Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but stores up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:19-20)

What are the treasures then that we are storing up in heaven?

I wonder how many people have ever really taken time to think about that, to ask the question. I wonder if Scripture even gives us a clear answer to what the treasures we are storing actually are.

What if the treasures that we store up in heaven are our friends and family. What if the treasure is seeing the people we love make it to heaven. How would that effect our lives and actions?

I have no desire to be here (at Bethel). I have no desire to finish my degree. But it's not just a lack of desire, I desire to be somewhere else. I desire to be doing something besides what I'm doing right now.

What's to be said for a change of heart? If I stay at Bethel I what do I gain? If I leave, what do I lose? On the other hand... What do I gain by leaving? What do I lose by staying?

Here we go again.

What is gained if my ministry stays in the church? What is lost? Doing youth ministry doesn't necessarily mean that I have to do ministry in the walls of a building... but I wonder how much more effective ministry would be if I just did life with people... The way Halter and Smay describe it in The Tangible Kingdom.


No programs. No agenda. Just life.
I want that.
What purposelessness overtakes my present plan. Why?
I want to live spontaneously. I want to live the daring adventure of being totally sold out for Christ. I want to be radical, off the wall, fully committed to the God I love.
I don't want to have a back up plan...
You know what breaks my heart? We... as Christians, or American Christians... or I don't even know... don't have it in us to live radically.
Is it a faith issue?
Why are we so addicted to security?
I'm not seeking that we should be irresponsible, only that we should live in radical dependence on God, and we don't.
If Scripture says: "Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Matthew 6:26)
Then: Why do we have savings accounts? Why do we have emergency funds? Why do we have life insurance? Why do we save up for retirement?
If Scripture says: "Very truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12)
Then: Why is it that we don't even try to heal the sick or to cast out demons or move mountains? Jesus goes on to say, right after this very passage: "I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it." (John 14:13-14)
If Scripture says: "Jesus answered him, 'You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above...'" (John 19:11) Then:
Why are we so flippin' worried and horrified that Obama is going to be our next president? Even if another Hitler should rise up, what is that to us? If we know Christ then we know what we ought to do. We need to pray for our leaders. We need to pray for our country. We need to share the love of Christ with the world.
You know... Sometimes God doesn't seem real to me. Sometimes, at best, he seems absent and univolved. But I think that's because I live as though I don't need him. He is the genie who might grant my wish if I pray long enough, hard enough, and do the right stuff.
I'm so tired of that kind of living. I want to really, truly live like I need God in my life, because I do, and I wish there were other people who would do the same. I wish there were other people around me who would committ to living radically.
I don't think many people realize that their faith does effect others around them. I don't know if this blogpost is really going anywhere right now. I just know that something has got to change.

Greivancees of a chapel attendance taker:

1. If one of the double doors is locked, try the other one before you knock.
2. If the other door won't open, don't pull, try turning the handle. That's how doors open.
3. You should have your card out and ready to go before you get to me. Don't hold up the line because you're looking for your card.
4. If you don't have your card, tell me you don't have your card and THEN say your number. Don't just walk up to me and start spouting your number.
5. If you do walk up to me and start spouting your number, don't get mad when I ask you to repeat it.
6. Don't move your card or think that you know how to make it scan. You don't, I do, end of story, let me do my thing.
7. If your card takes a long time to scan, it's probably your fault for doing grievance number 6, so don't get mad at me.
8. Once you scan your card, go all the way into the chapel and find a seat. Don't stand in the doorway
9. We're not supid, we do suspect when you are pulling a Chapel skip scam, and we will tell our boss. Have a little integrity.
10. Use common sense. It's not that hard to figure these things out.

I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

Chorus

I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth



This is my hearts song this week.
Everyword rings true. It's hard to watch someone you love and care about die. It's hard to watch those around you hurt. It's even harder when the person is 20 years old. Everything within you screams "This is not right!" And it's not.

5 am this morning, they took Erica off of life support.

Well, I talked to my grandma, Dale, Rita and Doreen about my cousin Erica and found out what happened and how things are going now.

My cousin Erica had a seizure while giving her daughter a bath last night, and Doreen heard the baby screaming and went into the bathroom to find Erica between the tub and the toilet. She had a seizure, vomitted all over herself, wasn't breathing and had started turning purple. Dale checked for a pulse and there was a faint one. They called 911 and an ambulance came but no one was allowed to go in the ambulance with her. When they got to the hospital they found that Erica had 'died' in the ambulance and was 'dead' for 10 minutes before they hooked her up to life support. They believe she's suffered extensive brain damage.

Since last night they've transferred her to Porter Memorial Hospital, but there has been no change since last night and they don't believe she is going to make it and are preparing themselves for a funeral.

I fear she may already gone and life support is just keeping the body functioning. I hope I'm wrong.

But, I have peace, and I hope and pray that God gives peace to Doreen and the rest of the family.

Since they're at Porter now, I'm going try to go visit when my parents get back from the Aldi.

They are so cute. They sang at Bethel today, and I took this video of them singing Jesus Loves the Little Children. A few of the older ones passed out the World Help booklets while we were taking chapel attendance. Isn't it amazing how much these little children capture your heart?



















 

Movies... Niles Haunted House... Corn Mazes... Eating Out... Parties at Professors Homes... Pumpkin Patches... Board Games... Laundry for free while playing Super Mario 3... Christine spent the weekend with me and it was a blast! She and Ruthie, and I hung out and had a great time. It's just too bad that Naomi wasn't there.

I could really use some rest. I don't get a lot of that here at Bethel. Can I take a nap and trust that I will finish my paper by midnight?

A wise man once said one of the most spiritual things you can do is take a nap. That would be a nice luxary. I'm ready for the weekend again. LOL

And to stir the pot a bit.

Is true forgiveness possible without reconciliation?

Probably need to define forgiveness and reconciliation.