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Sunday, May 11, 2008

Mother's Day

Mother’s Day
May 11, 2008

(this photo is from 2003, i think, but it's one of my faves of her.)

today i was thinking about my Grandma. while i love and appreciate my mother, my Grandma is the one i consider when Mother’s Day is upon us. although i did not live with my Grandma during my childhood, i feel that she is the one who really raised me. i was with her every weekend, and during those blessed days, she and my Grandpa taught me more about life, faith, and love than my parents ever did. i consider her to be my mother more than the woman whose womb i emerged from. when i go to the store for greeting cards, i am always frustrated, often to the point of tears, because i can never find the cards to describe my feelings. every card that says “Mother” on it is more fitting for my Grandma than my mother, and vice versa. on one occasion i knew my mother would not be around when i gave the card to my Grandma, so i went ahead and got her one that was intended for a mother. but normally i don’t do that because i know my mother would be hurt and offended by that. it is a harsh and painful truth that the sentiments of “you were a great example and i look up to you” and “you were always there for me” and “you always had my best interests in mind” and “your love for me was so apparent in everything you did” could not honestly be used to describe my mother and i. yes, she loves me and i love her, but her parenting left many things to be desired. i got slapped around more than i got hugged, and i was ignored or screamed at more than i was encouraged or inspired. there were many more tears than laughter, and much more pain than comfort. needless to say, while i still speak to my mother, we are by no means “close.”
back to my Grandma, she is having foot surgery on the 21^st of May. she will be home and pretty much immobile for at least 2 weeks, and probably closer to 4 or 5 weeks. this means that i will be fully in charge of the house and i will need to take care of her: bring her food and water and help her to the bathroom and possibly even sponge bathe her. it is a daunting idea to have that much responsibility, and the thought of seeing my Grandma as somewhat helpless frightens me. i know she is getting up in years (she is going to be 67 in December) and i feel like this will be a taste of what is to come in 10-20 years. i am one of the prime candidates for her care when she is no longer able to adequately care for herself. the only other person who could do it would be her son, my uncle. but his life is up in the air right now, so i don’t know if he will be able to do it when the time comes. and there is no way i would put her in an assisted living facility. after all the care she has provided for me and the rest of the family, she deserves better than that.
so it is very possible that her care will be my responsibility when she is older. and the thought of having to do the intensive care that many elderly people require is so overwhelming and terrifying. i mean, i know that i could and would take excellent care of her; it is just that the emotions tied to being her caretaker are difficult for me. for me to be taking care of her seems like some kind of typo or something. i mean, she has always been the one taking care of me and everyone else. she has always been the strong one of the family. she has been the go-to-{woman} for everyone, dealing with all their problems and taking them on herself. it has been that way ever since my Grandpa died, and maybe even longer. she has been the one who lends money, acts as chauffeur, provides meals, pays overdue bills, and takes care of business for the entire family. no one in the family seems to be grateful for all she does for them, most of which is far above and beyond her call of duty as a mother/grandmother. i mean, even though we are all grown adults, she still bails us out of whatever mess we get ourselves into, if she can. she'll do whatever it takes to make sure that we lack nothing, and that we are taken care of.
she is like a blanket that covers everything in comfort, safety, and love. she is oil for the gears of life that keeps everything running smoothly. she is this family's glimpse of God. she is the Light that Christ calls us to be in just about every way. she goes about her life constantly striving for perfection for her family, never complaining or asking for anything in return. all she wants is for us to be happy. she never thinks of herself, never spends money on herself, never eats unless we all have been fed, and loses sleep so we can rest. she never expects recompense; all she desires is our love in return for hers. she is the best person i have ever been blessed to know (tied with my Grandpa and my Great Granny, God rest their souls). sure she has her flaws; she is human just like the rest of us. in my eyes, that fact makes her even more beautiful. she has made mistakes, so she knows how hard it is to own up to them sometimes, and what it's like to have to go through the consequences for them. she's not flawless, so she knows what it's like to fall short. and she has compassion on others. she is humble and yet courageous. she knows the Word of God and strives to live it out. she is my inspiration. she provides a clear path to God whenever i get lost. she is more than just my grandmother; she is my confidante, my cheerleader, my mother, my counselor, my teacher, and my friend. and my life, this world, is a better place because of her.

Edit: the following song was dedicated to my Grandpa when he died. in my heart, it is equally dedicated to my Grandma; my Grandpa would have dedicated it to her. she was his wind, and she is and always will be mine...

Bette Midler
Wind Beneath My Wings

It must have been cold there in my shadow,
To never have sunlight on your face.
You were content to let me shine, that's your way.
You always walked a step behind.

So I was the one with all the glory,
While you were the one with all the strength.
A beautiful face without a name for so long.
A beautiful smile to hide the pain.

Did you ever know that you're my hero,
And everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle,
For you are the wind beneath my wings.

It might have appeared to go unnoticed,
But I've got it all here in my heart.
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it.
I would be nothing without you.

Did you ever know that you're my hero?
You're everything I wish I could be.
I could fly higher than an eagle,
For you are the wind beneath my wings.

Did I ever tell you you're my hero?
You're everything, everything I wish I could be.
Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle,
For you are the wind beneath my wings,
'Cause you are the wind beneath my wings.

Oh, the wind beneath my wings.
You, you, you, you are the wind beneath my wings.
Fly, fly, fly away. You let me fly so high.
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings.
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings.

Fly, fly, fly high against the sky,
So high I almost touch the sky.
Thank you, thank you,
Thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings!

Currently Listening
Beaches: Original Soundtrack Recording
By Bette Midler
Wind Beneath My Wings
see related

Monday, May 05, 2008

*A BOUQUET OF THORNS*

i loved this story i recieved through email and had to share it with you. i hope it touches your heart as it did mine.

*A BOUQUET OF THORNS*
author unknown

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her shoes when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind. Her life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then, in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a 'minor' automobile accident stole her joy. This was Thanksgiving week and the time she should have delivered their infant son. She grieved over their loss. Troubles had multiplied. Her husband's company 'threatened' to transfer his job to a new location. Her sister had called to say that she could not come for her long awaited holiday visit. What's worse, Sandra's friend suggested that Sandra's grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. 'She has no idea what I'm feeling,' thought Sandra with a shudder. 'Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?' she wondered. 'For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life, but took her child's?'
'Good afternoon, can I help you?' Sandra was startled by the approach of the shop clerk. 'I . . . I need an arrangement,' stammered Sandra.
' For Thanksgiving? I'm convinced that flowers tell stories,' she continued. 'Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving?' 'Not exactly!' Sandra blurted out. 'In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.'
Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, 'I have the perfect arrangement for you.' Then the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer, 'Hi, Barbara, let me get your order.' She excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped; there were no flowers. 'Do you want these in a box?' asked the clerk. Sandra watched - was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers!
She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed. 'Yes, please,' Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. 'You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again,' she said, as she gently tapped her chest.
Sandra stammered, 'Ah, that lady just left with . . . uh . . . she left with no flowers!' 'That's right,' said the clerk. 'I cut off the flowers. That's the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet. Barbara came into the shop three years ago, feeling much as you do today,' explained the clerk. 'She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had just lost her father to cancer; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she was facing major surgery. That same year I had lost my husband,' continued the clerk. 'For the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel.'
'So what did you do?' asked Sandra.
'I learned to be thankful for thorns,' answered the clerk quietly. 'I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I never questioned Him why those good things happened to me, but when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, 'Why? Why me?!' It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life, but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others.'
Sandra sucked in her breath, as she thought about what her friend had tried to tell her. 'I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God.'
Just then someone! else walked in the shop. 'Hey, Phil!' the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man. 'My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement . twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!' laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.
'Those are for your wife?' asked Sandra incredulously. 'Do you mind telling me why she wants a bouquet that looks like that?'
'Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced,' Phil replied. 'After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we trudged through problem after problem, the Lord rescued our marriage. Jenny here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she had learned from 'thorny' times. That was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific 'problem' and give thanks for what that problem taught us.'
As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, 'I highly recommend the Special!' 'I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life' Sandra said to the clerk. 'It's all too . . . fresh.'
'Well,' the clerk replied carefully, 'my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember that it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns.'
Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on her resentment. I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please,' she managed to choke out.
'I hoped you would,' said the clerk gently. 'I'll have them ready in a minute.'
'Thank you. What do I owe you?'
'Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me.'
The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. 'I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first' It read: 'My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant.'
Praise Him for the roses; thank Him for the thorns.

God Bless all of you.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

you've got to see this video!

The Fingerprint of God

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ibc8sD5sgw

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Women's Retreat (part two)

i got tired of waiting for comments on the other one before posting this one, so here it is. if you still want to read the other one, it's still there. all you have to do is scroll down.
i'm just going to go off of my notes for these in an attempt to make the post easier to read.
Message 3:
[this was one of the lessons that really hit home for me, personally.]
Consecrated Eyes
How Do We Lose Sight of Jesus?
1. False Expectations- when we assume the way something is going to go, and then it doesn't go our way, we begin to doubt that God has the best in store for us. But His best is so much more than anything we could ever imagine, dream of, or hope for.
2. Refusal of Sacrifice and Obedience- when we refuse to obey God's word and sacrifice our own agendas in order to serve Him. We must die to the love of self in order to embrace new life in Christ.
3. Devaluing- when we fail to recognize or accept the things that God values, and/or place our personal values above God's. God's system of value is perfect. That's why it is the same today as it was 2,000 years ago.
4. Misplaced Determination- being determined to have our own needs met in our own timing instead of waiting on God. God will provide for all of our needs in His own time. By depending on ourselves or others to meet our needs, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment.
5. Fantasy- holding onto the false belief that people, events, or objects can fulfill our deepest need. (i.e. "i'll only be able to be happy if _____." thinking.) The truth is, there is a God-shaped hole in all of us that only He can fill.
I. How Do We Defeat Fantasy?
a. Be willing to live in each moment with Jesus, even when that moment is painful. Trust Jesus to see you through.
b. Surrender your thought-life to Christ.
c. Realize that there is more to life than emotions. Jesus did not feel like dying on the cross. His anguished prayers prove this.
Luke 22:41-44 (NIV)
41He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." 43An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

How Do We Keep Our Eyes on Jesus?
1. Vulnerability and Humility- we must be willing to open our hearts, become vulnerable and willing to serve, and trust God for His protection.
2. Service- we must be good servants to both God and mankind.
3. Purity- we must be washed in the cleansing Blood of the Lamb--Jesus.
4. Balance- we must embrace the shades of gray in life, not focus on extreme black and whites. We must seek to attain spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical balance.
5. Love- love God and mankind with the Agape love of Jesus. (more on Agape in next lesson.)
II. What Did Jesus' Love Look Like?
a. Glorified the Father (God)
b. Self-sacrificial
c. Followed God's Will (even despite fear and other emotions)

Message 4:
Consecrated Hearts
Restoration of a Broken/Cynical/Cold/Lost Heart
(Read John 21)
1. After Jesus was crucified, Peter didn't know how to live the new life he had found with Jesus, so he returned to his old ways. Peter went back to fishing, because that's what he did before he met Jesus. But Jesus asked him, "Do you love me more than these?" meaning, "Do you love me more than your old ways of doing things?" (v.15) Jesus was giving Peter an opportunity to see that he had a mission, a calling from Jesus to complete, and he could not simply return to his old ways. He must focus on his new life as Jesus' friend and follower.
2. In verses 15-17, Jesus does two things:
a. He gave Peter an assignment. He knew that Peter was unsure of how to continue serving Jesus now that Jesus had been crucified and risen and was going back to the Father. Peter was uncertain also because of his denials of Jesus (see point b). He was unsure of the next step to take, and most likely, he wasn't sure if he was still wanted as a servant of God. But Jesus re-commissioned him to indicate that Peter was still a part of Jesus' ministry.
b. He offered Peter three points of confession as recompense and atonement for his three denials (see John 18:15-17, 25-26). When Jesus asks Peter "Do you love me?" the first two times he uses the Greek word "Agape," which is love that is not based on emotions. It is the purest and truest form of love. It is unconditional. Agape means loving by word and deed, not just when you feel like it, but always. When Peter responded, "You know that I love you," he used the Greek word "Phileo," which is a friendly or brotherly type of love. It is based on emotions, and is conditional upon them. Peter knew he had betrayed Jesus by his denials, and he was being honest with Him. Peter could not profess a love he knew was not there. The reason Peter could not Agape Jesus is because Agape only comes from Jesus through the Holy Spirit, which had not yet been sent to the earth since Jesus has not yet returned to the Father. So the third time, Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” He used the word Phileo, and Peter responded affirmatively, but was upset that Jesus had asked him this question because Peter had already answered that he did twice, and he did not see the connection between his three denials and these three affirmations. Jesus also gave Peter a promise in verse 18 that he would one day love Jesus with Agape love. He told Peter that one day, he would go so far as to give up his own life (in the sense of both living and dying) to glorify God.
The interesting thing about these two things is that one begets the other. If you Agape God, you will do His will. But you will need Agape love in your heart to accomplish His assignments for you.
Closing Points:
*You have to take ownership for your own life and focus on your own walk instead of judging/questioning another's walk. (see John 21:20-22) When Jesus says, "What is it to you?...Follow Me!" He was basically telling Peter that it was not of importance to his own walk what Jesus commanded of the other disciple. Peter's only concern was to be Peter's walk, not everyone else's. We are to follow Jesus regardless of what others are (or are not) doing.
*Consecrated Character means forming new, Godly habits to replace the old, sinful ones.
*There will be struggles, trouble, obstacles, and attacks. (John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.") Don't fall into false expectations that once you decide to change your life and follow Jesus that everything will be easy-breezy. There will be trouble, but Jesus will help you through it if you ask and allow Him to.
*When you are delivered, it is an "already, not yet" situation. You have been delivered from the heart of sin, but your nature is still in the habit of sinning. You have to accept God's grace and continue to walk out your deliverance by faith even when it's difficult and you've faltered.
*Don't be discouraged. (1 Chronicles 28:20 "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.") Don't let life (or your own human nature) get you down. When you fail, ask God to forgive and to strengthen you in that area of weakness. Little by Little, you will learn to recognize and stop the old, sinful habits in their tracks, and eventually they may not even be an issue anymore.
*You have to pray every morning for God to be your source of Agape love, and ask Him to show you practical ways to live a life of Agape towards Him and others. Agape love comes through obedience. As you choose to love God and others by faith and out of obedience to the commandments of God, His Agape love will be poured out on and through you. You will never be empty (feel like you have nothing left to give) if you continue to seek God as your source of love.

well, that's it. i hope someone can benefit from these notes the way i have.
(Agape)love and peace, Jen

Monday, April 14, 2008

Retreat Details (part one)

(more pictures appear in photoblog!)
well, i am back from Women's Retreat. i had a good time, and learned a lot. the speaker was Andi Bull, who also goes to our church. the message was about consecrated character. we talked about having consecrated ears, mouths, eyes, and hearts, and how our character is influenced by each area. Andi taught about how women are the "keeper" or guard of the home and that character flaws impede us from being good and efficient guards. we are to guard the love and peace in our home by always aiming to improve our character to match Jesus' character when He was on earth. she spoke on Godly discipline being a loving and healthy necessity to our spiritual growth, and that we need to distinguish God's discipline and the enemy's attacks.she taught on the importance of balance in all areas of our being and our lives. she used the parable of the sower as reference to the types of hearts people can have, and how we all have each type of "soil" in our hearts, and how each of us are responsible the the "soil" of our own heart.
Mark 4:1-20 (NIV)
The Parable of the Sower
1Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge. 2He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times." 9Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." 10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12so that,

   " 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
      and ever hearing but never understanding;
   otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'^[a]"
13Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14The farmer sows the word. 15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."
this is one of the only parables that Jesus Himself interprets for us, so we know the interpretation is correct. Andi talked about verses 10-12, and how a lot of people misinterpret those verses to mean that God didn't want to save the people, but there is a deeper meaning to those words. she re-read that section and explained that Jesus wanted the people to seek after the Truth, not just be handed it on a silver platter without having to do anything to earn their way to wisdom. God wants to know just how badly we want to seek after and know Him. if He would have said everything plainly, there would be no way to tell who really wanted to follow Jesus enough to meditate on the mystery of His words and trust Him.
there were four sermons that contributed to the overall message. each sermon branched out into other areas of character, and then came full circle back to the main point. in the first sermon, we focused on consecrated ears. Andi spoke about who we are as women and as individuals. of course, she went back to the first woman, Eve. she taught the ways that Satan was able to decieve Eve into sin, and how that relates to us. i'll just take it from my notes here:
Genesis 3:1-8
The Fall of Man

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "
4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Methods Satan Used to Decieve Eve:
1. self-focus- he got her to think about herself, taking her focus off of all God had given her, and looking at the one thing she couldn't have. he makes you focus on the things you lack and make you think that you need those things to be complete (whether it be a thin waist, a new pair of shoes, or a boyfriend/husband.)
2. the bait of offense- he exaggerated what God had said to lure her into speaking with him about it.  he exaggerates the situation to draw us into conversation, even if sometimes we only speak back to refute what he is saying or to defend God. all he cares about is getting our attention.
3. speaking his language- he got her to exaggerate and twist God's words in an attempt to defend God. he uses his exaggeration to illicit our own. there is no balance in exaggeration, and whenever we lose balance, we lose sight of the whole picture, and of God.
4. thinking his thoughts- he enticed her to ponder the possibilities of sin. he will convince us that the sin will bring happiness and prosperity to our lives, when in reality, sin brings only distruction.
5. shortcuts- he offered her a way to immediate knowlege without working to gain it. it is the same thing Jesus sought to prevent by speaking in parables. Satan will show us ways to cut corners and take shortcuts that defy God's will for us.

the next sermon was on consecrated tongues. she used James 1:22-24.
James 1:22-24(NIV)
22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
she used the prase, "Word in, Word out" to remind us that if we are to call ourselves Christians, we must not only read and understand the Word of God, but we also must obey it in our daily lives.
she told us that we find ourselves in confrontation in which we feel like speaking in an unGodly manner, that we should harness our tongue by faith, and let God deal with the issues. she read to us from the book of James about the importance of our words.
James 3:1-12
Taming the Tongue
1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
she talked about how we are judged by God based on both our actions and our words.
Matthew 12:33-36 (NIV)

33"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.
our words are the window into our souls, into the core of our character.
then she used a really cool simile of how we as Christians are like eagles. she taught us how eagle mothers dote on their chicks, nurturing them and meeting their every need. she bring food to them and put it in their mouths so they can eat without effort, until they are fat and fluffy. this life of luxery lasts 70-100 days (which is a long time in the life of an eagle!) then, as the chicks grow older, the mother eagle begins to bring food in a new way. she hovers over the nest with the food, just out of reach, so that the chicks have to reach up in order to grab it. as she flaps her huge wings over the nest, an updraft is created which helps to lift the chicks up a bit so they can eat the food, but they still has to make the effort. in this stage, the chicks are learning to use thier bodies and wings so that they can one day fly--and they doesn't even realize it! after this phase, when the chick is more developed, the momma goes and gets the food, but she swoops past the nest with it, teasing the chicks with it. the chicks start to question momma's loyalty to them, and then they get mad and start to complain. they become aggitated and chirp wildly and begin to move their bodies around in new ways. the momma continues this teasing for several days. during this time, the chicks have become leaner and stronger. the mother knows that her chicks are ready to fly, but they don't know it yet. finally, one of the chicks has had enough of the tmepting; when momma swoops by witht he food, he leaps out of the nest after her--and begins to fly! that is how eagles learn to fly--through hard work and perseverence, all under the watchful, wise, and loving eye of his mother.
when she told this story i almost cried, becuse there is such a deep longing in my heart to "fly." but i am still in the early stages of my development. even though i have been in church my entire life, only the past 3 or 4 years have i really begun to dive into God's Word and *attempt* to walk out my faith. but that is okay because i know that God is not interested in immediate growth, but desires us to grow at a pace that is best for us and will enable us to bear eternal "fruit."
on that note, i learned a lesson that i knew i needed some help on: Little by Little. Andi used Deuteronomy 7:17-23, and several Proverbs, including Proverbs 10:2, 13:11, 20:21, 21:6, and 28:20-22. i won't post all those in detail, but the verses are links to them.
and just as good things happen little by little, so do some bad things. she talked about being alert and active in our faith, lest we lose it.
Proverbs 24:30-24 (NIV)
30 I went past the field of the sluggard,
       past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment;
31 thorns had come up everywhere,
       the ground was covered with weeds,
       and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed
       and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
       a little folding of the hands to rest-
34 and poverty will come on you like a bandit
       and scarcity like an armed man.
we also talked about being focused on the here and now-- not dwelling in the past, not anxious about the future. God shows you His path/will step by step, little by little.
to end the sermon, she preached from another of Jesus' parables, this one in the book of Luke.
Luke 19:11-26 (NIV)

The Parable of the Ten Minas

11While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas.^[a]'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'
14"But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'
15"He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
16"The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.'
17" 'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'
18"The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.'
19"His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.'
20"Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.'
22"His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?'
24"Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.'
25" 'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!'
26"He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.
This is another parable that people often misinterpret. the master is God, and the servants are Christians. God is giving each person a gift, and leaving them with free-will to do with it what they choose. but as followers of Christ, we are meant to do God's will. we are supposed to use our gifts and talents to further His Kingdom. so when the master comes back, he rewards each servant according to the effort he put out to use his gift to bless God (the master). the one who was supposed to be a servant of God, but did nothing to bless Him, God did not reward, and the gift that was given to him was taken away. some people see this as harsh, but but it is really a justified response to the servants unwillingness to serve. the servant judged the master. he said he was a "hard man" who "reaps what he does not sow." that means that since the master expected the servent to put the gift to work, and the master would be the one who benefited instead of the servant, the servant refused to allow the master to profit at his expense. but what is a servant's role? to serve his master! we as Christians choose God as our master in exchange for eternal life. but we will not recieve eternal life if we refuse to serve our Master with the gifts He so graciously bestows upon us.
another point that Andi made was that some people think that since they have had a hard life, God must be a "hard" or uncaring God, and that the gifts He gives are not enough (a mina was not considered a very large amount of money.), therefore they think they can not, and will not serve God. it's a sad truth. many Christians make no effort to change the world because they do not believe that God has given them "enough" to do so. in reality, people like Martin Luther King Jr. and Mother Theresa were not any different than any of us; they were regular people who had impecible character and were faithful to God. we could all do any and all of the things that they did, or things similar, if we would take the initiative.
anyways, that was the first two sermons, one half of the whole message. i am going to leave it at that, and continue where i left off later. hope you all had a great weekend and i wish you a fabulous week ahead.