A Gift for Everyday

Does Christmas have a feeling?
If so, it doesn't "feel" like Christmas to me.
At least not in the way that it felt when I was a child. I remember feeling really excited about all the gifts that were waiting for me under the tree on Christmas morning. As I got older, I started realizing that not everyone celebrated Christmas like I did.

Religion, ethnicity, and money all play a signifcant role in how a family celebrates the holidays. Sometimes, we just need to go without to see how fortunate we are to have.

Sitting on my couch looking at my Christmas tree, I now understand that Christmas isn't about the quantity or quality of a gift, but rather, the gift that one gives. Gifts don't have to be material; they don't need to come all wrapped up in shiny reindeer paper adorned with a nice gold bow. The best gifts are those that you can give everyday such as a smile, a helping hand, friendship, a listening ear, gifts whose value is not measured by a price tag but by a person's genuine interest in the individual. Lasting gifts may not be easy to give but may be the exact perscription that a friend needs. Humbly giving to a neighbor in need reaches across the socioeconomic status that the media often defines as a "wealthy," a "middle class," or a "poor" individual.

Allowing your hand to willingly reach out and hold the hand of another is the exact love that Jesus was talking about. It is this kind of self-less love that brings about action, causes forgiveness, and promotes peace in our families, coummunities, government, wars, etc.

What if everyone reached out to one person a day?

Would our world be a better place?

Would your world be a better place?

Would those you touch either physically, spiritually, emotionally, academically, etc. reach out and touch another person, thus creating a lasting domino effect?

Would there be any changes in your life or the lives of others that you invest in? What would those changes be?

Could you see yourself adovcating for the lives of others, putting other's needs before yours, and loving regardless of the circumstances?

Would you be able to accept the fact that Jesus loves you everyday, not just on Christmas? That it is Jesus who watches over you, "knows when you are sleeping, knows when you're awake, knows when you have been bad or good"? It's not the man in the red suit that brings you toys once a year. It's the human, the Spirit, the God that holds his life in your hands. Every breath, every movement, every action is known by God even before you fulfill it.

Have you accepted the reality for today that God loves you just because?
Where in your life are you allowing God to "love" you?
If you have, where in our life are you not allowing God to "love" you?
If you haven't, why not? Where could you give of yourself to help a friend in need today?

Psalm 56

Be merciful to me, O God, for me hotly pursue me;

all day long they press their attack.

My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me in their pride.

When I am afraid,

I will trust in you.

In God, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I will not be afraid.

What can mortal man do to me?

All day long they twist my words;

th

Simply Beauty, Simply Love

Beauty knows no limits.
For what is beauty without God?
He is the essence of beauty and the perfect example of true love.
A love that never fails, but always lasts.
A love that doesn't hibernate with the winter, or fall off the trees, or sprout new leaves.
No, his love is one that weathers all storms.
His love has substance.
I can't even begin to put into words the amount of love that he has for you and I.
Though we will never have God all figured out, just know this: it's ok.
For he still loves you and I just the same.

Simply Love

A friend once told me to close my eyes and imagine an entire room filled with water. Every chair, every wall, every pore on my face consumed by water. A God who loves me as close as my breath, a God who is near to me as my human heart.

A God who loves me just because.

What does such as love feel like? Look like? Act like? Is it indescribable, does it have hands and feet, or does it have the characteristics of both? A love that is so incomprehensible that words cannot fully describe it.

When I think of such a love I am reminded of a marriage.

"A man should have to seek [Him] first to find her." Maya Angelou

Likewise, we should seek God first before we get swayed by a false love that does not exist, by a love that lacks a body, soul, and mind. God will fill this void that every one of us experiences at some point in our lives. He is the only one that can truly satisfy this longing, this natural desire for more.

For life is more than the next big thing. The next big term paper, the next snazzy car, the next cheap relationship. God is the solid foundation that will last. He is the ONLY ONE who provides lasting forgiveness. Material items perish standing next to eternal life. A life full of happiness and committed love.

A life where God loves you just because.

This life can happen right now.
What will you do?

It's All About Perspective

how do you see people through the eyes of Christ?

Secrets From a Fortune Cookie

I believe that God can speak to us in a variety of ways. Here are some of the things he said.

*Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

*In the midst of every difficulty lies opportunity.

*You will live the life that makes all others not envious, but proud of you.

*Learn to listen, not hear.

*Your smile makes everyone realize that the world is a lovely and beautiful place.

Do You Accept?

a simple act can set a heart on fire.
a simple act can yield a field of flowers.
a simple act can deliver rain to a drought, scorched, and parched land.
a simple act can be a smile.
a simple act can be a high-five or a handshake.
a simple act can be the shining sun on a warm spring day,
accompanied by birds chirping and leaves blowing in every which way.
a simple act can be a hug.
a simple act can be an invitation to learn more.
a simple act can be meeting new people.
a simple act can be listening.
a simple act can be hearing.
a simple act can be talking with a friend.
a simple act can be seeing life from another person's eyes.

a simple act can not seem very simple at all.
a simple act may be hard to live out.
a simple act may require some sacrifice.
a simple act may ask you to put a friend before yourself.
a simple act may require you to remove selfishness.
a simple act may cause one to examine the inner self in search of something greater.

but guess what?
a simple act has already been done for you today.
Jesus Christ died for you so that you may live in eternal happiness and paradise with him; bringing the same love that he gave you to your friends, families, or anyone you meet.
it's an open invitiation to live your life radically different.
do you accept?

Promises, friends, and God; uniquely woven into a myraid of indescribable beauty

I have only recently come to terms with the unforseen reality that I have a lot of commitments.

These range from commitments to family, to friends, to school, and to personal goals/beliefs. Each commitment is a promise to fulfill a need, a desire, or a duty. I live by the philosophy of "don't make a promise that you can't keep." Yet at times, I am unexpectedly thrown into a situation where the majority believes that I can fulfill a promise that I have yet to discover.

It feels like sometimes my friends believe in me more than I believe in myself.

I am truly greatful for a solid group of people who seek to stretch and pull me in order to grow. They have a signifcant impact in my life, shaping and molding me to use and aquire my fullest potential. I am grateful for their "potter-like' mentality, creatively leaving their imprints in my life through smiles, words, listening ears, warm hugs, and unique personalities. I am grateful that they are allowing themselves to be used by God in order to bring joy into another person's life.

Through my friend's, I see Jesus manifested as a human, as Spirit, and as God himself. I wish to bring these caring and compassionate traits that my friends have been freely giving me to people that I meet. I long for seeing genuine smiles and courageous testimonies. I long to see God's work manifested in all of his people. I long to be a part of something greater than myself. And each day, I see myself growing into this person that God has always intended for me to be.

Listening

Have I been listening?
Really listening?
Listening to the voices of the weak, of the oppressed, of those in need?
or, have I been listening to myself?
to my needs, my wants, my hopes, my future?

we need to learn to truly listen to God,
to listen with our eyes,
however that may look for you.
listening comes from practice, not from a flower sprung overnight.

to truly want to listen comes from the Perfect One above.
for he is the prime giver of patience and a heart that longs to see a caring friend comforted.

for if we listen with our ears,
and investigate with our eyes,
we may find beauty hidden beaneath the soil.

Strength vs. Weakness

2nd Corinthians 12:9, 10

"But he [God] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness...For when I am weak, then I am strong."

why don't we allow ourselves to become weak in order to see the sun?
in order to be raised higher?
in order to learn something of value?

is it because we are afraid of falling?
is it because we are afraid of change?
are we nervous about making a mistake and yielding the results of it?
are we uncertain about the circumstances that lie ahead, anxious about how to tackle them, and worried that the end result may not turn out exactly as we had hoped?

are we truly afraid of change, that we may lose something precious that we once had?

weakness requires one to give up something for another person (or, for something else).

to be ready, willing, and able.
what if we tried this for a day? submission; the very thing that God helps us to do everyday.

it is his grace that provides substance, everlasting fulfillment, and complete joy..
his grace is sufficient enough to provide all that we need.

Doors

"When God closes a door, he opens another."

That's a phrase I've heard so many times and most recently from a friend of mine. God's capabilities are unlimited and endless. He has a way of drawing people close to him and bringing those same people together for the good of his mission: seeing his children live as followers of the "truth".

Closing doors paves the way for opening promises.

Promises of a bright blue sky adorned with a a garnish of clouds, the reminder of God's love in a friend's smile, the beauty of nature beckoning for attention, grazing the fingertips of the wind everyday. The doors are endless. Constantly opening and closing.

Let's not think of a door closing as the end of an undeveloped dream but the birth of a seed more beautiful and precious than the last. Take this dream in your hands and nurse it to health. Witness all of the miraculous wonders and always remember that God is on your side today, tomorrow, and forever.

Waiting for...

Waiting can manifest in various forms such as waiting for the sun to rise, waiting for a grade on a reasearch paper, waiting for a phone call from a signifcant other. Waiting is something that I have learned tremendously about this summer.

Before understanding all about this abstract concept of "waiting", at times completely foreign to me, I'd frequently analyze situations. Instances at school, work, or with friends would provoke me to think about these scenarios and ask the infinte "What if'" questions. Thus, I would incessantly dwell on minute things allowing uncertainty, doubt, fear of the future, anxiety, and a complete sense of nervousness to creep in unnannounced.

Learning to "lock" that door would follow.

Soon, I merged into the sea of waiting. There, I found other people who were waiting, like me, and realized that after all these preconceived notions rooted in doubt that fizzed around in my head like a soda can that has been shaken up, were truly fairy tales. None of which came true.

From my experience, waiting is like riding a bicycle. A child, for example, may fall off numerous times while learning but will always try again. Such was my experience at trying new things or exercising a talent that I wanted to put into fruition.

So, what's God's purpose for having you wait?

Where Has the Time Gone?

As I was cleaning out my closet today, I came across several "old" artifacts. Well, "old" in the sense that they are unique to my life. I recalled high school memories in old emails with friends, half - completed math problems in penciled notebooks, and an old picture of a weekend retreat with smiling, carefree teenagers staring back at me. As I held this picture in my hands, the following question crossed my mind:

where has the time gone?

It is true that I am very happy with this new chapter in my life. I'm grateful to all those who I have met and new experiences that help to further shape my character. But, I can't help recalling the past and assuming how easy life seemed. Or rather, was I not fully aware of how quickly life captures you in its wings? Or how easy it is to get innocently swept up in the minute details, the small infractures, the careless items of a world that constantly craves more?

Yet at the end of the day, it's simply the memories that last with a spoonful of lessons comprised in a mixture of future hope.

It turns out that cleaning just might be the best medicine.

Thoughts from afar

The psalms speak quite extensively about God's relationship with his creation and the promises that he willingly provides without question.

such as:

God will always be with us regardless of hardship, joy, impatience, passiveness, optimism;
He doesn't choose when to be available, he just is.
Unlike our days and friends which change with each passing hour, God remains the same; in that, he is forever loving, compassionate, and all - knowing.

This concept took me a long time to understand, and, I must admit that sometimes a sea of doubt creeps in. It usually catches me by surprise and I act based upon my present feelings that, yes, are ever-changing. It's when I experiencethe pessimism slowing invading my life, that God works.

Well, he's been working throughout the situation. It's only now that I've noticed his presence as my focus shifts from the impending chaotic catastrophe that I have created in my head, to God's daily reminders and lasting promises:

-he will always be with me
-never leaving nor forsaking me
-he has plans to give me a hope and a future
-he delights in praises unto his name
-

From personal experience, I have discovered these things. That God smiles down on us when we offer a small dose of kindness, whether a "how are you today?" at the grocery store, a "thank you" at the gas station, or a simple note to a friend to remind them that you care. An act that seems quite simple to us may have a profound impact on another person. I invite you to open your heart and your mind to a new way of looking at daily life through the eyes of Jesus.

peace, hope, and love

so,

I haven't written in a while.

here are some thoughts from my inquiring mind.

peace, hope, and love.

what is the meaning of these three things?

perhaps the meaning depends on the indivdual person.

perhaps the meaning deviates from the person and transcends to an entire group of people; families, children, elders, teachers, bussinessmen, writers, musicians, construction workers, cashiers, photographers.

perhaps the meaning of the word "peace" has different implications for a businessman than for a teacher. Perhaps a businessman is at peace when he receives a large paycheck at the end of the week. perhaps a teacher is at peace when a child finally understands classroom material.

maybe a musician is "hopeful" when he gets to sign a million dollar contract with a famous record label. hopefulness for a writer might be publishing a first book.

a family may experience "love" when everyone escapes unharmed from a housefire. elders may view love as a life commitment, a devotion to each other, evident through their unconditional daily love.

you may ask, what does hope mean to you? an ability to be satisfied with the present but always looking to the future journey's that life brings. peace is an inner ability to feel comfort and contentment when things around me are going beautifully well and when events around me appear to be exploding in the dark balck night of the sky. and love, well love, is to see a person and automatically love them as Jesus does, to look past their inherent faults that appear to consume and define them and to their soul, as a child of God. Only god can provide you with this precious gift of love, something that constantly needs to be renewed everyday.

a passage

Psalm 146

Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord , my soul.
I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.
He is the maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them-
he remians faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The Lord reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.

do not put trust in the things that will not last.
instead find full trust and commitment in God.
the end of this passage is so inspriing becuase it focuses just on God.
just on the things that he is capable of fulfilling himself. Its "the Lord" who loves, its "the Lord" who "sets prisoners free," its "the Lord who remains faithful forever."

even through betrayal, its the Lord who still stays in this commited, forever friendship.

the bible has so much stuff in it that speaks to so many different things. it's amazing that his word can speak to so many situations and people at the same time.
it lets me know, that its truly god speaking.
truly him talking, breathing, and living alongside me, with me very single day.
this is an amazing truthful promise for life.

Words of Wisdom

"Learn as if you were going to live forever."

~ Mahatma Gandhi

a love that is wider than rainbows

ever wonder what its like to be released in the arms of god?

to be touched and held and loved

all the while led away from hurt and brokenness

and led straight to god?

to a person who loves you unconditionally,

to a person who loves you just because

he does.

not by anything that you did

but by god's simple yet extreme love for you?

his love heals and mends all hurts

and best of all

it lasts forever.

its free.

resting in your presence

today, im so tired.

i wish i could roll back into bed, and pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep.

to sleep peacefully without a care in the world.

you know those times when you just want to sleep in, when your body needs that relaxation, that care, in order to cope with the day?

that what i need.

just simple rest.

My Life Is Yours

"Take my will and make it thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart--it is thine own,
It shall be thy royal throne."

~Frances Ridley Havergal

My Worries

I laid awake in bed last night thinking of all the things that worried me. I thought it would be helpful to see this list face-to-face.

Things that Worry Me

1. Finding a husband
2. Graduating
3. Finding a job
4. Meeting current class deadlines
5. Catching up on class reading
6. Conflict with my family
7. Providing sufficiently for my future family
8. My grandfather eventually passing away
9. and how my family and I will react to the short-term and long-term consequences
10. Will I get everything done?
11. Am I missing out on all that God has for me today?
12. Working too much and resting too little
13. Letting work control my life rather than His Spirit

friends

Simple

was there ever a simple life?

a life devoid of things not big but things that are small?

a life where "the next big thing" does not matter?

a life where we find strength in the small things,

peace in heartfelt things,

and hope in simple things?

is simple really better?

does simple define who i am?

does complexity define who i am?

or, is it a matter of complexity?

am i such a complex person that there really is no simplicity to me?

are simple acts complex?

or, are complex acts really simple?

is it our perspective?

does our perspective change as we view familiar things or new things?

did God give us both complexity and simplicity?

a t-shirt by Edison Glass says:

"see with new sight changed eyes different perspective"

A Dose of Reality

"...What drives the decision to live divided no more, with the risks it entails?
How do people find the courage to bring inner conviction into harmony with the outer act,
knowing when they do,
that the force of the institution may come down on their heads?

...The difference between the person who goes to the back of the bus and
the one who decides to sit up front
is probably lost in the mystery of the human heart.
But in Rosa Parks and others like her, I see a clue to an answer:
when you realize you can no longer collaborate in something that violates
your own integrity,
your understanding of punishment is suddenly transformed.

Whne the police came to Rosa Parks on the bus
and informed her that they would have to put her in jail if she did not move,
she replied, 'You may do that.'
It was a very polite way of saying,
'How could your jail begin to compare with the jail I have had myself in all these years
by collaborating with this racist system?'

The courage to live divided no more,
to face the punishment that may follow,
comes from this simple insight.

No punishment anyone lays on you
could possibly be worse
than the punishment you lay on yourself
by conspiring in your own diminshment."

(my teacher gave this excerpt out in class today.
if you want to read more:
Courage to Teach by Parker Palmer (1998) p. 171)

life

"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong."

~ Joseph Chilton Pearce

it makes me think...

i saw this in my church bulletin. it made me think of all the countless amounts of time i spend thinking negatively about a person or situation. what if all those times i thought of something positive about the person or situation? what if i start doing that now?

For a Happier Life:

~Do not give in to anger over the past or fear of the future. Do not look backwards or forwards. Enjoy the present.

~Do not waste your time and energy on grudges, gossip and negative thoughts. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

~Envy is a waste of time. God will provide what you need.

~Enjoy the simple things.

~Remember, everything in moderation.

~Play more games and read more funny books.

~Do not take yourself so seriously. Cultivate a sense of humor. Laugh a lot.

~Count your blessings and be thankful.

rest & listen

"All who are weary come to me and I will give you rest."

today,
just rest.
turn off the t.v.,
silence the music,
dim the lights,
and just
sit.

today,
just rest.

questions to ponder:
* is it hard or is it easy to do nothing?
* what do you hear?
* what do you feel?
* what do you long for?
* what are you grateful for right now?

What Are You Searching For?

"The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The meaning of life is to give it away."

~ D. Viscott

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though.

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake

The only sounds the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

A Simple Verse that is Often Overlooked

peace be with you today, tomorrow, and forever