Thursday, November 19, 2009

When each day is the same as the next, it's because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives everyday that the sun rises.

-The Alchemist

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

You are God's own possession. 1 Peter 2:9

God loves you simply because He has chosen to do so.

He loves you when you don't feel lovely.
He loves you when no one else loves you.
Others may abandon you, divorce you, and ignore you, but God will love you.
Always. No matter what.

Monday, November 16, 2009

hypocrites

Here is a quotation from a column written by Terry Mattingly that I came across when reading a friend's blog.

"It's a good thing when sinners continue to oppose sin, even if they are still struggling with sin in their own lives...Sometimes, hypocrisy is what allows sinful people to be decent while they try to do what's right."

What do you think about this?

Friday, November 13, 2009

Insignificant?

How many days a week do we wake up feeling significant? How many times do we punch into work thinking "this day at work is going to really make a difference"? How many times do our hearts scream "HEY! This matters.. what you are doing matters.. YOU MATTER!"

Probably not too often unless we are deliberate about staying in God's word and reminding ourselves that we are a part the body of Christ, a significant part. I know personally that I can get very bent of shape when I suddenly question my worth and the value of my everyday actions. While listening to a motivational speech by Caplan Mobray, I, along with the rest of the audience were challenged with the question "Do you know why you are doing what you are doing today and how it is going to shape where you are tomorrow?" I felt confident in answering this question with a yes. I knew on a worldly level why I am in the RA position, why I am finishing up my degree, etc. However, after reflecting further I realized that this was looking at what I am doing now as a means to an end. This view means that all of the small things I do outside of getting my degree or making money and gaining work experience, etc. are insignificant. That the service I do, the smiles and encouragement I give, the quiet times I have, the laughter I share with Steve... and the list goes on.. is insignificant. What an awful view!

Then tonight I came across a great excerpt from one of Archbishop Desmond Tutu's sermons that challenged me to revisit what I am doing in view of God's eyes.

Have you seen a symphony orchestra? There is a chap at the back carrying a triangle. Now and again the conductor will point to him and he will play "ting". That might seem so insignificant, but in the conception of the composer something irreplaceable would be lost to the total beauty of the symphony if that "ting" did not happen.

I am a member of God's symphony orchestra. I may get the honor of being the chap who plays the triangle, but perhaps I am "less" than that and I only get to clap along in the background. No matter what my role, I have one!! And that is amazing. There is a will that God has for my life, that fits me into His grand puzzle of children. A plan for my life that offers me so many divine opportunities that they can't possibly be looked at as insignificant.

If you are like me and you sometimes doubt your worth, beat yourself up about a project or area of your life that seems to be going nowhere, or simply feel that nothing you do matters, take comfort in knowing that YOU are a member of God's orchestra, of His family and His plan. You were born with a purpose and all God wants is to be able to reveal it to you and help you live it.

You and I are the most significant to God. After all, we are His hands.. His heart.. His plan.

Monday, November 9, 2009

The ABCs of God's Goodness: Z

You guessed it: zealous.

Not only is this about the only z word I could think of, but it is so frequently used in describing our God.

To be zealous is to be full of zeal, to have an eagerness towards a person, a dedication to them and to be filled with desire when they come to mind. And who fits this desciption better than God? Nobody!! All to often we don't want to admit to ourselves that God loves us and is zealous towards us because we are ashamed of our actions and sins. But every second of every day God is shouting to us simply by existing that He is so eager for us to know Him, that He is dedicated beyond any measure to His people and that He desires to shape our hearts.

Our God is a zealous God indeed.

And wow!! That completes the ABCs of God's Goodness. Thank you for sticking around from A-Z. It took quite awhile. This has been a great way for me to remind myself just how good God is and to renew His promises in my heart. I hope that it has been a blessing to you as well.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The ABCs of God's Goodness: Y


God is yours.

How amazing to think that God, who is mine..is also yours. Your God watches over you every moment of every day. Your God has a great plan for your life. Your God loves you more than you could every fathom... just let that sit for a while. He is yours.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Chat-a-Chini 4


Q: What do you think would have to change in your life before you could have more fun?

A: This question was perfect for today because I was planning to post a great poem I read about attitude. I need to change my attitude before I can have more fun. I am a firm believer in the fact that we are able to choose our attitude in any situation and we can do so by changing the way we look at certain situations. If I could just learn to change my attitude in some situations, I bet I would have much more fun!!

ATTITUDE

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude to me, is more important than facts.
It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.
It is more important than apprearaces, giftedness, or skill.
It will make or break a company, a church, a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.
We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one thing we have, and that is our attitude.
I am convinced that life is ten percent what happens to me and ninety percent how I react to it.
And so it is with you.. we are in charge of our attitude.
~Charles Swindoll

There ya have it! Now, I think that I am pretty good at choosing to be optimistic in almost every situation, but that is not the only attitude I can and should choose. I hope to start putting on a fun attitude so that I allow more fun to happen to me instead of blocking it out with a straight face and a "go-getter" attitude.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Chat-a-Chini 3

Q: What are your favorite ways to renew your energy?

A: If you talked to my mom or anyone older than me in my family, they would answer this and say "Chelsea has never needed to renew energy! She has always been hyper and full of energy!" My boyfriend would probably tell you that I'm pretty crazy most of the time and my friends would all agree that I have a ton of energy.

However, in my old age (haha) I am finding that I do need to find ways to renew my energy, because it is no longer sustained regardless of what I do, the way that it once was. Here are a few ways I like to renew my energy:

*swim! it takes a lot of energy but someone I always come out of the pool ready to go
*sleep- for obvious reasons
*pray
*workship all alone in my room, clapping, crying, on my knees or jumping up and down
*spend time with emma and lanna- if you don't know, these two little girls are my boss' daughters whom I get the priveledge of babysitting.
*laugh- usually when steve is around, i always get a really great, belly cramping laugh that fills me with an energy like no other

How do you like to renew your energy?