Everybody Has a Love Language

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At my school, Sex, Love, and Romance is a required class.  It has pretty much nothing to do with sex.  But it’s still awkward.  Trust me.  Anyway, right now, our teacher is going through the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman.  The five love languages are words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch.

We learned that every single person feels loved when one or more of these five things are done.  That got me thinking.  Does God have a love language?  Then it clicked.  Words of affirmation and quality time.

God loves to be praised. Psalm 150:
“Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy house of worship, praise him under the open skies; Praise him for his acts of power, praise him for his magnificent greatness; Praise with a blast on the trumpet, praise by strumming soft strings; Praise him with castanets and dance, praise him with banjo and flute; Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum, praise him with fiddles and mandolin. Let every living, breathing creature praise God! Hallelujah!”

God wants us to spend time with Him.  Proverbs 8:34 “Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching at my doors day by day, waiting beside my doorway”  Psalm 5:3 “Lord, in the morning you will hear me; in the morning I will present my case to you and then wait expectantly for an answer.”  Psalm 143:8 “May I hear about your loyal love in the morning, for I trust in you. Show me the way I should go, because I long for you. ”  Hebrews 4:16 “Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help”

I’ve been told this a thousand different times in a thousand different ways, but I think I needed to realize it on my own without a parent or teacher telling me.  God told me in His way in His time.  He wants to be loved.  But it can’t be by physical touch, since He’s a spirit.  It can’t be by gifts or service, because that would be salvation through works.  God wants to be talked to, listened to, and praised.  In a word: loved.

 

 

 

*I’m not a pastor or an expert in theological matters.  For something more substantial, talk to your pastor and read your Bible

Tags: faith, love

18 Before 18: Update #1

So, I totally forgot and took two sips of my mom’s Diet Coke. The new I-can-drink-soda-if-I-want-to date is August 1, 2012 : )

Number seventeen is complete! My novel(!) is completely outlined…now to actually write it. Haha ; )

I’ve fallen behind on the Challenge.  Fallen behind means I’ve only done the first two days.  Oops.

One month without makeup is scheduled for November…yes, I’m waiting for the month that has pretty much nothing important in it. It’s not cheating, okay?!

That’s all I’ve got for now…Happy Sunday!

Tags: 18before18

18 Before 18

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I would give credit for this idea, but so many bloggers and non-bloggers do it that it would take forever and be pointless!  But I made a list of eighteen things I want to do before I turn eighteen.  It’s relatively boring, but I figured that I’ll actually do everything if i make myself accountable to the entire world online ; )

1.  Pay it backwards at a drive through: I’ve always wanted to do this, but I haven’t yet.  It’s such an easy way to brighten someone’s day : )

2. Go one month without makeup: you’re supposed to practice what you preach.  After writing this, I think it’s the right thing to do.  Plus, who doesn’t like sleeping in?!

3. Go without soda for 100 days: after seeing this on Pinterest, I started to rethink what I’m drinking.  I started working on this one on Friday, April 6th.  So I can drink soda if I feel like it on Sunday, July 15th.

4. Write one short story a week for three months: this will help prevent the horror of the summer slide that they warned us about in elementary school. Ha.  But I’ll never be the writer I want to be if I don’t, well, write.

5. Clean and organize my closet: if you saw it, you would understand.  Enough said.

6. Play “He’s a Pirate” on piano: have you heard this song? Who wouldn’t want to play it?!?!!

7. Read “Pilgrim’s Progress”: umm, classic. Hello.

8. Finish “Pride and Prejudice”: this is a matter of integrity.  I need to finish what I start.

9. Make a “Zoar: the Trilogy” scrapbook: I’ve had such amazing experiences on these trips, and I never want to forget them.

10. Scrapbook my senior year: I have a feeling this school year will be amazing, and I want to remember all of it.

11. Write a book for Ali: she’s only a few months old, so we’re talking 100 words, max. Haha : )

12. Be a vegetarian for a week: if my friend could do it for a year, I can do it for a week…I hope.

13. Do the saltine challenge: because we all need a horrible food experience once in a while.

14. Memorize James : check out The Challenge.

15. Overhand serve: this year will be my tenth volleyball season.  It’s about time. Ugh.

16. Read all four gospels: it’s kind of embarrassing that I’ve been a Christian for this long and haven’t read all of them in their entirety yet.

17. Outline my novel: yes, I said novel.

18. Eat a maraschino cherry: they just look so gross…

So, what do you think?  Have you ever made a list like this?  What was on yours? : )

Tags: 18before18, life

He Is Risen!

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He is risen indeed!

That’s how we opened our service this morning.  I feel like we should open it that way every Sunday.  We always need to remember that.  He’s alive.  Whether you can feel Him or not, whether there are tears on your cheeks or a smile on your lips, He is alive.  My Jesus is alive : )

Tags: faith, life

So You’re a PK?!

You know how everyone feels sorry for the children of famous people? They’re put in the spotlight under a ridiculous amount of pressure just because their parent happens to be an actor/politician/singer/athlete. And what usually happens to them after being under so much pressure? They crack. And when they crack, they crack big time.

Hmmm…this reminds me of another type of kid. Pastors’ kids. The old PK. Members of the congregation don’t realize it. Pastors don’t, either. If anyone besides the kid realizes it, it’s their mom, and even that isn’t very often. As the child of a pastor you feel like there’s all this pressure on you to be perfect. The reality usually is that the pressure is all in your head and all you need is a good nose blow, but sadly, there are times when the pressure really is there.

In this post, I’ll be stating what PKs feel as if it’s a fact. Like I said, sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t. But all of us feel it at some point. If you ever come across a PK that says they’ve never felt this way, either their dad didn’t go into the ministry until they were older or they’re lying. Probably the latter.

Everyone is watching you, watching to make sure that you’re personifying the good Christian that your daddy is describing from the pulpit and ready to point it out if you’re not. You always have to be careful because how you act doesn’t just effect your reputation, but your dad’s reputation, and ultimately - the church’s reputation. You can’t miss a service or event. If those wooden doors are open, well then you better be in that brick building.

When you’re outside of church, you feel like you constantly have to disprove the world’s image of the PK: perfect little goodie two shoes wearing your ironed Sunday best. And don’t forget to curl your hair so that you can look pretty for Jesus.

But while you’re at church you are constantly fighting the church’s image of the PK: perfect on the outside but causing trouble behind the scenes. They think you’re just dying to turn eighteen so you can get all the piercings and tattoos you want. And don’t forget the firetruck-red mohawk.

Another thing PKs go through (not saying I did or do, but a lot do) is living in a single mom home that happens to be home to your pastor, too. I read an article about this a few weeks ago. Pastors don’t always treat their kids like they’re their kids. They just see them as another member of the church…who lives with them. Because that’s not awkward or anything. This isn’t the case in my experience. Yeah, sometimes I’ve felt like my dad cared more about his job than me, but I think every kid feels that way at some point, whether their dad is a preacher, a fireman, a pilot, or a senator. I think I’m more blessed than most kids in this way. My dad not only loves me as his daughter, but as one of his sheep. I’m double loved! Haha : )

I guess what I’m trying to say is that if you’re a pastor, just try and be your kids’ dad. If you’re a PK, calm down. You’re a human. You mess up. If people think you’re not allowed to make the occasional mistake, then that’s their problem. A sinner is a sinner and a child of God is a child of God. It’s not like God has a different standard of judgment for you. If you go to church, let your local PKs know that you see them as a normal human being. Actually, don’t. That would be weird. Just treat them the same way you treat everybody else. And don’t pull them to the side and tell them that you admire their spirituality. And don’t buy them special presents unless it’s their birthday or Christmas. That’s awkward. Trust me. But if you do put pressure on your PKs, cut it out. For real. It’s totally not fair.

Tags: faith, family, life

We’ve All Had a Busted Heart

I’m currently obsessed with the song Busted Heart by for KING & COUNTRY.  Come on.  Listen to it.  You know you want to…

Tags: faith, music

Hello, April ’12

Hello, rainy days and stormy nights. Hey there, puddles and rain boots. Hello to the day we celebrate how God’s not dead. Hello, more work hours, more cash, and more time with my kiddos. Hello, April. Friends?

Tags: hello, life