Newest Addition

Hey All!!

Well i am still alive... I do exist, although you've not heard from me in quite some time..

I just wanted to announce the newest additon to our family..

Little Clarence James arrived yesterday!!!

Soon enough i'll post his story and give some updates on life with CJ!!

Have a great day!!

Todd Agnew - My Jesus From the album Reflection Of Something

I heard this song on my way downtown this morning and although it has a very raw feel and sound to it, It really caught my attention and as I listened into a song I had never heard I began to feel and see what artist Todd Agnew meant...

So the question that remains posed in my head is this; Which one do I want to be? and my painful cry is Oh, God don't let me be comfortable in this world, instead allow my life to be a reflection of your love.

Read the lyrics, ponder their meaning in your life - and respond to God.

Which Jesus do you follow?
Which Jesus do you serve?
If Ephesians says to imitate Christ,
Why do you look so much like the world?

Cause my Jesus bled and died.
He spent His time with thieves and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant
So which one do you want to be?

Blessed are the poor in spirit, do we pray to be blessed with the wealth of this land
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness
Do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sand

Cause my Jesus bled and died for my sins.
He spent His time with thieves and sluts and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the rich
So which one do you want to be?

And who is this that you follow
This picture of the American dream
If Jesus was here would you walk right by on the other side
Or fall down and worship at His holy feet

Pretty blue eyes, curly brown hair and a clear complexion
Is how you see Him as He dies for Your sins
But the Word says He was battered and scarred
Or did you miss that part?
Sometimes I doubt we’d recognize Him

Cause my Jesus bled and died.
He spent His time with thieves and the least of these
He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable
So which one do you want to be?

Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church
The blood and dirt on His feet might stain the carpet
But He reached for the hurting and despises the proud
I think He’d prefer Beal St. to the stained glass crowd
But I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud

I want to be like my Jesus

.........

I have most recently been engulfed in my thoughts and my search for what is right. One song that seemed to most speak is one I don't even right off know the artist or the title to but a couple of lines go like this.
"I'm so thirsty I can feel it, burning through the furthest corners of my soul. Deep desires can't describe this; name this urge that drives me somewhere, through I don't know where to go... Somehow my life depends on the river."
While I know that God is the river of life I cannot currently describe myself as being on the rivers edge. I think most accurately I can describe God as being an Oasis in a dry desert. I can look back over the last year and see myself as a woman who sits just out of sight of the oasis and I wonder to myself - I am so thirsty for you oh God - why will you not answer my calls, fulfill my desires and longings? How long Lord will you tary - how long will I be in the waiting?Because really, waiting is the hardest part - isn't it?In reality God is never far away and all it took is for me to rise up and go to the oasis - which is only as far as I walked away from it. So here am I. Finding myself resting nearere to the waters edge - He is not a mirage, He is fulfilling and He invites us to drink and drink deeply - so drink I must.

Updates and answers

A while back I posted a couple of questions. Finally after some research, soul searching and trying to figure out what the correct question is, I have come to this place.

my first question was this:
1. What are your thoughts on Prevenient Grace? - It's definition and importance in our lives.
Prevenient Grace is simply the Grace that goes before us. It is absolutely needed and absolutely real - While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

the second question was this:
2. How would you define this idea on Progressive Culture.. and how do we fit in to that and apply it... and do we even want to be a part of that - do we have a choice...?
Progressive Culture can be considered as synonomous with the emerging culture. Our culture naturally progresses - things change with time - what was important in the 50's and 60's are not as important in today's culture. Sure, there are many things that are still important - many of the same topics still apply but most have different meanings and levels of meaning. Things like war, politics, and religion - same topics - different details. This idea of progressive culture is nothing new - as we all know "there is nothing new under the sun" rather it has been presented differently - given a different spin - given more attention.
Most of our older relatives - parents, grandparents and such just accepted life - our generations have come to see that they can change life - they can have an impact for better and for worse. Most aren't willing to sit back and allow life to just 'happen' they embrace it and live like there is no tomorrow.
This idea of aligning yourself with this emerging church/culture is about being both rational and relational - being both linear and non-linear.. It's a worldview change. The better way to explain would be to quote directly from http://www.emergingchurch.org/.

"the emerging church of the 21st century may have more in common with the church of the apostolic era, than with the church of the 20th century.
as leonard sweet writes, "our faith is ancient. our faith is future. we're old-fashioned. we're new-fangled. we're orthodox. we're innovators. we're postmodern christians."
the emergence of the postmodern era (1960 onward) is only now beginning to impact the world and the church in a profound way. most folk know about luther, calvin and the reformation. some have likened what is taking place in the church today to a "second reformation."

the traditions of the church are treasure... we are not starting from scratch... we can build upon the learnings of the first reformation as we surf the wild wave into the second.
today's mission context provides the church with a chance to:
1. shake off any residual "leave it to beaver" orientation and begin swimming (even with a paddleboard) within the postmodern culture.
2. really trust the power of the gospel and learn to communicate it with authenticity, because for postmodern people, authenticity is primary.

the church should not fear postmodernity, as it provides us with a new context, and thus a fresh opportunity to get real, to drink deep from our own wells, and go back to our own future... "

People are searching for authenticity, for a grouping of people that are real. Now this is a statement that I know both from seeing the people who are searching, but also seeing that person within myself. I require a connection with a God who is real and who is relevant to me. It is that kind of a relationship I seek to find.
While in some instances I can see the need for a 'reformation' at the same time I don't. It would seem that this emerging church takes it's focus off of Jesus and places it 'on our own futures'.

The main thing that I see this doing is replacing the freedom that Christ brought to us with His death with that same spirit of religion His Spirit is breaking off of people and churches across the nation. This spirit of religion is the one who brings fear of man - steals the boldness to speak the truth from the pulpit and replaces it with a 'feel good' theology. The truth is the Gospel will step on your toes, it will hurt your feelings but it is Christ and Christ alone who can heal those hurts and give you what you seek. He is the cornerstone of our lives. He is the very foundation of each person. When we look to him and allow Him to really rule our lives, our personal relevance doesn't matter in the least. My being relevant and applicable to the rest of the human race is impossible - it is Him that makes me relevant. It doesn't matter what I look like, what music I listen to - when I surrender myself to His calling - He brings the change and the people He desires me to speak and minister to. It is there that we find true authenticity and real-ness. And in that moment we find our peace and are satisfied.

Is the progressive culture something you want to be involved in - that's for you to decide - the only thing I desire is Christ and I don't need Him prettily packaged to make Him relevant.

Bumper Sticker

A bumper sticker I saw today on the way to work:

Follow those who seek God,
Run from those who find Him.

I saw this and you know how sometimes you see/read something that puts you on auto-defense.. That was me this morning.
But then I began to think, can that be right? and I thought no because the word says - If we seek Him with all our heart we will find Him: Jeremiah 29:12.
The whole point is to seek Him and find Him. But could what that persons sticker be referring to are the people who stop seeking when they find Him - is that the danger they see? Because truly that is when our faith walk becomes dangerous is when we stop walking because we think we've accomplished the goal.

Interestingly, Paul never says find Him and you're done.. He says press on towards the mark - it's a perpetual walk one that won't end till Christ returns and we are caught up with Him, till we are perfected with Christ.

But in the meanwhile what are our attitudes and actions showing people like my friend the Volvo driver? What does your life show? That you are seeking to find Him; or that you have sought and think you found and are content to remain there?

There's no status quo (to keep things the way they presently are) in our spiritual lives. If we are not seeking then we are falling behind. Just like a plant that is ever growing though you may not see the daily changes, when it fails to grow it begins to die.. also slowly - it can be revitalized and brought back to health but it is an ever present choice that the Maker made and the Child embraces.

Hmm.. How Appropriate...

From Kelly's blog...
Starts With Goodbye

**Writing**

In Progress......

Stay Tuned

Guilty Pleasures

As my dear friend Miss A to the T has tagged I shall *finally* concede and post my 5 guilty pleasures...

1. CSI - do I really care which one, NO I love them all!!!

2. Shopping - at one point in time about 5 years ago, I realized I had a problem.. No seriously! so over time I actually have reconsidered my stance on shopping - not that I could ever actually give it up - but I really have become a little more considerate of this guilty pleasure.

3. Photography - ever had one of those hobbies or outlets that you aboslutely loved but rarely if ever found the time or made the time to go and do. Photography allows me to see through a lens of simplicity, beauty, and creativity all things which lead to and are from our Maker.

4. Music - would not want to live without it.

5. Internet - what else would I do when i'm bored at work!

So, there it is folks! All for your viewing pleasure of course!

Question...

Okay Okay Amanda!!! I'm posting something.. although you haven't actually update yours in awhile either!!

So two questions that are swirling around in my head are these:

1. What are your thoughts on Prevenient Grace? - It's definition and importance in our lives.

2. How would you define this idea on Progressive Culture.. and how do we fit in to that and apply it... and do we even want to be a part of that - do we have a choice...?

So let me hear your thoughts.. and eventually i'll post mine along with a 'whats up' posting!