Gardener, giggler, "y'all" user Wii just dance champion. My house is rarely clean, my kids are rarely wearing normal clothes and I am rarely on time. But I have learned there are a lot bigger fish to fry and I am just enjoying every minute of this precious gift called life. Mostly I'm an: Imperfect Person in love with a PERFECT GOD!

Romantic Jesus

“It’s not gonna be easy. It’s going to be really hard; we’re gonna have to work at this everyday, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, everyday. You and me… everyday.”
― Noah (Ryan Gosling) to Allie (Rachel McAdams)  The Notebook

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Picture source

“Don’t forget I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.”
—Anna (Julia Roberts) to William (Hugh Grant) in Notting Hill

“No matter what occurs! I will find you. No matter how long it takes, no matter how far, I will find you.”—Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) to Cora (Madeleine Stowe) in Last of the Mohicans

Ahhh romantic movies.  I’m such a sucker for them.  And I’m not alone! Romantic comedies earned an average of $111 million EACH last year! (source)

We love romance.  It’s as if it’s part of our DNA.

Hmmmm….

There is an incompleteness that makes us long for these perfect
you-and-me-together-forever type of relationships.  As if part of us is missing without being the peanut to someone’s peanut butter.

How many of you swooned when Jerry McGuire told his wife “you complete me”

you had me at hello

Every woman, whether they admit it or not, so desperately longs for her heart to be romanced. For a man to tell her she is worth fighting for and for him to stop at nothing to win her over.

There is an emptiness, an ache within us where we long for this knight in shining armor to sweep us off our feet.  The only problem is we are looking for this fulfillment from another sinful human being.

A marriage can compliment you yes, and who you marry is no doubt one of the most important decisions you can make.  But a guy can simply not fulfill everything a woman’s heart longs for.

This ache within us to be romanced is actually formed in everywoman ON PURPOSE, to draw us back to the one who has been after our hearts from the very beginning of time.

The book of Hosea is such a beautiful love story that is insanely applicable today.  It is about a man called to marry a prostitute.

TIME OUT
Can you imagine how that conversation with God was like?

God: “Hosea you are such a honorable man, you seek me with all your heart and you are true to your word….I would like you to  marry a prostitute….don’t worry it will have meaning”
Hosea: “Ummmm, I was thinking maybe  I could marry a nice girl and have a sweet little family, could we try that instead?”

But God there’s that whole “God is God and Hosea is not” thing so It looks like God won out on that.  But thank goodness because we are left with this truly captivating story that knocks me to my core every time I read it.

Gomer (yes it’s an unfortunate name) has this rock like, dependable, strong and trustworthy husband.  But she tells herself he isn’t enough and mostly that she isn’t enough to deserve this kind of relentless undeserving love. She is beautiful but she doesn’t see it. She is worth him fighting for but she tells herself she doesn’t deserve it.  She keeps leaving him to pursue what is familiar to her, what she told her self she deserves. And he keeps going to fight and even buy her back to be his wife.

Don’t miss how huge this is.  She is leaving the one true faithful and loving man in her life and giving herself back to men who use her and discard her.  It’s sounds crazy…but it’s really not any different than today.

hosea

The whole story is a picture of God’s unrestricted, unequivocal, determinate and Jealous love for us. His heart breaks and gets angry when we give our hearts to lesser things.

Therefore I will block her path with thorn bushes;
    I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.
She will chase after her lovers but not catch them;
 Hosea 2: 6-7

Just like a prince fighting for his fair maiden he will do anything in his power to win her over to himself.  The words in the scripture below would make more hearts flutter on the big screen than anything Leonardo Dicaprio every thought about saying from the bow of the titanic.

She decked herself with rings and jewelry,
    and went after her lovers,
    but me she forgot,”
declares the Lord.

 “Therefore I am now going to allure her;
    I will lead her into the wilderness
    and speak tenderly to her. Hosea 2:13-14

Grab a tissue

“You can live unafraid in peace and safety.
I will make you my wife forever,
    showing you righteousness and justice,
    unfailing love and compassion.
 I will be faithful to you and make you mine,
    and you will finally know me as the Lord.

 Hosea 2:19-20

Oh you guys it just gets me ya know!  I mean I am so that girl “prostituting myself” with a busy schedule, a worried mind, and lots of “good things” that are not usually the BEST thing.

A hunger for romance and to be desired is written all over the face of our thirst for money, status, and failed relationship after failed relationship. And I totally get it!  I was the girl in college who thought a boyfriend is what I needed to be complete and I am still that girl today telling myself I am too “busy” to invest my everything into the one true source of all my tomorrows.

Lord help us to fall in love with YOU all over again.  The true romancer of our soul.  It was and will always be only Jesus, my true love, my true romancer. The one who knows my every flaw and died for me anyway.

He is always looking to romance us, we just have to listen and notice.  How has Jesus romanced you lately?

To the little girl in all women

I was deep into kitchen experimentation mode, when our 6 year old little girl danced into the kitchen.  She (like always) was wearing a princess dress.  She floated around dreaming of being at a ball or a royal castle I’m sure.

As she danced by the fridge she saw a snapshot of Bryan and I on our wedding day.  She stopped for a moment and then started day dreaming of being a bride.  She told me all about her beautiful dress and the glorious day it would be.

She danced a little more while singing to the princess music coming from her room.  After twirling about a little more she stopped her dance.  She demanded my attention for her next statement. With all the confidence and poise a 6 year old can muster she declared, “I will marry someone that loves God…I will marry daddy.” Then proceeded to the ball taking place with her sister in the living room.twirl

I stopped measuring and stirring for a minute to smile as my heart was captivated by her words.  Should I tell her, that daddy is my man so back off?  Just kidding.  I love it that she thinks this way.  By God’s grace I married a man that models Jesus to our family everyday and I’m so thankful for that.

Every woman was once this little girl.  Day dreaming of being a princess who falls in love with the ONE “perfect” man.  She dreams of being adored and cared for and adoring him right back.

The desires of our heart are for romance, to be treasured, and to be part of something great.  Modern women pretend we are too “strong” and independent to have these desires.  Yet romance novels and movies still fly off the shelves.  These are the desires of the heart of a woman and they are put in us by the amazing God whose image we bear, there is nothing to be ashamed of.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

Somewhere between the dreams of our youth and becoming an adult, something precious has been lost.  Somewhere along the way girls start to forget they are a princess.  When and why is this taken from our girls? When does it become ok for a little princess to lower her standards to a man that is doing anything less than chasing Jesus.  When did we lie and tell ourselves he was good enough to date a princess if he doesn’t protect your body for your future husband?

Our heart is to be guarded ABOVE ALL ELSE.

Guard your heart…

Because your heart is extremely valuable. We don’t guard worthless things. I take my garbage to the street every Wednesday night. It is picked up on Thursday morning. It sits on the sidewalk all night, completely unguarded. Why? Because it is worthless.

Not so with your heart. It is the essence of who you are. It is your authentic self—thecore of your being. It is where all your dreams, your desires, and your passions live. It is that part of you that connects with God and other people.

Solomon says, “Above all else.” He doesn’t say, “If you get around to it” or “It would be nice if.” No, he says, make it your top priority.

-Michael Hyatt 

You are still his 6 year old in a princess dress day dreaming of meeting your prince.  He delights in the way you smile, the funny things you do and your determination do  it “all by yourself.”

PROTECT and GUARD the precious and irreplaceable jewel that you are.  It baffles me how many young women date a guy who, in no way protects her heart, leaves her emotionally scared yet she stays with him because she is afraid of being alone?? On what planet does this make sense?

A man that is not chasing after God’s heart, has no business chasing yours.

God has set within everywoman a femininity that is powerful and tender.  Misunderstood and sometimes assaulted.  Your true feminine heart is worth protecting, worth guarding.

Jesus has come to win you back to himself…All of you. God is in the business of setting his precious daughters free from the trappings, temporary pleasures, and many down right lies of this world.  Have you asked Jesus to come to win your heart over?

 

 

princess
Daughter of the Almighty God

Uh oh

Over the course of human history there have been several huge mistakes EVERYONE thought were right…that is until we knew better.  From thinking the earth was flat to believing big hair was a good idea we have learned a lot along the way but we have not arrived.

big hair 80's

In the 1950’s and 60’s EVERYONE smoked.  Those serving in Vietnam were sent as many cigarettes as they could smoke.  Doctors even endorsed it!

And then they said “uh oh” that stuff will kill you.

smoking

In the 1980’s we became a “fat free America” so the nutrient rich fat was taken out of many processed foods and filled with refined sugar, modified food starch and other questionable ingredients.  Now our fat free america is fatter than ever and we say “uh oh!” Turns out fat from healthy sources is vital for growth and actually suppresses hunger.  Aspartame, food dye, and modified food starch not so much.

Our culture is just starting to wake up to realize food from plants and animal are much better for you than something made in a lab and labeled as “food.”

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Today we live in a culture  of shack up with whoever you want whenever you want.  Babies are born with a dad nowhere to be found and a mom still trying to be a child herself.   

Our culture is still totally blind to it.  Sitcoms have a guy waking up in bed beside a girl saying, “what was your name again?” and the audience laughs.  We pretend it’s funny, we pretend it’s fun.  We pretend it doesn’t hurt.

But in fact, depression and  suicide is at its highest rate in 25 years (source)  Blame it on what ever factor you want but I can’t help but notice the strong correlation with our growing acceptance of no-strings-attached sexual relationships and a growing rates of depression.

Sex is the cement that holds the relationship together.  Which, taken in the context of marriage is a good thing.  But taken with no commitments is catastrophic.

Tearing up cement is messy, painful, destructive and the original piece is never left the same.

You don’t pour cement on something, unless you are committed to it being there….forever.

Sex is a wonderful gift from God; but it makes a terrible idol, brutal and unyielding in the misery it inflicts. —RANDY ALCORN, author, The Purity Principle

I cannot think of any gift of God that has been more abused and mis-used than that of sex. What was intended to be a stunning, pure, earthly picture of amazing heavenly, eternal realities, has been perverted into an alluring but false god that is in fact a grotesque caricature of the true God. —NANCY LEIGH DEMOSS, author, host of “Revive Our Hearts”

Our culture hasn’t woke up yet to the perverted way we have mishandled this gift called sex.  But just like realizing the earth isn’t flat, you need healthy fats in your diet, and smoking will kill you…this too will eventually be realized.   

And you guys will be on the cutting edge because now you know better. 

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Are you who you are looking for…is looking for

My hubby was unlike any other guy I had ever dated.  Before we were really like “an item” only friends. We were working together on a project at church and had to run to the grocery store.   We were standing together at the check out line and he grabbed a cosmopolitan magazine (which, as usual paraded a beautiful nearly nude woman with every other article featuring something about  sex).

You can imagine I am a little nervous at first as he grabs the magazine, but he did something strange…something I had never seen done before….as quickly as he grabbed it, he turned the magazine backwards and then set it back on the stand. Then looked back at me as if it was a totally normal thing and proceeded to continue our conversation.

Dumfounded and confused I said, “why did you do that….that thing with the magazine?”
Casually with a shrug he replied, “Oh to protect my eyes.  I just don’t want fake images in my mind to compare my wife to one day”

SWOON

swoon

He had me at “protect my eyes”

As I found out more about this  totally weird…in a really good way… guy I also realized he had protective programs on his computer from unwanted internet distastefulness.  He even asked himself questions like, “would I be comfortable bringing everything I watched, listened to or read to church with me on Sunday?”

Who was this guy and where had he been all my life?

Eager to tell my friends about this new guy. I specifically remember having the conversation with one of my dear friends “Jessica” (we’ll call her).  She was beautiful.  Likely one of my most beautiful friends.  She was popular smart and had no problem getting boyfriends.  But, like most of my sorority girl friends, she liked to party, hook up with guys, and place Jesus  in a convenient little box, careful not to let Him get in the way of her having fun.

She seemed spellbound but also totally in love with the idea that there were guys out there like this.  She decided she is worthy of a guy like that and with determination she told me, “I’m gonna marry a guy like that.”

I don’t know why I was so surprised to hear her say that, in fact most my friends who heard about this guy “protecting his eyes for his future spouse” all had their hearts flutter like a teenage girl at a one direction concert at the very idea that this type of guy existed.

I didn’t know what to say to Jessica in that moment of her genuine desire to have all these things in her Mr. Right yet hope to find him while not spending any time BECOMING Mrs. Right.

No matter how beautiful or talented she is, guys that are pursing Jesus are looking for a lady that is traveling in the same direction.  The type of guy that is protecting his eyes and his body and whole heartedly pursuing Christ, is not looking for the girls at the bar with tons of sexual experiences under her belt.

It’s like Jessica was headed east and her dream christian man was headed west and she somehow thought they would meet up in the same place and live happily every after with sunshine and rainbows.

I don’t know why I didn’t see it earlier. I was the EXACT same way just a few months before we had this very conversation.  I had recently become a Christian and Jesus had just pulled a total 180 on my life.  I too dreamed of marrying a kind man who would love me just as as Christ loved the church.  I dreamed of him protecting me and him being the spiritual leader of our family one day.

becoming the right person2

I realize now how hypocritical I was in wanting my dream guy to protect his body, protect his mind, pursue christ, and not having any debt and being devilishly handsome would be a nice bonus.  All the while I assumed I could do as I pleased and expect dream-Jesus-loving-guy to pursue me?

How did this ever make sense to me? And how does this still make sense in the mind of singles everyday?

In Andy Stanley’s love sex and dating series ,and book, he poses a simple yet profound question he asks singles to ask themselves before perusing any relationship:

Are you the person you are looking for, is looking for?
link to his video sermon on this question (psssss..it’s awesome)

The pursuit of a romance to make all your dreams come true is not only impossible but totally unfair to put that burden on another sinful human being.  Jesus is the only one that can truly fulfill you.

Now before you tell me there are no more Christian “fish” left in the sea and nobody else does this.  I think what you really mean is no one  you KNOW does this.

Cars that pass each other going opposite directions on the highway rarely make eye contact.  If you are headed east with Jessica then you don’t truly know what’s happening on the route in the opposite direction.  But if you decide to commit to BECOMING who you are looking for is looking for by going to the right places and and not just believing in Jesus but FOLLOWING him, you will meet the right people

For example, I bet you didn’t know that there are approx. 10 MILLION people on the this planet that identify themselves as a “Bronie” which is some kinda werido “my little pony” uber obsessed GROWN UP MAN.  (No seriously I wish I was kidding, but it’s a thing)

Then not to worry my friends 1/3 of the earths population identifies themselves as christians and there are  90-100 million sold out legit believers in the U.S. alone(source).

When you begin to pursue the teachings of Christ I have no doubt you will quickly meet the right people who are doing the same thing.

What do you think about “becoming who you are looking for is looking for” If you are married did you do this while you were dating?

If you are single, what direction are you headed?

 

Why you DON’T deserve it

There are three words in the English language that I’m beginning to loathe. Those words are “You Deserve It!” How many times have you heard those words. “Buy yourself a new outfit. You deserve it!” “Take a vacation. You deserve it!” Even the old McDonald’s commercials used it, remember? “You deserve a break today….at McDonald’s!” and L’oreal’s tagline is “I’m worth it”

It makes us feel good right?  We work hard (some harder than others) we tell ourselves we deserve a break so we get a kit kat.  We deserve a vacation so we go into debt.  The list goes on and on.

Something I just can’t seem to get over is this….

The king of the world.  The King of all kings.  The maker of heaven, earth, stars, creation, all the palaces and all the riches in the world….Yes this guy.  This same guy who’s majesty deserves the highest kingdom on the highest throne WILLINGLY left his throne in heaven and put on imperfect and flawed skin and bone to be born IN A STINKY MANGER BESIDE COWS AND DONKEYS.

Can we just take a moment and think about that!!

If nothing else in the gospel story rocks your world this has to.

There was no room for the king of the universe to even stay at an inn the night he was born.  I’m sure Mary was thinking, God you told me I was going to have your child and I can’t even get a hotel room on the night of his birth?
baby-jesus-in-manger

I think there was a reason the most DESERVING person of a palace was born in a stinky manger.  To teach us to think of ourselves a little less.

Humility.  It’s a tough word to grasp in a world where everyone is fighting to be the best.  But this simple picture of the lord of lords in a manger is a reminder to me every time I feel “under appreciated”

I don’t get noticed the time I worked really hard on a project
The king of the world was born in a stinky manger

I don’t get bonus I hoped for
The king of the world was born in a stinky manger

People don’t remember my name
The king of the world was born in a stinky manger

You see my point.  Honestly I really don’t “deserve” anything except hell.  Yet my Lord came down from heaven to take that punishment for me…even though I didn’t deserve it.

he>i

Do you find yourself in the “I deserve it” thinking trap?

The nameless characters in the story of Jesus Birth

In the story of Jesus’ birth.  We talk about the wise men, the shepherds, the manger and angels but there within the story lies a hard but somehow comforting truth that nobody talks about.

It’s not glamours, it’s not feel good, and it’s honestly kinda gross.  Here’s the scoop from Matthew 2:

After the birth of Jesus, some magi  visited Herod to inquire the whereabouts of “the one having been born king of the Jews.” Herod, as King of the Jews, was alarmed at the prospect of a usurper. Herod assembled the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the “Anointed One” was to be born. They answered, in Bethlehem.

Herod therefore sent the magi to Bethlehem, instructing them to search for the child and, after they had found him, to “report to me, so that I too may go and worship him”(liar liar pants on fire).

However, after they had found Jesus, they were warned in a dream not to report back to Herod. Similarly, Joseph was warned in a dream that Herod intended to kill Jesus, so he and his family fled to Egypt.

When Herod realized he had been outwitted, he gave orders to kill all boys of the age of two and under in Bethlehem and its vicinity. Joseph and his family stayed in Egypt until Herod’s death, then moved to Nazareth in Galilee.

In Herod’s paranoid, self absorbed, narcissistic way he ordered the MURDER of any baby in Jerusalem under the age of 2. Wikipedia explains Herod as someone, “prepared to commit any crime im order to gratify his unbounded ambition”

dont-go-back-crazy-herod

“he (Herod) sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under.” Matthew 2:16

I don’t know if the families in Bethlehem had time to prepare, how much time passed between King Herod’s order and the massacre but I can imagine the scene:  A Roman solider in his full armor banging on the door frames until they shattered as much as the terrified family on the inside of the home.  The soldiers would barge their way in whether the door was opened for them or not.

Turning over the beds, ripping apart their belongings searching for babies.   If they found a baby boy under the age of two they would grab the child, the family would scream, the solider would lift their sword, and….I just can’t type it.

You know what happened

herod

The mother would scream and run to protect her baby but it was too late.  The solider would storm out on to the next home before the door could even shut behind him.

The mother would hold her baby covered in blood weeping and crying asking why!! This makes no sense!  What did this baby do?  WHYYYYY!!!

“Rachel (mother of the nation of Jerusalem) weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” Matthew 2:18

The amount of babies murdered is not known for certain, but we know for sure it was ALL of the baby boys of the town of Bethlehem.  Could you imagine every mother and father in your city weeping over the loss of her baby?!

My heart hurts for these families.  For the mothers who had to bury their babies.  This is tragic and heart breaking.

As I think more about these families, who were just like you and me,  I realize today, no one knows their  name.  No one knows the story of these sweet babies who were killed so young. There was no memorial, no avenging of their death, and no one changed their profile picture in to the Bethlehem flag to pay respects. (kidding….but seriously)

The kicker lies in the hard truth that is not really warm and fuzzy, not really the speech you hear at funerals, but oddly comforting.

The truth is…the story was never about those babies.  The story was and will always ONLY be about ONE baby.

No I don’t know the names of these babies or families but the only reason I even know their story is because it was associated with Jesus.

King Herod tried with all his might to make his name great.  He called himself “Herod the Great” killed ANYONE (including three of his own sons) if they made any threat to take his throne.  He spent every human effort to make himself immortal. Yet to all his efforts his name was preserved for only a short time for his “kingdom.”

Two thousand years later the only reason people know his name (outside of a few history buffs) is because of his part in the story of Jesus.

The king of the world was never Herod, not even Leonardo DiCaprio at the bow of the titanic.  (tell me you got that)

The king of the world was and will always be Jesus.

In fact who can you name anyone who made an impact on our world from 2,000 years ago or more?  There are a few names I learned in history class that made remarkable discoveries but no one has been or ever will be the savior of the world who came down from heaven to live among us, be killed by us, and rose again.

That makes his fame last way longer than any other king, hero, or inventor I know of.

The queen of my world was never me, although I have tried to make it that way at times.  My best efforts at becoming rich, popular, smart, or well known are all laughable really.

If I give it my all and pour every resource I have into making something great, people may remember me for a few years…maybe, if I’m lucky. My best efforts at “my kingdom” are gone with me.

But if I can contribute to Jesus’s story.  If I can stop working about the oh so temporary trappings of this world.  If I can let go of that to be a supporting character to the ONLY leading role this world will ever know….that is truly the only way I will every make a lasting impact on this world.

“whoever loses their life for me will find it” Matthew 16:25

The “slaughter of the innocence” as many refer to this event in history is heartbreaking no doubt, but simply because their loss was associated with Jesus’ birth, their story can be remembered.

What can i do today to stop trying to be the “leading role” in my life but a supporting character to the only leading role this world will ever know.

Dancing to help kids in foster care

Our homes contain more televisions than people. We spend more on shoes, jewelry, and watches ($100 billion) than on higher education. And the average American woman owns 30 outfits, one for every day of the month—in 1930, that figure was nine.

What is crazy,  over the course of the entire holiday season, we will spend $600 billion adding more and more things to our already crowded homes .

BUT….What if you asked your loved ones do donate to something that mattered this year instead of getting you a dust collector?

Did you know over 26 million children live without parents?  What if you had the potential to change the life of an a child living in foster care or as an orphan.

I have had the privilege to volunteer for an amazing organization in our town that does all the can to help orphans in our community.  And not just food and shelter, but their hearts as well.

Fostering Bulloch is working to secure land to build a TRAC camp that would be open to any child in foster care or a group home in the state!

If you have ever wanted to give to an organization that is helping to change the world I can assure you this is your chance and Fostering Bulloch is your organization.

Gifts are tax deductible and if everyone who saw this video gave even $1 we would meet our goal.

Our crazy video is up to 8,000 views and counting. Please watch below and help make this dream a reality!

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Sex in the media and why it matters

My major in college was marketing with an emphasis on sales.  I have worked in print, radio, television, internet and promotional marketing.  I get marketing and marketing gets me.

I have been behind the scenes on many a marking idea from infancy to a full blown marketing campaign.

These years of marketing research, and ad development have given me a different set of eyes on the media.  My point in this post is to open your eyes to how the media uses sex.  Yes some of it’s obvious, but some of it’s not.

I think the easiest way to dive in is to first ask, “Who is the media?”

Who is the media?

Well I’m so glad you asked.  Believe it or not, in the U.S. there are just 6 corporations that control 90% of what we read, watch or listen to.  Due to mergers, buy out etc the more than 50 companies that ruled the airways back in 1983 have consolidated into just 6.

media

http://www.businessinsider.com/these-6-corporations-control-90-of-the-media-in-america-2012-6

232 Media Executives control the information diet of 277 million americans.  That’s 1 media exec to 850,000 subscribers.

Now I’m not here to say these are bad people.  They must be quite smart and talented to be in these positions actually.  What I am more concerned with is, their intentions when deciding what to air, which ultimately influences our culture and our lives.

The truth is, media executives don’t have our best interest at heart.  Ok maybe that sounds harsh.  Again, I don’t think they are bad people but when creating what we watch, listen to etc, their intent is not to model healthy relationships.  Their intent IS TO MAKE MONEY.

Making the script

Let’s imagine for a second we are in the board room where they are bouncing around ideas for an upcoming movie.   I wonder if the conversation has ever gone like this:

Director: “We need to create a movie that would help young men and women develop lasting loving relationships.  I wonder what we could do or say to help them find their spouse, protect the people they date for their future spouse, and have a long healthy loving marriage.

Ummm no

I think the conversation is much more along the lines of, “what can we do to push the envelope, and be controversial?  The more questionable the morals and the more media coverage we get,  the less we have to spend on advertising.  The less we spend on advertising the more money we make, and the more people are talking about our scandalous movie, the more people will want to see it!

Gosh when you think about it that way i kinda feel like we are little mice and the movie directors laughing as we spin our wheel excited about the next ridiculous little treat they have put in front of us.

TV

We are smarter than this

We have allowed 6 corporations to teach us what is right and acceptable yet the people making these movies and shows are simply trying to make money.  So why do we let it influence us?

The saying goes “don’t believe everything you read” (or read on the internet or watch on TV) because we often do and we generally shouldn’t. How are we so easily duped when we supposedly know better? A study led by Stephan Lewandowsky of the University of Western Australia explains part of what may happen:

The researchers found that “Weighing the plausibility and the source of a message is cognitively more difficult than simply accepting that the message is true — it requires additional motivational and cognitive resources.”

We believe it so much in fact, a survey published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, claims that film, television, music and magazines may act as a kind of “sexual super peer” for teenagers seeking information about sex. It also suggests that the media have at least as great an influence on sexual behaviour as religion or a child’s relationship with their parents and peers.

Your future, your well being and your heart is NOT even considered in making the script.

mediareality

Maybe the media doesn’t have all the answers on our happily ever after

Maybe, the one who MADE us, Knows our hearts desire, and EVEN DESIGNED SEX. Has a better script for us!

Jesus said, I came that you may have life and have it to the FULLEST.

Note he didn’t say I came to give you rules and not let you have any fun.

Sex was never intended to be cheapened to a casual encounter without trust and unconditional respect. The Media shows us there are no strings attached but anyone who has had sex outside of marriage knows there are a web of complicated, painful, and long lasting “strings”…that are VERY attached.

In Genesis, referring to the first man and woman couple the word “Echad” is used.  Translated this means fused together at the deepest level.  The bonding of two people. Body and soul, physically and spiritual.  Can not be undone.  Inside of marriage this is beautiful because it keeps the couple bonded and “echad”

Outside of marriage is is truly the ripping away of two people that have been cemented together.  Moving cement is complicated, messy, painful and the original pieces are never left the same.

God MADE us.  HE KNOWS us.  He gave us sex as a GIFT to be used at the right time for the right purpose.  It is a blessing and a glimpse of how much our heavenly father loves us when two lifelong partners fully know each other.

Let the media be used for entertainment….THAT IS ALL. And let us be careful to think, “Oh it’s just a movie”

Just a movie has caused many a mind to wander into dangerous territory. No one is above getting pulled astray if they don’t protect their minds from what they watch.

Let our hearts desire, our happily ever after, and our worth be found in Christ.  Even the best romantic comedy has nothing on this offer.

he knows my name

No Judgment

You work.

I stay home.

You buy on credit

We save up for our purchases

You like designer purses

I like yard sale purses

Your house looks like a museum

My house looks like we have kids

If you judge other people you have no time to love them

–Mother Teresa

You had your baby in a bath tub

I got an epidural

I use Cloth diapers

and you think I’m weird

You don’t talk to your Mom.

I call mine every day.

You sing hymns.

I rock out.

You are a morning person

I am jealous

You hate tattoos.

I think they’re cool

Your kids don’t watch TV

Mine do

In the same way you judge others you will be judged -Jesus

You shop therapy

I garden therapy

Your kids NEVER misbehave

Mine….ha ha ha ha!!  Oh sorry was I laughing? 

You are shy

I can talk to a wall

You are organized

I am forgetful

You say “you guys”

I say “yall”

You try to live your life the best way you know how.

So do I.

And we don’t need to let the little things divide us.

 

Inspired by Storing up treasures

Lillies on a bad day

Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. Matthew 6:28

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Today I had a crappy day…they happen on occasion to everyone sometimes.   And then I caught a glimpse of one of my daylillies blooming for the very first time this season.

It’s simple I guess…just a flower blooming.  Nothing new.  But today I stared at that flower for a good long while.

If you know anything about gardening they are called day lilies for a reason.  They only bloom for one day.  Just ONE DAY.

It just made me think, if I was the creator (and let’s all be glad I’m not) I wouldn’t pay much attention to something that will only be around for a day.  But look at these beauties!  Illustrated with such exquisite detail and precision.  It’s remarkable!

IMG_2219And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? Matthew 6:29

It blows my mind how remarkable and carefully made a simple flower can be…yet His word says I am even more valuable!

He will care for the flowers, how much more we He care for his people?
And what a reminder to enjoy each precious day.  Bad days happen to everyone.  But outside circumstances are just that…out side.  CHOOSING joy despite all that is where we “Bloom” (I couldn’t help myself I had to take that gardening pun)

So today is our day to shine… be what we were created to be.  Whether it rains, we get a flat tire or people are just mean.  Today is our day to bloom.