Things I can't get Used to!

So you would think that after being somewhere almost 5 years that I would be used to certain things.

Actually, I have gotten used to some...

wearing white after Labor Day (I used to post about that the 1st couple of years after living here in Texas, and this year, I DID IT! Crazy! Didn't realize until afterwards, but I did!)

wearing flip-flops year round!

I'm sure there is more, but I can't think of it right now.

Things that I have NOT gotten used to...

buying pansies the week of Thanksgiving

how it is greener now in November than in July & August

buying a Christmas tree while wearing shorts!

trying to get in the Christmas mood when it so does NOT feel close to Christmas!

I could go on, but the things noted above is what was really on my mind today.

So wish it was cold so I could get inspired to play Christmas music! Oh well! This is our 5th Christmas in Texas. You would think I would be used to it by now, but I guess for this mid-western girl, some things are just difficult to let go of!

Things to Ponder!

This email appeared in my inbox this evening and I thought it was super good! What do you think? I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late ! ! The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary. My confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against.. That's what they are, Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away. I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat. Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to. In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking. Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina).. Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?' In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK. Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay. Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW..' Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing yet? Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it. Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not, then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in. My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully, Ben Stein

HIS PRESENCE!!!!

I'm doing a FABULOUS Bible study this semester that I could not do without, for sure!

Today we were talking about God's Presence! WOW! It was so good and powerful! I KNOW that I KNOW that I KNOW, I NEVER want to be without His Presence!!!

Making so many life applications, I could go on and on, but I won't.

One thing that really resonated with me is that God made us to be relational for sure!!! But He made us for the most relationship we have is one with Him!!!

What was presented was the God created everyone with a "with" need and with a "significance" need. Can you raise your hand if you agree?! I know I have both of these and I know when I have looked to satisfy those needs in the wrong places or people. An idea that was tossed out was when I confuse me "with" need with trying to fill it with other people instead of filling that "with" need with GOD, HIMSELF, it's idolatry.

Are friends idols?

Not all of them!

Can they be?

Yes!

When I make them more important than God....Yes!

Text after text, the teacher showed us in Old Testament and New several verses telling us God is with us!! Over and over, it gave me goosebumps! And ending by saying that WITH out God, we can do nothing!

I have struggled with friends and friendship from my arrival here in College Station going on 4 years now. I have begged the Lord for friends, praised Him for friends (near and far), questioned Him why friendships end or change, but today, in His goodness and glory, wasn't He all along protecting me from falling back into idolatrous relationships? Wasn't He teaching me and showing me that the relationship with Him is the only one I truly need? Is it that I just haven't been listening?

I don't think that 1 answer, answers all of those questions or situations, but man oh man! I know it does for some!

God is so good and loves me and you that He doesn't let anything get in HIS WAY...

what am I letting get in my (silly 'lil me) way???

God says.... BE PRESENT WITH ME, (fill in the blank with your name) kari, and I WILL BE PRESENT WITH YOU!!!!!

Whether you realize it or not, there is NOTHING like the Presence of God in your life!!!!

Lord, may I never want anything more than I want You and Your Presence with me!!! -Amen

What a Wonderful Wednesday!

Wednesday was the first day of my women's fall Bible study.

I love the beginning of a study.

My book smells new...

I have my new pen, new hi-lighter, and felt-tipped pen ready for action.

I meet new friends and see old friends that I haven't seen since spring.

I anticipate all that God is going to teach me through the new study.

I tear-up as I open in prayer, because I KNOW that God is going to show up!

He's going to grow me

stretch me,

retrain me,

change me!

HALLELUJAH!!!

Bring it on!!!

In 1 hour's time...

I learn something new!

I hear something old that becomes afresh!

I look forward to this week's homework.

I look forward to meeting Christ on the pages of this study.

Of seeing what His Word has to say about my heart

and what it mean's to make it a dwelling place for HIM!

Wednesday afternoons are precious to me.

Sacred.

A MUST!

Thank You, Jesus for speaking through Your Word and through Bible study teachers.

Help me to be obedient to what it is that You will call me to this semester!

I love You!

Disturb us, Lord!

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
[Sir Francis Drake]

Can You be Content without being Happy???

Somethin' I was mullin' over in the shower at 5:30 this morning.

What do you think?

Are contentment and happiness a must duo?

or can you be content without being happy?

I'm not quite sure what I think.

I think I know what my answer would be, but I'm not sure.

I don't think I want to be content without being happy, because I'm not sure that would really be, being content.

But if you really can be content without being happy, I still don't think I want to.

I would like to be happy in my contentment.

I would like to say that I'm content while feeling happy about it.

I would prefer to not just deal with being content and not being happy, because isn't that being complacent?

OYE!

Definitely too big of things to be pondering so early in the morning, I think!

So Much to Say and Update, but a MUST right now!

I have been struggling with change in my church family!

For awhile!

Some weekends are ok, but others are not so ok!

It's me!

I KNOW!!!

But my flesh has been pretty stubborn lately!

And of course, like in all things, I want to run away!

Maybe it's the fact that I know we aren't leaving College Station

anytime soon, so church is the one thing I can "leave" and still remain in this town.

I rationalize my thoughts about finding a new body.

I convince myself that I'm justified in my feelings!

But then a friend who loves me more to tell me the truth than to be afraid of my reaction speaks truth to me!

I know she is telling me the truth,

but dangit!

Either because of my current sin or my past

I ask God

please confirm this AGAIN!

I know, I know!!!

I'm hard headed!

stupid

stubborn

And whew!

He did!

Of course

He did!

Church isn't about me!

I know that!

It's not about my boys!

i....k..n..o..w....th...at.....?

My God, is big enough!

My God will capture their hearts in HIS TIMING!!!!

In HIS WAY!

HE WILL CAPTURE THEM!!!!

Not a church,

not a program,

not a person!

This may not make sense for the 2 or 3 of you who actually read this,

but I had to get it out of myself!

Still need to process!

ALWAYS! need to pray!

Every Sunday, need to be humble and ready for GOD!!!!

not the sermon...

not the music...

not the program...

not the friends...

BUT...

HIM!

It's ALWAYS ABOUT HIM!!!

Thank You, Jesus for reminding me of that this morning!

And thank You for whopping me upside the head!

and thank You for being so patient with this stupid, but wanting so much to be in Your Will, child!

I do love You so much!