Christmas

Here are some of my favorite pictures from Christmas of 2006

Christmas Eve after church at the Corr's: me, my mom, step-sis Fawn, step-dad Dean and Reta (Joey's Mom).

Titan

Joey and the animals Christmas morning at the Corr's.

My mom and her toilet lid cover.

Dean, my step-dad.

My sister opening her Jesus is My Homeboy sweatshirt from Joey.

Joey thought we all forgot about the special Tigers hat he put on hold at Hat World. Not so.

Brad and his sweater vest

Lyndsay, Brad and Max

Kids vs. Grownups

My pops

1st Annual Pig Out

The Saturday before Christmas, we had a progressive Pig Out. Dinner at Joey's, desserts at the Coles and drinks/games at the Camberns. Fun times...

Chocolate martini...yum :o)

Even the guys like them...

Niklas, Gabriella and Lukas

They are here! And doing well! Check out the Myers Triplets blog for updates....

I don't feel happy that he is dead. I know what he did to millions of people but I'm not happy he is dead. Is that weird/dumb/wrong? I do not believe in an eye for an eye. I truly believe in forgiveness of sin but...yeah. It gets so complicated. The thing is, now he can never know Christ. Actually, I'm sure he met Him yesterday and I can only guess how ugly that meeting was. God is just. But couldn't there have been an alternative? I told Joey they should have put him in a prison with a bunch of Christians for the rest of his life. That doesn't make a lot of sense either because why would the Christians be in prison? Then again, we all make mistakes. I guess I'm just surprised at how I'm feeling about it. I didn't think I would feel...sad? I think that's the word for it. He probably deserved it, though. Look at what I deserve. Nothing and everything. I should pay for my sins. Thank you God for saving me from that. Your grace and mercy make me thankful every single day. I don't have to die not knowing where I will be afterwards. With you is my home.

Being Offended Part 1

This is a tough entry to write. I pray you hear me out on this one. It is another growing pain. I’ve been rightly accused in the past of being vague. You know why I have to be…to protect the innocent…but sometimes a lesson is so big, I have to share it. Oh, yesssss. Another lesson I’m going through…

"I wish everyone would just stop being so Christian!"

The statement made my eyes sting a bit. I felt a tightness in my throat. My heart ached when I heard those words. They were painful. I wanted to simultaneously slap the person who said it and hug her out of compassion.

The crazy thing was, those words came out of my mouth.

I was tired of everyone for being so politically correct. For the first time, I wanted to stop hanging out with Christians and hang out with only my pre-Christian friends, the ones who are loyal to me and "my ways". Lately, I had been feeling uncomfortable in my weekend world. I actually looked forward to hanging out with my co-workers at work. I was feeling miserable during the weekend, crying all the way from Lansing to Livonia, stepping into Val and feeling overwhelmingly happy. This was a 180 degree change. I wanted to be around people who weren’t Christians. My fiancé listened to me rant and rave and feed off of my bitterness. In the middle of this fit, I said, "Jesus loved people but he hung out with 12 and was closest to only 3."

So there! Yeah! That’s right. Don’t I feel better….well…no.

I went to bed that night feeling horrible. Noel had just taught on friendships and that if we really value our friends, we will share the gospel with them. If we only want the hit off of the friendship, then we keep our mouths shut. If we share the gospel and our friends reject, that’s fine because they aren’t rejecting us. They are rejecting Jesus. We need to still hang out with the ones who reject because after all, there is still time. Don’t you want to see your friend in heaven? Yes, I do. Even if that means sacrificing that strong loyalty they have to me, I will.

I do like how everyone is trying to be Christ like but I have a feeling we are all getting it a little mixed up. We need to stay in the word, listen to the teachings of our pastors, worship our Lord, ask for help in understanding…seek counseling which is what I’m going to begin doing this week. I want to get this selfishness worked out of me. I need to truly let go of the resentment I have toward people.

Here’s another crazy thing. The next morning, I turned the TV on and through Joyce, God rebuked me for feeling the selfish ways I’ve been feeling. I knew I had to change my attitude and there will be follow ups to the rebuking posted in blogs to come. But at the very end of the program, Joyce said something that blew me away: "You can’t be the best friend of everybody in the world so you need to make your mind up what your divine connections are in life. Divine connections are people God has brought into your life and you know that there’s a spiritual connection. You might have a lot of acquaintances but you can only have a certain amount of really good friends. Did you hear me? There’s nothing wrong with being closer to some people than others. Jesus out of the 12 had 3 that He spent more time with. There’s going to be somebody you click with, somebody you are going to bond with."

I get it so wrong a lot of the time. I’m not the perfect Christian. I’m an imperfect human who camps out too much on her feelings (like I said, that post is coming). The question is, how does God see me? If He looks at me through the lens I think I deserve, then He sees my selfish, hypocritical, evil ways. If He looks at me through Christ’s blood…He sees me as perfect. I’m saved. But He has lessons for me. Man, so many lessons…

Don't forget, there are posts to come on how God is finally straightening me out after a year of suffering. He is finally helping to free me from the prison I put MYSELF into.

PS: I love Christians :o) I love pre-Christians :o) I am selfish but I am growing...

How sad. He was the president when I was born. I feel like this makes me really old.

Please pray for my friends, Jason, Greta and the triplets. They have just a little bit longer until they will be okay in this here world. They seem to be pretty excited about coming out but they need to stay in just a few more weeks. Love and prayers to you all!

Merry Xmas!

I had a Christian get upset about the word Xmas so I thought I would clear this up with an explanation from Snopes.com: http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/xmasabbr.asp

The abbreviation of 'Xmas' for 'Christmas' is neither modern nor disrespectful. The notion that it is a new and vulgar representation of the word 'Christmas' seems to stem from the erroneous belief that the letter 'X' is used to stand for the word 'Christ' because of its resemblance to a cross, or that the abbreviation was deliberately concocted "to take the 'Christ' out of Christmas." Actually, this usage is nearly as old as Christianity itself, and its origins lie in the fact that the first letter in the Greek word for 'Christ' is 'chi,' and the Greek letter 'chi' is represented by a symbol similar to the letter 'X' in the modern Roman alphabet. Hence 'Xmas' is indeed perfectly legitimate abbreviation for the word 'Christmas' (just as 'Xian' is also sometimes used as an abbreviation of the word 'Christian').

None of this means that Christians (and others) aren't justified in feeling slighted when people write 'Xmas' rather than 'Christmas,' but the point is that the abbreviation was not created specifically for the purpose of demeaning Christ, Christians, Christianity, or Christmas -- it's a very old artifact of a very different language.

Why Christ?

I’m presently reading “The Jesus I Never Knew” by Phillip Yancy. It is redefining who Jesus is to me…who he is to everyone. I’m seeing a new, different, real Jesus—God and human. Some of the adjectives Yancy uses to describe Jesus are as follows: humble, approachable, underdog, courageous. The courageous description fits a deity. Humble? Approachable? Underdog? These do not sound like a powerful, fiery Lord.

That’s kind of the point.

Here is another look at Christmas, the day God decided to come to earth as a baby. The how and the why…

“The God who came to earth came not in a raging whirlwind nor in a devouring fire. Unimaginable, the Maker of all things shrank down, down, down, so small as to become an ovum, a single fertilized egg barely visible to the naked eye, an egg that would divide and redivide until a fetus took shape, enlarging cell by cell inside a nervous teenager…”

“The Messiah who showed up, however, wore a different kind of glory, the glory of humility…the God who roared, who could order armies and empires about like pawns on a chessboard, this God emerged in Palestine as a baby who could not speak or eat solid food or control his bladder, who depended on a teenager for shelter, food and love.”

I’ve been doing some much needed “get to know you” time with the Lord, lately. Desperately, I’ve been searching Him for answers to some life questions I have and the answer I keep getting back is “do you know Me? Do you understand who I am?”

Yancy makes an excellent point about God: He’s scary.

The Old Testament times were ruled in fear. “Stories of the sacred mountain in the desert that proved fatal to everyone who touched it, mishandle the ark of the covenant and you died, enter the most Holy place and you’d never come out alive…”

God is too big for us to comprehend. If we see Him, we die. Yancy relayed a story about keeping a fish tank which I can relate to. He told about having to monitor nitrate levels and ammonia content, pumping in vitamins and filtering the water…all of this because he cared about his fish. “You would think, in view of all the energy expended on their behalf, that my fish would at least be grateful. Not so. Every time my shadow loomed above the tank they dove for cover into the nearest shell. They showed me one ‘emotion’ only: fear.” Can you imagine God showing up at your front door and asking to go for a walk and a little chat ‘bout last night at the bar? “To my fish I was deity. I was too large for them, my actions too incomprehensible. My acts of mercy they saw as cruelty; my attempts at healing they viewed as destruction. To change their perceptions, I began to see, would require a form of incarnation. I would have to become a fish and ‘speak’ to them I a language they could understand.”

So, God became human. “What can be less scary than a newborn with his limbs wrapped tight against his body? In Jesus, God found a way of relating to human beings that did not involve fear.”

Happy Christmas and if you’ve missed the point of the real gift, I pray your heart accepts it this coming year :)

Bakker son is 'One Punk Under God'

NEW YORK (AP) -- He was born into the glare of televangelist parents Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. Then the "Praise the Lord" empire collapsed in scandal. His father went to jail for fraud.

Jay Bakker spent his teens in the darkness, rebelling and bent on self-destruction from alcohol and drugs.

But now, with his 31st birthday next week, this tattooed, multi-pierced pilgrim is on a righteous path: preaching God's grace to a flock of young, downtrodden and disillusioned parishioners most any other church would turn away.

Click here to check out the whole story.

Parable 3: Wise and Faithful Servant

Yay! I always love it when the phrase “gnashing of teeth” is used.

Matthew 24:45"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' 49and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Luke 12:42 The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Okay…where to start with this one….
Where is Jesus at the time of this parable? Luke says he has just finished dinner at the Pharisees house where he pretty much b-slapped them silly. Matthew says he has just left the temple where he just finished slamming the Pharisees and is now at the Mount of Olives.

Who is Jesus talking to? Specifically, he started speaking to just the 12 disciples but a crowd had gathered (as they usually did) so Jesus was speaking to everyone…including us.

What up with the message? Man, this guy was complex. I know he is speaking to hypocrites. I thought of me as a kid behaving and sharing my toys while mom was sitting in the room. The moment she left, I refuse to share, take other people’s toys and turn into a real jerk. Then, I hear my mom coming down the hall so I quickly put the smile back on my face, give all my toys to the other kids and pretend to be a pleasant person. God sees me J Genesis 16:13. Even though Jesus left, all eyes are on my actions. It is a matter of heart. God will know on judgment day if I was true or faking it.

Speaking of judgment day, Jesus is telling everyone to be prepared as though his return will happen soon. Of course, he is hinting to leaving which I don’t think the disciples are picking up on.

Is Jesus primarily speaking to church leaders, the people he says are “the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?” Is this message warning them not to lead us astray or take advantage of their position?

My last thought is this: the more knowledge you have, the more will be asked of you. Am I reading this correctly?

Any questions, comments, dirty words? Hello? Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me. Is there anyone home?

Because of God

Because of God

Sometimes I forget that it isn’t about me. Sometimes I forget the reason behind doing something…anything…everything! Will I get the satisfaction? Will I be rewarded? Will I be condemned? And what provokes me to do anything?

Remember that series Noel taught last year called “Because of God”? Thankfully, he forwarded a segment of it today as a reminder:

"Carson Daly is Wrong" - http://www.rivwarehouse.com/resources/messages/1024x768/noelheikkinen_carsondaly.mp3

Here's what I said:

1) As you know, we as a church support tons of families during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season
We bring them meals and presents and all that

2) Well, one year, Grace and I signed up to help a family with kids the age of our kids
My wife tends to go nuts with stuff like this
And she totally hooked them up
Food
And presents
Not just for the kids, but for the parents, as well
She went all out!
So, we loaded our van up with her stockpile and headed over to their apartment
When we knocked on the door, the family was so excited to see us
We brought the goodies in and hung out for awhile
Our kids were running around with their kids

3) When we left that day, we saw how God touched their lives
As well as ours
Here was a family, the size of ours
Jammed into a one bedroom apartment
And they were thankful to have it

4) We went in because of God
And through us, God blessed them
And through them, God blessed us

5) But it doesn’t always play out that way
There are so many of you who have done the same thing we did
You loaded up your cars with tons of goodies
And you headed over to support these families in need
And when they opened the door
They took your stuff
And slammed the door in your face
Unappreciative
I know this happens because we hear the stories every year
Some of you have delivered meals to homes that are better furnished than your own
With TVs bigger than your own!
And if your focus was on them
You would say
“They don’t deserve this!”
You would grow bitter
And if your focus was on yourself and feeling good about it
You would feel slammed
And you would never want to step out again
Because it didn’t make you feel good at all!

6) But that’s the key!
It’s not “for you” or “for others”
It’s because of God
Because you are his plan to reach the world!

7) That’s why the focus must be on God
When people slam the door in your face
You can walk away
Knowing you have done the good that God has planned in advance for you to do
And that was the plan
And if that was the plan
The slammed door was the plan
And you can rejoice in that

So, sometimes the lesson is for someone else. Sometimes it is for us. And sometimes for both. Do everything because of God. Not for you. Not for someone. Not even for God. Because of God.

I remembered being in Germany last summer. Yi, Joey and I went out to a club to try to get to know a girl we met. We were not allowed into the club because of our attire. The door was slammed in our face. We headed back to the train station and watched as the last train of the night pulled away. Faced with a long walk home, Yi and I grew a bitter. We were emotional and angry. Joey was trying to be the silver lining but we wanted none of that. Half way back to the hostel, we stopped at Dom, the ancient cathedral. As we complained and vented trying to feel better, we saw lightening and a storm quickly approaching. Was this night going to get any worse?! We raced back to the hostel and got there just before the downpour. I think it was around 1:30 am. Looking back, I can see that we went out to that club for God, not because of God. Our skin has toughened a lot since then as we now know people aren’t rejecting us, they are rejecting the Lord if we share the gospel and they don’t want to hear. But it is not about the feeling we experience.

We do not give things away to feel happy with ourselves. We don’t do things for others so they like us. We do not feel angry when a door gets slammed in our face. We just shrug and say, “because of God.” “I did what He asked me to do because of everything He has done for me and because of who He is.” If our attitude is “because of God,” then we know that it isn’t because of us. It’s not about us. It is about Him.

Hair Brush Experience

HAIR BRUSH EXPERIENCE

For those of you who do not know Beth Moore, she is an outstanding Bible teacher, author, nationwide speaker and is a married mother of two daughters. I have watched her on occasion and can relate to this woman’s walk with the Lord. I feel like I could have written this experience she had on an airplane. God asking us to do something that seems absurd—will we do it? Here is her experience:

April 20, 2005, at the airport in Knoxville, waiting to board the plane, I had the Bible on my lap and was very intent upon what I was doing. I'd had a marvelous morning with the Lord. I say this because I want to tell you it is a scary thing to have the Spirit of God really working in you. You could end up doing some things you never would have done otherwise. Life in the Spirit can be dangerous for a thousand reasons not the least of which is your ego.

I tried to keep from staring, but he was such a strange sight. Humped over in a wheelchair, he was skin and bones, dressed in clothes that obviously fit when he was at least twenty pounds heavier. His knees protruded from his trousers, and his shoulders looked like the coat hanger was still in his shirt His hands looked like tangled masses of veins and bones. The strangest part of him was his hair and nails. Stringy gray hair hung well over his shoulders and down part of his back. His fingernails were long, clean but strangely out of place on an old man. I looked down at my Bible as fast as I could, discomfort burning my face.

As I tried to imagine what his story might have been, I found myself wondering if I'd just had a Howard Hughes sighting. Then, I remembered that he was dead. So this man in the airport...an impersonator maybe? Was a camera on us Somewhere? There I sat, trying to concentrate on the Word to keep from being concerned about a thin slice of humanity served on a wheelchair only a few seats from me. All the while, my heart was growing more and more overwhelmed with a feeling for him.

Let's admit it. Curiosity is a heap more comfortable than true concern, and suddenly I was awash with aching emotion for this bizarre-looking old man. I had walked with God long enough to see the handwriting on the wall. I've learned that when I begin to feel what God feels, something so contrary to my natural feelings, something dramatic is bound to happen. And it may be embarrassing. I immediately began to resist because I could feel God working on my spirit and I started arguing with God in my mind. "Oh, no, God, please, no." I looked up at the ceiling as if I could stare straight through it into heaven and said, "Don't make me witness to this man. Not right here and now. Please. I'll do anything. Put me on the same plane, but don't make me get up here and witness to this man in front of this gawking audience. Please, Lord!" There I sat in the blue vinyl chair begging His Highness, "Please don't make me witness to this man. Not now. I'll do it on the plane.

"Then I heard it..."I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to brush his hair." The words were so clear, my heart leapt into my throat, and my thoughts spun like a top. Do I witness to the man or brush his hair? No-brainer. I looked straight back up at the ceiling and said, "God, as I live and breathe, I want you to know I am ready to witness to this man. I'm on this, Lord. I'm your girl! You've never seen a woman witness to a man faster in your life. What difference does it make if his hair is a mess if he is not redeemed? I am going to witness to this man.

"Again as clearly as I've ever heard an audible word, God seemed to write this statement across the wall of my mind. "That is not what I said, Beth. I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to go brush his hair." I looked up at God and quipped, "I don't have a hairbrush. It's in my suitcase on the plane. How am I supposed to brush his hair without a hairbrush?" God was so insistent that I almost involuntarily began to walk toward him as these thoughts came to me from God's word: "I will thoroughly furnish you unto all good works" (2 Timothy 3:17) I stumbled over to the wheelchair thinking I could use one myself.

Even as I retell this story, my pulse quickens and I feel those same butterflies. I knelt down in front of the man and asked as demurely as possible, "Sir, may I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?" He looked back at me and said, "What did you say?" "May I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?" To which he responded in volume ten, "Little lady, if you expect me to hear you, you're going to have to talk louder than that." At this point, I took a deep breath and blurted out, "SIR, MAY I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF BRUSHING YOUR HAIR?" At which point, every eye in the place darted right at me. I was the only thing in the room looking more peculiar than old Mr. Longlocks. Face crimson and forehead breaking out in a sweat, I watched him look up at me with absolute shock on his face, and say, "If you really want to."

Are you kidding? Of course I didn't want to. But God didn't seem interested in my personal preference right about then. He pressed on my heart until I could utter the words, "Yes, sir, I would be pleased. But I have one little problem. I don't have a hair brush."

"I have one in my bag," he responded.

I went around to the back of that wheelchair, and I got on my hands and knees and unzipped the stranger's old carry-on, hardly believing what I was doing. I stood up and started brushing the old man's hair. It was perfectly clean, but it was tangled and matted. I don't do many things well, but must admit I've had notable experience untangling knotted hair mothering two little girls. Like I'd done with either Amanda or Melissa in such a condition, I began brushing at the very bottom of the strands, remembering to take my time not to pull. A miraculous thing happened to me as I started brushing that old man's hair.

Everybody else in the room disappeared. There was no one alive for those moments except that old man and me. I brushed and I brushed and I brushed until every tangle was out of that hair.

I know this sounds so strange, but I've never felt that kind of love for another soul in my entire life. I believe with all my heart, I - for that few minutes - felt a portion of the very love of God. That He had overtaken my heart for a little while like someone renting a room and making Himself at home for a short while. The emotions were so strong and so pure that I knew they had to be God's.

His hair was finally as soft and smooth as an infant's. I slipped the brush back in the bag, went around the chair to face him. I got back down on my knees, put my hands on his knees, and said, "Sir, do you know my Jesus?" He said, "Yes, I do." Well, that figures, I thought.

He explained, "I've known Him since I married my bride. She wouldn't marry me until I got to know the Savior." He said, "You see, the problem is, I haven't seen my bride in months. I've had open-heart surgery, and she's been too ill to come see me. I was sitting here thinking to myself, what a mess I must be for my bride."

Only God knows how often He allows us to be part of a divine moment when we're completely unaware of the significance. This, on the other hand, was one of those rare encounters when I knew God had intervened in details only He could have known. It was a God moment, and I'll never forget it.

Our time came to board, and we were not on the same plane. I was deeply ashamed of how I'd acted earlier and would have been so proud to have accompanied him on that aircraft. I still had a few minutes, and as I gathered my things to board, the airline hostess returned from the corridor, tears streaming down her cheeks. She said, "That old man's sitting on the plane, sobbing. Why did you do that? What made you do that?"

I said,"Do you know Jesus? He can be the bossiest thing!" And we got to share.

I learned something about God that day. He knows if you're exhausted because you're hungry, when you're serving in the wrong place or if it is time to move on, but feel too responsible to budge. He knows if you're hurting or feeling rejected. He knows if you're sick or drowning under a wave of temptation. Or He knows if you just need your hair brushed. He sees you as an individual. Tell Him your need and he will fill it!

I got on my own flight, sobs choking my throat, wondering how many opportunities just like that one had I missed along the way...all because I didn't want people to think I was strange. God didn't send me to that old man He sent that old man to me.

John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." Life shouldn't be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather, to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly shouting, "Wow! What a ride! Thank You, Lord!"Be Blessed!

Beth Moore

Who wants to go on a road trip?!?!

Parable #2: The Cost of Being a Disciple

Luke 14
25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

28"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'

31"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Hold your donkeys, Jesus. Are you teaching hate? What is this all about? Hate moms and pops? What about the 10 commandments? It states to honor your parents and that is what our society does—honors ma and pa. What you are saying is highly offensive to our culture.

And what is this nonsense about carrying a cross?! That is how the wicked are killed by the Roman Empire! I would not choose to be jeered and ridiculed while carrying the weapon in which I would die on. Why would I ever want to carry a cross…especially for you?

I know you are referring to the ampitheater that fell down a couple of years back (AD 27). How embarrassing. Is that what you are saying it takes to be your disciple? I don’t want to be ridiculed and embarrassed. I don’t want to hate my parents. And that last statement about giving up everything I have to become your disciple?? Give me one good reason I ever would want to do that, Jesus?!

Okay, so I’m sure you caught on that these aren’t my feelings. When I read this parable, I put myself in the audience and tried to imagine what it was like to hear Jesus say these things. I then checked my concordance which filled in some holes.

Simply stated, Jesus is not asking anyone to hate their parents. He is using “hate” as a hyperbole.

Just for fun, let’s review what a hyperbole is:
hy·per·bo·le (hahy-pur-buh-lee)
noun, Rhetoric.
1. obvious and intentional exaggeration.
2. an extravagant statement or figure of speech not intended to be taken literally, as “to wait an eternity.”

Jesus is trying to make a point. In comparison to the love we should have for Christ, the love we have for others will be less. This would have been highly offensive to the Jews who followed the 10 commandments. And Jesus is offensive because….???? Because He is trying to change the thought process. Jesus is radical.

Jesus also wants people to know that it will not be easy to be His disciple. I have experienced that first hand. No, I have not been killed or my life threatened for my faith. However, I have had friends and family members reject my new found “crazy Christian” beliefs. “You shouldn’t be taking all of this so seriously,” I heard more than once. As easy as it wasn’t, my life has improved a great deal. There is a cost to count. There is a cross to bear. The hope and love given in return is more than enough.

The part I struggle with is that last part about giving up everything. Back in the day, the disciples did not really give up all they had. It’s true that they immediately left their jobbys to follow Christ but they still had homes which were visited. What the disciples did do was share all that they had. Jesus is saying, “you can not love possessions and be my disciple.” We must share what we have, not to the point where we are needy but not have our fists gripped tightly around what is “ours.” Truthfully, it’s God’s. I know I joke about that sometimes but nothing you have is really yours at all. Remember that if God asks you to give it up. We are like Golloum from Lord of the Rings (I can see me sitting with my fingers tightly wrapped around my laptop, gently stroking the keys whispering, “my pretty.”). God does not ask us to give up everything we have. He asks us to share it. Will I let it go?

Two things stick out in my mind. Both are told by Noel (my pastor) but I found the story online and made some minor changes.

The Necklace
Jenny was a bright-eyed, pretty five-year-old girl. One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic necklace priced at $2.50. How she wanted that necklace, and when she asked her mother if she would buy it for her, her mother said, "Well, it is a pretty necklace, but it costs an awful lot of money. I'll tell you what. I'll buy you the necklace, and when we get home we can make up a list of chores that you can do to pay for the necklace.

How Jenny loved that necklace. She wore it everywhere: to kindergarten, bed and when she went out with her mother to run errands. The only time she didn't wear them was in the shower. Her mother had told her that it would turn her neck green!

Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he would get up from his favorite chair every night and read Jenny her favorite story.
One night when he finished the story, he said, "Jenny, do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you," the little girl said.
"Well, then, give me your necklace."
"Oh! Daddy, not my necklace!" Jenny said. "But you can have Rosy, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday. And you can have her tea party outfit, too. Okay?"
"Oh no, darling, that's okay." Her father brushed her cheek with a kiss. "Good night, little one."
A week later, her father once again asked Jenny after her story, "Do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you."
"Well, then, give me your necklace."
"Oh, Daddy, not my necklace! But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse. Do you remember her? She's my favorite. Her hair is so soft, and you can play with it and braid it and everything. You can have Ribbons if you want her, Daddy," the little girl said to her father.
"No, that's okay," her father said and brushed her cheek again with a kiss. "God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams."

Several days later, when Jenny's father came in to read her a story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling.

"Here, Daddy," she said, and held out her hand. She opened it and her beloved necklace was inside. She let it slip into her father's hand.

With one hand her father held the plastic necklace and the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue velvet box. Inside of the box was a real, genuine, gold necklace. He had had it all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap stuff so he could give her the real thing.

So it is with GOD. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so he can give us beautiful treasure. Isn't God good? This made me think about the things I hold on to and wonder what God wants to give me in its place.

God offers us the real thing but will we give up the fake stuff to receive the real? Did I just give you another parable?

Noel: Give so you feel it but not so it hurts.

Questions? Comments? Dirty Words?

God is Just

“God is just. He knows when people aren’t treating us right. He knows when we’re doing the right thing, yet the wrong thing keeps happening to us. He knows when we’re operating with integrity, and yet somebody comes along and cheats us out of what should have been ours. God sees every time you’ve been taken advantage of. He sees every time you turn the other cheek and let an offense go by. He sees every time you forgive, or attempt to restore a broken relationship, even though it wasn’t your fault. God sees all that. And He’s promised to take all the evil that’s come into your life, turn it around and use it for good.” J. Osteen

"Prayer is the most important tool for your mission in the world. People may refuse our love or reject our message, but they are defenseless against our prayers. Like an intercontinental missile, you can aim a prayer at a person’s heart whether you are 10 feet or 10,000 miles away." R. Warren

Thoughts by Eric Fields

John 10:7 and 9-10

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it in full."

I’ve been studying a lot about business lately and there’s one adage that I learned to embrace. It’s that you make your profit when you buy something; not when you sell it. If you take that thought a bit deeper you understand that it’s when and how you make a decision to do something that determines success or failure.

What this verse refers to is more than salvation to me; it’s referring to life! It says that if you’ll go through the gatekeeper (seek him before you make a decision), and allow him to open the gate (wait on his timing), you’ll find pasture (abundance).

I try not to make decisions based on emotions or desires anymore. Those types of decision rarely if ever work out for me. I always try and take time ask God for direction before I make a move. I can honestly say that I’ve seen doors miraculously open, and some close in ways that I didn’t understand. But He’s never failed to give direction one way or the other whenever I’ve asked him!

Uncle Joey and Anna

Jen & Nate's Testimony

“Wow, so much has changed that when I think about it I am in utter amazement at how powerful God is to save us from ourselves,” my friend wrote to me.

I hadn’t spoken to her in over 10 years but she was my best friend in grade school. Myspace brought us back together. Oh, Myspace…reuniting long lost friends (sigh). Jenny sent me her testimony a couple of weeks ago and I asked if I could share it. She said absolutely. I love people’s testimonies and hers is yet another one I have learned from. She had her first child when we were sophomore’s in high school. She married my step-brother’s best friend and moved from Charlotte to Grand Rapids. She was addicted to alcohol and contemplated leaving her husband…but why summarize when Jenny can tell her own story….

“It really brings tears to my eyes, because if it weren't for God I know our family wouldn't still be in once piece, under one roof. Thankfully He stepped in right on time! That's one thing about the Lord; He's always on time -but never early!

“So you know Nate and I were together way back. January 7th, 1995 to be precise. We were a pair. Life was about having fun. Partying and getting high. Nate proposed to me while we were both in a drunken stupor. We were destined to fail and end up divorced, but Nate had always said he would never in a million years let me divorce him. He made me promise several times that I wouldn't bail on our marriage and do that to our kids. I did, but only to appease him, really. I didn't know the first thing about commitment.

“Fast forwarding a bit; Nate and I moved out to the GR area about 9 years ago (1998). Ashley and Haleigh were just turning 6 and 2. Kenny wasn't even a thought yet. We had been together for 3 years, but had only been married at that point for 1. The honeymoon seemed to be over! I worked more than full time managing an employment agency which demanded most of my time and energy. I was so busy that when we moved I had Nate find a daycare for the girls. (after being home with my kids now for over 8 years I can't believe I trusted anyone other than myself to do that!) But he did a good job.

“He had actually hired one lady, but then as he was driving through the country by our new place, he saw a sign for another Daycare and was drawn to it. He knew he needed to check it out. So he did and he immediately sensed something different about the woman who ran it. (we now know it was the Holy Spirit that just pours out of this family). He hired her on the spot.

“Nate worked long hours, too and was out of town often so there wasn't much time for family. We weren't in church, yet. I was a believer, but not a follower. Had no idea about God and was still very confused mostly about all of the strange teachings from the Mormon church that I had attended for a few years in Jr./high school. Nate was claiming atheism. My dad had given him the nick-name ‘heathen-dog.’

“We were heading in two different directions. Working all the time and away from all of our old partying friends. (which I now see was God's handy-work) I barely had enough time for the girls, let alone Nate and he was in the same boat. At the time I was a pack and a half smoker and I drank nightly in order to just sleep at night. I tried to hide this from Nate, because he grew up with an alcoholic and was afraid I was heading down the same path. I probably was since I had resorted to trying to hide it from him. I was stressed out and missing my friends and realizing this man of mine was driving me mad! My way of dealing with things was always to run when it got tough, so I decided I was going to leave him and move back home.

“I had looked for an apartment and was in the process of figuring out how to do it when this daycare provider of mine asked me to go to church with her. She had no idea of the turmoil I was in. She actually had argued with God all day about asking me! She later told me she was so intimidated by me, because I seemed so professional and put together. HA!

“Well, the weird thing was that I said yes! I went and it was a Spirit-filled church. A little different from my Mormon background where you didn't even dare cough in church. Worship was silently bowing your head there! Not clapping and lifting your arms. But I clearly saw that these people had something that I wanted. Joy! They didn't even need alcohol to sing and dance and get happy! They cared more about their experience with God than anyone’s opinion of them or how they looked. It was the beginning of a brand new life.

“But when I got home and told Nate he was furious and for about a year the enemy used Nate in particular to try and discourage my walk with God. He hated the changes in me. Even though I was more attentive to him and the kids, even though I was instantly delivered in prayer one night from the addiction of alcohol and 2 packs a day (if you even knew what a source of tension that was, you would see how huge of a miracle that was.) and even though I was actually learning how to love Nate like I never thought I would, he was still absolutely dead-set against going to church and even tried to keep me from going on many occasions. He even took the starter out of the car one Sunday morning!

“In the middle of all of this we had Kenny. I had complications early on in my pregnancy that caused me to have to take a leave from work. Nate felt very strongly that I should stay home with the kids at that point. After all, we would have 3 in daycare and that would be steep. But besides a few bumps in the road I still kept in touch with Cindy (the daycare owner that led me to Christ) and continued my bible study with her and her husband.

“When Nate did come to church he would sit with his arms folded and a scowl and would barely lift a hand when someone wanted to shake his hand and greet him. But I kept praying for him. I kept literally envisioning him walking through the doors of the sanctuary and falling to his knees at the altar, fully surrendering to God. And one day God broke through his tough exterior and something changed ever so slightly. But eventually he did end up at that altar, fully surrendered. And that was amazing! All of our kids have followed and all of them have been baptized in Jesus' precious name and filled with God's Spirit. (They are great kids, Holly. I was such a selfish, defiant and mean-spirited kid. I can't believe how wonderfully different they are from me at their age!)

“Anyway, now Nate is the first one to humbly fall on his face before God at the altar and the last one left praying at the end of service. I now consider every single day and every one I encounter as an opportunity to serve Christ and minister to others who may not know him. I fail constantly, but try to make every day count somehow. We've had our share of obstacles and struggles, but they've all brought us closer to each other and to God. I know I gave you a double testimony by including Nate, but he's my other half and they're kind of intertwined ;o)

“So as you can see; God has been the glue in our marriage and family and He's the only one who can take any credit for that success. ('cause Nate and I are a couple of the most stubborn people alive.)”

I love people's Jesus stories. I'll love yours, too. Please tell me sometime :o)

Titan's Favorite Game

Titan

Her method works!

LIfe Manual

Life Manual

I was flipping through the channels last night when I caught the end of a show I’ve never watched before: Reba. The reason I stopped on it was because I recognized the black actress who was on the screen but couldn’t figure out where I had seen her before. Almost immediately, I was sucked into the scene (stay with me on this one).

The woman was dusting a picture of Reba’s family and Reba was admitting to her friend that she was frustrated. I quickly learned that the woman and about 18 other people were living with Reba and it was becoming overwhelming. The woman explained to Reba that she had sent the others to the park so she could tell Reba something: they were going back to New Orleans. Reba’s attitude quickly changed. She told her friend no, they couldn’t leave. It would be too difficult to go back there. The friend said to Reba, “no, we are going back and rebuilding our city.”

I thought about how relevant that storyline was and still is to many people. I thought about how a lot of sitcoms don’t tackle current events. I almost changed the channel…but I didn’t.

Reba sighed and said to the woman, “I wish life came with a manual, you know?” Immediately, my thoughts turned to the Bible but I knew they would never bring up THAT life manual.

“Reba,” the woman said, “when’s the last time you opened your Bible?” Whoa. Suddenly, both characters were standing in front of a book which was standing on a book stand on the coffee table. Reba looked down and read, “Isa 4:6 There will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain.”

That made me smile. I used to be afraid of my Bible. Where do I start? One time, when I was more curious than seeking, I started from the beginning in the King James Bible my mama gave me when I was four. I was worn out by the end of Exodus. I couldn’t go on. I remember my friend Mike telling me I couldn’t read it that way. I got angry and said I could read it anyway I wanted. So stubborn. By the time I got my current Bible, I was ready to open it to any page and start reading. I think I started with the New Testament.

No, I have read the entire Bible. I haven’t even read the entire NT. I’m close but I’m taking time to meditate on the words. I have a friend who asks God, “show me something you want me to know,” and then she randomly opens her Bible up. Always, she is led to a verse she needed to hear. Bible’s can be intimidating for a new comer. This is the word of God! It’s also been around for thousands of years. And how true is it (let me know if that is a question you have)? And will I understand it?

It has related to people for two thousand years. It is truer than you know. Pray and ask God to help you understand. You will and His messages will blow you away, love you and help you live your life with true happiness. The Bible is the best Life Manual ever written.

Parables

Parable 1: Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

I decided I was going to do a Bible Study. I study in my bi-weekly small group, at Riv and sometimes in my Wednesday small group but I wanted to do one on my own. I decided that each week, I would study one of Jesus’ parables to help me understand them better so that I will know and understand HIM better.

The thing is, I need your help if you are willing. So, timid reader, would you be willing to step out of the shadows to help me with this Bible study?

We will begin with this one:

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

36Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."
40Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
41"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[d] and the other fifty. 42Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
43Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
44Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
48Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
49The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
50Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Holly’s thoughts:

First: the host of the dinner—the Pharisee. The Pharisee invites Jesus to dinner and Jesus accepted. Were they friends? How did they know each other? My understanding of the Pharisees is they didn’t like Jesus one bit. He threw their religiousy attitudes back in their faces. This relationship must be different. He invited Jesus to dinner so that must say something about the Pharisee. Perhaps he was curious about Jesus? This Pharisee is willing to learn from Jesus as He tells a story and even calls Jesus teacher. Hmmm…. The Pharisee also considers Jesus’ divinity when he says, “If this man were a prophet...” This could mean that this Pharisee was at least considering Jesus was somewhat divine instead of the whacko everyone else thought he was. Did this Pharisee have a name? Jesus calls him Simon. Isn’t one of the disciples named Simon? This isn’t one of the twelve is it? The Pharisee responds by calling Jesus teacher…so could he be a disciple?

Jesus makes some comments about the Pharisee’s hospitality. The Pharisee didn’t offer Jesus water to wash his feet. Back in the day, this would have been a normal thing to do as one’s feet got very dirty walking around in sandals. Why didn’t the Pharisee offer the water? People greeted each other with a kiss, much like they do in the Arabic culture now. This man did not greet Jesus in this manner. Why didn’t the Pharisee kiss Jesus? I’ve read that oil was nice for someone’s head in those days because there weren’t a variety of shampoos. The Pharisee didn’t offer Jesus oil for His head. Why? I’m not so sure that Jesus was “keeping score” of what the host was and was not doing for his guest. I think Jesus was responding to the low faith level and the judgment call made by the Pharisee when he said, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner." Maybe she was a sinner (like all of us) but look how SHE treated Jesus.

Second: the Sinful Woman
What made this woman sinful? What this parable tells us about the woman: she lived a sinful life, she is a sinner, she was weeping, her many sins have been forgiven. The woman had heard Jesus was at the house and went there wanting to see Him. Why? We can guess that this woman was a prostitute because her hair was available to wipe Jesus’ feet. Women did not leave their hair exposed unless they were “loose”. So why did this sinful woman want to see Jesus so badly? To turn a trick? No. Immediately, she bowed down to Him, served Him by washing His feet and not with water but with her own tears. She was crying. Why? Was she looking for forgiveness? Was she ashamed? If you notice, the woman never says a word. It is her actions of humbling herself before someone she viewed as her savior that show us who she is and what she seeks: forgiveness.

Third: the story
So, two dudes owed a lot of money. One owed 500 denarii and one owed 50. Neither could pay. So, the moneylender forgave both of them. Who was more appreciative? The one who owed more, of course. Actually, I’m not sure I totally get that. How can you compare someone’s appreciation with another person’s but whatever. Jesus agreed so I trust Him. The part I’m struggling to understand is probably the main point of the whole parable: 47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." I know we are to forgive every sin committed against us as we are forgiven for the ones we commit. But what is Jesus trying to say about forgiveness and love? She loved Him more so she is forgiven more? Or, she loved Him more which showed how strong her faith is in Christ as her savior therefore, her sins are forgiven?

Those are some of my thoughts. Do you have any light you can shed? Direction to point me in? Points to make? Clarifications? Please, comment away…

Update on my cousin Justin—he is doing awesome but is still in Walter Reed hospital which is in Maryland. He lost three fingers on his right hand: his index, ring and pinky fingers are stubs. Actually, his index finger is the worst and will be completely removed, knuckle and all. His left calf muscle is pretty torn up. He rides around in a wheel chair and has been fitted for some type of hand. Joey understands the details better than I do. Bottom line to me is that he is happy, healthy and recovering.

Saturday was good times. Joey and I drove to Lake Odessa to see Justin’s siblings, my other cousins. Josh just got out of basic training in South Carolina. Stacey goes to Grand Rapids CC and Hunter is a freshman in high school. I asked Josh for directions to their house to make sure I remembered where they live. I asked him for road names.

Josh: Uh…I don’t really know road names. I’m more of a “take a left at the tree that burned down 2 years ago and a right at the yellow fire hydrant.”

We took them out for pizza and laughed almost the whole time. They are some crazy kids. When Joey and I were leaving, Josh gave us directions to the freeway. “Take a right where I hit that deer a few years ago and a left where I dropped my gum the other day.”

We drove out to Jenison to visit my best friend from grade school. Jenny and her husband Nate became Christians a few years ago and it was an amazing time reconnecting with them. They are so happy and have three beautiful kids. We went out to eat and spent so much of our time talking about the blessings in our lives. I love talking to people freely about God and what He does in my life. It feels good to have another brother and sister, too :o) When we were leaving, Joey said, “I wish they lived closer. Nate and I would definitely be sharpening each other’s faith.”

We had fun on the way home talking, laughing and playing "name that artist" with the radio stations. I, of course, remain the champ.

Green Friday & RFK

Black Friday-1
Joey and Holly-1

We evend the score yesterday by refusing to go to the "hot spots" those evil stores wanted us to go to. We said no to Circuit City, Best Buy, Staples, and Office Max. Where did we go then at 6am? Shoe Carnival. Yeah, baby.

It was packed and we were laughing as soon as we got out of the car. Shoe Carnival? Are you kidding? Pretty getto. But for some reason, Joey and I love this place. We entered the store and just could not stop laughing. The place was crazy and the announcer dude was all over the place announcing different specials going on around the store. At one point, he said, "okay, shoppers, $3 off to the first person in line who can give me the name of the son on Sanford and Son." A few minutes later, it was, "okay, people in line, the first person who can give me a coin from the year 2003 gets $4 off their purchase."

We left the fun at Shoe Carnival, fueled up at Speedway and McDonald's and headed over to Kohl's. The place was MAD. The line was wrapped around the store. We saw a friend in line who needed help carrying her 5 Kitchenmaid blenders to the car so after helping her, we went to the mall. AH! Maddness again! But I really think Joey and I were smart about it. We didn't have to wait in any long lines and got some really good deals. Yes, we were happily sitting at home by 2pm.

After a low-stress stop at Target and going to visit Joey's parents at the Leslie store, we went to see the movie Bobby. I was hoping the movie would be more like JFK but no. It was slow moving and I kept forgetting the movie was about Robert Kennedy. There was so much focus on the side stories of a handful of characters staying or working at the Ambassador Hotel the day Bobby was shot. I got frustrated at certain points because it just didn't seem to be the movie I thought it would be. And then those last few minutes before he was killed...the entire movie came together so quickly. Really nice job. Still slow, though.

Something cool about this movie and this event in history I may or may not have mentioned before: my step-mom was at the Ambassador Hotel the night Bobby was shot. She had signed up to be a Kennedy Girl which meant that she stood on the podium wearing a white dress and a sash that read "Kennedy." The purpose of the Kennedy Girls was to get the crowd fired up before Robert came out to speak. Now, I can't remember if she was in the ballroom where he spoke or if she was waiting for him to enter the next ballroom after he went through the kitchen. In any case, there were TV monitors around the room she was in and it was like a wave of horror as people realized what had just happened. The campaign people ran to the Kennedy Girls and had them rip off all of their Kennedy stuff. No one knew who could be targeted. The snuck them out of the hotel and put them in hiding in some other hotel. It was a crazy, scary, sad night for my step-mom. If you watch the movie, you can see some of the Kennedy Girls in the crowd after Bobby is wounded.

Oh! I have a little tip for all of you Black Friday shoppers to use next year. I got on Circuit City's website at 5:33am and was able to order anything in thier ad. I putzed around too long and at 6:00am they emptied my cart. I went back to put stuff back in and they had changed all the items to "In Store Purchases only." So, up until the store opened, I could have ordered anything online and beat the system. It's all about beating the system, you know....

Face Plant

Someone recently pointed something out to me. This is a huge point of something which seems so "duh" but I've been missing it. It's too big for me to not write and share. It's all about worshipping God.

First--the definition of Worship according to Dictionary.com
1. reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred.
2. formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor and homage: They attended worship this morning.
3. adoring reverence or regard: excessive worship of business success.
4. the object of adoring reverence or regard.

At Riv, we start with singing worship. We move into a relevant lesson of life which is also a form of worship. We tithe which is worship. We sing again--worship. I get that there are several forms. But how much worshipping do I do when I'm not at church?

I was listening to one of my favorite teacher this past week and wow. So many good points. How often do I ask God for stuff?

"You do not have, because you do not ask God." James 4:2

Well, I do ask. But there is something missing from my every day life. Worshipping God.

When we are worshipping God, His character is released in us. Could you really stay an angry, hateful, frustrated person when you are on your knees thanking God for everything you DO have instead of asking for what you DON'T? It's nearly impossible not to get that realease when planting your face to the ground. God wants to be worshipped. He's God. He should be. And how often do I fall to the ground and thank Him, honor Him, tell Him how much I love Him even if He already knows my heart? Hardly ever.

In the Bible, people asked Jesus to perform miracles all the time. But what did these people do before they asked? They worshipped. In Matthew 8:2 "A man with leprosy[a] came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Yes, we are to ask God for anything but first we need to worship. This teacher made the comment, "give Him more praise than petition." Start with praise and thanksgiving. Change comes after we worship Him. It opens our hearts to the Lord and it closes our hearts to the Satan.

Check this out:
Matthew 9:18
18While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him and said, "My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live." How did Jesus react? 19Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.

Mark 5:1-6
6When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" 8For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"

These are people who bowed down to the Lord and asked for His help. They recognized Jesus as God and acted accordingly. And Jesus responds to these people over and over. Now, check this out:

Matthew 15:22
A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession."
23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."

Why didn't Jesus answer her? Was he finally reaching an unsympathetic point? Was he burned out on miracles?

24He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
25The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.
26He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."
27"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."
28Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

When this woman changed her position and knelt down before the Lord, He saw her faith and granted her request. But it wasn't until she did this that Jesus reacted. This isn't another formula. I can't think, "well, I want a million dollars so I'll bow down, worship God for 5 minutes and then get what I want." This is simply a reminder that we need to bow down and worship our Savior. When we do, we are expressing our deep faith and love for Him. Worshipping is a heart attitude. When you don't worship God with song, praise, words of love and other outward actions, you are letting satan rob you. It is so easy for me to say, "God knows how I feel about Him." But you do need to show it, just like you show other people in your life the love you have for them. You humble yourself by bowing down.

This teacher, who I now confess is Joyce but didn't want someone to stop reading because you dislike her (like you didn't know if you know me!), ended with these thoughts:

Do you worry or worship? If you ever are worried about something, face plant and tell God all about it.

Stare at Jesus, glance at your problems, not the other way around.

Will It Blend?

This site is fabulous!

Mashed Potatoes Just Don't Get the Same Respect

I was listening to a co-worker today talk about the Thanksgiving dinner she was going to prepare for her family. My other co-worker said, “oh! You’re going to make sweet potatoes with brown sugar and cloves?! My dad used to make it that way, too. You guys are making me sad…I miss him.” Just like that, my thoughts went to some of the people in my life who are gone now. I thought of grandpa missed him so much I ached. I’m not sure when my co-worker’s father passed away and I’m sure she misses him all year long. It’s something about these holidays that makes the absence felt even more. I thought of grandpa’s deep voice praying and how he sat at the head of the table, how he fell asleep in church or his Lazy-Boy. I thought of him teasing me about not liking venison and singing “Holly Loki is the girl for me.” I thought about the other family members who have died and how special they made holidays for me, for all of us. I even started missing my parents, knowing time is so preciously ticking away. For a few moments, I was sad.

My thoughts went from longing for the past to my niece and nephew. This is their past right now. The people who make the holidays so special for them are living now. The traditions they will remember, the memories they will carry with them, the ones they will pass on…it’s all happening right now. Someday, they will stop short and ache for someone who has died but right now, this is their childhood and I’m glad to help build on it. Our time spent with family is so important which is why Joey and I are somehow going to fit three Thanksgiving dinners into tomorrow. Why complain, though? I have no right to complain about being too full…only thank-full. Ha! I’m so funny.

You know you've thrown up too much when your stomach muscles feel like they just did 100 situps.

Friday
7:00 p.m.
Went to Silver Bells in the city with Dana and Noriko. Saw the tree lit up all pretty in front of the capital. Saw the fireworks. Wasn't sure if I should sing our National Anthem or Silent Night. I was feeling fine, though. Little did I know....

8:00 p.m.
Dinner at the Awesomes. Baked Ziti, garlic bread and broccoli. Yum. Lots of wine. Maybe too much? Well, I knew I was slightly past my limit when I stopped. I usually have a two drink max but every time my glass was half full, someone kept filling me up. Still, my fault for not keeping track. Then, I had to whip out the Pumpkin Beer before I left just to try it.

11:00 p.m.
After hanging out at Joey's parents' for awhile, I sucked down a water and went to my mom's. I was feeling fine.

Saturday
3:00 a.m.
Am I...feeling ill?

4:30 a.m.
Am I...getting feverish?

5:10 a.m.
Am I...going to throw up?!?!
I ran to the bathroom. Jenny is a great cook but that stuff never digested. Let me tell you...so flippin gross. I was in disbelief. The last time I had been throw up sick was...I don't even remember. There's another feeling when you are throwing up at 5:00 in the morning. I felt like I was the only person alive. Relief flooded over me when I heard my step-dad knock on the door to see if I was okay. Yes. I had help.

6:00 a.m.
After getting sick again and feeling like my throat was going to burn up, I text messaged Joey. What an awesome guy. He was there by 6:30ish, just in time to see me throw up for the 4th and last time. I don't know about you but when I'm getting sick, my body is so uncomfortably warm. When someone touches me, even to rub my back, it feels like all of their body heat transfers to me. That last time was almost the worst. I felt like I was never going to get better and I was running out of "stuff" to give to the porcelin god. I cried out to my God apologizing for drinking too much. Joey laughed and said, "sweetie, this is the flu." Yeah, it was. The achyness, the fever, the barfing...it just wouldn't quit. The worst part was that I was supposed to run 6 miles to raise money for the church. Up until the last time I threw up, I was still going to do it. I realized I was just too sick to run.

8:00 a.m.
Joey left to meet the other runners at Riverview. While he was gone, I finally went back to bed and slept. I heard him come back to the house and he and my mom were talking softly outside of my bedroom door. I heard my mom say, "she's been sleeping since you left." Joey said, "good. She needs the rest. Everyone said they would run when she could run." I felt happy. Sick but happy because people care about me even when I'm gross and fluy. My mom left for work and Joey slept on the couch.

I got up and watched the State game and then the Ohio State game. I got a lot of rest but my fever kept bouncing all over the place. I wondered what it felt like to be normal. It was like I forgot! The next day, I went to church and still couldn't eat much. I'm still kind of weak and tired but it feels good to feel good. Get your flu shot.

Defending my Spartanaity

I hear it all the time, especially working in the Detroit area: why would you ever be a Michigan State Spartan? I suppose after countless losing/average seasons, it would be a question in the minds of many so I thought I would attempt to explain…or defend. No, I didn’t pick MSU because the colors are so much better (and look great on me). No, I didn’t pick MSU because our mascot kicks butt (and he’s cute). No, I didn’t pick MSU because of their award winning marching band (I even heard a Wolverine fan say this last Saturday: you guys have the best band in the country). I guess I didn’t really pick MSU. It’s just always been there.

The story could start in an obvious place: I was born and raised in the East Lansing, MI area. It makes sense geographically for me to be a Spartan. It all goes a little deeper than that, however. My grandfather graduated from MSC, Michigan State College, during WWII. He was from a little town south of Jackson called Cement City. He used to hitchhike back and forth. I loved his stories of the campus as it was built up. My father graduated from MSU in the 70s. I have history at MSU. My dad started taking me to football games when I was four. The highlight back then was getting carmel corn and Zeike the Wonderdog.

This is a picture of me at a football game when I was four. Before the wall was put up near the field, you could go right down to the field. I'm wearing green corduory bibs from the Army store.

We have always tailgated in the same general area near the Red Cedar. This is my sister and my dad's best friends. I'm to the far right.

1987 was an awesome year to be a Spartan. Finally, the underdogs were on top. I was in 6th grade and 11-years-old. We went to all of the home games. My dad would pick the tickets up from George Perles' secretary, Mary Ann, at the Duffy Dougherty building on Fridays. I would go to see if I could scope out any players.
My favorite Spartan of all time was Andre Rison. I never got my picture taken with him, though. He was one of the stars of the 1988 Rose Bowl game and I had every picture there was of him hanging on my wall. When I was in 7th grade, Andre was pulled over for drinking and driving in Eaton County, the county I lived in. I’ll never forget…my dad picked up Chad, Darrick and I from Charlotte Jr. High School. We were coming home from camp so we had a lot of stuff. My dad broke the news to me gently and I was pretty quiet. I went home and wrote a letter to Andre explaining my disappointment. A few weeks before Christmas, my step-mom and dad handed me a small box, explaining it was an early gift. Inside was a framed picture like the one above…except Andre had signed it! Even better, there was a note included. See, in my letter to Andre, I told him he could come clean my room for his community service. Andre must have thought that was funny because he wrote, “I would love to clean your room but I must work on my own first!” I cried I was so happy. Andre went on to become the 22nd draft to the Colts and later was traded to the Falcons. I lost track after him then. His life got a little too crazy for me. Now that I think about it, he was just a college kid. Back then, he was a hero in my eyes.

This is the MSU vs. Indiana Game in 1987 when I was 11-years-old and in 6th grade. I remember several things from this game. The first was that it was my first night game. Second, my dad told me how important it was for MSU to win this game. He said, "if we win, Holly, we go to the Rose Bowl!" Before we left for the game, my step-mom gave me a rose. "If we win this game, you can go down and throw this rose onto the field." I was so pumped! When we got to Spartan stadium, the place was so packed, you could barely move. When State won the game, my step-mom told me to go throw the rose onto the field. In those days (see how old I am!!) you could go all the way down to the field. Eventually, they ripped out the lower seats to create a wall. Anyhow, as I approaced the field, I looked to my left and a mob was rushing toward me. As I threw the rose, my step-mom grabbed my arm and pulled me back up to safety. Then, she took this picture. It was truly one of the most exciting moments I've ever seen at Spartan Stadium. You can even see one of the Indiana football players caught in the mob. I remember they ripped the goal posts down, too.

Bob Kula--Offensive Lineman. It wasn't that I had a crush on him, it was just that he was a hero to me. It's funny looking at college football players now. I'm way older than they are. But then, they were celebrities to me. I had sat next to Bob at a basketball game. I had a 1987 football program and I was drawing hearts and stars around the players pictures I liked. Well, I liked Bob Kula. He was a Rose Bowl star. This picture was taken at Media Day 1988 and my dad had just told Bob the story about me sitting next to him drawing hearts and stars around his picture. He thought it was funny. I thought it was embarressing. You can see my dad laughing in the background.

This is a picture from the same Media Day. Fawn, me and Hyland Hickson (I think that is Emily Youatt next to Fawn but I can't be sure). Hyland Hickson was one of our awesome running backs after Lorenzo White was drafted by the Houston Oilers. My dad will never forget when Hyland fumbled the ball against Illinos and State lost. He still gripes about that loss. Sadly, Hyland died from stomach cancer in 1996. The only article I could find on the net mentions they aren't sure how he died either. They also mention the infamous fumble by Hyland, too. Poor guy.

Eddie Brown. A pat on the back to anyone who knows what Eddie Brown is infamous for doing.

George Perles and my nephew, Bradley.

Jim Miller. What a nice guy. I had such a crush on him for years. Funny story about this picture. Jim was sitting in the stands with his parents (Media Day 1990) and his back was facing me. My step-mom went up a few rows in the bleachers to get a picture of his face. She told me to lean forward (behind him) and pretend to kiss his cheek. The picture would make it look like I really was kissing his cheek. I was horrified and just stood there. And then he turned around and asked me what I was doing. I had no answer. This was the picture taken right after that embarressing situation.

I remember this hat. When you pushed on the bill, it played the fight song.

Playing catch on the banks of the Red Cedar when I was in 11th grade. My brother-in-law is behind me and has just thrown the ball.

Pops and I tailgating. I was in college by this point. I don't have a picture of this event but my dad LOVES to tell this story. It was Nick Sabin's first game as the head coach. I had been partying the night before at CMU and didn't make it to my dad's tailgating spot in time to get my ticket for the game. No cell phones back then. I knew I was screwed. I was going to miss the new coach's first game! Ah! The disappointment! I started crying as I approached the gate. I explained my story to the ticket dude who sent security over. I thought they were going to hall me off. Instead, the security dude told me to follow him to my dad's seat. I promised him I would go up to my dad, get my ticket and come give it back to them as proof I really did have a ticket. The guy was so tired of me by the time we got to the stairs leading to my dad's section that he just let me go. When my dad saw me coming up the stairs to his seats, he was amazed. "How did you get in? You didn't have a ticket...and I sold yours!" "I guess I...cried my way in, dad."

My step-mom and I in 2003.

There you have it. A story told with photos (and words, of course). I could have posted so much more and maybe I will someday. Hopefully, this gives some insight into the "whys." "Why would you support a team that disappoints year after year?" "Why not be a Wolverine?" Well, because. After all, these are college kids. They are still growing and making plenty of mistakes...just like I did. Just like I do. Plus, I've always had a thing for the underdog. Want to talk about me being a Cubbie's fan next?

Black Friday fast approaching

It's already here...ah!!!!

http://www.blackfriday.info/

And for your amusement, the story from last year's black friday...

Yet Another Weekend

This past weekend was fun and interesting and frustrating. Friday, we went out for Yi’s birthday to Applebee’s. It was a Germany reunion where we sat there from 7:30 to 10 talking and laughing. I love nights like that.

Saturday, Joey and I went to our Leading Kids To Christ class. Mike and Missie Potter taught it. They brought their foster baby into the room and Joey immediately latched on to the kid. It was cute. After the class, we met up with my dad at Dagwoods. He bought me a beer and then yelled at me for it:

Dad: Holly, do I have to do everything for you?
Holly: What do you mean?
D: You left your beer over here. Now, take it and don’t leave it around.
H: Geez. Sorry.

My dad talked Joey and I into going to the State-Purdue game. We missed the band, though which really bummed me out. I got shin splints running to catch up with the band. Still missed them. We tailgated with some of my dad’s buddies just outside the stadium and then tried to get in. Oops. I forgot about my purse being too big. They wouldn’t let us in. I wasn’t broken hearted or anything but Joey put the purse inside his coat and we tried another entrance. Bingo.

We stayed until half time and then went to the Hobby Lobby. Whoa. That store is cool! We kept walking around saying, “oh, look! This is so cool!” Joey said the following at one point:

J: Know what’s cool?
H: What?!
J: Me.

We went to the mall afterward and ran into my niece, sister and bro-in-law. We left the mall and headed to my mom’s house where we ate dinner. We were going to go to a movie but lucky for us, the Lilly’s called and invited us to bowling. So much fun!!! It was a quick game but we were laughing and messing with each other. Aaron couldn’t break the 9s. Di is the funniest bowler I’ve ever seen. I hope she allows me to post the video (please, Di?).

After bowling, we went back to Mike and Diana’s to hang out. By midnight or so, we were exhausted so it was beddy bye time.

Sunday was interesting. After church, Yi, Jennwy, Peter, Joey and I took a road trip to Turkeyville. Not exactly what I expected but still was fun being with the group. I think I wanted it to be more like Frankenmuth. But…guess who was there?!?! Jesus! Jenny and Yi got their picture taken with him. He looked really sad, though. After Turkeyville, we visited my elementary school in Olivet. It brought back so many memories. They still have the same playground equipment! We decided to stop by the Country Mill in Potterville but we were all a little turkeyed out to care.

Arriving back at Joey’s, we only had an hour and a half before the Riverview Own It meeting. The boys took off downstairs to play video games. Yi, Jenny and I went and sat in the hot tub.

And now...it's time for another weekend :o)

I love this girl...and it's her birthday Friday :o)

Canine Cruise 2006

Sunday, we took Titan to the Canine Cruise. He didn't win the costume contest so we decided to take his costume off and take it the car before the 5k walk. We got to the car and found ourselves driving away. No 5k walkie for us. It was cold!