A New look at the Seven Deadly Sins and Their Remedies

Like Lady Gaga, are you a “master of the art of fame”?  Thanks to YouTube, we can all get a taste of the limelight pretty easily.  Attention and affirmation from others feels pretty good–so good, in fact, that desiring it can easily become a bad habit.  Come learn about the vice of vainglory, one of the original “seven deadly sins,” to find out from Disney characters and Church Father St. Augustine how spiritually dangerous and ”vain” our glory-seeking can be.  Then explore how you can practice resist this vice with spiritual disciplines such as silence and solitude, and become a spiritually wise discerner of culture in today’s Facebook age. Rebecca DeYoung

Over thinking

This song is written so well. I just wanted to share the lyrics with those of you out there who are over thinking things or relationships. Maybe we should all let God take care of the details which sometimes are so complicated and they make us see the entire experience as a mistake.

i was thinking
over thinking
cause there’s just too many scenarios
to analayze
look in my eyes
cause you’re my dream please come true

i was thinking
over thinking
about exactly how i’m not exactly him
i’ll break my heart in two
more times than you could ever do
cause you’re my dream please come true

cause i think way too much
on a one track mind
and you’re so out of touch
cause i’m so far behind

i can’t deny this anymore, the facts ignored all done before
and if there’s one in this world,
you let me know you’re not that girl

i was sinking
lower, sinking
cause i lost the things i held on to
they let me think a thought
a thought that i would know was not
of seeing my dream come true

i was thinking
over thinking
about how far i had let this go
one more guy/girl cliché
i know now you’re just in the way
of me and my dream come

don’t touch the positive with the negative end
don’t touch the positive with the negative end
cause after all of the sparks you’re still alone in the dark
cause after all of the sparks you’re left alone in the dark

and while i’m able, i think i’ll label
experience with you as a mistake
and while i’m at it, i’ll say i’ve had it
experience with you is a mistake

Relient K.

9/11 thoughts

I was reading Christianity today and I found an interesting excerpt from:Anne Graham Lotz, author of Expecting to See Jesus: A Wake-Up Call for God’s People.
I find it very moving and so true and I would like to share it with you.

“September 11 was an alarm that penetrated my daily responsibilities and my busy ministry schedule, warning me … of what? Ten years ago, I could not have answered that question. All I knew with certainty was that God was trying to get the attention of his people, including me. Like the prophet Isaiah in the year that King Uzziah died, I looked up with the eyes of faith.

What I saw was not just a fresh vision of Jesus Christ. Like Isaiah, I also saw a humiliating vision of my own sin. I spent days on my face before God, confessing my sin and receiving his cleansing. The result was an authentic experience of personal revival. The immediate impact was a renewed vibrancy in my relationship with God, an increased fervency in prayer, clearer insight into God’s Word, and a sharpened focus in ministry.

But the alarm did not fade away. Instead, I have heard it reverberating throughout the past 10 years: from Hurricane Katrina to the record-breaking floods, forest fires, tornadoes, droughts, and snow storms; to the collapse of our major financial institutions; to the economic recession; to the inability to win the war in Afghanistan. The alarm keeps resounding because so many people have not heeded, or even heard, the warning.

And what is the warning? Simply this: It is five minutes to midnight on the clock of human history. Judgment is at the door. Jesus is coming! It’s time to wake up and get right with God! Are you listening?”

Don’t be afraid my Child

I was at work this morning and I picked up a letter from a pastor in Munich. While I was reading it, this poem caught my eye. I felt God speaking to me gently saying “Do not be afraid! Go down into the plans of God”.  This poem is a great reminder of how fragile and afraid we are and how God with his strong hands is there to guide us like small children who stumble and fall.

I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I did this morning.

Go down into the plans of God. 

Go down deep as you may. 

Fear not for your fragility under that weight of water.

Fear not for life or limb sharks attack savagely. 

Fear not the power of treacherous currents under the sea. 

Simply, do not be afraid. Let go.

You will be led like a child whose mother holds him to 

her bosom and against all comers is his shelter.

Dom Helder Camara, The Desert Is Fertile

Summer camp

I was at the supermarket today and this song caught my attention. This is how I feel after 2 weeks of holidays. My heart cannot say much but this song says it all. It’s MercyMe and his mercy is over me everyday. One day I will sing my song to Jesus… Such a tiny offering!!!

Who are we— that You would be mindful of us?
What do You see— that’s worth looking our way?
We are free— in ways that we never should be.
Sweet release— from the grip of these chains.

Like hinges straining from the weight,
My heart no longer can keep from singing.

All that is within me cries
For You alone be glorified:
Emmanuel, God with us.

My heart sings a brand new song.
The debt is paid, these chains are gone.
Emmanuel, God with us.

Lord, You know— our hearts don’t deserve Your glory;
Still You show— a love we cannot afford.
Like hinges straining from the weight,
My heart no longer can keep from singing.

All that is within me cries
For You alone be glorified:
Emmanuel, God with us.

My heart sings a brand new song.
The debt is paid, these chains are gone.
Emmanuel, God with us.

Such a tiny offering
Compared to Calvary;
Nevertheless,
We lay it at Your feet.

Such a tiny offering
Compared to Calvary;
Nevertheless,
We lay this at Your feet.

All that is within me cries
For You alone be glorified:
Emmanuel, God with us.

My heart sings a brand new song.
My debt is paid, these chains are gone.

Midnight in Paris

Walking in the rain
I fall into the mistery
Of the well known, loved by all
Esteemed, treasured
The unforgettable
City of Paris.

Memories bring me back
At the Cour Caree
Where we used to dance
At midnight in Paris.
Your wisphering words,
Promised eternal life
Opening the doors of my soul.

I don’t seem to find the last verse. If you are inspired please feel free to add the last verse.

Kingdom in my heart

Let my soul be overwhelmed

with your kingdom.

May the  presence of your spirit

sink all my convictions

about life, the world, God , my dreams.

 

The narrow road is open to me

and the desires that so long

haunted me, covered me, burdened my spirit

let them rise, obeying, listening

to your voice saying:

Seek first the kingdom God and

all these things will be given to you as well.

 

Stubborn soul-searching for the kingdom

Wishing for all these things

added unto me.

Broken still, wanting more

stumbling on the narrow road

let the passion

draw me into your soul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prayer

Prayer is not something you do, it is an act of worship. It takes all your mind and soul. You need  focus and concentrate on it. Otherwise you will fall asleep or start thinking of something else. It happens, so don’t worry  keep  on praying.God loves when you pray. He wants you to pray, ask, have faith, plead for your family, your friends, neighbors and the world.

Prayer is a relief. Are you stressed out?  Pray!  You feel sick, pray! Life is good, pray! It is like healing balm that calms down the weary soul.

Prayer is like the  air. Without prayer, you choke and die. Imagine what it means to  have no air.  Prayer it’s like the fresh air after the rain. It invigorates your spirit.

Prayer is your weapon. It is one of the most powerful weapons you have. Use it right and it can change the world. Believe in its power and it will transform your life. A small seed of faith can move mountains.

Prayer is quiet, silent and meditative. It takes time.  Focus on eternity. You hear a voice. Gods voice and it feels so good. Instead of  talking,asking and complaining…silence takes place and the Lord speaks.

Prayer is a sacred moment you share with the lover of your soul, your father, friend, mother whatever  you want to call it. When you are in a relationship you want to spend time with the one you care about. Take that moment and never rush. Linger in prayer, persist in it and never give up.

How long has it been since you have prayed?  Well…Never? One Year? A couple of months, Five minutes?

Start today!  Go to the Psalms. they are an immense source of inspiration. You might find your prayer there…or simply just bow your head and say “God?? Are you there?…thank you!”

My first piano lesson

I like  piano. I learned twinkle, twinkle little star…pretty awesome I would say. there are people at my age who can do better than that!

My teacher is younger than me and he is from Canada. Actually he is not my teacher, he is everyone’s teacher. You can find him for free on youtube. I have been on You Tube for a long time and I tried to learn various songs but for the first time in my life I actually understood how a song is being played. His goal is to teach you how to fish.  I mean  play not fish. Play in such a way that you don’t depend on the person but you do it yourself.

I am excited about passing my first lesson. It took me 2 hours, but hey we all have to start somehow  even if it take longer than  you expected. I would recommend him to you but I don’t want to advertise the guy on my page. Actually thinking about it , it’s not a bad idea, I might get some good stats here…

So to end on a  note with Twinkle Twinkle little star…start on C and end on A…opss!! No! That’s a Chopin song so hang in there you will one day play like this…

 

Trusting God

Trusting God, is a conversation with the  invisible God. It’s running towards the unknown, loving the uncertain and believe the impossible. At least this is what it means to me. It is like walking on the street at night and  founding yourself  talking with some unseen being which you call  God…chatting, sharing stories, laughing or crying.

I talk about trust, because lately I felt like God was asking me to jump high, to stop looking back at my past and move forward. Making the big step towards the unnoticeable, in God’s world where everything is unpredictable but where the invisible becomes visible. It is so scary to let it go and say like Isaiah “Here I am, Send me.” It is so much easy to stay in the back row and see others moving forward “losing their life”. What we do not understand it is that in “losing their life” they will gain it for eternity.

What will I choose? To have a perfect , comfortable life where everything goes my way? Yeah I would so much choose that!! My selfish nature would definitely want that!  I love comfort, making the first step when I don’t have to, hiding when it’s hard, trusting in something that won’t last. We, created for God’s glory, end up making idols in our hearts and forget about our Maker.

I love that God chooses us, me, you! In his infinite glory, mercy and love he wants us! He loves us! And not only that he wants us,  Jesus  is asking the most difficult thing ” trust in the invisible and you will see the visible”. “Look at me and you will see yourself, the life I have ready for you. Jump and you will be safe! ” Safe?  Where? “Safe in my arms…the unseen hands that carry you everyday and  reach out to you in love.”

Trusting God is like giving up everything you think it’s secure. Take it all out and leave your ruins, let God build a new home. Renounce, step into the unknown and say “Here I am send me!”