What really matters...

It has definitely been interesting living in Ohio during this election season.  And by interesting, I mean frustrating, annoying, and all sorts of other not so happy things.  But tomorrow is election day.  I have come close to the point where I really am just excited for it to be over so that all the political ads will end.  But the damage that was done during the campaign is really not so easy to fix.  So here are a few things I believe are important for tomorrow and beyond. 1.  Whoever wins, God is still sovereign.  I have done my research and I know how I am voting for each office and issue that will be on my ballot.  But let's just focus on president because that is the one that all registered voters have on the ballot.    Please remember that  Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are both people, created by the same loving God who created you.  And perhaps more importantly, the people who voted for them are also people that Go...

I used to be a treadmill runner.  When I went for a run, I went to the little fitness center in my apartment complex and got on the treadmill for 30+ minutes.  It worked.  I could watch tv while I did it, so I was multitasking.  But I never really went anywhere.  Then I started running outside - where there are real things to see, where I can tell how far I am going based on the things that I pass instead of numbers on a screen.  And I'll be honest, I have a hard time running on a treadmill now.  It's a lot prettier outside. A lot of us are spending our lives running on treadmills.  I know because I spend a lot of time on what I am going to call the "To do list treadmill."  I said to someone recently that I am on one of those people movers at the airport, but I'm going the wrong way, and someone keeps speeding it up, so I keep running faster and faster, but all I do is lose ground.  Do you feel that way?  Do you feel like for each...

I have seen this dog's diary/cat's diary many times, and laughed in remembering it even more times.   Tinkerbell, my roommate's dog, definitely is represented in the dog's diary.  She is so excited when someone gets home that despite her small size she bounces to waist height over and over again.  And if you mention the word walk, more bouncing ensues.  She likes to chase her toy all over the apartment - as many times as you throw it she will chase it.  But she is also content to sit beside one of her human friends and just relax, like she is right now as I write this.  But I know that if I were to get up and go back to my bedroom for something, she would get up and follow me.   Earlier today, after my devotions, I was watching Tinkerbell and this diary of a dog and cat came into my mind again.  And I started wondering, which one better represents me in my life?  Am I excited and joyful to be alive?  Do I truly appreciate al...

That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.  ~ 2 Corinthians 12:10 But now that you know God - or rather are known by God - how is that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces?  Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? ~  Galatians 4:9 My devotional today had both of these verses in it, which got me thinking.  I am a very self-sufficient person. I always have been.  As a young child, I once disappeared from where I was playing (while at my aunt and uncle's house) and my parents found me in sleeping in the bedroom they told me was mine while we were there.  And when I got older, if I got sick in the middle of the night, I would often change my own sheets without waking my parents up.  So you can imagine that weakness and relying on someone else doesn't really come easily to me - even when that someone is the ...

So this past weekend I decided that I should start actually making a few of the things I have pinned on Pinterest.  And I have done quite a few - so I thought I'd share some reviews here: Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies We'll start with the most recent first - I made these just today because I had some brown bananas to use - and I just made a variation of  banana bread over the weekend (which I will tell you about below), so I didn't want to make that.  These cookies are quite delish.  I have eaten 3 of them since I made them and really want another one, but am trying to resist the urge. The only modification I made was that I used more banana than it called for because I had to use all the brown bananas, but that turned out well because the banana flavor was definitely there. Roasted Sweet Potato Sunday for dinner I decided to roast some veggies.  I used this low and slow recipe to cook the sweet potatoes and they were quite good.  I usually do...

What are you afraid of?  Me, I'm a people pleaser.  I want people to like me. I posted this link  on Facebook last week to a blog about the necessity of saying no sometimes - something I very much need to learn.  But my people pleasing doesn't stop at just not wanting to say no to people.  It's an overall need to be liked.  I think far too much about what other people will think of me if I do this or wear that.  I want to be noticed, but in a positive way. This morning in my devotions the scripture was Psalm 46, and verses 1-2 were the most impactful: God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.  Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give away and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.   Now maybe it's because we have a better understanding of science than the psalmist did, but I don't really connect with the fear of the earth giving way or the mountains falling into the sea.  Or maybe it's simpl...

I am in love with the new Tenth Avenue North single, "Losing."  If you haven't heard it yet, I highly recommend checking it out. This part particularly sticks out to me:  "Why do we think that hate's gonna change their heart? We're up in arms over wars that don't need to be fought But pride won't let us lay our weapons on the ground We build our bridges up, but just to burn them down We think pain is owed apologies and then it'll stop But truth be told it doesn't matter if they're sorry or not Freedom comes when we surrender to the sound Of Mercy and Your Grace, Father, send Your angels down (singin') Oh, Father, won't you forgive them? They don't know what they've been doing (oh, no) Oh, Father, give me grace to forgive them Cause I feel like the one losing I feel like I've been losing" (Emphasis mine) After my blog post the other day, I was thinking about what we, as the church, are doing....