On a day like this...

"On a day like this...

clap, clap,

On a day like this...

clap, clap

On a day like this..

clap

I need the Lord to help me..."

This goofy camp song sums up my day today.

It's a song where you add goofy sound effects each round and end with a a good ole' soulful lyric,

"I need the Lord to help me". 

Multiple times today, I felt like another goofy sound effect was coming my way.

Things were just not going right.

It seemed to me that the world might be falling apart.

A few times I reached to the hair on my head, ready to pull it out  [but thankfully, I settled with just gripping the strands as to grip a stress ball].

Even a couple times, my frustration made me say a couple choice words to myself [just being real].

 

Things like...

losing a well thought out email that was ready to send [and of course, did not automatically save]..

dropping my already prepared lunch on the floor,

hearing sad news about a friend, 

stubbing my toe,

receiving zero phone calls for a job I so desperately want,

running out of toilet paper,

 waiting 30 minutes for water to boil but realizing that the stove top wasn't even working...

[and a bunch more silly things]

left me finishing my day off with a couple rounds of...

"On a day like this

clap, clap, snap, snap, boing, boing, woo, woo, bam, bam

On a day like this

clap, clap, snap, snap, boing, boing, woo, woo, bam, bam

ON a day like this

CLAP, SNAP, BOING, WOO, BAM

I need the Lord to help me."

My frustration meter was off the charts and an island far, far away from here was calling my name.

Today felt like a chain reaction of Dominoes and the end seemed no where in sight.

It left me downright discouraged and exhausted, looking up to the sky saying, "Seriously?!"

Do you ever have days like this?! 

Was today that day for you?!

As I look at the clock in front of me, 8:21 pm never looked so good.

At the same time, I feel terrible for whining about "this terrible, horrible, no good, rotten day" [side note- I actually found out that they made a movie based on the book, 'Alexander and the Terrible, 

Horrible, No good, Very Bad Day' & it's coming out soon!]

Things could've been worse...way worse.

A lot of today's mishaps were just silly [yet frustrating still] and sure, a few things were legitimately discouraging, but my perspective was "OH my gosh, this day is NEVER going to end!"

Maybe I need to work on just laughing at those silly things more, instead of kicking and screaming.

Maybe I need to say to myself "Woosaww" like in the movie, Anger Management.

Better yet, as I sit here at the end of this pooey day, all I can think is...

"Thank you Jesus, that your mercies are new each day". 

That's a beautiful truth, because through all of my silly, frustrating events today, I kept feeling worse because of the way I was reacting to everything!

Knowing that Jesus extends His grace and mercy to me each and everyday lightens my load a TON.

Knowing that I can wake up tomorrow morning refreshed and renewed, makes tomorrow EVEN better since this "no good day" will be in the past!

We're going to have days when things don't go our way.

We can be reminded that life goes on even if the toast burns, or we don't receive a phone call with a job offer, or the printer jams.

On days like these we should actively remind ourselves of Lamentations 3:22-23-

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.”

Perhaps we get so wrapped up in all the mess, that we can't even think of that truth...[because today it clearly took me awhile to remember] 

at least we can go to bed saying, "Thank you God that your mercies are new each day and I can start over-give me strength for tomorrow!"

Maybe even tomorrow morning, before our feet hit the ground, we can remind ourselves,

"Your mercies are new each day!" 

Perhaps we'd go throughout the day with a tad bit different perspective...

a better perspective.

There you have it folks, Jesus just spoke to me through my own blog...

I hope it spoke to you, too.  

Dear God, thank you for speaking to me. Thank you for extending Your grace to me each and everyday. Thank you for my husband, family and friends that extend your compassion to me, making my load a tad bit lighter. 

Help us all to remember the love, hope, and mercy you have for us and may we rest in it daily even during our difficult days.

Amen.

 

 

 

 

When joy dies

So I told myself that I wouldn't blog about the death of Robin Williams, because everyone is doing it.

Well, clearly I have turned my back on my oath and now blogging about Robin Williams.

Everyone's Facebook newsfeeds have been covered in clips and pictures of Robin Williams. Just a little while ago, someone posted a video Jimmy Fallon doing a tribute to him so we watched it.

Before it began, I was wondering, "Wow, this man really touched many, many peoples' lives...what was so different about him than other comedians and actors?"

Now don't get me wrong, he is one of my favorite actors. In fact, Mrs. Doubtfire is one of my favorite movies. It has just been amazing to me what an influence he has had on SO many people.

As I was watching the tribute I found my answer...joy.

That was what was different about Robin Williams, I think.

He clearly brought so much joy to life. He didn't seem like he was different on camera, than off.

Joy seemed to radiate through him or at least that is what it seemed.

When joy dies, of course, many, many people are affected.

He was a source of joy for many and now he's gone.

That's a tough pill to swallow for many of us.

It makes me think when true joy died two thousand years ago.

I can't imagine how Mary, Mary Magdeline, and the disciples (along with many, many others) felt when Jesus was crucified.

It's tough to lose such an amazing comedian and actor because he brought so much joy to our lives.

However, it's even more tough for me to think of the day when Jesus died because he is the true source of joy.

Thanks be to God, our joy was not taken away forever, but three days later, our joy was risen again.

I feel like this post would be great for Easter time, but then again, I don't think we can ever be reminded enough of the amazing joy that the two Marys' and the disciples must have felt when joy was resurrected that very normal, yet sacred day.

This joyful truth can hopefully remind us in our deepest, most sorrowful times in life, that Our Joy of Jesus never leaves us. He's always here for us waiting.

I'm not sure what was going on in Robin's life or what he might have been facing, but this terrible time of loss for his family (and everyone else for that matter) can be a reminder of how important it is to seek joy and seek joy for others, as well.

Find joy in the deep crevices of life even when financial burdens, illnesses, and broken relationships seem to be filling in around us.

However, when depression takes over it can be hard, practically impossible to find joy, but realizing that we need joy is our first step.

Finding joy in Christ and his resurrection and sharing it with others who may be struggling should be one of our top priorities, because when joy dies...life dies.

Let's try our best to keep joy alive.

Prayers for Robin William's family, those who are struggling with depression, and the rest of us, that we might go out of our way to bring joy into someone's life.

via

Mrs. Doubtfire, Patch Adams, Jack, and License to Wed will always be in my top favorite movies :)

Whose side are you on?

Hey everyone!

Long time, no blog!

Here is why...

I got married on June 19th!!! 

It was a beautiful day and a fun filled week with our families that will go down in the history books as one of the best weeks of my life!

I was planning on blogging once we got back, but something unexpected came up.

A few days after we came home, I had to have emergency surgery. 

So the past month, I've been recovering from surgery.

With home healthcare nurses, excruciating pain, and a few annoying complications, our first month of marriage has been nothing short of interesting.

Dave has been wonderful throughout it all. He's definitely been fulfilling his vows already and I am so thankful!

Now, I'm just praying that no more complications will arise and it will be smooth sailing from here on out!

So that's my short little update for you! 

I'm sorry it has been so long, but I know that you know....life happens, right?

We just have to do whatever we can to get past the hurdles and road bumps.

Last night, Dave and I were reading the book, "Muhammad: A Biography of the Prophet" by Karen Armstrong. You may be wondering, "Why are you reading that?" 

Well, Dave and I are kind of nerdy. We enjoy learning new things, including things that may not affect us personally. We realize the importance of having knowledge not just in our religion or culture, but in others, as well.

As he was reading out loud, my brain felt like it was going to explode!

Blog ideas kept rushing in! Ahh!!

As he was reading about church history such as the Crusades, all I could think about was how nothing has really changed. Yes, of course, there have been some changes, but when we look across the board and see the divisiveness with such a hostile foundation of religion, we haven't made much changes.

 

I look outside. I surf the web. I watch the news. I read articles. I hear conversations.

The only common denominator I find is division. The question of, "Whose side are you on?!" comes up often. Perhaps, my optimistic self is being pessimistic today? I don't think so.

 Perhaps, I'm simply being a realist right now.

Culture divided.

Religion divided.

Christianity divided.

Race divided.

Politics divided.

Economic status divided.

Nations divided.

Families divided.

A world divided.

We've been struggling with this since the beginning of time.

Sure, we may have made some improvements (especially here in the US), in terms of rights and freedom, but we are nowhere near perfect. In fact, not one nation is perfect, even America. 

Our red,white & blue tinted glasses should no longer hide the reality that is right in front of us.

We are divided. 

You may be thinking, "Well Chelsea, of course we are divided. We have 7 billion people here on Earth, all with different personalities and beliefs, so of course we're divided!"

Guess what? I agree.

However, when it comes to following in Jesus' footsteps, I feel like we need to tread carefully.

Where does Jesus ever encourage division amongst people?

Bueller? Anyone? 

Here are two examples:

Jews & Gentiles. The culture of Jesus' day were all about the separation of Jews & Gentiles, but Jesus, not so much. He supported equality amongst all people. Apostle Paul said, "As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:27-28)

Jesus and the Samaritan woman (John 4:1-26). Jews were not to interact with Samaritans, but Jesus did, and even offered her living water!

Tax Collectors  & Zealots. Two groups of Jews in Palestine with probably the most intense hate towards each other and guess what?! Jesus chose one of each to be his disciples, Matthew the Tax Collector and Simon the Zealot. I don't think that was by mistake or coincidence, but on purpose, to prove that in Jesus there is no division. The disciples shared life together and here we see 2 enemies living life together.

From these examples in the Bible, we see that division is a reality, but that doesn't mean it's right. 

From the words and actions of Jesus Christ, do we see that division is helpful?.

No!

We may pat ourselves on the back when we "win" a culture war, but is Jesus standing nearby waiting to give us a high-five? 

I doubt it.

I feel like we often pick "sides" too quickly.

It's not about sides. (I think Jesus would back me up on this).

It's not always about who is right and who is wrong.

I feel as Christians, we are held accountable to not quickly pick a "side" and move on, but to look at the subject from all angles. Talking to someone of a different race, culture, religion will allow us to get to know the hearts of God's children. Instead of generalizing, let's start "personalizing". 

I used to have a certain idea of Muhammad. A dark, violent picture, but did I really take the time to learn about him?

No, I didn't. I quickly chose a side and moved on.

Although we haven't gotten far into the Muhammad book, I've realized that I've believed some things about the Muslim faith that were simply stereotypes and not truth.

As Christians, we are not called to pick a side and move on, we are called to love one another, to get to know one another, and to respect one another.

Instead of looking at hot topics like the children immigrating to the US, gender equality, and war, then picking a side based on politics or simple generalizations, I feel that we should be open enough to look from a different angle. To empathize. To wade in the middle of both sides instead of diving into one. 

As Christians, do we have to pick a side? 

I don't think so. I think that as long as we are faithfully following Jesus and His teachings of justice, grace, love, peace and mercy, we don't need a side. Sure we can have our beliefs and share them, but we are complex beings and generalized decisions will not do.

Jesus was not about culture wars, so we shouldn't be either.

My challenge for you is to explore! Make a decision to learn about something outside of your comfort zone. Do you have a bitterness towards something? Perhaps a different religion. Are you confused about something? Maybe gender equality. Have you always been interested in a culture and haven't made the time to dive in?

I struggle with making generalizations at times, but then I  am reminded to align myself with Jesus. Dave and I will continue to read the Muhammad book and I'm excited to learn about a different faith.

God knows our hearts and I think the best way to move forward, is to get to know the children of God (meaning all people of every race, nation, and culture) and their hearts.

I mean, would you like to be generalized into a certain category without any chance to explain yourself?

Movie Review: Heaven is for Real

A couple weeks ago we saw Heaven is for Real. 

A few years ago, I read the book in about a day because it was an easy read and rather interesting. 

I didn't think too much about it, but mainly, "well, anything is possible."

However, a couple things stood out as a little fishy, which caused me to wonder, "Why do pastors always come out with books like these? Why can't someone who's not in ministry write about visiting heaven?"  But then again, I can't argue with his experience.

Dave, on the other hand, has read plenty of books like "90 Minutes in Heaven", "23 Minutes in Hell", and others. He was more of a skeptic than I was. So when Heaven is for Real came out in movie theaters, he wasn't so sure about seeing it. However, something must have peeked his interest because we ended up seeing it.

Guess what?
I was very, very impressed with it.
It wasn't a corny Christian movie (however, some people may disagree) with terrible acting, but it was very real, humorous, and thought provoking.

One thing I think they did very well, was the portrayal of doubting and questioning.
Although Colton (3 year old boy who visited heaven) was convincing, his dad (the pastor), had a really hard time believing him. The movie really showed Todd and his wife struggling with the revelation that Colton kept bringing up.
I've said before, there's nothing wrong to question. 
It is often in our questioning, that leads us to a deeper faith. 

I also liked how they focused on the goodness of God.
There is a scene where Todd is talking to one of his church member's who lost her son in the war.
Their dialogue consisted of showing that God didn't favor Todd over her because Colton was still living rather than her son.
He made it clear to her that God loves her just the same and that unfortunately, death is a part of life.
I think it presented such a profound truth, that just because something bad happens in your life, doesn't mean God loves you any less than anyone else. 
He loves us all the same with an unconditional love, but it doesn't take away the truth that evil still exists in the world and death happens.
However, Jesus says, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Lastly, I think the most important truth they portrayed through the movie was that "neither death nor life can separate us from the love of God" (Romans 8:38-39). Even if Colton was making all this up, he shed light onto the wonderful news that God gives us peace through everlasting life. We don't really know what heaven is like, but we should rest assured, that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. 
He offers us peace in knowing that He never leaves us, He loves us with an everlasting love, and He gives us the gift of eternal life.

So whether or not, you believe in near death experiences or visions, this movie is still enjoyable and portrays many important points that we should remember every day. 

Strangers at my Door

If anyone needs an easy, inspiring book to read, I've got one for you!
Strangers at my Door by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove.

Strangers at my Door is a compilation of stories about this man and wife's journey of opening a hospitality house in a poverty stricken, crime infested neighborhood in Durham, North Carolina. Their motivation is to find Jesus in the stranger at their door. They invite people in to eat, to talk, to question, and even to stay and live. They function as a diverse family with responsibilities, fellowship, prayer, and struggles. Drug addictions, criminal activity, abuse, prostitution, homelessness are just some of the realities they face. The stories show us that it isn't always easy to find Jesus in the stranger at the door, but in the end, it is always worth it.
This book really tugged on my heart strings. It opened my eyes to issues I had never seen or heard of before. It broke my heart to read of the struggles that they face. It uplifted me in unexpected ways.

I'll share a few of my favorite quotes from the book, but don't let that take the place of actually reading it as a whole. I'm confident that it will be a blessing in your life to read about this hospitality house.

"To leave the door locked--to close ourselves off from another person in fear--is to reduce our capacity to connect, to love, to be fully human." 

"Welcome everything, and you'll witness miracles." 
Even in the most dirty and intimidating situations, miracles can happen.

"Is it safe? No. But companionship never is. It is drawing close to another person despite our fears. It is an embrace that comes int he midst of conflict, pushing us deep together, not further apart. It is, at its best, a glimpse of glory. But it's never safe."
I feel like this quote rings true for a lot of us. Maybe it's when we see a homeless person on the corner or when we meet a person who was just recently released from prison. Perhaps its when we're looking for neighborhoods to live in. I think this is a great perspective to have, because it's true...companionship (any kind) is never safe since we are imperfect beings. There is always a risk of being hurt by anyone, no matter their circumstances.

"But the dividing line between good and evil does not run between those who've been to prison and those who haven't. It cuts through the center of every soul."

"Those couple of hours int he library each week--they were the only time when I was locked up (in prison) that I felt like a human being."

Because behind the homelessness, the addiction, the abuse, there is a heart. 

A heart that was created in the image of God.

A heart that is loved by God.
A heart that longs to be loved and accepted by others. 

We can't ignore that truth, but we should embrace it.

No one is too far from redemption with God's immense grace.

Finding Jesus in the stranger, can give us all the strength we need to love them past their mistakes.

Check out this book-you won't be disappointed!

Serve me!

via

I was watching The Ellen Degeneres Show a week ago and she began the show by discussing coffee.

Oh, how I love coffee.

Of course, when you talk about going out and getting coffee, Starbucks is usually one of the popular options.

So Ellen asked the audience, "Who goes to Starbucks everyday?"

Hands shot up in the air.

She points out one young lady and says, "You really go to Starbucks every day or Monday-Friday?"

The girl replies, "I go everyday...Monday-Sunday."

Ellen, of course, gave a look as if to say, "Seriously?!"

Instead, Ellen said, "Did you know that there are 87,000 drink combinations at Starbucks? So what do you get?"

With a shameful look on her face, the girl replies, "Earl Grey Tea."

Ellen about lost it. "Plain Earl Grey Tea everyday?! How much do you pay for it?!"

The girl laughs and says, "$2.50" (I could be wrong with the price.)

Ellen in disbelief says, "Don't you know you can go to the store and buy a box of it and drop a bag into a mug?!"

With a chuckle, the girl says, "Yes."

Next thing she knows, she's running down the street to buy Ellen a coffee (at Ellen's request) and herself a tea. She comes back to deliver Ellen's coffee and is sent back to buy George Lopez a latte. 

It was pretty comical. 

So where am I going with this?

It's not to dis anyone and their Starbucks daily rituals, of course, but a perfect analogy about service.

Everyday, this young lady would go to Starbucks to buy a drink that didn't require much work.

It wasn't a complicated coffee with soy milk, light whipped cream, 4 packets of Splenda, and caramel sauce, but a simple tea that could be easily made at home or the office.

Many people may say, "Well, she's just lazy" and maybe they're right to an extent, but I think it goes deeper than that. 

I think she likes to be served.

I don't think it's completely her fault either. 

We live in a consumer society, so it would be hard not to buy into it.

When we live a life desiring to be served, we diminish the Gospel in our lives.

A little fact about me: I don't like to cook. That doesn't mean I won't. I just don't like it. So of course, if I had it my way, I'd go to a restaurant. Not because I'm lazy, but I simply don't like it.

 Not to mention, it's nice to sit at a table and have food and drinks served to you. 

I'm not saying we should completely eliminate Starbucks and restaurants from our daily lives, but to dig deeper into the heart of service to others.

Here is the problem. If I applied this to my social life, I would no longer be spreading the Gospel.

Acts 20:35 says, " In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Sometimes we may be too tired to serve. Sometimes it will be uncomfortable to serve. Sometimes we just want to be served instead of serving.

In those times, we should remind ourselves of Jesus' words, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

I would think the young lady on the Ellen show enjoyed "serving" Ellen and George Lopez more than Ellen simply buying her beloved Earl Grey Tea. 

I could imagine her telling people, "I got to buy Ellen Degeneres and George Lopez' coffee!"

Serving can be fun and life-giving, even when they aren't celebrities.

Instead of wanting to be served, we should be wanting to serve because that's what Jesus did.

 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” ~Mark 10:45

Music Monday: Love is War

This week's song is "Love is War" by Hillsong United. My awesome friend, Marissa, actually suggested this song and I'm glad she did, because I had never heard it before.

I have a feeling that many Music Monday's will feature Hillsong United...they just have such powerful lyrics that are hard to ignore!

"In Your justice and Your mercy
Heaven walked the broken road
Here to fight this sinner's battle
Here to make my fall Your own

Turn my eyes to see Your face
As all my fears surrender
Hold my heart within this grace
Where burden turns to wonder

I will fight to follow
I will fight for love
To throw my life forever
Into the triumph of the Son

Let Your love be my companion
In the war against my pride
Long to break all vain obsession
Till You're all that I desire

Turn my eyes to see Your face
As all my fears surrender
Hold my heart within this grace
Where burden turns to wonder

I will fight to follow
I will fight for love
To throw my life forever
Into the triumph of the Son

And I know Your love has won it all
You took the fall
To embrace my sorrows
I know You took the fight
You came and died but the grave was borrowed
I know You stood again
So I can stand with a life to follow
In the light of Your name"

I think my favorite lyrics in this song are, 

"I will fight to follow...I will fight for love...to throw  my life forever into the triumph of the Son."

I think it shows that it isn't always easy to follow...but although it may be tough, I will still follow.

The same with love. The love that Jesus asks of us, can be difficult at times because of our own selfishness, but Jesus wants us to live in love, so we should fight for love. 

When we stand firm and persevere, we through our "lives forever into the triumph of the Son." Jesus is glorified when we overcome the inner struggle from within. 

This song is a great picture of how life can be challenging, it can feel like a battle at times, but in the end, Jesus always wins. 

What lyrics speak to you? 

Any suggestions for future Music Monday's? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

"You are dust and to dust you shall return"

Genesis 3:19 says, "By the sweat of your face

You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return.”

So why is that significant? Today is Ash Wednesday. 

You may see people walking around with black crosses on their foreheads.

You may hear about people giving up something like social media or chocolate.

You may come across someone who won't eat meat during the week, but will feast on a juicy hamburger on Friday.

You may ask, "what is this all about exactly?"

Sarak Korf via Flickr.com

Ash Wednesday is a ritual practiced among Catholics and Protestants such as Lutherans, Episcopalians,  Presbyterians, Anglicans, and Methodists. 

Today marks the beginning of the Lenten period, meaning the remembrance of Jesus' 40 days of fasting, temptation by the devil, and crucifixion. It is during this time when people of these denominations reflect on Jesus' suffering, their sin, and live in moderation.

Sounds gloomy, huh? 

For some people, maybe not. It is a time for them to humble themselves.

I grew up Lutheran so I practiced the ritual of Ash Wednesday, as well as observing Lent.

I think a lot of good can come from this practice, however, when observing this time, one must be careful not to resent it or let it get in the way of it's sole purpose. 

I thought it would be helpful to learn about the history of Lent in hopes to deepen my knowledge of this practice. 

Did you know it began as a time to fast and prepare for baptism?

In the third and fourth centuries, lent was a pathway to newness by way of baptism on Easter. 

Baptism was the focus of this period. Although the Bible does not speak of observing Lent explicitly, it does speak of rituals pertaining to fasting and humbleness. We first hear of the Lenten period being observed by a letter from Dionysius addressing the length of Lent. Also, in 325 CE, the Emperor Constantine spoke of Lenten fasting at the Council of Nicea. 

Later on, the focus turned to confession and repentance rather than baptism.

People who committed serious sins would engage in public penance (confessing publicly) for forty days ending with a celebration feast on Easter. Some would still be baptized as well.

In the beginning, the fasting would begin on Sunday, but Pope Gregory the Great changed it to Wednesday and allowed for feasting on Sundays, instead of fasting. Because of him, we call today Ash Wednesday. He even started the practice of drawing ash crosses on people's foreheads to be a sign of grievance and repentance. 

As time has gone on, the practice of fasting has been modified. Sometime in the 800s people could eat after 3 pm, then people could eat after noon in the 1400s, and in 1966 the Vatican only required fasting to take place on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Also, during the 800s was the beginning of fasting from meat in order to "show of poverty before God" since meat was considered a wealthy food. 

It's interesting how this ritual has changed. When I partake in Ash Wednesday and Lent, I usually feel sorrow and gloom. I don't necessarily feel that it's a bad thing, because it is important to remember the suffering Jesus faced for us. We must also be careful to spend this time being grateful, even if we've given up chocolate. [I know it would be hard.] Matthew 6:16-18 says, “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face  so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who seeswhat is done in secret will reward you." We are to be representatives of Jesus Christ, so when we're walking around with ash crosses on our foreheads we must be careful not to complain about what you're giving up. 

With that being said, I really like the way Lent started out, as a focus of baptism. Now, if you were already baptized, of course you wouldn't get baptized every year, but remembering what comes with the suffering of Jesus Christ, the resurrection, is the most glorious part of Lent and Easter.

Let me say this again, remembrance, repentance, and sacrifice are HUGE. We should do those things, but we should be careful not to become so discouraged that we let it change our daily lifestyle of being joyful in all circumstances or become so wrapped up in the tradition that we forget the purpose. I think we can have a combination of both, remembrance and newness. Knowing our sins can surely bog us down, but facing our sins with the reality of Jesus providing us a newness can lighten our days during Lent, as well as throughout the year. 

So whether or not you are partaking in Ash Wednesday, remembering the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and the glorious outcome of His resurrection and forgiveness, should help us to be thankful now and throughout the year!

Do you practice Ash Wednesday? If so, how does it make you feel? Are you giving up anything? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

The Attack of the Squirrels

This morning, Lola (my toy poodle) and I were sitting on the deck enjoying the sunlight. 

I was drinking my coffee and reading, while she was exploring the perimeter of the deck as if she were an inspector.

When all of a sudden, we heard a rummage in the trees up above. 

We both look up and see about 5 squirrels chilling in the branches.

Not only did we see them, but they saw us...well, they saw Lola.

One squirrel in particular was extra curious about Lola and decided to jump to the tree closest to her and run down about 15 feet away from Lola. 

The squirrel stopped and stared.

All of the sudden, I have a flashback to the classic, old movie, "The Birds." Instead of "The Birds", our movie would be entitled, "The Squirrels." Doesn't sound so scary, but if you had 5 or 55 squirrels staring at you, maybe it would be. 

Anyway, at this point, Lola and Mr. Squirrel are having a standoff.

I'm not sure exactly what was running through the squirrel's mind, but I would imagine it would be thinking something to the effect of, "What is that fluffy, white thing down there?" 

He stands there for awhile just staring at Lola, while I'm ready to jump to the rescue in case he wanted to hop on the back of Lola for a poodle ride or worse...breakfast.  

She continues to look up at him.

Meanwhile, the other squirrels are running and jumping through the overhang of the trees.

I guess Mr. Squirrel got tired of staring at Lola or perhaps the other squirrels were coaxing him to come play. So Mr. Squirrel turned around and joined his friends.

Lola looks back at me with her head cocked as if to say, "Why won't they play with me?"

Again, she looks above and continues to watch the squirrels frolic in the trees.

If only we were in a Disney movie like Bambi, the squirrels would befriend Lola and they would play for the rest of their days.

Unfortunately, Lola doesn't live in a Disney movie so she was left alone on the deck without anyone to play with, but me.

This interaction made me think of life in general.

Why is it that we like to separate ourselves from people who are different than us?

Just because people are different than us, doesn't mean we can't get along.

Out of the squirrels, Mr. Squirrel was the most curious of Lola.

However, he wasn't curious enough to interact with her. He only stayed at a safe distance.

Poor Lola, that had to feel so isolating. 

We can either be like the other squirrels in the branches, who don't even want to try to interact with a fluffy poodle or we can be like Mr. Squirrel, who is curious enough to get a closer look.

Perhaps there is a better option than those two.

Perhaps we can go the extra step or as Jesus said, "extra mile" to interact with people who are different than us, no matter how uncomfortable we may feel. I bet the more interactions we would have, the less uncomfortable it would be.

This isn't a new issue either. We've been dealing with this problem since the beginning of time. The victims just seem to change. Why haven't we gotten this right after all these years? 

If Jesus were here, I would hope that our reality would turn into a Disney movie, because I know Jesus would expect us to love those who are different than us. 

He tells us to love God and love others, just like He did.

I don't think He was uncomfortable when He hung out with the poor and the sick, but I'm sure it didn't feel good when He was ridiculed because of His act of service to all. That didn't stop Him though.

The Kingdom of God, I think, looks a lot like a Disney movie without the bad guy, of course.

It looks like a poodle and some squirrels hanging out.

It looks like a lion and lamb lying together.

It looks like us interacting and loving ALL people despite our differences, because ALL people are made in the image of God. 

It's funny how some animals can reflect what we're dealing with today. 

Let's show people the Kingdom of God and if we struggle with that, we should pray asking for strength to love like He loves us.