What to Give?

What to give? I wonder how many of us have wondered about this questions much lately. I would like to think it has been a common thought due to the holiday coming up in less than two weeks. I know here at our house the shopping has been finished for awhile and I didn't go into debt doing so either. I still am thinking though, about what else to give. It shouldn't be a surprise this time of year most of us are happy to give and some try to even out give each other. I know for our family we have latched on to the idea of less is more. I'm not sure if you have heard of this thing called the Advent Conspiracy but we have embraced the idea and would hope other believers would check it out and see what it is all about, or should I say what it is not about. I could try to explain but I would rather just send you to their link and you, yes you earnestly check out what they are inspiring us all to consider and possibly do. Now go and see. Then see what you might do! http://www.adventconspiracy.org/

With all that I am

Rambling in the middle of the night is where I find myself. I am listening to the new Derek Webb album and am challenged by the lyrics presented. It's not the first time I have listened to them nor will it be the last time. I am challenged not because they are controversial or they say something new. It's because apparently I needed to hear them and begin thinking again about where I am. I am a fallen man who earnestly want to follow Jesus. When I read the scriptures I am made acutely aware of who I am. I recognize my limits and even know that despite my willingness to be a believer and follow after Christ I will screw up. I think about what Paul says that he does the things he doesn't want to do, yet does them anyway. It cannot excuse me and allow me to continue screwing up so that grace might increase. Then there is another element, more than that, a real message that should be consuming me. It's that blasted commandment that tells me I am to love God with all that I am. Did you hear that. Love God with all that I am! This somehow to me seems pretty important in the life of a believer and follower of the God of the universe. What is even harder is that this commandment is tangible. Jesus said that the second greatest commandment besides the one mentioned above is that I need to LOVE MY NEIGHBOR as myself. This actually means that I need to do something to show love. This is a verb, an action word. To love! So even though I can talk about how I screw up on a daily basis. I need to really focus on what I am to be DOING as a follower. I can honestly say that yesterday I was able to something, nothing world changing but I reached out my hand to show and give love to another human being besides myself. It opened my eyes to see the face of Jesus here on this earth. These actions were simply in love and obedience to the call of Christ. So if you have read this and wonder what the point is I'll tell you. Jesus wants us to live out our lives loving those He loves. That means everyone! He even went further to say that we should love them like ourselves. If we take care of ourselves, guess who else needs to be cared for... everyone. If we are hungry, guess who else needs to be fed...everyone. I could go on and on. Think about someone. Think about their life and their story. It doesn't happen instantly. I'm learning myself how to do this thing I'm talking about. I'm taking each day to try and live the Jesus life. I simply hope that I somehow, someway will point those I encounter to the greatest love of all. If I am an accurate description of what Jesus would say and do then great. That's how they will know we are who we say we are. Showing His love, mercy, grace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, patience, self-control etc... Being what we say we believe.