Thought for the Day

Confronting our Idols:

2 Kings 17:33 & 41
“They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought. Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols.”

“Could it be that we are serving our own gods, though we sit on the front row of church? Do we claim the Bible as our source of truth while our real counselors come from movie screens and magazines? Perhaps so many of our struggles-lack of freedom, loss of spiritual desire, slavery to image, perfectionism, confusion, and infinitely more possibilities-have much to do with false idols.”
–No Other Gods by Kelly Minter

Who are we listening to? Where are we going for advice, comfort, and reassurance? We sit back and say that we want to grow closer and deeper with God, but we fill our lives, and yes, our hearts, with false gods. We fill our lives with boy after boy, and girl after girl, and toy after toy. We look to the TV, books, magazines, movie stars, singers, etc. to find what we should be, look like, sound like, what we should wear, even who our friends should be. We are trying to keep up with everyone else. When, in truth, we are supposed to focus ourselves on our Father. The one true creator. The one who made us who we are for a specific reason. Why do we want to be what everyone else tells us we should be? We have lost sight of what really matters. You say you have lost your first love, that wonderful, euphoric feeling you had when you fist fell in love with God. When, in fact, you haven’t lost it, you left it. We play church and play at being put together, when we don’t have anything together. How long will we let this world conform us? When are we going to stand up and say “No More!” I will be who He wants me to be, I will go where He wants me to go, I will do what He wants me to do, and I will say what He wants me to say. Examine your spiritual walk with the Almighty. Have you even looked at Him today? He is the Great I Am and so worthy to be praised. Have we neglected Him? He will NEVER neglect us. Stop trying to be what everyone wants you to be and start finding out what He wants you to be. He gave you the manual. “The Complete Guide to Life for Dummies” We have edged God out of our lives. We have left Him with little room in our hearts. Our false gods have taken up our most treasured spaces, leaving little room for God to show Himself strong on our behalf. We say “God reveal yourself to us”, or “Start a fire in me, Lord”, but yet, we are still holding on to all of the junk that gets in the way of a deeper relationship with Him. We have to talk with him daily, no, not daily, every second of everyday. We should be so saturated with Him that we won’t even take one step without consulting Him first. How do we confront our idols? We find out just what it is that is taking time away from our relationship with Jesus. If we would rather watch TV than spend time in the Word, then maybe that’s an idol. If we go to other people for advice before seeking out direction from the Holy Spirit, then we need to reevaluate that. If we look at outward appearance to see our beauty, then we have allowed our vanity to become an idol. (Not that you aren’t to take care with your appearance, but we should know that we are beautiful because we were made in the image of God).

"Mirror" by Barlow Girl

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Have I got it?
'Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am
I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect
So sorry you won't define me
Sorry you don't own me

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, I won't try

Mirror I am seeing a new reflection
I'm looking into the eyes of He who made me
And to Him I have beauty beyond compare
I know He defines me

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, I won't try

You don't define me, you don't define me
I will leave you with this:
Daniel 1:8a
“But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine…”

Daniel refused to conform to those around him. In Daniel chapter 1, we read that Daniel refused to defile himself by sitting at the king’s table and eat. In her commentary on Daniel, scholar Joyce Baldwin says that by Eastern standard to share a meal was to commit oneself to friendship. Sharing a meal was of covenant significance. Daniel would not commit to a friendship with the king because the king did not serve God.

Whose table are you dining at?

Where has the Time Gone?

I guess that I can hold you
One more time before you grow.
And tell you that I love you
So that you will always know.
Please let me tie your shoe again.
One day you’ll tie your own.
And when you think back to this time
I hope it’s love I’ve shown.
Can I help you put your coat on?
Can I please cut up your meat?
Can I pull you in the wagon?
Can I pick you out a treat?
One day you might just care for me,
So let me care for you.
I want to be a part
Of every little thing you do.
Tonight could I please wash you hair?
Can I put toys in the bath?
Can I help you count your small ten toes,
Before I teach you math?
Before you join a baseball team,
Can I pitch you one more ball?
And one more time can I stand near,
To make sure you don’t fall?
Let’s take another space-ship ride
Up to the planet zoor.
Before our cardboard rocket
Doesn’t fit us anymore.
Please let me help you up the hill
While you’re still too small to climb.
And let me read you stories
While you’re young and have the time.
I know the day will come
When you will do these things alone.
Will you recall the shoulder rides,
And all the balls we’ve thrown?
I want you to grow stronger
Than I could ever be.
And when you find success,
There will be no soul more proud than me.
So will you let me carry you?
One day you’ll walk alone.
I cannot bear to miss one day,
From now until you’ve grown.

What a Great Trip!

We were so glad to have Baker and Jana with us last week. Corban and Collin were especially glad to see them. I know that memories were made that will forever be etched on the boys’ minds. It seems like we went everywhere and saw everything, but their time with us went by too fast. I am counting down the days until we will see them again. December will be here soon! Until then, we have the memories! We love you Baker and Jana. Thank you for coming to visit us!

Having Fun with the Blog

As you can see, the blog has undergone some changes. Thanks to my friend Amber, I have become a blogoholic! I have really had a good time playing with the pictures and layouts of our blog!

Salmon Fishing

I'm sure you all have seen the pictures that we posted of our fishing trip last week, but I just had to tell the story of the one and only fish that was caught. We decided that we would take Baker and Jana salmon fishing at one of our church member's house. Having never been salmon fishing before, we had no idea what we were doing. But we made the best of it. After not catching anything all afternoon, we decided go for a hike. While putting everything in the car, I tell Corban, "put up the fishing pole son, we are going for a hike." As he is pulling in the fishing pole, he yells, "Whoa! I got a bite!" He had hooked a rainbow trout! Thanks to Corban our fishing trip was not a complete loss. I have never been so proud in all my life!