Rejoice in the Lord

 Hi everyone! I didn't realize it had been so long since I did a post on here, but I thought I'd share an article that I wrote a while back - Enjoy! :)

“Rejoice in the Lord”.  That phrase is written on plaques and hung on walls in houses everywhere.  However, as we take time to think about it, do we really?  How many times do we find ourselves going day to day with a ho-hum attitude, or simply going through the motions?  As Christians, we should be the most joyful people on earth, because we understand our purpose, and have the gift of Life.  I believe that one of the biggest keys to appreciating the wonderful gift of salvation is to understand the ugliness of sin.

Worldliness and sin abound in every place we go, and it’s normal to get used to something if it’s around us 24\7.  But we must fight this if we’re to remain holy.  We’re not to be conformed to this world, but we’re to be transformed (Rom. 12:2).  The state we’d be in if God had never shown His love by sending His Son is truly sobering, but it’s one that we must periodically think on to remind us of the great blessing we’ve received.

It’s not possible for evil to dwell with God (Ps. 5:4), and God’s face is against those who act wickedly (Ps. 34:16). God does not tolerate sin.  Even though he might not destroy mankind for such evildoing as he did in the days of the flood, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel just as strongly about it today as he did then.  Sin is serious and we can’t afford to become numbed by it.  Sure, we might not be practicing homosexuality, but what about the “smaller” sins of greed, jealousy, fits of anger, impure speech or envy (Gal. 5:19-21)?  These things are every bit as detrimental to our spiritual life as the “big” issues, and are more of a struggle for most Christians.  Sin cannot dwell with God.  We’re imperfect human beings, and we fall.  Over and over, we need to ask God for his forgiveness.  However, the beauty of what God has given us is that if we’re trying to do right and follow him to the best of our ability, we are continually cleansed and forgiven (1 Jn. 1:7).

How should the knowledge that we have a way to escape death and eternal punishment make us feel?  The knowledge that God still would have sent his Son to die in our place, even if we were the only one he did it for?  I can’t think of anything under the sun that can fill me with more joy.  We don’t deserve life, but God loved us so much that he gave it to us anyway.  What a gift! (Eph. 2:8)

That being said, when we go to worship, why do we sometimes have a less than enthusiastic attitude?  We should feel honored to be able to praise him, thank him, remember him, and give back to him.  Let’s “Be glad when they said to us ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord’”(Ps. 122:1).

With the knowledge we have, our everyday lives can and should be filled with joy and peace.  Do we go about our days in a state of semi-apathy, with a slightly dreary attitude?  The Psalms are full of verses telling us to rejoice and have a happy heart, praising God in our thankfulness.  In my mind, the picture that’s painted from those verses isn’t one of negativity and solemnity. Our hope should bring joy, resulting in a glad heart, which in turn, makes a cheerful face.  If you’re not having the best day, try counting some of your blessings and make a conscious effort to speak cheerful words – not to be ingenuine, but feelings often follow actions.

If you go into your workplace with a ho hum attitude every day, it shows, and if we don’t show joy, or even happiness in our lives, why should people in the world want what we have?  We’re to be lights in the world; a city on a hill that can’t be hidden.  Think for a moment even about your facebook page.  What do our statuses reflect?  So many times I see people post over and again how a certain something annoyed them, disappointed them, or angered them, often never thinking to note what was pleasant or positive in their lives.  This isn’t a healthy attitude, and certainly not a Christlike outlook on life.

Let’s truly delight in the Lord, exult in every new day He brings, appreciate the wonderful gift of salvation, and look forward to opportunities that might come our way!  “A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed” – Prov. 15:13

A climbin' the hill

A few days ago, Luke, Carey, Jake and I decided to climb a different hill that's near our house.  I think it was only about 3 miles round trip, but this hill was steeper, and the brush was thicker!

We came to this ravine here - isn't it pretty?

"So I don't see any way out of here...where should we go? ...Yeah, I guess you're right, we'll go up!"

 Once we got out of the ravine we found the road again

 It started to get steep right here

 We're soaking up all the green we can before things turn completely brown

Me and....half of Luke's face.  It's hard to get both of our faces in it since he's so tall!

 There was no path at all, or even any areas that weren't a complete jungle of thorns, so we just went through it!  I still have part of one in my leg that I need to dig out......

 We finally reached the top! Here's Jake in his awesomeness.

 Luke and Carey admiring the view

 I wish you could see exactly how enormous this rock is!

 Luke in his awesomeness

Yeah, I'm the oddball in this group!

Luke, me, Jake.  (Just to clarify, Carey is just a friend and coworker, no relation)

I zoomed all the way in onto the "little" hill that we climbed before

 Here it is again...our house is at the base of it.  Annnd, the sun was really bright.  I felt like laying on top of the rock and soaking up some sun like a lizard.

Didn't take many pictures coming down because we were too intent on not falling and dying\being careful not to get our eyes poked out by branches and thorns.

 

We got back sweaty (and stinky. You're welcome you guys) and a bit tired, but it was so much fun!  As an added bit of entertainment I got to sit on the couch that evening and pick ticks off myself, heh heh.  "Begone bloodsuckers!"  Okay that was gross, and I kindof made it up.  I only found one on my leg as we were hiking, muahaha.

Hi ho, hi ho, it's up the hill we go!

A couple days ago Dad, Carey, Luke, Jake and I went climbing up the big rocky hill that's near our house.  In a 1\2 mile, we ascended 500 feet!  Here are a few pictures (All climbing pictures courtesy of Dad!):

 The view - how gorgeous is it!  The house with the blue roof towards the bottom right is our house.

 The rocks are huge!

 Luke, Carey, Jake and I.  I'm such the odd one out, hehe!  Those guys have so much fun together, what a hoot!  Thanks for making me laugh so hard my stomach hurts while I'm trying to haul myself over these rocks...

 Bonnie, Mom and I went into town the other day to have a bite of lunch, and so Bonnie could have a checkup.  She's so brave!

Bonnie lookin' cute while she gets blood drawn

 Er...the toilet.  After one has been used alot, it's a toss up as to which is more preferable - tile or dirt.  I'd have to go with dirt though, because you could slip on the tile, hit your head and get knocked unconscious . Great!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Happy Day that celebrates Mothers!

It's been an embarrassingly long time since I've posted. {Ahem}  Nothing like a holiday to get another post out!

Ah, Mother's Day. Where would any of us be without our mothers? Yep, you said it!

I realized that somewhere along the way I refer to her exclusively as "The Mom" (or sometimes "Mum").  Never plain "Mom", but The Mom.  She loves me, she always has, and always will.  She's The Mom.  

(Hi The Mom!)

Dear The Mom,

Thank you for all you do for everyone every single day.  You're such a wonderful example in so many ways - I hope that someday I can be half the person that you are. Thanks for being my parent for all my life, you're definitely firstly that, but now you're also my friend. I love you. Thanks for always making me laugh and smile, teaching me and loving me, even though I do strange things like try to waltz around the kitchen with you every other day.

Love, Linz

She feeds us, cares for us, and wipes our foreheads and gives us water when we're sick...the list goes on and on.  And all the while loving us, even with our weirdness quirks.

I mean, she puts up with us every day!

Even when we do things like wear cowboy hats just because we're watching a Western movie. 

  (I think we learned it from you, Mom!)

So today, I'm singing along with Mr. T..."Mother, I'll always love her...there is no other!"

 

(And mine's the best. You can't have her! Heh heh. Sorry.)

Abundant life

We've been having several Bible studies lately, that have been going really well.  Every Wednesday and Saturday morning I tag along with Dad and Jake and go to a study that's with 4 young women.  If I remember right, three are Anglican, and one is Methodist.

It's been so encouraging to sit in on these studies!  The women are interested and attentive, and are willing to talk and answer\ask questions.  Alot of people may agree to have a study with you, but while they're fiddling with their phone or staring at a bee buzzing in the window, you get the feeling that they're not really even listening to what's being said.

Being in the study has just reminded me again and again of some things.

Every time I sit in on classes, and watch the people as they see things unfold, it gives me goosebumps.  Every time that we start at the beginning and review God's plan for the world - how he planned for his Son to come and take our place, it brings me to tears.  

In Genesis 3:15, talking about how Jesus will be victorious, and in Acts 2:24 - "God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it."

It just brings me to tears and puts me in awe, because what a wonderful and powerful God we serve.  How unworthy we are to even serve Him, but how blessed are we to be able to!

Jesus came so we could have life.  Not just existence, but life.  Abundant, joyful, peace-filled, full life.

Even when the storms come, we're able to take comfort in the knowledge that God's above all, through all, and in all.

~

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
 John 10:10

"My lips will shout for joy,when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have redeemed."

Psalms 71:23

 "My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God." 
Psalms 84:2

"But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you." 
Psalms 5:11