How radical are you? Its a simply question right? Would your friends think you are? Do they think you are the life of the party? Does everyone tend to always need to be by you at the dinner party? I want to be radical and that is a goal of mine!
Ok, what gives, right? I mean, I usually dont write about parties or how cool someone can be and this time is no exception! I am talking about how radical are you about Christ? Are you a follower or just a fan?
This past Sunday, our teacher was out of town so we had the college age teacher speak to our class. I must tell you this before I go any further though ~ our Sunday school class I just recently "qualified" to be in the class (going by age). Because Bryan is older then me...i was "graced" in! Our classes have ages to them. You can be older or younger but its simply a guideline especially if someone is new to the church and looking for a class that has people in there that is their same age or around their age. So because I just had my 40th birthday in December ~ I now "qualify" for our class! Ok, so saying all that, I will get back to our speaker.... Caleb Moore was our teacher for last Sunday. When he got up there and said he was going to teach our class and he teaches the college class....my instant thought was ~ what could he possibly teach me. I am close to 20 years older then him. Man was that thoughts of "just try it Lord" or what because several times during the approximate 35 min., did I casual wipe away the tears that were building in my eyes. Careful to wipe them before the tears streamed down my cheeks. He talked about how God COMMANDS us to tell others about Him. Its NOT an option, its NOT if we feel like it today or tomorrow....its a commandment to "just do it"! He spoke about this book called Radical by David Platt. Its about taking up our cross and really following Christ. Its about leaving behind all these worldly possessions and just follow.
Think about it ~ what is more important...that new car, that new iphone or ipod or is telling the person next to you about the love of Jesus Christ? The One that died on the cross and saved us from eternal hell. The One, that only if we ask Him in our hearts, will GLADLY come in. The One who, if you or myself was the only person ~ He STILL would have took all that on the cross just to save you...me. What an amazing gift. What a gift that He could have simply told God ~ NO WAY am I going to die on the cross for them. But He did it! He did it because He loved us. How much do we love Him? How much are we willing to give up for Him. So what if someone calls you a "Jesus freak" if you start to talk about His love and the salvation plan....that would be a compliment not an insult. So you may have people turn their backs on you, make fun of you or possibly torment you. Guess what ~ Jesus endured all that. One week people were praising His name and a few days later they were the ones saying "Crucify Him". Look at what He did for us. Why is it so hard to do what He commands of us? There is so many lost people out there...it is just heartbreaking.
As I started reading the book, it talks of people in Asia who risk their lives just to sneak into a building to pray or to have a little service. Some people leave their families because the risk is too great. Imagine that...being killed for praying or reading your Bible. That is just incredible to me considering all the freedom we have living in the United States. We can openly go to church on a Sunday and worship and praise our God. We can do this without any danger coming to us or our families. These people are Radical. They are willing to give up their lives to follow Christ - to seek Him out.
After just finishing up Christmas, I admit...my kids received alot! But I have a new thinking. This is just stuff...thats it. Its all material things ~ that honestly, its all wants. Its not important. What is important is reaching out to the lost souls. The Bible states we dont know the day or hour that Christ is coming back. Dont you want to be prepared? Dont you want to be with Him forever in eternity?
I know this probably isnt what you were expecting when you started reading this today. I know this doesnt really have anything to do with HLH ~ with Emily...maybe. I am trying to teach her now about how unimportant material things are. Yes, if you just read my post from last night you will see how she is saving up for American Girl dolls and its fine ~ but its not what is REALLY important in life. What is important is that I know my little girl has Jesus in her heart. I long for the day when Benjamin asks Jesus in his heart as well. I love the fact that Emily will tell her friends at school about Jesus and I love that Benjamin will just break out in song at the store. The fear of telling others about Jesus when your a child seems so simple ~ so easy. But as adults it seems to become harder - not as easy. Maybe we are more worried about how our peers are going to see us, tease us or treat us. How will our boss feel about us when he finds out "we are one of them".
Give it all for Him. Become radical for Christ. I have to thank Caleb for his teaching our class this past Sunday. He taught me something, yes....someone that is close to 20 years younger then I, that I will never forget. He has given me a different look on life...a look that is so important and the need of reaching the unsaved is so great. I want to be that radical person for Christ. Will you? How radical are you?
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Happy New year 2013
Happy New Year!
It amazes me how quickly a year passes. It seems like we were just starting 2012 out and we are now into a new year, new resolutions (or goals ~ which is what i do), new promises or new things to look forward to in the new year. How often though do we reflect on the year that has passed? Do we sit down and look at the resolutions or goals that we made for the previous year and see if we met the goals? Do we sit down and really look at how God has blessed us during the year? Do we really give Him thanks?
I did look over the very first few posts I made when I started this blog (which Happy Birthday "Emilys life with HLH" ~ you turned 1 on 1-1-13). I did look over the goals I set into place for 2012. I still have alot to work on ~ I did meet my book goal though of reading 30 books in the year! My new goal is 40 for this year! I generally dont look over the goals though...this time I did. Why? I dont know. Maybe it was a way to see what areas I still feel the need to work on. In doing this, however, it also made me take note of how blessed we are. I may not have accomplished everything I wanted to this past year but we did see some incredible things happen!
Emily got off her steroids and most of her medications
We were able to get a dog
Ben turned 4 and started pre-school
My BFF and her family came to stay with us for a week
Austin took the first stage of drivers training
The Lord continues to bless and provide for us
These may seem like "not big deals", but to me...I just feel incredibly blessed and feel these are accomplishments and this is what made the year great. I honestly could have listed much more but this is just a few.
I am one of those "weird" ones that keeps EVERY receipt. I dont care if i am buying a pretzel at the mall or a frozen coke at Target...I get one! If i dont get one, I am certainly writing it down when i get home. I track our spending for the month and yes i do end up doing an excel file so it adds up each category for the year! Yes, I am weird and it probably sounds like i have nothing to do. This is the first time i have done the excel thing though! I am glad i did. I could see in black and white areas that we need to work on. This also helped me so i could set up new goals....new goals as far as where we spend on our money....Gods money.
See, when you think of it as GODS money you tend to spend it a little differently then you would simply by spending MY money. When I go grocery shopping, i want to honor Him and spend His money in a proper way...far different then i would probably think about spending my money. This year this is my goal is to think of the money we have in these terms. I have set goals on where we need to cut back on and categories that we spend way too much in (sorry McDonalds...we will not be regulars anymore). The Lord has blessed Bryan with a wonderful job and He has blessed us where I am able to stay at home with the kids. Because of this...I need to do my job in giving Him the most honor I can.
This is not only going to be teaching me self-control when i am at Target but it will also be teaching the kids something too. They dont get everything they want....when they want it.....even if they are screaming at the top of their lungs (sorry people at Kohls from the other day)! We are talking of going to New York to see Bryans family that lives in Brooklyn and the American Girl store is there. Emily is determined to purchase 2 dolls while we are there. She has already saved enough for 1/2 of 1. For her, this is great because if she is given even $1.00 it is burning a hole in her pocket and she needs to spend it. Its really teaching her to save for what she wants. I am proud of her! Today she has started cleaning out books in her room and plans on selling them at a garage sale we have or is hoping i will sell them on ebay! She is determined to save the money. Again, a great lesson I am learning from her!
This may have seemed like a bunch of rambling and I apologize for that. I will leave you with this thought though ~ when making your goals this year, think about them in terms of how will this please and honor HIM (the Lord Jesus Christ) and bring HIM the most glory.
Happy New Year!
It amazes me how quickly a year passes. It seems like we were just starting 2012 out and we are now into a new year, new resolutions (or goals ~ which is what i do), new promises or new things to look forward to in the new year. How often though do we reflect on the year that has passed? Do we sit down and look at the resolutions or goals that we made for the previous year and see if we met the goals? Do we sit down and really look at how God has blessed us during the year? Do we really give Him thanks?
I did look over the very first few posts I made when I started this blog (which Happy Birthday "Emilys life with HLH" ~ you turned 1 on 1-1-13). I did look over the goals I set into place for 2012. I still have alot to work on ~ I did meet my book goal though of reading 30 books in the year! My new goal is 40 for this year! I generally dont look over the goals though...this time I did. Why? I dont know. Maybe it was a way to see what areas I still feel the need to work on. In doing this, however, it also made me take note of how blessed we are. I may not have accomplished everything I wanted to this past year but we did see some incredible things happen!
Emily got off her steroids and most of her medications
We were able to get a dog
Ben turned 4 and started pre-school
My BFF and her family came to stay with us for a week
Austin took the first stage of drivers training
The Lord continues to bless and provide for us
These may seem like "not big deals", but to me...I just feel incredibly blessed and feel these are accomplishments and this is what made the year great. I honestly could have listed much more but this is just a few.
I am one of those "weird" ones that keeps EVERY receipt. I dont care if i am buying a pretzel at the mall or a frozen coke at Target...I get one! If i dont get one, I am certainly writing it down when i get home. I track our spending for the month and yes i do end up doing an excel file so it adds up each category for the year! Yes, I am weird and it probably sounds like i have nothing to do. This is the first time i have done the excel thing though! I am glad i did. I could see in black and white areas that we need to work on. This also helped me so i could set up new goals....new goals as far as where we spend on our money....Gods money.
See, when you think of it as GODS money you tend to spend it a little differently then you would simply by spending MY money. When I go grocery shopping, i want to honor Him and spend His money in a proper way...far different then i would probably think about spending my money. This year this is my goal is to think of the money we have in these terms. I have set goals on where we need to cut back on and categories that we spend way too much in (sorry McDonalds...we will not be regulars anymore). The Lord has blessed Bryan with a wonderful job and He has blessed us where I am able to stay at home with the kids. Because of this...I need to do my job in giving Him the most honor I can.
This is not only going to be teaching me self-control when i am at Target but it will also be teaching the kids something too. They dont get everything they want....when they want it.....even if they are screaming at the top of their lungs (sorry people at Kohls from the other day)! We are talking of going to New York to see Bryans family that lives in Brooklyn and the American Girl store is there. Emily is determined to purchase 2 dolls while we are there. She has already saved enough for 1/2 of 1. For her, this is great because if she is given even $1.00 it is burning a hole in her pocket and she needs to spend it. Its really teaching her to save for what she wants. I am proud of her! Today she has started cleaning out books in her room and plans on selling them at a garage sale we have or is hoping i will sell them on ebay! She is determined to save the money. Again, a great lesson I am learning from her!
This may have seemed like a bunch of rambling and I apologize for that. I will leave you with this thought though ~ when making your goals this year, think about them in terms of how will this please and honor HIM (the Lord Jesus Christ) and bring HIM the most glory.
Happy New Year!
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