Erasing Blog Posts Before They Are Written

Every time I usually think about a blog post, I am doing something away from my computer so that in order for me to ever write about what I am thinking about, I am dependent on my memory, and unfortunately, it fails more often times than not. I do a lot of thinking throughout the day and my busy mind gets wrapped up in other thoughts that relate to other things and these thought-patterns are known for their erasers. I always think, man, what was that blog post I was just thinking about, it would have been a good topic for discussion, and then, it’s gone. I would love to create a habit where I could always wear a piece of paper and a pen up my sleeve so when I come up with these brilliant blog post ideas, I could then write my ideas down and later when I get to my computer, I could write them. Oh, but wouldn’t that be too difficult!? Yeah, probably, but if I didn’t do this, then I wouldn’t have a list of awesome blog post entries that are just waiting to be written!

Does anyone have good ideas as to how to remember things such as blog post entries?

Passion Has a Voice

I think in terms of a twist to my latest post about narrow-mindedness there is a different way at looking at one way of seeing things. Passion! I would say I am very passionate about my freedom and Grace that Father has given me. I sense that there is a huge difference in regards to where I am and where others are… I am trying to find a common ground here so I don’t sound like I know it all, but, what I have experienced and continue to experience is something that I have to talk about. I was trying to think of an analogy to compare this to something on earth, but honestly, this freedom in Father has no comparison. Nothing compares to the grace and freedom that I have found in my relationship with the Lord. I have no obligations to live up to in regards to a standard Christian scale. I am learning to just be, and live everyday as if Father was sitting right beside me and taking each step with me anywhere I am. One can only imagine how much freedom is found in that. No obligations or standards to live up to. I am completely loved for who I am, and his love is not based on what I do or how I do it, or even how much of it I do. I can sit here and do nothing all day everyday and still be just as loved by Father as if I was in a church building, or ‘reaching’ the lost. I am not judged by Father nor do I feel demanded by him to meet people’s agenda’s or obligations. To some, this kind of thinking and living is scary and so unfamiliar that I can understand why people may think this is way out of anyone’s comfort zones. I too, believe it or not, have felt the same way about this kind of living, but, if I was to allow fear and self-condemnation to keep me from this kind of life, I would be missing out on an amazing and incredible journey with my Father and would not ever understand the depth of His love for me that he gives FREELY. I am passionate about my Father and my life. My passion has a voice, and if I were to shut that voice off, I would not have a voice at all.

Too Tired To Blog!

I have this strange urge to blog, but I have no more energy... My eyes are half closed, but my mind is buzzing like a bee... What will my fingers type before I will even notice what I have said?! That is how 'out' of it I am... I wanted to correlate a blog post that relates to my previous post I wrote about how narrow-minded I can get, but there is a twist to that, but, right now I must sleep! Keep your eyes open for another blog post that will appear shortly... In the morning I hope! :)

The Boxes I Continually Put Myself In

I always refer to living outside the ‘box’ as a religious box that keeps me bound. However, I am finding that there are many boxes, many things that keep me bound and usually those things are created by me. I hate to admit this, but when I get fixated on something, that thing I am allowing to captivate me is what keeps me from growing, or having a broader mindset on where others are or what is right or wrong… I have asked myself before if there a right or wrong answer to everything? My answer to that today would be absolutely not. There are a lot of people who I may not agree with or see eye to eye on every issue with, but that does not mean that I have all the answers or know everything, and it seems like these boxes/viewpoints are used as a form of security or protection from other beliefs or ways of doing things. It’s so easy to get in that mindset though, and it’s hard to break free from the boxes that can keep me from seeing different viewpoints or even keep me away from showing curiosity or interest in different aspects of people’s lives that may differ from my own. I have heard my husband tell me that I sometimes get religious about my un-religious beliefs. Pretty contradictory, but true in a lot of ways, and it seems like it typically doesn’t just stop at religion. I always thought that if someone agreed with me or found things that interest them as they did me, there were more comparable aspects to being in a friendship or relationship than with someone who differed from me! Yeah, I think all of us like those who agree with us or have the same interest who come into our lives, but that does not close the door to others who don’t match our criteria in life. What is it going to take to break free from the boxes that only offer narrow mindedness and that only produce isolation from others? It’s a process, but I am learning how to live OUTSIDE the boxes I continually put myself in that keep me trapped from a freedom that is found on a broader scale.

Churched

When I go into bookstores, what excites me the most is the rows and rows of books that are just waiting to be recognized and opened! I am actually not a huge reader, but what intrigues me the most about bookstores or books in general, is the cover of books. The display of a book and its title is probably the most important part of a book. I am less likely to even glance at a book if the front cover has no pictures or a title that has no significance. Last week, I went into a local bookstore down town Durango with a friend, and this is when I started thinking about the importance of a book’s title and the display of the cover. I would walk down each aisle and look at books with intriguing covers, and titles. One book that got my attention the most was called Churched, by Matthew Paul Turner. First of all, it intrigued me because the word churched is something that is very familiar to me. Dressing up and going to a local building to hear someone preach is pretty normal for a Christian to do and it actually is expected in this day and age if we profess to know God. I have not read this book as of yet, but the more I look at the title and sub-titles and the picture of this book, I am more curious as to what the writer has experienced. It may be very similar to what I have experienced, and that tells me that I am not alone in this kind of thinking that being ‘churched’ can do more damage than good in a lot of ways if we are to recognize the depth of issues it causes. I feel so inclined to run to the bookstore and buy this book and read it, just because the title, and the cover display has brought me to a place of curiosity that I cannot ignore.

Changes Create Headache

Hey Guys,

I have been changing my blog and in the process I lost all of my blog links that I had on my sidebar. For those of you who I have not yet collected, could you please leave a comment with your blog address so that I can add you to my blogger friends list! I would hate to miss out on anyone's blog!!!

Thanks a lot!

In Freedom, Nicole!

Condenmed To Fail

Do the modern churches of today embrace those who happen to make ‘un-godly’ decisions in their life? Or do they condemn those without giving them a chance to repent? I recently heard of a husband who left his wife for another woman and now it seems as though his church friends and others don’t want anything to do with him anymore. Maybe he has avoided them because of his decisions as well, but, it seems weird to me that when something big and ungodly happens to a brother and sister in the Lord, they are looked at as someone that no longer fits into ‘the club’. If I remember correctly, Father embraced those who were drenched in sin, and he accepted them regardless of what they did. How is it, that a lot of ‘Christians’ act as though ungodly acts that are committed are not to be embraced. I would tend to think that if someone is struggling with sin or whatever, that is when they need us, brothers and sisters the most. But, it seems as though Christians run the opposite direction to avoid those who purposely sin to let their un-acceptance of the sinner be known… No wonder why the husband was avoiding his church friends, he felt condemned from the get go. It makes me stop and think how corrupt the family of God has seemed to become. It is as though we can no longer depend on each other as Father had set it up to be! One can have a lot of Godly friends and people he/she may know at their church, but it wouldn’t surprise me if this person couldn’t go to any of them during hardships because of the fear of condemnation he/she may feel if he/she exposes their sin!? I am not saying that the man who left his wife did the right thing at all, but I happen to think that there is more to this than what meets the eye. There are details that are not exposed and perhaps many reason that led up to affair. And, if one can’t feel comfortable seeking help, then no wonder why it ended the way it did. There are no excuses for sin, but I can say that without grace from our brothers and sisters, we are left alone to deal with things on our own, and that is not how Father intended it to be!