In Sunday school this week, we were asked to write down the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear two things.
First was when someone says they are religious.
Second, when someone says they have a personal relationship with Christ.
I have to say that I was a little nervous and wasn't sure I wanted to share my answers with the class but I quickly found out I wasn't the only pessimist in the class.
I would like to say that most of the time, I really give people the benefit of the doubt. I want to believe them, but I do work with the public and I have been lied to and led astray before.
Having said that I will say that when someone says to me they are religious, I usually think they are telling me because their religion is better than mine or they are just better at being religious than I am. But for some reason when someone says they have a relationship with Christ, it makes me think while they may not be perfect they are striving to better their relationship with Christ.
I wonder why that is, I am sure it's just because of past experiences, but I was curious about what other people might think? Am I being cynical?
I will say I know that I am a sinner, probably more of a sinner than most. I certainly don't think I am any better than anyone else, so please don't think that I think I am any better than anyone else because I KNOW I'm not. I KNOW!!!!
I thought, or think that God wants us to have a relationship with him. He wants us to talk to him daily, and I guess when you say "relationship", that makes it sound more personal to me. Shouldn't we strive to have a personal relationship with God?
Thoughts?
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Getting Picked
Last weekend I watched "Letters to God", what a great movie. Sad, but great!
In the movie, a boy with cancer writes letters to God about all the people that he cares about, and things he wants God to know about them.
That was his way of communicating with God, he wrote him, while most of us talk to him. What a great idea. I have known other people who write things down to pray for but not really anybody that writes letters.
While that was a really what the movie was about, my favorite thing of the movie was when the little boy looked at his mom, and said, "Mom, you know God picked you. He picked you to be my mom."
That was the sweetest, most honest thing of the movie!
Because it is true! God did pick you, he picked you to be right where you are right now.
No matter what it is you are going though, just remember you were picked, picked by God.
I was picked to be a caregiver to mom.
A wife to my husband.
A mom to my kids.
A bookkeeper.
A Sunday school teacher.
A friend.
A sister.
All this and more. And knowing that I was picked for it makes me want to do it all the better!
In the movie, a boy with cancer writes letters to God about all the people that he cares about, and things he wants God to know about them.
That was his way of communicating with God, he wrote him, while most of us talk to him. What a great idea. I have known other people who write things down to pray for but not really anybody that writes letters.
While that was a really what the movie was about, my favorite thing of the movie was when the little boy looked at his mom, and said, "Mom, you know God picked you. He picked you to be my mom."
That was the sweetest, most honest thing of the movie!
Because it is true! God did pick you, he picked you to be right where you are right now.
No matter what it is you are going though, just remember you were picked, picked by God.
I was picked to be a caregiver to mom.
A wife to my husband.
A mom to my kids.
A bookkeeper.
A Sunday school teacher.
A friend.
A sister.
All this and more. And knowing that I was picked for it makes me want to do it all the better!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Loss
This week we lost the sweetest, kindest gentleman from our church.
He would sit in front of me on Sundays and ALWAYS gave me candy. Always. It was the littlest thing, but I will never forget it. It was just one of the ways he was always thinking about everyone else.
Once when we had an ice storm, a lot of people in the community didn't have any power so we all went to the Fellowship hall of the church to eat and stay warm. He was there cooking and calling everyone he could think of to see if the needed anything.
I will miss Gordon so much!
He was such a great example of God's love and compassion. I was blessed to know him.
It is comforting to know that I will see him again, and to know that while we grieve for our loss, we are not alone. God is right here with us.
He would sit in front of me on Sundays and ALWAYS gave me candy. Always. It was the littlest thing, but I will never forget it. It was just one of the ways he was always thinking about everyone else.
Once when we had an ice storm, a lot of people in the community didn't have any power so we all went to the Fellowship hall of the church to eat and stay warm. He was there cooking and calling everyone he could think of to see if the needed anything.
I will miss Gordon so much!
He was such a great example of God's love and compassion. I was blessed to know him.
It is comforting to know that I will see him again, and to know that while we grieve for our loss, we are not alone. God is right here with us.
The Lord remembers us and will bless us.
He will bless the family of Israel;
he will bless the family of Aaron.
The Lord will bless those who respect him,
from the smallest to the greatest.
Psalm 115:12,13
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Precious
Each person, no matter who they are or what they is special. It can be something remarkable or it may seem like something insignificant, but whatever it is, it makes them special just the same.
We are each unique, and we each bring something to the game. No matter if you are the person who signs the paychecks, or the person who picks up the trash. We are all just as important as the other.
There have been times when we have come across people who just give off that vibe that they are more important than you, don't believe it.
You are special! We are all special to God!
We are each unique, and we each bring something to the game. No matter if you are the person who signs the paychecks, or the person who picks up the trash. We are all just as important as the other.
There have been times when we have come across people who just give off that vibe that they are more important than you, don't believe it.
You are special! We are all special to God!
Because you are precious to me,
because I give you honor and love you,
I will give other people in your place;
I will give other nations to save your life.
Isaiah 43:4
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Just Thankful
I have so much to be thankful for, my mom is home from the hospital and doing very well at that. My family was all together, we were so blessed to be together.
Sometimes we have to be grateful for the little things, so I am.
For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
Monday, December 6, 2010
Lessons in life!
My mother was recently put in the hospital and while we were there visiting over the weekend I was reminded by one of the other patients that God's time is not our time.
When we were visiting on Saturday, my mom was not having a good day and she wasn't really wanting to visit with us. While I know she can't help it, it makes me feel bad, guilty even, but I can't change it. It can make you feel pretty useless.
There was a lady sitting next to her who told me she grew up with mom. She went on to tell me that while this may seem hard now, God has a plan that we know nothing about. His timing is not ours and while we can't see why this is happening now, one day we will look back on it and know why this happened.
While I know in my head that God is completely in control, when we are going through something that makes no sence to us it can be hard not to ask "Why me?"
So it really meant a lot to be reminded by someone else who was in the midst of the trial so to speak that even she knows God is in control.
Sometimes it takes being reminded by someone else that everything is OK.
When we were visiting on Saturday, my mom was not having a good day and she wasn't really wanting to visit with us. While I know she can't help it, it makes me feel bad, guilty even, but I can't change it. It can make you feel pretty useless.
There was a lady sitting next to her who told me she grew up with mom. She went on to tell me that while this may seem hard now, God has a plan that we know nothing about. His timing is not ours and while we can't see why this is happening now, one day we will look back on it and know why this happened.
While I know in my head that God is completely in control, when we are going through something that makes no sence to us it can be hard not to ask "Why me?"
So it really meant a lot to be reminded by someone else who was in the midst of the trial so to speak that even she knows God is in control.
Sometimes it takes being reminded by someone else that everything is OK.
Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.
2 Peter 5:7
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Adjusting to Change
Over the summer my mom became ill, but we were very lucky because whatever it was went about as quickly as it came.
Unfortunately whatever it was has returned and seems much worse this time. I know the Internet is not always a good thing, but since she has become ill again I have come across some people with the same type of situations.
No cure mind you, but at least I know that this kind of thing does happen and we are not alone.
The hard part is watching someone who was always such a nurturer and sweet person change before our eyes into something else. There is hope that since she snapped out of it last time that could happen again. That is what we are holding onto.
Hope.
I wonder how people who go through traumatic situations survive without hope. While I know I should just let the Lord take care of it, and I really have given it to him, it is so hard not to ask why, or what good can come from such a thing.
Last night I went to visit my mom and she wouldn't hardly look at me, when I spoke to her she would look away and ask us to leave. There was a lady sitting next to her who had grown up in the same area as my mom and knew her sister.
As she talked she said, you know, sometimes things happen and we don't understand why God lets them happen, but maybe in a few years we will look back and we can see that he did have a plan, we just have to trust him.
While I knew that in my heart, and I truly believe it, I was glad to hear it come from someone else.
That is hope.
Trusting in the Lord.
It's hard to not be able to just call her and talk to her like we use to, but that's where I have to adjust myself. Things will not be the same, they will be different. But they can still be good, I just have to keep trusting the Lord, and hoping.
Unfortunately whatever it was has returned and seems much worse this time. I know the Internet is not always a good thing, but since she has become ill again I have come across some people with the same type of situations.
No cure mind you, but at least I know that this kind of thing does happen and we are not alone.
The hard part is watching someone who was always such a nurturer and sweet person change before our eyes into something else. There is hope that since she snapped out of it last time that could happen again. That is what we are holding onto.
Hope.
I wonder how people who go through traumatic situations survive without hope. While I know I should just let the Lord take care of it, and I really have given it to him, it is so hard not to ask why, or what good can come from such a thing.
Last night I went to visit my mom and she wouldn't hardly look at me, when I spoke to her she would look away and ask us to leave. There was a lady sitting next to her who had grown up in the same area as my mom and knew her sister.
As she talked she said, you know, sometimes things happen and we don't understand why God lets them happen, but maybe in a few years we will look back and we can see that he did have a plan, we just have to trust him.
While I knew that in my heart, and I truly believe it, I was glad to hear it come from someone else.
That is hope.
Trusting in the Lord.
It's hard to not be able to just call her and talk to her like we use to, but that's where I have to adjust myself. Things will not be the same, they will be different. But they can still be good, I just have to keep trusting the Lord, and hoping.
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