This devotional convicted me in light of my last post...I still think it was wrong to be distracted in the midst of this very sobering talk but it should have moved me to intercession and prayer rather than to public criticism...thank you, God, for correcting me.
The Distraction of Contempt
Oswald Chambers
READ:
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt —Psalm 123:3What we must beware of is not damage to our belief in God but damage to our Christian disposition or state of mind. "Take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously" ( Malachi 2:16 ). Our state of mind is powerful in its effects. It can be the enemy that penetrates right into our soul and distracts our mind from God. There are certain attitudes we should never dare to indulge. If we do, we will find they have distracted us from faith in God. Until we get back into a quiet mood before Him, our faith is of no value, and our confidence in the flesh and in human ingenuity is what rules our lives.
Beware of "the cares of this world . . ." ( Mark 4:19 ). They are the very things that produce the wrong attitudes in our soul. It is incredible what enormous power there is in simple things to distract our attention away from God. Refuse to be swamped by "the cares of this world."
Another thing that distracts us is our passion for vindication. St. Augustine prayed, "O Lord, deliver me from this lust of always vindicating myself." Such a need for constant vindication destroys our soul’s faith in God. Don’t say, "I must explain myself," or, "I must get people to understand." Our Lord never explained anything— He left the misunderstandings or misconceptions of others to correct themselves.
When we discern that other people are not growing spiritually and allow that discernment to turn to criticism, we block our fellowship with God. God never gives us discernment so that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The Attention Span of Gnats
I am at a conference and the keynote speaker was a man who survived genocide in his home country of Burundi (sp?). He's sharing about being tied with burning bodies and given the choice to be killed by a machete or burned to death and half the audience is on their mobile devices.
Really?!
Don't people deserve more attention and respect?
Really?!
Don't people deserve more attention and respect?
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Community
I am in Austin, Texas for a few days. Shout out to all my Texas readers. What a great state! Austin has an art program for its homeless population (can't remember what it is called). The homeless paint and once a year there is a huge art sale where they sell their art. The money is then used to help secure an apartment, clothing, food, etc. We walked around the art sale and I was blown away by their talent.
There were so many thoughts going through my head. One was how little separates us from homelessness. One man sat next to his art - scriptures written out with paintings above them. A woman started talking to him and he shared that he was trained as an attorney. The conversation went on but I lost track of it. Whether it was great grief, addiction, mental illness, or a loss that brought him to the streets, I don't know. What I do know is that there isn't much that separates us. I tend to like to think that I am a harder worker, wiser, or more cautious and that's why I have a warm bed and good food everyday. It isn't true. That doesn't mean I believe in the state taking care of everyone but it does lead me as a Christian to recognize that these are my brothers and sisters.
You wouldn't believe how many pieces of art there were about Jesus there. Haunting pieces. The kind that comes from walking through the valley with Jesus and really knowing Him. One piece that really stood out to me was from the man I mentioned above. He painted a picture of a paralytic dancing next to Jesus. Below it was the story of Jesus healing the paralytic. It says:
What jumped off the page to me was this: I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. His reason for not receiving healing was a lack of community. He had no one to help him. Others stampeded over him and he sat there for 38 years HOPING for healing. With that confession, Jesus becomes his community and his healer and says, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk."
Another thing that just hit me is that he said, "Pick up your mat and walk." It's as if Jesus is saying, "Your home is not here any longer. You have been healed. It's time to relocate from the place of pain and hoping to the place of healing." How great is our God?!
I pray God will show me where I need to seek community for healing and where I can be community for others in healing. He is good and His love endures forever!
There were so many thoughts going through my head. One was how little separates us from homelessness. One man sat next to his art - scriptures written out with paintings above them. A woman started talking to him and he shared that he was trained as an attorney. The conversation went on but I lost track of it. Whether it was great grief, addiction, mental illness, or a loss that brought him to the streets, I don't know. What I do know is that there isn't much that separates us. I tend to like to think that I am a harder worker, wiser, or more cautious and that's why I have a warm bed and good food everyday. It isn't true. That doesn't mean I believe in the state taking care of everyone but it does lead me as a Christian to recognize that these are my brothers and sisters.
You wouldn't believe how many pieces of art there were about Jesus there. Haunting pieces. The kind that comes from walking through the valley with Jesus and really knowing Him. One piece that really stood out to me was from the man I mentioned above. He painted a picture of a paralytic dancing next to Jesus. Below it was the story of Jesus healing the paralytic. It says:
2Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda[a] and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. 5One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"
7"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."
8Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
What jumped off the page to me was this: I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. His reason for not receiving healing was a lack of community. He had no one to help him. Others stampeded over him and he sat there for 38 years HOPING for healing. With that confession, Jesus becomes his community and his healer and says, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk."
Another thing that just hit me is that he said, "Pick up your mat and walk." It's as if Jesus is saying, "Your home is not here any longer. You have been healed. It's time to relocate from the place of pain and hoping to the place of healing." How great is our God?!
I pray God will show me where I need to seek community for healing and where I can be community for others in healing. He is good and His love endures forever!
Thursday, November 05, 2009
The Fall is Flying
I have been neglecting this blog...just too much going on in life right now. However, here is a recent picture with some of my girls..love them....hope all is going well with my blog peeps! More to come!
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Cutest Office Mate
My little bean-bean of a nephew visited me this week. He stopped by the office and immediately jumped on the computer. He was a huge help. Thank you bean-bean!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Starbucks VIA Review
I promised a Starbucks VIA review. I am a coffee lover. I love Starbucks. I will not apologize. I love a latte and I love it from Starbucks. I may have stunted taste buds but it is true. I will not bend or bow to culture's whims and bad mouth the coffee I have come to love. I love a Starbucks latte...and a chai...and a Frappucino. Unfortunately, I have never been a big fan of their drip coffee - at work or at home.
Starbucks drip coffee has a slightly burnt flavor so I typically try to avoid it. That was until the day I saw the ads for Starbucks VIA - a new instant coffee that intriqued me. Traditionally, instant coffee is weak and, in my humble opinion, only useful for cooking purposes. Still, there is a place for instant coffee and I wanted to know if this was a VIAble option.
I purchased the Italian roast in a handy little three-pack. This is not cheap instant coffee. The cost averages out to about $1.00 per use. More than home coffee, slightly less than a cup at Starbucks. The barista was THRILLED I was interested in it and was sure to tell me that I could make ice coffee as well as hot coffee with the packet. All I needed was a cup of water - hot or cold and a stir stick. Off I go.
I chose to drink my coffee hot. It was really good coffee. It had a smooth flavor that was strong enough to withstand a few splashes of milk and some honey. It definitely rivaled drip coffee. The best part - it did not taste burnt. Hallelujiah. I would choose a VIA at Starbucks before their drip coffee - anyday.
Would I recommend it - absolutely. The only drawback I see is the price. It is a little pricey if you were considering it for daily consumption. For occasional consumption - traveling, camping, etc...it is perfect. I hope they come up with a decaf version, too.
Well done Starbucks!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Magazines
Hi! My name is Bethany and I am a magazine addict. I love magazines the way some men love football or other women love shopping. When I sit down with a magazine, I am engrossed and wholly unavailable for anyone around me. I read them cover to cover. Every ad. Every page. Every headline. Every byline. I notice immediately when they have redesigned. I know when they repeat a story or concept. I am pretty sure I could draft out their editorial schedules on the spot.
There are types of magazines I don't read. Nothing mechanical. No news magazines - liberal or conservative. I say no to teen magazines. I steer clear of pornography. No high fashion or architecture - they make me nervous - too structured. I have slowly phased out gossip mags. That one has been hard. I did buy People country to read Pioneer Woman's article because I have to support my blog peeps. No Oprah - too Oprah. No Glamour or Cosmo - too much about sex. No Martha Stewart - too complicated.
I love quick and easy reads packed full of interesting information, relatable regulars, and useful tips. For me, that means Woman's Day, Woman's World, Real Simple, First, Health, Allure, Rachel Ray, Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Shape, Women's Health, Prevention, Weight Watchers, Ladies' Home Journal, and Southern Living. I receive several in the mail each month because family members have given me subscriptions as a gift and it is truly like Christmas all year long. I get excited when one of those magazines come. It's sad but true.
If Dave Ramsey took what I spent on magazines from the age 21-36 and put it in a good, growth stock mutual fund, I would be a millionare today. I'm not proud but it is true. I love them. I do. My dream is to be an editor at Woman's Day - if even for a day. I would love to be a regular columnist. I would even agree to be one of their year-long weight loss stories (although I'm not sure I could guarantee them results).
Why do I love magazines? I love reading. I love design. I love learning about things that I can actually put into action. I love the creativity of new products, new writers, new pictures. Ahh..magazines. I love you.
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