how many times can you say 'sun' in one sentence?

some 'food for thought' that i've been chewing since the sunday sermon feast in the book of ecclesiastes...

you can't live 'under the sun' without knowing the God 'above the sun' through Jesus who came 'under the sun' to make this necessary relationship possible.

when you just don't feel like it

... do it, anyways.

let's be honest, my generation, myself included, suffers from a serious epidemic of laziness. it's a dangerous little devil, disguising itself as procrastination, and showing up inconveniently at home, school, and work. his partner in crime is poor work ethic. they go everywhere together. but they always have an excuse, the most popular being: "i just don't feel like it/or i just don't feel up to it." does that get them off the hook? are they excused? i don't thinks so!

frankly, 'how we feel' doesn't matter all the time. we're not always going to want do what we have to do or ought to do. for that reason, we can't live based on our feelings.

it doesn't take a rocket-scientist to figure out that responsibility doesn't always equal pleasure. but it always does equal privilege. think about it. having a family, having a job, having an education, having... anything for that matter, is a privilege. things given to us. things we don't deserve.

granted, responsibility isn't always the most exciting thing in the world. the average person doesn't exclaim, "yippeeeee! it's time to do my homework. i've been craving some textbook reading since the moment i woke up." or "man, i just can't wait to pay my bills!" or "phew, just home from a long day at work, but i can hardly wait to get started on my household chores."

so, what are we to do when doing the dishes and finishing our homework don't give us the thrills? or when serving our families, helping our friends, and ministering to people takes time and energy, both of which are in scarce supply? here's what we are to do - do the dishes, finish our homework, serve our families, help our friends, and minister, anyways!

frankly, all of these things don't require your emotional cooperation to be done. it's called obedience to God. it's called good old-fashioned perseverance. it's called "all things are possible through Christ".

now before you think, i'm advocating a joyless, dutiful, forget-your-dreams, grin-and-bear-it sort of living, i am not. (far from it!) life is a wonderful gift from God, and in Christ, we live it as a beautiful act of sweet surrender and joyful service to Him, Who makes even the mundane meaningful and the impossible, possible. but what i am saying, is that life, these post-fall days, is bound to be monotonous at points. sorry to break it to you, but the alarm clock will not be our most favourite noise, nor the commute to work our favourite ride, nor the ministry easy. some days, you'll feel up to it; other days you won't.

regardless, He calls us to a routine faithfulness, and will provide the ability for the calling. so, let's get going, and get to it in a spirit of prayer. and heed the wise c.s. lewis. "don't bother much about your feelings," or we'll not do much of anything.

morning meditations

school has begun again. and we all know what that means. early mornings, busy days, late nights.

i love to think this though, that our God never sleeps a wink. never ever, ever. He is forever strong and tremendously tireless, always sitting up on His heavenly throne, watching our 'lying down' and 'getting up' and 'going out' on earth.

how about you meditate on that as you gulp down your cuppa caffeine! He is mighty and His well of strength is bottomless. draw from it early in the morning, and it will last you until you return to your pillow, however many hours later.

and the good news, this well of His never runs dry. it is always full up to the top. His brand-new mercies meet us the moment our alarm clock sounds.

dying for a sweetie

I've been on a serious C.S. Lewis kick as of recent, and I predict that it won't be soon over. My nose has been buried in a book of his all week, and let me tell you, the pristine clarity, the profound insight, and the downright truth of the pages 'smell' so good. (No doubt because he derives it from God.)

Yesterday I suddenly wanted to watch Chronicles of Narnia again. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Yes, it was a Friday night. Yes, I am twenty-one. And no, I don't think that was a bad way to spend my one free night of the week. I pretended to be a child, seeing it for the very first time (...which isn't exactly hard to do, considering my degree in teacher education, and an afternoon spent in the children's section at Borders).

Now, I could go on all.day.long. about the Gospel truths so cleverly woven throughout the one hundred and thirty five minutes of sheer imaginative genius that is the world of Narnia; however, I will choose just one line that wedged itself into my memory.

..."for sweeties."

Picture it: The terribly wicked 'queen' has hungry wee Edmund trapped in her icy, dark palace. While he was expecting a room of Turkish delights, he finds himself in a dark, dismal prison with a stale piece of bread. Turns out, she had lied and he was stuck. Edmund was in brutal bondage, for sweeties. He had betrayed his family and all the good in Narnia, all for a box of temporary Turkish delights that weren't even real. Drawn to the dark side by greed; lust proved fatal. And the title of this blog becomes literal.

Sound familiar? Unfortunately, it does. Every day, people on earth are forfeiting life eternal in Christ, for silly, sinful trivialities. Gaining nothing, losing everything. They are 'dying' for a sweetie, when really - the sweetest thing is Christ.

every day this week, on my way to school, i've been listening to a wonderful mix of music. i tell ya, nothing to wake you up and get your day going like a few good songs!

this week i've made a morning tradition of listening to this old hymn, possessing poetry to stir your soul and truths to make you weep.

::::
come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
full of pity, love and pow’r.

[refrain]
i will arise and go to Jesus,
in the arms of my dear Savior,
oh, there are ten thousand charms.

come, ye thirsty, come, and welcome,
God’s free bounty glorify;
true belief and true repentance,
every grace that brings you nigh.

come, ye weary, heavy-laden,
lost and ruined by the fall;
if you tarry till you’re better,
you will never come at all.

view Him prostrate in the garden;
on the ground your Maker lies;
on the bloody tree behold Him;
sinner, will this not suffice?

lo! th’ incarnate God ascended,
pleads the merit of His blood:
venture on Him, venture wholly,
let no other trust intrude.

let not conscience make you linger,
not of fitness fondly dream;
all the fitness He requireth
is to feel your need of Him.
::::
{written by joseph hart, 1759)

sweet serendipity

Encouraged by a recent sermon, called Slow Down, You Move Too Fast, I've been wanting to take the advice to "smell the roses" seriously. My opportunity came today, at the perfect timing. On my walk, I decided to take a new route. Little did I know that clusters and clusters of delicate white roses were a few steps ahead of me, lining a part of the path. I happened upon them, smiled at the surprise, let my nose do its thing, and remembered something Jesus said.

"See how the flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. Now, if that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"

Oh fellow pilgrim on His path, I pass on this to you... smell the roses, and know that He is God.

reality check

today i sat at a pretty park,
and prayed,
"dear Lord,
make me a content with a little,
because even a little is a lot,
when what i deserve is nothing.
in Jesus' name, amen."