife. REMEMBER the bible says that the husbad has to love his wife as Christ loved the church???? HELLO THATS A LOT OF LOVE!!!!! Christ is God and sits on the throne by his father yet he decided to become one of us, thats like us deciding to become a little ant to go save the little ant colony. AND he dedicated his whole life on our ant colony to try to save us and not just try to but actually did it thank God! He didn't indulge in the pleasures of life or seek out the most satisfying things that this world has to offer but he was persecuted, imprisioned, beaten beyond recognition with his flesh being ripped out and his bones being broken, he was mocked and humiliated and hung on a cross as a criminal even though he was sinless and guiltless. There he DIED because he loved us so very much. Thats how the husband is supposed to love the wife. And we have the nerve to complain about this scripture?
The marriage relationship is a symbol of our relationship with Christ. I don't obey Christ because he imprisoned me and I know that I should and everybody else is doing it (which is FAR from the truth) but because I want to! I want to forsake sin! I don't want to drink or swear or party or watch dirty movies or date ten million people or become sexually impure! I DON'T WANT TO! I WANT TO OBEY CHRIST! And this is how it is when you're married. You love your husband and you trust him so its not hard to say "okay, you have the final say in this." And more importantly you trust God to help him make the right decision.
Ok, this is the end of my ranting for the day and it felt so good to get that out. Oh how i've missed writing =)
Ephesians 2:12-13 --> we had "no hope and without God in this world" but Jesus has "brought us near by the blood of Christ!" I just can't go without thanking God for taking me out of the muck of sin in which I was chained to do the works of the enemy and considered a "child of disobedience" (eph. 2:2) He washed me clean of EVERY wrong doing and gave me a grace to stay that way!!!!! THANK YOU GOD!! lol I can't help it, I gotta praise Him!
ON TO THE MAIN TOPIC OF THE DAY =)
Bridesmaid: You aren't going to put anything about honoring and obeying in your vows are you?
Bride: Oh no, nothing like that. I wouldn't do that.
Metheotherbridesmaid: WHAT?
People have no understanding of what the bible means when it says "Wives obey your husbands" AND they completely miss the part that says "and husbands love your wives as Christ loves the church." People get this view of the wife being the frail and helpless woman who gives up who she is to be who her husband wants her to be and as her husband barks off orders while sitting in front of the tv the wife does a little curtsey and says "yes your majesty" and works into the wee hours of the night while waiting hand and foot on her husband. YES being a wife is a lot of work (or so I've heard lol) and as my Mom just said you are to be the helper of your husaband, and YES the bible says to obey your husband but that isn't a bad thing. Every structure needs a leader or it won't get anywhere, that includes the family structure. AND the husband isn't going to make decisions without first going to wife and discussing it with her (every house divided will fall). The wife doesn't lose who she is when she gets married either, she shouldn't anyway. The husband is marrying her because he loves who she is in Christ and loves her personality and is being pulled in the same direction as her (by God) so wouldn't you think he would be very disappointed if he lost the person he fell in love with? You can be a WIFE and a MOTHER and a ARTIST and a MUSICIAN and a FOLLOWER OF POLITICS and a BASKETBALL PLAYER, and whatever other things that you are all at the same time. There are sacrafices you have to make to be a wife but losing who God made you and called you to be is not one of them.
One thing that really bothers me is that no one recognizes the sacrafices the husband makes as well. He works hard every day to provide for his family and pay all the bills and gives up his free time to take out the trash and mow the lawn and maybe even do the laundry or dishes if you're lucky ;) Even though the bible says that he has the final word on things and wives are to obey him, this final word isn't just something he pulls out of the air. If he is a man of God he will seek what the bible says, seek godly counsel, and thoroughly discuss it with his wife. REMEMBER the bible says that the husbad has to love his wife as Christ loved the church???? HELLO THATS A LOT OF LOVE!!!!! Christ is God and sits on the throne by his father yet he decided to become one of us, thats like us deciding to become a little ant to go save the little ant colony. AND he dedicated his whole life on our ant colony to try to save us and not just try to but actually did it thank God! He didn't indulge in the pleasures of life or seek out the most satisfying things that this world has to offer but he was persecuted, imprisioned, beaten beyond recognition with his flesh being ripped out and his bones being broken, he was mocked and humiliated and hung on a cross as a criminal even though he was sinless and guiltless. There he DIED because he loved us so very much. Thats how the husband is supposed to love the wife. And we have the nerve to complain about this scripture?
The marriage relationship is a symbol of our relationship with Christ. I don't obey Christ because he imprisoned me and I know that I should and everybody else is doing it (which is FAR from the truth) but because I want to! I want to forsake sin! I don't want to drink or swear or party or watch dirty movies or date ten million people or become sexually impure! I DON'T WANT TO! I WANT TO OBEY CHRIST! And this is how it is when you're married. You love your husband and you trust him so its not hard to say "okay, you have the final say in this." And more importantly you trust God to help him make the right decision.
Ok, this is the end of my ranting for the day and it felt so good to get that out. Oh how i've missed writing =)
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