CHRISTIAN PLATED OR SOLID CHRISTIAN

Are you Christian Plated or Solid Christian

                We had a conversation recently about a gold plated necklace.  It was shiny on the outside, but Just base metal on the inside.  It gave the impression of being perfect, spotless, and unspoiled, but that image was imperfect, spotted, and spoiled.  The inside was a much cheaper metal.  The conversation lead to an analogy of Christian life.  It is very easy to let the world lead you into leading a Christian plated life as opposed to being a Solid Christian life.  Do you stand up for Christ's values?  Are you living and loving as Christ did?  OR – are you accepting the worlds view of what a Christian should be like – and accepting the "I'm a good person" life?  There a lot of folks in the world who profess to be Christians, but they are Christian Plated – they look shiny on the outside, but are worldly on the inside.  They have let the world define who they are and play-act as a Christian. 

                Regardless of whether you think you are a "good person" or not – God knows the heart.  There is no hiding from Him.  Psalm 44:20-21  If we had forgotten the name of our God, Or stretched out our hands to a foreign god, Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. 

                I may have more to add to this in the future – but for now this is what God has laid upon my heart to be shared and to make me  consider my own life as well. God is good!

DREAMS

I normally don't put any credence into dreams - simply because I have them and they kind of get forgotten.  Last nights dream was different.  My dream involved Scott and I buying a house - in California.  We have no desire to move to California - which is the first bizarre point  The second bizarre point is that we bought this house - sight unseen.  We just up and called a realtor and got the first house that was available.  Weird.

Well, we flew out to look at our "purchase".  The house was MASSIVE.  Not only that, but it still had ALL of the furniture and the belongings in the house - and it was our job to get rid of or sell all of stuff.  The furniture and belongings were very nondescript - and we were having no problem getting rid of it, until we came to the basement.  When we walked into the basement we noticed that it was decorated differently.  All of the furniture was antique looking - and really cool.   There was a black rocker - with red cushions that looked big enough for 3 people to sit it - it was awesome.  There was this one dresser that had a collection of glasses (eye glasses) and jewelry on it that were just amazing.  The drawers were full of silk and tapestries.   We called and asked the realtor about all of the stuff, and we were told that the items in the basement belonged to the owner's wife - who had recently died of cancer.  He wanted nothing to do with any of the stuff in the house because it reminded him of her and his loss.  Well, we immediatley switched gears and started to sell the stuff - not just to get rid of it - but to donate the money we collected to help find a cure for cancer.  We were going to donate it in memory of this lady.  From that point the dream kind of went fuzzy  because there was SO MUCH stuff to take care of.  I woke up just as we were tracking down the husband to let him know what we had done with his wifes belongings.

So - that's my dream - weird huh?

I MADE ME

I MADE ME

This was on the license plate of a sweet little sports car that I happened to be stuck behind in traffic.  Quite a statement.  The longer I followed it the angrier it made me.  Really??  Really??  How absolutely arrogant?  What a worldly stance – seriously how full of pride can you be.  What a moron.  How could anyone be so utterly self absorbed and full of pride. UGH.

Then, a voice in my head started berating me about judging. "Judge not, that you be not judged (Matthew 7:1)  But God, I thought, the driver is doing you a disservice!  They should be praising you for everything they have, but NOOOOOO – they are throwing it out there for the whole world to see that it's ALL about them.  Seriosuly??  You should totally bring down fire and brim stone on their heads – like right now!!

Gently, the voice started quoting scripture to me. "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." (Luke 6:37) 

I slowly began to realized that judging was exactly what I was doing. Judging the driver because of the  7 little letters on the back of the car.  Not knowing the person, not knowing the circumstance, just judging from what I saw with my eyes.  God used those 7 little letters to point out to me my own sin. Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law. Psalm 119:18

It's sad, and kind of scary how quickly you slip into the flesh. He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den; He lies in wait to catch the poor; He catches the poor when he draws him into his net. So he crouches, he lies low, That the helpless may fall by his strength. Psalm 10: 9-10. I was so quickly stumbled by 7 little letters.  I was humbled by my insight.  I started praying for forgiveness and for the driver of the car.

Ironically, while this conversation was going on in my head, the song that was playing on my CD player was You Love me Anyway by Sidewalk Prophets:

The question was raised

As my conscience fell

A silly, little lie

It didn’t mean much

But it lingers still

In the corners of my mind

Still you call me to walk

On the edge of this world

To spread my dreams and fly

But the future’s so far

My heart is so frail

I think I’d rather stay inside

But You love me anyway

It’s like nothing in life that I’ve ever known

Yes You love me anyway

Oh Lord, how You love me

How You love me

It took more than my strength

To simply be still

To seek but never find

All the reasons we change

The reasons I doubt

And why do loved ones have to die?

But You love me anyway

It’s like nothing in life that I’ve ever known

Yes You love me anyway

Oh Lord, how You love me

I am the thorn in Your crown

But You love me anyway

I am the sweat from Your brow

But You love me anyway

I am the nail in Your wrist

But You love me anyway

I am Judas’ kiss

But You love me anyway

See now, I am the man who yelled out from the crowd

For Your blood to be spilled on this earth shaking

ground

Yes then, I turned away with a smile on my face

With this sin in my heart tried to bury Your grace

And then alone in the night, I still called out for You

So ashamed of my life, my life, my life

But You love me anyway

It’s like nothing in life that I’ve ever known

Yes,You love me anyway

Oh Lord, how You love me

You love me, yes You love me

How You love me

How You love me

How You love me

So when the world thinks "I MADE ME",  I give thanks and continue to ask God to mold me into the vessel that He wants me to be and can use. But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.Isaiah 64:8

So the Young Adult Bon fire hosted by Nick and Becca was a huge success.  There was good fellowship, and good, and all and all a great time! They are considering doing another one next Spring - exciting!

CRUMPTONLAND YOUNG ADULT FELLOWSHIP

This weekend is the Crumptonland Young Adult fellowship that Nick and Becca are hosting at our house.  I hope to post pictures of it afterwards - but we are really looking forward to it.  They are planning a bonfire, and loads of activities - it should be a blast!!

I have rearranged the recipes - yay me!!  I will be adding more as they come into hand.  Working on these family recipes has brought back many profound memories - and considering it is Thanksgiving time it has reminded me how thankful I am to have such an amazing family.  We truly have been richly blessed with love - God is good!  I am so thankful!! <3

RECIPES!

I've discovered that we have so many favorite recipes, and handed down recipes that I am goingto have to make a page for each type!  I'm working on that - work in progress you know??  It's going to be fun when  - if - - it's finished. YAY