Walking Zombies

     It’s a bitter cold day here in the South today. Believe it or not, it is possible for the temperature to suddenly drop below 30 degrees. Although I must say, the reaction of southerners to snow. . . I mean Sleet - is unbelievably enthusiastic and very entertaining to watch.

     Today is a day when all the college kids go running to their local coffee shops or if they desire coffee but want to avoid the chatter - pick up their favorite drink & head to the cozy nook in Barnes and Noble. At least that’s what I did.
     A girl can only take so much psych, and after reading a grand total of 5 pages (at least I finished a section) I decided to take a study break.  The grand thing about book stores is that there are ALL kinds of interesting books to look at. . .
Books on Philosophy. . .

. . . are right next to books on Dieting & other random psychology books. . .

. . .and then a few shelves down are books on new age, Wicca, myths and fantasy, history and Christianity. 

     So I’m walking around, after a crazy last couple of days, which have basically been consumed with my own schedule; and I have one thought. ONE Random thought. That blows my mind.There are probably 500 books in that section alone… each by a different person. 

I know -  you are probably thinking, "Duh! Where do you think books come from"----I know. I'm not THAT blonde.  
     It is the concept that each book represents the thoughts that fill up the heads of individuals who write them. Questions and concepts that plague the closet poet, the world evangelist, the mother turned fiction writer, the university professor, the world renowned doctor, the Graduate student of historical studies. . . and here I was concerned about not failing an exam. Where are my priorities? talk about pushing matters of LIFE AND DEATH to the back of my to do list. I became a little overwhelmed. 
     I like looking at things differently and recently I've been asking God to show me people differently. God never disappoints and over the last few weeks, I've realized that I love stories - especially PEOPLES stories, what makes them the way they are. In a society of individualism - I LOVE to listen (So, yeah - I might be that person eavesdropping on your conversation in the corner - but only because I'm curious of how you VIEW life) and the more I LOOK and LISTEN to see people as who they are, the more I see souls searching. WALKING ZOMBIES. Individuals looking for life who 'don't endure sound teaching, but with itching ears, accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and who have turned away from listening to truth and wandered off into myths' (2 Tim 4:3-4) and the more broken I become. I may have been standing in a bookstore but as I stood there surrounded by classic novels of past and present; I found myself reorganizing my priority list and aching for individuals in need of THE truth (John 4:16). 
     Next time you pick up a book - weather a textbook or a old classic think of the person who wrote it, I guarantee It will change your perspective a little bit. 
Until next time.
- J

  

GENIUS.

   Tonight I took my first PSYcHoLoGy EXAM; and if you know anything about that topic you'll know there is a TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON of information. Some I deem useless but that is why I am NOT a psych major and not a scientist... ask the my friends.. me as a scientist... that is a scary thought.

   I was up to my elbows in words I could NOT pronounce and not particularly thrilled about spending quality time with my textbook, Freud (that man had some questionable qualities), Adler or the lobes of the brain for that matter. But I did; and whatdaya know I learned something. 

GOD IS A FREAKING GENIUS.  

   There was a TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON of information we covered in these first couple classes and that I had to memorize and review tonight, and there is going to be more in the classes to come. Not to mention this is just GENERAL PSYCH! There is more information out there than a human could ever retain. 

God knows every answer to ever question people could and have ever asked on top of ALL the information that scientists and psychologists have yet to discover. 

WoW. 

   Yeah. Thats what I thought in the middle of my complaining about the 6+ hours I'd put in to studying for this test...... then I took a moment and looked at my paper. Looked at all the details that I had to memorize describing the composition and specific duties of these microscopic cells and then it hit me.

NOT ONLY did God KNOW everything ABOUT this topic 

GOD CREATED FROM SCRATCH EVERYTHING I WAS STUDYING. 

   Without his creativity none of that information would be present. I guess you could say I just sat there in awe for a moment. First because I was complaining about His handiwork, and secondly because My MiND was pretty much BlOwN.  

   Anyway, this whole exam thing has kinda warped my perspective or maybe it is all the studying getting to my brain. Either way, its been a good day, the night is still young and my to do list is still long... SO, Peace out. 

A Rich Summer.

This summer has been rich!
...But to see the richness you must look closely.

   This will be one of my shortest posts mainly because tomorrow morning I leave for a vacation with my family - one that is long overdue. Tonight the thunder is loud and the lightning is bright. The pitter-patter of rain on my roof follows the rhythm of my thoughts as I try and grasp the reality of what will take place in just a few days and look back and ponder all that I have been blessed with.

  Let me just brag on God a moment!

Because despite all the brokenness of the world, the catastrophes that take place every day, and whatever you lack in this moment... GOD IS GOOD. 

I won't go into detail, but this summer He has given me more than I was expecting to get out of working long hours as a nanny to three kids and a cashier in a supply store.

They certainly made my days fun! I already miss them.  

He has encouraged my spirit through building strong relationships with several people I didn't know at all and making stronger relationships that were already in place. So many sweet conversations, long handwritten letters, and moments of belly shaking laughter have taken place with many of the great people in my life.

I saw changes in my siblings as they grew up. 

  

Wrote letters to this beauty till my hand cramped all summer  & it was well worth it when we were reunited today. Even if it was just for a day it was Perfect. 

This girl, she ROCKS! God has the best way of surprising you when you need it most and She was a sweet wonderful answer to prayer. 

 And there ARE SO MANY MORE I could name! 

Each one making an impact in my life and on this summer. 

Along with hanging with great people I was also able to reach my money goal for the summer and add a thousand to its number! EVEN while spending a week at an overnight camp as a counselor to seven 5th Graders and volunteering to help in the morning at a day camp for a week. To top it all off Seeing two girls surrender to Christ for the first time made my summer worth so much more than I could ever imagine! 

 If there was one lesson I learned this summer it would be this.... 

"The secret to being content and enjoying life is fixing your eyes on christ and placing your hopes and dreams in the possibilities God has for your future." 

This is true even as I pack up to go back to school. It may not be the easiest thing in the world (in fact it is probably one of the hardest things I have to do over and over again.) but it is a guaranteed adventure when I am focused on all the things I can do with Christ as my strength and comfort - when he is my Constant rock and when he is my home. 

This guy said it best . . . 

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” 

- C. S Lewis 

Nothing of this world can satisfy me. Although this summer wasn't one you'd find mentioned on the cover of VOGE and despite that it is usually the last kind of summer people want It was Great! Great because I had the Best of the Best and was richly blessed by his Goodness. 

Not Such a hard book.

Can I tell you my favorite past time? You might think I'm a little crazy, but it makes my day.

I love reading... and out of real books. WHHHHHHHHAT? You may be asking.... but Yep, they still exist believe it or not...and as the summer has allowed I've read 3. 

SOUL CRAVINGS by Erwin McManus

RISK IS RIGHT by John Piper

TRAUMA PLAN by Candace Calvert

I'm working on two others at the moment, but the one I'm most excited about finishing is a subsection of another book - 

          ECCLESIASTES. 

I currently have one chapter to go, and I am actually pretty sad about it! Bittersweet is a better word. This summer has been a work summer and contentment, enjoyment and value have been words I have pondered numerous times --- all of which this book contemplates -- which is why I think this book has been my favorite!

Words of wisdom like "There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat, drink, and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God" (Ecc. 2:24-25) 

Questions like "For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?" (Ecc. 4:8b) remind me where my focus is.  Actually chapter 4 alone gave me a lesson on contentment and how much better it is then to have being the best and having the BEST be my drive and reason for doing things. 

Even the lesson on satisfaction... man that was another good one - Chapter 6 describes this evil that lurks and as you read and pick up clues you find that the evil it is talking about is unsatisfaction. The fact that people can have EVERYTHING yet be unhappy.  Truth is... If YOU are not satisfied with what God gives you ... then you'll NEVER be satisfied.  

In the past people I have talked to have said its a hard book; and honestly .... it is. It challenges a soul and brings life and death into focus. questions the things society values and will confront you. As I have read I've kinda found a theme, and if i had to summarize this book this is what I would say. 

    "Without a purpose life is meaningless 

and 

the only way to completely enjoy life 

 (the ups and the downs and everything in between)

 is by having a focus on and purpose driven by Christ."

I challenge you to read it for yourself change your perspective. 

Don't worry... its not such a hard book. 

It's a Good Thing.

There is...

   This morning I made a blubber in front of a bunch of people that served as a reminder of how beautiful grace is.

   Forgetting almost all the words to a song you are performing, stinks - period. so... Guess what happened.... Yep.... That happened this morning.  Fortunately I nailed the chorus and the next song I'd written; but as I sat there after proclaiming "All I have is Christ"  over and over and over again. I didn't feel embarrassed or weird.... (well may be a bit) but more than anything I was relieved ... relieved that my success and accomplishments in life are not what I live for because if they were... well I'm just glad they don't define me. 

ITS A GOOD THING...

...I messed up this morning, oddly enough it refocused my thinking - I find it wonderful that the words that I did remember were ones proclaiming my commitment to make Jesus my life. No matter the degree I get, the job I have,  or the talent I possess.. I would much rather have a legacy of surrender than of anything else. 

 ITS A GOOD THING...

...Grace keeps me grounded. Grace, that which is totally undeserved is a tool that reminds me of how sweet commitment and surrender are. Without it I'm afraid of who I'd be -- probably a prideful and conceited mess.

ITS A GOOD THING... 

...That God is a father who gives grace to his rebellious and disobedient children. His patiance and giving of Grace absolutely astounds me! Really though... I thought I understood... there is so much I don't and that I am seeing for the first time. 

But no worries.... ITS A GOOD THING!