Display

It's been a while since I posted a blog. I sort of forgot about writing for a while. I finished high school and have started college. Still working at Lambert's Cafe for the time being, but I hope to move on to new things soon. I began my own little business sell hand turned bowls made of different woods from around the world. I named it Display Woodworking based on the passage Romans 9:17 which says, "...I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." This verse has meant a lot to me. I have seen it as a calling. I believe we should all follow this word. God wants us to be missionaries all over the world. It doesn't mean we all have to hope on a plane and fly to the distant corners of the globe, but there are mission fields to be found everywhere. You can be a missionary to a little boy or girl in Africa, but you can also be a missionary to the 50 year old man living down the street. This is what we were designed to do. Share God's glory and His power with those we encounter. To bless the unblessed. To build up the broken. To feed the hungry. To share God's word with those who haven't heard it. It is a difficult task, but what other way can we build a kingdom without a little strain and sweat involved in the making. 

I pray that God will give me the strength to do what is needed. To listen to Him when He calls. He raised us up for this very purpose. Let's display His power, and show the world (or your neighbor) all that He can do.

Until next time,

Words of Destruction or Construction?

Words can be  very powerful tools. Proverbs 18:21 says that the power of life and death are in the tongue. So it's obvious that God points out how strong the use of words can be. They can be a tool that's used for destruction, but also one used in construction. Either way you look at it, your words should always been chosen with care. We should most definitely watch the things we say around other people. Are we saying things for a cheap laugh, or are we saying things that are from the heart? Do you see yourself going out into the world to help others, or tearing other people down everywhere you go? 

We need to think before we speak because there may be a person out there that is more sensitive and can take something that you say wrong and it can offend them. Be on your guard all the time. We must remember that we are here for one purpose: to honor God and build up His kingdom. If we aren't ever watching the things that we say and we are throwing out cuss words and breaking people's spirits, then are we really being a good example for those looking for God? They see us as witnesses, and when they see even those that call themselves "Christians" using poor language then they will say, 'Huh I guess that Christians are all hypocrites.' We have to be good examples. If we aren't, then nobody will take God seriously.

I think that we should set out on the quest to look for those in need of God or those who are struggling with something in their lives. We should look for them and set out to help them. We need to really care about helping them and the only way to do it is by praying and asking God for help. We can't do anything by ourselves. We don't know their exact situation, or what they are going through. However, if we pray and we ask God for wisdom and discernment on their problem, then He will help us to help them. Maybe they need a helping hand in a problem. Maybe a tutor in a class. What if they just need someone to talk to? Someone that won't judge them. This is what God calls us to do. We need to honor what He asks us, and do it. He doesn't want unholy things to exit our mouths. One word can destroy someone's self esteem. One word can bring it back. It's up to you which word you'll use.

Love God's people enough to stop and help.

Until next time,

Symphonies of Peace

So I've been listening to a whole lot of classical music lately. Well I've always listened to classical, but for some reason I have been only listening to it. I think we all need some Johann Sebastian Bach in our lives. Or maybe a symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven or Shura Cherkassky. Their music is moving. I am sitting in my bedroom listening to a piece played on the cello by Yo-Yo Ma right now and I have a difficult time describing the feeling that seems to come with it. I just seem to close my eyes and the world slips away leaving me with the strings. 

Music strikes certain emotions from people in different ways. For instance, my mom will get all teary when she listens to Luciano Pavarotti sing. I think it's a bit funny, but I can't say that Pavarotti and Andre Bocelli are not phenomenal. They both have two different sound, but they both have extremely controlled and powerful voices. Listen to Nessun Dorma and Con Te Partiro. Or better yet get on youtube and watch them sing these pieces. It's amazing to watch them. Its a gift. I'm not sure how they are able to sing like they do. Watch these musicians. It's an art. For a while I was on a phase of Philip Glass. He's a fantastic pianist. Before that was Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amedeus Mozart. (Why don't we have names like that anymore?) These people are no doubt geniuses. Look at how beautifully Ludwig van Beethoven plays and he is deaf. 

It's from God. There is no other way. Music has been something that has brought people together all around the world for centuries. Talent given by God has inspired men and women to create symphonies and etudes that have brought people peace all over the world. God has allowed these people to create this so that it brings people peacefully together. Classical music comes from all around the world. Just from the people I've named in this blog we have 6 countries. Beethoven and Bach are from Germany. Cherkassky is Ukrainian. Mozart is form what is now Austria. Yo-Yo Ma was born in France to Chinese parents. Philip Glass is American. Pavarotti and Bocelli were both born in Italy. All over the world people come together to play music. Hmm. I was just thinking.

Until next time,

Just Thinking and Praying

I got a new book today. It is called "First Things First". It was written by Scotty Gibbons who is a good friend to me and my family, and he's one of God's natural leaders. I admire Scotty so much and want to be able to hang out and spend more time with him. He always gives great encouragement and I can tell that the love sent from God pours out of him to everyone that comes across him. He is one of my biggest heros and he wrote this new book. I read the introduction and the first chapter today. It was all about prayer and how and why you should pray to God. I have always known that prayer was important and have always prayed to God constantly, however this chapter really got me to think about those who don't know Jesus and don't know all that can come through knowing Him and praying to Him. I think about all that they could be missing out on. I wish that there was some way that I could reach out to these people and say, "Hey! Do you know what you're missing?". I want to be able to help people that haven't found God. I've spoken to my dad and a few others about mission trips to countries around the world and what all is involved. My dad and mom were both missionaries to Ireland and they have been able to tell me stories. I want to do all I can to serve God. Whether it be by going to a country nobody has heard of and ministering to the people, or by getting involved in more things in town. I know that the only way for me to do what God is calling me to do in this life is by listening to Him now. I must do what He says now. He will never lead me astray. I know that He is always going to guide me even in the darkest of places. I know that I don't have to fear of anything because I have someone on my side that scares Satan himself. I have peace in knowing that I can go and do God's will. 

There may be hard times. In fact, I'm sure there will be. My dad told me that there have to be difficult times in your life for you to be able to grow and become stronger in Christ. I'm ready to face those challenges and live completely for God. So until He tells me what I must do and what my mission is I have to pray. Keep praying to Him and asking Him for wisdom and insight. Pray for gifts of the spirit that will arm you and make you ready for those challenges. I pray for God to help me distinguish spirits. I feel this is important because Satan will send his demons on you like dogs. He will do everything he can to stop you from doing the tasks that God has set. I pray for this gift so I can fight them. I believe God has given it to me because He is training me now to fight for Him. You can pray for anything. God tells us in Matthew 7 to ask him for the things we need. Only when we ask can we receive them. I promise you that God won't send you out in the heat of battle empty handed and untrained. He will equip you with the weapons of the spirit. He had gifts in mind for you because He knows what your task is going to be. We don't have to fear anything with Him on our side. Satan is a flea compared to God's greatness. What could possible make us even uneasy about the end of time. 

God will win. It's just that simple. 

So I've only gotten through the first chapter. It just got me thinking and praying. If you don't have this book, find it. If you can't, then just make sure you spend time every day praying and reading God's word. He'll prepare you. He's probably already started. 

Until next time, 

The Fool on the Hill

I was in my car on the way home from work today, and I was listening to a Beatles album. (I'm a big fan of The Beatles) and I was listening to all the great songs like "Eleanor Rigby", "Come Together", "Glass Onion", and of course "Octopus's Garden". When on came a song that I've always like, but never really paid much attention to the lyrics. You may have heard it. If not, definitely listen to it because it's great. It's a song called "The Fool on the Hill". This song is talking about a man that is very arrogant and foolish and he is sitting on a a hill (probably figuratively seeing as it's a song) but he is all alone. And this song talks about this man seeing the sun going down and the earth going around because he he has no one to share his life with. He doesn't have anyone to talk to because he seemed to have driven them all away. He also won't listen to them. 

I want to make sure that I don't ever become a man that everyone leaves behind. I want to be a man that people don't see as just a foolish, stubborn man. I urge you all reading (if anyone is reading) that you don't act like this man. Don't act like a fool. Don't be arrogant. Live well with others and listen to the advise they may have for you. You never know, God could have spoken to them, and told them to talk with you. 

This song could have meant something totally different to you or The Beatles when they wrote it, but I interpreted it like this and thought I would share it.

Until next time,

Trusting God pays off

I am sitting in my living room typing this new blog on my brand new MacBook. I'm so excited that it came. It' funny to think that now all that patience paid off big time. It was horrible in the moment, but we need to remember it will be worth it in the end. I think that's how God would like us to think. He wants us to be patient for things and to use self control. Whatever we're waiting for will come in His time. Weather it be someone waiting for a bus or waiting for a new job opportunity to come up, everything happens in God's time. I was definitely having a rough time these past 2 months with not being patient. Now that I think about it, when I'm not patient it's kind of like I'm not trusting God. Since everything happens when He made it to happen, we should all have comfort in the knowledge that a little waiting will pay off. Me typing to you now on my computer is a small proof of that.

Don't worry. Whatever your waiting for is coming. You don't need to worry about a thing when you can trust God and let it fall in His hands.

Until next time,  

Patience and MacBooks

I bought a new MacBook on Thursday and Apple said that it would get to my house on Tuesday. It's Monday now and I'm sitting in my living room typing on my old HP notebook waiting for tomorrow. I have been blessed with the opportunity to be able to save up enough money to buy my Mac, yet I'm still finding myself to be overly inpatient. Now that I really think about it, I tend to be inpatient about a lot of things. I know that I'll be getting my new computer tomorrow, but it still doesn't seem to come fast enough. My mind doesn't think about how things have happened so that I have been able to buy it a month earlier than planned. Now I tend to only focus on the fact that it's coming and it's not here yet.

I've noticed that people really tend to get that way about everything. I see people at my job that get so mad when I tell them that they are going to have to wait an extra 5 minutes before thay can get a table. (I work in a restaurant.) People will start to yell at me and it's all because they have this drive to get everything right away. Strangely, this is partially why I bought my Mac. I want a computer that will speed up everything. (And for the money I'm paying it better be fast.) But I think that my inpatience should be worked on. I'm not sure how but I'll keep trying...In the mean time I'll be enjoying my amazing, fast Mac.

Until next time,