Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Christmas brings hope into this world. I went to a concert a couple weeks ago, and the following lyrics were sang:

Could something good have really happened here?
A baby's turned a stable into holy ground

God is holy. I think too many people forget that God is to be revered. When we pray the Lords prayer, a model prayer, we begin with,

"Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name..."

The first thing we do is state His holiness, we honour Him, we glorify Christ! Why is it that in many contemporary services, the first thing people do is sing songs about How great God is because of what He did for us? This is the number one reason I do not like contemporary services, as a general rule. The services are self centered, and not God centered. It's not bad to be thankful for what God has done for you, but first we are to hallow His name; and by consecrating His name, we are glorifying the King!

In reading the Bible, it begins with,

"In the beginning God..."

It does not begin with you or me. The New Testament begins with

"The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah..."

Once again, it begins with Christ. In a world filled with selfishness, a Christmas season, where people forget to hallow and glorify The King, my favourite Christmas carol this season is, "The Little Drummer Boy."

Come they told me (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
A newborn King to see (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
Our finest gifts we bring (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
To lay before the King (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
So to honor Him (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
When we come

Little baby (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
I am a poor boy too (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
I have no gifts to bring (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
That’s fit to give a King (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
Shall I play for You (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
On my drum, on my drum

I play my drum, I play my drum for the One who saved me

Mary nodded (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
The ox and lamb kept time (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
I played my drum for Him (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
I played my best for Him (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
Then He smiled at me (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
Me and my drum, me and my drum

I play my drum, I play my drum for the One who saved me

I write this blog for the One who saved me...I spend time in the Word for the One who saved me...I serve others for the One who saved me...What do you do for the One who saved you? How do you glorify the King? How do you hallow His name? What gifts do you bring our Saviour?

Friday, December 24, 2010

30 Before 30...

Everyone has goals and desires, things they want to do. In Stuff Christians Like, one of the challenges was to come up with your own, number of things you want to do, BEFORE, the age of the number of things you want to do. I liked this and thought I would share my personal 30 Before 30. I turn 30 in 230 days. So...in the next 230 days these are things that I would like to accomplish. Please note, these are in no particular order.

  1. BQ--Qualify for the Boston Marathon
  2. PR--By qualifying for Boston, I will make a personal record
  3. Continue having fun running
  4. Run a 3:30 marathon--8:00 min/mi pace
  5. Consistently weigh my ideal weight
  6. Eat proper and healthy
  7. Enjoy continued good health
  8. Be a better bump skier
  9. Learn to pole plant and use my poles when I ski
  10. Have a group of girls who love me enough to tell me when I'm outta line...I desire an accountability group, a core group
  11. Disciple a young woman
  12. Share Christ with someone
  13. Find a good community in H-town
  14. Be more involved with local missions
  15. Go on another short term mission trip
  16. Be a better math teacher
  17. Be a better cook
  18. Play more cribbage
  19. Save $8,000 (ideally $10,000, but once I put money in my IRA, I don't think this is going to be possible)
  20. See my Grandma and extended family on Mom's side
  21. Spend time with my Grandparents and extended family on Dad's side
  22. Be a better daughter to my parents
  23. Be a better sister to my brother
  24. Be a fabulous sister to my new sister, Molly, Levi's fiance
  25. Be a better friend
  26. Be in a dating relationship
  27. Spend more time with God
  28. See God more clearly
  29. Love God more dearly
  30. Follow God more nearly
So there you have it...my 30 Before 30...who needs New Years Resolutions with lists like these? :) What's on your list?