Persevere

You know that place where everything is moving around you, but you have to stay still, that place where you are working hard, but nothing seems to be happening, where you know what you need to do is very different than what you want to do, well, that's been my week. There comes a time when all that you want to do is scream, or run, or do something different, but the test of character is weather or not you will.
I know in my head that in order to get what I want, I have to stay here, and wait it out, and do what God has asked me to do, even though it is really hard. It is like going to the gym, you know that if you are really going to be healthy, and happy that you consistently have to go and work out, but after the first few months, the results don't seem to be there. The only way to get what you want is to keep going, and get through, this realizing that eventually you will feel better, and perhaps wear the clothing size you want and be able to do the things you want. I know taht if I am going to be able to do all of the things that God has for me to do, then I have to stay here and do what He has asdked, even though it feels like I am out of place, and have no idea what I am doing.
We often get inspired, and think to ourselves "I can do this, it really wont be that hard" but very soon after, we realize that it IS that hard, and we have to keep going, but the amazing thing about it is that when you are finally done, you feel as though you have accomplished something. One of my favorite things about humans in general is that when they have to they Will persevere and accomplish something, but more often than not, those who dont know how, who have no self disipline, cannot, will not, and do not get through. Basically what I am saying is that if you will persevere now, when the time comes, you will be able to prove yourself strong in the face of advacary.
My thoughts have kind of run away with me, and the last paragraph is off of the main subject, bur really, I just hope that this will make you think, and realize that the when it is hard, the only way to go is up.

Christ Manifest

I was thinking the other day about what Christ would look like if He were manifested in me. We talk a lot about being "one in Christ" and we also talk about being "myself" or "individual" these ideas seem to be opposite, but, I believe that they are very similar. The fact is that we are all one in Christ, and He made each of us individual. The reason that we have such a hard time with this concept is that we are ether so focused on becoming one in Christ that we never have an individual relationship with Him, or we are so focused on becoming "our best self" outside of the body that we become secluded. The reality is that as we mature in our individual relationships with Him that we aught to be building Christ centered relationships with the people around us.
Here in lies the next problem, Christ manifest in us as individuals and in our relationships does not look like our idea of the "best us" or of perfection in everything that we do. But rather it is getting to know Christ, and obeying His commandments, and letting Him change us. I will tell you that Christ manifested in me looks like a strong wise entrepreneur, who is not afraid to challenge things, nor to serve those around her. She speaks only kindness, and even when she rebukes things, she does it so sweetly that they do not even know that they were rebuked but rather feel blessed. This however is not what Christ looks like manifested in my brother. That looks much more like someone who speaks blunt truth, and stands up for justice every time he sees any wrong doing, it looks like someone who is content to stay where he is and get done what needs to be done, whereas my younger sister looks like someone who will encourage and bless those around her, and then make sure that everything is done rite.
People are different, callings are different, but we all have the same goal, we have something to work for, and that is the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, that is that the glory of God be shown in the earth, and that every ear that will hear will know the name of Jesus as Lord. Being one in Christ is letting Him teach you how to best reach that goal. Now I will just add here as a side note that the best way to get to know Jesus is by reading the Bible, it is His story, after all. The last thing that I am going to say is that His arms are always open, and ready to teach you, and to love you and to forgive you. For there is no one better, or kinder, or more loving than Jesus Christ.

Rock of Offince

Ok, I am much better today. I was upset yesterday, (as you know) and decided that the only thing to do was to pray, and that is just what I did. There is something about just re-directing your attention on Jesus that makes the whole world seem more at peace. I realized that something as irregular as being cut off in mid sentience three times in two days, was more than just a coincidence, and that perhaps God was trying to do something im me. I think that he is teaching me yet again to let go of things, of expectations, and not take offince with people. This lesson is sssooo important!
When we are easily offinded it can very quickly take us out of the game. Jesus warned us time and again not to take things personally. "For it is not you that they reject but me." John 15:18. We cannot allow the little things that happen in life take our eyes off of Him. He is the point, he is the reason that this whole world exists, I tell you people that the spiritual relm is more real and more relivent than anything that we have here. Visions are not just a figmant of the imagination, and we are in a war.
Sometimes the simplest things are the most important, things like living honestly in everything that you do, including restraining form white lies, and not taking offince at little things. And sometimes the things that we are asked to do by our King do not make since, but think of it this way, when you are in battle, when you are fighting, or dealing with something important, then all of a sudden all of the little things that you practiced until they were second nature, are the things that are keeping you alive. I did fencing for a while (as in organized sword fighting) and I can tell you that having good form was a pain to practice every day, and the teacher did not let it slip, but when you step on to the strip with an opponant in front of you, the only thing that can get you a point without being touched yourself is form, if you let it down for one minute, you could loose.
So, in the end I exhort you to not take lightly the little things that God is asking you to do, but really take Him at His word, this I believe is one of the definitions of the Fear of the Lord, and as we know from the Psalms, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." And that my friends, is a good way to win your battles.

Rude

I happen to think that it is very rude to cut off someone in the middle of a conversation, and just simply not listen or respond anymore. That has happened to me at least three times this week, and it is Tuesday! And, they were all entirely different situations, so it is not something that I am saying that is "causing" these actions. The first time, in fact someone asked me a question about what I thought on something, and as I was explaining it to them, they just stopped listening and reading something, and would not respond to anything that I said.
I dont understand how people can think that it is ok, I understand that people can be rude without realizing it, like calling after 10:30, or something like that, or interrupting, but just cutting a conversation off in the middle, how can you not realize that! What has the world come to?
OK, I will be done ranting now, and I will try not to rant on here again, I know that is not what you want to hear. Ill come back later when I am in a better mood.

Reading

I love books! I love reading, I love that you can sit down and get to know someone that does not even exist. I have a long list of books that I want to read, and I was just thinking about the fact that so many people miss out on the wonderful experience that I love so much.
People love stories, we watch movies, we play adventure video games, we listen to people talk, and we try to tell stories with music, but it seems that these days reading (and writing by the way) has become a lost art. You read authors like Jane Austin, and Homer, and Dickens, and you realize that they put months of learning and years of experiences into their writings. I am not saying that modern novels are necessarily "bad" but that they somehow lack much of the plot and "epicness" of the classics. Because of things like movies, and tv, we have lost all patience, and do not have nearly the ability to write or read that we used to. Les Miserable is an astounding story, and it is over 1000 pages....how many people do you know that would actually sit down and read that?
I will admit however, that I have a hard time reading anything by Charles Dickens. I enjoy the movies, and try to read the books, because they have so much more meaning, but the man is rather long winded, so I do understand why (some) older novels are put on the shelf.
The point that I am making is that because we dont have the patience to sit and read, and learn, we end up with stupid books that really dont have much of a plot, or good characters, and we accept that every story is the same, and just as predictable as the last. Why do you think that the movie industry all of a sudden started making old books into movies? (Lord of the Rings). Come on people! We can do better than this, if we will just take the time to do it.

Changes

Things are deffinatly begining to change around here. It is kind of funny, I have known that something was going to happen, though I had no idea what, so yesterday I was journoling, and I felt that God was telling me that "lessons begin today" but I decided to leave it at that. Well, little did I know at the time! When I got home from work, there was a letter from a friend of mine who is of similar, but a different religious background than I am, who wanted my opinion of some Biblical concepts and was open to listen to what I had to say. Then I had a good friend call me in tears, just needing some ministry, so I headed over to her house to incourage her. When I got there she got a call from someone in her youth group (she was the youth leader) who was in a bad situation and needed help, so we jumped in the car and went.
We ended up taking here home, and then going back to my friends house and enjoying our night, but I know that something has shifted, and that things are begining to happen...

Quick Trip

I am in Boise right now visiting with my extended family, and so far it has been a lot of fun! I got to hang out in downtown with my cousin Grace, and see sights like...a woman (secretly) spiking her coffee, a man smoking a pipe, and two very inconspicuous police men sitting on a bench one second, and then gone the next!

I really enjoy Boise, and am actually excited at the idea that we may be able to spend more time here in the future when my parents move here. It is very different then Kuna which is where most of my family lives, actually, I happen to enjoy Kuna just as much, but it is for entirely different reasons...Im sure you can understand ;). Well, my aunt is trying to sleep in this room, so I will kindly leave her alone. Thanks all!!

Where is Hope?

I was thinking this week about how many people are all worked up about the government, and the President, and what is going on in the world today, and it makes me sad. Though I agree that much of what is going on is not good, and needs to be addressed, I think many Christians are giving it way too much credence.
Here is the thing, God is SO much bigger than this!!! If we as Christians would take our eyes off of the World and what it is doing, and focus on Jesus and what He is doing, then we would be able to "give a reason for the hope that lies within us" I have heard it said that God has something up His sleeve; His arm! How true this is, God is at work, there is a major shift getting to ready to take place in Idaho, and in America, and in the world. We need to step out of this place of despair and into a place of peace, and joy, and hope. Faith rides on hope, Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is the evidence of things hoped for". We hope because we know that God is, and that because of that, there is a higher wisdom, and a greater good that we live for.
We are part of this story, part of this plan, God loves us enough to allow us to do his work. We have a cause, though many people, many Christians do not understand, there is a reason, we have purpose and destiny.
So the question is, whose government are you focused on? Whose cause are you fighting for? Whose power do you submit to? Where do you place your hope? "I lift my eyes up to the hills, from whence my help comes, my help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth."

The Weekend

My weekend was wonderful, how about yours? First of all, I got to go home, which is always fun. I love seeing my family, and we have a good time together. When I got there I went strait to the church building because we were in the middle of celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. The meetings had been going since last Monday, so I missed the bulk, but what I did see was fantastic! The worship was sweet, and the word was powerful; my sisters did a dance, and that was fun to see.
Saturday was meetings in the morning, and evening with a break for a catered meal at 2. It was delicious! We had barbecue chicken, and dill mashed potatoes, and cornbread, very good. Saturday morning was interesting, we had guests over, we had been up until 2 the night before, breakfast was in the oven, and the house was a dirty as it has been since getting it put on the market. Needless to say, there was a lot going on, and of course, we get a call wondering if some people can come and look at it in half an hour! It was crazy! Our guests graciously left, and we all went to work running around trying to get things clean. We miraculously made it with 5 min. to spare. That was fun!
Sunday, we got up at 5:30, and headed to Boise so that my dad could preach at his friends church that morning. It was a fun service, I always like listening to him preach, and then we went over to the Pastors house (with 20 other people whom his wife was not expecting, but such is the way of pastors) and had lunch. It was a wonderful lunch, and we had good fellowship with people. Then it was back to church for another meeting.
When that was done, we went over to my aunts house to stay the night before I had to get up and go to work 2 hours away, this is where it got interesting. I decided that it was not a good idea for me to go to sleep at 2 and up at 5 and then try to drive for two hours, so I called my boss and let him know that I would be a little bit late; little did I know then that I would be about 5 hours late! I was waiting to see my cousin around 8 who decided not to show up until 9, then I was waiting on people so that I could get all of my things together and get down the road, they decided not to hurry, and about 10 I was finally ready to go...then I realized that my dad had my purse in his car which was at least 30 min away. So, I hopped in my car (with a cousin so that we could visit) and drove over to where he was to get it, and then all they way back to my aunts house to take my cousin home, and at 11:30 I finally left Boise. Luckily, and very thankfully, I have a very laid back boss, and he was fine with the situation. But I think I can safely say that I will from now on, not let that happen! :)

What now?

I have been writing a book, and yesterday it took a turn that I did not expect, and now I have a whole bunch of people in my story that I am not sure what to do with! You other writers will understand, sometimes stories just take on a mind of their own (as do characters)...... I am sure that I will figure it out soon though. Of course there are endless possibilities, but I am having trouble deciding which one...
The other thing that is going on in life (other than the usual work and school) is that my church is celebrating The Feast of Tabernacles, and I am really wanting to go home and celebrate it with them. However, I am encouraged, God is good and I know that things are in His hands.
OK, I'm done... :)

New Things

Well, my brother has a girlfriend for the first time. This is very interesting....I really like her thought I dont know her very well. This is the first time any of us have been in a serious relationship, and no one really knows what to do.
The other big change is that my family is moving to Dallas Texas (maybe a detour to Boise for a few years). That is a huge change, I have lived in Idaho my whole life, what a time for by brother to pick to be serious about a girl! Oh well, these things happen, and I hope and pray that all works out for the best. Well, that is all that I have time for today :).
BTW, there was frost all over my car this morning!!!!!! I guess fall is really finally here....