Saturday, January 10, 2015
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but rather be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Be The Change
So the other day I found my old rubber band bracelet that says "Be The Change". I got it about 3-4 years ago and I had misplaced it for awhile now, but when I was packing up to go back to college, I found it again. Seeing this little green band got me thinking though, what does it take to change something? What does it take to be the change as it says? Sure it's simply written down, but what does it really take?
Let's start with the beginning. The word "change" itself means: to become different, to make (someone or something) different, to become something else. So, to enact change, you have to be completely original and new. You have to do things no one else has ever done. You have to live off the grid or what not, right? Not exactly. You can simply enact change or at least become different from whatever the social media says to be by not following the mainstream idea of what it means to be normal. Sometimes by breaking what may seem the path of least resistance, you realize that it's also not the best or normal path to do things/be. I've found that by striking out on your own, while yes it might be difficult at first, it ends up being better and more engaging for you in the long run.
So now we know the definition and what it kinda means, so now, how to do enact it? All at once? That sounds too hard. No, you don't need drastic and sudden changes in your lifestyle to prove that you can be a change. You need deliberate, yet simple changes to make a difference. Also, I want you to make sure these changes are in a positive manner. There's no point in being a different person if it only makes your life worse. Try helping someone with their groceries, walk an elderly across the street, volunteer at your local homeless or animal shelter, or even simply compliment at least 1 new person everyday. Simple acts like those are small enough to not even think about twice, but it will make someone else's day and that's the whole point. These kinds of things can cause chain reaction and enact the change that this world needs.
I think we get so wrapped up in our day-to-day lives that we forget how others really react to us. How many times have you found yourself not communicating with someone clearly because of other issues in the way? We've gotten so involved with ourselves that we've started to lose our sense of caring about others and how do you think that makes God feel? We've only got a couple guidelines to follow, so why do we not enact them? How can we love our neighbors if we only care about ourselves? A little good deed goes a long way. So as my wristband says, "Be The Change".
Let's start with the beginning. The word "change" itself means: to become different, to make (someone or something) different, to become something else. So, to enact change, you have to be completely original and new. You have to do things no one else has ever done. You have to live off the grid or what not, right? Not exactly. You can simply enact change or at least become different from whatever the social media says to be by not following the mainstream idea of what it means to be normal. Sometimes by breaking what may seem the path of least resistance, you realize that it's also not the best or normal path to do things/be. I've found that by striking out on your own, while yes it might be difficult at first, it ends up being better and more engaging for you in the long run.
So now we know the definition and what it kinda means, so now, how to do enact it? All at once? That sounds too hard. No, you don't need drastic and sudden changes in your lifestyle to prove that you can be a change. You need deliberate, yet simple changes to make a difference. Also, I want you to make sure these changes are in a positive manner. There's no point in being a different person if it only makes your life worse. Try helping someone with their groceries, walk an elderly across the street, volunteer at your local homeless or animal shelter, or even simply compliment at least 1 new person everyday. Simple acts like those are small enough to not even think about twice, but it will make someone else's day and that's the whole point. These kinds of things can cause chain reaction and enact the change that this world needs.
I think we get so wrapped up in our day-to-day lives that we forget how others really react to us. How many times have you found yourself not communicating with someone clearly because of other issues in the way? We've gotten so involved with ourselves that we've started to lose our sense of caring about others and how do you think that makes God feel? We've only got a couple guidelines to follow, so why do we not enact them? How can we love our neighbors if we only care about ourselves? A little good deed goes a long way. So as my wristband says, "Be The Change".
Monday, January 5, 2015
1 John 4:7
Beloved, let us love on another, for Love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
Love vs. Friendship - Is There a Difference?
It's easy to get lost or simply misunderstand things when we start a relationship of some sorts with a person. Whether it be creating a new friendship, or progressing an already existing one into a relationship, we need to be able to communicate and make sure we understand each other. Although this might seem like a daunting task, there is one thing that helps us out, and that's love. Yes, I know not all of us want to talk about it or mention -its gross, or too sensitive, etc., but we need to realize that with any relationship (no matter at what level it's at), love plays an important part of it.
The definition of love is actually 3 different notions:
1) A feeling of strong or constant affection for a person
2) A person you love in a romantic way
3) Attraction that includes sexual desire: the strong affection felt by people in a romantic relationship
All 3 notions are actually separate in their own way, but can also be used as levels of intensity when you judge how much you might "love" someone. The first notion of love can be actually used for anyone you might have already had a strong connection with or at least building to. It simply means that you feel that you like that individual and that most likely you want what's best for them. If you could help them out in anyway, you'd probably try to do so, but with limited efforts since you're not probably romantically or sexually involved with them. You can love someone even if you're only just friends with them. I actually have a couple people I would put in this notion of love.
The 2nd notion is like adding another layer of how much you love someone. This is usually where one would start dating another if both came to this level together. If you begin to date someone or you're engaged to them, you will feel this sense of pride and happiness anytime your around your significant other. You want to be with them. You want to take them out on dates. You want to hold hands, etc. Usually this is where the whole "young love" comes into notion because this is usually the time in which new couples or newly married people feel the most happy physically with their relationship with their significant other.
The 3rd notion of love is typically supposed to be saved for marriage. Unfortunately, in our modern society, this is sadly not the case. This also may be why so many marriages and regular relationships fail so quickly. Somewhere along the way, we got to thinking that if we have sex while in a relationship or even if we do it before we get into one, then it'll make or relationship better, stronger. Actually, that only works when you actually have the other levels of love involved first. You can't love someone like that if you don't even have an already deep connection with them in the beginning. Sure we might get it wrong and break up with someone even after we thought we were going to marry them, but that doesn't mean it was wrong. It just means we need to rethink how we live our lives. Love is a strong and complicated thing, sex doesn't solve that puzzle by itself alone. We're supposed to use it to show someone just how much we truly care about them. Sex is supposed to be meaningful, not just a fun one-night stand. I know it's ridiculous to think we have to wait till marriage to have sex with our loved one, but maybe God was right when He suggested that. I mean, How else do we out so much meaning into something as important as love into sex if w. e barely know someone?
Altogether, all 3 notions of love, like I said, can be built upon and used to define the relationship that you're in with someone. Remember though, if you want to or plan on moving to the next level, you have to communicate and understand how your partner feels so as to make sure you both come to an agreement and know that you both feel the same way about each other, otherwise, maybe it's best to just stay where you are with that person. Some relationships are not meant to be, or need to take more time to develop. So don't fret too much.
The definition of love is actually 3 different notions:
1) A feeling of strong or constant affection for a person
2) A person you love in a romantic way
3) Attraction that includes sexual desire: the strong affection felt by people in a romantic relationship
All 3 notions are actually separate in their own way, but can also be used as levels of intensity when you judge how much you might "love" someone. The first notion of love can be actually used for anyone you might have already had a strong connection with or at least building to. It simply means that you feel that you like that individual and that most likely you want what's best for them. If you could help them out in anyway, you'd probably try to do so, but with limited efforts since you're not probably romantically or sexually involved with them. You can love someone even if you're only just friends with them. I actually have a couple people I would put in this notion of love.
The 2nd notion is like adding another layer of how much you love someone. This is usually where one would start dating another if both came to this level together. If you begin to date someone or you're engaged to them, you will feel this sense of pride and happiness anytime your around your significant other. You want to be with them. You want to take them out on dates. You want to hold hands, etc. Usually this is where the whole "young love" comes into notion because this is usually the time in which new couples or newly married people feel the most happy physically with their relationship with their significant other.
The 3rd notion of love is typically supposed to be saved for marriage. Unfortunately, in our modern society, this is sadly not the case. This also may be why so many marriages and regular relationships fail so quickly. Somewhere along the way, we got to thinking that if we have sex while in a relationship or even if we do it before we get into one, then it'll make or relationship better, stronger. Actually, that only works when you actually have the other levels of love involved first. You can't love someone like that if you don't even have an already deep connection with them in the beginning. Sure we might get it wrong and break up with someone even after we thought we were going to marry them, but that doesn't mean it was wrong. It just means we need to rethink how we live our lives. Love is a strong and complicated thing, sex doesn't solve that puzzle by itself alone. We're supposed to use it to show someone just how much we truly care about them. Sex is supposed to be meaningful, not just a fun one-night stand. I know it's ridiculous to think we have to wait till marriage to have sex with our loved one, but maybe God was right when He suggested that. I mean, How else do we out so much meaning into something as important as love into sex if w. e barely know someone?
Altogether, all 3 notions of love, like I said, can be built upon and used to define the relationship that you're in with someone. Remember though, if you want to or plan on moving to the next level, you have to communicate and understand how your partner feels so as to make sure you both come to an agreement and know that you both feel the same way about each other, otherwise, maybe it's best to just stay where you are with that person. Some relationships are not meant to be, or need to take more time to develop. So don't fret too much.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Songs Bring Things into Focus
So here's another song I thought you guys would like to here. I personally like it because it reminds of a simpler time, yet it also tells us about how our relationship with God is and what He does for it and how it all compares. I hope you like it and once again, thanks for listening.
It's called "Preacher" by One Republic. You can copy the URL here and paste it in another tab to hear it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of0N_--eQlg
It's called "Preacher" by One Republic. You can copy the URL here and paste it in another tab to hear it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of0N_--eQlg
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
Trust
Have you ever had a an embarrassing moment, or just a really crappy day and you need to tell someone about it, but you didn't everyone to know about? So, you tell your best friend, or your mom/dad, or one of your siblings? What makes you tell them instead of someone else? Why do you think they won't run off and tell everyone? It's simple - trust. Many people these days have forgotten how important it is to trust, whether it be with your significant other, your parents/sibling/friends, or even God. You need to be able to divulge yourself in people and do it without wondering if it's a good idea to do so or not. You need to be able to trust.
Relationships, whether they be marriages, simple gf/bf, or even with our friends, have been falling apart more than ever within the last 10 years simply because of trust issues. These days we have Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. and then you add the real world social experience and it's easy to see how things can get out of hand when it comes to trying to control who see what info about us we're willing sharing. Does this mean we can blame the technology? No! This is because the understanding of what trust is.
The dictionary definition of what trust means is one that is a "belief in someone or something that is reliable, good, honest, effective, etc. - ie: a charge or duty imposed on in faith or confidence or as a condition of some relationship; something committed or entrusted to one to be used or cared for in the interest of another." What does this mean? It means that you are able to tell someone something and have faith in the other to not simply spread it around. It means that you can know in your heart whether someone will be there for you or not when you're in trouble or when you need them the most. It means being able to make important decisions with someone because you have faith in them that they're looking out for you and helping by making the appropriate choices in order to better both of you.
So let's talk about what this means with God. So many of us have doubts everyday. It's ok to admit them, I do anyways. Doubts like whether He's real, or whether or not life will get better by His hand, or even whether or not He's even looking after us. It's understandable to have those kinds of doubts. If you don't, then great for you, you must have a stronger faith than a lot of us. For those of you who waver though, just know you're not alone. What makes the difference though? What makes a person stronger in their faith then? It's simple again - trust. If you can put the same, or even more trust (the same that you would give to your best friend, or significant other) to God when it comes to knowing whether He's looking after you or not, then I guarantee you will be a lot happier. Trust is the glue to what builds or faith in God, without it, we have nothing. Trust in Him and in return, He will grant you ever blessing and praise you could ever imagine. Afterall, our understanding of God is just like a relationship. He's put His trust in you, so now return the favor, otherwise you're going to fall apart from Him, just like any other relationship.
So trust in Him. Learn to have better trust with others. And most importantly, learn to trust yourself too.
Relationships, whether they be marriages, simple gf/bf, or even with our friends, have been falling apart more than ever within the last 10 years simply because of trust issues. These days we have Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. and then you add the real world social experience and it's easy to see how things can get out of hand when it comes to trying to control who see what info about us we're willing sharing. Does this mean we can blame the technology? No! This is because the understanding of what trust is.
The dictionary definition of what trust means is one that is a "belief in someone or something that is reliable, good, honest, effective, etc. - ie: a charge or duty imposed on in faith or confidence or as a condition of some relationship; something committed or entrusted to one to be used or cared for in the interest of another." What does this mean? It means that you are able to tell someone something and have faith in the other to not simply spread it around. It means that you can know in your heart whether someone will be there for you or not when you're in trouble or when you need them the most. It means being able to make important decisions with someone because you have faith in them that they're looking out for you and helping by making the appropriate choices in order to better both of you.
So let's talk about what this means with God. So many of us have doubts everyday. It's ok to admit them, I do anyways. Doubts like whether He's real, or whether or not life will get better by His hand, or even whether or not He's even looking after us. It's understandable to have those kinds of doubts. If you don't, then great for you, you must have a stronger faith than a lot of us. For those of you who waver though, just know you're not alone. What makes the difference though? What makes a person stronger in their faith then? It's simple again - trust. If you can put the same, or even more trust (the same that you would give to your best friend, or significant other) to God when it comes to knowing whether He's looking after you or not, then I guarantee you will be a lot happier. Trust is the glue to what builds or faith in God, without it, we have nothing. Trust in Him and in return, He will grant you ever blessing and praise you could ever imagine. Afterall, our understanding of God is just like a relationship. He's put His trust in you, so now return the favor, otherwise you're going to fall apart from Him, just like any other relationship.
So trust in Him. Learn to have better trust with others. And most importantly, learn to trust yourself too.
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