Thursday, January 19, 2006
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
I've had this idea in my head for quite awhile, years, almost decades.
I used to really like my job, I was a housekeeper at an old age home. It was a mindless job. Me and God had lots of conversations as I cleaned toilets. One day as we were talking I was thinking about judgments and how people that I knew were judged by people without knowing anything about their lives. As I prayed about this I realized that I did the same thing, many times. The strangers splashed across the headlines, the teacher at school, the angry bully.
I started thinking about these people differently, with some compassion (when I remembered).
This thought came to me the other day. There's a 300lb woman who decided on the first of the year to lose weight, to get healthy. She started to eat properly and went for a daily stroll. She kept reminding herself of her goal. She failed many times, she ate an entire chocolate cake once, but slowly she lost 100lbs. She felt good and she thought she looked good. People that knew her complimented how well she was doing, some thought she was losing too much weight.
One day she was walking down the street and she passed two women talking together, as she passed she could hear one woman say to the other "I hope I never get that fat" The woman was devastated and wondered when her efforts would produce any results. When really, they already had. She improved her health, she was happier, she had inspired many people around her, but these women didn't know that, because they couldn't see how far she'd come.
There's so many people that have a bigger story than what we see and have come much further than we realize, they have farther to go, but they've come so far already. Did you have 150lbs of sin to lose or only 10? I wonder which is more difficult to give up.
I used to really like my job, I was a housekeeper at an old age home. It was a mindless job. Me and God had lots of conversations as I cleaned toilets. One day as we were talking I was thinking about judgments and how people that I knew were judged by people without knowing anything about their lives. As I prayed about this I realized that I did the same thing, many times. The strangers splashed across the headlines, the teacher at school, the angry bully.
I started thinking about these people differently, with some compassion (when I remembered).
This thought came to me the other day. There's a 300lb woman who decided on the first of the year to lose weight, to get healthy. She started to eat properly and went for a daily stroll. She kept reminding herself of her goal. She failed many times, she ate an entire chocolate cake once, but slowly she lost 100lbs. She felt good and she thought she looked good. People that knew her complimented how well she was doing, some thought she was losing too much weight.
One day she was walking down the street and she passed two women talking together, as she passed she could hear one woman say to the other "I hope I never get that fat" The woman was devastated and wondered when her efforts would produce any results. When really, they already had. She improved her health, she was happier, she had inspired many people around her, but these women didn't know that, because they couldn't see how far she'd come.
There's so many people that have a bigger story than what we see and have come much further than we realize, they have farther to go, but they've come so far already. Did you have 150lbs of sin to lose or only 10? I wonder which is more difficult to give up.
Friday, January 13, 2006
In our local newspaper there is a columnist that I enjoy reading. He likes people and interacting with them and he's a good man. He is not a christian. He actually doesn't like the christian faith at all. He began by simply disagreeing and pointing out how christian belief is different from his own, but it's been getting progressively more angry. I've been tempted to write him back, defending my beliefs but I didn't want my anger to confirm what he believes about christians. So, I prayed for him.
I heard a radio pastor say that we shouldn't assume that we know where someone is in their spiritual walk, because when we think someone is far from the truth, they could actually be very close. I thought about how angry I got sometimes when I was confronted with the truth. Once my anger cooled, I could see that the offending people were right. I really hate it when that happens. Then I have to admit that I was wrong. Who wants to do that? It's easier to prove that I'm right. Jesus always finds a way to break through all of that though. I'm thinking that's what he's doing with this columnist. I'll continue to pray for both him and my own understanding.
I heard a radio pastor say that we shouldn't assume that we know where someone is in their spiritual walk, because when we think someone is far from the truth, they could actually be very close. I thought about how angry I got sometimes when I was confronted with the truth. Once my anger cooled, I could see that the offending people were right. I really hate it when that happens. Then I have to admit that I was wrong. Who wants to do that? It's easier to prove that I'm right. Jesus always finds a way to break through all of that though. I'm thinking that's what he's doing with this columnist. I'll continue to pray for both him and my own understanding.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Blenders
Okay, this might seem like a ridiculous thing to write about but I feel compelled to share.
I love learning about and implementing good nutrition in my life. I read labels, balance meals, bother people with endless details about what is in that disgusting thing they're eating. Not that I don't eat disgusting things myself, sometimes disgusting tastes so goood.
Anyway, the new year is upon us and one of my annual/seasonal goals is to eat well. Which of course means that my family will eat well, but eating well doesn't please every member of my family at every meal which is where the blender comes in. http://www.whfoods.com has wonderful foods listed that my children will not eat but when I blend them into spaghetti sauce, or soup they can hardly tell that it's there.
Smoothies are also a fabulous way to add extra fruits to your diet. My ingenious husband discovered that a mason jar fits on our blender blade very well. They come in a variety of sizes so they're perfect for single servings (I've also read that some mayonnaise jars also work, I haven't tried one though). All of those browning bananas, that I used to throw out, go into my freezer to bake with or add to a smoothie (any frozen fruit will work, blueberries are especially healthy, full of antioxidants)
It has been so frustrating trying to get my kids to eat wonderful foods like squash and spinach, but now I have a secret weapon and I really wanted to share it.
Stop rolling your eyes! It's very good information!
Okay, I'm done.
I love learning about and implementing good nutrition in my life. I read labels, balance meals, bother people with endless details about what is in that disgusting thing they're eating. Not that I don't eat disgusting things myself, sometimes disgusting tastes so goood.
Anyway, the new year is upon us and one of my annual/seasonal goals is to eat well. Which of course means that my family will eat well, but eating well doesn't please every member of my family at every meal which is where the blender comes in. http://www.whfoods.com has wonderful foods listed that my children will not eat but when I blend them into spaghetti sauce, or soup they can hardly tell that it's there.
Smoothies are also a fabulous way to add extra fruits to your diet. My ingenious husband discovered that a mason jar fits on our blender blade very well. They come in a variety of sizes so they're perfect for single servings (I've also read that some mayonnaise jars also work, I haven't tried one though). All of those browning bananas, that I used to throw out, go into my freezer to bake with or add to a smoothie (any frozen fruit will work, blueberries are especially healthy, full of antioxidants)
It has been so frustrating trying to get my kids to eat wonderful foods like squash and spinach, but now I have a secret weapon and I really wanted to share it.
Stop rolling your eyes! It's very good information!
Okay, I'm done.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Have you ever felt like crawling into a cave and hiding from the world? I've just recently started emerging from my cave. It's been about a year now and it's very uncomfortable.
I've been dealing with some difficult stuff and confronting myself about my part in them.
I don't think Satan likes that too much. He wants me to retreat, to hide. Normally, that's what I'd do. That's what makes me feel better. As much as I would love to hide and retreat I feel God nudging me forward. I believe life is going to get more uncomfortable real soon. It scares me, but I know that I need to grow to be useful to God.
So here I am Lord! Please help me stay on the path, whatever comes my way.
I've been dealing with some difficult stuff and confronting myself about my part in them.
I don't think Satan likes that too much. He wants me to retreat, to hide. Normally, that's what I'd do. That's what makes me feel better. As much as I would love to hide and retreat I feel God nudging me forward. I believe life is going to get more uncomfortable real soon. It scares me, but I know that I need to grow to be useful to God.
So here I am Lord! Please help me stay on the path, whatever comes my way.
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