...I am going to be with Art! I am mucho excited and tres ecstatic and very very anxious to get out of here. 4 more hours and I will be sitting on a plane, waiting to take off!
I'll be getting back next Tuesday very late, but I'm not going to think about coming back. I'm just going to enjoy being there. Oh, I thought this day would NEVER arrive! And now I'm practically counting down the minutes. Okay everyone, have a great weekend, don't miss me too much! ;) BYE!
April 19, 2007
April 15, 2007
Connecting the Dots. And Some Thoughts.
I can't remember where I heard this, or when, or who said it, or what kind of setting I was in, but I remember it was so simple and profound, and it really changed the way I related to God.
"God knows all. He knew your whole life before it began, every step you would take, good or bad. He knew when He created humans that they would screw up and turn away from Him. He knows that you are born into an imperfect world, and that you are not perfect all by yourself.
Therefore, you cannot disappoint God. He is never surprised when you make a mistake. He does not have false expectations about you. He doesn't expect you to be perfect. You cannot surprise Him or disappoint Him."
I am paraphrasing a little bit, but that was the basic message, and the way I understood it. I always had this view of God that He was disappointed when I fell in that same old place I always fall, and so I never wanted to go to Him and confess.
Realizing that He isn't disappointed because He doesn't expect me to not screw up basically changed my life. It's still hard sometimes to remember that God isn't disappointed, because I've been thinking that way for so long, but it's certainly getting better.
And He is faithful in showing me that He loves me and forgives me, because even when I've turned away He still blesses me and works through me. Even when I've not been faithful to Him, He is always faithful to me.
Something I heard in church this morning further clarified this point: "God has no condemnation on anything I have ever done. I have been covered, cleansed and forgiven by the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, when God looks at me, He sees Jesus."
When God looks at me, He sees Jesus.
Incredible. And wonderful.
"God knows all. He knew your whole life before it began, every step you would take, good or bad. He knew when He created humans that they would screw up and turn away from Him. He knows that you are born into an imperfect world, and that you are not perfect all by yourself.
Therefore, you cannot disappoint God. He is never surprised when you make a mistake. He does not have false expectations about you. He doesn't expect you to be perfect. You cannot surprise Him or disappoint Him."
I am paraphrasing a little bit, but that was the basic message, and the way I understood it. I always had this view of God that He was disappointed when I fell in that same old place I always fall, and so I never wanted to go to Him and confess.
Realizing that He isn't disappointed because He doesn't expect me to not screw up basically changed my life. It's still hard sometimes to remember that God isn't disappointed, because I've been thinking that way for so long, but it's certainly getting better.
And He is faithful in showing me that He loves me and forgives me, because even when I've turned away He still blesses me and works through me. Even when I've not been faithful to Him, He is always faithful to me.
Something I heard in church this morning further clarified this point: "God has no condemnation on anything I have ever done. I have been covered, cleansed and forgiven by the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, when God looks at me, He sees Jesus."
When God looks at me, He sees Jesus.
Incredible. And wonderful.
April 12, 2007
More Goals!
Yeah yeah yeah, I know, I haven't posted much this past week. I like to blog while I'm at work (I don't know why), but we just did month-end, so I was super busy. No time to blog. And then I've been ill. But now month-end is all done (for me at least), and I'm feeling better. So now I have time again!
I think my favorite post of all time (since I started blogging) is the List of Goals For My Life. I'm really quite proud of it. Unfortunately, I add goals faster than I can accomplish them. I just added 3 new ones.
However, I also recently accomplished another goal! Ever since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to sponsor a child. I remember watching World Vision, and feeling sorry for the children who didn't have enough to eat or wear. My mom has sponsored a couple of kids over the years, through various organizations, but I wanted to sponsor one myself, with my own money.
However, I also recently accomplished another goal! Ever since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to sponsor a child. I remember watching World Vision, and feeling sorry for the children who didn't have enough to eat or wear. My mom has sponsored a couple of kids over the years, through various organizations, but I wanted to sponsor one myself, with my own money.
In church last week a woman was talking about the burden that God has been growing in her heart for the impoverished children of this world. I only remember one thing that she said: "I could no longer feed my children 3 times a day and tuck them into their warm beds at night, knowing that there are thousands of children out there who don't have even those simple comforts, and that I'm not doing anything about it."
I thought to myself, "I can do something. I can't help thousands, but I can help one." So jumped up from my seat even before she was finished talking and went out of the sanctuary and into the foyer, where there was a table with 12 children's pictures on it. I slowly started looking over them and praying, "God, which one?"
I thought to myself, "I can do something. I can't help thousands, but I can help one." So jumped up from my seat even before she was finished talking and went out of the sanctuary and into the foyer, where there was a table with 12 children's pictures on it. I slowly started looking over them and praying, "God, which one?"
God continues to be so cool about how He works things out. Each envelope had a window through which the child's picture would show, and beneath the picture was their name, their birthday and where they were from.
Now I have always wanted to go to South America, and I don't even know why it holds such appeal for me. But I thought, even if I never get the chance to go myself, I can send a part of myself there. I can give someone my financial support and more importantly, my love, and I can change their life.
So I looked at the locations beneath each picture. Most of them said Mexico or Guatemala. Central America, it's close, but I wanted South America. The last picture I came across sat kind of crooked inside the envelope, so I couldn't see the birthday or where the child was from. I lifted part of the paper away from the window to get a better look, and behold: It read Peru. The only one from South America!
Plus, the photo was of a little girl looking back at me, and I had wanted to sponsor a girl, though I would have taken a boy if that's where God had led me. Here's another cool connection: her birthday is on my sister and brother-in-law's anniversary, Dec. 17.
Now I have always wanted to go to South America, and I don't even know why it holds such appeal for me. But I thought, even if I never get the chance to go myself, I can send a part of myself there. I can give someone my financial support and more importantly, my love, and I can change their life.
So I looked at the locations beneath each picture. Most of them said Mexico or Guatemala. Central America, it's close, but I wanted South America. The last picture I came across sat kind of crooked inside the envelope, so I couldn't see the birthday or where the child was from. I lifted part of the paper away from the window to get a better look, and behold: It read Peru. The only one from South America!
Plus, the photo was of a little girl looking back at me, and I had wanted to sponsor a girl, though I would have taken a boy if that's where God had led me. Here's another cool connection: her birthday is on my sister and brother-in-law's anniversary, Dec. 17.
So everybody, meet Jazmin.
She is 5 years old, she lives in Carmen Alto, Peru (northeast of the capitol of Lima). She lives with her parents and one other sibling. Her father is sometimes employed as a labourer, making the equivalent of $86 a month. She doesn't got to school right now (but that will all change).
She is a girl after my own heart: she loves playing house and playing with dolls. And it's so amazing how much $35 a month will change her life. It doesn't seem like much, but it's going to make such a difference. I'm very thankful that God brought her into my life. I don't even know her, she's just a picture on a card, but she has stolen my heart.
She is a girl after my own heart: she loves playing house and playing with dolls. And it's so amazing how much $35 a month will change her life. It doesn't seem like much, but it's going to make such a difference. I'm very thankful that God brought her into my life. I don't even know her, she's just a picture on a card, but she has stolen my heart.
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