I admit it, I just don't LIKE the Christmas season. And it has NOTHING to do with Jesus. Just because I don't like Christmas doesn't mean I don't love Jesus. To be honest, Resurrection Day, is my favorite holiday. I think if we truly celebrate any day about Christ, it should be Resurrection Day! But we don't. We kind of blow by Resurrection Day. I guess we make so much out of Christmas, so much that has less and less to do with Jesus, that I just can't get into it.
But yet, I celebrate Christ daily. I live in intimacy with Him. I celebrate His birth, life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension every day.
I just totally- ugggg- the Christmas holidays.
Some people would say, "Well, you aren't making it about Christ". Really? I have to make one season about Him? One month? One day? That's all?
Christ is my life.
Honestly, I'd rather watch the "idea" of Christmas on Hallmark than live the truth of it. Because people, the real Christmas season is NOT like a Hallmark movie. We build it up and build it up just for a letdown.
I love taking the tree down ON Christmas day and getting my house back in order! Mainly, because I am ready for a new, exciting year!
All the things we do just to get a "feeling". A feeling of something we have never really had but has been made up for us on TV. The holidays shows make us feel good. But that is not real life.
Here is real life for you. The tree is crooked. There aren't enough lights. I swallow my idea of what the tree I want to look like, looks like- and just say, "It's up." But we did it together. We didn't pay anyone to come and put the perfect tree up with the perfect ornaments.
Here is real life. In 25 days- it's OVER and life can resume!
That makes me happy!!!!!
I feel like my life is on hold for a month, for what? For why? To fulfill who's idea of what Christmas should looks like? How I should feel?
Jesus, thank You for coming to this earth to be born as a man- so you can die as a man, yet sinless. And rise again, so that I might have life.
This is "that" Christmas feeling to me. Those words and their truth fill me with JOY and PEACE!
I will never have that Christmas feeling that Hallmark and the commercials try to sell us.
But I have real feelings of genuine love, and life, and joy unspeakable, and peace within. That can never be replaced by any manmade feelings. Never.
A child of God- beloved, holy, righteous, blameless, healed, forgiven, brand new, sheep, salt, light, a branch, temple of God, reconciled, a saint, God's workmanship, hidden with Christ in God, an expression of the life of Christ because He is my life, a partaker, a living stone- crucified with Christ, I no longer live but Christ lives IN ME!
Friday, November 29, 2013
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Broken....
I finally finished 'Jesus Lost in the Church' by Warren Litzman. A WONDERFUL book! God spoke to me through it. It's one of those books, like Sidetracked in the Wilderness by Michael Wells, that I keep close by to reread and reference.
Now...I am reading 'God's Favorite Place on Earth' by Frank Viola. Chapter one is ALL about BROKENNESS.
"The Lord is far more interested in your weaknesses than in your strengths. He is interested in breaking you. Why? Because when there is less of you in the way, there is more room for Him to work. "- Frank Viola, from God's Favorite Place on Earth
"God's idea of ministry training is a broken vessel. His idea of spiritual preparation is suffering, which includes rejection."
"God breaks us to build us."
"While brokenness is difficult, it's beautiful because it makes God look good. Your natural gifts draw attention to yourself while brokenness draws attention to your Lord. With this in mind, power is dangerous in the hands of an unbroken vessel."
"It's not hard to spot a Christian in ministry who isn't broken. Unbroken people don't know how to lay their lives down and lose. They only know how to try and win.
If they are criticized, they retaliate.
If they are attacked, they return fire.
If misunderstood, they defend in anger.
They are capable of doing all sorts of damage to others in order to save their own ministries and keep their reputations."
"On the contrary, people who have been broken by the hand of God know how to turn the other cheek.
They know how to go the second mile.
They know how to give their coats when asked for their shirts.
They know how to speak well of those who misrepresent them.
They know how to return good for evil.
They know how to lose.
And in doing so, they exhibit the Spirit of the Lamb and allow God to win."
Oh Father, to live in brokenness. To be the broken vessel from which You flow freely from the cracks.
Now...I am reading 'God's Favorite Place on Earth' by Frank Viola. Chapter one is ALL about BROKENNESS.
"The Lord is far more interested in your weaknesses than in your strengths. He is interested in breaking you. Why? Because when there is less of you in the way, there is more room for Him to work. "- Frank Viola, from God's Favorite Place on Earth
"God's idea of ministry training is a broken vessel. His idea of spiritual preparation is suffering, which includes rejection."
"God breaks us to build us."
"While brokenness is difficult, it's beautiful because it makes God look good. Your natural gifts draw attention to yourself while brokenness draws attention to your Lord. With this in mind, power is dangerous in the hands of an unbroken vessel."
"It's not hard to spot a Christian in ministry who isn't broken. Unbroken people don't know how to lay their lives down and lose. They only know how to try and win.
If they are criticized, they retaliate.
If they are attacked, they return fire.
If misunderstood, they defend in anger.
They are capable of doing all sorts of damage to others in order to save their own ministries and keep their reputations."
"On the contrary, people who have been broken by the hand of God know how to turn the other cheek.
They know how to go the second mile.
They know how to give their coats when asked for their shirts.
They know how to speak well of those who misrepresent them.
They know how to return good for evil.
They know how to lose.
And in doing so, they exhibit the Spirit of the Lamb and allow God to win."
Oh Father, to live in brokenness. To be the broken vessel from which You flow freely from the cracks.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Too Busy To Blog : (
And I am not happy about it!
So much has happened since the last time I blogged!
This last weekend was my ADT, Advanced Discipleship Training, and for me it was the best so far. Mainly because this was about HOW to mentor and counsel.
Last weekend, I ran a trails half marathon. Cut 7 minutes off my time from last year. I ran it in 2:14, but NOT a PR! I am really looking forward to next weekends half, the Irecycle. I do not think I will have a PR, Personal Record, but I hope to run it in under 1:54.
We shall see!
Blessings to all ....and I hope to blog more soon!
So much has happened since the last time I blogged!
This last weekend was my ADT, Advanced Discipleship Training, and for me it was the best so far. Mainly because this was about HOW to mentor and counsel.
Last weekend, I ran a trails half marathon. Cut 7 minutes off my time from last year. I ran it in 2:14, but NOT a PR! I am really looking forward to next weekends half, the Irecycle. I do not think I will have a PR, Personal Record, but I hope to run it in under 1:54.
We shall see!
Blessings to all ....and I hope to blog more soon!
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