wants vs. needs

The other day my mom and i were in the car and were just chatting about life. We got on the topic of what we want compared to what we need. She told me that when her and my dad just got married the had to work overtime and save money where ever the could to pay for what they needed. Life has changed. We are very blessed, my dad has a job that allows my mom to stay home and take care of us. We are blessed to have "extra" money to spend on luxuries. We, as a family, forget what is truly important. This is where it gets difficult for me. I have had a tough past dealing with what I need and want compared to what the Lord wants for me. I think that often we forget to give God it all because we are distracted by the luxuries. To live in a place where it seems like the television is always on, the phones are always ringing. We think that we need to check our facebook, call our best friend, or get the latest "it" item. I think this obsorbes us and consumes our lives. When in reality we need the Lord, and the Lord wants us. He wants us to cry out. He wants us to tell Him about our burdens. He wants us to serve him. He wants us to give it all to him. We have to remember that what God wants for us should always come before what we want or think we need.

The next day I turned the radio on and the message i got out of our conversation was reinforced with this song, He wants it all by forever Jones.

There's a voice that cries out in the silence,

searching for heart that will love him,

longing for child that will give him their all, give it all,

he wants it all There's a God that walks over the earth,

he searching for heart that is desperate,

longing for child that will give him their all, give it all,

he wants it all and he says,

love me, love me with your whole heart he wants it all today serve me,

serve me with you life now he wants it all today bow down,

let go of your idols he wants it all today (x4)

There's a God that walks over the earth,

he searching for heart that is desperate,

longing for child that will give him their all, give it all,

he wants it all and he says,

love me, love me with your whole heart he wants it all today serve me,

serve me with you life now he wants it all today bow down,

let go of your idols he wants it all today (x4)

Oh oh oh, all of you, more of you wants it all today (whole thing x3)

he wants it all today,

he wants is all today so give it all There's a voice that cries out in the silence,

searching for heart that will love him,

longing for child that will give him their all,

give it all, he wants it all

The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. [Isaiah 58:11]

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. [Hebrews 11:5-7]

Woe to the obstinate children, declares the LORD, to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin. [ Isaiah 30:1]

Just as you used to be slaves to all kinds of sin, so now you must let yourselves be slaves to all that is right and holy. [Romans 6:19]

"Do not fear, for I am with you."

The sky was purple and pink,
It was as if God decorated with ink.
But then the wind got fierce,
the hissing sounds pierced.
I was filled with despair,
but the feeling could not compare,
Because I remembered that love,
that we all have from above.
I took a deep breath,
and all my fears were put to death.

Do not fear, for I am with you;
do no be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you ;I will help you;
I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.
[Isaiah 41:10]

Joy

Joy is a choice. Happiness happens. I am sick of being happy one day and unhappy the next. It gets old and im over it. I need something more. I truly think i have found that within the past 24 hours. I'll take you back to where this began, if you were a part of the experience with me.

I went to church last night for the first time in a really long time. I was so glad to be going back. I was ready to see friends, have fellowship, and be in the presence of the Lord. Little did i know that the Lord had much more planned for me. After dinner and games we began worship. We sang How He Loves by the David Crowder Band and i was engulfed. I felt like God was talking to me and I actually began to understand how He loves me. (i'm not saying that i will ever fully understand, that is impossible to comprehend) I'm excited, i'm on a high. I feel like i have begun to see a clearing in this forest of lies and sins we live in. This morning I went to the park with a good friend before school. It was extremely early for a monday morning but God blessed me for giving up sleep and talking to a friend about Him. The flame of Christ has been ignited and I never ever ever want it to go out. i want to be his light. (if you cant tell how excited i am well, call me cause i'd be more than happy to tell you!) In this whole process I've come to the conclusion that to begin down this clearing i have two things that i want to do. I want to start by being baptized. When i was little i was Christened but that was 16 years ago. Since then i've been on and off at church but i want this to be my commitment to my relationship with Christ with a fresh start and a new beginning.

Before that can happen though i am going to choose to be joyful.
Joy = the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.
a state of happiness or felicity.

Happiness is temporary and can be taken from us. I want to leave happiness in the dust. I am choosing to be joyful because i know what is ahead of me. Life in Heaven. Even if life on earth is not what i expect or want I wont let it get me down be cause i have Jesus, Others, and Yourself (myself).

O satisfy us with Your mercy and loving-kindness in the morning [now, before we are older], that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. [Psalm 90:14]

You have put more joy and rejoicing in my heart than [they know] when their wheat and new wine have yielded abundantly. [Psalm 4:7]

Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice! [Philippians 4:4]

But let all those who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You and be in high spirits. [Psalm 5:11]

Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always). [1 Thessalonians 5: 16]

I am joyful, for He loves me.

Beauty in the eyes of the Beholder

So today i was sitting in English when the phrase Beauty in the eyes of the Beholder came to mind.
We are reading a very "interesting" book where Uncle Camp, Aunt Loma's husband, felt so inadequate that he took his own life. Camp got hassled at the store for being lazy, he constantly got grief at home for not being able to fix things. Camp's view of himself was so clouded with the views of the towns people and his family he failed to remember the worth that God had given his life. Camp forgot that God had a purpose for his life and that He had put time into creating him as His own.
Earlier this morning we had HSAP testing so once i was done i picked up a magazine and started reading. I came upon an article that was about a fifteen year old girl killing herself because of taunts from other students. She too forgot the worth that God had given her life.
I think that as humans we take the opinions of others and give their opinions all too much worth. Lots more worth than they ought to have. We go to others for advice, we ask for their help in times of trouble, we often rely on other people to get by.

We take societies definition of beauty and accept it. We forget that society is not always right. You do not have to be blond, tall, and tan to be considered beautiful. If you have freckles you have to remember that God wanted you to have freckles.

I struggled with this concept of beauty when i was younger. I have red hair. When i was little i always thought that blond hair was the beautiful because that is what i heard everyone say. I wanted so badly to dye my hair. At one point in time i even cut my hair during class because i thought that it was so ugly. A few years later i realized that we do not have to be blond tall and beautiful to be considered beautiful God made us in His image.

Beauty does not only include our physical image of ourselves but our overall image of ourselves including our trials and tribulations, our successes and achievements. We must always go to God for our image our selves. Because if we are a follower of God we will realize when we look for our image we will see His.
We forget that God yearns to be your best friend he wants us to take our troubles to him, he wants us to ask for His advice, He wants us to rely on Him.
The scripture says that if you’ve been born-again, God no longer sees you as a mess, but a masterpiece. [Ephesians 2:10] God sees you in Christ.
Even when life throws us these curve balls we have to go to scripture and God will help us through our trials.



No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
[1 Corinthians 10:13]

To you they cried and were rescued;in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
[Psalm 22:4-5]

Many are the sorrows of the wicked,but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
[Psalm 32:10]

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge him,and he will make straight your paths.
[Proverbs 3:5-6]

My sister

My older sister goes to high school like any other normal teenager, she goes to swim team, she even does drama; however, she is not your average teenager. She is nineteen and has down syndrome.

"Mom! Are those people staring at me?" Kaitlyn asked.

"No, I don't think so, honey," her mom replied.

"Yes, they are, mom. Why are those people staring at me?"

"Maybe it's because they think you are a cute kid."

"But I don't like it," Kaitlyn replied.

In reality, judging eyes were looking at Kaitlyn's small stature, flat face, upward slanted eyes, and low set nose. My sister, Kaitlyn, has Down's syndrome, a congenital disorder in which the individual has an extra chromosome which causes some physical differences, difficulties, some learning delays, and an absence of some social skills. In her nineteen years, Kaitlyn has become accustomed to the pointing fingers, whispering, and giggles from onlookers. Should she have to become accustomed to this? Should anyone with a physical or mental disability have to deal with this? Onlookers’ verbal and physical actions towards someone with a special need causes these individuals to feel uncomfortable. People typically judge people because of looks; remember that thing called a first impression? To me, Kaitlyn is just like my younger sister; she participates in our family like any other member. In society, however, Kaitlyn is often looked down upon and avoided because of her differences. My mom recognizes the isolation that Kaitlyn unjustly receives because of her disabilities. My mom often goes to South Aiken and eats lunch with Kaitlyn. If it were not for my mom going and visiting with Kaitlyn, she would eat another lunch alone. While reading a magazine, I came across a troubled mother of a son with a non-curable congenital heart condition. "He is teased about not being able to participate fully in phy-ed. He is teased about not being able to participate in any of the popular sports. He is even teased about having a “disease”. He is often told by his peers not to touch them or their belongings because they don’t want disease germs." Do people think that he chose to have this condition? Did he want to go through countless surgeries? No. He dealt with what he was given and tried to live as normal as he could, but was ostracized because of the limitations his conditions caused. When dealing with people with disabilities, people must remember how they feel. If the shoe was on the other foot, I'm just guessing, people would want to be treated like any other human, given the same opportunities, and accepted for who they are. Kaitlyn will graduate from South Aiken next year, successfully completing the ACES program that will have prepared her for the competitive work force. She then plans to attend either Clemson or Carolina to take part in the Life program teaching her how to live independently while taking part in the college experience. Kaitlyn has grasped every opportunity that has come her way and has moved leaps and bounds from the beginning. On the other hand, some are not as fortunate as Kaitlyn. For these other individuals people must use patience and try and be understanding.

John 4 Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman

During this time it was not acceptable for a Jew to talk to a Samaritan. Jesus knew that his path would take him through Samaria and this would present the chance of confrontation; nevertheless, He took the path knowing there was a chance for good to be gained.

Without going to much further into John and Jesus talking with the samaritan woman i think we can already connect the story to our modern day lives.

In Kaitlyns case people avoid her as if she is something bad. All people with disabilites are a blessing.

When Jesus went through Samria he met a Samaritan lady. This Samaritan lady was an outcast in society. She had five husbands and the man she was with now was with another man whom she was not married to. After talking to Jesus she acceptaded the fact that she needed a Savior. This Samaritan lady was a blessing, even though she was diffrent from the Jews Jesus took the time and invested in a relationship with her. This invested realtionship florished into more people accepting Jesus as their Savior.

Although accepting people with disabilties is not the same as accepting Jesus Christ we should all try to walk the path that Jesus walked and set aside differences and invest in realtionships. You never know what you may get out of a realtionship with anyone, even if the are "diffrent". Just keep in mind that when you form a realtionship with someone you must be patient, you must be kind, you must show them the love of Jesus Christ and just how amazing He is.

Love is patient, love is kind. [ 1 Corinthians13:4 ]