Staples of Life

Lately, taking life back to the basics has been a source of refreshment in life. Salads for supper, jeans and a t-shirt, a walk on the trail....you get the picture. God keeps reminding me of how good He made life to be. I've always been the person that wants to fix just one more thing to make the project complete or to get one more thing done in my day...But you know what? Life goes on when I don't get that one thing done or I don't have that one last ingredient to make my stir fry amazing. There's beauty in contentment. 

Striving, working, persevering, progress....these are all good things but are only glorifying to God when we don't forget to live in the moment and enjoy Him in the midst of it all. For example, a single crunchy apple is more enjoyable when each bite is savored compared to an elaborate meal gobbled down while rushing to the next thing. The conversation with the cashier is much more meaningful when you intentionally engage in conversation rather than a carelessly tossed "how are you" to your closest friend.  

On the practical side of things, I want to share some of the basic staples found in our kitchen. The picture below was a house warming gift we recently gave to a friend. Coconut oil for cooking, almond butter for apples and stir fry sauce, nuts for on the go, salt and pepper for seasoning, Vietnamese cinnamon for anything you can think of (cause its so good), Stevia for natural sweetening, and dark chocolate (cause every girl needs some chocolate) were all included in this box of fun. Add a grocery bag of veggies, some fruits, and a little chicken and you're set! It's simple to get back to the basics by choosing food that is as close to the original form God made it!

This week slow down to enjoy Jesus in the moment...Enjoy what He's teaching you right now instead of constantly looking to the next thing that you're striving for. Take time to enjoy His blessings and thank Him for it. You'll be surprised how much you get done and the joy you'll find in it. 

Peeling an orange

Back in high school, I remember riding to an away basketball game in a van with some teammates and my coach, who was also our science teacher. My cousin (and teammate) asked loudly from the back of the van, "What do you think about when you eat an orange?" I'm sure you can already tell my coach was very pleased with this question. Not! I mean this was game prep time, right? :-) However, everyone in the van could not help but burst out laughing.

She later explained her thought process. We had come straight from our science class and she was thinking about all the complexities and bewildering processes that go into the creation of an orange. My cousin apparently thought our science teacher/coach would think about this every time he ate an orange? ;-)

I have come to love this question. I mean, think about it.... God created the world! He created oranges, apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, trees, dogs, stars, water and us!....It's so complex but yet so simple. It took Him just a few sentences.

This Christmas is Tyler and my first married Christmas together. I kept thinking, "It'll be so fun to start all of our own traditions." But now we are in December and Tyler and I haven't put up any decorations or done any of the "normal" preparations for the special day. I have to admit, part of it has been that we save time and money by not doing all the extras. But it has also been freeing to not have to think about those things and instead just focus on the reason for the day.

 While in Israel, we sat in this sheep cave (with poop all around us, I might add) and read the Christmas story. Our leader told us that this is a stable. This is the type of place Mary and Joseph went to give birth to Jesus. You can even see the black soot on the top of the cave from the shepherds' fires lit during the night. The picture below shows a manger. This is where they put water for the sheep to drink and similar to where Jesus (the living water) was laid that night. Not a complex setting at all, however, quite the opposite.

Christmas decorations, gifts, and parties are not bad. However, when life seems crazy and complicated remember how simple it all really is. God created you and I. We are blessed. He gave us His only Son, Jesus. Jesus told us and showed us that we are to love. Love God and others today and always. It's not complex, it's simple. 

Take time to be amazed at how complex yet simple our God really is. Maybe go eat an orange? :-)

...so that you may live

Hey everyone :-)
So as of late I've been reading again through Matthew and going back in the references Jesus uses from Deuteronomy and just letting the Spirit speak to my heart through it...

Today as I read about Jesus being tempted by Satan in Matthew 4, I also went back to spots like Deuteronomy 6:2, 30:19-20 and 32:46-47

In Matthew 4, Satan tempts Jesus after he has fasted for 40 days. He says, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus replies saying "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Do I live on every word that comes from the mouth of God? I'm not so sure that I always do, but I do know that I desire to and I strive to.

As I look at my own life and the lives of those around me, I often catch myself pondering the mystery of grace and law. I know the truth in this verse:
Galations 3:1-3 "Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified...Did you receive the Spirit by oberving the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?"

but then I also see the truth in Deuteronomy:
Deuteronomy 8:3 "that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."
Deuteronomy 6:2 "so that you...may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life."
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 "'Now choose life, so that you...may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life..."
Deuteronomy 32:46-47 "Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you-they are your life. By them you will live long..."

Granted all of these words were given to the Israelites, before the blessing in Christ. But doesn't the word of God still bring us life today? Heck yes it does! :-) This includes His commandments...but the best part...
Galations 3:13 "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us...He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." And Galations 3:18 "For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise."

We are no longer bound by law, but law still serves a purpose. As Paul goes on in Galations to say, "It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come."
The law no longer brings us life. Life comes from the gift of grace through the Spirit. Matthew and Deuteronomy led me to this truth in Galations and I just can't stop reading... It's all so good. I recommend checking it out :-)

Anyways, Paul continues on to talk of life in the Spirit and how when you are living by the Spirit, you will "not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Therefore, life in the Spirit, by grace brings us the blessing of the law...the fulfillment in a God-fearing life, life breathed in us by Yahweh. But we are no longer held by the curse of the law and ultimately all that matters is grace, grace hung on a cross.

I'm praying that any who read this feel a fresh breath of Jesus and His grace. Be empowered by it! I hope this brings you all some joy in your day. Amazing Grace, what could be better? Amazing grace...so that you may live!

Hungry??

Philippians 4:4-9 "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again-rejoice. Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you have learned and received from me-everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be will you."

Matthew 14:13-21

Lately I have felt my heart and thoughts being pulled in so many different directions...My prayer has simply been for this peace that passes my understanding. As I opened up the other day in Matthew I started to simply sit in this story of Jesus feeding the 5000. Do you ever feel like the disciples? Coming to Jesus saying, "Here's what's going on Jesus so let's do this." I often do this. I try to control the situations of my life...

But Jesus teaches us to bring our worries to the Father. He takes our weaknesses, what looks to the world like nothing of use (5 meager loaves and 2 fish), and offers them with thanks. It is then that God provides and feeds us, leaving us in complete satisfaction...a peace that passes our own understanding.

As Jesus broke the bread in thanks to God for the 5000 and later the 4000 before He died on the cross (the bread of life broken for us-John 6:25-35), I see it simply as another model of living in surrender and thanksgiving. So surrender the magnitude of your worries (5000?) to our King in thanksgiving and He will bring satisfaction and peace.

Hungry I come to you for I know you satisfy
I am empty but I know your love does not run dry
So I wait for you So I wait for you
I'm falling on my knees
Offering all of me
Jesus you're all this heart is living for
Broken I run to you for your arms are opened wide
I am weary but I know your touch restores my life
So I wait for you So I wait for you
I'm falling on my knees
Offering all of me
Jesus you're all this heart is living for

Preparing the way...

Isaiah 45:2-3 "I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, The God of Israel, who summons you by name."
Matthew 11:7-10 "What did you go out into the desert to see?..Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.

This second verse from Matthew is actually written about John the Baptist, who fulfilled the words said in Malachi 3.
A while back I had been ready from Isaiah and the this verse continued to give me hope. Hope that I am not in control, that God has went before me and prepared the way, and that I don't need to understand what He will bring out of the darkness (hard times or even a lack of clear vision) that is before me. God has summoned us as His children and He has prepared our lives that are before us...He's bigger than the small circumstances of school and future plans or the big things like trafficking and starving children.

So tonight as I opened up to Matthew where I had been reading and read this verse. I read it for the first time with a completely different outlook. The disciples go into the desert only to find a messager of Christ...a messenger for the man they are with!! The Spirit is walking with us through each and every day, but God is also before us working through weak vessels here on earth to prepare the way for Christ in us to bring out the treasures and riches...so that we may know that God has summoned us by name. God knows us and loves us.

I just need to stop getting lost in my questions...still ask them but remember that I the clay will never fully understand what my potter is making (Isaiah 45:9).

Isaiah 55:9-13 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than our ways and my thought than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth; It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."
So go out in joy and peace knowing that God is with you and before you. Abide in Him for His name's renown...