Doing the Right Thing

This weekend was a great one.  You were speaking to me, calling me and answering my prayers.  It was my first time attending Mission Fest and I loved it.  Next year, I will make it a full day affair.  I only attended 2 sessions on Saturday and I was hungry for more...  I met up with Marie Ens who told me Cambodian adoptions would be delayed at least another year and then I heard an uplifting message about Christianity spreading like wide fire through China and Ethiopia. Praise you Lord.  Shaine Claireborne spoke at our service on Sunday and he was amazing.  When I came home and to share some highlights of the seminar with my husband, I choked up telling him about Mother Theresa.  I couldn't get over how selfish I am compared to God's selflessness through Mother Theresa.  She always ensured she had the "worse" so that no one would be worse off than her.  She did not bitch or complain, so just took it. In fact she always took the worst pair of shoes - shoes that didn't fit.  She did that for so long that her feet became deformed, yet she did not say a word... wow and what have I to share.

People always ask, "Why do bad things happen to good people? Why is there starvation?  Why is there war? If there is a god, why does God let this happen?"  God's answer,  " I created a solution... you. The question becomes, why do we let these things happen?  There is enough food and medicine to heal all in the world... but greed gets in the way... our selfishness gets in the way... our morality gets in the way..."  Father, I get it now... my role as a teacher is share this message, to teach our next generation about morality... about doing the right thing all the time, and not for an award, but because the reward is far greater than money...

Matthew 13:1-23
Story of the Farmer Scattering Seed
This is a parable I've heard many times and I ask myself, what kind of a plant will I become.   However, the new message is this:  You have been permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others have not. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them... People see what I do, but they don't really see.  People hear what I say, but they don't really hear, and they don't understand (11-13)

At first, I believed that I was the crop that landed on rocky soil.  I received God's message with joy, but as life through curve balls at me, I lost my faith in God because I was not "grounded" in the word and lacked trust. However as years passed I began to feel that I was the crop that landed in the thorny ground.  I hear and accept the good news, yet I let the materialist desires of this world crowd my mind and harden my heart, moving me away from God... I must admit I still hold these tendancies.  For a while, I actually believed that I was a crop that landed in good fertile soil, representing a heart that truly accepts God's message... but then I realized how far removed I was as tears rolled down my face when I spoke about Mother Theresa and her selflessness.

I can never be a Mother Theresa.  I accept that, but can I be more like Christ?  When Judgement Day comes, God will not ask if I believe in Him, but "When I was a stranger, how did you treat me?" 

Romans 11: 1-6
God's Mercy on Israel
For this passage, I feel God is telling me, 'you are not the only alone. God will save us not by our good works but because of his kindness and love which is free and undeserving.'

What's Your Story?

Thank you for today's sermon message.  My husband attended and enjoyed Dave Toycen's (President of World Vision) message about being God's hands and feet and asking ourselves, "What is our story?" and does it include God. 

I asked myself this question today and heard God telling me that my story does include Him and that change and discomfort are here.  Being a Christian is not meant to be easy... it's a task and a challenge that God has given us.

Matthew 9:18-26
Jesus Heals in Response to Faith
God is capable of anything, we just have to believe... There are more Christians in China than there are Christians in Canada.  This alone makes me laugh.  God is a symbol of hope.  Does that mean, Canadian have no hope or feel they don't need hope...

My classroom is a mission field... I see it now.  I saw it then, but now God has asked me to share my story with them...

So Father, use me, my hands, my feet, my voice to share your love and hope for all who are ready to hear your words...

Romans 8:9-17
Life in the Spirit
This passage tells us that the Holy Spirit lives in all Christians.  It helps guide us to live a live that is pleasing to God.  However, we fall into the temptatations of sin and refuse to listen the Holy Spirit, death is inevitable. We are all God's children and accepted into His family when we choose to live a Godly life.  However, be aware that although we may share in God's treasures, we will also share in His suffering.  Thus, being a Christian is not all glorious and merciful.  It can be painful and discouraging.

My husband told me that the song we sang in service today, "I will offer up my life, in spirit and truth " is one that resonates with him. All we have is from God... thus, this life I have is also His.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPf7qUZrHlc&feature=related

Due Diligence

Diligence... I seem to have run out of steam... my energy level is petering rather quickly.  I'm on my last Clomid cycle and I can't wait for this to be over.  My husband is toying with the idea of another IVF cycle.  I don't think I can do it... not mentally, not physically. I believe that if a child is in our future, you will provide us with one... the one that you will want us to raise as our own for your sake.

Matthew 9:1-8
Jesus Heals a Paralysed Man
Jesus asks what is harder, to forgive a man for all his sins or to heal a paralysed man? A teacher had called Jesus asking him what authority did he have to forgive a man of sin, for only God can do that.  Jesus says that he is the son of God...

Romans 7: 7-13
God's Law Reveals Our Sin
I found this passage difficult to interpret.  It states that because of the 10 Commandments, we realize what is wrong and what is right, and thus the meaning of sin.  Because of these laws and the thought of "loss of freedom", many of us may feel condemned and doomed. But that is not why God gave us these laws.  He gave it to us so that we could lead a meaningful life, a God honouring life.

Last Chance at This Old Life... New Beginnings Await

Yes, I came up with a rather dismal title as this is our last attempt at reproductive medicine.  This is our last Clomid/IUI cycle.  To tell you the truth, I am rather relieved that this ride will soon come to an end.  I know that as this door closes, God has opened a window for us. I have felt the draft from this window of opportunity for some years, it's just a matter of venturing out this window together...

Matthew 8:1-17
Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy
Jesus can take our away our sickness and remove our diseases.  We just have to believe in Him, provided this is in God's plan. There are times when I wish I could fast forward 5 years from now or look into the future somehow to see where I will be.  To see if I will have children and to see how my faith has grown in you... to see where my husband will be in his walk with you...

Romans 6:1-14
Sin's Power is Broken
When we choose to follow Christ, our baptism is a symbol of cleansing ourselves, getting rid our old sinful ways and choosing instead to follow the ways of Jesus, leading a pure and simple life where we are not slaves of sin... We are freed by God's grace.

What a beautiful image... being cleaned and reborn to God.

The Ingredients to Prayer

What a great day back at work.  Other teachers commented on how well behaved and respectful my kids are... =)  Makes me want to hug them all and makes all this extra work I do for them very worthwhile.

Matthew 6:1-18
Teaching about Giving to the Needy, Prayer and Fasting
Our good deeds need not be "publicized" as that defeats the true purpose of what we are trying to do.  We are not trying to draw others into focussing on how "good we are", but rather to help others who are truly in need.

I find this part about praying in secrecy rather interesting... I thought it would be honourable to him if we prayed in public and share our faith with others...  I also find this next part rather comforting: When you pray, don't babble on and on... (7)

God can only forgive us, when we have learned to forgive others.What right do we have to hold a grudge against someone else?

When we choose to fast, we must also do so secretly, or at least in a way that doesn't draw attention to ourselves.  Our fast is between God and you, not you and others...

Side Bar Commentary from Bible
Things to include when we pray:
1. We need to praise God and ask that His will be done, so that His Kingdom may come.
2. Thank God for what we have and confess any sins.
3. Ask for God's wisdom and strength to resist temptation.

Romans 4:13-17
The Faith of Abraham (con't)
Faith is the the key since God's promise of the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life is a free gift.  This gift cannot be earned through good deeds, but only through Jesus.

Going Above and Beyond for Jesus

Still not feeling well... I finished reading the Kite Runner last night.  The plot did alarm me and made me feel horrible.  It reminds me of how ugly this world can be when we don't follow Christ and God.

We are hoping to get new members to join our small group next week... our group is now left with 3 members... need at least 3 more...

Matthew 5:17-48
Christ's Teachings
The only way to enter the Kingdom of Heaven is to obey God better than the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees (20)
We are not to curse or be angry at another.  Choose to forgive them. (21)
To have lust for another is a sin for you have committed adultery with your heart. (28)
Anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (32)
Give to those who ask and don't turn away from those who want to borrow. (42)
Love your enemies, not just your neighbours. (44)
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In this passage, Matthew tells us to live out Moses law, but take it to a higher level... go above and beyond to please God.

Romans 4:1-12
The Faith of Abraham
This passage proclaims that Abraham was the founder of the Jewish nation and how God accepted him before his act of circumcision.

Inspiration through God...

The weekend has been jam packed with activity.  I basically didn't get much done.  I had a disturbing sleep, not only from the Clomid and my husband's constant snoring, but also from reading The Kite Runner.  The novel takes place in Afghanstan, in the 1970's.  There is a hierarchy societal system; it sounds similar to the cast system... anyhow there is a loyal servant boy who gets raped for refusing to give a kite ( a symbol of honour for his boy master) to another boy (the town bully).  His boy master had actually run to find his servant and in his cowardliness, he witnessed the ordeal and ran away from the situation, rather than stand up for his friend.  You see, this boy master had no real friends, he considered this servant boy his "true" friend, but only one that he would declare a friend in "private". 

We had a guest speaker for our sermon today.  It was about a woman who in taking up the cross, was disowned by her muslim family. In fact, her family can be traced back to Mohammed.  Her father was a diplomat and they were realatively wealthy.   She went to a Christian college for 1 year to get credits to be admitted into university.  It was at the college that she met someone who shared with her the words of the Bible and who Jesus was. It was later revealed that this friend was one of our pastors and when she was able to escape from her family, she came back to the US and married him.  She was very passionate and I cannot even imagine how hard it must have been for her.

God has a plan for each and every one of us.  We may not see it now, but He sees it.

Sin and Shame... Judgement Awaits...

I forgot how exhausting work is... prepping for science labs and projects...ahhhh...
Definitely looking forward to this weekend... =)

Matthew 3:1-12
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
John foreshadows the coming of Christ.  I am actually quite alarmed that John primarily ate locusts with honey.  John baptised all who wanted a new life  through the confession of sins. He became so famous that Pharisees and Seduces were coming to get baptized. However, John did not baptize them, instead he called them a brood of snakes!  Because they did not "practice" what they preached.  They did not turn from their sin.  They were only giving God lip service.

Romans 2: 1-16
God's Judgement of Sin
God does not show favouritism (11)...  This resonates with me because there are times when I wonder if God loves me less and if I am dealt "harsher" cards in life.  I know it is wrong to think this way, but it's my "humanity" that I'm fighting against.

God's law is written within us, many a time, we don't have to know the Word, to know what is right in God's eyes.  Judgement Day will come... This was interesting as I do inherinently believe God will judge us all and it doesn't take a literate person to figure out how to live a life that is righteous.

We Truly Are a Creation Not Worth Saving

Being back in the classroom has reminded me how everything is a delicate balancing act. I believe I have no choice, but to intervene tomorrow.  I usually love girls, but the drama and the mind games for cruelty really do blow my mind...

Matthew 2: 13-23
The Escape to Egypt & Return to Nazareth
It was through Joseph's faith towards God that Jesus was able to survive and fulfil his purpose on earth.  I am reminded that God has a plan for all of us; however, God gave us "choice". This path of choice, often leads us astray.  We are tempted to fall off God's path and as such our destiny changes.  However, God's grace leads us back to him.  For it is only through Him that true comfort can be found.

Romans 1: 18-32
God's Anger at Sin
Wow!  This was a painful passage to read.  God describes how callous we are.  What a disappointment we are.  He states that same-sex relationships are wrong. Idol worship is like slapping God's face.  How can we bow down and worship statues or symbols that clearly did not create this world?  We are so desperate to deny God's existence that we absorb and act out in feats of evil.  We exhibit greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behaviour and gossip.  Not onlu do we choose to practice these things, we encourage others to follow in our footsteps... wow... do we not sound like horrible creatures... a creation, not worth saving...

So it is with great gratitude that I see God as a VERY forgiving and loving father.

Your Perfect Plan

First day back at work and I'm already starting to get sick... The kids are glad to be back, but there was a wrench thrown into the classroom dynamics.  I am hoping that my proactive nature will be able to prevent things from getting too hairy and out of hand.

Matthew 2:1-12
The Visit of the Wise Men
For this is what the prophet wrote: "O'Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Isreal." (6)
King Herod was like any other king.  He would not tolerate being "dethroned".  As such he set out to have this baby killed.  The wisemen followed the star until it stopped over a manger. The wisemen gave three gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.  They did not return to tell King Herod about meeting baby Jesus because they were warned against it by God's angels.

Romans 1:16-17
God's Good News
It is the power of God that saves everyone who believes. God makes us right, it is through faith that a righteous person has life.

We don't deserve God's love or his forgiveness. It is by his grace that he tolerates our sinful nature - our attraction towards greed and selfishness.  It's wonder why He has obliterated us...

So Father, thank you for loving me unconditionally.  Although I know baring a child this month is statically against us, I know to not ask for what I can't have. I pray for peace of mind and your continued strength to help me go onwards. I know that as this door closes, another will open.  Your perfect plan will be apparent when I can look back in time... just as most assumed baby Jesus to be just another "baby", he turned out to be so much greater... and that was because it was YOUR plan. 

Human Desire, Christ's Birth and God's Good News

I've been getting myself ready to go back to work.  Don't get me wrong.  I love my job.  God made sure I ended up in this profession, no joke... whenever I tried to deviate from His will, he made sure I got back on course.

I must confess that I am not immune to materialist desires.  I am currently putting into motion my 5 year plan... building my dream home... I am no longer certain if I will have children in my future, that's for God to fill in the blanks.  There are days when I wonder if I am fit to be a mother...

Matthew 1:18-25
The Birth of Jesus, the Messiah
This passage is about the miraculous conception of Jesus.  Mary became pregnant, via the Holy Spirit. She was a virgin until Jesus was born.  Because of the cultural disgrace of marrying a pregnant women, especially a woman who was not carrying her man's child, Joseph had every intention of terminating the marriage.  But an angel appeared to Joseph and explained to him that this had to be to ensure that prophecy came true. Joseph did as he was told and married Mary.

Romans 1:8-15
God's Good News
In this passage, Paul explains his desire to spread God's good news about Jesus to all. We are to be a blessing to each other.

A New Start - January 1, 2012

I've been slacking off this past month.  I fell off the wagon, but now I'm back. I believe my sudden stop to blogging began when my latest endeavour into reproductive medicine started again.  I am currently in my 2nd IUI cycle.  Based on sheer probability, I do not believe I will be pregnant this month.  It would be a true act of God.  My husband now believes God is telling him to give up...

We had a great sermon by Dr. Ross Hastings today. We are no longer a nation that should be sending out missionaries to Africa and China for there are more Christians per capita there than there are Christians in Canada.  We need missionaries here.  More and more people are turning away from God, leaving the Church, in search of their own independent freedom and materialistic desires.  We are fighting a new war... we asking people to be selfless, when all they know how to do is be SELFISH. We are living in a "post-Christian" era.

People no longer go to Church to see Jesus and feel God.  They go to Church and evaluate them, essentially shopping for the "best" Church... I am not stranger to this as this is what I did... As Christians we acknowledge God's forgiveness of our sins through salvation. God enters into us as the Holy Spirit and will transform us. We will harbour a new identity which will lead to suffering when we go and represent God. But this is the righteous path, one that has confirmed what I have been doing as a teacher these past few years.

We are to fulfill God's mandate, not just to love our neighbour and make new disciples, but more importantly to follow up with God's mandate to Adam, TAKE CARE OF THIS PLACE, God's creation... we need to bring people back to God and away from the selfish modern thinking ways of the "Western" world.

Matthew 1:1-17
A Record of Jesus' Ancestors
This is a passage listing the lineage of Jesus, from Abraham to Kind David to him. This is to validate the prophecy that our Messiah was a decedent of King David. 

Romans 1:1-7
Greetings from Paul
"Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell Gentiles everywhere, what God has done for them, so they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name." (5)

This is my reminder to treat my class as my mission field.  Some go to Church, but many don't. Many do not know of the real love of Jesus.  They just know of him as a religious figure that was born on Christmas day.  There are a few who do not celebrate Christmas because they are of a different faith. My task is to bring them the good news of Christ in a non-threatening way and to have them follow God's mandate to save our planet from ourselves...