Why does it seem that the rain always comes when it is not needed and the sun never comes out when we want it?

Heaven and the Shower??

As part of our lives, we all (in general) take showers, but there is something that particularly come to mind for me as I was taking mine yesterday. After cleaning myself and having washed my hair and turned off the faucet, I came to a question. Is heaven like a long shower that we stay in? I ask you to please try and follow me as I try to explain myself. See, when we are outside of the shower, we get dirty, sweaty and start to smell (hence the reason for having a shower). We might also use the shower to relax a bit more and be able to take time for ourselves to breathe from the stresses of life around us. Yet, once we hop in that shower, we start to clean off our dirt body and start to relax from the strain of life. We start feeling a lot more like ourselves. We are also exposed as who we are in the shower with nothing to hide and are at peace with that in a warm, greenhouse like environment.

However, there is a problem, as I figured out once I was done my shower. We need to get back out of the shower and get dirty or stressed out by the world again. We need to get out of our warm climate where we are fully exposed and relax to face a world that is cold and where we often at times hide who we really are. We feel self conscious and dirty by some of the things we have done for ourselves in our life or things we have done just to survive.

Despite the harshness of the world, we need to take time to get cleansed from the stuff going on in our life. This is where I see the heaven scenario coming out in this perspective/analogy. Time to take these stressors and dirty that we have piled up and give them to Jesus to clean us and make us look and feel new. Throughout our life we have small shower times, in these times we are fully exposed to Jesus of who we are and then He does something when we surrender to Him. We are cleaned by Christ's righteousness, blood, and resurrection in which He takes away the sins in our lives and helps us in time of trouble. It is noted in Revelations 22 that heaven is a place where sin will no longer be around and where we will be perfectly clean from everything that has happened. Which leads me to my question...

Is heaven going to be like a shower that we stay in for the rest of our eternal lives?

I would think so....

Tis the Season...

Well, it is that time again. The time of hustle and bustling of crowds in the store, looking for that perfect gift for that special someone. A time of reflection and connection with others around you and sharing the great Christmas Spirit. But what does that term 'Christmas Spirit' really mean? Is it something that we have as a society have forgotten, do not understand, or have simply ignored all together?

Lately I have been stretched in looking more in depth as to what this 'Spirit' really is, through the difficulties that my father has been experiencing medically this week. In this past week I have been looking in the actual act of being there for a family member for support as a means of spreading the Christmas Spirit. We, often look to the presents or the blessings of gifts in this season as a means of spreading the Spirit of Christmas. Yet is there something more that we have not recognized?

I have herd from different people as to what is the one thing that they are not looking forward at Christmas and most of them have said that family is the thing that they least look forward to. For me, this was a very difficult thing to get a grasp on, this is a season where we are to be looking to others and seeking to be closer to one another and to God through the blessing of His Son's birth. This is often the form of sacrifice that most people are 'willing' to suffer for Christmas. To spend time with the in-laws or see family you only see once a year that you really don't want to see at all.

Sorry, if it may seem like a I am preaching and may be stepping on something that you yourself are not agreeing with me on, but I have been really pushed in my personal experience. Yes, this season we do get to spend time with family and that is a way of blessing, but where do we really give more at Christmas? It was 2010 years ago that we were given a gift from God, the birth of Jesus Christ. Yet, this is not the only thing that should be remembered in this time of year. We need to remember His purpose and His change in culture that is the true reason fro being here. Jesus brought us into a servanthood mentality that we need to live everyday. Seeking all opportunities that are around us and to serve others in all we do for the glory of God.

This past week has been my challenge, that instead of looking at Christmas simply as a break from the school work and to focus on revitalizing my personal needs. I need to be looking at the needs of others above mine and be able to serve them first. Christmas is part of the movement of serving humbly for others and seeking the will of God in all circumstances. Seeking in all ways to be a lowly servant for others, even if we are not rewarded after with gifts or with a simple thank you. We need to act as blessings and gifts to others in our actions to others, not only in gift giving, but the giving of ourselves for others. This is the 'Christmas Spirit' that I believe is what the season is supposed to be conveying. Tis the season to be the active gift of service for those who are around us and abroad. Tis the season to be challenged to give of ourselves to those in need. Tis the season to be the example of the true servant that lived on earth before us and is calling us to act in the Holy Spirit that is called by God. Tis the season to be practical and real in our faith, not only living it out in our words but in our actions.

Tis the season...

What about the Superheroes?

I, being the nerd that I am, have a really weird liking of superheroes. I find them quite appealing, even something to strive to understand more of. This is not an obsession, but trying to find out what it really means to be a hero.

Personally, I can't really say that I completely understand what the definition of a hero is. I wonder at times if even our society can even really define it for us. My concept of a hero is someone who stands out for the greater good of all people. That they are able to make some form of nobel cause for everyone to look up to and to get hope from. Someone who is able to look at impossible odds and say that there is a chance, who is willing to do anything to make that chance into a reality. Someone who is sought after for their strength and is looked up to when there are times of utter chaos.

As I look at these list of traits for a superhero I wonder, am I matching what I wish to strive in my own life. I am not trying to be down, but at times wonder where have I gone in my fight to save the world? I know who is the leading lady that I am going off to save, but I question something, am I strong enough to save here? A hero can look like he is amazing with the suit on in front of others, but is his strength able to fight for and protect the one he loves?

I guess that is where the super powers come in right. However, what is my superpower. I wonder, is it something that I must for master myself, or something that I have to discover on my own? Quite frankly, I don’t think it is something that I can find on my own or build on myself. I personally believe that my superpower is God. Though I don’t feel like I am strong enough at times to save my leading lady, God is there giving me strength. However this is not the only thing, since I am at times the one who is need of rescuing, my leading lady is actually a superheroine, that saves me with the same superpower. It is through our superpower that we have a purpose in helping the world, in saving one another. We do not need to do it alone or have to struggle with it by ourselves, if we depend on our superpower.

There are two things that people can do in their life. They can either fight for a life of excitement and abundance, or they can simply be submissive to an unfulfilling life that they did not want.

The Voices

Throughout my days of growing I realize that words that are said between people can last over lengthly periods of time.  Yes, the person my be gone and may not actually say what they say ever again to us.  And yet, the words they may use can have a lasting, echo effect in our minds.

I do have to admit this is something that continues to haunt me in my everyday life.  Being teased when I was in public school really left a negative impression on my self-confidence.  It is like I have these small voices in my head that brings me down each time I look at myself in the mirror.  No matter what I seem to do, no matter what I try to say to block it out the voices whisper once again in my mind.

There is still hope however, I am not doomed to these negative insults in my head.  I have the opinions of those who care for me, the people that I respect who actually care for me.  They seem to over power the small whispers of insults, like a large ringing gong.  These compliments and heart felt opinions of me give me strength and perseverance through the negative influences.  But the positive reassurances of those I respect also help me to focus on what God says to me.  That I am His child and I am fearfully made by God Himself.  This notion removes all feeling of low self worth and finds the value that God has in me.

So through the opinions of those I respect and God guide me to believe I am actually valuable.

Real depth of character is not found when a person acts their best in front of others.  It is found when the person acts in their character when no one is around.