Okay, scratch that. Blogger wouldn't let me post this video (maybe too big?). So, if you'd like to see Julia's Hannah Montana impersonation, go to Facebook and check her out on my page there.
:)
See, Erin...there's more than one way to skin a new account. or cat.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Friday, August 1, 2008
Daily Denials
Well, I wasn't kidding about my busy July! I looked at the calendar and just realized it's the first of August! The last month flew by, but the kids & I had a great time up north and I had a fantastic visit with my sister. It was too short, of course, but we had a great time and they have a great place out East.
And now with school starting only a month away, I'm trying hard to get back into my routine. The last thing I need is to be staring at Labor Day Weekend and realizing that I'm not at all ready to start my mornings. It's hard to believe this fall I'll have a first grader and a kid in 4K...sheesh...
Anyway, I had an interesting read this morning. The passage was Luke 9:23-27:
23And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
24"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
25"For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?
26"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
27"But I say to you truthfully, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God." (NAS www.biblegateway.com)
So, two things here...denying ourselves and taking up our cross daily. The second, I think I get. Taking up our cross = Christ never promised that this life would be easy. On the contrary, He said it would be filled with struggles and persecution because we belong to Him. To take up our cross means (I think anyway) to take the good with the bad and press on toward our final goal, serving Him and living eternally with Him in heaven. It means accepting Him as our Savior and realizing that His plan is perfect, even when we don't understand His timing.
But denying ourselves...that one stumped me this morning. My head sort of gets it--denying the things of man and putting ourselves aside. My question is simple and is put out there for anyone to help answer...
How in the world do we deny ourselves?????
Literally, HOW do we do this? How do you rid yourself of your selfish desires and natural inclinations to give in to what you want on this earth? How do you help yourself remember that it's not what you want that counts, but what our Savior wants of you? I'm actually looking for practical answers here. I understand that we all must need reset buttons as even Christ reminds us to do this "daily." Even He knows we couldn't just "set it and forget it." We need to do this on a daily basis.
But how? This, to me, seems like one of those phrases that goes in the same category with, "Trust Him." How? Not why or when, but HOW?
I appreciate any insight you have on this matter...in the meantime, I'll be taking up my cross in the form of laundry, kids, dinner and clutter on my dining room floor....
And now with school starting only a month away, I'm trying hard to get back into my routine. The last thing I need is to be staring at Labor Day Weekend and realizing that I'm not at all ready to start my mornings. It's hard to believe this fall I'll have a first grader and a kid in 4K...sheesh...
Anyway, I had an interesting read this morning. The passage was Luke 9:23-27:
23And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
24"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
25"For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?
26"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
27"But I say to you truthfully, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God." (NAS www.biblegateway.com)
So, two things here...denying ourselves and taking up our cross daily. The second, I think I get. Taking up our cross = Christ never promised that this life would be easy. On the contrary, He said it would be filled with struggles and persecution because we belong to Him. To take up our cross means (I think anyway) to take the good with the bad and press on toward our final goal, serving Him and living eternally with Him in heaven. It means accepting Him as our Savior and realizing that His plan is perfect, even when we don't understand His timing.
But denying ourselves...that one stumped me this morning. My head sort of gets it--denying the things of man and putting ourselves aside. My question is simple and is put out there for anyone to help answer...
How in the world do we deny ourselves?????
Literally, HOW do we do this? How do you rid yourself of your selfish desires and natural inclinations to give in to what you want on this earth? How do you help yourself remember that it's not what you want that counts, but what our Savior wants of you? I'm actually looking for practical answers here. I understand that we all must need reset buttons as even Christ reminds us to do this "daily." Even He knows we couldn't just "set it and forget it." We need to do this on a daily basis.
But how? This, to me, seems like one of those phrases that goes in the same category with, "Trust Him." How? Not why or when, but HOW?
I appreciate any insight you have on this matter...in the meantime, I'll be taking up my cross in the form of laundry, kids, dinner and clutter on my dining room floor....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)