Ready to say ADIOS to 2013

 

Mulling over what one word I would use to best describe 2013...all I could come up with was

 

"BRUTAL"

 

I know, not very "cheery" or hopeful, right? It's the truth though. And if I think longer, I can come up with a second descriptive word

 

"COMFORTED"

 

Yes...those fit perfectly the more I think about it. Brutal because the world was so harsh in so many ways, and it just didn't stop...it kept piling on, and it didn't let up. Here' what I would put in pile of "BRUTAL":

• Massive, Draconian job cuts at work. Many seemingly without rhyme or reason. Hurts that run deep for those of us who had to make cuts (that we didn't agree with) and for those whose positions were cut: such disappointment and hurt. It still physically hurts to remember it.
• Deep disappointment in leadership, or lack of, and not believing in or supporting much of the decisions that were being made.
• Feeling extremely let down by those above and around me at work.
• Watching a few people around me make massively hurtful decisions that cost them ...A LOT...myself included.
• Standing by and seeing my family hurting and knowing that I couldn't do much except pray and support as best as I could figure out (yep, prayer was pretty much IT...and I found out IT was more than enough)
• Experiencing personal pain, both mental and physical the like of which brought me to my knees (literally) at times.
• Watching family and friends experiencing horrifically difficult deaths of loved ones, and no one was exempt: young children (LOVE YOU BRAVE BEE!), fathers, friends, cousins, co-workers. Death was so final and encompassing this year.
• Personally struggling with crushing FEAR....like I've never experienced before.

HURT? FEARFUL? ...oh yes, BRUTAL...

 

Looking back, I know the Heavenly Father's hand was on me, arms around me, comforting me in significant ways, through special people (in no particular order :-)

• My Bible Study gals, who prayed, texted, prayed, texted over/for/with me...over and over and over again
• My "bestie" Stacy...who let me cry, ate breakfast with me, and challenged me to love Jesus and pursue holiness NO. MATTER. WHAT.
• My family, who just let me be me and not try to "make it better" with easy/simple/surface type platitudes. REALNESS!
• Jennifer Ruttan's chair and cover on many a Friday nite...a trusted place to "let it out"; "let it go" and "move on"...
• SWEET Jesus time...a new and appreciated longing for Heaven, the home prepared for me that is REAL, is in my future, and will NOT DISAPPOINT!
• The best banquet team I've ever been on. Just Jesus and lots of awesome gals. Easy...sweet...restful...restoring...a bunch of Ragamuffins  in desperate need of Healing and Community with the only ONE who can do it.

So, would I want to relive 2013. NOT A CHANCE! Am I grateful to look back and see God comforting me through His Word, His Spirit and His people? OH YES!  So on to 2014...LORD Come Quickly!

 

 

 







2013 Videos: Wheaton College Football 2013

2013 Videos: Wheaton College Football 2013: Wheaton College Football 2013 from G.O. Ministries on Vimeo .

Sometimes I really do think dogs are smarter than people!

crazy talk and what get's a response

SO...just a few years ago the Dixie Chicks talk about being embarrassed of the current President and all you know what broke out...radio stations refused to play their music; there were CD smashing parties and they got death threats...quite the OUTRAGE...

Ted Nugent rants and raves and about the President, the Supreme Court Judges and the President's Cabinet  and what's the response thus far....hmmm...nothing comparatively. 

SO...a pundit says something not all that respectful about Ann Romney and there's outrage; and Mrs. Romney calls the episode a "birthday gift"....it's in the news for DAYS!!!

Ted Nugent uses sexual innuendos and talks violence and....hmmm not a whole lot of outrage from his affiliated party. 

Wow...'knew it was going to get ugly, but the reality of it is really depressing...I wish we could be more like France in our elections, wouldn't that be refreshing!!!

maybe's and what if's

....maybe instead of trying to fight with the world about right/wrong, Christians should work on personal holiness.  When our teachers and students at Christian schools abuse and kill each other; the divorce rate for self proclaimed Christ followers is the same as "non-believers"; and the # of teens who have premarital sex is not significantly different, etc., etc. we really are not being a light and "shining city on a hill".  I guess it's easier to put forth what others SHOULD be doing, than to pursue righteousness for ourselves.

...what if Christians stopped reacting to every news story (whether fact or fiction) and actually prayed over a situation before responding?  How that simple action might influence and change those around us to pursue God because they are so incredibly intrigued?

...maybe if believers quit fighting with each other, the world would listen to us when we proclaim God's desire for us "to live at peace with all men"...

...what if Christians provided homes and loving, supporting environments for unwed, pregnant women vs. rallying against and bombing abortion clinics? What might our fellow citizens think about the right to, and respect of, life?

....maybe if Christians really did help each other when financially in need (or needing housing, food,  etc.), they wouldn't have to rail against "social programs" like food stamps, etc. In other words, practising what the new testament church did in sharing all of their resources with those in most need and holding each other accountable?

....what if's....maybe's...so it starts with one, and then another, and then another...the multiplication process set forth by none of then Jesus Himself! AND then....instead of me hoping and wanting others in the Body of Christ to do this, just committing myself to live my life in such a way...no matter what...
..what if?

Getting Dumber: Our new strategy?

So now, the latest political leader is arguing against college attendance and developing intellectual capacity and critical thinking skills. It's as if the current argument should be the following:
"If we just stop developing the thinking skills and ability to discern and decide, maybe our citizens won't make so many BAD decisions." If only this were true! Knowing Too much or Too little doesn't change the quality of our decisions, it's WHAT we do with the level of knowledge we have...how we integrate our knowledge into the questions/problems at hand that makes the difference. 

Being less educated and less knowledgeable is our strategy for the future? Yikes, CHINA has to be laughing at us at this point! And lastly, it won't make us more Christian to more stupid...it's just not a spiritual principle that will work from what I can tell...

Safety in stupidity? I don't think so!

Fishbowl: sans gummy sharks

Sometimes the sistas just gotta fishbowl!