Important Change

To any of my readers, I created a new blog over at blogspot because Xanga has been giving me way too much trouble. Ironically, while I was typing an entry on blogger, this Xanga web post randomly came up in the middle of my typing.  So here's my new place, come on over and visit!

http://myheartismyhome.blogspot.com

Can't wait to see you there!!!

Lots of thoughts

Well, if you can believe it, I have tried for 3 days to get Xanga to allow me to enter a post. But here it is, finally up and running. Was anyone else having this problem I wonder? Allow me to indulge you in the epiphanies I have experienced recently:

Consumerism, Christmas, and the Christian

God has been doing a great work within my thoughts about Christmas. I suppose it began when we had to downsize considerably into our condo about a month ago. We donated lots and lots of items in perfect condition to Goodwill and we have also had to throw a lot away. So this year, I have been struck with not completely giving into the whole commercialization of Christmas. And I'm enjoying it. We spend very little on the 17ish people we generally give to. In fact, I always find myself prefacing our Christmas gift buying with "they're more like birthday gifts." And by that I mean, we don't give mega gifts. We give a book, a cd, or a single shirt. Brent and I have been discussing how counter-cultural we seem to be, especially when we compare ourselves to our families. A recent debate ensued between my sister and I about our mom's side of the family when they decided (I wasn't there to object) to spend $20-25 on each person's name  you drew. Okay, so really I know that doesn't sound like a lot of money. But it is to me, and I'll explain why. I am a darn good bargain shopper. I can find quality gifts for much less than that, especially an item that the individual will most likely appreciate. So what bothers me about this monetary standard is that I bought a beautiful pair of handmade jeweled earrings for less than $10. Now, the objective side of me says, "You still need to buy something else." The subjective side of me says, "It's a beautiful pair of earrings that looks expensive." Does anyone else share my dilemma here? The other aspect that bothers me with buying for older adults is that, let's face it, we all generally have to rack our brains to give someone an idea of what we'd like. And I hate that! Good grief, I realize that often times people do have legitimate items they need or would like, but for those of us who are content with what we have, let's be bold enough to admit it and not force our loved ones to buy out of obligation or desperation. My uncle does not need yet another tie. My grandmother does not need yet another knickknack to display on my part since I bought it for her. I'm making these references about when someone doesn't give you an idea or you can't think of one. Does anyone else think it's pointless? My solution to that monetary standard aforementioned was to simply set a maximum price.

My thoughts about this are not only exclusive to my practical and frugal nature, but in essence are only solidified by my attitudes towards others less fortunate. More than ever, over the past month, I have been burdened and heartbroken for those without anything. Brent and I have two sponsor children through Compassion; one of which lives in Honduras, the other in India. One night we looked at their profiles and country information and discovered that his little boy's family lives on typically $140 a month. My little girl's family lives on $12 a month. A SINGLE MONTH. This opportunity to bless these children and their families has been an eye-opening one for me. Poverty does have a face and its names include Cristian and Essakkiamal. So as I've gotten more involved with my little girl, it has slowly and thankfully begun to change my spending attitudes. It's learning to be content with what I have, because I know and realize I have more than enough. It's realizing that my checkbook lays out quite blatantly where my values are and what I believe. For those of you who are raising objections, let me clarify a few things: 1) I believe that God blesses us with as much wealth as He so desires 2) I am not angry or mad at those who are millionaires or beyond 3) I do not believe that everyone needs to attempt to live on $20 a week 4) Christmas is a wonderful time to give gifts to loved ones. What it boils down to is checking our hearts and motives when we do our Christmas shopping and remembering and doing something(!) for those less fortunate. Let's be content with what we have and not believe the lie that says to indulge for indulgence's sake. As Christians, do we believe that Christ was, is, and will be the ultimate Christmas gift? Do we really? Because if we do, our choices of how to "do" Christmas will reflect that.

I'm Martin Luther!

Which theologian are you? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Martin Luther The daddy of the Reformation. You are opposed to any Catholic ideas of works-salvation and see the scriptures as being primarily authoritative. Martin Luther 87% Anselm 87% John Calvin 80% Karl Barth 73% Jonathan Edwards 60% Augustine 53% Friedrich Schleiermacher 47% Jürgen Moltmann 47% Charles Finney 40% Paul Tillich 33%

Currently Listening The Greatest Holiday Classics By Kenny G Let it Snow! Let it Snow! see related

HD Vision

Vi-sion: (n) Unusual competence in discernment or perception; intelligent foresight.

While I am confident of my goal to be a SAHW or SAHM in the future, I still wish I had more clarity. How could I use my natural giftings? How can I serve the Lord in that capacity? What does being a Christian wife or mom look like in the day to day happenings? Wouldn't it be cool if God would allow us to see His goals or vision for us in High Definition? Crystal clear. No fuzziness. So real and unmistakable. Often times I feel as if I have the big picture nailed down, it's just some of the details that are unclear to me. And isn't that always the case?? Trusting God in the little things, the big things, every little big thing in your life.

Somehow I usually tend to feel on the verge of something big or grand, my "A-Ha!" moment if you will. Specifically, I am wondering how I can develop my own business within the home. There are so many ideas that have already been tried or have failed, but I want to create something unique and purposeful. I wish God could just zing me with a vision and say "Do this!" But if that were the case, then it would take trusting God out of the process. Like the analogy of a tombstone that has our year of birth - year of death, the dash is the important part. That's where our life was lived. Similarly, our journey in faith does not simply comprise of the moment you accepted salvation to the moment you go to Heaven and meet Jesus. There's a lot more involved than those two moments. God is in the details orchestrating every minutia within our life. Can't I trust Him then if He's taken me this far? Everything does work out in His time, and He reveals what we're ready to accept at the appropriate time.

Here's the point: As long as I am focused on Him, the rest will eventually come into full view.

Currently Listening A Family Christmas By John Tesh see related

Humility, Pride, & Dying to Self

Lately I have found myself wanting to absorb wisdom regarding humility. The Scripture verse on my board in my office this week is Philippians 2:3, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." I truly need to put this verse into practice. Wanting to find more in depth information on humility, I visited John Piper's Desiring God site and read a few of his sermons and am simply amazed at how God speaks through him to provide clarity and insight into Scripture. Some quotes from the sermons I read:

Pride Considers Itself Above Instruction "Pride stubbornly refuses to be taught the way of God, and makes its own wishes the measure of truth."

Pride Is Insubordinate "When the commandments of God are spoken, pride turns away and will not submit. It rejects the right and authority of God to command."

Pride Refuses to Trust in God "Trusting God is the heartbeat of humility, the opposite of pride."

"The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing." And in verse 25: "The foolishness of God is wiser than men." So if you want to be really wise, Paul says, wise in God's eyes, you have to believe things and do things that the world will regard as foolish—that a crucified Jewish teacher is the Lord of the universe; and that the way to joy is the Calvary road."

For more sermons on humility, check out http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TopicIndex/66_Humility/.

I found this poem called "Dying to Self" that is a reminder of how I desperately need to change my selfish ways...

When you are forgotten, neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting or hurt with the oversight, but your heart is happy being counted worthy to suffer for Christ;

That is dying to self.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinion ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence;

That is dying to self.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any annoyance; when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus did;

That is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, and offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God;

That is dying to self.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or record your own good works or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown;

That is dying to self.

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and you are in desperate circumstances;

That is dying to self.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself and can humbly submit, inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart;

That is dying to self.