The prayer chain can be a source of immense blessing and spiritual breakthrough. Prayer group on a Wednesday night may bring about healing and intervention that can only be explained by the almighty power of God. Getting on our knees is essential. Prayer is the key that unlocks the door to speaking with our heavenly Father.
Yet, so often, we get prayer all wrong. Prayer becomes the adult equivalent of a child's Christmas list to Santa. It fills up quickly with the things we want and think we "need." We end up completely missing the point of a prayer life. We hone in on the blessings side of prayer and miss the communication and relationship side that God is longing for us to embrace. Prayer is our conversation with God, it is our sharing with Him and His sharing with us. It is a two-way communication. It is this give and take - this intimacy - that we miss when we focus solely on asking for the next thing on the list.
In this life we are guaranteed to have needs and it is only natural and right that we seek God and talk to Him about those things. In the Bible we are instructed to call on the Lord and we are promised that He hears us. Psalm 148:18 says, "The LORD is near to all them that call on him, to all that call on him in truth." When we have a need, be it physical, emotional or spiritual, God wants us to seek Him and His face. He wants us to bring our cares and burdens to Him so that He can carry them. Does that mean He is going to give us the answer we want with the snap of His fingers and the click of our heels? Not a chance. God's timing and ways are not ours. Just because we carry everything to Him in prayer does not mean we will get everything we want, the way we want it.
And therein lies the deeper, true purpose of prayer. It is not to get what we want and the outcome we want. It is to get to know God better. It is to become so entwined and connected to Him that we abandon our own wants and desires and rest in His ways, His plan and His will for our lives. Prayer provides the avenue that we must traverse on the road to surrendering our human ways. It is only when we have become one with God that we truly lay down our right to ourselves and our flawed perspective of how our lives should be. Through prayer, we get to know the one who has the perfect plan and who knows what we need long before we ever think to ask for it. At the same time, God knows what we don't need and what would actually be detrimental to our well being. In those times, we can be spared the difficulty and despair of the wrong road taken if we are so connected with Christ that we lay down our ways and allow God to work out His plan. In the end, His way is always best.
Our prayer life is not meant to be a laundry list of the things we hope God will give us or things we would like Him to change about our circumstances. Prayer is the intimate relationship we have with God. It is our opportunity to talk with Him and get to know who He is. Scripture tells us a lot about the character of God but having an intimate, personal relationship takes more then reading scriptures. It takes one-on-one time. We see this clearly with our earthly relationships. Husbands and wives marry after they have gotten to know one another. Entering into marriage they vow to take on the responsibility of overcoming problems and difficulties which will undoubtedly include discussions and take time and attention. Sometimes we overlook these same principles when it comes to our relationship with God. We want all the good that comes from the marriage yet we don't put in the time. How can we expect to know and understand God without communing with Him and truly listening? Not just rattling off our frustrations but listening in to hear from Him. The same care that we give to our earthly relationships needs to apply to our most important relationship of all: the one with our creator and father.
If we truly engage in this kind of prayer life we will see that the whole dynamic of what we pray for changes. The list is shortened. The desires are different. The wants are replaced with praise. Instead of seeking more for our own lives we start seeking out more of God's face, more of His character and more of His will. When we truly enter into a true intimate, personal, deep relationship with God we want more of Him and less of the things of this earth. The desires for physical comforts, healing, possessions and success take a back seat to the overwhelming passion to become more Christ-like and see more of God's greatness.
Will life always be butterflies and roses when you enter into this type of communing with God? Certainly not. God never promises us a smooth, easy ride here in this life. In fact, He forewarns us that this life is going to have its struggles and difficulties. He has given us fair warning. But He has also provided endless support, comfort and peace for those struggles. When we are resting in Him we will find that even the daunting, trying times of life can be filled with peace and contentment. When we are resting in God we don't need earthly comforts - we have the one true comfort.
Jesus gave us the blueprint for prayer. He laid out just how we are to pray and He put it into action throughout the scriptures. God desires a relationship with us that goes beyond a wish list - He wants to talk with us, get to know us and reveal more of Himself to us in the process. By following Christ's example and truly seeking God through prayer, we can know Him in extraordinary ways and experience the joy, comfort and peace He promises to lavish on us abundantly when we ask.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Friday, August 17, 2012
Gift giving
Health is not a given, it is a gift.
Each day that you wake up with working muscles in your legs it is a gift.
Each day you step out of bed on your own and walk to the kitchen to make yourself breakfast - or just grab a glass of water - it is a gift.
Every time you can go for a walk is a gift.
When you take a breath without thinking about it - that is a gift.
Every day spent without pain in your bones and aching in your joints is a gift.
Every time you properly digest food is a gift.
When you can open your eyes and see the world around you (even if it may be a bit blurry) you are experiencing a marvelous gift.
When you smile the muscles in your face are used and the message from your brain is telling them to fire up. That, too, is a gift.
A steady hand and clear speech is a gift.
The ability to speak at all is a precious gift.
Your ability to hold a cup, grasp a pencil or steering wheel of a car is a gift....
Every day we go through the motions and expect that our bodies will go along, too. What we fail to recognize is the brilliant design and immense blessing we are experiencing each time that goes as planned. We take it for granted. We assume our bodies will do as we want them to. But sometimes they won't and for some people they never will. Some people live with constant pain or the inability to perform the most basic of tasks. Are they being cheated? Aren't we all supposed to have health in the same plentiful abundance? I believe the answer is no. Some people have the gift of perfect health and others don't have that gift. They have a different gift.
Having ill health or limited health opens the door for other blessings - like the blessing of having the world slowed down and God's voice turned up. Sometimes God uses the people with the worst of health to convey the most fundamental messages to people here on earth. They become ambassadors and speakers for Christ through what they lack, not the strength they have. God tells us that he works in our weakness and he meant more then emotional or spiritual weakness. God works straight through our physical weakness.
Maybe those of us who are physically weak or failing should be thanking God. He said he works best when we are weak. Our own strength could stand in the way of God's great power. The health I have is a gift but the weakness I have is a gift as well. God showers me with blessings each morning as I wake up and experience the joy of a new day that he has created. He showers me with blessings in my weakness by revealing more of himself to me and opening my eyes to more and more of his wonderful truth.
Nothing is wasted. It is all a precious, magnificent gift.
Each day that you wake up with working muscles in your legs it is a gift.
Each day you step out of bed on your own and walk to the kitchen to make yourself breakfast - or just grab a glass of water - it is a gift.
Every time you can go for a walk is a gift.
When you take a breath without thinking about it - that is a gift.
Every day spent without pain in your bones and aching in your joints is a gift.
Every time you properly digest food is a gift.
When you can open your eyes and see the world around you (even if it may be a bit blurry) you are experiencing a marvelous gift.
When you smile the muscles in your face are used and the message from your brain is telling them to fire up. That, too, is a gift.
A steady hand and clear speech is a gift.
The ability to speak at all is a precious gift.
Your ability to hold a cup, grasp a pencil or steering wheel of a car is a gift....
Every day we go through the motions and expect that our bodies will go along, too. What we fail to recognize is the brilliant design and immense blessing we are experiencing each time that goes as planned. We take it for granted. We assume our bodies will do as we want them to. But sometimes they won't and for some people they never will. Some people live with constant pain or the inability to perform the most basic of tasks. Are they being cheated? Aren't we all supposed to have health in the same plentiful abundance? I believe the answer is no. Some people have the gift of perfect health and others don't have that gift. They have a different gift.
Having ill health or limited health opens the door for other blessings - like the blessing of having the world slowed down and God's voice turned up. Sometimes God uses the people with the worst of health to convey the most fundamental messages to people here on earth. They become ambassadors and speakers for Christ through what they lack, not the strength they have. God tells us that he works in our weakness and he meant more then emotional or spiritual weakness. God works straight through our physical weakness.
Maybe those of us who are physically weak or failing should be thanking God. He said he works best when we are weak. Our own strength could stand in the way of God's great power. The health I have is a gift but the weakness I have is a gift as well. God showers me with blessings each morning as I wake up and experience the joy of a new day that he has created. He showers me with blessings in my weakness by revealing more of himself to me and opening my eyes to more and more of his wonderful truth.
Nothing is wasted. It is all a precious, magnificent gift.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
More then ounces and pounds
High speed internet.
Fast food chains.
Drive-thru dry cleaning.
Call ahead waiting at restaurants.
3G, 4G....5G?
Cars that go from 0 to 60 in under 5 seconds.
Interstates and freeways.
Express checkout lines at the grocery store.
"Rush delivery".
DVR.
We are a country with a deadline and the patience of a two year old. We want what we want when we want it - which was five minutes ago. Our tolerance for the word "waiting" is minimal at best. We have other, better, things to do then sit around and kill time while the internet fires up or the restaurant cooks a burger made of real, honest to goodness animal meat.
The human mentality, at least in America, is to be in a hurry for the next thing. Results are the goal and we want them quickly and in rapid fire succession. Progress is key. Waiting means there is something wrong: either with the situation, circumstances, factors at play or person running the show. If something isn't happening in a positive direction and in the direction in which we desire, then something is flawed.
Everything about our society points to this mentality. Just look at the way people hit the gas with furry the millisecond a traffic light turns green. Look at the foot tapping at the impatience of the women in the express lane at the grocery store. Count the number of cars at the McDonald's drive thru on a Monday at noon. We are a people in a hurry. We are a people who don't want to delay the satisfaction gained by completing the task at hand
And what is the purpose of completing the thing in front of them? To be able to move on to the next thing. In our limited human scope, this is all we see. Complete this thing so that we can move onto the next thing. Soaking up the moment is a foreign concept. Movement, progress - that's where it's at.
For the past two years God has been working on me to slow down, stop striving for the next "thing", and simply rest in the here and now. Don't worry so much about what will come next. Don't concern yourself with the wait. Just live in this moment. That means accepting that progress might be slow, or at times non-existent. There will be days when everything feels like wheels stuck in ten feet of mud. You may not see movement. You may not feel productive. You may not understand how the routine motions of life are accomplishing anything. Be patient; hold tight and accept the time of waiting set before you. That is my message from God. He has been speaking it loud and clear for years now, just waiting for me to get the memo and heed it's command.
The message is coming in loud and clear. I can't force my body to gain weight at rapid speed or coerce it to have endless bounds of energy. Healing is a slow process that isn't always steady and, without patience, can be extremely agonizing. Yet, with patience, even waiting can be joyful and peaceful. The time between where you are and where you're going doesn't have to be filled with tension, stress and long, drawn out sighs. This time (the time in the desert place, as I like to call it) can actually be enjoyable.
That may be hard to believe. Our culture doesn't like to preach this sort of logic. It wants us to believe that we must be striving for something to be accomplishing anything. But that isn't the least bit Biblical. Actually, it is 100% man-made, human reasoning. The mentality of "do-do-do" takes away from the fundamental principle of allowing God to work, direct and guide. When we are only concerned with our next step we run the high risk of completely missing the steps (or pauses) God is trying to show us on His road map.
Human living is concerned with the power to make things happen. In my case that has come in the power to bring healing to my body. Countless people have prayed countless prayers for my body to receive healing and for my health to be restored. I am thankful to each and every one of those people, yet there is something bigger at work in my body and life then healing the physical body. Alistair Begg, one of my favorite preachers, wrote, "Although our contemporary preoccupation is with the power to heal, we err by failing to understand the miracle of God's grace in granting the power necessary for endurance and patience." I love this principle. We want to see results yet God is showing His power in the interim. He is proving himself great and mighty when there is no earthly "progress". There is power in the endurance He provides and the sustaining He gives to those who seek Him and rely upon His greatness.
When we don't see something happening it is human nature to throw up our hands in frustration, proclaiming stagnation and failure. We become exasperated. We throw in the towel. But, if we measure "progress" in God's terms we will find that the earthly scale doesn't fit. We can't calculate how far we have come, results or progress by what we see. Sometimes, the greatest progressions forward happen when there is nothing to show for it: no pay check, no pounds gained or lost, no physical, outward change. God isn't limited to what can be seen. He works from the inside-out. When we look only to what can be seen by the naked eye, we miss God's best.
On my own human scale I've watched it creep up slowly over the past month with numbers that would make anyone cringe (they are so severely low I won't get into specifics). One ounce here, a few ounces there. If my spirit was sustained by this type of progress I would be beaten down and discouraged. The pounds are so slow in coming that it makes you wonder how anything significant will ever come about in regards to my weight. Yet, I can proclaim with the utmost confidence that I am not tired of waiting and I am filled with hope for the future. If God makes me wait for another year to see another ounce that statement will still hold true because my hope isn't found in what number comes up on the scale. My hope is found in the glory of God's goodness and His unfailing power to do wonderful things in my life in His perfect timing (key word: HIS). There will be times He wants to grow patience and endurance in me instead of weight. He uses those times to strengthen my faith and obedience. Not a moment is wasted. In fact, some of the periods that look completely idle are the periods of greatest progress. Those are the times when faith is stretched, challenged and grown. When things are moving along at a rapid clip it is too easy to miss the spiritual growth. God likes to slow things down to get our attention.
Some people might look at my condition and proclaim that I am being foolish to wait this long for weight to come back on. I'm sure there are people who would call me downright irresponsible or stupid. Let them have their opinion. There words don't hurt or offend me. They are entitled to their opinions, no matter how much I may disagree with them. What they are missing is the work God is doing right here, right now, apart from the scale and apart from what size pants I wear. He may not be adding weight to my body but he is adding strength to my soul and Godly understanding to my spirit. He is building my body in ways food and pounds couldn't ever accomplish. He is building me into the women of God He created me to be.
I would take that kind of growth over twenty pounds and my ideal weight, hands down, any day of the week.
Fast food chains.
Drive-thru dry cleaning.
Call ahead waiting at restaurants.
3G, 4G....5G?
Cars that go from 0 to 60 in under 5 seconds.
Interstates and freeways.
Express checkout lines at the grocery store.
"Rush delivery".
DVR.
We are a country with a deadline and the patience of a two year old. We want what we want when we want it - which was five minutes ago. Our tolerance for the word "waiting" is minimal at best. We have other, better, things to do then sit around and kill time while the internet fires up or the restaurant cooks a burger made of real, honest to goodness animal meat.
The human mentality, at least in America, is to be in a hurry for the next thing. Results are the goal and we want them quickly and in rapid fire succession. Progress is key. Waiting means there is something wrong: either with the situation, circumstances, factors at play or person running the show. If something isn't happening in a positive direction and in the direction in which we desire, then something is flawed.
Everything about our society points to this mentality. Just look at the way people hit the gas with furry the millisecond a traffic light turns green. Look at the foot tapping at the impatience of the women in the express lane at the grocery store. Count the number of cars at the McDonald's drive thru on a Monday at noon. We are a people in a hurry. We are a people who don't want to delay the satisfaction gained by completing the task at hand
And what is the purpose of completing the thing in front of them? To be able to move on to the next thing. In our limited human scope, this is all we see. Complete this thing so that we can move onto the next thing. Soaking up the moment is a foreign concept. Movement, progress - that's where it's at.
For the past two years God has been working on me to slow down, stop striving for the next "thing", and simply rest in the here and now. Don't worry so much about what will come next. Don't concern yourself with the wait. Just live in this moment. That means accepting that progress might be slow, or at times non-existent. There will be days when everything feels like wheels stuck in ten feet of mud. You may not see movement. You may not feel productive. You may not understand how the routine motions of life are accomplishing anything. Be patient; hold tight and accept the time of waiting set before you. That is my message from God. He has been speaking it loud and clear for years now, just waiting for me to get the memo and heed it's command.
The message is coming in loud and clear. I can't force my body to gain weight at rapid speed or coerce it to have endless bounds of energy. Healing is a slow process that isn't always steady and, without patience, can be extremely agonizing. Yet, with patience, even waiting can be joyful and peaceful. The time between where you are and where you're going doesn't have to be filled with tension, stress and long, drawn out sighs. This time (the time in the desert place, as I like to call it) can actually be enjoyable.
That may be hard to believe. Our culture doesn't like to preach this sort of logic. It wants us to believe that we must be striving for something to be accomplishing anything. But that isn't the least bit Biblical. Actually, it is 100% man-made, human reasoning. The mentality of "do-do-do" takes away from the fundamental principle of allowing God to work, direct and guide. When we are only concerned with our next step we run the high risk of completely missing the steps (or pauses) God is trying to show us on His road map.
Human living is concerned with the power to make things happen. In my case that has come in the power to bring healing to my body. Countless people have prayed countless prayers for my body to receive healing and for my health to be restored. I am thankful to each and every one of those people, yet there is something bigger at work in my body and life then healing the physical body. Alistair Begg, one of my favorite preachers, wrote, "Although our contemporary preoccupation is with the power to heal, we err by failing to understand the miracle of God's grace in granting the power necessary for endurance and patience." I love this principle. We want to see results yet God is showing His power in the interim. He is proving himself great and mighty when there is no earthly "progress". There is power in the endurance He provides and the sustaining He gives to those who seek Him and rely upon His greatness.
When we don't see something happening it is human nature to throw up our hands in frustration, proclaiming stagnation and failure. We become exasperated. We throw in the towel. But, if we measure "progress" in God's terms we will find that the earthly scale doesn't fit. We can't calculate how far we have come, results or progress by what we see. Sometimes, the greatest progressions forward happen when there is nothing to show for it: no pay check, no pounds gained or lost, no physical, outward change. God isn't limited to what can be seen. He works from the inside-out. When we look only to what can be seen by the naked eye, we miss God's best.
On my own human scale I've watched it creep up slowly over the past month with numbers that would make anyone cringe (they are so severely low I won't get into specifics). One ounce here, a few ounces there. If my spirit was sustained by this type of progress I would be beaten down and discouraged. The pounds are so slow in coming that it makes you wonder how anything significant will ever come about in regards to my weight. Yet, I can proclaim with the utmost confidence that I am not tired of waiting and I am filled with hope for the future. If God makes me wait for another year to see another ounce that statement will still hold true because my hope isn't found in what number comes up on the scale. My hope is found in the glory of God's goodness and His unfailing power to do wonderful things in my life in His perfect timing (key word: HIS). There will be times He wants to grow patience and endurance in me instead of weight. He uses those times to strengthen my faith and obedience. Not a moment is wasted. In fact, some of the periods that look completely idle are the periods of greatest progress. Those are the times when faith is stretched, challenged and grown. When things are moving along at a rapid clip it is too easy to miss the spiritual growth. God likes to slow things down to get our attention.
Some people might look at my condition and proclaim that I am being foolish to wait this long for weight to come back on. I'm sure there are people who would call me downright irresponsible or stupid. Let them have their opinion. There words don't hurt or offend me. They are entitled to their opinions, no matter how much I may disagree with them. What they are missing is the work God is doing right here, right now, apart from the scale and apart from what size pants I wear. He may not be adding weight to my body but he is adding strength to my soul and Godly understanding to my spirit. He is building my body in ways food and pounds couldn't ever accomplish. He is building me into the women of God He created me to be.
I would take that kind of growth over twenty pounds and my ideal weight, hands down, any day of the week.
Friday, August 10, 2012
And the VP is....
Who will he pick? It is the great mystery of the political news world and morning talk shows. The evening prime time news line up can't seem to talk about anything else. News paper articles and talking heads are a buzz. When will Mitt Romney reveal his running mate and, more importantly, who will it be?
There is good reason to be so concerned about this decision. It is critical for this election. The election of my lifetime - and possibly yours, too. The future of our country and its success lies in the balance as we wait for the results of the November 2nd general election. There is no room for error on either side of the fence when it comes to running their campaigns. Both sides want to win with a burning passion. And both side want the opposing to lose with a passion that burns just as intensely.
What we are all looking for is a successful nation. The difference is how we define success. Some see success as how many are on government funded health care or receiving food stamps. Higher numbers mean we are doing something right in the eyes of the bigger is better government mentality. Then there are others who believe that high production within our country and low lines at the welfare office mean we are a country on the right track. The less the government is controlling the better.
With this election we have two sides that are diametrically opposed to one another. One wants to see the government grow and the other wants it to shrink. It doesn't get much different then that. The citizens of our nation have a choice to make, and whichever side you choose puts on a very different side of a very large fence.
And that is the problem.
The fence.
We are a country divided by a Berlin Wall that, although not made of bricks and mortar, is just as impenetrable. The United States of America are far from united. Instead, we are taken back to the days of the Civil War without the guns and freezing cold battles, yet the ideology is the same. This war is of the minds and of the principles of how a country should be run. It has brought brother against brother and sister against sister.
The way you see these particular issues cuts to the core of basic human beliefs and morals. Issues such as the right to life, the death penalty, war, welfare, immigration and education are not small matters. They hit people at fundamental levels. They put people on the side of heartless or sympathetic, giving or greedy. A simple yes to the death penalty can make you into a blood thirsty murderer to some while a pro-choice vote makes you a baby killer. The issues that face our country aren't of the friendly conversation nature. They are the issues of heated debate, broken relationships and riots.
So, what importance could a vice president possibly play in such a colossal problem? Some might argue that this is far too great a divide to be bridged by one person and one decision on a political ticket. I see their point. One person can only do so much. They are limited in their influence and responsibility. Can we really expect one person to bring a country together? That is asking a lot. Yet, this decision - who will be on the republican ticket below Mitt Romney - speaks volumes to the direction Romney wants to take our country.
The VP on the republican ticket can be one of two people: one who unites or one who divides.
We don't need another divider. We have one of those in the oval office. He has used lies, rhetoric, broken promises and divisive language to tear apart our country. He has driven a wedge into the foundation of our nation. He is making quick progress eroding the fundamental principles that have made the United States the great country that it is. We've seen what a divider in the office of president will do - and it is utterly destructive.
What we need is someone who wants to bring our country back together. We need a president and a government with the desire to see the states and the citizens of those states truly united.
The name on the ticket with Romney will show us what kind of republican we are voting for. Romney has the chance to show us who he is and where he wants to take our country, not in terms of economics or health care but in terms of fundamental principles and values. If he chooses someone with a bombastic attitude and argumentative streak we are only adding bricks to the wall. But, if Romney chooses someone who is respectful, calm, level-headed and likable, then we take steps to demolish the wall.
The next few weeks are crucial for this election and symbolic of the direction of our country. We, as a people, don't need a thicker wall dividing us from one another. What we need is a return to the country as it was founded: united.
My prayer is that Mitt Romney truly wants to restore our nation to its greatness. Its true greatness was about more then a good GDP, oil production or well maintained roads. This country was and is great because of the freedom is provides. Unlike anywhere else in the world, you are free if you are an American. In November we have the opportunity to choose whether or not we want to uphold that freedom or if we want to give it to a government that is too big, too involved, and too powerful - and only getting more so. Will we further the divide or make steps to close it?
Americans have the freedom to vote. I hope they vote to restore America. And I hope the second name they vote for on that ticket is someone who wants to serve this country as a uniting force for freedom, prosperity and the pursuit of happiness.
There is good reason to be so concerned about this decision. It is critical for this election. The election of my lifetime - and possibly yours, too. The future of our country and its success lies in the balance as we wait for the results of the November 2nd general election. There is no room for error on either side of the fence when it comes to running their campaigns. Both sides want to win with a burning passion. And both side want the opposing to lose with a passion that burns just as intensely.
What we are all looking for is a successful nation. The difference is how we define success. Some see success as how many are on government funded health care or receiving food stamps. Higher numbers mean we are doing something right in the eyes of the bigger is better government mentality. Then there are others who believe that high production within our country and low lines at the welfare office mean we are a country on the right track. The less the government is controlling the better.
With this election we have two sides that are diametrically opposed to one another. One wants to see the government grow and the other wants it to shrink. It doesn't get much different then that. The citizens of our nation have a choice to make, and whichever side you choose puts on a very different side of a very large fence.
And that is the problem.
The fence.
We are a country divided by a Berlin Wall that, although not made of bricks and mortar, is just as impenetrable. The United States of America are far from united. Instead, we are taken back to the days of the Civil War without the guns and freezing cold battles, yet the ideology is the same. This war is of the minds and of the principles of how a country should be run. It has brought brother against brother and sister against sister.
The way you see these particular issues cuts to the core of basic human beliefs and morals. Issues such as the right to life, the death penalty, war, welfare, immigration and education are not small matters. They hit people at fundamental levels. They put people on the side of heartless or sympathetic, giving or greedy. A simple yes to the death penalty can make you into a blood thirsty murderer to some while a pro-choice vote makes you a baby killer. The issues that face our country aren't of the friendly conversation nature. They are the issues of heated debate, broken relationships and riots.
So, what importance could a vice president possibly play in such a colossal problem? Some might argue that this is far too great a divide to be bridged by one person and one decision on a political ticket. I see their point. One person can only do so much. They are limited in their influence and responsibility. Can we really expect one person to bring a country together? That is asking a lot. Yet, this decision - who will be on the republican ticket below Mitt Romney - speaks volumes to the direction Romney wants to take our country.
The VP on the republican ticket can be one of two people: one who unites or one who divides.
We don't need another divider. We have one of those in the oval office. He has used lies, rhetoric, broken promises and divisive language to tear apart our country. He has driven a wedge into the foundation of our nation. He is making quick progress eroding the fundamental principles that have made the United States the great country that it is. We've seen what a divider in the office of president will do - and it is utterly destructive.
What we need is someone who wants to bring our country back together. We need a president and a government with the desire to see the states and the citizens of those states truly united.
The name on the ticket with Romney will show us what kind of republican we are voting for. Romney has the chance to show us who he is and where he wants to take our country, not in terms of economics or health care but in terms of fundamental principles and values. If he chooses someone with a bombastic attitude and argumentative streak we are only adding bricks to the wall. But, if Romney chooses someone who is respectful, calm, level-headed and likable, then we take steps to demolish the wall.
The next few weeks are crucial for this election and symbolic of the direction of our country. We, as a people, don't need a thicker wall dividing us from one another. What we need is a return to the country as it was founded: united.
My prayer is that Mitt Romney truly wants to restore our nation to its greatness. Its true greatness was about more then a good GDP, oil production or well maintained roads. This country was and is great because of the freedom is provides. Unlike anywhere else in the world, you are free if you are an American. In November we have the opportunity to choose whether or not we want to uphold that freedom or if we want to give it to a government that is too big, too involved, and too powerful - and only getting more so. Will we further the divide or make steps to close it?
Americans have the freedom to vote. I hope they vote to restore America. And I hope the second name they vote for on that ticket is someone who wants to serve this country as a uniting force for freedom, prosperity and the pursuit of happiness.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Relationship Hunting
My guilty pleasure TV of choice goes in phases. There are enough channels for lots of phases.
Phase one is Comical Sitcom Phase. Everything that Seinfeld says is the funniest thing ever! Everybody Loves Raymond gets me laughing during every scene. And I can't stop myself from watching re-run after re-run of The Office. I have a true love for Jim and Pam. Their romance has had me hooked from day one. Don't tell me they are fictional. I'm plugging my ears.
Phase two is Reality TV Phase. This phase is shorter. Say Yes to the Dress can only hold my attention for so long. After a while those bridezillas really get to me. How many woman can you watch complain about their bridesmaid and cry because their Mom didn't have a meltdown at the sight of her first born daughter in "the" wedding gown. At some point I have to change the channel. To more reality TV. Such as Little People, Big World and The Little Couple. I love both of these families. They are so normal and real... beside the fact that there is a camera crew in their house. But that is beside the point. They would act the exact same way that they do with cameras rolling, right? I think so....really I do!
After Reality TV Phase comes Food Network Phase. This could go on awhile. I love the Food Network - not that I ever cook any of the recipes I watch them whip up. I like more of the fast paced, competition shows. Iron Chef America is among my favorites. The intensity level is so absurd it's addictive. Don't ask me to explain the appeal. They cook with crazy ingredients like cow liver. I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole let alone eat it. But I'll watch someone cook with it super fast! And then someone else eat it and judge it. I don't even understand my fascination. Chopped has a similar effect and a similar concept. I'll stay awake till the very end to see who gets on the chopping block. Hands down my favorite Food Network guilty pleasure is Worst Chef in America. I see myself in these amateur chef-wannabes. I fell for their inability to brown the perfect chicken breast and use a knife like Bobby Flay. And their plating presentations? So terrible. Just like mine. I sympathize, chef failures.
The phase I find myself in at the present time is HGTV Phase. This is possibly my favorite phase of all. I can't get enough of watching average home owners and renters search for their first place or a vacation home in a foreign country. Couples decorating a space together really has me all tuned in. Will they agree on paint color? Who's opinion will win in the battle of house 1 vs. house 2? And no they did not just pick that couch!
You can learn so much from HGTV. And I'm not just talking about decorating.
I'm talking relationship 101.
House Hunters is perfect for the relationship critique viewing. I couldn't care less about an episode that features a single looking for a new pad but I can't get enough of episodes with couples. Newly- weds are really the creme de la creme. I believe that you can determine the odds of marriage success by how the episode of house hunting progresses.
Example one we will call Steve and Angela. Steve wants nothing more than to live on the golf course. He isn't hung up on paint colors or square footage. But if the condo isn't 4.5 steps from the tee box he ain't biting. Angela on the other hand wants to have the ability to walk out her door and onto the sandy beach in about 3.2 seconds. No beach? No go. The whole episode is the back and forth banter of two people who want two totally different things. He gave a smirk after every house that didn't have a golf course and made rude remarks about how his opinion reigned supreme. She rolled her eyes. What a cute couple!
The wedding will be a blast. Did I mention that? The wedding date was still a month away. I think their honeymoon phase went on its own honeymoon and forgot to bring along this couple. In the end the house was on the golf course and Angela wore a forced smile. Good luck folks!
Example number 2: we shall call these two love birds Brad and Rachel. Match made in Heaven. I could tell from the foyer of house number 1. Rachel wanted a house with charm. Brad wanted a short commute to work. The sellers wanted $302,498,109 plus a kidney for a small bungalow that needed another $190,999,013 worth of renovations to be even close to appealing. Each house was sadder than the one before. The first house was a short sale, which equals big risk and big wait time. House two was covered in wood paneling and shag carpeting. House three was a million miles away from Brad's work. This looked like a losing proposition. I was worried Brad and Rachel would snap at each other under the pressure. I had such high hopes for their relationship. But they didn't let me down. They held hands at the signing for the house with the short sale. And the good news? They got the house! Yeah!
Those two are going to go the distance. I see a golden anniversary in their future. And I bet they will still be holding hands.
HGTV has so much to teach its viewers, like grouping decor accents in threes and how to introduce color to a bland space with simple design elements such as throw pillows and art work. What you didn't know is that you can learn what to avoid in a mate: like a man who has to be on the golf course and doesn't give a darn about your desire to be on the beach.
Phase one is Comical Sitcom Phase. Everything that Seinfeld says is the funniest thing ever! Everybody Loves Raymond gets me laughing during every scene. And I can't stop myself from watching re-run after re-run of The Office. I have a true love for Jim and Pam. Their romance has had me hooked from day one. Don't tell me they are fictional. I'm plugging my ears.
Phase two is Reality TV Phase. This phase is shorter. Say Yes to the Dress can only hold my attention for so long. After a while those bridezillas really get to me. How many woman can you watch complain about their bridesmaid and cry because their Mom didn't have a meltdown at the sight of her first born daughter in "the" wedding gown. At some point I have to change the channel. To more reality TV. Such as Little People, Big World and The Little Couple. I love both of these families. They are so normal and real... beside the fact that there is a camera crew in their house. But that is beside the point. They would act the exact same way that they do with cameras rolling, right? I think so....really I do!
After Reality TV Phase comes Food Network Phase. This could go on awhile. I love the Food Network - not that I ever cook any of the recipes I watch them whip up. I like more of the fast paced, competition shows. Iron Chef America is among my favorites. The intensity level is so absurd it's addictive. Don't ask me to explain the appeal. They cook with crazy ingredients like cow liver. I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole let alone eat it. But I'll watch someone cook with it super fast! And then someone else eat it and judge it. I don't even understand my fascination. Chopped has a similar effect and a similar concept. I'll stay awake till the very end to see who gets on the chopping block. Hands down my favorite Food Network guilty pleasure is Worst Chef in America. I see myself in these amateur chef-wannabes. I fell for their inability to brown the perfect chicken breast and use a knife like Bobby Flay. And their plating presentations? So terrible. Just like mine. I sympathize, chef failures.
The phase I find myself in at the present time is HGTV Phase. This is possibly my favorite phase of all. I can't get enough of watching average home owners and renters search for their first place or a vacation home in a foreign country. Couples decorating a space together really has me all tuned in. Will they agree on paint color? Who's opinion will win in the battle of house 1 vs. house 2? And no they did not just pick that couch!
You can learn so much from HGTV. And I'm not just talking about decorating.
I'm talking relationship 101.
House Hunters is perfect for the relationship critique viewing. I couldn't care less about an episode that features a single looking for a new pad but I can't get enough of episodes with couples. Newly- weds are really the creme de la creme. I believe that you can determine the odds of marriage success by how the episode of house hunting progresses.
Example one we will call Steve and Angela. Steve wants nothing more than to live on the golf course. He isn't hung up on paint colors or square footage. But if the condo isn't 4.5 steps from the tee box he ain't biting. Angela on the other hand wants to have the ability to walk out her door and onto the sandy beach in about 3.2 seconds. No beach? No go. The whole episode is the back and forth banter of two people who want two totally different things. He gave a smirk after every house that didn't have a golf course and made rude remarks about how his opinion reigned supreme. She rolled her eyes. What a cute couple!
The wedding will be a blast. Did I mention that? The wedding date was still a month away. I think their honeymoon phase went on its own honeymoon and forgot to bring along this couple. In the end the house was on the golf course and Angela wore a forced smile. Good luck folks!
Example number 2: we shall call these two love birds Brad and Rachel. Match made in Heaven. I could tell from the foyer of house number 1. Rachel wanted a house with charm. Brad wanted a short commute to work. The sellers wanted $302,498,109 plus a kidney for a small bungalow that needed another $190,999,013 worth of renovations to be even close to appealing. Each house was sadder than the one before. The first house was a short sale, which equals big risk and big wait time. House two was covered in wood paneling and shag carpeting. House three was a million miles away from Brad's work. This looked like a losing proposition. I was worried Brad and Rachel would snap at each other under the pressure. I had such high hopes for their relationship. But they didn't let me down. They held hands at the signing for the house with the short sale. And the good news? They got the house! Yeah!
Those two are going to go the distance. I see a golden anniversary in their future. And I bet they will still be holding hands.
HGTV has so much to teach its viewers, like grouping decor accents in threes and how to introduce color to a bland space with simple design elements such as throw pillows and art work. What you didn't know is that you can learn what to avoid in a mate: like a man who has to be on the golf course and doesn't give a darn about your desire to be on the beach.
Baby Steps
Brushing your hair in the morning is probably part of your daily routine.
Congratulations. You exhibit good grooming skills. Snaps for you.
Now, time for a little admission on my part: for the past month my hair brushing has been hit or miss, to put it nicely. I know - eww. I wake up, run my fingers through my hair so it doesn't resemble a fully constructed bird's nest (I prefer for it to be in the foundation laying stages, before drywall and shingles go on) and throw it into a low pony-tail because my hair is currently too short to do anything more exciting. I then take a couple of bobby pins and cement the crazy flyaway pieces to the side of my head.
As you can tell, this is less then stylish and not what you would call "attractive". It fits more under the headings of "pathetic" and "lazy". It is sad to admit that this has been my go-to look for, er, at least a month. Possibly longer.
I blame feeling like crud for weeks on end and being frustrated with my appearance in general for the lack of interest in beauty practices. I weigh practically nothing and am totally not into trying to look "good". When I get dressed I'm more focused on covering up protruding bones and transparent flesh. My goal in fashion is to not look like a walking skeleton. This is a different goal then most fashion-istas, I assume. Most girls wants to flaunt what they've got and cover up the areas that have an extra 5 (10...20...) pounds. My guess is most people aren't worried about getting awkward stares because they are shockingly thin. This is part of the burden I carry from this health battle that I can't hide from the world. Wearing baggy clothes makes me look like an ant. Wearing tight fitting clothes makes the sticking-out bones and lack of any body fat dramatically apparent. I can't win. I try to hit a balance but it is nearly impossible.
With this frustration has come a complete lack of motivation to look attractive. The other parts of style, apart from clothing selection, have completely fallen off my radar screen. I cover up skin imperfections and throw on some mascara every day. That is a far cry from the makeup precision I used to strive for daily, no matter what I had planned or where I was going. Now, if I'm not going out I'm not getting dressed up or "made up". I used to care even when I was at home by myself. Now, not so much. Like I said before, hair went down the tubes with this, too.
Until today.
Today is a new day and I broke out a new brush. The other day at TJ Maxx I had the sudden urge to buy one of those large round brushes by "Ceramic". Catchy name; spiffy brush. I had been thinking over the past few days that maybe I should tend to my (sort-of) golden locks. (okay, they aren't really golden, but a girl can dream can't she?) When I saw this brush I decided to take the plunge back into hair and beauty maintenance. This was one small purchase for TJ maxx, but one giant leap for my self esteem and confidence.
Today, I awoke and brushed my hair. You may call it routine but for me it is symbolic: I'm back!
I hope I don't become an appearance obsessed, made-up bimbo who won't be seen without her "face on" but I do want to be conscious of how I appear to the outside world and want to be attractive. I don't want people to look on me with pity and "aww, that poor little ragamuffin". I want people to look at me and think that I look like a modest, presentable human with nice looks and good taste. I think that starts with combing my hair.
My days of not caring about how I look are behind me. I put on eye liner today, too, after being inspired by the brushing ritual. Crazy - I know!
It has been over two years since my struggle to stay and be healthy began. It has been a mystery and frustration for most of that time. But today I turned a corner. I'm thanking God for each step in the right direction and every improvement, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.
Like Bob Wiley says, "Baby steps."
Congratulations. You exhibit good grooming skills. Snaps for you.
Now, time for a little admission on my part: for the past month my hair brushing has been hit or miss, to put it nicely. I know - eww. I wake up, run my fingers through my hair so it doesn't resemble a fully constructed bird's nest (I prefer for it to be in the foundation laying stages, before drywall and shingles go on) and throw it into a low pony-tail because my hair is currently too short to do anything more exciting. I then take a couple of bobby pins and cement the crazy flyaway pieces to the side of my head.
As you can tell, this is less then stylish and not what you would call "attractive". It fits more under the headings of "pathetic" and "lazy". It is sad to admit that this has been my go-to look for, er, at least a month. Possibly longer.
I blame feeling like crud for weeks on end and being frustrated with my appearance in general for the lack of interest in beauty practices. I weigh practically nothing and am totally not into trying to look "good". When I get dressed I'm more focused on covering up protruding bones and transparent flesh. My goal in fashion is to not look like a walking skeleton. This is a different goal then most fashion-istas, I assume. Most girls wants to flaunt what they've got and cover up the areas that have an extra 5 (10...20...) pounds. My guess is most people aren't worried about getting awkward stares because they are shockingly thin. This is part of the burden I carry from this health battle that I can't hide from the world. Wearing baggy clothes makes me look like an ant. Wearing tight fitting clothes makes the sticking-out bones and lack of any body fat dramatically apparent. I can't win. I try to hit a balance but it is nearly impossible.
With this frustration has come a complete lack of motivation to look attractive. The other parts of style, apart from clothing selection, have completely fallen off my radar screen. I cover up skin imperfections and throw on some mascara every day. That is a far cry from the makeup precision I used to strive for daily, no matter what I had planned or where I was going. Now, if I'm not going out I'm not getting dressed up or "made up". I used to care even when I was at home by myself. Now, not so much. Like I said before, hair went down the tubes with this, too.
Until today.
Today is a new day and I broke out a new brush. The other day at TJ Maxx I had the sudden urge to buy one of those large round brushes by "Ceramic". Catchy name; spiffy brush. I had been thinking over the past few days that maybe I should tend to my (sort-of) golden locks. (okay, they aren't really golden, but a girl can dream can't she?) When I saw this brush I decided to take the plunge back into hair and beauty maintenance. This was one small purchase for TJ maxx, but one giant leap for my self esteem and confidence.
Today, I awoke and brushed my hair. You may call it routine but for me it is symbolic: I'm back!
I hope I don't become an appearance obsessed, made-up bimbo who won't be seen without her "face on" but I do want to be conscious of how I appear to the outside world and want to be attractive. I don't want people to look on me with pity and "aww, that poor little ragamuffin". I want people to look at me and think that I look like a modest, presentable human with nice looks and good taste. I think that starts with combing my hair.
My days of not caring about how I look are behind me. I put on eye liner today, too, after being inspired by the brushing ritual. Crazy - I know!
It has been over two years since my struggle to stay and be healthy began. It has been a mystery and frustration for most of that time. But today I turned a corner. I'm thanking God for each step in the right direction and every improvement, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.
Like Bob Wiley says, "Baby steps."
Monday, July 23, 2012
Everyday Thanksgiving
It is a shame to say that it often takes a tragedy for people to focus on what is truly important in life. The moviehouse mass- shooting in Colorado has done just that for this country. It reminds me a lot of September 11, 2001, when innocent lives were stolen at the hands of pure evil. No one can explain or comprehend the mind of an individual capable of such unspeakable acts. How could someone storm the cockpit of a plane and crash it into a huge building? How could a man walk into a packed movie theater and just starting shooting a gun at anything or anyone?
The terror and horror of these events leave everyone shaken - even if the bloodshed doesn't hit directly at the bond of your family or even the community in which you live. When your country comes under attack, be it from a young med school drop -out or foreign terrorist, you take pause. Everyone, it seems, in America has done just that this week. Every news station is playing non-stop footage, udpates, heroic stories and tributes to those lost. The political banter of a country on election high-alert has taken a step away from the polls and party rhetoric. For the past three days I can't even recall seeing a negative campaign ad - a real testament to the mood of the country. The media is focusing all eyes on reflection, not demonization.
In a way it is a sad statement of our country's basic rule of law. We are all negative, all the time until someone (or many someones) get hurt. It takes a tragedy to shut down the yelling, arguing and condeming of the opposing side. How often do you hear a news story during a slow week that focuses on the human goodness of the people in a small town in Colorado? Oh, maybe there is a thirty second "Around the Nation" segment on the national news that features a Grandpa saving his Grandsons life in a fire, but the other 59 minutes and 30 seconds of the program are probably about a child abductor, murderer, lawsuit on capitol hill or missing person's case then any uplifting tale of the heroic.
We don't hear about the good when we turn on the TV unless something truly horrible happened first. Our TV has blinders on. The kind of blinders that block out the good and focus on the bad. It is an insidious problemn that threatens to consume not only hundreds of channels on the tube, but far too much of our brain's thoughts.
Think about it - how much time do we spend in a day focusing on what we condemn as"not right"? We focus on our problems, what we are annoyed with, how that driver just cut us off, the part of the movie we didn't like.... the list could go on. Conversation seems to often build off of the negative, not the positive.
Thinking over my own conversations in the past few days I have become appalled at my own lack of optimistic chatter. I'm begining to see that I start conversations from the negative: I didn't like that part of the sermon; why did that person have to say that with such an attitude; could this lane move any slower? You get my point. I'm not starting with: I really enjoyed that story the speaker told; It was so nice of that man to let me out in this heavy traffic; I enjoyed this sandwich on my plate at lunch!
It may all seem silly but I'm beginning to believe that where we focus our conversation is a massive window into our thought life. And there is no denying that our thought life is important. It paints the world in a shade of gray or a million bright and shiny colors.
Watching the sudden shift in the news is leading me to believe I need a massive shift in the scroll that runs along my mind. Just like the one rolling across Fox News or CNN, my mind has a news reel and it plays pretty much 24/7. You have one too - even if it does take a commercial break every now and again. What is playing on your news scroll? Is it a list of blessings and moments of thanksgiving and praise? Or is it a list of what you need to get done, ofstressful situations and complaints? Trust me, to- do lists are helpful, but there are other places to write them down. When we include the stressors in life as our daily mental dialogue we get bogged down and negativity gets a foothold. On the other hand, when we focus on the gifts God has given us, the blessings he bestows on us each and every day, and the beauty that surrounds us we can't help but exude positivity. It flows from us because when good thoughts rule in the mind, the body can't help but follow suit.
It is a shame that it takes lives lost to remind us that we have so much to be thankful for. Our world zooms in on the petty disagreements and negative stressors until something serious happens that stops us in our tracks... it is in those moments that we see our day- in and day- out complaints as mere specks of dust. We see them for what they really are. And we see how there are bigger matters worth discussing. We see that each day is a gift and a precious one at that. Whining and bickering becomes foolishness in the light of bloodshed.
Today, I am making the vow to focus on the positive without the prompting of a young innocent life lost. I am making the concerted effort to tune into how God is working and showing himself in the world around me, instead of focusing on the evil that is attempting to get the upper hand.
Each day we have the choice: will we look at life through God's lens and see beauty as his handiwork and kindness as his smile? Or will we only see the rude man in front of us at the store or the landfill off in the distance? This isn't about being naive or blind, it is about choosing to switch our moment to moment focus from the bad, which we cannot change, to the good that we should be thankful for.
Changing our focus can change our world, even if the actions of those around us remain the exact same. The view out one window in the kitchen is different from the window in the living room, even though it looks out on the same city, same neighborhood and same world. Yet, the lens you use to view it makes all the difference.
So, how will you view the world? Sure, today you may be all about being thankful for your family and your safety and your job - after all the last tragedy was only a few days prior. But how will you view your world in a week or two when the news has turned its attentions back to the election or latest uprising in the Middle East? When the human interest stories fade, will your thoughts of love and gratitude slip away, too?
Decide to live a life of thanksgiving and it won't take a tragedy to remind your how precious and marvelous life truly is.
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