Shallow-een

Even our very own Dallas Morning News reports today that "movies and television are once again driving the sales of naughty Halloween costumes". The article states that a recent national survey reflects Dallas to be one of the top ten most sex-saturated cities. And halloween (or Shalloween, whichever you prefer) is just another excuse for the women [and men] of Dallas to justify their lack of discretion.

With the masses so willing & eager to spend ridiculous money for a one-day facade, it seems to me that Halloween is representative of a few cultural conclusions:
1. the definition of Sex and what is "sexy" has been polluted, minimized, demoralized, and exploited
2. we are an increasingly insecure society in search of anything to give us an identity (if just for a day)
3. Hollywood sets the standards by which people live their lives
4. the Devil has successfully blinded us to the reality of the battle we are in by convincing us that his existence is imaginary, fictional, and even comical

I could go on, but I really don't want to waste any more time on this over-rated "holiday". To all the ladies out there,remember that how you get a guy is how you are going to keep him. After tonight, he'll just move on to the next best costume.

be yourself. be real.

peace in Jesus

The Hunt Continues and Insanity Ensues

I had a bit of a melt-down last night. I think the combination of this 4-week lingering chest cold, debt that I desperately want to pay off, the ambiguity of my job situation, sleep depravity, wanting and at the same time not wanting to be swept off my feet in love, and the seemingly endless coffee dream pursuit all piled up in one tearful mess. I'm thankful for friends that are unafraid to approach the messiness with me & yet not leave me there with some pat answer of human consolation or short-lived philosophical phrase of the day... but instead point me always to the Cross of Christ which reminds me of Truth & doesn't demand that life is "happy" but instead takes life as it is and provides a ray of hope amidst the mess. Praise.

The Sport of Job Hunting

I'm beginning to understand why they call it "job hunting." It's a very accurate term for all the waiting and watching for that seemingly one shot. But what I am beginning to discover is that as I am disciplined to pursue the various avenues before me, God is so good to open and close doors as He sees fit. It's when I take things into my own hands and try to force timing or force an opportunity or even force what I think is the "best fit" for me, that I end up frustrated in this silly sport.

Proverbs 16:9 says, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." How comforting to know that as I am diligent to seek a job, the Lord is guiding me to where I will best be used and grown. And how thankful I am that the One who knows me better than I will ever know myself is the One who is guiding where my next step falls. But only in trusting in His provision do I get to experience the blessedness of it. And that is something I fight. My tendency is to see this job transition as a problem to solve rather than a reason to draw close my Lord. And each day I wake up and face the fears of this transition I have a choice: to trust in myself and "conquer" in my own strength -OR- to trust in my God and experience His strength. The former brings only frustration b/c all plans I make are sure to fail or dissappoint when my hope is in them... leaving me weak. The latter brings only peace amidst circumstance b/c even if my plans fail, my hope is in the Lord's provision... which leaves me strong to continue to fight the battle at hand.

Today I choose to trust Him. Tomorrow might be another battle of wills, but at least for this moment I say that I want what He wants and am willing to wait for that.

I think something the Lord is ever so gently showing me right now is that He doesn't want me to settle for what is comfortable and easy. There are a few job opportunities that I could snag up b/c the pay is decent and they are immediate. But I feel like the Lord is saying "wait". Wait for what, I wonder? Maybe He wants me to dive back into my heart... to where my desires, passions, and giftings are, and see what I come up with. I want to be where I will experience growth and where I will be challenged. Where is that place? Is it a whole new field that I haven't even considered?

My prayer for this season is that the Lord would unravel the creative side of me that I know is there but that I am often fearful to explore. Will my new job help me to discover these creative parts of me? I don't know but I hope so.

to write or not to write

At the risk of sounding repetitive, it has been far too long since I last posted. A true reflection that busyness has slowly crept in again and stolen the precious moments I spend writing. When will I make time for writing, I ask myself? Maybe once I'm old and retired and perhaps a bit less of a procrastinator. It's a sad thought, for I dearly love to write but somehow minutes turn into days and days into weeks and weeks into months, and before you know it I've lost all inspiration to write.

I heard a professional writer once say that "you can't wait for the moments of inspiration, you just have to write." There will be times when the writing flows easily when the keyboard becomes a piano of melody as your fingers dance across the keys. And then there are times (probably more frequent than the former) when the writing seems a bit less harmonious and the sounds coming from your keyboard resemble two-fingered "chopsticks". Which is more of where I find myself today.

All of that to say, I just need to suck it up and write. Not when I feel like it, but b/c I enjoy writing and on some occasions, I think I'm actually pretty decent at it. So the lesson here (preaching to myself) is that sometimes in order for something inspired to triumph, I have to forge through the uninspired. Much like in daily life. Sometimes, most of the time, in order for God's Love to be felt in my heart, I must first forge through the routine of today with faith & belief held close. I believe though I do not see... I have faith though I do not always feel. And the incredible happens on occasion when head and heart align and I FEEL all that I know to be true. And the hope I have is that one day all will be perfectly aligned... never again disjointed by this sin-stained earth suit I wear. Ah, I can't wait for that day!