Why We Remember

Today is one of those special days in every year, when people all around, both young and old come together to commemorate the sacrifice of the men and women who have fought for our nation. This morning, the parking on the street in front of our store was blocked off for the gathering at the cenotaph, of which I happened to have a good view. Prior to the 11:00, cadets walked around handing out poppies. I wonder about these young men in uniform and their dedication, their hearts already turned towards the good of their nation. As I watched officers march, and even young scouts, I was reminded of the men and women who still serve today.

The high school band assembles and strains of beloved hymns such as "Onward Christian Soldiers" (which we sing together later on along with our national anthem) and "Abide With Me" echo through the town. Young children, possibly from a school gather as well to witness this special service. It's a touching sight and I too step out of our store alongside many spectators.

It's a wonder how certain things, certain dates even, bring people together with one common purpose in mind. Days when life isn't about yourself, when we recognize and honour the sacrifice of men, women, and families. Times when we come together to recognize a Power greater than mankind. This morning I watched people come together and listen with solemnity and respect as Scripture was read out of Ephesians 6 and a minister spoke about putting on the full armour of God and prayers were offered for those who continue to serve our nation. This was not a sight you see in public every day, and was not politically correct, but what a blessing! It was a good reminder that war still exists, not just overseas, but we're all fighting in this spiritual war, one that is not against flesh and blood, and as Christian soldiers, we must continue to fight.

Today is not the only day people come together for such occasions. 9/11, a tragedy that our generation witnessed, is another such day that, when people gather to mourn the loss of loved ones and honour the sacrifice of the thousands of rescue workers. It's beautiful to see pain bringing people together.

Will there be more such days? Today we commemorate the end of one war. Will there be a day when we commemorate the end of all war? I know we will, but it will not be around a cenotaph. It will be around the throne of God, where He will wipe away all our tears, and war will be no more.

Prioritizing Life

If you're anything like me, you're bad with priorities. Life is busy, there's too much to do (or too much you want to do) and not enough time. How do you know what comes first or how to juggle everything?

Okay, so in comparison to many people, my idea of a busy life is a joke. I like things to be fairly relaxed and I get frazzled easily. Even in the midst of work, church, home life, family, etc., I still have an amount of spare time on my hands that many would consider a luxury. The problem is, there's so much I want to do in that spare time.

As we speak, I have a couple stacks of books in my room waiting to be read. In fact, I was able to get 6 books for $3 today at thrift store. I could go crazy in their book section. I work in an awesome store, but I still can't do that there. I have more lists of things I want to read and actually study. There's all kinds of other things I would love to do, things I want to cook, bake, stuff I want to learn to do.

So here's the thing: what comes first? How do your prioritize your life? Of course, my responsibilities should always be of utmost importance. I have a job, I help carry the load of keeping a home in order and running. Church is not something you should neglect. Meeting together regularly for worship and study is important. That doesn't mean I make it to every Bible study, prayer meeting or other event at church, but I do when I can (and feel up for it.)

As a Christian, God is supposed to be our #1 in life. But what exactly does that even mean? (Wait, what does prioritizing even mean?) If Jesus is number one, does that mean all my waking hours have to be devoted to prayer and study, every spare moment has to be devoted to worship and serving others? Having thought about this, my answer is no. Christ can still be our main priority and the central focus of our life without all of our activity being explicitly Christian.
The truth is, we can honour God in all our daily activities. Christ can be the main focus of our life, and we can still enjoy recreational activities. At least that's what I think.

How did that just explain how to determine what comes first, or how to spend our spare time? I have no idea. It didn't. The truth is, I don't know how your prioritize recreational activities or wants. Perhaps it has to do with what is a greater benefit to your relationship with God, others or yourself. Perhaps it's determined by finances, education or usefulness. I don't know.

Life is all about choosing one thing over another. Something must always be given precedence in every situation. Decisions have to be made. My words of wisdom: Choose wisely. Use well the short time you have been given. Love and honour the Lord, put others before yourself (your life is not about yourself), and then enjoy that free time God gives you as you see fit.

Finding Joy in the Simple Things

I'm finally back! I know my inconsistency must get irritating, but I've been thinking through possible posts and just wasn't satisfied with anything. So this one will be kind of random once again. My life has been nothing short of busy this past month, which can be difficult and stressful, but also something I'm learning to enjoy.

I've been reflecting on this year and have had a lot of things to think through. It has not been easy at all. At times I wondered if I could handle any more, but God sustained me through every step. Illness and death has touched the lives of people close to me and seeing their grief and pain is so hard. I've fought a lot of inner turmoil, questions, doubts and fears and my faith has been stretched.

Nevertheless, I've seen God do some incredible things and I'm seeing Him do incredible things as we speak. I have learned to hope and find joy and laughter in the small, simple things. The adorable facial expressions or witty remarks of a child. Mindlessly insulting myself and accidentally offending someone else. (That was a good one!) Laughing when things go badly, but still hilariously, wrong. Listening to a young person excitedly speak of the Lord's working in their life or tell me of all their dreams, hopes, plans, and desires. Sharing special moments with special friends. Feeling the sun on my face and the wind at my back. Seeing the leaves change gorgeous, warm colours. Knowing I made a customer at work happy. Savouring a meal or dessert, and if you know me, you know how much I love that. Being giddy with excitement for no explainable reason and hearing God laugh with me. Oh, if only we could have a greater spirit of gratitude and rejoice in the small, delightful pleasures God grants us each and every day!

Otherwise, I'm learning to enjoy this season of my life right now. Or trying to, at least. I only have it once, and its gifts can only be enjoyed while I have it. I must learn to trust in God's protection and plans for my life. They are amazing and I can experience all of the wonderful things He has for me if I only surrender to His will and control.

I've also been enjoying some more reading, which I try to keep balanced. I'm working my way through the Legends of the Guardian King books and have been enjoying a lot of the great spiritual substance along with the story of a man fighting for what is good and right, clinging to and surrendering to the Light in the most impossible circumstances. At the same time, I've read books on business ideas, singleness and I actually started reading a devotional that I surprisingly like. I have a bit of a wary opinion of many devotionals, but when I discovered One Year Devotions for People of Purpose by Charles Colson, I knew I would like it. Each day, I'm learning about a new person, book, cultural issue, historical event or ways to impact the world around me. Thus far, I have read about William Wilberforce, Dr. Ben Carson, homosexuality, marriage, Harry Potter and other things related to books, film, music and ideas. It's been great so far and definitely one I would recommend.

My encouragement to you today is to rejoice in the little things. Learn to love, laugh and find delight in the simple things God sends your way. Make the most of every situation. Stop stressing over the business of life and dive in and enjoy what you're doing. And then. . . .take time to curl up with blanket, book, coffee and something sweet! :)

So I Read a Guys Book

So I read a guys book last week. As in a book written for guys. *Gasp* I know it's shocking. Actually, I take great delight in shocking people. But that's not why I did it. You see, I've considered reading several different "guys books" before, but the problem was, well, they were for guys. Was it okay for a girl to read guys books? What would people say? Better not. Until a pastor recommended reading Hero: Becoming the Man She Desires by Fred and Jasen Stoeker. I felt that was a sufficient go-ahead.

I actually found justification for this the other day too, when I found a post on Fred Stoeker's blog, written by a girl who had read it, and said it was a good book for girls to read too. If you don't believe me, read the article for yourself. I was pretty excited when I read that.

Since I haven't said it yet, here goes. Hero is an awesome book that I would recommend all young people to read. It teaches men to be protectors of purity and leave every girl better off for having known her. It addresses the lies among guys today about dating, sex, and marriage. It encourages guys to stand up and be men! At the same time, I was reading Answering the Guy Questions by Leslie Ludy (also awesome by the way), so it was a nice balance.

Whereas in Every Young Man's Battle, readers can learn about co-author Fred Stoeker's story, Hero tells Jasen's story. Jasen is a man who's family tree was filled with sexual sin and Fred feared for his son. However, Jasen made the decision early on to honour God and live a life of purity. At the young age of eleven, he was first invited by some boys at school to view a pornographic magazine. And he walked away. Soon, he began asking teachers to be excused from PG13 rated movies to avoid seeing any sexual content they contained. He endured the mockery of his peers for years as he skipped out on dozens of movies and did what he knew was right. And all of these decisions he made on his own, without his father having anything to do with it. The book goes on to tell of his relationship with his wife, leadership he took in their relationship and how he strove to protect their purity above all. On their wedding day, when they shared their first kiss, the audience went absolutely crazy! It was incredible.

Hero exposes the amount of sexual sin and compromise present in the church today, and sadly, how widely accepted it has become. It tells about the problems of pornography and masturbation in today's Christian colleges. One of the saddest things about the book was when the facebook profiles of three pastoral students were examined. Things like God and following Jesus were stated among their interests, which appears to be in order for men pursuing a career in the ministry. What was disturbing were their lists of favourite movies, including many rated R for sexuality. The author went on to describe some of the sexual content in these movies, not because he wanted to, but because he felt it was necessary for readers to understand what they were dealing with. There were words in there I had never even heard of, and judging from some other details and words they were grouped with, I thought it best not even to look them up. The sin and depravity described was disgusting. And yet these were favourite movies of young men going into the ministry. This was their entertainment. Is that someone you would want pastoring your church? Not me, that's for sure!

One of the things I appreciated so much was how they emphasized guys being protectors of purity, leaving every girl better off for having known him. In our society, this is very rare to see. I've been blessed by the young men in our church, who look out for the girls all the time. I really appreciate it.

I'm sure there's more I wanted to say about this book, but it's slipping my mind right now. Since I have broken the ice once and for all, I'll probably end up reading a few of those other "guys books" I've often considered, such as:
God's Gift to Women by Eric Ludy (I found a review by a girl on this one too!)
Every Young Man's Battle by Fred Stoeker and Stephen Arterburn
For Young Men Only by Jeff Feldhahn and Eric Rice
The Mark of a Man by Elisabeth Elliot

But then again, I might not. But there are some suggestions for my male readers.

I'm not sure how much you all like reading my reviews and thoughts on other books. Maybe my posts are very unoriginal. But I'm trying to get something on here that's going to make a point and hopefully have an impact on somebody else's life. Thank you for your patience. God bless!

The Twelve Pillars of Success

I'm often a little wary of success books, especially when they exude a "health, wealth and prosperity" mentality. Even so, some of them have some great practical points about life.

Over the past few weeks, I've been studying Twelve Pillars by Jim Rohn and Chris Widener. It's a book about a middle-aged man learning about the Twelve Pillars of Success from the caretaker of a large estate characterized by its twelve white pillars. Although there were points I can't say I totally agree with and I wouldn't put this forth as the ultimate model for success in life, I was inspired by many points and believe that it was written from a Christian perspective.

So what are these twelve pillars as outlined in this book?

1. Develop Yourself
2. Total Well-Being
3. The Gift of Relationships
4. Write Down Your Goals
5. The Proper Use of Time
6. Surround Yourself with the Best People
7. Be a Life-Long Learner
8. All of Life is Sales
9. Income Seldom Exceeds Personal Development
10. Communication
11. Leadership
12. Leave a Legacy

I won't expound on all of those, but just share some of my favourite points.

• In order for us to succeed in life, we need to grow as individuals. If you want your circumstances in life to change, you first have to change as a person. As Christians, we can do this as we allow God to work in us and change us into His image.

• On the issue of total well-being, three-dimensional health (body, soul, spirit) was explained and how we need to care for each one. If one part of our body suffers, the others suffer as well. It's all interconnected.

• Relationships are God's most precious gift here one earth. Cultivating them often takes a good deal of effort and sometimes pain, but it's so worth it. "The greatest gift the Grand Designer gives is the gift of other people. Yes, relationships can be hard, but they are also what the joy of life is made of."

• Time management is something I haven't mastered yet. I often find myself wasting so much precious time just thinking of all the things I have to do. I need to start thinking less and start doing more. We can endure the pain of discipline now, or deal with the pain of regret later.

• Surrounding ourselves with the right people is so crucial, especially as Christians. The Bible speaks so much on this issue. In order to succeed in life, we need to spend time with those who share our values, goals and visions and will inspire and encourage us. "Go where the expectations and demands to perform are high." 1 Corinthians 15:33 says "Bad company ruins good morals." Surround yourself with godly people who desire to live above the mediocrity of this world.

• Learning doesn't end when we finish school. It's something you have to do all your life. You can't escape it. What I appreciated was the book list included in this chapter, including some well-known Christian authors and titles. There's so much out there to learn, but make sure the knowledge is true and applied. Until you apply and live out what you know, it's useless.

Most of all though, what will be left of your life when it's over? Your life doesn't end when you die and leave this world. The seeds you have sown continue to grow and affect the next generation and maybe many more. Will you leave a legacy? What will people remember of you? It reminds me of the importance of living a life that counts, that will make an impact for eternity.

No, Twelve Pillars isn't my preferred road map for life. I'll sooner turn to the Bible and other trusted Christians for that. But sometimes it's good to have a practical reminder of the things that matter and this book did a good job of that. But if you like success books as much as I do, I understand.

Rededication?

Lately, I've been really inspired by Louie Giglio and as I was searching him on Youtube and came across this video where he speaks on the issue of "rededication" and I loved what he had to say. (Watch the video below first if you like to understand my thoughts better. I couldn't figure out how to get my text under the video.) Rededication is something I have often found myself wondering about. I can't help but notice how many Christians speak of having rededicated their lives, sometimes several times, when they share their testimonies. Don't get me wrong, but somehow I have a feeling there's something really wrong with this concept. Somehow I feel that God meant for the Christian life to be different. I don't know if my thoughts here on this issue are right, but I will throw them out there anyway.

I know it's something I have dealt in my own life in the past. I walked this inconsistent life for a long time. It seemed an endless cycle of ups and downs and "rededication" if you will. You're doing so great for awhile and then you slide downhill and come to God and say "From now on, it's going to be different. What I did back there will never happen again. I rededicate my life to You and from now on I will live a godly life." And then you're great for awhile. You read your Bible more, you pray more, you clean up the sin in your life. But after about two weeks, your initial fire dies and soon you're doing the same thing all over again.

You see, I think the problem with rededication is that many Christians are approaching it in their own strength and they don't realize they can't do it on their own. I mean, do you really think that after you've messed up, you can come to God and promise Him that you'll never mess up again, that from here on in, it'll just be a steady upward road? What a joke! Can we really make God any promises? You might as well be saying "God, I plan on living a righteous holy life from now on, and I can do it ON MY OWN!!!

I think Louie has it right when he says we have to surrender. We can't live the Christian life in our own strength and you will never get anywhere promising God you will never mess up again. It'll be a continuous cycle and you will be miserable. I know I was. We have to surrender our lives to God and walk in grace, in the Spirit, trusting Him to uphold us in our walk.

I don't think that rededication is a Biblical concept. I think what people need is more repentance and revival, not more rededication. They need to surrender their lives to God and walk in the Spirit instead of trying to living godly lives in their own strength. It just doesn't work otherwise.

Please do share your thoughts on this. I'm not sure I have this right either and I had trouble wording my thoughts, but it's a concept in modern-day Christianity that has really been nagging me and I finally heard somebody say it right. So, if you don't like what I have to say or it doesn't make sense, listen to Louie. I think he has it right.

In One Verse

Have you ever tried summarizing the Christian life or salvation in one sentence? It can be difficult to wrap the Gospel into one sentence that people will fully understand. I recently encountered a verse where Jesus, in my opinion, perfectly describes the Christian life:

If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
-John 14:23

It speaks of us loving Christ, keeping His commands, God loving us and coming down to live with us and in us. I'm glad that at some point, it seems Jesus thought, "Simply put, there it is. In case anybody has problems understanding what it is I want for them."

More small reflections on scripture hopefully coming soon.

Hiding Pain

I've been meaning to get this post up for awhile now, but I've been lacking time to sit down and write. The topic of pain is something I've been thinking on lately and I'm not sure where this is going to go or how these thoughts will unfold. Forgive me in advance if it's really random.

People hide pain all the time. You may not see it, but I can assure you it's there. So many individuals have a huge load of of hurt bottled up and tucked away deep inside of them. Of course, they'll never tell you. They usually don't want anybody to know it's there. But all of a sudden they come to a point where it comes to the surface and they want to burst.

I've come to really like songs that speak about a person's pain, songs that challenge Christians to reach out to those who are hurting, songs that encourage people to admit their hurt. Casting Crowns has a few such songs. One called Does Anybody Hear Her tells the story of a girl who longs to be accepted and loved and who gives herself away in search of affection. At one point, she tries going to church, but nobody reaches out to help her. Stained Glass Masquerade is another one that speaks about hiding pain and feelings of inadequacy and putting on a mask and making it looks like everything's okay. But I also love to listen to songs that speak about people healing. Held by Natalie Grant is a song of comfort when I'm going through a hard time.

The truth is, people are hurting all around us, and although they may never say anything, they're inwardly crying out for someone to care. Are you reaching out to them? Or are you one of those who is hurting and needs someone to care? Find a trusted friend and talk to them. You don't need to carry your load alone. I would just add a word of caution though. Often our pain is caused by other people and although it can often be difficult, try to avoid using names or slandering others where possible. And be careful with what you share with friends of the opposite sex. Some things can be inappropriate to share in detail and can cause an unhealthy emotional attachment.

And it could also be that one of your friends has hurt you. Or maybe you have hurt them. Of course you'd rather not to talk about it. You don't want to risk damaging your friendship. Talking to a friend about how you have hurt each other can be an extremely difficult thing to do, but my experience has actually been that it draws us closer together instead of tearing us apart. It can be very humbling either way, but it's worth saving a close friendship.

So there's a few of my thoughts on the matter from the past few weeks. My prayer is that you would seek to help others in their times of pain and seek God's healing and peace for your own. God bless!

Surprise Military Reunions

No, I don't intend to replace my regular blogging with videos, but I really like this one! And I promise a solid post soon.

What is Ellerslie?

This is a great video about Ellerslie from the students themselves!