Obey

A few weeks ago my family was having a picnic and I had my parents give us kids some "life advice." I just figured that it would be interesting to hear specifics; we see how they live, but I wanted to hear why they decided to live the way they do. It sparked (obviously) some interesting discussions, and then I sort of forgot about it.

But last night our family went out to eat in celebration of two major events (moving here and my dad buying his business) that actually happened in September, but we always forget about it until later in the fall. So yes, it's October, and we're finally celebrating our Family Day of Awesomeness. Or whatever it's called.

So, while we were sitting around, waiting for the food (most specifically, the rolls, which they forgot to give us, and we were all pretty hungry for them, sigh) I thought it would be fun to get some advice from the other side of the family. My little sister (she'll always be my little sister, no matter how old she gets!) is nearly 16 (see? not exactly little any longer), so I asked her to give all of us some life advice. By the time I was her age I thought I had a pretty good handle on things (little did I know...) and thought it would be interesting to get her take on the subject.

She thought for a few minutes, and then came out with one of the wisest things I've heard in a long time. "Disobedience is never worth it." That was all. She just said it as if, well, of course, life advice was her speciality.

Yeah, I wasn't that smart when I was 15.

But it made me think of the verse in 1 Samuel 15, that says that "Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." Then it continues about rebellion being as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness as iniquity and idolatry (those verses used to strike a great deal of fear into my young heart, especially as I was wont to be rather stubborn), but I was mostly thinking about the obedience part of the verse.

You know, Saul really thought (so it appears) he was doing the right thing in the chapter--he sacrificed to the Lord from the best of the flocks and such. What's so bad about that? Well, nothing, unless the Lord had asked that you, you know, obey Him specifically. And this was the incident where Saul spared Agag, and later, of course, Haman the Agagite tried to destroy the Jewish race, which didn't work out so well for him, but this is off-topic. Go read Esther in case you need to brush up on how unfortunate the whole sparing-of-Agag situation was.

Where was I?

Ah, yes. So Saul did something that, in and of itself, wasn't bad, but certainly had negative consequences. And I can think of so many choices I've made in life (this is depressing: if I've already done so many wrong things and I'm not even a quarter of a century old, how much opportunity will there be in my life for wrongs to be committed? Ugh) where it wasn't as if I were doing something "wrong" per se, but I knew the difference. There are things that leave a sharp bitter taste in your mouth, and you know you don't have peace. Thankfully, I rarely end up losing my kingdom because of it (of course, I don't have a kingdom to lose. Note to self: find a kingdom) but there are still consequences.

So, maybe if I'd asked my sister a few years ago for life advice, I would have been less biscuit-y in some of my choices.

Maybe I need a shirt that says "Obedience is better." On the back it could say stuff about sacrifice or fat of rams, but I'm not sure that people would understand it. The "Obedience is Better" tagline makes sense in and of itself.

Like John H Sammis always said, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey!"

L8r

I'm really bad at using all that slang-type stuff while emailing. I always figured that it was just because I have a whole qwerty keyboard available with all the letters and it wasn't that hard to type words out in their entirety, you know? There are some words I shorten, but in general, I'd rather type a cheerful, "Later!" than "haha lol l8r" in an email.

So when I got a cell phone I thought that since I was finally closer technology-wise to my peers, perhaps I would magically start typing like them. But it's not easy to remember to shorten words, and sometimes I'll be texting and remember halfway through a word that there's a shorter way of putting it, so I'll delete what I wrote and use the shorter version. By that point, of course, enough time has been wasted that I might as well have just used the word I was trying to type in the first place.

It makes me feel like perhaps I missed out on the gene most people my age have, the one that lets you do stuff like that. And I'm not perfect--I'm a terrible speller, and sometimes say things like "bother" instead of "brother," but that short-hand computer language just isn't something I'm good at.

What I am good at? At least mildly so? Riding a bike and texting. Try it sometime, it's harder than it looks!

Where the heart is

I recently had another birthday, and now, apparently, people think it's high time for me to fly the coop. When I say "people" I mostly mean my group of people at the Y where I always hang out. They find it surprising that A) I still want to live at home and B) that my parents still want me. But I honestly can't imagine just moving out for the sake of it. My family keeps me grounded, and in touch with reality, and I tell you what, I won't find meals or Bible readings as cool as we have it at home!

Last night I was joking around with my parents about them trying to marry me off (we have this whole arranged-marriage thing that nobody finds funny but us), and my mom was saying that they'll keep me for as long as they can. It made me rather cheerful.

And so this morning, as I was going around the breakfast table on my way out to work (I say good-bye to my bother, remind him of what time I'll pick him up from school, kiss my dad, my mom, and then my little sister, and then my mom follows me outside to wave me off. It's quite the process), I was just thankful for my family. They're the best.

Misspeaks

Last night 'round the dinner table we were remembering some particularly funny times when someone has been reading the Bible and spoke amiss. My all-time favorite was when my little sister was just learning how to read and we were reading the parable of the guy who sent his only son and she said, "This is the hair; come, let us kill him, and let us squeeze on his inheritance." And I just laughed. Nobody else remembers, but I wrote a note in my Bible, and every time I come across it I just have to laugh.

Then, of course, were the time when we'd have Bible study at our house for the neighbourhood teens, and every once in a while they'd say something funny. Like once my dad asked what "swine" were (parable of the prodigal son) and one girl said, "they're those, like, pretty white birds?" No, no, those are swans.

At Sunday School once a boy whom I've always thought of as pretty with it was asked what a "pardon" was. "A.... squirrel?" No, Lorenzo, that's not it.

Back to the dinner table. Once, when my grandma was still with us, she was at our house for breakfast and our family reading happened to be in Matthew 11. My grandma wasn't paying much attention (being 93 will do that to you), and so when it came time for her to read she didn't know where we were. So my mom, being ever helpful, started out the verse for her and pointed her in the right direction. "Woe unto thee, Mummy," she said, hoping that my grandma would pick up from there.

So my grandma repeated after her. Verbatim.

"Woe unto thee, Mummy."

We all cracked up, and my poor grandma didn't understand why we thought it was funny. Needless to say, I can't ever seem to read about Chorazin without remembering my dear grandmother saying, "Woe unto thee, Mummy."

I remember someone once mis-reading loaves and fishes as "loaves and smishes." Two words: Church. Giggles.

Psalm 28:7

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song I will praise Him.

Tuna with a side of Smartness

Change begins at the meal table. ~This week's sign at a Church near where I work. I wonder what the sermon's going to be about... I've been curious ever since I saw the sign on Monday.

Anyhow, I talk about our family meals all the time, how fun they are, and how wacky they sometimes end up being. I was pondering this last night as I realized the amount of information we were sharing was of a fairly impressive quantity.

My brother was trying to teach us all this math problem, wherein the answer was about four times the length of the original question. My mom was full of factoids about the 82-year-old woman who got an $1,103 speeding ticket and a postcard that took 64 years to reach its recipient. Of course, she couldn't just say the story, but rather she explained it in math problems--she knew how many miles away the postcard was trying to go (she GoogleMapped it) and figured out the rate at which the postcard traveled to take that long. It was like half a mile a year.

And I just sat there, with my meager knowledge that crocodiles like to soak humans underwater before eating them (if they choose to eat humans, which they usually don't, quite honestly), and that New Hampshire is the only state left without formal seat belt laws on the books. I thought those were some pretty good take-home bits for the day, but my family had me beat.

Another day, another dinner. Have I ever mentioned how thankful I am for my family?

Wing to Wing, Oar to Oar

I found this poem the other day and thought it was cool. As much as I profess to dislike poetry, I think it's mostly a partial truth to cover up that I can't write it myself.

The Master Speed by Robert Frost

No speed of wind or water rushing by
But you have speed far greater. You can climb
Back up a stream of radiance to the sky,
And back through history up the stream of time.
And you were given this swiftness, not for haste
Nor chiefly that you may go where you will,
But in the rush of everything to waste,
That you may have the power of standing still-
Off any still or moving thing you say.
Two such as you with such a master speed
Cannot be parted nor be swept away
From one another once you are agreed
That life is only life forevermore
Together wing to wing and oar to oar

Wisdom and such

Solomon was pretty cool (minus the whole wife fetish, but we'll let that go for now). He ended up being a King while young, and really relied on the Lord to get him started... and then sort of let it slip. Again with the wife thing.

But do you remember the prayer he prayed? He requested "wisdom and knowledge," and he might "go out and come in before this people." As a quick aside, I find great hilarity in that verse, but I take it a little bit out of context sometimes, so I won't dwell on that fact too much here. Anyhow, the Lord granted it to him (feel free to brush up in either 2 Chronicles 1 or 1 Kings 3), and all was good for Solomon (well, until the wife thing). (You know, for saying I wasn't going to talk about that I spent an awfully long time talking about it. Strange...)

My favorite part about this whole thing is that as a Christian, I get this stuff in the package deal! When you read Colossians 2 about being knit together in love etc. you find a useful little verse tucked in there (verse 3) that goes, "In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Isn't that nifty? Just by being redeemed by the precious blood of Christ we get wisdom and knowledge. It's pretty much the best situation ever.

So when we feel all lacking in the wisdom department (though we all know what James would say!) just remember that we have it. Through Christ we have a direct line into Wisdom herself--see entire book of Proverbs for information about wisdom. For further confirmation, read this book. =)

So when something seems confusing and/or slightly complicated, I like to think about the fact that I have knowledge and wisdom hidden in me. Now if only it weren't hidden so well...

PS, that's James 1:5, in case I wasn't clear.

100

I just realized that this is my 100th post in the year 2010, and I was rather pleased to realize that. All of my deep thoughts about wisdom were thrown out of the window and I decided instead to take a moment and just point out to all y'all that even though I'm terrible at keeping up, that somewhat of an accomplishment, right?

Then again, when you consider that this is actually the 291st day of the year, you might stop to think about those nearly-two hundred days of the year I haven't posted, and then this seems way less cool.

Either way, happy hundredth post to me!

Oxen

One verse that is recited as if a mantra about our house is Proverbs 14:4, the verse that goes, "Where no oxen are, the crib is clean." We don't just quote this because we used to have kids over to our house for Bible study who thought it was somehow appropriate to call our house "God's Crib" because, you know, I guess our house was the hip version of God's house. Not sure why...

Anyhow, we use this verse to stay encouraged when our Sunday School events go a little crazy. Police had to come? This means the crib is used, people, this is fine. Kids are fighting? That means the kids are there, at Sunday School, so that's good. Sure, everything feels like a mess, but it means there's potential, there's an effort, and there's an outreach. Sometimes it's hard to appreciate the chaos, but fact is, chaos means that things are happening! As crazy as things get sometimes, we still prefer the crazy times to the times when nobody even shows up to Sunday School. That happens, by the way. Sometimes each class will only have one or two kids, and all the Sunday School teachers feel quite bereft of our usual Sunday Adventures.

That's mostly in the summer, for some reason. Kids come more during the school year.

And Hobby Class, for instance, where last week I picked up 14 kids, and this week only two. Last week there was more chaos (and more police cars), but I think I liked it better. But numbers aren't what matter, the outcome is what matters: that a child might come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their own personal Saviour. That's what matters.

So anyhow, if something has you discouraged because the situation seems out of control, just remember the verse we love so well in our household and bear in mind that it's only a mess because you're making the effort. If all else fails, refer to your home as a "crib." All the cool kids do.

Evil, in root form

I rant about money all the time: how much I hate it, hate to spend it, love to spend it, wish I didn't simultaneously love and hate to spend it, that sort of thing. But in general, and especially having the job I have (word to the wise: your insurance will cost less if you have a better credit score!), I'm thankful for what I do know/feel about money.

Before I go on, don't think that I've learned all my money stuff from the radio or work. My family is full of wise people who are awesome at managing money. I have an aunt who saved a bunch of money before she got married and single-handedly put the down payment on their first house. She is held up as a pinnacle of virtue in our household; someone to live up to, if possible.

Back in the day I used to listen to Money Matters on the radio pretty much every day while I was making supper. That, of course, was back when it was actually called Money Matters, and back when Howard Dayton did the show, and back when I had time to make supper. So, back when the show was cool and I had enough time to listen to money management radio shows. By the way, to all of you Dave Ramsey enthusiasts out there, I still like Howard Dayton better. Sorry.

But it was a really good thing for me, I think. My friend mrg and I used to talk about mortgages and loans and other things we didn't really understand, but because we nerdily listened to such money programs, we at least felt mildly comfortable with it all. Even now I don't really understand all the stuff with Living Wills and Revocable Trusts, but at least I know something. Ish.

So I dutifully went out and got myself a credit card earlier this year, just so I could start having some sort of credit history (the whole insurance company mindset does something to me, I tell you what). It's strange to think that you have to spend money to show that you're good at it, I guess, but it's how these things go.

But my dad and I were talking about money the other day, because I'd missed a talk he'd given about money, and I wanted him to fill me in on what I missed, and *drum roll* he was explaining how budgeting is bad. For a second I was quite confused, because that's what I hear on Moody Radio all the time: Have a budget! Manage your money wisely! But my dad has a great point. Most people create a budget based on how much money they have, and work out from there. Uh, as my dad points out, when you do that, you're basically allowing yourself to spend most (if not all) of the money you make. Just live simply, WELL within your means, and save the rest. Well, save and give back to the Lord--also hugely important (also emphasized by Moody Radio and my dad all the time).

But I've been thinking about it recently, because I've been trying to save pretty much all of my money these days, less necessary evils (prizes for my SS class, gas, etc. etc.), and it's sort of awesome to do my online banking and see very very few debit or credit card purchases each month. Woo hoo!

Things that keep me busy

No sooner did I comment to my friend Rachel that I was finally blogging again then I pretty much stopped blogging. To my credit, I've been busy. We passed the anniversary of my brother's ex-birthday, we passed my birthday, I went away for a long weekend (Columbus Day is a holiday in my books!), and in general, have been sleeping a lot.

Being a year older doesn't feel different at all, I'm not going to lie. It never does, but since this was a monumental year, one that required me to renew my license and such, I though perhaps it was as big a deal as everyone said.

Not so much.

Anyhow, it's all good. Each day brings new blessings, each day brings new challenges. Seems to, anyhow. It's a good feeling, knowing that no matter where life takes me, or what it hands me, I've got the Lord on my side. Whom shall I fear? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Oh, Romeo

Fact: I think the story of Romeo and Juliet is stupid. Fact: Taylor Swift's re-envisioning of the story doesn't really impress me. Fact: maybe it's just because I'm not hopelessly romantic enough, but the whole premise is insane.

You meet, fall in love, can't live without one another, and prove it by dying because you can't be together. Juliet, are you sure you knew this guy? It had only been a couple of days (hours?) before you decided you were in love with him. Romeo, you obviously had no concept of.... well, let's put it this way. Juliet was 13, you were probably not too much older, let's just say you were 17 or 18. You had your whole life in front of you, Romeo, but you chose to throw it all away over a girl barely in her teens. Seriously, mister, get real.

I know you both thought you were smart enough to have figured out the world and its many nuances, but the killing.... WHAT? Obviously you weren't saved, because I, for one, have so much more to live for! I have a life in Christ, and I like to think that I wouldn't throw that away over something as stupid as someone you hardly even knew.

In other news, I just read a news article that declared that it was actually scientifically proven that you can fall in love at first sight. Weird.

Library loyalty

I have several library cards, for my several libraries, but there are only two that I really use enough to have memorized the library numbers. I like them both a lot, and really, my primary choice would be the library I grew up with (even though the other library, the one by work, is the one at which I want to get married). Only problem is, practicality has been winning out recently: I've been using my work library most, because I can go there on lunch break, plus, if I put a hold on an item I have a week to pick up the item, as opposed to my other library, where I only have three days.

It's rough! I feel like I'm cheating on my childhood library by using this other one. It's not a good feeling, either. I'd use the other library all the time if I could, but alas, life gets in the way.

On the plus side, I do have a greater selection of books to choose from! Dear Libraries, you were the best idea ever. Love, Me.

Well then

Dear World,

I'm sorry. I was not sleeping, and apparently decided it would be a good idea to write whatever I was thinking. This is why I have a journal, so I'm not sure why I chose to share with the world, instead of myself. Either way, it amuses me, so I've left it.

Love,
Jo

Jumble

Sometimes in my head the thoughts don't come clearly. Especially late at night, when I lay awake and think and I'm sure that if I just thought hard enough, I could categorize my life into neat little boxes, all the beads sorted out separately, so there aren't any orange ones in the purple box, or blue ones with the yellows. It's not possible of course (though hope springs eternal), but life would be more tidy, less bother. Not that life was meant to be a bother, of course, but it sometimes feels like that ride when you were a kid and you're spinning all around and you desperately want to put your arms up in the air, because in the pictures it looks like so much fun when people do that, but you just can't let go of the handle bars, because you're sure you'd fall out. But you can't. You know that.

Any way you look at it, though, there's that thread running through everything, that silver thread that keeps everything bound to reality, and when you stop to sort it out, to try to get your beads on it (which makes no sense, really, because why am I talking about beads?) you realize how strange your life has become. The Lord knows best, we say this again and again, and even mostly believe it, but when you look back you realize that you'd never have chosen what He ended up choosing for you. Your life would have been tidier, with point A coming firmly before point B, and on and on and on it goes through the alphabet, ending with Z for Rapture (which makes sense, because the Rapture is the end of our earthly life, even though it doesn't start with Z at all), but here looking behind you, even if you're only up to the letter I, or maybe J, you can already see that life doesn't follow a human pattern even thus far. His thoughts are higher than ours? That's the only explanation. Plus, you are where you are (I am where I am) and somehow it makes sense. His ways are higher, and they're always better than the best (because only the best gets to be better than itself).

Which leads us to ponder, why don't we trust all the time? because if we can see, even now at the J or K stage of life, that His arms are always carrying us through, wouldn't it make most sense if we like Him do His perfect work all the time? Today, tomorrow, and even on alternating Mondays (though those are hard days due to life being what it is), we should trust. We mostly don't (I mostly don't, but you can judge for yourself what you do, and don't do or trust).

So that brings us back to the beads, all in their little boxes, all mixed up because we sin. All mixed up because we live. Living isn't bad, it's just messy. The peach of on part of life gets mixed in with the maroon, and we just have to face up to the fact that it's OK. That even when we don't sleep (which is often) we'll be OK. That's what concealer was invented for (even if you don't wear it, it's nice to know it's around), and that's what coffee was invented for (even if you don't drink it, and miss it, and sometimes wonder why you gave it up in the first place), and that's why people don't expect much from a tired girl. Somehow this has nothing to do with what I was first thinking of--

--when I woke up. Even though it's the middle of the night. They say wonders never cease. I wish ceasing would be the thing that happens to insomnia.