It's a Piece of Cake

I'm not sure what will come of this. I just needed to get out some concerns.

Have you ever wondered about frustration? How do you really explain this feeling? I think you become frustrated in trying to explain frustration. I looked it up in the dictionary.

frus·tra·tion [fruh-strey-shuhn] –noun
1. act of frustrating; state of being frustrated:
2. an instance of being frustrated:
3. something that frustrates, as an unresolved problem.
4.a feeling of dissatisfaction, often accompanied by anxiety or depression, resulting from unfulfilled needs or unresolved problems.
5. To cause feelings of discouragement or bafflement in

I like that it said the act of frustrating. It just uses it in a different form to define it. It made me laugh some. I really liked the definition of five; to cause feelings of discouragement or bafflement in...

That is a perfect way of explaining frustration. It's that sense of hopelessness. There are some things that are just out of our control.

This week, as we follow the lectionary, it's the story of the blind man. John 9:1-41, this story has always amazed me. First, I think we all think of this, Jesus spat on the mud and placed it on this man's face. How gross! However, it is a small price to pay to be able to see again. I feel as though, the blind man would probably be frustrated. This frustration came from not being able to see, being casted aside, and others not believing him. How awful to want to fit in and want people to believe you but then to top it all off - you can't see! It is such a powerful thing that the one who has been blind is truly the one who is able to see!

I think about my frustrations and visions. It's a toss up. There's a lot there. However, I want to be like the blind man! I want to stop and take a look around. I want every moment to be a moment where I take in Jesus. It's a hard thing to do but who ever said being blind was easy.

Thirst

I woke up around 3:40ish a.m. When I woke, I was a little groggy, but one thing was for sure. I was thirsty. After rubbing my eyes and laying in bed debating whether or not to hydrate myself. I decided, yes. I feel as though lately, I haven't been drinking enough. Partly, as lame as this is, about a week or so ago, I had my water bottle that I reuse, as I walked into church I tried to set it on the counter because my hands were full. As I did this I missed the counter, it fell. It apparently hit the corner and it cracked. So, therefore, I no longer have the bottle...which makes me drink less. As I awoke with this thirst and I had quenched it some...not to the fullest...I began to think.
This time of night...er morning, that's not a good thing or maybe it is. Dehydration, some of the symptoms are:

Dry, sticky mouth Sleepiness or tiredness Few or no tears when crying
Muscle weakness Headache Dizziness or lightheadedness

If you ignore this thirst, dehydration can slow you down.

Lately, I think this thirst is also for God. I haven't been getting enough. I'm feeling this thirst and I don't quench it. I don't obey my thirst. Instead, I become spiritually dehydrated. Symptoms of spiritual dehydration:

Dry mouth Lots of tears Attitude Weakness Etc.

I find when we become spiritually dehydrated, we aren't able to find the good. We allow our attitudes to become hard and dried. I find cynicism is not hard to reach. This dry mouth becomes full of bitterness and it is hard to proclaim the good news. Frustration comes and tears are easily ready. They come because you realize that you aren't allowing yourself to be filled with the thirst of Jesus.

John 4:5-41 is the story of the Samaritan Woman at the well. Jesus shares with her that he has living water that will never make her thirsty again! What a wonderful thing! Never to have the feeling of thirst again! Jesus never condemns this woman. He does not try to change her of her ways. We do not not her whole story. We just know that she has had five husbands and currently lives with a man. She, however, runs to spread the good news. She had become spiritually hydrated.

I was reading Rob Bell before I began this crazy blog. He was speaking of how our faith is like a trampoline. It's held together by springs that are too be stretched and it will hold it together still. He makes the statement, "...maybe that is who God is looking for - people who don't just sit there and mindlessly accepts everything that comes their way."

This I am thirsting for. I am wanting to be filled with Jesus. I, we, just have to take the time to search for the means to quench this thirst. Thirst is wonderful for our faith...it makes us want to drink up the living well. Spiritual dehydration could even be good. It allows us to question and push our faith but it's a fine line. Be aware of it - but nonetheless quench it.




I hope this makes sense. Being that I awoke and started pondering is always a scary thing nonetheless to try and post to the world.

Ready or Not

It's been awhile since I've done any type of blogging on the internet. I started to make a reference to The Office and Creed's blog in a word format. I'm not really sure how to begin. Except, I kind of feel lame...Steve and Thomas told me to do this. I wasn't but then just how things worked out, I thought I would give it a whirl. So, here we go on this journey.

It was cruel...it was dirty...it wasn't the nicest thing I've done today. As my best friend, *Steve was walking out of the office, I made the statement..."I'm doubting my call to ministry." I knew he was leaving. It would mean I could release this idea without really having to explore it. It's kind of like when you send a birthday card or something trivial; it means a lot but you don't necessarily give it another thought. **Then my other good friend, Thomas, was left to pick up the pieces of my misguided ways. Truly, we chatted for a little bit, then I did have leave.

I went on with the day of going to class, doing some homework, and going to a band concert, excuse me, recital. It brought joy to to see a couple members of my youth perform. They were so excited that I took time out of my schedule to come and watch them. The pride they showed filled my heart. After I parted from them. I returned home.

I started to work on tomorrow's lesson. I wanted to go over it and make it the buick of all lessons thus far. As I was reading the story of the Samaritian woman, I stopped, I would read a few lines, and then pause. I was taking it in as if it was the first time I had read it. As I was pondering, my Bible flipped. There laying in it was pages of notes. It was my one and only sermon.

I had preached at Harrah last May. I chuckled. I started to read through it, even though, I knew what it said. It brought warm memories back to life - things I haven't thought of in awhile. As I was reading a line caught me. I had just shared the story about how Steve had triggered a story for me...but then in the same instant as it appeared it was gone, like lightening. The only thing I could exclaim was, "That reminds me of a great story...that I can't remember now!"

I continued to say that sometimes we are filled with excitement and it doesn't pause for us to be ready. It is like hide-and-go seek. When the person is counting down; you are standing there, pankicking. "Where to hide?!? Where can I go?" It gets closer to one! 3 - 2 -1! Ready or not, here I come! You're left standing there - scared but thrilled. And even if we are not ready to be found, someone is still searching.

It reminded me as I reflected back to my doubts of ministry that I really don't know the whole of it. I do know with time, patience, discernment, and God, I will get it figured out. I'm petrified. I'm not sure if what I'm doing at the church is what I should be doing. However, ready or not, I will continue on and put my faith into God.

déselo a dios

*I originally was not going to use names...that was blown out of the water!
**This was added to appease certain people...some of this information is true. He he...