Gigi's Blog

Shut up. 

 

“Oooooooooo”  That’s what Rachel always says if you say any words that she deems as inappropriate.  You know the ones.  Dummy.  Stupid.  All those.  The context in which you are saying them is totally irrelevant.  Oh that girl cracks me up.  You know she is very me- big ear rings, always wanting to fix up,  always snapping her finger and shaking her head.  In fact her nick name is GGJr (I’m GGSr.). She went down front to confess her salvation on Sunday.  It was so exciting.  She had decided before church, and she told me before church and I mean she was ready.  You could just tell.  I went forward to hug her after church, and just giggled ‘cause she just makes me laugh.  She looks at me and throws her arms in the air “What is funny about this!?!”  That is so Rachel. 

 

You know I’ve tried to shut up lately.  Thinking if I did that it would bring some type of comfort to me.  It didn’t.  It hasn’t.  I don’t know if I thought I would just sit back and allow God to take over, or if I thought maybe I’d calm down spiritually, but none of that has happened.  In fact I’ve become very stagnant.  I really believe that God sometimes allows us to be in those times that we want to escape, but can’t, and that in order to fully mature we must go through them.  I discussed this with my class on Sunday.  You know if I had a “Get out of a Tough Life FREE” card to play right now-I would, and God knows.  But that would prevent me from whatever it is that He obviously trying to do in my life to develop and mature me. But what I’ve truly discovered it that shutting-up isn’t for me, or isn’t for me anymore. 

 

Either way-GGSR-is ‘bout to SHOUT!!

 

Psalm 39

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

 ¹ I said, "I will watch my ways
       and keep my tongue from sin;
       I will put a muzzle on my mouth
       as long as the wicked are in my presence."

 ² But when I was silent and still,
       not even saying anything good,
       my anguish increased.

 ³ My heart grew hot within me,
       and as I meditated, the fire burned;
       then I spoke with my tongue:

 ⁴ "Show me, O LORD, my life's end
       and the number of my days;
       let me know how fleeting is my life.

 ⁵ You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
       the span of my years is as nothing before you.
       Each man's life is but a breath.
       Selah

 ⁶ Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
       He bustles about, but only in vain;
       he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.

 ⁷ "But now, Lord, what do I look for?
       My hope is in you.

 ⁸ Save me from all my transgressions;
       do not make me the scorn of fools.

 ⁹ I was silent; I would not open my mouth,
       for you are the one who has done this.

 ¹⁰ Remove your scourge from me;
       I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

 ¹¹ You rebuke and discipline men for their sin;
       you consume their wealth like a moth—
       each man is but a breath.
       Selah

 ¹² "Hear my prayer, O LORD,
       listen to my cry for help;
       be not deaf to my weeping.
       For I dwell with you as an alien,
       a stranger, as all my fathers were.

 ¹³ Look away from me, that I may rejoice again
       before I depart and am no more."

 

 

I read this morning about the Hebrew midwives who saved the Hebrew male babies.  Pharaoh had ordered the males be killed at birth.  He was afraid there number would grow in strength so that the Egyptians would be overtaken. 

 

Wow.  Killed at birth.  That’s huge.  Now those midwives saved those babies.

 

You read in the next chapter that Moses was a Hebrew baby.  Moses was chosen by God to lead the people out of captivity. 

 

What if those midwives would’ve said “we know what’s right, but we have to do what we’re told.”?  It’s really tough sometimes to do what’s right, when wrong is staring you in the face in the form of an influential person.  But, like we read a few weeks back in church  Daniel 3  ^16-18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn't, it wouldn't make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn't serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up."

Many of us love God, but few of us draw a line in the sand.  So Satan wins the battle.  Not the war, but the battle.  We’re frozen.  We’re stuck.  We don’t trust God enough that no matter what, no matter what happens, He in His perfect way will take of us. 

 

Can you imagine??  Kill every male baby born??  Wow.  That’s drastic.  That’s exactly how Satan feels about me and you.  His goal is to kill us, but he doesn’t care if we are male of female, he just cares if we’re saved or lost.  When Moses was born, Satan knew that God had great plans for him to lead the people, so Satan wanted him to die.  When we are born again, Satan knows God has plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.) so he wants to kill us.  Kill our dreams, kill our hope, kill our future.  He can’t destroy our salvation, and ultimately has no power outside of God’s permission, so he will take anything he can get, and don’t you think for one second he cares at all about you or your family.  He’ll stop at nothing and that’s why God stopped at nothing to love us. 

 

Do you have battle scars today??  Oh I do.  I’m nursing them even today.  But I can’t quit.  You can’t quit. 

 

Dear God,

We love you God.  You are greater and beyond the words we know to describe you. 

God I pray today that my reader and myself will acknowledge the truth.  You are beautiful and wonderful and pure, and outside of you we have absolutely nothing to offer.  God forgive us where we’ve failed, and help us to understand that we need to turn away from our sins, not just be sorry that we committed them.  God we can’t live our lives in victory until we believe and accept you’ve already given it to us, and we could never do anything to earn it.  I pray for you to reveal yourself to us today in a new and fresh way and help us to be fully determined in you. 

You are all we need, and we have You.

Thank you God.  Thank you God.  Thank you God.

Last Saturday we had a yard sale. We had it at Holly and Rich’s. We’ve done these for years literally. This one was very last minute. Last week Chloe had dance on Mon. Tues. and Thurs. we had church Wed. By Friday it was time to prepare, and I didn’t. Mark did everything. Literally. He’d bring something in and I’d say either “yes” or “I didn’t want to sell it.” I was exhausted. To the point I didn’t offer anything to help Friday.

Yard sales are really fun though if you like to people watch and cut up with people. Richard really does and that makes it very entertaining. He and Holly were selling some China that was very valuable. Ya know that stuff that’s “per place setting” prices. Well, someone came up to Rich and enquired about the price. “$4.00” Rich said. “Well, will you take $3.00?” “Well, no. But I will take $5.00.” Someone asked me about the pricing for something and I said “.25.” They walked away. I’m sorry. You can’t go much cheaper than a .25. After it was all said and done Mark was going to take everything that was left to Good Will. Rich told him he didn’t need to do that. He assured him that if he’d just put it on the side of the road, people would come and just pick it up. Sure enough a few minutes later a man pulled up on a moped strapped down with stuff and starts strapping what he could to himself. As much as he could get. Then he drove off. We had a lot of stuff left, but I guess it all got gone.

Between the two families we made at most a couple hundred, and I doubt even that much. There was probably literally several thousand dollars worth of stuff. (when it was purchased) But no one cared. No one cared how excited Holly was when she bought a cute dress when Rebekah was little. Or that American flag party platter I had. Or all the other things that were so special to us, but to another person meant nothing.

This week has been kind of rough. I’ve heard heartbreaking stories of infidelity. Families broken. People hurting. International chaos. I know people personally who are very sick. People have extreme hatred for one another. My dad has lost his job, and so have many other people I know. Our countries finances are in big trouble. Oh, and on top of all of that-Mark got head butted at church playing basketball Monday night. He was playing ball just to relieve stress after he’d found out we need a new coil for our air conditioner. He’s seeing double. Cat scan said nothing broken. But he can’t feel part of his nose, and he’s still seeing double.

I know many people, including myself in serious need of a renewed sense of hope. I praise God that He tells me where to get it-from Him and it’s more obvious to me than it has ever been. The houses built on shifting sand are shifting and collapsing before people’s eyes leaving them utterly shocked and very scared. The people who’ve built their house on the rock, their house is standing. People get confused by what the house is-the house isn’t possessions and things-the house is US.

At our yard sale we knew how valuable all those items were, but we could barely give them away. We couldn’t believe it. People need to know the gift of Jesus. I don’t mean know, I mean KNOW. With every bit of who we are. That we could never afford the lavishness of his generous priceless love, but we can have it. How will they know? Maybe if we would’ve presented our yard sale treasures as just that, they would’ve sold better. But just pilin’ ‘em on a table and saying “buy it if ya want” maybe that wasn’t the best sales pitch. The world is full of evil and problems and struggles for Christians and non-Christians. So, as these people look at this “Jesus” we claim as our Savior, but they still see us with problems, what would make them want Him? The knowing what will happen one day and who we are in Him. The peace that they don’t have. The joy that can’t be bought, and can’t be taken. It’s so backwards. This gift cost us nothing, but it worth more than anything.

See that today, so that they can see that today.

Psalm 9:18 (New International Version)

18 But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.

Last week has had ups and lots of downs. I know everyone loves a depressing blog. Just joking.

Monday was good. We went to my Aunt Pat’s and when we left, Rachel and Rebekah came home with us. I had told Holly we’d bring ‘em home, but they most certainly could come over and get them and hang out for a bit. Well, they said I could just bring ‘em home. I didn’t mind. I decided to try and clean my disgustingly dirty kitchen floor. I start scrubbing to no avail. Somewhere in the middle of it, Holly tells me they will come over. I finish trying to clean the floor and Mark dries it just as they arrived. It was Holly and Rich’s anniversary and Holly’s birthday week, so I decided me and Holly would go to the grocery store and I’d get something to fix for them. I bought some stuff for Tx. Caviar (her favorite) and some hamburger meat so I could try out my slider maker that Chloe got me for mother’s day. We came home. Hung out ‘till 10:30. Had a blast.
Tuesday I got up and ready for the blessings ahead, so I thought.

I get ready to go, “kids, do you see my keys?” “No.” I pretty much instantly knew they were in Holly’s car. I call her, they aren’t.(Turns out in the afternoon, they were) I call my neighbor and ask her to take the kids to school and Mark comes home to give me his keys. That night was dance recital pictures. I had to get Chloe’s tights. I called the place we get them, $40.00. Wasn’t prepared for that, so I try to find a cheaper place. I spend my entire lunch hour getting them at the cheaper place. At 3:00 Chloe calls me and I tell her I have her tights and will be home just in time to get her ready. She makes sure I have the right kind. I don’t. I then leave work to go and get the right kind, at the original expensive store and go home. We get the pictures made. It takes a llloonnnggg time. Very loud. There’s a terrible storm. Mark calls my cell and tells me the power is out. We get home, and it is. We just sit there. Chloe falls asleep after we eat something Mark had prepared before the power went out. Mark is sort of in and out of sleep. I’m in a bad mood. I’m tired. My head hurt and all I wanted to do was to unwind-with power. At some point I say to Mark “at 8;30 we need to make decisions.” “What decisions?” “What!! You mean to tell me you don’t know what decisions. Just forget it!!” That conversation ended at that time. (What I meant was if we should leave) I was livid. How could this be happening??? Mark goes upstairs and goes to bed and Chloe and I stay downstairs, ‘cause I was afraid that she’d be afraid of the dark. Somewhere around 11 something, she starts crying in her sleep. Then she sits up…..things are about to get worse. She cries. “What’s wrong Chloe?” “My throat.” Crying ensues. I get an ibuprofen. We got upstairs and get in Meagan’s bed ‘cause she wasn’t gonna stay home with no power. At 12 something the power comes back on. At 1:00 more crying “what’s wrong Chloe?” “My stomach.” I get her Maalox and she lays back down. I don’t think either one of us slept more than an hour or two the entire night. The next day she said she could make it to go to school. By the time Mark picked her up. She was crying. Big time. I call the Dr. Mark takes her. No strep. Something I can’t pronounce. Give her her Claritin” he said. By that night she was really crying. She did sleep that night. The next day she wanted to go to school, but I didn’t think she could. Mark left to come home, and then after an ibuprofen in her and getting up she said she wanted to go to school. Mark went back to work. Then we get ready to leave. “Kids do you see the key?” “No.” I wait and look. I still only had Mark’s key. I dread calling him and telling him I’ve done it again. So I keep looking. I finally must call. “You didn’t take your key did you?” “Well ya.” “I don’t have my keys back yet.” Mark comes home, and Meagan takes Chloe to school. Thurs. night things seemed to be better until out of nowhere Chloe really starts crying with her ear. I snap at Mark about which medications are best. I give her something. We go to bed. I’m exhausted. Friday morning Chloe is stuffy and slightly whiny about her ear, but not to bad. I asked her something, and she said something about the spelling bee winner was announced at 1:30 am. “What were you doing up then?” “Daddy gave me medicine.” I didn’t even hear her. Turns out Mark was up with her 1 1/2 hr. We went to Holly’s Friday evening, she said she felt good. Get home, cries with her throat. Saturday she looked like she felt bad, but she did ok and we just stayed home. But her eye was starting to get red, and by Sunday really red. She went to school today. I honestly didn’t think they’d let her stay. Have you ever seen a kid that wanted to go to school? Well, she does. I called her a few minutes ago. She sounds really bad, but says “I’m fine.” She wants to go to dance. So if she’s ok, she’ll go.

See I read some Psalms on Tuesday morning that left me feeling so “in the spiritual zone.” I was so ready. Until life hit me head on. I fell apart. What I realized or remembered was Satan knows the thing(s) that really unravel me. He knows the things that cause you to feel like you’ll lose your mind. Those are the very things that he sits begging to do to us. Some people fall apart if their kids are in turmoil. Some people fall apart if they feel unloved. Some people fall apart if their plans change. Some people fall apart if an appliance breaks. Some people fall apart if their fingernail breaks. It doesn’t matter, Satan knows the exact thing in your day that has the potential to destroy your outlook, and tempt you to retract spiritually in the form of anger, fear, frustration and possibly sin. Please notice I said has the potential to cause all this. He doesn’t cause it to happen, our actions choices and decision do. Bottom line. I lost last week. Satan won. I let him. I refused to see everything for what it was.

Luke 22:31 31"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you[a] as wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

"Your Name, My Name, Satan has asked to sift you[a] as wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, ________________ that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

Adam came home Friday. Just for the weekend. He’s staying at Chapel Hill again this summer. But, it was good to see him for at least a few days!
Meagan went to the prom Saturday night. Yes, Meagan has graduated but she went with Oscar Trejo, a senior our youth group (Focus). She borrowed a dress, and Holly and Megan did her hair makeup. Thank you ladies. Meagan is so funny. When she stresses, there is really no comforting her. Then when it’s all over, she’s as cool as a cucumber. She reminds me of someone else I know. (me) Chloe spent Saturday hanging out with Nanny. I didn’t do anything constructive on Saturday, ‘cause I was sort of running around, but after everyone left Mark suggested we eat. The only problem was I was very uncomfortable. I wanted to dress to match Oscar and Meagan’s color scheme for pictures. See my pants were too little, they had shrunk obviously!! And I had on lil’ heels, which I NEVER wear. My back was acting up, which horrified me when I realized that I might fall. So, initially the thoughts of going in somewhere to eat sounded less than desirable, but I quickly got over it and we went to a fish camp. For those of you who don’t live in NC, fish camps are very popular here. Mark and I had a nice dinner. I was able to talk to a lady who works there. Come to think of it, two ladies who work there. One lady’s daughter is in my class at church, but the mother doesn’t come anymore. Another lady’s autistic son used to be in the youth group, and she never came, only sent him. She told me that he’s having some health problems, and we talked about church and I told her I’d pray. The other lady-I bragged on her how awesome I think her daughter is. So, in the end, it most definitely a good thing that we went.

Sunday at church, Roger continued preaching on Daniel. The sermon title was “Can One Person Make a Difference?” http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=daniel
Daniel agreed to some of the things that the king had ordered, but when he was instructed to eat the food he refused. I think it’s so significant that when it was something that was going to literally enter him he said “No.” As Christians we are misled into thinking that going with the flow makes us somehow makes us more desirable. If you’ve known me for very long, you know that I really have problems with legalistic thinking, so please know I’m not talking about spiritual arrogance. I DETEST that. Think about the way Daniel handled it, he begged that he would be allowed to do what God wanted and felt confident that righteousness would be shown. He didn’t say “sinners, going to Hell, I WILL NOT eat this, and you better not either!” It’s hard, very hard, but I believe that when we do what we are supposed to do and live it in front of people, sometimes that speaks and does more in a person’s live that our words. There are certain people within the body of Christ, such as pastors who do give guidance and instruction, he’s supposed to. But not every person is called to do that, and I firmly believe that there are far more people who aren’t called to judge than are doing it. I know I reference it often but James 3:1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. Sorry, that was sort of a soap box moment. Anyway, Daniel did make a difference, and you and I can too.

I am experiencing this in my own life. I say experiencing because I’m still learning. Sometimes I fail, but I try to start over. See the ways that God has chosen for me to impact peoples lives, wasn’t part of my plan or what I wanted. But, as I let go of my grip I can see that as I soften myself to say “whatever You want” and actually mean it, things happen. For example, I’ve really wanted to become friends with lots of people at work, and at church and we are and have been, but I mean closer. I wanted them to consider me a blessing in their lives. But I just wanted them to feel that way. I didn’t want to do anything to inconvenience me. But as I truly allowed God to instruct me, and the few times I’ve actually followed I’ve seen Him do something. Not me, Him. So as that spills over into lives and then keeps on producing fruit, something that’s as good as dead, suddenly blooms with new life and new hope.

I really didn’t want to go to that fish camp Saturday. I wanted to get something to go, and then go home and put on sweat pants so that I could both breathe and eat. But, it just may be that one or both of those ladies may at some point in their lives think about something we discussed.

Today you may feel like there’s no point in doing anything, or maybe in doing anything else. But somehow God has His perfect way of supernaturally doing anything that He wants to happen. Please don’t give up. You may make that difference today. How many what ifs do you think people play over in their minds as they have to face the fact that they could have made a difference? That doesn’t have to happen today. Not this time.

This weekend the ladies from the UNBOUND ministry team had an overnight retreat at Ridgecrest.  Ridgecrest is the hidden little diamond in the NC Mountains.  It’s very inexpensive, secluded, and beautiful.  Oh, and I forgot the best part-black bears live there.  Ya, we’d had an incredible first few hours there.  Holly led an absolutely God inspired retreat, and in sort of the middle of one of them, I think we were all having an emotional unplanned cleansing sorts.  In the midst of an ocean of tears we hear something, and all just freeze “what was that?”  The ever so brave Megan B. says “I’m not scared, I’ll go see.”  And see she did-a bear.  We all screamed and then went to lock the door and discovered there was no lock.  We would surely be eaten alive.  We called security and they quickly came. “There’s a bear at the back door.”  “I know.  There’s a momma and her 2 cubs.”  As in “Ya, big deal, we know that.”  If you’ll read my blog from October you’ll see last time we were there we had received noticed that said “Bear Alert” and we had this time, I just didn’t expect to really see one.  He then showed us how to lock the back door (duh) and left.  The weekend was incredible.  I’ve heard Beth Moore say before the blessing of having friends you can bare (no pun intended) your soul to.  Thank you ladies.  You were that for me this weekend. 

 

Sunday was mother’s day.  I felt sick a bit on Friday, and felt bad and tired by Saturday night.  But, I had a wonderful day.  I got 2 mugs, and my facial cleanser and loads of coffee and a mini burger maker.  We went to Mark’s mom after church to celebrate and ate burgers and all kinds of yumminess.  Then we met my mom at Cracker Barrel.  You don’t understand how much I love pinto beans with corn relish and onions. MMMMMMM.

 

We were nearing the end of our meal and my mom, almost as an afterthought sort of thing said to our waitress, “You’ve been a very good waitress.”  I can promise you with everything in me my mom just made that statement as a pleasantry sort of thing.  I mean it was true, and my mom wanted her to know it, but we had no idea………………..

“You don’t know how much I needed to hear that” her eyes filled with tears.  I had a party of 15 and there was an order mix-up.  Me and the other waitress tried really hard to serve them, and they acted like things were fine.  They left us a $2.00 tip.  Then the mgr. told me that he’d just been chewed out because of me.  I’ve been here since 2:00 (it was 7:30) and I’ve made $12.00” Wow!! None of us saw that coming.  We tried to our best to comfort her, and I told her I would pray for her, and my mom gave her $20.00  Those few lil’ words “you’ve been a good waitress”  unleashed a flood of things that we didn’t expect. 

 

I’ve dealt with it the other way as well, and I’m sure you have to.  I’ve been emotionally wounded by hurtful words, and I’ve emotionally hurt other people with my words. 

 

Is there something you should say to someone today?? Please say it.  You don’t know what it might do for them. 

 

Is there something you want to say but shouldn’t??  Please don’t say it.  You may cause them more harm then you every imagined.

 

Proverbs 18:21 21Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof

 

James 3

Taming the Tongue

 ¹Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. ²We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

 ³When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. ⁴Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

 ⁷All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, ⁸but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

 ⁹With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. ¹⁰Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. ¹¹Can both fresh water and salt^[a] water flow from the same spring? ¹²My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

 

We had a good weekend. 

On Friday we did nothing. On Saturday Mark went and coached softball for the you, I slept late.  When Mark suggested we take advantage of our Carowinds season pass (given by Nanny) to go that afternoon, I was all for it.  Chloe has already been one time and she was very excited to be going back.  She was very excited for us to ride Cobra.   The lines were really short, which was an added bonus.  The temperature was perfect too.  When you get old like me, little things like that become much more noticeable. 

 

We got to Cobra.  As we stood in line we heard over and over again “If you do any obscene gestures while the camera is taking your picture, the police will escort you out of the park immediately.  We got on and a very steep incline holds you by a cable suspended until you almost have a heart attack.  Then it releases you, you do two double flips, go up a hill, and then do the same thing backwards.  It is beyond my imagination how anyone would be cognitive enough to do anything during the picture taking on the ride than hold on to the bars and scream. 

 

You know that guy let us know, if you do this…………………….then you’re outta here.  I’m not insensitive to the enormous pressures that Christians are under today.  I am one!  I realize that most of us don’t feel like we can here an audible voice from God of completely clear instructions sometimes.  At least I don’t.  It’s a discipline to spend time asking him, listening for His answer, through whatever way He chooses to reveal it.  We know to pray and read out Bible.  Yet, (at least for me) I struggle at times to do this.  We know to forgive, and that when we don’t a wall goes up. Yet, (at least for me) I struggle at times to do this. 

 

I am on a new quest to find God’s desires and will for my life.  It required patience, humility, obedience and a lot of other things, that I lack in.  But for me I am realizing that anything other than what He wants me to do won’t work

 

Ask God for What You Need

    ⁷ "Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. ⁸ Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.

    ⁹ "If your children ask for bread, which of you would give them a stone? ¹⁰ Or if your children ask for a fish, would you give them a snake? ¹¹ Even though you are bad, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him!

But what we must understand is this: Our greatest need is Him.  End of story.  “Till we get that, nothing else will be right.

Last night Mark was trying to get a head-start on all the yards he cuts each week.  Chloe and I went to Pizza Hut, because she had a certificate for a free pizza.  On the way home I said “I remember when we came to eat here when our house was being built.  I can’t remember, but I think Aunt Doris came with Katrina.  I don’t think the twins (Katrina’s) were born yet.  I really can’t remember.  But, I just remember we came to eat here.”

“I know.  You already said that part.  And?????”  “And what?”  “What’s the rest of the story?”  “That’s it.”  “What’s the point?”  “I don’t have one.”  By this time I’m annoyed that Chloe realizes I told a pointless story.  I want to retaliate when she tells me one of her pointless stories.  But I love them so. 

 

That’s so Chloe.  “Get to the point.  There must be one.”  She’s so HER.  She’s just approaching that age where she might start trying to be someone other than herself.  The reason??  You.  Them.  Us.  Me.  The outside influences of friends, enemies, lay people, her family, me-we will tell her “you need to act like this person.” or “you should really try to look like this person.” or  “look at so-and-so over there, they’re nicer and more pleasant to be around.”  or “(you fill in the blank)  That’s why last week the theme of her party was princess,  but not the pretend perfect princess, the princess that all girls are crowned as Christ royalty.  I did a lil’ question sheet asking the girls different princess things.  The last question was “Are you a princess?”  One of the girls answered “No.”  Wow.  But that’s sort of what I figured.  We raise a generation of defensive paranoid youth, and then wonder why they act that way. 

 

We are doing a wonderful Chip Ingram study on Wed. night in Vision.  It’s called “Your Divine Design.”  It builds up to your Spiritual gifts.  But, this week was the starting lesson “You are a Masterpiece.”  You know it’s largely the modern day church’s fault that so many don’t believe that.  They’ve basically been told they should loathe themselves and if they act good enough, maybe, just maybe, they’ll be accepted.  Insecurity and low self-esteem are emotional prisons. I know.  I’ve been sentenced to there many times.  I’m my own judge and jury, and I’m not supposed to be. 

 

Do you treat people in a way to help them believe they are God’s masterpiece??  Do you believe that about yourself??  Oh, well that’s the problem.  Deal.

^{Ephesians 2:10} For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Today has the potential to be “one of those days.”  I’m 37 years old and have had a hysterectomy, so I’m not going through puberty.  So, that is not why I have a teenage style breakout on my face.  I have always had problems with my skin.  A few years back I started using a line of products that we can’t really afford, but I used them anyway because I can honestly say it is the only thing that worked. I’ve tried pretty much every product throughout my life that a person can buy for their skin.  In drug stores and dept. stores and for some reason my skin doesn’t really respond to any of it.  Well, I decided a few months back that even though my skin was at an ok place that just wasn’t good enough.  I needed “make-up optional” skin as the commercial boasted.  I went to the store and bought the entire line.  After four weeks of using it, I not only didn’t have “make-up optional skin” I have “make-up unoptional skin.”  I tried something else.  That was several weeks ago and my skin is awful right now.  I decided this morning I will bite the bullet and go back to was I was using before.  I thought “Ok. I’ll focus on my hair and really try to take the attention off my face.  I spent an extra long time straightening it and decided to spray it (which I don’t normally do).  It felt gross. I decided to brush it out to it wouldn’t feel that way.  Guess what??  Now my hair looks as if it’s full of dandruff, when in fact that spray that wasn’t supposed to flake did exactly that. 

 

How dare these companies prey on the vulnerable this way!  I trusted them and their products to do what they said.  I invested my money.  I did my part.  They didn’t follow through on their part.  This is false advertisement.  I feel lied to, because I have been.  I wish I’d never fallen for all this. 

 

You know what?  People feel this way about Christians.  I’m reading a book called Essential Church.  It’s basically giving the practical reasons that young adults drop out of church.  They feel like they’ve been falsely advertised to.  We tell them as children that Jesus loves them so much.  But as they reach the age that grace counts more than ever we tell them His love is conditional.  We tell them to act one way, as they watch us act another.  We smile at church so that everyone will think we have perfect families and get into the car and change clothes spiritually as soon as we’re off the church property.  We beg them to come to church, but turn our backs on them when they fall or if they decide to leave.  We promise them they can make it with the help of God, but they can’t count on us if they need help. 

 

It’s false advertisement.  The problem? The advertisement represents who they believe Christ is.  No wonder so many young people find comfort in bars and parties and gossip and gods. 

 

What’s the purpose of light??  To give a means to see something.  If a mechanic is under the car holding a flashlight so he can the motor of the car to be fixed, does the flashlight suddenly become responsible for fixing the car?  No.  It just provides the light. 

 

We are supposed to be the light of Christ.  To cause a person to see what they need to see. 

I am to shine so people can see Jesus.  So he through the Holy Spirit can do his thing.  But with every false advertisement, I truly believe our lights dim, because God won’t be mocked.  His light isn’t going out, but I believe our lights get dimmer and dimmer to allow people to see him.  I love it when Joyce Myer says that we are not “Holy Ghost Jr.”  I love that.  I can be me.  I can be real.  God is the one who does the changing.  I’m the light, I’m the tool.  He is the One in charge.  Whew.  Thank goodness. 

 

John 9

Spiritual Blindness

 ³⁵Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

 ³⁶"Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."

 ³⁷Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."

 ³⁸Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.

 ³⁹Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."

 ⁴⁰Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"

 ⁴¹Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

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