Have you ever known the right thing to do, wanted to do the right thing, said you'd do the right thing, then go right ahead and do the WRONG thing? If so, I completely understand. I do that all the time. This ranges from knowing I should do something before I forget I needed to do it, then putting it off...and forgetting about it to not eating stuff I'm allergic to but tastes so good. Shhhh... here's a secret. When I was first saved, up until a couple years ago, I had trouble leaving my old self behind. I used to drink, smoke, go clubbing and partying, and do things that you wouldn't normally associate with a Born Again Christian. Read my last blog about my driving. That was pretty normal. I worked in Ann Arbor Michigan and lived in Ferndale. I could make it home in half an hour (it's an hour and 10 minute drive). I was saved in December 1999 and the last time I went partying was October 2005. Obviously, there's a little overlap.
Every time I'd go out paryting, I'd get drunk and feel awful the next morning. I'd pray to God that I'd never do that again. Then, my girls would call and say let's go out, and there I'd go again. Dancing, drinking, smoking... A few things happened that changed my actions. First, a friend was killed. He died one night while I was out acting an idiot with some other friends. He died being chased by people who wanted to hurt him, supposedly over a cigarette, and was hit by a van that just left him there. I kind of lost it. People, I suppose they meant well thinking I wanted or needed all the details, told me all about what happened, his injuries, and the horrible way he died. I dreamed about that for weeks. I started chain smoking and we went out a couple weeks later to toast him and blow off steam. That's when the next thing happened. That night is a blur! I remember bits and parts. Neither the friend I went out with nor I remember how she drove us home. Later that week, the smoking and partying caught up with me in the form of a double lung infection. Then a situation came up at work, and I was purposely made even more ill. That situation is still too much for me to talk about without blowing a gasket. I'm still working on being a Christian about that situation.
So, all this happens, and I'm sitting at home, whacked out on medication, literally drowning in my own phlegm. I hear someone on the TV, a well known female Bible teacher that I adore, talk about the Apostle Paul's words that make up the verse of the day. All of a sudden, it clicks! First of all, how sick do I have to get, physically and spiritually, before I finally stop trying to straddle the fence? I mean, I was saved, but I wasn't living the way I should have. I was still listening to my flesh instead of my God. Secondly, by condemning myself over the mistakes I was making, I was giving the Devil too much ground. I should have been praising God for the work He was already doing in me instead of concentrating on the shrinking ground that Satan was occupying.
I wasn't doing as much dirt as I used to. I only partied a handful of times a year, normally in times of great stress. I had overcome quite a few issues and made peace with myself and others in my life. I had a great life, and it was still improving! Why was I concentrating on the negative? If the great Apostle Paul confessed to doing stuff that he knew he wasn't supposed to do, then surely I could have a little slack. How liberating that is! I'm not where I'm supposed to be, but I'm sure not where I was.
Now, I'm not going to pretend that by feeling this way I have been delivered from doing everything I shouldn't. And I am definitely not saying that we shouldn't be improving in our behavior and actions. The more of God you get in your life, the more your will is going to decrease. You won't have the desire to do the things you shouldn't. For those behaviors that are really tough, like quitting smoking or drinking, changing your actions when everyone else around you still does the same stuff, etc... it's going to take some time. For me, it meant not hanging out with some people. It meant not listening to certain music that put a desire to go out to the clubs. It meant having someone I could be accountable to - my husband. Let me tell you, the thought of facing my husband after sneaking a cigarette or something like that terrifies me. Fortunately, he knows he doesn't ever have to worry about that stuff coming into my life again.
For those new Christians, and to the ones who have been saved for a while but still struggle, let the words of Paul encourage you. Too often, the church plays like once you say the sinner's prayer and are saved, your problems go away and you never do anything wrong again. Reality steps in right away. You go home from church, and your spouse is still getting on your nerves. Your bank account hasn't magically increased, your boss is still leaving a lot to be desired in the humanity department, and you still have to wash dishes. Come on, let's get real folks. Unless God delivers you from addiction (and He can, let there be no doubt), you are still going to have cravings. Getting saved isn't a cure-all. It's a change-all. Instead of facing life's problems alone, you have serious back up! I mean, if God is for you, who can be against you?! That's even a verse in the Bible. lol Romans 8:31 says
What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?} - Amplified
Here's the time for full disclosure. Here's why this is on my mind. I have a dairy allergy. It's awful. I get very sick to my stomach, congested, and spend lots of time in the bathroom. It makes other health issues flare, including my asthma and HS. You'd think I'd learn to leave it alone, right? Um, no. I still "cheat" and eat it, get sick, then swear off it again. Until tomorrow. Actually, is it cheating if you do it more than not? My health suffers, and I con my hubby into just one last trip to Dairy Queen. hehehe So, now I'm giving it up. Again. Hopefully for good. This may not seem like some great spiritual battle to some, but it is for me. I can't keep getting so sick that I can't do what I need to. It's just allowing one more distraction in my life keeping me from what God has for me to do. I feel this call into ministry. Sorry to be gross, but it would be hard to do that if I am stuck on the toilet all the time.
Now, with that visual in your head, here's today's verse for the day:
New International Version
Romans 7:15
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
I'll catch up with you all later. I'm beat and going to bed. It's another full day tomorrow. I'll be posting on my other blog. I'm thinking that, unless God puts something on my heart, I'll go every other day on my blogs. This one today, the other one tomorrow, and so on and so forth. So, talk with you all Friday!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
Why I don't have a Christian Bumper Sticker
First of all, let me say I have nothing against people that have these bumper stickers. I have seen some cute ones, but can't bring myself to get one. Please allow me to explain why.
My driving sucks. Not your normal every day bad driving, but really and truly sucks! I have worked hard on making my driving better. I don't speed like I used to. I don't have nearly the level of road rage I used to. And I haven't hit anyone in a long time. I have been hit by others, but I haven't hit anyone.
Close your eyes. No really. Close your eyes and imagine a cross between all the bad stereotypes of a New York driver with all the bad stereotypes of a woman driver. Now, multiply that times 10 and you have the way I used to drive. Now, I do the speed limit, which causes its own problems, especially in construction zones. I use my turn signals now, instead of thinking it gave other drivers advanced warning to cut me off. While I do still talk smack to other drivers, I don't use the same language. I also won't do some of the other aggressive driving techniques that I used in the past. I know that many people are appreciative that I no longer go 90mph on a regular basis. I have been known, much to the amusement of my family and dismay of other drivers, to shake my finger at drivers who almost hit me or don't follow the rules of the road. NOT THAT FINGER! It's more like I'm scolding a disobedient child.
However, I do still have my moments. People do not like you doing the speed limit. I can still have moments of road rage, like when people wait until the last moment to get over a lane when there have been signs for the past mile saying that the other lane is going to end. One of my biggest pet peeves is people who don't know how to YIELD!!!!!!! Yield does not mean speed up or just come over into the flow of traffic because you feel like it. It means slow down or stop until there is a break in traffic for you to enter the flow of traffic. We use a lot of highways, since we live out in the country. I have to use the highway to get to the closest grocery store. There are yields all over! At least once a day I almost get hit by someone who won't yield at the entrance to one of Michigan's busiest highways. ARGH!!!!
I'm telling you all this for a reason. Imagine my antics driving while having a "God is my co-pilot" or "Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly" bumper sticker. How about the icthus one? You know, the fish that some people like to pervert? That's another pet peeve and blog, but still. Ok, so maybe the bumper sticker I saw that says, "The way I drive, I gotta have faith!" would work. lol What kind of witness would I be to non-Christians in one of my more stupid times when I'm running really late and flying down the highway doing 85? Or shaking my finger at someone who has almost hit me while driving a car with a John 3:16 bumper sticker on the back of my car? Sometimes, I wonder if we do more harm by declaring our faith with trinkets and slogans and then acting like a bunch of idiots. Why not just act like God tells us to in His word, and let people crave what we have? What do you want more, some MP3 player that you see someone enjoying or the one that no one is using, but everyone is jumping up and down screaming about? It's just me, but I'd rather have the one I see working than the one that has a great ad campaign.
Well, to make a short story long, I don't have a Christian bumper sticker because I'd rather people see my actions and read Christ there. Besides, with my driving, someone would rear-end me trying to read my bumper. Driving is one of the things I'm still working on. Unless you've heard some of the other stories about my driving (the Detroit Edison truck will live on in infamy forever), you'd think my driving is a weak point. It's actually a testament to the work God has done in me. But, you wouldn't know it. hehehe
The next blog will be here faster than this one. I didn't realize it was a month. Whoops!
Today's Bible verse is:
1 Peter 2:12 (Amplified Bible)
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
12Conduct yourselves properly (honorably, righteously) among the Gentiles, so that, although they may slander you as evildoers, [yet] they may by witnessing your good deeds [come to] glorify God in the day of inspection [[a]when God shall look upon you wanderers as a pastor or shepherd looks over his flock].
My driving sucks. Not your normal every day bad driving, but really and truly sucks! I have worked hard on making my driving better. I don't speed like I used to. I don't have nearly the level of road rage I used to. And I haven't hit anyone in a long time. I have been hit by others, but I haven't hit anyone.
Close your eyes. No really. Close your eyes and imagine a cross between all the bad stereotypes of a New York driver with all the bad stereotypes of a woman driver. Now, multiply that times 10 and you have the way I used to drive. Now, I do the speed limit, which causes its own problems, especially in construction zones. I use my turn signals now, instead of thinking it gave other drivers advanced warning to cut me off. While I do still talk smack to other drivers, I don't use the same language. I also won't do some of the other aggressive driving techniques that I used in the past. I know that many people are appreciative that I no longer go 90mph on a regular basis. I have been known, much to the amusement of my family and dismay of other drivers, to shake my finger at drivers who almost hit me or don't follow the rules of the road. NOT THAT FINGER! It's more like I'm scolding a disobedient child.
However, I do still have my moments. People do not like you doing the speed limit. I can still have moments of road rage, like when people wait until the last moment to get over a lane when there have been signs for the past mile saying that the other lane is going to end. One of my biggest pet peeves is people who don't know how to YIELD!!!!!!! Yield does not mean speed up or just come over into the flow of traffic because you feel like it. It means slow down or stop until there is a break in traffic for you to enter the flow of traffic. We use a lot of highways, since we live out in the country. I have to use the highway to get to the closest grocery store. There are yields all over! At least once a day I almost get hit by someone who won't yield at the entrance to one of Michigan's busiest highways. ARGH!!!!
I'm telling you all this for a reason. Imagine my antics driving while having a "God is my co-pilot" or "Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly" bumper sticker. How about the icthus one? You know, the fish that some people like to pervert? That's another pet peeve and blog, but still. Ok, so maybe the bumper sticker I saw that says, "The way I drive, I gotta have faith!" would work. lol What kind of witness would I be to non-Christians in one of my more stupid times when I'm running really late and flying down the highway doing 85? Or shaking my finger at someone who has almost hit me while driving a car with a John 3:16 bumper sticker on the back of my car? Sometimes, I wonder if we do more harm by declaring our faith with trinkets and slogans and then acting like a bunch of idiots. Why not just act like God tells us to in His word, and let people crave what we have? What do you want more, some MP3 player that you see someone enjoying or the one that no one is using, but everyone is jumping up and down screaming about? It's just me, but I'd rather have the one I see working than the one that has a great ad campaign.
Well, to make a short story long, I don't have a Christian bumper sticker because I'd rather people see my actions and read Christ there. Besides, with my driving, someone would rear-end me trying to read my bumper. Driving is one of the things I'm still working on. Unless you've heard some of the other stories about my driving (the Detroit Edison truck will live on in infamy forever), you'd think my driving is a weak point. It's actually a testament to the work God has done in me. But, you wouldn't know it. hehehe
The next blog will be here faster than this one. I didn't realize it was a month. Whoops!
Today's Bible verse is:
1 Peter 2:12 (Amplified Bible)
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
12Conduct yourselves properly (honorably, righteously) among the Gentiles, so that, although they may slander you as evildoers, [yet] they may by witnessing your good deeds [come to] glorify God in the day of inspection [[a]when God shall look upon you wanderers as a pastor or shepherd looks over his flock].
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
First things first
Well, I thought I should probably introduce myself and explain my blog title before getting started.
My name is Chele. I have a great husband (who drives me nuts) and two great kids (who also drive me even more nuts). We're born again Christians. We believe that we should live the life that God has for us. Let me tell you. So many things come to folks' minds when they hear that. Hopefully, this blog will help dispell some of those myths. Or, I will prove that my family really is driving me nuts, and some kind person will call the men with the cozy white hug yourself coats to cart me away.
Let's see. I grew up just outside Buffalo NY. Yes, I've heard just about every joke there is to hear about snow. If you think you have a new one, just try me. I now live in the Blue Water area of Michigan. For those who don't know, that's around Port Huron. We just moved out here about seven weeks ago, so I'm still getting used to everything. I have a candle-making business that I run from my home. It's growing. I have big plans for this holiday season. That's another blog though. That one's at http://www.customcandlesbychele.blogspot.com/. I'll be working on that one soon.
Most of my family are very driven for success, very type A, very successful, and very confused about why I am not. Don't get me wrong. I want my business to succeed - very much so. But I don't have the degrees or work for some big firm, or anything like that. My ladder to success is on another type of building. While I'd like to have more money - or just less money worries - it's not a priority to me.
Now then, on to the part about my faith and God. Well, I was born again in December 1999. Sometimes I feel like it was just yesterday. Sometimes I feel like I've been born again for eons. Which one it is depends on how big the screw-ups were for that day. My goal is to be a true Proverbs 31 woman. The Proverbs 31 woman is outlined in verses 10-31. King Lemuel's mother is telling him what kind of wife to find. Let that be a lesson to all men out there - ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER! lol Yeah, if I tell my son that one, he'd laugh and ask me if I had taken cold medicine. Anyway, the Proverbs 31 woman has it all and does it all. She's the original feminist. What was that old commercial? She could bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and - get this - her husband was respected in part because of his awesome wife!
Me? After I located the frying pan, washed it out, remembered I don't have any bacon because I'm trying to get my family to eat better, then decide that I'd rather not fry anything, but wait, did I remember to answer that email oh look my friend sent me a humorous email maybe I want a cup of tea but I have to use MY special tea mug which I'll put in the microwave and forget that it's in there and does my husband have clean socks for tomorrow and what is the dog barking at and what was I doing again? Proverbs 31 I'm not - yet.
I have books that I read on the subject, I have an online community that I belong to, and I pray to God that I learn how to do that before the ever growing pile of laundry takes over the world. I get closer each and every day. I still struggle with issues, like not giving in to my OCD tendencies and color coding everything even though there are days I really want to. I lose my temper, car keys, sunglasses and just about everything else. I am more slob than neat freak. There are days (and no, they are not just lady days) that I want to rip off everyone's lips and make them eat them for dinner.
Now then. For the not stupid part. If we all believed the stereotypes that people, mainly the mainstream media and hollywood types, try to shove down our throats, it would be a sad sad world. Come on folks! Not all Christians are hate-mongering big mouths. Yes, there are Christian idiots, just like there are idiots and morons of every shape, color and creed. But the vast majority of us, who don't get any air time, are just normal people. You know, I don't know of any born again Christians who kiss poisonous snakes. I don't know of any of them telling people they hate them or are going to burn in hell. Actually, a lot of the people that are said to be saying that stuff don't even say that stuff. No one I know has actually hit anyone over the head with a Bible. I've wanted to hit my husband over the head with a frying pan (the really nice heavy one with the copper bottom), but never with a Bible.
Just because I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came down to die for our sins so we could have everlasting life in Heaven doesn't mean that I'm going to fall for the African money scheme or the "your bank account is compromised so send us your login information so we can fix it" scam. For all of those Christians who try to perpetrate our own stereotypes, I don't know any born again Christians in my circle who think they are better than anyone else. We don't have all the answers. We don't have the right to be hate-filled. We do have the right to say when we know something is wrong, but we need to do it in a loving way. I mean, I sure don't want my sins put out there for everyone to comment on. What gives you the right to do so? We do have the right to share the Gospel and tell people about how much God loved us. I mean, He sent his only son to die for our sins. Isn't that incredible?! Saved? Yes. Stupid? I don't think so.
Here's today's verse. Proverbs 31:10 - A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman - who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls - Amplified Bible.
More later...
My name is Chele. I have a great husband (who drives me nuts) and two great kids (who also drive me even more nuts). We're born again Christians. We believe that we should live the life that God has for us. Let me tell you. So many things come to folks' minds when they hear that. Hopefully, this blog will help dispell some of those myths. Or, I will prove that my family really is driving me nuts, and some kind person will call the men with the cozy white hug yourself coats to cart me away.
Let's see. I grew up just outside Buffalo NY. Yes, I've heard just about every joke there is to hear about snow. If you think you have a new one, just try me. I now live in the Blue Water area of Michigan. For those who don't know, that's around Port Huron. We just moved out here about seven weeks ago, so I'm still getting used to everything. I have a candle-making business that I run from my home. It's growing. I have big plans for this holiday season. That's another blog though. That one's at http://www.customcandlesbychele.blogspot.com/. I'll be working on that one soon.
Most of my family are very driven for success, very type A, very successful, and very confused about why I am not. Don't get me wrong. I want my business to succeed - very much so. But I don't have the degrees or work for some big firm, or anything like that. My ladder to success is on another type of building. While I'd like to have more money - or just less money worries - it's not a priority to me.
Now then, on to the part about my faith and God. Well, I was born again in December 1999. Sometimes I feel like it was just yesterday. Sometimes I feel like I've been born again for eons. Which one it is depends on how big the screw-ups were for that day. My goal is to be a true Proverbs 31 woman. The Proverbs 31 woman is outlined in verses 10-31. King Lemuel's mother is telling him what kind of wife to find. Let that be a lesson to all men out there - ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER! lol Yeah, if I tell my son that one, he'd laugh and ask me if I had taken cold medicine. Anyway, the Proverbs 31 woman has it all and does it all. She's the original feminist. What was that old commercial? She could bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and - get this - her husband was respected in part because of his awesome wife!
Me? After I located the frying pan, washed it out, remembered I don't have any bacon because I'm trying to get my family to eat better, then decide that I'd rather not fry anything, but wait, did I remember to answer that email oh look my friend sent me a humorous email maybe I want a cup of tea but I have to use MY special tea mug which I'll put in the microwave and forget that it's in there and does my husband have clean socks for tomorrow and what is the dog barking at and what was I doing again? Proverbs 31 I'm not - yet.
I have books that I read on the subject, I have an online community that I belong to, and I pray to God that I learn how to do that before the ever growing pile of laundry takes over the world. I get closer each and every day. I still struggle with issues, like not giving in to my OCD tendencies and color coding everything even though there are days I really want to. I lose my temper, car keys, sunglasses and just about everything else. I am more slob than neat freak. There are days (and no, they are not just lady days) that I want to rip off everyone's lips and make them eat them for dinner.
Now then. For the not stupid part. If we all believed the stereotypes that people, mainly the mainstream media and hollywood types, try to shove down our throats, it would be a sad sad world. Come on folks! Not all Christians are hate-mongering big mouths. Yes, there are Christian idiots, just like there are idiots and morons of every shape, color and creed. But the vast majority of us, who don't get any air time, are just normal people. You know, I don't know of any born again Christians who kiss poisonous snakes. I don't know of any of them telling people they hate them or are going to burn in hell. Actually, a lot of the people that are said to be saying that stuff don't even say that stuff. No one I know has actually hit anyone over the head with a Bible. I've wanted to hit my husband over the head with a frying pan (the really nice heavy one with the copper bottom), but never with a Bible.
Just because I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came down to die for our sins so we could have everlasting life in Heaven doesn't mean that I'm going to fall for the African money scheme or the "your bank account is compromised so send us your login information so we can fix it" scam. For all of those Christians who try to perpetrate our own stereotypes, I don't know any born again Christians in my circle who think they are better than anyone else. We don't have all the answers. We don't have the right to be hate-filled. We do have the right to say when we know something is wrong, but we need to do it in a loving way. I mean, I sure don't want my sins put out there for everyone to comment on. What gives you the right to do so? We do have the right to share the Gospel and tell people about how much God loved us. I mean, He sent his only son to die for our sins. Isn't that incredible?! Saved? Yes. Stupid? I don't think so.
Here's today's verse. Proverbs 31:10 - A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman - who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls - Amplified Bible.
More later...
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