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.

Basketball is not a new phnomenon.  I just wasn’t introduced to its intricacies until several years ago and had the pleasure of my team not only doing well, but winning (twice!).  I say this as Kyle has the NCAA championship on (Kansas and Davidson is currently in process…Davidson ahead at this moment but its back and forth…good game).  Now, I never got into basketball because I didn’t understand it.  I didn’t know the fouls and intricacies of the game that make it so interesting.  Since being educated on such things (via my fiance who loves the game and played some himself), I have noticed that my enjoyment in the game has multiplied and I also was to learn to play myself.

I don’t think this is uncommon, or for that matter that this observation is unique.  I do believe that taking note of this has helped me with others who feel the same way about things I love (such as football with my brother-in-law, who grew up on soccer).  This can (and does) extend outside of the sports arenas into everyday life.  Where we are faced with conflict how often is it that the conflict arises because one or more of the individuals just does not understand all of the intricacies of the issue?

Just a little food for thought.

I feel the need to write more consistently lately, for one reason or another.  Granted the fact that I am exhausted, about 3 hours past when I normally crash, and have absolutely nothing on my mind right now probably does not help.  One of my friends detests blogs that ramble on in diary form, speaking of nothing but air.  He tries to form his around an article, discovery, once a very specific observation he made that he even included pictures to further his explanation.

To be honest, I prefer the to-the-point blog versus…well…this one.  But where I find myself is in somewhat of a rut; somewhat of a very large rut.  I have lost the time to do what I most enjoy doing and find most relaxing.  I use words to express myself on paper rather than in speech to avoid the trouble that is sure to follow had the other option been taken.  I use times like these to delve into and relish in a theory or idea that I play with in my mind and piece apart as best as I am able.  I use writing as a de-stresser, as a soothing mechanism, as a mediator, as a peace-maker.  I know the harshness that comes from words and I know the pure and living power that lives in words.  When misspoken, lives are changed, either for the better or for the worse (profound statement isn’t is?…what I mean is words have the capability of changing the life of someone, sending them over the moon (“will you marry me” or simply, “I love you.”) versus destroying someone or tearing them down (“I hate you” or “don’t bother, you wouldn’t make a difference anyway.”-lies that have been told to too many).

I think that is why I love writing.  In my head I have thoughts that bounce around so many times, they begin to bump and meld into one another.  When I write it, it is as if I immortalize a piece of my idea, something that sounds, well, pretty cool.  So as I begin to fall back into my routine (hopefully, we’ll see how I do), please bear with me.  I used to have a constant 30 or so that checked in each time a new post came up (that was cool!) whereas after two months I had 10 (imagine that).  I never had over 50…I never even had 50.  Perhaps I will peak an interest, who knows.  I might just have something worth saying

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.

to know the heart of God…to be in the secret place where He no only en-wraps his loving arms around me–but speaks his words to the very depths of my spirit, my soul.  To have his say to me, “You are mine!” (Isaiah 51:16)  This is my prayer, my longing, my desire.  Each day that I live, I live to further his kingdom; “set my face like a stone determined to do his will.  And I know I will triumph.” (Isaiah 50:7)  My heart cries out to do more…to change the world.  My soul longs to relish in the challenge of…adversity…strengthened by Jesus who says, “I have put my words in your mouth and hidden you safely in my hands.” (Isaiah 51:16).  What is this longing for?  Why do I have this unrest in my spirit to do so much more than where I am?

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.

I take offense to every man and woman who decides that it is now “uncouth” to say “merry Christmas” and force me at work to say “Happy Holidays” for fear of losing my job or other retribution.  I take offense to every person who decided that suddenly we are no longer allowed to sing carols in schools or hang Christmas decorations, such as a tree, at the risk of a child who doesn’t celebrate Christmas feeling intimidated or pressured by the greenery or pleasant music that most people have waited all year to hear.  I take offense that suddenly the holiday that I celebrate as the birth of my Savior, which had already been commercialized and celebrated by the majority of Americans unless Jewish or otherwise religious (in other words, not the ones complaining) is just now offending people that grew up celebrating the same holiday and will probably receive presents and get a Christmas tree (not a holiday tree).

I take offense that Christmas is now a political issue rather than a spiritual issue.  But most of all I take offense that it doesn’t matter what offends me, because I am Christian.  I take offense that my rights are not the same as atheists, agnostics, scientologists, or whatever else people want to call themselves.  I take offense that I am told to keep quiet about my views but am expected to hear others shouting profanities where my children are playing and learning.  I take offense that 5 year olds come home saying the f-word having learned it at public school from a classmate and I am told by others that it is simply freedom of speech, despite how I would want a child raised.  I take offense that I have to lower my morals to meet everyone elses.

I weep for this country that I love because when the men that created it wrote our constitution, they PRAYED TO GOD for guidance and for direction.  I weep for this country that I love because that same constitution is being walked all over by judges who have decided to overstep their boundaries and start creating laws (because our elected officials aren’t doing it anyway).  I weep for this country that I love because I see it falling to pieces and crumbling before my very eyes.  I weep for those who are lost and yell to throw me in jail because I speak against homosexuality (I don’t hate the homosexual..I hate their sin…the act of their lifestyle, I love them as persons and if that is worthy of a hate crime then I am guilty).  I weep for those who are lost and yell that they not only hate this war but hate the soldiers who hate been risking their lives to fight for their freedom to yell.  I weep and cry out to God to come save us from this and yet give us more time to save those souls who are so incredibly lost.

So here I stand wishing everyone a politically incorrect Merry Christmas, praying for the lost, and weeping for my country that is so lost in the sea if sin.

“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 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 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)