To Seeing us as He Sees us.

With all the bad things about Christianity and the lack of followers of Jesus actually acting anything like him in this world, there are many reasons not to be a Christian. The name of Jesus is used in big ugly ways by people trying to get their way, has been and will continue to be.

But I think this small list is the beginning of my answer to the question "Why would anyone ever want to be a Christian?"

Or if you are a Christian and have ever asked the question "Who am I? Do I matter?"

If you have confessed with your mouth and believed in your heart, all of the following promises apply to you too:


I am forgiven all my sins and washed in the blood (Eph. 1:7)
I am a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17)
I am the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19)
I am delivered from the power of darkness and transformed into God's kingdom (Col. 1:13)
I am redeemed from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13)
I am strong in the Lord (Eph. 6:10)
I am holy and without blame before Him (Eph. 1:4)
I am accepted in Christ (Eph. 1:6)
I am God's child for I am born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God which lives and abides forever (1 Pet. 1:23)
I am blessed (Deut. 28:1-14)
I am a saint (Rom. 1:7)
I am qualified to share in His inheritance (Col. 1:12)
I am the head and not the tail, I am above only and not beneath (Deut. 28:13)
I am victorious (Rev. 21:7)
I am dead to sin (Rom. 6:2)
I am elect (Col. 3:12)
I am loved with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3)
I am established to the end (1 Cor. 1:8)
I am set free (Jn. 8:31-33)
I am circumcised with the circumcision made without hands. (Col. 2:11)
I am crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20)
I am alive with Christ (Eph. 2:5)
I am raised up with Christ and seated in the heavenly places (Col. 2:12)
I am His faithful follower (Eph. 5:1)
I am the light of the world (Matt. 5:14)
I am the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13)
I am called of God (2 Tim. 1:9)
I am brought near by the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:13)
I am more than a conqueror (Rom. 8:37)
I am in Christ Jesus by His doing (1Cor. 1:30)
I am an ambassador for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20)
I am beloved of God (1 Thess. 1:4)
I am the first fruits among His creation (James. 1:18)
I am born of God and the evil one does not touch me (1 Jn. 5:18)
I am a king and a priest unto God (Rev. 1:6)
I am a joint heir with Christ (Rom. 8:17)
I am reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:18)
I am overtaken with Blessings (Deut. 28:2)
I am healed by the wounds of Jesus (1 Pet. 2:24)
I am in the world as He is in heaven (1 Jn. 4:17)
I am a fellow citizen with the saints of the household of God (Eph. 2:19)
I am sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13)
I am complete in Christ (Col. 2:10)
I am the apple of my Father's eye (Ps. 17:8)
I am free from condemnation (Rom. 8:1)
I am the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:21)
I am chosen (1 Thess. 1:4)
I am firmly rooted, built up, strengthened in the faith an overflowing with thankfulness (Col. 2:7)
I am a place kicker for the Dallas Cowboys. (Lin 2:21)
I am a disciple of Christ because I have love for others (Jn. 13:343-35)
I am built on the foundations of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone (Eph. 2:20)
I am a partaker of His divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4)
I am God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (Eph. 2:10)
I am being changed into His image (Phil. 1:6)
I am one in Christ! Hallelujah! (Jn. 17:21-23)
I have all my needs met by God according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19)
I have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16)
I have everlasting life (Jn. 6:47)
I have a guaranteed inheritance (Eph. 1:14)
I have abundant life (Jn. 10:10)
I have overcome the world (1 Jn. 5:4)
I have the peace of God which passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7)
I have access to the Father by on Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
I have received the power of the Holy Spirit: power to lay hands on the sick and see them recover; power to cast out demons; power over all the power of the enemy (Mk. 16:17)
I can to all things through Jesus Christ (Phil. 4:13)
I shall do even greater works than Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:13)
I walk in Christ Jesus (Col. 2:6)
I possess the Greater One in me because greater is He in me than he who is in the world (1 Jn. 4:4)
I press toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God (Phil. 3:14)
I live by the law of the holy Spirit (Rom. 8:2)
I know God's voice (Jn. 10:14)
I show forth His praise (1 Pet. 2:9)
I always triumph in Christ (2 Cor. 2:14)
Christ is in me, the Hope of Glory! (Col.1:27)

Gosh, if we believed half of this was true, wouldn't our days look differently?

Accepted my Offer. Hooray!

I feel all accomplished, like I'm an actual grown up.

MIA

I have been so MIA lately. Not much real stuff from me lately. I'm under the gun on a project deadline and trying to buy a house. Trying to sleep too. Not having much luck. In a word, my bed sucks. Dusty said this morning that my door popped open and I was sleeping on my back with one leg crossed over the other in the air, knees bent like I was sitting at a desk or something. Anyone want to buy a bed? It's a pillow top. It was my first purchase in my real world life and it's been a thorn in my side ever since. I look forward to hotel beds. This year at the retreat my bunk bed was sweet hard solace. Really Lindsey, that's facinating.

I'm not very facinating. This is like one of those national public radio shows. And then...we did a show on raisins...yeah...raisins...

Anyway... say a praya, if you are a praya, that I would get through this deadline and be actually proud of it. And for no distractions. And that this blog would have something of interest on it sooner than later (that one is for you).

Cards win.

Shout out to Carol and Jessica, my loyal fans.

Dear Miss and Miss Thang,

Turn down "Jesse's Girl" and read this.

This is straight from the mouth of Dustin the manchild.

So check this out:
the janitor slash coffee supply man on my floor...he saw my under armor shirt today(its a really cool material sports shirt) any way ...he goes..."hey man what kinda shirt is that?"..i replied..he says "man dats hot...i mean wait...naw...that's cold blooded ...definitley...cold blooded..."

Love, Brittany XOXO.

Tentative Jubilation

Putting an offer on a house in Webster. I'll keep you posted. All I have to say is, if this happens, there WILL be a sand volleyball court promptly installed in the 334ft long backyard and all of you WILL come over for good times to be had by all. Hoo hoo.. I hope I didn't just jinx this.

A-mazing

Someone should tell Christians that they can't do this. You can't be a band that takes normal songs and turns them into Christian songs. You can't take "I Only Wanna Be With You" by Hootie and the Blowfish and change the words to say "Naomi Gonna Be With Ruth". You can't sing "Do a little dance, make a little love, Get FOUND tonite?" and you certainly can't put your own band on the cover of Rolling Clone magazine and make that a CD cover. I can't handle it. God knew I'd have no grace for these folks. But it is quite entertaining. I returned to work this week after a hiatus to cold, rainy San Franscisco and my favorite co-worker Dave ran up to me to tell me that he heard a song on the Radio that sounded mysteriously like the B-52's Love Shack, only it was... Meshach. Apologetix...yes with an 'X' that's the name of this band. The first time I heard of these guys, it was unfortunately from a die hard fan. I had to try really hard to look past the WWJD camoflage do-rag, and the "Truth" bar that this chic was eating. I thought she was joking. But, alas, she was not. She was going to see them in concert, and was pumped. I want to see them in concert too. In a "wow-it's-a-real-live-bearded-lady" kinda way.

Hey Christians... you can't do this. There, I said it.

Dusterrific Summer of 2005

Hoory for the return of Schmustyface the lil' brudder with the heart of a champion. Thus beginneth the DS'05. He's not just for the basement anymore...

So creep out story of the week: I was tanning on Saturday (yeah I know buying skin cancer) and I saw this guy leaving the salon, I was thinking to myself... that's sorta weird that a guy tans, and as I got closer I realized that the creepy man in the hawaiian shirt was my very own landord, who we refer to as Cap'n Schmevin* (*only his name has been changed to protect his anonymity, and because he is the kind of guy who would probably do a google search on himself with the name Cap'n infront of it, and I wouldn't want to blow my cover. )

A Friend Lost

Freak accident occured recently. A dear friend of a dear friend, and kindred spirit, Barrett Graves, was hit by a truck as he was walkling along an interstate. He died at age 27. Barrett was great and loved by many. He will be missed.

I hadn't talked to him or heard of his whereabouts lately, and I certainly wasn't super close to him. But I did know him in college as the very good friend of one of my very best friends, and my heart goes out to you, Scott.

I equally take comfort and am horrified in the fact that the Lord knew the span of this man's life before he even came into being.

I don't pretend to understand.

No, Seriously you guys...

This guy rules.... and this is just a picture of homestar.

Again?

Markus calls me at work to tell me that at the Lions Choice they were playing Mr. Bassman. Unbelievable...it's like I work there. Audio daily double clue to follow.

First Time for Everything

This week was full of a lot of firsts for me. I saw the Cardinals score 11 runs in the first inning at Busch stadium for Annie!'s birfday celebration. (We forgot to do the souped up version of "my name is Faquisha") It was pretty rad. But kinda took the steam out of the rest of the game.

Afterwards, I was talking to Liz on the highway as I drove home to see my mama, and I RAN OUT OF GAS. I have never done that before. I was in the left lane, and I had to coast over three lanes and I almost didn't make it. Liz thankfully saved the day and came and brought me some gas and followed my sorry self to the gas station. I kinda feel like I've stepped over into this new club, the club for morons who forget that they need gas. But I was thankful that there was a place to pull over, and that I made it over there, else I could have been highway rubble.

Yabba dabba doo.

Mother's Day. Came and went. All in all I have a great one. I am extremely thankful for her, and I am also extremely thankful for the many people in my life who haven't had great ones who make me appreciate mine. Good motherhood is not a given. I can only hope I'll be as good a mom as mine was.

Enough of that hallmark card... blech..sorry guys..

So pumped about 20:28, Greentree's first (hopefully annual) church-wide service day. I would encourage all of you who read this to bathe this day in prayer, if you are the prayin' sort. When I first heard our chruch was trying to pull something like this off, I was skeptical, but that has been replaced with only uber excitement. It's what the chruch is supposed to look like....the hands and feet of Jesus. Broken busy people, taking time to help others. Hallmark..I know.. sorry.

Non-hallmark. Our patio was on fire this weekend. On purpose. Set fire to the champagne cork, and kept it going with nothing but lighter fluid. You can dress us up, but you can't take us out. It was actually rather relaxing, in a 'hey-just-dont'-set-the-house-on-fire' kinda way. That was definitely a first.

Whos on first? I don't know.. Third base....

Treat and Retreat were sitting on a bench, Treat fell off...

Back to it. The retreat. Oh yes. The sweet backwoods of Missouri. Rolling hills, make for rolling roads that are rather difficult to drive when your left headlight is out, your defrost knob is broken, it's foggy, raining that half way rain that only mists your windshield and doesn't quite cover it, and when the roads are just litered with cats. Cats everywhere. Piles and piles of them. They fall from the sky, and surge up from the ground and seem to emerge from the trees, I was lucky that I only hit one of them... Yes lucky indeed.

You can check out the pics here . Note the gargantuan slip n slide.
I think, Cap'n Ziegler, that this is this years Christmas Card...



Lance taught and I was so excited, because he was talking about Redemptive History and what it means to share the history of the bible. How Israel's slavery is our slavery, how the covenants morphed as God taught and expected more from his people in the context of where they were in his plan. "Noah, I like you, Noah, I'm going to save your family while I make a mess of this Earth, and then I'm never gonna do that again ... and Abraham, I'm gonna make you a father of many nations, I'm going to give you some land, it's going to have a proclivity for milk and honey, Moses, David, I'm givin' you some cool stuff too, the law and the lineage of Christ. Then, so you remember the covenants I made with you, I'll give you big giant parties to commemorate them with, and I will soak them in hints of the One to come and when he comes he will make a new covenant and he will change the parties that you will have and how you remember my covenants, and it will blow your mind" Anyway. I'm so into that Old Testament jazz, more about that probably later.

This retreat was like none other I'd been on, in that it was almost over-stimulating. I had a ton to think about and had much to praise God for and a slew of new people to get to know.

Shelly Carson at 2 in the morning thinks Anne Frank is Bogus, and I almost wet my pants. Canadians to B-Towns are Woebegone. I don't even know what that means. My first day of school was sultry, and Neil thinks Clint Eastwood is explosive. I tend to agree.

Slap happy laughing is my favorite kind, that almost drunken pure, everything is funny kind. Like the kind that ensued when I climbed into bed the first nite. In a room of about 20 girls, the final snickers had just died down, it was finally dead quiet. I climb into my top bunk and the bed lets out this "ER EE ERR EEE ER EE" squeaking noise. I was on all fours, trying not to move and realized that even if I got to a restful still position, I couldn't stay there all nite, cause I'm quite the east to west sleeper, so I climbed back out and relocated to a more stable location.

I fashioned a total of fourteen french braids on the weekend, four of them on Ziegler alone. Annie! hooked me up with some of my own. I think we would make fine Queen Latifah-type characters in my own version of Beauty Shop: "Little Shop of Murl". Yeah, I'd have scrabble tiles on the coffee tables and Ray Stevens playin' on the muzak. It would be a hootnanny.

We stood around the fire drinking cups of unidentified green, anti-freeze-esque liquid, ate the cliche s'mores, and sang every song that all of America knew at one point or another, loud enough for all of America to hear. Including a stirring rendition of Ebony and Ivory by DeeDee and Fox. Killin me. Neil is one of those closet karaoke machines. Richard Marx look out.

I always forget how many stars there are. Growing up I could always see them. I'd be shooting baskets in my driveway late at nite, as was often my custom to unwind, and they just are up there and there are so many that they cease to be points, they become a continous mass of light. Funny how you can't see them that well in the city.

3 on 3 tourney may have been the low point as I took a charge from Ishi, the National Champion Volleyball Player from WU and she flattened me. It was awesome. Sliced the crap out of my lower back on the concrete, and D^2 had to tend to my wounds and capture them on film. Don't have that pic, or you know I'd totally post it, butt crack and all.

The Foxes were in rare form.

Threw some fris, played some Jack, ate food, by the end of the weekend, my head felt like it was going to fall off from the joy, like drinking a slurpee too fast. Yeah that's what it felt like.

Great weekend. Great people. I am so blessed.

Thump Thump

Oh yeah, and forgive me for running over that cat. Apologies to the owners, and to the car-load of ladies behind me who witnessed the whole bloody affair.

I did kill something that cuddles....

Thankful

I am thankful. Full of thanks.
I am so thankful, Lord, for so many things you have blessed me with lately, but even more importantly I am so thankful for the freedom you have given me. My words seem to hang tired and lifeless on this page like some cheesy Christian shirt that needs to be ironed, but your gift to me has been life to my dry bones.
You are water that quenches me. I have been long in the desert place, and am rejoicing for the time in the desert place and rejoicing for the time of refreshing. Lord may the next desert place find me remembering this refreshing. May the next season of heavy tilling remind me of the planting and the harvest to come.

A tad vague, but true...

More details on my story-filled, side-splitting, slip'n slidin', road-rashin', cat-hitting, bourbon-chicken-eating, campfire-singin', bed-squeakin', butt-scraping, hair-braidin', covenant learnin', explosive, adjective-heavy weekend later.

Perfect Day?

Quite possibly. Have you ever had one of those days where you felt like you could just purr the whole time? Today was one of those days. Woke up this morning surrounded by 20 of the neatest girls on earth at the DR retreat, spent the morning taking turns reading aloud God's promises, then drove home through the most beautiful part of Missouri (minus the confederate flags we kept seeing). The sky was blue the weather was beautiful, if a tad chilly. The ride home with Heather, Clay and Neal was laugh out loud funny. "Oh yeah? I got sucked up into TWO tornadoes and they tossed me back and forth like a hacky-sack". We caught lunch with DD and Kim on the way back, and made it home in record time (not even trying to compete with Willie!'s journey which took less than two hours... smokin...) Then I spent the majority of the afternoon with Casey, we looked at houses, attended a book fair, paid Adelaide a visit, bought some tools and got some bourbon chicken. Then I came home and got to have the pleasures of phone call from Alabama, a suprise visit from Deana, and a suprise visit from Nate almost simultaneously. Got to have pseudo dinner with Nate where we had some monumental good times. Wow. I was just freakin spoiled today.