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?

I received a notice today from a friend of mine.  She is involved with a new non-profit called the Greenhouse Project.  This organization is based through an orphanage in Uganda, striving to survive in a country that has been torn apart by civil wars for longer than these children have been alive.  They are using funds from an art grant to go to Africa, teach the kids art, bring back those pieces that the children create, and sell them as support to keep this safe haven alive.  For some, it is a chance to have their voice heard in a world that seems determined to shut them up.

As soon as I saw that my friend was still raising funds, I asked my husband how much we could send.  I wrote the check in that same sitting.  I am so proud of her heart.  She has a heart for those who need help and she is doing something about it.

That is Christianity at work.  My friend taking the summer to assist and determine where the need is in this orphanage is a step of faith.  She is being the salt of the earth and light in a dark world.

“Christian” has quickly become an adjective as opposed to the verb that it is.  How we can sit around as the world crumbles on all fronts is beyond me.  I suppose this is why I find myself at such peace right now.  I don’t have a job, I live in an apartment complex whose prices raise significantly each year, etc…there is a plethora of “stuff” that I could easily allow to drown me in sorrow, worry, and depression.  But I have my hope in Jesus my Lord.  I have a home.  My husband has a good job.  We are blessed to have friends and family who love and care for us.  Even our puppy brings a smile to the faces of the passersby as he appears to always have one on his.  Now, I have a friend who I have seen go through the trenches, also known as high school, and has come out, a semester from graduating college with a degree in theology, and has focused on others–loving and caring for those who are considered unlovable.

That is peace.

I joke about the unrest in Israel, asking my family if they are ready to go home.  They smile and say ‘better believe it.’  How about you?  Each one of you has a choice.  Choose Jesus or Choose hell for eternity.  Jesus=peace, hell=well, hell, eternal suffering and unrest.  Simple choice, simple answer.  The unrest, the deteriorating of morals and of “Christians” standing for tolerance rather than Jesus and the Bible…it is a very clear sign of the second coming of Jesus.

But for anyone who has not made the choice for Jesus, beware, in the twinkling of an eye, he will be here and gone.  When you go to work or to school and see the empty chairs, the missing people, you can no longer say that you were never warned.

Jesus is coming and this time, the devil is going to be allowed to take over and put hell on earth-unlike any destruction and misery that you can ever imagine.  I would suggest choosing the peace now, but that is just my opinion.

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.

I feels like forever since I have written anything but after working my fist full week at my branch (and going in tomorrow as well) I just haven’t found the time yet.  The term of phrase “finding time” reminds me of what my dad often told me when I said that I didn’t have time for something:

Everyone as 24 hours in a day, its a matter of making time for the things that are important

Profound if you truly think about.  Like I said, I spent this week at work, much like the majority of America does (about 52 hours of my 120 in 5 days).  So, hypothetically, that leaves me 68 hours (the majority of my time) to do what needs to be done Even with working overtime.  Ok, not bad.   Now lets say I actually got 8hrs of sleep a night, there goes 40 of my hours and suddenly I’m left with 28 to make something worth while.  That’s just over 5 hours a day that I would use to get ready, eat dinner, and spend time with friends/family, as well as anything I deemed necessary or important (for example, I do devotions in the mornings).

Now I drew out that long hypothetical math equation to make a point.  If I only had 5 hours a day to put toward the things of importance, how important are they?

I know there are people who have to work 50-60 hours a week (I am required to work 49) but if you have children and a family and do not have to work those hours…why are you?  What are you showing is important in your life, showing as your top priority.  In the same manner, if you have time to offer, why not volunteer for something that would benefit others?  Make the time to make a difference.

We make our time worthwhile by what we do with it, not by how much we have because ultimately, we all have 24 hours to work with.  What are you making time for?

I have always been very vocal in support for my country and for its leaders (even when I don’t always agree with them) but when the 2008 presidential campaign began I felt discouraged and about as apathetic about the whole thing as I have ever been.  To be blunt, I didn’t like any (not a single one) of the candidates, republican or democratic.  As soon as I thought one might be hopeful, I read more and discovered some irregularities in their patterns (voting versus promised, outlandish campaign promises, all around crummy, dirty politics for some).  It broke my heart that I did not feel that I could back a single candidate, that America could have so many “poli-tics” running for office (Kyle says the definition of politics is “many blood sucking insects” and in this case I agreed with him).  Then I found my hope.

His name is Mike Huckabee, past governor of Arkansas and someone who hasn’t said one thing to one activist group and then the exact opposite to another opposing group the following day (a rare find on the campaign trail).  He is republican and conservative but has some views that would upset a lot of the GOP and bring a smile to the face of a Democrat.  He is a good guy who wants to bring a little civility back to the Capital (which is long over due).

He isn’t a front runner but he should be and has my vote.  If nothing else, I don’t care if you agree with my or not, please look at the issues of the candidate you are thinking of supporting.  Please don’t base your vote off of their campaign speeches; check them out.  Find out where they stand on the issues that make a difference to you and your family.  If you don’t know what those issues are, start there, making a list of some things you want changed or some things you want to stay the same.  I promise all of those will or should be on the candidates websites with their stance (and some with their voting record which always needs to be checked).  The most important thing in elections is to be informed on all of the issues, not the ones the media or the candidates decide you need to know.  You decide, educate yourself and make the vote worthwhile (especially the primaries which count more than most people realize).

ok…so if you read my post yesterday I was excited about my new page that I had added called “The More you Know…” as you can see…it’s not there.  So confused I went to look at it on the edit page under manage (as I thought was ok) and it only has the 1st paragraph I wrote.  I had 7 verses multiple pictures and all thats left is a measly paragraph!!!  What is going on?!?

ok…(grumble, grumble) I got a new page up (yea!) but it is still under construction so the format isn’t quite what I want yet but the idea is there.  I have listed some of my favorite verses for you and I did have (until it was erased about 3 times) an explanation for each verse as well.  SOOOO, needless to say, that will be added and the pictures will be adjusted but, nevertheless, IT’S UP!!!

After not writing for nearly a week I wanted to come back with something meaningful.  I have plenty of useless ideals and opinions that don’t amount to much but when I look at the world I want to make more of an impact.  BarlowGirl recently came out with their newest CD entitled “How can We Be Silent.”  It is also a “campaign” of sorts for people to not just listen to the music, but to live the life.  They challenge listeners to submit their own stories about not being silent and standing up for Christ in a world that has long forgotten that He is in fact their Maker, Savior, and king of the world that they live so freely in.  It amazes me how simple this can be and yet how difficult we make it.  We create in our minds this idea that we have to travel to the far ends of the earth in order to make a difference.  The we have to somehow be in grave danger and in fact risk our very life for our ministry to be at all effective.  Why?  Why do we need to go into the depths of the world (though those ministries are in deed needed and greatly appreciated if you are in fact called into that work)?  But why do we feel that we can’t minister to our neighbors by living a life that Christ exemplified and being friendly even when they are not?  Why can’t we minister to the workers at the local grocery store by letting them know that it is offensive to see magazines like Maxim displayed openly when all they do is offer substantial temptation to any man who walks by them and can make women feel degraded or not pretty enough by not fitting the prototype displayed?  Why can’t we minister to our local restaurants and servers by respecting the work and service they are trying to provide and simply saying “God bless you” and meaning it before walking out the door?  These minimal actions are things that should be done in our life without over analyzing them but done with the heart of He who lead us in the example.  Why do we insist on being silent when we don’t agree and accept that the society is just going to change that way whether we do something about it or not?  If we all stood up for what we actually believed can you imagine the changes that society would have to make for us?  Christians have too long been silent and accepting of the ever demeaning changes that we are forced to accept without complaint.  God did not call us to be weak (meek, but not weak) and we should be strong for our God until the day of his glorious appearing which may be closer than we think.  Until then, speak up–> Never be silent for what you believe.

I have a little trivia for you.  The Gators won the championship this year in both basketball and football; can you name the starting 5 for the basketball team?  How about the starting quarterback for the football team?  Not that hard for many if you know college sports.

Lets try another thats a bit different; what film won the academy award for best animated picture this year?  Still fairly easy?

Ok, I’ll give you one thats a bit more difficult.  What is the name of the man who was only the 5th person ever to  have won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Congressional Gold Medal?  A little more difficult?  He’s in good company with names like Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Elie Wiesel.

His name is Norman Borlaug and he has made amazing advances in agriculture and he received his awards for saving an estimated one billion people from starving!  Were you even aware that the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony was just a week or so ago?  Interesting isn’t it?  We remember the sports stars that wow us for a few years, we ooh and ahh at the glamor and glitz of the Hollywood crowd but yet, when a man dedicates his life to saving others…we don’t have a clue.  How sad.  How terribly sad.

Oh, if you didn’t know the answers:

starting 5: Noah, Brewer, Green, Humphrey, and Horford (if you said Richards then it still counts)

quarterback: Chris Leak

animated film: Happy Feet