I'm thankful that I know my neighbors in my little complex... Why don't people know their neighbors anymore? How can you live next to someone and not know their names? Who will watch your house when you're out of town? or water your plans when you're gone for winter/summer breaks?!
I remember when we would visit our neighbors houses, eat together, play together, spend the night... yes, I'm older now, but really, why can't we still eat together, or watch TV shows from time to time, or baby sit for each other??
Let me just say, I am thankful that I live where I do.
QUESTION: When was the last time your neighbors hugged you??!
I feel SSOOO loved =)
AND I'm really looking forward to a New Year building into new friendships!
Proverbs 27:10 "Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you--better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away."
Monday, December 20, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Details in Position/Placement
Wherever we are, for whatever reason, God cares about everything our lives...
Today I was reminded that He cares about even where I sit!
Q: Why did I choose an aisle seat in the middle vs. my regular left center position?
A: To reconnect with a brother in the faith, from Virginia, from five years ago!
HOW?? "I saw you worshipping and I was like, I know her!"
HMM... Well, this is not the first time. One of my favorite "spottings" was when I was once IDed in a line to a restaurant in SF from someone from Pasadena and IDed as "you're the girl who worships... from Warehouse right?" It was my first night in SF, and this guy was in town visiting with his brother from Oregon for one night, and it was from three years ago -- AND I didn't even know this guy, never talked to him before! But apparently he knew of & remembered me.
The odds... really?!
(but that's a whole separate issue -- the statistical odds of the "coincidences" in my life)
It just makes me laugh =)
#1. How small the world is
#2. You never know who you'll run across again, at a different season, for a different reason
and #3. It reminds me that people are watching.
There was a lot I got from the sermon, but one of the last things the pastor mentioned in passing was how God cares about the smallest details of our lives.
"There is nothing insignificant about your life... He cares about ALL the details."
I know this.
I've personally experienced God answering prayers that only He could have know about.
I smile, knowingly. Then I start recounting all the times that He's answered me, or blessed me, or worked things out that only He could... "NO ONE can get the credit for what God does."
Q: What do you do when this happens?
Father, thank you for reminding me that even the smallest details of my life are of importance to you, and that you have a plan to use me in multiple capacities - for myself and for others - every single moment of every single day of my life. *deep breath* I release, again, the plan and concerns and worries of my life to you. You've already worked them out anyway, and I have full confidence that your way is better than my own. Please let me continue to grow in my reliance on you and my complete trust that you have my ABSOLUTE BEST in mind -- even when I can't see how it'll work out or when it's something that doesn't quite look like the way others lives are. You made me unique, and desire to be all that you created me to be and nothing less. Continue to go before me HS and orchestrate the details of my life, and lead/guide me every step of the way, so that I will bring MAX GLORY to My Father with all of my life. Amen.
Today I was reminded that He cares about even where I sit!
Q: Why did I choose an aisle seat in the middle vs. my regular left center position?
A: To reconnect with a brother in the faith, from Virginia, from five years ago!
HOW?? "I saw you worshipping and I was like, I know her!"
HMM... Well, this is not the first time. One of my favorite "spottings" was when I was once IDed in a line to a restaurant in SF from someone from Pasadena and IDed as "you're the girl who worships... from Warehouse right?" It was my first night in SF, and this guy was in town visiting with his brother from Oregon for one night, and it was from three years ago -- AND I didn't even know this guy, never talked to him before! But apparently he knew of & remembered me.
The odds... really?!
(but that's a whole separate issue -- the statistical odds of the "coincidences" in my life)
It just makes me laugh =)
#1. How small the world is
#2. You never know who you'll run across again, at a different season, for a different reason
and #3. It reminds me that people are watching.
There was a lot I got from the sermon, but one of the last things the pastor mentioned in passing was how God cares about the smallest details of our lives.
"There is nothing insignificant about your life... He cares about ALL the details."
I know this.
I've personally experienced God answering prayers that only He could have know about.
I smile, knowingly. Then I start recounting all the times that He's answered me, or blessed me, or worked things out that only He could... "NO ONE can get the credit for what God does."
Q: What do you do when this happens?
Father, thank you for reminding me that even the smallest details of my life are of importance to you, and that you have a plan to use me in multiple capacities - for myself and for others - every single moment of every single day of my life. *deep breath* I release, again, the plan and concerns and worries of my life to you. You've already worked them out anyway, and I have full confidence that your way is better than my own. Please let me continue to grow in my reliance on you and my complete trust that you have my ABSOLUTE BEST in mind -- even when I can't see how it'll work out or when it's something that doesn't quite look like the way others lives are. You made me unique, and desire to be all that you created me to be and nothing less. Continue to go before me HS and orchestrate the details of my life, and lead/guide me every step of the way, so that I will bring MAX GLORY to My Father with all of my life. Amen.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
A rocky road
Not the ice cream (that I don't like, and can't have now anyway), but I feel like I've just been through a patch of a rocky, brush-filled path. Just getting through... just navigating through the storms, trials, temptations, and struggles. I've been stretched, overwhelmed, overloaded, sleep-lacked, and pushed hard... and yet through it all, I look back and see that God has brought glory to Himself, IN SPITE of my preparation or lack there of!
I think it's important to remember, that this path that we walk isn't always "straight and sunny" but that the dark patches, and the overcastness and the storms and pot-holes are also apart of this life. He said we'd never be alone, He said He'd be by our side, and He also said, "In this world *YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE*"... if He stopped there, I'd be like, thanks Jesus for stating the obvious. But He didn't. The Bible continues... "BUT TAKE HEART! I have overcome this world." (John 16:33)
SO... for me not to be discouraged or saddened by these rocky patches of the road -- that I think are triggered sometimes by the gloomy weather (but that's another story) -- but rather, that I should be excited that He already knew #1. they would happen and #2. that He has a plan for me to learn-teach-share something through this season/set time as well.
*deep breath*
How amazing He is that He works ALL THINGS together for my good!!!
LOVE HIM.
I think it's important to remember, that this path that we walk isn't always "straight and sunny" but that the dark patches, and the overcastness and the storms and pot-holes are also apart of this life. He said we'd never be alone, He said He'd be by our side, and He also said, "In this world *YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE*"... if He stopped there, I'd be like, thanks Jesus for stating the obvious. But He didn't. The Bible continues... "BUT TAKE HEART! I have overcome this world." (John 16:33)
SO... for me not to be discouraged or saddened by these rocky patches of the road -- that I think are triggered sometimes by the gloomy weather (but that's another story) -- but rather, that I should be excited that He already knew #1. they would happen and #2. that He has a plan for me to learn-teach-share something through this season/set time as well.
*deep breath*
How amazing He is that He works ALL THINGS together for my good!!!
LOVE HIM.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
My Uncle Joel
I love how Uncles have a unique role in our lives.
They're that older male figure that we can share our hearts with and ask questions to. They spend time with us and listen - when we may feel uncomfortable to go directly to Dad. And sometimes, they're just there to be another sounding wall/confirmation of what we already knew we should do (and is usually spot on with what Dad either 1. did tell us already or 2. would have told us if we asked him - which makes sense because they're related).
Uncle Joel is full of ssooo much wisdom! I'm glad when we get to spend time together... despite it being maybe not as much as I'd want from time to time. One of my favorite things about him is that when we're together, it's as if we were never apart. Like, we pick up our conversation right where we left of and just get all caught up to where we are right now! He's a great mentor and friend.
"I foresaw this eventuality"
God, thank You for my family, and for the relationships and connections we have. I pray that You would continue to be glorified through our interactions, and help us to learn from one another and let what we learn be used to help and teach and encourage others! Because we are all "HERE" to be used for YOUR GLORY!!!
Amen.
They're that older male figure that we can share our hearts with and ask questions to. They spend time with us and listen - when we may feel uncomfortable to go directly to Dad. And sometimes, they're just there to be another sounding wall/confirmation of what we already knew we should do (and is usually spot on with what Dad either 1. did tell us already or 2. would have told us if we asked him - which makes sense because they're related).
Uncle Joel is full of ssooo much wisdom! I'm glad when we get to spend time together... despite it being maybe not as much as I'd want from time to time. One of my favorite things about him is that when we're together, it's as if we were never apart. Like, we pick up our conversation right where we left of and just get all caught up to where we are right now! He's a great mentor and friend.
"I foresaw this eventuality"
God, thank You for my family, and for the relationships and connections we have. I pray that You would continue to be glorified through our interactions, and help us to learn from one another and let what we learn be used to help and teach and encourage others! Because we are all "HERE" to be used for YOUR GLORY!!!
Amen.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
12 weeks
(1745)
Today, 10/9/10, is my Spiritual Mesaversary.
It has been 7 years and 8 months since I made the decision to follow Jesus Christ with all that I am.
Every month, in celebrating this important date, something is given to me. God somehow spiritually downloads an insight, brings clarity on a long awaited issue or actually gives a material gift.
This month, it's a paradigm shift.
"TEMPLE TIME" has been the code that I've used for my working out. Because I don't want to get caught up in dieting or working out for vain reasons, but more want to make the healthy shift to a "positive lifestyle change". But personally, even that is a little vague for me. I work well with goals and deadlines and expectations clearly identified and articulated.
Stephen Covey's "Begin with the end in mind" has been a guiding mantra since I read it back when I started NROTC in 2003. Spiritualizing the concept makes it even more true I think! SINCE (not if) I'm going to Heaven when I die (whenever that is) and I will see Jesus face to face... how must I live my life now to ensure He recieves maximum glory from my time here on earth??
This is my question, and I pray that my life will answer it well.
There are so many things out of my control in this particular season of my life. I've resigned to not "Worry, Fear or Rush" but rather "Believe, Trust and Wait". In doing these things, I will be focusing on my own "plank" and no one else.
I will be following a strict 12-week program designed to get me in max military shape. Although I'm seriously tempted at times to go back to OCS... I don't think that's where God is calling me. HOWEVER, I can't remember when I had my life in more order than when I was training with the Navy... so I will start that again.
The program can be found here if you'd like to follow along, or keep me accountable.
***Oh gosh... even just writing that sentence and posting the link I feel more responsible and more likely that I'll actually DO it, now that I'd shared it with the WORLD!!!
ASIDE: "Get the PLANK outta here!" is a funny slogan I keep hearing in my head, IDK why, but I'm going to just write it down so I don't forget.
ALSO, I should digitize my journey.
This will be good to keep me accountable and record the + and the - along the way.
ALSO, ALSO, doing it online vs. in my journal will be interesting.
Daddyism "Never forget that we are triune beings."
Incoperating this into the goals...
I. MENTAL
1- Professional = lesson plans, Gradelink, TYPED everything
2- Professional = Organize in 5" binders: Sci 8, 7, 6 and ALG, preALG and GEOM (ALEKS)
3- Professional Sharing = Tutoring, Mentoring, Inventory Lab & share with the Elementary.
4- Personal Growth = MERIT Mondays (reading 2 articles per week)
5- Graduate School Prep = schools, programs, GRE/CBEST
II. SPIRITUAL
1- 3 month gift (5ch/3xday)
2- Proverbs (daily)
3- MU (daily)
4- Psalm 119 (daily)
5- 1 Peter (1 verse/week)
III. PHYSICAL
1- Morning Push-up to That's My King
2- @WORK: Every 3 hours 10-25-10 & 3P Walk the Hill
3- FIT CAMP M-F, 12 weeks = 60 sessions, GOAL = 100% attendance unless out of town (only Christmas Break)
4- Nightly Prayer Walk & Talk, around @10P
5- FOOD FUEL
YES = Fruits, Veg, Rice, some wheat, nuts, water
NO = sweets, soda
FOCUS VERSES
I. MENTAL
Hebrews 12:11
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
II. PHYSICAL
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
"Run in such a way to get the prize"
"Everyone who competes goes into strict training"
"I beat my body and make it my slave"
III.
SPIRITUAL
1 Timothy 4:8
"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."
TOMORROW it starts.
The TRANSFORMATIVE TWELVE
The 12-week intensive to jump start a "lifestyle" of premium personal performance for the MAXIMUM GLORY of GOD, My Father.
Week #1, Day #1 = 10/10/10
Today... I'm going to prepare. Go for a run, visit the grocery store, and clean my house. I want everything to be in order today, so that there are no excuses.
GOD, this is for you. It's always been for You.
HS, you have to be my internal motivation. Purify my thoughts and actions, and help me to focus on my "TEMPLE TIME" to make me fit (mentally, physically & spiritually) for whatever you have for the rest of this year, and to start off 2011 "good to go" wherever we're going =)
*SONG* ALL FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR GLORY, Take my life and let it be Yours
Amen
(1815)
Today, 10/9/10, is my Spiritual Mesaversary.
It has been 7 years and 8 months since I made the decision to follow Jesus Christ with all that I am.
Every month, in celebrating this important date, something is given to me. God somehow spiritually downloads an insight, brings clarity on a long awaited issue or actually gives a material gift.
This month, it's a paradigm shift.
"TEMPLE TIME" has been the code that I've used for my working out. Because I don't want to get caught up in dieting or working out for vain reasons, but more want to make the healthy shift to a "positive lifestyle change". But personally, even that is a little vague for me. I work well with goals and deadlines and expectations clearly identified and articulated.
Stephen Covey's "Begin with the end in mind" has been a guiding mantra since I read it back when I started NROTC in 2003. Spiritualizing the concept makes it even more true I think! SINCE (not if) I'm going to Heaven when I die (whenever that is) and I will see Jesus face to face... how must I live my life now to ensure He recieves maximum glory from my time here on earth??
This is my question, and I pray that my life will answer it well.
There are so many things out of my control in this particular season of my life. I've resigned to not "Worry, Fear or Rush" but rather "Believe, Trust and Wait". In doing these things, I will be focusing on my own "plank" and no one else.
I will be following a strict 12-week program designed to get me in max military shape. Although I'm seriously tempted at times to go back to OCS... I don't think that's where God is calling me. HOWEVER, I can't remember when I had my life in more order than when I was training with the Navy... so I will start that again.
The program can be found here if you'd like to follow along, or keep me accountable.
***Oh gosh... even just writing that sentence and posting the link I feel more responsible and more likely that I'll actually DO it, now that I'd shared it with the WORLD!!!
ASIDE: "Get the PLANK outta here!" is a funny slogan I keep hearing in my head, IDK why, but I'm going to just write it down so I don't forget.
ALSO, I should digitize my journey.
This will be good to keep me accountable and record the + and the - along the way.
ALSO, ALSO, doing it online vs. in my journal will be interesting.
Daddyism "Never forget that we are triune beings."
Incoperating this into the goals...
I. MENTAL
1- Professional = lesson plans, Gradelink, TYPED everything
2- Professional = Organize in 5" binders: Sci 8, 7, 6 and ALG, preALG and GEOM (ALEKS)
3- Professional Sharing = Tutoring, Mentoring, Inventory Lab & share with the Elementary.
4- Personal Growth = MERIT Mondays (reading 2 articles per week)
5- Graduate School Prep = schools, programs, GRE/CBEST
II. SPIRITUAL
1- 3 month gift (5ch/3xday)
2- Proverbs (daily)
3- MU (daily)
4- Psalm 119 (daily)
5- 1 Peter (1 verse/week)
III. PHYSICAL
1- Morning Push-up to That's My King
2- @WORK: Every 3 hours 10-25-10 & 3P Walk the Hill
3- FIT CAMP M-F, 12 weeks = 60 sessions, GOAL = 100% attendance unless out of town (only Christmas Break)
4- Nightly Prayer Walk & Talk, around @10P
5- FOOD FUEL
YES = Fruits, Veg, Rice, some wheat, nuts, water
NO = sweets, soda
FOCUS VERSES
I. MENTAL
Hebrews 12:11
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
II. PHYSICAL
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
"Run in such a way to get the prize"
"Everyone who competes goes into strict training"
"I beat my body and make it my slave"
III.
SPIRITUAL
1 Timothy 4:8
"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."
TOMORROW it starts.
The TRANSFORMATIVE TWELVE
The 12-week intensive to jump start a "lifestyle" of premium personal performance for the MAXIMUM GLORY of GOD, My Father.
Week #1, Day #1 = 10/10/10
Today... I'm going to prepare. Go for a run, visit the grocery store, and clean my house. I want everything to be in order today, so that there are no excuses.
GOD, this is for you. It's always been for You.
HS, you have to be my internal motivation. Purify my thoughts and actions, and help me to focus on my "TEMPLE TIME" to make me fit (mentally, physically & spiritually) for whatever you have for the rest of this year, and to start off 2011 "good to go" wherever we're going =)
*SONG* ALL FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR GLORY, Take my life and let it be Yours
Amen
(1815)
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Right Now
Focusing on the moment is easier said than done... and yet, trusting my Father has everything under control is more clearly seen from my actions than my words.
May my trust in Him be clearly seen by how I live my life.
May my trust in Him be clearly seen by how I live my life.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
SEEK
United In Christ --> SEEK
from my email... at the endish...
WOW, I thought I was done with the email after my T-shirt order... but then I just started writing...
Hopefully knowing a little more to the History/Roots of SEEK will help you treasure it deeply, as I do.
THIS is where the join-worship-venture among the body at UVA began.
From my perspective at least =)
I already felt out of place, being from California and knowing no one... but when I became a believer (2/9/03) I was saddened by the division and disunity I saw... because what I was reading from His Word was speaking of a different kind of community of followers. I remember visiting all the groups every week... I couldn't get enough of the worship and fellowshipping with the body! The newness of Christ, and the sweetness of His Spirit... whether it was my idealistic-nativity or the holy discontentment for 'body dysfunction' He placed in me, my heart was always grieved at the division among the group and the lack of "family"-feeling among the "family of God".
The groups didn't talk to each other, serve together, worship together, visit each other, nothing. My heart was deeply grieved to the point I felt HS (my code name for The Holy Spirit) was proposing to me: What are you going to do about it?!
Prayer was my primary response. And then, as i continued visiting the various groups, I started talked about the idea of join-ventures, visiting each other, serving together etc. I remember so many blank stares, and so much opposition with the mentality "this is the way it's always been done, and this is the way we'll always do it." Maybe... maybe this is why I was saved "later" because I didn't have these barriers or preconceived notions of what was possible/not or what could/couldn't be done etc.
A deep-desire to see unity in the body burned within every part of me...
Did we not all have the same Father God? Lord and Savior? and Holy Spirit living inside of all who believed??
This is a picture I took one of the first times we had UIC/SEEK (I though we had AT LEAST two sessions before I graduated in '06, will need to check the journals for dates etc.).
I remember the exact moment when I took this picture...
...walking into the room with Sue, the IV's pastor's wife, and just slowly looking around the room with amazement and awe!!! I didn't know what to expect on that first night, whether there'd be five, fifteen, or fifty of us... there were close to FIVE HUNDRED!!!
After scanning the audience, and seeing so many sizes, shapes, colors, and hearing the diversity of languages and tones, Revelation 7:9 immediately burned in my heart. I remember looking at her, with tears in my eyes, and saying "This is what Heaven will look like."
((*pause* I'm crying again now even recalling it!))
I have this photo framed in fruit as #1. my kitchen is "fruit of the spirit"-themed and #2. I felt that "united worship" was definitely part of the fruit that God allowed me to bear during my time in Virginia. As it's in my kitchen, I pray for the body at UVA daily... please let me know if there's anything in particular the group, or it's leaders need prayer cover for =)
your sister,
Kristina
Father God, that Your Body would function as You desire it to! Unity in Spirit, Love for one another, resulting in exultation of the Christ... it was one of Your final prayers Jesus... that we would be one and that the world would know You were sent from God by our love. Abba, I pray a special blessing of protection of the hearts and minds of those who are in leadership at SEEK, that they would ever be focused on You, and that their foundations of their lives and relationships with the various groups on campus would not allow cracks of dissension, however small, to hinder the world You would do at UVA, and campuses around the world! One day... one day we will see you face-to-face... and until that day, HS, continue to burn within our hearts, minds, and spirits a deep desire to SEEK HIS FACE with all that we are and all that we have! That our lives, O LORD, would be spent for the attainment of Your MAX GLORY in their collective diversity. For to You Father, belong all the glory, honor and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
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