Romantic Fluff

I have no problem owning up to the fact that I like reading fluffy romantic christian fiction books. I have less time to read them now than I did before Millie and J entered my life. I also find I enjoy them less. But I think that's because I enjoy real life. 

Often times romance books are just an escape. They're a way to enjoy someone else's experience of falling in love with the perfect guys. I especially enjoyed these books in high school as I dreamed of my own Prince Charming showing up one day in the not so distant future. I would way to often stay up until 2am reading. Once I started a good romance book, I had to finish it and usually on the same day! My mom and my friends, who also love these books would remind me that they're fiction and not real life. The man you marry will not be as handsome or as romantic as you imagine the hero of these books. Yes I know. And yes I do know in my mind that rationally this was true. But once I found my Knight in Shining Armor, I realized some of these ideas had found a place in my heart. As soon as I find myself reaching for a romance book because I want to escape the lack of romance in my own life, I put down the book or return it to the library. That's not how I want to use a good book. I want to enjoy the reality that God has blessed me with.


I've recently enjoyed reading Karen Kingsbury. Her books are a very easy read. I can usually guess the ending so I don't feel the pressure to stay up late to finish. (or read the ending.) Yes I do that. If I can't stay up late or stand the suspense, I read the ending. I still read the book! That just allows me to read it at a more sane pace. :) So recently I've been disappointed when I get into these books. I just read Even Now and Ever After. Both beautiful, romantic, predictable stories. But what sorely disappoints me is the way romance gets physical in these books. In Ever After Emily meets Justin and it's basically love at first sight. And then she lets him kiss her on the first date! And then it's kissing and tenderly holding each other at every other page from there on. Now I realize that in a world where romance rules and sexual temptation doesn't exist, this is every woman's dream. But that's not this world. I'm thinking of the middle school and high school girls that read these books along with the romantically starved housewife. Is this really the picture of romance they need to aspire to?! NO. I am so disappointed. I think Karen Kingsbury might be off my list of authors to hunt for new releases at the library. Knowing the reality that is this world and how that level of physical closeness actually leads to temptations, I can't read those books and enjoy it. I just can't. I don't want my daughter to think it's ok to kiss on the first date and have that much physical closeness in a dating relationship.
Do you read Karen Kingsbury? Do you love romance books? 

Remembering

Where were you on September 11, 2001?
Sadly I often forget the horrible events that happened that year, when 9/11 comes around each year. But today even as I listen to the Nebraska football game, I'm reminded of that day. I'm reminded I need to be thankful for each day here. I need to remember our troops and the sacrifices they're making everyday because of that day. 
In 2001 I was in Jackson Hole, Wyoming at Bible college. I wasn't quite awake yet when Jenny came into my room and said we'd better get up. Something happened and we needed to come over to Pastor Don's house and see. I got up and stumbled over in the pajamas. I sat there most of the morning just watching the coverage. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't look away. I was afraid. I wondering what this would do to the world I knew. What would change? I was 13 hours from home and immediately I wished I was with my family. If war ensued could I go home? No, if the fight spread across the nation, I would go home. I cried and prayed for anyone I could think of that was directly affected by this. 
Thankfully class was cancelled for that day. I don't think I could've focused even a little. 
Even today, as I remember, I can feel the emotion of that day bubble up again. I feel the fear and shock and sadness. And immediately my thoughts turn to prayers. I know that day still haunts the daily thoughts of many people in our nation. I'm looking forward to heaven. I'm looking forward to the day when sin doesn't destroy the world like that.

God's Canvas

Psalm 19:1-5 ~ The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
I took these amazing pictures in August. J called me on his way home from work and said 'look outside! the clouds are amazing!'. So I did. Beautiful!

To the East was this big thunderhead reflecting rays from the sunset. At first I thought there would be no way I could get a good picture of it. So I put our new(ish, still to me) little camera on auto and lo and behold, there's a sunset setting. Thank you smart camera design man! J is so good at looking at the settings and picking the best one. I just click and get whatever it's already set on. I love the auto setting! Anyhow this thunderhead just ratiated sunlight from within and looked amazing! I love my great God and His handiwork is beyond my imagination!

To the West was a beautiful sunset. I wished I was at my parents so I could have an unobstructed view. Sunsets are not the same with other houses in the way!
Isaiah 40:12 ~ Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance?

Reality TV - Love & Family

Maybe I watch too much TV. Or maybe I read too much entertainment news online. I completely get drawn into shows about real families or couples or couples falling in love. I think that's girl thing. I didn't watch much of the Newlyweds but was still sad when Nick and Jessica broke up. This was particularly disappointing to me because they claimed to be Christians who believed in the sanctity of marriage. And they believed that marriage was a lifelong commitment. Sadly they did not uphold this pledge. I don't think you can say reality TV broke their marriage but I sure don't think it helped. Marriage has enough challenges without adding the pressure to perform for TV viewers.
Today's latest Christian couple to face marriage failure is John and Kate. This case makes me even more sad because of the kids that are involved. How sad that they believe that divorce is better for them. This also makes me mad because this family in particular spoke often about going to church and how their faith was not highlighted in their show. Every time the rumors come out about a new 'good' couple splitting up, I don't want to believe it's true. But after a few months of rumors, it usually happens. Now I wasn't really surprised that Jon & Kate were having trouble. Anyone could see that on the show. Kate was overbearing and even rude to her husband. And Jon was usually just not engaged in his life as a husband and father. But I am even more shocked at their behavior now! They've barely filed their divorce papers - they're not even divorced yet - and they're hanging out all over the world with their new partners for the whole world to see! Kate's short comings were rather obvious on the show but Jon's issues are coming to light now. He clearly does not want to grow up or be a father all the time. And I wonder if his 22-year-old partying girlfriend is the best influence for his 8 young kids. It's so sad to see not just the failure but total demolition of another Christian family on the TV. No wonder the world says marriage is silly and outdated and unnecessary if this is the example that they see.

On to other TV notes, the Bachelorette was on again this week. I must say there is way less drama and way less to talk about now that Wes is gone. This was the week that the fast forward button was real handy! Why does the world believe it's necessary to sleep with your significant other to know if their marriage material?!? Jillian slept with 2 possibly 3 guys in a week's time and claims to be falling in love with them all. Eww and totally messed up. What I did like this week was seeing the sights in Hawaii. What a beautiful place! I'm going to miss Reid and his awkward silliness. But I'm looking forward to the Guys Tell All show next week. I imagine more Wes related drama is in store. I've decided that my favorite part of this show is the middle weeks - when there are less guys but the physical ickyness hasn't started yet.

On another completely different TV note... We've been watching the Tour de France (say it Fronce cause it's better!). I really love that I've come to enjoy this sport so Justin and I can watch it together. I won't share many details in case you're like us and record it and might be behind a few days. But this year is drama filled! Lance Armstrong is back and making waves. Justin can't stand him and hopes he doesn't win. I can't help but secretly cheer for him sometimes. :) The next couple weeks of the tour are going to be awesome! I recommend watching - it's on Versus. Limited coverage in the mornings and recaps in the evening.

What do you watch on TV? What do you watch with/for your spouse? How do you feel about the example of Christian marriages we see on TV?
Have you seen Fireproof? Now that's a movie that portrays Christian marriage realistically and honorably! I cried at every other scene. Think that has to do with hormones? :) Not the best made movie but definitely the best message I've got from a movie in a long time.

Guilty Pleasure

... The Bachelorette.
It can't be helped. I was a casual watcher but I got hooked on Deanna's season and can't stop. It is so sneaking how they've strung the last few seasons together so you just have to watch the next one. And it does not help that most of the girls in our flock are also hooked. We all DVR it and end it watching it at home or staying late after study to watch it together. Our husbands humor us and I think maybe even enjoy it a little. Then we all shriek and ooh and ahh and discuss all the details!
Monday was a real doozy or wicked as she says. I think Jillian has completely lost her mind! Wes is just awful. He's there to promote his band and their new country CD. He's even told the other guys that! And now we find out that he even has a girlfriend at home. Of course most the guys are too chicken to tell Jillian that. And the ones that do tell her, she doesn't believe because she really likes Wes and is following her gut. Good guy and totally stand up honest man, Jake showed up this week after being sent home to tell her the truth and she wouldn't believe it. Boy, she makes women falling in love look stupid!
So Monday they had the hometown dates and we were sure we knew which one was going home. But then Ed, who had left a few weeks ago for his job showed up begging to be taken back. And of course she said come to the rose ceremony and we'll see. She gave roses to...
Kipton - nice. Bad kisser. But a front runner.
Reid - nice but slightly spastic.
Ed - yay! I liked Ed. I think he might win. And surprisingly he seems normal. Jillian has been picking rather weird guys. But what do you expect when she thinks it's a requirement that they've had the hearts broken before.
Wes - arhg!! We do not like Wes. Jillian is so dense. You should see how all the guys moan and roll their eyes when she calls his name. She must be blind!
So Jesse and Michael go home. Jesse was no surprise. But poor Michael. He was the young sweet goofball of the bunch and had totally fallen in love with Jillian already. I'm thinking he might be back begging her to marry him. We'll see.

So if you have time to waste on Monday nights tune into the Bachelorette! But as we near the end of the season be prepared to fast forward some steamy scenes. This is my least favorite things about the show and this seasons promos hint that they will show more than we ever cared to know. Eww. Thank goodness for fast forward. I really hope I can break this guilty pleasure soon! But if Michael is the Bachelor next season, I might have to watch again.

Motivation & Men

This article has me thinking...

Mind The Gap by Lauren F. Winner
Teaser (read the whole thing at the above link):
Gender roles — the concept of how men and women differ (beyond the obvious biology, that is) and, concomitantly, what their roles in church life, the office, and the home should be — have been debated for decades by Christians and non-Christians alike. But when we talk about gender and leadership, we may have been leaving out one crucial fact of contemporary life: Regardless of what we say we think about women and leadership, when it comes to college-aged and 20-somethings, women are leading in all sorts of areas. Let me offer two examples — one anecdotal and one backed up by hard research....
What should the church's response to this be? Well, I hope it's two-fold: First, women should get some applause for the wise way they're stewarding time and all the contributions they make to church and civic life. At the same time, we all need to encourage even young boys to devote more time to civic engagement and less to computer gaming. What we should not do is buy into a discourse that pits men against women, takes competition for granted, and tacitly assumes that only one group — men or women, but never both — can excel in college or take responsibility in church life. All too often, discussions of any kind of "gender gap" polarize conversation. That is, people respond to the news that women outnumber men in college classrooms with panic and decide they need to devote all their attention to helping men out. I'm not sure that any strategies cobbled together in the heat of anxiety, though, will get us very far. Perhaps the church needs to pause and notice the gendered leadership dynamics in colleges and in young adult ministries, and — rather than panic — prayerfully consider how we can affirm and encourage the contributions, leadership and gifts of both men and women. This isn't, after all, a debate about what's good for men versus what's good for women. Instead, it ought to be a conversation about how to create communities, and opportunities for leadership and learning that are life-giving to all of us.

I first ran across this article at the Boundless blog where they are having a discussion about it. Here are some of their thoughts (read the full discussion here):
Ted: ...In all honestly, if you found Winner's article to be offensive, I'd understand why. It tends to make sweeping generalizations about men and about women. The tone is a bit on the cynical side. It offers few legitimate solutions. Why did I publish it, then? Because the facts remain that percentage-wise, women are more involved than men in community leadership roles, at least in university and church. I think that's a real problem. And I'd like to see us discuss this.
Mike speaks a lot about the parent's responsibility: ...As to the solution? The author unfortunately is vague on this point but don't knock her; coming up with viable, concrete solutions is difficult. She criticizes guys spending too much time playing video games, but I don't think video games are the core problem. The core problem is controlling what young men do with their free time. Girls may be naturally more inclined to use it productively, but most boys it seems are not. I believe the most practical and simple solution, at least for the academic realm, is for a parent to exert more of their God-given responsibility to manage their kids' time. That means making rules limiting TV, Internet, video game use, and so on. That also means making rules (e.g., homework done before play) and consequences for not following those rules...

My thoughts: Well, I'm still mulling but I can echo the point of this comment:
Jammy had the following to say on Apr 20 at 5:22 PM:
I don't think Winner is writing about a surprising problem and it isn't new. Movements like Promise Keepers and Muscular Christianity (1900's) have tried to encourage men to purse the ideals of engaged manhood. Honestly though, if I were a man, I would hope that given the resources available to me as a child of God and empowered by His Spirit I'd be able to overcome cultural norms and expectations. I mean, I understand things are tough, but I grew up with out a mother and I refuse to let that keep me from becoming a Godly woman. At what point, will men "man up" and not be conformed to the pattern of this world? Society and the media tell me what I should be everyday, and frankly I fail, but I've another standard for living and being and I know it's more lasting than anything this world has to offer. Shouldn't this be something men are capable of doing too? Collectively and individually?

A couple things that I think I can articulate clearly...
It is hard to live as a godly woman in a world that constantly screams that you are better then men. It's hard to think on 'whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy' (Philippians 4:8) when the world via TV and a million other sources says that men are failures and not worthy of our respect. Our culture does not encourage women to submit to or follow their husbands. It does not teach us to be respectful to our fellow human beings. It is hard to find a balance between being an 'independent woman' and a woman who is dependent on the Lord.
I'm still thinking about what I want to say and how. I'd love to hear your thoughts about this issue - How does it affect you? Do you see this problem in your life? In your church?

More from Miss Cali

Miss California: I stand by gay marriage remark
Finalist’s reply to ‘offended’ Perez Hilton may have cost her Miss USA crown
By Michael Inbar,TODAYShow.com contributor
Being a straight shooter likely shot down any chance Carrie Prejean had of being crowned Miss USA Sunday night. But the Miss California told TODAY Tuesday she’s proud she offered her honest opinion on gay marriage, even as her questioner says she should have kept her politics to herself.
“I’m so proud of myself,” Prejean told Matt Lauer live on the TODAY set. “I wouldn’t change a thing. I knew I had a purpose, and I don’t take back what I said.”
The often bland goings-on at the annual Miss USA pageant took on a decidedly heated political tone when openly gay celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, a pageant judge, asked Prejean: “Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?”
Beauty and the blogger
Prejean, then among the final five contestants for the coveted crown, replied, “In my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that’s how I was raised and that’s how I think it should be — between a man and a woman.”
Prejean’s pointed response raised eyebrows, but didn’t raise her enough votes to put a crown on her head. Judge Claudia Jordan told NBC, “The judges were really against her, they were bothered by her answer.”
Still, Prejean finished first runner-up to Miss North Carolina, Kristen Dalton.
With Prejean saying that she likely would have won had she not spoken so forthrightly, Hilton told TODAY he was “offended that she is still walking around saying that she should have won the pageant.” And he told Lauer Tuesday via Skype that Prejean had no business offering such an obviously divisive answer to a question she could have easily danced around.
“I want [a Miss USA] who is going to be politically savvy, and that means saying things that will make everyone feel welcome,” Hilton told Lauer. “She’s a Christian, but I don’t want her talking about Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, because that’s offensive to all of the Jewish Americans, all the Muslim Americans, to all the atheist Americans.
“It’s about balance, it’s about finding the perfect Miss USA, and unfortunately, Miss California was not the perfect Miss USA,” Hilton continued. “I would have appreciated it had she left her politics and her religion out, because Miss USA represents all Americans.”
Sticking to her stand
Prejean found herself in the unlikely position of being a divider, not a uniter, at the NBC-televised pageant — her comments even spurred a dustup between a gay audience member and the mother of one of the contestants.
But she told Lauer she had her eyes wide open when responding to Hilton’s question, saying, “After I answered the question, I knew that I was not going to win because of my answer.”
When Lauer asked Prejean if, given a do-over, she might offer up a more middle-of-the-road response, she replied, “No, I wouldn’t have answered differently.“It’s not about being politically correct; for me, it was being biblically correct,” Prejean explained. “When I’m asked a specific question, I’m going to give a specific answer. I’m not going to stand in the middle. I’m going to take one side or another.”
To thine own self be true
Lauer asked Hilton why he would offer up a political hot potato of a question in the first place, since the Miss USA pageant usually has judges asking questions that allow the contestants to pray for world peace and tell how much they love puppies and kittens.
Hilton told Lauer he believes his question “was very relevant and extremely important,” and noted other contestants, including the eventual winner, were also posed pointed political questions.
Prejean now finds herself in the unlikely position of actually gaining more fame than the new Miss USA, Kristen Dalton of North Carolina. And she told Lauer she plans to use her newfound bully pulpit to encourage others to speak their minds.
“I was true to myself, and I know now I can go out and speak to young people about standing up for what you believe in and never compromising anything, for anyone or anything, even if it is the crown of Miss USA,” Prejean said.

Now this is inspiring to hear - a woman who won't compromise her beliefs in the face of fame, political correctness or personal attacks! She was willing to sacrifice her dream for the Truth. THAT is beautiful!

Speaking Her Mind

Last night I watched the Miss USA Pageant. Maybe it's the little girl in me but I still enjoy watching these pageants. I love seeing the beautiful hair and stunning dresses. And I can't help but be a little envious of these gorgeous women. I definitely exercised today!
Each year I watch, I hope that Miss Nebraska might make it into the Top 10. But sadly, I've never seen it happen. In fact, the same states get picked almost every year. Even though Nebraska didn't make it, I was pleasantly surprised that the Top 15 was more diverse than previous years. Florida, DC, Hawaii and Oklahoma didn't make it. I predicted that Miss California would win because California is one of the standard winners in years past. But J predicted that North Carolina would win and he was right! I think he was just lucky.

Here are some pictures from NYDaily. Or the main Miss USA site. I wanted to post a picture but didn't want to do it illegally. :)

So here are my two major observations/opinions about the show last night...
1. How in the world do they pick the judges? And do these judges really pick the winner? Last night they had some previous beauty pageant girls, some executives I've never heard of and some random celebrities. The celebrities always seem like silly picks. What do Holly Madison, Perez Hilton or Kenan from SNL know about beauty pageants?! There are always some in the line up every year that don't make sense, especially if they're judging on more than which girl they think is pretty.
2. The final question. The topic of the final questions vary from year to year. Sometimes the questions are equally hard without being on the same topic, and other years they are completely unfair. This year they were all political hot button issue questions. And when I say hot button I mean controversial. Poor Miss California choose judge Perez Hilton to ask his question and he asked her about gay marriage rights.

There was really no way for her to answer this question smoothly. This is where I began to wonder if they would be judged on whether they gave the 'right' answer or based on how (poise, confidence) they answer the question. I applaud Miss Cali for speaking clearly and actually answering the question (unlike Miss Arizona) and stating her personal conviction. She's believes marriage is between one man and one woman. The judge, PH about had a fit on camera and I heard he actually did off stage. Miss Cali also did not win but was rather runner-up.

I do not understand how these pageants work. Oh well. I just watch to enjoy the glamor! Do you watch pageants? Did you watch last night? Any thoughts about the night?

Words Again

So how am I supposed to use the right words if the definition is changing all the time?

Webster Redefines Marriage

Posted by Jim_Daly on Mar 20, 2009 8:32:53 AM

Last fall, California voters were given an opportunity to decide whether to expand the traditional definition of marriage to include those in a same-sex relationship. The measure known as Proposition 8 proposed to add this language to the California State Constitution: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”
Prop 8 sparked a fierce debate as millions of dollars were spent to lobby both sides of the issue. If you lived in the Golden State, you virtually couldn’t turn on the TV, listen to the radio, or read a newspaper without encountering some aspect of the hotly contested topic. When the ballots were counted, Californians voted “Yes” to preserve traditional marriage.
Meanwhile, without fanfare, debate, or an opportunity for the public to weigh in on the issue, WorldNetDaly.com reports a leading dictionary company, Merriam-Webster, single-handedly redefined marriage in their current online edition. The new definition reads: “(1) The state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law; (2) the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage .”
Now, compare that to Webster’s definition of marriage from their 1913 edition of the dictionary: “The act of marrying, or the state of being married; legal union of a man and a woman for life, as husband and wife; wedlock; matrimony.” Ironically, this early edition included a reference to the King James version of Hebrews 13:4 which says, “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” They also cited Matthew 22:2, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son.”
Scripture aside, did you notice what’s missing in Merriam-Webster’s newfangled version of marriage? In addition to expanding the meaning of marriage, their latest definition dropped two key words: “for life.” In other words, Merriam-Webster has stripped a vital aspect of the covenant of marriage, namely, permanence. Interestingly, as recently as 1992, Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary defined marriage as “the institution under which a man and a woman become legally united on a permanent basis” [emphasis added].
According to a report in WorldNetDaily.com, associate editor Kory Stamper of the popular dictionary company explained the reasoning behind this change to one constituent. Stamper said, “In recent years, this new sense of ‘marriage’ has appeared frequently and consistently throughout a broad spectrum of carefully edited publications, and is often used in phrases such as ‘same-sex marriage’ and ‘gay marriage’ by proponents and opponents alike. Its inclusion was a simple matter of providing our readers with accurate information about all of the word’s current uses.”
Granted, the meaning of a word can change with time. For example, the word “gay” (which today is frequently associated with those in the homosexual community) was defined in 1913 by Webster as “(1) Excited with merriment; manifesting sportiveness or delight; inspiring delight; livery; merry. (2) Brilliant in colors; splendid; fine, richly dressed. (3) Loose; dissipated; lewd.”
There’s no mention of gay as in “homosexual.” In fact, there isn’t even a definition of the word “homosexual” in that early edition of Webster’s Dictionary. Yes, language usage changes with time. As I see it, here’s the larger question: is the Merriam-Webster company reflecting culture? Or, are they shaping culture by offering this redefinition of the word?
Overwhelmingly, the public has rejected the idea of so-called same-sex marriage. Whenever the matter has been put on the ballot, Americans have voted to preserve the traditional institution and definition of marriage. As such, it strikes me that this change by Merriam-Webster isn’t a small matter. What do you think?

Marriage Musings

My thoughts in past months...

Why is marriage so hard!!? You start with such excitement and so many hopes. How does it change to frustration and dashed hopes so quickly? There are days where hope fills my heart – but is it worth it? It only makes the fall harder and the cracks in my heart deeper. Maybe I’m depending too much on the wrong person. I had finally figured out how to be an independent adult when it all changed – I fell in love and we decided to share our lives instead. Now I had to learn to be dependent again. But the roller coaster is too much. Jesus, help me to be more dependent on You. You are the only One who keeps all Your promises!

I wrote these thoughts in my journal recently and have written them in other forms multiple times over the past almost 4 years of marriage. I never could have anticipated the changes marriage would bring to my life. I have been slowly learning that even though I love Justin dearly, he is not my everything. This was an expectation I sometimes placed on him without realizing. I see now that's definitely an influence of the world and those foofy romantic books I read in high school when I dreamed of falling in love. My mind knew that wasn't a correct view of marriage but my emotional heart didn't quite catch on. I am so thankful that God never gives up on me. He keeps reminding me that He is the lover of my soul. He is my everything. He is always there! As I learn to depend on God first and my husband second, my marriage grows and my heart is encouraged even on the frustrating days.

Just in case... For those of you that worry about me, there's nothing wrong I'm just expressing my thoughts about life. :) I'm sure you can relate to the fact that the down turns of the ups and downs of marriage can be blown in to emotional heart breaks if I let my emotions get the better of me rather than focusing on what is true. This is more a reflection of my own failure of expectations as a wife. I would never blog about my hubby in a negative way, I love and respect him too much as my husband! I hope my conclusion is encouraging. I have no desire to wallow in my discouragements or cause anyone else to do the same. We have such a faithful God who is always there for us!

Love

I found this very thought provoking.

Is God's Love Unconditional?
February 20, 2009 By: John Piper Category: Commentary

There is such a thing as unconditional love in God, but it’s not what most people mean by it.
It’s not a saving love that he has for everybody. Else everybody would be saved, since they would not have to meet any conditions, not even faith. But Jesus said everybody is not saved (Matthew 25:46).
It’s not the love that justifies sinners since the Bible says we are justified by faith, and faith is a condition (Romans 5:1).
It’s not the love of working all things together for our good because Paul says that happens “to those who love God” (Romans 8:28).
It’s not the love of the most intimate fellowship with the Father because Jesus said, “He who loves me will be loved by my Father” (John 14:21). And James said, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8).
It’s not the love that will admit us into heaven when we die because John says, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). And faithfulness is a condition.
How then does God love unconditionally? Two ways (at least):
He loves us with electing love unconditionally. “He chose us in him before the foundation of the world . . . for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:4-5). He does not base this election on foreseeing our faith. On the contrary, our faith is the result of being chosen and appointed to believe, as Acts 13:48 says, “As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.”
He loves us with regenerating love before we meet any condition. The new birth is not God’s response to our meeting the condition of faith. On the contrary, the new birth enables us to believe. “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been [already!] born of God,” (1John 5:1). “[We] were born, not . . . of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13).
Let us pray that thousands of people who speak of the unconditional love of God would discover the biblical meaning of what they say. If that happened many would find their feet on solid ground.

Censored?

How does TV censorship affect us?
Here's an article on it that sparked my thoughts...

The who-cares test: The Supreme Court focuses on broadcast decency just when Washington may be losing interest by Rebecca Cusey

Sometimes I wonder if this is not for our benefit. It seems like things that should be censored aren't being censored. The words that are used on evening TV that's supposed to be family friendly are questionable. But the innuendos are what's really bad! But I also worry about particular thoughts or people being censored because the government or broadcaster just doesn't agree with them. I don't think we're hear yet but I believe that Christian's will definitely be censored some day. We should be thankful for the freedom we still have.

As a Christian how should this affect me?
Obviously, I think I should be responsible for censoring myself and what I allow into my mind.
Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
This is easier said than done a lot of the time. I am amazed when I notice it how much the world affects my thoughts and attitudes. Even though I try to live a godly life, it's hard to be in and not of the world. It's hard to live here and not be influenced in some way by this world I live in. This is why we don't do alone! :)

2 Timothy 1:7

I get a verse of the day sent to me and this was today's verse. Here are three different versions and I found they each bring more meaning to the verse.


NKJV For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

NIV For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

NASB For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

AMPLIFIED For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.


Being a NKJV-er, I had always heard this verse with the words "of a sound mind". But hearing it with the words "discipline" or "self-control" is so much stronger and impacts me more. Discipline and Self-Control are things I have to work towards having instead of something God just gives me. I realize that it says that God gives us these things but clearly I have to use them.
So just wanted to share my thought illumination from God for today!