running, running, running

i've been running a lot lately. literally, figuratively. for a few different reasons. literally i'm training for the longest run i have yet to face - the marathon. but figuratively, i've been running. running to ambition. to goals. to many good things. but one thing i'm not sure if i've been doing or not is running to the right thing. it's been a few years of a mindset that's beginning to change.

let me make this a little clearer through some examples:

-when i returned home from europe, i signed up for a 2 year cel phone contract. now, i know you're wondering why on earth that even matters. well, it matters in the details. most contracts are naturally 3 years long. well, i had two years of school to go, so i got a contract for only two years. that way, 2 years later, i could move back to... or move to... for the first time to... or... or...

-november 2010 i filled out an application form to do my internship semester in england. 16 weeks in truro, cornwall, on the seashore sounded like just the kind of adventure up my alley in the blue seas and green pastures overseas...

-last week, during an education career fair on campus, a by-passed every single local school district booth and went straight to the international booths. without even blinking. i signed up for information from two different agencies about teaching overseas...

there are many other examples. the main thread running through each is this: PEACE OUT ASAP. grass is greener elsewhere, life is more exciting in a foreign country. escape regina.

now, don't get me wrong, there's nothing to escape in particular here in regina. i'm not lonely and bored. i'm not alone. i don't have a messy break-up to flee. in fact, it's just the opposite.

-i have amazing community. i love my church. i lead a group of amazing, humble, FUN, women who love jesus.
-i'm learning a ton at school, enjoying my university program and actually looking forward to some sort of tangible, real career outside of university (a huge step for me!)
-i get to live with my lovely, loving and generous parents who spoil me with their kindness and are wonderful friends
-i have a support system of people here, so many people, that i love SO much. they are incredible. i learn from them everyday.
-i live in a city steeped in need. there is SO much to do here to bring love and light to people. to share the gospel.
-my sister and bro-in-law, two of the most wonderful people i know, who love jesus in an incredible way, are en route to moving here
-i have a way cute SOUL that i love to zip around town in
-my cat, at 8 years old, is still ticking
-i live in a city that's a fishbowl. the longer i'm here, the more i realize that everyone i know, knows someone i know. potentially a curse, but it's a huge blessing.
-there are two major ministries that have entered my life i just the past week alone, that call my name with volume and clarity.
-i have dreams for this city, to see it unified in christ.
-i want to labour here, to connect people, to see revival and change in the name of jesus.

and yet i run. i run in the form of seeing myself elsewhere. of daydreaming of life far away. of desiring to be on the other side of the world having adventures and sharing the gospel with people there. but the greatest mission field i could be called to is, as my blog line says, "right out my front door". i think i'm finally getting there - or here - or whatever you might say. not just resigning myself to the idea, but moving beyond that. moving to accepting, moving to enjoying, moving to finding peace with, the fact that i'm called to regina. i'm called to be here. my life is here, my calling is here. and for now, i'm not going to keep running away, but i'm going to run to the places in the city that i've been called to be in. and rest in the fact that dreaming is good, but obedience... obedience is greater. obedience to the one who KNOWS all, SEES all, and cares infinitely about my soul and the souls of us here on earth. now that's a good thing.

so i'm still running. literally, i've got a few hundred miles to go. and figuratively... i know there'll be moments. but i'm starting to get it. it's not about my goals and dreams and short-sighted vision for the future. it's about christ. so i'm training, i'm working, and i'm running to christ instead.

it's gonna be painful

last night at league (ladies bible study at the compass, fyi... it's a long story. ask me sometime. well, it's not that long, but it's long'ish'... i digress). back to league... we were talking about discipline. and punishment. how they're different, how they're the same... what it looks like to be disciplined by god. some big ideas came forth that i wanted to highlight.

-we misunderstand discipline, often because we have been disciplined and punished by falliable people in our lives
-discipine is GOOD
-the definition of discipline starts with the word training
-we are not being punished by god for our sin when we are being disciplined; jesus took the punishment for our sin already
-rather, we are being sanctified; we are being made more and more like christ and less and less like our sinful flesh-selves
-our discipline from the father is glorifying to jesus. we become more like him. this is a good thing.
-discipline is NOT easy
-god has enough grace and mercy, enough unconditional love, to allow us to be disciplined for our good
-true happiness is not in ease, comfort, etc; it's in knowing christ deeper and deeper... and deeper still
-we will never escape discipline until we die, because we will never be restored to our pre-sin state until this earthly life is over
-we can step into discipline willingly, in fact, we can pursue it through confession of sin to god and a sister/brother, repentance, accountability... who did you confess sin to this week?

despite the heaviness of the topic and the intensity of the conversation, it was a wonderful night of sharing, discussion, weeping, praying, and locking arms with sisters. if you're not in community, why aren't you? you're missing out. the body of christ was made as the bible tells us for a reason. it's beautiful in it's brokenness and christ is faithful to redeem it, despite our sinful hearts.

if you know christ, you can know you are being disciplined. that's a good thing.

interesting fable from the education world

The Animal School

Once upon a time, the animals decided they must do something heroic to meet the problems of a “new world”. So they organized a school.
They adopted an activity curriculum consisting of running, climbing, swimming and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects.
The duck was excellent in swimming, in fact better than his instructor, but he made only passing grades in flying and was very poor in running. Since he was slow in running, he had to stay after school and also drop swimming in order to practice running. This was kept up until his webbed feet were badly worn and he was only average in swimming, so nobody worried about that except the duck.
The rabbit started at the top of the class in running, but had a nervous breakdown because of so much make-up work in swimming.
The squirrel was excellent in climbing until he developed frustration in the flying class where his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of from the treetop down. He also developed a “charlie horse” from overexertion and then got a C in climbing and a D in running.
The eagle was a problem child and was disciplined severely. In the climbing class he beat all the others to the top of the tree, but insisted on using his own way to get there.
At the end of the year, an abnormal eel that could swim exceedingly well, and also run, climb and fly a little, had the highest average and was valedictorian.
The prairie dogs stayed out of school and fought the tax levy because the administration would not add digging and burrowing to the curriculum. They apprenticed their children to a badger and later joined the groundhogs and gophers to start a successful private school.
Does this fable have a moral?

George H. Reavis

lec"raeing" out the gospel

get it? the play on words? oh, that's right. probably only i do. annnyways...

okay. these. lyrics. are. so. unreal.
and they're even better when you hear them to music.
if you wanna know just how good they sound, just press play on the little box below.
100% guarantee you will not be disappointed.
maybe just convicted.
yet encouraged.
simultaneously.
by the gospel.
not the guy.
enjoy...



excerpt of my fav lines:

I know I'm safest when I'm in Your will, and trust Your Word
I know I'm dangerous when I trust myself, my vision blurred
And I ain't got no time to play life's foolish games
Got plenty aims, but do they really Glorify Your name?
And it's a shame, the way I want to do these things for You, yeet
Don't even cling to you, take time to sit and glean from You
It seems like You were patient in my ignorance
If ignorance is bliss, it's 'cause she never heard of this

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmania.com/background_lyrics_lecrae.html
All about Lecrae: http://www.musictory.com/music/Lecrae

a video euro update

i know i promised an update on the europe trip from december. well, rather than listening to be write about it incessantly (we all know how long winded i can be), here is a video, made by my partner in crime, Krista Prins, which will give you a great glimpse into the trip overall!

http://kristaprins.blogspot.com/2011/01/grab-cup-of-coffee.html

like she said... grab a coffee. it's not a 60 second blurb. ;)

an interesting read

if you have a few minutes, read this blog. [http://shepherdswalk.blogspot.com/2007/12/acts-29-network-casualty-of-perfect.html]

disclaimer: your heart rate quite likely will be elevated as you read the facts laid out - not to mention peoples' comments at the bottom. the author does a good job of presenting said facts, combined with some of his opinion. but it's really quite sad the issues the church is often caught up in. all this time, wasting time, on legalistic issues.