A Practical Tip

Okay, so anyone who regularly reads my blog is probably wondering when I'll be done studying and come back and post, right?
Well, the answer is, Not yet.
I hope to take my test November 15. I may blog sporadically between early next week and the 15th, but this week I am definitely still in hard-core study mode.
However - I'm taking a brief little break to share a helpful tidbit to anyone who might find it as useful as I did.
Get out a pen and piece of paper or have your phone handy.
Okay, are you ready?
Write this down: 1-888-5-OPTOUT.
This is the number you call to register in the system which will put you on a block list for all pre-screened credit card offers.
Most of us hate junk mail, but why should we bother to call (other than saving the time it takes to throw the offers in the trash)? Well, these offers can be stolen and with them, your identity if you don't dispose of them properly (i.e., shred or burn them before disposing). Someone could take that offer of a $5,000 pre-approved loan and fill it out under your name and qualifying information and go on a shopping spree. So go ahead and take a moment to opt out.
Another hint: this is also a great way to help that member in your household who has trouble holding onto his/her money not fall prey to easy credit card offers. I mean, if you're not having anyone send the offers to your home, then they'll have to work a little harder to get another credit card, right?
Anyway, hope you find that tidbit helpful. I'll post again when I get a little further along in my studies...

Almost Forgot (and too funny not to share!)

Two nights ago I was awakened deep in my sleep by a weird sensation. My husband was "honking" my nose! I woke up startled and my sudden cry woke him up too. He was sound asleep! We can't figure out how in the world he managed to just grab my nose while he was sound asleep. He couldn't close his eyes and reach his mark again. That was too funny not to share! (Back to studying...).

Leaving You with a Thought

Okay, I am literally 19 days away from test-taking time for my certification as a general securities representative/investment advisor representative. So that means I need to get off the blog and hit the books some. I have really been enjoying posting because I've been getting on a few soapboxes and have actually had some responses lately, but I've got to take a break.
I have one more thing I want to post on before I go, that follows the train of thought I started a couple of days ago, and I want to get a picture up if my camera will work today.
My husband and I were reading this morning and he came across a passage in one of his books about "triumphalism" or triumphalist christianity. This is the type of religion that suggests that being a true Christian means that we will be prosperous, healthy, and happy in this life. I think a lot more people believe this than will admit to it. As I stated earlier, we believe the kinds of sacrifices God calls us to make for Him are the little things, like choosing not to hit someone that makes us mad, or not cheating on a test, or only going 5 over the speed limit, or taking the time to go to church, or tithing our 10%. And we believe (whether we admit to it or not) that God will reward us with the creature comforts of things and stuff in this life.
We followed our personal reading time by reading together in Ephesians, and check out verse three of chapter one:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every SPIRITUAL belssing in the heavenly places IN CHRIST."
Paul seems to believe that our blessings are not granted us on this earth in worldly forms. I think scripture supports the idea that if we would prefer all of the blessings on this earth, we could probably have these and miss out on the blessings awaiting us in heaven. Paul's belief is that God's blessing is Christ Himself. The life of Christ. A life of true sacrifice. This is the paradox: this life which might seem devoid of the types of "triumphs" that we like to use to measure success by (health, wealth, happiness), is the very life that is truly triumphant.
Anyway, I've blogged enough and now I will most likely be offline for a few weeks in preparation for this test. I may try to get on once in awhile, but I will need to be brief...

Bod for God

In light of what I have been discussing today (diet), I came across this on another blog. I thought it was quite interesting, even though the author takes a pretty strong stand against God/God-dependency/Christianity at the end. What is interesting about it is the picture that "christian" fads are giving to the world. I found myself agreeing with the writer up to the last few paragraphs. I am trying to come up with an appropriate response (the blogger invites comments), but I thought it would be interesting to share...

http://www.blog4brains.com/2007/02/11/bod-for-god/

Self-Evaluation

Would you rather eat a slightly burnt cookie or a juicy ripe apple?
Would you rather eat stale potato chips or fresh baby carrots?
Would you rather drink a warm soda or ice cold water?

Too often I find myself going for the soda, cookie, and chips, no matter what kind of condition they're in. I went on this diet and lost weight and I have some more weight I want to lose. I have been exercising as well. But recent events (since the beginning of September) have really thrown me off my game.

I have been reaching for those temporary comforts which also happen to be the things that kill me (see my previous post). I have not been consistent in either diet or exercise, and I have been making excuses for myself. My last post was as much for me as for anyone who might be reading this, because I need the encouragement right now, not to fall prey to the same old sinful habits that so easily trip me up.

Why is it that we choose to settle so often for what is not good for us? I'm not just talking about food here. I was thinking about my sister's blog on "lip service" that "christians" pay to their faith/God. Dallas Willard says that we so often consider ourselves to be Christians simply because we "believe" what every demon knows to be true! We sell ourselves short. We settle for what seems close enough to doing the right thing, even though we know that something better exists. We have a comfortable cultural christianity that has very little to do with true faith.

It's a redundant question. The truth of the matter is, we are LAZY. We don't want the difficulty. We see someone take a stand - like my father, who has lost his severance and has had his morality called into question (ironically for asking his boss to be truthful) - and we see them face trials and persecutions from so-called christians and non-christians alike, simply for speaking the truth. And we close ourselves off in fear that we too might be called to lay it all on the line if we were to give ourselves fully to God.

We are content to view our choice to go to church on Sunday morning (over sleeping in) as a SACRIFICE on our part, something that makes us Holy and acceptable to God. When we make this easy living out to be a sacrifice, we belittle the sacrifice that God Himself made as our example. He DIED so that we can LIVE! And we choose to pollute our bodies and parcel off only a tiny portion of our thoughts and feelings for Him.

The real work of Satan isn't to convince us not to believe in Christ - it's to convince us that this is all God asks of us - this "chicken poop for the soul" type Christianity that my sister was reading/blogging about. Satan has done his work when we would rather eat freezer-burned ice cream than have fresh yogurt, and when we would rather unthinkingly swallow every word that comes out of a pastor's mouth than dig through His word and find the answer for ourselves.

So, which would you rather have - a vague hope that you might go to heaven when you die or a vibrant, intimate relationship with your Creator?

Every Good Intention

I had every good intention of spending the morning writing a bit more on Willard, but as many good intentions go...
I did have a thought last night which I thought would be interesting to share. I was out getting dog food and the literal thought that went through my head was "I'm dying for some ice cream." It's a thought I have sometimes while trying to remain disciplined with this dieting thing, "I'm dying for some macaroni and cheese." "I'm dying for some fried pickles." "I'm dying for some chocolate." It occured to me that this could become a sort of mantra that instead of hurting my chances of sticking to my diet, could actually assist me in achieving my goals.
I was talking to my brother about this very thing the other day. About how what I put in my mouth determines whether I will live or I will die. So I asked myself last night, what is it I'm dying for? Would I rather have one more day of health and happiness with my husband and life here, or would I rather eat this ___?
Obesity is a disease and in more than 90% of the cases, it is self-inflicted. Just as abstinance from sex can protect us from venereal disease, abstinance from certain foods can protect us from obesity. When a doctor says someone is morbidly obese, it literally means, you are dying from what you are eating every day.
There is an addiction issue when you get to a certain point with food. When I treat my eating as an extension of my mood - "what do I feel like eating today?" - I quickly start back into a downhill slope of wanting the fried foods, the salty foods, the sweets, the sugars. Just like the person who smokes realizes that he is probably inflicting cancer on himself and bringing death one day closer, so also the person who makes poor choices about eating is bring death one day closer with every bite.
Gluttony is a deadly sin, one that we very often overlook (myself included). I have tried to recondition my thinking about food - to say that my body is like a machine. We put into the machine oil, gas, things that are good for it and make it run properly. We are constantly wary of things that will clog the engine and make it perform poorly (which is why we by more highly refined gas for our vehicles). We should treat our bodies with the same sort of dignity.
What do I need to fuel me? Vitamins and minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. Water, water, and more water. What slows me down, clogs me up, makes me perform poorly and shortens the life of my "engine"? Sugars and oils and fats (oh my!).
So here is a challenge for those of you, like me, who struggle with what you put into your mouth. Next time you grab a snickers bar for breakfast, literally say this to yourself, "I am DYING for this Snickers bar." Next time you pull up to order at a fast food window, say, "I am DYING for this chicken sandwich." And then ask yourself, is it worth it?
Anyone interested in knowing how I've managed to lose 25 lbs in the last four months is free to email me and ask. I'll give you a hint - no sugars, no caffeine, and WATER, WATER, and MORE WATER. Don't die for your food. God gave us food to fuel us and help us live!

The Out of Towner

Once again I find myself being the Out of Towner. I wish I had Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn around to lighten things up a bit, but not this time. I'm hanging out in SC with my foo. So, I had started this routine of daily (or near daily) posting, and I wanted my few and far between readers who might not know why I dropped off to know where I am at the moment.
I don't really feel like sitting down to post right now, so I'm going to eat some breakfast with my Dad. But I'll be back...

Beyond Blind Faith (Hearing God Ch. 3)

Hear this promise of the Lord:

"God is able to penetrate and intertwine himself within the fibers of the human self in such a way that those who are enveloped in his loving companionship will never be alone (HG 43)".

Emmanuel. God is with us. The Lord be with you. I will never be forsaken. We are promised repeatedly through God's word that we will never be alone in this life. Christ Himself says He will never leave us or forsake us. I don't have any profound insight into this for today. I can only think on all of the times in my life that I feel utterly and completely alone. It is a powerful truth to realize that God is not only WITH us, if we belong to Him, He INDWELLS us. He is WITHIN us.

For me this means that when I don't even understand why I feel what I feel or where to begin in pouring out my worries and desires to Him, I have the confidence to say that He has so deeply ingrained Himself in me, that even without my telling Him, He has a full grasp of my every need. This is confidence itself, because it is ONLY He who can fulfill my needs. As the ultimate source of all good things in my life, God is with me.

How do I know that He is with me (beyond what is told to me in scripture and by theologians like Willard)? Willard says, "Our conviction – willing it to be so – is our only proof that God is present in our lives (HG 46)." We often scoff at this blind faith as being rudimentary. Perhaps it is - in the sense that a rudimentary understanding of Him is needed as a foundation for futher understanding of Him. We start here, with the faith that wills us to accept that God is who He says He is. But we don't stop here.

It is dangerous for anyone to assume that blind faith is the only type of faith we need when approaching God. In order to understand the mysteries He wishes to impart to His children, we must always be striving to push beyond a blind acceptance. Willard says that the call to Christ involves the discipline of constant study. We are all made to be theologians. We will not all be Calvin, but we should all use our God-given brains to try and know Him more.

Willard points out one last "proof" that we can have of God's constant presence. He says, "Life with effects beyond the natural always depends upon intimate interactions between us and God, who is therefore present (HG 50)." We, as believers, can SEE God move in this world. We are voyeurs of miracles every day. Any time that we see a life moving in an unnatural direction, we should recognize God at work (God's presence). When a man of God chooses to swallow his pride and admit his wrong before the body of Christ, we KNOW that God has moved and is therefore present. When we follow Christ's example, we KNOW that God has done this in us, because we are incapable of doing this without God.

Choose to see Him act, believers, and choose to "envelop [yourself] in His loving companionship (HG 43)."

Pressing Onward - Hearing God Chapter Two

It was interesting for me to go back and read over the beginnings of this book study on my blog and realize that I had been inclined to focus on very different points in my first reading. Now, I suppose I take some of the earlier truths that I learned for granted and am beginning to be able to find new truths to grapple with in my reading. I think this is the way that God intends to reveal Himself to us through scriptures, giving us layer upon layer of Himself, unfolding Himself one truth at a time.

Yesterday in church, I played "How Firm a Foundation" on my violin. Building this foundation through "His excellent Word" as the hymn sings, is this process of accepting one truth and then stacking upon it another... and another... and another. I used to think that the need to review something I'd already read was a weakness I should not allow myself. What a know-it-all! I now find that I love to reread novels and literary classics and passages of scripture. It's amazing what you can glean the second and third time through!

Now onto chapter two of Willard...

This second chapter led me to think about the role of marriage in God's kingdom. I'm probably not the only one who has ever wondered why in the world Christ would say that marriage does not exist in heaven. I think about how much time and effort goes into this primary relationship of our lives, and I wonder what is it all for if it is not eternal? Well, scripture answers this by referring to marriage as a mysterious earthly example of Christ's relationship to the church.

Willard says that "God’s speaking is intended to develop into an intelligent freely cooperative relationship between mature people who love each other [with agape love] (HG 31)." This cancels out what I was blogging about yesterday, the idea that we can simply go to God to receive our daily list of to do's, and an answer for all of our questions. This relationship with God is RECIPROCAL. It is a marriage relationship.

The ladies of my church are studying Debbie Pearl's Helpmeet, a book on the role of the wife in marriage. It occurred to me yesterday in Sunday school that it would be quite possible to go all of my married life doing all the things that the book suggests that I am meant to do (based on Debbie's interpretation of scripture). I could do these things and generate the APPEARANCE of a great marriage without ever really having a REAL marriage, a real relationship with my husband. By never really stopping long enough to seek to understand my husband - who he is, what his dreams are, what drives him to do what he does - I could in fact be married without having a marriage.

This is what we so often do to God, however. When we approach Him simply as someone to be obeyed and not questioned, someone who cannot be understood, someone who will always be out of reach, we are truly saying that he is UNREASONABLE. Willard often points out in Hearing God that one of our biggest drawbacks in our faith is the assumptions we have about God. He writes about one such assumption in the fact that we often approach scripture with the mindset that we are reading "a book of doctrine, abstract truth about God." This creates a barrier between the reader and God so that "one can search endlessly without encountering God himself or hearing his voice (HG 35)."

It is not until we begin to value the revelation of the character of God through His word, until we truly pray for the desire to know God intimately, that we will begin to journey toward the union that God so earnestly desires to have with us as His creation - that normal life of God's indwelling.

Willard leaves us with two reminders in chapter two regarding our attitude when God does begin to reveal Himself to us. First, he writes that "God’s speaking to us does not in itself make us important (HG 38)." When we receive direct communication from someone of importance, it is often difficult for us not to share this information with others in a way that indicates our own significance in the eyes of our audience. We tend to like to "be in the know," and to make others feel our importance. God's communication, however, should always encourage not our pride, but our humility. We are important to God, but He does not choose to speak to us because we are important.

Lastly, Willard reminds us that "God’s speaking to us does not prove us either righteous or right (HG 39)." I think that this may be hard to grasp, because it seems that God's speaking to us would be a way in which He imparts His will to us. If I follow that will, then it would seem that I were acting in a right way, that I were living righteously even. However, I think the attitude that Willard is exposing in this statement is one we might have when we begin to, again, puff ourselves up with the idea that we are somehow deserving of God's communication because of our own righteousness.

I do not think that God's overtures of communication toward us are conditional on our attitudes, our assumptions, or the general condition of our hearts. God called me when I was in sin, He can speak to any of us whenever and however He chooses. What is conditional on our attitudes, our assumptions, and the general condition of our hearts is our own ability to perceive God's voice and what He is saying to us.

Okay, I'd better get ready for work, before I follow another tangent of conversation on this topic. Feel free to comment...