[in the spirit of Thanksgiving]

Brighten your day with a couple of headlines on CNN.com as of November 16, 2012..

- "Israel mobilizing troops for 'possible invasion of Gaza' "

- "The Patraeus scandal: What we know"

..or not.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in ALL circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I know what you're thinking: how is one supposed to be throwing their hands up in praise over THIS? Let me take you on a little journey known as perspective..

per·spec·tive  (pr-spktv)

n.

3.

• The relationship of aspects of a subject to each other and to a whole: a perspective of history; a need to view the problem in the proper perspective.
• Subjective evaluation of relative significance; a point of view: the perspective of the displaced homemaker.
• The ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance: tried to keep my perspective throughout the crisis.

And now - in the spirit of Thanksgiving - I am going to list a few things I am thankful for:

1. The traffic I encounter on the way to work that turns out making me late because it means that I am employed.
2. Hurtful yet honest words from a friend because it means that they care about me enough to speak truth into my life.
3. All the complaining I hear about our government because it means we as a nation are blessed with freedom of speech.
4. The inadequacy I find myself getting caught up in as a 'Post Grad' because it forces me to look to the confidence I have in Christ.
5. The long lines we had to wait in to vote earlier this month because it means we live in a country that prides itself on democracy.
6. Natural disasters, such as Hurricane Sandy, because they force us to come together as a country.
7. The After-Thanksgiving-Dinner Food Coma I go into every year because it means that I have enough to eat.
8. The pain I feel in my knees after a long jog because it means I have the ability to run.
9. A sink full of dirty dishes because it means that loved ones are nearby.
10. The alarm that goes off in the early morning because it means that I am alive.

Keep reading.. now I'm going to ask you, "What if?"

• We viewed setbacks as opportunities.
• We realized that some of our complaints are completely and utterly worthless when taken into perspective. Take, for example, the complaint I voice when the restaurant I visit does not offer Diet Dr. Pepper; there are millions of inhabitants of this world who do not have clean drinking water.
• We noticed that only when we experience problems do we fully appreciate the good things in life.
• We took time out of our day to truly focus on all of our blessings and thank God for them; He didn't HAVE to give us anything.

I can assure you we would be more joyful; I can assure you we would be more prayerful - in turn, leading us to be more thankful.

Talking about our problems is our greatest addiction. Break the habit. Talk about your joys.
-Rita Schiano

The glass really is half full..

[i'm genuinely sorry.]

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry for having the tendency to misrepresent Jesus and the Gospel through my actions/words/etc.; I'm sorry for not doing everything in my power I can to rebuke the actions/words/etc. of every other Christian who does the same thing; I'm sorry if I have ever been a stumbling block to you; I'm sorry if I do one thing and say another.. hypocrites are my pet peeve; I'm sorry if anything about my lifestyle has ever turned you away from Jesus.

I REALLY am.

Basically, what provoked my thinking about this was a conversation I had with friends concerning this lovely piece of artwork.. (that was sarcasm, by the way):

I'm sorry.. but REALLY?

a.   Can someone tell me what that billboard really even means? A cookie goes to whoever can tell me what I will be "saved" from.. other than the fiery pits of hell (which are so beautifully depicted on the top of the billboard)?
b.   Last time I checked, Christians are not supposed to scare people into a relationship with Jesus.
c.   This is one of the prime examples I'm talking about when I say that Christians (myself included) have the tendency to misrepresent Jesus and the Gospel.

Jesus is about truth and love and peace and freedom.

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
John 10:10

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid."
John 14:27

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."
Galatians 5:6

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus."
Philippians 2:5

I really hope it wasn't the billboard maker's intention to merely scare a nonbeliever into a relationship with Christ; I really hope that they prayed over the creation of this billboard and truly felt that the Lord was calling them to this exact wording, etc. But if not, that sucks.

Time and time again, I come to the much needed realization that I will never be a perfect representation of Jesus, and I'm not supposed to be. THE only perfect representation of Jesus was of course.. Jesus. BUT what that does not mean is that we as Christians should not examine ourselves (the movies we're watching, the music we're listening to, how much we're drinking, our tendency to gossip, etc.)..

and CHANGE what needs to be changed so that we may become increasingly more like Christ.

Christianity is not about saying we're Christians and not living out the life change. Nope. That is called forgery. So if we say we're Christians, let's act like it!

To enforce the importance of this, remember that Jesus left US with the sole task and purpose in life of glorifying Him and declaring His name among the nations. How are we to do that if we are not seen to be a credible source? How are we to do that if our actions are not matching up with our words? How are we to do that if we are discrediting the name of Jesus in a carefree manner?

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

just a little food for thought.

[taste and see that life is good]

In a world where it is normal to hear of an event such as a sex scandal taking place with government officials or details on the most recent local homicide, how is one supposed to see the good things in life?

I refuse to conform to the ways of this world.

The author of this blog post is not responsible for, and expressly disclaims all liability for, damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance on any information contained within this post. While the information contained within this post is accurate for the author, it is in no way deemed as the right way for all readers to experience life's goodness.

a recipe for happiness.
PURPOSE: to taste and see that life is good.

- 1 thirty minute work out (jogs with your favorite jams are recommended.. yoga, pilates, dancing, soccer, hiking, rollerblading are also advised) Don't stop until you sweat.

- a quiet morning engaged in journaling/reading/praying outside near your garden with your Nonfat Chai Tea Latte in hand.

- 2 (or whatever number you see fit) random acts of kindness for a stranger or friend. Examples include, but are not limited to: paying for the car behind you in the fast food lane, burning a "because I love you" CD for a friend or lover, etc.

- Hard work. Whether it is studying if you are a student or working if you are in the workforce, do it to the fullest. Know that your work is making an impact on those around you. Let your work be meaningful and significant. Encourage those around you.

- Engage in a deep conversation with a friend. Find out what is on their heart. Discuss struggles you need prayer for. Laugh at your imperfections. Plan weekend get-aways.

- Cook dinner for others. Personally, I would recommend getting a recipe off Pinterest. It's all the rage.. or haven't you heard?

- Constantly remind yourself that you.are.not.made.for.this.world. When life gets you down, pray. Remember that Jesus also suffered, so it's pretty obvs that you're gonna suffer too. After praying, leave it in God's hands and be done with it.

- When the day is done, rest underneath the stars before heading to your high powered fan, memory foam mattress, down comforter, and feather pillows.

- Thank God for this beautiful day. If it wasn't as great as you wanted, remember you have a fresh start tomorrow. If it was freakin awesome, smile.

- Take a deep breath and realize how completely insane it is that you are alive before dozing off.

Rinse and repeat.

[life is freakin good]

today was a good day.

this was a good weekend.

life is good, isn't it?

God really has been blessing me lately.. or maybe He has turned my eyes into seeing the good in everything? I think it is a combination of both. One of my favorite preachers to listen to, Rodney Hobbs, is from Stonegate Church in Midlothian, Texas. One of the first podcasts I listened to from Rodney covered Ephesians 1:15-23. In these verses, Paul is telling the Ephesians that he has been praying for them - I love when people tell me that they're praying for me; it's usually when I'm undergoing some stress or having a fight with a friend or family member or something along those lines. My favorite prayers are those wonderful unexpected ones.. those ones that aren't particularly for any special purpose. Look at what Paul tells the Ephesians:

"..Ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ.. may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe."

Paul prays that the Ephesians would be filled with God's revelation - that they would see God more clearly - that they would know Him better, for Paul knows that as one begins to know God better and see God clearly, life is good.

No, life is great.

Rodney talked about two prayers he prays consistently:
1. For an expanded view of God
2. For a greater love for people

For some reason, these two "basic" prayers clicked with me. I wrote them in dry erase marker on my closet mirror (real middle school, Laura.. I know).

But really..

Just think about what would happen if you grew in these two areas. Your whole world would change. First of all, learning about God truly is one of my favorite things.. and my favorite part about the learning process is that I can never know enough about God. Isn't it cool that even though God is completely constant, I learn more about him on a daily basis? Take, for example, my computer mapping class (ArcGIS is becoming my new BFF). There's going to be a time when I learn all that I can about it. It's a finite computer program (with boring qualities and characteristics, might I add). Yes, they will probably come out with a new version, but with a few clicks of the mouse, I've found all there is to know. That's not how it is with the Creator of the universe, the lover of your soul - God is a mystery, and that's the way I like it.

A greater love for people. For some reason, I used to think that I was really good at loving people.. I was a tad bit off - don't get me wrong, I still see loving people as one of my better qualities, BUT I've transformed the way I do it. Along the way, I've learned that there is a better way of loving. It involves coming and meeting people where they are. It involves telling them about the greatest possible love they could ever come to know - JESUS. What if that became your top priority? What if you didn't care what people thought of you? What if you focused on ways you could help others out of the genuineness of your heart rather than feeling as though you should "do the right thing?" It's possible.. with prayer.

ANYWAY, on a lighter and unrelated note, I hosted my first bridal shower this weekend - for my beautiful freshman year roommate. I've started realizing something more and more about myself this year, and it freakin freaks me out. If you're my close friend, you know that I've recently become somewhat obsessed with.. homemaking. I'm extremely lame, I know - I'm perfectly capable of admitting it.. and owning it.

Hi, my name is Laura. I enjoy decorating, baking, and reading Southern Living.

So, today was a glorious day for me.

Wishing you a restful rest of the night and a superb, sunny week!

[freshman in life]

2 official months until this girl graduates.

This past week I had to apply to graduate.. sounds pretty intense; however, I can assure you it's not. I basically filled out two forms indicating my major, degree, current address, birthdate, and other minor details. WOO. But I will tell you that just the idea of the whole "applying to graduate" thing is a little on the creepy side. I know, I know.. I've been in college for the full four years (no victory lap, unfortunately) so clearly, my time has come. It's just a little weird actually thinking about the reality of it. Starting from when I was in kindergarten up until this year, I have constantly been asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Turns out apparantly I'm going to magically be "grown up" come this May. Don't worry, I'll be sure to tell you on May 12, 2012 what it feels like to be a "grown up" if you ask.

I've come to a few realizations as I come to this point in life.. I'm deep - get over it. Also, I've come to the realization that I like lists, but that's another subject.

a.  I'm pretty sure I'm not going to become a new person come May 12. It's going to be the same me with a degree that I could potentially frame.. and in all reality, I'm not quite sure that I would frame that bad boy.

b.  Going along with becoming a new person, I'm not going to magically be completely fulfilled in life. It's not like, "Oh sweet! Now that I have finally reached my dreams of obtaining a degree after 16 long freaking years of attending school, I'm legitimately content." There are more things in life; there are more goals to reach; there are more people to meet and places to go.

c.  Great things are about to happen. "There are far, far better things to come than any we have left behind." Thank you C.S. Lewis.

Graduation can be a scary time. Most likely you're moving away from friends and the college town you have spent the last four years in. You're getting out of your comfort zone. The world has told me that I'm supposed to be a grown up in the real world dependent upon myself. I have to wear business suits to work everyday. No one jokes around and acts like a kid. (Those last few are lies, by the way). No matter what you're told, the concept of graduation is freaky in some way.. you can't deny it.

This semester, I am working and going to school. So, on the way into my office, I go by another office everyday.. I think it's an attorney or something. Anyway, they have a see-through door. Everyday I get the opportunity to pass through the hallway and see a verse written on the wall inside of the attorney's office:

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

- Jeremiah 29:11-13

These verses just remind me that no matter what path I may take upon graduation (it's still up in the air.. cool.), the Creator of the universe has plans for me; amazing plans that God has made for me specifically so that I may call on Him and come and pray to Him - the single reason I exist. So rather than getting caught up in selecting "the right way" to go from here or worrying about the future, I choose (although my actions may not always reflect it) to be dependent on that. I choose to get completely excited over the fact that while this little chapter may be coming to close in my life, I've got quite a few chapters to go.

I've heard the quote that says

"Nothing is constant in life except change."

I think it's funny. Mainly for the fact that change doesn't always make my heart happy. But how cool is it that I get to go on to new things? If they are bad, they will mold me into a stronger person, and I can rejoice in that. If they are good, they will mold me so that I may rejoice, as well. The way I look at it, it's a win win situation. There will be clinks and there will be clashes, but choose to sit back and relax and have a sip of wine along the way. Wouldn't life be boring if everything stayed the same? We wouldn't know the good for what it is - or the bad for what it is. No bueno in my book.

Also, something that puts that quote to shame:

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

- Hebrews 13:8

woohoo!!!!!!!! Choose to rest in that while you're getting used to the other changes in your life.

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

[it's not about what you do; it's about why you do it]

In the midst of busy weeks, filling out my planner like its no body's business, and forgetting to breathe along the way, I find it REAL easy to forget what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. I feel like it can be so easy to get caught up in the motions like some pointless little robot when we neglect our ability to take a step back to relax and look at the big picture, if you will.

What am I doing here?

What is my purpose?

What is my heart's deepest desire?

What are my passions?

Who am I living for?

What is my motivation?

Whenever I first learned about Christianity, I thought that it was more like what we now call "legalism." I thought it was about believing Jesus died and rose again but treating it as a fact rather than an amazing, life changing truth. Through learning from others and my own messed up thinking, I mistakenly thought that if I didn't cuss, engage in underage drinking, have sex with my boyfriend, rebel from my parents.. you get the picture.. I was "clean." I was "worthy." If I read the Bible occasionally, I was good. If I volunteered at my church, I was good. If I could memorize John 3:16 and had the ability to recite it in front of my friends, I was fine.. I didn't need to hear more about Him. If you told me I did, in my defense I would most likely say, "Go find the homeless dude on the street - homeboy needs WAY more help than I do. He's the one getting money from people to buy alcohol."

Woah, woah, woah. I'm pretty sure that's not what Jesus said. At all. In fact, Jesus has quite a different viewpoint on this.

First off, we're ALL sinners. And we're never clean. Sucks to suck, right? But think about it: no matter HOW hard you try to be perfect, to respect your elders everyday, to love your neighbor (yes, this includes your enemies) as yourself, to never think "bad" thoughts, to never steal (even if you jack your friend's bracelet without asking.. guilty), you're never gonna be able to do it. Don't believe me? I challenge you to go for an hour without sinning.. then we'll talk.

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
- Isaiah 53:6

So how do I cope with this truth?

That's when the legalistic crowd (including pretty much every other religion aside from Christianity) will most likely tell you to volunteer at your church, to work with the homeless, to work on cleaning yourself up.. I can tell you this doesn't work from past experience. If you don't believe me, I again challenge you to try it. Once again I will give you the option to contact me.

Jesus says.. go with it!

You're flawed. You realized it! We're all messed up. It's comforting that that statement included "we're all".. not so comforting once you realize the claim. Rather than go against it, I vote you go with it. Then you pray. Not some scripted prayer - pray what you feel. Pray what's truly in your heart. Ask God to move in your life. Give Him time - he'll do it. I'm not saying you should sit in your sin and chill.. I'm saying that you should look for passion in your life. Look for Christ.

"Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."
- Matthew 9:13

That's the God I want to worship. Funny how Jesus tells us to do the EXACT OPPOSITE of other religions. He knows we are flawed - that we're doomed for failure on our own. No matter how many freaking self help books you read, no matter how much money you give to the homeless, no matter how many times you volunteer at your church, no matter how many Bible studies you join, if there's not an inward motivation - an inward feeling that is not of your own (can I get a Holy Spirit?), what's the point in even going through with the actions? Sounds a little bit like LEGALISM if you ask me.

I find it SO comforting that in order to experience God's presence in prayer, I don't have to freaking go through the innumerable Old Testament ways of cleansing myself.

Jesus made intercession between God and man so that this wouldn't have to happen.

SO.. next time you find yourself going through the motions, forgetting why you're here on Earth and your purpose in life, go back to Him. Do less; not more. Focus on the things you are truly passionate about and seek to glorify God in. Cut out the rest. Do it.

I challenge you.

[just breathe]

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
-Psalm 46:10



Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
- John 14:27



But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
- Matthew 6:33-34



"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
- John 16:33




Happy Tuesday!