It's NOT my Job!

My husband and I get into weekly arguments about responsibility. Mainly work responsibility and who's it is. One of our last arguments got me thinking.......

Why do we so easily pass up responsibility or try to put it on others? Why do we say, "It's not MY job." so often? Who said it wasn't your responsibility? You? The voices in your head? I do this too, I know.

For me this statement applies to helping and caring for those who need help. We live in the United States but if someone is suffering in another country, its NOT MY responsibility! WHY? I don't understand. Why are we not to care for someone struggling? Why is our family and friends more important? Or our country? Why is it one or another and not both?

When is Enough, Enough?!

KONY 2012! Make KONY Famous! Have you read about this yet? Here is the video that is circulating right now. A friend of mine posted it on my Facebook to watch. I was aware of this awful man before hand but not aware of this organization {Invisible Children} trying to bring about awareness and stop him.

This video has received A LOT of criticism. Anything from being to simplistic to financials not being sound to wrong timing. Since this video went viral on Facebook on Monday the 5th, it has received over 65,000,000 hits! {It is also on Vimeo.com} That is crazy! And awesome!

Everyone seems to have an opinion regarding this 30 minute video, so why not give mine as well.

I certainly don't claim to know everything regarding this issue or politics or military strategies or financials for charities. I believe every human being has the right to live in a safe home, to be protected by their government and have a quality of life. Joseph Kony has terrorized Africa for more than two decades. He and his group LRA {Lord's Resistance Army} specialize in kidnapping children from their homes and turning them into child soldiers. Other atrocities include mass murder, rape, sexual slavery, mutilation and torture. Girls aren't safe either. They are kidnapped to be sex slaves for his army. Estimates range from 30,000 to as many as 105,000 children kidnapped by and Kony and the LRA.  As a result of all this violence 1.7 million people have been displaced.

I don't know what the solution is but I do believe that other countries can't just sit on the sidelines and do nothing. Look at the Holocaust. As a human race, aren't we responsible for each other? I don't know how anyone can think "Well I live in the United States, so this isn't my problem. Africa needs to fix it herself." Or "Hey, this doesn't affect me. I don't need to worry about it." Or "That is how Africa is. They fight and kill each other. Let them be." Yes, Africa does have corrupt governments and rebel armies but that doesn't mean the average African doesn't want or deserve peace. They are caught in the middle of all this injustice. The complexity of the problems in Africa are not easily solved but does that mean we don't even try to fix them?

History will repeat itself if we don't learn from it. The Kony 2012 video may not be perfect BUT many, many people are now aware of this issue. This issue that has been around for two plus decades.

There are many articles now about Kony and the video. Here is one and here is another. In the first article, the last paragraph says "So, instead of continuing to debate the strengths and weaknesses of the Kony 2012 video, or attack Invisible Children for their lack of financial transparency, let's figure out how to turn this momentum into a constructive opportunity that can result in smart policies that will have a positive, real-time impact in the affected areas of central Africa. Let's harness this energy and turn it into something productive that ensure we're telling the right stories, inspiring well-informed advocacy, and working together across governments, academia, grassroots activists and local populations to help bring this chapter of the LRA--and the impact in affected areas--to a close." I LOVE this! So true.

In the first article one man talks about the White Savior Complex. One paragraph responds with this "Is humanity so bitter and divided that anytime someone wants to help those in need or dedicate themselves to a cause that inspires them to action, they must meet racial, national and political requirements, before they are allowed to step up and help? Would a child soldier from Uganda refuse to be rescued because the person extending his hand is white and American? If the angry assertions of  people like Teju Cole become the standard by which we are judged when we want to right a wrong and put a stop to evil, then the world will soon become even more violent and divided than it is now." I know that not everyone who helps is actually helping but at least they are doing something {well to a point}. However what is Teju Cole doing besides ranting about those who want to make this world better?

The second article is from the NY Times Opinion Page. I love this article because it is about someone living in the United States who is and was impacted by Kony and the LRA. However she still has family living in Africa that is affected by Kony. What annoys me about the critics of the video and of Invisible Children is that they seem to forget that a human being has been terrorized for 26 years. The article in the NY Times gives us the personal story of what has been happening in Africa for way to long. We see how it has impacted her life and her families. When is it okay for someone to go through something like this? And how long is it okay for it to keep happening? What if this was OUR family being impacted? What if it was OUR children being kidnapped? What if it was OUR home being destroyed? What if WE were the ones getting displaced?

WHEN IS ENOUGH, ENOUGH?

change.org

I don't know how I came across the website change.org, but I'm sure glad I did. Ok, I lied, well not on purpose. I didn't remember how I came across the website but I was looking around it more than I usually do to write this post and I came across all the petitions that I have signed and found the very first one: Hershey: Raise the Bar! I had watched a documentary on the chocolate industry and slavery and there was a link for me to sign a petition for Hershey to start purchasing fair-trade chocolate. No More Slavery Chocolate! After that, it was downhill. I would get daily emails asking me to sign different petitions and how could I not? It's real people with real issues, problems and concerns.


I have two reasons for writing this post. One, when people rally together and speak out against injustice, change happens. And two, look how the internet has transformed our world and made it a tiny place!


Okay, my first point. The causes on Change.org range from animals to criminal justice to human rights to education. And daily people are winning. In one day these campaigns won!

• After hearing from more than 82,000 people, Chase Bank called off foreclosing on 78-year-old grandmother and civil rights activist Helen Bailey. "I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders," says Ms. Bailey. "I am so thankful for the support of my neighbors and the nation."
• Last week Apple customers visited stores on four continents to deliver 250,000 petition signatures demanding better working conditions at factories making iPads and iPhones. (The delivery made news on CNN, the BBC, Al Jazeera, and NPR).  Yesterday, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced immediate factory inspections, showing that the pressure is working! But experts doubt how reliable the monitoring group’s findings will be and there are still no worker-protection plans for new product releases (when workers are forced to work so hard to meet deadlines that some die of exhaustion -- and others commit suicide). Click here to keep up the pressure on Apple by sharing Mark's petition on Facebook.
  
• McDonald's finally responded to the 100,000 people  (and groups like the Humane Society of the United States) who told the fast food giant to stop sourcing pork from factory farms using inhumane "gestation crates," (cages so small that pigs can’t move or turn around).McDonald's told all of its suppliers yesterday to start phasing out the cages -- an earthquake for the food industry.
• And some big news from last week! More than 141,000 banded together to save the life of Jesus Navarro, a father who was reportedly denied a life-saving kidney transplant, despite having insurance to pay for surgery, a volunteer donor, and a benefactor to help pay for his follow-up care. But an ABC News headline gives the good news: "Dying Dad, Jesus Navarro, to Get Kidney Transplant."

And my second point. A couple decades ago it wasn't easy to know what was happening across the ocean in Europe, Africa and Asia. Or even injustices happening in the USA but now with the internet at everyone's fingertips, those injustices aren't hidden. They are out in the open for everyone to know and act, if they choose to do so. I don't always get excited about ALL the NEW technology, sometimes I just want peace and quiet but when we have the internet to use as a tool to make change in this world, that makes me pretty happy. 

I encourage EVERYONE to check out change.org and see if there is something you're passionate about and maybe you could make a difference in other's lives just by showing support and signing a petition. 

$35 to change a Life

Everyday I am amazed at how much God has blessed me. I have a good life and a great family and a fabulous husband and so much more. I don't want {well I should say I don't NEED for anything-want is totally different} for anything. I'm able to help those when needed and I'm able to bless the way I've been blessed.

{Side note: I don't live in luxury. I have a two-bedroom duplex with hammy down furniture, an old laptop, hardly any decorations and one car. But I have everything I NEED.}

I'm not striving to be rich to buy stuff but to bless others. To GIVE it away. There are soooo many amazing organizations doing awesome things in this world and I so wish I could support them ALL! One organization I'm currently supporting is World Vision. I can't speak highly enough of them. I sponsor two children. A boy from Malawi and a girl from Armenia. For only $35/month {for each child} I am helping to provide them with an education, food, a roof over their head, community development, clean water access, health training and services and so much more. Not only are the children being helped but so are their families and community. Some organizations only focus on the children, which is their choice, but I love that WV looks at everyone around the child as well.

Right now there are 29,300 children sponsored in Malawi! That is amazing, however there are still 1,826 still waiting for someone to show them love and compassion and kindness. Malawi's income per person, per year is $313-USA $41,400. I make more than that in a week! The average life expectancy is 54 years compared to the US of 78 years. We have 100% access to clean water, they have 80%. Infant mortality is 7/1000 here-Malawi not so good, 110/1000.

I believe in child sponsorship with all my <3. It makes such a huge impact in a child's life and can change the world not only for one but for many. $35 is one missed dinner out for the family or not buying a pair of shoes or one less coffee a week. It really, truly does not take much to show you care.

World Vision has a fabulous way to see each individual country and their stats. You can also compare their stats, like I did with Malawi to the USA. It's called My World Vision and it will also let you know what they are doing in the country and specific communities. Check it out!

It belongs to Who...

I was talking to a friend last night and she was telling me about an occurance that happened the other night. Ang is a bartender and had a customer that was being rude and making inappropriate comments. The customer originally had a $20 bill on the bar to give Ang for her tip but for whatever reason he took it back. That night she was training a new bartender and the girl {I really don't know her name so I'll make one up-Sue} had just got behind the bar and at some point went over to talk to the gentleman that had given Ang a hard time. The guy had wanted to slip her the $20 that was suppose to be Ang's even though this girl hadn't done anything for him and had just started her shift. I don't remember if Sue took it and then gave it to Ang or she told the guy no but the point of Ang's story was that Sue was honest with Ang and didn't try to take her tip. This made Ang trust her.

Ang had also said that not everyone she works with would be this honest. She said she knew I would have done the same thing as Sue and she, herself would have as well. When it comes to money people can become very selfish and untrustworthy. So I'm glad that Ang trusts me enough to know that when it comes to money and especially her money, I would never do the wrong thing. And I want everyone to think this way about me. It is a part of my character.

Seeing Things Clearer

{Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life}

There's nothing like writing down what you are thinking and realizing how silly you sound or how wrong you are. It's funny what putting pen to paper {or in this case keyboard to laptop}can make you see or hear or feel or understand. It has a way of showing a new or different perspective. 

I was catching up with a friend and telling him where I was in life, career wise, settling down wise and so on. I told him that where I was working had lots of room for growth but my heart wasn't in it. I continued to tell him that my passion/heart was in nonprofits/charities and one-for-one models like TOMS Shoes. My interests were in the needs and problems of third world countries like hunger, clean H2O and equal rights for women and children. I then told him that I didn't know how to get involved.....

In the same paragraph I told my friend that for whatever reason I just wasn't ready to settle down quite yet. I wasn't  ready to buy my first house or have children. The only hiccup was I really liked being back with my family. For those of you, who don't know, I traveled/lived someplace other than Lima, Ohio for about eight years. I missed a lot of holidays and birthdays and anniversaries and it is really nice to not miss them anymore. The only problem with being home is that home is quiet and small and doesn't offer a lot of the things that Nathan and I want in our lives. 

It depends on who you are talking to, that causes you to see things differently. The friend that I was talking to is very motivated and goal-oriented. He knows what he wants and how to get there. He has no excuses. So obviously as I am writing him I hear my excuses....don't know what I want to do, don't want to leave my family but don't want to settle down, don't want to stay in my current profession for life.....Thanks Scotty for making me see things a little more clearer. 

As I am writing I see the holes in my reasoning. I may not know how I'm going to be involved in third world issues but I know I'm interested and it's my passion. As much as I don't want to move, I have nothing holding me back. I know that my current profession is not long-term. At this point I just need to start researching every company that I like what they are doing and find interesting. I need to research companies in Ohio to see if  something is close to Lima. I just need to jump in with both feet and stop making excuses. There is always going to be sacrifices in life when pursuing your goal and I may need to start......

I'm not going to make any life-altering decisions however I'm going to stop making excuses and start living. The toughest decisions in life are never easy. 

Check it Out

I blogged the last two days at A Compassionate Heart, Reaching Out. I'd love if you checked them out=) It's another part of me that makes me who I am.

Why SHINE?

So I just posted my word for 2012; SHINE. 


Here are some definitions of shine:

1. 

intransitive verb emit light: to give out light

2. 

intransitive verb be bright: to be bright or reflect light

3. 

transitive verb direct light of something: to direct the light emitted by something

"Shine the flashlight over here."

4. 

intransitive verb excel: to be very good at or do very well in an activity

5. 

intransitive verb be obvious: to appear clearly

6. 

intransitive verb have radiant quality: to appear to have a specially bright or radiant quality as a result of good health or a strong positive emotion

"Her face shone with happiness."

7. 

 transitive verb polish something: to make something bright and gleaming by polishing it

NOUN 

1. 

brightness from light source: brightness or radiance emitted by a source of light

2. 

bright surface: the bright or gleaming surface of something

3. 

act of polishing something: an act of polishing something to make it shiny

Let Your Light Shine.....I kept seeing this or thinking it at the end of 2011. And I knew my word was Shine. For me, shining isn't about being a superstar or noticed but doing things right or with compassion that bring about awareness. That was probably a little confusing........I want to think about others more and do more to help the world be better. And by doing these things I hope to bring about concern, awareness, compassion, love, and giving. When I shine, I hope that, that makes others want to shine. So like I said I don't want to shine to be a rockstar but to {inspire}others to shine, for others to see what they have to offer. 

 Another way I want to shine is at my job. One of the definitions of shine is to be very good at or do very well in an activity. For a couple different reasons I want to shine at work; first I get paid well for what I do and I want to earn it and show that I am grateful for the blessing. The best thing you can do to show you appreciate your job and your boss is to do your job well. I also want to be an example for the people I work with. With hard work and a good attitude you can go far in life. I don't always succeed at this; thank goodness tomorrow is another day!

Matthew 5:15-16 {Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.}

2 Corinthians 4:6 {For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ.}

Daniel 12:3 {Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.}

I will admit my faith/Christianity/religion/relationship with God-however you want to phrase it has hit a winter season. I won't pretend to be the perfect daughter of the most High God. I've hit a patch where God is on the backburner way more than He should be but I still want to Shine for Him. I still want to become more Christ-like everyday. When people see me I want Jesus to shine through me. 

I got on Pinterest and started a board for my 2012 word....feel free to stop by and check it out=) Have you picked a word yet?

http://pinterest.com/kelnspin/one-word-2012/

S-H-I-N-E

I decided on my word for 2012.......................
.................................................................................can you handle the anticipation..................
.........................................................almost...........................................how..............................about........................................................NOW

shine

One Word for 2012

Last year I heard about "One Word." One word very simply is picking one word you want to focus on for a year. Instead of having resolutions, focus on a word. I really liked this idea when I heard about it and last year I chose Inspire. I've been thinking and thinking about what my word should be for 2012.....one word has really stayed stuck in my head....but is it the one? I honestly haven't tried too hard to think of another one b/c I really like this word or at least I think I do....?

What would your word be? Or what IS your word?

A smile goes a long way

December 1st.....Christmas will be here before you know it. Black Friday is over and now the countdown begins, which means there are a lot of people who are grumpy, tired, aggravated, frustrated and annoyed. I'm not saying this is true of everyone and even at this exact moment but it will come as Christmas draws near. People start stressing out and panicking and their emotions take over. It can happen very easily around the holidays. BUT this year lets take a step back and relax. Lets remember the REASON for the SEASON.

I was at the post office today and when it was my turn I said hello and smiled to the gentleman helping me. He responded back with "A smile, don't see too many of those." Which doesn't surprise me. The guy in front of me had complained about the service. And its not that the service is bad but that there is only two people working. The post office has lost millions for quite awhile and obviously they have to cut labor. The two that were working today are always nice and friendly and helpful. So please when you are out in public don't take out your bad emotions are those trying to help. It's the holidays which means lines will be longer and traffic will be busier and people can be ruder than usual. Lets amaze people with our kindness, compassion and love. A smile goes a long way and a kind word can make a persons day.

31 Days of Christmas Giving

Looking for a different way to give this Christmas? Check out Glamour's 31 Days of Giving. Some organizations I am familiar with (Krochet Kids International and Tom's) and some I am not. But you can click on the link and check it out for yourself. Most of the "gifts" are very reasonable and can make a huge impact in someone's life or an animals.

Donate on December 1

Give life-saving meds. $5 to faceaids.org will give an HIV-positive pregnant woman in Rwanda vital drugs to help prevent transmission of the virus to her baby.

 Donate on December 2

Save a pet. A gift of $50 to animaladvocatesalliance.org bails a dog or cat out of a high-kill shelter and provides vet care and medicine to help it get healthy for adoption.

Donate on December 3

Teach Gen Next. A full 67 million children worldwide aren’t attending elementary classes today. Just $25 to pencilsofpromise.org sends one child to a new school in a developing country for 78 days; $118 covers an entire year.

Donate on December 4

Give the jobless a leg up—with a pair of slacks or other office clothes your guy is no longer wearing. Careergear.org coaches down-on-their-luck men on how to land a job and loans them the attire to ace the interview.

Donate on December 5

Donate your old cell phone to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ncadv.org), which will refurbish and sell it, then use the proceeds to get survivors back on their feet

Donate on December 6

Send a teddy bear to the child of a deployed marine. For $25, jonathancollins.org gives a plush toy with a voice message recorded by the parent, which will play when the paw is pressed.

Donate on December 7

Pick up the grocery tab for a senior. Some 3.5 million Americans over age 50 don’t have enough to eat; $8 to drivetoendhunger.org feeds one of them healthy meals for a day.

Donate on December 8

Protect newborns in India. $50 helps keep nine babies alive with a genius incubatorlike invention. Go to embraceglobal.org.

Donate on December 9

Help women get free mammograms. Just click the pink button at thebreastcancersite.com. Last year they funded a whopping 2,112 screenings for needy American women.

Donate on December 10

Provide clean H20. Your gift of $30 to wellsbringhope.org gives one villager in West Africa access to safe water and good sanitation for more than 30 years, drastically reducing child mortality.

Donate on December 11

Inspire the next Taylor Swift. Fendermusicfoundation.org uses your $50 to give a guitar to a struggling music program, letting 20 kids play through the school year.

Donate on December 12

Play fairy godmother to a teenage girl who can’t afford a prom dress. Donate the old gown gathering dust in your closet (or any special-occasion accessories) to princessproject.org.

Donate on December 13

Shop for art’s sake. Heart of Haiti gifts ($10 to $120) at macys.com provide steady work for many Haitians.

Photo: Macy's/Hearts of Haiti

Donate on December 14

Start a reading chain. Guatemala has the highest illiteracy rate in Central America; $10 to readingvillage.org helps pay school fees for rural teen leaders, who in turn teach younger children to read

Donate on December 15

Clear the air. An estimated 20 million Americans suffer from debilitating asthma, and dirty air can trigger attacks. Any donation to cleartheair.edf.org defends our breathing supply from polluters.

Donate on December 16

Coupon for a cause. Here’s a win-win: At causeon.com you get deals on everything from scrapbooks to luxurious spa services, and 20 percent of the site’s proceeds goes to a variety of charities in your community.

onate on December 17

Help shape a new Egypt. Check out Glamour Women of the Year Fund winner Esraa Fattah on page 210. A gift to vitalvoices.org will support the Egyptian women who have fought so hard for change, and give them a voice in their country’s future.

Donate on December 18

Make a difference in your zip code. Volunteermatch.org connects you with ways to improve your neighborhood, like working at a food bank, clowning around with seniors and coaching a girls’ soccer team.

Donate on December 19

Prevent blindness. Buy Toms glasses ($135 and up, toms.com) and give someone in Asia sight-saving treatment.

Photo: Toms

Donate on December 20

Pass on your copy of Twilight and other faves to globalliteracyproject.org, which will get books to deprived youth, helping them learn to read.

Donate on December 21

Put sexual abusers behind bars. Your donation to equalitynow.org helps provide legal support, counseling and job training to victims pursuing cases against their assailants around the world

Donate on December 22

Say “hats off” to ending poverty. Cute crocheted caps for $35 and under keep women in Uganda working and educated. Visit krochetkids.org.

Photo: Krochet Kids

Donate on December 23

Get girls up to speed. Your $50 gift to afghaninstituteoflearning.org will allow two Afghan girls to take computer lessons for six months.

Donate on December 24

Stop bullying—for good. Laura and Kirk Smalley lost their tormented son, Ty, 11, to suicide; $25 dollars to standforthesilent.org helps them speak to student groups and prevent more deaths.

Donate on December 25

Preserve our precious oceans. Save half a mile from overfishing and pollution with a $38 gift to conservation.org.

Donate on December 26

Pay a student’s bus fare. $40 to Olivia Wilde’s artistsforpeaceandjustice.org gets a child from the slums of Haiti to a new school for two months.

Donate on December 27

Buy a counseling session for a soldier returning home after serving in Iraq or Afghanistan with your $17 donation to giveanhour.org.

Donate on December 28

Care for a chimp orphaned or harmed by hunters or pet sellers. Just $10 to janegoodall.org buys 22 pounds of food at the renowned primatologist’s clinic in the Republic of Congo.

Donate on December 29

Help women in war-torn countries start a business: $25 buys one woman a sewing kit so she can earn a living as a tailor. Go to womenforwomen.org

Donate on December 30

Aid a woman while stopping deforestation. $2 to greenbeltmovement.org, started by the late Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai, pays a disadvantaged gal in Kenya to plant a tree.

Donate on December 31

Get a salad on the table and an at-risk teen on a healthy path. For $25, whyhunger.org helps needy kids grow produce, both for their family’s fridge and to sell at farmers’ markets.

Pledges of God

God has many, many wonderful attributes and qualities. There's much to love about Him and be in awe of. I don't know if I could pick out just one thing......?

The second "meditation" I read today in John Piper's book "Pierced by the Word: 31 Meditations for your Soul" was titled Going Deep with God by Having Him Carry our Loads.

He starts by saying "One of the reasons we don't know God deeply is that we don't venture much on His pledge to carry things for us. Knowing God with a sense of authentic personal reality is not merely a matter of study. It is a matter of walking with Him through fire and not being burned. It is a matter of not being crushed under a load because He carries it for you at your side. What, then, does he carry?"

This is SO TRUE! So many profess being Christian but are they truly living it out? I think a majority, me included, only go deep with God when life is tough and then once life is back to normal we "forget" God. We go on living and making decisions on our own. We say "Thanks God for your help but I can take it from here." I don't think we do this purposely.......but we need to be aware that we do. Also some people have a hard time giving up their worries and cares, thinking God can't handle "our" problem. But hello.....that's not the case.

So what does God carry?.......

God carried our Sins!
Hebrews 9:28 "Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many" and 1 Peter 2:24 "He Himself bore our sins in his body on the tree."

"Believing this and experiencing its liberating effect is crucial for life now. Guilt feelings do not have to have the last word! It is also crucial for the hour of our dying. The sting of death is sin, but thanks be to God, it was removed. It is crucial, too, for everlasting joy. Christ's sin-bearing work secures for us never-ending compensation for every so-called "loss" in this life of sacrificial love. This confidence is the foundation of knowing God.


God Pledges to Carry our Anxieties
1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxieties on Him, because he cares for you."

What worries does God aim to take from our backs and carry for us?
-Anxieties about lacking necessities, Philippians 4:4-7
-Uselessness, Isaiah 55:11
-Weakness, 2 Cor 12:9
-Decisions, Psalm 32:8
-Opponents, Romans 8:31
-Affliction, Psalm 34:19, Romans 5:3-5
-Aging, Isaiah 46:4
-Dying, Romans 14:7-9
-Not persevering, Philippians 1:6, Hebrews 7:25

"When George Muller was asked about how he could be so calm in the middle of a hectic day with so many uncertainties in the orphanage, he answered something like, 'I rolled sixty things onto the Lord this morning.' This is something we need to learn to do.

God Pledges to Carry our Burdens
Psalm 55:22 "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you, he will never permit the righteous to be moved." 
The word for "burden" here is lot. What is your lot in life today? What has providence brought you? In the end, this is the Lord. And He will carry it for you. It is not meant to crush you or carry you away. It is meant to test your trust in God to carry it for you.
{Psalm 16:5 and 63:8}

God Pledges to Carry the Cause of Justice for Us
1 Peter 2:23 "When he was reviled, {Jesus} did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued handing over to Him who judges justly" {author's translation}
Romans 12:19 "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord"

Prepare to be treated unjustly but leave it to God. Let God carry your cause and settle accounts either on the cross or in hell. Then rest and don't seek revenge. Don't waste your energy.

God Pledges to Carry you--all Your life
Isaiah 46:3-4 "Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you: I will sustain you and I will rescue you." 
{Exodus 19:4 and Psalm 18:35; 94:18}

The Christian life is a life of being carried from beginning to end. We work. Yet it is not we, but God who works within us {1 Cor 15:10}

Conclusion
So come to Him, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and find rest for your soul. Go deep with God and know Him better by venturing more on His pledge to carry you and all your concerns.

Proverbs 14:26

When I stay in God's word, pray and go to church I find myself so much more at peace and life is......easier. Not that life is easy but when you know that God is with you and guiding you and helping you, there's a peace that washes over you no matter what you're facing in life.

I've gotten away from this blog but lately I've been reminded that people are still needing encouragement and inspiration. When my life is going well I easily forget to spend more time with God but as soon as a bump comes I'm right back in His word and looking for his guidance and help. I wish that wasn't the case but sadly it is. I read two devotional books today and they talked about exactly what I needed to hear and what a lot of others need to hear, so I'm going to share with you today.

Proverbs 14:26 "In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have refuge"

"Fear of the Lord" means fearing to dishonor the Lord. Which means fearing to distrust the Lord. Which means fearing to fear anything that the Lord has promised to help you overcome. In other words, the fear of the Lord is the great fear destroyer. (John Piper)

Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you." The Lord just told us he will strengthen us and help us, so if we worry about the problem he's telling us not to worry about, then we are casting a vote of no confidence in our Lord.

The Lord says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" {Hebrews 13:5-6} If the Lord says that to you, then not to be confident in the Lord's promised presence and help is a kind of pride. It puts our reckoning of the trouble above God's. (John Piper)

When we trust God and fear dishonoring Him we are good examples to our children (I don't have any though, just fyi). When you show that your power and strength comes from God and not from your own ability we are good examples to our children. Children need to see that you, the parent aren't afraid or panicking but calm and steady. That's what makes a child feel safe and secure. You then become a refuge for your children just like God is a refuge for you.

From John Piper's book "Pierced by the Word: 31 Meditations for your Soul"

Alchemist

"To realize one's destiny is a person's only real obligation." 


"The man pointed to a baker standing in his shop window at one corner of the plaza. 'When he was a child, that man wanted to travel, too. But he decided first to buy his bakery and put some money aside. When he's an old man, he's going to spend a month in Africa. He never realized that people are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.'"


"The old man continued, 'In the long run, what people think about shepherds and bakers becomes more important for them than their own Personal Legends.'" 

I'm currently reading The Alchemist. I'm not very far (page 31 to be exact) but it's already making me think and ponder. 

Side note******The author of the book is Catholic so religion is important to him and he talks about God in the book but at the same time the book is like a fable. He talks about the Universe and "Personal Legends." So as a Christian I don't take everything he writes as something true or the way God wants things.

The first sentence I wrote..."To realize one's destiny is a person's only real obligation"......true? God has a plan for all of us, one specific for just you. So is that our only real obligation? Figuring out what God's plan is and then living it? It seems like a silly question if we believe God has a certain path for us. Because if he does then why wouldn't we follow it? But if you don't believe in God, then do you believe in destiny and fate? Is your obligation then finding your destiny? Or is your life what you make it and there is no such thing as fate or destiny?

For me personally, I believe we were put here for a reason. It wasn't by chance, it was by a creator; a creator named God. If He put me here and He has a plan for my life and knows me better than I know myself, then why wouldn't I want to find my purpose or path in this world? Can I be truly happy and fulfilled if I'm not living my God-given path? I don't think so......so I guess I agree with, "To realize one's destiny (or in my case God's purpose) is a person's only real obligation." If I'm not trying to realize it, then what am I living for? What other obligation do I have?

"He never realized that people are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.'" Is this statement true? I have a hard time with this one. Life isn't as easy as picking up and going after what you want. There's other factors that come into play like family and money and jobs and bills. I'm not saying that you can't reach your dreams but it may take longer than you'd like it to, to reach it. Maybe I'm just reading this statement the wrong way?

"The old man continued, 'In the long run, what people think about shepherds and bakers becomes more important for them than their own Personal Legends.'" 
I have to agree with this one. It's certainly not true for everyone but I think it is for a lot. We care more about what other people think of us and our dreams than about what we want.

What are your thoughts or ideas on any of these statements?

Forgiveness is for YOU!

God gives us many gifts but one of my favorites has to be forgiveness. Let me explain........

God gives us many rules to follow and for good reason. He is teaching us to live right and justly. God's greatest gift to us was His Son, Jesus dying on the cross for OUR sins. God wanted us to be right with Him! And then to receive his forgiveness all we need to do is repent and ask. There is no sin so bad, that can't be forgiven. The key is to repent and truly turn from your sin. God knows our heart better than we know our heart and he'll know if we are "faking" it.

There is one more part to forgiveness and that's forgiving others. Matthew 6:14-16 "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." It makes sense, doesn't it?! How can you expect God to forgive you when you are holding grudges against others.....? Mark 11:25 "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."  


I know forgiving is NOT easy. It can be really hard to let go of the bitterness, anger, resentment, and hurt. And sometimes we don't want to let it go. We like the feeling for whatever reason. But the reason I love God's gift of forgiveness is because I don't have to hold onto those horrible feelings and I don't have to avenge the wrong done to me. Romans 12:19 (NIV) "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." 


When you forgive someone, you aren't "letting them off the hook". I think when we forgive someone we feel like we are saying it was okay whatever he or she did. But in reality you are freeing yourself from those horrible feelings of hatred, bitterness and anger. Eph 4:26-27,31 (NIV) "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold... Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."  


"Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian woman who survived a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust, said, 'Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize the prisoner was you.'"

Forgiveness is a choice and a choice you'll have to make many times. Sometimes you'll have to make the same choice over and over again. But with God's help and praying for the other person, you'll move on and experience freedom. Forgiving someone isn't for her but for you! Don't get stuck in those ugly feelings and bad attitudes because you are only hurting yourself.

A Little Perspective

Saturday's are big college football days in the fall. Definitely something that millions of people look forward to each week. Last night in one of the most tense and exciting games (ever possibly?), Michigan beat Notre Dame with 2 seconds to go! Everyone thought N.D. had it in the bag when they scored with 30 seconds to go. There's no way, N.D. can come back now, everyone's thinking.......well.....guess again. I like football but I don't go crazy for it but I'd have to say if that was Ohio State and they lost with 2 seconds to go, I'd be pretty mad too.

But here's where the story changes up a bit. A friend of mine has a boyfriend who is 1) a huge football fan and then 2) a huge N.D fan. So when they lost last night, she thought for sure he'd be mad. But when she turns around he's smiling........huh?!

He was talking to his uncle who had just went to a funeral for someone who had committed suicide. In the last couple months/years the uncle had been to more than enough funerals. Also 9.11 was the next day. He had told his nephew that things needed to be put into perspective. It was just football.

Just before I started writing this post I was reading our local paper. I'm not one to read the paper but today is a special day so I bought one. There were different 9.11 stories and stories from around the world and I have to say, a lot of it is depressing. The 9.11 stories hit home and I began thinking "What if" or "How hard-How sad" and so on.

Most of the news that is talked about is sad, depressing, negative and so on. That's one reason I had started this blog-so much sadness in the news. I didn't think I could take much more. I just wanted to close the paper and move on and then I remembered what my friend told me today.....Needing to Put Things in Perspective.....

Life is anything but easy and relaxed. If you aren't personally going through hard times, it's easy to forget that others are. But that's just it! Others are and they need our help. Our prayers. Our support, love and encouragement. Don't let the little or insignficant things in life, get you bent out of shape. Don't stir up trouble when there's enough as it is.

Our country will forever be changed but we still live in the most wonderful country there is! Let's not take it for granted.

God's View

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." 1Timothy 6:17-19

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." and " For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." 1 Timothy 6:6-7, 10

I firmly believe that the Bible is God's Word to us and that God inspired the writers. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17) I don't take His Words lightly. They encourage me, inspire me, teach me and convict me. 

In our world today it is so easy to get caught up in materialism and needing more stuff. I was that way......until I started going to church and reading God's Word. Until I started seeing things God's way. His word reminds us that we came into this world with nothing, not even clothes. We were naked. And when we leave this world we won't be taking anything with us. So why do we keep obtaining things? Why do we keep trying to have more and more instead of giving more and more? We won't lay up treasures for ourselves in Heaven by being selfish, but by doing good deeds and being generous and willing to share.

Money or wealth won't get us to Heaven or answer all our problems. You can't count on always having money but you can count on our Heavenly God to be there. He can answer all your problems. Maybe not the way you would like but he won't leave you or forsake you. "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" (Hebrews 13:5)

Part II

Have you ever thought about why we are here? What's the world about? Were we an accident or did a Creator make us. (Obviously you know what I believe) If we are here by accident than what's the purpose of life? What do we have to live for? Is life just about taking care of your children, cooking dinner, running errands, having drinks with the girls......If there's no God than does that mean you don't have hope? I have hope b/c I know there's a loving, compassionate, caring God looking out for me. I know I can turn to Him when I need Him and I will be comforted and encouraged.