A Relationship with Christ

Yesterday I had the privilege of hearing one of the most influential sermons by my pastor, that I think I have ever heard. This sermon was titled "Toxic Religion". Now for some this could be a very offensive message, but I do not think that was Pastor Craig's intention at all. In fact, the reason I loved it so much was because of the way Pastor Craig approached it. He gave the very literal meaning of religion-returning to bondage and the very literal meaning of Christianity-a relationship with Christ. He then painted the picture of what Christ did.

Christ did not die on the cross for bondage. Christ died on the cross for freedom. The law was not created for restriction. The law was created for us to see our need for a savior. There is absolutely no way to earn your way to heaven. It doesn't matter how much money you give, if you go to church every sunday, or if you never take a sip of alcohol. God doesn't use those things to determine your eligibility for heaven. He only cares about your heart and your faith. God just wants you to know him and love him. The laws and boundaries set by religion are man-made interpretations of what earns God's love. Nothing can earn God's love. God's love was given a long, long time ago when he gave his only son, Jesus. That means that no matter what you have done in your life and nothing you do now will ever change the way he feels about you.

Now just to be honest, I will tell you the reason this sermon influenced me so much. Just like anyone else, I want eternal life. At the end of my time here on this earth, I want to go home to my Father in heaven. Therefore, I will admit that I am just as guilty as the next person of believing that I can "earn" my way to heaven. I tend to fall into that trap of believing if I do all the right things I will make it. I even admitted to Zeb last night that sometimes I feel like God is keeping a running tally of my mistakes and once I hit that number, my chance of seeing heaven is gone. So this sermon was a reminder to me. I am human. I make mistakes, just like the next person. I will never be perfect, but as long as I am striving for God and putting my faith in him he will see my heart. I may not be a good person in my actions, but I am forgiven by my savior. I need a savior.

This blog entry does not even begin to give justice to the message that Craig gave yesterday. I would encourage you to watch it yourself. Just go to lifechurch.tv and see when the next live experience will be. It will show until Friday. After that you can always find it in the Archives. It will only take about 40 minutes of your day...and you never know, God might just speak to you the way he did to me.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us"-Romans 5:8

The Beauty of Fall

This morning I thanked God for one of the most beautiful mornings we have seen in days. It got all the way down to 50 degrees and when I walked outside something came over me. I was immediately thrown into the fall.

The fall holds a special place in my heart. The first time that I ever truly remember experiencing fall was my first year away from home at NAU. Flagstaff offers a much cooler and prettier Fall than Phoenix. Fall marks the beginning of many new things in my life. Fall means that Starbucks will soon have their Pumpkin Spice Latte again. Fall takes me back to many conversations with a very sweet and loyal friend, Summer Burke. Fall is also her favorite season. The Fall makes me warm inside when I think of the many holidays to come over the next few months that offer time with friends and family over yummy food. Fall is the season for football, which I have gained a greater appreciation for over the last two years. Fall is a special time with special meaning.

Now, I know Oklahoma was only teasing me this morning when it overwhelmed me with the feeling of Fall. There is still some time left before we start to see the leaves change and the air feel crisper, but I enjoyed getting lost in the thoughts on my way to work this morning. It is true what my friend Katy said, "God showed off when he made today". Take a moment to say thanks and prepare for the sweet beginnings that this fall will offer.

Lemons and Sugar

I don't know if the Academic world of workers is unique, but since it is close to all I have ever experienced I would say it is. Surely not every job place in America thinks the world revolves around them. Please do not tell me that there are people that "think" they are absurdly important all over this country. I would like to believe that Academia is the only place you would find this many "important" people. Although I may be living in a fantasy world.

To deter from the cynical attitude that is being exhibited in the previous paragraph I will say this. I admire people that are humble to the core. I find true joy in those that find true joy in the things that really matter. I enjoy the company of those that are not caught up in the materialistic, prideful, dog eat dog world that we live in today. You know who I am talking about.

The people that I admire know that relationships are one of the most important things God ever gave us to participate in. These people put value in a phone call from a long distance friend or family member rather than the next book or article they will publish. These people spend precious moments in the evenings and on weekends with their loved ones rather than long hours working up their next plan for employee of the year. These people work hard at very different things that will last a lifetime instead of the things that will last through the next awards banquet. These people are rare.

In my fantasy world I would like to believe that these people are becoming the trend. I would like to believe that we would spend more time investing in our children of the future instead of ourselves and our future. I would like to think that people want to change the dark track this world is on. With more choices and freedom than ever before, the world has become more about me and less about you. How is it possible that the people of today have the highest depression rate, have the most to complain about, but have more options with the goal of satisfaction than our ancestors ever had? I am truly puzzled by this.

I know this particular blog entry has drifted quite a bit from my initial goal when I started this blog almost a month ago. I know it is not quite wrapped around the sweet beginnings that my title leads on. Today though, I felt stimulated in a different way. I felt compelled to briefly touch on some very sour topics that rule my world on almost a daily basis. Therefore, my inspiring thought to you today is to find the sweet among the overwhelming sour taste.

When life throws you lemons...make some lemonade!

A Hasting Kind of Day

A hastings kind of a day....those were the only words I had to say to Zeb on Sunday for him to know exactly how we would be spending our afternoon. Those words meant that we would spend the afternoon immersed in books with the faint smell of coffee in the background. In reality, I would spend my time strolling through aisles of magazines and books until I had picked up so many that my arms might fall off. Then, I would find two chairs for Zeb and I to lounge in. I would read and he would nap. Occasionally I would interrupt his sleep with something cool and interesting for him to see! I love our Hastings days!

Those days remind me of my days in Arizona. I remember going to Barnes & Noble with my sisters and being given a time limit. They would tell me, "Ok Sasha you have 30 minutes and then we are leaving". I always convinced them to stay longer, but it was always fun! They would laugh at me because I would be so entertained by the tons and tons of books. I used to wish I had the power to speed read just to absorb the information from all the books that caught my interest. I miss those days with my amazing sisters!

I couldn't tell you exactly what it is about the book stores that I love so much. Maybe it's the smell of all the printed pages that were put together by brilliant writers world wide. Maybe it's the mystery of all the information in one central location. Maybe it is just the relaxing feeling that is felt when entering a book store. I will tell you this though, I know that I love the stimulation that comes from those days in the book stores. Briefing books and pondering the thoughts that were read stimulate my mind. I would compare it to the way a photographer feels in a dark room, an artist in front of a blank canvas, a musician with a guitar, a barista with a coffee cup. These things stimulate their mind to create something beautiful. I am not sure what my Hastings days will create or whether it will ever be anything beautiful, so for now I will just continue to enjoy the creations of others. Books, Coffee, and time well spent with a very special person.

A Special Thanks!

Yesterday Zeb and I had dinner with Kali and Pat Bell. They invited us over to their new apartment. They were recently married in May and have truly been taking in the married life and all that it is. For a little background, I met Kali just over a year ago when I was transferring over to my new residence hall. She was going to be my programming assistant for the year. I never knew that through being her supervisor that we would grow so close and that one year later I would gladly call her my friend and sister in Christ!

I had such a good time with these two last night. Pat cooked yummy grilled shrimp, asparagus, and potatoes. Kali made a delicious apple dump cake for desert! We sat for two and a half hours around their cute little handmade table and truly just enjoyed the company of each other. We talked about life, love, God, and more life. I think quite honestly Kali and I did majority of the talking, but the boys added in their piece from time to time. We laughed A LOT! We discussed things that didn't make sense to any of us, we talked about the hopes of our futures, but more than anything we just took in the beauty of fellowship.

It might seem weird to you that I would write a blog particularly about the time I spent with my loved one and another couple. It might seem weird that I would focus on details that seem so minor. These details, though, are the very reason for this blog. Today, so many of us are focused on the busy of life. It is always, busy this, busy that. There is not time for relaxed conversations. There is not time for meaningful relationships. Everyone, myself included, is so worried about selfish desires and interests. We would assume turn to technology and tv, rather than pour into the lives of human beings. Last night we were able to do the exact opposite of all of that though. We were able to just relax and engulf ourselves in the conversations of one another's lives. This was a night well spent.

Finally, I would just like to say thanks to the Bell's. Thank you for being such a humble couple. Thank you for painting a picture of what a good christian couple could and should look like. Thank you for your love and the time you invest in so many people to live purposeful, selfless lives. Most importantly, thanks for the food and good company!

P.S. if you enjoy blog reading check theirs out too! http://www.patrickandkali.blogspot.com/

Agape

Agape stands for unconditional love. It is the third kind of love that one should experience in a marriage. It is love no matter what. It is love under any circumstance. It is love at any cost. It is love like what this video shows above.

Have you experienced his love?

Expectations

I read a blog today of one of my very best friends who is traveling the world right now to show love to people every where for the Kingdom of God. In this blog she made some very interesting comments that just hit me point blank. Expectations. She talked about the expectations that she and the team had when entering Haiti. She talked of how they expected to see hurt, pain, poverty, and more. She talked of how they expected to go in on a relief mission. Only, when they got there they saw so much more. They saw hope and redemption. They saw happiness and love. They saw everything they expected, but then saw the power of God working unbelievably. They weren't there on a relief mission at all.

Now, I have yet to go on a mission trip in my adult life. Therefore, I live vicariously through my friends who have done so or are doing so now. Every time I have a friend go on a mission trip I follow their blog obsessively. I want to know their every move and influence. I want to experience what they are experiencing. I love reading about the work they are doing and the miracles that God is performing. It is a beautiful and humbling experience.

Now back to the point of this blog. Tara talked about how their expectations were completely misguided. They were guided by their own thoughts and hearts. They were not guided by God's plans or heart. The reason this impacted me so much is because I can relate. So many times in my life I find myself following my own heart. I find myself trying to figure out what it is that I am suppose to do. Far too often do I rely on my own expectations and plan rather than the plan of God. Tara's blog served as a challenge for me today. I want to challenge myself to enter situations with God in mind. I want to put my own fears aside and look at the reason that God has put me in this position at this time in my life. I want to challenge you to do the same.

What has God put in your life that requires relying on him instead of yourself?

"For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death."-Psalm 48:14

The Theme of the Week...Making the Old, New again!

As I mentioned earlier this week, I have this love for antiques. Almost 2 months ago I ventured into the local antique store and found the vanity I have always dreamed of! It was perfect. I wanted so bad to take it home with me that day, but as my budget flashed through my mind I decided that probably woudn't be the wisest choice. The one pictured above is probably the closest image I could provide to give you an idea of what I am talking about. I just love the idea of sitting at my vanity preparing for the day ahead.

I think the initial thing that led to my love for vanities was when I was a kid. My mom had one. It didn't look like the one above, but you get the idea. The memory that I love the most though is watching my favorite movie, The Secret Garden. There is a vanity on there at the beginning before the fire happens. That vanity is always a reminder of what I hope to have one day. The Secret Garden is an excellent movie by the way if you haven't seen it.

When I went back to the antique store about three weeks ago, the vanity was gone. Someone else had gotten my Secret Garden vanity. I will just have to wait until that perfect vanity comes back into my life again and when it does, I promise I will be like a kid at a candy store!

Words from the Wise

I am one of those people that loves advice. I am enthusiastic about receiving wise words from anyone willing to give them...especially old people. When I say old people I mean that in the most delicate way. I would venture to say that most people over the age of 60 are the wisest of them all. This could possibly be because they have lived the longest and just have a really good idea of what life is all about. Regardless of what it is that makes them so insightful, I admire them and their knowledge. I seek it out and sometimes almost to the point that I probably look like a crazy person!

So what exactly has taken me down this path of cherishing sharp knowledge from the elderly today? Well if you must know, it started with a book that Zeb and I stumbled across at Walgreens. We were roaming and just happened to find ourselves staring at the books. I picked up the book titled, "A Love That Lasts". This is a compilation of stories from couples that have been married over 50 years and the best advice they can give. JACKPOT!! This is the perfect reading material to buy, read, read again, and hold onto for life. I mean I may not be married, but there is something to take away from this book for just about any significant relationship in your life. I was so happy as well when I found that Zeb was just as excited to purchase and read it as I was, and if he wasn't he put on a pretty good show!

We have gotten through about 3/4 of the book and it is fabulous! We sat and read it together which made it all the more enjoyable. We laughed at some of the stories and related to even more. We took away some great notes and things to remember when we are down right angry with eachother. It was quite the bonding experience as well. So, I will leave you with some secrets from the book that were my favorite(obviously I couldn't tell you the stories, so you will have to interpret them in your own way) and with one piece of advice of my own.

1. Don't assume the "I Love You's"

2. Spend your efforts looking for ways to strengthen your marriage, not for escape hatches

3. Flexibility: It's not just for your joints and muscles

4. Don't just be lovers, be friends

5. Make your marriage better tomorrow than it is today (this is good advice, I don't care who you are)

6. Share a spiritual journey

And my own insight: Show love first, it would be almost impossible not to get it back. :)

"My command is this: Love eachother as I have loved you"-John 15:12

P.S. Thanks for loving me Zeb. ♥

Your Trash is my Treasure

I woke up bright and early Saturday morning for one of two reasons. I was either going to run in hopes of ending my lazy streak or go wandering around town at garage sales. You could probably imagine the difficulty in making this decision, shop or exercise? Well, as expected I chose to shop. I texted Zeb at 7 am to tell him to hurry over so we could get started, time was ticking and I was sure garage sale enthusiasts were well ahead of me! I jotted down six addresses and waited in anticipation.

You see garage sales are simple. They offer the opportunity to appreciate something that someone else no longer appreciates. In a world where the latest new iphone or high tech computer is constantly in demand, I find it thrilling when I can make use of the old. This has been a theme lately. I literally spent hours in an antique shop just a few weeks ago. There is just something so refreshing about wandering among aisles of stuff older than I am! It offers a sense of nostalgia and futuristic optimism all in one. I love to imagine what it would have been like to live in the 50's or 40's when this or that was new and all the rave! I yearn for the simplicity of the past.

I couldn't help but wonder what I would find during that trip on Saturday. The original nintendo? The golden books? A VHS player? I wanted something familiar. I wanted something to remind me that the past was not too far off. So as I had hoped, I got just that. After 6 houses and about 30 miles covered, I found just what I needed to leave me on a good note for the day. I found a collection of Sonic-drive in glasses. I was immediately thrown into my childhood. I purchased two for 20 cents and went about my day gleaming with happiness. Your trash became my treasure.

Simplicity is beautiful...especially for 20 cents.