Cherished and Chosen: May 2009

"Chosen" "Cherised" now "Choose to Cherish!"

2 John. John’s Second Letter
1:1The elder, to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not I only, but also all those who know the truth; 1:2for the truth's sake, which remains in us, and it will be with us forever: 1:3Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
1:4I rejoice greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, even as we have been commanded by the Father. 1:5Now I beg you, dear lady, not as though I wrote to you a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 1:6This is love, that we should walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, even as you heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it. 1:7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who don't confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the Antichrist. 1:8Watch yourselves, that we don't lose the things which we have accomplished, but that we receive a full reward. 1:9Whoever transgresses and doesn't remain in the teaching of Christ, doesn't have God. He who remains in the teaching, the same has both the Father and the Son. 1:10If anyone comes to you, and doesn't bring this teaching, don't receive him into your house, and don't welcome him, 1:11for he who welcomes him participates in his evil works.
1:12Having many things to write to you, I don't want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come to you, and to speak face to face, that our joy may be made full. 1:13The children of your chosen sister greet you. Amen.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Kinda crazy, but I like birds. I really do. I love to nurture them and coax them to my feeders. My family thinks I am crazy for spending as much time and money on them as I do. I love waking to their song. I love watching their routines.

It wasn't always like this. When I was a young girl I got scared to death of birds by watching that stupid movie "The Birds". They terrified me and I detested them. This year, doing a unit with my 9th graders, we studied that short story. I came to realize what I knew all along. I came to understand my hatred and could put words to my new found love of birds (well...for the last 5 years really). You see, in the story, the birds are acting completely out of nature. That's the point of the story. That we are unaware and completely frightened when things don't act the way they were created to act. It's like that with me. I spent alot of time frightening myself and others when I worked very hard at rebelling against what I knew I was created to do (glorify God) and be (an heir of Christ). Oh yes, sin is in human nature...but it is not what we were created to be in. It makes us ugly and scarey. Our beauty comes when we are in tune with the creation and therefore the Creator. I want to be like the birds who simply do that day in and day out. I am relieved each day when I see "my" birds doing what they are so good at doing. Just being God's beautiful creation. Just singing and feeding and flying. I like that.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Summer of 2009 is almost here, and I am relenting to the fact that getting my Master's Degree is not in God's plan or timing for me right now. That means I shoule have ample time to love my children, work in and around my home and garden, and BLOG. I am the oldest in my women's bible study...and it's about time I got on board with this blogging business. I sometimes just think no one cares - why be pretentious? Then I realize, that's not the problem. The problem is my caring whether anyone cares and failing to realize that either way...I'm chosen and cherished. Cool. So here goes some breathing, venting, and discussing...to anyone who chooses to read it and to all who don't.

Cherished and Chosen