With Christmas now behind us, it is easy to forget the spirit of the season as easily as we dismiss the debate between Merry Christmas versus Happy Holidays.  Having just left this time of “holiday spirit” I have to wonder in earnest on the true giving aspect.  I know there are those who truly give of their time, whether at a soup kitchen, charity project, or other form of service.  I also know there are those who have no time, but instead give in a gift of some sort.  This covers the angel trees, bonus donations in the offering for a couple weeks, ect.  But why are we so intent on this concept of “give a penny, take a penny”?  To be more clear, why do so many today (including myself at times) have an ingrained mentality that if I give of my time or gifts, then I should GET something too.  Why can’t we be trained to just GIVE without any attachments?

Since I’m on the topic and have already riddled myself into using popular phrasing, I have also heard that when your hand is open in giving it is thus open also to receive.  Now this isn’t so bad.  Some people close themselves off and think that every fool should pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.  Reality, everyone needs help at some time or another.

I have been reading 1 John this week and my thoughts culminated on this subject once I read the following verses:

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for one another. ¹⁷
If any one of you has material possessions and sees a brother or sister
in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in you? ¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 16-18)

Despite the hard workers at the ACLU, Christmas is still a national holiday and it is still (ultimately) about the coming of Jesus Christ to save the world.  Yet in all of the mubo-jumbo of “Happy Holidays” being the politically correct phrase to say, how can we possibly miss that JESUS CHRIST LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US.  John tells us that “this is how we know what love is.”  Not lust the fills the soul at the shot of the most recent Victoria’s Secret model or the the condemnation of a man standing just of the exit of a highway with a sign saying that he is hungry and God bless.  Love, in it’s truest and untarnished form is sacrificial.  Now, how many can say that they would die for that man off of the highway?  No?  Jesus did.

Just like that.  Thats all there is to it and yet, that all there is to it.  It is by far the hardest task that anyone has ever asked of us.  To love in a sacrificial manner that people will know who we are by our actions.  But why is it so difficult for us to do this?  Why is it so hard to simply love one another as Christ first loved us?

A myriad of excuses arise whenever people face difficulties, especially with marriage problems. Kyle and I began our first of 4 marriage pre-counseling sessions with the pastor who will be performing our ceremony. This week focused somewhat on getting to know us, but to also address a key component to maintaining the ability to work through issues. That key, the thing that can keep people together in even the most amazingly difficult times it agape.

Agape love is that love which comes from God and can not exist without God. There are in fact three types of love: philia, eros, and then agape. Philia may be somewhat recognizable…think of a famous Pennsylvania city-brotherly love or the love that you feel for your best friend. Then there is eros. This is that passionate, sexual love. For a marriage you need both eros and philia, and can’t be survive without the other. Then above both of the others is agape. Like I mentioned before, agape love is given first by God so we can in turn share it with others. It is sacrificial and unselfish (“For God so LOVED-agape-the world that he gave his only son”). Marriage needs all three types of love to survive but the key beyond loving each other with this love, is to first love God.

When there is a strain on your personal relationship with God, you not loving him as you should, then you in turn will face difficulty in loving others in this manner. It is like a triangle of components to maintain such a powerful love.

obey His word

/                       \

worship—prayer

When these 3 are cooperating then you will be experiencing the ability to love others (in this case your spouse) with that same agape love, thus loving them with a sacrificial love. How endearing is that. To be loved with a love that you know that that person would give their life for you. This in itself gives you a greater strength to withstand trials and tribulations. It makes something that was once breakable and fragile (depending on either Eros or philia) to intangible and permanent (agape). This is forever kind of love–this is the marriage that God intended.

I received this in an e-mail and encourage you all to take the time to read it and hear what this one person is saying.  Continue to pray as a person of such influence is leading so many lost astray.

Most people are at least familiar with Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you…” It is printed on every graduation card known to man and written in every graduate advice book ever published, but what about the rest of the 65 books or even the rest of Jeremiah for that matter?

We focus all of our energies on this one verse hoping that it will somehow hold all of the answers and when we feel lost and confused we can’t seem to understand why God’s promise to Jeremiah no longer brings us hope and promise to our future.

It’s not because God has left us. It’s not because the promise has changed. It’s because we have become so short-sighted on this one verse of promise that we fail to see where exactly it is that God is leading us in our future.

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to “trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” In our own visions and ideas of the future, we are in control; we know how to handle every situation that we face. But, if we were to let go of our strong hold on life and truly lean on God in trust and faith beyond what we know, then God would lead us straight past what we plan for ourselves and into some much greater.

David said something similar to Solomon as he knew he was at the end of his life. “Get to know the God of your ancestor. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and with a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and understands and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him you will find him.” (1Chronicles 28:9). We don’t serve some ambiguous God, disconnected and uninterested. We serve a God who loves us enough to die on a cross so each and every one of us can not only have a plan and a purpose, but so that we can spend eternity with him once we have lived out that plan he created us for.

I don’t believe that we were necessarily created for one thing, perhaps thousands of little things that affect lives beyond our scope. But whatever it is that we have as our purpose, we will not only change other people’s lives, but have our life changed. From a doctor who saves a life to a teacher who changes a child’s heart to a sales associate whose smile brightens the day of someone stuck in depression.

Lives are changed everyday by you and by me beyond what we see.

The plans that God has for us will be revealed as we seek him, love him and live for him day by day.

In the mornings I, despite griping about the early morning wake up that is required for work, greatly enjoy driving to work because for the first time ever, I catch the sun rise every morning.  I use this glorious sight as my reminder that I am not in control (very obvious by my rushing and running about in the early morning dash to attempt to get out of the house by 6:40 AM) but rather that God is in control of this universe (thankfully) and he has painted this beautiful masterpiece just for me (or so it seems at that moment).

Also in that same moment I often take a breath and begin by simply saying, “Good morning.” I figure I need to get myself squared away before the day truly begins with the general public and the best way to do that is to have my first conversation be with my Father in heaven.  He and I talk all the way into work.  Sometimes just praise for his beauty, and thanksgiving for everything he has given me, sometimes it is a plea for something I feel I need or desire.

This morning I began with a thankful heart, but it was greater than I normal.  For whatever reason I was overwhelm with how much my God has given me and done for me (and human kind) and then I began talking with him about rational and how I just could not understand it.

What was interesting was that I kind of began ranting, not at God but about different topics such as my desire to learn more about the language and context in which His word was written.  Then how some people see the need to dissect each and every word to the point of taking it out of context beyond what was ever actually said.

Interestingly enough, I took that thought to the Constitution, particularly with regards to the first amendment.  We all know “Freedom of religion.”  Our Founding Fathers came from a country whos government was butting into the business of the church, restricting how they were  worshiping Jesus Christ.  When they came and developed  America, they never said to keep Jesus out of the government, ironically, to keep the government our of worshiping Jesus (a little backwards from how it is today interestingly enough).

By the time I got to work I realized I had ranted about several different items but they were all a reflection of my heart.  I love God and I love the thought of defending him in some manner be it through government action via activism or through writing which I havent had enough down time to even stop and grasp them in a single coherent thought (as one might notice here).  I pray for further direction that I can serve Him more.

Christmas is my favorite time of year.  There is a sense of love and family in the house ad the smell of cookies and scrumptious goodies wafting through the air.  In Florida you get used to not having a white Christmas, in fact, you get used to having an 80 degree Christmas in shorts and a t-shirt, but it’s still Christmas,  Family is together and love is abundant.  It almost seems as for the day at least, time slows down and we become like children again.  We find joy in each other and the simple things.  We listen to carols and eat cinnamon twists and mini sausages with orange juice.  The cookies that we spent hours decorating are arranged in baskets or plates to be distributed as gifts to extended family and friends and all is well.  This year has been a little different.

Due to work, I only helped with a couple batters for cookies and they were out of the house before Christmas came.  Gifts are still under the tree, but no one is there as we are all spread around the nation this year.  Amazingly I got a white Christmas this year, snow fell in Denver, CO this morning leaving a beautiful fresh powder for us to trample through, making snow angels.  I love it and its been a beautiful and wonderful day with my future in-laws, but it doesn’t feel like Christmas.

Christmas is celebrating the birth of Christ and all that he has done for us through that humble beginning and humble death on the cross.  It also is about family, coming together and celebrating together in a special way (though different for each family) and remembering that birth together.  I return tomorrow and I have begun to realize that Christmas is not something that must be done a certain way or on a specific day.  It’s a feeling of love and remembrance of the birth and life of Jesus.

So, while I cherish and love the traditions that are very much a part of my Christmas, there is so much more that I love above all of it.

Merry Christmas everyone, and God bless you all.

“To wait on the Lord is to demonstrate confident expectation. The Hebrew word for wait may also be translated “hope.” To hope in God is to wait for His timing and His action”

Psalm 27:14 reads…

Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

So many times this summer I prayed for guidance and direction. I also prayed for patience (which I greatly lack) that I may have hope and “wait upon the the Lord.” The peace and assurance that I live with today and a result of living in God’s plan and will for me and a result of answered prayers for that guidance and direction. Today I was reading Jude (a nice short read if you only have a minimal amount of time) which then took me Daniel 10.

This is one of Daniel’s final visions and concerns him to the point of fasting and praying. For 21 days there was no answer and then an angel comes to him telling him, ““Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven.”

Now there is more to the story but it was that verse that struck a chord with me today. He told him that from the very day he had begun to pray for understanding and to humble himself before God, his request was heard. Not after 7 days or after he had performed the correct rituals. Not from anything but humbling himself before God and submitting his prayer before the the Almighty.

How awesome is our Father that he loves us so much that as soon as we cry out to him he hears us? Think of a young child who has fallen and begins to cry. From inside the house his daddy hears his cries and runs to see what has happened and what he can do to make it better. Sometimes he can mend the cut with medicine the eases the pain while other times all he can do is hold his beloved child hurting deep inside because the wound needs to heal on its own and there will be some pain involved. That is God. When we cry out he hears us and holds us tight, sometimes he can do something to ease the pain while other times He knows that the pain will bring about strength, healing, and wisdom that we wouldn’t be able to gain without going through that hurt. But all the while, he holds us close, whispering in our soul “I love you this much” and he stretches out his hands as wide as he can and there on both hands are the scars of love that he bore on the cross to save us.

I found that waiting on the Lord provides me with peace and assurance. I still struggle sometimes but ultimately it comes down to listening for God’s guidance and trusting in His ways (which are so much better than my own). When you wait upon the Lord he will renew your strength (Is 40:1). Love Hope and Believe.

I finally just sat down and took a breath. I suppose having my music blasting, jumping around, doing push-ups and sit-ups is all a little random-especially in the middle of my hotel room. You see, tomorrow I have a test (go figure, I graduate and I get tested). Enterprise tests their MT at the end of training, asking that you get a minimum of 80% on a 53 question short answer test.

Now, I procrastinated a lot in school but I really did mean it when I said that when I began my job I would try my best to do well, exceptionally well if at all possible. Now, I have a test that I “have” to pass!

I’m not narrating all of this to you to tell you of a stressful end to an enjoyable week. It’s more of our evaluations that I am observing and making note of in my own life. Like I said, and like anyone who knows me would happily contest, I am a procrastinator. From term papers to laundry, if it did not need to be done that exact moment-it could wait. I always viewed work a little differently however.

I pride myself in good work ethic and in doing so, can not procrastinate for work. I arrive early and stay until the job is done (not excessively mind you, but I make sure to do a good job). Now, as I face a “test” in coordination with work I am faced with a conundrum that leaves me somewhat…psychotic and generally stressed (see starting paragraph).

As I grow further away from my lovely days of college (*tear*) I am beginning to understand the importance of my priorities. Not to say that work is #1, but it is higher than I put some of the papers I didn’t write until the night before(which, yes-to my parents reading this-should have been higher, I know). I sit here and evaluate where I am right now and I am trying to configure a conceptual picture of where I want to be in the next year, because in reality my career-unlike many others-moves in a monthly basis for the first 5 years (or so). In two years I can be promoted three times, managing my own branch with a handful of employees and a fleet of cars that I am responsible for, driving a company car and living comfortably, able to give back more than I dreamed I would ever be able to. When I sit here, in this moment, it is a little hard to imagine that (especially seeing as I will still be under 25, the age that you no longer have to pay an extra fee to rent a car-ironic isn’t it?).

So as I finish up tomorrow I begin to compile my goals (which I’ll start to make more specific as I meet with my branch and area manager) but starting with a 6 month time frame for my first promotion (that is given after passing a comprehensive evaluation…a test)

Today was my first day at work (and the rest of my life flashes before my eyes…sigh).  No, I’m just kidding.  As a vibrant young 21-year-old I cling to the hopes of the new and exciting, the unexplored terrain and uncharted territories- in this case, the branch office of Enterprise Rent-a-car at 905 US 1 Vero Beach, FL.

Truthfully, I am excited about my new job.  It is my first salaried job and even now, tired after not sleeping well last night, getting up early to make sure I got up, and leaving home at 7 to make sure I beat traffic since I am not familiar with the flow of it at those hours, then working until 5.  I am anxious and a little frustrated because today (and tomorrow) I can’t do anything but observe interactively.

Basically, I am going to work but because I don’t have training until next week I can not do 3/4 of my job so, I stand around, feel in the way and useless and some-what bored.  I try to pay attention as they verbally and visually explain things to me (which everyone there is great, thank God for that).  And some things I get (I can do the first step for checking in the car, by that I mean check it and write down the mileage) then I know what to do if someone needs their car checked out for Geico (I can do that!).  I’m hesitant to answer phones because it is one of three things: 1. reserve a rental (can not do yet) 2. ask a question (I typically do not have an answer that would be adequate or appropriate at this time) or 3. have a diver pick them up (I could do that, but with odds of 1 in 3 I figure it’s not a good bet).

In all, it makes for a hard day for me (not hard as in difficult, hard as in frustrating).  I am excited and thrilled to start (kind of, I mean, now that I’ve begun who knows when it will ever end!) but, there are some kinks and yes, yes, I know I have only been there one day, but I want to do well.  I want to succeed and get promoted and not sit around waiting for people to do things for me, which basically makes this, as I said difficult.  But now, I am tired and I need to try and go to sleep again (I got up to write this because I couldn’t get to sleep before).  So probably until next week after training, I say goodnight.

FINALLY!  I was issued an offer this past Friday from Enterprise rent-a-car and I accepted.  I will be working as a management trainee and *hopefully* move up quickly, as promotions are based on merit (not seniority).  To be honest, I did not see myself working for a company like this when I graduated (nor did I see myself planing to live at home for the next year or so) and yet, here I am.  The interesting thing is, while I feel confident in taking this job and feel that I am making the correct decision, I still have a yearning on my heart to do more.  This is where God’s picture is clear whereas mine is only beginning to piece together (which is ok).  You see, through this position I can gain priceless management experience in a very short amount of time.  I get to learn the workings of a very large and very successful business hands on and at the point when I need to move, transferring to another location gives me limitless options.  I am at ease about my dreams because God has a reason for each step and I know I need to learn business management and that I need experience to be able to successfully complete my dream and this gives me that opportunity with a great company.  So I have two more weeks of freedom until I begin (officially on October 15) and will be trying to adjust my schedule to be prepared for those early mornings.  Please be praying for me as I begin this next step in my journey as I continue to seek God’s will in everything I do.