A Matter of Perspective

Wouldn't it be great if everyone cared for each other? If everyone thought about what was best for their neighbor, before what they wanted for themselves? If all the nations of the world would work together for peace and worked to guarantee a minimum quality of life for every person? You know, so everyone could at least have the basics, like food and shelter? Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Well, yes, it would be great if there were less suffering and pain in the world. I will certainly not argue that point. And when I am given the opportunity to help someone in need, I like to take it. But let's take a moment to try and see the world from God's perspective.

First of all, we live in a fallen world, friends. Unfortunately, people do not think of others before themselves, because they are sinful and selfish. ("This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead." Ecclesiastes 9:3) So this wonderfully happy and fluffy ideal cannot be reached. I'm not trying to be a pessimist, or overly negative, or say we shouldn't bother to help the hurting and the poor. ("'If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you." Leviticus 25:35) I'm simply trying to say that spending your entire life trying to make this life slightly less painful for others-or yourself, for that matter-may not be the best use of your time.

For example, say you work really hard focusing on some particular people group-helping them build homes, get educated, clean water, food, etc. You make their lives easier. Maybe even happier. But then what? Life on this earth is fleeting!

"For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?" Ecclesiastes 6:12

"It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath." Ecclesiastes 9:2

Whatever this life brings, whether joy, sorrow, peace or pain, eventually, this life will end! And then, each and every person on this earth will either spend eternity in the glorious presence of God in heaven, or eternally separated from God in hell. That's the only thing that God guarantees about our life. He does not promise that this life will be a fairy tale full of gumdrops and candy canes, only that every man will face the same fate when his brief time on this earth has ended. Every man will stand before God in judgment.

So wouldn't it seem, then, that a better use of the short, fleeting time God gives us would be to share something with eternal value? To be honest with people, and explain that things may never be easy, or happy here on earth. But that we have a much greater, and more magnificent promise to look forward to that will be better than our very very best days here on earth. To share the amazing and powerful love and grace of Jesus Christ with our lost and dying world!

I cannot feed and clothe every person on earth, or even every person I personally come into contact with. But God doesn't expect me to. He expects me to share the Gospel. To share the truth of scripture and the hope and promise I have because of what Christ has done. And then, my life will really mean something to God, to others. Then, my life will make a difference. An eternal difference. Isn't that what really matters?

Cutest Baby on the Block

My little girl recently went to her first Red Sox game (well, first ballgame ever, really), and loved every minute! She is a true fan at only 7 months old.
And she's got to be the cutest baby I've ever seen.

Contemplative.

Giggly.

Oh, and did I mention she is the cutest baby I've ever seen? (Not that I'm biased or anything.)

Here We Go Again...

As a new mom there are so many things to learn and figure out and go through after that beautiful bundle of joy finally arrives. Of course the baby basics, like diaper changing, nursing, functioning on a severe lack of sleep. But also figuring out how to take care of yourself and wanting to get "back to normal," post-baby. Healing all those battle wounds, maintaining a healthy diet (to provide for not only yourself but another human being), and ridding yourself of the dreaded "baby weight."

For me, most of the weight dropped right off in the first week or so. But there were these pesky 10 pounds that I just could not seem to lose, and it was killing me because I so desperately wanted to be able to wear my favorite jeans again! I mean I had waited 9 months, wasn't that enough?? So finally I started to get serious about losing that weight and by the time my daughter was 3 months, I was back to my pre-pregnancy body (well, as close as you can get anyway). Then, around the time my baby girl was 4 months old, I got pregnant again.

That's right, pregnant again. :)

Honestly, I was mixed with all kinds of emotions ranging from overjoyed to overwhelmed and everywhere in between. I remember the frantic words, "Are you kidding!? I JUST DID THIS!!" spewing out of my mouth. Not to mention that fact that my daughter was still not sleeping, or really in any kind of consistent routine whatsoever, despite my best efforts. PLUS, she was crying pretty much nonstop, and I could not figure out why to save my life. And of course, there is the morning sickness which for a couple weeks was just about 24-7. So, to say that I was frazzled and over-tired is just a little bit of an understatement. Just a little bit.

But luckily, I have wonderful friends who helped out, and even a friend who didn't even know half of what was going on in my life, but was so incredibly wonderful and took care of my baby girl, no questions asked. And over time, things have gotten infinitely better. The morning sickness is gone, I finally realized that my daughter was screaming because she was hungry (I didn't have enough milk thanks to being pregnant), and we have now had almost 2 weeks of consistent naps, and completely sleeping through the night. Now that she is 7 months old. But who's counting.

So I am about 12 1/2 weeks now, and everything seems to be going well, and come January, we will have 2 beautiful children 12-13 months apart. ;) I know it will be hard, and tiring, but I'm thrilled. I know this child is a gift from God, and that this is part of His plan for our family, and I am now counting down the days til we can find out if we are having another girl or a little boy!

So I may have only been back to pre-baby weight for maybe 2 months, but it will be so worth it 6 months from now when we are graced with the presence of another sweet blessing. And I'm sure belly pictures will be forthcoming. ;) (Eventually). So for now, here we go again!

Don't Sweat the BIG Stuff

I have already discussed how we should not let little annoyances get under our skin. These things are really not that big of a deal. But what about the big stuff? Legitimate concerns that come up in life, such as losing a job, health concerns, or financial troubles? Is it then ok to get angry, worried, and frustrated? Although everything in my anal, perfectionist human self wants to say, YES! Of course you have every right to be worried and concerned! You have the right to want to plan for the future and know that everything will be ok and work out the way you want!

But the truth is, you still should not get angry and worried. God is sovereign, and in complete control. And to question the trials in your life is to say that you do not trust God and what he has made clear to us in his word.

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." 1 Peter 4:12

First of all, Peter tells us not to be surprised when trials come. In this life, as I'm sure we can all attest, trials and tribulations are inevitable. But we have to recognize that these trials are not coincidence or accident or out of God's control. Peter says we are not to think of these trials "as though something strange were happening to you." "Happening" suggests that something has occurred simply by chance. When we go through trials, we cannot face them as though they are an accident, or that God is unaware. He did not turn His back and suddenly something bad happened to you. He knows, and is still in control. So we have to stay focused and trust in Him. While this is not always easy, God makes it clear in the book of Matthew that we are not to waste our time worrying:

"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

²⁶Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

²⁷And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

²⁸And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,

²⁹yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

³⁰But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

³¹Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'

³²For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

³³But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

³⁴So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-34

I feel like this passage speaks for itself, but can definitely be convicting! Especially for someone like me, who tends to worry about pretty much anything that comes up in life. But gradually God is teaching me to give all my frustrations and worries to Him, because it is simply not worth wasting my time and energy on such negative things. It does not do me a bit of good to worry about things that are in God's hands anyway! I will take His plan any day over mine, so I'll let Him take care of the worrying as well! :)

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Do you ever have one of those days where everything seems to be going wrong? You're running late, burn the toast, then the baby spills juice all over the floor just as you're walking out the door. Seriously? Could I please catch a break!? How do you react to these situations? Do you get angry and yell at the kids and snap at your husband? I'm sure we've all been there. But in the grand scheme of things, are these frustrations really worth getting so worked up over? No.

"In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent." Psalm 4:4

"Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil." Psalm 37:8

"For as churning the milk produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife." Proverbs 30:33

The only thing that comes from unrighteous, uncalled for anger is sin and strife. This is not the reaction we need to have because it will only cause strife among the ones we love. If you are having a bad day, it is only bound to get worse if you allow your anger to take hold and affect other areas of your life. And then later you are sure to look back at how silly the whole event was anyway, so why not work to avoid getting upset in the first place? But of course, this is often easier said than done. So what does scripture have to say?

"The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love." Psalm 103:8

"A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control." Proverbs 29:11

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12

While there are certainly times when anger has a place (toward sin, for example), we are to be slow to anger. Silly annoyances in everyday life are no cause for anger and lashing out. We are to instead keep ourselves under control, and always clothe ourselves in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. So the next time you get stuck in traffic and you spill your milkshake and the baby is screaming, stop, take a deep breath, and keep things in perspective. Is it really worth getting upset over? Is it really worth upsetting your child, husband, friend because you can't control yourself? Is this really going to matter 2 days from now? 2 hours from now? Probably not. And remember, only a fool gives full vent to his anger. And nobody wants to be a fool!

Teachers of the Word

Being in the ministry can be hard. While it should be a wonderful and joyful experience (and often is!), we are dealing with people. People who are sinners just like you and me, who make mistakes from time to time, who sometimes feel that their way is the "best way." Of course when someone is called to serve God's people, it does not mean they never make mistakes, or always know best. But it does mean that they are called to a higher standard and level of accountability. God has called out certain men to teach and lead His flock, and therefore has much higher expectations for them, both in the church as well as in their home.

"Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment." James 3:1

"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you." Hebrews 13:17

Being in such a position is a serious matter, and not one to take lightly. However, it is also important to recognize that if God has called a man to such a position, it is for good reason, and other members of the body should be willing to submit to his authority and leadership. It becomes very difficult to be effective in ministry if the very men God has called to serve and lead are not able to do their job. There are probably many reasons why congregations are sometime hesitant to follow (and sometimes very good reasons if the man in a position of leadership is not upholding God's standards, or living out the truth in scripture. But that is another matter entirely). One such reason is a lack of respect because of a man's age. There are a lot of young men in seminary, and serving in churches, who are strong, Godly men, grounded in sound theology from God's word, but because they are still young, members of a congregation are reluctant to listen to them, heed their warnings, or follow their advice, even when the words they speak are straight from scripture.

This is not biblical behavior. While it is certainly important to be discerning and prudent in who you trust to lead your church, congregations cannot simply overlook someone because of his age, or seeming lack of experience. Church members must listen to the words he speaks, and follow his actions, and measure them up against scripture. When he is found to be of sound doctrine, knowledgeable and trustworthy, men and women must be willing to respect his judgment and trust that his wisdom is from the Lord.

Timothy was facing this very dilemma in his congregation. While he was in his 30s, this was still very young by Greek standards. What some failed to recognize, however, was that Timothy had been trained and discipled by Paul since he was a teenager, so he had a great deal of knowledge and experience to offer. Therefore, Paul tells him to set the example of a Godly leader in his words and actions.

"Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe." 1 Tim. 4:12

Rather than get discouraged, Paul instructs Timothy to continue to serve in the capacity in which God had placed him and live in such a way that shows his maturity, in his speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. Again, these are very high standards to live by, but it is what God expects from the men who are to be the teachers and leaders of His people. So, while leaders in the church must set a Godly example, members of the congregation must respect the men serving and not look down on them because of their age. If a man leading is truly a man of God, and in his place of leadership at God's leading, his wisdom, judgment and decision-making will come from God.

What a PRO!

So, even though my baby is only 6 1/2 months old, I have been trying for some time now to help her learn to sit up. People kept asking, like she should be well on her way to walking already! But, alas, she did not seem even remotely interested. She was perfectly content to fall over and play on her tummy. *sigh*

And then one day, she just did it! Like she'd been sitting up her whole life! She will now sit all day long and play with her toys. :) I'm such a proud mama! Today she was particularly enjoying playing and sitting, so we had fun taking pictures.


(NOTE: Please disregard the obscene amount of drool on her shirt! haha)

Discerning the Will of God

As we make our way through this thing called life, we, as Christians, must constantly discern God's good and perfect will. How are we supposed to live? How do we know the correct decisions to make? Which way do we turn when we come to a crossroads? Wanting to live in a way that is consistent with God's word and at the center of God's will is not always easy. But as we continue to grow and mature in our walk with Christ, we can better discern what His will is and what He commands us to do.

This cannot happen, however, without a sufficient understanding of how God works and what His word says.

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers,by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1-2

The following article by John Piper helps define what is meant by "the will of God" in scripture and how we are to know God's will in our own lives. It is not always easy to wrap our minds around the idea of God's will and how He works things together in this world, but this article is a helpful start.

What is the Will of God and How do we know it?

Although we may not always understand, we can find peace in the promise that God is sovereign and in spite of man's sins, His will will be done.