"I am not tempted to worry. If I'm going to sin, I will pick a more fun sin than worry."
Inspired by this thought, this is my list of:
Top 10 Sins that are More Fun than Worrying
1. Eating a gallon of Oreo ice-cream in one evening.
2. Criticizing my boss to my coworkers.
3. Lounging in bed all day long for a few days.
4. Passing on the latest piece of "news" I heard about a friend.
5. Watching enticing tv shows that may leave destructive images in my mind.
6. Telling my friends my husbands faults (that is if he had any!!! :)).
7. Assuming verses in the Bible about giving and serving don't apply to me.
8. Taking a 2 hour lunch because my boss isn't around anyway.
9. Neglecting to pray for needs I've committed to praying for so I that I can watch Oprah.
10. Taking credit for any praise I receive rather than giving the glory to God.
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matt 6:34)
05 November 2007
02 November 2007
Halloween Fun
Asher was a giraffe for Halloween this year. We took him to visit daddy at work during the day and did reverse trick-or-treating where Asher had the fun of passing out chocolate covered eyeballs to our coworkers!
After daddy got home, we went to the mall and got some yummy candy, rode on the carousel, and met up with our friends the bee and a flamenco dancer. Asher enjoyed Halloween and probably ate more candy in one night than he has in his entire life.
He was bouncing around in his crib that night on a little sugar high!
After daddy got home, we went to the mall and got some yummy candy, rode on the carousel, and met up with our friends the bee and a flamenco dancer. Asher enjoyed Halloween and probably ate more candy in one night than he has in his entire life.
He was bouncing around in his crib that night on a little sugar high!
29 October 2007
A Happy Fall Day
We had some much needed family time yesterday afternoon at the park and did a fun photo shoot. The trees were beautiful and the sun was warm.
26 October 2007
Perseverance
After completing a marathon in 1999, I thought I knew everything about perseverance. I was inspired by a newspaper article after the prior year's race and committed with a friend to train and run the race the following year. Serious training began at the beginning of the summer and continued until mid-October. Throughout those five months of being consumed with running, I learned what it meant to persevere. Along with running in those five months, I quit a job, moved back to Bloomington, lived with my parents for a couple of months, and finally found a new apartment and new job.
I ran in the scorching heat, on cool mornings, under draining sunshine, through the unknowns of lakeside darkness, extreme humidity, and soaking rain. Along the way I lost everything in my stomach several times, experienced dehydration chills, and slept my way through many Saturday afternoons after running long distances in the morning. My life was focused on training for the race and I camped on the verses in Hebrews that talk about the race of life we are all running and how we are challenged to fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith.
When the morning of October 24, 1999 came, I was prepared and full of nervous anticipation. My long runs were over, I had tapered, eaten a carb filled dinner the night before, and had my pockets full of energy gels. It was time for the "victory lap." The race was amazing. Although my second marathon was full of friends and companions to encourage me, the 1999 run was a solitary experience that proved I could do it! After 5 hours, 4 minutes, and 26 seconds (I still easily remember that number 5:04:26!), I crossed the finish line and received the medal around my neck. I had done it - fixing my eyes on the prize.
I reflect on that time as an extreme physical experience of learning perseverance. I have run until I seriously did not think my legs could move anymore so I know what it means to persevere physically and now I am learning what it means to persevere spiritually and emotionally. It means holding fast to what I know to be true and refusing to give in to doubt and bitterness.
This summer, I began to memorize the first chapter of James. I picked the book of James because it is practical and God's Word is so important to know in full and in context. In the first chapter, James writes, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." These verses sound uplifting, easy, and inspiring when life is smooth. Just like my images of training for and running a marathon were full of weight loss, admiration, perfect weather, and no comprehension of real pain when I first read that newspaper article. It is a different story though when I was in the middle of the race and every ounce of me wanted to just stop.
James continues to say that perseverance must complete its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything! Do I feel more complete since running a marathon? In a way I do. I know I can endure physical difficulties and still go to work the next day. Will I feel more complete after enduring emotional and spiritual trials?
I think I will find out. In the meantime I will persevere.
I ran in the scorching heat, on cool mornings, under draining sunshine, through the unknowns of lakeside darkness, extreme humidity, and soaking rain. Along the way I lost everything in my stomach several times, experienced dehydration chills, and slept my way through many Saturday afternoons after running long distances in the morning. My life was focused on training for the race and I camped on the verses in Hebrews that talk about the race of life we are all running and how we are challenged to fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith.
When the morning of October 24, 1999 came, I was prepared and full of nervous anticipation. My long runs were over, I had tapered, eaten a carb filled dinner the night before, and had my pockets full of energy gels. It was time for the "victory lap." The race was amazing. Although my second marathon was full of friends and companions to encourage me, the 1999 run was a solitary experience that proved I could do it! After 5 hours, 4 minutes, and 26 seconds (I still easily remember that number 5:04:26!), I crossed the finish line and received the medal around my neck. I had done it - fixing my eyes on the prize.
I reflect on that time as an extreme physical experience of learning perseverance. I have run until I seriously did not think my legs could move anymore so I know what it means to persevere physically and now I am learning what it means to persevere spiritually and emotionally. It means holding fast to what I know to be true and refusing to give in to doubt and bitterness.
This summer, I began to memorize the first chapter of James. I picked the book of James because it is practical and God's Word is so important to know in full and in context. In the first chapter, James writes, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." These verses sound uplifting, easy, and inspiring when life is smooth. Just like my images of training for and running a marathon were full of weight loss, admiration, perfect weather, and no comprehension of real pain when I first read that newspaper article. It is a different story though when I was in the middle of the race and every ounce of me wanted to just stop.
James continues to say that perseverance must complete its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything! Do I feel more complete since running a marathon? In a way I do. I know I can endure physical difficulties and still go to work the next day. Will I feel more complete after enduring emotional and spiritual trials?
I think I will find out. In the meantime I will persevere.
22 October 2007
15 October 2007
Temptations
We all have temptations that we deal with.
Sometimes another piece of cake, the desire to share a piece of private information disguised as a prayer request, or even a tube of toothpaste are just too tantalizing to resist.
Sometimes we even go into the closet to hide our weaknesses from others and then we think if we do happen to give in "just this once," no one has to know and no one will be affected.
Maybe we don't get caught the first time or even the second, but there comes a day when mom opens the closet door and lets out the secret!!
I've been studying Jesus' temptation this week. He was tempted with recognition, power, FOOD (after fasting for 40 days), and did not waver. Instead He used God's Word to refute the temptation and claim real promises (not twisted ones). Do I know God's promises well enough to remember them in the times I need them most?
05 October 2007
Its not about performance
This is a deviation from my usual perplexities of Asher but I was reminded of something incredible this morning that I wanted to write about. The "Our Journey" question of the day (well the day I'm currently on anyway) is:
"How have I been performance-based in my acceptance of God's love?"
I was reminded of a vivid memory from my freshman year in college. In my Accounting I class, of all places, my professor told us something that blew me away.
I had grown up hearing the Gospel message every week at church and living in a Christian home, but I never knew, until my freshman year at Wheaton, that "There is nothing I can do to make God love me more and nothing I can do to make Him love me less."
Wow! Growing up in a performance-based family, and church to some extent, this seemed like heresy! I didn't really think I heard her right when she said that. Surely, if I just spent more time in prayer or sang at the nursing homes a few more times, God would love me more. That's the goal of life, right? OR if I never read one more word in my Bible and saw every sleazy movie ever made, He would withdraw some of His love from me, right?
It is simply beyond comprehension that God loves me right now, and even there in Blanchard Hall, with an amazing fullness of love that will never grow or decrease because His love is already complete.
"Before the world was made, God looked into the future and chose to set His love upon (me). He says to every one of His children, 'I have called you by name, you are mine.'" Isaiah 43:1
"How have I been performance-based in my acceptance of God's love?"
I was reminded of a vivid memory from my freshman year in college. In my Accounting I class, of all places, my professor told us something that blew me away.
I had grown up hearing the Gospel message every week at church and living in a Christian home, but I never knew, until my freshman year at Wheaton, that "There is nothing I can do to make God love me more and nothing I can do to make Him love me less."
Wow! Growing up in a performance-based family, and church to some extent, this seemed like heresy! I didn't really think I heard her right when she said that. Surely, if I just spent more time in prayer or sang at the nursing homes a few more times, God would love me more. That's the goal of life, right? OR if I never read one more word in my Bible and saw every sleazy movie ever made, He would withdraw some of His love from me, right?
It is simply beyond comprehension that God loves me right now, and even there in Blanchard Hall, with an amazing fullness of love that will never grow or decrease because His love is already complete.
"Before the world was made, God looked into the future and chose to set His love upon (me). He says to every one of His children, 'I have called you by name, you are mine.'" Isaiah 43:1
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