Not a 1-time thing...

Continual.
You've heard the word.
Habitual.
Maybe you haven't heard that one(go look it up if you haven't).
Joy and peace and contentment in Christ isn't a 'just one day' thing.
We have our ups and downs each day. And some days it just seems really easy to forget God is there or to neglect spending time in His word and prayer. Other days maybe we just feel like we could shout for joy at God's amazing love.
Why can't we do that everyday?
How come we can be 'filled with Christ's joy' one day....and at the end of our rope in despair another?

Because serving Christ, loving Christ... is a CONTINUAL thing. It's something we need to be doing 24/7. Every.waking moment.
Not just one day. Not just one week. EVERY DAY.
I've been really convicted of this lately... I tend to get depressed slightly easy, little things and the oddest things can sway my mood...
Something I realized though-when my mood swayed so did my focus from being continually on Christ. Wait. Let me switch that around. When my focus slipped from Christ, THAT'S when my mood swayed.

God has been working so much in my life lately. He has been so gracious. I am just amazed. He is forgiving, loving and always faithful to point me back in the right direction.

I've been trying to remember to continually and habitually keep my focus on Christ-and by God's grace-it's been a long while since I've had a sudden mood sway or started feeling depressed! :D

It's a continual thing people.

You can't expect to feel the joy of Christ in your life if you don't CONTINUALLY seek Christ first.
Is it time for you to change your focus? To put it continually on Christ?

In 1 Chronicles, chapter 16...David says a prayer of thanks to the Lord(verses 7-36, I encourage you to read the whole thing). But one very powerful verse that applies, is vs 11; "Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always."

It doesn't say 'seek his face when you feel like it'.
It says always.

Life.

I've posted about life being gone before we know it before.
Life is oh so very short.
Yesterday my adopted grandpa died. I loved him so much. He was a role model of someone living a life fully serving Christ in everything.

Don't take for granted those who are in your life.
Don't forget to tell those around you that you love them.
What if it were their last day on earth?
Would you talk to them differently?
We don't know what tomorrow brings-today may be the last day you have to talk with that sister, brother, parent, friend.

Don't take it for granted.

Time for a change

   

     In life we continually stray from the path of righteousness.
     We continually sin. We continually make mistakes.
    Sometimes we find ourselves in the same place, over and over and over again. We wonder if it will ever end. If this is all there is. If life...is really worth it?
     But there's something we continually forget.
     We serve a God who is unchanging. Who will continually forgive us if we ask Him to. A God who never makes mistakes.
     The God of yesterday. Today. And forever.
     Um. Wow.
     It's time to take your mind from focusing on everything that goes wrong. On the mindset, 'I can't change anything.' Stop.focusing.on.you.
      Change your focus.

     Today.
     Put your focus on the one who created you.
     Life isn't about YOU. It's about CHRIST. Our life should be a continuous shining light for Christ.
     What do people see when they look at you?
     Do they see Christ?
     They should. If you claim to be a born-again Christian-make it obvious. Make your life reflect Christ.
     Yes, there are still going to be time when life is tough. When we hurt. When we make mistakes.
      BUT KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON CHRIST IN EVERY SITUATION and I promise...it'll be the most amazing choice you make. :)

Ephesian 5:1-12, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
 ³ But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. ⁴ Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. ⁵ For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. ⁷ Therefore do not be partners with them.
 ⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰ and find out what pleases the Lord. ¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³ But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, ¹⁴ for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
   “Wake up, O sleeper,
   rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
 ¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. ¹⁸ Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. ¹⁹ Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 ²¹ Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ"

Wow. Take those words to heart. They're powerful.

The mind of a 5 year old...

Joel likes to come and sit with me sometimes when I'm studying... tonight I was studying and he was sitting there, looking VERY deep in thought. Finally he says, "I would hate to be Sam."(my dog)
Me: "Why?"
Joel: "Well cause she has no friends and has to sleep outside at night."
Me: "She has friends, I play with her all the time...so do you!"
Joel: "But a bear could eat her at night!"
Me: "Oh she's a tough dog and she watches out for bears."
Joel: "SHE GETS TO STAY UP LATE?!?!?"
Me: "She can stay up at long as she wants."
Joel: "But she's a girl!"
Me: "Yup. But she's a dog."
Joel: "Wooooahhh."
A long pause and he thought for a moment.
Joel: "Can I stay up too?"
Me: "No, you're a little boy. And little boys have to sleep."
Another long silence(Almost 10 minute) while he thought.
Joel: "I wish we were twins."
Me: "Huh? Why?"
Joel: "Then we could have fun and stay up at long as we wanted!...hey whats that sound?"
Me: "Oh that was just someone moving the piano bench."
Joel: "Huh. Sounded like an elephant. Are elephants loud? Are lions louder???"
A long pause

He spent almost 2 hours and solved one side of the rubiks cube :-o

Joel: "Can Sam stay up for ::gasps:: 6 nights?!?! How long can a lion live? What if a person could stay up two whole nights? Once I stayed up a whole night...I think"

And he just went on for awhile. :) Absolutely ADORABLE. I love that kid. <3

This World

This World

What is it about this world

With all it's trials and pain

Confusion. Sorrow. Disappointment

That makes is worth the strain

This world - Placed. In this world

This world - Chosen. For this world

A plan - God's plan. For us

In this world

When we have given up

The pain to great to bare

Falling to our knees

We will find strength in prayer

This world - Placed. In this world

This world - Chosen. For this world

A purpose. God's purpose. For you

In this world

Why can't we stop living for ourselves

When will we live in this world

Fully - for Christ

And find joy when hurt is hurled

This world - Placed. In this world

This world - Chosen. For this world

A joy - God's joy. To be found

Through Him

In this world

In His world.

Rock Bottom

My knees contacted with rocky ground.
I fell to my face. Blood oozed from cuts on my arms.
The fall had been a long one. Every bone in my body told me so.
I vaguely remembered things I had passed during my fall.
Memories.
Memories that hurt.
I tried to call for help, but my voice cracked and filled with dust.
I tried to lift myself to my feet, but no strength remained.
Why was I here? Could I get out?
Could it get worse?
A stench. My own body putting off an odor so bad I gagged.
A cry of anguish. My cry of anguish.
Alone.
Alone?
No.
Somewhere from below a voice called my name.
A sickening voice.
A voice of darkness.
Could I possibly fall father towards that voice?
I shuddered.
I tried to block out the voice, but how tempting it began to sound.
I wanted to resist.
But I had no strength.
A thought crossed my mind.
A silly thought.
Why would I ever look up?
I didn't even know if I had the strength to.
But somehow, I did.
Using every ounce of energy I had left, I lifted my head and looked up.
A hand.
A hand was reaching out.
For me.
Where had that come from?
I reached out and took hold of the hand.
The voice of darkness shrieked in pain below me.
The hand held my own firmly.
A new strength filled my bones.
The hand began to pull me out.
And with every moment that passed, my strength grew.
Memories began to fade.
The only thing that mattered now was the one who's hand had helped me.
My feet touched soft grass.
I looked at my arms.
My wounds had turned to scars.
Scars I knew would heal if only I kept reaching for that hand.
Reaching for Christ.
How long had that hand been there?
Somehow I knew it had been there all along.
Waiting.
Patiently waiting for me to look up.
A hand that is there right now.
Reaching out towards you.
Will you look up?



     Philippians 3:12-14, "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

No. Really. It's how I cook.

As you can see... I can't cook... at all. :D

CookingWithClari - Peach Cobbler?