Does God care what I weigh??

I've been up and down on the whole weight loss thing.

On one hand, my doctor would like me to lose about 15 pounds. And since my BMI is slightly on the overweight side (depending on which BMI chart you look at), I have been trying off and on to lose the pounds. On the other hand, it's hard, and when I try to lose weight, I often end up either a.) gaining weight or b.) so cranky that I don't even like myself.

And I go back and forth on the body image issue. I'll admit, I don't like the way I look when I'm on the heavier side of the scale. Even when people tell me I look fine, I don't feel fine, and it really bugs me. But then I start debating with myself about body image and learning to like and accept the body I have. But then I get worried that since my doctor says it's a health issue, and my family has weight issues, then I really should worry more about my weight.

Then today I read this great article about God's view of our weight and how Rick Warren's church is using the idea to lose weight. I've always agreed with the idea that our body is the temple of God and we should take care of it, but for whatever reason, until I read this article, I never thought about that connection to what we weigh. Don't get me wrong here... I think that God still loves us whether we weigh 300 pounds or 120. But I wonder if sometimes He looks at us and is sad because we could be so much more and do so much more with our bodies if only we took better care of ourselves.

Has anyone tried The Daniel Plan? Have you thought about what God thinks of your weight?

Does God care what I weigh??

I've been up and down on the whole weight loss thing.

On one hand, my doctor would like me to lose about 15 pounds. And since my BMI is slightly on the overweight side (depending on which BMI chart you look at), I have been trying off and on to lose the pounds. On the other hand, it's hard, and when I try to lose weight, I often end up either a.) gaining weight or b.) so cranky that I don't even like myself.

And I go back and forth on the body image issue. I'll admit, I don't like the way I look when I'm on the heavier side of the scale. Even when people tell me I look fine, I don't feel fine, and it really bugs me. But then I start debating with myself about body image and learning to like and accept the body I have. But then I get worried that since my doctor says it's a health issue, and my family has weight issues, then I really should worry more about my weight.

Then today I read this great article about God's view of our weight and how Rick Warren's church is using the idea to lose weight. I've always agreed with the idea that our body is the temple of God and we should take care of it, but for whatever reason, until I read this article, I never thought about that connection to what we weigh. Don't get me wrong here... I think that God still loves us whether we weigh 300 pounds or 120. But I wonder if sometimes He looks at us and is sad because we could be so much more and do so much more with our bodies if only we took better care of ourselves.

Has anyone tried The Daniel Plan? Have you thought about what God thinks of your weight?

Post-storm thanksgiving

The one photo I dared take early in the storm

Last night we had a series of really bad thunderstorms. For the second time in almost 20 years, I heard tornado sirens. We were in bed and had just been woken up by the sound of hail pelting our windows. And then I heard the sirens. I got up and checked the weather report and sure enough, we were under a tornado warning. Now, you have to understand, I have a very irrational fear of tornadoes. Even though we were under a warning, our house is so close to the mountains that it's almost impossible for one to touch down by us. We are several miles west (closer to the mountains, which disrupt the tornado airflow) of the easternmost tornado touchdown our area has historically seen. My irrational fear of tornadoes is one of the reasons we live so far west. I used to have nightmares about tornadoes as a child (and we didn't live in a tornado area), and it's stuck with me.

They had to plow our grocery store

The morning after. She thinks it's cool

So I did what any mom freaked out about tornadoes would do. I woke up my family (except the sleeping little one, who I carried) and we all went down to the basement to wait out the storm. Fortunately, we have a finished basement, and we spent the night sleeping on the couches. We woke up to birds singing and piles of hail in the yard, but no real damage. Unless you count my poor shredded garden, which wasn't as bad as we'd feared.


As we've talked to friends and neighbors in the area, I'm so thankful we didn't have worse. Some of my neighbors also spent the night in the basement, but they didn't have a nice finished area, so they hung out on the cement. Other friends and neighbors had to deal with flooded basements. I've seen pictures on Facebook of friends who got way more hail than we did. I thought of my friends who live in tornado alley and how they don't all have basements, and who deal with tornado sirens on a more regular basis. Two sirens in twenty years. Not bad, considering.

My poor tomatoes.

Shredded lettuce, anyone?

Tonight we're due for more storms. I'll probably go out and cover what's left of my garden, and maybe we'll make a fun night of it by starting off in the basement. I pray my friends and neighbors will stay safe, and I'll remember to remain thankful for how lucky our family is to have a comfortable and safe place to be.

Post-storm thanksgiving

The one photo I dared take early in the storm

Last night we had a series of really bad thunderstorms. For the second time in almost 20 years, I heard tornado sirens. We were in bed and had just been woken up by the sound of hail pelting our windows. And then I heard the sirens. I got up and checked the weather report and sure enough, we were under a tornado warning. Now, you have to understand, I have a very irrational fear of tornadoes. Even though we were under a warning, our house is so close to the mountains that it's almost impossible for one to touch down by us. We are several miles west (closer to the mountains, which disrupt the tornado airflow) of the easternmost tornado touchdown our area has historically seen. My irrational fear of tornadoes is one of the reasons we live so far west. I used to have nightmares about tornadoes as a child (and we didn't live in a tornado area), and it's stuck with me.

They had to plow our grocery store

The morning after. She thinks it's cool

So I did what any mom freaked out about tornadoes would do. I woke up my family (except the sleeping little one, who I carried) and we all went down to the basement to wait out the storm. Fortunately, we have a finished basement, and we spent the night sleeping on the couches. We woke up to birds singing and piles of hail in the yard, but no real damage. Unless you count my poor shredded garden, which wasn't as bad as we'd feared.


As we've talked to friends and neighbors in the area, I'm so thankful we didn't have worse. Some of my neighbors also spent the night in the basement, but they didn't have a nice finished area, so they hung out on the cement. Other friends and neighbors had to deal with flooded basements. I've seen pictures on Facebook of friends who got way more hail than we did. I thought of my friends who live in tornado alley and how they don't all have basements, and who deal with tornado sirens on a more regular basis. Two sirens in twenty years. Not bad, considering.

My poor tomatoes.

Shredded lettuce, anyone?

Tonight we're due for more storms. I'll probably go out and cover what's left of my garden, and maybe we'll make a fun night of it by starting off in the basement. I pray my friends and neighbors will stay safe, and I'll remember to remain thankful for how lucky our family is to have a comfortable and safe place to be.

Lucky 13!!

Happy Anniversary to my hubby!!

Thirteen years ago today, I said, "I do." Some days, I wish I'd said, "I don't." But most days, I'm really glad I did!

And, in celebration, here are thirteen things I love about my hubby:

1. He's been there through my ups and downs, even at times I don't want to be around me.
2. He acknowledges that The Dog is the Supreme Ruler and holds #1 in my life.
3. He laughs at all of my jokes, especially when I threaten him with death.
4. He still lets me have life insurance on him, despite my many death threats.
5. He's a good dad and very active in our kids' lives.
6. He likes adventure, and someday our adventures will be someplace really cool.
7. He gives me the freedom to roam the country with my friends. (Even though the dog misses me terribly)
8. He works hard to have me home with the kids. And with the Dog.
9. He understands my need for personal space.
10. He believes in me, even when I don't believe in myself.
11. He understands that when I tell him he stinks, it's nothing personal, and goes and takes a shower.
12. He thinks I'm the sexiest woman alive.
13. After all this time, he's still glad he married me.

Lucky 13!!

Happy Anniversary to my hubby!!

Thirteen years ago today, I said, "I do." Some days, I wish I'd said, "I don't." But most days, I'm really glad I did!

And, in celebration, here are thirteen things I love about my hubby:

1. He's been there through my ups and downs, even at times I don't want to be around me.
2. He acknowledges that The Dog is the Supreme Ruler and holds #1 in my life.
3. He laughs at all of my jokes, especially when I threaten him with death.
4. He still lets me have life insurance on him, despite my many death threats.
5. He's a good dad and very active in our kids' lives.
6. He likes adventure, and someday our adventures will be someplace really cool.
7. He gives me the freedom to roam the country with my friends. (Even though the dog misses me terribly)
8. He works hard to have me home with the kids. And with the Dog.
9. He understands my need for personal space.
10. He believes in me, even when I don't believe in myself.
11. He understands that when I tell him he stinks, it's nothing personal, and goes and takes a shower.
12. He thinks I'm the sexiest woman alive.
13. After all this time, he's still glad he married me.

Rediscovering my creativity

I've spent the past few months in a bit of a funk... maybe slightly depressed, but mostly discouraged. Over a lot of things, one of which being my writing, but there's also a lot of life stuff mixed in there. With summer upon us, my kids are home and there's a part of me that things, "great... one more thing on my plate." Which is a bad attitude to have, I admit. But the thing that inspires me is that my girls are creative creatures like me. One is an aspiring author who's working on her first book. The other is an aspiring singer, who, despite her failure to understand that the notes go with words, writes a new song every day. In their creativity, I've realized that I can rediscover my own. I thought it would be fun to do some of the exercises from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way.

About ten years ago, I joined a group of writers who spent a summer working through the book. It was hard for me to get through, mostly because I had a little one, and finding child care was hard. I had to drive an hour each way to drop my daughter off at a sitter's, and the group met about 30 minutes away from the sitter. It was a lot of driving and a lot of early mornings. But I learned a lot and really enjoyed learning from those gals.

Working through the book, I unlocked a lot of the creativity that had been stifled over the years. It brought back some of the childlike joy and wonder that happens when you take away your creative boundaries. And the stress of life that had been driving me crazy felt a little more manageable. So here I am again, deciding to feed that part of my soul that makes me smile inside even when the outside is a mess. 

When I brought out the book to see how to structure exercises to do with the girls, I realized that it would also be fun (and valuable!) to invite some friends along for the journey. So... here is my invitation. If you're in the Denver area, and would be interested in joining others who want to explore their creative side, we'd love to have you join us. I haven't set a date or time, but here is the one thing set in stone... kids are welcome. I remember how hard it was to drive an hour out of my way to drop the kid off, drive another 1/2 hour to group, 1/2 hour to get my kid, then another hour home. Even now, finding babysitters is a huge challenge for me. So I want to encourage other moms in need of a creative jumpstart by welcoming their children. Will it be chaos? Probably. But I'm also going to get my kids involved, and maybe we can also encourage creativity in our children.

If you want to rediscover your creativity, join us! And if you want to come over and hang out, we'd love to have you. If you're too far away, you're invited to be a part of the journey online, and I'll post about what we've done each week.

Rediscovering my creativity

I've spent the past few months in a bit of a funk... maybe slightly depressed, but mostly discouraged. Over a lot of things, one of which being my writing, but there's also a lot of life stuff mixed in there. With summer upon us, my kids are home and there's a part of me that things, "great... one more thing on my plate." Which is a bad attitude to have, I admit. But the thing that inspires me is that my girls are creative creatures like me. One is an aspiring author who's working on her first book. The other is an aspiring singer, who, despite her failure to understand that the notes go with words, writes a new song every day. In their creativity, I've realized that I can rediscover my own. I thought it would be fun to do some of the exercises from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way.

About ten years ago, I joined a group of writers who spent a summer working through the book. It was hard for me to get through, mostly because I had a little one, and finding child care was hard. I had to drive an hour each way to drop my daughter off at a sitter's, and the group met about 30 minutes away from the sitter. It was a lot of driving and a lot of early mornings. But I learned a lot and really enjoyed learning from those gals.

Working through the book, I unlocked a lot of the creativity that had been stifled over the years. It brought back some of the childlike joy and wonder that happens when you take away your creative boundaries. And the stress of life that had been driving me crazy felt a little more manageable. So here I am again, deciding to feed that part of my soul that makes me smile inside even when the outside is a mess. 

When I brought out the book to see how to structure exercises to do with the girls, I realized that it would also be fun (and valuable!) to invite some friends along for the journey. So... here is my invitation. If you're in the Denver area, and would be interested in joining others who want to explore their creative side, we'd love to have you join us. I haven't set a date or time, but here is the one thing set in stone... kids are welcome. I remember how hard it was to drive an hour out of my way to drop the kid off, drive another 1/2 hour to group, 1/2 hour to get my kid, then another hour home. Even now, finding babysitters is a huge challenge for me. So I want to encourage other moms in need of a creative jumpstart by welcoming their children. Will it be chaos? Probably. But I'm also going to get my kids involved, and maybe we can also encourage creativity in our children.

If you want to rediscover your creativity, join us! And if you want to come over and hang out, we'd love to have you. If you're too far away, you're invited to be a part of the journey online, and I'll post about what we've done each week.

Progress!!

Yes, this is my deck- according to hubby, it's 2/3 of the way done. I am so happy to have such a nice place to sit and relax. We even had a friend over for dinner, and it was such a joy for us all to eat outside. Well, until the wind picked up.

But still, it's so nice and peaceful... I can't wait to spend my summer here.

Progress!!

Yes, this is my deck- according to hubby, it's 2/3 of the way done. I am so happy to have such a nice place to sit and relax. We even had a friend over for dinner, and it was such a joy for us all to eat outside. Well, until the wind picked up.

But still, it's so nice and peaceful... I can't wait to spend my summer here.

Kindle Perspective

Last week, I realized that my Kindle was missing. I figured I'd lost it, because I lose stuff... except I'm pretty protective of my Kindle and where I keep it. However... after my neighbor told me about some car break-ins in the neighborhood, it got my thinking... maybe my Kindle was stolen.

I exhausted all of the possibilities, and I finally accepted that based on everything I've done and been told, my Kindle was, in fact, stolen. So today, I called the police and filed a report. They were really nice and didn't act like I was stupid. They even brought a guy out to fingerprint, but because I'd taken so long to report it, they said it was worthless. Still, I'm glad they took me seriously, and it was good to talk to them. Last summer, we had a group of teenagers who broke into cars, so if they're at it again, at least my report will help put them away.

But now I have to buy a new Kindle. I really didn't want one to begin with, but now that I have over 600 ebooks, I guess I need to have something to read them on, since I don't like reading on my computer. ERGH. I hate spending the money, and I hate having to make such a big decision.

However, I feel better about the loss of my Kindle, and I'm glad I called the police. I'm even okay with having to buy a new one.  All it took was a little change in perspective.

Yesterday at church, the pastor was talking about the Holy Spirit, and we had an extended prayer time that was really wonderful. And as they called out different things to pray for, I realized that the absolute worst thing that happened to me this week was losing my Kindle. You probably shouldn't read that again, because then you'll realize what a shallow dork I am. Even though I hate the idea of buying a new one, the reality is that I have the money to go out and buy another right now.

So what exactly is my problem?

Um, nothing.

I can't believe how much energy I have wasted over such a silly thing. There are so many other things in life to spend my time and energy on, so rather than letting the fact that a bunch of dumb kids broke into my car and stole my Kindle get me down, I'm going to focus on the other things in my life. The good things. The stuff that a bunch of bratty teenagers can't take away.

What are you wasting your energy on? Is there something unimportant you can take your focus off and put it where it belongs?

Kindle Perspective

Last week, I realized that my Kindle was missing. I figured I'd lost it, because I lose stuff... except I'm pretty protective of my Kindle and where I keep it. However... after my neighbor told me about some car break-ins in the neighborhood, it got my thinking... maybe my Kindle was stolen.

I exhausted all of the possibilities, and I finally accepted that based on everything I've done and been told, my Kindle was, in fact, stolen. So today, I called the police and filed a report. They were really nice and didn't act like I was stupid. They even brought a guy out to fingerprint, but because I'd taken so long to report it, they said it was worthless. Still, I'm glad they took me seriously, and it was good to talk to them. Last summer, we had a group of teenagers who broke into cars, so if they're at it again, at least my report will help put them away.

But now I have to buy a new Kindle. I really didn't want one to begin with, but now that I have over 600 ebooks, I guess I need to have something to read them on, since I don't like reading on my computer. ERGH. I hate spending the money, and I hate having to make such a big decision.

However, I feel better about the loss of my Kindle, and I'm glad I called the police. I'm even okay with having to buy a new one.  All it took was a little change in perspective.

Yesterday at church, the pastor was talking about the Holy Spirit, and we had an extended prayer time that was really wonderful. And as they called out different things to pray for, I realized that the absolute worst thing that happened to me this week was losing my Kindle. You probably shouldn't read that again, because then you'll realize what a shallow dork I am. Even though I hate the idea of buying a new one, the reality is that I have the money to go out and buy another right now.

So what exactly is my problem?

Um, nothing.

I can't believe how much energy I have wasted over such a silly thing. There are so many other things in life to spend my time and energy on, so rather than letting the fact that a bunch of dumb kids broke into my car and stole my Kindle get me down, I'm going to focus on the other things in my life. The good things. The stuff that a bunch of bratty teenagers can't take away.

What are you wasting your energy on? Is there something unimportant you can take your focus off and put it where it belongs?

Me? A Revolutionary??

Well, a chicken revolutionary, anyway....

The more I think about my chicken dilemma, the more I realize it's not fair. I know, life's not fair, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do our parts to make it better. Even if I get chickens illegally, I'm going to blog about it, and hopefully encourage others to join in the adventure. But I don't want to encourage others to break the law. That isn't right. It's also not right that if I lived one block east, in a smaller house, with a smaller lot, I could have chickens. There isn't a consistent standard and that really bothers me.

I am in contact with people to try and change the law. I don't know if it will work. I've never done anything like this before, so I have no idea if I will be successful or not. I'm not even fully sure what to do. But I've got to try.

I don't want chickens just for me. I want anyone who wants chickens to be able to have that choice.

So here I am... writer, mother, aspiring evil overlord... chicken revolutionary.

Me? A Revolutionary??

Well, a chicken revolutionary, anyway....

The more I think about my chicken dilemma, the more I realize it's not fair. I know, life's not fair, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do our parts to make it better. Even if I get chickens illegally, I'm going to blog about it, and hopefully encourage others to join in the adventure. But I don't want to encourage others to break the law. That isn't right. It's also not right that if I lived one block east, in a smaller house, with a smaller lot, I could have chickens. There isn't a consistent standard and that really bothers me.

I am in contact with people to try and change the law. I don't know if it will work. I've never done anything like this before, so I have no idea if I will be successful or not. I'm not even fully sure what to do. But I've got to try.

I don't want chickens just for me. I want anyone who wants chickens to be able to have that choice.

So here I am... writer, mother, aspiring evil overlord... chicken revolutionary.

The Great Chicken Dilemma

Please mommy, get me a chicken!

Since hubby and I are thinking about taking the next step in our Urban Homesteading Adventure, I went ahead and took a class on chickens. And I was mostly sold on the idea of getting some for our family. Hubby and the kids are in love with the idea.

The problem: Where we live isn't zoned for having chickens.

We live in an unincorporated part of the county. All of the incorporated cities in our county allow chickens. However, since we live in unincorporated land, we're at the county zoning rules' mercy. Since our house is not zoned for chickens, we can't have them.

Here is my problem with that. Our lot size is twice the size of lots in the cities that allow chickens. Our neighborhood (other than having larger lots) is exactly like any other neighborhood that allows chickens.

I've talked to a few people, and their solution is to get chickens anyway.  My problem with that is that it is technically breaking the law. Hubby has argued that violating zoning rules is not breaking the law because they can't put you in jail for it- they can just make you get rid of the chickens. Uhm, okay... but that's still going against the county rules, which is still wrong.

Needless to say, hubby and I are at loggerheads over this issue. He wants to get chickens anyway, and I would rather follow the rules. I am such a rule follower, that one time, on a retreat, my friends went hiking and I freaked out over violating a "No Trespassing" sign. I still thank God we didn't get arrested. (Wait. Does anyone know the statute of limitations on trespassing?) My plan is to challenge the county on this rule and work through the legal channels of trying to get them to change this rule. Hubby says that will take too long.

My other issue is that I don't want to be a bad example to our kids. The rule says "No chickens." If we knowingly break that rule, are we teaching them that it's okay to break the laws they don't agree with?

What would you do?

The Great Chicken Dilemma

Please mommy, get me a chicken!

Since hubby and I are thinking about taking the next step in our Urban Homesteading Adventure, I went ahead and took a class on chickens. And I was mostly sold on the idea of getting some for our family. Hubby and the kids are in love with the idea.

The problem: Where we live isn't zoned for having chickens.

We live in an unincorporated part of the county. All of the incorporated cities in our county allow chickens. However, since we live in unincorporated land, we're at the county zoning rules' mercy. Since our house is not zoned for chickens, we can't have them.

Here is my problem with that. Our lot size is twice the size of lots in the cities that allow chickens. Our neighborhood (other than having larger lots) is exactly like any other neighborhood that allows chickens.

I've talked to a few people, and their solution is to get chickens anyway.  My problem with that is that it is technically breaking the law. Hubby has argued that violating zoning rules is not breaking the law because they can't put you in jail for it- they can just make you get rid of the chickens. Uhm, okay... but that's still going against the county rules, which is still wrong.

Needless to say, hubby and I are at loggerheads over this issue. He wants to get chickens anyway, and I would rather follow the rules. I am such a rule follower, that one time, on a retreat, my friends went hiking and I freaked out over violating a "No Trespassing" sign. I still thank God we didn't get arrested. (Wait. Does anyone know the statute of limitations on trespassing?) My plan is to challenge the county on this rule and work through the legal channels of trying to get them to change this rule. Hubby says that will take too long.

My other issue is that I don't want to be a bad example to our kids. The rule says "No chickens." If we knowingly break that rule, are we teaching them that it's okay to break the laws they don't agree with?

What would you do?

Stopping the attacks

My friend Camy called me the other day about a post she'd written on her blog. She'd read an article that she found extremely upsetting and was even more upset by the level of comments she read. And you know, I was right there with her. I found the situation just as upsetting. But as I told Camy, it doesn't matter what she, I, or anyone else says in response, the article writer isn't going to wake up and say, "wow, I was wrong. Thanks for enlightening me." None of the commenters vehemently arguing against each other are going to take a step back and say, "You have a point. I'm so glad to see the other side." Instead, they dig in their heels, refusing to see the other side, and attack right back.

So today, I was reading some articles on the Internet, and saw a lot of the same sort of behavior ... worse, every attack seemed to end with some version of "you're not a real Christian if you think that," or "God would be really mad at you for saying that." I have a number of Facebook friends, and every time I log on, I am bombarded with messages of something that is against God... not going in to specifics, because those aren't important. For every person who says that liking apples is anti-Christian, I see posts from others who say that not liking apples is anti-Christian. We get into flame wars over supposed sin, and I have to wonder...

Have we missed the point?

Before I get people flaming me over this, let me be clear... there is a such thing as sin. And I believe that sin is very clearly outlined in the Bible.

But see, I don't think that is the point. We all know what sin is. Sure, some people will argue over it, and argue things like the definition of "is."  I look to Jesus, and what he actually DID in the Bible. He didn't sit around debating sin and pointing fingers. The only people he attacked were the Pharisees and their fake approach to religion. I think of James 1, and the warning in James 1:26 "Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless."

What do we gain by attacking people whose beliefs are different from our own? How is the Kingdom of God furthered by throwing stones at those we consider beneath us? The more I read the angry battles of words online, I am reminded of John 8:7 " When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”"

I don't know anyone who is without sin. I know a few people who think they are, but let's be honest- they're just as human and fallible as the rest of us. And yes, I will be the first to admit that I am just as guilty of running off at the mouth when I should shut up already.  


So what is the answer? 


Clearly, Proverbs 29:11 is one a lot of us (myself included) need to remember. "A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man holds it back." But I also like Proverbs 15:1 "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." One of my teachers shared that verse with me a long time ago, and I regret that I did not learn to take that advice until much later... in some areas, too late. But I hope, moving forward, I will be reminded of these verses, and instead of attacking, I will learn to give grace. 

Will you join me? I'd love to have some friends with me on the journey of learning to just shut up already.

Stopping the attacks

My friend Camy called me the other day about a post she'd written on her blog. She'd read an article that she found extremely upsetting and was even more upset by the level of comments she read. And you know, I was right there with her. I found the situation just as upsetting. But as I told Camy, it doesn't matter what she, I, or anyone else says in response, the article writer isn't going to wake up and say, "wow, I was wrong. Thanks for enlightening me." None of the commenters vehemently arguing against each other are going to take a step back and say, "You have a point. I'm so glad to see the other side." Instead, they dig in their heels, refusing to see the other side, and attack right back.

So today, I was reading some articles on the Internet, and saw a lot of the same sort of behavior ... worse, every attack seemed to end with some version of "you're not a real Christian if you think that," or "God would be really mad at you for saying that." I have a number of Facebook friends, and every time I log on, I am bombarded with messages of something that is against God... not going in to specifics, because those aren't important. For every person who says that liking apples is anti-Christian, I see posts from others who say that not liking apples is anti-Christian. We get into flame wars over supposed sin, and I have to wonder...

Have we missed the point?

Before I get people flaming me over this, let me be clear... there is a such thing as sin. And I believe that sin is very clearly outlined in the Bible.

But see, I don't think that is the point. We all know what sin is. Sure, some people will argue over it, and argue things like the definition of "is."  I look to Jesus, and what he actually DID in the Bible. He didn't sit around debating sin and pointing fingers. The only people he attacked were the Pharisees and their fake approach to religion. I think of James 1, and the warning in James 1:26 "Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless."

What do we gain by attacking people whose beliefs are different from our own? How is the Kingdom of God furthered by throwing stones at those we consider beneath us? The more I read the angry battles of words online, I am reminded of John 8:7 " When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”"

I don't know anyone who is without sin. I know a few people who think they are, but let's be honest- they're just as human and fallible as the rest of us. And yes, I will be the first to admit that I am just as guilty of running off at the mouth when I should shut up already.  


So what is the answer? 


Clearly, Proverbs 29:11 is one a lot of us (myself included) need to remember. "A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man holds it back." But I also like Proverbs 15:1 "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." One of my teachers shared that verse with me a long time ago, and I regret that I did not learn to take that advice until much later... in some areas, too late. But I hope, moving forward, I will be reminded of these verses, and instead of attacking, I will learn to give grace. 

Will you join me? I'd love to have some friends with me on the journey of learning to just shut up already.

Getting over lazy buying habits

I have a friend who likes to complain about how evil Amazon is taking over the universe. However, every time we talk about books and other items she's recently purchased, she always mentions that she bought it from Amazon. If they're so evil, then why do you buy from them???

It made her think. But then it made me think. Am I getting the best deals shopping at Amazon? Today, I went to buy Michael Hyatt's new book. I automatically started typing Amazon in my browser. Then I stopped because I noticed that he has listed a number of online bookstores carrying his book. Automatically, I assumed that Amazon would have the best deal. Wrong.

Out of the eight bookstores listed, Amazon's price was at the high end of the middle.

Because I am cheap, and refuse to pay shipping, especially on books, I looked for some others to add so that I'd get my free shipping. So I added some books to my carts. Amazon was STILL not the best deal. Which was counter my experience last Christmas, when I had to buy a TON of books (gifts... um, mostly) and Amazon DID end up being the better deal.

So which is it??

The truth is, it depends. And that's okay! If you're like me and want the best deals, then shop around. Or, if you have brand loyalty, buy from the brand that you prefer. What I learned today is that my automatic response to shop Amazon is pure laziness. I used to shop around, and from one result, figured Amazon was my best bet. So I developed the automatic habit, which, let's face it, was pure laziness, of typing in Amazon to buy everything. Now I will admit that the price differences I found were pennies... so you can decide, is it worth saving a few pennies to buy from the cheapest store?  Or, if you're like my friend, and wanting to shop based on your conscience, you can do so knowing that if you're paying a little bit more, it's just pennies.

I'm so glad Michael Hyatt gave links to multiple bookstores for his book.  It reminded me that as much as I get stuck in the same buying habit rut, I don't have to be. I have a choice where to buy things. When my friends complain about not having a choice, I can show them that they do. And, when I have some books to sell, thanks to Michael's example, I'll be posting multiple bookstores so you can have a choice too.

Getting over lazy buying habits

I have a friend who likes to complain about how evil Amazon is taking over the universe. However, every time we talk about books and other items she's recently purchased, she always mentions that she bought it from Amazon. If they're so evil, then why do you buy from them???

It made her think. But then it made me think. Am I getting the best deals shopping at Amazon? Today, I went to buy Michael Hyatt's new book. I automatically started typing Amazon in my browser. Then I stopped because I noticed that he has listed a number of online bookstores carrying his book. Automatically, I assumed that Amazon would have the best deal. Wrong.

Out of the eight bookstores listed, Amazon's price was at the high end of the middle.

Because I am cheap, and refuse to pay shipping, especially on books, I looked for some others to add so that I'd get my free shipping. So I added some books to my carts. Amazon was STILL not the best deal. Which was counter my experience last Christmas, when I had to buy a TON of books (gifts... um, mostly) and Amazon DID end up being the better deal.

So which is it??

The truth is, it depends. And that's okay! If you're like me and want the best deals, then shop around. Or, if you have brand loyalty, buy from the brand that you prefer. What I learned today is that my automatic response to shop Amazon is pure laziness. I used to shop around, and from one result, figured Amazon was my best bet. So I developed the automatic habit, which, let's face it, was pure laziness, of typing in Amazon to buy everything. Now I will admit that the price differences I found were pennies... so you can decide, is it worth saving a few pennies to buy from the cheapest store?  Or, if you're like my friend, and wanting to shop based on your conscience, you can do so knowing that if you're paying a little bit more, it's just pennies.

I'm so glad Michael Hyatt gave links to multiple bookstores for his book.  It reminded me that as much as I get stuck in the same buying habit rut, I don't have to be. I have a choice where to buy things. When my friends complain about not having a choice, I can show them that they do. And, when I have some books to sell, thanks to Michael's example, I'll be posting multiple bookstores so you can have a choice too.