the only thing i see on the news (it seems) is violence. and a huge issue in our schools today is violence. and i talk to teenage girls who are either indirectly involved in violence or have themselves struggled with violence. all forms of violence- from fist-fighting to yelling to cursing... you get it...
anger. rage. hate. revenge. malice.
to change the subject (and hopefully tie the two subjects back in together later)... Jesus was probably the coolest human being you could ever hear about. i've read about a lot of cool people, and some of them are definitely worth emulating. but no one has ever come close to being anything like Jesus.
not only did Jesus have a brilliant mind, but he learned (and showed us by example) how to master the roller-coaster that is human emotion. i'm sure there were millions of times he felt anger, and i know for a fact that he was treated cruely and had every right to be filled with rage. but Jesus was an incredibly calm man. he was a man that would exude peace into a crowd just by walking into it. he was nothing but gentle, nothing but kind, nothing but peaceful. no matter what the circumstance.
he was betrayed by one of his best friends, and the bible recounts the story of peter pulling out a sword and cutting off a slave's ear (trying to pick a fight, basically) out of his anger. (luke chapter 22) Jesus was about to be hauled off by these men, and instead of lashing out- he healed the servant's ear, and told peter to put his sword away.
i wonder what would happen in our high schools if, when one of us was punched or spit on, instead of fighting back, we would stop and pray, and ask God to heal the situation.
Jesus was anything but violent. as a matter of fact, the only sign of any form of "anger" that the bible gives us is when Jesus finds people selling common items inside of the temple. i'm sure he was insulted, hurt, and completely heartbroken. he reacted by toppling all of the tables over and saying (in what i think would be a dissapointed/frustrated cry) "the scriptures declare- my house will be called a house of prayer! but you have turned it into a den of thieves!" (matthew chapter 21)
it's also worth noting that immediately after doing this, the blind and the lame began pouring into the temple for Jesus to heal them. he was the picture of love and grace.
what i'm getting at is... if rage and hatred and anger fuel you to react in violence, then something is wrong. if you can't walk away from a fight, or if you can't turn off the TV instead of watching violence (which, in turn, makes you more comfortable around it), or if you can't choose to stay calm instead of getting angry... you need to evaluate your own heart and see if the peace of Jesus is really inside of you.
maybe this blog isn't for someone like you.... i know i'm not a violent person, but i've been exposed to it by some people who really need peace. if it IS for you, i'd like to pray with you. if not, find someone who needs prayer for their issues with violence. you probably already know a few people without even searching.
let's be nothing but gentle. nothing but kind. nothing but peaceful, no matter the circumstance.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
mr. right.
ignorance really is bliss. do you remember being young, stupid, and completely happy?
...okay.
i think our expectations as girls change over the years. time wears us down, as it teaches it lessons it also kinda squishes our dreams with each passing hour... like jello.
as a six or seven year old, we dream of "prince charming" riding in on the white horse and sweeping us off into the sunset. then when we're twelve/thirteen we're like, "oh, if only he could have blue eyes!!" ...around sixteen we just want a guy who plays a sport. God, make him a future NBA player! and then into our early twenties it's like, "I'd just like a guy who prefers to be sober on the weekends." and a few years later... "nevermind, if he can just have a clean driving record i'll be happy."
so.. timeline time:
young girl: ridiculous expectations of a smoldering, strong man who is the perfect blend of sensitive, smart, and funny.
pre-teen: i no longer care if he's smoldering, he just needs to be cute and smile at me occasionally. wedding bells are ringing!!!
teenager: must have a sense of humor... a.k.a. act like a complete idiot because that's what's "cool" right now.
pre-adult: alright, who cares if he's funny. God just send me a decent man!! are there any of those alive?!
adult: nevermind. he's ugly. he has the personality of a frog. but he has a good driving record. wedding bells!!!
i'll speak for myself- i've lowered my standards a lot. i've let time chip away at me, i've let the jerks in my past wear me down and make me lose faith. i remember hoping for the perfect guy as a little girl and then, with every passing "season" of life, believing that someone perfect actually doesn't exist. he isn't real. i've created him in my dreams, he's fictional.
but a part of me (a very small part) has to figuratively keep it's fingers crossed. that part of me has to trust that this perfect guy is somewhere right now, waiting for someone like me. i realize he will not literally be perfect... he's human, so he'll have his flaws, but he will be perfect FOR me. he WILL be smoldering.. and funny.. and the perfect blend of sensitive and smart.
and, ya know what, he might even have a really great driving record.
...okay.
i think our expectations as girls change over the years. time wears us down, as it teaches it lessons it also kinda squishes our dreams with each passing hour... like jello.
as a six or seven year old, we dream of "prince charming" riding in on the white horse and sweeping us off into the sunset. then when we're twelve/thirteen we're like, "oh, if only he could have blue eyes!!" ...around sixteen we just want a guy who plays a sport. God, make him a future NBA player! and then into our early twenties it's like, "I'd just like a guy who prefers to be sober on the weekends." and a few years later... "nevermind, if he can just have a clean driving record i'll be happy."
so.. timeline time:
young girl: ridiculous expectations of a smoldering, strong man who is the perfect blend of sensitive, smart, and funny.
pre-teen: i no longer care if he's smoldering, he just needs to be cute and smile at me occasionally. wedding bells are ringing!!!
teenager: must have a sense of humor... a.k.a. act like a complete idiot because that's what's "cool" right now.
pre-adult: alright, who cares if he's funny. God just send me a decent man!! are there any of those alive?!
adult: nevermind. he's ugly. he has the personality of a frog. but he has a good driving record. wedding bells!!!
i'll speak for myself- i've lowered my standards a lot. i've let time chip away at me, i've let the jerks in my past wear me down and make me lose faith. i remember hoping for the perfect guy as a little girl and then, with every passing "season" of life, believing that someone perfect actually doesn't exist. he isn't real. i've created him in my dreams, he's fictional.
but a part of me (a very small part) has to figuratively keep it's fingers crossed. that part of me has to trust that this perfect guy is somewhere right now, waiting for someone like me. i realize he will not literally be perfect... he's human, so he'll have his flaws, but he will be perfect FOR me. he WILL be smoldering.. and funny.. and the perfect blend of sensitive and smart.
and, ya know what, he might even have a really great driving record.
Monday, October 3, 2011
well, hi.
it's very easy for me to get distracted with online shopping. there seems to be a sudden overflow of elephant-themed jewelry on every website i visit, and i can't stop myself from clicking on each and every piece.. and before i know it, an hour has passed.
dernit.
today was lovely. my life, really, at the moment is lovely. i will openly admit that i have very little sense of direction and, on a good day, about ten dollars to my name. but how can i complain? how can i be anything but grateful?
i find myself very vulnerable to what each day holds for me, as every second/minute/hour unfolds, i am completely willing to go wherever it takes me. today the weather was divine and i spent some time sitting outside reading, reflecting, listening to nature. i feel very close to God when i am outdoors. sitting on the earth, something His hands have formed. listening to sounds He likes to hear- wind, birds, laughter floating in the air.
besides being vulnerable and willing to embrace life, i am learning about boundaries. the liberty that comes with just saying "no." instead of just accepting every obstacle people throw at me. i don't want to do that, you can't treat me that way, this doesn't make me happy. drawing lines in the sand for people to keep them from taking advantage of me. the beauty of growing up!!
and, if this is even possible, i am overwhelmingly grateful. as always, but even more so. i love my family so much. i would never envy anyone elses family, or wish to trade anyone's place for my own. i have an overflowing, deep life. warmth and kindness and so much joy in my family and friends. people on the outside must look at me and say, geez how did that kid get so lucky? i have no idea.
hopefully this month i'll be a more dedicated blogger. hopefully this month will be the most fulfilling, beautiful october you and i have ever had. thank you for reading.
dernit.
today was lovely. my life, really, at the moment is lovely. i will openly admit that i have very little sense of direction and, on a good day, about ten dollars to my name. but how can i complain? how can i be anything but grateful?
i find myself very vulnerable to what each day holds for me, as every second/minute/hour unfolds, i am completely willing to go wherever it takes me. today the weather was divine and i spent some time sitting outside reading, reflecting, listening to nature. i feel very close to God when i am outdoors. sitting on the earth, something His hands have formed. listening to sounds He likes to hear- wind, birds, laughter floating in the air.
besides being vulnerable and willing to embrace life, i am learning about boundaries. the liberty that comes with just saying "no." instead of just accepting every obstacle people throw at me. i don't want to do that, you can't treat me that way, this doesn't make me happy. drawing lines in the sand for people to keep them from taking advantage of me. the beauty of growing up!!
and, if this is even possible, i am overwhelmingly grateful. as always, but even more so. i love my family so much. i would never envy anyone elses family, or wish to trade anyone's place for my own. i have an overflowing, deep life. warmth and kindness and so much joy in my family and friends. people on the outside must look at me and say, geez how did that kid get so lucky? i have no idea.
hopefully this month i'll be a more dedicated blogger. hopefully this month will be the most fulfilling, beautiful october you and i have ever had. thank you for reading.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)