Posts made in March, 2010

What True Community Looks Like

Posted by Caroline on Mar 31, 2010 in Amazing Grace | 0 comments

This is a picture of the church.

“They are so spoiling me.  She fixed her famous roast for us last night. Have you ever had it? It is incredible! Every bit of it was gone by late evening and there was a lot there. Your bros can’t get enough. They brought a fun basket full of goodies today and some vegetable soup. They are even going to buy groceries. They are just begging me to give them things to do. Some people just have such a tremendous capacity to love and those two girls are at the top. I can’t describe how encouraged and the peace I felt after spending time with them. They are battling this right along beside us Caroline. I don’t know why God is so good to me, but He is.”

Oh it makes my heart glad.

What are we doing today that only Christians would do? How are we acting like the Church, a unified body that testifies to a lost world about Salvation by linking arms with one another in joy and pain, struggles and laughter?

Open the doors and see all the people.

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Seeing God in Peanut M&Ms

Posted by Caroline on Mar 29, 2010 in Amazing Grace | 1 comment

I think sin might be like jelly beans.

You keep eating them because every 5th one is so good you just downright enjoy it.  Then, of course, the next one is brussel sprouts so you vow to leave the bag alone, but the following three are blueberry cotton candy so you give the enticing colorful bag another chance.  You’re wary of the spotted ones (the “big” sins), but when you’re not paying attention, your hand snags one and you fuel an endless cycle of making resolutions and getting stomach aches.

And maybe God’s ways are like Peanut m&m’s– my absolutely favorite.

Every one is just as good as the one before; you never get tired of them; and they even have protein.

Was this merely an attempt to justify my favorite candy? Possibly. And I’m definitely okay with it.

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Lessons from the Hindus

Posted by Caroline on Mar 27, 2010 in Amazing Grace | 0 comments

In class we’ve been studying Hinduism.

By nature, the religions is pessimistic.  They don’t try to hide it, but rather they claim it boldly.

The ultimate goal in life is to escape reincarnation and therefore cease to exist.  One is alive because he has failed in some way in a former life and is stuck in the endless cycle of death and rebirth.

Is a birth celebrated? Hardly.  An infant is born into the dark world that is essentially hell.
Is death celebrated? Possibly.  One might be reaching Nirvana or they might be raised to a man or demoted to a chicken to be eaten.  You just don’t know.
Why live? in hope that you might one day not live.

Life is difficult; I get down; I worry, especially as of late.  But the message of Christ is one of hope, one one of joy, one of reassurance.

In light of the faith that the embodiment of God came to die our death and offer us Salvation to know and be with him eternally,

Is a birth celebrated? Yes! What a gift– and opportunity for a mere infant to grow to know the King of the Universe.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are!” 1 John 3:1

Is death celebrated? Yes! Though tears are shed and hearts are heavy, when a follower of Christ departs, we say with confidence that the heavens welcome a friend.

Why live? Because we live with Christ; we see our life is no longer our own.

“It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
and therefore, with joy and perseverence, endurance and faith,

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

Life is good, dear dear friends.  Oh life is good.  When I began to recognize the blessing of my very breath, the comfort that comes with knowing my God– who is on my side– holds my future, how this might change the way I live!

Lessons from the Hindus on how great my God really is.  What freedom!

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Raggedy Ann

Posted by Caroline on Mar 25, 2010 in Fitness, The Backpack | 1 comment

Today I am Raggedy Ann.  My legs are shaky and wobbly… like jelly.

Maybe I should work out a little more often.  Ouch, lower body.

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Bucket List

Posted by Caroline on Mar 24, 2010 in The Backpack | 3 comments

I’m revamping my bucket list.

Here are a few of the 25 I have:

1. Run a half-marathon-preferably the Rock ‘n Roll half in Nashville.  Right now I can run about a 1/5 of it, so it shall wait.
2. Write a book.  Now if only my school papers could magically become a book…
3. Read all of CS Lewis.  Screwtape Letters- Check.
4. Go to Seminary.  This is in the works, and I’m stoked.
5. Do a road trip up the west coast.  Any takers?

Already this semester I’ve checked off two– Visiting Washington D.C. and the Grand Canyon.

What else should I add?

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