Living a legacy part II

A few weeks ago I wrote about how I wanted to live my life in such a way as to leave an impact, to change the world for Christ. I have been reading a biography on William Wilberforce, he is the man that started the effort to end slavery in Great Britain which eventually spread around the world. He was an amazing man, and I think that in looking at his life you would say that the way he lived his life changed the world. I don't know what God has for any of us, but I do know that he is the God of the universe, he made us and he loves us and he is with us, as followers of Christ we, and mainly I mean I should not be timid, or hold back in sharing the gospel because God can use that in big ways. I think we should also dream big, and if God is putting something on our heart we need to go for it. God did not send all of us to be president of the US, but the calling that he has for each of us is just as important!
It's interesting, Wilberforce grew up in a wealthy family, he had all that he needed, and he was bright and successful, and well liked. While he was studying at Cambridge he blew off most of his classes and partied and gambled, and basically wasted his time there because he was told that all he had to do was get through school and go into the family business and he would be well off. It didn't matter what he did with his life, he was going to have enough and live a comfortable normal life. But during his time in college something about that didn't sit well with him, it wasn't enough to just be wealthy and play all the time; he didn't just want to live a good life and die. I don't think there is anything wrong with living a good life, but I think I am focused on that a little too much and I just do what it takes to get by rather than doing the very best I can do to serve Christ with everything that is within me.

I think God has called us to so much more, the life to the full that Jesus promises sounds a lot like the life that Wilberforce lived, it sounds a lot like the life that Peter and Paul and the other disciples lived, they were not merely followers of Jesus but they were ambassadors, here on the earth in a foreign land representing Jesus in the position that he called them to. my prayer is that I would heed God's call, that I would know his voice and then follow him where he leads me and be an ambassador for Jesus! Who knows what would have happened if Wilberforce had decided that he enjoyed partying and gambling and the "good life" too much and decided that he was going to live that for the rest of his life and take the easy road. How many more slaves would have died, how much longer would slavery have reigned terror on people? What is God calling you and I to do? Lets not allow the world and all it's enticement take us away from our mission as an ambassador for the Lord Jesus!

Snow day??

I still really like a good snowfall, and I still get really excited when I hear the weather forecasters saying it's going to snow, although I generally hedge that excitement with a bit of cynicism expecting them to be wrong yet again! Today, however has been one of the rare times they were right, and we're getting a beautiful snow which makes me feel like a kid again hoping and praying for a day off school! Only now I'm stuck in the "real world" whatever that means, working a "real" job and really have no chance of getting a day off for snow. However, I'll still hold onto the slim chance that Fairfield declares a level 3 ultra snow emergency and makes it impossible and illegal to drive to work! So I'll be checking my computer every five minutes in the morning hoping that somehow I get a bonus day off to go play in the snow, but until that happens I'll be remembering the good ol days and holding onto the hope that it can happen again!

I think it's safe to say the yellow starburst will easily defeat the other very edible options given and prove my point that yellow deserves to stay in the starburst rainbow!! But, whoever voted for rotten eggs needs to have their head examined!!

The poll

If you've recently been on Ian's blog you've read his rants about the yellow starburst being nasty, so in the interest of fairness I have set up a highly scientific poll to determine if the yellow starburst shall forever be banned from the starburst lineup, or if it is indeed better than a chocolate covered cicada. Personally I'm a fan of the yellow starburst and I would pick it any day over even the coveted red starburst. So what will it be, is the yellow starburst worse than a can of spam or a rotten egg? If you think so I'd like to see you prove it!

Valentines day

I read a few articles today about valentines day, some were written by bitter people that have had bad experience seeking love from someone, and they talked about how valentines day brings back a rush of pain and frustration. Others were written by people in love, but they wrote about how much money they were going to spend to celebrate the holiday and inevitably how one gift or another simply would not be good enough, or might be too much or could cause a break-up etc. Either way it just strikes me that valentines day has become all about "me" and not about genuinely letting the people closest to us know that we love them. It should not be about the gifts or coming up with the perfect "valentine's day date" but about genuinely sharing your love with people in your life whether it's friends, family, husband, wife or your neighbor. Honestly, for me as a single guy valentines day has generally been a day that I just avoided and didn't put much focus on, but as I was thinking about it I realized that I needed to view valentines day as a reminder of the greatest love ever shown to anyone and that is the love that God has lavished on us by sending Jesus to rescue us from a life of sin and death. That is truly the greatest love story in all the world, there will never be one to top it, and I'm a part of that love story, and I need to include others in the story too. Valentines is an opportunity to share God's love, it's a day to let others know that they are loved by Jesus, and quite honestly that is the only love that really matters! Really though, not to sound corny but as a Christian every day should be "valentines day" that every day I should strive to let those around me know they are loved, not just accepted or tolerated but truly loved because that is how God loves me. I hope you have a great valentines day!!

Living a Legacy

Today is the 10 year anniversary of my Grandma passing away, she is the closest person that I've known on this earth that has now gone home to be with her savior. She was an amazing and loving woman, she had a beautiful voice and many talents. I was blessed to basically get to live with her while I was a little kid. I got to spend so much time eating cookies and playing games and just hanging out, it was a little kids paradise! Her life has shaped mine as well as my family's lives and she left a legacy on this earth that will not quickly be forgotten, it wasn't anything particular that she did, or any huge accomplishment that she achieved but it was the love and encouragement that she shared with all those around her. Even in her last days in a nursing home rather than focusing on the pain she had she would encourage the others around her to be joyful in the lord for he alone is good! As I live my life, and strive for to make a difference in the world around me, I want to remember to love and encourage the people around me to grow closer to Christ, to build a legacy that will last. What kind of legacy are you building? I'll have more on this later...

My new soap box...

Lately I have been thinking a lot about how much I'm lied to, it happens every day. Recently if you've been following the primary elections you have heard many lies from politicians seeking to convince you to vote for them, and it comes from all parties. It's not just politicians, it comes from co-workers, my boss, the media, and maybe even church or other organizations. I'm not saying that I'm perfect or that I have never lied or stretched the truth, but personally I'm tired of constantly being lied to and it being ok. It has gotten to the point where it can be difficult to distinguish what is true from what is a lie. I think our world is so caught up in a cause or championing a position that we go to any cost to make our position look like its the right one, or to make our cause look like its the most worthy of your attention instead of making sure that our cause is honest and our position trustworthy. I am not a great conspiracy theorist, I don't believe the government is out to get me at every turn, but I do think that we are often lied to and quite frankly we're ok with it as long as we have what we want and nobody bothers us we don't really care what anyone else does.

Personally I want to seek the truth, I want my life to be true honest and real and I want others to be able to discover the truth for themselves. Eventually if we continue down a path of relativism devoid of truth we will fall victim to our own lies, we will no longer be able to judge character, or uphold law in our world because all will be corrupt. I once heard that if you are willing to lie you are also much more willing to believe a lie and can be easily deceived by a lie. I think that is correct, I think we need to start with our own lives to speak only what is true, and to live life seeking the truth. In doing this we can encourage others to find the truth and in so doing expose the lies that are so rampantly thrown at us. In the Bible John 14:6 says "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." Jesus offers us truth, and life, what is holding you back from seeking the truth? Or are you content to believe a lie? What do you think? Are we a nation that is ok with being lied to? Is there a such thing as truth? If so how can we know what it is? At what point do we get tired of being fed a lie?