Never let the fear of a storm keep you from having a picnic...

     So today was Day Apart at IBC (for those of you who don't know what that is, it's a day where classes are canceled, the staff makes and serves breakfast for and to the students, and the students and staff go on some random adventure together) . Today our destination was Brown County state park and the forecast was thunderstorms along with tornado warnings (AKA my worst nightmare) . Needless to say I decided to opt out of this adventure only to find out that everything pretty much stopped not long after everyone had left.


     I was slightly annoyed with Mr. weather man for not truly informing me of how long this storm was going to last but alas when it came down to it I was a bit more annoyed with myself more than anyone else. Though I don't totally regret not going (I did end up catching up on so much needed sleep) I do however, regret letting my fears keep me from going out and enjoying myself with my friends.

     After pondering on this a bit it made me ask myself, how often do we allow our fears to have control over our lives? If we continue to live our lives in fear then all we will know is fear. President Roosevelt said it so well when he said "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."

     I think sometimes it would do us some good to step out a bit from where we are comfortable at. Why not speak up a bit more in class? Why not attempt to reach that high note on a solo (you may be surprised how high you can truly go)? Why not ask that girl you sit next to in class out on a date? Why not even say hi to a stranger? These may seem like silly examples, but it seems pretty silly to be hiding under your blankets during what you think is some horrific storm while your friends are having the time of their lives. It's not always a bad thing to have fears, but it is a bad thing when you allow your fears to control you.

     The truth is there's always going to be storms in our life. The question is what are we going to do when they come? Are we going to allow them to keep us from doing what we want or are we going to put on our rain coats, pull on our galoshes, and pack a picnic?

     Though I don't see my fear of storms (the real kind, not the metaphorical kind) disappearing on its own anytime soon. I do, however, know that I have control over my fears. And it is my decision whether or not I allow them to control me

     So with all that being said... I think it's time I put on my rain coat, pulled on my galoshes, and packed a picnic basket. I'm ready to splash in a few puddles, enjoy a few laughs, and have a delicious picnic

Generations before and after us

      I was surfing the net today and came across this icon (the one above) and I rolled my eyes a bit at the rebellion that comes along with this statement but sighed to myself because for some , sadly, it is true in many ways.
      
     We don't really have control of how our authority figures in life raise us. Good or bad many times it is out of our control. But that does not always give us an excuse to act the way we do.

     We often hear the saying "You are a product of your raising" and this is very true, we are. How we are raised as a child will affect us our entire lives . However, there is such a thing as the age of accountability.

    Though some people think the "age of accountability" only refers to when you're an "adult" and only then are you responsible for yourself. I personally do not percieve that to be true. I think on the contrary the age of accountability comes into play when you know the differences between good and bad, right and wrong, truths and lies. And that is something most of us are taught at a fairly young age.

     Many things happen in our lives that are out of our control, and sometimes, out of the authority figures in lives control as well. These events/things can truly alter everything about us and often do. Many times we aren't in control of and/or responsible for the way these events alter our lives.We are however responsible for ourselves when/if we choose to remain the way we are. If the way we are and how we act aren't what seems to be up to par and we are aware of this then why aren't we ourselves striving to change or at least willing to try to do so.

      If you are full of anger, rebellion, hurt, depression, etc. and are aware of it and you for whatever reason do not try to change it then you can no longer blame others for how you are. You are then responsible for yourself alone. You can no longer blame those around you.

    I also what to challenge everyone who seems to have the attitude towards life that this icon does , how are you going to raise the generations after us? Some of us are already parents and are no longer responsible for ourselves alone. We have now put ourselves out there with a chance to be judged by those after us by the same mindset. What kind of generation are we willing to raise up ?

   And even though some of us aren't parents yet we are still responsible for the generations after us. True the  previous generation that raised us is responsible for us, but there were generations before them that were responsible for them. It continues to be an ongoing cycle and honestly will never end until the coming of the Lord.

   So what are we going to do about this? Are we going to continue to blame everyone but ourselves for the way we are and never at least attempt to change or are we going to decide that change is within our grasp and no one but ourselves can make the desicion to change.

   Here's your chance... How will you choose to live your life?

   

Out of the Mouth of Babes

Just something simple...

    So tonight after service I was still lingering around the alter praying about some thing that have been really heavy on my heart lately. When all of the sudden I hear this voice talking to me saying " Hey, are you okay?" and when I didn't respond the first time (wasn't totally sure they were talking to me) they asked me again "Hey, are you okay?" . Feeling a bit annoyed at the point that somone is interrupting me while I'm praying I open my eyes and slowly turn my head to see, to my suprise, one of our newest Jesus House kids standing there looking pretty concerned. This was his first church service and didn't really know that it's rude to sometimes interrupt people while they're praying. I just looked at him with a smile and told him that I was fine that I was just praying. To which he responded " Everything's going to be okay. You know that , right?" I looked at him near tears once again and responded with "I know it is and thank you" . The conversation quickly came to a close w/ a shoulder pat and goodbye's .

    I don't know if that kid really knows what he did or that God used him. But he gave me exactly the answer that I needed to hear tonight .

    Up until I had been interrupted I felt like I hand't recieved an answer about anything and that I wasn't done praying , but after I had been interrupted I felt like I no longer needed to pray and though it was small I had recieved somewhat of an answer :) .

  God always has a funny way of showing us that he's there when we least expect it.