Okay, I am single. I do my own laundry; no one else ever does it for me. I don't do anyone else's laundry. Hey, I even live in the laundry room at my house. I have but a step to go and I'm there at the washing machine with my laundry. Yet somehow I still manage to lose my socks in the wash! How in the world am I doing this!? I'm frustrated.
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Thanksgiving
This Thanksgiving my family kept with tradition and went to Glenwood Springs. We ate at the Hotel Colorado. I had salmon, very good; the food's always great there. We also went to see two movies in one day, something I've never done before. It was because my generous Aunt and Uncle paid for everyone (their family of four and my family of six, yikes). We saw The Incredibles and National Tresure, both cool. We swam in the hot springs as well. And my sister Jacque and I want for a lovely four mile walk to the mall and back. It was a pretty good two days. For a short post that was a lot of links. Does it make you jealous?
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Back from Mexico
Well the internet in my hotel has been out of order since the last time I posted. I never got a chance to hit an internet cafe as we were pretty busy the whole trip.
This has got to be my new favorite city. It's so diverse, it has everyone form millionaires to those living out of cardboard shacks to those on the streets, many languages are spoken there, parts are so like the U.S. and other places are vastly different, it's international, and it's HUGE. Something about being there excites me more than any other place I've been, even more than China. It feels like anything could happen at any moment. Like being at the canter of something big. ; )
Our trip centered mainly around reconnecting with a lot of the people from Pueblo Del Fey, the church Mike and Judy planted down there. We did a lot of stuff with them, especially the Prats. The Prats are this great family with four kids: Michelle, Chris, Stephanie, and Jennifer. We probably hung out with Michelle and Chris the most since they are the oldest. We did a lot with them, we went to the pyramids and climbed them, to the ballet, rode horses, went on a boat through these canals in part of the city, went to the two nicest restaurants I've ever been to, went to the mall, and visited their grandparents. It was a lot of fun.
We also met Ivan, one of the guys who is involved with the 24/7 prayer movement in Mexico. He told us a lot of what his church was doing in the community and how 24/7 had impacted his life and that of the church. He also talked of how badly the church in Mexico struggles with unity. We also went to the ruins of an Aztec temple in the center of Mexico City and the we want to the Cathedral that had been built over part of those ruins. It really struck me how spiritually dark both those places were.
Overall the biggest things I came away with are how I need to pray for Mexico. I need to pray for God to help the church unite there so that they can be more effective in shining as a light in a place that still has a lot of darkness. I saw that in the temple/cathedral. I've been to one cathedral before, in New York, it felt different. I'm not sure how to explain it. Less oppressive I think. The cathedral in Mexico City felt oppressive and dark. I need to pray that God would bring light there through His united church.
The last thing I think about Mexico City is that I've got to go back. : )
This has got to be my new favorite city. It's so diverse, it has everyone form millionaires to those living out of cardboard shacks to those on the streets, many languages are spoken there, parts are so like the U.S. and other places are vastly different, it's international, and it's HUGE. Something about being there excites me more than any other place I've been, even more than China. It feels like anything could happen at any moment. Like being at the canter of something big. ; )
Our trip centered mainly around reconnecting with a lot of the people from Pueblo Del Fey, the church Mike and Judy planted down there. We did a lot of stuff with them, especially the Prats. The Prats are this great family with four kids: Michelle, Chris, Stephanie, and Jennifer. We probably hung out with Michelle and Chris the most since they are the oldest. We did a lot with them, we went to the pyramids and climbed them, to the ballet, rode horses, went on a boat through these canals in part of the city, went to the two nicest restaurants I've ever been to, went to the mall, and visited their grandparents. It was a lot of fun.
We also met Ivan, one of the guys who is involved with the 24/7 prayer movement in Mexico. He told us a lot of what his church was doing in the community and how 24/7 had impacted his life and that of the church. He also talked of how badly the church in Mexico struggles with unity. We also went to the ruins of an Aztec temple in the center of Mexico City and the we want to the Cathedral that had been built over part of those ruins. It really struck me how spiritually dark both those places were.
Overall the biggest things I came away with are how I need to pray for Mexico. I need to pray for God to help the church unite there so that they can be more effective in shining as a light in a place that still has a lot of darkness. I saw that in the temple/cathedral. I've been to one cathedral before, in New York, it felt different. I'm not sure how to explain it. Less oppressive I think. The cathedral in Mexico City felt oppressive and dark. I need to pray that God would bring light there through His united church.
The last thing I think about Mexico City is that I've got to go back. : )
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
i'm here
The second flight workd out and I am now posting from my hotel in El Ciudad De México. I need to apologize in advance for any bad spelling, I'm not very good and the spell check in in español so I can't use it.
I'm super excited, it's been awhile since I've really been outside of the U.S. The city is familiar in a way because I've been in Latinamerican cities before and at the same time very new. I've never been anyplace this huge. I've got to go though, my time with the net is about up. I'll try to post more later.
I'm super excited, it's been awhile since I've really been outside of the U.S. The city is familiar in a way because I've been in Latinamerican cities before and at the same time very new. I've never been anyplace this huge. I've got to go though, my time with the net is about up. I'll try to post more later.
Monday, November 15, 2004
Mexico City
So our flight which would have left tonight at around six was canceled. It was rescheduled for tomorrow at the same time. At least we still get to fly into Mexico City at night. That's the best time, at night when darkness covers all hints of dirt and any flaw. A city looks like a beautiful field of peaceful fallen stars from the air at night. The next morning reality hits you see the dirt and the poverty. Mexico City has more street children than any other. God let me see through Your eyes. Give me Your compassion. Let my heart break with Yours over what I see.
Sunday, November 14, 2004
it's dying
The little cd player in my car is dying. It has many problems. The wire that connects it to the cigarette lighter in my car comes unplugged very easily, like when I go over a bump. This cuts off the power to my cd player and it shuts off. The anti-shock button makes it go into repeat-one-song mode, so does the rewind button. It also randomly decides to just go back to the beginning of the cd and start over, after doing this about three times it will quit altogether for about an hour. Sometimes it works perfectly. It's very moody. All this frustrates me when I'm driving, I frequently give up and just sing to myself. How I wish I had an ipod, but alas, I am a poor girl and I might have to buy another car in the next year (mine's taking a quart of oil a week these days, :s not good.) I'm praying this car will last awhile longer, but ipod will have to wait while I save for another car. Arrrg, I'm getting tired of cds though.
BTW, I'm leaving for Mexico City tomorrow. I'll be going with Isaac, Marie, Ben, and Isaac's parents Mike and Judy. I'm excited. I'll try to post more tomorrow, if not I'll do it when I get back on the 23rd.
BTW, I'm leaving for Mexico City tomorrow. I'll be going with Isaac, Marie, Ben, and Isaac's parents Mike and Judy. I'm excited. I'll try to post more tomorrow, if not I'll do it when I get back on the 23rd.
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
early church life
Acts 2:42-47 & 4:32-25
I've been reading Acts for this class I'm talking. It's been really cool. One thing I'm seeing and feeling convicted about is how the early church lived. There were no followers of Jesus outside the church. To follow Jesus was to become part of His Bride. The two were inseparable. I'm amazed every time I read Acts at how 100% the disciples are. They rarely call themselves believers, I guess the word was to passive for them. When they decided to follow Jesus they gave everything - literally. People sold their property to meet the needs of others. They opened their homes constantly and thus did away with privacy. They met together every day, giving up their free time. They were devoted to prayer and the apostles' teaching, which would have convicted them of any little sin in their hearts. They also gave up their independence. They even allowed themselves to be under the authority of the apostles. They had a vision for Jesus which meant a vision for His church. The church was not an organization or social club to them, no it was a whole new lifestyle. The church took over every individual's life. They really gave it all to Jesus.
I feel convicted when I read these passages. How much have I given up for the church? How much have I really joyfully surrendered to Jesus? In comparison to these people nothing. I haven't even begun. I've never sold anything to provide for another's need. I don't get together with people to worship God every day. Haven't opened my home (or in my case little room). How much independence have I let go of? No I'm a little slacker and compared to them I've not really sacrificed for the church much yet. It hasn't completely taken over my life.
Jesus, I want You to really have everything. Please lead me into a deeper level of commitment to You and a greater willingness to give You absolutely everything. Teach me to live my life like these people in Acts. Not just me teach the whole body of Christ worldwide to live like this again. Shake us out of our mediocrity. Give us this sweet dream and teach us to run with it....
I've been reading Acts for this class I'm talking. It's been really cool. One thing I'm seeing and feeling convicted about is how the early church lived. There were no followers of Jesus outside the church. To follow Jesus was to become part of His Bride. The two were inseparable. I'm amazed every time I read Acts at how 100% the disciples are. They rarely call themselves believers, I guess the word was to passive for them. When they decided to follow Jesus they gave everything - literally. People sold their property to meet the needs of others. They opened their homes constantly and thus did away with privacy. They met together every day, giving up their free time. They were devoted to prayer and the apostles' teaching, which would have convicted them of any little sin in their hearts. They also gave up their independence. They even allowed themselves to be under the authority of the apostles. They had a vision for Jesus which meant a vision for His church. The church was not an organization or social club to them, no it was a whole new lifestyle. The church took over every individual's life. They really gave it all to Jesus.
I feel convicted when I read these passages. How much have I given up for the church? How much have I really joyfully surrendered to Jesus? In comparison to these people nothing. I haven't even begun. I've never sold anything to provide for another's need. I don't get together with people to worship God every day. Haven't opened my home (or in my case little room). How much independence have I let go of? No I'm a little slacker and compared to them I've not really sacrificed for the church much yet. It hasn't completely taken over my life.
Jesus, I want You to really have everything. Please lead me into a deeper level of commitment to You and a greater willingness to give You absolutely everything. Teach me to live my life like these people in Acts. Not just me teach the whole body of Christ worldwide to live like this again. Shake us out of our mediocrity. Give us this sweet dream and teach us to run with it....
Sunday, November 07, 2004
in and not of?
John 3:17 John 13:35 John 18:36 James 4:4 1 John 2:15
I’ve been thinking about this verse since the last time I posted. In the world but not of it. What does that mean? I think Christians get this switched backwards a lot. Often we are of the world but not in it.
What do I mean of the world but not in it? I mean we are legalistic. We’re anti-culture. (I don’t know if this is a problem with Christians in Europe but I see it here in the U.S. way too much.) We are against Hollywood, homosexuals, secular music, dance, and the list goes on. It’s quite long in some circles. American Christianity seems to have its own culture that’s even been recognized by the secular media. We are not in the world. Yet strangely I’ve noticed we are often of the world. Just like everyone else we’re cliquish, closed and unloving to anyone who’s different. Just like everyone else we force our standards on others and get offended when they refuse to conform. Even unbelievers face our judgement. We shun the ones Jesus made a point of hanging out with. We behave as if we were of the world.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I believe there’s a place for standards. There is definitely a place to stand up and say that something is wrong. I also am aware that everyone has their set of weaknesses and there are things in this world that trigger those weaknesses. There are things about pop-culture that are wrong, vulgar, or cause a person to stumble into sin. Of course these should be avoided. I don’t think we should choose to always watch and listen to and do what the world does. I also don’t think we should shun it just because it was the creation of someone who is not a follower of Jesus.
So what do I think it means to be in the world but not of it? I think it means knowing the issues that turn their hearts. Embracing culture and art while listening carefully to God and being open to any changes or standards He might set. Simultaneously refusing to compromise purity and refusing to hide away from the world. How can we reach people if we’re hiding? We need to be in the world yet not of it. How will they know we’re not of this world? Our love. (John 13:35) People who are readily accepting of those who are not a part of their group. They are loving towards those with different ideas. The kind who are not afraid and won’t be shaken from the standards God has given, yet never condemn those who don’t follow the same standard. There is a fragrance of a love from another dimension. Something that could only come from God. This is how they will see that we’re not just a group with different ideas which at its heart is essentially the same as them, but a group deeply changed at the heart.
I’ve been thinking about this verse since the last time I posted. In the world but not of it. What does that mean? I think Christians get this switched backwards a lot. Often we are of the world but not in it.
What do I mean of the world but not in it? I mean we are legalistic. We’re anti-culture. (I don’t know if this is a problem with Christians in Europe but I see it here in the U.S. way too much.) We are against Hollywood, homosexuals, secular music, dance, and the list goes on. It’s quite long in some circles. American Christianity seems to have its own culture that’s even been recognized by the secular media. We are not in the world. Yet strangely I’ve noticed we are often of the world. Just like everyone else we’re cliquish, closed and unloving to anyone who’s different. Just like everyone else we force our standards on others and get offended when they refuse to conform. Even unbelievers face our judgement. We shun the ones Jesus made a point of hanging out with. We behave as if we were of the world.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I believe there’s a place for standards. There is definitely a place to stand up and say that something is wrong. I also am aware that everyone has their set of weaknesses and there are things in this world that trigger those weaknesses. There are things about pop-culture that are wrong, vulgar, or cause a person to stumble into sin. Of course these should be avoided. I don’t think we should choose to always watch and listen to and do what the world does. I also don’t think we should shun it just because it was the creation of someone who is not a follower of Jesus.
So what do I think it means to be in the world but not of it? I think it means knowing the issues that turn their hearts. Embracing culture and art while listening carefully to God and being open to any changes or standards He might set. Simultaneously refusing to compromise purity and refusing to hide away from the world. How can we reach people if we’re hiding? We need to be in the world yet not of it. How will they know we’re not of this world? Our love. (John 13:35) People who are readily accepting of those who are not a part of their group. They are loving towards those with different ideas. The kind who are not afraid and won’t be shaken from the standards God has given, yet never condemn those who don’t follow the same standard. There is a fragrance of a love from another dimension. Something that could only come from God. This is how they will see that we’re not just a group with different ideas which at its heart is essentially the same as them, but a group deeply changed at the heart.
Monday, November 01, 2004
tears
"You have taken account of my wanderings;
Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in Your book?"
~Psalm 56:8
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It humbles and touches me how incredibly interested the God of the univers is in me. He's not just interested in what happens in my life, or "wanderings," but His is also interested in how I feel. It's important to Him. Not just when it makes sense. This verse gives no qualifications for my tears being important to God. I could be crying about nothing and He would still care. He doesn't just care if I cry, He cares what I cry about. Even if it's silly or doesn't make any sense, what makes me cry is important to Him. This verse means a lot to me because I used to be afraid to let myself or God see me cry. People used to laugh at me or get angry whenever I cryed so I thought that God would respond the way the people around me always had. God's taken me through a rather long process of being able to be touched by Him and yes even cry in His presence. This verse has helped me a lot as I've learned to let God bring me closer. It's really awesome to know how close God is.
Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in Your book?"
~Psalm 56:8
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It humbles and touches me how incredibly interested the God of the univers is in me. He's not just interested in what happens in my life, or "wanderings," but His is also interested in how I feel. It's important to Him. Not just when it makes sense. This verse gives no qualifications for my tears being important to God. I could be crying about nothing and He would still care. He doesn't just care if I cry, He cares what I cry about. Even if it's silly or doesn't make any sense, what makes me cry is important to Him. This verse means a lot to me because I used to be afraid to let myself or God see me cry. People used to laugh at me or get angry whenever I cryed so I thought that God would respond the way the people around me always had. God's taken me through a rather long process of being able to be touched by Him and yes even cry in His presence. This verse has helped me a lot as I've learned to let God bring me closer. It's really awesome to know how close God is.
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