My heart's desire in writing this post is to come from a place of love. It is truly NOT to start a debate and have disagreements over things I say. I simply want to share my heart. So here we go. It's that time of year where politicians begin popping up everywhere - TV, radio, facebook, newspapers, Twitter, and many more places. Then the conversations start. We want to know where the people in our lives stand so we can label them based on their political views. This happens on both sides. We are all guilty. The assumptions that are made based on what political party you vote for run deep and can be hurtful at times. Some might label me a dreamer when I say the age old question, "Can't we all just get along?" My greatest hearts desire is not simply for political peace. It is so much more then that. I believe that peace without God is not real peace. The God of the Universe that made us and loves us is the answer. No political party can solve our problems.
I was reminded of the Israelites in Bible times that we waiting for a Messiah. They were under Roman rule and wanted out. There were different groups back then and each had their own agenda. They each had their view of what would work. Some just went off into the woods and lived a life away from society. Some wanted to appease the Romans and just play nice. Some thought if they just lived a good enough moral life and kept all the rules things would be ok. Some wanted to take on the Romans and fight for their freedom. Then Jesus comes on the scene. Each of these groups wanted to make Jesus fit into their view of things and when He didn't they hated Him. Do we not do the same thing? We have decided what politician should do to make our country work and when they don't play by our rules we hate them. Jesus came with the message of forgiveness. He turned things upside down and is still asking us to do things differently. May we never forget that He is our answer! He made the world and knows how it works best.
Now because I am a Christian I get labeled as a right wing, conservative Republican. That is not who I am. I am a Jesus girl that loves God and wants His name to be praised. I want to love more then I hate. I want to forgive more then judge. I want to help more then I hurt. I want to know who people are more then just by a label. I want to stand together more then divided. I love this song by Casting Crowns.
"Jesus, Friend Of Sinners"
Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing
Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours
Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who's writing in the sand
Made the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands
Help us to remember we are all the least of these
Let the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their knees
Nobody knows what we're for only what we're against when we judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours
You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast
For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came
Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast
But you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet
'Cause You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours
May our eyes be open and may we love like Jesus!!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Way too long, but God is still good!!
I haven't written on this blog in 9 months. That is a wicked long time!!
My thoughts for today are a bit all over the place, so I will write a few thoughts down and will try to make sense. My life is good! Many days it feels hard, but really it is good. It is good, not because it is easy. It is good because God is good!
I spoke in an earlier post about this dissonance between the good and the bad often going hand in hand. I cannot say for sure why this seems to be true so often, but I attribute it to the goodness of God and His promise not to give us more then we can handle. These past weeks have been one of those times. The collision of life and death that leaves you spinning. You celebrate life and mourn death and cling to the hope that God is holding me tightly in His grasp.
A friend and remarkable woman passed away in her sleep a week ago. She was 43. That seems so young. It was so sudden. She made a huge impact on those around her. She loved to laugh and faced life with a smile. She inspired you to be better. She was someone I looked up to in my job and wanted to be like. I grieve the loss with the NFI community. She will be missed. The same day I found out that my friend had died, my mom went into the hospital with heart failure. The doctors don't know what has caused this, but her heart is very weak. She spends over a week in the hospital and has tests. Still no real answers. I want answers, yet there are none. I know myself though and with answers we can get things figured out and make a plan and I won't have to trust as much. I want life to be in the neat little package, but it's not. Mom gets to come home from the hospital, but can't work and can't do everything she used to do. There is now a big oxygen tank in their house. I have to go back to Maine to my life and to work. It's hard. You have these life events that cause you to stop and step out of the traffic of life for a bit. For my friend's family life has drastically changed. For my mom life has to change too. It seems strange to just move on; to go back to the way life was before. These hurts make me pause and ponder. You carry a bit of sadness within you, but the sadness can't take over your life.
This life will cause death and hurt, but it also brings life and joy! My best friend had a baby boy on February 26th. He was 8lbs. 10oz. and 20.5in. Welcome Little Stanton!!! She had lost 2 other babies previously and I weep at the joy in her having a baby!! Also, my cousin had her baby boy on February 28th. He was 8lbs. 11oz. 21.5in. Welcome Big Al!!! I stopped by and saw my cousin on my way home from my parent's. As, I held this new life in my arms, I was thankful to God. I had felt Him there in my grief of the loss of my friend, I had felt Him there in the hospital with my mom, and I felt Him now. I knew in that moment that life goes on. It doesn't remove the hurt of the loss. It doesn't mean you don't grieve. There is life after death and hurt. It can be a good life, not because it will be easy, but because God is good.
My thoughts for today are a bit all over the place, so I will write a few thoughts down and will try to make sense. My life is good! Many days it feels hard, but really it is good. It is good, not because it is easy. It is good because God is good!
I spoke in an earlier post about this dissonance between the good and the bad often going hand in hand. I cannot say for sure why this seems to be true so often, but I attribute it to the goodness of God and His promise not to give us more then we can handle. These past weeks have been one of those times. The collision of life and death that leaves you spinning. You celebrate life and mourn death and cling to the hope that God is holding me tightly in His grasp.
A friend and remarkable woman passed away in her sleep a week ago. She was 43. That seems so young. It was so sudden. She made a huge impact on those around her. She loved to laugh and faced life with a smile. She inspired you to be better. She was someone I looked up to in my job and wanted to be like. I grieve the loss with the NFI community. She will be missed. The same day I found out that my friend had died, my mom went into the hospital with heart failure. The doctors don't know what has caused this, but her heart is very weak. She spends over a week in the hospital and has tests. Still no real answers. I want answers, yet there are none. I know myself though and with answers we can get things figured out and make a plan and I won't have to trust as much. I want life to be in the neat little package, but it's not. Mom gets to come home from the hospital, but can't work and can't do everything she used to do. There is now a big oxygen tank in their house. I have to go back to Maine to my life and to work. It's hard. You have these life events that cause you to stop and step out of the traffic of life for a bit. For my friend's family life has drastically changed. For my mom life has to change too. It seems strange to just move on; to go back to the way life was before. These hurts make me pause and ponder. You carry a bit of sadness within you, but the sadness can't take over your life.
This life will cause death and hurt, but it also brings life and joy! My best friend had a baby boy on February 26th. He was 8lbs. 10oz. and 20.5in. Welcome Little Stanton!!! She had lost 2 other babies previously and I weep at the joy in her having a baby!! Also, my cousin had her baby boy on February 28th. He was 8lbs. 11oz. 21.5in. Welcome Big Al!!! I stopped by and saw my cousin on my way home from my parent's. As, I held this new life in my arms, I was thankful to God. I had felt Him there in my grief of the loss of my friend, I had felt Him there in the hospital with my mom, and I felt Him now. I knew in that moment that life goes on. It doesn't remove the hurt of the loss. It doesn't mean you don't grieve. There is life after death and hurt. It can be a good life, not because it will be easy, but because God is good.
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