Views on Race

Red and yellow, black and white, we are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world. We are a rainbow of colors all across the world. None better than another, none less than. We each are unique. I am an American. What does that mean for me ethnically? It means that, having had a DNA test done, I am a mutt. My ethnic background, where my ancestors came from, is from all over the world. My three strongest DNA lines are English, French, and Native American. Included in my DNA pot is Irish, Mediterranean, and Scandinavian. I see color, and all of the colors of the rainbow are valued, unique, needed. We walk a journey of life. Each on a path that should support and encourage each other. We are all fellow human beings. This world is so full of hate and woe. I don't want to compound the problem. I want to be part of the solution. That solutions starts with my attitude and the way I see, feel about and interact with others. I am going to choose to be kind. I am going to choose to do right by others. I am going to choose to values others and their uniqueness without judging people. Its a hard road, but it always start individually. 

Is Free Real, or is it a Myth, made up so People Feel like they are getting Something?

I was reading through FB posts just now and I saw an advert for a free belly belt to the first set of people who did whatever they had to do. My first immediate thought was really negative and the words that ran through my mind is that nothing is ever really free. People say its free, but there is always a catch. How cynical of me. How sad the thought. So that is the first part of my post.

The second part is people who want something for nothing, or little to nothing. I joined a group of people to bid services in the form of writing and my time. I found that many of the people seeking to hire me, and I did get three offers of jobs, along with someone else who wants me to bid for their project so they can possibly hire me. I was horrified at how little is being offered in the form of pay. It felt insulted in a way that my time, something I will never get back was so undervalued.

So, I am sitting here thinking about it and all of a sudden scripture, God''s Word, comes to mind about the freedom I have in Christ. Do I  believe that? If so how does it relate to these situations I encountered today? After all thinking the mind of Christ after Him is one of my chief goals. In the first situation, I see that many things in life are indeed not free. Every once in a while something will come along that is, and that is a complete blessing and reminder that God gives grace to the needy. Even salvation isn't free because God Himself had to pay for our freedom. Its free for us, but we do have to actually receive the gift.

In the second situation, I recognize that most of these people offering some form of pay for services are giving out a small slice of their pie so that the writer gains something, and so do they. It is an unfortunate thing that, like many jobs, the pay isn't enough. There is no malice intended, nor insult either. Its just people who have a task to get done, who need some help in an expertise they don't have and have sought to fill the gap by hiring people with expertise to get it done.

So, there is such a thing as for real free, but its rare, and when its given, its a little miraculous event, something to praise God for. Its okay that most things in life cost something because it does cause us to appreciate what we have more. One of my lessons for the end of an strangely odd day.

Creating a Song is Like a Fish Bowl

When you have a fish bowl, the wonderful thing about it is that you can see your beautiful fish inside swimming around in the water. There is some intrinsic pleasure in having a fish or two to watch in their natural environment. Those fish are in there swimming around letting it all hang out for everyone to see.

The creation of a song is very like that as well. I have always loved words and rhyming and singing them is something I have always enjoyed. Music is in my heart, though I do not sing that well. I am also horrible about remembering the words to songs. I will sometimes burst out in song and sing part of it correctly, and then make up the words for what I cannot remember. Its an ongoing joke with my husband and son. I just let me hang out and let the song in my heart expose what I am thinking about and how I am feeling. Its not always pretty, and its not always smooth, but then life isn't either so it just fits right.

My joyful noises are always to the Lord and so, when I get teased, even when that teasing hurts my feelings a little bit, I remember who my song is about, and that He is my focus. I am really singing to Him and about Him and so if no one else likes it, well I know He does, because its sincere. I want my songs that pour out of my heart to be like a fish bowl. Clear, simple, and with the ability to openly see all that is going on inside me.

If you have a song in your heart to the Lord, or words that you want to say to Him or about Him for His glory and your blessing, don't hesitate to let it out. It reminds me of Matthew 5 verses 14-16, "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." 

Isaiah 55:12 shares, "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."  When we create a new song, one that glorifies the Lord, worships Him and shows our lives as open and clear as a fish bowl is to its viewer, then we become a source of joy and light to our Creator, and to all those around us and that is always a good thing whether we have all our words right, or even whether we are very good at singing at all. Let your joy pour forth in ways pleasing to our Lord so that all those around us will glorify Him right along with us!

Thoughts Speak

There is a children't Bible song that goes, "oh be careful little eyes what you see, for our Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful what you see." It goes on to our ears, hands, feet and mouths. So too should there be a verse in there about our minds. Oh be careful little mind what you think. Why? Our thoughts are filled with all kinds of random garbage that would not be of benefit to anyone, not every ourselves.

We are told our hearts are desperately wicked above all things. Our thoughts, our hearts, and our words are all tied together. Our thoughts will often get us in trouble because we make the mistake of speaking them aloud.

A person in scripture that I feel did a great job of making sure her thoughts did not speak was Mary, the woman honored above all others with being the earthly mother of Jesus my Savior. She saw many things, knew many things, and pondered them in her heart. She kept her peace. She knew that some things do not need to be spoken.

On the other hand, sometimes our thoughts do need to speak. A wise person is prayerful about what to say and when. May God grant each of us the wisdom to see when to speak our mind, and when to be silent.

Thought Verses

I Chronicles 29:18
Isaiah 55:7
Ephesians 2:3
Hebrews 3:1

Overflowing Cups

As I sit here at my desk, taking a break from my course work, I look around and seeing oodles of cups sitting in my space. Its time to clean up my nest. I have been so  busy I have allowed clutter to happen in the space I usually reserve for thinking and learning. So...what can I learn from those overflowing cups?

Well my cups aren't overflowing in the sense that they are too full. There are too many of them instead. They are empty, having been used up. Its time to clean them up so that the space around me is neat, and able to be used as a thoughtful spot. Some people can have clutter around and they tune it out and it doesn't distract them. Me? I am distracted by clutter. I need my environment reasonably clear so that my mind is clear. Physical clutter is without a doubt distracting.

Mental clutter is distracting too. I sometimes feel like my mind is also full of overflowing cups. Like if I searched through my mental images I could see cups lying around filled with all kinds of stuff that isn't really helpful for me to think clearly. I realize I rehearse things mentally that are of no benefit, but are often damaging instead. What are those things? Pride, vainglory, anger, fear, worry, stress, and a whole host of things that are both hurtful and fluff that does not help me at all.

God's Word, The Bible, tells us many things about our mentality. One of the first that came to my mind is Phil. 2:5, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." What did Jesus think about do you think? He was definitely not filled with pride, selfishness, anger, fear and worry. He, who deserved to be worshiped, left behind His glory and took on the form of a servant and humbled Himself... Phil 2:6-8. He deserved so much, being GOD, and yet took nothing for himself. His thoughts were pure. So too should I be striving toward the goal of having my mind set on eternal, not temporary things. My desk is clutter with overflowing cups and its time to clean them up. So too is my mind dealing with the same problem. My head space is even more important than my desk space, so its time too for it to be de-cluttered.

Thought verses 

Romans 8:5-6
Psalm 26:2
Proverbs 19:21
Isaiah 26:3
Jer. 17:10
Luke 10:27
Luke 24:45
Romans 12:2
I Cor. 14:15
Eph. 4:23
Phil. 2:2
Col 3:2

A Name for Myself

I woke up this morning to the horrible news about the reporter and her camera man getting shot and killed in VA. How tragic. My heart hurts for the families of those that lost their lives. The woman that was in the middle of her interview was also shot, though, praise the Lord, she is stable and recovering in the hospital. Then there is the man that did these heinous things. I am sure his reasons are many, but one of them is sure to end up being tied to desiring to make a name for himself. Many people who do shootings like this want to be famous in some way. It is in the heart of many to desire to be recognized as special. Few accept graciously having an ordinary life.

I looked within myself to see if I struggle with this, and sure enough I do. Its not going to cause me to do heinous things, for in Jesus I have a name more precious than any name I can acquire on my own. Beloved, precious, family, daughter. These names have eternal meaning. My own? Not so much. On my own my name would never stand up to any kind of spiritual, holy scrutiny. Sometimes I find myself wanting to be more. My type A personality charges ahead to the front of the line wanting to be seen, recognized as uniquely special, and worthy in some way to be remembered by mankind.

God, in His infinite mercy, strips this away from us as we grow in Christ. Well, He does when we listen. It reminds me of John the Baptist. He was preaching the coming of Messiah, and the kingdom to come. Everyone knew who he was. He was the man baptizing in the Jordan river. He spoke and many came to hear him. He had his own disciples. When Jesus came, those disciples were jealous for John's sake. They did not understand who Jesus is, and so were offended that He was drawing more attention than John. Many things were said along the way, but one of the most important for me in regard to making a name for myself is something that I have prayed many times. "He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30. John knew it was not about himself, but about Jesus. It is  not about making a name for myself, but making much of Jesus. His is the name that must be put forth, praised, lifted up, glorified, and recognized. The battle of the flesh is ongoing, but in Christ nothing is impossible. The prayer for all of us in Christ should be to live a life that causes others to see Christ in us, not us at all.

Thought Questions

Where are you pushing yourself forward and trying to make a name for yourself? What can you actively do so that Jesus increases in you and your testimony and you decrease like John taught?

Rays of Light in the Midst of a World of Darkness

I read an article today on Facebook. It affected me profoundly. I have been watching the  news on the Ashley Madison site, which I had never heard of until yesterday. I saw that Josh Duggar professed to use the site after his records were released. I also saw the article on Jared Fogle and his admission of soliciting sex from minors. My heart was so grieved because of this and other stories that were causing me to feel the heaviness of darkness that our world is today.

Tonight I read another article and it reminded me that in the midst of darkness God always leaves pinpricks of light to remind us of who He is and that He is The GOD of Hope, not despair. The story is a 9-11 story about a flight that was turned back from the American border to land in New Newfoundland in the midst of 9-11 and all that happened. It was Delta Flight 15 bound for Atlanta. I will include a link to the story here so that anyone who sees this and wants to read about how God moved a whole community to help those left adrift because of the tragedy unfolding on 9-11 can read it.

I had felt so sorrowful today at all I was hearing in the news. It still fills me with sorrow to see people throw their lives and the lives of their loved ones away so carelessly. It reminds me of the wickedness of our hearts and how apart from Christ there is nothing truly good in us. I like to think I would never do the things these men are guilty of, and I might not do those specific things, but what other sins of my own am I guilty of? Even in Christ I struggle daily with sin. How much more the person apart from Him? Our wicked hearts imagine all kinds of things both large and small to do. That is why we need Jesus so much. He came to seek and save that which was lost. The righteous man sees not the things of the Spirit for they are spiritually discerned. What does that mean? In one sense it means that only those who understand their wretchedness come to God, called by the Father, to receive Jesus as Savior and learn to let Him be Lord. Those who believe they are good turn away for they believe at some level that they aren't that bad so don't need Jesus to redeem them. They use a system of measures of good and bad and hope that the weight on the good side is enough to help them make it through the door to heaven.

We live in a world of darkness, and Jesus alone is the Light of Heaven to give us hope in that darkness. He uses His Word, but He also uses people. People acting opposite of basic human nature by setting aside all of their regularly scheduled financial and personal goals to take care of the 10,500 people who found their way into Newfoundland due to a horrible tragedy as it was unfolding. I hope that the article I am posting is read by someone, and that it reminds you too that God is good all the time and He always gives us rays of light in the midst of life's darkness.

https://www.readfulapp.com/site/Headlines?tag=Breaking%20Headlines&item=55cbaa7b5573e31f1d8a1aae