scorching temperatures and 100% humidity aside, i love summer. i always have. summer in the south - especially summer in a small, southern town - is magic. here's why:
lightening bugs
thunderstorms
being caught in the rain unexpectedly
a cold beer sitting on the deck at edisto
sunset at 9 pm
the way the sunshine looks through the rain during an aftenoon storm
star gazing
staying up late
humid nights spent outside
sundresses
tan lines and sunburn
coming in from being on the water all day - sunburned, exhausted, hungry, and freezing
being on the water
sitting in a chair right in the surf with a cold diet coke, my ipod, and a good book
the smell of salty air
the beach breeze
standing in the surf as the tide comes up and buries my feet
baseball games at night
fireworks
sun on my face = less make up
beach hair - salty water and humid air = extra curly
afternoon naps
reading good books
hot leather seats in my car
shade from weeping willows
sunshine through tree-lined streets - it looks like a stained-glass window
live music at la fiesta
edisto week
golf carts
boys in fishin shirts
windows down, sunroof open, and the AC on full blast singing crazy loud to old john mellancamp
grilling out
geraniums and ferns on front porches
aviators
my birthday
downtown greenville
coral nail polish
seersucker
country music, country music, and more country music - particularly coming from big trucks
the cutlass
counting the seconds between thunder and lightening
mason jars
the fourth of july
sweet tea so sweet it's more like syrup
the smell of a grill
tomato sandwiches on white bread that sticks to the roof of your mouth with mayonnaise, salt, and pepper
the smell of freshly cut grass
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
soul mates
there's a "sex and the city" quote that i have always loved:
"maybe our girlfriends are our soul mates, and men are just these great things to have fun with."
i have so many great girl friends. lately, the lord has been using them in my life for different purposes, and he's been revealing those purposes to me.
elizabeth - she gets it. whatever "it" is, she understands, because we're at similar places in life. i'm never scared or embarassed to tell her something, because i know that when i share it, she'll say, "OMG! ME TOO!" i really don't know what i'd do without her to cry with, laugh with, go on dates with, go to weddings with, and basically do everything with (because everyone else has a boyfriend). she is truly my sister (her dad, afterall, calls me d3). when i need to be myself and laugh and cry and just be real, liz is my girl.
sara - my soul sister. nobody in the world knows my heart like this girl. nobody. she understands me and can finish my thoughts. she can explain me to me better than i can. the lord has been so gracious and good to give me sara giffin as a best friend, sister in christ, and accountability partner. she meets me with such encouragement, grace, humility, and gentle correction. i am unbelievably thankful for her. when i need to talk about deep stuff - love and life and jesus - or when i need to drink a glass of wine and be silly - when i need somebody to sing with - or when i need somebody to just help me clear my head - sara is who i call (or skype).
valerie - she understands my crazy. valerie is the friend that will spend the night with me when i'm scared, clean out my refrigerator, feed my dogs and water my plants, listen to me cry, let me have temper tantrum, and stand up for me no matter what. i'm thankful for her loyalty. i'm thankful that when i'm screaming and talking in circles and making no sense, that she gets me and somehow manages to make me feel a little less nuts. i need valerie when i need to sort out my life without judgement, questions, or lectures.
jaime - jaime is my even-tempered, honest friend. she and i have a great friendship that consists of red wine, chocolate ice cream, and good conversation. we're polar opposites in a lot of ways, but i admire jaime's unmovable faith, quiet strength, and the way she asserts herself. she's not afraid of anything, and i wish i was more like her in a lot of ways.
jennifer - gray's girlfriend. i've come to see her as my sister. this sweet girl knows how to encourage like nobody else i know. i'm not sure how at 25 (and 6 feet tall) it's possible for me to look up to a 21 year old who's 5'4", but i do. she is never without a kind word, and she points me to christ every single time i talk to her. she is also hilarious. and we are also pretty ridiculous when we're together - you know, dressing up in patriotic, lady liberty costumes, taking lots of pictures, ganging up on gray, and making friendship bracelets. i'm so thankful for her selfless heart and sweet spirit.
shelby - good grief, i love this girl. who woulda thought that after college we would be roommates? and much less grow to be such close friends! shelby is my no-nonsense friend. she holds me accountable and doesn't care if it makes me mad. i love it. i don't love having to confess things to her sometimes, but i love that she is honest and does not spare words for the sake of my pride. in fact, the day she told me, "you need to get in the word, because i've seen what happens when you don't," i kind of wanted to hit her. but then i realized how much she must love me to call me out like that. shelby is also my go-to spaghetti eater. we had so many bonding moments over a plate of steaming hot noodles. i'm grateful for her friendship.
the lord knows my heart so well. it's so amazing how he has put women in my life for different purposes, with diffrent personalties, to teach me differet things. i am so, so thankful for the godly girls who love me and build me up and hold me accountable and let me be crazy.
"maybe our girlfriends are our soul mates, and men are just these great things to have fun with."
i have so many great girl friends. lately, the lord has been using them in my life for different purposes, and he's been revealing those purposes to me.
elizabeth - she gets it. whatever "it" is, she understands, because we're at similar places in life. i'm never scared or embarassed to tell her something, because i know that when i share it, she'll say, "OMG! ME TOO!" i really don't know what i'd do without her to cry with, laugh with, go on dates with, go to weddings with, and basically do everything with (because everyone else has a boyfriend). she is truly my sister (her dad, afterall, calls me d3). when i need to be myself and laugh and cry and just be real, liz is my girl.
sara - my soul sister. nobody in the world knows my heart like this girl. nobody. she understands me and can finish my thoughts. she can explain me to me better than i can. the lord has been so gracious and good to give me sara giffin as a best friend, sister in christ, and accountability partner. she meets me with such encouragement, grace, humility, and gentle correction. i am unbelievably thankful for her. when i need to talk about deep stuff - love and life and jesus - or when i need to drink a glass of wine and be silly - when i need somebody to sing with - or when i need somebody to just help me clear my head - sara is who i call (or skype).
valerie - she understands my crazy. valerie is the friend that will spend the night with me when i'm scared, clean out my refrigerator, feed my dogs and water my plants, listen to me cry, let me have temper tantrum, and stand up for me no matter what. i'm thankful for her loyalty. i'm thankful that when i'm screaming and talking in circles and making no sense, that she gets me and somehow manages to make me feel a little less nuts. i need valerie when i need to sort out my life without judgement, questions, or lectures.
jaime - jaime is my even-tempered, honest friend. she and i have a great friendship that consists of red wine, chocolate ice cream, and good conversation. we're polar opposites in a lot of ways, but i admire jaime's unmovable faith, quiet strength, and the way she asserts herself. she's not afraid of anything, and i wish i was more like her in a lot of ways.
jennifer - gray's girlfriend. i've come to see her as my sister. this sweet girl knows how to encourage like nobody else i know. i'm not sure how at 25 (and 6 feet tall) it's possible for me to look up to a 21 year old who's 5'4", but i do. she is never without a kind word, and she points me to christ every single time i talk to her. she is also hilarious. and we are also pretty ridiculous when we're together - you know, dressing up in patriotic, lady liberty costumes, taking lots of pictures, ganging up on gray, and making friendship bracelets. i'm so thankful for her selfless heart and sweet spirit.
shelby - good grief, i love this girl. who woulda thought that after college we would be roommates? and much less grow to be such close friends! shelby is my no-nonsense friend. she holds me accountable and doesn't care if it makes me mad. i love it. i don't love having to confess things to her sometimes, but i love that she is honest and does not spare words for the sake of my pride. in fact, the day she told me, "you need to get in the word, because i've seen what happens when you don't," i kind of wanted to hit her. but then i realized how much she must love me to call me out like that. shelby is also my go-to spaghetti eater. we had so many bonding moments over a plate of steaming hot noodles. i'm grateful for her friendship.
the lord knows my heart so well. it's so amazing how he has put women in my life for different purposes, with diffrent personalties, to teach me differet things. i am so, so thankful for the godly girls who love me and build me up and hold me accountable and let me be crazy.
you ain't ever gonna change
lyrics from three songs i can't stop listening to today.
you and tequila make me crazy
you run like poison through my blood
one more night could kill me baby
one more is one too any
and one is never enough
-kenny chesney
she said "you're a ramblin man
you ain't ever gonna change
you gotta gypsy soul to blame
and you were born for leavin"
-zac brown band
now that drifter's world
it goes round and round
and i doubt that it's ever gonna stop
but of all the dreams
i've lost or found
and all that i ain't got
i need somebody i can cling to
somebody i can sing to
she said, "hey, ramblin boy
why don't you settle down
boston ain't your kinda town
there ain't no gold
and there ain't nobody like me
i'm the number one fan of a man
in tennessee"
-dave loggins
sigh.
you and tequila make me crazy
you run like poison through my blood
one more night could kill me baby
one more is one too any
and one is never enough
-kenny chesney
she said "you're a ramblin man
you ain't ever gonna change
you gotta gypsy soul to blame
and you were born for leavin"
-zac brown band
now that drifter's world
it goes round and round
and i doubt that it's ever gonna stop
but of all the dreams
i've lost or found
and all that i ain't got
i need somebody i can cling to
somebody i can sing to
she said, "hey, ramblin boy
why don't you settle down
boston ain't your kinda town
there ain't no gold
and there ain't nobody like me
i'm the number one fan of a man
in tennessee"
-dave loggins
sigh.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
why
i was reading in colossians earlier tonight, when i read these verses from chapter three (verses 22-24):
"[do everything] with sincerity of heart and reverence for the lord. whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the lord as a reward. it is the lord jesus you are serving."
this passage reminds me of a few truths:
1. it's a command for me to do everything i do - from taking out the trash to cleaning up after my kids eat lunch to leading my small group - with passion and intentionality and joy and "with all my heart."
2. my motives need to be filtered through the cross. i should ask myself, "why am i doing/saying this?" before i act and speak. there are two possible answers: to build up myself or to build up another and further the kingdom. i need to ask christ to make my heart sincere. i don't want to parade around with false sincerity. i want a pure and clean heart.
3. no matter what i'm doing, my purpose is to point others to christ. i am serving christ always and in everything. people are not my masters. people cannot pass judgement. people cannot offer me a reward. christ is my master. christ is my judge. and christ is my reward.
how's your heart looking? do you, like me, need to repent of some impure motives and an unclean, self-seeking heart? thank goodness the lord is good and faithful to forgive us and give us a new heart over and over again!
"[do everything] with sincerity of heart and reverence for the lord. whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the lord as a reward. it is the lord jesus you are serving."
this passage reminds me of a few truths:
1. it's a command for me to do everything i do - from taking out the trash to cleaning up after my kids eat lunch to leading my small group - with passion and intentionality and joy and "with all my heart."
2. my motives need to be filtered through the cross. i should ask myself, "why am i doing/saying this?" before i act and speak. there are two possible answers: to build up myself or to build up another and further the kingdom. i need to ask christ to make my heart sincere. i don't want to parade around with false sincerity. i want a pure and clean heart.
3. no matter what i'm doing, my purpose is to point others to christ. i am serving christ always and in everything. people are not my masters. people cannot pass judgement. people cannot offer me a reward. christ is my master. christ is my judge. and christ is my reward.
how's your heart looking? do you, like me, need to repent of some impure motives and an unclean, self-seeking heart? thank goodness the lord is good and faithful to forgive us and give us a new heart over and over again!
this one's for the girls
i write an awful lot about relationships. i think that must be because i'm a twenty-five year old single girl trying to figure out love and life. i've made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot of lessons. lately, i've found myself really searching for what my life should look like as this twenty-five year old single girl.
where i thought i'd be at twenty-five:
married to a youth pastor, laboring along side my hunky husband in the ministry, baby on the way, suburban america, SUV, couple of dogs, house with a pickett fence
where i actually am:
SUV, couple of dogs, house with a really tall privacy fence
obviously, not exactly what i had in mind. through this season of my life, though, there are a few things i'm learning that i think are important for girls and women alike, whether you're 17 or 77.
1. i am beautiful. i am so uniquely and creatively and fabulously made. women are the crown of creation. we possess the most intimate and tender characterisitcs of our heavenly father. we are emotional, sensitive, relational, nurturing, loving, and fiercely protective. we are communicators and enjoy quality time with people we love. we see needs and desire to meet them. he is enthralled by our beauty - not just our physical beauty (he does find us uterlly breathtaking), but also our inner beauty (psalm 45:11). he is enthralled by us. we captivate him. if you ever find yourself feeling unbeautiful, remember that your heavenly father created you just the way you are. frizzy hair, short eyelashes, cankles, and all. and he can't take his eyes off of you. this is not just some bologna to fill our heads with to make us feel better about not having a boyfriend. it's truth straight from god's heart. take care of yourself. eat well and exercise, and then trust that you are beautiful.
2. i need to know who i am. it's so easy to look to the media, other women, and men to tell me who i should be. don't fall in to that trap. allow god to define you by his word. if you are a child of god, you are just that: a child of god. you are precious, and you are valuable. you have power and strength through christ to accomplish incredible things. you have the ability to heal with your love and your words as you allow christ to work through you. your sole responsibility is to follow christ with everything you've got. not make other people happy; not look like a supermodel; not be a CEO by the time you're thirty; not get married and have six babies. if you can get a handle on this realization early, it'll help you in the long run. knowing who you are and what your purpose is, and being confident in that, will save you some heartache in the future.
3. i am single; i am not sick. in the south, being single at twenty-five is a death sentence. i'm convinced people look at me like there's something wrong with me. and you know what, sometimes it's really easy for me to start to believe that. heck, a LOT of the time it's really easy for me to believe that. i wonder what i'm being punished for, what i'm doing wrong, or why god doesn't want me to be happy. if you feel that way, too, sister, you're not alone! i used to roll my eyes when i heard this, but not anymore: god has a plan. i guess it's probably a tad blasphemous that i rolled my eyes at scripture, but if you've ever been a single, twenty-five year old, then you have heard "god has a plan" more times than you can count. but it's true. my life isn't slipping through the cracks unnoticed. god sees me - exactly where i am. he knows how my heart aches with every disappointing relationship and how it hurts to watch yet another and another of my peers fall in love and get married while i remain single. he knows how i long to have a family and be a mother. he knows. he created me with those desires. i believe that god will give me the desires of my heart (psalm 37:4) - i will get married, or he will change my desires to be aligned with his desires for my life. being single for a season or for a lifetime does not define me; it does not make me sick; it does not mean something is wrong with me. it means god has something incredible in store for me that he can accomplish better if i am single. i'm not at the place where i just naturally trust that god's plan is better than what i have planned, and that if i'm single forever that's all fine and dandy. heck no. but i'm spending a whole lotta time praying about it. everyday i'm praying to trust him a little bit more than i did the day before.
4. there are godly men out there. somewhere. it's so easy for me to become bitter about the relationships in my past. it's so easy to lump all guys in to one category: the "worthless, no-good, lying, cheating, leaving" category. but that's just not true. there are men who love christ first, and who will be prepared to love a woman better because they love christ first. there are men who want a wife and a family. there are men who want to love and honor and protect and provide and romance a woman. they are out there. i would submit that had i made better selections when it came to the men i have dated, i would have fewer pre-conceived notions about every man i encounter.
5. i need to choose more wisely. i have dated some great guys. i have dated some guys who started out great but turned out to be losers. and i have dated some losers who i tried to make great. it's so easy (especially at this age) to try to make someone the "right" guy - to settle in some areas you never would have before; to accept some things you wouldn't ever tell your mama; to overlook some flaws you wouldn't let your best friend overlook in her boyfriend. it's easy to start thinking that someone is better than noone. wrong. trust me when i tell you that being single - beign alone - is ALWAYS better than being with the wrong person. when you compromise once, you will do it a thousand times, and you will destroy yourself. you will lose every ounce of backbone and integrity and purity you once had. don't do that, girls. get serious about relationships. choose carefully. if you do, you will avoid a lot of broken hearts, a lot of confusion, a lot of hurt, and a lot of regret. don't date someone who will ask you to compromise. dating is not something to take lightly. another person with baggage and issues and emotions has the enormous capacity to tear you apart.
6. i need to stop wasting time. i've been single (unmarried) for twenty-five years. what do i have to show for that time? i want to say that i am as close to christ as i can possibly be, that i'm a bible scholar, that i regularly lead people to christ, and that i see victory over sin often. unfortunately, my life begs to differ. when i look at my life, i see a lot of the same things i saw years ago. that leads me to think that in some ways, i've wasted so much of this precious "alone time" the lord has graciously given me. if i am to be married one day, then this season of singleness is truly a gift that i should be cherishing and taking advantage of. if i am not to be married one day, then this lifetime of singleness is truly a gift that i should be cherishing and taking advantage of. i need to dig in to the word, dig in to fellowship, dig in to community, dig in to gleaning truths and lessons and daily applications to apply to the next season of my life - whatever and wherever it may be. girls: do not waste this time in your life! it's you and jesus. use this time to soak him in. find some single girlfriends and pour out your hearts to each other for accountability and encouragement. don't spend your singleness pouting about being single. spend this time preparing for whatever your next step is.
7. i need to take responsibility for my life. sometimes crazy things happen to me. sometimes i cause crazy things to happen to me. i can't blame other people for the things that happen to me - whether it's finances, relationships, speeding tickets - whatever it is. i need to be quick to take ownership of the things i have done wrong or simply not done and accept that some things happen because of me. sometimes i am my biggest problem. i think it's so easy for girls to blame men for their issues. listen up ladies, if you are a godly woman walking with christ and striving to please him, then that should define who you date and how you date him. don't date a scumbag and then blame him because you pushed the limits physically, he lied to you, and he left you. own up to your mistakes. embrace them even. learn from them. don't waste mistakes. get in the word. immerse yourself in the word. beg god for direction, and then beg him for strength to walk in that direction. plead with him to protect you from sin. and then do your part to flee from it. take responsibility for your own actions.
8. it's not easy. following christ isn't easy. being single isn't easy. life isn't easy. keep eternal perspective and don't have unreasonable expectations. this is not heaven; we're not there yet. "set your minds on things above" (colossians 3:2). focus on christ and his kingdom and your purpose in his kindgom. simple and often repeated advice, but words that i need to take to heart.
i definitely don't have it all figured out. not even close. but i'm learning and i'm growing and i'm changing and i'm walking with christ the whole way.
where i thought i'd be at twenty-five:
married to a youth pastor, laboring along side my hunky husband in the ministry, baby on the way, suburban america, SUV, couple of dogs, house with a pickett fence
where i actually am:
SUV, couple of dogs, house with a really tall privacy fence
obviously, not exactly what i had in mind. through this season of my life, though, there are a few things i'm learning that i think are important for girls and women alike, whether you're 17 or 77.
1. i am beautiful. i am so uniquely and creatively and fabulously made. women are the crown of creation. we possess the most intimate and tender characterisitcs of our heavenly father. we are emotional, sensitive, relational, nurturing, loving, and fiercely protective. we are communicators and enjoy quality time with people we love. we see needs and desire to meet them. he is enthralled by our beauty - not just our physical beauty (he does find us uterlly breathtaking), but also our inner beauty (psalm 45:11). he is enthralled by us. we captivate him. if you ever find yourself feeling unbeautiful, remember that your heavenly father created you just the way you are. frizzy hair, short eyelashes, cankles, and all. and he can't take his eyes off of you. this is not just some bologna to fill our heads with to make us feel better about not having a boyfriend. it's truth straight from god's heart. take care of yourself. eat well and exercise, and then trust that you are beautiful.
2. i need to know who i am. it's so easy to look to the media, other women, and men to tell me who i should be. don't fall in to that trap. allow god to define you by his word. if you are a child of god, you are just that: a child of god. you are precious, and you are valuable. you have power and strength through christ to accomplish incredible things. you have the ability to heal with your love and your words as you allow christ to work through you. your sole responsibility is to follow christ with everything you've got. not make other people happy; not look like a supermodel; not be a CEO by the time you're thirty; not get married and have six babies. if you can get a handle on this realization early, it'll help you in the long run. knowing who you are and what your purpose is, and being confident in that, will save you some heartache in the future.
3. i am single; i am not sick. in the south, being single at twenty-five is a death sentence. i'm convinced people look at me like there's something wrong with me. and you know what, sometimes it's really easy for me to start to believe that. heck, a LOT of the time it's really easy for me to believe that. i wonder what i'm being punished for, what i'm doing wrong, or why god doesn't want me to be happy. if you feel that way, too, sister, you're not alone! i used to roll my eyes when i heard this, but not anymore: god has a plan. i guess it's probably a tad blasphemous that i rolled my eyes at scripture, but if you've ever been a single, twenty-five year old, then you have heard "god has a plan" more times than you can count. but it's true. my life isn't slipping through the cracks unnoticed. god sees me - exactly where i am. he knows how my heart aches with every disappointing relationship and how it hurts to watch yet another and another of my peers fall in love and get married while i remain single. he knows how i long to have a family and be a mother. he knows. he created me with those desires. i believe that god will give me the desires of my heart (psalm 37:4) - i will get married, or he will change my desires to be aligned with his desires for my life. being single for a season or for a lifetime does not define me; it does not make me sick; it does not mean something is wrong with me. it means god has something incredible in store for me that he can accomplish better if i am single. i'm not at the place where i just naturally trust that god's plan is better than what i have planned, and that if i'm single forever that's all fine and dandy. heck no. but i'm spending a whole lotta time praying about it. everyday i'm praying to trust him a little bit more than i did the day before.
4. there are godly men out there. somewhere. it's so easy for me to become bitter about the relationships in my past. it's so easy to lump all guys in to one category: the "worthless, no-good, lying, cheating, leaving" category. but that's just not true. there are men who love christ first, and who will be prepared to love a woman better because they love christ first. there are men who want a wife and a family. there are men who want to love and honor and protect and provide and romance a woman. they are out there. i would submit that had i made better selections when it came to the men i have dated, i would have fewer pre-conceived notions about every man i encounter.
5. i need to choose more wisely. i have dated some great guys. i have dated some guys who started out great but turned out to be losers. and i have dated some losers who i tried to make great. it's so easy (especially at this age) to try to make someone the "right" guy - to settle in some areas you never would have before; to accept some things you wouldn't ever tell your mama; to overlook some flaws you wouldn't let your best friend overlook in her boyfriend. it's easy to start thinking that someone is better than noone. wrong. trust me when i tell you that being single - beign alone - is ALWAYS better than being with the wrong person. when you compromise once, you will do it a thousand times, and you will destroy yourself. you will lose every ounce of backbone and integrity and purity you once had. don't do that, girls. get serious about relationships. choose carefully. if you do, you will avoid a lot of broken hearts, a lot of confusion, a lot of hurt, and a lot of regret. don't date someone who will ask you to compromise. dating is not something to take lightly. another person with baggage and issues and emotions has the enormous capacity to tear you apart.
6. i need to stop wasting time. i've been single (unmarried) for twenty-five years. what do i have to show for that time? i want to say that i am as close to christ as i can possibly be, that i'm a bible scholar, that i regularly lead people to christ, and that i see victory over sin often. unfortunately, my life begs to differ. when i look at my life, i see a lot of the same things i saw years ago. that leads me to think that in some ways, i've wasted so much of this precious "alone time" the lord has graciously given me. if i am to be married one day, then this season of singleness is truly a gift that i should be cherishing and taking advantage of. if i am not to be married one day, then this lifetime of singleness is truly a gift that i should be cherishing and taking advantage of. i need to dig in to the word, dig in to fellowship, dig in to community, dig in to gleaning truths and lessons and daily applications to apply to the next season of my life - whatever and wherever it may be. girls: do not waste this time in your life! it's you and jesus. use this time to soak him in. find some single girlfriends and pour out your hearts to each other for accountability and encouragement. don't spend your singleness pouting about being single. spend this time preparing for whatever your next step is.
7. i need to take responsibility for my life. sometimes crazy things happen to me. sometimes i cause crazy things to happen to me. i can't blame other people for the things that happen to me - whether it's finances, relationships, speeding tickets - whatever it is. i need to be quick to take ownership of the things i have done wrong or simply not done and accept that some things happen because of me. sometimes i am my biggest problem. i think it's so easy for girls to blame men for their issues. listen up ladies, if you are a godly woman walking with christ and striving to please him, then that should define who you date and how you date him. don't date a scumbag and then blame him because you pushed the limits physically, he lied to you, and he left you. own up to your mistakes. embrace them even. learn from them. don't waste mistakes. get in the word. immerse yourself in the word. beg god for direction, and then beg him for strength to walk in that direction. plead with him to protect you from sin. and then do your part to flee from it. take responsibility for your own actions.
8. it's not easy. following christ isn't easy. being single isn't easy. life isn't easy. keep eternal perspective and don't have unreasonable expectations. this is not heaven; we're not there yet. "set your minds on things above" (colossians 3:2). focus on christ and his kingdom and your purpose in his kindgom. simple and often repeated advice, but words that i need to take to heart.
i definitely don't have it all figured out. not even close. but i'm learning and i'm growing and i'm changing and i'm walking with christ the whole way.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
lady liberty
i'm a patriot at heart. i know that if i had been around during the revolution, i would have been a rebel. i love america and what it stands - well, stood - for. i love that men and women put their lives on the line to create our nation. i love the beautiful words of the declaration of independence. i love that our country was undoubtedly founded on the gospel of jesus christ. i love the american flag, the star-spangled banner, the old, patriotic hymns, and the pride that fills my heart when i hear the air force anthem. oh, and i can't forget to mention my fervor for fireworks. i love a good explosion.
as i sat through first baptist church's patriotic musical "the home of the brave" last sunday (june 26 - my 25th birthday, fyi), i couldn't help the tears that kept flooding my eyes. as a lone trumpet sounded the familiar tune of "taps," i found myself sobbing. i was reminded that freedom is never free. for centuries, our country has been dependent on the sacrifices of brave men and women. our freedom is won daily by people fighting relentlessly for the things that our forefathers battled for three hundred years ago. our freedom is secure. it is often threatened by other forces, but the simple truth is that our freedom is secure.
i am free not only as an american, but also as a believer in christ jesus. my freedom from sin and death was won for me on the cross. just as i trust our government and military to protect the freedoms that i have as an american, i trust that christ has won my freedom and is capable of holding it secure for all eternity. what i need to remember, however, is that my freedom did not come cheap. there was - there is - a tremendous cost. my freedom came at the expense of christ's life. his bondage - the ropes that tied his wrists to the cross; the chords that held christ, the sacrifical lamb, to the altar - purchased my freedom. oh, beautiful mystery.
so often i find myself living in bondage to one thing or another: a fear, a sinful habit, a thought, a worry, a memory. i don't believe god can be glorified by my life when i consistently choose to trade his freedom for satan's bondage. christ paid a HIGH price to buy my freedom - to loosen the chains of sin and the shackles of death. why do i choose to nullify that freedom in my life by willingly returning to slavery? i don't deserve the freedom i've been given - but god is sovereign and good, and he has chosen to make me free. i need to accept his freedom, and then i need to enjoy it and live my life by it. when i embrace the message of the cross and apply it FULLY to my life, THAT's when christ is most glorified. i don't have to put myself back into bondage, because i don't think i deserve to be free. duh - i don't deserve to be free. but in god's infinite wisdom and goodness and mercy he chose me to call out from the grave. and i AM free. his word promises that over and over again. my prayer is that i would learn to live in freedom the way christ intends me to; that i would celebrate the freedom i've been given; that i would cherish it, and that i would not cheapen it by the way i live my life.
as i sat through first baptist church's patriotic musical "the home of the brave" last sunday (june 26 - my 25th birthday, fyi), i couldn't help the tears that kept flooding my eyes. as a lone trumpet sounded the familiar tune of "taps," i found myself sobbing. i was reminded that freedom is never free. for centuries, our country has been dependent on the sacrifices of brave men and women. our freedom is won daily by people fighting relentlessly for the things that our forefathers battled for three hundred years ago. our freedom is secure. it is often threatened by other forces, but the simple truth is that our freedom is secure.
i am free not only as an american, but also as a believer in christ jesus. my freedom from sin and death was won for me on the cross. just as i trust our government and military to protect the freedoms that i have as an american, i trust that christ has won my freedom and is capable of holding it secure for all eternity. what i need to remember, however, is that my freedom did not come cheap. there was - there is - a tremendous cost. my freedom came at the expense of christ's life. his bondage - the ropes that tied his wrists to the cross; the chords that held christ, the sacrifical lamb, to the altar - purchased my freedom. oh, beautiful mystery.
so often i find myself living in bondage to one thing or another: a fear, a sinful habit, a thought, a worry, a memory. i don't believe god can be glorified by my life when i consistently choose to trade his freedom for satan's bondage. christ paid a HIGH price to buy my freedom - to loosen the chains of sin and the shackles of death. why do i choose to nullify that freedom in my life by willingly returning to slavery? i don't deserve the freedom i've been given - but god is sovereign and good, and he has chosen to make me free. i need to accept his freedom, and then i need to enjoy it and live my life by it. when i embrace the message of the cross and apply it FULLY to my life, THAT's when christ is most glorified. i don't have to put myself back into bondage, because i don't think i deserve to be free. duh - i don't deserve to be free. but in god's infinite wisdom and goodness and mercy he chose me to call out from the grave. and i AM free. his word promises that over and over again. my prayer is that i would learn to live in freedom the way christ intends me to; that i would celebrate the freedom i've been given; that i would cherish it, and that i would not cheapen it by the way i live my life.
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