Sunday, October 08, 2006

Renewal

I do not know where Elizabeth is getting these words!

Renewal -- this is something that we all need... I need to have my mind renewed daily (that's what the Bible says), and I need to have my spirit refreshed.

Renewal is a sloughing off of the old and a putting on of something fresh. This is what we do when we exfoliate and clean our face - our skin is the largest organ in the body and it is constantly renewing itself - but we do not SEE that new, fresh, pretty skin unless we scrub off the old, dead skin. This would be a good analogy for us to remember. We cannot SEE that we have the spirit of Christ in us UNLESS we get rid of all those sinful habits. Is that easy? Goodness no! But we are to spend our lives here on earth with the goal of becoming more Christ-like each day. So set your sights high, keep your standards lofty, and aim for the stars! With God on our side, we can make it.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Challenge

I do not like this word.
It brings to mind something that is difficult, an obstacle... you can have someone challenge your authority, or challenge your opinions and beliefs... or you can be challenged by situations... it is the situations out of my control that I perceive to be the worst. We all know those "full of faith" people who are inspired by challenges, those folks who have such a great faith in God that their circumstances are always received as blessings, even the difficult ones... but I have never been one of those people.

I have thought that my childhood faith was somehow skewed in my childish mind and those early beliefs get me every time! Did any of you have this thought: If I am a good girl, then things will go well for me. That translated into, if I am a Christian, my life will be perfect.

Okay, I know... you are saying, what an idiot! Anyone who reads the Bible KNOWS that this is SO NOT TRUE! But my head knowledge does not align with my feelings, and particularly when I am in a situation where I believe that I have done nothing wrong.

Immediately, the HS will nudge me and say, 'but Jesus did nothing wrong', 'he was perfect and he obeyed perfectly' --- so unlike me who disobeys almost daily... and if Jesus was not protected from circumstances of this evil stinkin' world, why would I presume that I SHOULD BE?? I mean, that is pretty arrogant, right?

~sigh~

Anyway, this is my entry for today - these Word challenges are not exactly what I want to be thinking about... it reveals so much in me that still needs to be worked on. :( God help me.

Friday, October 06, 2006

Inspire

Our challenge at Scrappy Chatters today is to share about the word Inspire. This word is something that I struggle with... probably because of my own more "realistic" (dare I say negative?) view of the world. Especially during the past few months.

As a Christian, I believe that it is wrong for me to not be inspired... but how can you do that if you do not have hope?

The thing that I have fallen back on is the love and support of friends. THEY are the ones who have inspired me... they believed in me, believed that I was a person of value, and their words of encouragement have inspired me to pick up my feet and move one step further than I thought I could.

In the lowest of times, my children can inspire me with their smile or laughter - they have such a purity in their emotions. It is only as we grow older that we learn to guard ourselves, perhaps even becoming manipulative or deceptive...

I will end with a word to inspire you! Never quit, never let go of your dreams, and never let love grow cold... Your next big thing is just in the horizon so keep on walkin'.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

CARS!#@$!

Why is it always something? After a not-so-good night of not-sleeping-well, one of my girls came in and said that she needed to borrow my car because she had a flat tire! Not that I have a life, of course, or might need my car... ugh! So she left me with her disabled car and her keys and instructions for me to get someone to take care of it. These are the times when I revert back to childhood and wish that I was Samantha and could just wiggle my nose. :)

Yesterday, I took another daughter's car to the dealer to have a couple of minor repairs made - things like buttons to move the side windows... nothing huge you see, but those little annoying things that just drive you CrAZy!!

I did have a meeting to attend tonight, but without a vehicle, I will not be able to go. And I also cannot clean out my car which has some yard sale stuff inside... I have to try to do all of these outdoors things now because I HATE cold weather and cannot be outside at all once the weather turns. I might freeze, then crack, and then what good would I be? lol