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Friday, November 9, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Songs on a "Sunday" - The Mind of Christ
More and more I realize that the Christian life is really all about what is in this song - having the mind of Christ. And the things mentioned are truly of Christ's mindset.
The Mind of Christ
To receive when others reject,
To treat each one with true respect,
To shield when others throw stones,
To shield when others throw stones,
To be with one who's all alone,
To think and choose to see the very best,
To live like this is nothing less than to possess...
The mind of Christ, my highest goal.
The Lord's delight, the desire of my soul.
To think and choose to see the very best,
To live like this is nothing less than to possess...
The mind of Christ, my highest goal.
The Lord's delight, the desire of my soul.
The Father's heart will always guide my life if I will have in me the mind of Christ.
To build up when others tear down,
To seek the lost until they're found,
To give grace where it's needed most,
Rejecting pride when others boast,
To sacrifice my all without regret,
To live like this is nothing less than to possess...
The mind of Christ, my highest goal.
The Lord's delight, the desire of my soul.
The mind of Christ, my highest goal.
The Lord's delight, the desire of my soul.
The Father's heart will always guide my life if I will have in me the mind of Christ.
The mind of Christ, my highest goal.
The Lord's delight, the desire of my soul.
The Lord's delight, the desire of my soul.
The Father's heart will always guide my life if I will have in me the mind of Christ.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Lies! Lies! They're All LIES!
When you are still single in your twenties or thirties, there are certain struggles that just come naturally with the territory. Satan has a few lies he likes to hold in reserve just for single people. They play on our emotions, desires, insecurities, and impatience making them that much harder to recognize as lies.
Here are a few good ones that I have caught him throwing my way.
Even when you have found contentment and happiness in your single life (because after all, there are A LOT of great benefits and many wonderful advantages) those around you can "upset your apple cart" with just a casual comment here or a careless word there. The pressure to "find someone" is often just as hard to face in the well-meaning, caring people at church as it is in Hollywood, co-workers, or even your own family. (You would know this is true if you were ever on the receiving end of "and why are you still single?" or "how come you don't have a boyfriend?")
When that happens, just remember that the "truth will set you free." We must examine our thoughts and feelings to see if they are truth. We need to compare them with God's Word to see if they have merit. When we realize that a thought doesn't have Biblical truth in it, we must reject it as a lie no matter how "right" it feels.
Once we have replaced the hidden lies in our minds with truth, we need to change our focus as well. There are many, many good things that God has for single people. Make a list! Do it in your head. Write it down so you can review it. Add to it every time you discover another blessing that is unique to singles alone. Thank God for His many countless blessings that are already in your life. It's very hard (if not impossible) to be dissatisfied and thankful at the same time.
Sometimes you don't even realize that you are believing a lie until someone else points it out. So, how about you? Are there lies that you have recognized and/or struggled with? Please share them! It can be encouraging to know that you are not alone and others face the same thoughts and fight the same battles.
Here are a few good ones that I have caught him throwing my way.
- If you are an obedient Christian and all-around good person and want to be married, then you deserve to be married! God must not love you if you are still single. He's holding out on you, saving His best for those He loves best. You need to try harder, be more perfect in order to earn the blessing of His love before you can get married.
- You are still single and everyone knows that everyone should be married. You must be out of God's will. Or I guess, there's just something really wrong with you. You must not be worth a whole lot since nobody wants you.
- It's better to settle for anyone who pays attention to you than to stay single forever. Because if a no-good kinda guy is the only kind that pays attention, then that must be all you are worth. Why waste your time waiting for someone who will only be too good for you anyway? Settle. Settle Now.
- All single people are miserable, lonely, and want nothing more than to get married. All married people are happy, content, and love their lives. If you want to be happy, then getting married is the key to your happiness.
- If you are still single, it's your own fault. If you really wanted to be married you could have been married years ago. Your standards are just way too high; you are just far too picky. So what if your core doctrinal beliefs aren't the same? So what if your lifestyles and standards are different? You will never find someone that is just right for you. You had better learn to compromise real quick or you will be doomed to be single forever.
- You are single and therefore can't really do anything important in God's sight. He saves all of the important tasks for the men or even the married ladies (because everyone knows a married lady is worth far more than a single one). So sorry you can't serve God yourself just as you are right now. Oh sure, you can do a few little things, but nothing really important, nothing that actually matters. You can take the leftover jobs that no one else wants to do. Single girls just can't really make a difference in this world. Guess you just have to give up those dreams and desires to serve God. You'll just have to sit around and wait to serve Him until you get married. That's just all the more reason to just go find yourself someone right away. Anyone will do.
Even when you have found contentment and happiness in your single life (because after all, there are A LOT of great benefits and many wonderful advantages) those around you can "upset your apple cart" with just a casual comment here or a careless word there. The pressure to "find someone" is often just as hard to face in the well-meaning, caring people at church as it is in Hollywood, co-workers, or even your own family. (You would know this is true if you were ever on the receiving end of "and why are you still single?" or "how come you don't have a boyfriend?")
When that happens, just remember that the "truth will set you free." We must examine our thoughts and feelings to see if they are truth. We need to compare them with God's Word to see if they have merit. When we realize that a thought doesn't have Biblical truth in it, we must reject it as a lie no matter how "right" it feels.
Once we have replaced the hidden lies in our minds with truth, we need to change our focus as well. There are many, many good things that God has for single people. Make a list! Do it in your head. Write it down so you can review it. Add to it every time you discover another blessing that is unique to singles alone. Thank God for His many countless blessings that are already in your life. It's very hard (if not impossible) to be dissatisfied and thankful at the same time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sometimes you don't even realize that you are believing a lie until someone else points it out. So, how about you? Are there lies that you have recognized and/or struggled with? Please share them! It can be encouraging to know that you are not alone and others face the same thoughts and fight the same battles.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
A Tale of Two Shoes
Before I begin I have a question. What do you think shows the most love - something big, loud, extravagant, and mind-blowing or something tiny, quiet, intimately personal, and private? Both things have their place and I expect that love has a tendency to reveal itself in both ways. I tend to think that the loud, public displays of love communicate more to those around for they say to all who see and hear, "I love this person!" while the small, quiet, private gestures that could pass unnoticed and would certainly not understood by anyone else clearly communicate solely to the person who is loved for they say, "I love you!"
I can see God communicating His love toward me in both ways. He was outward, open, bold, and certainly extravagant in His love for me when He died for me on the cross. It's a love that is hard to comprehend in it's vastness and extreme value. While I could never downplay this life-saving, self-sacrificing, passionate love, what brings me to my knees in wonder and amazement is a completely different kind of love, one not on display, but quiet and private. Though it may not mean near as much to you, let me explain with a story. It's a...
Wednesday night at church during the summer means one thing to most of the singles - volleyball. Last Wednesday was the last time we would get to play this summer for the college students would be returning, classes would resume, and the summer would officially be over. I love to play volleyball on Wednesday night and could not pass up this last chance to take advantage of the fun and fellowship it offered.
It wasn't until the next morning that I realized what I had done. I left my favorite pair of black shoes in the bathroom in the gym when I played volleyball. Having switched to tennis shoes, I left without ever noticing they were missing. I prayed a small request to my Heavenly Father asking that He keep them safe and help me to find them. You see, I had lost things at church before; I know how the lost and found could be like a black hole with things disappearing into it and never being seen again.
Sunday rolled around and I was able to look in the gym to see if by some miracle I could find my favorite, but lost shoes. I checked the gym's lost and found; they were not there. I asked someone else where else they might be. They thought that maybe they had been taken over to the main lost and found area in the other building. I had other obligations at that time, but I decided to look in that lost and found after church that night.
After asking someone where the lost and found was, finding the door was locked, wondering the auditorium several times (both upstairs and down) looking for a staff member with keys that was not in the new student meeting, being told I was looking in the wrong place, and finding the correct location of the lost and found, I still came up empty. No favorite black shoes anywhere. The church is a large church and considering that there are typically a couple thousand people at church on Sunday mornings and even IF they had been in the lost and found areas, someone else could have taken them, I despaired of ever finding them.
Tonight I was back at church for my weekly dose of babies and babysitting. Although I don't normally go in the gym, as I was headed out tonight, I stopped by to let the gym workers know we were all finished in the other building. I thought I would just take one last look to see if the shoes had by some miracle shown up in the lost and found, or if they had been hiding someplace inconspicuous and I had missed them previously. They were still not there.
I checked a couple other places and was about to leave empty-handed when I saw the door to the supply closet under the stairs was open a crack. Something nudged me to take a peak and see if maybe they had someone ended up in there. And there, carelessly tossed in the floor where my favorite shoes!
While it may not mean a whole lot to anyone else, I treasure this. To me, it's a minor miracle and major evidence that my Father hears, sees, and cares about the smallest most intimate details of my life. That He should help me find them nearly a week after I lost them when I had pretty much given up hope of ever seeing them again may sound silly, insignificant, and possibly even presumptuous to some. But I know that my loving Father heard my request and answered on my behalf.
I can see God communicating His love toward me in both ways. He was outward, open, bold, and certainly extravagant in His love for me when He died for me on the cross. It's a love that is hard to comprehend in it's vastness and extreme value. While I could never downplay this life-saving, self-sacrificing, passionate love, what brings me to my knees in wonder and amazement is a completely different kind of love, one not on display, but quiet and private. Though it may not mean near as much to you, let me explain with a story. It's a...
Tale of Two Shoes
Wednesday night at church during the summer means one thing to most of the singles - volleyball. Last Wednesday was the last time we would get to play this summer for the college students would be returning, classes would resume, and the summer would officially be over. I love to play volleyball on Wednesday night and could not pass up this last chance to take advantage of the fun and fellowship it offered.
It wasn't until the next morning that I realized what I had done. I left my favorite pair of black shoes in the bathroom in the gym when I played volleyball. Having switched to tennis shoes, I left without ever noticing they were missing. I prayed a small request to my Heavenly Father asking that He keep them safe and help me to find them. You see, I had lost things at church before; I know how the lost and found could be like a black hole with things disappearing into it and never being seen again.
Sunday rolled around and I was able to look in the gym to see if by some miracle I could find my favorite, but lost shoes. I checked the gym's lost and found; they were not there. I asked someone else where else they might be. They thought that maybe they had been taken over to the main lost and found area in the other building. I had other obligations at that time, but I decided to look in that lost and found after church that night.
After asking someone where the lost and found was, finding the door was locked, wondering the auditorium several times (both upstairs and down) looking for a staff member with keys that was not in the new student meeting, being told I was looking in the wrong place, and finding the correct location of the lost and found, I still came up empty. No favorite black shoes anywhere. The church is a large church and considering that there are typically a couple thousand people at church on Sunday mornings and even IF they had been in the lost and found areas, someone else could have taken them, I despaired of ever finding them.
Tonight I was back at church for my weekly dose of babies and babysitting. Although I don't normally go in the gym, as I was headed out tonight, I stopped by to let the gym workers know we were all finished in the other building. I thought I would just take one last look to see if the shoes had by some miracle shown up in the lost and found, or if they had been hiding someplace inconspicuous and I had missed them previously. They were still not there.
I checked a couple other places and was about to leave empty-handed when I saw the door to the supply closet under the stairs was open a crack. Something nudged me to take a peak and see if maybe they had someone ended up in there. And there, carelessly tossed in the floor where my favorite shoes!
While it may not mean a whole lot to anyone else, I treasure this. To me, it's a minor miracle and major evidence that my Father hears, sees, and cares about the smallest most intimate details of my life. That He should help me find them nearly a week after I lost them when I had pretty much given up hope of ever seeing them again may sound silly, insignificant, and possibly even presumptuous to some. But I know that my loving Father heard my request and answered on my behalf.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Songs on a Sunday: The Promise
Sometimes we as Christians have a tendency to get mad at God. We get disappointed, hurt, angry, and bitter because we think God didn't keep His promises. We shake our fists in His face, cry, yell, pout, whine, and fume in anger because we believe that the Holy God of this Universe has dared to let us down.
It boils down to our expectations for God in our lives. This song reminds me to have realistic expectations and not to be angry at God when He doesn't fulfill things we believe He should do especially when He never actually promised them. Remembering the things that He actually did promise makes those promises even more precious.
'Cause you know I made a promise that I intend to keep.
'Cause you know I made a promise that I've prepared a place.
So just keep on walkin', don't turn to the left or right.
It boils down to our expectations for God in our lives. This song reminds me to have realistic expectations and not to be angry at God when He doesn't fulfill things we believe He should do especially when He never actually promised them. Remembering the things that He actually did promise makes those promises even more precious.
The Promise
I never said that I would give you silver or gold.
Or that you would never feel the fire or shiver in the cold.
But I did say you'd never walk through this world alone.
And I did say, "Don't make this world your home."
I never said that fear wouldn't find you in the night.
Or that loneliness was something you'd never have to fight.
But I did say I'd be right there by your side.
And I did say I'll always help you fight.
'Cause you know I made a promise that I intend to keep.
My grace will be sufficient in every time of need.
And My love will be the anchor that you can hold onto.
This is the promise, this is the promise I made to you.
I never said that friends would never turn their backs on you.
Or that the world around you wouldn't see you as a fool.
But I did say like me you'll surely be despised.
And I did say my ways confound the wise.
I didn't say you'd never taste the bitter kiss of death
Or have to walk through chilly Jordan to enter into rest.
But I did say I'd be waiting right on the other side.
And I did say I'll dry every tear you cry.
'Cause you know I made a promise that I've prepared a place.
And some day sooner than you think you'll see Me face to face.
And you'll sing with the angels and a countless multitude.
This is the promise, this is the promise I've made to you.
So just keep on walkin', don't turn to the left or right.
And in the midst of darkness, let this be your light -
That Hell can't separate us and you're gonna make it through.
This is the promise, this is the promise I made to you.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Songs on a Sunday: Blessings
I have only heard this song a couple times, but it never fails to touch me deeply. I pray that it will be a blessing to those who take the time to read it.
Blessings
by Laura Story
We pray for blessings. We pray for peace,
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep.
We pray for healing, for prosperity.
We pray for Your mighty Hand to ease our suffering.
And all the while You hear each spoken need.
You love us way too much to give us lesser things.
'Cause what if Your blessings come through rain drops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?
We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear.
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near.
We doubt Your goodness. We doubt Your love,
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough.
And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe.
'Cause what if Your blessings come through rain drops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?
When friends betray us and darkness seems to win,
We know the pain reminds this heart that this is not,
This is not home. It's not our home.
'Cause what if Your blessings come through rain drops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?
What if my greatest disappointments and the aching of this life,
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy?
And what if trials of this life, the rain, storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?
To me, "Blessings" questions what we are willing to endure in order to know God. It asks
the hard questions about whether or not it's really worth it to know
God deeply if the only ways to do that are painful. It asks us to ask ourselves if we can choose to see God's greater good in the hard times of this life. Each time I hear its questions, I can't help but think that He IS worth the pain and hardship. If trials and tears are what it takes to know Him, they are still such a small price to pay.
"Blessings" also reminds me that we should rejoice "in all things" and thank Him in all situations. Because often the trials we face are really gracious opportunities to know Him better and merciful chances to shine brighter for Him than we ever could have done in "good" times.
The rain is still a blessing, if we only have enough faith to see it.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Stranger Than Fiction
(For the best effect please read the first paragraph if not the whole post in your best "Unsolved Mysteries and Other Wonders" Robert Stack or "20/20" Barbara Walters' voice. I promise it will add some necessary dimension to this post. =)
Ever heard a story too wild to be true? We all have. But then there are those stories too wild to simply have been made up. The story I am about to tell you, though bizarre, really happened.
It all started on a hot summers day in Oklahoma City. Two boys (who we will call "Billy" and "Bob" in order to protect their identity) around 12 years old decided to take a bike ride down south on Meridian to see Bob's mom who worked at a Subway on Meridian and SW 21st St. When they reached the intersection of Interstate 40 and Meridian it was during the heaviest part of the lunch hour traffic jam. Since there are no sidewalks along that portion of the road, they decided it would be safer to walk their bikes across rather than try to ride them in such heavy traffic.
Little did they know but they were about to encounter someone who would disrupt their plans and change their lives forever.
As Billy and Bob started to cross under the overpass everything appeared normal. Until they noticed a truck slow down and keep pace with them. Then the window on the truck rolled down. Neither of the boys recognized the thin woman inside so they decided to ignore her and kept walking and talking. Soon she started to yell at them through the window. She told them she wanted to talk to them.
They could see that she was smoking something and she just made them uncomfortable. They believed she was high and wanted to offer them drugs. They told her that they don't do drugs and kept on walking. She followed them past the IHOP, past the Burger King, past the other business along Meridian continuing to yell at them.
Eventually they reached the parking lot of a local bank, passing a teller who was checking on a problem with the ATM. She noticed the unusual behavior of the truck and continued to watch the boys crossing the parking lot. She was still watching when the lady in the truck whipped into the far side of the parking lot effectively cutting the boys off. She parked in front of them blocking their way and got out.
At that exact time, the head of the bank's HR was headed to lunch and saw her block their path. When the lady grabbed Billy's bike and started yanking it out the protesting boy's hands, the bank employee knew something was wrong. She confronted the situation but the lady claims that the boys sold her the BMX bike worth several hundred dollars for twenty bucks and then didn't give it to her and instead took off with it. Billy and Bob were terribly upset and were simultaneously telling the bank employee how she had followed them all the way from the highway and had been harassing them. The head of HR did not have her cell phone, so she ran inside and called 911.
By the time she called 911 and made it back outside the lady has succeeded in snatching the bike from the boys and had it in her truck. Despite the pleas of the boys to give the bike back and the bank employee's suggestion to wait for the police, she zoomed off leaving some stunned and angry kids in her wake.
But the boys were smart, as you will see. They observed and memorized her license plate number and got a really good description of her truck. The boys were taken inside to wait for the police and allowed to call their parents to come pick them up. Within a hour they were on their way home, having filed a police report, lost an expensive bike, and gained a story to be told the rest of their lives. A story that belongs in the library of the "Stranger but True."
After all...
Ever heard a story too wild to be true? We all have. But then there are those stories too wild to simply have been made up. The story I am about to tell you, though bizarre, really happened.
It all started on a hot summers day in Oklahoma City. Two boys (who we will call "Billy" and "Bob" in order to protect their identity) around 12 years old decided to take a bike ride down south on Meridian to see Bob's mom who worked at a Subway on Meridian and SW 21st St. When they reached the intersection of Interstate 40 and Meridian it was during the heaviest part of the lunch hour traffic jam. Since there are no sidewalks along that portion of the road, they decided it would be safer to walk their bikes across rather than try to ride them in such heavy traffic.
Little did they know but they were about to encounter someone who would disrupt their plans and change their lives forever.
As Billy and Bob started to cross under the overpass everything appeared normal. Until they noticed a truck slow down and keep pace with them. Then the window on the truck rolled down. Neither of the boys recognized the thin woman inside so they decided to ignore her and kept walking and talking. Soon she started to yell at them through the window. She told them she wanted to talk to them.
They could see that she was smoking something and she just made them uncomfortable. They believed she was high and wanted to offer them drugs. They told her that they don't do drugs and kept on walking. She followed them past the IHOP, past the Burger King, past the other business along Meridian continuing to yell at them.
Eventually they reached the parking lot of a local bank, passing a teller who was checking on a problem with the ATM. She noticed the unusual behavior of the truck and continued to watch the boys crossing the parking lot. She was still watching when the lady in the truck whipped into the far side of the parking lot effectively cutting the boys off. She parked in front of them blocking their way and got out.
At that exact time, the head of the bank's HR was headed to lunch and saw her block their path. When the lady grabbed Billy's bike and started yanking it out the protesting boy's hands, the bank employee knew something was wrong. She confronted the situation but the lady claims that the boys sold her the BMX bike worth several hundred dollars for twenty bucks and then didn't give it to her and instead took off with it. Billy and Bob were terribly upset and were simultaneously telling the bank employee how she had followed them all the way from the highway and had been harassing them. The head of HR did not have her cell phone, so she ran inside and called 911.
By the time she called 911 and made it back outside the lady has succeeded in snatching the bike from the boys and had it in her truck. Despite the pleas of the boys to give the bike back and the bank employee's suggestion to wait for the police, she zoomed off leaving some stunned and angry kids in her wake.
But the boys were smart, as you will see. They observed and memorized her license plate number and got a really good description of her truck. The boys were taken inside to wait for the police and allowed to call their parents to come pick them up. Within a hour they were on their way home, having filed a police report, lost an expensive bike, and gained a story to be told the rest of their lives. A story that belongs in the library of the "Stranger but True."
After all...
The Truth is Stranger Than Fiction.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
The Roomie Reunion in Ocean's Paradise
It's been three weeks since I returned to OKC from San Diego. I am excited because the dark purple bruise that trailed all the way from my knee to my ankle is almost gone. I also got my new camera in the mail to replace the one that I killed at the same time I obtained my colorful souvenir at the tide pools. Helpful hint: 8 year old cameras do not like to be dashed upon the rocks and then bathed in sea water. In fact, they dislike it so much that they spitefully refuse to ever close, turn off, turn on, or take any more pictures ever again even after leaving them buried in dry rice for several days.
My week in San Diego was in three words: Won-der-ful! I got to see California for the first time, have girl time with my old roomies, meet a roommate's boyfriend (I approve, btw, K-Rug!), fulfill a lifelong dream in going to the San Diego Zoo, visit Canyon Ridge Baptist Church, step into the cold ocean, see a little of LA (not too impressive), take a picture at the Santa Monica Pier where Route 66 ends, hike up Mount Helix, spend a day at Sea World, injure myself at the tide pools at Point Loma, walk on the Coronado Beach (which was just voted the most beautiful beach in America this year), shop in Old Town, have a Room Meeting with my roomies (on Thursday night of course!), taste an In & Out burger, have a bonfire on the beach after dark, and much more.
Truly San Diego was the most beautiful place I have ever been. Coronado Beach and Point Loma were breathtakingly gorgeous. The landscape often reminded me of Texas somehow. Except with more green, palm trees, and mountains. The weather is just about perfect year round. You know how when the weather is nice (it does happen on occasion in OK) you always ask, "Why can't it always be like this?" Move to San Diego; it is.
I loved the culture and how everyone embraced the outdoors. All restaurants have outdoor seating. The apartments don't have (or need) air conditioning. No one cares about parking half a mile away from where you are headed because walking is normal. The malls are more like outlet malls with each shop being covered but the walkways are all outdoor. But yet, the one I visited was still four or five stories high. (And I didn't see any escalators either... Although I think there were elevators.) Oh, and pets are welcome in the mall!
I noticed some other things that were also just kinda cool. Target was two stories tall, in a mall, and had a special section of the escalator for locking in shopping carts to carry them up or down. 7-11's are convenience stores but are NOT attached to a gas station. The CVS pharmacy carried firewood. There are IKEA's and trolleys, although sadly I didn't get to experience either this trip. You can get a ticket for not angling your tires when parking on the street (has to do with the hills and the potential for your e-brake failing). Oh, and if you want to spend the day at the mall, only the first couple of hours get free parking!
The city limit sign said that the population is 1,230,000 people, but rather like OKC, it doesn't feel too much like a huge city. It's spread out and rolling. The architecture often has a Spanish flavor (perhaps another reason it reminded me of Texas...) And the people are culturally diverse, easy-going, laid-back, and friendly. Oh, and according to an article I read, it is in the top 5 big cities with the highest average salaries earned by single women. It's also easy to find good, healthy, fresh foods. In fact, eating healthy and being fit (not over-weight) is probably one of the few things that Californians are downright snobby about.
But even paradise has its downfalls. Housing is expensive. Gas is expensive. To be drowning in debt is normal. Traffic in rush hour is a typical big-city nightmare. Because the weather is so nice, there is a very large homeless population. Churches are hard to find. The whole week even with all of the driving around, exploring, and getting lost I only counted four churches. Of any kind.
I have to say that with all that I saw, did, and experienced the greatest thing was being a part of Kronk & Fannlee again.* It was the second time in three years that all four of us Roomies from my Senior Year were together at one time. (The first was only for a couple of hours two years ago when two of them graduated.) I had forgotten how well we all worked together in spite of how very different we are.
We have managed to stay in fairly close touch, but that was nothing compared to being with them all again. I truly think that one of the biggest blessings that came from my college experience is my friendship with these three girls. The laughter, the encouragement, the tears, the prayers, the testimonies, the fact that we have stayed friends longer than a year (which is something I have yet to accomplish except with a couple of other people), all of this combined together makes me thank the Lord for the day He made us all roommates.
We hope to be the kind of friends who stay friends for life no matter where we all end up and no matter what directions life takes us. We hope to get together like this every few years and having our families be friends. Will that happen? I don't know, but if the last three years are any indication, then I have a pretty good feeling about the future. =)
*(If you need an explanation, read http://pennysworthofthoughts.blogspot.com/2012/05/chronicles-of-kronk-and-fannlee.html)
My week in San Diego was in three words: Won-der-ful! I got to see California for the first time, have girl time with my old roomies, meet a roommate's boyfriend (I approve, btw, K-Rug!), fulfill a lifelong dream in going to the San Diego Zoo, visit Canyon Ridge Baptist Church, step into the cold ocean, see a little of LA (not too impressive), take a picture at the Santa Monica Pier where Route 66 ends, hike up Mount Helix, spend a day at Sea World, injure myself at the tide pools at Point Loma, walk on the Coronado Beach (which was just voted the most beautiful beach in America this year), shop in Old Town, have a Room Meeting with my roomies (on Thursday night of course!), taste an In & Out burger, have a bonfire on the beach after dark, and much more.
Truly San Diego was the most beautiful place I have ever been. Coronado Beach and Point Loma were breathtakingly gorgeous. The landscape often reminded me of Texas somehow. Except with more green, palm trees, and mountains. The weather is just about perfect year round. You know how when the weather is nice (it does happen on occasion in OK) you always ask, "Why can't it always be like this?" Move to San Diego; it is.
I loved the culture and how everyone embraced the outdoors. All restaurants have outdoor seating. The apartments don't have (or need) air conditioning. No one cares about parking half a mile away from where you are headed because walking is normal. The malls are more like outlet malls with each shop being covered but the walkways are all outdoor. But yet, the one I visited was still four or five stories high. (And I didn't see any escalators either... Although I think there were elevators.) Oh, and pets are welcome in the mall!
I noticed some other things that were also just kinda cool. Target was two stories tall, in a mall, and had a special section of the escalator for locking in shopping carts to carry them up or down. 7-11's are convenience stores but are NOT attached to a gas station. The CVS pharmacy carried firewood. There are IKEA's and trolleys, although sadly I didn't get to experience either this trip. You can get a ticket for not angling your tires when parking on the street (has to do with the hills and the potential for your e-brake failing). Oh, and if you want to spend the day at the mall, only the first couple of hours get free parking!
The city limit sign said that the population is 1,230,000 people, but rather like OKC, it doesn't feel too much like a huge city. It's spread out and rolling. The architecture often has a Spanish flavor (perhaps another reason it reminded me of Texas...) And the people are culturally diverse, easy-going, laid-back, and friendly. Oh, and according to an article I read, it is in the top 5 big cities with the highest average salaries earned by single women. It's also easy to find good, healthy, fresh foods. In fact, eating healthy and being fit (not over-weight) is probably one of the few things that Californians are downright snobby about.
But even paradise has its downfalls. Housing is expensive. Gas is expensive. To be drowning in debt is normal. Traffic in rush hour is a typical big-city nightmare. Because the weather is so nice, there is a very large homeless population. Churches are hard to find. The whole week even with all of the driving around, exploring, and getting lost I only counted four churches. Of any kind.
I have to say that with all that I saw, did, and experienced the greatest thing was being a part of Kronk & Fannlee again.* It was the second time in three years that all four of us Roomies from my Senior Year were together at one time. (The first was only for a couple of hours two years ago when two of them graduated.) I had forgotten how well we all worked together in spite of how very different we are.
We have managed to stay in fairly close touch, but that was nothing compared to being with them all again. I truly think that one of the biggest blessings that came from my college experience is my friendship with these three girls. The laughter, the encouragement, the tears, the prayers, the testimonies, the fact that we have stayed friends longer than a year (which is something I have yet to accomplish except with a couple of other people), all of this combined together makes me thank the Lord for the day He made us all roommates.
We hope to be the kind of friends who stay friends for life no matter where we all end up and no matter what directions life takes us. We hope to get together like this every few years and having our families be friends. Will that happen? I don't know, but if the last three years are any indication, then I have a pretty good feeling about the future. =)
*(If you need an explanation, read http://pennysworthofthoughts.blogspot.com/2012/05/chronicles-of-kronk-and-fannlee.html)
Monday, May 28, 2012
Songs on a Sunday: Anything That Costs Me Nothing
I heard this song for the first time in church today. The message really struck me because it was David's actual desire. He truly did not want to give God something that was free and easy. Yet it seems to me, that what we all want today is to give God the least that we can possibly get away with and still please Him. What has happened to the desire to please God no matter what the cost?
Anything That Costs Me Nothing
An
offering of highest price, a servant whom the Lord can use.
I will
not offering anything that costs me nothing.
I'll place before Him
nothing less than my very best.
And if I am called to sacrifice,
It
will be worthy of my Christ.
I will not offer anything that costs me
nothing.
To serve Him is my goal. How could I
withhold?
Whatever's mine He's given me, it's not my own, but His
alone.
Whatever He requires, that is my desire.
Whatever He may need
from me I'll pay the cost, gain or loss.
I will not offer anything
that costs me nothing.
I'll place before Him nothing less than my
very best.
And if I'm called to sacrifice,
It will be worthy of my
Christ.
I will not offer anything that costs me nothing.
And if I am called to sacrifice,
It
will be worthy of my Christ.
I will not offer anything that costs me
nothing.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
The Chronicles of Kronk and Fannlee: The Beginning
Once upon a time in the school year of 2008-2009 in the heartland of a country not so far away, in a land that was unusually windy, stood a city. In the heart of the city there was a special college where children of the King would go to study and prepare themselves for whatever the King might have them to do. At this college there was a Hopeful dorm in which maidens who were the King's daughters came to dwell while they studied. And in this Hopeful dorm there was a room marked by the numbers 705. Little did they know, but four princesses (for after all isn't that what daughters of the King are?) were soon to find themselves embarking on an epic journey of friendship and adventure!
The first Princess to arrive and thus begin her great adventure was Princess Annlee. She was the oldest princess and it was to be her last year in the Hopeful Dorm. When she didn't have her nose stuck in a book, she was often teased about her lack of a prince. The short but feisty Princess Annlee would always look up (way up!) at the other girls and laugh (as she loved to do quite often) in the face of this teasing, boldly declaring that she would wait for a Prince Manly because she did not want to settle for a yucky little boy!
The next princess to arrive was the youngest of them all and was brand new to the school in the heartland, but she had shown wisdom beyond her years by praying that the King would
bless her first year in a special way by giving her just the right
roommates, which, as you will see, the King truly did. A lover of random birds, Princess Yonk had enough spirit and spunk that the others often forgot that she was younger than the rest of them. In addition to her spunk, Princess Yonk's beauty and spirit caught the eye of Prince Mit (or Mittens as Princess Annlee liked to call him) the minute he saw her. At first Princess Yonk laughed at his jester-like silliness but in the end she couldn't resist his princely charm and even now is married to him and is living out her happily ever after.
Our third Princess to make the Room 705 her home was the blonde Princess K-Rug who was known to enchant whole crowds of people at a time with the beautiful music she could draw forth from her violin. The King had given His daughter Princess K-Rug not only a special gift of music but also of love and acceptance. Even the hesitant Princess Annlee could not resist the sincerity of her gentle acceptance of each of them in spite of how very, very different they all were.
Our last Princess (and possibly the most important of all) almost missed out on the great adventure and actually came into the story several days after the others. Without Princess FB, it's highly doubtful that their adventures would have ever taken place! Seemingly carried by the unusual wind that seemed to never stop blowing, Princess FB breezed into Room 705 and, just as quickly, breezed into the hearts and lives of the other princesses. Princess FB was so like the wind with which she came, always swirling about the room full of life, chatter, and made-up songs that it earned her the nickname Forest Breeze as one of her many, many nicknames.
It did not take long before the King's answer to Princess Yonk's prayers became obvious and the Room 705 became known as a peaceful, joyful haven in the Hopeful dorm. The other maidens living in Hopeful dorm loved to visit this Room 705 to talk, joke, and even to do Tae Bo. During the year that these four Princesses dwelt together they had many
great adventures! Perhaps some day, if you are very lucky, you will be
able to hear the tales of "How What Was Almost Wasn't", "Ross and the Shrimp Skirmish", "the Night the
Bed-Bugs Did Bite", "The Mystery of the Ghastly Girls: Who Scared Princess Mallory?", or
their most recent adventure "The Roomie Reunion in Ocean's Paradise."
As much as Princess Annlee loved to read and laugh, Princess K-Rug loved music,
and Princess Yonk loved random birds, Princess FB loved to talk. Each of these zany princess were so very, very different but together they were something very, very special; together they became Kronk and Fannlee, sisters bound together as daughters of the King.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Milestones
Today's post is a celebration of recent milestones in my life.
Now, friends, family, and any other readers who are reading my blog, the time has come to announce the winner of the contest!!! In case you have missed a few posts and have no clue to what I am referring, let me bring you up to speed.
I decided to have a contest to celebrate my 1500th page view right here on Penny's Worth of Thoughts. Each comment here as well as comments and likes on Facebook on posts 46-49 would be entitled to one entry each into a drawing for a $15.00 gift card to Starbucks. (Why Starbucks? Because I felt it would have virtually universal appeal and I would have entered such a contest myself. =)
Rather than actually writing out 32 names (yes, that's how many entries there ended up being) and drawing them from a hat the old-fashioned way, I did what any somewhat "tech-savy" 27 year old would do... I searched online for a free tool for contest drawings. I decided to use RandomPicker, a free service that allowed me to copy and paste my list of names and then generate a winner. (It was so easy to use, that I actually wish I had another contest to start so I could use it again!!) I did practice several times (which it allows for) before finalizing the drawing.
And the winner is.... Drumroll, please.............(Are you actually doing a drumroll? I didn't think so. Come on for real this time!)
Drumroll, please............
- I just turned 27 which is pretty cool, because it is a favorite number.
- I got my first dog as an adult.
- I am about to go on my very first "real" vacation to see some states and an ocean that I have not yet seen before.
- I have been a college graduate for 3 years this month.
- One month from today I will be celebrating the 2nd anniversary at my job and a full year in my department.
- My blog actually reached and exceeded 1500 page views.
- This is the 50th post in which I have had the pleasure to practice honing my attempts to harness my thoughts into written form and which you, my beloved readers, have been crazy, goofy, loyal, or curious enough to take the time to read. (I'll let you decide which you are, but please, do share!!)
Now, friends, family, and any other readers who are reading my blog, the time has come to announce the winner of the contest!!! In case you have missed a few posts and have no clue to what I am referring, let me bring you up to speed.
I decided to have a contest to celebrate my 1500th page view right here on Penny's Worth of Thoughts. Each comment here as well as comments and likes on Facebook on posts 46-49 would be entitled to one entry each into a drawing for a $15.00 gift card to Starbucks. (Why Starbucks? Because I felt it would have virtually universal appeal and I would have entered such a contest myself. =)
Rather than actually writing out 32 names (yes, that's how many entries there ended up being) and drawing them from a hat the old-fashioned way, I did what any somewhat "tech-savy" 27 year old would do... I searched online for a free tool for contest drawings. I decided to use RandomPicker, a free service that allowed me to copy and paste my list of names and then generate a winner. (It was so easy to use, that I actually wish I had another contest to start so I could use it again!!) I did practice several times (which it allows for) before finalizing the drawing.
And the winner is.... Drumroll, please.............(Are you actually doing a drumroll? I didn't think so. Come on for real this time!)
Drumroll, please............
Amanda Allmon!!!!
Amanda earned four entries into my contest and one of them paid off! Amanda, please be sure to send me your mailing address through the messages on Facebook and I will get your prize mailed out to you!!
I would also like to say a very special "Thank You" to the following people who took the time to enter the contest by liking or commenting on my posts (in order of initial entry):
Samuel B. with two entries
Kayla B.
Becky P.
Faith B.
Christina B.
Laura S. with two entries
Mandy G.
Anita B. with four entries
Danielle W. with three entries
Rebecca L.
Caro W. with two entries
Kayla S.
Shawn E.
Rachel G. with two entries
Kate D.
Jason E.
Tammy W.
Angel and Coby M.
Mallory S.
P.S. If you are of the suspicious nature or are just jealous to miss out of some free Starbucks, you may examine the results yourself at http://www.randompicker.com/protocol/5723x13024.
Thanks once again everyone!!!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Makin' Lemonade outta Life
Before I begin, I just wanted to remind everyone that a comment on here as well as comments or likes on Facebook will earn an entry in a drawing for a prize. I have been giving out clues about the prize on Facebook so you may have already guessed, but I am officially announcing the prize... Since the contest began in celebration of having reached 1500 views, the prize will be a $15.00 gift card to Starbucks! This is the LAST post in the contest; the winner will be announced in the next post, my 50th!! (If you missed the others, you may go back, read, and comment in order to earn entries on posts 46, 47, and 48.)
Before I get too far into this, let me define happiness so we are all on the same page. According to dictionary.com, Happiness is...
Here is my "recipe" for making...
Step 1. Identify your lemons.
We need to evaluate our lives to find the root causes when we discover we are unhappy. What your I-would-be-happy-ifs...? What specific things are making you unhappy about your situation in life? (If you are having a hard time pinpointing specific causes then you may not have an abundance of lemons in your life's kitchen, but you may have other issues such as the unhappiness that comes when your relationship with the Lord is strained. Or you may have let your lemons sit too long and they may have "gone bad" taking you past unhappiness and into actual depression. In either of those cases these steps might help some, but are by no means a cure-all.)
Step 2. Slice open your lemons.
Now that you have figured out the specific things you dislike about your life, it's time to evaluate those things. Cut them into two and examine them. We do this subconsciously all the time, but sometimes we need to take time to purposefully devote thought to them. The evaluation process is meant to determine if you can do anything about those lemons or not.
Perhaps the first thing to ask is this - are your expectations simply set too high? Being disappointed is never easy. If we can change our expectations out of where life is headed, people in our lives, or even ourselves we can find less to be unhappy about.
Charles Morgan (whom I know nothing about other than this quote) said, "The art of living does not consist in preserving and clinging to a particular mode of happiness, but in allowing happiness to change its form without being disappointed by the change; happiness, like a child, must be allowed to grow up.” There will be times that our lives go different directions than we expected. Accepting the changes and moving on can be a huge step toward happiness. Clinging to the past or past expectations of what life has in store can keep you stuck constantly wishing for something else that will never be attained.
Secondly, there are causes or triggers that we cannot change because we simply have no control over them. This would include such things as the death of a loved one, cold and dreary weather, our unchangeable physical characteristics (i.e. height, what we look like, etc.), or our age. There will always be circumstances that we can't control. (But I don't think that means we must be unhappy the majority of the time... more on that in a later step in the recipe.)
Then there are other things. Do they feel out of your control? Now stop and think hard... are they REALLY? Things like jobs, where we live, our weight, being lonely, etc might appear to be out of our control at first glance, especially is you have sunk down into flat out misery. But those are things that CAN be changed. It might take great effort or a great deal of difficulty but given time and effort, they could be different.
When you wish things were different, you want them to change. We can let unhappiness defeat us when we begin to think that we are stuck. Often what can make us the most miserable is the lack of hope that things will be different, that life will stay the same and we will therefore stay unhappy.
In reality, the "I'm-a-victim-of-my-circumstance" mentality should in and of itself be a red-flag that it's time to make some changes. After all, we have a great deal of say in our circumstances; we just have to take responsibility for them. Realizing that you are not a victim and that you have a say in some of those circumstances can go a long way in giving you the hope that you need to work towards changing your circumstances and being happy.
Step 3. Juice your lemons.
By this, I mean to take action about the things you have identified as lemons in your life and you have decided that you can change. Depending on what you are unhappy about and what steps will be involved, this may be a slow process. At least start by making plans if you can't change it all at once.
Look closely at those lemons. What would it take to deal with them? Is it really impossible or are we sometimes just too lazy or unwilling to "pay the price." There's a cost to everything, whether it be of money, effort, a complete change in lifestyle, or changing where we live. The choice boils down to this... am I going to stay unhappy or am I going to do what needs to be done even if it is difficult, takes a long time, or is costly?
Acknowledge it up front, many things cannot be changed quickly. You might have to work towards a goal for years before you achieve it. But does the amount of time involved make it not worth it? Only if we are settling for the "instant" mindset. Giving up on "instant" can help motivate you to make the changes you felt would take too long.
For example: you might be unhappy about the way you look because you don't have straight teeth and don't like how it looks when you smile. You may have realized that is something you can change, but it won't be overnight. Braces are expensive so you may not be able to rush out and get them tomorrow. But you can make plans for how to set money aside and begin saving. You could also have an orthodontist do their free evaluation exam to see what will be involved both in time and expense. In other words, you can start the process of change!
Don't be afraid to get creative or think outside the box. Sometimes a lemon can be dealt with in a different way than you have been insisting to yourself (and/or the Lord) that it needs to be fixed.
I have personal example of this for you. I was feeling lonely due to some circumstances that had left me entirely without my close circle of friends that I had enjoyed for the past year. I was thinking that the only way to solve my loneliness was through other friendships. But I realized that companionship does not always have to come in human form. I had missed having a pet ever since I left for college and I came to the point in February that I realized I could finally see the way to make a pet happen. After the necessary research, I found the only thing "in my way" was an expensive pet deposit. It was worth it to me to pay the price necessary to have a pet and companion like I wanted, turning an unpleasant circumstance of my life to a pleasant one.
Bonus Cooking Tip: While it may be tempting to try to attempt to deal with a whole bunch of lemons at one time, trying to chop up and juice too many lemons at once is a bad idea; it could actually be harmful (chopped up fingers, anyone?), leave you frustrated, and just plain create a big mess for you to clean up.
Step 4. Add in some water and sugar.
Lemonade would be too sour if we didn't add water and sugar. Life too can be sour if we leave out some things. Your walk with the Lord could be compared to the water. It actually makes up the largest part of lemonade. It's the least expensive ingredient, taking only a little time and effort. Daily time in the Bible and praying, as well as maintaining constant communication moment by moment will comprise the largest portion of your happiness. You might add memorizing or posting verses in your home and work area. Make prayer lists. Just work at staying close to God! Only He can give you the grace to be happy in spite of the things you truly cannot change; only He can teach you contentment (refer to the definition at the top). Stay close to Him. Distance only makes the lemon juice in your life more potent and bitter.
If walking with the Lord is the water, then unselfishness is the sugar. Becoming too selfish and self-centered is a sure-fire way to make anyone unhappy. We find a great deal of sweetness in life as we find ways to serve others. Turn off the TV and DO things! This could be serving in your local church, volunteering in your community, taking the time and effort to try to cheer someone else up, cooking or baking for someone else, and the list could go on and on. Just as sugar is a very important ingredient in sweetening up lemonade, doing things for others is very important in sweetening life lemonade.
Step 5. Enjoy!
So when you are annoyed, frustrated, or unhappy with something in or about your life, ask yourself this "What am I going to do about it?" Don't settle for living a sour-faced life; take the lemons life throws you, make yourself some sweet lemonade, and enjoy your life as God intended!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope I am not alone in the desire to live a happy life. (Because if I am then I have greatly misjudged the rest of the world!)
- What is happiness?
- How do we achieve it?
- Why is it different for each person?
- Why am I happy/unhappy?
- Will I ever be happy again?
- I really, really wish...
- I would be happy if....
- Life is so good, what is there to be unhappy about?
"pleasure, joy, exhilaration, bliss, contentedness, delight, enjoyment, satisfaction. Happiness, bliss, contentment, felicity imply an active or passive state of pleasure or pleasurable satisfaction. Happiness results from the possession or attainment of what one considers good: the happiness of visiting one's family. Bliss is unalloyed happiness or supreme delight: the bliss of perfect companionship. Contentment is a peaceful kind of happiness in which one rests without desires, even though every wish may not have been gratified: contentment in one's surroundings. Felicity is a formal word for happiness of an especially fortunate or intense kind: to wish a young couple felicity in life."Basically, happiness is based on circumstances; it is derived from how satisfied you are with your day to day life and all the trappings that involves. Since some people are happier than others; they may be more content and satisfied with their situations in life, but it doesn't necessarily mean that their situations are better than everyone else's. They took the lemons life gave them and made the suggested lemonade. So what makes the difference?
Here is my "recipe" for making...
Life Lemonade.
Step 1. Identify your lemons.
We need to evaluate our lives to find the root causes when we discover we are unhappy. What your I-would-be-happy-ifs...? What specific things are making you unhappy about your situation in life? (If you are having a hard time pinpointing specific causes then you may not have an abundance of lemons in your life's kitchen, but you may have other issues such as the unhappiness that comes when your relationship with the Lord is strained. Or you may have let your lemons sit too long and they may have "gone bad" taking you past unhappiness and into actual depression. In either of those cases these steps might help some, but are by no means a cure-all.)
Step 2. Slice open your lemons.
Now that you have figured out the specific things you dislike about your life, it's time to evaluate those things. Cut them into two and examine them. We do this subconsciously all the time, but sometimes we need to take time to purposefully devote thought to them. The evaluation process is meant to determine if you can do anything about those lemons or not.
Perhaps the first thing to ask is this - are your expectations simply set too high? Being disappointed is never easy. If we can change our expectations out of where life is headed, people in our lives, or even ourselves we can find less to be unhappy about.
Charles Morgan (whom I know nothing about other than this quote) said, "The art of living does not consist in preserving and clinging to a particular mode of happiness, but in allowing happiness to change its form without being disappointed by the change; happiness, like a child, must be allowed to grow up.” There will be times that our lives go different directions than we expected. Accepting the changes and moving on can be a huge step toward happiness. Clinging to the past or past expectations of what life has in store can keep you stuck constantly wishing for something else that will never be attained.
Secondly, there are causes or triggers that we cannot change because we simply have no control over them. This would include such things as the death of a loved one, cold and dreary weather, our unchangeable physical characteristics (i.e. height, what we look like, etc.), or our age. There will always be circumstances that we can't control. (But I don't think that means we must be unhappy the majority of the time... more on that in a later step in the recipe.)
Then there are other things. Do they feel out of your control? Now stop and think hard... are they REALLY? Things like jobs, where we live, our weight, being lonely, etc might appear to be out of our control at first glance, especially is you have sunk down into flat out misery. But those are things that CAN be changed. It might take great effort or a great deal of difficulty but given time and effort, they could be different.
When you wish things were different, you want them to change. We can let unhappiness defeat us when we begin to think that we are stuck. Often what can make us the most miserable is the lack of hope that things will be different, that life will stay the same and we will therefore stay unhappy.
In reality, the "I'm-a-victim-of-my-circumstance" mentality should in and of itself be a red-flag that it's time to make some changes. After all, we have a great deal of say in our circumstances; we just have to take responsibility for them. Realizing that you are not a victim and that you have a say in some of those circumstances can go a long way in giving you the hope that you need to work towards changing your circumstances and being happy.
Step 3. Juice your lemons.
By this, I mean to take action about the things you have identified as lemons in your life and you have decided that you can change. Depending on what you are unhappy about and what steps will be involved, this may be a slow process. At least start by making plans if you can't change it all at once.
Look closely at those lemons. What would it take to deal with them? Is it really impossible or are we sometimes just too lazy or unwilling to "pay the price." There's a cost to everything, whether it be of money, effort, a complete change in lifestyle, or changing where we live. The choice boils down to this... am I going to stay unhappy or am I going to do what needs to be done even if it is difficult, takes a long time, or is costly?
Acknowledge it up front, many things cannot be changed quickly. You might have to work towards a goal for years before you achieve it. But does the amount of time involved make it not worth it? Only if we are settling for the "instant" mindset. Giving up on "instant" can help motivate you to make the changes you felt would take too long.
For example: you might be unhappy about the way you look because you don't have straight teeth and don't like how it looks when you smile. You may have realized that is something you can change, but it won't be overnight. Braces are expensive so you may not be able to rush out and get them tomorrow. But you can make plans for how to set money aside and begin saving. You could also have an orthodontist do their free evaluation exam to see what will be involved both in time and expense. In other words, you can start the process of change!
Don't be afraid to get creative or think outside the box. Sometimes a lemon can be dealt with in a different way than you have been insisting to yourself (and/or the Lord) that it needs to be fixed.
I have personal example of this for you. I was feeling lonely due to some circumstances that had left me entirely without my close circle of friends that I had enjoyed for the past year. I was thinking that the only way to solve my loneliness was through other friendships. But I realized that companionship does not always have to come in human form. I had missed having a pet ever since I left for college and I came to the point in February that I realized I could finally see the way to make a pet happen. After the necessary research, I found the only thing "in my way" was an expensive pet deposit. It was worth it to me to pay the price necessary to have a pet and companion like I wanted, turning an unpleasant circumstance of my life to a pleasant one.
Bonus Cooking Tip: While it may be tempting to try to attempt to deal with a whole bunch of lemons at one time, trying to chop up and juice too many lemons at once is a bad idea; it could actually be harmful (chopped up fingers, anyone?), leave you frustrated, and just plain create a big mess for you to clean up.
Step 4. Add in some water and sugar.
Lemonade would be too sour if we didn't add water and sugar. Life too can be sour if we leave out some things. Your walk with the Lord could be compared to the water. It actually makes up the largest part of lemonade. It's the least expensive ingredient, taking only a little time and effort. Daily time in the Bible and praying, as well as maintaining constant communication moment by moment will comprise the largest portion of your happiness. You might add memorizing or posting verses in your home and work area. Make prayer lists. Just work at staying close to God! Only He can give you the grace to be happy in spite of the things you truly cannot change; only He can teach you contentment (refer to the definition at the top). Stay close to Him. Distance only makes the lemon juice in your life more potent and bitter.
If walking with the Lord is the water, then unselfishness is the sugar. Becoming too selfish and self-centered is a sure-fire way to make anyone unhappy. We find a great deal of sweetness in life as we find ways to serve others. Turn off the TV and DO things! This could be serving in your local church, volunteering in your community, taking the time and effort to try to cheer someone else up, cooking or baking for someone else, and the list could go on and on. Just as sugar is a very important ingredient in sweetening up lemonade, doing things for others is very important in sweetening life lemonade.
Step 5. Enjoy!
So when you are annoyed, frustrated, or unhappy with something in or about your life, ask yourself this "What am I going to do about it?" Don't settle for living a sour-faced life; take the lemons life throws you, make yourself some sweet lemonade, and enjoy your life as God intended!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Wishin' It Were April Fool's
Since my guest blogger was not quite ready anyway,
I want to dedicate this post to
I want to dedicate this post to
My Moopsie and Poopsie.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012 appeared to be just another normal, every-day average Wednesday all the way up to 11:00 pm. You know the kind... a slower, easy-going workday followed by heading to church to either sit in the services or work with toddlers in the nursery. After church, its time to eat or just relax and watch some Psych with my sister before heading to bed to get rest for Thursday. That's a normal Wednesday.
But that seemingly normal Wednesday became anything but normal when my dad called me at 11:00 pm. He never calls that late, so I figured something was wrong. Polly's grandparents are older and I was bracing myself for bad news about them. Instead, he told me that Moopsie and Poopsie, Polly's parents had both been killed in a car accident just a few hours earlier. If there ever was a time you want to hear the words "April Fool's" or somehow find out that it was all a huge mistake, it's a time like that.
I believe that the first time I met them was right about this time when I was 16, around 11 years ago. My dad was dating Polly and they came down to our part of Texas for Easter. From the very first time we met them, they took us in as if we had always been theirs. They easily and quickly became family.
When you have a blended family, it doesn't always happen very easily. To some you are merely their daughter's step-kids, but they made us their grandkids, pure and simple. We may not have been born their grandkids, but they made it clear we were the grandkids of their hearts. From Dad and Polly's wedding, birthdays, our high school and college graduations, Zach being born, Christmases in Texas and Albuquerque, and the family vacation in Arkansas they became a part of the very fabric of our lives that family forms.
Holidays were usually the main times we got to spend time with them. I will never forget that my favorite Christmas since I graduated and became an adult was the Christmas I flew home to Texas from Nashville and went on to Albuquerque. It had been too long since I had a true family Christmas and it was exactly what I needed that year.
Moopsie was one of the most caring, encouraging people I have ever met. She loved snowmen trinkets and taking care of everyone she loved. She was a great gift-giver. I enjoyed talking with Moopsie about food and cooking. After she got onto Facebook, we would email back and forth. One of my most precious memories of her was her response to a post I put on Facebook. I was feeling frustrated by the lack of sensitivity of people who asked "Why don't you have a boyfriend?" as if I could have decided I wanted one and merely snap my fingers and have boys lining up. She encouraged me to be patient, told me that I was special, and that she had no doubt that God planned to bring me someone special. She said that the wait was worth it. Considering her long, happy marriage of over 40 years, she knew what she was talking about and it encouraged me.
Poopsie was more quiet and harder to read; I wasn't always sure what he was thinking. He had dryer and almost British sense of humor and was probably one of the smartest men I have ever met, the kind you don't want to play Trivial Pursuit with because he knew everything. He liked Dilbert, Star Trek, and loved music. One of my favorite memories of him was when he gave me a hug and said quietly, "You know you are one of MY girls now, right?" Both of my granddads had already passed on so he was my last remaining Granddad; his quiet acceptance meant the world to me.
If I have been reminded of anything in the past couple of weeks it is this -
"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." ~James 4:14We only have a short time to live. We cannot put off things that are important for tomorrow, because it may never come. Share the Gospel with people you meet. Tell your loved ones that you love them. Spend time with family. Laugh with friends. Make the call or write the email that you have "been meaning to get around to..."
By all means, plan for the future, but don't forget that it's not guaranteed.
And that too is no "April Fool's."
Thursday, March 15, 2012
I am Me and So is He
With St. Patrick's Day this weekend I could not help but mention it in this post! At first glance a post about identity theft and St. Patrick's day may not appear to fit together. But, in a loose sense "St. Patrick" has been quite the victim of identity theft himself!
You see, he was actually a missionary with Baptistic doctrines who stirred up great revival in Ireland and Great Britain. From what I have read, he was actually rather unpopular with and at times persecuted by the Roman Catholic church (who in the last 150 years have claimed him as one of their own and made him a "Saint") because he preached baptism by immersion only after salvation (i.e. no infant baptism) and other Baptist doctrines in direct opposition to Catholic doctrine. He never claimed to be Catholic at all and his own writings bear witness to his holding Baptistic beliefs.
For him to have been claimed as a Catholic "Saint" and have a holiday named after him that is mainly celebrated by heavy drinking, wearing of green, and a superstitious regard of "lucky" shamrocks (he actually used the three-leaf clover to teach the doctrine of the Trinity), his identity has truly been stolen and remade into something that he himself would not recognize.
Do you remember those commercials that showed a couple years back? The ones with a creepy man's voice coming out of a little old lady's mouth as she/he discussed the recent fraudulent purchases made on her debit card after her identity was stolen?
Well, identity theft has become an increasingly popular crime. Working in the financial industry I have learned quite a bit about identity theft, methods of prevention, results of/hassle created by it, etc. Though technically a bookkeeper, more than half of my daily job involves working to prevent identity theft and fraud, attempting to catch it early on, and in working with customers to clean up the financial mess created by fraudulent purchases. With the practical experience I have gained, my co-workers jokingly call me the "Fraud Specialist."
Believe me, one little fraudulent purchase on your account can cause hours and hours of work and a major headache for you. With full-blown identity theft, it can take YEARS to repair the damage to your credit. Believe me, you want to do everything possible to avoid going down that path!
That being said here are 15 simple tips that I believe every adult should be aware of and practice consistently.
15. Make all passwords to financial accounts, computers, wireless connections, emails, etc. complicated enough to discourage hackers. They should always be at LEAST 8 characters long, include both letters and numbers, and include both upper and lower case letters. Memorize them. If you must write them down, do NOT store them at the computer. Areas around the computer (under keyboard, sticky notes, unlocked drawers, etc ) are the first place where thieves will look for those passwords.
Today's post is #47 and the second post in the contest leading up to post 50! Don't forget to comment here, on Facebook, or "like" on Facebook to receive one entry per blog posts #46-59. (If you missed #46, go back and read it and comment to receive an entry into the drawing.) Another hint about the prize... Since it was in celebration of reaching 1500 page views the prize will be worth $15 "bucks."
You see, he was actually a missionary with Baptistic doctrines who stirred up great revival in Ireland and Great Britain. From what I have read, he was actually rather unpopular with and at times persecuted by the Roman Catholic church (who in the last 150 years have claimed him as one of their own and made him a "Saint") because he preached baptism by immersion only after salvation (i.e. no infant baptism) and other Baptist doctrines in direct opposition to Catholic doctrine. He never claimed to be Catholic at all and his own writings bear witness to his holding Baptistic beliefs.
For him to have been claimed as a Catholic "Saint" and have a holiday named after him that is mainly celebrated by heavy drinking, wearing of green, and a superstitious regard of "lucky" shamrocks (he actually used the three-leaf clover to teach the doctrine of the Trinity), his identity has truly been stolen and remade into something that he himself would not recognize.
And now, I shall disembark my hobby horse and move on to the main part of the post...
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Do you remember those commercials that showed a couple years back? The ones with a creepy man's voice coming out of a little old lady's mouth as she/he discussed the recent fraudulent purchases made on her debit card after her identity was stolen?
Well, identity theft has become an increasingly popular crime. Working in the financial industry I have learned quite a bit about identity theft, methods of prevention, results of/hassle created by it, etc. Though technically a bookkeeper, more than half of my daily job involves working to prevent identity theft and fraud, attempting to catch it early on, and in working with customers to clean up the financial mess created by fraudulent purchases. With the practical experience I have gained, my co-workers jokingly call me the "Fraud Specialist."
Believe me, one little fraudulent purchase on your account can cause hours and hours of work and a major headache for you. With full-blown identity theft, it can take YEARS to repair the damage to your credit. Believe me, you want to do everything possible to avoid going down that path!
That being said here are 15 simple tips that I believe every adult should be aware of and practice consistently.
15 Tips for Identity Theft Prevention:
Prevention is the Key
1. Do not carry your Social Security card, birth certificate, or passport in your wallet or purse except when necessary. Remove them as soon as you get home if you find it necessary to carry them for something specific. Also, limit the number of debit/credit cards you carry, leaving extras in a safe place at home. This practice minimizes the amount of information a thief can steal.
2. It is also helpful to photocopy all of the documents in your wallet in case of theft. That way, if your wallet is ever stolen, you can quickly retrieve numbers. A list of all your credit cards and debit cards should also be kept in a secure place at home. Be sure to include the numbers you need to call to report a theft; this way, you can quickly call issuers if a credit or debit card is stolen.
3. You should cancel any inactive credit accounts and limit your total number of credit cards. This will make it easier to keep tabs on all credit activity. Destroy all checks, debit cards, and credit cards upon closing an account to prevent thieves from obtaining the account numbers and running up bills fraudulently.
4. You should minimize the exposure of your credit and social security numbers. Never put them on checks and never give your social security numbers or account numbers out over the phone, even if you made the call. Identity thieves often place fake calls in an attempt to gather personal information.
5. Never leave a purse or wallet unattended at work, restaurants, health fitness clubs, parties, shopping carts, or EVEN church. Never leave your purse or wallet in open view in your car, even if your car is locked.
6. Treat your cell phones, iPads, laptops, etc. like cash, especially if you have access to your bank accounts on them. Use password protection! Thieves can steal your electronic devices and hack into your online banking, Paypal account, or other financial services/accounts and use them to make fraudulent purchases.
7. Memorize your personal identification numbers (PINs) so you do not have to write them down. DO NOT EVER write your PIN on the back of your card or anywhere else in your wallet or purse. Don’t share them with ANYONE, even family members. Never use your SS, DOB, or address as your PIN number, as these are too easy for a thief to guess.
8. At the ATM, always be aware of your surroundings to make sure no one is watching you input your PIN. Watch for card skimmers; they not only capture your card number, but also your pin which can make proving fraud much more difficult. Try to use familiar machines so you will notice if anything about the machine looks unusual.
9. Never simply toss credit card receipts in a trashcan, whether in public or at home. Always keep them in a secure place and shred them before tossing out. Also be sure to shred all junk mail or bills, especially pre-approved credit card approvals, before tossing them out. Shredding will prevent identity thieves from finding confidential information in the trash; identity thieves oftentimes dig through trash to find personal information. These dumpster divers can then use these offers to order credit cards in your name and mail them to their address.
10. You should always have secure (as in locked) mailboxes, both at work and at home, in order to reduce the likelihood of theft. It is better to have your bank send new checks or debit cards to the bank to be picked up rather than your home address to prevent thieves from snatching them from the mail.
11. If you do not receive your billing information promptly, notify any companies involved. You should analyze your monthly statements, utility bills, and any subscription bills for any unauthorized changes. Be sure to Balance Your Check Book!
12. Always request a free yearly credit score from TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. All three are required to give you a free copy once per year, IF you request it. It is recommended that you make a schedule and check one every 4 months to minimize the amount of time in between checks. Each time, be sure to analyze the reports closely for any suspicious or unauthorized activity.
13. Internet banking can help with security, but only if proper security measures are followed. Install a firewall along with anti-virus and anti-spyware software on all computers. It is essential that all three are kept up-to-date. Also make sure your computer is set to automatically download the latest patches and fixes to help with operating systems security holes (they all have some). Remember, no Firewall is hacker-proof so still be very cautious with what information you share over a public wi-fi network.
14. You should not click on links in emails from financial institutions, even if they appear to be legitimate - these emails could be from identity thieves trying to obtain, or "phish" for, confidential information. Instead, go to your browser and type in the domain name of the institution (e.g. www.bankofyourchoice.com or www.paypal.com) and then login to your account.
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Today's post is #47 and the second post in the contest leading up to post 50! Don't forget to comment here, on Facebook, or "like" on Facebook to receive one entry per blog posts #46-59. (If you missed #46, go back and read it and comment to receive an entry into the drawing.) Another hint about the prize... Since it was in celebration of reaching 1500 page views the prize will be worth $15 "bucks."
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