A Look in a Book

Strife...

1. Heated, often violent dissension; bitter conflict.
2. A struggle, fight, or quarrel.
3. Contention or competition between rivals.

http://www.answers.com/topic/strife

I've never taken much time to think about strife and from the above definition, I really want to try to avoid it! Surely, I do not have strife in my life, right!? Well, let's be honest. We all experience strife in our lives at some point, so when a friend recommended we read "Conflict Free Living" by J. Meyers together I took her up on the offer! We've been reading through it, examining the scriptures together, and discussing what God says about strife in our lives and how to deal with it. To be honest, it seems easier to deal with strife in a book than it does in real life...but I suppose that's always the hard part...applying what we learn!

Peace...

1. a state of tranquility or quiet.
2. freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions.
3. harmony in personal relations.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peace

I am thankful, that although this world seems to surround us with strife and contention, that we are able to experience peace through our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Therefore, having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand,
and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
Romans 5:1-2

There is a lot I can't fathom when it comes to peace with the God of this universe, and there is a lot I don't understand about how to live peaceably in this world, but I DO know that the Bible asks us to strive for peace with everyone and I am praying that the Lord will help me to be sensitive to things in my life that lead to strife and that I might have my eyes opened to what it means to live in peace, in the midst of a world that offers anything but peace!

"Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble..."

Hebrews 12:14-15

Blogging, food & working out!

BLOGGING

My intent to post more frequently isn't going great...but, then again, I'm shooting for progress NOT perfection because we both know I'll never reach perfection!! So, hopefully I'm making progress towards posting a little more than I did last year! My problem? I get inspired to post while I'm in the car, reading a book, at work...and then, my memory fails me. I forget those "great inspirations" or somehow they feel less inspiring when I actually sit down to write. Other times, I have a thought that just seems difficult to portray through a blog medium. And, so, these thoughts are lost, never to be found in this blog-land!

In many ways, I need to remember WHY I want to blog in the first place.

• I like to write and it's a good outlet for this!
• It's a really fun way to keep in touch with friends!
• But most of all, I enjoy being able to go back and be reminded of the faithfulness of the Lord, of the lessons He is teaching me over time. (And hopefully can see a little bit of growth in the process!)

Like many things in life, it's important not to lose perspective and I think blogging is no different! So hopefully, as I work towards being a little more consistent in posting, I will also be able to return to the "roots" of why I started this blog in the first place!!

FOOD

I added a most glorious item to my house over the holidays.....a small, single-person sized deep freezer! I LOVE IT! It has opened a whole new world for me! Cooking for one person is a challenge...it is difficult...I generally don't enjoy it one bit! You cook something and then eat it, breakfast, lunch and dinner for a week and vow you will never eat it again...EVER! Or, every time you go to the refrigerator you realize there is yet MORE food to throw out because one person just can't consume that whole casserole alone! (Are you feeling the negative feelings I have regarding cooking for myself?!!)



But no more! THERE IS HOPE!! I am cooking more now than I have in a long time! My mom gave me a great cookbook for Christmas..."Ready, Set, Eat", a Gooseberry Patch book. It has lots of great, quick recipes! And, now that I have a freezer, I cook a meal, eat a serving and put one serving in my refrigerator. Then, I split the remainder into single serving containers and freeze it! It's my version of "once a month cooking". I'm essentially making my own frozen meals so I can easily pull them out after work. It's been great! Not only do I have home cooked meals again, but I'm saving money, too!! (And hopefully helping my cholesterol in the process!!)

WORKING OUT

Ah, the struggles of trying to be healthy and fit! I love the IDEA of being fit, but rarely have the discipline to follow through on it. I would love to be able to do workouts in the great outdoors but sadly, breathing in large amounts of allergens isn't ideal according to my allergy doctor! And, it seems like when I finally get a good habit down, I get sick and my lungs don't tolerate a good workout without being followed by a significant coughing fit (not exactly the sort of "FIT" I'm aiming for!). But, I've been able to avoid a respiratory infection for several months now (Praise the Lord!) and am now ready to commit to regular workouts again! So I joined the local community center with a friend today and jumped back on the wagon! I figure, that if I ever want to be in shape, I'd better do it now, because we all know, we're not getting any younger!! (And maybe, just maybe, it could help with my migraines too, as they've decided to re-surface over the last few weeks!)

Well, if you're still reading now...kudos to you for being able to bear with my ramblings and I hope you stay tuned for any other ramblings that might surface!

A Look in a Book

I've started reading The Shackled Continent, a book that seeks an answer to why African nations are crippled by war, disease, and corrupt governments. I am not a political person. I recognize that nearly everywhere I turn, I am faced by politics...but, in all honesty, I despise politics. I hardly have an understanding of American politics, let alone any idea about the world political forum! But, I've found this book to be quite interesting so far and I thought I'd share quotes with you as I read!

"Since independence, Africa's governments have failed their people. Few allow ordinary citizens the freedom to seek their own fortunes without official harassment. Few uphold the rule of law, enforce contracts or safeguard property rights. Many are blatantly predatory, serving as the means by which a small elite extracts rents from everyone else. Predatory governments usually make their countries poorer, as in Nigeria and the central African Republic. Worse, when power confers riches, people sometimes fight for it, as in Congo and Liberia."

*The Shackled Continent: Africa's Past, Present and Future, by Robert Guest, p. 12

I may not agree with many of our government's decisions but I can be thankful that I rest in a higher power, a Power that will never fail me and has proven to be faithful for many generations before me! It has been a stark reminder to me to be thankful for all that the Lord has blessed me with...the many things that I so often take for granted...especially many of the freedoms we have the liberty to enjoy in our country!!

Happy New Year!!

I found this in my email inbox this morning and thought I would share it with you! Happy New Year to you all!!

After serious & cautious consideration...
your contract of friendship has been cautiously renewed for the New Year ~ 2009!
It was a very hard decision to make.
So try not to screw it up!!! ;-)

My Wish for You in 2009
May peace break into your house
and may thieves come to steal your debts.
May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills.

May love stick to your face like Vaseline
and may laughter assault your lips!

May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires
and may happiness slap you across the face
and may your tears be that of joy.
May the problems you had be forgot & your home be your Sanctuary!

In simple words .... May 2009 be the best year of your life!!!

I have been thinking a lot about what my New Years post would be and I haven't been able to come up with one better than last years. Last year, I had a prayer for the year instead of resolutions and I must tell you, that throughout the year I was continually reminded of the need to pray for others and reminded of how influential and essential prayer is in our lives. I was reminded of how important it is to pray specifically and persistently. I was reminded of the faithfulness of my God every time I saw another prayer answered!

Fervent prayer is crucial to leading a victorious life in Christ and is crucial to building an intimate relationship with our God! So instead of trying to come up with something better, I'm going to keep the "prayer of the year" from last year because I think it is just as essential in 2009! Please, join me in praying this prayer for the loved ones in your life this year!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, to all those in the blog-o-sphere! Christmas is a joyous time to celebrate our Savior, to celebrate our families. I hope it has been a day filled with family and loved ones, laughs and giggles, and many wonderful new memories.

I spent Christmas day at work. No one enjoys working the holidays, especially Christmas! But, I was reminded today how hard the holidays are for so many people around us. I watched a little boy cry as he rode the gurney to his room. He only wanted to be at home with his family opening presents. Instead he got needles and respiratory treatments and medicines. Yes, Santa came by and said hello. Yes, we gave him a big bag of gifts. I did my best to make it better but he wasn't home with his family and he wasn't feeling well. It reminded me that although the holidays can be a wonderfully joyous time, it can also be a time full of heartache for so many. In the hustle and bustle of our festivities, let us not forget to show love to those around us who are ill, who have lost loved ones, who are lonely...to show love to those with aching hearts this Christmas.



And I hope in the bustle of today's activity, you had a moment to stop in wonder and amazement that the God of all things came to this earth as a baby with the intent to be the Savior of the world! What a glorious thing to remember and rejoice in! I am so thankful that He loved me enough to be willing to do such a thing as live a life on this earth as a man, knowing full well how His journey would end. I suppose He looked beyond the pain of the cross, knowing that it would bring about the true end...the salvation of our souls! And, as much as He didn't look forward to the cross, He was able to endure it because of His love for us! What a great, immeasurable love we have had bestowed upon us!!

Christmas Cards...to be or not to be?!

This year, I have failed. I have failed to send out Christmas cards! To be perfectly honest, I struggled with what to do for Christmas cards and so I got overwhelmed and just didn't do it! I didn't know if I should send a card with a picture...and if I did that, what picture (or pictures) would I use? Or, maybe I should make cards. But, I ran out of time. Maybe I should send out a Happy New Years card instead. Or maybe I should just buy them in bulk and sign them and mail them. But, then that lacks the personal touch that I prefer. So, I decided that I just didn't have enough Christmas spirit in me to go through with Christmas cards this year. Maybe I'll make it a tradition to be fulfilled only in odd years!! So, I suppose I've just committed myself to sending cards to your mailboxes next year! Be on the look out for your card...in about a year!



In the meantime, I'm really enjoying all the cards everyone is sending me! I love seeing the pictures of the kids growing and hearing about what everyone has been doing for the year 2008! So, even though I am not sending any out this year, I absolutely love the excitement of checking the mailbox every day to see what new cards I've received! So, thank you all for that!! :-)

Although I may be lacking enough Christmas spirit to send out cards, I had enough to get my Christmas tree up earlier this month and to get all my Christmas shopping done yesterday! Woohoo! Now I just need to start the wrapping!

A Look in a Book

"This is the message of the Bible, that God has chosen the weak and the base, the nothing and the things that are not to confound the things that are. All God demands of a man is his availability--to be what man was created to be, the human vehicle of the divine life, inhabited by God for God. That God may be Himself--His size in terms of what you are on earth, in your availability to Him. What you are is totally irrelevant--nationality-wise, money-wise, education-wise, personality-wise, and any other wise, if only you will recognize the principle that it is God that works in you, to will and to do His good pleasure. The only ultimate source of divine activity in all spiritual life is God Himself--'Christ in you the hope of glory' (Col. 1: 27c)."

*The Saving Life of Christ, by Major W. Ian Thomas, p 66-67