this morning on my drive to work i thought about the people i miss and how awesome it would be if, just for one day, every single person i love could all be in one room, all lined up, and i could go down the line and hug every single one of em and know what it's like not to miss anyone for a day. i realize it's impractical to expect all of us to live in one giant house, and that there probably isn't a house in the world that's big enough, and this would not be effective in advancing the kingdom of God to have so many of His followers all clumped up together and everything... i'm just talkin one day, people.
i love my new friends from iraq and i think about them all the time and want to be around them all the time, and talk to them about what they think and how they feel and how they do things and why. but i think i'd freak them out. haha.
one of these friends from iraq just came to america last week to join his family who came about a month ago, and he said one of the first things he did when he was here was take a two-hour walk, just because he could. and he said he loved every second of it because of the freedom and he finally felt safe. man. if that doesn't put things into perspective.
i was just thinking. if you've been feeling like a slacker in your relationship with God or just at life in general, you know, just down on yourself and bummy and sad, nothing gets me out of my own head and feeling lame like just looking around and thinking about/praying for other people. it's hard to think about yourself and your lameness when your thoughts are being occupied by interceding on behalf of a friend or stranger who is hurting. just a thought. it usually gets me out of these funks.
i read this today and it really stuck out to me. it both convicted and challenged me:
"you shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god. i am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of egypt. open wide your mouth and i will fill it." psalm 81: 9&10
...do i, do we, dare to take our wants and desires that we've been putting on other gods to the God who tells us to open WIDE our mouths, and He will fill them?
..."if my people would but listen to me... you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock i would satisfy you." (v. 13, 16) man. i can just hear God's longing and frustration here. He's like, "if you only knew!!"
so why is it often so hard for me to come? i think it's because i assume what He has for me is carrots- you know, tastes okay and is better for me, but i really want brownies and carrots will never compare with the taste of brownies. why do i assume this? why do i put the ways He can satisfy me in a box that looks like a bag of carrots? hmm. anyone else with me? does that even make sense?
i don't know, i guess that's what's at the top of my mind right now. also my parents are so good to me and i don't deserve them. also i'm thinking about coral and how much i love her. okay i'm done now. ha.
happy wednesday! go listen to this song that i already posted again.
i love my new friends from iraq and i think about them all the time and want to be around them all the time, and talk to them about what they think and how they feel and how they do things and why. but i think i'd freak them out. haha.
one of these friends from iraq just came to america last week to join his family who came about a month ago, and he said one of the first things he did when he was here was take a two-hour walk, just because he could. and he said he loved every second of it because of the freedom and he finally felt safe. man. if that doesn't put things into perspective.
i was just thinking. if you've been feeling like a slacker in your relationship with God or just at life in general, you know, just down on yourself and bummy and sad, nothing gets me out of my own head and feeling lame like just looking around and thinking about/praying for other people. it's hard to think about yourself and your lameness when your thoughts are being occupied by interceding on behalf of a friend or stranger who is hurting. just a thought. it usually gets me out of these funks.
i read this today and it really stuck out to me. it both convicted and challenged me:
"you shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god. i am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of egypt. open wide your mouth and i will fill it." psalm 81: 9&10
...do i, do we, dare to take our wants and desires that we've been putting on other gods to the God who tells us to open WIDE our mouths, and He will fill them?
..."if my people would but listen to me... you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock i would satisfy you." (v. 13, 16) man. i can just hear God's longing and frustration here. He's like, "if you only knew!!"
so why is it often so hard for me to come? i think it's because i assume what He has for me is carrots- you know, tastes okay and is better for me, but i really want brownies and carrots will never compare with the taste of brownies. why do i assume this? why do i put the ways He can satisfy me in a box that looks like a bag of carrots? hmm. anyone else with me? does that even make sense?
i don't know, i guess that's what's at the top of my mind right now. also my parents are so good to me and i don't deserve them. also i'm thinking about coral and how much i love her. okay i'm done now. ha.
happy wednesday! go listen to this song that i already posted again.
& here's a picture of sidney and the prettiest flowers and the attractive bread man at the farmer's market. haha. (i unintentionally got him in there, okay?)
