Get ready

Just reading through Matthew some more, and this morning in chapter 24, Jesus is talking about the signs of the end times. This has always been an interesting topic to me....

Verses 45-51 are what I want to focus on sharing with you today. Jesus here is talking about how nobody will know the day or hour when He will return....

(The Message translation)

^45-47"Who here qualifies for the job of overseeing the kitchen? A person the Master can depend on to feed the workers on time each day. Someone the Master can drop in on unannounced and always find him doing his job. A God-blessed man or woman, I tell you. It won't be long before the Master will put this person in charge of the whole operation.

^48-51"But if that person only looks out for himself, and the minute the Master is away does what he pleases—abusing the help and throwing drunken parties for his friends—the Master is going to show up when he least expects it and make hash of him. He'll end up in the dump with the hypocrites, out in the cold shivering, teeth chattering."

This just jumped out at me, because I feel like I am more like the person in verses 48-51 at times. I think a lot of people are....

We tend to think that we have PLENTY of time to serve God, and get things right with him.

How many times have you heard somebody say something about "Oh, well I'll get things right one day.."

Guys, this right here is talking about how we don't have time! Get things right NOW!!!

Verse 38-39 says "For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."

GET READY.....He is coming.

I'm talking to myself when I say that we need to be like the faithful servant described in verses 45-47......serving our Father every single day.

Even when we feel that He won't return for a long time. Even if that were true....if He wasn't going to return in our lifetime....then what about Matthew 12:36

"But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every carless word they have spoken."

We're going to be judged for EVERYTHING!

Let's start waiting and watching for our Savior's return.....serving Him as if He were coming today!

Spoiled rotten

I just have to say that I have the most amazing husband ever! He told me that for Christmas he wanted to take me to Belk to get some new clothes or whatever. He insisted that we go to the Galleria since that Belk is HUGE.

So we went today on our date day for Christmas. Ate lunch at J. Alexanders, which was amazing of course, and then went to the mall. When we got there, he wanted to go to the expensive section and look.

( I NEVER pay a lot for my clothes.....I get clearance, no name brand stuff.)

We looked, and I of course looked at price tags 1st, and said we needed to go to the other (CLEARANCE) section. So we did, and he got upset, and said he should have came by himself, bc he wants me to get some nice stuff.

So we went back to the expensive section. I got 2 pair of jeans and a jacket thing....

I spent much more than I normally would, but he was so happy to see me get some nice stuff. The jeans really are nice, and I know they'll last a long time. I go have to get them hemmed of course, but I'm pretty excited about having them too.

I just had to say how great he is for wanting me to have nice stuff. I never buy anything for myself, and he loves to spoil me rotten and buy me name brand stuff.

He has gotten me 2 Coach purses and a D&B purse over the years....and then the nice clothes today.

Merry Christmas to me (and my Belk card) lol

On another note, I have been falling in love with Dave Barnes and his music tonight! Never really listened to anything of his, and he is amazing! Such sweet songs!! :)

That is all.

MERRY CHRISTMAS if you don't hear from me before then....

1 Peter 3

I have such a compelling to continue sharing what God is teaching me. Maybe this blog is taking a turn into more of a time for me to do that.

Over this weekend, I have learned so much. I feel like I just need to take the next week to dwell on all that God is showing me.

One of the main things He's showing me is of the need to stop living like the world, and believing the customs and things in life it tells us we should do.

This morning, submission was once again brought to mind. This world tells us we (as women) are the ones to run the household. We should tell our husbands when to breath, move, speak, and how they should do so.

But, that is so contrary to what the Word tells us. Let's begin choosing to live exactly as HE wants us to, and forget about what is "normal" on this earth. After all, we are aliens, aren't we!?!

I'm simply going to write what 1 Peter 3:1-6 says, and let God do the speaking to your heart...if you'll let him.

Wives, in the same way, be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do no give way to fear.

deep stuff from Deeper Still

This is going to be a long one....I'm going to try my best to express my thoughts clearly. As clearly as God has revealed His Word to me just now.

I have just returned from the 1st session of the Deeper Still conference. Kay Arthur spoke tonight, and she went through the book of Matthew breaking it down into 4 main truths about the book.

1. Who is the Christ and what is He called?

2. The cost of the cross. Do we understand what it means to follow Jesus?

3. The gain or loss in our lives. The rewards (we gain or we lose rewards)

4. What He has commissioned us to do and what would happen if we did it?

While she was speaking on a variety of things about life, I kept thinking about how I have come to a point in my life lately where I often think that I have enough of God. Here have been some real life thoughts I've had...

I really don't have to read my Bible everyday or spend as much time with Him as I used to. I am more spiritually mature than most people around me. I go to church regularly, and do most of the things "Christians" should do. I read my Bible when I need guidance from God, or encouragement from him....or when I just don't know where to turn in life.

But when things are going good (or when I THINK things are going good) that's when I think that I really don't need God as much.

Oh how wrong my thoughts have been! Kay Arthur challenged us women to go home and search the Word of God...especially the book of Matthew. So I did.

I scanned through Matthew, and stopped at Chapter 10. I don't know what made me stop there and read the whole chapter other than the Holy Spirit doing so. Here is what I have been filled with.

The chapter is talking about Jesus calling the 12 disciples into his ministry and sending them forth.....pretty much warning them of all the persecution they will face and telling them to be prepared. I feel this just as much applies to us today, after all, aren't we supposed to be disciples as well?!?!

He gives them instructions beginning in verse 5 about where to go and what to preach. In verses 9-10 Jesus continues with His instructions saying:

"Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep."

Oh my gosh! What if God called ME and MY HUSBAND to do that?!?! To take absolutely nothing with us as we go and serve God. I can't imagine. More of my sinful thoughts....'

But God, how in the world would we survive? I couldn't raise children moving from place to place, not taking any money or extra clothes! And oh, how I want children in my life!

No bag? That's pretty much saying to just to go with the clothes on your back! No gold, silver or copper?? So surely I could take my debit card, right? That's a huge calling....you'd never call me to do that, right?!?! That's just for those really radical people who move to Africa and stuff....

Well, I kept reading....

Jesus goes on in verse 11 to explain how they will live.

"Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave."

So I am guessing God just answered half my questions about needs being met, huh?

Keep reading....

Verses 17-20

This is where I got scared. More so than the whole, go without anything with you ordeal.

"Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."

My initial thought here was, dear Lord, is this what America is going to be like???? Is Jesus warning us today that we, as radical Christians, are going to be thrown in jail because of Him?

To be honest, I think we (as America) is already headed in that direction....

Praise be to God that, once again, He immediately responds by meeting our needs. He says that it won't be me speaking to the officials (in court, maybe?), but rather the HOLY SPIRIT speaking! Thank you, Father once again!!

Hang in there with me, please.....this is good stuff!

Verse 34, Jesus continues by saying that He didn't come to bring peace to this earth....but a sword! WHAT?? I thought Jesus was the Prince of Peace?!?! (HE IS!!)

But here, he's talking about peace as in us believing that everything in life will be hunky-dory if we just follow Him. WRONG!

Verse 35-39

"For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- a man's enemies will be the members of his own household. Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is NOT WORTHY OF ME; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is NOT WORTHY OF ME; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is NOT WORTHY OF ME. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it"

What's Jesus saying here? That I should turn against my family? No, I don't think he's saying that. What I think Jesus is saying "WHO CARES about what your family thinks......SERVE ME!" "WHO CARES if they think you're crazy for living radically and following me?!"

I know some of my 1st thoughts (and often verbal words) when I think about the thought of moving away from my family are "I can't be away from my parents.....I want them to help out with the grandkids!" or "What about my grandparents.....I want to be here for their final days of life!"

I have tears in my eyes as I type this thinking about all of the excuses that I could go on and on writing. What are yours?

But I think it is plainly written as Jesus said in those verses....

"ANYONE WHO LOVES ________ (fill in the blank) MORE THAN ME IS NOT WORTHY OF ME!!!!!"

Not worthy of God!?!? Wow. We so often think we are entitled to God. As if HE owes us something in life if we even give him $20 or go to church. But Jesus died for us, people! God watched his ONLY SON be slain....just so us selfish, ignorant, sinful, disobedient, hypocrite people could be saved from all of that sin and spend eternity with Him.

And let me just say here, that JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN...no matter what you believe!!!!

God is eating my lunch, here people.....(or should I say midnight snack?)

Just to be real with you some more tonight.....I'll share some of my idols and things God has convicted me to do.

1. Spend MUCH LESS time on facebook and watching TV, and more time devoted to doing some of the things He has called me to do such as to begin using the talents HE has given me in life once again (singing, piano, sign language)

2. That means getting off of my butt (#1) and joining the choir at church.

3. Along those same lines, that means finding out a way to begin playing the piano regularly again, as I haven't played in almost 2 years! And using that talent for His glory as well.

4. And finally, for the past several years, I have said that I want to get my license to be a sign language interpreter. I will also get off my butt here, and practice / learn more sign language and seek the resources to get my license in that area. I know he can use that as a ministry!

Will you please spend some time in prayer with Him now? He may not be calling you to leave everything and serve him elsewhere in life....He may be. I don't know what exactly He's calling Thehubs and I to do, but I do know that I am going to be laying down some idols and placing my Savior back where HE deserves to be in my life.

Christmas survey

So I stole this survey from my friend, Doerun....enjoy and Merry Christmas!!

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? HOT CHOCOLATE any day!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? My Santa never wrapped presents....that's the fun in coming down stairs Christmas morning, and having that surprised look at all the gifts!

3. Colored lights on house/tree or white? Well, I love white lights of all sorts.....but our tree is pre-lit w/ colored lights. I hated it at first, but it's grown on me and it's actually very pretty!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Actually the 1st time I saw mistletoe hung was at my mother-in-law's house several years ago. I told Thehubs I want some for our house.....doubt we'll actually do it.

5. When do you put your decorations up? the weekend after thanksgiving...

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? gosh, that's a hard one. I guess all the casseroles, and unending supply of desserts!

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? My pawpaw stayed the night with us every single Christmas Eve. That was always so much fun, because we (he, my brother and I) would all sleep in the same full sized bed. Looking back, I think that was mom and dad's way of making sure we didn't catch Santa putting out our toys.....

The most traumatizing memory I have is me going downstairs to get something (probably my brother a drink, since I was always his slave. lol) and finding my daddy eating Santa's cookies, and drinking his milk.......scared me for life! lol

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? See story above....

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? yes.....I remember the year Alan and I convinced mom and dad to let us open just 1 gift Christmas eve night. When we got older (throughout college) we opened all the gifts christmas eve night.

Now we have resorted back to the traditional Christmas morning....

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Ours right now is decorated with mostly Thehub's ornaments.....gold and red with other splashes of color.

My DREAM Christmas tree is white, with black music/ piano ornaments....

11. Snow? Love it or dread it? Love it!

12. Can you ice skate? I've been once...I was pretty good.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Of course.....a HUGE talking doll house. That thing rocked!

14. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you? Celebrating the birth of Christ with family!

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? anything mom makes

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? it used to be my pawpaw spending the night....but since he passed away, I guess it's baking stuff w/my mom.

17. What tops your tree? never anything particular. For Thehubs and I, we have a star. it's pretty.

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? neither really.....I don't think Christmas should be about all of that. I don't mind giving, but it's hard when your resources are low. As far as receiving, I guess I don't mind that either....lol

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? I have lots of them.

20. Candy Canes? Yuck or Yum? LOVE THEM!

21. Favorite Christmas show? Show? Rudolph the REdnose Reindeer!

22. Saddest Christmas Song? Not real sure.....

Hope you enjoyed my survey, you should do one too!!!