Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness...???

Okay so I am reading through the Bible in a year with the help of this blog I found and today I was reading in Micah.
This is the verse that jumped out at me. Micah 2:11

11 If someone showed up with a good smile and glib tongue
and told lies from morning to night--
"I'll preach sermons that will tell you
how you can get anything you want from God:
More money, the best wines . . . you name it'--
you'd hire him on the spot as your preacher!

I started thinking of how many times I have convinced myself that wanting something or doing something is okay because I adopted the preaching (that I preached to myself) that I deserve 'Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness".

Where does it say that in the Word of God? Doesn't it say that there will be 'Trials and Tribulations"? I personally think I need a swift kick in the behind...course, I guess God is probably doing that with this scripture...minus the shoe :)

So if you keep reading you realize there is hope for me (and you). Chapter 4 verse 13 reads like this:

13On your feet, Daughter of Zion! Be threshed of chaff,
be refined of dross.
I'm remaking you into a people invincible,
into God's juggernaut to crush the godless peoples.

Thank God his mercies are new every morning!

My prayer ~ Lord, Thanks for the swift kick in the pants...and the chance to start over again. I will do my best to keep my flesh at bay. Give me strength that only you can give...and watch me grow! ~Amen

Kate's Guitar Recital

Kate has been playing guitar for about six months now. She really enjoys it and I have caught her more than once playing and singing to a CD in her room.

Today was her first guitar recital playing Praise and Worship in Chapel with her class.

As you can see from the photo, Kate broke/fractured/ serverly jammed her left pinky finger this last weekend and it proved a little difficult to play. Daddy teased her she could play 'steel guitar', she didn't think that was very funny :)

We are very happy that she is learning Praise and Worship songs. What a great talent to know as she grows in Christ. It will be a great tool to help her and possibly others enter into a deeper place with Christ.

My Prayer: Lord, give Kate a heart to worship you. May she always know the importance of spending time with You and studying Your Word. Let her heart be filled with the knowledge and wisdom that you can give and may she share it with everyone she meets. Let people see Jesus in her. ~Amen

The Real Aslan

Today marks the launch of a momentous full feature film that I am excited to go see; The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. I love these characters (Susan is my personal favorite). Even Kate is now enthralled by this classic piece of literature.

The symbolism of Narnia is obvious to most Christians. Aslan giving his life in such a sacrificial way, the White Witch and her henchmen laughing at his apparent demise, and his returning to life. Isn't it good to know that you know the REAL ASLAN?

At this time in my life I am realizing the importance of my witness. I have not always been bold when I should. Fear of embarrassment, losing friends, offending acquaintances...All have been factors in my cowardice. Then there have been times that I have been bold even when I believed the message was not necessarily being accepted. But last year something happened that I will never forget.

I witnessed to a woman at my job (Lamar University) as I drove her to pick up her car. She prayed with me and told me of her current situations. There were no tears, no angelic appearances and I drove away praying that it made a difference. The next week she thanked me for being bold enough for sharing my faith with her. It had really impacted her, she was sincere in her thanks. I remember feeling proud that I had been brave enough to share and then the Christmas Holidays began. I would not see her again until January...So I thought.

After returning back to school in January, I noticed I did not see her on campus (she was a student). Several weeks went by and I just assumed that she had taken the semester off. On a weird excursion through a building that I rarely go into and past a bulletin board that had not been kept up, I saw her picture on a piece of paper.

She had been murdered.

The reality of WHY we MUST wittiness to people when we are prompted by the Holy Spirit became bone chilling crystal clear. I made a commitment to Christ that day as I drove to meet Darren in tears that I would NEVER pass up the opportunity to share my Jesus with people. After all, witnessing is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find the bread.

My prayer: Lord, As I told you, I will not forget. ~Amen