Okay, I doubt I could ever stop talking about kids...anything about them. But this is just another post at my amazement over how babies/kids are made so unique! I have to say that one of the best and closest moments of being with kids is when you put them down for a nap or to sleep. I'm not even sure why.
But just a little bit ago I put Lucie and Kade down for their naps...Lucie was first and I gave her chocolate milk but she didn't want to cuddle before I brought her up. I tucked her in and then she requested two songs which I sang...one is kind of "our" song that we sing together and it's "Livin' on the Inside (Like A Lion)" by Newsboys. So we sang for a bit and talked...she wanted to cuddle for a bit then I tucked her in again and then left her. Just her little smile and quietness as we laid there...it shows the child-like innocence in a child, for sure.
Then I got to put Kade down...he took a bit more time and work. He got his chocolate milk and we sat on the big rocking sofa chair. I was told the way to get him asleep is to put it on a "boring" tv channel. We just snuggled there for a good 20 minutes before I looked over to see that he was out like a light. So I carried him up and changed him into pull-ups before tucking him into bed.
And now Annabelle is sleeping here too in her little bouncer. I gave her some milk, changed her diaper, and played with her a bit...and then she was out.
But just watching these children as they drift off to sleep...it just reminds me of how innocent and young and just completely at peace they are. As we grow older the responsibilities, stresses, and pressures also grow. You become so much less *you* when you have to grow up and become more pressured and stressed because of just regular life happenings. But it's always worth it. Everyone just has to grow up...but why does that mean that we lose innocence? That doesn't mean we have to be naive...but rather just happy. When you are an innocent you worry less...you trust more...you tend to focus on good and positive things. You have much more joy..and I would also say energy! It's no wonder why kids are always bouncing around and always so happy and bubbly! What a world this would be if everyone could focus on good things and be like that. :)
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Loving Kids
So I love my jobs...I love all of them! Especially since a lot of them involve kids or working with or watching kids...or kids are nearby. Kids are so great...for anyone! Just being around them you get to feel younger and more energetic and just alive! Okay...that's some of the time. A lot of other times you feel like you're so old you're about to die and incredibly deaf from the cries and screams and about to go bald from pulling out your hair. But no! Really...kids are great. You could have a kid who screams for 48 hours straight and you could be crying from frustration but then...but then....he stops and just snuggles up and those 48 hours of torture are completely forgotten.
Kids really are so innocent...but SO smart too. My mum told me just today, "We were told that we were not raising children or even babies...but we were raising adults". And that couldn't be more true. Lately one thing that has bugged me is watching how parents treat their kids. They treat them like they are still babies...they treat 3 year olds like a 2 month old and you just can't do that! Your child is so incredibly smart...whether you see it or not. From a very early age they begin to test and try you...pushing to see limits...observing how you treat them when they act a certain way. And they know that if they act like a little child (screaming, crying, tantrums) that you will give them the favors of a little child. This doesn't push the child to the stages that he or she should be at. They are not their full potential!
Another thing...doctors are out to make money. At the end of the day that's what it comes down to...follow the money. If they don't diagnose you with something and give you medication for it...then that is a doctor's time gone to waste where he doesn't get paid what he could be making. That is why now you have 1 in 10 kids getting diagnosed with autism and 1 in 3 kids who are diagnosed with ADHD...this gives the doctor a reason to prescribe medication...which means more money.
But I've seen these kids...and granted, I'm no doctor...but these are kids who are just as normal as the next child. And once these kids are diagnosed with something the whole way that their parents treat them is completely different! If you have one child who has "ADHD" and their sibling is just a regular kids...say they both scream for...say, a snack or a toy. The kid who has "special needs" is gonna get it because their parents spoil them and love them to death. Not to say that they don't love their other child...but for the other child the parent has certain rules and those rules are to be followed. But for the "special" child the parent has no rules because the parent doesn't think the child will understand...or something! Who knows for sure.
Anyways...maybe that was a senseless rant...you can completely ignore it...I'm no parent, but I have had about 3 years of consistent babysitting under my belt...and several jobs now that involve kids, so I wouldn't say I'm totally dumb when it comes to kids. Anyhoo...have a super awesome night and may God bless you!!
Kids really are so innocent...but SO smart too. My mum told me just today, "We were told that we were not raising children or even babies...but we were raising adults". And that couldn't be more true. Lately one thing that has bugged me is watching how parents treat their kids. They treat them like they are still babies...they treat 3 year olds like a 2 month old and you just can't do that! Your child is so incredibly smart...whether you see it or not. From a very early age they begin to test and try you...pushing to see limits...observing how you treat them when they act a certain way. And they know that if they act like a little child (screaming, crying, tantrums) that you will give them the favors of a little child. This doesn't push the child to the stages that he or she should be at. They are not their full potential!
Another thing...doctors are out to make money. At the end of the day that's what it comes down to...follow the money. If they don't diagnose you with something and give you medication for it...then that is a doctor's time gone to waste where he doesn't get paid what he could be making. That is why now you have 1 in 10 kids getting diagnosed with autism and 1 in 3 kids who are diagnosed with ADHD...this gives the doctor a reason to prescribe medication...which means more money.
But I've seen these kids...and granted, I'm no doctor...but these are kids who are just as normal as the next child. And once these kids are diagnosed with something the whole way that their parents treat them is completely different! If you have one child who has "ADHD" and their sibling is just a regular kids...say they both scream for...say, a snack or a toy. The kid who has "special needs" is gonna get it because their parents spoil them and love them to death. Not to say that they don't love their other child...but for the other child the parent has certain rules and those rules are to be followed. But for the "special" child the parent has no rules because the parent doesn't think the child will understand...or something! Who knows for sure.
Anyways...maybe that was a senseless rant...you can completely ignore it...I'm no parent, but I have had about 3 years of consistent babysitting under my belt...and several jobs now that involve kids, so I wouldn't say I'm totally dumb when it comes to kids. Anyhoo...have a super awesome night and may God bless you!!
Monday, September 17, 2012
The Patience To Handle Life
Ah..so now another bad habit of mine. I really don't have any patience. And we are called to have patience alllll the time! But it's so incredibly hard! I've found out that it's especially hard when you are stressed or busy. Who doesn't snap at their siblings? Who doesn't sigh inwardly when their parents forget something (I do this all the time)? Who doesn't get angry when the computer freezes in the middle of something important? These are all just basic examples of patience lost in situations that are less than perfect.
However, we are called to be long-suffering and deal patiently with tough situations. I believe that is exactly *why* we have difficult things enter into our lives...just so that we are constantly being tested for character. One of my latest struggles is when I babysit my almost-5-year-old Hunter, who has autism. His symptoms are getting far worse and because of it I find him pretty much constantly doing things he shouldn't or that are wrong or unhelpful to the whole. It has really really been a huge challenge for me to quietly and calmly handle the situation with rationality instead of blowing off steam for no good reason when he can't help how he acts or what he does that can be so frustrating.
Another really big struggle for me is college. I want to get out and get my degree...get a nice job and move out and get started with my adult life. But as much as I really want to do that...it's hard. It's hard because I don't know whether I should just start college next year (or if I really can!) or if I should wait a year and work full-time somewhere here in town so that I have money for college. One of the hardest things for me will be leaving all my babies back here...some of these kids I've been watching since they were born...and to see them growing up and going off to school is SO hard...I don't know how the parents even do it. My Brandon is attending his first day of preschool today and boy...I never thought I would have to deal with something this hard...it's brought to mind that there will come a time when they're grown and I won't need to watch them...and soon enough I won't get to watch them at all because they're constantly in school for good. So that's another thing that is holding me back from leaving for college.
On the other hand though...I've waited so long for college...and I've wished to be in college for about 3 years now! I know, I'm only 17...but I feel like I've "put it off" for so long now and I just want to go jump on the ball and get my degree! So that is something I *definitely* need patience for!! Just being able to wait and say "God, you know best and you know exactly what I need and how long I need to wait...so give me patience and a calm heart to give all this over to YOU!"
That has been my struggle with patience...and we all have different struggles in life. I know plenty of my friends who are impatient to get married...plenty of guys I know who are impatient to get their career going. But it all just has to wait..."Be still and know that I am God"...that is one of my favorite verses in the whole Bible. It just speaks volumes while telling us not to speak at all - haha! But no, it just tells us to be able to trust that He has everything under control. No reason to freak out or be impatient for our future (or anything at all!) but rather to give it over to Him and calmly rest both literally and in our hearts for the timing of God. It has been and always will be absolutely perfect.
However, we are called to be long-suffering and deal patiently with tough situations. I believe that is exactly *why* we have difficult things enter into our lives...just so that we are constantly being tested for character. One of my latest struggles is when I babysit my almost-5-year-old Hunter, who has autism. His symptoms are getting far worse and because of it I find him pretty much constantly doing things he shouldn't or that are wrong or unhelpful to the whole. It has really really been a huge challenge for me to quietly and calmly handle the situation with rationality instead of blowing off steam for no good reason when he can't help how he acts or what he does that can be so frustrating.
Another really big struggle for me is college. I want to get out and get my degree...get a nice job and move out and get started with my adult life. But as much as I really want to do that...it's hard. It's hard because I don't know whether I should just start college next year (or if I really can!) or if I should wait a year and work full-time somewhere here in town so that I have money for college. One of the hardest things for me will be leaving all my babies back here...some of these kids I've been watching since they were born...and to see them growing up and going off to school is SO hard...I don't know how the parents even do it. My Brandon is attending his first day of preschool today and boy...I never thought I would have to deal with something this hard...it's brought to mind that there will come a time when they're grown and I won't need to watch them...and soon enough I won't get to watch them at all because they're constantly in school for good. So that's another thing that is holding me back from leaving for college.
On the other hand though...I've waited so long for college...and I've wished to be in college for about 3 years now! I know, I'm only 17...but I feel like I've "put it off" for so long now and I just want to go jump on the ball and get my degree! So that is something I *definitely* need patience for!! Just being able to wait and say "God, you know best and you know exactly what I need and how long I need to wait...so give me patience and a calm heart to give all this over to YOU!"
That has been my struggle with patience...and we all have different struggles in life. I know plenty of my friends who are impatient to get married...plenty of guys I know who are impatient to get their career going. But it all just has to wait..."Be still and know that I am God"...that is one of my favorite verses in the whole Bible. It just speaks volumes while telling us not to speak at all - haha! But no, it just tells us to be able to trust that He has everything under control. No reason to freak out or be impatient for our future (or anything at all!) but rather to give it over to Him and calmly rest both literally and in our hearts for the timing of God. It has been and always will be absolutely perfect.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
A Constant Joy
Joy - It's so odd that such a small word can mean such big things...and require so much work! As the second fruit of the spirit I would say that having joy is pretty important. How are we to proclaim God if we are known as a mopey and downtrodden? What does that say about us and our mentality? What is there to mope about anyways? Yes, we have bad days...but who doesn't? At the end of the day it is still Christ that reigns in heaven and He has ultimate authority over everything that lives, breathes, and moves...or anything that doesn't live, breath, or move for that matter.
Joy has been something that we don't often think about...it's so easy to be joyful when things go right...when we hang out with our best friends who understand us and make us laugh...or when we aren't stressed out. But what about the other times? The times when bad memories crowd in...the guilt creeps up...when we have to be nice to people who probably don't deserve it...when we just have bad days that get worse. What about those days?
Those days don't deserve any less joy than the good days. No where in the Bible does it ever say anything about "Just be joyful on the good days and the bad days you get a free pass to be anything but full of joy." No, instead we are to praise the Lord through everything and every circumstance. Yes, it's hard...I think we all know that. But something that has always set apart Christians from the rest of people is their joy and faithfulness to God even through difficult and horrible situations.
Everyone knows how easy it is to praise and glorify God when everything goes right...so then the ultimate test is to learn to praise and be joyful when things *don't* go right. That is something I'm focusing on right now...no, things don't always go as planned...they're not perfect a lot of times...but God is a greater Savior than any of my problems and He knows exactly what He's doing in my life. He is building me up to something much bigger then I'll ever see. One of that growing characteristics is a constant joy in Him...a joy that says "no matter what, I'm going to be happy and praise God because nothing else...nothing else matters."
Job is a typical guy to bring up in subjects like this...he lost everything...yes, we could say he was probably having a pretty bad day with not a lot that was going right...but he never lost his faith in his God...he never gave up on Him...he remained quiet and content with his Father...he was joyful. Now joyful doesn't always mean jumping around and screaming out of joy. That can be a little extreme.
I know from experience that joy can be contained...it isn't called for in extreme measures constantly...it's not always the time or the place. But you can have a quiet inward joy. One that still shows itself glowing deep within you. If you have joy you can't help but show it. It won't be as obvious as a flashing neon sign...but if you have it people will notice. So many Christians have been asked over the years what on earth they have that gives them such peace and joy through their lives...because it really is that obvious!
If you have Christ living within you and in your life there isn't a single chance that people won't notice. The life of the Christian is an active life. It's not hiding Christ away somewhere deep inside...but it's planting those seeds within you that it sprouts and pours out of you into the lives of others. We need to learn to nurture those seeds so that we can be that influence to others. The "sunshine" and "water" to those seeds are found in the reading of the Scripture (and Law) as well as regularly attending a solid church that preaches the true Word of God and the sacraments.
"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" Galatians 5:22-23
"The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving." Psalm 28:7
"Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right. May all who are godly rejoice in the Lord and praise his holy name!" Psalm 97:11-12
"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice!" Philippians 4:4
Joy has been something that we don't often think about...it's so easy to be joyful when things go right...when we hang out with our best friends who understand us and make us laugh...or when we aren't stressed out. But what about the other times? The times when bad memories crowd in...the guilt creeps up...when we have to be nice to people who probably don't deserve it...when we just have bad days that get worse. What about those days?
Those days don't deserve any less joy than the good days. No where in the Bible does it ever say anything about "Just be joyful on the good days and the bad days you get a free pass to be anything but full of joy." No, instead we are to praise the Lord through everything and every circumstance. Yes, it's hard...I think we all know that. But something that has always set apart Christians from the rest of people is their joy and faithfulness to God even through difficult and horrible situations.
Everyone knows how easy it is to praise and glorify God when everything goes right...so then the ultimate test is to learn to praise and be joyful when things *don't* go right. That is something I'm focusing on right now...no, things don't always go as planned...they're not perfect a lot of times...but God is a greater Savior than any of my problems and He knows exactly what He's doing in my life. He is building me up to something much bigger then I'll ever see. One of that growing characteristics is a constant joy in Him...a joy that says "no matter what, I'm going to be happy and praise God because nothing else...nothing else matters."
Job is a typical guy to bring up in subjects like this...he lost everything...yes, we could say he was probably having a pretty bad day with not a lot that was going right...but he never lost his faith in his God...he never gave up on Him...he remained quiet and content with his Father...he was joyful. Now joyful doesn't always mean jumping around and screaming out of joy. That can be a little extreme.
I know from experience that joy can be contained...it isn't called for in extreme measures constantly...it's not always the time or the place. But you can have a quiet inward joy. One that still shows itself glowing deep within you. If you have joy you can't help but show it. It won't be as obvious as a flashing neon sign...but if you have it people will notice. So many Christians have been asked over the years what on earth they have that gives them such peace and joy through their lives...because it really is that obvious!
If you have Christ living within you and in your life there isn't a single chance that people won't notice. The life of the Christian is an active life. It's not hiding Christ away somewhere deep inside...but it's planting those seeds within you that it sprouts and pours out of you into the lives of others. We need to learn to nurture those seeds so that we can be that influence to others. The "sunshine" and "water" to those seeds are found in the reading of the Scripture (and Law) as well as regularly attending a solid church that preaches the true Word of God and the sacraments.
"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" Galatians 5:22-23
"The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving." Psalm 28:7
"Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right. May all who are godly rejoice in the Lord and praise his holy name!" Psalm 97:11-12
"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice!" Philippians 4:4
Friday, September 14, 2012
A Little On Control and Cleanliness
Okay, one of my (many) bad habits is the need to be in control. One way I can best do this is by making lists. I make lists of anything you could ever imagine all the time...while I'm in church, out for lunch, riding in the car, first thing when I get up, before I go to bed...I have ceased to need a reason to make lists! I love lists...and I absolutely love organization. In fact I cannot properly function if everything is a mess and disorganized. It's crazy. But it's just wrong...it shows that I need to be in absolute control of every situation at every time. And I just can't be...it's not right. Even when I am in control of situations I find that many of those times the things still don't end up perfect.
I am human...that's the only reason. I am so flawed and messed up myself that how can I hope to contribute to make a clean and proper place when I am in the wrong place in my life. My only hope is to be able to focus on God...to center myself around Christ and His Word (which includes not just His law but all His Scripture to us). I cannot hope to make anything clean except by cleaning myself first...and even I can't clean myself...I must be cleaned.
Have you ever tried to clean, say, the floor...or maybe the counter or table...you use a rag but that rag is dirty. You'll never ever get that area clean if you always use that dirty rag...so that rag must be cleaned. But since the rag itself is dirty then you can't use the rag to clean the rag...you are the one cleaning the rag before using it to clean other things. So are we like that rag...we are dirty. More than that, we are always continually getting dirtier...it's just our habit and it's because we are a rag so our job is to clean up (or in real life case, we are human and so it is our nature to always sin and never to cease). But God by no work of our own must take us to Him and clean us up before sending us out again.
And that sending out to clean more could be cleaning the lives of others. How do we hope to reform or touch the lives of those who so desperately need us when we need revival and renewal, ourselves? How can we hope to clean up others...clean up not only people but places and education...thoughts and ideals of people as whole...if we ourselves are not in the right place.
So while, yes, I would highly encourage and promote missions and evangelism, I would even more recommend the cleaning up and purifying of ourselves, God's holy and very loved children. We are the people of the Most High...so we cannot be any less than the best for Him...none of this is so that we receive recognition or honor...but rather that all power and glory might go to the only One who truly deserves it.
I would encourage you as you walk throughout your life...whether it's as a young person, an instructing middle-aged person, or one who is older in years to always seek the Lord...always desire to live as before the face of God...to live a life of consistent cleansing that is befitting of pure children of Christ. Life as He would...with humility and love and the knowledge that once you reach a "goal" it is never the end...it is only a small accomplishment in the whole scheme of life. It's not over till you leave this earthly place and go on to glory with God. Every day is a chance for more reformation, both in yourself and then those around you.
Blessings...
I am human...that's the only reason. I am so flawed and messed up myself that how can I hope to contribute to make a clean and proper place when I am in the wrong place in my life. My only hope is to be able to focus on God...to center myself around Christ and His Word (which includes not just His law but all His Scripture to us). I cannot hope to make anything clean except by cleaning myself first...and even I can't clean myself...I must be cleaned.
Have you ever tried to clean, say, the floor...or maybe the counter or table...you use a rag but that rag is dirty. You'll never ever get that area clean if you always use that dirty rag...so that rag must be cleaned. But since the rag itself is dirty then you can't use the rag to clean the rag...you are the one cleaning the rag before using it to clean other things. So are we like that rag...we are dirty. More than that, we are always continually getting dirtier...it's just our habit and it's because we are a rag so our job is to clean up (or in real life case, we are human and so it is our nature to always sin and never to cease). But God by no work of our own must take us to Him and clean us up before sending us out again.
And that sending out to clean more could be cleaning the lives of others. How do we hope to reform or touch the lives of those who so desperately need us when we need revival and renewal, ourselves? How can we hope to clean up others...clean up not only people but places and education...thoughts and ideals of people as whole...if we ourselves are not in the right place.
So while, yes, I would highly encourage and promote missions and evangelism, I would even more recommend the cleaning up and purifying of ourselves, God's holy and very loved children. We are the people of the Most High...so we cannot be any less than the best for Him...none of this is so that we receive recognition or honor...but rather that all power and glory might go to the only One who truly deserves it.
I would encourage you as you walk throughout your life...whether it's as a young person, an instructing middle-aged person, or one who is older in years to always seek the Lord...always desire to live as before the face of God...to live a life of consistent cleansing that is befitting of pure children of Christ. Life as He would...with humility and love and the knowledge that once you reach a "goal" it is never the end...it is only a small accomplishment in the whole scheme of life. It's not over till you leave this earthly place and go on to glory with God. Every day is a chance for more reformation, both in yourself and then those around you.
Blessings...
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Happy Thoughts
Today ended up being a kind of a bad day...more towards the end and mostly because I was tired (my three cups of coffee had worn off) and work just dragged along with more and more bad things happening. BUT...I decided that moping around and grumping about it wasn't going to do me or anyone else anything good...so I then decided to blog about all the happy/good things that happened today.
1) When I had my viola lesson I brought the two, huge, gorgeous violas that I have been trying out at home and my teacher tried both of them and had me try them and said that either would work well for me...including the one that I really like better (which happens to be the cheaper one)!
2) I got a TON of new music downloaded...like...2 whole albums and toonssss of singles. SO HAPPY!!
3) I got to finally spend some quality time online instead of always at work, music, school, or something else rather time consuming. (This week I'll end up working over 20 hours of just random odd jobs like babysitting, transcribing, and library work)
4) I got to babysit Caleb for the first time :D
5) I got to feed, rock, hold, and have Caleb fall asleep in my arms (something I was told doesn't happen very often to anyone)
6) I got some good cleaning done at Whitney's and so I feel rather accomplished.
7) I got a movie and am hoping to watch it tonight before bed.
8) Tomorrow I get to have lunch with my grandma!!
9) Tomorrow I also get to sleep in (finallyyyy)
10) And finally I am so very thankful for all this work that I'm getting because it means more money and more money means I can actually pay for things like the shower/wedding stuff and my fall/winter wardrobe and other comfort-like things (like coffee!!).
Anyways...that is my happy list for tonight. Make your own happy list! You'd be amazed to find how many good and happy things are going on in your life :)
1) When I had my viola lesson I brought the two, huge, gorgeous violas that I have been trying out at home and my teacher tried both of them and had me try them and said that either would work well for me...including the one that I really like better (which happens to be the cheaper one)!
2) I got a TON of new music downloaded...like...2 whole albums and toonssss of singles. SO HAPPY!!
3) I got to finally spend some quality time online instead of always at work, music, school, or something else rather time consuming. (This week I'll end up working over 20 hours of just random odd jobs like babysitting, transcribing, and library work)
4) I got to babysit Caleb for the first time :D
5) I got to feed, rock, hold, and have Caleb fall asleep in my arms (something I was told doesn't happen very often to anyone)
6) I got some good cleaning done at Whitney's and so I feel rather accomplished.
7) I got a movie and am hoping to watch it tonight before bed.
8) Tomorrow I get to have lunch with my grandma!!
9) Tomorrow I also get to sleep in (finallyyyy)
10) And finally I am so very thankful for all this work that I'm getting because it means more money and more money means I can actually pay for things like the shower/wedding stuff and my fall/winter wardrobe and other comfort-like things (like coffee!!).
Anyways...that is my happy list for tonight. Make your own happy list! You'd be amazed to find how many good and happy things are going on in your life :)
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Fear - Part 2
Most of these notes are from my evening church service last Sunday...part of the sermon was on fear and I thought it very appropriate and so I did take a few notes...however we only looked at it for about 10 minutes so my notes are rather scarce.
2 Timothy 1:6-8 "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;"
This calls to mind how spirits of fear work. Timothy was known for his timidness and Paul writes to him to build him up and give him courage in regard to this "fault". He is trying to stoke the flame of courage within Timothy. Too often we are intimidated by our fears so we let them overrun us. So many great men of the past are known for their amazing courage to stand up in the face of their ultimate fear(s).
C.S. Lewis says, "Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." This is because courage is the one virtue you need to engage any other virtue...how else do you have the courage to be patient one more time? To speak kindly? It requires a boldness in character to stand up and be the better person for Christ. As Thomas Jefferson once said, "One man with courage is the majority".
Paul wanted Timothy to not be ashamed, to stand strong, and to a man of courage. John Wayne has accurately stated that "Courage is the admission of fear with the ability to still 'saddle up'". So courage is not the absence of fear, but rather a stronger mindset to overcome it with Christ's strength.
The only fear we are to have is the fear of God...any other fear would be considered idolatry because that has become greater than our fear of God. Fear of God includes due reverence and trust that He can care for us...so why have any other fear? The lack of fear is embracing God's hand to us in our life. Nothing comes to us but through our Father's hand. How can we fear that? He is in complete control and if we fear that it is the wrong fear of God...it would be an mistrustful fear of God.
End of notes.
Just as a small addition I'll include some notes from Matthew Henry's commentary on this passage.
Here is an exhortation and excitation of Timothy to his duty (2 Timothy 1:6): I put thee in remembrance. The best men need remembrancers; what we know we should be reminded of. 2 Peter 3:1, I write this, to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance.
I. He exhorts him to stir up the gift of God that was in him. Stir it up as fire under the embers. It is meant of all the gifts and graces the God had given him, to qualify him for the work of an evangelist, the gifts of the Holy Ghost, the extraordinary gifts that were conferred by the imposition of the apostle's hands. These he must stir up; he must exercise them and so increase them: use gifts and have gifts. To him that hath shall be given, Matthew 25:29. He must take all opportunities to use these gifts, and so stir them up, for that is the best way of increasing them. Whether the gift of God in Timothy was ordinary or extraordinary (though I incline to the latter), he must stir it up, otherwise it would decay. Further, you see that this gift was in him by the putting on of the apostle's hands, which I take to be distinct from his ordination, for that was performed by the hands of the presbytery, 1 Timothy 4:14. It is probable that Timothy had the Holy Ghost, in his extraordinary gifts and graces, conferred on him by the laying on of the apostle's hands (for I reckon that none but the apostles had the power of giving the Holy Ghost), and afterwards, being thus richly furnished for the work of the ministry, was ordained by the presbytery.
Observe, 1. The great hindrance of usefulness in the increase of our gifts is slavish fear. Paul therefore warns Timothy against this: God hath not given us the spirit of fear, 2 Timothy 1:7. It was through base fear that the evil servant buried his talent, and did not trade with it, Matthew 25:25. Now God hath therefore armed us against the spirit of fear, by often bidding us fear not. “Fear not the face of man; fear not the dangers you may meet with in the way of your duty.” God hath delivered us from the spirit of fear, and hath given us the spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. The spirit of power, or of courage and resolution to encounter difficulties and dangers; - the spirit of love to God, which will carry us through the opposition we may meet with, as Jacob made nothing of the hard service he was to endure for Rachel: the spirit of love to God will set us above the fear of man, and all the hurt that a man can do us; - and the spirit of a sound mind, or quietness of mind, a peaceable enjoyment of ourselves, for we are oftentimes discouraged in our way and work by the creatures o our own fancy and imagination, which a sober, solid, thinking mind would obviate, and would easily answer.
2. The spirit God gives to his ministers is not a fearful, but a courageous spirit; it is a spirit of power, for they speak in his name who has all power, both in heaven and earth; and it is a spirit of love, for love to God and the souls of men must inflame ministers in all their service; and it is a spirit of a sound mind, for they speak the words of truth and soberness.
II. He exhorts him to count upon afflictions, and get ready for them: “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner. Be not thou ashamed of the gospel, of the testimony thou hast borne to it.” Observe,
1. The gospel of Christ is what we have none of us reason to be ashamed of. We must not be ashamed of those who are suffering for the gospel of Christ. Timothy must not be ashamed of good old Paul, though he was now in bonds. As he must not himself be afraid of suffering, so he must not be afraid of owning those who were sufferers for the cause of Christ.
(1.) The gospel is the testimony of our Lord; in and by this he bears testimony of himself to us, and by professing our adherence to it we bear testimony of him and for him.
(2.) Paul was the Lord's prisoner, his prisoner, Ephesians 4:1. For his sake he was bound with a chain.
(3.) We have no reason to be ashamed either of the testimony of our Lord or of his prisoners; if we are ashamed of either now, Christ will be ashamed of us hereafter. “But be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God, that is, expect afflictions for the gospel's sake, prepare for them, count upon them, be willing to take thy lot with the suffering saints in this world. Be partaker of the afflictions of the gospel;” or, as it may be read, Do thou suffer with the gospel; “not only sympathize with those who suffer for it, but be ready to suffer with them and suffer like them.” If at any time the gospel be in distress, he who hopes for life and salvation by it will be content to suffer with it. Observe, [1.] Then we are likely to bear afflictions as well, when we fetch strength and power from God to enable us to bear them: Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God.
[2.] All Christians, but especially ministers, must expect afflictions and persecutions for the sake of the gospel.
[3.] These shall be proportioned, according to the power of God (1 Corinthians 10:13) resting upon us.
2. Mentioning God and the gospel, he takes notice what great things God has done for us by the gospel, 2 Timothy 1:9, 2 Timothy 1:10. To encourage him to suffer, he urges two considerations: -
(1.) The nature of that gospel which he was called to suffer for, and the glorious and gracious designs and purposes of it. It is usual with Paul, when he mentions Christ, and the gospel of Christ, to digress from his subject, and enlarge upon them; so full was he of that which is all our salvation, and ought to be all our desire.
Observe, [1.] The gospel aims at our salvation: He has saved us, and we must not think much to suffer for that which we hope to be saved by. He has begun to save us, and will complete it in due time; for God calls those things that are not (that are not yet completed) as though they were (Romans 4:17); therefore he says, who has saved us.
[2.] It is designed for our sanctification: And called us with a holy calling, called us to holiness. Christianity is a calling, a holy calling; it is the calling wherewith we are called, the calling to which we are called, to labour in it. Observe, All who shall be saved hereafter are sanctified now. Wherever the call of the gospel is an effectual call, it is found to be a holy call, making those holy who are effectually called.
[3.] The origin of it is the free grace and eternal purpose of God in Christ Jesus. If we had merited it, it had been hard to suffer for it; but our salvation by it is of free grace, and not according to our works, and therefore we must not think much to suffer for it. This grace is said to be given us before the world began, that is, in the purpose and designs of God from all eternity; in Christ Jesus, for all the gifts that come from God to sinful man come in and through Christ Jesus.
[4.] The gospel is the manifestation of this purpose and grace: By the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who had lain in the bosom of the Father from eternity, and was perfectly apprised of all his gracious purposes. By his appearing this gracious purpose was made manifest to us. Did Jesus Christ suffer for it, and shall we think much to suffer for it? [5.] By the gospel of Christ death is abolished: He has abolished death, not only weakened it, but taken it out of the way, has broken the power of death over us; by taking away sin he has abolished death (for the sting of death is sin, 1 Corinthians 15:56), in altering the property of it, and breaking the power of it. Death now of an enemy has become a friend; it is the gate by which we pass out of a troublesome, vexatious, sinful world, into a world of perfect peace and purity; and the power thereof is broken, for death does not triumph over those who believe the gospel, but they triumph over it. O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? 1 Corinthians 15:55.
[6.] He has brought life and immortality to light by the gospel; he has shown us another world more clearly than it was before discovered under any former dispensation, and the happiness of that world, the certain recompence of our obedience by faith: we all with open face, as in a glass, behold the glory of God. He has brought it to light, not only set it before us, but offered it to us, by the gospel. Let us value the gospel more than ever, as it is that whereby life and immortality are brought to light, for herein it has the pre-eminence above all former discoveries; so that it is the gospel of life and immortality, as it discovers them to us, and directs us in the ready way that leads thereto, as well as proposes the most weighty motives to excite our endeavours in seeking after glory, honour, and immortality.
(2.) Consider the example of blessed Paul, 2 Timothy 1:11, 2 Timothy 1:12. He was appointed to preach the gospel, and particularly appointed to teach the Gentiles. He though it a cause worth suffering for, and why should not Timothy think so too? No man needs to be afraid nor ashamed to suffer for the cause of the gospel: I am not ashamed, says Paul, for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Observe, [1.] Good men often suffer many things for the best cause in the world: For which cause I suffer these things; that is, “for my preaching, and adhering to the gospel.”
[2.] They need not be ashamed, the cause will bear them out; but those who oppose it shall be clothed with shame.
[3.] Those who trust in Christ know whom they have trusted. The apostle speaks with a holy triumph and exultation, as much as to say, “I stand on firm ground. I know I have lodged the great trust in the hands of the best trustee.” And am persuaded, etc. What must we commit to Christ? The salvation of our souls, and their preservation to the heavenly kingdom; and what we so commit to him he will keep. There is a day coming when our souls will be enquired after: “Man! Woman! thou hadst a soul committed to thee, what hast thou done with it? To whom it was offered, to God or Satan? How was it employed, in the service of sin or in the service of Christ?” There is a day coming, and it will be a very solemn and awful day, when we must give an account of our stewardship (Luke 16:2), give an account of our souls: now, if by an active obedient faith we commit it to Jesus Christ, we may be sure he is able to keep it, and it shall be forthcoming to our comfort in that day.
III. He exhorts him to hold fast the form of sound words, 2 Timothy 1:13.
1. “Have a form of sound words” (so it may be read), “a short form, a catechism, an abstract of the first principles of religion, according to the scriptures, a scheme of sound words, a brief summary of the Christian faith, in a proper method, drawn out by thyself from the holy scriptures for thy own use;” or, rather, by the form of sound words I understand the holy scriptures themselves.
2. “Having it, hold it fast, remember it, retain it, adhere to it. Adhere to it in opposition to all heresies and false doctrine, which corrupt the Christian faith. Hold that fast which thou hast heard of me.” Paul was divinely inspired. It is good to adhere to those forms of sound words which we have in the scriptures; for these, we are sure, were divinely inspired. That is sound speech, which cannot be condemned, Titus 2:8. But how must it be held fast? In faith and love; that is, we must assent to it as a faithful saying, and bid it welcome as worthy of all acceptation. Hold it fast in a good heart, this is the ark of the covenant, in which the tables both of law and gospel are most safely and profitably deposited, Psalm 119:11. Faith and love must go together; it is not enough to believe the sound words, and to give an assent to them, but we must love them, believe their truth and love their goodness, and we must propagate the form of sound words in love; speaking the truth in love, Ephesians 4:15. Faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; it must be Christian faith and love, faith and love fastening upon Jesus Christ, in and by whom God speaks to us and we to him. Timothy, as a minister, must hold fast the form of sound words, for the benefit of others. Of healing words, so it may read; there is healing virtue in the word of God; he sent his word, and healed them. To the same purport is that (2 Timothy 1:14), That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in us. That good thing was the form of sound words, the Christian doctrine, which was committed to Timothy in his baptism and education as he was a Christian, and in his ordination as he was a minister.
Observe, (1.) The Christian doctrine is a trust committed to us. It is committed to Christians in general, but to ministers in particular. It is a good thing, of unspeakable value in itself, and which will be of unspeakable advantage to us; it is a good thing indeed, it is an inestimable jewel, for it discovers to us the unsearchable riches of Christ, Ephesians 3:8. It is committed to us to be preserved pure and entire, and to be transmitted to those who shall come after us, and we must keep it, and not contribute any thing to the corrupting of its purity, the weakening of its power, or the diminishing of its perfection: Keep it by the Holy Ghost that dwelleth in us. Observe, Even those who are ever so well taught cannot keep what they have learned, any more than they could at first learn it, without the assistance of the Holy Spirit. We must not think to keep it by our own strength, but keep it by the Holy Ghost.
(2.) The Holy Ghost dwells in all good ministers and Christians; they are his temples, and he enables them to keep the gospel pure and uncorrupt; and yet they must use their best endeavours to keep this good thing, for the assistance and indwelling of the Holy Ghost do not exclude men's endeavours, but they very well consist together.
2 Timothy 1:6-8 "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;"
This calls to mind how spirits of fear work. Timothy was known for his timidness and Paul writes to him to build him up and give him courage in regard to this "fault". He is trying to stoke the flame of courage within Timothy. Too often we are intimidated by our fears so we let them overrun us. So many great men of the past are known for their amazing courage to stand up in the face of their ultimate fear(s).
C.S. Lewis says, "Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." This is because courage is the one virtue you need to engage any other virtue...how else do you have the courage to be patient one more time? To speak kindly? It requires a boldness in character to stand up and be the better person for Christ. As Thomas Jefferson once said, "One man with courage is the majority".
Paul wanted Timothy to not be ashamed, to stand strong, and to a man of courage. John Wayne has accurately stated that "Courage is the admission of fear with the ability to still 'saddle up'". So courage is not the absence of fear, but rather a stronger mindset to overcome it with Christ's strength.
The only fear we are to have is the fear of God...any other fear would be considered idolatry because that has become greater than our fear of God. Fear of God includes due reverence and trust that He can care for us...so why have any other fear? The lack of fear is embracing God's hand to us in our life. Nothing comes to us but through our Father's hand. How can we fear that? He is in complete control and if we fear that it is the wrong fear of God...it would be an mistrustful fear of God.
End of notes.
Just as a small addition I'll include some notes from Matthew Henry's commentary on this passage.
Here is an exhortation and excitation of Timothy to his duty (2 Timothy 1:6): I put thee in remembrance. The best men need remembrancers; what we know we should be reminded of. 2 Peter 3:1, I write this, to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance.
I. He exhorts him to stir up the gift of God that was in him. Stir it up as fire under the embers. It is meant of all the gifts and graces the God had given him, to qualify him for the work of an evangelist, the gifts of the Holy Ghost, the extraordinary gifts that were conferred by the imposition of the apostle's hands. These he must stir up; he must exercise them and so increase them: use gifts and have gifts. To him that hath shall be given, Matthew 25:29. He must take all opportunities to use these gifts, and so stir them up, for that is the best way of increasing them. Whether the gift of God in Timothy was ordinary or extraordinary (though I incline to the latter), he must stir it up, otherwise it would decay. Further, you see that this gift was in him by the putting on of the apostle's hands, which I take to be distinct from his ordination, for that was performed by the hands of the presbytery, 1 Timothy 4:14. It is probable that Timothy had the Holy Ghost, in his extraordinary gifts and graces, conferred on him by the laying on of the apostle's hands (for I reckon that none but the apostles had the power of giving the Holy Ghost), and afterwards, being thus richly furnished for the work of the ministry, was ordained by the presbytery.
Observe, 1. The great hindrance of usefulness in the increase of our gifts is slavish fear. Paul therefore warns Timothy against this: God hath not given us the spirit of fear, 2 Timothy 1:7. It was through base fear that the evil servant buried his talent, and did not trade with it, Matthew 25:25. Now God hath therefore armed us against the spirit of fear, by often bidding us fear not. “Fear not the face of man; fear not the dangers you may meet with in the way of your duty.” God hath delivered us from the spirit of fear, and hath given us the spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. The spirit of power, or of courage and resolution to encounter difficulties and dangers; - the spirit of love to God, which will carry us through the opposition we may meet with, as Jacob made nothing of the hard service he was to endure for Rachel: the spirit of love to God will set us above the fear of man, and all the hurt that a man can do us; - and the spirit of a sound mind, or quietness of mind, a peaceable enjoyment of ourselves, for we are oftentimes discouraged in our way and work by the creatures o our own fancy and imagination, which a sober, solid, thinking mind would obviate, and would easily answer.
2. The spirit God gives to his ministers is not a fearful, but a courageous spirit; it is a spirit of power, for they speak in his name who has all power, both in heaven and earth; and it is a spirit of love, for love to God and the souls of men must inflame ministers in all their service; and it is a spirit of a sound mind, for they speak the words of truth and soberness.
II. He exhorts him to count upon afflictions, and get ready for them: “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner. Be not thou ashamed of the gospel, of the testimony thou hast borne to it.” Observe,
1. The gospel of Christ is what we have none of us reason to be ashamed of. We must not be ashamed of those who are suffering for the gospel of Christ. Timothy must not be ashamed of good old Paul, though he was now in bonds. As he must not himself be afraid of suffering, so he must not be afraid of owning those who were sufferers for the cause of Christ.
(1.) The gospel is the testimony of our Lord; in and by this he bears testimony of himself to us, and by professing our adherence to it we bear testimony of him and for him.
(2.) Paul was the Lord's prisoner, his prisoner, Ephesians 4:1. For his sake he was bound with a chain.
(3.) We have no reason to be ashamed either of the testimony of our Lord or of his prisoners; if we are ashamed of either now, Christ will be ashamed of us hereafter. “But be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God, that is, expect afflictions for the gospel's sake, prepare for them, count upon them, be willing to take thy lot with the suffering saints in this world. Be partaker of the afflictions of the gospel;” or, as it may be read, Do thou suffer with the gospel; “not only sympathize with those who suffer for it, but be ready to suffer with them and suffer like them.” If at any time the gospel be in distress, he who hopes for life and salvation by it will be content to suffer with it. Observe, [1.] Then we are likely to bear afflictions as well, when we fetch strength and power from God to enable us to bear them: Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God.
[2.] All Christians, but especially ministers, must expect afflictions and persecutions for the sake of the gospel.
[3.] These shall be proportioned, according to the power of God (1 Corinthians 10:13) resting upon us.
2. Mentioning God and the gospel, he takes notice what great things God has done for us by the gospel, 2 Timothy 1:9, 2 Timothy 1:10. To encourage him to suffer, he urges two considerations: -
(1.) The nature of that gospel which he was called to suffer for, and the glorious and gracious designs and purposes of it. It is usual with Paul, when he mentions Christ, and the gospel of Christ, to digress from his subject, and enlarge upon them; so full was he of that which is all our salvation, and ought to be all our desire.
Observe, [1.] The gospel aims at our salvation: He has saved us, and we must not think much to suffer for that which we hope to be saved by. He has begun to save us, and will complete it in due time; for God calls those things that are not (that are not yet completed) as though they were (Romans 4:17); therefore he says, who has saved us.
[2.] It is designed for our sanctification: And called us with a holy calling, called us to holiness. Christianity is a calling, a holy calling; it is the calling wherewith we are called, the calling to which we are called, to labour in it. Observe, All who shall be saved hereafter are sanctified now. Wherever the call of the gospel is an effectual call, it is found to be a holy call, making those holy who are effectually called.
[3.] The origin of it is the free grace and eternal purpose of God in Christ Jesus. If we had merited it, it had been hard to suffer for it; but our salvation by it is of free grace, and not according to our works, and therefore we must not think much to suffer for it. This grace is said to be given us before the world began, that is, in the purpose and designs of God from all eternity; in Christ Jesus, for all the gifts that come from God to sinful man come in and through Christ Jesus.
[4.] The gospel is the manifestation of this purpose and grace: By the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who had lain in the bosom of the Father from eternity, and was perfectly apprised of all his gracious purposes. By his appearing this gracious purpose was made manifest to us. Did Jesus Christ suffer for it, and shall we think much to suffer for it? [5.] By the gospel of Christ death is abolished: He has abolished death, not only weakened it, but taken it out of the way, has broken the power of death over us; by taking away sin he has abolished death (for the sting of death is sin, 1 Corinthians 15:56), in altering the property of it, and breaking the power of it. Death now of an enemy has become a friend; it is the gate by which we pass out of a troublesome, vexatious, sinful world, into a world of perfect peace and purity; and the power thereof is broken, for death does not triumph over those who believe the gospel, but they triumph over it. O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? 1 Corinthians 15:55.
[6.] He has brought life and immortality to light by the gospel; he has shown us another world more clearly than it was before discovered under any former dispensation, and the happiness of that world, the certain recompence of our obedience by faith: we all with open face, as in a glass, behold the glory of God. He has brought it to light, not only set it before us, but offered it to us, by the gospel. Let us value the gospel more than ever, as it is that whereby life and immortality are brought to light, for herein it has the pre-eminence above all former discoveries; so that it is the gospel of life and immortality, as it discovers them to us, and directs us in the ready way that leads thereto, as well as proposes the most weighty motives to excite our endeavours in seeking after glory, honour, and immortality.
(2.) Consider the example of blessed Paul, 2 Timothy 1:11, 2 Timothy 1:12. He was appointed to preach the gospel, and particularly appointed to teach the Gentiles. He though it a cause worth suffering for, and why should not Timothy think so too? No man needs to be afraid nor ashamed to suffer for the cause of the gospel: I am not ashamed, says Paul, for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Observe, [1.] Good men often suffer many things for the best cause in the world: For which cause I suffer these things; that is, “for my preaching, and adhering to the gospel.”
[2.] They need not be ashamed, the cause will bear them out; but those who oppose it shall be clothed with shame.
[3.] Those who trust in Christ know whom they have trusted. The apostle speaks with a holy triumph and exultation, as much as to say, “I stand on firm ground. I know I have lodged the great trust in the hands of the best trustee.” And am persuaded, etc. What must we commit to Christ? The salvation of our souls, and their preservation to the heavenly kingdom; and what we so commit to him he will keep. There is a day coming when our souls will be enquired after: “Man! Woman! thou hadst a soul committed to thee, what hast thou done with it? To whom it was offered, to God or Satan? How was it employed, in the service of sin or in the service of Christ?” There is a day coming, and it will be a very solemn and awful day, when we must give an account of our stewardship (Luke 16:2), give an account of our souls: now, if by an active obedient faith we commit it to Jesus Christ, we may be sure he is able to keep it, and it shall be forthcoming to our comfort in that day.
III. He exhorts him to hold fast the form of sound words, 2 Timothy 1:13.
1. “Have a form of sound words” (so it may be read), “a short form, a catechism, an abstract of the first principles of religion, according to the scriptures, a scheme of sound words, a brief summary of the Christian faith, in a proper method, drawn out by thyself from the holy scriptures for thy own use;” or, rather, by the form of sound words I understand the holy scriptures themselves.
2. “Having it, hold it fast, remember it, retain it, adhere to it. Adhere to it in opposition to all heresies and false doctrine, which corrupt the Christian faith. Hold that fast which thou hast heard of me.” Paul was divinely inspired. It is good to adhere to those forms of sound words which we have in the scriptures; for these, we are sure, were divinely inspired. That is sound speech, which cannot be condemned, Titus 2:8. But how must it be held fast? In faith and love; that is, we must assent to it as a faithful saying, and bid it welcome as worthy of all acceptation. Hold it fast in a good heart, this is the ark of the covenant, in which the tables both of law and gospel are most safely and profitably deposited, Psalm 119:11. Faith and love must go together; it is not enough to believe the sound words, and to give an assent to them, but we must love them, believe their truth and love their goodness, and we must propagate the form of sound words in love; speaking the truth in love, Ephesians 4:15. Faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; it must be Christian faith and love, faith and love fastening upon Jesus Christ, in and by whom God speaks to us and we to him. Timothy, as a minister, must hold fast the form of sound words, for the benefit of others. Of healing words, so it may read; there is healing virtue in the word of God; he sent his word, and healed them. To the same purport is that (2 Timothy 1:14), That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in us. That good thing was the form of sound words, the Christian doctrine, which was committed to Timothy in his baptism and education as he was a Christian, and in his ordination as he was a minister.
Observe, (1.) The Christian doctrine is a trust committed to us. It is committed to Christians in general, but to ministers in particular. It is a good thing, of unspeakable value in itself, and which will be of unspeakable advantage to us; it is a good thing indeed, it is an inestimable jewel, for it discovers to us the unsearchable riches of Christ, Ephesians 3:8. It is committed to us to be preserved pure and entire, and to be transmitted to those who shall come after us, and we must keep it, and not contribute any thing to the corrupting of its purity, the weakening of its power, or the diminishing of its perfection: Keep it by the Holy Ghost that dwelleth in us. Observe, Even those who are ever so well taught cannot keep what they have learned, any more than they could at first learn it, without the assistance of the Holy Spirit. We must not think to keep it by our own strength, but keep it by the Holy Ghost.
(2.) The Holy Ghost dwells in all good ministers and Christians; they are his temples, and he enables them to keep the gospel pure and uncorrupt; and yet they must use their best endeavours to keep this good thing, for the assistance and indwelling of the Holy Ghost do not exclude men's endeavours, but they very well consist together.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Fear - Part 1 (with help from Matthew Henry)
I say part one because I know I won't be able to productively collect all my random jumbled up thoughts into one cohesive post and I do want to post something tonight.
Fear. What is this terror that can gnaw at us day by day until we are a quivering puddle of nothing? What is this thing that can claw at us at the times when we least expect it and so aren't ready at all for it? The Bible accurately describes fear as the abstinence of love, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love," 1 John 4:18. But love is connected with something else: trust. So I would defined fear as the abstinence of love and trust. Those two are synonyms of one another, but for clarity's sake we will keep them separate.
At the root of all this is a grounded faith in God. Do we trust God? Do we place every single area of our lives at His feet and devote ourselves completely to him, not just giving Him most of it but hiding away certain parts that we cannot bear to give up? At the root we see that we must place all our trust and love in Him alone in order to be fearless...without any fear at all (other than a due fear of God). This brings us to the true meaning of this passage in 1 John...when it talks about fear it's not even speaking a great deal about our fear of material or earthly things...but a fear of God.
Here's a passage from Matthew Henry's commentary on 1 John 4:18:
I. As love to God, to the primum amabile - the first and chief of all amiable beings and objects, who has the confluence of all beauty, excellence, and loveliness, in himself, and confers on all other beings whatever renders them good and amiable. Love to God seems here to be recommended on these accounts: -
1. It will give us peace and satisfaction of spirit in the day when it will be most needed, or when it will be the greatest pleasure and blessing imaginable: Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, 1 John 4:17. There must be a day of universal judgment. Happy they who shall have holy fiducial boldness before the Judge at that day, who shall be able to lift up their heads, and to look him in the face, as knowing he is their friend and advocate! Happy they who have holy boldness and assurance in the prospect of that day, who look and wait for it, and for the Judge's appearance! So do, and so may do, the lovers of God.
Their love to God assures them of God's love to them, and consequently of the friendship of the Son of God; the more we love our friend, especially when we are sure that he knows it, the more we can trust his love. As God is good and loving, and faithful to his promise, so we can easily be persuaded of his love, and the happy fruits of his love, when we can say, Thou that knowest all things knowest that we love thee. And hope maketh not ashamed; our hope, conceived by the consideration of God's love, will not disappoint us, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that is given to us, Romans 5:5. Possibly here by the love of God may be meant our love to God, which is shed abroad upon our hearts by the Holy Ghost; this is the foundation of our hope, or of our assurance that our hope will hold good at last. Or, if by the love of God be meant the sense and apprehension of his love to us, yet this must suppose or include us as lovers of him in this case; and indeed the sense and evidence of his love to us do shed abroad upon our hearts love to him; and thereupon we have confidence towards him and peace and joy in him. He will give the crown of righteousness to all that love his appearing. And we have this boldness towards Christ because of our conformity to him: Because as he is so are we in this world, 1 John 4:17. Love hath conformed us to him; as he was the great lover of God and man, he has taught us in our measure to be so too, and he will not deny his own image. Love teaches us to conform in sufferings too; we suffer for him and with him, and therefore cannot but hope and trust that we shall also be glorified together with him, 2 Timothy 2:12.
2. It prevents or removes the uncomfortable result and fruit of servile fear: There is no fear in love (1 John 4:18); so far as love prevails, fear ceases. We must here distinguish, I judge, between fear and being afraid; or, in this case, between the fear of God and being afraid of him. The fear of God is often mentioned and commanded as the substance of religion (1 Peter 2:17; Revelation 14:7); and so it imports the high regard and veneration we have for God and his authority and government. Such fear is constant with love, yea, with perfect love, as being in the angels themselves. But then there is a being afraid of God, which arises from a sense of guilt, and a view of his vindictive perfections; in the view of them, God is represented as a consuming fire; and so fear here may be rendered dread; There is no dread in love. Love considers its object as good and excellent, and therefore amiable, and worthy to be beloved. Love considers God as most eminently good, and most eminently loving us in Christ, and so puts off dread, and puts on joy in him; and, as love grows, joy grows too; so that perfect love casteth out fear or dread.
Those who perfectly love God are, from his nature, and counsel, and covenant, perfectly assured of his love, and consequently are perfectly free from any dismal dreadful suspicions of his punitive power and justice, as armed against them; they well know that God loves them, and they thereupon triumph in his love. That perfect love casteth out fear the apostle thus sensibly argues: that which casteth out torment casteth out fear or dread: Because fear hath torment (1 John 4:18) - fear is known to be a disquieting torturing passion, especially such a fear as is the dread of an almighty avenging God; but perfect love casteth out torment, for it teaches the mind a perfect acquiescence and complacency in the beloved, and therefore perfect love casteth out fear. Or, which is here equivalent, he that feareth is not made perfect in love (1 John 4:18); it is a sign that our love is far from being perfect, since our doubts, and fears, and dismal apprehensions of God, are so many. Let us long for, and hasten to, the world of perfect love, where our serenity and joy in God will be as perfect as our love!
3. From the source and rise of it, which is the antecedent love of God: We love him, because he first loved us, 1 John 4:19. His love is the incentive, the motive, and moral cause of ours. We cannot but love so good a God, who was first in the act and work of love, who loved us when we were both unloving and unlovely, who loved us at so great a rate, who has been seeking and soliciting our love at the expense of his Son's blood; and has condescended to beseech us to be reconciled unto him. Let heaven and earth stand amazed at such love! His love is the productive cause of ours: Of his own will (of his own free loving will) begat he us. To those that love him all things work together for good, to those who are the called according to his purpose. Those that love God are the called thereto according to his purpose (Romans 8:28); according to whose purpose they are called is sufficiently intimated in the following clauses: whom he did predestinate (or antecedently purpose, to the image of his Son) those he also called, effectually recovered thereto. The divine love stamped love upon our souls; may the Lord still and further direct our hearts into the love of God! 2 Thessalonians 3:5.
II. As love to our brother and neighbour in Christ; such love is argued and urged on these accounts: -
1. As suitable and consonant to our Christian profession. In the profession of Christianity we profess to love God as the root of religion: “If then a man say, or profess as much as thereby to say, I love God, I am a lover of his name, and house, and worship, and yet hate his brother, whom he should love for God's sake, he is a liar (1 John 4:20), he therein gives his profession the lie.” That such a one loves not God the apostle proves by the usual facility of loving what is seen rather than what is unseen: For he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen? 1 John 4:20. The eye is wont to affect the heart; things unseen less catch the mind, and thereby the heart. The incomprehensibleness of God very much arises from his invisibility; the member of Christ has much of God visible in him. How then shall the hater of a visible image of God pretend to love the unseen original, the invisible God himself?
2. As suitable to the express law of God, and the just reason of it: And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also, 1 John 4:21. As God has communicated his image in nature and in grace, so he would have our love to be suitably diffused. We must love God originally and supremely, and others in him, on the account of their derivation and reception from him, and of his interest in them. Now, our Christian brethren having a new nature and excellent privileges derived from God, and God having his interest in them as well as in us, it cannot but be a natural suitable obligation that he who loves God should love his brother also."
Well...reading over all of that my little comments at the beginning seem a little worthless and tiny compared to his! Anyways...that is a bit humbling for *me* to see how others can take all my thoughts and so accurately condense them into something like that. I hope you all enjoyed reading my condensed thoughts as so beautifully worded by Matthew Henry. XD
Here's to praying you all have a wonderful Saturday night and a blessed Lord's Day tomorrow!
Fear. What is this terror that can gnaw at us day by day until we are a quivering puddle of nothing? What is this thing that can claw at us at the times when we least expect it and so aren't ready at all for it? The Bible accurately describes fear as the abstinence of love, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love," 1 John 4:18. But love is connected with something else: trust. So I would defined fear as the abstinence of love and trust. Those two are synonyms of one another, but for clarity's sake we will keep them separate.
At the root of all this is a grounded faith in God. Do we trust God? Do we place every single area of our lives at His feet and devote ourselves completely to him, not just giving Him most of it but hiding away certain parts that we cannot bear to give up? At the root we see that we must place all our trust and love in Him alone in order to be fearless...without any fear at all (other than a due fear of God). This brings us to the true meaning of this passage in 1 John...when it talks about fear it's not even speaking a great deal about our fear of material or earthly things...but a fear of God.
Here's a passage from Matthew Henry's commentary on 1 John 4:18:
I. As love to God, to the primum amabile - the first and chief of all amiable beings and objects, who has the confluence of all beauty, excellence, and loveliness, in himself, and confers on all other beings whatever renders them good and amiable. Love to God seems here to be recommended on these accounts: -
1. It will give us peace and satisfaction of spirit in the day when it will be most needed, or when it will be the greatest pleasure and blessing imaginable: Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, 1 John 4:17. There must be a day of universal judgment. Happy they who shall have holy fiducial boldness before the Judge at that day, who shall be able to lift up their heads, and to look him in the face, as knowing he is their friend and advocate! Happy they who have holy boldness and assurance in the prospect of that day, who look and wait for it, and for the Judge's appearance! So do, and so may do, the lovers of God.
Their love to God assures them of God's love to them, and consequently of the friendship of the Son of God; the more we love our friend, especially when we are sure that he knows it, the more we can trust his love. As God is good and loving, and faithful to his promise, so we can easily be persuaded of his love, and the happy fruits of his love, when we can say, Thou that knowest all things knowest that we love thee. And hope maketh not ashamed; our hope, conceived by the consideration of God's love, will not disappoint us, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that is given to us, Romans 5:5. Possibly here by the love of God may be meant our love to God, which is shed abroad upon our hearts by the Holy Ghost; this is the foundation of our hope, or of our assurance that our hope will hold good at last. Or, if by the love of God be meant the sense and apprehension of his love to us, yet this must suppose or include us as lovers of him in this case; and indeed the sense and evidence of his love to us do shed abroad upon our hearts love to him; and thereupon we have confidence towards him and peace and joy in him. He will give the crown of righteousness to all that love his appearing. And we have this boldness towards Christ because of our conformity to him: Because as he is so are we in this world, 1 John 4:17. Love hath conformed us to him; as he was the great lover of God and man, he has taught us in our measure to be so too, and he will not deny his own image. Love teaches us to conform in sufferings too; we suffer for him and with him, and therefore cannot but hope and trust that we shall also be glorified together with him, 2 Timothy 2:12.
2. It prevents or removes the uncomfortable result and fruit of servile fear: There is no fear in love (1 John 4:18); so far as love prevails, fear ceases. We must here distinguish, I judge, between fear and being afraid; or, in this case, between the fear of God and being afraid of him. The fear of God is often mentioned and commanded as the substance of religion (1 Peter 2:17; Revelation 14:7); and so it imports the high regard and veneration we have for God and his authority and government. Such fear is constant with love, yea, with perfect love, as being in the angels themselves. But then there is a being afraid of God, which arises from a sense of guilt, and a view of his vindictive perfections; in the view of them, God is represented as a consuming fire; and so fear here may be rendered dread; There is no dread in love. Love considers its object as good and excellent, and therefore amiable, and worthy to be beloved. Love considers God as most eminently good, and most eminently loving us in Christ, and so puts off dread, and puts on joy in him; and, as love grows, joy grows too; so that perfect love casteth out fear or dread.
Those who perfectly love God are, from his nature, and counsel, and covenant, perfectly assured of his love, and consequently are perfectly free from any dismal dreadful suspicions of his punitive power and justice, as armed against them; they well know that God loves them, and they thereupon triumph in his love. That perfect love casteth out fear the apostle thus sensibly argues: that which casteth out torment casteth out fear or dread: Because fear hath torment (1 John 4:18) - fear is known to be a disquieting torturing passion, especially such a fear as is the dread of an almighty avenging God; but perfect love casteth out torment, for it teaches the mind a perfect acquiescence and complacency in the beloved, and therefore perfect love casteth out fear. Or, which is here equivalent, he that feareth is not made perfect in love (1 John 4:18); it is a sign that our love is far from being perfect, since our doubts, and fears, and dismal apprehensions of God, are so many. Let us long for, and hasten to, the world of perfect love, where our serenity and joy in God will be as perfect as our love!
3. From the source and rise of it, which is the antecedent love of God: We love him, because he first loved us, 1 John 4:19. His love is the incentive, the motive, and moral cause of ours. We cannot but love so good a God, who was first in the act and work of love, who loved us when we were both unloving and unlovely, who loved us at so great a rate, who has been seeking and soliciting our love at the expense of his Son's blood; and has condescended to beseech us to be reconciled unto him. Let heaven and earth stand amazed at such love! His love is the productive cause of ours: Of his own will (of his own free loving will) begat he us. To those that love him all things work together for good, to those who are the called according to his purpose. Those that love God are the called thereto according to his purpose (Romans 8:28); according to whose purpose they are called is sufficiently intimated in the following clauses: whom he did predestinate (or antecedently purpose, to the image of his Son) those he also called, effectually recovered thereto. The divine love stamped love upon our souls; may the Lord still and further direct our hearts into the love of God! 2 Thessalonians 3:5.
II. As love to our brother and neighbour in Christ; such love is argued and urged on these accounts: -
1. As suitable and consonant to our Christian profession. In the profession of Christianity we profess to love God as the root of religion: “If then a man say, or profess as much as thereby to say, I love God, I am a lover of his name, and house, and worship, and yet hate his brother, whom he should love for God's sake, he is a liar (1 John 4:20), he therein gives his profession the lie.” That such a one loves not God the apostle proves by the usual facility of loving what is seen rather than what is unseen: For he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen? 1 John 4:20. The eye is wont to affect the heart; things unseen less catch the mind, and thereby the heart. The incomprehensibleness of God very much arises from his invisibility; the member of Christ has much of God visible in him. How then shall the hater of a visible image of God pretend to love the unseen original, the invisible God himself?
2. As suitable to the express law of God, and the just reason of it: And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also, 1 John 4:21. As God has communicated his image in nature and in grace, so he would have our love to be suitably diffused. We must love God originally and supremely, and others in him, on the account of their derivation and reception from him, and of his interest in them. Now, our Christian brethren having a new nature and excellent privileges derived from God, and God having his interest in them as well as in us, it cannot but be a natural suitable obligation that he who loves God should love his brother also."
Well...reading over all of that my little comments at the beginning seem a little worthless and tiny compared to his! Anyways...that is a bit humbling for *me* to see how others can take all my thoughts and so accurately condense them into something like that. I hope you all enjoyed reading my condensed thoughts as so beautifully worded by Matthew Henry. XD
Here's to praying you all have a wonderful Saturday night and a blessed Lord's Day tomorrow!
Friday, September 7, 2012
Romans 2 - Judging/God's Law
Right now I'm attending our bi-weekly Young Adults Bible Discussion group. We are studying Romans 2 tonight. So I thought I would post current notes! (Jonathan Potter, these are also specially typed up for you!) Enjoy :)
Romans 2
Romans 2
1Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.
3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?
4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”:
7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;
8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath,
9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;
10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
11 For there is no partiality with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law
13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;
14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)
16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
There is a difference between judging those according to your own standard and according to God's law. When you look at others and say that "Oh they're not as good as me here and here" you are judge according to you and your standard. Instead we are to look at God's Law and "judge" according to that. We are not exempt from judging...we are called to live out God's Law and part of that is to distribute the earthly punishment of God. We are not to condemn them to hell...that is not our role...but we are to preach the judgement of God to those who practice sin. Not just sin...because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but this is for those who live a daily life of unrepentance in this sin. It is our right, even duty, to bring those who refuse to live in accordance to God's will to judgment and punishment. Those who live an ungodly life do not deserve to escape from dishonoring God and His Word.
These people that Paul was talking to were hardened Jews...those who looked at the Gentiles and looked down at them because they regarded themselves better then them. "I'm perfect except for this one little area and because it's so little I have no need to repent." However the Romans 2 starts out with verse after verse saying how God will judge all...*all* have sinned. "Who will render each one according to his deeds" ...the first 6 verses speak on the fact that you are to judge according to God's truth (Law) like God does. Looking at verses 7-10 we see very powerful words...eternal life for those who are patient and and seek to do good to earn glory, honor, and immortality...but damnation and anguish for those who are self-seeking. This just asks how we seek glory, honor, and immortality...do we diligently seek to do good in Christ to achieve eternal life? Or do we horde it all to ourselves and become self-seeking?
Matthew Henry says in his commentary of this passage that it is not so much "glory, honor, and immortality" but rather glory and honor in immortality...that is, glory and honor that are eternal and everlasting in God. We are looking for acceptance and glory and honor forever and ever...we look forward. We do good not to gain such things or not even because we are in debt, but rather out of gratitude. We do it out of love and thanks to Christ so we always seek to follow His example. Those who seek glory and honor for themselves it will be a short-lived and temporary glory and honor...it will not last forever and ever, but rather as long as they live here on earth...then it lasts no longer. As long as they breath they have glory and honor of themselves...but those who seek glory and honor for God will gain it forever and ever.
The Jews, as once God's people, will be judged with a harsher and stricter penalty or a better and bigger blessing in the matter of which they end...if they do good and trust (have faith) and follow God's Law then they will be blessed first. However, they are very responsible if they do wrong...they are worse than the Gentiles because they have lived as God's people and know what God expects of them. The Gentiles are responsible as well, but not as much as the Jews because the Jews were once God's own people and so understand God's Law and standard. You are guilty and you shall receive guilt. If you are God's own ten you have been convicted of the Law and know and understand it but have run away from it. Jews and Gentiles stand on the same ground in the presence of God, there is nothing to say one is better than the other...simply that those who know and understand God and His Law but refuse it are more liable than those who are ignorant. However even those who are ignorant of their own will are still responsible and worthy of punishment. Those who are unaware of God's Law (obviously still sin) they still have natural law and a conscious within themselves. Natural law is simply general revelation combined with grace and special revelation. There is no coming to natural law apart from Christ and we cannot forget it.
Conscience is not a word you find in Scripture because for them it wasn't conscience that taught them right and wrong...it was not something they depended on to tell them if it was right or wrong to do something. Rather, it was the Law that convicted and drove them forward...guiding and directing to God's perfect standard. Therefore we cannot blame our conscience when we fail the Law, rather we are to blame ourselves for not being more attentive to God's Law and Word of His standard and requirement. It is our fault and we cannot blame something like a faulty conscience. If you do not have God as your foundation then your conscience and natural law will be formed and shaped by something other than God (and His Law).
Something interesting we find in verse 16 is that he calls it "my gospel"...this was his gospel and how he found his identity. What is God's is also ours...it's not only God's word but since we are His children and heirs of His then it is ours also. It is a good reminder to stay faithful and always seek to find our identity always in the Scripture and in God. When God says he will judge us by Christ is is simply saying that Christ is the standard that we are to look up to and live by. God shall judge by Jesus Christ...it will be Christ judging. It will be part of the reward for his humiliation. There is little else more terrifying to sinner or more comforting to saints to hear that Christ will be the one dealing out punishment. The secrets of men are bad and wicked...something we are attempting to hide. What have we to hide from God and from one another? Only true Christians are open and honest with their lives...they have nothing to hide from anyone (least of all God).
So that's it! That is a summery of Romans 2:1-16...I hope you all enjoyed it and benefited greatly from these words from God. Hoping you all have a lovely evening :)
No Time For Life
Hey...I promise I will be posting super soon and updating everything that's going on in my life...but right now it's super crazy busy...I have constant work or school or music or something! Right now I haven't even begun school, I've done no Rushdoony work all week, I need to memorize Bible verses for the discussion tonight, I need to practice viola, and I desperately need some sleep...all before bed tonight...and there is the discussion tonight in just a couple hours so...it's getting really wild. I'm considering just staying home from the discussion just because it will give me an extra 2-3 hours worth of time to accomplish things here at home. I'm finding myself very behind.
It's times like these that you can't help *but* trust in God for you to somehow regain lost hours of whatever. You wonder where on earth those free minutes went and where you just got left behind. Did I oversleep and lose like 48 hours worth of work or something? I've been working pretty consistently on things...not much time for goofing off...so why is it my work load has become so much heavier??
Anyways! I'd love any feedback or insights as to how you manage when you find you have a huge workload and lots of overdue things and absolutely no time...what do you do that that point? ...other than pray for wisdom and guidance and such. Like how do you find yourself able to manage lots of things in little time?
Thank you for reading!!
It's times like these that you can't help *but* trust in God for you to somehow regain lost hours of whatever. You wonder where on earth those free minutes went and where you just got left behind. Did I oversleep and lose like 48 hours worth of work or something? I've been working pretty consistently on things...not much time for goofing off...so why is it my work load has become so much heavier??
Anyways! I'd love any feedback or insights as to how you manage when you find you have a huge workload and lots of overdue things and absolutely no time...what do you do that that point? ...other than pray for wisdom and guidance and such. Like how do you find yourself able to manage lots of things in little time?
Thank you for reading!!
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Conversion Online?
So far I think I've posted some pretty laid back things...nothing too deep or religious. I mean, everything is religious...but in comparison to some things I've said online before all this is pretty tame. It's just fluff...cotton candy, if you will. Honestly I'm not sure if I will be posting anything too deep or theological. It's not that I'm not grounded or proud of my faith...but rather that I've seen it all played out before. I've posted some pretty controversial things before.
I'll admit this up front: I am a radical Christian. I know a lot of Christians say that...being a Christian makes me radical enough already...but being a 5 point Reformed Christian (a Calvinist) makes me even more of a stranger. I can't even count on both hands and feet how many times I've been asked what church I go to or what religion I am and when I tell them their eyes kind of glaze over..they give me this "ohh I see" when in reality they've never even heard it before. We're not popular...and we're not well liked. But hey, God never said anyone would like any of His people...Calvinist or not.
So far most of my posts here have been skimming the surface of Christianity....they are issues and subjects that pretty much any Christian agrees with (with very few exceptions). I don't know if I particularly care to get deeper...into more personal and specific messages. My goal is to glorify God...not get into heated arguments or debates especially over the internet. I've been there...trust me I went through several MONTHS of that before. That taught me a valuable lesson: if you're going to be different in your religion do your best not to stir the pot...and never post specific religious topics online...ever. People aren't looking all over Twitter, Facebook, or Google+...they are online to waste time and if they see something they don't like they will go after it like a gold-digger. Just...don't pick fights...pick and choose your mountains to die on but if you're going to be super different in your belief I've learned to just keep it to yourself.
Fighting online is one of the most immature things you could possibly do. It degrades you! The people you're arguing with obviously aren't looking to be converted...they just disagree...so they state that...and you state why you're right...and they state the flaws...so you correct the flaws...then they state their belief...and you state their flaws...and they correct those...and so it goes around and around and NOTHING gets accomplished other then you both come off as looking like complete idiots to everyone who has popcorn and is sitting in front of their screen waiting for your caps lock to come on. And the name calling! Ah! Don't even get me started.
Yes, I have stated a lot of things...but if you're going to go about "converting" the online world you can do it much more subtly then you could ever imagine. "Wise as serpents and gentle as doves". Not "march in like a herd of elephants with bazooka guns and french horns". Just...as Christians we are called to be a ministry to others, yes, and we are called to give the Gospel...but that doesn't mean giving in when other provoke us to fights either. Well, this turned out to be a rant...against something that I find myself doing every once in a while.
Well during this whole post I did look up the word 'radical' and words like it...and personally I don't care for the definition. Maybe I was looking for a different word? Or perhaps I always thought radical meant something different. But it's coming up with words like "hot-headed" "troublemaker" or "revolutionist"...I simply meant that my religion is very different...it's exclusive and we tend to look very proud and stuck up because we don't give an inch of ground to anyone who disagrees with us or comes close to agreeing with us but disagrees on one issue.
Anyways! This post didn't turn out at all like I had originally planned...in fact I believe it went downhill. This whole post is just to say that for the time being I fully intend on keeping it friendly towards everyone and everything...my wish is not to spark great debates or arguments on my blog however much the attention and comments would be welcome - lol! But no, for the time present I fully intend to write nothing but fluff! Encouraging fluff, I hope...but nothing too personal, specific, or deeply theological.
Thank you for reading!
I'll admit this up front: I am a radical Christian. I know a lot of Christians say that...being a Christian makes me radical enough already...but being a 5 point Reformed Christian (a Calvinist) makes me even more of a stranger. I can't even count on both hands and feet how many times I've been asked what church I go to or what religion I am and when I tell them their eyes kind of glaze over..they give me this "ohh I see" when in reality they've never even heard it before. We're not popular...and we're not well liked. But hey, God never said anyone would like any of His people...Calvinist or not.
So far most of my posts here have been skimming the surface of Christianity....they are issues and subjects that pretty much any Christian agrees with (with very few exceptions). I don't know if I particularly care to get deeper...into more personal and specific messages. My goal is to glorify God...not get into heated arguments or debates especially over the internet. I've been there...trust me I went through several MONTHS of that before. That taught me a valuable lesson: if you're going to be different in your religion do your best not to stir the pot...and never post specific religious topics online...ever. People aren't looking all over Twitter, Facebook, or Google+...they are online to waste time and if they see something they don't like they will go after it like a gold-digger. Just...don't pick fights...pick and choose your mountains to die on but if you're going to be super different in your belief I've learned to just keep it to yourself.
Fighting online is one of the most immature things you could possibly do. It degrades you! The people you're arguing with obviously aren't looking to be converted...they just disagree...so they state that...and you state why you're right...and they state the flaws...so you correct the flaws...then they state their belief...and you state their flaws...and they correct those...and so it goes around and around and NOTHING gets accomplished other then you both come off as looking like complete idiots to everyone who has popcorn and is sitting in front of their screen waiting for your caps lock to come on. And the name calling! Ah! Don't even get me started.
Yes, I have stated a lot of things...but if you're going to go about "converting" the online world you can do it much more subtly then you could ever imagine. "Wise as serpents and gentle as doves". Not "march in like a herd of elephants with bazooka guns and french horns". Just...as Christians we are called to be a ministry to others, yes, and we are called to give the Gospel...but that doesn't mean giving in when other provoke us to fights either. Well, this turned out to be a rant...against something that I find myself doing every once in a while.
Well during this whole post I did look up the word 'radical' and words like it...and personally I don't care for the definition. Maybe I was looking for a different word? Or perhaps I always thought radical meant something different. But it's coming up with words like "hot-headed" "troublemaker" or "revolutionist"...I simply meant that my religion is very different...it's exclusive and we tend to look very proud and stuck up because we don't give an inch of ground to anyone who disagrees with us or comes close to agreeing with us but disagrees on one issue.
Anyways! This post didn't turn out at all like I had originally planned...in fact I believe it went downhill. This whole post is just to say that for the time being I fully intend on keeping it friendly towards everyone and everything...my wish is not to spark great debates or arguments on my blog however much the attention and comments would be welcome - lol! But no, for the time present I fully intend to write nothing but fluff! Encouraging fluff, I hope...but nothing too personal, specific, or deeply theological.
Thank you for reading!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.
Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered died and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scripture; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the God the Father Almighty; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Autism: Awareness and Coping
Today was interesting. It was good and I was productive around the house and with Rushdoony work. Then I had Whitney babysitting for a few hours. I haven't gotten to babysit for her in about a month and a half...well, over that I think. Anyways...my Hunter has changed so much. He was diagnosed with autism about a year and a half ago...and since then he's been changing ever so slowly. Yes, he's always been a bit different...but never retarded. He has been unique and special and very dear to me. Seeing him and how he operates and functions has really been fascinating. For several years now I've wanted to become an occupational therapist and if that ever comes to pass (Lord willing) then I would be working with people like him...children and adults. So getting to see and work with Hunter firsthand all these years has been a real eye-opener as to what work would be like. I thought it would be easy...but these past few times that I've babysat Hunter...I've seen what a huge challenge is in front of me and how little patience I really have. He is so amazing and special...so that is first and foremost before I begin this story. I want to give a definition of autism before I begin with today's experience so that you can better understand the diagnosis.
Autism: this is a physical condition that isn't usually diagnosed till age 2 or 3...it's at that time when the parent begins to notice that their child isn't developing as quickly as he or she should be. Based on a very long list of symptoms they are then given the prognosis of autism. From there they can be treated by occupational, physical and speech therapists as well as attend special schools for autistic children. The symptoms: they may be overly sensitive to sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell...they are very accustomed to routine and cannot stand to see it broken...have repeated body motions that they use (usually to calm down). They also may have communication problems: cannot keep up a social conversation, uses gestures instead of words, or repeats words or phrases over and over. They have social problems: don't make friends easily, doesn't play social games, doesn't make clear eye contact, prefers to be alone, and has little to NO empathy at all (this has been one of the hardest ones to get used to for me. When Hunter does something wrong and I tell him no or have to slap his hand he doesn't understand I'm scolding him...he thinks it's a game. He thinks everything is a game and when he misbehaving there is no way to correct him. If I try he gets violent and at the end of it all it doesn't matter if I'm red in the face from yelling or if I'm crying from frustration...he doesn't understand others' emotions at all and so doesn't understand he has done wrong or that I'm angry/upset/frustrated). They may withdraw from any physical contact due to a heightened sensitivity and it causes them pain; they may have an ultra high or low response to physical pain; or they usually won't participate in group or imagination games. Behaviorally-wise they may: have huge tantrums and fits, have a short attention span for you but do a repetitive motion continually for hours (spinning a bike tire while the bike lays on the ground), have a very narrow interests, show aggression to others or self, or they may be overactive or very passive.
So now that you have a basic idea of how autism works and how an autistic person behaves...my Hunter was diagnosed with autism and at first it was quite hard to believe...he seemed so normal...he was happy and cheerful and so energetic. He loved to play and run and laugh...just like any kid his age. But the older he got the more I began to see that the doctors are called doctors for a reason and I'm not called a doctor for a reason. The older he got, the more he "grew into" his autism. I've known him for several years now...he was 1 1/2 when I first met him...he'll be turning 5 in December. He's always felt like my little boy...my own kid or my little brother because that's how well and long that I've known him. I haven't had to watch him a lot over the summer due to his mom just having their latest addition in May and being home more often to tend to him...but today I got to work in the first time in about a month and a half.
He wouldn't let me touch him...cuddle with him...hug him...kiss him. He wouldn't say "I love you". He also picked up this habit of biting my clothes...who knows where? He just...he was completely changed. Nothing will ever change the way I love my Hunter Cole...but it's become so hard to focus on him solely or spend a good deal of time with him...simply because it seems like no matter what I do it's not good enough...I keep failing when it comes to getting along with him. It often makes me wonder if I am cut out to help people...do I have what it takes to truly help them cope with whatever they have? Am I patient and understanding enough to be able to look past my personal feelings toward them (like with Hunter and seeing him slip away in his love towards me) and be able to focus on *them* and *their* feelings? Can I do that? Am I truly cut out to be a good occupational therapist?
Of course I don't know the answers to these questions...I don't know what the future holds. Maybe this is set in my life to challenge and built me...prepare me for what's ahead. Who truly knows. Whatever happens I want to be shaped and formed so that it grows my character to that of a God-focused and God-fearing Christian woman to be the best I can be at glorifying God for His sake and for the furthering of His kingdom. It is still mind-boggling to think that every hardship that comes into our lives is God telling us to learn a good lesson from it and become stronger in Him. It is Him saying, "You can handle this no matter how hard it seems. I believe in you and I'm here to support you and lift you up when you finally turn to Me as your only source of peace and trust".
Anyways...that is my post for today...I sincerely hope you all benefited from reading this...may God bless your lovely day...and may I say that earlier this evening (or last night...Monday night) was so incredibly beautiful. Leaving the Wood's house I was so stunned...it had just stopped raining...the humidity was *soaring*...the heat was incredibly overwhelming (in a good way of course) and there was this steam coming off of the pavement. It smelled so so amazing and just that alone was pure beauty...not to mention seeing the loveliness of the wet grass and road...that is my favorite weather of all and God blessed me with a gorgeous summer night of it!!
Autism: this is a physical condition that isn't usually diagnosed till age 2 or 3...it's at that time when the parent begins to notice that their child isn't developing as quickly as he or she should be. Based on a very long list of symptoms they are then given the prognosis of autism. From there they can be treated by occupational, physical and speech therapists as well as attend special schools for autistic children. The symptoms: they may be overly sensitive to sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell...they are very accustomed to routine and cannot stand to see it broken...have repeated body motions that they use (usually to calm down). They also may have communication problems: cannot keep up a social conversation, uses gestures instead of words, or repeats words or phrases over and over. They have social problems: don't make friends easily, doesn't play social games, doesn't make clear eye contact, prefers to be alone, and has little to NO empathy at all (this has been one of the hardest ones to get used to for me. When Hunter does something wrong and I tell him no or have to slap his hand he doesn't understand I'm scolding him...he thinks it's a game. He thinks everything is a game and when he misbehaving there is no way to correct him. If I try he gets violent and at the end of it all it doesn't matter if I'm red in the face from yelling or if I'm crying from frustration...he doesn't understand others' emotions at all and so doesn't understand he has done wrong or that I'm angry/upset/frustrated). They may withdraw from any physical contact due to a heightened sensitivity and it causes them pain; they may have an ultra high or low response to physical pain; or they usually won't participate in group or imagination games. Behaviorally-wise they may: have huge tantrums and fits, have a short attention span for you but do a repetitive motion continually for hours (spinning a bike tire while the bike lays on the ground), have a very narrow interests, show aggression to others or self, or they may be overactive or very passive.
So now that you have a basic idea of how autism works and how an autistic person behaves...my Hunter was diagnosed with autism and at first it was quite hard to believe...he seemed so normal...he was happy and cheerful and so energetic. He loved to play and run and laugh...just like any kid his age. But the older he got the more I began to see that the doctors are called doctors for a reason and I'm not called a doctor for a reason. The older he got, the more he "grew into" his autism. I've known him for several years now...he was 1 1/2 when I first met him...he'll be turning 5 in December. He's always felt like my little boy...my own kid or my little brother because that's how well and long that I've known him. I haven't had to watch him a lot over the summer due to his mom just having their latest addition in May and being home more often to tend to him...but today I got to work in the first time in about a month and a half.
He wouldn't let me touch him...cuddle with him...hug him...kiss him. He wouldn't say "I love you". He also picked up this habit of biting my clothes...who knows where? He just...he was completely changed. Nothing will ever change the way I love my Hunter Cole...but it's become so hard to focus on him solely or spend a good deal of time with him...simply because it seems like no matter what I do it's not good enough...I keep failing when it comes to getting along with him. It often makes me wonder if I am cut out to help people...do I have what it takes to truly help them cope with whatever they have? Am I patient and understanding enough to be able to look past my personal feelings toward them (like with Hunter and seeing him slip away in his love towards me) and be able to focus on *them* and *their* feelings? Can I do that? Am I truly cut out to be a good occupational therapist?
Of course I don't know the answers to these questions...I don't know what the future holds. Maybe this is set in my life to challenge and built me...prepare me for what's ahead. Who truly knows. Whatever happens I want to be shaped and formed so that it grows my character to that of a God-focused and God-fearing Christian woman to be the best I can be at glorifying God for His sake and for the furthering of His kingdom. It is still mind-boggling to think that every hardship that comes into our lives is God telling us to learn a good lesson from it and become stronger in Him. It is Him saying, "You can handle this no matter how hard it seems. I believe in you and I'm here to support you and lift you up when you finally turn to Me as your only source of peace and trust".
Anyways...that is my post for today...I sincerely hope you all benefited from reading this...may God bless your lovely day...and may I say that earlier this evening (or last night...Monday night) was so incredibly beautiful. Leaving the Wood's house I was so stunned...it had just stopped raining...the humidity was *soaring*...the heat was incredibly overwhelming (in a good way of course) and there was this steam coming off of the pavement. It smelled so so amazing and just that alone was pure beauty...not to mention seeing the loveliness of the wet grass and road...that is my favorite weather of all and God blessed me with a gorgeous summer night of it!!
Monday, September 3, 2012
Purely Content
Well my oh my...today has been buuuusy. I woke up...tired. I had church which went well. Actually my serious part of the post today is on my notes for the sermon...I completely enjoyed it and hope you will too. After church we had a luncheon and we all got to fellowship with one another which really was enjoyable. Philip and I cleaned up all the dishes, food, and church afterwards and that was nice. Then the Jagts came over to our house for the afternoon while we did an intense clean-up. We cleaned for several hours and it remains completely clean! It's so beautiful. :D Anyways, we all got to hang out and do fun cleaning and then we had guests arrive.
Every year we have our annual Labor Day bonfire and we invite a ton of friends over. Let's see if I can list most of them: McAtees, Jagts, Miss Terri, Woods, Nightengales, Riches, Chauvins, and Grossos. I think that was it...sorry if I missed anyone. Anyways we all had a blast all night long...played and talked and hung out...went back in the woods, played basketball, smoked cigars, ate good food, drank alcohol....lol, it really turned out to be a huge party and so much fun! Rachel and I didn't even leave the house till about 2am to get here to stay the night at the Potter's (we're still house/animal sitting). After a while it was just Mia, me, Jon, Matt, Kyle, and Tony all hanging out and telling spooky stories...geeezzzz...there were some really scary ones!! I found myself truly frightened...and that's what one of my near-future posts is going to be about: fear. So anyways...yup there was that. Now I'm just chilling and waiting for the headache to leave so I can get some sleep. :)
In the meantime! The Scripture for this sermons was Philippians 4:11-12 "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." and Hebrews 13:5 "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.' "
To covet is to have an inordinate (sinful) desire...a desire that is not in keeping with God's revelation. God has made us as humans, to be a people with passions, and so it is not the passion itself that is sinful but rather it is the twistedness of the passion that is sinful. We want things that are not ours to be had such as another man’s wife, property, life, position. And we begin to see that contentment is a state of mind, arrived at by confidence in the Lord Christ, in which one’s desires are confined to one’s lot whatever it may be at any given time.
To covert is to want overly that which is not yours. We were created to want and desire, but when it becomes a sinful desire it has become coveting. Gratitude is one way we can overcome coveting. If we are finding ourselves happy and grateful for the blessings which we have received then why would we look outside of that to Christ and complain and covet for that which we do not have? Coveting is very easily the root that produces the "fruit". It is the secret sin behind and fueling all the others. Wanting or desiring that which is not yours would motivate you to disobey your parents...seek out another god...murder...steal...lie. So yes, it can easily be said to be the background sin that pushes the others forward.
Thou shalt not: covet...so in response to that...
Thou shall: learn contentment
Contentment is the absence of sinful desire and an ability to find satisfaction and sufficiency in where God has placed us at any given moment. Contentment does not mean that we do not seek to better our situation, or to improve upon our lot, but it does mean that in any given situation in which divine providence has brought us into at any given moment we are able to find a certain tranquility. Contentment is something you gradually learn through your Christian walk. It is a learned trait. Even among the greatest of Christians it is hard. Paul, the apostle of Christ, had failings in this and had to learn it. He was the one who wrote the passage in Philippians that we looked at earlier.
Our culture today is one that simply screams discontentment at us...it daily encourages us to always want more or better things or situations. We must learn the sufficiency of God's grace. This also requires a steadfast trust in God and His ability to provide. In 1 Timothy 6:6 we see that godliness is closely tied in with contentment. "But godliness with contentment is great gain." They marry those two ideas together and make them work off of one another.
Contentment is not just resignation to our fate (if it is bad). It's not just throwing up our hands and saying "whatever" or "oh well...it's just that way." We can be purely content with our circumstances as well as trusting in God and not dwelling in abuse or allowing others to ill use us or get away with sin. We can be content without being flat-out passive. It is a hard balance but God has given us the ability in Christ to master it perfectly.
Christ strengthens us with contentment and the ability to have a good balance of contentment/passiveness and not putting up with any crap or abuse. We are to be able to do and deal with all things and situations through Christ. Even when we are without needs we continue to need and require the sufficiency of our Father.
So here are five steps to encouraging the bud of contentment to bloom in your garden of godly virtues:
1) We must be mindful of God's providence and ordering of all things (Psalm 96:1-2 and Psalm 145).
2) We are to find our satisfaction in Christ and the divine promises God has made to us (2 Peter 1:4).
3) We are to practice gratitude; we must be mindful of how God has truly blessed us.
4) We must have knowledge and confidence that someday God will fix all wrong in the world; He isn't asleep and someday He will right all wrong. God is good and faithful all the time (2 Thessalonians 1:6).
5) We are to remind ourselves of the fact that we are not deserving of anything that we think we are deserving of.
When the law calls for us to not covet, it calls for us to be content and satisfied. It is a good reminder that we are desperately in need of a Savior...Christ is our only source of righteousness and salvation. He has fulfilled the gift of contentment for us and so He has done and accomplished what we are required to do since we fall short of it. This is another reminder to always be seeking to be more like Christ and His perfection of contentment. With pure contentment there is no coveting.
Thank you for reading.
Every year we have our annual Labor Day bonfire and we invite a ton of friends over. Let's see if I can list most of them: McAtees, Jagts, Miss Terri, Woods, Nightengales, Riches, Chauvins, and Grossos. I think that was it...sorry if I missed anyone. Anyways we all had a blast all night long...played and talked and hung out...went back in the woods, played basketball, smoked cigars, ate good food, drank alcohol....lol, it really turned out to be a huge party and so much fun! Rachel and I didn't even leave the house till about 2am to get here to stay the night at the Potter's (we're still house/animal sitting). After a while it was just Mia, me, Jon, Matt, Kyle, and Tony all hanging out and telling spooky stories...geeezzzz...there were some really scary ones!! I found myself truly frightened...and that's what one of my near-future posts is going to be about: fear. So anyways...yup there was that. Now I'm just chilling and waiting for the headache to leave so I can get some sleep. :)
In the meantime! The Scripture for this sermons was Philippians 4:11-12 "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." and Hebrews 13:5 "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.' "
To covet is to have an inordinate (sinful) desire...a desire that is not in keeping with God's revelation. God has made us as humans, to be a people with passions, and so it is not the passion itself that is sinful but rather it is the twistedness of the passion that is sinful. We want things that are not ours to be had such as another man’s wife, property, life, position. And we begin to see that contentment is a state of mind, arrived at by confidence in the Lord Christ, in which one’s desires are confined to one’s lot whatever it may be at any given time.
To covert is to want overly that which is not yours. We were created to want and desire, but when it becomes a sinful desire it has become coveting. Gratitude is one way we can overcome coveting. If we are finding ourselves happy and grateful for the blessings which we have received then why would we look outside of that to Christ and complain and covet for that which we do not have? Coveting is very easily the root that produces the "fruit". It is the secret sin behind and fueling all the others. Wanting or desiring that which is not yours would motivate you to disobey your parents...seek out another god...murder...steal...lie. So yes, it can easily be said to be the background sin that pushes the others forward.
Thou shalt not: covet...so in response to that...
Thou shall: learn contentment
Contentment is the absence of sinful desire and an ability to find satisfaction and sufficiency in where God has placed us at any given moment. Contentment does not mean that we do not seek to better our situation, or to improve upon our lot, but it does mean that in any given situation in which divine providence has brought us into at any given moment we are able to find a certain tranquility. Contentment is something you gradually learn through your Christian walk. It is a learned trait. Even among the greatest of Christians it is hard. Paul, the apostle of Christ, had failings in this and had to learn it. He was the one who wrote the passage in Philippians that we looked at earlier.
Our culture today is one that simply screams discontentment at us...it daily encourages us to always want more or better things or situations. We must learn the sufficiency of God's grace. This also requires a steadfast trust in God and His ability to provide. In 1 Timothy 6:6 we see that godliness is closely tied in with contentment. "But godliness with contentment is great gain." They marry those two ideas together and make them work off of one another.
Contentment is not just resignation to our fate (if it is bad). It's not just throwing up our hands and saying "whatever" or "oh well...it's just that way." We can be purely content with our circumstances as well as trusting in God and not dwelling in abuse or allowing others to ill use us or get away with sin. We can be content without being flat-out passive. It is a hard balance but God has given us the ability in Christ to master it perfectly.
Christ strengthens us with contentment and the ability to have a good balance of contentment/passiveness and not putting up with any crap or abuse. We are to be able to do and deal with all things and situations through Christ. Even when we are without needs we continue to need and require the sufficiency of our Father.
So here are five steps to encouraging the bud of contentment to bloom in your garden of godly virtues:
1) We must be mindful of God's providence and ordering of all things (Psalm 96:1-2 and Psalm 145).
2) We are to find our satisfaction in Christ and the divine promises God has made to us (2 Peter 1:4).
3) We are to practice gratitude; we must be mindful of how God has truly blessed us.
4) We must have knowledge and confidence that someday God will fix all wrong in the world; He isn't asleep and someday He will right all wrong. God is good and faithful all the time (2 Thessalonians 1:6).
5) We are to remind ourselves of the fact that we are not deserving of anything that we think we are deserving of.
When the law calls for us to not covet, it calls for us to be content and satisfied. It is a good reminder that we are desperately in need of a Savior...Christ is our only source of righteousness and salvation. He has fulfilled the gift of contentment for us and so He has done and accomplished what we are required to do since we fall short of it. This is another reminder to always be seeking to be more like Christ and His perfection of contentment. With pure contentment there is no coveting.
Thank you for reading.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
The Beauty of God
Here it is...after 1am again..I really have to stop doing this and just get sleep...but it's different being in a different house and being under your own rules. Is this how it is when you first move out from your parent's house? I suppose you get used to it...but going places and doing stuff I want to is weird. I can go to bed whenever I want and get up whenever I want...it's so different! Obviously I'm still at the point of abusing it to the point where I stay up this late and post on my blog for the world to see...but I figure it's good practice for when I really do move out. I mean, there are only so many nights that you can go without sleep or with little sleep before you just can't take it or you fall asleep during class or work - lol.
So tonight..er...today...I decided to talk a little about God's beauty. Some people I've come across disagree with this...saying that God cannot be seen by us and therefore we can't comprehend whether he is beautiful or not. But okay...can you see God as being ugly? Point. Anyways...what I really mean is this: all of us have the imprint of God upon us. We are all a direct creation of our living God. We were made, shaped, and formed in the likeness of God Himself! And not only us...He spent individual and specific attention to everything that exists...every beautiful picture you've seen...He spent unique time at that location to form it...he even put that gorgeous sunrise there so that someone could capture it with a picture and you would see it. He put time into everything...well, okay maybe not a lot of time...but only because He didn't require a lot of time. He planned out every ant. He painted every sunrise and sunset. He placed every tree and flower into place.
Driving over here tonight, I looked out the window and just found myself amazing. The moon was out and since it was a full moon last night it was still pretty big. The way the clouds were shaped were just so amazing! I found myself, once again, taken back and stunned at the remarkable creation and beauty of God. He is portrayed in His creation...He is magnified (think of a magnifying glass which blows everything up to a much bigger size) and praised loudly through everything we see! Isn't that truly amazing?
I remember once I as riding with some friends of mine and they couldn't stop commenting on the lovely clouds that evening...every minute or so they would exclaim over them. I just didn't get it...they were clouds! They weren't special or different then many other clouds I had seen throughout my life. About a week later I looked at the clouds and I was shocked! Just like what had happened to them, I found myself just completely wowed by the splendor of God!
What I've come to realize is that it comes and goes...you have moods of truly noticing the beauty...and moods where you question the existence of beauty - lol. But when those good moods are there...when you can't help but tear up over the way the raindrops look on a rose right up close and in person...when those moments hit you square in the face...don't ignore them. Don' push them away because "you don't have time." I did that for a long time before I came face to face with reality: if I don't have time at that moment then I never will. That beauty...that breathtaking whatever-it-is was placed right there under my nose for that moment and for that time and to show me a little of the glory of God as displayed through His creation.
How treasured we are that we might be included in and also share with others the great beauty of God. His creation both in nature and in humans is truly magnificent and never dull. Learn to make time stop when special moments come up...they are special for a reason. They are *yours* for a reason. Our Father loves us SO much and wants to give us joy! Isn't that amazing?! He wants us happy! He wants us to experience lovely things and one way He has richly blessed us is through his gorgeous creation.
I pray that you may be greatly blessed by God and His beauty...His stunning creation and bountiful blessings. Okay, there are a lot of adjectives in here...sorry about all of those...I guess that all those creative writing courses paid off for something, huh? Anyways...have a wonderful night...and...day. Have a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend and have a party! I know we will :) God bless you!
So tonight..er...today...I decided to talk a little about God's beauty. Some people I've come across disagree with this...saying that God cannot be seen by us and therefore we can't comprehend whether he is beautiful or not. But okay...can you see God as being ugly? Point. Anyways...what I really mean is this: all of us have the imprint of God upon us. We are all a direct creation of our living God. We were made, shaped, and formed in the likeness of God Himself! And not only us...He spent individual and specific attention to everything that exists...every beautiful picture you've seen...He spent unique time at that location to form it...he even put that gorgeous sunrise there so that someone could capture it with a picture and you would see it. He put time into everything...well, okay maybe not a lot of time...but only because He didn't require a lot of time. He planned out every ant. He painted every sunrise and sunset. He placed every tree and flower into place.
Driving over here tonight, I looked out the window and just found myself amazing. The moon was out and since it was a full moon last night it was still pretty big. The way the clouds were shaped were just so amazing! I found myself, once again, taken back and stunned at the remarkable creation and beauty of God. He is portrayed in His creation...He is magnified (think of a magnifying glass which blows everything up to a much bigger size) and praised loudly through everything we see! Isn't that truly amazing?
I remember once I as riding with some friends of mine and they couldn't stop commenting on the lovely clouds that evening...every minute or so they would exclaim over them. I just didn't get it...they were clouds! They weren't special or different then many other clouds I had seen throughout my life. About a week later I looked at the clouds and I was shocked! Just like what had happened to them, I found myself just completely wowed by the splendor of God!
What I've come to realize is that it comes and goes...you have moods of truly noticing the beauty...and moods where you question the existence of beauty - lol. But when those good moods are there...when you can't help but tear up over the way the raindrops look on a rose right up close and in person...when those moments hit you square in the face...don't ignore them. Don' push them away because "you don't have time." I did that for a long time before I came face to face with reality: if I don't have time at that moment then I never will. That beauty...that breathtaking whatever-it-is was placed right there under my nose for that moment and for that time and to show me a little of the glory of God as displayed through His creation.
How treasured we are that we might be included in and also share with others the great beauty of God. His creation both in nature and in humans is truly magnificent and never dull. Learn to make time stop when special moments come up...they are special for a reason. They are *yours* for a reason. Our Father loves us SO much and wants to give us joy! Isn't that amazing?! He wants us happy! He wants us to experience lovely things and one way He has richly blessed us is through his gorgeous creation.
I pray that you may be greatly blessed by God and His beauty...His stunning creation and bountiful blessings. Okay, there are a lot of adjectives in here...sorry about all of those...I guess that all those creative writing courses paid off for something, huh? Anyways...have a wonderful night...and...day. Have a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend and have a party! I know we will :) God bless you!
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Of Time
Okay...so I completely forgot what my point for today/tonight was...I was planning it out all day in my head and now that it's 1:30 am I just totally forgot what it was - lol.
Well...today I went out to lunch with my grandma. I don't get to see her or my grandpa very often, just at birthdays and holidays and concerts basically. So it was really neat to get to sit down with her one on one and just talk with her. We talked about so many things...family and future and such. It was just so neat and it reminded me that time really is short and we rarely get to spend time like that.
Who do we love? Who are we close to? Who builds and defines us? Friends, yes for sure. But family too. We've always had a small family...my mum and dad each had one sister and my dad's sister passed away a number of years ago. My mum's sister has two daughters...both older then my older sister and one is now married I think. I don't even know. The only other real relatives I have are my dad's mum and step-dad who live about five minutes away and my mum's mum who is in California.
So we've never been one of those nice big families who have awesome holidays or memories or hang-outs at cottages or cabins or camping places. I've always had the friends who have the billions of cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and such...but that's not us. Even with the small family that we have we never get to spend the time together like we should.
Why is that? Why is it that even though pretty much the only relatives you have live only five minutes away you still don't really know them. You know barely anything about them other than what they usually do for the week and stuff like that. So do it...go spend time with them...find a date and eat a meal with them. Catch up with them and just talk. We sat and just ate and talked for well over an hour...probably closer to two hours. It was amazing and I found out that this grandma I've had and known for all my life has a lot in common with me...or rather I have a lot in common with her. I always thought she was critical and didn't super approve of me and my habits/characteristics/personality...but today I realized she is one of my biggest supporters. You just never realize how much people love you and are willing to back you up even though you make stupid mistakes or do dumb things...some people just always have our back even if we don't know it.
My grandma is one of those...I didn't realize how supportive she was...how much she loved me...till we sat down and talked. I found out she really does approve of me and a lot of my ways. And I know that I am not going to wait this long before asking to go out for lunch with her again. This time it was for her birthday, but truthfully who needs a special occasion? Who needs a reason? Just do it...time is invaluable...you cannot put any kind of a price tag on the gift of spending time with someone special...friend or family.
So that's my "words of wisdom" mixed with a little personal stuff too. Just...don't waste time. Don't waste your life by putting it off. Take the people you love and spend time with them...love them..talk to them...open up to them. Here's to hoping you all have a beautiful Saturday and a blessed Labor Day weekend!
Well...today I went out to lunch with my grandma. I don't get to see her or my grandpa very often, just at birthdays and holidays and concerts basically. So it was really neat to get to sit down with her one on one and just talk with her. We talked about so many things...family and future and such. It was just so neat and it reminded me that time really is short and we rarely get to spend time like that.
Who do we love? Who are we close to? Who builds and defines us? Friends, yes for sure. But family too. We've always had a small family...my mum and dad each had one sister and my dad's sister passed away a number of years ago. My mum's sister has two daughters...both older then my older sister and one is now married I think. I don't even know. The only other real relatives I have are my dad's mum and step-dad who live about five minutes away and my mum's mum who is in California.
So we've never been one of those nice big families who have awesome holidays or memories or hang-outs at cottages or cabins or camping places. I've always had the friends who have the billions of cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and such...but that's not us. Even with the small family that we have we never get to spend the time together like we should.
Why is that? Why is it that even though pretty much the only relatives you have live only five minutes away you still don't really know them. You know barely anything about them other than what they usually do for the week and stuff like that. So do it...go spend time with them...find a date and eat a meal with them. Catch up with them and just talk. We sat and just ate and talked for well over an hour...probably closer to two hours. It was amazing and I found out that this grandma I've had and known for all my life has a lot in common with me...or rather I have a lot in common with her. I always thought she was critical and didn't super approve of me and my habits/characteristics/personality...but today I realized she is one of my biggest supporters. You just never realize how much people love you and are willing to back you up even though you make stupid mistakes or do dumb things...some people just always have our back even if we don't know it.
My grandma is one of those...I didn't realize how supportive she was...how much she loved me...till we sat down and talked. I found out she really does approve of me and a lot of my ways. And I know that I am not going to wait this long before asking to go out for lunch with her again. This time it was for her birthday, but truthfully who needs a special occasion? Who needs a reason? Just do it...time is invaluable...you cannot put any kind of a price tag on the gift of spending time with someone special...friend or family.
So that's my "words of wisdom" mixed with a little personal stuff too. Just...don't waste time. Don't waste your life by putting it off. Take the people you love and spend time with them...love them..talk to them...open up to them. Here's to hoping you all have a beautiful Saturday and a blessed Labor Day weekend!
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