Oh Lord, Give Me Luxury and Ease
I learned yesterday that the people of Haiti are once again in danger. The 250,000 people who have been without homes, living under bed sheets held up by sticks, may have trouble surviving the upcoming rain season. People have been living in dried creek beds and ravines which fill during the flood season. Also many of the tents or coverings are not water proof. One lady interviewed said that during the last storm her family ended up standing all night. And here I am praying for the things I “need”. I use the term need in quotes because the only reason I need most of the things I “need” is to maintain my current standard of living, not to maintain my life. I’m glad God continues to bless me but I feel like only knowing blessing in my...
Community
A couple of the posts this week have really reminded me of the need for community. I know that “community” is a much overused word, but as a concept I think it is something that we desperately need and rarely experience. It is hard to be a good Christian without being able to open up to our Brothers and Sisters and confess sins, encourage each other and gently correct each other’s behaviors. That kind of openness and honesty only comes from family and we are to be a family in Christ. How incredibly hard it is to develop a family from the strangers we see at church! When we are called to be the Body of Christ, I am afraid that we too often agree only verbally and not completely with our hearts and spirits. No matter what you call it, as Christians...
Are You A Fake Christian Or A Real Sinner
The more I hang out with Christians the more I think they can all be put into 2 categories. Regardless of denomination, race, or background all Christians I have met are either fake Christians or real sinners. Let me explain. Fake Christians are the really really good ones, the ones who never have anything wrong and always look like they have it together. They would prefer use a cheese grater on their arm then be open and honest with anyone especially a brother or sister in Christ (it’s most important to impress them). Real sinners are the folks who know they are screwed up. Now I am not saying that they know the level of their sin, nor that they realize how great their sin is and therefore how great their Savior is, but they do know that they are broken and...
Tired of the Brokeness
I find the world to be quickly overwhelming for me. Disease, death, deceit, and destruction, it’s hard to look on the curse and get a small glimpse of its scope. It’s exhausting. What can we do? How can we remain aware of it and yet feel strengthened and encouraged? How can we deal with a world that is crumbling around us?
Patience
My two-year-old has a really bad habit. It has to do with poop. I’m not going to get into it any more than that. But I had to deal with it again today, and I just about flipped my lid, because it’s both gross and unhealthy, and she just can’t do it anymore. I shook my finger at her until she cried. I took away TV, dessert, treats, prizes (punishments that a two-year-old probably doesn’t even understand), and after I had cleaned her up and cleaned up her room, she was already back to being her happy, go-lucky, totally unrepentant self. How on earth can God stand us? We’re always doing stuff that’s gross and unhealthy – all of us at the same time. And we generally go back to being our happy, unrepentant selves pretty...