Artist: The Flaming Lips
Album: The Soft Bulletin
Track: Race for the Prize
Well, I'm back from North Carolina in one piece. I had an amazing time. The company truly spoiled me with a very nice hotel, shorter work days, free beer, and entertaining training exercises. It was a great week and a half. I got to go out pretty much every night and I still returned with spending money to spare. I confirmed to myself, once again, that karaoke is absolutely amazing.
My dad seems to be doing better. He was released from the hospital after spending just over a week there. He has aged a lot during this whole process. He can't walk as far, can't lift things, and his hearing is even worse than before. It is really scary to go through all of this. I feel that it is definitely my job to be the strong one in the family. I can tell that my mom and sister are still really shaken up about the whole deal...rightfully so. So, I have been praying and taking initiative. I have a feeling he's going to have to retire, which will complicate things even further. All things will come on God's time.
I finally finished 'New Way to Be Human' by Charlie Peacock. I have this bad habit of starting five or six books at a time and taking an aeon to finish them. I am finally done, though. I previously posted a quote from him on a friend's blog...and I thought it applied to my life especially.
"God finds us so much more attractive than we do ourselves. If only we could see ourselves as He sees us."
A continuous theme throughout bible studies is the sinful nature of man. We are constantly reminded of how we are wandering sinners and need to wash ourselves clean. I feel that it is good to remember this. However, I feel that more emphasis needs to be put on the purity of salvation, the sanctity of forgiveness that comes only from Christ. He looks down on you and smiles. He loves you more than you could ever love a wife, child, or best friend. Each day you wake up He is elated that His bed-headed, eye-boogered, morning-breathed child has another opportunity to experience his unending love. He loves that nasty mole, He loves the gap in your teeth, He loves the extra pounds, and He loves that huge nose He created so intricately. He knows that you have so much potential and He jumps for joy when you even think for a second about fulfilling it. Imagine that. Imagine someone who is constantly cheering for you. A super fan of super fans. That's God. He adores you and wants the best for you.
Dont' let guilt take over your life. Many people let guilt from the past consume their thoughts. Disconnect yourself from these feelings. Repent and move on with your life. Take the lessons you have learned to help you stay away from making those same mistakes again. If you do make the same mistakes again, Christ will greet you with open arms and will guide you again and again.
So, take a minute to look at your life. What do you do to deserve this? Are you in debt to God? Do you feel that God owes you? Will He let anything come between us and Him?
Sometimes it's hard to examine yourself in this way. It's hard to break down the intricacies of our relationship with God. It's often hard to have a relationship with God. It's easy to just wait and see what happens with your life. To me, that's like letting go of the reigns. Letting the horses take you where they desire. Mindless horses that will lead you off of a cliff or into a ghost town where muggers are waiting to take your stagecoach and food.
However, being a Christian doesn't mean you are a control freak. In my mind, it is the exact opposite. Life is so much easier when you let go of the reigns, lay back, relax, and let Christ do the driving. He's awesome with horses. He doesn't even have to crack the whip. The cliffs may come and the muggers may pop out from behind rocks, but as long as you remember He is in control, you will end up following His way and His path of security. It'll be a much better ride. He'll make your life exciting and ultimately worth your while.
I never thought I could relate Christianity to Oregon Trail.
Caulk your wagons, friends.