I'm BAAAAAACK!

WOW! Where has this blog been? I was rummaging through my old bookmarks and came across this one. Man, what memories and what changes life has presented me with. So many things are so different now that I wouldn't know where to begin. Also, I am not sure why I am posting anything here as no one will see it, but it feels good to see this and write here again. Maybe I will start to do it more frequently.

Could it be......Satan?

So apparently I have not blogged in quite awhile, but something happened recently that made me want to get it out of my system. I was sitting at work on a day that I was by myself and it was a VERY slow day. All of the sudden, it was like Satan was right there. sitting beside me tempting me like I have not been tempted in quite awhile. Just like Christ and God can whisper to me at times, Satan was screaming at me. Just daring me to go through with it. It was terrifying. I have never been so aware of his presence before and it was shocking. I was able to make it through that moment unscathed, but it was a jaw dropping experience. I can look back and see all of those times in my life where Satan must have been doing the exact same thing. The only difference I can see is that he had me in his grips to the point that I didn't notice or care that he was there. I guess that I must be doing better in my relationship with God than I thought I was because now I was so aware of the temptation and what it would do to me. And I didn't want to feel like I had in the past. Thank God for his love and forgiveness and the strength that he gives us to battle Satan. I thank God for allowing me to finally "see" what's been going on since the dawn of time. The daily war that is being waged for souls lost and dying and that I for once am not included in that category.

Cell Phoes and Such

Now..let's be very clear about this. I do love cell phones. I love the technology, the different makes and models and just about everything else about 'em. I don't think that has ever been a real big secret. But lately I have started to change my view of them and Sunday was almost the last straw.
I was serving on the table Sunday morning and many things distracted me from the experience. Babies crying, people talking and laughing and cell phones. They were everywhere. I will not name names but there were quite a few people using them to clearly text and to generally just play with. In the MIDDLE of the Lord's Supper. Where have we come to as a church that this is acceptable. I wanted to to rip the phones out of their hands and toss them out the lobby doors. Have we no respect or thankfulness for what has been done for us as a church and as christians? It surely doesn't appear that we do. I don't mean to base the whole church's attitude on a small few, but aren't we only as strong as the weakest among us?
Sunday night I also noticed that someone had the bible stored on their phone. At first I thought that was pretty cool. But then it made me wonder if they miss the smell, the feel and the way YOUR bible makes you feel. I misplaced my bible and my message bible during the move and took another bible I had to church on sunday. It just wasn't the same (now I know how Jackie feels about her old bible =)
So..I have decided to leave my cell phone either in the car or at home during church from now on. And i've also decided to try and not be so dependent on it. I am also praying hard for those individuals I saw using theirs and for us as a church that we will be a more christ centered body. =)

Blessed

I've had the opportunity these past few weeks to sit back and look at how things are going in my life. And, for the first time since possibly ever, I can say that I am happy with how and where things are going. There's been a few bumps in the road but I have been able to navigate them pretty well it seems. More importantly, I am learning to see God working in my life in the present instead of just in hindsight. What a blessing that has been and is! My family and friends have been absolutely crucial to my growth and there are no words to express to them the gratitude and love I feel for them. It has also been a blessing to see God working in each of their lives as well. Caleb's shop is booming, Daniel is building a home, Mike and Jenn getting married and now with a baby girl on the way, Lindsey is engaged...again, what an immense blessing it is to be able to call each of these individuals friend. Life is good and more importantly God is exceptionally good!

Another Why

Why does the weight of the world have to come crashing down all at once? Why does satan have to be so good at his job? Why is my faith so weak when I need it the most?

Why?

Why can't God's plan be more evident? Why does it have to be such a slap in the face sometimes? Why can't it make more sense in the here and now? I wish my faith were stronger right now.

The Station

THE STATION

By Robert J. Hastings

TUCKED AWAY in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision in which we see ourselves
on a long journey that spans an entire continent. We're traveling by train and, from the
windows, we drink in the passing scenes of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at
crossings, of cattle grazing in distant pastures, of smoke pouring from power plants, of row
upon row upon row of cotton and corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of city skylines and
village halls.

But uppermost in our conscious minds is our final destination--for at a certain hour and on a
given day, our train will finally pull into the Station with bells ringing, flags waving, and bands
playing. And once that day comes, so many wonderful dreams will come true. So restlessly, we
pace the aisles and count the miles, peering ahead, waiting, waiting, waiting for the Station.

"Yes, when we reach the Station, that will be it!" we promise ourselves. "When we're
eighteen. . . win that promotion. . . put the last kid through college. . . buy that 450SL
Mercedes-Benz. . . have a nest egg for retirement!"

From that day on we will all live happily ever after.

Sooner or later, however, we must realize there is no Station in this life, no one earthly
place to arrive at once and for all. The journey is the joy. The Station is an illusion--it
constantly outdistances us. Yesterday's a memory, tomorrow's a dream. Yesterday belongs to a
history, tomorrow belongs to God. Yesterday's a fading sunset, tomorrow's a faint sunrise. Only
today is there light enough to love and live.

So, gently close the door on yesterday and throw the key away. It isn't the burdens of today
that drive men mad, but rather regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and
fear are twin thieves who would rob us of today.

"Relish the moment" is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24, "This is
the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, swim more rivers, climb more
mountains, kiss more babies, count more stars. Laugh more and cry less. Go barefoot oftener.
Eat more ice cream. Ride more merry-go-rounds. Watch more sunsets. Life must be lived as we
go along. The Station will come soon enough.

I came across this poem a few days ago while I was at Caleb's shop. It really struck me the first time I read it. It has been a long time since I was just happy in the moment. Happy with where I am in this life. and to tell you the truth, when I read this the first time, I realized that I was not happy still with where I am. I keep thinking that when this happens, or that happens, or so and so does this that I will finally be content. But I am learning with study and help from others and God that this life really is just a passing fancy. A blink of an eye. A blip in the timeline of this universe. So it is our job as christians to make the most of every chance, every day that is placed before us. And to understand that in this short moment of today, we can be truly happy with the love that Christ has given to us.