• Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 78 other subscribers

  • “Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers” — Isaac Asimov

  • Recent Posts

  • Pages

  • Categories

  • Archives

  • Blog Stats

    • 195,786 hits

What Do You Really Believe?

Posted on May 11, 2009 by auburnchick

I’ve been playing catch-up with my email.  I mean, I receive mail on my phone thanks to the handy-dandy data plan I pay an arm and a leg for but of which I was fully appreciative of this past weekend as I used the GPS to navigate around Jacksonville.  So, I’m not really missing out on important messages.

Because I’m not working today, I thought it would be a good idea to take a peek at the inbox on my computer.  I’ve put off reading a few things, including reminders for bills.

Yeah, I know…I’m just delaying the inevitable, but hey, it’s fun to live in ignorance for a while.

Anyhow, I had quite a few Way of the Master newsletters to read.  I prefer to read these on the computer because videos are always embedded in them…videos I do not want to miss.  I sometimes share them on my blog.

Today I watched a very poignant video.  It’s one that we can all identify with.  First, some background, and then the good stuff.

When I moved to north Florida from, as I like to call it, “Little New York,” (i.e. south Florida), I could hardly contain my excitement.  I knew that I would finally be surrounded by other active Christians.  When we looked at houses, I was touched by the crosses and Bibles clearly visible.

Over the last six years since we’ve moved back, I’ve discovered that there are just as many lost people here as there were down south.

Huh?

Oh, a lot more people attend church regularly here.  I mean, this is the Bible Belt.  BUT, merely attending church does not mean that one is a follower of Christ (as my Wednesday night Bible study leader is fond of calling Christians).  As I’ve had conversations with people, I’ve learned not to assume that they understand exactly what being “saved” entails.

Following Jesus means first recognizing yourself in need of a Savior.  It’s a humbling experience as you discover your status as a sinner, condemned to Hell.  But what a wonderful first step!  And then to understand that someone already paid the price for your sins!

Wow!

But a warning should be inserted here.  This decision should not come as the culmination of some emotional frenzy experienced at a revival or whatnot.  You have to understand the decision you’re making.

Last Wednesday night, my Bible study leader shared how, at the tender age of 18, as a new arrival at college and away from a Jewish home where organized religion was not practiced, she began attending church and started examining her heart, giving serious consideration to the life change she was about to make.

Huh?  As I sat there, my jaw slowly dropped open, and my eyes grew wide.  That an 18 year old would be so mature as to do that kind of thinking.  I was not that mature at that age.

As we studied Luke 14, we read a parable about a builder taking into account the cost to erect a tower, and a king understanding the foe he was about to do battle with and the cost to his troops.

My leader’s testimony gave me pause.  What about my own “conversion.”  Was it real?  I’m not so sure, but I do know that in the time since then (especially in the last few years), my relationship with God has deepened, and I have, in fact, had a real conversion…one not based on emotion but one of humbleness, gratefulness, and purpose.

Take a look at this video.  Does it sound like you?  Do you encounter people like this?  How do you handle it?

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

When I Think of You

Posted on May 6, 2009 by auburnchick

Ok…so in my previous post, I talked about the wrong song!  I do like the one I posted before, but it’s not the one I was listening to in the car last night!

Here’s the one that really gets your toes tapping (am I sounding my age now?).  It’s another Michael W. Smith song, from the same CD.  It’s called When I Think of You.

I’m posting two clips.  The first one is the song in its entirety, but I urge you to also watch the second clip.  It’s shorter, but you’ll see him singing on stage with the African Children’s Choir.  It’s a fabulous organization and one I’ve been privileged to see in person.  The children are adorable.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a comment »

A New Hallelujah

Posted on May 6, 2009 by auburnchick

Last night I had a Prayer Shawl Ministry meeting at church.  During the drive, I popped in a new CD that Rooster bought me for my birthday.  It’s Michael W. Smith’s A New Hallelujah, and it’s fabulous!

This song, in particular, lifted my spirit and put me in a great mood to meet with the other ladies and, essentially, have what I imagine to be a “Knit Night.”  We chatted as we worked on our shawls and prayed over one in particular.  This shawl will be delivered in the next few days.

I hope you enjoy the song.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , | 3 Comments »

Thinking Ahead for a Change

Posted on May 5, 2009 by auburnchick

If you are my mom or mother-in-law, stop reading this…NOW.

Now that I’ve taken care of the first round of business…

I’m quite proud of myself.  I didn’t work today…issues with my lower back have left me extremely uncomfortable.  I’m taking it easy, for the most part, but I’ve had a few things to do the last couple of days.  Today, I was all about prepping for Mother’s Day.

The first thing I did was go hunting for a coupon for my local Christian bookstore.  If you have a Family Christian Store near you, click on this link for a 25% coupon (good on sale items too!).   I printed it and tucked it into my purse.

Now, I’ve gotta tell you that I love the Christian bookstore.  Oh my goodness.  I was there yesterday on a quest for a new family devotional book.  I bought this one:

We have twelve more days of our other book before we get to start this one.  I can’t wait!

Because I was 100% focused on finding a book, I never even gave thought to Mother’s Day.

Until today.

When I entered the store, I began by looking at the cards.  Picking one out for the Mr.’s mom was easy.  She’s always been a big part of our lives..less so as the kids have gotten older but present, none-the-less.

Picking out a card for my mom was an entirely different story.  She and I have never been close.  We had some serious issues in the past that created a chasm almost as wide as the Grand Canyon.  Despite that, I feel it my duty to honor her.  The problem is that the cards I read expressed feelings I do not have for her.

Ugh.

I don’t know if any of you face the same predicament on holidays like this one.

I am not a fake person at all.  What you see is what you get with me.  If I don’t feel it, I won’t pretend it.

Period.

Guess I have sealed my fate as far as winning an Oscar goes, eh?

I finally managed to find a card that more accurately reflected my thoughts.

I also saw a lovely card for my sister.  I don’t normally buy her a card on Mother’s Day, but this one was just perfect.  We’re three years apart and have shared a lot over the years.

With the task of selecting cards all finished, I turned to finding small gifts to send to each mom.  What a job!  I just wanted a little something little, if you know what I mean.

Round and round that little store I went, until my eyes lit on this:

At first I thought, “Oh no, not another mug.”  But as I looked at it, I was really drawn to the colors and the verse on it.  It’s a cup I would love to drink tea or hot chocolate from.

So, I got two and paid for them, along with the cards.

Mission accomplished.

When I got home, I pulled out a few bags of Peppermint Tea.  I’ll put these inside the cups and package everything for mailing tomorrow.

Although it’s not exactly thinking way, far ahead, it was thinking, which is more than I’ve done the last few years.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Pray for Our Teenagers

Posted on April 29, 2009 by auburnchick

There are times when working with kids simply breaks my heart.

Having students trust you enough to tell you about the stuff that’s going on in their lives is a mixed blessing.  You get to hear the good stuff, but the flip side is the bad that accompanies each life story.

Today I spent about 30 minutes talking to a young man whose girlfriend is pregnant for the third time.  They’ve been dating since 6th grade.  She’s miscarried twice.  He’s been the father all three times.  He’s excited to be a father, even telling me that he’s ready.  I asked if he would be supporting her financially.

“Of course,” he said, “Me and my dad.”

Did your jaw just drop open?

Yeah, so did mine…at least in my mind, as I somehow managed to maintain my composure.

I asked him if he attends church, and he responded in the affirmative.  I then asked him if he reads his Bible regularly.

Here is where he hemmed and hawed.

It was an interesting conversation.  I was very careful not to come across as judgmental.  Everything I said came from a sincere heart filled with concern for where he’s going to spend eternity.

As we talked, I grew to understand that he’s very aware of the choices he’s making, and he knows they are wrong.

I asked if he planned on marrying his girlfriend.  He said maybe this summer.  Meanwhile, they are gonna keep doing what they’re doing.

Sigh…

My heart is sad because he’s not the only young person living this way.  He pointed out a girl in the class who is several months pregnant.  She and his girlfriend are seeing the same OBGYN.  The doctor told the other girl that having sex while pregnant is good for the baby…and this in front of the student’s mom who had just remarked to her daughter that she should stop having sex now that she was pregnant.

What kind of world are we living in where this kind of thing is the norm?

I tried to share God’s Word with him, but I got stuck.  He knows he’s guilty of breaking God’s Law, but he doesn’t seem to care a whole lot.  I’m going to be praying for him, and I’d like you to pray for him, as well as the other young people in the world.  How do we reach them?  We can’t force them to repent.  All we can do is present the Law to them and then pray.

Still, it makes me sad.

Interestingly enough, I heard Toby Mac’s song, “Lose My Soul” on the way to Bible study tonight.  This world is focused on the here and now.  People don’t realize what they are giving up when they seek instant, earthly gratification.  We are all guilty of this, to various degrees.

As you listen to the song, scroll down and follow along with the words I’ve included.  As I sit here and watch American Idol, the lyrics hit home.  How many people watch this show each week (me included)?  What a high value we place on earthly status, when we should be concerned for where we and others will be when this world passes away.

On to the song!

Man I wanna tell ya’ll something, Man.
Man I’m not gonna let these material thing’s, get in my way, ya’ll.
I’m trying to get somewhere.
I’m trying to get somewhere,
Thats real and pure and true and eternal.

Father God, I am clay in your hands,
Help me to stay that way through all life’s demands,
‘Cause they chip and they nag and they pull at me,
And every little thing I make up my mind to be,
Like I’m gonna be a daddy whose in the mix,
And I’m gonna be a husband who stays legit,
And I pray that I’m an artist who rises above,
The road that is wide and filled with self love,
Everything that I see draws me,
Though it’s only in You that I can truly see that its a feast for the eyes- a low blow to purpose.
And I’m a little kid at a three ring circus.

I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.

(Mr. Franklin, Step up to the mic sir)

The paparazzi flashes, and that they think that it’s you,
But they don’t know that who you are is not what you do,
True, we get it twisted when we peak at the charts,
Yo before we part from the start,
Where’s your heart?
You a pimp, hustler?
Tell me what’s your title,
America has no more stars, now we call them idols,
You sit idle, While we teach prosperity,
The first thing to prosper should be inside of me.
We’re free…
Not because of 22’s on the range,
But Christ came in range, we said yes now we changed,
Not the same, even though I made a fall,
Since I got that call, no more Saul, now I’m Paul.
(YEP!)

I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.
Don’t wanna walk away,
Don’t wanna walk away

How do I sense the tide that’s rising?
De-sensitizing me from living in light of eternity,
How do I sense the tide that’s rising?
It’s hypnotizing me from living in light of eternity,
How do I sense the tide that’s rising?
De-sensitizing me from living in light of eternity.

(Lord what we gon do,We’re relying on you,
all eyes are on you Lord,
all eyes are on you, all eyes are on you Jesus.)

I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.
(Don’t let me lose my soul, my soul.)
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
(This is my honesty, Father, won’t you cover me.)
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
(Don’t wanna walk away, and all those people say)
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
(Don’t wanna lose, I don’t wanna lose my soul.)

Lord forgive us when we get consumed by the things of this world,
That fight for our love, and our passion,
As our eyes are open wide and on you.
Grant us the privilege of your world view,
And may your kingdom be, what wakes us up, and lays us down.

(Hallelujah, Don’t wanna lose our soul,
No, Don’t wanna lose my soul.)

Hey excuse me,
I’m looking or the after party,
Toby,
Haha, yeah, last door on the left, you’ll hear it.
Thanks,
No problem.

Don’t let me lose my soul, I never wanna walk away,
I don’t wanna lose my soul,
No, no, no.
Don’t let me, don’t let me, lose my soul,
I don’t wanna walk away,
Don’t let me walk away,
Na na na na no,
Don’t let me lose, my soul,
I’m never gonna walk away.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , , , | 3 Comments »

Jesus Messiah

Posted on April 26, 2009 by auburnchick

I love Sundays.  Especially the music at church.  I know I’m probably starting to sound like a broken record, but I can’t help it.  There is such joy in these songs…especially for a Christian.

For me, there’s often sadness as I think about my friends who may not have a personal relationship with God.  I want so badly to share with them, but I don’t want to preach.  I often find myself in tears while I’m singing…both out of thankfulness for God’s gift, but also from the knowledge that others are so lost.

The song below is a wonderful synopsis of Christ’s work on the cross.  The words are provided underneath the video.

Jesus Messiah

He became sin
Who knew no sin
That we might become His Righteousness
He humbled himself and carried the cross

Love so amazing
Love so amazing

(Chorus)
Jesus Messiah
Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer
Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners
The ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all

His body the bread
His blood the wine
Broken and poured out all for love
The whole earth trembled
And the veil was torn

(Chorus)

All I hope is in You
All I hope is in You
All the glory to You, God
The light of the world

(Chorus)

There is so much symbolism in the verses above.  In Old Testament times, before Christ, God demanded the sacrifice of unblemished animals.  Their innocent blood was the sign that the people’s sin had been atoned for.  Jesus’ body was broken (i.e. he was beaten) and his blood spilled out.  An innocent sacrifice to atone for the sins of all.

The veil being torn in two refers to the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies in the Temple.  Nobody but the high priest was allowed behind this curtain, and even He only entered one time a year after a time of purification.  That curtain symbolized the separation that existed between God and man.

At the moment Jesus died, there was an earthquake, and the veil was torn from top to bottom.  Jesus had paid the price and freed mankind to enter into a personal relationship with the Father.

I looked up the definition for “ransom,” and my dictionary says:

a. The release of property or a person in return for payment of a demanded price.
b. The price or payment demanded or paid for such release.
Jesus was our ransom for the price demanded for our sin.  Jesus was the only one who could be the ransom because He was completely innocent of sin.

You know…I almost think I could have gone home after singing this song.  It was a lesson in itself.

Jesus was the Messiah that the Jews were looking forward to all along.

God is SO good!

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

A Brave Stand

Posted on April 22, 2009 by auburnchick

Tonight at Bible Study, we discussed the 13th chapter of Luke.  In verses 22-30, Jesus instructs His listeners to, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door because many will try to enter and will not be able to…”

What does this mean?

Well, for one, it means not following the crowd – not conforming to the world.

One of the gals in my study mentioned the recent Miss USA pagent and the to-do with Miss California’s final question.  Here is a clip, in case you missed it:

Now, a little background is in order.

Carrie Prejean (aka Miss California) was raised in a Christian home and attends San Diego Christian College.  Although she hails from a state that has become known as one of the most liberal in our country, she had the courage to do her own thing and make a stand for truth.

Kudos to her for not compromising her values for the sake of a temporary crown.  Surely God will grace her with a permanent one in heaven.  By answering the question the way she did, I’m sure she’ll have a few extra jewels in it to boot.  Her crown will never tarnish.

It is my prayer that her example will inspire other Christians to stand up for their beliefs in whatever situation they might face.  Her’s was one of the most public you can find, and yet she did not waver.

What a testimony!

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Transparency

Posted on April 15, 2009 by auburnchick

I just got back from my Wednesday night Bible study.  I do so enjoy these evenings, even if, quite honestly, there are days when I’d rather be lazy and sit at home.  Now that Chicky drives, it can be difficult to extricate myself from the couch cushions.  Yeah, it’s nice to have a child who drives.

God is so good, though, and always rewards my obedience and desire to learn more about Him.

Tonight, we continued our two-week discussion of The Shack.  We discussed the typical arguments made by other reviewers.  How theologically correct is it?  Can it lead people astray by less-than-clear dialogue?

What I love about our group is the range of perspectives and life experiences we all bring to the table.  I always walk away from these get-togethers with a fresh outlook.

Tonight, we got into a discussion about how people are turned off by “Christianity” and the church.  Often, this comes as a result of so-called “Christians” and their duplicity and seeming “goodness.”

Maybe you’ve encountered people who seemed to have their act completely together…always sporting a smile and an air of “all is right with the world.”  This may have made you feel like you didn’t belong in church because you weren’t good enough.

How can we combat this?  The ladies in my group agreed that Christians need to be transparent…show our vulnerability.  We shouldn’t be afraid about admitting that maybe our day is kind of crappy (we didn’t use this exact word), and no, everything is not hunky-dory.

By not elevating ourselves above the rest of the world, we acknowledge that we are just as bad off as everyone else.  We lose our jobs, and we worry about paying the bills.  We argue with our kids, and we might even – gasp – raise our voices and yell hysterically at them.  And yes, we yell at traffic and the slow drivers ahead of us (some people should not be issued licenses).

We’re human.

By living our lives as an open book, we make ourselves approachable, which creates opportunities for relationships to develop…which can ultimately lead to a presentation of the gospel.

It is my prayer that my blog…my public diary, is as transparent as if I were talking to you face-to-face.  I pray that as you see my life unfold here (and I don’t hold much back), it will ultimately point the way back to God.  I am not perfect, and I don’t lead an idyll life.  Yes, I have been richly blessed, and I thank the Lord every day for this undeserved graciousness.  But even in the midst of the struggles I face, everything ultimately boils down to the fact that I DO have a relationship with the Lord, and it’s because of that relationship that I’m still able to praise God at the end of each day.

It is my sincerest desire that if you don’t currently attend church or have strayed, you will return.  Or maybe you’ll just start by opening a Bible and reading a few verses every night.

We do not have to be perfect to come to God.  In fact, it’s because of our imperfection that we CAN and MUST come to Him.  He’s not going to thumb his nose at you.  In fact, He’ll welcome you with open arms.  Nor will the people at church thumb their noses at you…not if it’s a Christ-centered church.  They, too, will welcome you with open arms.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

The Law and Love

Posted on April 13, 2009 by auburnchick

I wanted to follow up on yesterday’s “Hosanna” post.

Barb commented that love should be what draws us to the cross.  I have to say that I agree; however, I believe, and the Bible teaches, that the Law is what makes known sin (Romans 7:7).  Only then, can one understand the magnitude of the gift, born of love, that God provided.

To quote Ray Comfort, in his book School of Biblical Evangelism (pgs 13-14):

The Bible says in Psalm 19:7, “The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.” Scripture makes it very clear that it is the Law that actually converts the soul.  To illustrate the function of God’s Law, let’s look for a moment at civil law.  Imagine if I said to you, “I’ve got some good news for you:  someone has just paid a $25,000 speeding fine on your behalf.”  You’d probably react by saying, “What are you talking about? That’s not good news-it doesn’t make sense.  I don’t have a $25,000 speeding fine.”  My good news wouldn’t be good news to you; it would seem foolishness.  But more than that, it would be offensive to you, because I’m insinuating you’ve broken the law when you don’t think you have.

However, if I put it this way, it may make more sense:  “While you were out today, the law clocked you going 55 miles an hour through an area set aside for a blind children’s convention.  There were ten clear warning signs stating that fifteen miles an hour was the maximum speed, but you went straight through at 55 miles an hour.  What you did was extremely dangerous; there’s a $25,000 fine.  The law was about to take its course, when someone you don’t even know stepped in and paid the fine for you.  You are very fortunate.”

Can you see that telling you precisely what you’ve done wrong first actually enables the good news to make sense?  If I don’t clearly bring understanding that you’ve violated the law, then the good news will seem foolishness and offensive.  But once you understand that you’ve broken the law, then that good news will become good news indeed.

Several years ago, I became convicted that perhaps my conversion, as well as that of my children (they “asked Jesus into their hearts” at a young age) was false.  How could my children, at the tender age of five or six, truly comprehend the nature of sin?  Sure, they knew when they’d misbehaved, but to understand it according to God’s Word…that’s a totally different kind of knowledge.

Only God knows their hearts, and I pray constantly for them as well as others I come into contact with.

I desperately want people to understand the nature of the grace that God bestowed upon us when Jesus took our place on the cross.  To do that, they must be convicted of their sin.  We are not good people.  We have sin in our hearts from the moment we’re born.  You don’t have to teach children to misbehave.  They do it naturally.  You don’t have to teach people how to sin.  We do it naturally.  Sin has a consequence.  The Jews knew this…way before Jesus fulfilled the prophecy.  God demanded payment…even back then.  They brought forth their sacrifices to atone for their sins.  Even back then, before the death of the Savior, blood had to be exacted as payment.

The sacrificial slaughter of animals was a precursor to the One who would ultimately stand in place of all of mankind.  The Jews looked forward to the Savior that WAS to come, and we look backward to the Savior who DID come.

An amazing gift, born of love, but given because of the Law that will be used as the measuring stick.  We are all guilty.  We will ALL be held accountable

I am so glad I don’t have to pay the price.

Hosanna!

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

Getting Into the Book

Posted on April 13, 2009 by auburnchick

Today is a non-working day for me.  In other words, I didn’t get called to sub.  Actually, the subbing job I had lined up got canceled.

No, I didn’t sleep in.  I got up at 5:45, showered, and dressed…just in case a last-minute call did come in.  The kids and I resumed our regular routine of devotions.  Last week, they went to church bright and early every morning for a special week of Easter services.

When they left for school, I still had not receive a call, so I decided to go ahead and get started with my day…hitting Sam’s Club and Target early.  The dogs will be happy that they will be eating a full cup of food tonight.  This morning, Pele scarfed down his 1/2 cup and looked at me like the world was ending.

When I got home, I decided to listen to the latest Revive Our Hearts program.  Nancy Leigh DeMoss has a daily radio program.

Today was a treat!  Kay Arthur was a guest speaker, and what she discussed truly touched my heart.  Today’s topic is titled “Getting Into the Book.”  Kay discusses the importance of digging deeply into God’s Word, and she gives a basic lesson on the Inductive Study Method.

My prayer is that you will open up your Bible…dust it off if necessary…we’ve all been there, after all…and start reading.  Take your time, and utilize some of the tips that Kay suggests.  I’ve inadvertently been doing this recently and have seen my hunger and understanding grow.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

« Previous Page — Next Page »
  • January 2026
    S M T W T F S
     123
    45678910
    11121314151617
    18192021222324
    25262728293031

  • Currently Reading

  • Books I’ve Read