Wow... has it been a while. :/
Life on my end of the screen has been uber busy... let's see what's new. Here's 6 things:
1. School: I am currently working on my Economics Major in my B.A. program at the University of North Florida, seeing that my Political Science B.A. is 95 percent complete (all but one class-senior seminar-an all encompassing class). I will take the summer off when spring semester is over and have one semester left before I graduate in December, Lord-willing. :)
2. Work: I am now working part-time at a country club in town to pay for school and expenses. I love every minute and the people I work with (plus, the pay isn't bad :D). Obviously, I cannot wait to actually get a job in the career path I am studying, but that will come in due season. :)
3. Facebook: Yes... I confess, I have converted from my anti-conformist ways and have joined the social movement (which is the biggest timesuck of my life thus far, not the mention the gossip that can be found if you are looking for it :p). So I'm on there more than here, mostly because I have nothing awe inspiring to share with you all that does not deal with politics or economic (nosebleed conversations for most of my friends--you know who you are ;D).
4. Music: I have written dozens of songs since I last composed a blog post, most probably forgotten or throw away. Some good though. I know however that guitar and singing for me is pure sport and not a career in the least, though it is a great stress-reducer. :)
5. CNN: I was fortunate enough to receive a ticket to the CNN Presidential Debate at UNF (my school) in January and was very happy about that. :)
6. Focus: It is an art for sure. To remain focused on your goals without getting discouraged. The joke I usually say is that life is much like this:
Am I in a tunnel or a cave? A tunnel means the way on is ahead; a cave means the way on is behind.
Next, is there a light at the end of the tunnel? If so, is it the other end of the tunnel, or is it a train, lol ;P
Seriously though, it is a constant battle to reassure myself that I am pursuing what God has gifted me in and what He desires me to do. To keep my focus. That's where Scripture reassures me: "All things work together..."
All things. Not some. Not most. All.
It is Christ reminding me that it will all work out. Maybe not the way I want. Who knows what He has planned for you and me, but the key is this: He will work it out for those who are called according to His purpose.
His purpose. Not yours. And not mine. His.
And God knows that His purpose is pure and always, always better than mine could ever be. My purposes are tainted by impure motivations.
And His are not; thus, I trust.
Trust, for me, is believing in something when you cannot know it now for certain and you hope that whatever that something is, that it will become certain, by His grace and enlightening.
His enlightening guides our lives and will guide us through the tunnels of life. Distrust, discouragement and the devil--they are the train which seeks to blind us and prevent us from moving forward; whereas, Christ is true light at the end of the tunnel. And trials in life are tunnels, because there is a way out--a way that all things will work together.
Without His enlightening, we all are in a cave.
Where are you?
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
my sister :)
...well, I have a new baby sister. :)
Carolyne Joy Smith
Yes, bloggers, I do have a life outside of here. Plus, I don't have time to type a long, thought-provoking post. :P
Thursday, May 26, 2011
a tale of two wasted lives
Once upon a time, two men lived on the earth. Their names are of no importance to us. Both were born in 1990. Both men died in 2030. Between these two points of time, each man grew up, experienced, rationalized, and contemplated the same life questions that are subconsciously suppressed within the confines of a man’s heart. What is the purpose of man? What is the purpose of life? Is there a God? Why am I here? Why is there suffering in the world?
One lived like “Joe six pack, party-it-up-until-you’re-drunk-and-can’t-remember,” and the other lived like a “good Christian.” On Sunday, “Joe” recovers from his hangover, and “Christian” is all dressed nicely for Sunday morning service, with his cute family, his cute car, his cute house, and his cute life.
I will not describe the events that transpired from the time Christian left for church and the time he returned home. Joe wasn't there; Joe doesn't care. Joe knows nothing of the service that took place… all he knows is that neighbor Christian got dressed up and went to “church.”
Around two in the afternoon, Christian pulls into the driveway with his cranky kids, cranky wife and the plastered smile on his face is starting to melt like butter. After fighting with car seat buckles and squeezing into the back of the car, fumbling to gather kid’s cups and diaper bags, the family finally makes it to the front door. The key turns. And the family is safe inside. Naps take place and the family spends the rest of the day together.
That is a typical Sunday for the Christian family. During the week, from Monday to Friday, Christian and his wife gather the kids, buckle them up, and take them to daycare. Christian works at a Fortune 400 company and his wife is the secretary of the pastor. They leave in separate cars from the house at 6 AM and they all return at 6 PM. In and out. Juggling the coffee and laptop briefcase. Juggling the kids and careers. Juggling life.
All the while, Joe sits in his Costco chair on his cement front porch with a Bud Light in hand. Joe doesn’t know and Joe doesn’t care. All he knows is what he sees. He thinks “They appear to be “Christians” or whatever it is they call themselves, but life is so stressful for them and they don’t seem to be happy. Why should I be like them? There is nothing different except that Christian is more successful and he dresses up once a week. Why bother?”
Now the year is 2030 and two caskets pass silently down the aisle. Two caskets, and two bodies. The cause of each man’s death is nothing to us; the fact is both men are dead. One man was a Christian; the other was not. One man is in Heaven; the other is not. One man is mourned by many; the other is not. However, let us focus on the Christian. He was saved, but his works were of wood, hay, and straw. They were burned up. So Christian stands in Heaven redeemed, but with no works to show for his life. He stands empty-handed in Heaven, holding only the remnants of a wasted life.
The other is in Hell, in torment and agony, receiving the just reward for his actions; however, his punishment is lighter than usual, for he knew nothing of the word Truth, only of what he saw in Nature. The truth in Nature was enough to condemn him, but some grace was extended, for he never heard the word Truth.
These two men’s bodies now rest in their caskets. Their lives and their actions now a part of mankind’s pale, dull memory. One man was a Christian; the other was not. One man is in heaven; the other is not. One man is mourned by many; the other is not. But both men suffered loss. Both men lived wasted lives. One had no hope and lived like it. The other had an Eternal Hope and kept it to himself. Both sins the same. And the Gift of the Christian was left unshared. Two wasted lives.
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