Stacks of Days

I remember sitting in my biology class at the University of Arkansas. I would grab the pile of pages in my daily calendar from the current day until May 17, the day of my wedding. I remember as I would flip through that stack of days- I could not make them melt away. They clung on, as if they were in no hurry.
I was in a hurry.

Sometime since that day in May the days started melting and lately they have begun to evaporate.
And now I am not in a hurry.

My older daughter turned 8 a few weeks ago and as we leave Dora with Boots and head toward ipods with Taylor- I can't quit crying.

Evaporation has made me more available.

I sat under a blanket on the couch today talking for an hour with my nearly 10 year old son about the castle he's building at school and how if his NFL career doesn't work out- he'd make a great architect. And I told the Rev to go surprise our daughter at school today for no reason- and he went and you should have seen her telling me about it when she got home. And my 4 year old and I have been just hanging out on the couch cuddling or as she calls it "snuggle buggie" for hours lately- skipping preschool just because she can.

I want stacks of days back. I want days that won't move. I want months that drag on and a year that won't end. But until we find ourselves with that problem... (and we will) the days will keep melting while I scramble to catch what I can of them.

Osteenology

This last Tuesday night I took issue with the theology of Joel Osteen. The comments have been edited out of this talk because I never want to tear down a brother in Christ. However as a seminary trained teacher of God's Word I do feel liberty to share my passionate conviction about the damage that is caused by messages from the Prosperity Gospel movement.

Hope is powerful- I believe that is why so many people look to messages that give them hope and it is easier to sell something you can see than things invisible.

The Prosperity gospel says we are to hope in this world, this life and that it is our right as believers to have healthy, happy, easy, good lives. Those who love God will be blessed financially and circumstantially, even physically. When the Bible clearly tells us the world is cursed and fallen and broken and longing to be redeemed (romans 8:19-20).

Romans 8:17 says, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory(future)."

Phillipians 1:21 "To live is Christ(who suffered and died) and to DIE IS (our) GAIN (our hope)."

Our faith is built on invisible things that we hope in- not money and health that are fleeting.

WE ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE WORLD! WE HOPE IN BIGGER THINGS THAN MONEY AND COMFORT!

We live so disappointed when our American dreams are not fufilled, as if God owes us something here and now, I believe that is one of the damaging effects of this theology on our lives... depression and discontentment rise out of the expectation of our happy fulfilling short lives here rather than the hope of eternal prosperity with our God in heaven.

Romans 8:18, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

Philippians 3:7-12, "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."

I think of the former slaves in this country as they kept there heads down suffering and humming "Soon and Very Soon we are going to see our King!" What about them? Were they not believing enough? Were they not a people of faith? Why would that theology not hold up for them, if it is true?

They were meek and poor and humble and in love with God and put their hope in Him and suffered for Him and represented Him as lambs sent to slaughter. They were owned by men who were wealthy and "Christian" and claimed their own rights!

Which theology are we going to live under- We claim our rights or we are sheep led to slaughter... again Romans 8:36 "For Your Sake we are being PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
we were considered as SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED."

If we do not stop living for this life we will not be free to live for the next one- which is not fleeting, it is forever.

So what about this life? isn't life supposed to be good and full of blessing too?

Of course, my three precious children and friends and husband and ministry and food and so on are all part of God's goodness to me but those are not the promise- they are not the expectation. Theology that believes this life is passing and to live for eternal things, only makes you so much more thankful for what we are given! God doesn't have to bless us here but He is so sweet to bless us here.

We press on counting all things to be gained here as loss (compared to what's coming) to attain the prize of life forever with our Savior, whose greatness exceeds all things present here.

Joel Osteen is a sweet man with a nice message but it is crippling believers into living for this life rather than risking all of these fleeting pleasures for the hope of forever with Him. I count this life lost! To live is to suffer like Christ and to die is my hope- my gain- my joy!

Here is the link to the audio for Stuck Sad- if you would like to listen:

The text is Romans 8:18-39 and Psalms 42

Link to Audio

Feel free to push back or wrestle this out. I am not usually one to pick a fight but I believe this one needs to be fought. Grace upon grace.

From My Sweet Friend Emily

I love this because it is a small tangible way to directly touch Katie and her family:

Dear Friends,

I had the opportunity to visit Katie Davis in Jinja, Uganda this summer with my friends the Lambie's, to enter into her story for a couple of days. This young woman gives all that she has to those around her. Wherever the Spirit leads her, she follows. She pours out herself in order to bless others.

The truth about Katie's story is that she is just like you and me. She is just an ordinary person, from an ordinary place, with an ordinary life. But what also makes her story amazing is that she was faithful to answer a call, and God has done extraordinary things through her. As a result, lives have been changed.

As we walked away from our visit, we wanted to do something to bless her and the 14 orphans she is caring for.

In Uganda, electricity is a luxury. During our visit, Katie had been without electricity for over 4 days. Precious food was wasted and they lived in darkness. We wanted to give her money but we knew she would spend it on other's needs and not her own. I know that there is a community of people in Austin that have been touched by her story and I'm inviting you to help me bless her and her children.

This holiday season, would you or your family consider donating a one time gift of $14 to give light to 14 Orphans?

Gratefully,
Emily Hopper


How to Give

We want to bless Katie with an Inverter (back up generator) so that her
and her family can have consistent electricity.


Total Cost: $3000

If you would like to give click on this link and click on donate.
Type "Emily Orphan" in the purpose line and make your donation.

Please pass on to anyone else who you feel would be interested.

Get after it

Yesterday was gorgeous- one of those days you wish for all summer in Texas. And Nerf guns are one of the few toys my 9 year old still considers cool. So we lined up every gun and all 5 went to war, complete with bases and rules of engagement. Now Nerf guns are not like they used to be- these babies draw blood and could blow up small countries. Maybe not that violent but as you can see above- this was not child's play. I actually felt nervous and when I got hit- it did sting and I actually wanted to retaliate against the small people that I brought onto this planet. It was really quite disturbing and totally exhilarating at the same time.

Something in me wants to fight and yet I am a little aimless. I've seen a lot of junk lately- junk in people's souls, junk in their circumstances, junk in their past, and then junk in a place called Africa. I'm like the energizer bunny that is stuck against a wall, hitting it over and over and over again, so moved and yet frustrated as to what exactly to do.

I looked up the words "Jesus went" and nearly every chapter in all 4 gospels has those words... "Jesus went" Jesus going to people. We must consider that waiting to see who we see is going to limit God using us.

So in an effort to move away from the wall I want to go and get some exposure to need around me and seek out ways to fight for people around me in this city. Then I am starting my "get after it" club/ earlier known as the "I am sick of sitting on my boohiney and reading blogs about people getting after it and changing their worlds and being moved and doing nothing" club. You in? And where should I go?

Stuck... Scared or Worried

Ah la la. So here we are at the place of utter gut sharing. Yes, we are here, this is my thorn if you will, my cross to bear. I struggle with worry and anxiety and yet I believe down to my toes and back in a God that spins universes and counts my hair or something. hmmmm... How does one who knows God of universes up close and personal worry? I've been pondering the same thing. God asks Job the same thing- who are you Job to question me? I have storehouses of snow and draw lines and oceans stop... what have you done? There is a God and I am not Him.

Do I think He has forgotten me?

Read:
Phillipians 4:4-9
Matthew 6:30-34

Here is where I share my guts out... Audio WEEK FOUR


And here is where I would ask you share your guts out...
Pick one and comment on it below:

What are you afraid of?
Do you sit and spin?
How does anxiety affect you?
What is fear keeping you from doing?
Are you more afraid of people or God?
How many of the thoughts in your head are based on fear?
Describe how much control you have in your life.
What does God say about overcoming worry? How?
What would it look like if you were free from fear?

Adoption

Some of you may be curious about where we are on the adoption front, since I did say I would wrestle this out in front of you. The inevitable has happened, people's opinions have found us because of my openness. And honestly we need some space from opinions to hear from God. And we are open and praying and willing and waiting. That is where we are. So until I bring it up again- this is still on the forefront of our minds but in the background of my writing. Just wanted to give you an update. And also ask for your prayer.

My husband gave a moving fantastic sermon on adoption last week for orpahan Sunday here.

It is what Christ did for us- sacrifice His life for our adoption. If we hope in Christ- we are adopted. The very nature of God is to adopt and redeem- to make a way and I say I want to have a heart after God's heart.

I have to consider that this is His heart. That He doesn't ignore one of the 143 million children... He knows them all. To follow God's heart- I can't ignore them either.

Ditto this Blog

Ditto this Entry- please watch this! Why try to post a video when it is here-

http://teamalexander.blogspot.com/2009/11/were-all-in-this-together.html