Thoughts for the new year

I can hardly believe we've reached the end of 2010. I probably say this every year, and every year it seems true. Time continues to flow on- days turn to weeks, weeks to months, and months to years.

This year I will turn 30. This doesn't seem possible. Yet when I think back on my travels, and time with family and friends, it does seem possible. I'm very grateful for the wonderful memories I've made and hope for many more!

Our pastor recently shared this verse from 1 Corinthians 8. "But knowledge puffs up while love builds up."

Truth is a wonderful thing. Proverbs is full of great verses on wisdom. Truth, knowledge and wisdom are important and worth seeking.

But without love, what do they mean? One can know all about God, but unless you know Him and love Him, what have you gained?

Knowledge can also divide. People can interpret words differently; ideas can be divisive.

But love includes, pursues, brings beauty and life. God's love shines into our lives and tells us who we are; it makes life beautiful.

So this year I wish for truth and wisdom, but most importantly I wish to increase my grasp of the height and depth and width of the incredible love of God. May this be your wish also.

Happy New Year!

Routines

When I say the word, "routine" what kinds of feelings come to mind? Mostly positive, or mostly negative?

Most of us have some type of routine. Mine weekday morning routine involves hitting the snooze as long as possible, grabbing a yogurt on the way out the door, checking email at my desk, and making myself a nice hazelnut cappuccino at our coffee machine.

In the evenings, I often I come home from work, make supper, enjoy eating with my husband, and after the dishes are put away- consider what else we want to do with our evening.

When I think about these activities, so often repeated- I'm torn between the charm of the ordinary and the desire for the extraordinary.

There is joy in routines, in knowing what your day holds, in appreciating a hand to hold for prayer before meals and a favorite juice kept stocked in the fridge. There is pleasure to be found in every day life.

But there is also joy in the uniqueness of a day, in new discoveries, in new experiences. Sometimes it seems the mind longs for fresh air to blow in through it's windows.

So, as with many things in life, perhaps the answer lies somewhere in between. The balance of the routine and the new. And the things that are neither habit nor novice, but those that re-inspire our hearts and should thus be given more generous portion of our time.

Rhythms

Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving. We enjoyed mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet bread rolls, and pumpkin pie. The question is...why?

Why every last Thursday in November to we travel to each others houses and eat pumpkin pie and then often follow this large meal with football?

Who made the correlation of mashed potatoes and being thankful? Or football and pilgrims for that matter.

There are many history lessons I imagine one could teach in answering this question. But from the building blocks of history came traditions and cultures of today, sometimes changing form and meaning as time goes on.

We do these things because they are part of our annual rhythms. We know that after the last piece of pie is enjoyed, it's time to pick out the perfect Christmas tree. And there is comfort in these familiar rhythms. After Christmas comes spring with its new life and green trees and warm breezes. And then summer where we can enjoy Fourth of July picnics and trips to the lake. And then soon the cooler breezes will bring anticipation of fall leaves and the long anticipated pumpkin pie.

So here's to the these comforting rhythms and all the warm memories and new laughter they bring. As well as the blessing of each day and the many unexpected joys we receive along the way.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dream

I had a somewhat thought provoking dream last night. It was like a dream within a dream.

Where Jesus came back and all the 'saved' suddenly got wings. They were all excited and flying away, but then there were a few cut scenes that were sad. A wife was getting ready to fly away and then she saw her husband didn't have any wings. It was a sobering realization for her. And a co-worker became very upset with the Christian who hadn't thought to share the path to salvation with her. 'You knew and you didn't tell me?!"

The saved flew up to this huge building/mountain thing overlooking the world and saw all the people still left.

I don't know if this dream was given to me or was just a combination of whatever my brain was processing last night. But it did remind me of a couple things.
1. We should live our lives in such a way that others want to know our God. And we shouldn't be afraid or embarrassed to voice our faith when we feel the Holy Spirit move us.
2. One day God's people are going to leave this world. It seems so abstract and almost surreal now, but one day it will happen. We may not sprout wings. But we will go home. That dream is our hope and will at last be our reality.

"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Turnip Greens

Okay...so I love country music but I keep hearing this song and it's just ridiculous. It's called something like Good Directions and Turnip Greens.

plot- Country boy is eating a pork rind selling turnip greens when a girl with Hollywood plates pulls up and asks for directions. She ends up coming back to him after meeting his Momma and drinking some of her sweet tea.

In order to make this song believable, here are my questions.

1. How hot is this guy?
2. What was in that sweet tea?