Something Beautiful

Our character is determined by our actions. It's kind of life how we know what we really believe by what we do. If you really believe something it will be reflected in your actions. Like when I really believe that God is trustworthy, my actions show that I trust Him. The same can be said of my character. My character is determined by how I act. When I say that I am one thing, but I act in a manner that is contrary to what I say that action is showing my true character (as well as showing that I lack integrity). I guess the ultimate example of this is God. We know God's character because of how He has acted. What set me to thinking about this was a statement about God's humility being part of his eternal character, not just when He became flesh. This statement made me realize that when God came to earth as the man Jesus that was the action He took to exhibit His character trait of humility to us. I know that I can believe that God is who He says He is because His actions alw...

I love Thanksgiving, not in the way that many people love holidays looking forward to them all year long, but rather I love Thanksgiving because of the lack of pretentiousness of this holiday. It is this quiet little holiday stuck between Halloween and Christmas, and it is generally overshadowed by the bear that is black friday. I love this holiday because no one complains about the political correctness of Thanksgiving. No one makes a big stink about whether we can call a tree by one name or another. Really no one can find basis for complaining about a holiday where the point is to be thankful. And yet, this is my favorite holiday because celebrating this holiday is actually being obedient to God. " Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances ; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (emphasis mine) I love this verse because it tells us we only have to give thanks whenever things are going well. . . No, it doesn...

I have been feeling very behind lately. I keep putting things off because I don't have the time to do them, and then they build up and I am not sure where to even start. Today, however, I was quite the busy little bee (hehehe, cause my name actually means honeybee), and I have accomplished much. I am finally feeling like I caught up and I can pause and rest for a moment. I ran across this verse this morning when I was having some quiet time: "Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days." - Psalm 90:14 Something about that verse just connected with my heart this morning. I guess part of it is just that I've been feeling a little distant in my walk with God lately, partly because I've lacked time to really spend large portions of time with Him like I wish I could. I am a quality time person, so that really affects me sometimes. But when it just comes down to it, I have really been struggling to feel His love latel...

I had the opportunity to go out to eat by myself the other night. I realized that it had been a long time since I had done that. I mean, I go out to eat by myself quite a bit, but not always to a place where I don't know someone working there. I used to do this a lot more frequently, but I hadn't done it in a while. I know girls who really don't like to go out to eat alone, and if truth be known, I probably used to be one of those girls. But there is just something about it that makes me more aware, more alive, more awake to the whole experience and life in general. I think I savor the experience more when I'm alone. Which is drastically different than when I savor the friendship of going out to eat with people I know. I savor those experiences as well, but it is just a different type of savoring. I think it makes me more aware of my heart when I'm by myself. It gives me time for introspection and quiet thoughts that don't always surface. I have been thinking la...

Okay, so my last post alluded to something that had really been hitting me lately. That something is the ability to see loveliness when all appearances are unlovely. This is a theme in some of my favorite movies -- Beauty and the Beast for one. The whole premise of the movie is that the Beast has to find someone who will think that he is worth loving with his beastly appearance intact. The sweetest scene of the movie is when they dress up for dinner, and the Beast is showing Belle what a gentleman he can be, and they end up dancing in a large ballroom. They are dancing, and even though Belle hasn't told him that she loves him, the way she looks at him tells the whole story. She gazes at him with such loving adoration in her eyes that you can tell she is really seeing him, not just seeing the beastly appearance, but seeing who he really is. She sees loveliness where there appears to be nothing lovely at all. I have been to see the new Footloose movie twice already (don't judge ...

This is something I wrote a couple of years ago, but lately there is a theme that has been recurring in my life and this story again seemed to fit it. I'll have another post about this theme, but I just wanted to post this for now. Once upon a time there was a ordinary young woman. She wasn't really anything remarkable. In fact, she wasn't really anything to look at, she didn't have any amazing talents, and she lived on the streets. Her clothes were filthy, and her feeling of hunger was constant, not just a hunger for food, but for love and a better life. In short, she was filthy, and she often wondered if anyone really cared or would look past all of her filth to see the person beneath it. One day, her hunger was so great, that she gave in and stole some food. As she ate it, it practically stuck in her throat as her conscience pricked her for stealing, but she ate it anyway, and gradually she became accustomed to stealing to eat. She lived a life of fear, alw...

The last few warm days of summer seem to be gone, and I am struck by the suddenness of fall. It seems to have snuck up on me and taken me by surprise. I often feel this way about Spring. After enduring the cold months of winter it seems that I wake up one morning to find the trees abloom and tulips popping up everywhere. There is only one problem with this. I want to be aware. I want to see the seasons change, to celebrate each one. I want to soak in the goodness and faithfulness of God to bring each season. I want to see the signs that the seasons are changing. I want to welcome each season (even if it isn't my favorite) with open arms and a willingness to Trust God in each season. So even though I seem to be a couple of weeks late. . .welcome Fall. Welcome season of quietness and reflection and introspection. Welcome shorter days and longer nights. Welcome season of resting and celebrating. May I soak in God's goodness in this season. May I be ever mindful of God's faithf...

I have always desired to live my life without letting fear control me. Sometimes I find this the hardest thing to do when facing the great unknown of the future. My life is so drastically different at this time of my life than I ever imagined that it would be. God's plan for my life is so incredibly different than mine was. So I have been saying a quiet yes in my heart and soul lately to the things of God and leaving behind the things of myself. I would love to say that every time I say yes to Him the next time is easier, but it isn't. No matter how many times I die to myself it is still dying to myself every time. But when it comes right down to it, I want God's plan and not mine because I have no good apart from Him. Awake My Soul - Mumford & Sons

There are three main thoughts that have entered my mind in the last couple of days that probably speak the most about what is going on in my heart lately. The first was from praise and worship last night. The worship leader was telling us about how important it is to remember to have times of silence in our time with God. This reminded me of a passage out of 1 Kings which I then looked up and read. "And he said, "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of sheer silence. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave." - 1 Kings 19:11-13 What I realized about this passa...

I love when God takes us at our word. Like when you tell Him that you want to go to the next level of maturity with Him, and He takes you there (albeit through challenges, frustrations, and possibly tears). Or like when you tell Him that you want to be more committed to spending time with Him in the morning, and He wakes you up early just to spend time with Him. Or like when you tell Him that you want Him to remove everything from you that is not of Him, and He does. I love when He calls my bluff and actually goes directly to the deep part of my heart where I do want all those things. I love that He is God and that He has yada knowledge of me. And I love that I will someday have yada knowledge of Him.