This past week has been full of movies. Not all great, but not all bad. There were thousands of people who worked on these films and did their best to make it something special. Now here I am, lying in bed, snow falling, thankful for security and a place to stay. So often we neglect to say thank you to our Lord. We leave Him out of the equation. Our God is an awesome god. He reigns over us showering us with His love. God knows we're all sinners and that we deserve hell. But, He sent His son, Jesus Christ to die for our sins. Sometimes I think Christians might be the worst thing for the spread of the gospel. Our witness, our actions, fall short from what God deserves. We curse God when we don't get our way, we curse God when we're hurt, we forget Him in the good times. Its late now and I’m typing this on my phone so my thumbs and wrist are tiring. But mainly praise God in the morning, praise Him in the noontime, praise in the evening. Give thanks and be joyful, be content no matter the circumstance.
This was from January 31, 2010 at 2 in the morning. My phone sends multiple messages instead of one long one.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Giving Up, But Not Letting Go
So the season of Lent is upon us, and many of us are deciding to give things up. However, I've been thinking about that. Sure giving up Facebook gives us more time to concentrate on homework, relationships, but more importantly, does it move us towards Christ? Couldn't we give up things like coveting, materialism, individuality?
Things that truly require focus and a self change? Can't Lent be the beginning of a new us? A new generation? I think the thing that plagues us, our generation, is the quest for personal satisfaction, the impulse to buy to make us happy. I admit I too struggle with this. I love the newest games, the newest technology, the newest anything.
However, how these things make us better? We might develop better finger skills that are able to tap buttons in such a frenzy that those watching can only watch in amazement. We might be able to get places easily with a new GPS device. We may look fantastic in designer clothes, be connected with our new phone, feel great with new "things".
I understand that Facebook, coffee, fast food, chocolate, TV, personal habits, can distract us from Christ, take our money, and sometimes hurt our bodies. But as soon as Lent is over, how many of us go right back to our previous lifestyles? How many of us the day Lent is over celebrate that we made it through? How many of us think more about what we give up for Lent, than thinking about Christ?
When we give up something for Lent, we are supposed to take that and essentially give it to the Lord. For instance, you buy coffee everyday, but give it up for Lent. You could take that daily amount of $50 dollars and give it to your church, a shelter, or some other organization or family that needs it. Without Facebook, you could spend that time in prayer, in communion with others.
However, I think sometimes we give up one thing just to fall victim to another. So I ask the question, can we give up, or make a true effort to change ourselves? Can we say now is the time to give up my materials, can I really focus on being content whatever the circumstances?
These past few days since returning from Seattle, I've considered that very thing, should I get rid of my possessions that distract me? I've looked at the house and asked myself, do I really need all this? I could and should start dissembling those things that take hours away from me. Send a hammer through the TV, make frisbees out of DVD's, block every social networking site, etc.
But I don't and probably won't. But I can decide to make free time for my family, for friendships. I can turn off the games, pack away the TV, and stop buying the newest whatever. So instead of giving something up and counting the days until you get them back, give it up and let it go. Focus on counting the days spent on Christ, spent thinking about how you can make a difference.
Lent isn't just about giving something up, but about what you can gain. And you can't gain anything if you don't put anything into it. So from this point, I am going to try and evaluate what I buy, what I try to add to my collection. Is it necessary to have stuff? Is it necessary to fill my life with selfish materials? Lent is a season of reflection and preparation of Jesus' death and resurrection, not a season waiting for your coveted item to become "okay" again. Lent it?
Things that truly require focus and a self change? Can't Lent be the beginning of a new us? A new generation? I think the thing that plagues us, our generation, is the quest for personal satisfaction, the impulse to buy to make us happy. I admit I too struggle with this. I love the newest games, the newest technology, the newest anything.
However, how these things make us better? We might develop better finger skills that are able to tap buttons in such a frenzy that those watching can only watch in amazement. We might be able to get places easily with a new GPS device. We may look fantastic in designer clothes, be connected with our new phone, feel great with new "things".
I understand that Facebook, coffee, fast food, chocolate, TV, personal habits, can distract us from Christ, take our money, and sometimes hurt our bodies. But as soon as Lent is over, how many of us go right back to our previous lifestyles? How many of us the day Lent is over celebrate that we made it through? How many of us think more about what we give up for Lent, than thinking about Christ?
When we give up something for Lent, we are supposed to take that and essentially give it to the Lord. For instance, you buy coffee everyday, but give it up for Lent. You could take that daily amount of $50 dollars and give it to your church, a shelter, or some other organization or family that needs it. Without Facebook, you could spend that time in prayer, in communion with others.
However, I think sometimes we give up one thing just to fall victim to another. So I ask the question, can we give up, or make a true effort to change ourselves? Can we say now is the time to give up my materials, can I really focus on being content whatever the circumstances?
These past few days since returning from Seattle, I've considered that very thing, should I get rid of my possessions that distract me? I've looked at the house and asked myself, do I really need all this? I could and should start dissembling those things that take hours away from me. Send a hammer through the TV, make frisbees out of DVD's, block every social networking site, etc.
But I don't and probably won't. But I can decide to make free time for my family, for friendships. I can turn off the games, pack away the TV, and stop buying the newest whatever. So instead of giving something up and counting the days until you get them back, give it up and let it go. Focus on counting the days spent on Christ, spent thinking about how you can make a difference.
Lent isn't just about giving something up, but about what you can gain. And you can't gain anything if you don't put anything into it. So from this point, I am going to try and evaluate what I buy, what I try to add to my collection. Is it necessary to have stuff? Is it necessary to fill my life with selfish materials? Lent is a season of reflection and preparation of Jesus' death and resurrection, not a season waiting for your coveted item to become "okay" again. Lent it?
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