a Heart's Ramblings.

Only got a couple minutes here, as I'm GOING to stick to my sleep schedule tonight.  Which means I've actually only got 60 seconds, really. Long story short (how often do I start like this, I wonder??)... my mind and heart are full right now.  Reading through old journal entries from years ago when Monique lived here in KS, comparing their life to what it is now - JUST as beautiful and wonderful, but with a sorrowful twist that doesn't seem like anything (much less beauty!) can shine through.  Life isn't always beautiful in our earthly terms, is it?  Sometimes life is beautiful even when it doesn't feel that way.  When tears overtake the laughter.  Why?  Because in ALL circumstances, GOD is in control.  The maker of the world, the sustain-er of the world.  Isn't that a beautiful fact?  We can live this life with not always joy, but an indescribable peace and understanding because we know that no matter WHAT we know about what is going ...

I had a new-found appreciation for the particular chapter I read this morning. Isn't it funny how that always seems to happen? I'm just a littlehappy about it, too.  I think it's amazing how God continues to use the exact same words to teach you something new over and over again.  Kinda like His mercies... they're completely new every. single. day. ;-) So, this time it was 1 Corinthians 15 - the chapter all about resurrection. It seemed to me while reading it through, that Paul was correcting misunderstandings about Christ's Resurrection and one day, our resurrections too.  Clarifying that Christ DID break the bonds of death over human life when He rose from the grave Himself, and that we will, "when the trumpet sounds", rise to a new life and a new body.  Both of which will be better than we can ever imagine. I like to think of it as the Victory chapter.  It brings hope, being a reminder of the life we've been given, the life we will have with...

Adam and Eve were created in a perfect world.  Everything was exactly the way God wanted it... everything was within His will.  All was good.  But Adam and Eve chose to fight against the authority wall between God and man, choosing man's will over God's ( thinking they would be happiest), and... well, where did that take them?  Somewhere better?  To a happier place, one that satisfied them and gave them joy?  No.  It lead them away from God.  Their decision to ignore God's plan to follow their own lead them to disappointment and so so much more.  It affected their entire lives, and every life that followed after them until today - centuries later! - I don't want just a Christian guy.  I want a Godly man.  And the only way to get that is to trust in GOD'S will, and to wait for the one He's perfectly chosen for me.  Adam and Eve's story, as discouraging as it could be, in some way... yes, it en courages me.  He's not hold...

"God is really among you!" (1 Cor. 14:25) I know I'm taking this verse a biiit out of context, as what I am thinking has nothing to do with speaking in tongues - but, it spurred some other good thoughts anyway. =) What is it that makes a Church so different from the other mainstream Churches?  Why is it that "God is among you!" so blatantly and obviously in some Churches, and what is it that makes them that way?  I guess it all boils down to... what can I do to make my Church that way??  Everything always comes down to the individuals.  We can't have a strong nation without strong governments, we can't have strong governments without strong Churches, we can't have strong Churches without strong families, and we can't have strong families without strong individuals.  Basically... it comes down to ME no matter what.  Every time.  No exceptions.  So how am I living my life?  Am I being a strong individual?  An individual of self-dis...