What Is Life All About?

The Google search, "What is life all about" has gotten quite a few hits. The very top result is users.aristotle.net, which explains thus:

"You cannot be classified as useless, because you aren't really supposed to have to make yourself useful. Look at the natural world. What is the use of a tree? Well, it has many uses, but it isn't TRYING to be useful. There's the difference. It's just doing what it wants (or so we assume) and in the process of doing that it does its job in the natural order of things. Despite all the rantings of moralists, you are in the same boat. The only way you are ever going to do an ounce of good in the world is to do what you want. Do what makes you happy, or at least what distracts you from your misery.
How, you may ask, does doing what you like do any good? Look around you. Look at people who seem to be trying very hard to be useful. Are they really doing good things for people? Or do they make everyone around them miserable with all their moral uppidyness and incessant busy bodying? I suspect it is the latter. The people who really do others some good are the people who are doing what they like and who aren't very interested in being useful. They are usually interesting to be around, because they are doing things that interest them. They are often fun to be around, because they appreciate fun and know how to laugh and not take anything too seriously. They inspire other people to figure out what it is that they want to do by example, thus causing more people to be interested in life and interesting to be around, fun loving, etc.
Out of all the people we meet in life, these people who are doing their own thing are the people who have the most profoundly positive impact on us and thus make our lives richer in the most fundamental, meaningful way. Can you really call that useless? Sure, working in a soup kitchen will feed people, but if you're being a martyr about it because you don't really want to be there, everyone around you will see right through you and hate you for being moralistic and insincere, and you will end up doing more harm than good. So, revel in your perfect uselessness. It's the useful thing to do."

There are other explanations of equal feeble-mindedness and absurdity for different reasons you may be asking why you exist. They all bash "the moral enthusiasts", God, and anyone that is trying to do something with their life. Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen! Does this explanation of what your life is not disappoint you? Don't you want to have a purpose? Don't you want to know the TRUTH?

Have I got good news for you! You are NOT useless! Or worthless.

If you're wondering about the meaning of life, read the book of Ecclesiastes. If you think life is meaningless, you will find that many elements of life are. Wisdom, pleasures, toils, advancement. Some of these things ARE life to many people. If you live for them, your life is meaningless. But in the last two verses of Ecclesiastes, Solomon states the conclusion of the matter, the meaning of life.

"Fear God and keep his commandments,

for this is the whole duty of man.

For God will bring every deed into judgement,

including every hidden thing,

whether it is good or evil."

That is the duty of man. Fear God and keep his commandments! Trust and obey! It's not, "do what makes you happy" because pleasure is meaningless as well. You will only find fulfillment if you carry out God's plan for your life. He's excited about it! You can be useful to God of all things! Are you ready to find life and find it more abundantly? Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God. And you are not worthless - to God you are a precious, special gem. There is so much more the Bible has to say to you - why don't you give it a shot?

What's Going On?

I was talking to a dear friend the other day and we were both venting our frustrations about one thing - relationships. We were disappointed in the way some of the girls we knew were behaving with the opposite sex. They started out saying they would never hold hands with a guy before engagement, marriage, etc. As soon as they got into a relationship, holding hands was no big deal. Ok, so maybe holding hands is cool now and then, but no kissing until the wedding day, right? Kissing became fine for every once in awhile as soon as they had a guy that had stuck with them for a good bit. My friend and I were annoyed - how could this happen to our friends? The big questions were:

"What's become of their beliefs?"

In many instances, the great plans for purity were not just the girl's own personal hope - it was a family belief.

"Where are their fathers?"

"Where do you draw the line?"

We all know it - this topic is a controversial one. Everyone has their own idea of how a relationship should go while technically staying pure. But what have you done in your heart with this guy? Is this the knight you've been waiting for? Girls, flippant dating is DANGEROUS!

Now, I am not saying that men are a bad lot. I'm not saying that all those dudes are waiting in a corner to snatch you, and I'm definitely not saying that it's bad to be friends with a guy. I am friends with lots of guys and many are good friends! But how do we stay out of the dark waters that your girlfriends are taking a swim in?

I believe there is a simple answer - YOUR DAD. In fact, I think I'll be single forever for two reasons: First, if a guy's interested in me, he's probably a dork and hence not worth having forever. And second, even if he's got half a mind in there, he will not make it past my dad in one piece!:D Your dad can protect you from the scary flippant dating until your knight knocks on the door. And how will he know when it is him? Ummm... hey, it's Dad's job, not mine!:P But pray for your dad, that he will make the best decisions as you get older - unfortunately not like some dads I know. I'm sure happy I have a dad to run behind while sticking out my tongue at some unfortunate evildoer, if ever the need arises!

Oh yeah girls, and about this knight... if God wants you to be married, I promise he's out there somewhere. And he's worth waiting for! You don't have to settle for less.

The problem with Moab

The Moabites were supposed to pay a tribute of sheep and such to Israel, but at the time of Ahab's son Joram, they quit doing it. Joram sighed, and figured he's better go set them straight. He called for Jehoshaphat king of Israel to help him out, and they were going to march on Moab, but there was no water to be found! Jehoshaphat said, "Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD through him?" Elisha was about, and was called to the kings. But he said, What do we have to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother."

The parents of both these kings were bad lots. "No," the king of Israel answered, "because it was the LORD who called us three kings together to hand us over to Moab."

Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or even notice you. But now bring me a harpist."

While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha and he said, "This is what the LORD says: Make this valley full of ditches. For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; he will also hand Moab over to you. You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones."

The next morning, guess what? Water flowed into the camp! Yes, just... flowed into the camp! It filled the ditches and there was water everywhere.

But there was yet another purpose for this water. When the Moabites woke up the sun was shining on the water, making it look red. "That's blood!" they all said. "Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other! Now to the plunder Moab!" But guess who popped up while they were in the camp?

The Israelites destroyed the towns, and each mad found a stone and threw it on a good field until they all were ruined. They stopped up all the springs and cut down every good tree.

Then I guess they took all the sheep they wanted!

La Roca

We had a Mexican church using our building for about ten years. They grew and grew and finally they said that they were moving to a bigger place that could hold all of them better. Yesterday we had a combined service to see them off. Alameda Hills played two songs in English, La Roca played two songs in Spanish. La Roca picked the songs that we knew in English like How Great Thou Art to sing in Spanish. It was neat to worship in a different tongue! The different languages mingled and our pastors both preached a little. At the end, Alameda Hills sang Lord I Lift Your Name On High in English... then played it while La Roca sang it in Spanish!

Dad said that may be a little like what heaven will be like - different languages, different people, and a whole lot of singing!

I wish we'd combined services more often.

What do I do?

What do I do?

I write... things.

I like to write some fantasy.

I like to write some sports analysis.

I like to write some modern-day stories,

with a sprinkle of fan fiction on top.

I like to write what God tells me to write,

and I have everything I need to do it.

But right now God is not giving me anything.

And I suspect it has something to do with me.

I haven't been writing lately at all.

Tired, uninspired, for stupid reasons.

Do I have any talent in the first place?

Why do I feel pressure to achieve a certain word count when there is no deadline or prize whatsoever and NOBODY said that it's a must?

Do I have the people I need behind me?

What is going to come of all this I put into it anyway?

Probably nothing.

Every author dreams of getting published.

I dream of finding a style of writing I can stay sharp and not get distracted with.

I guess it's up to God,

but I doubt stores will ever carry a novel of mine.

Just because I can't stick it.

My plot doesn't work.

Everything's already been done.

I don't have the time.

Nobody cares anyway.

So why do I have to keep loving it?

That's the part that gets on my nerves.

Why did God pick me to write things?
If he's gonna pick me, why can't he give me something to go with that will ACCOMPLISH something?

From what it looks like now, I'm gonna be one of those fantasy geeks with a zillion short stories in files on my computer forever.

Those files that no one wants.

The files that can't ever be anything.

I stink.

Where'd all the KNIGHTS go?

Yesterday I took my sword and knighted Mayf and Jess as Knights of the Oval Table, since they're in charge of cleaning it off. They thought is was VERRRY cool, and sauntered downstairs to quiet time like they were something great. Not two minutes later I heard Bird yelp and peeked down the stairs. "Mayf, what did you do?"

Mayf grinned and pointed at the flustered Bird on the floor. "I tackled her!"

"What? Mayf, knights are supposed to always protect the girls! You have to beat up the guys that tackle them!"

Mayf's eyebrows shot up. "OoOoOoOoOoOooooh... ok!"

What with this incident and a book I'm reading with the girls that has this wonderful knight in it, I started wondering... where'd all the knights go? Made me think of this kind of funny poem...

The days of Chivalry are dead,
Of which in stories I have read,
When knights were bold and acted kind of scrappy;
They used to take a lot of pains
And fight all day to please the Janes,
And if their dame was tickled they was happy.
But now the men are mild and meek:
They seem to have a yellow streak:
They never lay for other guys, to flatten 'em:
They think they've done a darned fine thing
If they just buy the girl a ring
Of imitation diamonds and platinum.

Funny, but sorta true! I miss the knights. I hope there's still one out there somewheres...

Operation Babysit

Today I am facing an adventure. I am babysitting an active, fun, typical four-year-old boy who loves to fun and play for the afternoon. The only problem is... my leg is VERRRRRRY stiff today, and I can barely walk, much less run! I'll need to find something we can do while sitting down... hmmm....

Then Lucy and I babysit about five kids for our church tonight. I don't expect any problems, but this is the first time, and ya never know what will happen when you get a bunch of toddlers together!

Plus school. Ugh. All of a sudden I stink at school. Or at least on this one test I'm working on. It makes no sense that it's so hard all of a sudden, and that has me confused as much as the test.

This is my verse for the day:

"But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded."

~ 2 Chronicles 15:6-8

Please pray that the Spirit of God (and maybe the spirit or gusto of caffeine) would be on me today!!!

The Glory of the LORD

Not a lot in Leviticus today - instructions about offerings, priests, etc. But there was one really amazing part.

Once the priests were ready to begin their ministry, Moses told them to sacrifice offerings "for today the LORD will appear to you". WHOA!!!! They got ready - they made every offering, did everything they were supposed to do, and the people watched. Then after this was done, the glory of the LORD appeared before everybody and fire came down and consumed the offerings! And the people's reaction really got me - "they shouted for joy and fell facedown". The fall facedown you see numerous times in the Bible, but shouting for joy? Wow!

Sometimes I just yell with excitement in God too, and it's always an amazing feeling! Sometimes when I find something amazing in the Bible, I just whoop. Sometimes in the worship services when I get a little excited and joyful in Christ, I sing as loud as I can (it's good that I don't have a microphone for more than one reason:P). I thought it was just me before this, but now all Israel is doing it in Leviticus! Whoo!

Let's shout everybody!!:D

The Armor of God

I am here commentating on Ephesians 6:10-18 in red.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Imagine if you tried to fight a duel on your own and without any armor! For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. I just wrote a story about this - there is a guy who is living a normal life, but doesn't know that the demons and God are in a great battle for him. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Readiness that comes from peace - it makes sense doesn't it? If you're peaceful about a situation in Christ, you're not going to freak out and say the wrong things. You're ready with Christ! In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The word of God is like a sword! Do you have it ready? We should work on memorizing more scripture and have it on all the time, just in case. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Praying for the saints... do you do it? I don't as much as I should. But why not? I haven't figured that part out yet. I'd certainly like to be prayed for to stay strong in my faith, so why don't I do it for other people?

On the Sabbath

One fine Sabbath morning, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues (I guess he was invited as a guest pastor). In the back row sat a woman who was crippled and had been for 18 years. When he saw her, he called "the lovely lady in the green dress" up. When she was before him, e said, "Woman, you are free from your infirmity." She straighted up, walked around, and praised God!

Imagine how you would feel if you had witnessed this scene. I'd be sitting in the pew with my mouth open and be in utter awe! It would be something I'd never forget. But the synagogue ruler was just too stuck in the letter of the law - he was actually mad! He said, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."

Jesus narrowed his brows. "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"

He was saying that the Sabbath was the perfect day for that! All his opponents were embarrassed, but the people were delighted!

Mighty To Save

Our worship team played "Mighty To Save" yesterday morning as special music. It's new and we weren't solid playing it in practice, and I was REALLY hoping we could do it good. When it was time to play it, I started out by being very tense and just focusing on my part. As the song went on I started thinking more about the words and praising God - what I was SUPPOSED to be doing the whole time! It is a really good song, and the lyrics are great for me every time I hear it.

Everyone needs compassion

A love that's never failing

Let mercy fall on me

Everyone needs forgiveness

The kindness of a Savior

The hope of nations

(Chorus:)

Savior

He can move the mountains

My God is mighty to save

He is mighty to save

Forever

Author of Salvation

He rose & conquered the grave

Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me

All my fears & failures

Fill my life again

I give my life to follow

Everything I believe in

Now I surrender

Savior

He can move the mountains

My God is mighty to save

He is mighty to save

Forever

Author of Salvation

He rose & conquered the grave

Jesus conquered the grave

(Bridge:)

Shine Your light and

Let the whole world see

We're singing

For the glory Of the risen King

We performed it well, praised God and had a good time! And guess what? When I was talking to our visitors, I had somebody tell me for the first time, "You have a great worship team!" I'm still smiling about that:)

Yell some more!!!!

Elijah, the prophet wanted dead or alive in all Israel, one day marched right up to the king with a proposition. "How long will you ride the fence, serving God and Baal? What we need to do is find out who is really God. Call all the prophets of Baal and have them build an altar to him, while I build an altar to God, and we put sacrifices on them. We ask our Gods for fire, and whichever answers is God." The prophets of Baal looked at each other and nodded. "Agreed!"

So the next morning, the prophets of Baal and Elijah went out and built altars for the duel of the Gods. They drew quite a crowd, and Elijah let Baal's guys go first. They cried to Baal to send fire. Nothing happened.

They shouted louder.

Still no response.

At noon Elijah started giggling. "Shout louder!" He told them, with a mouth full of popcorn. "Surely he is god! Maybe he's sleeping, or deep in thought, or he's in the bathroom!" They shouted louder, and still nothing happened. When evening came Elijah said, "All right that's enough! My turn!" He dug a trench around the altar and filled it with water while the crowd whispered to each other. "What's he doing?" When everything was ready, Elijah called to the LORD. Immediately, fire came from heaven and even burned up the water! The people were shocked and yelled, "The LORD is God! The LORD is God!"

Elijah called to them to seize the prophets of Baal, and they did so, and put them all to death.

If you know what happened

"If a person sins because he does not speak up when he hears a public charge to testify regarding something he has seen of learned about, he will be held responsible."

Today I was reading in Leviticus where it talks about all the sacrifices and stuff. This verse made me look twice. I thought about some possible scenarios for this. There was a scene in TALE OF TWO CITIES that I watched with my friend where there was a nice guy charged for... some complicated crime. The girl witness was friends with this guy, and had seen him do something bad, but she didn't want to say so. I also thought about the opposite - like if something was your fault, but you let somebody else get in trouble for it. And my final thought was the referees in Superbowl XLIII - seeing something, then flat-out lying about it.

All of these things make you guily of sin! Sounds like if you know something important but keep silent about it, it's the same thing as lying.

While I'm Waiting

There's a lot of things going on right now that I am uncertain about. Mostly in the future. There are a lot of questions - what if I can't do this? What if I can't get a good enough grade on that? What if I mess everything up?

But yesterday Mom got the FIREPROOF soundtrack that she won in the mail. Of course I snatched it up instantly. If you've seen the movie, I'm sure you remember the great montage playing the song "While I'm Waiting" by John Waller.

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience

While I’m waiting
I will serve You
While I’m waiting
I will worship
While I’m waiting
I will not faint
I’ll be running the race
Even while I wait

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it’s not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait

I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting on You, Lord

John the Baptist - very depressed

When Jesus came to the earth and began his ministry, everyone thought he was gathering followers to one day defeat the Romans with swords and spears and that he would be king of Israel in place of Herod. The disciples were excited for this, and were confused and didn't understand Jesus's hints that that wasn't what he had come to do. Jesus wasn't fitting their agenda? Impossible.

We all know John the Baptist as the noisy guy by the river dressed in camel skin and excited about Jesus's coming. But apparently he had his own idea for what Jesus would do as well as the others. When Herod imprisoned him, he sat waiting for something amazing to happen - waiting to hear that Rome was defeated, or waiting to hear that everyone had the Holy Spirit and were speaking God's word, or that the kingdom of God had come to earth, or something grand like that. C'mon Jesus, let's get moving! Prison can get you into a state of depression I imagine, and when none of these things were happening, he sent messengers to Jesus. They asked, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" John the Baptist asked that! And Jesus didn't frown at the words - he said, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."

He was basically saying, " Blessed is the man who sticks with me and trusts me - even if what I'm doing doesn't fit his plan."

Then listen to what Jesus says to the crowd about John:

"What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written:

'I will send my messenger ahead of you,

who will prepare your way before you.'

I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

In Jesus's mind, John wasn't a bum because he was confused. Even the greatest man born of woman has his doubts, but Jesus bears with them.

You can't put God in a box! His plan may not always align with yours - but that's ok! Just trust that He has his own great plan. Jesus sure did!

Yesterday - publications and plots

Yesterday I asked God to give me a plot for a short story contest. He did. The most amazing one in a long time. I called my writer girlfriend right away, and together we outlined it all out to near perfection. I am still very excited, and still praying that I can write this thing just how God wants it. It feels great that God told me to write something He wants written out of all the writers out there, and I just know that there is something special about this story.

But it's not all peaches and cream. I examined the contest further, and the prize not the best - they give you a bunch of school books from their store and publish your story in their e-newsletter. Doesn't bug me usually, but it's the publishing part that makes me iffy about entering. Usually contests want previously UNpublished stories for their contests, and I'm not sure I want to waste this story's publication on a homeschool newsletter when a scholarship is not involved.

I could use some prayer on this one - I want God's story to end up in the best place, whether it's a homeschool magazine or Newsweek.