I realized that as I have been studying the meaning of grace, I had a 'mixed view' of what the process of grace meant. The process of grace includes acceptance, repentance, sanctification, obedience, prayer and meditation. My mixed view coming from the world's interpretation and God's interpretation. Perhaps you may have felt the same or may be struck by a new thought?
Acceptance: When I hear the word acceptance I immediately think of being approved by and like by others. Or what can I do to earn acceptance by others? Look better, do more things for my kids, act a certain way, etc... Or I will be better accepted once I lose a few pounds, fix this problem in a relationship, get better at my job, etc...
God's view of acceptance is right here, right now! He loves me for who, what, and where I am TODAY! Acceptance to God is immediate. When God called some of His disciples in Matthew 4: 18 - 22, they had just finished fishing and God said lets go! They left their catch, their families, and I am sure they may be didn't stop to change clothes and they were off! God took them fish smelling and all!
Repentance: When I hear the word repentance, I immediately think of having done something really bad that I need to fall on my knees and beg for forgiveness. That to whom ever I am asking for forgiveness they will be upset and mad at me for what I have done.
In the study I am working on, Living In Grace the author said 'the heartache your sin inflicts is torture enough.' OUCH! My heart aches over little things and it aches daily.
God's view of repentance is that we must confess our sin over and over again. In doing so we can change our direction, abandon our agenda, and be rid of sinful, bad habits. Not only the BIG stuff, but the daily stuff, gossip, envy, fear, unforgiveness, etc...
Romans 2:4 says, 'God's kindness leads you toward repentance?'
Sanctification: Honestly, until just a year ago I really had no cool what sanctification meant!
God's view is that sanctification is a process, a daily, conscious effort on our part to become more and more like Him. How do we stay fit emotionally, mentally, and physically? We have to daily work at it! How do we grow to be like Christ. We have to daily connect with Him and His Word.
1 Thessalonians 5: 23 - 24 says, 'May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. When I think of through and through I vision it over and over and over again.
Obedience: My immediate reaction to obedience is to play by the rules. I also think of discipline. YUCK! I also think that I have the will power to do it myself and when that will power fails, I beat myself up over and over again.
Well, I was happy to read that learning to obey God's commands regardless of how you feel is one of the most difficult processes of grace. WHEW. That made me feel a little bit better! God always provides the support I need to be obedient, so I don't need to rely on my own will power!
John 15: 10 - 11 gives me so much inspiration to follow God's commands. "I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done—kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love.
ahhh. At home in my love. Doesn't that sound awesome!
Prayer and Meditation: I immediately think of silence, sitting on the floor with my legs crossed, eyes closed, and thumb and third finger touching. When I hear prayer, I also think of continuous.
Joshua 1: 7 - 8 shares 'Don't get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you're going. And don't for a minute let the Word of God be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed.'
I have come to learn that for me that prayer and meditation doesn't have to be a long, drawn out segment of time that has to be scheduled on my calendar but it can also be an ongoing communication through out the day. May be a passage I read in the morning, I am able to reflect on while waiting to pick up kids from school. A song on Christian radio inspires me to sing at the top of my lungs with praises to God. An upcoming difficult conversation is proceeded by a quick request for the right words to say. The silence as I fall asleep at night offers a great time to thank God for my blessings during the day, leaving me to fall asleep in Him arms.
Blessings,
Jill
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Greener Grass or is it Whiter Snow?
Envy. "The grass is always greener on the other side. Or lately one would ask if the snow is whiter in the neighbors yard?" While working through my bible study this week, I came across a great comment on the topic of envy. "But the darker hue you perceive is either an illusion or the result of a lot of hard work." The study I am working with is 'Living In Grace' by Carol Lewis.
Envy or comparison. I can speak for myself to say that I easily fall into the trap! The book goes onto share that 'nothing is exactly the way it appears at first glance, including people's seemingly easier lives. We have no way to know what another person is dealing with emotionally, mentally, physical, or spiritually.' Isn't that true? We are always quick to see only the 'outside'.
In Proverbs 14:30, Solomon shares that envy 'rots the bone'.
The former nurse in me, drove me to look up Osteoporosis, a common occurrence among women as I as I believe the comparison/envy game can be as well. This is want I found.
The strength of your bones depends on their size and density. Bone density depends on the amount of calcium, phosphorus and other minerals bones contain. When your bones contain fewer minerals than normal, they're less strong and eventually lose their internal supporting structure. Scientists have yet to learn all the reasons why a process of bone remodeling occurs. The process involves how the bone is made. Bones are continuously changing - new bone is made and old bone is broken down - a process called remodeling, or bone turnover.
In order to avoid my bones from rotting, I must take care of them by filling my body with good nutrition and getting proper exercise. If I don't, then my bones begin to lose their internal supporting structure. If envy and comparison are a part of my thinking and life, I begin to slowly rot away inside, dieing to myself.
If I feed by heart, soul, and mind with God's word and grow in my relationship with Him daily then I can ward off feelings of envy and self doubt and make myself NEW in Christ.
The old self is dead and made NEW in Christ! Just like the old bone is broken down and the new bone is made. Did you know that Osteoporosis CAN be reversed!
So when you catch yourself 'wishing things were this way or that way', remember God loves you and provides for you exactly what you need!
It is impossible to be content when our eyes are focused on ourselves and our selfish desires. But when we focus on Christ, this world and everything in it fades away. We brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out, not even our earthly bodies.
We know that we are wonderfully and fearfully made and that the maker of the universe knit us together to be just who we are. Psalm 139: 13 - 14.
So I am content with my grass and my snow!
Jill
Envy or comparison. I can speak for myself to say that I easily fall into the trap! The book goes onto share that 'nothing is exactly the way it appears at first glance, including people's seemingly easier lives. We have no way to know what another person is dealing with emotionally, mentally, physical, or spiritually.' Isn't that true? We are always quick to see only the 'outside'.
In Proverbs 14:30, Solomon shares that envy 'rots the bone'.
The former nurse in me, drove me to look up Osteoporosis, a common occurrence among women as I as I believe the comparison/envy game can be as well. This is want I found.
The strength of your bones depends on their size and density. Bone density depends on the amount of calcium, phosphorus and other minerals bones contain. When your bones contain fewer minerals than normal, they're less strong and eventually lose their internal supporting structure. Scientists have yet to learn all the reasons why a process of bone remodeling occurs. The process involves how the bone is made. Bones are continuously changing - new bone is made and old bone is broken down - a process called remodeling, or bone turnover.
In order to avoid my bones from rotting, I must take care of them by filling my body with good nutrition and getting proper exercise. If I don't, then my bones begin to lose their internal supporting structure. If envy and comparison are a part of my thinking and life, I begin to slowly rot away inside, dieing to myself.
If I feed by heart, soul, and mind with God's word and grow in my relationship with Him daily then I can ward off feelings of envy and self doubt and make myself NEW in Christ.
The old self is dead and made NEW in Christ! Just like the old bone is broken down and the new bone is made. Did you know that Osteoporosis CAN be reversed!
So when you catch yourself 'wishing things were this way or that way', remember God loves you and provides for you exactly what you need!
It is impossible to be content when our eyes are focused on ourselves and our selfish desires. But when we focus on Christ, this world and everything in it fades away. We brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out, not even our earthly bodies.
We know that we are wonderfully and fearfully made and that the maker of the universe knit us together to be just who we are. Psalm 139: 13 - 14.
So I am content with my grass and my snow!
Jill
Monday, March 3, 2008
Family Fun Ideas
Here are some more family fun ideas that we implemented in February.
For my family night the first of the month, I had everyone put their name into a hat. We drew out a name and to that person we had to write a 'love letter'. The letter had to include what we admired, valued, and loved about that person. When we finished we each read our letter aloud and presented our letter. We then cut up foam hearts with each person having an assigned color. Our mission was to get rid of all of our hearts before Valentines Day. Every time we performed a random act of kindness we left our heart for that person to know who had help him or her in some way. Was our house picked up and clean for a week!
Milo's family night activity included some physical activity. Were he works has a gym and we were able to lace up our tennis shoes for a night of volleyball and basketball. After we finished up our workout, we headed home where he cooked up his 'famous spaghetti'.
Kennedy's family 'day' was very creative and the one this month that entailed spending some money. After church we headed to the mall where we had lunch and then drew a name out of a hat along with a designated 'letter'. We then had 45 minutes to shop for the person. The purchase was limited to $15 and had to either start with or be associated with the letter we drew. The letter was 'T'.
Milo purchased a telephone cover for Kennedy's cell phone.
Jill purchased a necklace with a pendant that said 'trust', Truly Me shower gel, and totally cool sunglasses for Madison
Kennedy purchased a 'thank you' card, taffy, and a Tiger Orange shirt for Milo. AND she still had $4 left over!
Madison purchased a 'thank you' card, tiara, and a Trust In the Lord magnet for Jill.
Madison's family night was a SPA night. We each drew a name and then had to give that person their SPA treatment of choice. Drawing a name became a common theme for the month.
Jill got a back rub.
Kennedy got a manicure.
Madison got a manicure and a pedicure.
Milo got a back rub and a temple massage.
AHHHHHHH...
Look for more ideas in April!
Jill
For my family night the first of the month, I had everyone put their name into a hat. We drew out a name and to that person we had to write a 'love letter'. The letter had to include what we admired, valued, and loved about that person. When we finished we each read our letter aloud and presented our letter. We then cut up foam hearts with each person having an assigned color. Our mission was to get rid of all of our hearts before Valentines Day. Every time we performed a random act of kindness we left our heart for that person to know who had help him or her in some way. Was our house picked up and clean for a week!
Milo's family night activity included some physical activity. Were he works has a gym and we were able to lace up our tennis shoes for a night of volleyball and basketball. After we finished up our workout, we headed home where he cooked up his 'famous spaghetti'.
Kennedy's family 'day' was very creative and the one this month that entailed spending some money. After church we headed to the mall where we had lunch and then drew a name out of a hat along with a designated 'letter'. We then had 45 minutes to shop for the person. The purchase was limited to $15 and had to either start with or be associated with the letter we drew. The letter was 'T'.
Milo purchased a telephone cover for Kennedy's cell phone.
Jill purchased a necklace with a pendant that said 'trust', Truly Me shower gel, and totally cool sunglasses for Madison
Kennedy purchased a 'thank you' card, taffy, and a Tiger Orange shirt for Milo. AND she still had $4 left over!
Madison purchased a 'thank you' card, tiara, and a Trust In the Lord magnet for Jill.
Madison's family night was a SPA night. We each drew a name and then had to give that person their SPA treatment of choice. Drawing a name became a common theme for the month.
Jill got a back rub.
Kennedy got a manicure.
Madison got a manicure and a pedicure.
Milo got a back rub and a temple massage.
AHHHHHHH...
Look for more ideas in April!
Jill
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