Down South Sisters- Gift and Thrift

Politics in America will change when…..

1. When, You don’t have to be a millionaire to run for office

2. When Lobbyists are not allowed on the White House Lawn, or anywhere else where they can influence a vote. This includes lobbyists for drug companies, oil companies, car companies, or any other special interest group.

3. When republicans and democrats and Tea partier’s and independents all come together to do what is right for the country and not just for themselves or their special interest groups.

4. When we are all willing to sacrifice something to make this a better place for our children.

5. And finally, WHEN the right, the left, and the middle all stop eating whatever the MEDIA is spoon feeding them and gets out there to find out the truth for themselves.

This will be my first and last political commentary… of course unless something pushes me to this point again where I have to say it or it’s going to kill me!!!!

I find myself needing “something new” these days and I wonder why that is.

Why are we always looking for some spark to light our pilot lights.

Somehow without the “something new” it feels like we just lapse into the “same old stuff” and get bored out of our gourds.. which causes us to do all kinds of crazy things.

Do you think this is just a human innate quality

or is it just me that feels this way over and over again?

In that case, maybe it’s a personal problem.. hmmmm let me ponder that.

Guilt Stinks.

No, I am not one of those people who believe that guilt serves no purpose. I think there is good guilt… If you are feeling bad because you embezzled from your employer then that is good guilt. However, it is my belief that many of us, especially believers, carry around a lot of unnecessary and destructive guilt that sucks the joy right out of our lives.

A good example of this is that I find myself unable to commit to a church family because I always retro right back into that guilt I felt in my childhood: If I wasn’t there every time the door was opened; If I didn’t participate in every single activity; Volunteer for everything; Try to save everybody then it wasn’t enough..And the result was a joyless robotic church member that didn’t really have a relationship with GOD. What a sad way to exist… So now, anytime I try to attach myself to an organized body of believers… I find myself moving back into that joyless state once again.

I have no idea how to break this cycle.

I find more joy in my own solidtude and worship that is spontaneous and voluntary.

This is true in many areas of my life because of the guilt that surrounded me, enveloped me, and sunk into my very being during my younger years.

However, There were actually good things that came out of this… crazy huh!

A strong work ethic, Empathy for others, A strong sense of responsibility to my community and others… If I could only take the good stuff and leave the bad stuff…

If only we all could.

As I feel the cool touch of fall in the air, I am reminded that Fall is a very good metaphor for the meaning of Faith.

Just a week or so ago.. we were sweltering (yes for NC sweltering is 90’s) in 92 degree days wondering if summer was ever going to end. However, we knew at our very cores that summer would indeed end and Fall would come because we know this is how God made the world and seasons are a part of his creation and promise.

In the same way,

We

as “God Created” creatures know at our very core that God Exists, God is in Control, and God will Keep his promises.

It is innate.

We may sometimes face difficulties and crisis and tragedies that cover our faith with doubt or sorrow or pain BUT we will rediscover it in due season just like fall eventually comes after summer and spring eventually comes after winter…

Faith will find it’s way to the surface no matter how much human weakness is on top of it.

I remember someone saying and “where I am well there I am”… sounds stupid but it makes sense right now. Being where I am is not going to change in this moment or the next or the next because wherever I am.. there I am.

Ok I hurt myself on that one.

I think the point is that changing our surroundings or our circumstances does not really change who we are. The essence of who we are follows us to wherever we go and in whatever circumstance we find ourselves. So to look inside ourselves and make changes there at the “Who we Are” level is the only way anything will truly change for any human being.

Why do we have such a hard time just letting something be so that we can meditate and pray on it for awhile and see where God is leading us.

We always have to be doing something when the answer may be doing nothing.

So here’s to doing nothing for a bit and see where the spirit calls.

I have spent a lot of my lifetime trying to figure out what God wanted me to do.

Logically, practically, based on my talents and what I like to do and all that stuff that seems like it should matter when making decisions.

I have determined that I made one truly tragic mistake.

I tried to fit God into my plans instead of letting God lead me to where he wanted me to be.

I have decided that the correct process is to meditate, pray, study and then do that again and again. Then God’s plan will become apparent and doors will be opened that we never saw before, cups will overflow, tides will turn, revelations will occur and ideas will flow freely. We will move towards God’s plan for us without any figuring required.

God’s plans and dreams are so much bigger than we can ever imagine.

God’s vision is so much broader than we can see.

God’s power is so much stronger than anything we could ever conjure up on our own.

Let God lead and let go of the anxiety that comes with all that planning and figuring and analyzing….. Just trust and be ready to act when the time is right… YOU will know it.

“Be the Change you wish to see in the world”.. Gandhi

I have been thinking I was bored in church lately. I bet some of you have to.

I want to be entertained. I want to be filled with excitement and passion and zest for the service and all that is happening. I want to be emotionally touched.

I have been thinking a lot about this lately and have come to the conclusion that my boredom can be addressed in a simple way…

1- I need to remember why we worship. It is not to be entertained. It is not to be worked up into an emotional frenzy. It is in reverence to our lord and savior. If the word is being taught and the spirit is genuine then that should be enough. If I can add to this in some way then I need to move on to point 2….

2- Having addressed point 1, there are times when a church becomes stagnant. Sometimes action is required, but that action is not sitting on the pew and whining and complaining. That action is YOU doing something to bring about the change you would like to see.

Get off your tush and be the change… If you want more interesting Sunday School lessons then offer to teach, come up with some ideas, talk with your Sunday School Director. If you want more inspiring music… join the choir, work with the music director on some music you would like to hear. If you want more young people, more excitement, more full services… it is up to you to move towards what you want to see. Don’t just wish it.. make it so.

After you have made sure your worship priorities are straight.

After you have given 100% yourself to make the church more alive and meaningful.

After you have done all YOU can.

If you are still not satisfied, it may be time to seek another church home, but be advised, no matter where you go, YOU need to be involved actively.

Creative inspiration comes in a lot of ways… For me, my inspiration comes from the people around me most of the time.

My two newest tiles were inspired by two ladies I work with.

Linda… is one of those people who everyone loves. She is always the first one there when someone is sick, or troubled, or in pain. She takes the time to get to know each and every one in the office. She knows if they are married, how many kids they have, what their problems are and what their joys are. Recently, she had to have surgery on her hand and it was beautiful how many people took her food, worried about her, and went to see her. It is just proof that the little things we do in life have so much impact and often we never know it. I am glad she got the chance to see how many people she has touched with her kindness and I hope that she was touched by them.

Denise… She was just recently diagnosed with breast cancer and the courage and strength AND grace she has shown has been remarkable. I can only hope that if I am ever faced with something so tough… I will have half the courage and positive energy that she has shown. I truly do believe that whatever energy your spirit sends out
… your body will be listening.

“Your calling is where your greatest joy meets the world’s greatest need”

We had a fantastic guest speaker at our church for revival and I wish with all my heart I could remember his name… I will come back and add it later. He made this statement in one of his sermons and it hit me right where I am.

I realized that I have many talents, but not all of them are my calling.

When I spent some time with God and opened my heart, I realized that when we find that one thing that makes us forget the time, and lose ourselves, and makes our heart sing.. there is a direct and indisputable link (if you look in faith) between that one thing and something the world is in wrenching, desperate need of.

And I believe this is true with everyone, 100% of the time.