Filed under: Christian Beliefs & Culture | Tags: being saved, Christ, God, Jesus, save, savior, Sin, why
However, the thing is…God is good. (1 John 1:5) Sinless. I’ve heard sin described as, “Missing the Mark”. If God is the mark, then there is no person here that can say they’ve reached it.
God just IS good. I’m a size 8 1/2 shoe on an ideal day. These are both things that won’t change just because we will them to.
Sin is pretty much where God is NOT. But, it’d be a load off my back if he’d just resign himself to living with my sin for all eternity. But, then again…He doesn’t have to…he’s kinda God, and I’m kinda not. Which is why with all my wonderfulness, with all the goodness that I do have, I can in no way earn my way into heaven. That’s good news, or rather, that leads to the good news that we hear so much about.
I don’t have to earn my way. I’m free to be a decent, sinful person trying to live up to standards I’ve placed on myself or that Oprah and Dr. Phil promote. I’m free to seek my own pathways to God and heaven.
On the other hand, I’m free to choose to accept the fact that not one of us can rid ourselves of sin and earn a place in heaven (even if it’s just the dusty corner of heaven behind the soup cans).
I mean, even Mother Theresa sinned, folks. (1 Samuel 1:2, Romans 3:12) You didn’t know? All of which would be a sad realization unless there is a God who is better than all of us put together and yet sees us individually and loves us unconditionally
Jesus was a man that existed, lived thirty-three years and the last three years of his life preached a word that pretty much shocked the mainstream way of thinking at the time…and now. His words are echoed, amended, adjusted, re-worded and repeated by our favorite gurus (pick up a Bible and compare). This man who claimed to be the son of God (Luke 22:70), said he was one with God (John 10:30) and even utilized God’s given name (John 8:58, Exodus 3:14). This man openly welcomed those that others condemned, forgiving sins and telling them to “go and sin no more” (John 8:11). Who talked about forgiving your enemies and even going out of your way for them (do what?!!) (Matthew 5:39-41).
This man vehemently weeped at the funeral of a friend he knew he’d be resurrecting (John 11:33-43). This man tossed tables in the synagogue in indignation (Mark 11:15-17).
This man seems crazy!
And, yet he healed, not killed. He ran from his pursuers, and yet spoke truth in the face of those who openly laughed at him and questioned his sanity (John 8:48-52). He did a lot of stuff that most of us would be way to self-conscious to do. He changed the world.
And, STILL, without raising a sword even in his own defense he allowed himself to be taken, tortured, murdered in a completely public and gruesomely humiliating form. That kinda disintigrates the excuse that he just doesn’t understand what we’re going through.
If I believed he was a man incapable of miracles and such then this is the end to his story…and to mine. I’m on on my own, then, it seems, with maybe a God above that watches me with sheer amusement as I blindly fumble around.
But, for me, it’s just the beginning.
If I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior, and believe in my heart that he was raised from the dead, I will be saved. (Romans 10:9; Acts 4:12) Saved from being some leaf in the wind, saved from being my own God, saved from hell and eternal unpeaceful death. (Did I mention that I left the sugar-coating in the kitchen?)
I confess that Jesus Christ is God and that the reward he was able to earn for living a sinless life is now mY reward in exchange for the horrifying one that I have earned. I confess that God’s love for me extends even that far that he would go to such extreme extents for me. And, I believe that God is God, and able to do and has, indeed, willingly done all of these things.
The way it makes sense to me, (and if anyone has other interpretations, please let me know!)…The way it makes sense to me is that Jesus Christ is the lense through which God sees those that love him.
But, when we try to approach God through the backdoor or through some other direction, God still loves us to pieces, but that love alone does not change the fact that we approach him with our goodness, aNd with sin, aNd with our decision to come at him the way wE deem fit. (John 14:6) And, when we stand before Him, all our mess is out in the ugly open, with nothing to shield it. I’ve chosen hell, then. Chosen to be where God is absolutely not. Hell is an ugly word. But, sin is an unfathomably ugly thing.
That said, I still sin occassionally (only daily). Among other things which I will not name I can still be judgemental and choose to share what’s in my heart with less tact and compassion than that situation warrants. But, I am also learning patience, compassion and to look outward more and more. I’m learning the value of healthy relationships and their priority. I’m actually learning to take care of some things which I had previously left for others to do. And, I’m still learning…oy.
Though a sinner, I am also a daughter of God who wants what He wants. And, I know that that other stuff is not what he wants. I know that ‘cuz he’s inspired a Bible which he purposely put here showing the good, bad, ugly and beautiful, stories that show his character…by comparing his character to what comes naturally to us.
I can’t change on my own, but once I truly decided to take Him up on his offer God poured His Spirit into me to help me along. That must sound very mystical and fantastic given the logic and knowledge gained from thousands of years of human experience… experience yielding knowledge that is consistently amended, adjusted, re-worded, reconsidered and refuted.
God is love (1 John 4:16). He’s held that title for–oh my gosh, like, forever. And, “love” is the only way I can describe God’s Holy Spirit. Somehow, God managed to share some of His Holy Spirit with me, sharing pure, undefiled love (Romans 5:5). That love compels me to love him back.
It compels me to let him lead me into the life and the lessons that he knows is best for me as an individual; (even though it may not necessarily be what is expected for me, nor compare to others’ experiences.) That love can compel us beyond our own self-consciousness, if we let it.
That love can change our world, if we let it.. If we allow ourselves the freedom to seek out who he created us to be.
Then our experiences, our hurts, our joys, our successes, our struggles, and the sin that we sincerely repent of can actually be used to change this world, or at least SOMEbody’s world for the better.
Why would I want to do that? Cuz God loves you, silly!! And, how can I honestly claim to love God, because he loves me…and then not have compassion for the love of his life…you.
The key to that is love, which is what I, too, am still being taught. Oy! oh! Oy! But, what it comes down to is that God knows the plans he has for each one of us, plans for good and not for harm. But plans for future and, for a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)
=)
I’m going off of what I’ve learned from the Bible that has been reinforced in my own life. These are all the Bible verses I’m working off of: (1 John 1:5;1 Samuel 1:2, Romans 3:12; Luke 22:70, John 10:30, John 8:58, Exodus 3:14, John 8:11, Matthew 5:39-41, John 11:33-43, John 8:48-52;Romans 10:9, Acts 4:12; John 14:6; 1 John 4:16; Romans 5:5; Jeremiah 29:11)
So, I felt compelled to write this, and although it’s not the standard kind of thing for me (I’m more of a journalistic, “deep thoughts by Jack Handy” kind of writer), I’m very glad I did do it. I don’t have all the answers, so if someone has questions, just know that I’m more than happy to gain clarification for myself by asking and researching questions I have absolutely no real clue about.
God bless ya’ll!
Q.
Filed under: Budgets and Saving, home, Style & Beauty | Tags: budget, cheap, decor, design, free, furnishing, furniture, home, house, interior, save, style
Breath out, relax your shoulders and prepare to be creative with dressing your home. Furnishing your house (or apartment) on a budget does not have to be stressful, but can actually provide the perfect reason to develop an interior design scheme that is very uniquely you.
First things first…say goodbye to matching! You may not know this, but releasing yourself from the chains of matchdom is such a relief and a healthy challenge. Learn what colors appeal to you, and do a little color-wheel research to discover what colors complement one another. Some rules of thumb I’ve learned from experience: soft pastels accent earth tones very well. Create an arresting scene: clash colors, sparingly; and couple elaborate textures with pieces sporting little to no texture. (I have a plush, deep red, faux fur throw that I liked to drape over my cream-colored chaise whose upholstery displays light embroidery. I’ll tell you how I found those little gems, shortly.)
Secondly, be honest with what you like. For the longest time I avoided succumbing to stereotypical “girlie” styles. But, you know what? Flowery is alright with me, to a degree. And, I like pastels, to a degree. And, I like pink. Period. So there! Many more doors are opened to you when you allow yourself to test the boundaries of your likes and your dislikes. Besides, not every new discovery has to be applied to your home; in my case, my wardrobe is pretty in pink, not my wall.
Thirdly, the most important ingredient in furnishing a home on a budget is patience. You don’t want to settle for just any old piece of furniture. You want what’s right for your home. This will mean waiting on sales. Wading through estate/garage/yard sales. Weighing the options given you via freebie sources. Just remember, the home interior you create for yourself is one you’ll want to return to for many moons, so why rush to create a less than fulfilling space?
Here are a few ways to uncover that hidden treasure, that jewel, that furnishing waiting to be discovered by you!
Check out Craigslist.com. This is a free classifieds website started as a way for one friend to connect with his other friends. It’s grown to offer free info on jobs, personal ads, and every item under the sun available for sale and for free. Many of the ads for furnishings even include pictures.
Drive around posh neighborhoods. I found a pristine, country phone cabinet glistening under the summer sun as it sat discarded on the curb. I knocked on the homeowner’s door to verify it was okay to take away. They approved, explaining that it had a crack down the back of the table (barely noticeable!). I drove away a very happy camper.
Sign up for local estate sale e-newsletters. Though the Estate sales are hit-and-miss, (you’d be surprised what is dared called an “estate” sometimes) these venues can offer top-notch furniture that actually possesses distinct character. And, you can often find them for hundreds cheaper than the standard offerings in today’s furniture store. I once bought heavy, lined, cream drapes that, when hung, extended from ceiling to floor. They cost me $25. I got up on the ladder myself and quickly unhooked them from their old hanging posts. It’s at estate sales that I also found the French Victorian Chaise lounge and plush, red throw referred to previously. If you’re in California, get started by signing up with estatesaleshop.com, a company hosting sales throughout Los Angeles County.
Be vocal about what you like. If you let a friend know how much you like this, that or the other you’ll stick out in their mind should this, that or the other become up for grabs. I was giving away a lot of items before I moved to another location and remembered a friend who really liked one of the paintings on my wall. That and one other piece of art now hang, comfy and cozy, in their new home.
Turn lemons into lemon-squares. Maybe you know what you want, but it’s not in your budget. Consider the essential characteristics of what you’re looking for and then look around your home or local store to see if something else will meet that need. I wanted a long floor rug to distract from the ugly tile that ran the expanse of my long kitchen. The knit table runner that I spotted did the job perfectly, fitting my color scheme and the floor of my narrow kitchen. My comforter’s been in need of a duvet cover for quite sometime. Instead of spending additional money, the thought finally came to me to use a couple old sheets. I sewed them together leaving an opening at the top. Not only do I have a duvet cover, but it’s dual colored in case I want a change of scene.
Decorating your house on a budget is an exercise of the right mind. But, the end result is a home that is truly yours, one that expresses your heart and greets you and those who know you with its familiar warmth.
Filed under: Budgets and Saving | Tags: associated content, budget, earn, finance, funds, interest, invest, learn, money, save, saving, shop, tip
Someone once told me that anything can be used as a tool. See that piece of paper? Yield it in the right manner and it’s a blade. Fold it and it’s a plane. Tear it into little pieces and wad those with spit and…well, you get the point. Similarly, money is a versatile tool that can either come to your defense or become a running gag. Here are some serious steps to saving and budgeting your finances:
Step 1. Get-ING smart. Everyone knows the phrase, “It takes money to make money.” It’s an observation that seems about as applicable to the average pocketbook as offering water to someone who’s holding a paper cup spotted with holes. But, in actuality, it doesn’t matter how much you have; even a very little can regularly earn you cash. www.Ingdirect.com is an online bank that offers a savings account yielding more on your money than most money market accounts. But, this is only a doorway to the real zinger. After owning your savings account for a while, you can open an ING Checking Account. This little baby lets you earn money on the funds you have in your account. You get a debit card, free online bill pay, a running record of all transactions. You can write and send paper checks from online (no more of those checkbooks). And, not that I’m promoting rubber transactions, but the cool feature about this account is that instead of charging you $25-40 per returned check, they’ll simply charge you an incredibly small interest rate on the amount you owe them, up to the insufficient funds limit which is initially set at $250.00. In other words, that charge you miscalculated will literally cost you cents, not dollars. And, you can transfer money to and from a physical bank account, such as Washington Mutual or Bank of America very easily, though the transfer does generally take 3-5 business days. The interest you earn on the money that flows through your online account shows up monthly in your transaction history. The longer money rests in your account, the more it earns you. SuperTip: By setting up direct deposit you ensure that your paycheck makes you a little money before you have a chance to spend it!
…see Quo Elbert’s full article here.
