No he didn't!
Ugh. As of late, I have found it very grating on my brain when I hear the excuse, "I...because Satan is..." (there's so many forms of that phrase)
In my last homework assignment for my Bible study, there was a few paragraphs dedicated to the control that satan has over our lives.
Now...I'm no theologian, but don't we have free will? Don't we have the ability to make our own choices? Just as we can choose to follow God, do we not also have the choice to follow satan? Using that line of thought, how can he control us?
Also, "satan is everywhere." Okay...satan's minions/demons, maybe... but when did satan become omnipresent? How can he be tempting me, starting wars around the world, and dragging you through the mud at the same time?
Hubby and I were talking about this last night because it was really bugging me how part of this study tried to pass off our responsibility of choosing right over wrong as something that's not our problem, it's just satan working. Too fluffy for me. Didn't go over well when I tried to present this case in my small group during Bible study today...there were a lot of "buts" and "what abouts." I don't think it even made people stop and think.
Other than that, Bible study wasn't disappointing today--I am so glad I made this leap! Learned a TON about Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Firstfruits and their correlation to the crucifixion, death/burial, and resurrection of Christ. Very interesting!
***
It has only taken 6 months since the first brush stroke hit the wall, but our master bedroom is FINALLY painted (took us 2 coats and 8 hours...stupid vaulted ceilings). Valspar's Universal Umber is B-E-A-UTIFUL...so don't miss the lime green, and don't foresee ever doing so. Curtains are in the process of being washed, and we're going to rearrange some of the furniture, but otherwise our bedroom is finally somewhere we want to be other than sleep!
Exciting couple days ahead as we wind up our six days of furlough. Doing a little local visiting and having a little getaway. Not sure if I'm taking the laptop yet, but probably won't post until later in the weekend.
Enjoy the weekend--hopefully it's not too hot where you are!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Torn
Why can't growing in our relationships with God be a painless process?
Now, before the wishy-washy Christian thoughts enter your mind, understand that I know that our relationship with God is not a to be stagnant and cozy endeavor...I just like rhetorical questions.
So, remember that Bible study I was all excited about in my last post? Well, I still am very excited--but as I continue to work through each day's "homework," I find that God is really pushing me out of my current state of comfort and I'm having to face some not so warm and fuzzy thoughts and feelings. Not quite something I expected from the Psalms of ASCENT.
The more that I dwell on it, I realize that before one can rise, the foundation has to be firm. In this instance, it means that I must rid myself of misconceptions, some past pains, and face some of the truths of God that I have felt didn't apply to me, or that I wasn't good enough to have be true for me.
While this Bible study is very uplifting and inspiring, some of the individual questions really throw me back into a state of contemplation and remembrance, not always a place I like to be...there's lots of things I like to just push out of my mind.
As I move forward today in this mode of "ouch vs. elation," I am thankful for the time that I am intentionally putting aside to commune with God and tackle some of these issues that I thought if I could push away long enough, they would just disappear. As much as the analogy makes me cringe, He's the potter and I'm the clay right now. (Don't know why that one bugs me...it just does)
Now back to my regularly-scheduled furlough laziness for the next hour until we leave to get new lenses for our glasses and a myriad of other appointments this afternoon, followed by FINALLY finishing the paint job on our bedroom that I started back in January...adios lime green, hello soothing "universal umber." (A dark beige-y brown color)
Now, before the wishy-washy Christian thoughts enter your mind, understand that I know that our relationship with God is not a to be stagnant and cozy endeavor...I just like rhetorical questions.
So, remember that Bible study I was all excited about in my last post? Well, I still am very excited--but as I continue to work through each day's "homework," I find that God is really pushing me out of my current state of comfort and I'm having to face some not so warm and fuzzy thoughts and feelings. Not quite something I expected from the Psalms of ASCENT.
The more that I dwell on it, I realize that before one can rise, the foundation has to be firm. In this instance, it means that I must rid myself of misconceptions, some past pains, and face some of the truths of God that I have felt didn't apply to me, or that I wasn't good enough to have be true for me.
While this Bible study is very uplifting and inspiring, some of the individual questions really throw me back into a state of contemplation and remembrance, not always a place I like to be...there's lots of things I like to just push out of my mind.
As I move forward today in this mode of "ouch vs. elation," I am thankful for the time that I am intentionally putting aside to commune with God and tackle some of these issues that I thought if I could push away long enough, they would just disappear. As much as the analogy makes me cringe, He's the potter and I'm the clay right now. (Don't know why that one bugs me...it just does)
Now back to my regularly-scheduled furlough laziness for the next hour until we leave to get new lenses for our glasses and a myriad of other appointments this afternoon, followed by FINALLY finishing the paint job on our bedroom that I started back in January...adios lime green, hello soothing "universal umber." (A dark beige-y brown color)
Monday, July 12, 2010
Furlough, Day 1
Vegetate in pajamas until 5pm: Check! (Would've been all day, but we were hungry for Applebee's salads for dinner)
*WARNING-TMI AHEAD* (Will alert you when it's over if you choose to scroll down)
So, about 8 months or so ago I underwent a medical treatment that I thought was the answer to many pet peeves. I made my biggest medical mistake ever--I took the doctor's advice alone without doing my homework (like it would've been that hard to come home and google). Apparently she played down the initial procedure itself, including the adjustment period, and the changes that would take place as a result. Initially, it was much more torturous than I had originally intended to put myself through (like believing the answer I would be okay to drive myself home, I ended up having to pull over several times), and the adjusting has been so-so...but the changes it has made, had I known beforehand, I may have spent more time considering this pseudo-luxury. Now it's too late...80% of the time I have no beef with the issue, but that other 20% I waver back and forth between waiting things out a bit longer to see if things change or go through the torture of ending the treatment. Did my homework afterwards, and many of the personal reviews I've read...about 50% get over the issues, and about 30% did not but chose to wait out the treatment's lifespan, and 20% went through the pain of discontinuing treatment.
I'm torn. But since I have yet to come up with better options that I'm willing to live with, I think I'll likely end up waiting and seeing...however, I'm not a happy camper with the random, unpredictable pain. And yes, I'm a big weenie--so it's even worse.
Moral of the story: Do your homework. Don't trust the doctor's opinion alone.
*TMI Ended*
Not much planned for our "staycation" this week. More than anything, we just needed a break from life. A daytrip planned for later in the week, and several doctor's visits for hubby this week. I am (sadly) looking forward to the diabetic nutritionist tomorrow for hubby, as when I made his appointment, she invited me along--I am looking forward to some advice and more educated information for grocery shopping and cooking diabetic-friendly to make my hubby healthier (as my attention goes primarily to calories and fat grams on my healthy eating plan, not what will lower his blood sugar). Life with him on insulin is starting to settle into a routine, which makes it much less stressful.
Wednesday morning I have a Bible study that I started to attend. I finally made the intentional choice that I need to stop dragging my feet and take a real day off--that the world won't end without me. This has been one of my goals on my ministry development plan for two years, it's about time I meet it. So, once I looked at the calendar upon starting this study, I found that Wednesday seems to be the best day to make this leap...so, last week it was okay, and we'll continue the trend after furlough. I really enjoyed this Bible study that I attended. I was initially looking for a place with people my age, similar interests, and that I could just be a stranger and not a leader...although, when I came, I was introduced as, "This is Stephanie. She's an ordained minister and her and her husband run The Salvation Army here in town." Yeah...so much for blending in. But, no one seemed to be put off by that--and it certainly doesn't make me an authority on anything! The current Bible study is a Beth Moore series on the Psalms of Ascent. Pretty interesting...I'm looking forward to this week's session. I love my small group, and all the participants are super friendly and welcoming. I'm not a big joiner--and this way out of my comfort zone to just show up and start something. I'm looking forward to hopefully making some more friends within our community outside of a pastoral/business role.
Other than that, nothing new in life today...got a letter from a wonderful officer friend in which we are now pen-pal-ing with each other. That was exciting to get something in the mail other than netflix! (It's sad when you really don't receive mail) I love that "tangible" communication that you can hold on to...something special about it.
Anyway, more of substance to come later...brain is still adjusting to vacation-mode. It's been difficult today to not do corps business, even at home.
Happy trails until we meet again!
*WARNING-TMI AHEAD* (Will alert you when it's over if you choose to scroll down)
So, about 8 months or so ago I underwent a medical treatment that I thought was the answer to many pet peeves. I made my biggest medical mistake ever--I took the doctor's advice alone without doing my homework (like it would've been that hard to come home and google). Apparently she played down the initial procedure itself, including the adjustment period, and the changes that would take place as a result. Initially, it was much more torturous than I had originally intended to put myself through (like believing the answer I would be okay to drive myself home, I ended up having to pull over several times), and the adjusting has been so-so...but the changes it has made, had I known beforehand, I may have spent more time considering this pseudo-luxury. Now it's too late...80% of the time I have no beef with the issue, but that other 20% I waver back and forth between waiting things out a bit longer to see if things change or go through the torture of ending the treatment. Did my homework afterwards, and many of the personal reviews I've read...about 50% get over the issues, and about 30% did not but chose to wait out the treatment's lifespan, and 20% went through the pain of discontinuing treatment.
I'm torn. But since I have yet to come up with better options that I'm willing to live with, I think I'll likely end up waiting and seeing...however, I'm not a happy camper with the random, unpredictable pain. And yes, I'm a big weenie--so it's even worse.
Moral of the story: Do your homework. Don't trust the doctor's opinion alone.
*TMI Ended*
Not much planned for our "staycation" this week. More than anything, we just needed a break from life. A daytrip planned for later in the week, and several doctor's visits for hubby this week. I am (sadly) looking forward to the diabetic nutritionist tomorrow for hubby, as when I made his appointment, she invited me along--I am looking forward to some advice and more educated information for grocery shopping and cooking diabetic-friendly to make my hubby healthier (as my attention goes primarily to calories and fat grams on my healthy eating plan, not what will lower his blood sugar). Life with him on insulin is starting to settle into a routine, which makes it much less stressful.
Wednesday morning I have a Bible study that I started to attend. I finally made the intentional choice that I need to stop dragging my feet and take a real day off--that the world won't end without me. This has been one of my goals on my ministry development plan for two years, it's about time I meet it. So, once I looked at the calendar upon starting this study, I found that Wednesday seems to be the best day to make this leap...so, last week it was okay, and we'll continue the trend after furlough. I really enjoyed this Bible study that I attended. I was initially looking for a place with people my age, similar interests, and that I could just be a stranger and not a leader...although, when I came, I was introduced as, "This is Stephanie. She's an ordained minister and her and her husband run The Salvation Army here in town." Yeah...so much for blending in. But, no one seemed to be put off by that--and it certainly doesn't make me an authority on anything! The current Bible study is a Beth Moore series on the Psalms of Ascent. Pretty interesting...I'm looking forward to this week's session. I love my small group, and all the participants are super friendly and welcoming. I'm not a big joiner--and this way out of my comfort zone to just show up and start something. I'm looking forward to hopefully making some more friends within our community outside of a pastoral/business role.
Other than that, nothing new in life today...got a letter from a wonderful officer friend in which we are now pen-pal-ing with each other. That was exciting to get something in the mail other than netflix! (It's sad when you really don't receive mail) I love that "tangible" communication that you can hold on to...something special about it.
Anyway, more of substance to come later...brain is still adjusting to vacation-mode. It's been difficult today to not do corps business, even at home.
Happy trails until we meet again!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Of This and That...
Been a busy few days....here's the highlights as I want to get off the computer and back to my book:
- Third Day Concert--AMAZING
- Trusting my husband's adventurous nature and spontaneously changing our route home to stop at Carlsbad Caverns--so cool!
- Walking through Carlsbad Caverns and driving over the Guadalupe Mountains vividly remembering the description the author used during a mother/daughter cross-country road trip of these sites in a book I recently read, "Gardenias for Breakfast."--trippy
- Rain off and on all afternoon--we so need it!
- Spent all afternoon (between loads of laundry) reading a book that I didn't think I would enjoy: "Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs" by Elissa Wall--I can't put it down! Likely going to finish it tonight, about 100pgs left.
Happy Sunday! Tomorrow starts 6 days of furlough--much needed (though, it is starting with a stop at the office before everyone gets there to finish up some loose ends to we can truly relax)
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