You are Not a SuperHero!!

I have been "busy" lately. My former pastor would say that I just said a curse word. It is all too easy to become "busy". Life can feel at times like a marathon; We wear many hats; We have too much on the plate; We are overwhelmed with all there is to do; Sleeping may be the only brake we get and can even feel like a chore too. Have you ever felt like this?

I have had people say many times that the best way to get not so busy is to cut back on what we are doing. That can be very difficult to do.. for what do you cut. I can't cut work-- people depend on me to do my job and I have to support my family. I can't cut doing housework, yard work, or paying the bills. I can't cut taking care of my kids. I can't cut "going to church" or my time with God. Then there is grocery shopping, kids activities/sports, blah, blah, blah!! What are we to do?

There are two different things I say when it comes to what we do during our day: 1. We are going to be tired at the end of each day anyway... We might as well make the most of the day. 2. Don't overbook yourself so much that you become ineffective.

Both statements are key. It's about finding balance. Be devoted to a calling; live with purpose and live it out; take time to reflect. This topic is something I am still working on. Something that I have realized is that even though there are many things that need to get done; even though I may be good at doing those certain things that need to get done, doesn't necessarily mean that I have to be the one to do them. This is not a "why should I care" attitude or laziness. If you don't care or are lazy, then this blog is not for you, but if you are busy and a involved, than keep this close. YOU are NOT a SUPERHERO!! GOD IS!! God has a job for each one of us. He gives each one of us different gifts and abilities. There will be some overlap of abilities between us, however, each of us has a different purpose. If we take on all the things that we are gifted in then we are robbing someone else of being able to fulfill their purpose and we are not able to be as effective in our own purpose.

It is just like where you donate money. People will call here sometimes to ask for donations for this or that, and they are normally all good organizations with good causes, but I can't do them all. I have even had the people calling try to make me feel bad about not donating. They would explain how people are dying of hunger, or homeless kids need clothes, or the police need more funds. All are great causes, but my money can go only in a certain number of directions. We are like that. We can only be spread but so much. Don't take on more because someone makes you feel guilty or because you may feel guilty because you know you are ability wise.. able.

Please share experiences you have had or are going through that relate to this and ways you have found to overcome the "too busies".

Nothing more gratifying

I have had to fight the constant battle over wants and desires. One thing that is continuing to become more clear to me is that the more we want, the less we appreciate what we already have. Satan is always trying to get in and mess things up. We may aquire this or that, then the newest thing comes out or you feel you need XYZ then you may not look at the blessings that the Lord has already given you. You may be in relationships and they may even be good, but Satan is always trying to twist things and make them undesirable to the Lord. Satan is very tricky, so we have to keep a close relationship going with the Lord so we are not caught in Satan's traps. God does not tell us to obstain from things or relationships, but He does require that we keep them good and holy in His sight.

Personally, there is nothing that I want more than to serve the Lord. I want to have healthy relationship, those which are grounded in truth, grounded in righteousness, grounded in God. I want to be simplistic in living. Life seems to be so complicated. Our culture seems to be so complicated. At times, I think it would almost be easier if the only passion I was given was to raise children and tend to the home, but the Lord has given me more, not to say the other has any less importance.

How does one go about this? At times I wonder if I, myself, make it more complicated by thinking too much. I don't want to be like the rest of the world, but at times I also wonder if by thinking "too much" if in turn I am only isolating others from me. I couldn't bear to be alone. The Lord is always with me, which is of comfort. I do pray for love and friendship. I like being around others who share similar passions. It gives me joy. I think this is what the Lord refers to as our core group of friends. In finding these people you are able to become a team to go out and serve effectively in ministry. One common purpose; One common vision... fulfilled together through Christ and the Holy Spirit. There is nothing else to me more gratifying than this.

What is you purpose? What is you vision? Can you relate to my words? Let me know what the Lord has laid on your heart.

IF WOMEN DIDN'T SPEAK!!

It has agrivated me so many times when I hear that a woman should remain silent. What!!!!! I know the verses about a woman being silent in the church, the woman being submissive to her husband, a woman shouldn't pastor?? I know in churches, especially Baptist churches, men are the deacons and the pastors. Who usually does the work in the church though?? From my observations it is the women for the most part. So do women just need to remain silent and just be worker bees?? Let me answer this with some Bible stories.

In old testimant writings, who spoke up to the king on behalf of the Jews? a man or a woman? Who was the first one to share of Jesus' resurrection? a man or a woman? I could go on, but I am sure most are familiar with at least these stories.

A woman was challenged to speak up on behalf of the Jews in order to save them. What if she didn't speak up? A woman first told of Jesus' resurrection. This is truly just an honor. Word would have gotten out, but she shared the great news first to others, to men actually.

What is my point in all of this?

I am not trying to make women into pastors.. I am not trying to say women shouldn't be accountable unto their husbands.. but what I am saying is that women do have a right and responsibilty to share the gospel and I believe it extends outside of the walls of children's rooms and in other cases to just women. God has given many women a passion for sharing the gospel and in some cases I have seen, the women have more passion, more spiritual wisdom than the men in there same households. Why would God ask for such a woman to remain silent, just based on a technicality? It doesn't make sense.

I have personally led boys, girls, men and women to the Lord. I am not bragging by any means, but what if I had remained silent? In the end, if the Lord gets upset with me because I spoke up, I will happily take the punishment. I feel it is worth it! To lead people to Christ, to help others grow in Him, really, I think that is what God wants afterall!!

Were we meant to be vegetarians?

I have had a young man challenge me with many thoughts about what is right and wrong on the view of being a vegetarian. I agree with the things that he had said, so I thought that I would also challenge you to make a educated guess on this topic. Go to the link listed and read the full scriptural reference. Be careful as some of the info is speculation, but if you read the scripture alone, it is pretty clear. Listed below are some of the scriptures that really caught my attention.

In the Beginning

Genesis 1:
28
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
29
Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.


After the Flood:

Genesis 9:
1
Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.
2
The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands.
3
Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
4
"But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.
5
And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.

So what do you think it means for us now?
Should we do as they did in the beginning or if we eat meat are there stipulations to it?



As a Note:
As today, 2/1/08, I have become a vegetarian. The past 6 months I have not eaten meat simply because a medicine messed my stomach up and it made me sick to eat it- though I could still eat fish. Today in doing more research on this topic and in study on how animals really are killed for our meat eating pleasure, I am ceasing to eat any kind of meat, including fish. I want to thank the young man who began this desire in me to look into this further. I thank him for his conviction on this matter and for making a difference!! (The animals thank you too!! :)

One thing that I must stress in this is that you shouldn't just cut out certain things from your diet and not look at other options to make your diet well balanced so you will remain healthy. There are nutrients found in meat that you must compinsate for when making such a decision. Be smart!! Be healthy!!

http://www.christianveg.org/ awesome resource!!

http://www.peta2.com/outThere/o-riseagainst_video.asp

http://www.marscandykills.com/

http://vegkitchen.com/tips/teenagers.htm

http://vegkitchen.com/recipes-galore.htm

Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for FREE

The State of Our Marital Unions
Tina wants to get married, but her boyfriend Ted just wants to move in. Ted is an exceptionally honest young man, so here is what he says: "Tina, I'm fond of you, and I want to live with you for the following reasons. First, it will make it easier for me to enjoy regular sex. Second, I want to protect my assets—assets I'd have to share with you if we got a divorce. Third, you already have kids, and I don't want to support them. Fourth, I'm waiting for my perfect soul mate to come along. Until I meet her, I'd like to live with you."
Sound convincing? Probably not. Tim's arguments are incredibly insulting. And yet, according to a new study, these are exactly the reasons men want to live with women—reasons that not only insult women, but also make them big losers on the domestic front.
At Rutgers University, researchers with the National Marriage Project have published a report called "Why Men Won't Commit: Exploring Young Men's Attitudes about Sex, Dating, and Marriage." The study offers the top ten reasons men are reluctant to say, "I do." Among them: They can get all the sex they want without marriage. They want to enjoy the single life as long as possible. They want to avoid the financial pitfalls of divorce. And they're afraid marriage will demand too many changes and compromises. Apparently, their live-in girlfriends can get used to their bad habits or leave.
Most galling of all is the admission by men that they don't want to marry their girlfriends because they're waiting for their "true love" to come along. Then they'll tie the knot, buy a home, and father kids. Meanwhile, their live-ins can pick up their socks and provide sex-on-demand.
Grandma was right: Men won't buy the cow if they can get the milk free.
Grandma was echoing the wisdom of the biblical writers. Read the Old Testament, and you'll get a picture of how carefully the ancient Israelites protected unmarried women: They knew how predatory, how utterly selfish, men can be. Taking on the responsibilities of a wife and children involved hard work that would last a lifetime. And men were only motivated to shoulder those responsibilities because their culture demanded it.
Modern women have far more freedom of movement than their sisters in the ancient world. But human nature is still fallen. This means that men are as predatory as ever—and women today are paying the price for it in a culture that doesn't demand marriage.
I hope this report serves as a wake-up call to women who think men who want to cohabit have marriage on their minds. Most of them do not. Pastors ought to make this report a subject of a sermon. And if they know couples in their congregations are living together, they ought to encourage them to either marry—or separate.

How will you die??

Do you ever stop and wonder how you will die? It is not a matter if you will, but when and how... Sometimes I wonder this. The Lord is in control of all things, so should we even ponder with this question? I think, yes!! Now here is why.. It all comes down to MOTIVE.

If you want to die at an old age from old age.. WHY? Is just making it to an old age what you want to have accomplished? God does not know time.

If you want to die young, maybe even from your own hand.. WHY? Do you not feel that your life matters? Each life God creates is precious.

How about this... Do you want to die in service to the Lord? I am not talking about what some mixed up religions do and do suicide bombings and the like, but real service; not worrying about dying for it, but serving Him with your life that it is inevitable that when you die, you die in service to the Lord.

When you stop and look now at how you will die in this light, you begin to see that it is not the death that you are "planning" but rather the life. Everyone has been called for a purpose. Some of us are called to serve in a local church where it is more safe and secure, but no less important.

I do want to impress upon you that we are now living in an age of great deception and it is going to take many extroardinary believers to make a stand, plan to die in service to the Lord, and step out with a leap of faith to do whatever He asks you to do.

So how will you die? I know how I want to die.. serving the Lord!! I challenge you to look at your death and in turn .... Your LIFE!!

Feeling Blah!? In a funk??

Lately, I have been feeling kind of Blah!! I have some thoughts as to why, but I have also noticed that many others in the area, (many, many others) are having the blahs!! too. Some of the blahs come from worry and concern, other parts come from feeling like I am stuck in a rutt, but some scriptures came to me that are helping me get out of my funk.

Matthew 6: 25-34 reminded me that I should not worry for it does no good. God will provide all that I need if I "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be given unto you as well.". This scripture made me feel a little better. But I still felt stuck in a rutt. Then I thought that this funk feeling of depression, feeling not sure of the future or what is going on now made me realize I was looking inward not only to myself, but that I was looking at myself. When we are in a funk, we are focused inwardly. The only way to get out of a funk is to focus on the Lord and obeying his commands. -- Love the Lord and love others.

I opened my windows today on January 9th to let in the nice "spring" breeze. This was refreshing . I then got my kids occupied for a few minutes and I sat down and read scripture. Further on in Matthew 7: 7-12 the Lord tells us to turn to Him. He doesn't leave us stranded. He is always there, we just have to look and ask. With an open heart and mind, He will direct and the funky Blahs will be lifted.