Last night I was talking with one of my close friends.
We were just talking about life.
The good and the bad.
He was telling me how all the lows in his life made him a strong person.
He told me how he is still thankful for even the lowest of lows in his life.
He shared that he wouldn't change his past even if he could.
And then I asked him about his youngest siblings.
That changed the mood of the night instantly.
His face lit up.
Suddenly his eyes were filled with joy.
His past was a speck of dust compared to the love he has for his youngest siblings.
Instantly, his love for his siblings reminded me of the Father's love for us.
It amazed me.
It was a perfect example.
In that moment, nothing else mattered to my friend but the love he has for his siblings.
His love for his youngest brother and sister is so full and so pure and so unconditional,
and my friend is human.
To see how much he loves his siblings and to know that he is human makes me wonder how great the Father's love is for us.
It was so overwhelming to try and imagine how much the Father must love us since His love for us is truly unconditional, pure, complete, and perfect.
"You are my beloved, and with you I am well pleased."
He loves us.
We are His beloved.
His love for us cannot be contained.
His love for us cannot be limited.
It cannot be described.
We can only imagine.
It is so great.
He is outside of time, therefore His love for us is not in a time crunch; He has all eternity to love.
We are so blessed that He loves us so deeply and so dearly.
We are so blessed that He gives us earthly examples of His love.
We are so blessed to have this earthly life to attempt to make a dent in understanding the love that He has for us.
Praise God for the highs,
praise Him for the lows,
praise Him for our lives,
praise Him for the things that bring us joy,
praise Him for the ability to be able to begin to comprehend Him,
praise Him for the ability to love,
praise Him for the joy the love can bring, even through our pain,
praise Him for the strength of the Love
who washes away our sins.
Praise Him.
About Me
- Rebecca LaBriola
- This blog is simply meant to bring God the glory; no more and no less. I'd love to hear from you! Comments, questions, conversation. rebecca.labriola@gmail.com
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
"Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus"- A different perspective on the controversial video. Thursday, January 12, 2012.
Watch the video first (if you have not already) and then read the blog.
Please feel free to comment, I am more than happy to discuss any or all of this blog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Okay.
This video has been all over my Facebook today.
And I finally decided to watch it.
There really are so many points made in this video.
His main point is Jesus>Religion.
I agree with many of his ideas. I really do.
Obviously there are some things that are just flat out wrong, in my opinion.
Most of the other blogs I read pretty much just dissected the whole video
but I do not know that his ideas can be fairly dissected for one reason;
the reason is his idea of the definition of religion vs. the definition of religion.
Stick with me.
If my definition of religion is this:
Go to church on Sunday,
smoke pot on Monday,
deny Jesus on Tuesday,
lie to my parents on Wednesday,
stab a friend in the back on Thursday,
get drunk on Friday,
and as he suggested in the video-
view pornography on Saturday,
and then end/begin the week with church on Sunday
and put on repeat,
the YES! I am going to be confused about religion and its connection to a righteous Jesus.
If my definition of religion is based on the Latin origin it will look like this:
The word religion stems from the Latin and ultimately means to rely, to bind, to fasten.
Many people think of a religion as a set of rules that one is to live their life by.
Far enough. That is part of it.
Put the two together.
With religion, we are able to fasten ourselves to God.
To rely on God.
To bind ourself to God.
Without religion,
Without that reliance,
Without that bind,
Without that fastening,
We will likely make our own rules.
Okay.
Two severely different definitions.
His definition of religion is more clearly the first one.
On a personal level, I can relate more to the second definition (or at least I try my hardest).
Because of the two radically different definitions of religion, I could not sit down and argue with him fairly. I would gladly share with him my beliefs and why I believe those things but we simply could not discuss the topic of religion fairly.
Example-
I am a swim coach.
You're going to get an example from swimming.
At pool A the highest level of lessons taught is level 6. They are almost ready for swim team.
Pool B is geared towards younger families. The highest level of lessons taught there is level 3. These kids are just barely learning to swim on their own. They can swim about 2 strokes and then they need some major help.
These levels are very different from each other. Each level has its own description or definition.
If a coach from pool A and a coach from pool B meet and discuss the highest levels taught at their pools, there is going to be a bit of confusion. Essentially, they are talking about the same thing- the highest level of swim taught at their pool. But their definitions of the highest levels are very different from each other.
Back to the video.
His understanding of religion in one word essentially- hypocrisy.
My understanding of religion- a bind to Christ and rules to help guide my life to reach eternal life.
We cannot have a fair argument of whether Jesus>Religion.
Our definitions are too different.
That is my first point.
Now onto my second point.
I do not agree that religion=hypocrisy.
That is what he believes.
Or that is what he understand religion to be.
The reason he understands religion to be purely hypocritical is because he is wounded.
In some way, he felt let down by religion.
I can guarantee you that he experienced some pain that in his mind religion was supposed to keep him free from.
Whether that pain was a divorce, or poverty, or feeling like an outcast....the list goes on.
He was hurt.
And to deal with that hurt he decides to hate religion.
He is not hating on religion but rather his understanding of religion.
He hates the fact that something went wrong;
something went against the religion that he understood as good and as a bind to Jesus.
As a result of that pain,
a wound is left in his heart and he sees religion as hypocritical.
In my eyes, it does no good to slam him with my beliefs and tell him he is wrong.
Remember, something happened to make him think this way.
A Christian lashing out at him is not setting the best example nor is it helping to heal his wound.
This goes for each person you come in contact with.
It is so important to interact with people remembering that they are who they are for a reason.
The grouchy man next door was not born that way; something made him that way.
This man was not born hating religion or thinking that religion is all hypocritical; something or someone made him think that way.
Onto to my last point.
He was wounded.
Thousands of people are left wounded each year because their idea of religion or of the church was let down.
It is each person's job as the body of Christ to step up and truly act like a Christian so that there is no room for hypocrisy.
Obviously we are human and we are going to make mistakes.
No one is perfect.
We are going to fail sometimes.
But only good can come from truly following Christ and His teachings.
As Christians we should watch this video with great sorrow.
He is so deeply wounded that he feels that religion is a hypocrisy.
As the body of Christ we should feel some sense of guilt for the fact that he was treated so poorly by a Christian or he witnessed Christians acting in such a poor manner that he completely disregards religion and believes it to be a hypocrisy.
What happened?
Something major in his life happened and we as Christians should reach out not only to him but to all who have been hurt by the church or by religion.
It is our duty, as Christians, to kill them with love.
Love them so deeply and heartfelt that the huge wound heals a little.
Be the Christian that overturns the pain.
Be the Christian that loves like Jesus.
Be the Christian that does not break people down.
Be the Christian that builds people up in the name of Jesus.
Please feel free to comment, I am more than happy to discuss any or all of this blog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Okay.
This video has been all over my Facebook today.
And I finally decided to watch it.
There really are so many points made in this video.
His main point is Jesus>Religion.
I agree with many of his ideas. I really do.
Obviously there are some things that are just flat out wrong, in my opinion.
Most of the other blogs I read pretty much just dissected the whole video
but I do not know that his ideas can be fairly dissected for one reason;
the reason is his idea of the definition of religion vs. the definition of religion.
Stick with me.
If my definition of religion is this:
Go to church on Sunday,
smoke pot on Monday,
deny Jesus on Tuesday,
lie to my parents on Wednesday,
stab a friend in the back on Thursday,
get drunk on Friday,
and as he suggested in the video-
view pornography on Saturday,
and then end/begin the week with church on Sunday
and put on repeat,
the YES! I am going to be confused about religion and its connection to a righteous Jesus.
If my definition of religion is based on the Latin origin it will look like this:
The word religion stems from the Latin and ultimately means to rely, to bind, to fasten.
Many people think of a religion as a set of rules that one is to live their life by.
Far enough. That is part of it.
Put the two together.
With religion, we are able to fasten ourselves to God.
To rely on God.
To bind ourself to God.
Without religion,
Without that reliance,
Without that bind,
Without that fastening,
We will likely make our own rules.
Okay.
Two severely different definitions.
His definition of religion is more clearly the first one.
On a personal level, I can relate more to the second definition (or at least I try my hardest).
Because of the two radically different definitions of religion, I could not sit down and argue with him fairly. I would gladly share with him my beliefs and why I believe those things but we simply could not discuss the topic of religion fairly.
Example-
I am a swim coach.
You're going to get an example from swimming.
At pool A the highest level of lessons taught is level 6. They are almost ready for swim team.
Pool B is geared towards younger families. The highest level of lessons taught there is level 3. These kids are just barely learning to swim on their own. They can swim about 2 strokes and then they need some major help.
These levels are very different from each other. Each level has its own description or definition.
If a coach from pool A and a coach from pool B meet and discuss the highest levels taught at their pools, there is going to be a bit of confusion. Essentially, they are talking about the same thing- the highest level of swim taught at their pool. But their definitions of the highest levels are very different from each other.
Back to the video.
His understanding of religion in one word essentially- hypocrisy.
My understanding of religion- a bind to Christ and rules to help guide my life to reach eternal life.
We cannot have a fair argument of whether Jesus>Religion.
Our definitions are too different.
That is my first point.
Now onto my second point.
I do not agree that religion=hypocrisy.
That is what he believes.
Or that is what he understand religion to be.
The reason he understands religion to be purely hypocritical is because he is wounded.
In some way, he felt let down by religion.
I can guarantee you that he experienced some pain that in his mind religion was supposed to keep him free from.
Whether that pain was a divorce, or poverty, or feeling like an outcast....the list goes on.
He was hurt.
And to deal with that hurt he decides to hate religion.
He is not hating on religion but rather his understanding of religion.
He hates the fact that something went wrong;
something went against the religion that he understood as good and as a bind to Jesus.
As a result of that pain,
a wound is left in his heart and he sees religion as hypocritical.
In my eyes, it does no good to slam him with my beliefs and tell him he is wrong.
Remember, something happened to make him think this way.
A Christian lashing out at him is not setting the best example nor is it helping to heal his wound.
This goes for each person you come in contact with.
It is so important to interact with people remembering that they are who they are for a reason.
The grouchy man next door was not born that way; something made him that way.
This man was not born hating religion or thinking that religion is all hypocritical; something or someone made him think that way.
Onto to my last point.
He was wounded.
Thousands of people are left wounded each year because their idea of religion or of the church was let down.
It is each person's job as the body of Christ to step up and truly act like a Christian so that there is no room for hypocrisy.
Obviously we are human and we are going to make mistakes.
No one is perfect.
We are going to fail sometimes.
But only good can come from truly following Christ and His teachings.
As Christians we should watch this video with great sorrow.
He is so deeply wounded that he feels that religion is a hypocrisy.
As the body of Christ we should feel some sense of guilt for the fact that he was treated so poorly by a Christian or he witnessed Christians acting in such a poor manner that he completely disregards religion and believes it to be a hypocrisy.
What happened?
Something major in his life happened and we as Christians should reach out not only to him but to all who have been hurt by the church or by religion.
It is our duty, as Christians, to kill them with love.
Love them so deeply and heartfelt that the huge wound heals a little.
Be the Christian that overturns the pain.
Be the Christian that loves like Jesus.
Be the Christian that does not break people down.
Be the Christian that builds people up in the name of Jesus.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
MERRY CHRISTMAS! Sunday, December 25. 2011.
Merry Christmas!
Happy birthday Jesus!
Welcome to the beginning of the Church.
The decorations, the food, the family, the pine smell, the chill in the air (unless you happen to live in Southern California where we spend our Christmas days on the pier), the gifts, the giving, the receiving, and the return lines.
The afternoon naps, the friends, the poinsettias, the dishes to clean, the wrapping paper to pick up, the carols, the cookies, the fudge, and the dusty gym card.
It all shouts the most wonderful time of the year.
Among the stress and the shopping and the preparations, people still seem to be able to spread around the Christmas joy.
People seem to regress to their childhood; they are joyful and they are hopeful, they are wide-eyed and expecting, and they again posses the unwavering faith like a child.
There really is something magical about the Christmas season.
For Catholics, the Christmas season really rocks because it lasts for 8 days! Yup.
The octave of Christmas.
And during the octave, we experience how the Church was started and who started it.
We experience the battle and the glory of the Church.
Praise God.
December 25.
Christmas day.
The birth of the baby boy who saves the world.
His superpowers are far greater than Spiderman, Batman, and Superman.
Combined.
He cleanses us of our sins.
He gives us the opportunity of everlasting life with Him.
He came; He was born to die.
The wood of the manger would soon be the wood of the cross.
Despite the pain that would manifest; He still came.
He came to bring you joy and the hope of ever-lasting life.
He loves you.
December 26.
The feast day of St. Stephen.
The first martyr for the faith.
He was stoned to death for his love of the Child born to save the world.
We go from the joy of the birth of the Child
to a battle victoriously won for the glory of the Child.
Though it may seem harsh to go from the joy of the Child to the sorrow of the death of St. Stephen, the Child brings hope.
It is because of the Child that St. Stephen gave his life.
And it is because of the Child that St. Stephen has hope for an eternal life.
December 27.
Feast day of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist.
One of 12 chosen by Christ.
By the power of the Child in him, John shared the love of the Christ Child with the world.
He told about the life of the Child in his letters and his Gospel firmly engraved in the Bible.
Yet another man who lived his life for the love of the Child.
December 28.
The feast of the Holy Innocents.
The day dedicated to the poor innocent lives lost as a result of the pride of Herod.
Herod ordered all the young boys in Bethlehem to be killed to prevent the loss of his throne.
The Holy Family, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, fled to Egypt. There they found safety.
The feast of the Holy Innocents honors the children who lost their lives due to the pride of one man. This day is also a day to pray for and acknowledge those innocent children who have lost their lives by means of abortion. May we also pray for the the women who are considering an abortion this very moment and for the women who will consider and abortion in the future. May they have the courage, the humility, and the selflessness to bring their blessed child into the world.
December 29.
The feast day of St. Thomas A. Becket.
Deacon, chancellor of England, and the archbishop of Canterbury.
St. Thomas underwent a drastic conversion and began to stand up for the Church and its true teachings. This new-found courage, truth, and faith angered King Henry II.
His anger turned to rage and hate and the king had St. Thomas killed.
St. Thomas is a martyr for the Faith.
December 30.
The feast day of the Holy Family.
A day dedicated to the perfect family.
A humble husband and earthly father.
A sinless, pure, and ever-virgin mother.
A sinless Child who came to save the world.
Could a family be any more perfect?
The Holy Family is the perfect family; the family to form our own families after.
The feast day of the Holy Family is the symbol of unity and togetherness after the previous days of sacrifice.
May we all strive to obtain the perfection and unity of the Holy Family.
December 31.
The feast day of Pope St. Sylvester.
During his reign as pope, the Arian heresy and the Donatist schism caused unsuitability and uncertainty in the church.
He continued to lead in truth.
He lived to reign as Pope under the Emperor Constantine.
May his trust in the Church and words of truth be a witness to us even in the midst of uncertainty.
January 1.
Solemnity- Mary, Mother of God.
The mystery.
One of the incomprehensible mysteries of our Faith.
Mary was hand-picked to be the mother of the Christ Child.
The Christ Child is one with God and is God;
The mystery of the Blessed Trinity.
Therefore, Mary is the Mother of God.
Oh, glorious mystery!
The octave of Christmas seems like a precursor to the ever-lively life of the Church.
There is glory and there is joy.
There are hearts won for the Lord and good deeds done.
There is pain and suffering.
We go through trials that seem unending.
But the octave of Christmas continues to prove that the sorrow and pain is not met by defeat but rather, it is met by victory.
The pain and suffering that Christ experienced, the purpose for His birth, was not met by defeat but rather by the greatest victory ever, salvation, eternal life for all.
He offers us the same gift.
The beauty of Christian suffering is that it is victorious in the name of Christ.
There is peace in our suffering knowing it is for a greater good, for His glory, and for the victory.
There is peace in suffering.
Via Dolorosa per Pax.
Talking about suffering is not to put a damper on the joy of Christmas but rather it is a reminder that joy can be present in every moment of your life; even in the sorrow and suffering,
Because He was born on that beautiful Christmas day.
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!
May you be truly blessed this season and in this up-coming year.
May you be blessed enough to remember that even in your greatest sorrow,
There is victory in the wood of the manger and the wood of the cross.
God bless you.
Happy birthday Jesus!
Welcome to the beginning of the Church.
The decorations, the food, the family, the pine smell, the chill in the air (unless you happen to live in Southern California where we spend our Christmas days on the pier), the gifts, the giving, the receiving, and the return lines.
The afternoon naps, the friends, the poinsettias, the dishes to clean, the wrapping paper to pick up, the carols, the cookies, the fudge, and the dusty gym card.
It all shouts the most wonderful time of the year.
Among the stress and the shopping and the preparations, people still seem to be able to spread around the Christmas joy.
People seem to regress to their childhood; they are joyful and they are hopeful, they are wide-eyed and expecting, and they again posses the unwavering faith like a child.
There really is something magical about the Christmas season.
For Catholics, the Christmas season really rocks because it lasts for 8 days! Yup.
The octave of Christmas.
And during the octave, we experience how the Church was started and who started it.
We experience the battle and the glory of the Church.
Praise God.
December 25.
Christmas day.
The birth of the baby boy who saves the world.
His superpowers are far greater than Spiderman, Batman, and Superman.
Combined.
He cleanses us of our sins.
He gives us the opportunity of everlasting life with Him.
He came; He was born to die.
The wood of the manger would soon be the wood of the cross.
Despite the pain that would manifest; He still came.
He came to bring you joy and the hope of ever-lasting life.
He loves you.
December 26.
The feast day of St. Stephen.
The first martyr for the faith.
He was stoned to death for his love of the Child born to save the world.
We go from the joy of the birth of the Child
to a battle victoriously won for the glory of the Child.
Though it may seem harsh to go from the joy of the Child to the sorrow of the death of St. Stephen, the Child brings hope.
It is because of the Child that St. Stephen gave his life.
And it is because of the Child that St. Stephen has hope for an eternal life.
December 27.
Feast day of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist.
One of 12 chosen by Christ.
By the power of the Child in him, John shared the love of the Christ Child with the world.
He told about the life of the Child in his letters and his Gospel firmly engraved in the Bible.
Yet another man who lived his life for the love of the Child.
December 28.
The feast of the Holy Innocents.
The day dedicated to the poor innocent lives lost as a result of the pride of Herod.
Herod ordered all the young boys in Bethlehem to be killed to prevent the loss of his throne.
The Holy Family, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, fled to Egypt. There they found safety.
The feast of the Holy Innocents honors the children who lost their lives due to the pride of one man. This day is also a day to pray for and acknowledge those innocent children who have lost their lives by means of abortion. May we also pray for the the women who are considering an abortion this very moment and for the women who will consider and abortion in the future. May they have the courage, the humility, and the selflessness to bring their blessed child into the world.
December 29.
The feast day of St. Thomas A. Becket.
Deacon, chancellor of England, and the archbishop of Canterbury.
St. Thomas underwent a drastic conversion and began to stand up for the Church and its true teachings. This new-found courage, truth, and faith angered King Henry II.
His anger turned to rage and hate and the king had St. Thomas killed.
St. Thomas is a martyr for the Faith.
December 30.
The feast day of the Holy Family.
A day dedicated to the perfect family.
A humble husband and earthly father.
A sinless, pure, and ever-virgin mother.
A sinless Child who came to save the world.
Could a family be any more perfect?
The Holy Family is the perfect family; the family to form our own families after.
The feast day of the Holy Family is the symbol of unity and togetherness after the previous days of sacrifice.
May we all strive to obtain the perfection and unity of the Holy Family.
December 31.
The feast day of Pope St. Sylvester.
During his reign as pope, the Arian heresy and the Donatist schism caused unsuitability and uncertainty in the church.
He continued to lead in truth.
He lived to reign as Pope under the Emperor Constantine.
May his trust in the Church and words of truth be a witness to us even in the midst of uncertainty.
January 1.
Solemnity- Mary, Mother of God.
The mystery.
One of the incomprehensible mysteries of our Faith.
Mary was hand-picked to be the mother of the Christ Child.
The Christ Child is one with God and is God;
The mystery of the Blessed Trinity.
Therefore, Mary is the Mother of God.
Oh, glorious mystery!
The octave of Christmas seems like a precursor to the ever-lively life of the Church.
There is glory and there is joy.
There are hearts won for the Lord and good deeds done.
There is pain and suffering.
We go through trials that seem unending.
But the octave of Christmas continues to prove that the sorrow and pain is not met by defeat but rather, it is met by victory.
The pain and suffering that Christ experienced, the purpose for His birth, was not met by defeat but rather by the greatest victory ever, salvation, eternal life for all.
He offers us the same gift.
The beauty of Christian suffering is that it is victorious in the name of Christ.
There is peace in our suffering knowing it is for a greater good, for His glory, and for the victory.
There is peace in suffering.
Via Dolorosa per Pax.
Talking about suffering is not to put a damper on the joy of Christmas but rather it is a reminder that joy can be present in every moment of your life; even in the sorrow and suffering,
Because He was born on that beautiful Christmas day.
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!
May you be truly blessed this season and in this up-coming year.
May you be blessed enough to remember that even in your greatest sorrow,
There is victory in the wood of the manger and the wood of the cross.
God bless you.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Monotony and the Glory of the Lord. Friday, December 2. 2011.
Rut. Rut. Rut. Rut.
Wake up at 5am-go to the gym-go to mass-get ready-go to school-come home-do homework-go to church-eat dinner-go to bed-and repeat.
That is pretty much my schedule for the day.
For everyday.
It is not particularly exciting.
In fact, it just becomes routine.
It becomes just blah.
And sometimes I feel caught in a rut.
Stuck in a whirlwind.
I think it is fair to say that at some point or another most people end up just going through the motions; they feel caught in a rut.
So many times as I am just going through the motions of my daily routine and a heave this big sigh; really this, again?
It seems like so little.
If feels like I am making absolutely no dent in the world for Christ.
Listening to the Sociology teacher who uses her class as her own personal therapy time and gives us brilliant life advice such as, "Do not date someone who does not like you" just seems so pitiful in the big picture.
I sit in class at times just thinking there has got to be something more productive.
Something more to life.
There has got to be some way to better serve Christ.
The sole reasons for our creation are to know, love, and serve Him.
Am I really serving Him sitting is Sociology?
It is something I struggle with almost everyday.
It is a battle that rages in my head so often.
It is a battle that God constantly wins.
He gently reminds me that it is the way in which I go about my routine that I can bring fame to Him.
He convinces me that right now I am going to school to get an education so that I may get a job.
And it is through that that I should serve Him.
While I am not a missionary in Africa, my life is no less important.
It is just as much my job to bring glory to His name as it is the missionary's.
It is my job to figure out how to glorify Him through my routine.
I fully trust that He places each person in the right place at the right time.
If my duty is to serve Him and He puts me in a specific place then it is my duty to serve Him right where I am.
Right where He has placed me.
So if listening to my Sociology teacher giving us "advice" and listening to her rant about her life brings glory to Him, then praise God.
It is possible that her seemingly useless ranting keeps her sane.
Or maybe it brings her unseen joy when students show an interest in what she has to say.
Maybe it is none of that.
But if sitting in class and listening attentively brings glory to Him because that is where He placed me and that is where He wants me to serve, then praise Him.
It does not seem the most obvious way to glorify Him.
But it is important to recognize that it is possible to glorify Him though the tedious and monotonous daily activities.
He gave it all for us. His life. So that we may live.
It is only right that it is our duty to give it all over to Him.
The annoying coworker, the tedious job, and the teacher who rambles;
Whatever the routine, whatever the rut, whatever the monotony, glory can be brought to Him.
Wake up at 5am-go to the gym-go to mass-get ready-go to school-come home-do homework-go to church-eat dinner-go to bed-and repeat.
That is pretty much my schedule for the day.
For everyday.
It is not particularly exciting.
In fact, it just becomes routine.
It becomes just blah.
And sometimes I feel caught in a rut.
Stuck in a whirlwind.
I think it is fair to say that at some point or another most people end up just going through the motions; they feel caught in a rut.
So many times as I am just going through the motions of my daily routine and a heave this big sigh; really this, again?
It seems like so little.
If feels like I am making absolutely no dent in the world for Christ.
Listening to the Sociology teacher who uses her class as her own personal therapy time and gives us brilliant life advice such as, "Do not date someone who does not like you" just seems so pitiful in the big picture.
I sit in class at times just thinking there has got to be something more productive.
Something more to life.
There has got to be some way to better serve Christ.
The sole reasons for our creation are to know, love, and serve Him.
Am I really serving Him sitting is Sociology?
It is something I struggle with almost everyday.
It is a battle that rages in my head so often.
It is a battle that God constantly wins.
He gently reminds me that it is the way in which I go about my routine that I can bring fame to Him.
He convinces me that right now I am going to school to get an education so that I may get a job.
And it is through that that I should serve Him.
While I am not a missionary in Africa, my life is no less important.
It is just as much my job to bring glory to His name as it is the missionary's.
It is my job to figure out how to glorify Him through my routine.
I fully trust that He places each person in the right place at the right time.
If my duty is to serve Him and He puts me in a specific place then it is my duty to serve Him right where I am.
Right where He has placed me.
So if listening to my Sociology teacher giving us "advice" and listening to her rant about her life brings glory to Him, then praise God.
It is possible that her seemingly useless ranting keeps her sane.
Or maybe it brings her unseen joy when students show an interest in what she has to say.
Maybe it is none of that.
But if sitting in class and listening attentively brings glory to Him because that is where He placed me and that is where He wants me to serve, then praise Him.
It does not seem the most obvious way to glorify Him.
But it is important to recognize that it is possible to glorify Him though the tedious and monotonous daily activities.
He gave it all for us. His life. So that we may live.
It is only right that it is our duty to give it all over to Him.
The annoying coworker, the tedious job, and the teacher who rambles;
Whatever the routine, whatever the rut, whatever the monotony, glory can be brought to Him.
Monday, November 7, 2011
The Failure of the World; the Unfailing Love of Christ. Monday, November 7. 2011.
It is interesting how He uses the weak points to make us strong
and He uses our doubts to help us believe
and He uses worldly distrust to help us trust in Him
and He uses the failures of the world to to show His unfailing perfection.
Interesting.
It is how He seems to work.
And there is beauty in knowing that whenever something negative happens,
He is waiting there with an even greater positive.
The world is going to fail you,
people are going to fail you;
even people who shouldn't fail you.
It is a letdown when a so-called friend fails to live up to the term friend.
It is an awful feeling when people, especially a friend, cannot even show basic decency.
When a friend fails to act like a friend or even acts more like an enemy,
there is one thing that remains constant; the perfect love of Christ.
When the world fails, when a friend fails and says awful things about you,
It is horrible, it is painful, and it hurts.
But in a strange way, the failure of someone to be a decent friend proves even more Christ and His love.
Everyone knows the pain of a false friend.
But more importantly than that, everyone should know that the love of Christ loves infinitely more than the acts of a false friend hurt.
You have had someone hurt you in every manner possible and hurt every part of your being;
Christ can love even more than that.
When you feel like you just cannot even take another step or another breath;
Christ's love become your feet and His love your air.
No matter how hard someone trips you, no matter where you fall, no matter how long it take you to get back up to your feet again, He is there. Ready and waiting to love.
Every time a friend fails you, He is there ready to love no matter where you are.
Today's Psalm exemplifies His unending love at every point in life.
"Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there."
"If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast."
Psalm 138
He is there.
No matter where you are physically or where you are emotionally.
Down in the dumps or the highest of highs; He is there.
When everyone else fails; He is there.
And when someone causes you pain He is waiting there with an infinite amount of love.
He is love.
He loves like a lover.
His love is bold enough to heal the pain that the world brings about.
There is no pain that His love is not capable of healing.
Where do you need healing?
Where have you been hurt?
Where has someone hurt you?
Where has the world failed you?
Wherever you might be in pain and in need of healing,
He who is the healer of all is ready, willing, and equipped to heal you.
Whatever your pain,
Whatever your hurt,
Whatever your need,
His love is greater.
His love is stronger.
His love will never fail.
His love can heal.
and He uses our doubts to help us believe
and He uses worldly distrust to help us trust in Him
and He uses the failures of the world to to show His unfailing perfection.
Interesting.
It is how He seems to work.
And there is beauty in knowing that whenever something negative happens,
He is waiting there with an even greater positive.
The world is going to fail you,
people are going to fail you;
even people who shouldn't fail you.
It is a letdown when a so-called friend fails to live up to the term friend.
It is an awful feeling when people, especially a friend, cannot even show basic decency.
When a friend fails to act like a friend or even acts more like an enemy,
there is one thing that remains constant; the perfect love of Christ.
When the world fails, when a friend fails and says awful things about you,
It is horrible, it is painful, and it hurts.
But in a strange way, the failure of someone to be a decent friend proves even more Christ and His love.
Everyone knows the pain of a false friend.
But more importantly than that, everyone should know that the love of Christ loves infinitely more than the acts of a false friend hurt.
You have had someone hurt you in every manner possible and hurt every part of your being;
Christ can love even more than that.
When you feel like you just cannot even take another step or another breath;
Christ's love become your feet and His love your air.
No matter how hard someone trips you, no matter where you fall, no matter how long it take you to get back up to your feet again, He is there. Ready and waiting to love.
Every time a friend fails you, He is there ready to love no matter where you are.
Today's Psalm exemplifies His unending love at every point in life.
"Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there."
"If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast."
Psalm 138
He is there.
No matter where you are physically or where you are emotionally.
Down in the dumps or the highest of highs; He is there.
When everyone else fails; He is there.
And when someone causes you pain He is waiting there with an infinite amount of love.
He is love.
He loves like a lover.
His love is bold enough to heal the pain that the world brings about.
There is no pain that His love is not capable of healing.
Where do you need healing?
Where have you been hurt?
Where has someone hurt you?
Where has the world failed you?
Wherever you might be in pain and in need of healing,
He who is the healer of all is ready, willing, and equipped to heal you.
Whatever your pain,
Whatever your hurt,
Whatever your need,
His love is greater.
His love is stronger.
His love will never fail.
His love can heal.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Praise God, His Love Never Fails. Sunday, September 18. 2011.
On Saturdays I work at the local skate rink.
I love my job.
I get the joy of hosting the birthday parties.
As much as I love it; it can be an incredibly challenging job.
Dealing with frazzled or controlling parents
and demanding or spoiled children takes its toll.
By Saturday when I get off work at 5pm, I am about ready for bed
but despite all that, the good out weighs the bad.
There still are so many good people who make Saturdays seem like a breeze.
People that are enjoyable to talk with and spend time with.
People who are just outstanding parents who are raising wonderful children.
It is a job that definitely gives me a lot of experience with people and a lot of insight.
This Saturday the first party was supposed to come in at 11am.
The mom of the birthday girl arrived a fashionable 20 minutes late.
What's more than that is she was already drunk. She had already been smoking.
I knew that this was not going to be an easy party.
Anything I said to the mom just went right over her head and it was fairly frustrating.
I could not get across any of the important information to the mom that I needed to.
When the party seated for their table time everything was just so scattered and broken up.
This party was like no party I had ever hosted. There was no flow or peace.
Just one very drunk mom being obnoxiously loud with all her friends, who also happened to be drunk. Finally, they had been at the table so long that I had to move them to a different table to make room for other people.
A few hours after their party time was done they decided that they wanted to have their cake cut.
As I was cutting their cake, the mom and daughter were having a conversation that broke my heart. The birthday girl was whining a little bit because she did not want to leave the skate rink. And what 8 year old would want to leave her party? The mom went on to explain that they had to leave because she had work the next morning....and she needed to get hammered now.
Poor. Little. Girl.
I could not believe what the mom had just said.
The mom was continuing to make her daughter's party miserable so that she could go get even more drunk.
I wanted to badly to say something to the mom.
But I didn't;
because I realized that even though I thought she was being an awful mom, at least in that moment, it is not my place to judge.
I have also learned very well that people love to the greatest extent that they are able.
While I may have considered the "affection" the mom was showing the daughter anything but love, the mom may have felt she was loving her daughter to her best ability.
I pray for that family that they might be able to learn how to love
and I thank God.
I thank God for His love for us.
Because His love is the most perfect love possible.
He love does not run in 20 minutes late or come unable to function or leave for selfish reasons.
His love for us always has been and it always will be.
His love is there for us unconditionally and completely.
I know that we might not all act like the birthday mom
but we all have our failures in our attempt to love.
We are not capable of loving perfectly or wholly.
Thoughts get in the way.
Feelings get in the way.
Our humanness gets in the way.
But greater than that all-
praise God that His love comes to the rescue when our love fails.
praise God that His love never runs short.
and praise God that He loves that little girl. And her mother.
And praise Him that He love us.
Take a look at the cross.
I love my job.
I get the joy of hosting the birthday parties.
As much as I love it; it can be an incredibly challenging job.
Dealing with frazzled or controlling parents
and demanding or spoiled children takes its toll.
By Saturday when I get off work at 5pm, I am about ready for bed
but despite all that, the good out weighs the bad.
There still are so many good people who make Saturdays seem like a breeze.
People that are enjoyable to talk with and spend time with.
People who are just outstanding parents who are raising wonderful children.
It is a job that definitely gives me a lot of experience with people and a lot of insight.
This Saturday the first party was supposed to come in at 11am.
The mom of the birthday girl arrived a fashionable 20 minutes late.
What's more than that is she was already drunk. She had already been smoking.
I knew that this was not going to be an easy party.
Anything I said to the mom just went right over her head and it was fairly frustrating.
I could not get across any of the important information to the mom that I needed to.
When the party seated for their table time everything was just so scattered and broken up.
This party was like no party I had ever hosted. There was no flow or peace.
Just one very drunk mom being obnoxiously loud with all her friends, who also happened to be drunk. Finally, they had been at the table so long that I had to move them to a different table to make room for other people.
A few hours after their party time was done they decided that they wanted to have their cake cut.
As I was cutting their cake, the mom and daughter were having a conversation that broke my heart. The birthday girl was whining a little bit because she did not want to leave the skate rink. And what 8 year old would want to leave her party? The mom went on to explain that they had to leave because she had work the next morning....and she needed to get hammered now.
Poor. Little. Girl.
I could not believe what the mom had just said.
The mom was continuing to make her daughter's party miserable so that she could go get even more drunk.
I wanted to badly to say something to the mom.
But I didn't;
because I realized that even though I thought she was being an awful mom, at least in that moment, it is not my place to judge.
I have also learned very well that people love to the greatest extent that they are able.
While I may have considered the "affection" the mom was showing the daughter anything but love, the mom may have felt she was loving her daughter to her best ability.
I pray for that family that they might be able to learn how to love
and I thank God.
I thank God for His love for us.
Because His love is the most perfect love possible.
He love does not run in 20 minutes late or come unable to function or leave for selfish reasons.
His love for us always has been and it always will be.
His love is there for us unconditionally and completely.
I know that we might not all act like the birthday mom
but we all have our failures in our attempt to love.
We are not capable of loving perfectly or wholly.
Thoughts get in the way.
Feelings get in the way.
Our humanness gets in the way.
But greater than that all-
praise God that His love comes to the rescue when our love fails.
praise God that His love never runs short.
and praise God that He loves that little girl. And her mother.
And praise Him that He love us.
Take a look at the cross.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Your Life Is a Love Song. Thursday, August 11. 2011.
Songs touch people.
Music touches people.
Of all songs, there are probably more love songs than any other song.
And why?
Because love seems to be so desired yet often times so misunderstood and hard to obtain.
It is so desired.
It is our reason for creation.
It is misunderstood.
The world's concept of love seems to be so twisted.
It seems to hard to obtain.
For we are looking in the wrong places.
Love songs are written by someone with great feelings of love for another person.
The author of the song continues to write despite the fact that the person that they love is human and in their humanness will never quite complete the other person and may sometimes even fail the other person.
Love songs supply only about 3 minutes of gratitude.
Like so many things of this world, the instant and short gratification ends.
And sorrow or complacency or failure sets back in.
We play the love song again to get rid of that emptiness
and the result is a vicious, never-ending cycle.
Like so many things of this world.
What if there were love songs that never failed anyone?
Love songs that brought about infinite gratitude.
We can still be the authors.
The song will exemplify the love that we were created for.
The song will last through all eternity.
The song will bring so much good to so many people.
It is a the greatest love song of all time.
Your life.
Your life is a love song.
Your life is a long song written to our Lord.
The ups and downs of life are the high and low notes.
Your words are the lyrics.
Your actions are the instruments.
Your love song, your life, has the ability to bring so many people to Christ.
You were made to love.
Your life is a song.
Show how dearly you love our Lord by living your life and singing your love song.
He wrote the greatest love story.
It is now your turn to bring glory to the greatest love story ever written by
living your life in love with Christ.
Your life is a song.
You love Christ.
Your life is a love song.
Sing it well.
Sing it strong.
Music touches people.
Of all songs, there are probably more love songs than any other song.
And why?
Because love seems to be so desired yet often times so misunderstood and hard to obtain.
It is so desired.
It is our reason for creation.
It is misunderstood.
The world's concept of love seems to be so twisted.
It seems to hard to obtain.
For we are looking in the wrong places.
Love songs are written by someone with great feelings of love for another person.
The author of the song continues to write despite the fact that the person that they love is human and in their humanness will never quite complete the other person and may sometimes even fail the other person.
Love songs supply only about 3 minutes of gratitude.
Like so many things of this world, the instant and short gratification ends.
And sorrow or complacency or failure sets back in.
We play the love song again to get rid of that emptiness
and the result is a vicious, never-ending cycle.
Like so many things of this world.
What if there were love songs that never failed anyone?
Love songs that brought about infinite gratitude.
We can still be the authors.
The song will exemplify the love that we were created for.
The song will last through all eternity.
The song will bring so much good to so many people.
It is a the greatest love song of all time.
Your life.
Your life is a love song.
Your life is a long song written to our Lord.
The ups and downs of life are the high and low notes.
Your words are the lyrics.
Your actions are the instruments.
Your love song, your life, has the ability to bring so many people to Christ.
You were made to love.
Your life is a song.
Show how dearly you love our Lord by living your life and singing your love song.
He wrote the greatest love story.
It is now your turn to bring glory to the greatest love story ever written by
living your life in love with Christ.
Your life is a song.
You love Christ.
Your life is a love song.
Sing it well.
Sing it strong.
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