Saturday, April 29, 2006

Forced Support against Beliefs

I find it very disturbing that some people are now being forced to support projects/materials/agenda that go against their beliefs. I would not expect someone to produce a work of mine if they did not agree with my beliefs. Once again things appear to be very one sided. The cry of discrimination is heeded only when it is screamed by certain individuals. Talk about double standard. What exactly is the definition of religious freedom if it does not allow you to refuse to support something that goes against your relgious beliefs.

This is an article about a Christian business that is being forced to duplicate a film supporting the gay agenda. I would not expect a businessman who was gay to duplicate a Christian film if they do not agree with the content. What is next? A christian business forced to support pornography?

CWA - Christian Business Ordered to Duplicate Homosexual Activist Videos

I know this is in Canada, but we are headed the same way!

On Leave Now

Well, yesterday was my last day at work. I'm officially on maternity leave now. You'd think I'd be doing great and in a wonderful mood, but last night and today I've found myself in a bit of a depressed mood.

Maybe it is that I've not been posting my "Happy Ups" the last couple days. Nah!

I think it has to do with me being tired and coming down from a few stressful weeks. I've been going so much trying to make sure everything was taken care of before I left work for 9 weeks that now I'm coming down off the "stress high" I've been on. It will probably hit me more on Monday when I don't go to work. Right now it is still like a normal weekend.

The good news for me to concentrate on now (once I catch up on some sleep) is that I have time to get ready for the new baby and to get some serious writing done that I've been wanting to do. I also should be getting some new books later this week that I ordered and can start doing some serious reading that I've not had time for lately.

I'm sure on Monday I'll be back to my normal happy self and looking forward to the next weeks! And when I go back to work, I now have the position I've been wanting for a couple years now. I'm excited about that!

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Blogs - What are they?

My husband is not much of a reader or writer, therefore he does not quite understand my interest in keeping up a blog of my own or in reading the blogs of others. However, yesterday I must admit he had a good quesiton.

"What is a blog?"

I started to explain to him what people use them for, but that was not what he was asking. He wanted to know what "blog" meant.

Well, I tried to look it up online on Webster's but it is only listed on the collegiate site which is not their FREE site. So I did a search online and pretty much just found a ton of websites which help you set up a blog of your own and/or track blogs.

I finally found something that did not specifically state what "blog" means but it did prod my mind into a theory.

I believe "blog" is basically something that has come about because of our laziness and need for a snappy name for things. I believe it is short for Web Log. We just dropped the "We" off the front and smashed it together.

Anyway, that is my thought for the day. Not anything earth shattering but it was something to write about. Now I'm going to turn off my brain and get some sleep! Good Night!!

Happy Up 4 (Wednesday)

I know I'm behind a day on posting, but between work and being tired all the time now (1st priority when I get home is spending time with family) I've gotten behind. I do think about these and determine my three items each night before bed. I'm just not getting them posted the same day.

1. Baby Shower - On Wednesday, my staff (now ex-staff, I guess) hosted a baby shower for me at work. Everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves and it was nice for everyone to get a break from work for an hour to play games and laugh. Even some of the guys in the department joined in!

2. Good Night's sleep - The other day Shaun looked at me and asked if my stomach could get any bigger! This baby is going to be at least as big as Austin was, if not bigger. However, this means it is hard to get comfortable at night and get a good nights sleep. That and the fact that I am getting up at least 6 times a night to use the bathroom. Wednesday morning I woke up very rested. I think I was just so exhausted that I just konked out, but I slept very good!

3. Good Apple Pie - On Tuesday, Shaun had made an apple pie for me for House Church. Well a lot of desserts showed up that night so the apple pie was not finished off. Therefore, we were able to enjoy it. After Austin was in bed, Shaun and I sat down with Tyler, ate apple pie and watched the first half of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe. We watched the other half with her tonight!

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Day of Silence

Okay, for those of you who are concerned with being "PC" you may be offended, so I advise not to read further without being forewarned.

What is the deal with being PC anyway? We are so concerned with hurting someone's feelings that we are not honest any longer. We can be honest in love, you know. In fact that is what God commands of us. We are to be honest and uphold His principles, but do it in a loving way. However, nowadays even when you are honest in a loving way you can be called a bigot. Just because you do not see eye to eye with someone. I'm tired of being told I should be tolerant by those who say they are so tolerant but are only so with those who agree with them! This whole PC idea is harming our country and our children. We can't fail a child because it might hurt their self-esteem. What happened to teaching our children to work their hardest and do their best?

But I digress. Today while getting ready for work it was announced on the local news channel that today was a Day of Silence in support of the gay movement. I've looked at a couple sites regarding this, one which gives the history of the day. It states this day was set up to protest the silencing of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trangenders due to discrimination. I can't say I've been noting silence from that camp lately.

I have absolutely no problem with the fact that EVERYONE deserves to be treated with respect. However, treating someone with respect means they can have opinions of their own. I have friends who live this lifestyle, however that does not mean I need to support or agree with their lifestyle. I believe it is against God's commandments and I'm not ashamed to say so. I should not be called names because of my opinion. Why is it okay for others to voice thier beliefs and say everyone must be tolerant, but this does not apply to Christians who want to express their beliefs?

There is a big difference between protecting those with different beliefs from physical harm and discrimination and forcing others to buy into those beliefs. I will speak of my beliefs and why I believe what I do, but I know it is your choice as to whether you agree with me or not. I would like the same respect. You may not agree with me, but don't require me to buy into what you believe.

I think one of the major problems with this country lately is the idea that we should all be tolerant, however it is applied so very selectively. America's idea of tolerant is very ironic. I find it ironic that we have a National Day of Silence, however nobody seems to care that this crusade against discrimination has turned into a silencing of anyone who believes differently from what they believe.

Happy Up 3 (Yesterday's Happy Ups)

Okay, so I did not get this posted yesterday, but I did think about them. After work I had some very special people over to my home and once they left I just crashed for the night.

1. Simple Church - Awhile back the traditional church I attend decided to try something different. We dismantled our traditional church and our traditional ways of thinking and started meeting in house churches. Each week we meet together for a meal and to fellowship, study the word and be a family. Basically we are the church. The groups are no more than 20 individuals so we really get to know one another. Then once a month all the house/simple churches meet in one place for a Celebration. Well, my house church meets on Tuesday nights and last night we started meeting at my home (we rotate through homes) and will continue to do so for a few weeks (at least until the baby is born). I love getting together with my family and it was a blessing to have them in my home last night.

2. My children - I've been a bit stressed at work lately because I'm going out on maternity leave the end of this week and I'm trying to get a bunch of projects done before then and train others on taking over the Supervisor role that is no longer mine (YEAH!) and train someone on the items I will take back on when I return. After a long stressful day, it is always refreshing to go pick up my little ones and have them sooo happy to see me. They are so excited to see me and that just lifts your spirits after a long hard day.

3. My husband - I must say my hubby makes my days happy. He is not a Believer and does not participate in church house (in fact he hides in the garage pretty much the entire time everyone is here) but he is so supportive of me. He has absolutely no problem with our house being "invaded by Jesus Freaks" along with all the children that go along with them. He is friendly (at least for him, one of few words) with the guys that wander out to the garage to see how his Harley project is going along and he even made an apple pie so I would not have to worry about coming home from work and making something for our church house family dinner.

Monday, April 24, 2006

Happy Up 2

Okay, I went back to work today so the happy up was a bit more difficult today. Not because I'm not enjoying my job now, but because I'm tired and don't get to take my nap. But that does get me to my first happy up for the day!

1. No more management - today I spent time with my ex-staff members and the new manager I am training to take over the AP Supervisor position going over goals & objectives for the year. This means I officially am no longer a manager. As of now my official title is Senior Financial Analyst. This means I get to do all the things I enjoy at work (process improvements, training, mini audit, I know - boring, I'm an accountant though!) but no longer have to deal with the drama that goes along with the managing of others. I get to interact with all the people in my department without being responsible for them. Yeah!!

2. Massage - After work today I went to see my friend Tanya who is a wonderful massage therapist. With the stress of all the projects I'm needing to finish up before I go on maternity leave the end of the week, I was really in need of this. I really enjoy my massages, but especially when I'm pregnant. Pregnancy just does some nasty things to your body and stress added to that can really make you feel old at times. But now I feel great!!!

3. Coupons - I purchased the 2 DVD set of Narnia - The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe. I have the whole set of the Narnia books and have been reading them to my daughter. I saw this movie in the theater with my father (who recently read the books) as a birthday present for me. My daughter is also wanting to see this, so I decided it was one worth buying. Better yet, a friend of mine gave me a $5 off coupon that I was able t use today when I purchased the movie. Coupons are great!

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Happy UP - Day 1

Awhile back, Scott Nutter posted on his blog about a study by Martin Seligman which showed people who looked back over their day and identified three things that made them happy for a week were happier, even 6 months later! He challenged his readers to try this for a week.

Well, I've just read over this part of his blog so I did not particpate back when he originally wrote it but I figured it is never too late to start. Also, it is just another way for me to write on a daily basis.

So here goes. . . HappyUP day 1 (I'm borrowing Scott's cool name since my preggie brain is having trouble coming up with my own snappy name!)

1. Lazy Day - Today has been a "lazy day" for me. Shaun is out of work at the moment and therefore keeping the house very clean so there was not much for me to do around the house. I enjoyed having the day to do some reading and surf the web reading blogs of some of my friends. And of course I came across this Happy UP idea for this week. This also means I was able to take a nap today, being 8 months pregnant makes this a very goood and happy thing in my book!

2. Shaun's dream job - I know this is Shaun's dream but anything to do with him obviously affects me. And of course if he is happy, I am happy. As mentioned above he is out of work right now because the shop he was working at is shutting down. He recently rebuilt a Harely he bought from his grandfather and loved doing the work. This week he bought a Harley needing some work and now has his first project. He is wanting to start rebuilding bikes for a living and this is his start! He has someone that he is going in with who owns a paint booth and will be doing the paint jobs. I am so happy for him and praying this dream of his will work out.

3. Baby Present - I had a neighbor come by today to drop off a gift for the new baby. I just LOVE getting baby clothes. They are so small and so cute! I can already imagine myself holding this new little life in my arms. And boy is he an active one. Once again he has been active all day long, usually whenever I sit down to rest. Tyler & Austin like to put their hands on my tummy and feel him move. They think it is funny to feel him kick them. Tyler actually helped me unwrap the present for him today. She is so excited about her new baby brother.

So there are my three Happy UPs for the day. I actually feel better already! Thank you Lord for all the little good things in my life!

In His Eyes

Just something from one of my writing lessons that I came across today and thought I'd share. I was supposed to use word pictures to describe how God interacts with us.

* * * * * *

The first thing I noticed about Him was His eyes. Not the color, as I could not tell you the color, even though I’d spent the whole night stealing glances at Him. What caught my attention was what I sensed behind His eyes: hope and grace, unfaltering love. It seemed He saw to the very core of my being and knew things about me even I did not know. I was afraid to meet His eyes, but could not tear my gaze away. The power I saw behind those eyes simultaneously terrified and comforted me. I knew, no matter how dark my soul, this was the One that could erase all the squalidness. This was the One who could renew my life and fill me with radiance brighter than the sun and more pure than freshly fallen snow.

Friday, April 21, 2006

Passover - Part 1

I know Passover for this year has already passed, but since I'm still doing a study of the Lord's Feasts and this is the first one, that is what I'll be talking about today.

First I want to say I attended a Passover dinner put on by a local church this year. We actually did this on Friday night (4/14) although the actual Passover began this year at sundown, April 12th. Passover was meant to be celebrated in a smaller intimate setting than what I experienced from this Passover meal, however it was a wonderful learning opportunity for me. I believe my house church group (about 12 of us, not counting the children) will be celebrating next year in a more intimate setting.

"On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord's Passover." (Lev. 23:5)
Nisan 14th

Exodus 11 - In this chapter the 10th plague is described as occurring at midnight when God would pass through the land and kill the firstborn of all families and cattle.

Exodus 12 - God outlines the steps to be taken by His people who trusted Him in order to avoid the plague, in order to be "passed over".


Requirements for Passover

* A year old male lamb, perfect with no flaws or defects was to be taken from the flock on the 10th of Nisan

* For four days the family was to take the lamb into their homes to ensure it was fit for the sacrifice and to become attached to the lamb. In this way the lamb became "their lamb".

* At sunset on the 14th day of Nisan the lamb was to be publicly killed and the family was to apply the blood of the lamb to their doorpost.

* The innocent lamb became a substitute so the Lord's judgment "passed over" the family.

At the time of the first (and true) Passover, the month of Nisan became the first month in the Jewish religious calendar.


God's requirements for the Passover Meal

God required three items for the Passover Meal to be eaten:

1. Lamb - a young lamb was chosen to symbolize innocence. It was roasted over a fire to symbolize the judgment of the first born

2. Matzah (unleavened bread) - this symbolized the purity of the sacrifice because leaven symbolized sin.

3. Bitter Herbs - served as a reminder of the suffering of the lamb (and of the Jews as slaves in Egypt).


Importance of Passover

1. There was only one Passover when the Lord passed through the land as judgment. All other celebrations since then have been a memorial to this one true Passover.

2. Passover is the oldest, continuously observed feast in existance today. It has been celebrated for some 3,5000 years.

3. Even today more Jewish people observe Passover than any other Jewish holy day.

4. Passover was so important to the Lord that He allowed those who could not celebrate on the 14th of Nisan (those defiled by touching a dead body or who were away on a long journey) to celebrate Passover 30 days later on the 14th of the second month. This is the only holy feast for which He made an accomodation such as this.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Heart relationship v. external requirements

I've started posting (and will continue to do so) regarding the Feasts of the Lord. These are feasts the Lord appointed in the Old Testament. Many Christians are now taking an interest in these feasts and their meaning in relation to the Messiah.

However, in the Old Testament the Lord says the following about his appointed feasts. . .

"I hate all your show and pretense - the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies." (Amos 5:21)

"I hate all your festivals and sacrifices. I cannot stand the sight of them!" (Isaiah 1:14)

He is referring to the same feasts that I've been studying. Why does he tell the Jews to celebrate these feasts and then make these comments about those same feasts?

The answer has to do with the hearts of the Jews at the time. They were celebrating the festivals and making sacrifices to God because it was their "duty". It was what they were supposed to do, not because they loved the Lord. God looks at our hearts today as well. Going to church on Easter and Christmas, or even attending church every Sunday is not pleasant in the Lord's sight if we are doing it because that is what is expected of us. He wants us to do so because we are in a relationship with him and we love Him. Without the relationship, the feasts are meaningless.

The interest I have in these feasts stems from not only the fact that the Lord told the Jews to celebrate them, but also because they represented the love He had for them. In addition, the feasts point to the Messiah and God's ultimate love for us. I want to learn more about these feasts because I love the Lord and I'm in a relationship with Him, not because it is expected of me. In everything we do for the Lord, we need to ask ourselves what our motives are. If we are not doing it out of love, we might as well not do it.

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today, shall be in your heart." (Deut. 6:4-6)

"You shall love the Lord you God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37-38, spoken by Jesus, our Messiah)

God's ulitmate desire for us is to be in a love relationship with Him. Obedience will stem from this. These feasts, church attendance, good deeds, etc are all just a shadow of who Jesus is, they are a shadow of the love He holds for us. Make sure you are chasing the person, not the shadows.

More Pictures

Here are a couple more pictures of the kids.

This one of Tyler is a bit old (taken last summer) but she is very proud of the Harley her daddy rebuilt.


This one is of Austin. He thinks he looks pretty cool in his vest!



Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Middle Name Needed

For those who are not aware, Shaun and I are due to have child number three on May 20th. This is a boy, so we'll have one girl (almost 5 years now) and two boys (Austin is 19 months). We are naming this child Jesse (means God Exists) however we are having trouble coming up with a middle name that we both like and agree upon.

I want something that sounds good with Jesse. I also am interested in the meaning of names, so would like something that is meaningful to us.

So, I'm asking for any ideas anyone may have. We only have a month left to go and I'd like to decide on a middle name for Jesse before he born.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Spring Feasts

The four Spring Feasts consist of:

1. Passover
2. Feast of Unleavened Bread
3. Feast of Firstfruits
4. Feast of Weeks

Passover:

This is the foundation of all the other feasts as the other six build upon this one. It is celebrated on the 14th of Nisan (March/April). It also begins the the religious year.

In Egypt over 3,500 years ago, the only true Passover was celebrated when a lamb was sacrificed and it's blood applied to doors so the home was "passed over" and the firstborn spared.

There has also only been one true fulfillment on this holiday. This occured over 2,000 years ago when Jesus the Messiah was pierced and His blood was spilled on the cross to spare the world of the eternal consequences of sin.

Interestingly, at the time of the Jewish exodus from Egypt, the Pharaoh was considered to be a god, therefore in their eye's god's son died when the Pharaoh's firstborn died on that original Passover.

The Hebrew slaves were "redeemed" in Egypt by the sacrifical lamb's blood. These lambs pointed to the one true Lamb of God who redeems the world.

Feast of Unleavened Bread:

This feast begins the day after Passover (15th of Nisan) and lasts for seven days. The first and seventh nights are a time of meeting or convocation between God and man. With the passing of time this holiday has come to be observed with Passover by many.

One ancient custom or tradition during this time is to sprinkle bread crumbs (leaven) throughout your house. Then the leaven is swept up, taken outside and burned. The leaven symbolizes error or evil.

Feast of Firstfruits:

This feast occurs on the second day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread or the 16th of Nisan. At this time the barley harvest (the first crop planted in the winter) is beginning to ripen. The first sheaf is cut and presented to the Lord. The acceptance of the firstfruit by the Lord is an "earnest" or pledge on His part for a full harvest.

Feast of Weeks (Shavuot):

This occurs seven weeks and one day after Firstfruits (50 days). This is also called Pentecost (meaning fiftieth). During this the Hebrews would bring two loaves of bread with leaven (yeast) in them to offer to the Lord. The loaves represent the Jews and the Gentiles and the leaven in the bread reprsents that we are still not yet without sin in our lives.

Spring Feasts Summary:

1. Passover: Redemption
Messiah the Passover Lamb has been slain for us.

2. Unleavened Bread: Sanctification
Messiah was set apart. His body would not decay in the grave.

3. Firstfruits: Resurrection
On the 3rd day Jesus rose from the grave. He was the firstfruits of the
eternal bodily resurrection that awaits all Believers.

4. Feast of Weeks: Origination
Represents the coming of the Holy Spirit to Christ's Believers.

Note: Each major event of the Messiah's first coming occurred on the precise date of the appropriate Jewish holiday.

Jewish Time

In order to better understand how the Jewish feasts are celebrated it is beneficial to understand how time is measured from a Jewish religious viewpoint.

The Jewish Day

In Genesis 1 God refers to the day as consisting of “the evening and the morning”. The Jewish day is consistent with this, first evening or night hours and then morning or daylight hours. Therefore, the Jewish day begins at sundown and continues to the next sundown. The Jewish holidays also begin at sundown.

For example, this year Passover begins at sundown April 12th (yesterday) and ends at sundown, April 13th (today).

The Jewish Week

The Hebrew week consists of seven days similar to our traditional calendar, however they do no have specific names for the days of the week. They are known as “the first day”, “the second day” and so forth. The seventh day, however is known as the Sabbath or a day of rest. This originates in Genesis when the Lord created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day, not because he was tired (God never grows tired) but because he was satisfied with His work. The seventh day or Sabbath falls on our calendar as sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday.

The Jewish Month

The Hebrew calendar is based on a lunar month. The month begins with each new moon and therefore usually alternates between 29 and 30 days. The first day of every month is known as Rosh Hodesh (the Head of the Month) and was considered a day of rest. It is considered to be a minor holiday.

The Jewish Year

The Hebrew calendar is based on a compromise between a lunar and solar reckoning (our current calendar is based largely on a solar reckoning). The average length of a month is 29 ½ days. The normal Jewish year consists of 12 months or approximately 354 days. Since the holidays were to be kept within the appropriate seasons and this lunar reckoning is 11 days less than our solar reckoning (which is the basis of the seasons) a compromise was needed to avoid the holidays being celebrated in the wrong seasons after the passing of the years.

Therefore, the Hebrew calendar is based on a 19 year cycle, in which there are leap years the third, sixth, eighth, eleventh, fourteenth, seventeenth and nineteenth years. During the leap years an extra day is added to the month of Adar and a thirteenth month (29 days known as Adar Sheni) is added to the calendar. This is why the Jewish holidays appear to jump around on our traditional calendar. Passover tends to fall somewhere in March/April and the fall feasts occur in September/October.

Since the Hebrew’s exodus from Egypt the new year has begun with Passover (March/April on our calendar). The Hebrews celebrated two New Years, the religious new year began with Passover and the agricultural new year began after the harvest.

The following are the month of the Jewish calendar (based on the religious New Year)

1. Nisan: 30 days
2. Iyar: 29 days
3. Sivan: 30 days
4. Tammuz: 29 days
5. Av: 30 days
6. Elul: 29 days
7. Tishri: 30 days
8. Heshvan: 29 or 30 days
9. Kislev: 29 or 30 days
10. Tevet: 29 days
11. Shevat: 30 days
12. Adar: 29 days (30 days in leap years)

Feasts of the Lord - Summary

Seven is the biblical number for perfection and completion and God instituted only seven major holidays. In Leviticus 23 all seven holidays are listed in chronological order. These seven holidays tell the story of our Messiah, Jesus Christ. They represent the sequence, timing and significance of the major events of the Lord’s redemptive plan for humankind. Jesus fulfills the spiritual realities of each of these seven feasts.

Four of the feasts occur in the spring and three occur in the Fall. The four in the spring were fulfilled by the Messiah during his first coming over 2000 years ago. The three fall holidays represent specific events associated with Christ’s second coming in the future.

Monday, April 10, 2006

Feasts of the Lord

Quite a few years ago, my aunt who is currently living in Australia had talked to me a bit (via email) about the Feasts of the Lord, of which Passover is probably the most known by those not of Jewish descent. At the time I was not yet ready in my walk with the Lord to put much weight on these events.

However, over the years our conversations have been at the back of my mind, poking up their heads every once in awhile. They've really come to the forefront of my mind in the past year as my church has moved from a traditional church to a house church. As a group the Lord has been planting a desire in our minds and hearts to learn more about these Feasts. (You can read more about this desire in Traver's blog, Zadok Priest. Traver is one of our elders who used to be the pastor of our church. His is an amazing story of how the Lord has transformed his mind and heart over the past years. A link to his blog is on my sidebar).

One of the traditional churches in my area is doing a Passover meal this Friday evening which I am excited to be participating in. My understanding is they will be explaining the original roots of this feast as well as how Jesus has fulfilled the meaning of the feast. Look for a posting regarding this later this weekend.

I'm currently reading a book called Feasts of the Lord which I will be periodically sharing from in this blog. I find these feasts very interesting and fulfilling. It is amazing to not only understand the original intent of these feasts but also how the Lord has used these feasts to foreshadow Jesus' first and second coming. These are the things I'd like to share in my blog. Keep an eye out for more information!

Step by Step

I'm still reading Battlefield of the Mind as a devotional (Joyce Meyer) and today's reading was really good. Got me to thinking.

I tend to be very impatient and a bit of a perfectionist at times. I want my walk with the Lord to be perfect right now and can get very discouraged when I mess up (which I do quite frequently and sometimes majorly!) However, if I look back to when I first came to know the Lord, or even just a year ago, I realize I've come a long way. Step by step the Lord has nudged me along until I've gotten to where I am today, by no means perfect, but much closer to God's final work in me.

When I can put aside my impatience I realize the wisdom in how God is working in me. Joyce Meyers points out two very good reasons why God takes us little by little through our victories instead of just giving us one big, final victory over Satan and our sins.

First, if we received total and full victory right away from God in our walk, we would fall quickly into the sin of pride. Especially, as newborn Christians. Even as we mature we must watch for this sin which sneaks up on us so quickly and easily when we let our guard down. Can you imagine being a new Christian and never having to struggle again in your walk with the Lord? Sure it would be nice, but soon we would think it is all because of us. That would not be what is best for us and would defeat the purpose of God working in us.

Second, by allowing us to have a major victory now and then, but usually just taking things little by little, we are able to savor our victories over the enemy. We have something to look forward to and to keep our lives interesting. We are always reminded of what we have to be thankful for in our lives. God is always there nudging us along, encouraging us, reminding us that we need Him in our lives to become what He has planned for us. After all, in the end it is all about Him, not us.

Although I still find myself impatient with my progress at times, I'm very thankful the Lord in His infinite wisdom has chosen to take me step by step through my development instead of bending to my desire to be perfect immediately.

Friday, April 07, 2006

Church Growth & Persecution

Wolfgang Simson wrote something in his book Houses that Change the World that I found very interesting (actually there are a lot of interesting things in his book, but this one really stood out today).

"Where do we look for inspiration? Many insights, lesssons and advice for church growth or church-planting on the market today come from the non-persecuted churches rather than the persecuted church . . . But statistical evidence and missionary research . . . shows the church grew and still grows most vigorously under a certain level of persecution and affliction."

This should really make us think about how we are going about trying to "grow" our church and to question whether we truely want to grow our church. When we talk about church growth are we looking for God's will in how we grow or are we looking for the world's idea of growth. Are we ready for what God may allow us to go through in order to grow in the way He wants us to grow?

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Current Reads

I've had some ask me what I'm reading currently, since I'm usually reading more than one book at a time. Most of the time I'm reading one fiction book and one to three different non ficition books at once.

Here is my current list.

Fiction -

Jesus by Walter Wangerin Jr.

Fictional depiction of Jesus' life. Very true to scripture. I've read The Book of God which is a fictional account of the Bible from Abraham to Jesus and really enjoyed it. It is fun to read this along with the scripture it is depicting.





Non Fiction -


Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

Very good book about setting boundaries in relationships in your life. Very informative and helpful in learning to truly love others instead of reacting to them out of guilt or what we believe we should be doing. I would recommend this book to everyone, whether you think you need it or not. More than likely there is some area in your life that this will apply to and can help set you free as God truly intended.


Feasts of the Lord by Kevin Howard & Marvin Rosenthal

Very informative book about the origins of the major Jewish holidays, how they are celebrated now and how Jesus has or will fulfill the meaning of them. Also has good explanations regarding the Jewish calendar.



Houses that Change the World by Wolfgang Simson

Very good book discussing simple or house church. Discusses how this format is more like the church in Acts than our idea of "traditional church". Also discusses how this is more beneficial for Christians developing relationships with fellow Christians and with Jesus. The church I have been attending has moved from a "traditional" format of church to house churches and I've seen tremendous growth in our relationships with one another and with God as a result.



The Slumber of Christianity by Ted Dekker

I've read a lot of his fiction books. This is his first non fiction book and has been a bit controversial. I believe it is a great book which gives you a lot to "think" about. Definitely worth reading and an eye-opener.

Monday, April 03, 2006

San Francisco - Most Tolerant City?

I highly recommend reading this article regarding San Francisco's recent reaction to a Christian teenage gathering. I find it amazing that the city can toot it's own horn regarding being one of the most tolerant cities in America, but condemn these teenagers that came to the city to peacefully demonstrate their stand for honesty and honor.

http://www.cwfa.org/articles/10434/CWA/family/index.htm

This is Webster's definition of tolerance

tol·er·ance : sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own b : the act of allowing something :

Anyone can see that a tolerant city would not be treating these young men and women the way these teens were treated just because their beliefs are different. In fact, a "tolerant" city would have embraced them with open arms. How can it be tolerance if only those who agree with you are tolerated.

There will be another group of young Christians meeting peacefully this month in San Francisco. Please pray for their safety and that the blinders will be taken off those living in this city and their hearts will be open to God's love.

Taking Responsibility for our Past

I’ve been learning something over the past year that I am starting to think is huge. In fact I think it is extremely important for all of us to realize and accept in our lives. But most importantly, we must act on it. However, I’m noting more and more by observing those around me, that many either have not yet learned this OR they’ve not taken the steps to act upon it. This is not to say that I have it all down yet, but I’m working on it, day by day with God’s help.

What is this secret, you may ask?

It is that all of us have had things happen in our lives that are out of our control, that have harmed us in some way (physical, emotional, spiritual) for which we could do nothing to stop it. These things are not our fault in any way, shape or form. They were not our responsibility.

However, the secret I’m discovering is that although that situation was no fault of ours and we had no control over it, we can control how we react to it. We can choose to either dwell on this “thing” that happened in our lives or we can choose to get past it. We can use it as an excuse for not living to the full potential God has put inside of us or we can with God’s help get past it, become a stronger person and live the life God has planned for us. It is our responsibility to not let this situation control us any longer.

No matter what has happened in your past, no matter how horrible or how out of your control it may have been, you will ALWAYS have a choice as to how to react. In fact your reaction is your responsibility. Nobody else can "make" you do something. By saying this you are giving that person or situation control over your life.

Don’t ever let yourself say, “I can’t help it because ________ happened to me.” Take responsibility for your life from this point forward and ask God to help you get past this thing that is holding you in bondage. Ask Him to change your heart, thoughts and attitudes which will lead to a change in your actions. Choose a life of promise over a life of bondage to your past.

Saturday, April 01, 2006

What's Important?

It's been awhile since I've written. Been dealing with sick little ones. My daughter had a fever for four days straight and then once she was over it my son ended up with the same thing. So far, Shaun and I have avoided it, but one of us may be next.

My daughter gets low fevers now and then for a day or two but this time it got up to 103 a couple times and lasted longer than usual. Gave us a bit of a scare. Then I heard about a little girl, 2 years old, who died this last week. She got sick and died in the hospital within 24 hours of pneumonia. From what I heard, her little heart gave out. My heart goes out to those parents. Imagine one day having your precious two year old running around exploring the world and the next day she is gone.

It really makes you re-evaluate what is important in life. How many times are you busy when your child tries to get your attention. Maybe it is work you had to bring home, housework that is getting behind, your favorite TV program. We brush them aside saying "Just a minute, I'm busy now."

I know we are always told that you never know what may happen next in your life, but things like this really make a person stop and truely think about it. Where do my priorities lie? More importantly, does my life, my every day actions and words truly reflect what I say my priorities are?

Something to think about.