learning whirlwinds.

What’s on my feet? Grey flats. Nothing make you feel as great as a pair of shoes that are just so cute.

What’s on my plate? A parfait. “Everybody loves a parfait!” –Donkey

What’s on the agenda? Starfield concert. Yes, please.

What’s on my mind? Okay, grab some tea. And snuggle down for a moment. We have some things to chat about.

Even though my mind has been a swirling maze of thoughts and lessons that the Lord is graciously, quietly, and over and over and over again teaching me I’m going to pick two of those to share. I’m also going to take a risk. Some of more personal than I usually speak about. So be kind with my heart.

1. Sabbath; (I’ve got to ease into the personal  ... so I’ll start with something more light hearted and general.) I’ve started reading a particular devotion book. It begins by speaking about the Sabbath. This day that God created. It seemed as though it was a funny place to start. Why the Sabbath? A topic that we (who’ve grown up in or around the church) have heard about and have heard the importance about time and time again. It is something I could have spit up the answer to if you asked my “What is it?” or “Why is it?” I’ve never dwelled on it personal connection to me. As we know, God is a personal God and I’m not sure he does things very often that aren’t personally suppose to impact us in some way. So, how does this day that rings the words of a foreign concept named “rest” impact me? The 22 yr old woman who has a hard enough time maintaining quietness for an evening at home more or less being restful for a entire day. It impacts me because it was made me for me. See that’s the crazy thing about God. God maintains a role as our heavenly father and that means that he looks out for our needs. And what’s even more crazy is that him, being God, in all glory, and heavenly greatness, being far above us and being far superior to us in every way spend the time to account for not only our spiritual needs by physical. He made a day for us. He made something for us. God made something for me.

Okay, you do realize he died on the cross for you right? That is much more pain staking than making a day of rest. Sabbath is actually a lot more peaceful and easy for the both parties.

Yeah, I got that. But here’s the thing. And work with me here. Let’s say I’m dating someone. He loves me. He asks me to marry him. We have a wedding. The most beautiful of weddings filled with every dream I’ve ever dreamt about lovely little things with white table clothes, candles everywhere, roses adoring everything and the perfect amounts starts in the night sky. It the best day ever right? It’s the start of something?

Okay, so after that day. After the honeymoon, after the glam and the glitter and after 10 maybe 15 and hopefully so many more years of marriage what matters? The flowers that are brought home at random, it is the surprise starbucks in the morning, it’s the I planned a fun day trip for you just because you had a hard week, it is the continually reassurance of “I love you’s”. It’s not just the saying of I love you to the moon and back, to infinity and beyond and forever and ever but than showing that.  The display is in fact displayed on the wedding day... it is the “Hey world! We love each other!” but if it is not done after that it means nothing. It is the realization that he knows you well enough, spends enough time and cares enough to realize what you need, when you need it and why you need it. That you a worthy of time and consideration.

Don’t get me wrong I’m not undermining at all what was done on the cross. That expression of love was the greatest and more powerful; it is the most breath taking and encompasses more passion, forgiveness, and irreplaceable actions of love that I can wrap my head around. It’s the wedding. The huge. The public display. It’s the bang. The start of it all.

The Sabbath… is the what come after.

Your still not buying it yet are you. I wonder if God looked at us and thought. My love is so intense but it is also simple and in it’s simplicity it is beautiful. Here is a gift for them. It’s called the Sabbath.

You see this day was not created for him with rules and regulations. It was made for us. It even says it in Mark 2:27. Here’s your day. To rest. To look at me. To dwell on me. To gaze upon me love. To realize I am your creator. To be thankful for my plan of redemption. Here is my gift of a day to know me more. A day to rest in me. To be refilled with my goodness, and grace. I know you well enough to know that in this crazy world, filled with up and downs that you are going to forget that that day. The big day of a public display of love and you are going to forget the impact it had on your life and because of that you are going to get worn down, bogged day. Here’s a day to remember it. Here’s a day to remember me. Here you go daughter. I’m taking care of you on this one.

2. Transition; Wow that took a lot longer to get out than I thought it would. So I’ll try to make this point short and sweet. This stage of life kind of sucks. There that’s it. I’ve summed it. I guess when I stage I’m talking like 22-30ish. Maybe. I don’t know I haven’t gotten that far yet. Everything is in transition. You finish school and you feel as though you are going to change the world. You get a job. You don’t feel like your changing the world. It’s a end to a mean but you start to realize that your not sure what that end is anymore. You would like to be married but ya’ know you don’t have a huge amount of control over it. And that’s okay. You have great friends but they are in transition to and a lot of them have moved away. Or they’ve gotten married but that means you don’t see them as much. And both those things are great but they are just different. And provide you with more transitions. Transition of life, of love, of God of so many things. So you keep praying, and moving forward. I feel as though it could be acknowledged a little bit more. This is me saying .. Here it is. This stage of life. It’s confusing. But how do you get through it? I’ll let you know when I do. But for now this is what I know.

God is good.

Great.

Awesome.

And sovereign.

He is ever so in love with me and me with him.

He has a plan. He will guide and lead if I allow it. He is my best friend and my comforter. He provides.

Transition or no transition he is the same God he has always been and will always be. So I cling to that. Because as I get more confused His clarity never falters. Praise him for that.

The other thing is this; a quote I found.

“Some times while your following your dreams you find another, different, better dream to follow.” (Or something like that)

Isn’t that great? How true? It’s okay for my dreams to change. They have. I don’t want to be the nurse like Florence Nightingale anymore and I certainly don’t think my career as Pocahontas will work out like I hoped it would when I

was 8 yrs old.

But I think the most important part is to never stop dreaming, never stop believing that you can change the world. Just remember that just as important as the dreams are the people who are there when the dreams come true. Don’t lose sight of that either.

So off I go to sink into my day dream of changing the world, making a difference, falling in love, and having it all. Maybe someday I will realize that I can’t have it all.

But for now I choose the bliss of believing that this independent and stubborn woman, with the help of a amazing God (who I’m sure will take this words and teach me something crazy or completely opposite to what I am saying) can do something great (because He has called us all to greatness) and can do it while making a mess of it, trying to be healthy but eating to much ice cream, laughing till my belly aches, and failing madly in love (And just so you know it doesn’t make you less of a person to want that love part.. it merely makes you human).

Some may laugh. Call me young naïve. Maybe one day I’ll look back and think I was. I pray that never happens.

Enjoy today. And fall into a wonderful dream… than take that dream a make it happen or at least believe it can. 

.

People are worth it.

What I am listening too... Keep your Eyes open- The Reckoning- NEEDTOBREATHE

What I am drinking.... Healthy water :) Trying to clear up the skin on the face.

What am I reading... Marie Claire. A fun mag that not to trashy, has beauty, fashion and even world issues. This month has Reese in it. A personal favorite actress of mine.

And finally.. What's on my mind: Unfortunately this one won't be over and done with in a one sentence answer like the rest. I got a call today from the local mental health association. I have a volunteer interview for a position on there crisis distress line. Whoa. What an opportunity. It be able to hear individuals thoughts, hurts, cry's, pain, worries.

It make me think. About mental health. About how I deal with it. About how the church deals with it. About it all.

Which in turns leads me to think about the "Other side of the desk."

It's a poem on of my co-workers gave me. It hits home. It takes away judgement. It take us out of our self and begin to help us realize that this "we are better" attitude is nothing less than ignorance.

The Other Side of the Desk

Have you ever through just a wee little bit

Of how it would seem to be a "misfit"

And how you would feel if you had to sit

On the other side of the desk?

Have you looked at the kid who "seemed a bum"?

As he sat before you nervous.. dumb..

And thought of the courage it took to come

To the other side of the desk?

Have you thought to yourself: "It could be I"

If the good things in life had passed me by.

And maybe I'd bluster and maybe I'd lie

To the other side of the desk

Did you make him feel he was full of greed,

Make him ashamed of his race or creed;

Or did you reach out to him in his need

To the other side of the desk?

May we all have widsom, and lots of it,

And much compassion and plenty of grit,

So we may be kinder to those who sit

On the other side of the desk.

There are no words that I can add to that. Just think about it dwell on it. One car accident, one tramatic event, one lose of job, support system that fall through, a death, a pain or an ache, one sports accident gone wrong, one dumb decison that you can't take back and you will end up on the other side of the desk, on the other side of the phone, on the other side of everything.

So be thankful, know your blessed and understand that in a moment it can all be gone. Have understanding. Stop to look around you. See who needs extra help. Take the time to give it to them. Give take the time to just understand mental illness and other types as welll. Take the time to treasure and give extra attention to family in hard time. Just take the time.... People are worth it. And I would hope if it was me.. Someone would take the extra time to help me through it, to have coffee with me, to listen to me, and be a simple, yet, loyal friend.

radio.

Today for the first time I enjoyed the movie Radio.


powerful.

inspire.

interesting.

Why?

On so many levels. I love to hear people comments throughout the movie. I love to feel my own reactions. To watch the movie and be intrigued by a behavioral classed as so strange. But the most unique, precious, and beautiful part of the movie is the simple love shown. From all sign. Form the football coach to Radio and back from Radio to the football coach.


Simple love that is outrageous and life changing.

Simple love knows no bounds.


It is not hinder by how "cool" we think we will look. It is not hinder by how much time we have. It is not hinder by the amount of love that we have inside of us. Because it's not us. It can't be us. It must be God.

We love because He first loved us. We can only begin to love because of His love.

And you see, we see "these people" as we call them.. allude to them.. and define them.. as our outreach, our project someone who needs a friend.

We look at them as someone who needs to be supported, someone who needs love, someone who is weak and needs our strength to build them up.

To all of this I scream it is false.

We are the ones who are defined by society, who are scared to love without limits and without speculation, we are the ones who need a friend. We are those we are to stubborn to let people support us and we have never needed to show the strength other show each day.

I've never seen such strength steam from individuals who are verbally and emotionally beaten by the world around them. I've never seen such a victory over the tricks and emotions mental illness play in the mind of individuals ever day. I've never seen such passionate thinkers and feelers than those are placed into the world of developmental disabilities.

There is something beautiful how smiles. And that when they smile they are real, heartfelt, and genuine. That there smiles can reflect rooted in the depth of there soul. 

There is something beautiful about how they feel. Up or down. They feel it. And they feel it hard.


There is something beautiful about how they love. The love without limits.

There is something beautiful about there strength. Continually being mocked by the world and than picking themselves back up.

This is not to discount challenges and at times appropriate ways of acting. This is not to say that together we can work together to control emotions, tendencies and behavior. But to break and bend "normal" a little bit, to live with understand and grace, and to bestow simple love.


It's about time we stop asking them to take lessons from us and we start taking some from them. And let the first lesson be.. that there is no "us" and "them" but all together in one singular word humans.

God loves justice. Do we? Because love implies action.

If there is one thing that the Lord has been teaching it is reveiling his heart to me as his cries for the socail injustices to be ripped apart, challenged, and restored into social justices and equality.

Today a man came to speak at our church for the Internation Justice Mission.

http://www.ijm.org/whoweare (Here's a link to there website.)

The whole time I wanted to jump and and say "Yes! This is the part of christainity that we forget regulary but what we are called too!

Justice.

Read through Isaiah, James, Amos..and so many others. It magnifies God's heart for the oppresed and for the "lesser off".

Injustices are brutal and violent.

We know God is love. Not just that he loves. But he IS love. Everything. All of him. All that he elludes is love. We can say John 3:16 backwards, forwards, and in gibberish. But do we realize the implications of that emmense Love? The implications of the story of how God came to earth? To die? To make a path for our bondage? To die for our bondage? To undo a social justice. Isn't that the story of salavation? Curing (If we allow him, and accept his forgiveness and continue to act on it) the salvary we are by default in to the most evil one. He can, in love, to rip that to pieces. He can for freedom.

Than continue reading to see his heart for the oppressed not just bringing us to salvation but to bind up the broken hearted, to feed the hungry, to break bondage.. to be WORLD CHANGERS AND SHAKERS! Because for some reason (simply: he is love, and he loved as only because he loved us) he longs for US to come to him and escape the power and control of evil.And he wants us to play a part in bringing others to Christ and to remove the hand of that power and control of evil.

Look at Isaiah 61:8. God loves JUSTICE.

Proverbs 17:15. He longs for it.

Doesn't God say let me will be done on earth just as it is in heaven? Doesn't that not imply that we must seek justice in this world?

I have heard some christians says that the gospel is not about social justice or humanitaries. I say shouldn't they go hand in hand. They have too. How else is the plan of God perfect and without fault?

In each miracle he not only heals but provides salvation. It never said.."Here come to know my father. Wow! Doesn't it suck that your a still blind?"

And if we encompass Christ we will long to provide for those who are classed as "underprivleged" by society.

Because LOVES longs to break barriers.

To heal hearts. 

To put your live on the line for others.

And this is a love that does not ask who is deserving of it.  I know I am undesearving of Christs love.

We cannot snuff social actions and social injustice off as just "good things" that good people do. They are not good things they are things, imporant things, that lead to transformation of culture, sharing of love, and letting the truth be known above evil.

This is what Christianity is. Action.

So what do we do with that? Social justice. All become little Mother Theresa and head to India?

Although some of us might it is not the calling placed on all of our lives. No matter what your geographical location  there are powerful things that YOU can and need to be doing.

I urge you to let socail justice take a more activie role in your live and to keep me accountable in keeping it important in mine.

1. Explore truth. The truth about who Christ is. About how it affects his people whom he loves and begins to take steps in making that truth know and demostrated.

2. Over rule the power that is displayed in social injustices. As christians our most imporant and powerful tool is prayer. Make sure it happens. For as Leonard Ravenhill said.. a mans spritual live is only as big as how much time he spends on his knees.

3. Educate your self. On what is happening in this world. Here in Canada, North America, the World. We are to be globaled minded. We are one. And we need to look out and love our neighbours as our selves. Those neighbours next door or maybe those neighbours across the oceans and valleys.

Here are some organization making a different: Comment with some more :)

http://www.twloha.com/

http://love146.org/

http://www.compassion.ca/

http://www.ratanak.org/

And there are so many more!!!

How about renting  a documentary this friday evening instead of seeing the next big blockbuster?

Because I can guarantee you that once you being to understand the horrific happens of this world you heart will be turned and it will long for change.

4. Stick up for people.  was gently reminded today during the sermons. That is what Christains do. It could be at the gym, school, or not laughing at a racist or hurtful joke. It could be the effort to avoid words like "gay" or "retarded" because they put down and hurt individuals labeling them as dumb, stupid, or not worthwhile. Stick up for people.That is what we do.

5. Or maybe it's not sticking up for people... maybe it's making a new friend too. That person who socialy who doesn't fit in. At church. Where ever. Socail injustices don't just have to be those in slavary or be little children in africa. In Canada alone there are more sucides than homicides. What does that say? Would there be if we were truly friends who loved? More suicides... That is an injustice!! That is a painful, hurtful, horrific injustice. Change it. Make a new friend. Be a good friend. Keep that good friend and let them know they are loved. It may not be looked at as so noble. Heck, you may even be labeled as "something" for going and taking with someone who may not be so "cool". Cool! Really! Give it up.. Lives are not worth being cool.

6. Remember the vaule of one. If it is one donation to an organization, one compassion child being donated to, or one time that you can educate yourself so that you can educate others. Big or small remember that impacting one is enough.

"If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at one I will." - Mother Thersea

7. Don't forget about prayer. Make it happen. Right it down. Post it somewhere. It is the most imporant. And yes I put it on my lisit twice because THAT is how important it is.

For the indivdivual. 

For change.

For the people making change.

8. Be encouraged by the FINAL justice when all comes to an end. He will restore justice on earth (Rev. 19:11-16) but untill than let us be actively showing God's love that will evitably become  bringing  His heaven to earth and letting His will be down here and as we depise and change barriers of evils or social injustice to social justices we will show and greater love than every imagined.

Will this is kinda sorta and summary of what was said in church this morning with my own twists and personal learning. Social Justice? What do you think? What are you doing about it? How does it affect your live?

Or maybe God is teaching you something TOTALY different.

Either way. I woud love it hear it.

Thank-you for putting up for my whirl winded thoughts. :)

Because this combination is worthy of a post...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wuu_E-fS-ys&feature=relmfu

rapid reinstatement

As inspired by my older sister and few a series recent events.. I've decide that it is not time to bring back this old blog of mine... This time not only filled with thoughts and the working of what God continually and faithfully does in my life but also we some creative ideas, noteworthy fashions, and other fun things. It will actually be a tool in the "100 Challenge" and my blog with be populated with many "Outfits of the day.." all different mind you.. And as you guess for 100 days. Sadly, I am sure I have enough close to make even more than that.

So here's to a rapid reinstatement of blogging, thoughts, and for today.. a funny website.

http://sweetenothings.wordpress.com

Able

We need to stop using the world diabled. We need to start using the world able.

Because we are able to make a difference in People's lives.


We need to spread this message all over the world so everybody can agree to it.

We will keep on spreading this message like lighting and thunder.

And let it echo through the streets.

Becase have a fire, a fire in out hearts that is deep and passionate about being able!

-Germia Harvey, 2009

rise up oh, men of God.

it's no wonder that women has started to cling to themselves.
they have become hard. i will not say stronger because women have a unique strength.
they have become more independent, closed off, and resisting trust of any man.
they have started to be seen as victims, weak, and merely a object to be tossed around.
no wonder there is a commitment of feminist in north America.
i am woman hear me roar.

as for men they have started to become less of leaders and more of passive bystanders. or when they are active many are in the wrong ways.
i understand that this sounds hard.
and i for one hate generalizations.

but today i sat in a room with many women who are aged and experienced.
who have strength beyond belief.
they have cried more painful tears than i have. and they have had their hearts broken in ways i can't imagine.
you see there husband had or do still beat them.

they held money form them.
they manipulated them emotionally.
they took out whatever kind or twisted power, desire for manipulation, and whatever distorted image of what a relationships should look like into there fist.

my heart breaks as i have recently heard a story about someone so dear to me and how she was abused.

i get angry.
frustrated.
mad.

this has happened for years.
we think it has gotten better.
we think sexism is gone.
even in the work place the average male will make two or three times more than female doing the exact same job.
we think we have equal roles and equal societal image.
in north America we must.
in Canada we must.
yet a man is considered a hero among his buddies when he sleeps around while a woman is a whore.

therefore the society of broken women, survivors of things i can't imagine .. maybe one or two.. got to enough strength to say .. i can't take this anymore.
and a revelation started called feminism. which has become more extreme.
many women may not even realize they portray the characteristics. but refuse to be anything
but
independent.

it is no wonder that women has started trying to control relationships.
that in so many t.v shows today there are women who pretend relationships do not arouse strong emotions of attachment and commitment or that a man is incapable of breaking there ever protected heart...

it is no wonder the so called chilvery has become dead not only because of men but because of women proclaiming they want nothing to do with it.
"what you don't think i am good enough to open my own door! i am strong don't you know"

there are so many broken relationships.
i am not blaming the women or the men.
i just know that this battle of the sexes is not close to ending.

i also know that i see these woman who are trapped.
they are emotionally vulnerable.
and beyond the strength of just leaving. the legal, the children, the custody, the money, the legistics of it all are overwhelming.
a seems more than impossible.
and that is when begin hit seems reasonable.

i have just begun to see the broken hearts of the world.
and i am ensured that i will see more of them.
not just because of the profession i have chosen but because of the broken world we live in is full of individuals who stories sometimes can only be told by tears.

so i say this.
rise up oh men of God.
please be the men who cherish, love and adore your women in your life.
be strong for you wives, daughters, sisters and friends.
again, i am not blaming men as a whole for all of the broken relationships and abuse.
but i saw tears in the eyes of women who's lives where nearly ruined by men.

pray for them because behind all the hard,independent face is an aching heart.
never think that this gentle, loving heart that has seem to be labeled as lacking masculinity has gone out of style.

be the one that proves everything i have said wrong. not only with abuse.
but will the sheer treasuring of a fragile heart.

stick around long enough to realize there terror of commitment because of fathers who walked out. because of fathers who never i said i love you.. or your beautiful.
and then be the man or father who says it.

older men please teach younger men to lead. and to love. to pray and walk in such away that we will follow.

and in this world with all of these broken relationships.
hurt.
pain.
and broken hearts.
can we as the church show something that can only be a reflection of the beautiful love of our savior.
i am HIS bride.
and that relationships is beautiful.
let's depict that same beauty in our earthy marriages and relationships.

as a church. let's believe in the beauty of love again.

this is jumble mess of emotion thoughts from my day. they don't make sense. and you may not even be able to figure out what it has to do with abuse, gender roles, and emotional pain.
but i felt us though i need to say something.
so this is the out pouring of my heart for the day.

Let's put the seniors in Jail...

*** I did not write this and I am not sure who did. But it will make the wheels in your head turn. And help you to begin to think about so many of the social stuctures that need to be changed.***

Let's put the seniors in jail, and the criminals in a nursing home.

This way the seniors would have access to showers, hobbies, and walks, they'd receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment, wheel chairs etc. and they'd receive money instead of paying it out. 

They would have constant video monitoring, so they could be helped instantly, if they fell, or needed assistance. Bedding would be washed twice a week, and all clothing would be ironed and returned to them.

A guard would check on them every 20 minutes, and bring their meals and snacks to their cell. They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose. They would have access to a library, weight room, spiritual counseling, pool and education.

Simple clothing, shoes, slippers, P.J.'s, and legal aid would be free on request. Private, secure rooms for all, with an exercise outdoor yard, with gardens. Each senior could have a P.C., a T.V., radio, and daily phone calls.

There would be a board of directors to hear complaints, and the guards would have a code of conduct, that would be strictly adhered to.

The "criminals" would get cold food, be left all alone, and unsupervised, lights off at 8pm, and showers once a week, live in a tiny room, pay $4,000.00 per month and have no hope of ever getting out. Justice for all.


This should make us think of what kind of world we created for ourselves.

bring it on 2011 .

we could sit here and talk about last year over a couple of coffee in starbucks with little room to sit and while failig at trying to keep warm as people come in and out in and out.
i would rather just plow forward.
last year had it's up and down's and that is to be acknowledge. in fact i would be lying if i didn't say that i journaled about my regrets from this past year.
but only to say how can be better this year.
so don' get caught up on what you did or didn't do.
how you fell in love or how you got your heart broken.
how you gained 5lbs. or how you spend most of your evening watch re-runs of the office.
how you fought with your family, friends, co-workers.
things happen.
in my short years i know this.
don't get caught up but move foward.
here i come 2011. with gun blazing.
clearly from my tone, i bet you can already guess that i am a new resolution making junkie.
i love them.
but i stick to them. i continually set goals for myself. for me that's how i accomplish things.
here ya' go:
-Start a bible reading plan. Because really nothing else matter. Get your facts straight. Know Jesus. Read his word. And follow his directions.
-Read a chapter of any book, every week. Because in school I don't have time to read more than that but there are alot of amazing people out there with amazing things to learn. And the leaders of yesterday or those who didn't mess around and grew their minds.
-Get into shape. Oh, hello typical. But for real. I am going to Europe in may. Back packing my friend. So I need to be in shape. More than that I want to run a half-marathon. And further more it develops further discipline back to my running shoes I go.
-Read a blog each month. Oh, great. Yes there will be more. It is not something that I think that I a especially good out. It is something to develop. I guess it is a form of therepy for me. Write it out. It seems more real.
-Maintain an 85%. Make the deans lisit. Get into university. Do it.
-Do one Random Act of Kindness a week. Why does it have to only be a day of the year? I think of myself way more that I think of others. Time to change that .
-Make more time for arts and crafts. Time to express. This year I will create

Cheers.