Steak it to the man

I'm gonna let you in on a little conversation between me and God. Please note, some details have been changed to protect the innocent.

(I'm looking at a 12 oz, medium rare, T-bone Steak)
Me: I'm so hungry.
God: Don't eat that Steak.
Me: But God, I need to! I need the protein, I'm hungry, and it's already here!
God: Don't eat the steak. I know you need those things, but don't eat THAT steak.
Me: Why?

God: For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ~2 Cor. 5:14-17

Me: ...what?
God: You are a new creation. you no longer have the habits, or desires, or needs of your old self.
Me: Yeah, but it's a steak. Eating a steak is not a sin. Unless your re-enacting the old law.
God: No, I'm not. However, you don't need that steak. I promise you, if you eat that steak right there, you'll be sick. However, I can also promise you, if you don't eat that T-bone, I'll give you a 22oz Rib eye, cooked exactly the way you want it. It will be the best steak you have ever, and will ever have! I want you to trust me, wait on me, and let me show off.

Hahaha! You know you're a fat kid when you draw spiritual parralels with food.

Lovless

So here is a quote for you to think about. I asked a friend, "Why is it that all of us (meaning my friends) are so mean to each other?"

She responded, "That's how we love each other."

Just let that sit for a moment...

No, read it again...

Does that even make sense?

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
~I Corinthians 13:4-8

That's not how I treat my "friends". I've seen recently I treat my "enemies" even worse.

This has to stop somewhere.

Anger

I'm learning more and more about this sickness known as anger. I've never really experienced it before, and so, I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to expressing it healthily. I've been learning about what chronic anger can do to a person, emotionally, spiritually, and yes, even physically.

The tension that I place on myself (of course) seems justified, and maybe it is. but whether it is or not is not really the issue. The issue is whether I can express my tension, anger, and frustration in such a way that I avoid hurting myself, and more importantly, others. Anger leads to rash decisions, which lead to people (other than just yourself) being scarred emotionally, broken down spiritually, and maybe even physically harmed. And yet, sometimes anger is the fuel by which great change is enacted.

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
~James 1:19-21

I have a word planted in me. This word is the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Thanks to his grace, I'm not an angry person. I'm not a sinner. I am Righteous. I don't have to live this "old life" because thanks to the blood of Jesus, that's not me anymore.

Communication

It is a luxery to be understood. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Communication is my word for the year. Its kinda cool how wehnever somone points out a weakness to you, you suddenly become aware of it. I used to think I was a good communicator. Now I realize I was naive.

Communication is so simple, and yet, at its very root, it is (as Greg Hafer would say) an "ambitious undertaking". I mean really. Its pretty audacious to claim to be able to transfer ideas from our own head and into someone else's. It's not like a computer where u drag and drop. there are varying degrees of understanding, all filtered by each indiviual's unique background and and emotional energy they may attribute to the ideas.

But i'm up for the challenge.

Beautiful

Beauty is skin deep. But, ugly goes straight to the bone. Even though I am a guy and I am primarily visually stimulated, true beauty is about what kind of person you are, not how beautiful your looks are. I know some beautiful people, but they are ugly on the inside.

I hope I'm Beautiful.

Follow the Leader

So, thanks to a Mishap involving the Spygame, I havn't been able to access my blog or me Gmail for the last couple weeks! Frustrating!

I found a passage yesterday that really spoke to me...

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.
~Jeremiah 17:9-10

I am learning the art of not "Following my heart", as so many are prone to tell me, but leading my heart. I examine myself. I see the Love, compassion, caring, and goodness, and I nurture it. I see the Poisons of Criticism, Pain, Jealousy, Anger, and Bitterness, and I begin flushing them from my system. I try to take Paul's advice...

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
~Romans 12:1-2

I work at Leading my heart, and renewing my mind. By doing thus, I will better be able to hear, interpret, and understand God's will for my life.

Today

for a while there, every day was like this: I can't wait for today to end, but i'm not ready for tomorrow to get here.

Thankfully, Color is starting to return to the world. I now enjoy the day, and while I eagerly await tomorrow, i'm perfectly content with today being just that...

Today

The Cloud

The stuff that keeps you up late at night worrying about it...

Thats "The cloud"