The drive home is hot and cold as Drew and I keep switching the temperature controller to accommodate our needs. He is hot, I am cold. So we compromise in the middle where he remains a bit sweaty and I, a bit chilled. But that is us. Meeting in the middle and living miserably together. ;) Just kidding. But it is the togetherness that makes my goose bumps calm and content.
It has been a long weekend filled with lots of miles. Traveling home from Illinois in a bus covered in diesel. Getting home late to empty our car of the bags from the trip only to put a few things back in them to leave the next day. It was a good trip though, filled with family encouragement and hugs from friends. I love my family and friends. They understand us, and that means so much to me. It feels so good to drive home after a crazy day of meeting with dr. robinsdad and talking about the fall with parents. God is good. He answers prayers and I am so thankful.
May the rest of this week be ever filled with wonder and God's Gift.
one step closer to a closed door, and one step closer to an open one...
Peeling away piece by piece to get to the raw goodness of it all.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Thursday, May 11, 2006
wise men
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." Matthew 7:24
What is the rock for which we have built our homes?
Growing up, I was born into the Catholic church. I can remember walking into the country church that sat on a hill formed graveyard. As I entered the sanctuary my black patten leather shoes that buckled clicked on the stone floor. We always sat near the front, which I thought was a reason to show everyone who we were. We were known in the community, I had a large extended family. I later decided my parents wanted to sit near the front so when they had to take me outside the doors to spank me, which happened at least once a month, everyone could see what was happening. I liked that church even though now thinking back it feels cold to me. Dead, ritualistic, yet traditional. Years later we converted to a much more freeing conservative, non-instrumental church. We met good people there. Church seemed more like a family, and it seemed I could actually meet people who were trying to make good, Christ like decisions. So, I began making my decisions based on these people.
I began to learn scripture. Certain scriptures though. It never struck me as funny that we would take scriptures out of the bible stories and memorize them, applying them to our lives, without reading the context to which they were written. For example, I memorized with my class I Corinthians 13. The famous chapter on love. I, along with 9 other 10 year olds, stood in front of our small assembly and recited, "Tho I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not love, I am nothing." . I never read what the chapter before this chapter is on. Do you know?
Spiritual Gifts.
We never once in the 10 years that I went to this church discussed spiritual gifts. Doesn't that sound crazy? Why were they afraid to even discuss things they didn't understand? So I learned about love, which was good. But we never did discuss that "tongues of men and of angels" part. I assumed it was something that was in bible days. That is how they explained everything they didn't understand. They would just say that only happened in bible days. What a shame. Thousands of people are out there with unopened gifts from the King.
So I began to build my house. But what foundation had I laid all of my verses on? Jesus tells us the wise man built is house on the 'rock'. What is my rock? When the storms actually do come, and I start to question everything that has ever happened to me in my life, and sorrow sets in, what is the rock that I cling to, that I stand on confidently?
Hearing the word, putting it into practice, this is the rock to which all of my foundations should sit. I have found that I MUST find scriptures to vanquish the enemies arrows and prove to me that God is with me. These scriptures don't just come out of thin air, they must be learned. They must be heard, and applied, and built upon. I need more of them. I believe the bible is the single most dangerous weapon to be used in all of history. It dissipates hate with love, heals the hurting, comforts the lonely, directs the paths of the righteous, but most importantly, it is the key that opens the door to God's breath.
Knowing this, believing it all to be true, I sit back wondering about life and stop to think, "what did I do with my bible"?
What is the rock for which we have built our homes?
Growing up, I was born into the Catholic church. I can remember walking into the country church that sat on a hill formed graveyard. As I entered the sanctuary my black patten leather shoes that buckled clicked on the stone floor. We always sat near the front, which I thought was a reason to show everyone who we were. We were known in the community, I had a large extended family. I later decided my parents wanted to sit near the front so when they had to take me outside the doors to spank me, which happened at least once a month, everyone could see what was happening. I liked that church even though now thinking back it feels cold to me. Dead, ritualistic, yet traditional. Years later we converted to a much more freeing conservative, non-instrumental church. We met good people there. Church seemed more like a family, and it seemed I could actually meet people who were trying to make good, Christ like decisions. So, I began making my decisions based on these people.
I began to learn scripture. Certain scriptures though. It never struck me as funny that we would take scriptures out of the bible stories and memorize them, applying them to our lives, without reading the context to which they were written. For example, I memorized with my class I Corinthians 13. The famous chapter on love. I, along with 9 other 10 year olds, stood in front of our small assembly and recited, "Tho I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not love, I am nothing." . I never read what the chapter before this chapter is on. Do you know?
Spiritual Gifts.
We never once in the 10 years that I went to this church discussed spiritual gifts. Doesn't that sound crazy? Why were they afraid to even discuss things they didn't understand? So I learned about love, which was good. But we never did discuss that "tongues of men and of angels" part. I assumed it was something that was in bible days. That is how they explained everything they didn't understand. They would just say that only happened in bible days. What a shame. Thousands of people are out there with unopened gifts from the King.
So I began to build my house. But what foundation had I laid all of my verses on? Jesus tells us the wise man built is house on the 'rock'. What is my rock? When the storms actually do come, and I start to question everything that has ever happened to me in my life, and sorrow sets in, what is the rock that I cling to, that I stand on confidently?
Hearing the word, putting it into practice, this is the rock to which all of my foundations should sit. I have found that I MUST find scriptures to vanquish the enemies arrows and prove to me that God is with me. These scriptures don't just come out of thin air, they must be learned. They must be heard, and applied, and built upon. I need more of them. I believe the bible is the single most dangerous weapon to be used in all of history. It dissipates hate with love, heals the hurting, comforts the lonely, directs the paths of the righteous, but most importantly, it is the key that opens the door to God's breath.
Knowing this, believing it all to be true, I sit back wondering about life and stop to think, "what did I do with my bible"?
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