Do you ever look through old journals, emails, letters or other personal things that you had written two, four, five or even ten years ago? I do. Not often, but every once in a while I'll come across an old diary or notebook and flip through it. It's interesting to do that. To read something that I wrote years ago; to get a glimpse of who I was then - a glimpse that is more and more enlightening as I grow older and have the perspective that age and time brings. As each year passes and I grow closer to the Lord and He opens my eyes more to the sinful nature of my own heart, it becomes more and more humbling to read personal things that I wrote in high school.
I recently
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Monday, February 25, 2013
Monday, February 11, 2013
Thankfulness and Stress
I've been really convicted lately about thankfulness.
I think it started when I heard this quote: "What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?"
It is so easy to go just through life, go through the motions every day things, so stuck in the routine that if someone asked you why you were doing something the only answer you would be able to give is "cause that's just what I do." That happens to me sometimes. Particularly when I have a lot on my plate. I do the opposite of what I should do. What I should do, on those days when I have so many things on my mind that I cannot possibly function, is
I think it started when I heard this quote: "What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?"
It is so easy to go just through life, go through the motions every day things, so stuck in the routine that if someone asked you why you were doing something the only answer you would be able to give is "cause that's just what I do." That happens to me sometimes. Particularly when I have a lot on my plate. I do the opposite of what I should do. What I should do, on those days when I have so many things on my mind that I cannot possibly function, is
Monday, January 21, 2013
New Eyes. . .
Over the last couple of weeks God has opened my eyes and broken my heart for people who don't know Him in a new way. He showed me His heart by bringing to my attention several people who I know or have known closely who do not love Him or accept Him as their savior. It just breaks my heart to see these friends, some of whom are like family to me, who grew up in Christian homes and went (or still go) to church and youth functions faithfully now rejecting the faith that they were raised in. I was having a conversation with one of these friends a few days ago and it was just so heartbreaking. They have the truth right in front of them and yet they can't or won't receive it. The saddest part is the effect this rejection has upon a person's life.
Without God, life has no true meaning or purpose - something that I have seen evidenced in some of these friends as they have turned their backs on Him. Their lives are hollow and they are searching for anything that is not God or religion that will fill the hole in their soul. But they search in vain, because even if something seems to be working, eventually the emptiness with return. Their lives are characterized by
Without God, life has no true meaning or purpose - something that I have seen evidenced in some of these friends as they have turned their backs on Him. Their lives are hollow and they are searching for anything that is not God or religion that will fill the hole in their soul. But they search in vain, because even if something seems to be working, eventually the emptiness with return. Their lives are characterized by
Thursday, January 17, 2013
The Legacy of Literature
Today I am going to move from things I wrote in high school to something I wrote my freshman year of college. This essay was written for my freshman comp class during my first semester at junior college. We were told to find an aphorism (which, according to the dictionary is a pithy observation that contains a general truth) and write an essay about why we thought the aphorism we chose was true using personal examples. Enjoy.
The Legacy of Literature
“A room without books is like a body without a soul”
- Cicero
Just as the soul of a human being brings life and animation to the body, so do books bring those same qualities to a room. When the soul departs, the body is left a lifeless shell - a shadow of what was. Likewise, a room without books is dull, lifeless and dead. A person’s soul is immortal, living on after the body is dead; so to, are books. Long after an author has died, the books written by them have the potential to live on to inspire and teach those who come after.
I have experienced such teaching and inspiration in my own life. Many of my favorite books, the ones that impacted me the most, were written by people who died many years before I was born. A perfect example
Friday, November 16, 2012
Three Years
Three years.
Three years is a long time, and three years is a short time. So many, many things can change in the span of three years.
Hopes.
Dreams.
Fears.
The very essence of who a person is.
And yet at the same time, you blink and three years have past like blur. Life is funny like that.
This particular time of the year means a lot to me, on many different levels.
It's November.
The beginning of my favorite of the Southern California seasons - cool and (if we're lucky) wet.
The month of Thanksgiving.
The month in which, three years ago, events occurred that changed my life.
It's funny how day to day, you generally don't feel like you are changing, but when you look back over your life, you realize that who you were one. . . two. . . five. . . ten years ago would barely recognize the person you are today and you wonder how that happened.
The past week I have been doing a lot of reflecting, thinking and reminiscing. This last week marks my third year following the Lord. Three years ago, I was a different person with different plans, goals and dreams. I was walking
Three years is a long time, and three years is a short time. So many, many things can change in the span of three years.
Hopes.
Dreams.
Fears.
The very essence of who a person is.
And yet at the same time, you blink and three years have past like blur. Life is funny like that.
This particular time of the year means a lot to me, on many different levels.
It's November.
The beginning of my favorite of the Southern California seasons - cool and (if we're lucky) wet.
The month of Thanksgiving.
The month in which, three years ago, events occurred that changed my life.
It's funny how day to day, you generally don't feel like you are changing, but when you look back over your life, you realize that who you were one. . . two. . . five. . . ten years ago would barely recognize the person you are today and you wonder how that happened.
The past week I have been doing a lot of reflecting, thinking and reminiscing. This last week marks my third year following the Lord. Three years ago, I was a different person with different plans, goals and dreams. I was walking
Saturday, March 17, 2012
St. Patrick's Day
Today is St. Patrick's day. The day when the Irish gather together and celebrate their heritage and a day that those who are not Irish use as a socially acceptable day to party it up with lots of dancing and beer. Well, I supposed the Irish do that too, but at least we are kind of known for our beer. Anyway, St. Patrick's day is a day when everyone, regardless of their background wears a little bit o' green and takes a moment to give a nod to the wee folk of Irish legend. But do most people even know who St. Patrick was, or why we celebrate him?
I didn't think so.
St. Patrick was the first Christian missionary to Ireland. He was first brought to Ireland from England as a slave by pirates. He spent several years as a slave, during which time he learned the language and customs of Ireland. After a time he escaped back to England where he studied and became a priest. One would think that after being forced to spend so many years as a slave in a foreign country, one would never want to go back. But that was no the case with Patrick. He felt God tugging on his heart, calling him back to Ireland. Back then, Ireland was a very dark place. They had never heard of God, Jesus or His word. The Druids and their cultish magic ruled the land, and they did not take kindly to people who questioned them. Patrick felt called to go back, regardless of the dangers. So he did and to this day, a very large percentage of the Irish population subscribe to either Catholicism or Christianity.
After Patrick's death, the Catholic church declared him a saint and the Irish people dedicated the day of his death as a day they would take time to remember and be thankful for the man that brought them God's message of hope and forgiveness. Over the years, like so many of the Christian holidays and festivals, St. Patrick's day turned into little more than an excuse to gather together, eat, drink and make merry. But this year, why don't we take a moment, before we dive into our corned beef and cabbage meal to stop and thank the Lord for brave men and women, like St. Patrick, who were and are willing to give up the comforts of a "normal" life, to give everything they have with reckless abandon to the Lord for the sake of bringing Him glory and furthering His kingdom.
St. Patrick's day is big deal in my family for two reasons. We are Irish. If you know anything about the characteristics if the Irish, you could tell just by looking at my family. We are all very interested in each others lives, you might call it nosy. Most of us (myself included) can have quite the firecracker temper. We are also Christians and we use this day also to talk about missionaries and thank God for them. But see, missionaries aren't the only people who are called to live a life of reckless abandon. God calls ALL Christians to live that way. And, sometimes we need to be reminded of that. All to often we get bogged down by worldly cares and forget that God calls us to cast all of that on Him. I know I do. So today, let's take a moment to thank the Lord for His care and rededicate our hearts and minds, giving everything to Him with reckless abandon. Cause I don't know about you, but I want to be known as someone who was willing to give it all, one who followed no matter the cost.
I didn't think so.
St. Patrick was the first Christian missionary to Ireland. He was first brought to Ireland from England as a slave by pirates. He spent several years as a slave, during which time he learned the language and customs of Ireland. After a time he escaped back to England where he studied and became a priest. One would think that after being forced to spend so many years as a slave in a foreign country, one would never want to go back. But that was no the case with Patrick. He felt God tugging on his heart, calling him back to Ireland. Back then, Ireland was a very dark place. They had never heard of God, Jesus or His word. The Druids and their cultish magic ruled the land, and they did not take kindly to people who questioned them. Patrick felt called to go back, regardless of the dangers. So he did and to this day, a very large percentage of the Irish population subscribe to either Catholicism or Christianity.
After Patrick's death, the Catholic church declared him a saint and the Irish people dedicated the day of his death as a day they would take time to remember and be thankful for the man that brought them God's message of hope and forgiveness. Over the years, like so many of the Christian holidays and festivals, St. Patrick's day turned into little more than an excuse to gather together, eat, drink and make merry. But this year, why don't we take a moment, before we dive into our corned beef and cabbage meal to stop and thank the Lord for brave men and women, like St. Patrick, who were and are willing to give up the comforts of a "normal" life, to give everything they have with reckless abandon to the Lord for the sake of bringing Him glory and furthering His kingdom.
St. Patrick's day is big deal in my family for two reasons. We are Irish. If you know anything about the characteristics if the Irish, you could tell just by looking at my family. We are all very interested in each others lives, you might call it nosy. Most of us (myself included) can have quite the firecracker temper. We are also Christians and we use this day also to talk about missionaries and thank God for them. But see, missionaries aren't the only people who are called to live a life of reckless abandon. God calls ALL Christians to live that way. And, sometimes we need to be reminded of that. All to often we get bogged down by worldly cares and forget that God calls us to cast all of that on Him. I know I do. So today, let's take a moment to thank the Lord for His care and rededicate our hearts and minds, giving everything to Him with reckless abandon. Cause I don't know about you, but I want to be known as someone who was willing to give it all, one who followed no matter the cost.
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