Guard me

It's early in the morning, and I haven't slept yet.
This is point of frustrutaion, tiredness and lack of concentration.
I am at my weakest, I feel drained.
You take control, and You fill my head with better throughts.
Take my life into your hands. Bless the wind which changes directions.
Let my mind change directions but let my hands work really quickly on this assignment Lord.
I love you

What suits me?

It's interesting that after reregistering my life just over a week ago now, I had to do it again at least another 2 times just recently. It's been good to have this blog as a reminder of the wonderful things that happen in every day life because we have a wonderful God who has treated us.

God treats us far more than we could ever treat anyone else.
Last night I had a discussion about the necessity to treat my own children when the time comes. This would be by being generous with all things including money. However, money is not an easy thing for me to part with. When I share moments with my girlfriend - yes I'm able to plunge into my wallet. And when I think like that maybe, the same love for my kids would give me that desire too. But really is that healthy or even the best/right thing to do? Maybe it would be better to humble myself (potentially humbling my kin as well) to say that God can provide so much more for me and my children. I don't need to show my love by treating them myself - but instead my treat should be to introduce them to my Lord and Saviour... and everything I model and share should point to Him.

Call me stingey. Whatever you want to call me.
I've got a long way to go till then, I'd like to hear many arguments and wise advice on this topic before I get there.

For now, I'll keep acknowledging the bliss of God's treats and blessings.
This week, the challenge from my home group leader has been to recognise the things that suit our spirit. Things that God has specifically created us to enjoy and grow from.
Watch this space...

Listening

Lesson:

Listen and then do,
Rather than...
Speak and refuse.

My church

I'm realising recently that I take great pride in my church. Being a part of my church, plays more than a significant role in my Christian walk.

It's when others complain, or express their disinterest in my church that I get relatively upset, and go inward - although I have pride, my peacemaker instincts are more prevalent in my character.

Last night at home group, certain persons were complaining about the generic nature of worship song lyrics, the 'put-on' friendliness that doesn't go further than a Sunday morning, and their lack of interest in inappropriate sermons. They suggested - why don't they do this, they need to do that etc.

I didn't want to step in - I care for them, but don't want to clumsily tread on their brittle bones pushing them away from the church and God altogether. However, if I was to chime in, I would have suggested: Hey why don't you come and help out down at kids church. We need helpers, and I worship God most when I'm acting in faith through service.

I guess the deal with church is that you're not there to receive and to be entertained. In fact you're there to give and that is worship.

The church, is not a building, it's a people. It's a people that are your family. And a healthy family care, share, serve and pray for one another. I've been finding out recently that a family breaks down if those things aren't taken up by each member. The church family is just as or even more important than our biological family. I don't know if Jesus was talking about the church or not in this passage following, but to me it sounds like it.
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers
While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Matthew 12v 46-50.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that to really feel a part of a church, you yourself have to be committed to it. You have to care, and share, and serve and pray for others (rather simply expecting others to do that for you).

When you see people in the church who are slaving away over things that seem so menial week in, week out, you start to get an appreciation for your church family. It gets hard to say - oh church was boring on Sunday, when you know that Ole' Nevil has put out 60 Bibles into the rows, and has done that for the past year, and 'Sally Gooden' has been doing harvest work and bringing new families into the church who have broken backgrounds, and 'Sam Tito' has been occupying the old peoples group once a week even when he has distressing things happening at home.

When you are just another one of those people serving, and getting close to God through your church you realise what goes into the SUNDAY SERVICE. Church is more than a Sunday. But don't expect to get things from the church outside of Sunday, if you're not prepared to put in the work either. Churches, just like families involve commitments from all its members.

Re-registering

Yesterday I re-registered my car. I've only had my car for a short while, however, it only came with about a month or less left on it's registration (better than nothing I guess). To be precise, it's registration expired on the 29th of October.
29th = same day of the month as my dating anniversaries,
29th = same day as I started this blog up with purpose.

I decided prior to going to the post office to re-register that I would only get 6 months of registration - simply because that would be relatively affordable. From there, however, I did not plan a thing... I just went to the post office. It was only when I walked through the door that I thought, hmm I wonder if I'm supposed to supply some paper work?

Even with this question in my head, I decided to press on. What could be the worst response to me asking what I needed to have prepared to re-register my car?
Well, in fact, they just gave me a form to fill out right there and then. The hardest question being what my registration number was (I took two attempts to answer it correctly). But it was so SIMPLE.

Right now, I'm going to do something even SIMPLER I believe. I've decided while I'm in the mood, that I should also re-register my life, my thoughts, decisions and actions to God once again.

I thank the Lord increasingly much, as He helped me through a month - it has been a successful time, and I've been able to see the change in my attitudes towards life as He honoured my commitments made clear on this blog.
Lord right now I want to recommit/re-register these commitments so that I don't get complacent, so that You will be right by my side for another month ahead. As my friends and I celebrate the end of a study year and the end of study altogether. We will celebrate new employments. Megan and I will be celebrating a whole year of commitment to each other. A lot of exciting things will be happening this month, and that's why I pray that You will be my guide that keeps me on the straight and narrow, withdrawing me from self-righteous and misguided folly.
I want to thank You, that unlike a car registration, you will accept my repentance freely and without new sacrifice. It's astounding that the most important and fulfilling aspect of life - our connection with God through the Spirit - has been accounted for without any of my own doing. I think it's so awesome to have a car, and that I worked for, and I continually going to be paying for. But Jesus' grace payed for my whole life in one go. Thank You Jesus.
Amen
Amen.