Someone told my Mom this past Sunday, (and my Mom told me) that trials and tribulations are put in our lives by God so that we may TURN to Him; so that we may RUN to Him. They are a reminder that He is THERE.
They knock us off our feet, off our thrones of self-righteousness and religious piety, and point us to the God who sent His Son to die for us! We have 2 choices when trials come: Run to God, or Run away from Him.
James 1:2-4 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Counting it joy when we meet trials of various kinds..that's HARD. In this case the word " joy" doesn't imply *happiness*. Happiness is an emotion we feel when something good happens, something that makes us feel "happy". Joy is something deeper. Joy is a peaceable happiness. It's a deep sense of the hope you have in Jesus Christ no matter what happens. That's JOY.
The best thing to do during trials is to dive into the Word of God! Your flesh naturally wants to turn away from God, and seclude yourself from everything, everyone; and from God. Your natural reaction is to close off the relationship with your Heavenly Father. You want to be alone. Even from the people you love, sometimes. Because it hurts, you're in pain, in agony you just want to be left ALONE.
But these trials are suppose to produce steadfastness in our faith. God is steadfast in His love for us. You can read that everywhere in the Psalms (and all over the Bible but esp. in the Psalms). He WON'T leave you. He won't forsake you. He HAS IT UNDER CONTROL. God's character overall is steadfast. He's unchangeable. He never goes back on His promises.
Diving into the word, praying like crazy, FEEDING YOUR SOUL, ARMING YOURSELF WITH THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD (See Ephesians 6:11-and on) IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. We are at WAR with the demonic forces of evil! There is a real, real spiritual realm all about us. It is more real (someone said..) than this; than this physical world. We aren't up against flesh and blood, we're up against: " against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12b)
Dive in to the word, and prepare for battle.
As Lewis said: Relying on God must begin all over again..as if nothing had been done yet..
I don't know about you, but I'm diving in.
~Elisabeth Darcy
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
When the Darkness doesn't Fade
I stole the title from a line from the most corny worship song ever: When the music fades...
I took it and tweaked it so it is now "When the darkness doesn't fade."
You ever feel so overwhelmed and that the darkness is swallowing the world around you up-whole? You ever feel like Satan won't stop breathing down your neck? You ever feel like it's just one thing crashing down after another, just when you begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. You run as fast as you can to that light and somehow realize it was just a firefly?
Maybe it's not even a firefly! Maybe it's a tiny space of light and just ahead is another dark tunnel to your horror. What the he**!? I thought the storm was over? I thought the darkness was gone! Now I can see it in front of me ahead!? But..but God, I thought you said I was done. I thought you said I could have a break. I thought (and this is where you start insanely chuckling to yourself and..telling your feet to move because you sure as he** don't want to move yourself.)
I just feel like it's one thing after another not only with me but my family. We've all been going through a lot. Some extended family issues..and not only that but I'm just watching my parents struggle financially. They're both stressed, both under pressure. It's just not fair. I want their worrying to end. I want this endless heap of anxiety to just STOP.
I'm tired of worrying for my Mom because she's worrying. I don't know how she does it. She's an amazingly strong person although she may not feel that way-all of us kids can see it. In Job in the beginning when satan is pleading with God, asking His permission to afflict Job, and God says go ahead but do not harm my servant Job. It's proof that satan IS on a leash. He's only doing so much as God is letting him.
It's comforting to know that. But at the same time it gets at me like, "Why not give us a break once and a while, God? Why not let us take a few breaths first before you just afflict us with darkness again!"
I just don't get it. What am I suppose to do with all of THIS crap that I feel. Emotionally I feel like I just got into a car accident. Sometimes I just wish God would give me some time to actually breathe and THINK and figure this crap load out. Hahaha.
Pause-
Key words: THINK, and FEEL. I'm more of a logical thinker. I'd rather THINK things through and to he88 with this feely stuff. Sure I feel but that's no reason to stray away from the "logical side of things". (Totally making fun of myself right now if you couldn't tell..) But, God gave us feelings for a reason. They are a form of communication that tell us how we are doing in our walk with God, and our relationships with other people. For instance right now I'm angry, depressed (mildly so), sad, pondering..in silent frustration. (oh and I'm overwhelmed. When I'm angry I usually have a sense of an overwhelming feeling. Did you know anger is a secondary emotion? It's a passive emotion as to what you are ACTUALLY feeling. *secondary* When you feel anger it's not the FIRST emotion you're feeling-it's not the root. It's only the top of the leaves of the weed..) These emotions can tell me something of how I'm doing in my walk with God and in my relationships of others. I was reading this book called "Cry of the Soul" a while ago. I never finished. *which I'm going to pick it back up again because I think it'd be of great help* It talks about the emotions and what they say about your relationship with God.
Oh and if you've ever taken the Meyser Brigg's personality test, I'm an ENTJ. So the "T, and J" have a lot to do with the whole "logical" side of me..
UNPAUSE-
But when we're in the boat (remember the passage in Mark I referred you to a couple post's ago, when the Disciples are in the boat and Jesus is sleeping in the boat and there's a huge storm..) and panicking and all we're thinking about is surviving. All the disciples were thinking about was I HAVE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE. Fear was driving them. It was mastering them, ruling over them. Remember it is OK TO FEEL FEAR. It is WRONG TO LET FEAR RULE OVER YOU, AND CONTROL YOU AND THE WAY YOU LIVE.
But when that happens all we see is the darkness, the storm, the thunder and lightening the waves. The boat rocking uncontrollably! The water coming in, the hopelessness. And that drives us, fear drives us to shear panic mode. All we can think about is ourselves, I've got to get the hell outta here!
Amongst all this we FORGET JESUS is IN the boat too! He's sleeping! Why isn't He panicked? Why isn't He worried? Oh DUH, because He has things in CONTROL. Because He's GOD, idiot. So duh! And that is when we see the light, and the darkness FADES, and the waves CALM, and the storm DIES DOWN.
I caught myself! When posting this. I'm totally in survival mode.
Dinner gotta go..
Pray for our family,
~Lissie
I took it and tweaked it so it is now "When the darkness doesn't fade."
You ever feel so overwhelmed and that the darkness is swallowing the world around you up-whole? You ever feel like Satan won't stop breathing down your neck? You ever feel like it's just one thing crashing down after another, just when you begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. You run as fast as you can to that light and somehow realize it was just a firefly?
Maybe it's not even a firefly! Maybe it's a tiny space of light and just ahead is another dark tunnel to your horror. What the he**!? I thought the storm was over? I thought the darkness was gone! Now I can see it in front of me ahead!? But..but God, I thought you said I was done. I thought you said I could have a break. I thought (and this is where you start insanely chuckling to yourself and..telling your feet to move because you sure as he** don't want to move yourself.)
I just feel like it's one thing after another not only with me but my family. We've all been going through a lot. Some extended family issues..and not only that but I'm just watching my parents struggle financially. They're both stressed, both under pressure. It's just not fair. I want their worrying to end. I want this endless heap of anxiety to just STOP.
I'm tired of worrying for my Mom because she's worrying. I don't know how she does it. She's an amazingly strong person although she may not feel that way-all of us kids can see it. In Job in the beginning when satan is pleading with God, asking His permission to afflict Job, and God says go ahead but do not harm my servant Job. It's proof that satan IS on a leash. He's only doing so much as God is letting him.
It's comforting to know that. But at the same time it gets at me like, "Why not give us a break once and a while, God? Why not let us take a few breaths first before you just afflict us with darkness again!"
I just don't get it. What am I suppose to do with all of THIS crap that I feel. Emotionally I feel like I just got into a car accident. Sometimes I just wish God would give me some time to actually breathe and THINK and figure this crap load out. Hahaha.
Pause-
Key words: THINK, and FEEL. I'm more of a logical thinker. I'd rather THINK things through and to he88 with this feely stuff. Sure I feel but that's no reason to stray away from the "logical side of things". (Totally making fun of myself right now if you couldn't tell..) But, God gave us feelings for a reason. They are a form of communication that tell us how we are doing in our walk with God, and our relationships with other people. For instance right now I'm angry, depressed (mildly so), sad, pondering..in silent frustration. (oh and I'm overwhelmed. When I'm angry I usually have a sense of an overwhelming feeling. Did you know anger is a secondary emotion? It's a passive emotion as to what you are ACTUALLY feeling. *secondary* When you feel anger it's not the FIRST emotion you're feeling-it's not the root. It's only the top of the leaves of the weed..) These emotions can tell me something of how I'm doing in my walk with God and in my relationships of others. I was reading this book called "Cry of the Soul" a while ago. I never finished. *which I'm going to pick it back up again because I think it'd be of great help* It talks about the emotions and what they say about your relationship with God.
Oh and if you've ever taken the Meyser Brigg's personality test, I'm an ENTJ. So the "T, and J" have a lot to do with the whole "logical" side of me..
UNPAUSE-
But when we're in the boat (remember the passage in Mark I referred you to a couple post's ago, when the Disciples are in the boat and Jesus is sleeping in the boat and there's a huge storm..) and panicking and all we're thinking about is surviving. All the disciples were thinking about was I HAVE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE. Fear was driving them. It was mastering them, ruling over them. Remember it is OK TO FEEL FEAR. It is WRONG TO LET FEAR RULE OVER YOU, AND CONTROL YOU AND THE WAY YOU LIVE.
But when that happens all we see is the darkness, the storm, the thunder and lightening the waves. The boat rocking uncontrollably! The water coming in, the hopelessness. And that drives us, fear drives us to shear panic mode. All we can think about is ourselves, I've got to get the hell outta here!
Amongst all this we FORGET JESUS is IN the boat too! He's sleeping! Why isn't He panicked? Why isn't He worried? Oh DUH, because He has things in CONTROL. Because He's GOD, idiot. So duh! And that is when we see the light, and the darkness FADES, and the waves CALM, and the storm DIES DOWN.
I caught myself! When posting this. I'm totally in survival mode.
Dinner gotta go..
Pray for our family,
~Lissie
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Armed With Manipulation
I once read this book called "Green Dolphin Street", by Elizabeth Goudge. I would've never read it on my own, but I had to for book club.
I must say I hate her writing. She's overly descriptive, and in a way where it makes her look like she's trying too hard. It also looks like she's a wanna-be poet. She tries too hard to sound like a pro, like a sophisticated poet and she only comes off as overly descriptive, and a wanna be Lucy Maud Montgomery.
The book is about these two sisters: Marguerite, and Marianne. A man writes home to ask one of the two sisters (too keep this simple and brief) to be his wife. But, he confuses their names and so he gets the wrong bride. It's a fictional story based on fact, I guess. I also "guess" Elizabeth Goudge is a well respected, well known adult novelist that wrote many children's stories as well. In my opinion she sucks.
Anyhow. They two sisters are very, VERY different. Marguerite loves life and wants to enjoy it to the fullest, even the simplest of things. She's always happy, and very beautiful. She's modest about it though, but all the guys fall for her. Then you have Marianne who's very tiny, and she's plain looking, nothing grand about her. She follows the latest of fashions and she's incredibly smart (which in the time this takes place in, women weren't really known for their intelligence. They were more thought of as gentle little house keepers and wives, and loving mothers. But leave the intelligence to the men-that's a grough rough man thing! That's basically the thinking of back then in the time period this story takes place in.) and chic, but not pretty.
They both fall for the same guy. You can guess what happens. William falls for Marguerite and she in return, but he ends up with Marianne because of a simple mistake he's made ever since they were all young: He got their names mixed up!
In fighting for him, Marianne uses emotional manipulation to control William's feelings for her. They go on a special adventure together without Marguerite, she loves William's father as much as he does, she helps him get into the navy and puts everything she's got into helping him with the "brain work" in that area, she was there for William when his father dies..
And when he leaves to go in the Navy, she hopes and prays and crosses her fingers that he'll remember everything she did for him. She puts all her hope and trust that because she did all of this for William he'll fall in love with her. He'll remember it and THAT's going to make him love her.
Little does she know he really loves her sister. And little does she know that he got their names mixed up and it wasn't really Marianne he loved. Little does she know he sacrifices over, and over, and over again for HER because he doesn't want to hurt her. In fact, she's lead to believe that SHE does everything for him and SHE is the one sacrificing everything for him. She nags him, she continues to feel the need to manipulate him every which way to gain and earn his love, she kills and crushes his "foolish" dreams and then says she's having to sacrifice all she's got to "make him mine, to make him right, to make him love me.."
Page after page the reader is left to watch William suffer and say good bye to dreams that will never come true. You have to watch him get up to another day of seeing her face by him in bed instead of Marguerite's. You watch this good kid, as the life is being drained out of him.
It does end better then it sounds, just an FYI.
The question is, WHY does Marianne seek to manipulate her husband and her husband's friends and control EVERY aspect of their lives..? Because Marianne is a very insecure person. Because she is she has armed herself with manipulation, pride, and control. If she doesn't have those things in life she throws a fit, literally. There are multiple incidents in the book where she's literally throwing a fit or having a mental breakdown because she doesn't get her way, because of her pride.
To protect herself from getting hurt, from not being accepted in the eyes of her husband and everyone else (even in the eyes of her own daughter) she builds these high walls of pride and manipulation and control.
She is a very jealous person. She even gets jealous of her own daughter because her husband loves her daughter and she suspects, more than he loves her. (His daughter reminded him of Marguerite.) Bitterness, and hatred well up within her. She is ruled by these two things; so much so she's blinded herself with them and cannot see the truth clearly.
People who often look confident, poised, and maybe they're even super smart; often the case is they really aren't secure people. People who use manipulation are insecure. It is a sign of insecurity. It says: I'm not in control so I'm going to GET control by using this person in this such of way. By doing so they don't have to get their hands dirty. They think that by using manipulation to get their way, or to guard and protect themselves is a way where they can get rid of their vulnerability. Manipulation says: I feel vulnerable and I don't want to be, so I'm going to get this person to do the work for me; and therefore I'm not the one who's vulnerable. I don't get hurt. I don't get my hands dirty. They do, not me. It's on them.
People who are afraid of getting hurt for whatever reason use all kinds of forms of manipulation (and you can google them to see if you recognize any..just be careful ;D) but one of the most common forms: Gossip.
You'd be surprised at the extremities people will go to to slander about someone. Whether it's false or truth that was taken and twisted, or truth in general people gossip about other people and try to emotionally persuade *manipulate* other people to have certain thoughts or feelings about others.
Why? It depends on a lot of things but the main thing is: they somehow feel threatened by some other person. They feel insecure and powerless so they decide to take matters into their own hands and slander that person's reputation. If you can picture a file, and in that file is a clean sheet of paper with nothing on it, and someone comes along and wipes blood all over it; that's what I picture whenever the word "slander" comes to mind.
Words are powerful. Out of God's mouth came words, words of life that created THIS life. By words you have the power to take away life, to give life (and by this particular statement I'm speaking figuratively.. not literally..), to edify one another, to bring down and tear down other people, to hurt and cause chaos and destruction, to heal and bring peace.
In Romans (1:29b-32 if you care to read it..) it talks about the sinful nature of mankind and how God poured out His wrath upon those who rejected His laws. Their hearts were hardened and turned away from God, and their eyes were looking upon evil; no longer did they seem to care or even know what righteousness was. So God gave them up to their sinful natures. On the list of sins is gossip!! It's a serious thing, obviously GOD takes it seriously so we should too!
The Bible has a lot to say about gossip you can read these verses for yourself: Proverbs 20:19, Proverbs 11:12-13, Proverbs 16:28, Proverbs 18:7-8, Proverbs 21:23, 2 Corinthians 12:20, 1 Timothy 5:13, and more..
My favorite out of all these: Proverbs 16:28 "A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends." And Proverbs 18:7-8 is a really good one too. It is true that gossip is eaten up and taken in like delicious morsels that go down into the inner most parts of a man.
What do you think would happen if you heard gossip about your friend? Would you be loyal enough to stand firm by them no matter WHAT it is you heard? Or would you be too dumb witted and be easily persuaded by the whisperer? I'm telling you for future reference now, the gossiper wants you to fall into their snares of manipulation. They want you to feel the horror after you hear what they have to say-because they are armed with manipulation and you; unarmed are easily swayed by their snares they set about your feet.
Stay loyal to your friend. You don't have proof of what the others said. Arm yourself with the word of God and remember that the LORD who made the gossiper and the person who's being gossiped about takes this sin and all other sins seriously; you as a CHRISTIAN should too! It isn't a funny matter, it isn't a light matter it is sin you are dealing with. It is SOMEONE'S REPUTATION THAT IS BEING RUINED AND SHREDDED TO PIECES. SO WHEN THEY SHOW UP AMONGST THOSE FACES WHO HEARD THE GOSSIP-WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS? If they have loyal friends NOTHING. The whisperer if anything, should lose friends. If the friends have fallen into the snares of the gossiper then well then that poor person can do nothing to redeem his or herself. They cannot pull out a file and say well here, look this is my reputation. Because something literal doesn't exist. But those words do. Those horrible words.
If I haven't convinced you, if I haven't made my point just yet then listen to this Christian, you will be accountable for the gossip on judgment day! And you will also be accountable for those who HEARD the gossip, and how you dealt with them.
Christian and non-Christian alike, you WILL stand before Almighty God.
I leave this to your conscience may it prick you mercilessly until you realize the seriousness of the matter,
~Lissie Darcy
I must say I hate her writing. She's overly descriptive, and in a way where it makes her look like she's trying too hard. It also looks like she's a wanna-be poet. She tries too hard to sound like a pro, like a sophisticated poet and she only comes off as overly descriptive, and a wanna be Lucy Maud Montgomery.
The book is about these two sisters: Marguerite, and Marianne. A man writes home to ask one of the two sisters (too keep this simple and brief) to be his wife. But, he confuses their names and so he gets the wrong bride. It's a fictional story based on fact, I guess. I also "guess" Elizabeth Goudge is a well respected, well known adult novelist that wrote many children's stories as well. In my opinion she sucks.
Anyhow. They two sisters are very, VERY different. Marguerite loves life and wants to enjoy it to the fullest, even the simplest of things. She's always happy, and very beautiful. She's modest about it though, but all the guys fall for her. Then you have Marianne who's very tiny, and she's plain looking, nothing grand about her. She follows the latest of fashions and she's incredibly smart (which in the time this takes place in, women weren't really known for their intelligence. They were more thought of as gentle little house keepers and wives, and loving mothers. But leave the intelligence to the men-that's a grough rough man thing! That's basically the thinking of back then in the time period this story takes place in.) and chic, but not pretty.
They both fall for the same guy. You can guess what happens. William falls for Marguerite and she in return, but he ends up with Marianne because of a simple mistake he's made ever since they were all young: He got their names mixed up!
In fighting for him, Marianne uses emotional manipulation to control William's feelings for her. They go on a special adventure together without Marguerite, she loves William's father as much as he does, she helps him get into the navy and puts everything she's got into helping him with the "brain work" in that area, she was there for William when his father dies..
And when he leaves to go in the Navy, she hopes and prays and crosses her fingers that he'll remember everything she did for him. She puts all her hope and trust that because she did all of this for William he'll fall in love with her. He'll remember it and THAT's going to make him love her.
Little does she know he really loves her sister. And little does she know that he got their names mixed up and it wasn't really Marianne he loved. Little does she know he sacrifices over, and over, and over again for HER because he doesn't want to hurt her. In fact, she's lead to believe that SHE does everything for him and SHE is the one sacrificing everything for him. She nags him, she continues to feel the need to manipulate him every which way to gain and earn his love, she kills and crushes his "foolish" dreams and then says she's having to sacrifice all she's got to "make him mine, to make him right, to make him love me.."
Page after page the reader is left to watch William suffer and say good bye to dreams that will never come true. You have to watch him get up to another day of seeing her face by him in bed instead of Marguerite's. You watch this good kid, as the life is being drained out of him.
It does end better then it sounds, just an FYI.
The question is, WHY does Marianne seek to manipulate her husband and her husband's friends and control EVERY aspect of their lives..? Because Marianne is a very insecure person. Because she is she has armed herself with manipulation, pride, and control. If she doesn't have those things in life she throws a fit, literally. There are multiple incidents in the book where she's literally throwing a fit or having a mental breakdown because she doesn't get her way, because of her pride.
To protect herself from getting hurt, from not being accepted in the eyes of her husband and everyone else (even in the eyes of her own daughter) she builds these high walls of pride and manipulation and control.
She is a very jealous person. She even gets jealous of her own daughter because her husband loves her daughter and she suspects, more than he loves her. (His daughter reminded him of Marguerite.) Bitterness, and hatred well up within her. She is ruled by these two things; so much so she's blinded herself with them and cannot see the truth clearly.
People who often look confident, poised, and maybe they're even super smart; often the case is they really aren't secure people. People who use manipulation are insecure. It is a sign of insecurity. It says: I'm not in control so I'm going to GET control by using this person in this such of way. By doing so they don't have to get their hands dirty. They think that by using manipulation to get their way, or to guard and protect themselves is a way where they can get rid of their vulnerability. Manipulation says: I feel vulnerable and I don't want to be, so I'm going to get this person to do the work for me; and therefore I'm not the one who's vulnerable. I don't get hurt. I don't get my hands dirty. They do, not me. It's on them.
People who are afraid of getting hurt for whatever reason use all kinds of forms of manipulation (and you can google them to see if you recognize any..just be careful ;D) but one of the most common forms: Gossip.
You'd be surprised at the extremities people will go to to slander about someone. Whether it's false or truth that was taken and twisted, or truth in general people gossip about other people and try to emotionally persuade *manipulate* other people to have certain thoughts or feelings about others.
Why? It depends on a lot of things but the main thing is: they somehow feel threatened by some other person. They feel insecure and powerless so they decide to take matters into their own hands and slander that person's reputation. If you can picture a file, and in that file is a clean sheet of paper with nothing on it, and someone comes along and wipes blood all over it; that's what I picture whenever the word "slander" comes to mind.
Words are powerful. Out of God's mouth came words, words of life that created THIS life. By words you have the power to take away life, to give life (and by this particular statement I'm speaking figuratively.. not literally..), to edify one another, to bring down and tear down other people, to hurt and cause chaos and destruction, to heal and bring peace.
In Romans (1:29b-32 if you care to read it..) it talks about the sinful nature of mankind and how God poured out His wrath upon those who rejected His laws. Their hearts were hardened and turned away from God, and their eyes were looking upon evil; no longer did they seem to care or even know what righteousness was. So God gave them up to their sinful natures. On the list of sins is gossip!! It's a serious thing, obviously GOD takes it seriously so we should too!
The Bible has a lot to say about gossip you can read these verses for yourself: Proverbs 20:19, Proverbs 11:12-13, Proverbs 16:28, Proverbs 18:7-8, Proverbs 21:23, 2 Corinthians 12:20, 1 Timothy 5:13, and more..
My favorite out of all these: Proverbs 16:28 "A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends." And Proverbs 18:7-8 is a really good one too. It is true that gossip is eaten up and taken in like delicious morsels that go down into the inner most parts of a man.
What do you think would happen if you heard gossip about your friend? Would you be loyal enough to stand firm by them no matter WHAT it is you heard? Or would you be too dumb witted and be easily persuaded by the whisperer? I'm telling you for future reference now, the gossiper wants you to fall into their snares of manipulation. They want you to feel the horror after you hear what they have to say-because they are armed with manipulation and you; unarmed are easily swayed by their snares they set about your feet.
Stay loyal to your friend. You don't have proof of what the others said. Arm yourself with the word of God and remember that the LORD who made the gossiper and the person who's being gossiped about takes this sin and all other sins seriously; you as a CHRISTIAN should too! It isn't a funny matter, it isn't a light matter it is sin you are dealing with. It is SOMEONE'S REPUTATION THAT IS BEING RUINED AND SHREDDED TO PIECES. SO WHEN THEY SHOW UP AMONGST THOSE FACES WHO HEARD THE GOSSIP-WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS? If they have loyal friends NOTHING. The whisperer if anything, should lose friends. If the friends have fallen into the snares of the gossiper then well then that poor person can do nothing to redeem his or herself. They cannot pull out a file and say well here, look this is my reputation. Because something literal doesn't exist. But those words do. Those horrible words.
If I haven't convinced you, if I haven't made my point just yet then listen to this Christian, you will be accountable for the gossip on judgment day! And you will also be accountable for those who HEARD the gossip, and how you dealt with them.
Christian and non-Christian alike, you WILL stand before Almighty God.
I leave this to your conscience may it prick you mercilessly until you realize the seriousness of the matter,
~Lissie Darcy
Sunday, July 18, 2010
The Innocence of Summer
We had our pastor's daughter over last Wednesday. It was so fun. Anyways. We caught 2 butterflies and let one go because we thought it was dead but it wasn't. As we were catching butterflies and taking summer walks (it was *very hot* but we had a good time), and running home to sip some ice cold water I was thinking..
This is summer. I didn't feel 16 I felt like I was 10 again. I felt like making mud pies. It was so fun. It was..sweet simplicity. It was, traveling back in time back to the innocence of summer. Don't you miss that? Don't you miss the days when we sat back and enjoyed the simple things in life? Barefoot everywhere be it baking tar, cement, grass, etc. It don't matter. I aint wearing shoes. Remember those days?
Somehow summer seems to have lost it's innocence. We forget to "take time to sniff the roses". But this summer, this is the summer of innocence. I've enjoyed a slow summer, what some people would think dull. But it was so laid back, so chill. Time to take delight in the loveliest of simple things.
It's like running through the sprinklers at 12 am with friends because their air conditioner is broken and it's a way to cool off. It's like laying down and gazing at stars even though you can't point out any constellations. It's like catching butterflies in mason jars with a 9yo, 10yo, 12yo, and 16yo.
It's like reading in a comfy chair on the porch with iced tea or cold water. It's bonfires on warm summer nights that get cool when the sun goes down. It's sitting down, knees up, with a friend crying because you have a crap load of a mess spiritually. It's working through that, wrestling it, muddling through the mud with your friend. It's awkwardly saying you love the friend even though on both sides you really do love that friend but your both bad with words. You feel it passionately, you feel it but you can't always express it as much as you feel it. But you know, it's the knowing that they really do love you and take time to say it.
It's the going to the mall and walking everywhere and finding couches to sit on and texting your friends when they're right next to you and it's the laying on a friend's shoulder, half hidden behind a pillow in case the movie is creepy. It's the love and affection you have for your friend you can eat each other's food, hug each other randomly, put an arm around your friend's shoulder's spontaneously just because; invading their personal space but they let you and they do the same to you because you guys love each other.
It's the goofy conversations, the many laughs, the chaos in trying to plan times to hang out, the misunderstanding/mishearing what was really said and laughing so hard at it afterwords. It's the letter writing to still loved friends but very much missed friends.
It's laying down for bed falling asleep to music and waking up with music. It's the sitting and doing nothing, and spending all your nothing time wondering about doing something. It's the late night movie watching. It's these little things, the innocence of summer.
~Elisabeth Darcy
This is summer. I didn't feel 16 I felt like I was 10 again. I felt like making mud pies. It was so fun. It was..sweet simplicity. It was, traveling back in time back to the innocence of summer. Don't you miss that? Don't you miss the days when we sat back and enjoyed the simple things in life? Barefoot everywhere be it baking tar, cement, grass, etc. It don't matter. I aint wearing shoes. Remember those days?
Somehow summer seems to have lost it's innocence. We forget to "take time to sniff the roses". But this summer, this is the summer of innocence. I've enjoyed a slow summer, what some people would think dull. But it was so laid back, so chill. Time to take delight in the loveliest of simple things.
It's like running through the sprinklers at 12 am with friends because their air conditioner is broken and it's a way to cool off. It's like laying down and gazing at stars even though you can't point out any constellations. It's like catching butterflies in mason jars with a 9yo, 10yo, 12yo, and 16yo.
It's like reading in a comfy chair on the porch with iced tea or cold water. It's bonfires on warm summer nights that get cool when the sun goes down. It's sitting down, knees up, with a friend crying because you have a crap load of a mess spiritually. It's working through that, wrestling it, muddling through the mud with your friend. It's awkwardly saying you love the friend even though on both sides you really do love that friend but your both bad with words. You feel it passionately, you feel it but you can't always express it as much as you feel it. But you know, it's the knowing that they really do love you and take time to say it.
It's the going to the mall and walking everywhere and finding couches to sit on and texting your friends when they're right next to you and it's the laying on a friend's shoulder, half hidden behind a pillow in case the movie is creepy. It's the love and affection you have for your friend you can eat each other's food, hug each other randomly, put an arm around your friend's shoulder's spontaneously just because; invading their personal space but they let you and they do the same to you because you guys love each other.
It's the goofy conversations, the many laughs, the chaos in trying to plan times to hang out, the misunderstanding/mishearing what was really said and laughing so hard at it afterwords. It's the letter writing to still loved friends but very much missed friends.
It's laying down for bed falling asleep to music and waking up with music. It's the sitting and doing nothing, and spending all your nothing time wondering about doing something. It's the late night movie watching. It's these little things, the innocence of summer.
~Elisabeth Darcy
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Boldly Press On Christian
We had our pastor's daughter over last Wednesday. She's 9. She's so incredibly sweet and bright and cheery. She's a very social person and kind of reminds me of myself (in the respect that she's outgoing. I'm no where NEAR as sweet a person as she is. She has such a tender heart towards God and people. (Duh-like father like daughter..I'm tellin ya!)) Very outgoing-more so then your average 9 yo..maybe even then your average teen. Something to be proud of for sure! (I can't understand typical teens who refuse to talk and socialize with all ages-besides themselves.. (actually I CAN understand. But that would be a whole other post.))
Point being we had so much fun with her. She was a blessing to have. She already adopted us (My sister and I) as older sisters and I love her for that. You see I adopt people I love too. It's almost like I love them so much being friend's just isn't good enough. So I'll consider them an aunt, uncle, cousin, sister, brother-whatever. (I've never found an adult I'd love so much to adopt them as a godfather/mother. Except for two people. Once that spot is reserved no one else can take it. So the rest are aunts and uncles. Not because I love them less. But just because they aren't so close as to call them second parents. (godparents that is..) I still love them just as much but the only difference is they're in the aunt and uncle spot-not the godparents spot.)
She encouraged me in the faith. She was telling me how her siblings and their LDS neighbors went to see how to train your dragon with them. And she said it was a fun time and a great opportunity to share Jesus' love to them. What a courageous, faithful soldier of Christ this child is!
My Lola came out recently with her boyfriend Larry. Apparently we found out from Jonah (once they had already left) that Jonah was trying to tell Larry about God. And Larry was trying to poison his mind with doubts. He told Jonah, "Well what about fairies? Fairies are a made up story and you can't see them. What about Santa Clause and Rudolph? They aren't real. They're just a made up story. You can't see them. They don't exist. They're fake. It's the same thing with God. You can't see God. How do you know He's real?" *I'll refrain from saying all the dirty rotten things I'm thinking right now..*
Little Jonah held his ground and BOLDLY continued (mind you he's SIX. He has faith like a mustard seed, truly.) pressing on, "Well God is EVERYWHERE. But, we can't see Him. He's still there, though. And if you keep sinning and not believing in God, you're going to go to hell. You don't want that."
And Larry *insert form of unwholesome talk..HERE* says, "I don't know what hell is."
Haha. You WILL. Continue down this path and you sure as HELL will no what the HELL hell is.
These little ones are examples to us. They do not ask questions. They say SEND ME GOD. And wherever God sends them they go, asking no questions. They cheerfully submit and with a skip go out and boldly press on, Christian soldiers for Christ; sharing Jesus' love to the unsaved.
So what must be done? Ha. We must get into the boat. Get into the boat and go to the other side. (See Mark 4:35-41) What must be done, I ask again? First, we must get IN the boat. That's the first step. Once we're in the boat that's where we prepare for what awaits us on the other side. That's where the testing of our faith begins. What happens on the other side? We are reaching out to the lost, the unsaved on the other side.
We ate at Christ's table. It is time for us to go out and invite OTHERS to eat and be satisfied, to be full. We are called to boldly press on. To boldly live our lives as if Jesus was curiously looking over our shoulders. To live as if in everything we do we wanted THOSE PEOPLE OUT THERE, OUTSIDE of your social bubble-to know the love of Christ, the grace and mercy and restoration of Christ.
That doesn't mean we aren't going to be scared. That doesn't mean fear won't be felt. But it SHOULDN'T mean that we are ruled BY fear. That is when our faith is really tested. When you go out there and proclaim the name of Christ boldly-it is scary. We don't know what might happen. But we do know that whatever DOES happen Christ is and has endured it for us and with us already. NO matter what happens man can do nothing to the soul! What's the worst that can happen? You end up dying proclaiming CHRIST'S name! That's scary but then you'll end up seeing Christ face to face, you'll end up..at home. And remember dying proclaiming Christ's name whether you were burnt at the stake for your faith or whether you died naturally but proclaiming His name until your last day--you're showing others that this guy, this Jesus is to DIE for.
Christian, no matter what you cannot call yourself a Christian and not be willing to die for what you believe. You cannot represent Christ's name and not be willing to die for Him.
In what areas of your life are you being ruled by fear? In what areas of your life are you not willing to die for Christ. Whatever areas those are-cut them off. Leave them. If it's your leg, cut if off. Isn't it better to be without a limb and proclaim Christ's name all the way-unto the death? Or is it better to have all limbs intact and proclaim His name half way? You choose. Judas had all his limbs intact and he proclaimed Christ's name half way-look how he ended up. The apostles (take Paul for example) were choppy. They had left pieces-limbs behind because they were causing them to only go so far in the work of the Kingdom.
Overall Christian, you have to be able to say both as Paul was able: Wretched man I am, Praise be to God that I am saved. You have to be able to say JESUS IS NOT YET LORD OVER THIS AREA IN MY LIFE-but thanks be to God, for saving me. Both must be said. Not one or the other. (And this is a quote from my pastor.)
ALL OF THIS POST, by the way is me listening to the sermons and talking to my Pastor..and all of it has really been on my heart lately. And I speak for myself and myself only. But if in someway I have struck a spark in your heart, I pray and thank God. A fire starts with a spark first, before a flame can form. It is little sparks that is changing the way I am thinking, that is opening my eyes to see these dark areas in my life that Jesus is not yet Lord over. It is sparks that are leaving me begging God to change me, change my heart, work in me, humble me, make me a DOER of the word not JUST a hearer. (Read the first chapter of the book of James the last bit..) It is seeing how holy my God is that has left me as Isaiah was-realizing I am unclean. I am begging God to press that coal to my lips (read Isaiah 25..I believe is what it is..). Make me holy. Make me a real disciple for you. For now I feel like Peter did who said, "Though they all fall away, because of you I will never fall away." Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." Peter said to him, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!" And all the disciples said the same. (Matt. 26:30-35)
As you might have guessed, I am struggling right now. But, I do feel encouraged. Very encouraged. A friend let me vomit my insides out onto him. And he was there and kind of just let me muddle through my own mud. Wrestle through it. But I wasn't alone. He was there the whole time I was wrestling through it trying to explain how I was doing. Which reminded me. Christ hasn't left me, He's there. Helping me wrestle through it. One of my biggest fears..in life, ever since I was little was that God would take His Spirit from me. If you've read Romans 1 you know what I'm talking about. When you're struggling, when you're naked and exposed you fear you'll never see the light-Romans 1 dangles before your eyes and all you can do is beg God PLEASE don't leave me. I know I'm struggling, Father. But I need your help. I don't want that to happen to me. I'm going to keep fighting even though I FEEL like I'm capable of it.
Pray for me. And boldly press on Christians.
Elisabeth Darcy
Point being we had so much fun with her. She was a blessing to have. She already adopted us (My sister and I) as older sisters and I love her for that. You see I adopt people I love too. It's almost like I love them so much being friend's just isn't good enough. So I'll consider them an aunt, uncle, cousin, sister, brother-whatever. (I've never found an adult I'd love so much to adopt them as a godfather/mother. Except for two people. Once that spot is reserved no one else can take it. So the rest are aunts and uncles. Not because I love them less. But just because they aren't so close as to call them second parents. (godparents that is..) I still love them just as much but the only difference is they're in the aunt and uncle spot-not the godparents spot.)
She encouraged me in the faith. She was telling me how her siblings and their LDS neighbors went to see how to train your dragon with them. And she said it was a fun time and a great opportunity to share Jesus' love to them. What a courageous, faithful soldier of Christ this child is!
My Lola came out recently with her boyfriend Larry. Apparently we found out from Jonah (once they had already left) that Jonah was trying to tell Larry about God. And Larry was trying to poison his mind with doubts. He told Jonah, "Well what about fairies? Fairies are a made up story and you can't see them. What about Santa Clause and Rudolph? They aren't real. They're just a made up story. You can't see them. They don't exist. They're fake. It's the same thing with God. You can't see God. How do you know He's real?" *I'll refrain from saying all the dirty rotten things I'm thinking right now..*
Little Jonah held his ground and BOLDLY continued (mind you he's SIX. He has faith like a mustard seed, truly.) pressing on, "Well God is EVERYWHERE. But, we can't see Him. He's still there, though. And if you keep sinning and not believing in God, you're going to go to hell. You don't want that."
And Larry *insert form of unwholesome talk..HERE* says, "I don't know what hell is."
Haha. You WILL. Continue down this path and you sure as HELL will no what the HELL hell is.
These little ones are examples to us. They do not ask questions. They say SEND ME GOD. And wherever God sends them they go, asking no questions. They cheerfully submit and with a skip go out and boldly press on, Christian soldiers for Christ; sharing Jesus' love to the unsaved.
So what must be done? Ha. We must get into the boat. Get into the boat and go to the other side. (See Mark 4:35-41) What must be done, I ask again? First, we must get IN the boat. That's the first step. Once we're in the boat that's where we prepare for what awaits us on the other side. That's where the testing of our faith begins. What happens on the other side? We are reaching out to the lost, the unsaved on the other side.
We ate at Christ's table. It is time for us to go out and invite OTHERS to eat and be satisfied, to be full. We are called to boldly press on. To boldly live our lives as if Jesus was curiously looking over our shoulders. To live as if in everything we do we wanted THOSE PEOPLE OUT THERE, OUTSIDE of your social bubble-to know the love of Christ, the grace and mercy and restoration of Christ.
That doesn't mean we aren't going to be scared. That doesn't mean fear won't be felt. But it SHOULDN'T mean that we are ruled BY fear. That is when our faith is really tested. When you go out there and proclaim the name of Christ boldly-it is scary. We don't know what might happen. But we do know that whatever DOES happen Christ is and has endured it for us and with us already. NO matter what happens man can do nothing to the soul! What's the worst that can happen? You end up dying proclaiming CHRIST'S name! That's scary but then you'll end up seeing Christ face to face, you'll end up..at home. And remember dying proclaiming Christ's name whether you were burnt at the stake for your faith or whether you died naturally but proclaiming His name until your last day--you're showing others that this guy, this Jesus is to DIE for.
Christian, no matter what you cannot call yourself a Christian and not be willing to die for what you believe. You cannot represent Christ's name and not be willing to die for Him.
In what areas of your life are you being ruled by fear? In what areas of your life are you not willing to die for Christ. Whatever areas those are-cut them off. Leave them. If it's your leg, cut if off. Isn't it better to be without a limb and proclaim Christ's name all the way-unto the death? Or is it better to have all limbs intact and proclaim His name half way? You choose. Judas had all his limbs intact and he proclaimed Christ's name half way-look how he ended up. The apostles (take Paul for example) were choppy. They had left pieces-limbs behind because they were causing them to only go so far in the work of the Kingdom.
Overall Christian, you have to be able to say both as Paul was able: Wretched man I am, Praise be to God that I am saved. You have to be able to say JESUS IS NOT YET LORD OVER THIS AREA IN MY LIFE-but thanks be to God, for saving me. Both must be said. Not one or the other. (And this is a quote from my pastor.)
ALL OF THIS POST, by the way is me listening to the sermons and talking to my Pastor..and all of it has really been on my heart lately. And I speak for myself and myself only. But if in someway I have struck a spark in your heart, I pray and thank God. A fire starts with a spark first, before a flame can form. It is little sparks that is changing the way I am thinking, that is opening my eyes to see these dark areas in my life that Jesus is not yet Lord over. It is sparks that are leaving me begging God to change me, change my heart, work in me, humble me, make me a DOER of the word not JUST a hearer. (Read the first chapter of the book of James the last bit..) It is seeing how holy my God is that has left me as Isaiah was-realizing I am unclean. I am begging God to press that coal to my lips (read Isaiah 25..I believe is what it is..). Make me holy. Make me a real disciple for you. For now I feel like Peter did who said, "Though they all fall away, because of you I will never fall away." Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." Peter said to him, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!" And all the disciples said the same. (Matt. 26:30-35)
As you might have guessed, I am struggling right now. But, I do feel encouraged. Very encouraged. A friend let me vomit my insides out onto him. And he was there and kind of just let me muddle through my own mud. Wrestle through it. But I wasn't alone. He was there the whole time I was wrestling through it trying to explain how I was doing. Which reminded me. Christ hasn't left me, He's there. Helping me wrestle through it. One of my biggest fears..in life, ever since I was little was that God would take His Spirit from me. If you've read Romans 1 you know what I'm talking about. When you're struggling, when you're naked and exposed you fear you'll never see the light-Romans 1 dangles before your eyes and all you can do is beg God PLEASE don't leave me. I know I'm struggling, Father. But I need your help. I don't want that to happen to me. I'm going to keep fighting even though I FEEL like I'm capable of it.
Pray for me. And boldly press on Christians.
Elisabeth Darcy
Saturday, July 10, 2010
These are the roads one must choose which to travel on
Realizing there isn't a middle ground can drive a mind nuts! It leaves you with only 2 choices then: Live for myself or live for Christ. Embrace the curse of sin, or embrace the way of life in which I was originally created to be-Christ's way of life. Live upside down in a backwards upside down world or live rightside... up and fight to be forwards, not backwards.
Both ways of life are painful. The first: (living for yourself) Because you are always searching for something to satisfy you. But that something is usually always found in things that end up bringing you only pleasure. As we all know pleasure only lasts for a little while. And so you are left wanting more and having to search elsewhere hoping you have better luck next time.
The second: (living for Christ) You are living in a way that is not your own. It is the way of life that Christ calls you to live. It goes against the grain of the wood of this world. It is a way of life that calls you over and above the highest of the highest of standards of THIS world. It is not what you would rather do. In fact, it is quite the opposite. His way goes so far as to love our enemies! To feed them and clothe them! Under the curse of sin we DON'T want to do that. We (no matter what culture you come from) do not like doing anything that puts us out of our comfort zone and makes us uncomfortable-so we can serve and love others.
The first choice (living for self) is a soul-murdering choice. Everyone hungers and thirst for something that goes beyond the limits what this world can bring. We long for peace. We long for a true home. We long to be accepted. But the things of this world doesn't hold what we long for. Why? Because this world is created, not the creator. The Creator of all things can give us what we so long for. Just as the farmer can give his crop the soil and the water it needs.. (although that's rather a bad analogy since the farmer doesn't necessarily GIVE the sun to the crop..but you get the point.) The first choice hurts us because we weren't originally created to live this way. We weren't made for selfishness, for decay, for death, and suffering. (Nor were we made to CAUSE/BE these things to OTHERS. For instance: we weren't made to make others suffer. Take Hitler as an example..) We were made for a higher calling in life!
The second choice ends in life. It hurts because we ARE under the curse of sin. And so it hurts to fight against it by living the way Christ wants us to live. It hurts to go against a grain buried so deep in our hearts. It hurts because we have weeds of corruption and decay entangled in our souls. But that is why we need Christ to rip out those weeds in our life. And that is where the pain comes in. But in the end there's life. An eternity with God Almighty. An eternity with the one so Holy even the angels cannot have themselves fully exposed in His presence. They must have coverings for their eyes and feet.
There is no middle ground. People often label (including myself) the first choice (living for self) as "easy" but it's not. Living in that way is not only soul murdering for yourself but for others too. You are living in such a way that KILLS others too!
You choose. But know that one way ends in destruction, while the other in life.
~Lissie~
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Reading
My reading list looks something like this:
~Lissie
- Moby Dick
- The Reason For God *by Tim Keller..in case you were curious*
- Persuasion (it's so hard to get through. I stopped 26 pages in. Pride and Prejudice was a fast read. Even Northanger Abbey was a faster read! I mean GEEZE..I started snoring the first 10 pages..kind of sad..but I have this thing where if I start a book I must finish it..)
- Alice in Wonderland
- Through the Looking Glass (these have been put on hold. I have one book that has both of these stories in them. And I can't find it ANYWHERE.)
- GET ON WITH IT. (that wasn't a book. that was one of the many mental notes that are posted everywhere in my mind...)
~Lissie
The Wanna Be Writer
So I want to write a book. I have all these ideas written down. And they all sound great and look promising. I even have this really big story idea. But, I just don't know where to start. I still don't think I have the idea that I've been looking for.
When I blog I get a trail of thoughts in my head..and it usually just blows up and I just write. And everything comes out. Everything I've been thinking, doing, etc. Writing a book is different. I need to just sit down and write. Just to see what comes out. My ideal story would be that I would just be able to sit down and write and have everything just come out like it does with blogging. But it never happens that way. I have a feeling if I want to write a story it's going to take work.
Whenever I hit a writer's block I can't seem to EVER get past it though. Outlines may work for some people but not for me. Maybe I'm just not committed enough. I know I'm not giving it my all. Maybe I should sit down and really think about the plot of my story and really plan it out and write out an outline.
I don't know. I'm complaining to you. Arg.
-----------------Elisabeth
When I blog I get a trail of thoughts in my head..and it usually just blows up and I just write. And everything comes out. Everything I've been thinking, doing, etc. Writing a book is different. I need to just sit down and write. Just to see what comes out. My ideal story would be that I would just be able to sit down and write and have everything just come out like it does with blogging. But it never happens that way. I have a feeling if I want to write a story it's going to take work.
Whenever I hit a writer's block I can't seem to EVER get past it though. Outlines may work for some people but not for me. Maybe I'm just not committed enough. I know I'm not giving it my all. Maybe I should sit down and really think about the plot of my story and really plan it out and write out an outline.
I don't know. I'm complaining to you. Arg.
-----------------Elisabeth
Thursday, July 1, 2010
AGAINST TWILLIGHT FTW
http://www.truewoman.com/?id=1176
READ. THIS. ARTICLE. This lady totally stripped Twilight and left all the teenagers and even adults biting the dust from this lady's feet. Because she totally proved that there's nothing (besides the fact that Stephanie Meyer *so I've heard* is a really good writer) edifying, or "*GREAT*" about Twilight.
I'd really like to hear a teenager's or even adult's defense in response to what the lady wrote about Twilight. I was amazed at some of the stuff I've read about Twilight. And how obsessed people are with it. Even grown ups!
I read a review about (obviously a twilight hater) one of the Twilight books (can't remember what site I read it on..) someone who thought twilight wasn't that great. And that they were sickened at how people are responding to the books. One woman was in counseling because she was SO into Edward that she didn't care for or about her husband anymore.
THAT is ridiculous. TALK about idolatry! If something (be it a book, a movie, music, a song, a toy, clothes, etc.) is causing you to sin and to be idolatrice; if something is causing you to be SO obsessed with it then you need to check yourself and ask why?
If the answer is yes to just even ONE of these questions you need to rethink about if it is worth having in your life etc.
~Lissie
Ps. FYI- The phrase "FTW" means F-OR T-HE W-IN. Nothing bad. Just..so you know :)
READ. THIS. ARTICLE. This lady totally stripped Twilight and left all the teenagers and even adults biting the dust from this lady's feet. Because she totally proved that there's nothing (besides the fact that Stephanie Meyer *so I've heard* is a really good writer) edifying, or "*GREAT*" about Twilight.
I'd really like to hear a teenager's or even adult's defense in response to what the lady wrote about Twilight. I was amazed at some of the stuff I've read about Twilight. And how obsessed people are with it. Even grown ups!
I read a review about (obviously a twilight hater) one of the Twilight books (can't remember what site I read it on..) someone who thought twilight wasn't that great. And that they were sickened at how people are responding to the books. One woman was in counseling because she was SO into Edward that she didn't care for or about her husband anymore.
THAT is ridiculous. TALK about idolatry! If something (be it a book, a movie, music, a song, a toy, clothes, etc.) is causing you to sin and to be idolatrice; if something is causing you to be SO obsessed with it then you need to check yourself and ask why?
- Is it becoming the most important thing in my life?
- Is it causing strife and the destruction of my relationships in my life?
- Is it or Has it replaced God in my life..?
- Is it causing me to sin overall? *or in general if you will*
If the answer is yes to just even ONE of these questions you need to rethink about if it is worth having in your life etc.
~Lissie
Ps. FYI- The phrase "FTW" means F-OR T-HE W-IN. Nothing bad. Just..so you know :)
The End Button
Once upon a time....
The end.
If my life was a book that is how it would look. Once upon a time..THE END. Ok. Maybe I'm over exaggerating. My life's book has some details here and there in it. It does have a story to it. I could sum up the story for you if you want.
There's this girl. Her name is Elisabeth. She's sixteen. She has 6 siblings. She's the oldest. Elisabeth likes to read, watch old black and white films, write, dream dreams that shoot for the moon, etc. Then the rest of the book would be almost like a collection of diary entries, only better. It would be an account of my day-to-day stuff. What I did in the 24hrs of my life down to the last detail.
When it came to fighting sin it would look like the intro of this post: Once upon a time..........
The end.
That's what I do. As soon as a fight begins I give up and almost immediately and just hit "the END" button. When really it's the beginning. It's like I go on auto Pilate or something. If there was a mute button I'd hit it and wouldn't hear what my Mom has to say. What? You rebuked me? Whaja say? I couldn't hear you.
That's pretty much what the end button does. It just ends. Or maybe the "prideful" button is more of what I should put. I just GIVE in. Kind of like "ah screw it". (I am aware of what that word means.. I think it's perfectly appropriate for this. That describes me giving into my flesh.)
There comes a point in life where you don't have the option of pressing the "end" button anymore, because that's it. It is the end. And it's your fault. You should've seeked the Lord while He still may be found. You should've listened while you still had ears to listen.
Isn't that lovely? The End Button sounds promising. Satan is a good sale's man. So is your flesh. So is the temptations and offers of the world. They're all good sale's men. They sell you on things like the End Button (in this case it's my flesh that sold it to me..) and promise you an easier life. That may be true. It's HARD to fight off sin. It's HARD not to give into your flesh. It's hard when your vulnerable, when you're tiered, when you're cranky, when you haven't eaten, etc. Our flesh is strongest during these times. It's easier to just press the End button and forget. And screw it. Might as well give in. Hey why not close my eyes for a minute? Why not take the hand of darkness just..just for a moment, that's all.
What happens when you wake up? When you open your eyes? When the lights go on? YOU SEE the sin. Hiding, running, (even in the DIRECTION of sin), closing your eyes all these things do not TAKE away the sin. It's there. You have to deal with it. You have to fight it1 You can't give in!!!
In the LOTR Sam didn't let Frodo give up! He wouldn't have it. When Frodo was at his weakest, most vulnerable moments that is when Sam intervened and pushed him, talked to him of the shire, helped him to remember the light! He helped him remember what it was to taste real food and drink cold, clear water.
This is what Christ does. Amongst the moment of the battle, especially your vulnerable moments and when you're being corrected He's there. He's intervening. He's telling you of the shire, of home. He's reminding you of the taste of His word. Of the refreshment for the soul of His water.
Don't press the End button. This isn't the end. This is far from the end. This, this is the beginning.
~Lissie
The end.
If my life was a book that is how it would look. Once upon a time..THE END. Ok. Maybe I'm over exaggerating. My life's book has some details here and there in it. It does have a story to it. I could sum up the story for you if you want.
There's this girl. Her name is Elisabeth. She's sixteen. She has 6 siblings. She's the oldest. Elisabeth likes to read, watch old black and white films, write, dream dreams that shoot for the moon, etc. Then the rest of the book would be almost like a collection of diary entries, only better. It would be an account of my day-to-day stuff. What I did in the 24hrs of my life down to the last detail.
When it came to fighting sin it would look like the intro of this post: Once upon a time..........
The end.
That's what I do. As soon as a fight begins I give up and almost immediately and just hit "the END" button. When really it's the beginning. It's like I go on auto Pilate or something. If there was a mute button I'd hit it and wouldn't hear what my Mom has to say. What? You rebuked me? Whaja say? I couldn't hear you.
That's pretty much what the end button does. It just ends. Or maybe the "prideful" button is more of what I should put. I just GIVE in. Kind of like "ah screw it". (I am aware of what that word means.. I think it's perfectly appropriate for this. That describes me giving into my flesh.)
There comes a point in life where you don't have the option of pressing the "end" button anymore, because that's it. It is the end. And it's your fault. You should've seeked the Lord while He still may be found. You should've listened while you still had ears to listen.
Isn't that lovely? The End Button sounds promising. Satan is a good sale's man. So is your flesh. So is the temptations and offers of the world. They're all good sale's men. They sell you on things like the End Button (in this case it's my flesh that sold it to me..) and promise you an easier life. That may be true. It's HARD to fight off sin. It's HARD not to give into your flesh. It's hard when your vulnerable, when you're tiered, when you're cranky, when you haven't eaten, etc. Our flesh is strongest during these times. It's easier to just press the End button and forget. And screw it. Might as well give in. Hey why not close my eyes for a minute? Why not take the hand of darkness just..just for a moment, that's all.
What happens when you wake up? When you open your eyes? When the lights go on? YOU SEE the sin. Hiding, running, (even in the DIRECTION of sin), closing your eyes all these things do not TAKE away the sin. It's there. You have to deal with it. You have to fight it1 You can't give in!!!
In the LOTR Sam didn't let Frodo give up! He wouldn't have it. When Frodo was at his weakest, most vulnerable moments that is when Sam intervened and pushed him, talked to him of the shire, helped him to remember the light! He helped him remember what it was to taste real food and drink cold, clear water.
This is what Christ does. Amongst the moment of the battle, especially your vulnerable moments and when you're being corrected He's there. He's intervening. He's telling you of the shire, of home. He's reminding you of the taste of His word. Of the refreshment for the soul of His water.
Don't press the End button. This isn't the end. This is far from the end. This, this is the beginning.
~Lissie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
