I asked myself this question today after our church service. What is my life about? What, in my life, is glorifying to God? What, in my life, is pointing others to Christ? What is my purpose? Because I feel like my purpose most of the time is to make my time here on earth as comfortable as possible - do I still love God in the process? sure. Do I still do things in His Name, hoping to bring others to know Him? sure. But, what is my life really all about? I get so caught up in being in this world and doing all the things that this world does - except, of course, for the really bad things that Christians shouldn't do! But, should Christians FILL their minds with God-absent entertainment that does nothing more than deaden our capacity for joy in Jesus? Should Christians create an environment of jealousy among peers in their constant quest to have stuff and look "good?" Should Christians WASTE THEIR TIME?! All of these things have been rattling around in my head this morning/afternoon and I'm not saying that I have the answer to all of it, but I feel like I'm on the brink of something BIG! Not that I have the capacity to do big things, but God does and He is waiting patiently for me to say - "I'm DONE with the things of this world - I want NOTHING more than to glorify you in all that I say, all that I do, all that I think, all that I am!" I'm ready to say that -- HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE! So, how do I move in that direction? What steps do I need to take to make myself so different from this world and the evil in it so much so that my life begins to reflect Christ in an amazing way to those around me? Pray. Read His Word. Meditate on the things He tells me. Aren't those things you should be doing anyway? ABSOLUTELY! So, just do them, right? Quit talking about it and become the person He so desires for me to be!!! One thing He convicted me of this morning was this: I feel like I've been waiting around for an example of exactly who I want to be, you know? It was as if I had said - I want to be the person you want me to be, God, but I need you to show me what it looks like exactly - I need to see someone my age, in a similar circumstance as me, cool like me (ha), living totally and completely for you and then, I can use them as an example and that would be much easier for me! Had I ever said all of that out loud? NO, but God showed me today that that was an idea floating around in my head and that I needed to get rid of it! I walked up to the altar and prayed for Him to take such thoughts out of my head. I left them there and committed to BE the example! Stand up and be that person and quit looking for it in someone else, you know? It felt good and I'm excited!
My source of spiritual power is not going to come from movies and internet and TV and the things of this world, so why waste my time on those things? (I'm obviously on the internet now, but I'm journaling, people)! I've heard people argue that they need to be relevant in order to minister to the people around them (meaning, they need to stay current in the movie scene, the entertainment industry and what not in order to be effective)! BLAH BLAH BLAH is what I have to say to that! Being entertained by sin does not increase compassion for sinners! What good can come from ALL of the sexually explicit material that surrounds media these days? NONE GOOD is the answer! Also, do you know how deadening to your brain the triviality of television is? We need to enlarge our capacity to be moved by the immeasurable glories of Christ, but television takes us in the opposite direction, shrinking our minds ability to glorify Him!!! I absolutely do not regret the absence of television in my house - now, to talk the family into going cold turkey on the movies!!!
Seriously, I'm DONE wasting my life! Trivial, meaningless things are OUT THE WINDOW!! I'm ready to be used by God all day, everyday!! Pray for me!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Holy Emulation
I don't at all want to sound like I think I'm some big hot shot and everyone wants to be like me, but at the same time, I can't deny that I am watched. People I work with know that I love the Lord and I would be kidding myself to think they are not watching to see how I'm different than they are. We work with students at our church, which is like signing up to have all eyes on you - these kids are at crucial times in their lives and they are desparately searching for someone/something to pattern their lives after (even if they don't admit it). It's sobering to realize that your life is bigger than you - the things I do, the steps I take, the words I say - it's all got a purpose. I want to strive to be constantly aware of that and quit being so selfish. What is my goal in life -- to not waste it! How does that happen - when I'm honoring and glorifying Him. I want my life to point others to Christ.
From an author, Thomas Brooks:
Bad men are wonderfully in love with bad examples.... Oh, that we were as much in love with the examples of good men as others are in love with the examples of bad men.
Shall we love to look upon the pictures of our friends; and shall we not love to look upon the pious examples of those that are the lively and lovely picture of Christ? The pious examples of others should be the mirrors by which we should dress ourselves.
He is the best and wisest Christian...that imitates those Christians that are most imminent in grace.... It is noble to live by the examples of the most eminent saints.
I want to provide a holy example with my life. I don't want to be the bad example who spends her time worried about worldly things, filling herself with the things of this world, forgetting to look beyond herself and point others to Christ. How dreadful is the picture of a wasted life?!
“[Do] not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:12).
“Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity” (Titus 2:7).
AND for my kids -- who, on this earth, is going to love them more than I do? Who should be the one to teach them what it is to honor and glorify Christ? Who needs to help them realize that this is not our home nor are the meaningless luxuries and rampant idolatry? What a job, huh?
Okay, so that was supposed to be a segway into talking about my kids!
Boston starts soccer camp this next week - he is so excited. I think it will be really good for him to have a teacher to listen to and follow instruction from with other kids his own age. We will see how it goes. He asked me yesterday when he gets to go soccer camping! ha! He also tubed behind the boat this week - it was awesome! Lance was sitting at the edge of the boat with his life jacket on ready to jump in, but Boston did perfectly. We kept asking him if he was done and he would shake his head no. We finally just had to make him come in because the sun was going down!!
Dash is just getting bigger and bigger and losing his hair. It is still looking really blonde and his eyes are still blue and his skin is still really pale. Other than those major things, he does look a little like his brother. He LOVES to play under his little baby gym that has linky toys hanging down -- he has been to my work kids club 3 times now (2 hours at a time) and they said he did perfectly. They never even had to pick him up - he was just so content all 3 times! AWESOME! He has been to the church nursery twice and fallen asleep both times, so that is good as well. He is REALLY big - 95%percentile, but so is boston, so nothing new here (they both had doctors appts a few weeks ago - the 2 month check-up and the 3 year check-up).
I am LOVING life with no TV (even though we watch a movie every night, but that's different). That's right, we did not make the DTV transition so now all of our free channels are gone and it's great. I feel like it wastes too much of my life and you know I'm not all about that! We are well into the heat of the summer here in Houston and I am also loving that. (Lance isn't really loving either of those things, but he'll survive)
From an author, Thomas Brooks:
Bad men are wonderfully in love with bad examples.... Oh, that we were as much in love with the examples of good men as others are in love with the examples of bad men.
Shall we love to look upon the pictures of our friends; and shall we not love to look upon the pious examples of those that are the lively and lovely picture of Christ? The pious examples of others should be the mirrors by which we should dress ourselves.
He is the best and wisest Christian...that imitates those Christians that are most imminent in grace.... It is noble to live by the examples of the most eminent saints.
I want to provide a holy example with my life. I don't want to be the bad example who spends her time worried about worldly things, filling herself with the things of this world, forgetting to look beyond herself and point others to Christ. How dreadful is the picture of a wasted life?!
“[Do] not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:12).
“Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity” (Titus 2:7).
AND for my kids -- who, on this earth, is going to love them more than I do? Who should be the one to teach them what it is to honor and glorify Christ? Who needs to help them realize that this is not our home nor are the meaningless luxuries and rampant idolatry? What a job, huh?
Okay, so that was supposed to be a segway into talking about my kids!
Boston starts soccer camp this next week - he is so excited. I think it will be really good for him to have a teacher to listen to and follow instruction from with other kids his own age. We will see how it goes. He asked me yesterday when he gets to go soccer camping! ha! He also tubed behind the boat this week - it was awesome! Lance was sitting at the edge of the boat with his life jacket on ready to jump in, but Boston did perfectly. We kept asking him if he was done and he would shake his head no. We finally just had to make him come in because the sun was going down!!
Dash is just getting bigger and bigger and losing his hair. It is still looking really blonde and his eyes are still blue and his skin is still really pale. Other than those major things, he does look a little like his brother. He LOVES to play under his little baby gym that has linky toys hanging down -- he has been to my work kids club 3 times now (2 hours at a time) and they said he did perfectly. They never even had to pick him up - he was just so content all 3 times! AWESOME! He has been to the church nursery twice and fallen asleep both times, so that is good as well. He is REALLY big - 95%percentile, but so is boston, so nothing new here (they both had doctors appts a few weeks ago - the 2 month check-up and the 3 year check-up).
I am LOVING life with no TV (even though we watch a movie every night, but that's different). That's right, we did not make the DTV transition so now all of our free channels are gone and it's great. I feel like it wastes too much of my life and you know I'm not all about that! We are well into the heat of the summer here in Houston and I am also loving that. (Lance isn't really loving either of those things, but he'll survive)
And now for some cool pics:
I did a mini-photo shoot with my cheap Lumix Camera (okay, so it wasn't that cheap, but it wasn't like a fancy digital SLR or anything like that) - this was the pic I used for Lance's Father's Day Present.
Dash getting so big (he's completely naked in this picture because he just got out of the pool after his first swim)!
Boston jumping into the pool - he LOVES this little life vest swimsuit thing - he's just like a little fish!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
daddy day care
cdock: i'm leaving for work, be back in 2 hours. ddock is getting a little fussy, so he will probably want to take a nap soon. you will need to hold him like this (demonstrated the cradle with one baby arm tucked under one adult arm) and rock him in his room and hold his pacifier in his mouth. he will probably be a little fussy at first, but then you should be able to rock him to sleep.
2 hours later
cdock: how did it go?
ldock: fine
cdock: so, you got him to go to sleep okay?
ldock: ya, but i can't do all that stuff you do
cdock: so, what did you do?
ldock: i layed him in his bed and put his pacifier in his mouth and he went to sleep
NICE!
2 hours later
cdock: how did it go?
ldock: fine
cdock: so, you got him to go to sleep okay?
ldock: ya, but i can't do all that stuff you do
cdock: so, what did you do?
ldock: i layed him in his bed and put his pacifier in his mouth and he went to sleep
NICE!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
West Texas Visit
Gramma and Dash
Balancing requires you hold your mouth just so.
Disclaimer for the following 3 pics: Dash wanted me to let you know that he does not necessarily have a favorite great aunt, but we just thought these pics were too cute to leave out.
Genius: I can already mimic facial expressions!
so silly!
good smile
Great Great Grandmother - Mamaw
Boston, Dash, and Mamaw
Grammy with all her grandchildren!
Aunt Shane
Cousin Sadie and Dash chattin' it up
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
