I'm pretty sure that only Colin and Natalie read these, so I think I might start just addressing them as letters to the two of you. If any of the rest of you are out there leaving...make yourself known! :)
Natalie and Colin,
This week is kind of crappy....I mean at best it's confusing.
Prayer please.
:)
On a good note, today I bought a motorized toothbrush. I literally screamed outloud in joy when I finished brushing my teeth with it the first time. Is there any reason why everyone doesn't own one of these?
Go out. Buy one today. You won't regret it.
On a serious note, I've been thinking alot about the verse in Phillipians 4:6-7...."Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests before God. And the God of all compassion will guard your minds and hearts in Christ Jesus."
What does that really look like? How does that really play out? If we hold fast to the belief that God is all knowing, wise, and loves us intensely, then why should we bother with petition? Why does He care to hear our requests? Shouldn't we just submit to whatever He thinks is best and just direct our prayers in that way?
I guess I'm realizing more all the time that really living out a life with Jesus...kingdom oriented life...is messy and tension filled and doesn't always make sense. It's filled with thinking through the big theological questions in the most inconvient times and feeling at the end of your rope often. Whoever feeds people the lie that following Jesus is easy shouldn't do that anymore...it's a bunch of rubbish, as my dear Marcus would say. Living life with Jesus is hard, costly, painful and tension filled. But I can relate with the disciples when Jesus asked them if they wanted to leave him too with the crowds...and they said "Where else would we go? You have the words of life." There is nothing more valuable...more worth whatever cost....than following Him whereever that may lead me. Life with Jesus is almost always different than I expected, but it almost always is also better.
Mabye I'm writing all this today to remind myself. I think I need that reminder today.
Hope you two are having a good day.
Nicole
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5 comments:
Dear Nicole,
Always fear the one who writes back.
Philippians 4 has been my chapter of the year. I am exceptionally glad that it has come up so often. I'm going to paraphrase a line from a Mary Karr poem (I would quote it, but I loaned the book to that sassypants, Missi) as I have no original thoughts of my own:
I told a friend of mine,
Why would an all powerful God need my prayer?
And she said,
"It's not for Him, you asshole."
Considering it's a paraphrase, I should have left the asshole part out, but that's the bit I know I remember. Life is hard, with or without Jesus; I want it to be worthwhile. There's more to say, I'm just not going to type it.
Jesus is like a motorized toothbrush, 'cept for your soul.
Praying for you with thanksgiving,
Colin
And a P.S.--
Update your links, ladyface. I'm surprised you haven't added something like, say, your website or a softer world (here's a good one: http://www.asofterworld.com/soft_apr7_2006.htm)
hey, i read this too! and i'm proud to say that i was there for the purchase of the motorized toothbrush.
lovechristi.
Totally lame way to solicit comments. So I'm leaving a totally lame comment. Ha.
Oh come on! I seriously was assuming that only Natalie and Colin read it!
Way to leave me a comment with no name attached.... :) That really is lame!
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