Things that make me go "Ugh!"
This Means Life…
What does this mean to you? Old… Stale… Moldy…
For about 925 million people of the 6.8 billion that occupy this planet, this means life.
If you woke up healthy today you are luckier then 1 million people who will pass away this week. If you wake up to a roof over your head, clothes on your back and food in your belly, then you are more blessed then 75% of the world. If you are reading this message right now you are more privileged then 3 billion people who can’t.
As Americans it is so easy to take everything we have for granted. Most of us do not know what it is like to go hungry. Most of us do not not know how it feels to freeze overnight with no shelter. Most of us do not know what it is like to come down with even the common cold and not be able to get better because of malnutrition. For those of us Americans who do know how this feels we have put ourselves in that position by choice.
America is the land of opportunity. We are constantly handed things on silver platters and still think we have it bad. We do not realize that there is a very large world around us that suffers everyday. Not every homeless man has the choice to catch a bus and stay in a shelter. Not every child can go to a food bank and get a meal.
In other countries they are not given these alternatives. They must survive on the hope that things may be different some day. Sadly the hope that the life they live may not be very much longer…
What does this mean to you? Hope… Forgiveness… Resurrection..
For many this means life- Eternal life. A life that is never ending and to the fullest. It does not bring bread to the table but it brings hard working men who work for the bread. It does not put a roof over the heads of our families but it is a hedge of protection.
For many this is also a symbol of judgement. Hypocreicy, slander, and hate. This is the symbol of a “religion” that claims a Holy and Forgiving God with people who do not take a second glance at the dirty and the broken.
Instead of being a beakin of light, it is a road block at the end of the tunnel. Instead of being a compass pointing to peace it is a reminder of crime.
Why today do we use this a weapon? Why have we forgotten what took place on a hill just outside of Jerusalem? Is it no longer important? Is it that it no longer applies to us?
Has man sinned so much we have out-grown the capacity? Has man rotted the world down to the feeble core and dug a hole to deep to be filled? Is it that…
“No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” (Acts 15:11 NIV)
We. Are. Saved.
Some live pay check to pay check- they cant afford to give away food. Some are mentally or physically ill and cannot work. But of the 34% (about) of believers, who prays for the weary everyday? Who shares God’s word and speaks with holy lips? Sixty-six percent of this world is spiritually famished and parched. They long for an answer.
Can you not give it to them?..
For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. (2 Corinthians 2:15 NIV)
Take up your cross. Stop letting the world perish. Let it be a sign that the Lord our God is with us, wherever we go.
Love always,
Deanna
Overcoming My Ant Hills
Oh ya. You see it. Just sitting there, a coned shaped mound in the middle of your yard. You get an erge… you want to kick it. Blow it to pieces and watch the little bugs scury. Everyone knows the temptation. Its to hard to resist.
How many ants do you think are in there? 1,000?
Do you think they bite? (Ouch!)
They will just build another hill… More to kick in.
Ya! I’m gonna kick it.
WAIT! Hold your foot right there, now look again- this time I want you to think. Think real hard- your still thinking ‘kick’ I can hear it. Ease up. Its not just a pile of dirt, its a home. Individual little lives.
How do you think you would feel if some giant came up and kicked right through your life, and to make it worse, enjoyed doing it? It would not make any one person very happy. Think of this giant as temptation and that hill you want to crush is your life. Every little ant inside represents a piece of who you are. You see Bobby there, he is school, and Joe, thats family. The hill is the mold that holds it all together in one piece.
Everyday we are faced with temptation of all sorts. It rocks our worlds and it enjoys it.
At first, when we see temptation we think “Oh… that kind of looks fun.” Then we step in, enjoy it a little and keep going for more. When we come to a realize what we are doing, we are already in to deep and need help getting out. Its like seeing a bucket and testing whether or not your foot will fit- and you get stuck. You stomp around with the bucket wrapped around your ankle.
I am faced with so many temptations, and they are so hard to be strong through. OH! Like all those times I see the cute shoes at the store. Or when there is that last cookie in the cupboard. I even struggle with harder things, like lieing sometimes, and at one point, stealing. When I was a little girl I had a big battle with theft. I used to take things from all over. One time I even tried Target, but I got caught. Man oh man did I learn that lesson. I am glad I wasnt reported- I was only 6.
I, to this day, have not taken another thing. It is something I chose to ask forgiveness for and move past. God gives me mercy, and love and trust.
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” -Mathew 26:41 (NIV)
Thinking back on it now though, these are all things that could have hurt my life. Made my family and friends not trust me. Being banned from stores because of my criminal record.
Temptation will take the rug up under you and make you fall. It will not care, or choose to say sorry, only leave its consequences. I urge you to look at your ant hill. Overcome your giant and embrace the strength God will grant you to just walk away. Your flesh is weak (Romans 8:3) but God is all mighty. He has given you grace to flee temptation.
Do not take something fun at the moment, only to get your foot stuck in a bucket. Do not give in to an impulse, only to rebuild what has fallen.
Love Always,
Deanna
Do or Do Not, There Is No Try
Trivia: Who said it?
“Do or Do Not, There Is No Try.”
Was it Edison when he could not figure out the light bulb, or maybe George Washington when he was running for the first United States President? Could it even be you?
No matter who it was, they still have a great amount of wisdom. I wish someone would have said these words to me this week, and that I did not just here them 10 minutes ago- they would have helped me, a lot! It was a long and tiring week and I could not wait till that wonderful Friday afternoon when I stepped off the bus, got home and completely forgot school. There were the “Do I or dont I get up?” mornings, or “Do I or dont I turn in both of my projects Friday? ” My responses were “I will TRY to get up on time tomorrow” or “I will TRY to give my best on both projects.” Either way, I was only making excuses for myself not to do something that I did not want to do, but I knew I needed too. The fact of the matter is, an excuse is not going to get me an A on anything I “try” to accomplish. In life there is so many choices to make and many things you either do or do not do. When we are adults and say “I want to be ___” we either do or do not accomplish it. OK, yes trying is important, but if your not doing anything, then your most likely not going to get the satisfaction you are expecting. In all truth, life is not fair, we do not always want to do what we are exptected, but we must.
God makes his way for us, and we do not always listen. We have to do a lot to please God, but we should enjoy it. A little fact about God is he did not say I will “TRY to send my only son, so that who ever believes in me shall not parrish but have etnernal life” but he DID! If we could only open our eyes and take each step one at a time and do, we would be much further then we are now. We could be out there helping people change their lives! So much potential is in our hands and we throw it all away.
Look at yourself in the mirror and realize your not just another person making their way, you are so much more. You can be the change in a generation that will rock the world!
The past is the past, and the future is yet to come, but today is a gift that’s why we call it “present.”
Now, how about that trivia? Did you figure it out? Let me give you a hint, he is a short little green guy who speaks words of wisdom in one of the world’s most famous stories. Sure enough, it is Yoda! For all the millions of people who love his character, you would think that they would stop and listen to what he has to say. (Haha!)
This week set a goal for yourself to actually DO something instead of just trying- and I dont mean just brushing your teeth. Make it a good deed, or turn in all your homework. Anything! Then write me about it. Who knows, you could be the topic of next week. 
And until next time!
Love always,
Deanna