you are home

What is loss? A commitment relinquished, a story that's been told, a moment when you realize you won't see someone ever again...
Life has little meaning on it's own, its the relationships you build and the love that is shared that make all of this evil sin filled world meaningful.

"For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." 1 Thess. 5:9-11. 

On days such as today, we reflect on lives lost. Men and women who have carried on past this world in search of paradise through Christ. I pray for the families of the lives that were taken on 9/11 and any other time, because when is death ever greeted, much less expected.
But we should find strength in those that leave us to be with God because they have reached a place much more incredible than this place we try to call home. 2 Corinthians says: "So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord."
So you see, Earth is not our home. We long for our Lord as the Sun longs for the breaking of a new day. So don't be discouraged by the death that looms around us, take heart! Our Lord is a mighty defender and a strong deliverer. He is our strength when we are weak, our All in All.

I personally want to say that I am sad for the losses that have incurred on this day, but I rejoice in the fact that the Lord's children are on their way home. I'll miss you Mamaw.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

in His eyes

"Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil." Proverbs 3:7. 
In many ways, evil can be present in your life. Sometimes it is found in things you would expect. Don't drink that, don't smoke that, no looking over there, shouldn't be hanging out with that person etc etc. But sometimes evil can be found in much more persistent and scary places such as your own mind. Sin is defined by some people as the the absence of God: this can definitely be applied here. 

8:30 Wake up, Shower. 
9:00 Frantic breakfast, scurry to work.
12:00 Lunch, alone.
3:30 Find coworkers to ease the pain of boredom at office.
5:30 Head home tired, ready for dinner.
7:00 Settle for box dinner, sit at television.
10:30 Wake up and head to bed in preparation to start another day the same.

What is wrong with this picture? At what point did this person break from the tedium of this world and find his comfort, his joy, his security from the one person willing and able to love us unconditionally with no restraint? 
"But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption." 1 Corinthians 1:30. 
We are so much more than ourselves when we give our lives to Christ, we are more than conquerers and burning with the passion of a never-ending God. We need God daily to replenish our reserves, to flush out the sin and poison that this world fills us with constantly. Without Him, we crumble and fade. 

When you wake up you will most likely make the decision to brush your teeth, but if you don't then missing a day isn't a huge deal. Miss another day and you'd be fine. Miss a week, then two? Most likely you will be receiving a firm slap on your wrist from your dentist and another appointment because now you have cavities or worse. Keep up this habit and before you know it you are gumming soft foods and chugging nutritious milkshakes because your teeth are gone now. 
Basically, not giving God some time out of your day will make your teeth fall out...Okay that's not true, but without Him you will surely crumble and fall. His wisdom is greater than anything we could hope to accomplish on our own. 
So next time you don't brush your teeth, just remember how God would feel about that.

Wax on, wax off

Wax on, wax off. Wax on, wax off. The drone of every day life can sometimes muddle our true purposes. Daniel Larusso can't seem to grasp his mentor's (Mister Miagi) odd approach to training him in the highly skilled form of martial arts. He participates in activities such as cleaning his car, doing the dishes and sweeping the floors. It is a point of irritation for our protagonist, but by the karate tournament something magical happens. All of the menial tasks that he thought served no purpose actually were training him for the large goal at the end: to win the tournament. (I'm sorry if you've never seen this movie but he wins the tournament and gets the girl, classic)

There seemed to be a time when I could think with confidence that I understand this world, that the things I see all work together for my own personal good...In other words, I was naive. God sees and knows every facet of our lives. There are tasks we complete drudgingly every day that seem to have no purpose or meaning...Why would balancing my checkbook further God's glory? What does good grades have to do with His eternal love for us?
What most people can't see is that EVERYTHING we do affects His kingdom and His glory. My friend has a sign right under her front door that says, "Your are now entering the mission field" and this should ring true with everyone. All the people we see are influenced by us in some unforeseen way.

He has mighty plans for us, "Plans to prosper and not destroy, plans to give us a hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11. With that in mind we should be living on easy street right?
Well, no. This is a cruel world full of fallible people. Life is hard and living out your faith is even harder. But we can take courage in this: "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith,"John 5:4. 

But we are all born from God not of Him...until something awesome happens. We die to ourselves and become more than we could ever be alone. "You however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you,"Romans 8:9.

Anyways, I don't know where I was really going with this but there are two points you should take from this post:

1.God works in mysterious ways but we should learn to trust His path for our lives (even if it should seem meaningless at times) and carry ourselves as if we are accomplishing the greatest task in the world.(Because we are, people!)

2.We are not enough to fulfill God's plans here on Earth. Without the Holy Spirit we would surely fail (I fail every day as it is). So take heart how incredible you are (or could be) with the unlimited potential of God's love and power sitting right inside of you every day waiting to fulfill what God has in store for us.

I'll stop there because this was a jumble of different idea trains, but I will leave you with this.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, Ephesians 3:20

for the love of water

Ah the beach. A list about things I love at the beach:
1. the relaxation that comes as a standard when you are there. Its not a vicious theme park where if you arent riding at least three coasters an hour there is a good chance your head will explode.
2. Not having to wear a shirt anywhere. Seriously, back home you cant even walk into Kroger without a shirt on and not get dirty looks...much less church. "No shirt, no shoes, no thank you" is what I always say.
3. Beach Volleyball. It doesnt get much better than this boys. What better way is there to meet new people in a non creepy way and have fun and get a workout AND build instant camaraderie.
4. the ocean, I know thats a big DUH but its just crazy fun to play in and let the waves overtake you. There's a real beauty to how grand and vast our ocean really is. Most people can't fully understand how little of it we've actually seen even with all the crazy technology we have. I'll put it this way, we have Mars more mapped out than the ocean. In fact, humans have only explored around 5 percent of the ocean! Its the last frontier on this planet....So what makes it so hard to explore and discover more of?
It's very inhospitable to us, first off. I can barely swim to the bottom of the deep end without my ears punching my head, screaming to swim back up.
35,853 feet....6.8 miles down, try swimming that!
Where am I going with all of this? That's a great question and I'm gonna figure it out as I type this.

God's love is somewhat like the ocean...At times it can seem overwhelming and it can almost be scary how much he loves us, but we know this--Just like the ocean, his love won't be going anywhere. His presence is constant in our lives and we can't do anything to get away. Sometimes you may feel far from that love but those are the times you have to take another trip to the beach and step back into His great love for us. "'Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,' says the Lord, who has compassion on you," Isaiah 54:10. 
It is unshaken and unfailing. Global warming or not, the ocean is always going to be there. Rise and fall as the tides sweep in, the current remains. God's love may be felt more at some times than others but we have to step back and evaluate where we are in our relationship with God. Are we trying to reach Him or are we waiting for our heavenly welfare check or weekly church visit to tide us over, through all of our difficult situations.
I'll let you in on a little secret: we can't do it alone. "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him," Genesis 1:27. To say we can do without that which we were created from is like saying a watch can work without its batteries. A garden cannot work without its gardener and sheep cannot survive without their shepherd. He is our shepherd and all we do has been molded from His image. That encourages me because He is perfect and I want to know what that means. I am far from it and getting anywhere near that just gets me Excited! Anyways, this has started to get ranty so I'll nip this thing in the bud.

God=Ocean=Unfailing, Unchanging
He loves us and that's incredible.

One Day More

Watching the glorious and extravagant Les Miserables the show choir nerd and broadway enthusiast comes right out. With an outstanding cast from top to bottom (except maybe Russell Crowe(sorry bro, just a tad too much nasal for my palette) the scenes captivated audiences from beginning to end. A story of redemption and revolution weaves in many stories and lives one of which is Jean Valjean.This is him singing his glorious anthem right before the revolution begins at the end of Act I.


One day more!
Another day, another destiny.
This never-ending road to Calvary;
These men who seem to know my crime
Will surely come a second time.
One day more!

He beautifully captures here 2 things:
1. That the mistakes and failures we make today mean little to nothing on our long road to "Calvary" which for us as Christians is better called "Salvation". Many times people choose to look at salvation as a thing that is in one instance gained and for some people can in another be lost. I disagree. I best heard it described as a process. We strive and we battle daily towards building up our salvation and when we do not work on it, it is slowly torn apart. Therefore, we do not simply gain or lose our salvation which is a total relief because we are sinful. 
Our hearts and minds are plagued with sing and just grossness which keeps us from fully seeing God until after death on judgement day. But having Christ live in us makes us see the world differently and hopefully they will see us differently so we can be divided. "All men will hate you because of Me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." Matthew 10:22

This brings me to point 2. The men who seem to know my crime(That's the world). They will SURELY come a second time.
Oh yes they will, our world is full of sin and loves nothing more than to bring others down into sin with them.
"If I'm going to sin then I'll surely make sure everyone else is too"-Earth.
People will judge you and make sure you feel regret and shame for the crimes you have committed, even if it was to steal a loaf of bread for your starving family.
But God sees our sin and shame and has forgiven us....from everything! Alcohol, drugs, porn, loving money, cheating, lying, gossiping, even when you were speeding on the way to school because that 8am class waits for no one.
One day more. That is how we should take our salvation.
We make mistakes, OKAY so does everyone else...but we are different. Ask God for forgiveness and He will cleanse you of your sins like they never occurred. No need for shame guilt or fear. Just one day more is one day closer to eternal life through Christ Jesus. Another day, another destiny. We are forgiven, we are redeemed as Big Daddy Weave likes to put it.

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and My burden is light."

PS Just for good measure, here's the Les Mis song :) 

The birthday conundrum

SUPRISE!!!! Dude happy birthday! Hey man, happy birthday. Bro, ajaoesihgajeng;liajekjfbar;ljafgw.

The overwhelming anxiety involved in a birthday is sometimes a little too much. The obligation to respond to people you haven't talked to since about this time last year combined with the FB notifications (do you comment, like them, completely ignore them) can leave a person on a strange balance of flattered and exhausted. Where have all these people come from that magically now know my birthday or that I exist as a person...why would they choose to care on this one day when really the meaning of their supposed caring is caught under the formality of my mother giving birth X number of years ago?

Oftentimes, caring can seem dull or not meant with sincerity especially when it comes at a time that is ill chosen or unforeseen.

Choosing to care for someone is a struggle, it requires constant attention and you have to remain consistent in order to get your point across clearly. Sounds a lot like love, eh? Well that's a separate matter to be discussed on another day. We aren't talking about boyfriend/girlfriend path to marriage stuf here. It's simple, the best way to show you care is to be there. And nobody is there for us more than God. From creation, He has held us in the palm of His hands and nurtured us and done nothing but love us. "The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged" Deuteronomy 31:8 
Scratch that, God has looked after us and cared for us since before creation! His caring (and yes, love) is unprecedented and cannot be fathomed. That also fits onto my line of overwhelming and comforting. In addition to comforting and caring for us, He created us in such a way that we can do good works and be caring for other people. "He, who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it even unto to the day of Christ Jesus" Philippians 1:6. 
That's my goal: Christ Jesus, and we are provided a way to that. As we carry about our day and week, let's remember to care for others in a way that will bring them a joy unspeakable.

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain”. I Corinthians 15:58

The joy in faliure

Yeah, you read the title right.
Two outs, bottom of the ninth inning and of course I'm the one that is up to bat (the whole time I'm sitting in the dugout hoping another person on my team will just strike out and save me the embarrassment) I'm not a good hitter, or at least my bat has developed a special chemical makeup to repel baseballs when pitched at speeds of more than 15 mph or anytime during a game. Walking up to the plate is a lot like swimming underwater, you cant breathe and everything sounds muffled. Step into the batters box, no doubt a look of sheer terror plastered on my face for the pitcher to see. "We've already won this game/look at that dweeber on the plate/ I wonder if mom has any bagel bites left at the house," the pitcher thinks many things, none of which are concern for losing or me succeeding in any possible way. The smug pre-teen with  the ball winds up-- slow mo starts.
The perfect pitch barrels down the pipe and my eyes see nothing but glory. My bat starts a swing and I flex more muscles than I probably have to hit this ball, everything in my life has come down to this one moment..."Hit it! Hit it!" they say, "We need this to win the game!" they remind me at literally the least opportune time....
I missed. The ball pounds the back of the catcher's glove as more fear settles into the back of my mind. "What if we lose? This was all because of me. I'm such a loser." the thoughts run over and over in my head until the last pitch is thrown. I of course miss again and the game is over.

We lose.
But its more than just a "we", this loss was all on me. Everything leading up to my batting meant nothing and I single handedly destroyed this game. I am crushed and start to do what any other respectable boy in my position would--cry. Yeah yeah, it's funny when I think about it now but then, the weight of the whole team and my parents/friends/anyoneelsewhocame was on my back....I crumpled slowly together as a wad of paper ready to be thrown away.

"But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in your weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9
Where was this when I was ready to implode from the weight of the world? Who cares if I lose a city league baseball game, it wasn't even the playoffs. Without failures, we would never see or have the successes. Without disappointment, there could be no joy! Its hard to see these things as a child but growing up has taught me more and more to trust in what the Lord has promised us (peace, eternal life, grace to name a few) and to forget the constant worry the world wants to burden us with.
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalms 73:26
Be joyful and be content with failure because whether we like it or not, they will happen. I can't say I was happy about losing those games but it has helped me to see that every little thing doesn't have to consume you with worry and fear and grief. If we can learn to take each day a step at a time and pray to God for an all consuming peace then rec baseball will never be the same.

--Peace be with ya.

waiting for patience

Wake up. It's dark outside, first problem right there. Get dressed take shower, other things you can do robotically by now. We make it to the lake and it hasn't hit 7 yet. The water begins to lighten as the sun peeks it head out from under its Earthly covers (I bet he doesn't get cold at night). We step into our boat and check the supplies: old rods, check, dirty worms, check, hopeful and excited attitudes, oh yeah!

The boat casts off for a morning of fishing and all around adventure, all the while my 8 year old body is brimming with unreal expectations and energy. The waiting game begins.

Cast. Reel. Reel. Reel. Repeat.

...30 minutes in, a bite! REEL REEL REEL REEL. "Taylor you cant reel the line that fast, the hook slips his lip." My dad says in infinite knowledge, opportunity wasted. With the grand total of 2 bites for the day and a small fish I couldn't tell you the name of I can say three things confidently.

1. I am not a fisherman nor will I ever willingly go back to play that dreadful waiting game.

2. No one should be allowed to get up before the sun does, that's just common courtesy. 

3. God has way more patience than me.

I get nothing but a nibble for one day and I want to throw in the towel, there is no part of me that will willingly test my patience in fishing again, but God can somehow watch as the beauty of the world He created Himself fall into sin and slowly perish. Why? How?

From the point of conception, Man has turned from God and sinned in an all but constant fashion. But God is a God OF patience, not a God who merely has patience. How else could He see us fail Him on a daily basis yet show us the unconditional love we never deserve. "But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness," Psalm 86:15. He sees the fish I search for and frustrate over, he sees my sin my struggles, all of the empty things I grow angry over and what does He do. HE loves us. 

What's so beautiful about the situation is that for Him it isn't even a choice. He created us out of love therefore as long as we exist He will do nothing but love us, DESPITE the mistakes we have made, are making, and will continue to make as we live in this world.

"Since God chose you to be the holy peoples He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others." Colossians 3:12-13.

If only the last line was true, where would we be today? Something to think about.