BOOKS
I finished The Visitation. It's by Frank Peretti. It was very good. Not a quick read. Not a light read. If you've never read a Peretti book, let me fill you in a bit.
Peretti is a Christian author and he mostly writes books that are fiction. He mainly writes about the supernatural and the spiritual warfare that is constantly going on around us. This book differs from his previous (This Present Darkness; Piercing the Darkness; The Prophet; and The Oath, to name a few) books by the fact that there isn't a separation between the spiritual world and the physical world. (If you read one of his previous books and this book, you'll understand better :)
ANYWAY, this book revolves around Travis Jordan, a pastor who has run aground spiritually. He's tired of all the "stuff" that goes with the church and religion and so he throws in the towel basically. The only problem is that a self-proclaimed prophet comes trotting into town performing miracles and deceiving the entire town. Whether Jordan wants to be or not, he's drawn into the mess and while figuring out the truth, comes to some major revelations of his own life and his own relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you're looking for a light, romantic, "feel-good" book, don't read this one. If you're looking for something thought-provoking, intriguing, with a great plot and story flow, than this is the one for you! :)
I'm still reading For Better or For Best by Gary Smalley. I've read this one a couple of times before, but I can always use the reminders! (like: Don't be a nag!--ha ha) (Josh, do not comment..lol) Anyway, I'm only on chapter 4, but since I've finished my fiction book, I will have a bit more time to read my non-fiction book. I don't know why it is, but I can fly through any fiction that you give me, but non-fiction I struggle to make it through a chapter a day. This book by Smalley has some really good material, but you have really got to want to improve your relationship for any of the suggestions to work. It takes time and patience (all marriages take that anyway!), but it's good stuff, good stuff to think about and work through.
My next fictional pick is The Warning by T. Davis Bunn. I've read a few of the books he has written with Janette Oke, but never anything he's done on his own. The book was suggested to me by an aquaintance who has similar tastes in books, so I thought I'd give it a try. I think it's the first book of a series. I'll let you know :)
THOUGHTS FOR TODAY
Why does watermelon have white seeds and black seeds? Are the white seeds developing into black seeds or are they two completely separate things?
I know that's not deep, but that's my thoughts for today :) lol. It's late, I'm tired. Thanks for reading..feel free to sound off!
Wednesday, July 24, 2002
Sunday, July 21, 2002
Well, It's me again. As I sat here the other day I began thinking to myself, What is a Blog? What should I Blog about? Who is gonna read my Blog? Among several other ideas (which I may decide to do as well) I've decide to just Blog the first thing on my mind when i sit down (in this very uncomfortable chair) at the computer. Then just ramble on for a bit and see what comes out.
If anyone reading this knows me personally in real life you will know that Shawna and I are two very different people. She can type and comunicate her views and thoughts easily, I on the other hand am not so gifted. So my plan is to try and be a litte less serious about my blogging. Don't get me wrong, I share many of her views, but may not express them in my blog.
So with that said I have nothing left on my mind, cause well it's almost midnight and I'm very tired, so I'm going to bed :)
C-Ya tomorrow
Signing off,
Josh
If anyone reading this knows me personally in real life you will know that Shawna and I are two very different people. She can type and comunicate her views and thoughts easily, I on the other hand am not so gifted. So my plan is to try and be a litte less serious about my blogging. Don't get me wrong, I share many of her views, but may not express them in my blog.
So with that said I have nothing left on my mind, cause well it's almost midnight and I'm very tired, so I'm going to bed :)
C-Ya tomorrow
Signing off,
Josh
Hello!
Just so you know, my husband and I decided to join forces and so now it's "our thoughts" instead of "my thoughts"! :) Hope you enjoy!
PARTY
Well, the party was...different. I felt bad, my daughter and I were the only ones who showed up. Well unless you count the neighbor family that kind of "crashed" the party. The little girl was ecstatic that we were there and the mom was truly thankful. I'm glad we went. Though their lifestyle is really different from mine, which in turn makes it difficult to connect.
As I sat throughout the afternoon (I decided not to swim regardless of what everyone else was doing--go me! :)), I kept asking God what I was doing here. This was definitely not the type of influence I wanted on my daughter. But what was the alternative? To subject my daughter to the influence of me saying these people are not "like us" and so we shouldn't go out of our way to hang out with them? Hmm tough call. Some would say that we have to protect our children and keep them away from those elements that might endanger them or tempt them into another lifestyle contrary to God's word. But as I look at my daughter's innocent face who found no fault in the way these people lived, kept their house, and talked, I realized that she has been given the gift to look at them as people. Just people she would like the chance to know better. And I felt ashamed. Because what good am I to my daughter if I constantly shield her from all the possible "negative" influences? The negative influences are ALWAYS going to be there to face. I need to be teaching her how to handle the negative influences, the differences and to learn to find ways to bridge those gaps and make connections to those who are different from us. All in the effort to love them as Jesus would so that hopefully one day they will come to know Jesus the way we do.
That's what it's about. It's about loving people the way Christ did so they can know Him too. And what better way to help my daughter learn than to come alongside her in the friendship she has began with this little girl and be there beside her as she is in the midst of the "negatives" so I can help her to stand for what she believes without being judgmental and without compromising?
As we were leaving the party, my daughter blurts out "When can we come back and swim again?" to which I smiled and said, "Whenever they ask us to." And the mom looks at me and says, "Maybe I'll give you a call next week?". And I say, "That would be great." And I mean it.
I'm one step closer to my goal. I recognized the opportunity God gave me and I do hope that the mom gives me a call and I have to find the courage to embrace this opportunity. I'm glad God's ways are different from mine. I'm thankful that He is constantly pushing me and challenging me and creating a desire within me to learn about His ways and His desires. The changes are difficult and slow and often times met with a bit of grumbling. But I'm always pleasantly surprised at how it all turns out. Thanks God for loving me enough not to be satisfied with where I'm at but to want me to press on. (See Hebrews chapter 12 for more on "pressing on" and receiving God's discipline)
See ya tomorrow!
Just so you know, my husband and I decided to join forces and so now it's "our thoughts" instead of "my thoughts"! :) Hope you enjoy!
PARTY
Well, the party was...different. I felt bad, my daughter and I were the only ones who showed up. Well unless you count the neighbor family that kind of "crashed" the party. The little girl was ecstatic that we were there and the mom was truly thankful. I'm glad we went. Though their lifestyle is really different from mine, which in turn makes it difficult to connect.
As I sat throughout the afternoon (I decided not to swim regardless of what everyone else was doing--go me! :)), I kept asking God what I was doing here. This was definitely not the type of influence I wanted on my daughter. But what was the alternative? To subject my daughter to the influence of me saying these people are not "like us" and so we shouldn't go out of our way to hang out with them? Hmm tough call. Some would say that we have to protect our children and keep them away from those elements that might endanger them or tempt them into another lifestyle contrary to God's word. But as I look at my daughter's innocent face who found no fault in the way these people lived, kept their house, and talked, I realized that she has been given the gift to look at them as people. Just people she would like the chance to know better. And I felt ashamed. Because what good am I to my daughter if I constantly shield her from all the possible "negative" influences? The negative influences are ALWAYS going to be there to face. I need to be teaching her how to handle the negative influences, the differences and to learn to find ways to bridge those gaps and make connections to those who are different from us. All in the effort to love them as Jesus would so that hopefully one day they will come to know Jesus the way we do.
That's what it's about. It's about loving people the way Christ did so they can know Him too. And what better way to help my daughter learn than to come alongside her in the friendship she has began with this little girl and be there beside her as she is in the midst of the "negatives" so I can help her to stand for what she believes without being judgmental and without compromising?
As we were leaving the party, my daughter blurts out "When can we come back and swim again?" to which I smiled and said, "Whenever they ask us to." And the mom looks at me and says, "Maybe I'll give you a call next week?". And I say, "That would be great." And I mean it.
I'm one step closer to my goal. I recognized the opportunity God gave me and I do hope that the mom gives me a call and I have to find the courage to embrace this opportunity. I'm glad God's ways are different from mine. I'm thankful that He is constantly pushing me and challenging me and creating a desire within me to learn about His ways and His desires. The changes are difficult and slow and often times met with a bit of grumbling. But I'm always pleasantly surprised at how it all turns out. Thanks God for loving me enough not to be satisfied with where I'm at but to want me to press on. (See Hebrews chapter 12 for more on "pressing on" and receiving God's discipline)
See ya tomorrow!
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