(For you Kid Rock fans out there)
New things: Salsa dancing
The other day I had to take my car in to get looked at. I took it to Co Line Auto Service (CLAS) where they always take care of me and have my best interest. Chris, one of the mechanics, called to advise me one option and ask a few questions. One particular question, he changed his tone. He seemed firm and father-like as he asked "how many miles over had it been before you got your oil changed?" I knew it. He caught me. I had done something I knew I shouldn't have done. I waited at least 2 months. With a gentle rebuke, he made me understand the dangers of leaving it too long. More damage could be had, an accident was possible, more money and labor could be avoided. Then he instructed me to obey the sticker in the window. Don't wait to obey, because that is still disobedience.
Oh Chris cared about me that day. Nothing selfish came from his rebuke. He was gentle, compassionate, yet firm. He taught me instead of judging me. He was selfless and giving. He urged me to obey to avoid the consequences later. He might have even lost financially because I did not have damage for him to repair. He was loving his sister (They are Christians at CLAS)!
I thought about his rebuke today. I have a friend that I have had to rebuke, I pray I was gentle as Chris. But I also was rebuked by a friend today for my own sin. It is hard to give and accept rebukes but when done correctly it is the same as saying "I love you", just without fuzzy feelings inside. More importantly a gentle rebuke keeps the integrity of the Gospel. Don't call yourself a Christian if you walk in darkness. Don't tell me you love me if you don't care how I'm behaving!
"Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed" proverbs 27:5
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
We are not the chosen one- why don't they understand?
New things: Earthquake, Dancing at North Hills, starting my last year of seminary
A few weeks ago I was at a friend's house watching Bachelorette (no shame) when it was interrupted by a speech by our president informing the nation the financial woes we are facing. We too easily were inconvenienced by the interruption and less worried about the path our nation and leaders are swiftly pursuing. It is a slap in the face to our forefathers and our Heavenly Father by our complacency in money, power, entertainment, romance, and convenience. We are believing that America is invincible and we are blind to the fact that God is the same God of Noah.
America has "In God We Trust" stamped on the currency. What would happen if we didn't have money? Would we still trust God? What would happen if our freedom was taken away? Would there be a church on every corner prepared to face persecution? What if storms blew in destroyed the power industries, buildings, landmarks, banks, trading ports, and homes? Would we believe God is all we need? What if disease spread? Would we survive?
We don't know what will happen but we do have a choice to trust God. But we don't trust God now. Or else we would be praying for our leaders, pastors, parents, children. We don't have God's hand because we have money, we have been blessed by God's hand. We have a stewarship disorder or maybe just a greed sin.
My challenge is for us to start taking serious natural disasters, the national debt, leadership, and the Church's involvement in education and government. God is good and just!
A few weeks ago I was at a friend's house watching Bachelorette (no shame) when it was interrupted by a speech by our president informing the nation the financial woes we are facing. We too easily were inconvenienced by the interruption and less worried about the path our nation and leaders are swiftly pursuing. It is a slap in the face to our forefathers and our Heavenly Father by our complacency in money, power, entertainment, romance, and convenience. We are believing that America is invincible and we are blind to the fact that God is the same God of Noah.
America has "In God We Trust" stamped on the currency. What would happen if we didn't have money? Would we still trust God? What would happen if our freedom was taken away? Would there be a church on every corner prepared to face persecution? What if storms blew in destroyed the power industries, buildings, landmarks, banks, trading ports, and homes? Would we believe God is all we need? What if disease spread? Would we survive?
We don't know what will happen but we do have a choice to trust God. But we don't trust God now. Or else we would be praying for our leaders, pastors, parents, children. We don't have God's hand because we have money, we have been blessed by God's hand. We have a stewarship disorder or maybe just a greed sin.
My challenge is for us to start taking serious natural disasters, the national debt, leadership, and the Church's involvement in education and government. God is good and just!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
The Sky is Falling
My uncle Rick is in the hospital. He has tumors and cancer that are pushing against his heart and throat. He can't eat, breathe or stay awake. Treatments have stopped working and he is down to 135lbs. He's a man's man in a fragile weak body.
My grandmother has been my biggest fan since I can remember. As her only granddaughter, she viewed me as someone who could do no wrong. She prays for me without ceasing and brags on me constantly... until she got dementia. Then her brain caused her to believe lies and accuse me and my aunt of stealing from her house. She creates elaborate stories of our immorality. She is becoming violent and the news of her son, Rick's illness exasperates the situation.
My mother is a pieced together wreck. I don't know how she does it. She is a strong woman. She knows life doesn't end and God is in control but her mother is deteriorating, her brother is finalizing his will, and her life is complicated by others' sins.
People come and go in my life with their own problems whether it is job searching, spouse searching, degree seeking, purpose, loss, trust issues, sins, confrontation, financial, disease, or selfishness. Everyone's sky is falling and are having a hard time finding the Sun
My grandmother has been my biggest fan since I can remember. As her only granddaughter, she viewed me as someone who could do no wrong. She prays for me without ceasing and brags on me constantly... until she got dementia. Then her brain caused her to believe lies and accuse me and my aunt of stealing from her house. She creates elaborate stories of our immorality. She is becoming violent and the news of her son, Rick's illness exasperates the situation.
My mother is a pieced together wreck. I don't know how she does it. She is a strong woman. She knows life doesn't end and God is in control but her mother is deteriorating, her brother is finalizing his will, and her life is complicated by others' sins.
People come and go in my life with their own problems whether it is job searching, spouse searching, degree seeking, purpose, loss, trust issues, sins, confrontation, financial, disease, or selfishness. Everyone's sky is falling and are having a hard time finding the Sun
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Baby Genius
New Things: Hosting my big brother, sister in law, and niece here in NC!! Saw a shooting star.
Here is the picture of my new haircut as I promised!!
So my niece Zooey is probably the most intelligent child I know. I'm not even being biased, it is just a fact! At the ripe age of one, she responds to us without our preping her, is figuring out shapes, loves sounds, and recognizes that if I hide behind a wall, I'm still there not really gone. Tonight I cooked dinner for the family and roommates while we all admired Zooey and caught up in life. Zooey of course wanted to scout out the apt which luckily is pretty small. She fed herself with a spoon, put flip flops on my foot when I asked her if I could have them, played hide n seek, said "hey" and "uh oh", and loves to laugh.
I got to give her, her birthday present of a tea set that plays songs and makes noises for pouring tea. Zooey was able to push the button and almost got the cakes in the right shapes. My favorite part of the night was when Jennifer got the video camera out while playing with the toy. Todd and Jennifer told her to say "thank you aunt Lindsay". Zooey got on her hands and knees, crawled around her tea set, climbed into my lap until the song on the teapot was over, as if to say "thank you" in the only way she could, and then crawled back to her playing.
This week we have planned swimming, shopping, Durham Bulls Baseball, see SEBTS campus, Cotton Co., Church and see all my friends and any other suggestions are welcome.
I love this girl!!
Here is the picture of my new haircut as I promised!!
So my niece Zooey is probably the most intelligent child I know. I'm not even being biased, it is just a fact! At the ripe age of one, she responds to us without our preping her, is figuring out shapes, loves sounds, and recognizes that if I hide behind a wall, I'm still there not really gone. Tonight I cooked dinner for the family and roommates while we all admired Zooey and caught up in life. Zooey of course wanted to scout out the apt which luckily is pretty small. She fed herself with a spoon, put flip flops on my foot when I asked her if I could have them, played hide n seek, said "hey" and "uh oh", and loves to laugh.
I got to give her, her birthday present of a tea set that plays songs and makes noises for pouring tea. Zooey was able to push the button and almost got the cakes in the right shapes. My favorite part of the night was when Jennifer got the video camera out while playing with the toy. Todd and Jennifer told her to say "thank you aunt Lindsay". Zooey got on her hands and knees, crawled around her tea set, climbed into my lap until the song on the teapot was over, as if to say "thank you" in the only way she could, and then crawled back to her playing.
This week we have planned swimming, shopping, Durham Bulls Baseball, see SEBTS campus, Cotton Co., Church and see all my friends and any other suggestions are welcome.
I love this girl!!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
From Beer to Bible
New things: Bangs (I'll show a pic soon when I can get a handle on them), latte art competition
I was in a fog tonight. Not really ready for the day; ready to sleep at a moments notice. But the day charges on and so must I. Tonight after work, a group of us went to my friend Andrew's coffee shop, Jubala. There was a latte art competition, (Congratulations Daniel)!
During the competition my friend Elizabeth and I went outside to talk about possible topics to teach on our mission to Kenya. We sat ourselves at a table next to a group of younger guys, smoking and drinking and staring. As we sat down there was a request for us to sit with them, in which we politely passed down their offer in order to discuss the trip. Elizabeth told them we would be willing to talk to them after we talked about the trip. They took it as us blowing them off (which I was fine with), but you know there is always that one guy that doesn't stop!
Elizabeth and I were able to talk about some topics and freely spoke of Christ, the Church, the Gospel, and context of the Kenyans. Eventually the guys next to us started dispersing except that One! Suddenly he just said "Whoo hooo". I just looked at him and asked what he was referring to? He just wanted to join our conversation. So he came to our table and we began explaining what we were discussing about women of the Bible and how we are relating it to the women in Africa we will be meeting. Edwin, my new friend, began sharing with us a metal band that apparently is at least spiritual. Then he shared some of his own music that he has written, which was awesome and a great lead into his own understanding of the spiritual aspect of life. As he began talking of the universe and the god, and our choices, and heaven as a feeling we one day obtain, and hell on earth, humans connecting spiritually, I soon realized that whatever he believes he wants to connect to us somehow and knew the spiritual route was the way to go. It dawned on me that maybe people want the Church's approval. I'm thankful Elizabeth and I had the opportunity to share with Edwin and I got to share the complete Gospel with Lars and Edwin.
I think most people that are unchurched stay unchurched because no one has invited them and on their own they feel out of place. They feel like they have to fit a mold to be accepted. Even Edwin mentioned they we probably come from a place that listens to pretty music with harps and look at pretty pictures of heaven. I can imagine if we stopped judging tattoos, blue hair, piercings, the music, the language, personalities, etc... we might have a chance to get to know the person. Why do we expect people to act like Christians when they don't know Christ? It is not our job to change a person but our job to introduce them to Christ.
My observation has been that when I am sharing the gospel, most people will share whatever they know about God, Church or spiritual life. They want to seem like they know. They want to be in conversation with us. They want to be accepted. It is sooo easy to start gospel centered conversations with people but we prejudge who is willing and miss out on what God can do.
I was in a fog tonight. Not really ready for the day; ready to sleep at a moments notice. But the day charges on and so must I. Tonight after work, a group of us went to my friend Andrew's coffee shop, Jubala. There was a latte art competition, (Congratulations Daniel)!
During the competition my friend Elizabeth and I went outside to talk about possible topics to teach on our mission to Kenya. We sat ourselves at a table next to a group of younger guys, smoking and drinking and staring. As we sat down there was a request for us to sit with them, in which we politely passed down their offer in order to discuss the trip. Elizabeth told them we would be willing to talk to them after we talked about the trip. They took it as us blowing them off (which I was fine with), but you know there is always that one guy that doesn't stop!
Elizabeth and I were able to talk about some topics and freely spoke of Christ, the Church, the Gospel, and context of the Kenyans. Eventually the guys next to us started dispersing except that One! Suddenly he just said "Whoo hooo". I just looked at him and asked what he was referring to? He just wanted to join our conversation. So he came to our table and we began explaining what we were discussing about women of the Bible and how we are relating it to the women in Africa we will be meeting. Edwin, my new friend, began sharing with us a metal band that apparently is at least spiritual. Then he shared some of his own music that he has written, which was awesome and a great lead into his own understanding of the spiritual aspect of life. As he began talking of the universe and the god, and our choices, and heaven as a feeling we one day obtain, and hell on earth, humans connecting spiritually, I soon realized that whatever he believes he wants to connect to us somehow and knew the spiritual route was the way to go. It dawned on me that maybe people want the Church's approval. I'm thankful Elizabeth and I had the opportunity to share with Edwin and I got to share the complete Gospel with Lars and Edwin.
I think most people that are unchurched stay unchurched because no one has invited them and on their own they feel out of place. They feel like they have to fit a mold to be accepted. Even Edwin mentioned they we probably come from a place that listens to pretty music with harps and look at pretty pictures of heaven. I can imagine if we stopped judging tattoos, blue hair, piercings, the music, the language, personalities, etc... we might have a chance to get to know the person. Why do we expect people to act like Christians when they don't know Christ? It is not our job to change a person but our job to introduce them to Christ.
My observation has been that when I am sharing the gospel, most people will share whatever they know about God, Church or spiritual life. They want to seem like they know. They want to be in conversation with us. They want to be accepted. It is sooo easy to start gospel centered conversations with people but we prejudge who is willing and miss out on what God can do.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Knee is the new Elbow
New Things: Farkle, Christmas in July Party
Years ago I had heard a commentary on a study about the relationships between the opposite sex and the rarity of platonic relationships. If a guy and girl are good friends there is usually something about them that is seen as attractive: physical or relational. But it can be a one way street for the stronger emotions to mature. Research concluded that 70% of the girls that casually touch the guy's elbow every time they see him would start dating the guy at the end of 3 months. It might be due to more intentional flirting, the guy's physical sensation of a girl, a new awareness of the so called platonic friend, etc....
Therefore, I have decided that because I am such a terrible flirt, this is my only hope for a guy's attention. I do well with direct instruction. Unfortunately, I get too embarrassed to actually go up to a guy and smoothly touch his elbow as we casually laugh over something clever I say. So it is really a joke with all my girls so we can bring attention to the fact that I don't flirt.
Anyways, the girls got together to watch the Bachelorette. Ashley, the girl, sure did have her hands all over the guys' legs. She might be a little too cool with her flirting styles. Anyways, upon noticing this new tactic we decided the elbow must have been last years flirting. Knees are the new elbow.
Now the problem is figuring out how to casually talk to a guy with my hand on his knee.
Years ago I had heard a commentary on a study about the relationships between the opposite sex and the rarity of platonic relationships. If a guy and girl are good friends there is usually something about them that is seen as attractive: physical or relational. But it can be a one way street for the stronger emotions to mature. Research concluded that 70% of the girls that casually touch the guy's elbow every time they see him would start dating the guy at the end of 3 months. It might be due to more intentional flirting, the guy's physical sensation of a girl, a new awareness of the so called platonic friend, etc....
Therefore, I have decided that because I am such a terrible flirt, this is my only hope for a guy's attention. I do well with direct instruction. Unfortunately, I get too embarrassed to actually go up to a guy and smoothly touch his elbow as we casually laugh over something clever I say. So it is really a joke with all my girls so we can bring attention to the fact that I don't flirt.
Anyways, the girls got together to watch the Bachelorette. Ashley, the girl, sure did have her hands all over the guys' legs. She might be a little too cool with her flirting styles. Anyways, upon noticing this new tactic we decided the elbow must have been last years flirting. Knees are the new elbow.
Now the problem is figuring out how to casually talk to a guy with my hand on his knee.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Dear Ames
New things: bought butternut squash and went to sweet spoons
Dear Ames,
I just wanted to thank you for being a man of genuine chivalry. You are what we girls in the south would call "a man's man". Who else could wear pink or leave a fighting match in the ambulance with dignity? Not many guys these days can use words like "sprezzatura" in a normal conversation and it actually be used in context. It's like the word "winsome", no one uses it correctly. Speaking of, I would characterize you as winsome with a level of maturity.
I relish completely in your word usage. The most simple concept sounds so eloquent coming from you. Words are important to me. I choose my words carefully so that my thoughts are communicated most accurately. I respect those that communicate well. I love to read classic novels, minus Tolstoy ;-), for the poetic writing style that draws the most edifying picture for the imagination. Our minds are marred by the flashy commercialism that culture has thrust upon us, but a simple word brings us back to the elementaries of reality. Your words reveal that you see the best in people. Although not all people deserve your kindness, they can be redeemed in it.
I'm jealous of your life of accomplishment and adventure. Most people believe you can only have one or the other. I'm striving to accomplish and dream to adventure. I constantly create lists of things I wish to do and try to satisfy my starvation of adventure with small steps outside my school and work bubble. The purchase of a coconut or the chance to visit a new place in town gives small satisfaction. I want to go sky diving, scuba diving, fly all over the world, take art classes, ride motorcycles, go spelunking, adopt, ride an elephant, ride in a hot air balloon, be in a flash mob, work in an orphanage, go to a Knicks game, etc.... Even if these were not some of your dreams, I believe you would be the type gentleman to help others' dreams come true.
With all my heart I believe you are a man of integrity, genuity, drive, and gentleness. You are what girls want but can't admit. If you were to ever read this letter, Ames, just know I admit it, I choose the man in the pink!
Sincerely yours
Dear Ames,
I just wanted to thank you for being a man of genuine chivalry. You are what we girls in the south would call "a man's man". Who else could wear pink or leave a fighting match in the ambulance with dignity? Not many guys these days can use words like "sprezzatura" in a normal conversation and it actually be used in context. It's like the word "winsome", no one uses it correctly. Speaking of, I would characterize you as winsome with a level of maturity.
I relish completely in your word usage. The most simple concept sounds so eloquent coming from you. Words are important to me. I choose my words carefully so that my thoughts are communicated most accurately. I respect those that communicate well. I love to read classic novels, minus Tolstoy ;-), for the poetic writing style that draws the most edifying picture for the imagination. Our minds are marred by the flashy commercialism that culture has thrust upon us, but a simple word brings us back to the elementaries of reality. Your words reveal that you see the best in people. Although not all people deserve your kindness, they can be redeemed in it.
I'm jealous of your life of accomplishment and adventure. Most people believe you can only have one or the other. I'm striving to accomplish and dream to adventure. I constantly create lists of things I wish to do and try to satisfy my starvation of adventure with small steps outside my school and work bubble. The purchase of a coconut or the chance to visit a new place in town gives small satisfaction. I want to go sky diving, scuba diving, fly all over the world, take art classes, ride motorcycles, go spelunking, adopt, ride an elephant, ride in a hot air balloon, be in a flash mob, work in an orphanage, go to a Knicks game, etc.... Even if these were not some of your dreams, I believe you would be the type gentleman to help others' dreams come true.
With all my heart I believe you are a man of integrity, genuity, drive, and gentleness. You are what girls want but can't admit. If you were to ever read this letter, Ames, just know I admit it, I choose the man in the pink!
Sincerely yours
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