... Somewhere in the Middle?
The middle is a lot more comfortable place to be.
Kinda like straddling a fence when you want to be on both sides.
Or know that you should be on the right, but want so badly to be on the left.
So we hang out in the middle.
Wearing the name of Christian when it’s convenient yet not letting that title change our life or reflect the One Whose name we claim.
Recklessly abandoned to Jesus when at Church or the big worship convention. Yet caring less what He desires from you in this life, the day to day, and not thinking of possibly “offending” someone with how you act or what you say with the chance that it may indeed point them to the One Who can save their life.
Fearless in posting a Bible verse with a selfie or in our bio, yet never reading our Bible to see how the Holy Spirit works in people’s lives and desires to work in each one of us. Personally.
Deep water faith, yet never getting beyond the shore.
Shallow. And being ok with it.
Praying for healing… yet …God is not a genie in a bottle with His wish being our command. What about seeking His will and trusting Him when he says yes… and when He says no?
Preaching a prosperity gospel yet never telling someone about Hell and Heaven and that “we must be born again” if we are to be saved. (Those aren’t my words. Those are Jesus’!)
Relying solely on Grace so we can do what we please….when we ignore His mercy and what He went through because He loved us in the first place.
His life. His hands.- My Cross. My nails.
Christian in name, yet not a follower of Christ.
Everywhere we look we see people who want the title, but not the commitment.
The glory, without bearing daily, the cross.
The end result without the joys and the lessons in the journey.
Desiring only the “likes” when Jesus taught “if they hate you… Remember that they hated Me first.”
Called to be warriors for the Kingdom,
yet forgetting that “as a soldier of Jesus Christ you must endure hardships” in this old world.
Wanting to sit when Christ calls us to stand. And even then when we have done all we can…. To stand again!
Yes. Everywhere we look.
Maybe even here.
In us.
Maybe that’s me.
Maybe it’s you.
Yeah. The middle is a lot easier place to be. The commitment and the conviction is a lot to deal with. So let’s “just get by and hang out on the fence”.
What if we would answer the call to be different. To dive into the deep. To desire to be used and to let Jesus change our life.
To be a follower of Christ! Not just a ‘Christian’.
To realize that when we accept Jesus we are to be changed! Not live in the old. Not go with the flow.
To let it literally Change. Our. Lives.
To know that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in YOU.
How close can we get to surrender without surrendering all to the Glory of the Savior?
Well…God calls us to full Surrender.
Not somewhere in the middle.
If you’re a Christian…Can the world tell that you are a Follower of Christ?
Be Vigilant
ENGAGE.
Engage in the battle.
Pray without ceasing.
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Too many Christians today are missing it because we are afraid to Engage. Engage in the battle and prepare for a Victory! AND BE. VIGILANT.
Talk About the Good More
I WAS tired.
I fell right to sleep.
Then one of those power naps happened and 15 minutes later I was wide awake and my mind was racing.
In fact, here I am still. Mind still running all over the place and not showing signs of slowing down.
I’ve thought about everything. Prayed about many things.
I was thinking about how in town the other day the Gentleman that ran back several steps to hold the door for me saying how sorry he was for letting the door go! Shucks. I didn’t even think I was that close to it yet. And then the guy that smiled so big and said ‘well thank you so much!’ when I waited and let him through the door on my way in.
I thought about the lady I’d never seen, but she thought she knew me and we had a great conversation.
I thought about the girl at the coffee shop that asked “do you ranch?” And then asked how much rain we got and if that would help us. I told her yes and that we were so thankful! She gave me my coffee and told me to have a great day!
I thought about the girl that made me feel important when she used my name when I purchased something from her. She was nice! I think we coulda talked for an hour.
I thought about the lady who blessed me with a gift of Service and the smile on her face when I gave her a coffee I picked up for her to say thank you.
I thought about smiles.
I thought about handshakes. And hugs.
I thought about small towns.
And neighbors.
And strangers who didn’t feel like strangers.
I thought about God. About cows.
I thought about Applesauce. And Grandma.
And I thought about how there’s actually a lot more good out there in the world than we give it credit for.
I wish we talked about the good more. I think we’d all be a lot happier. I think we’d all try to smile at strangers more. And hold the doors. And love and live life to the fullest. If we slowed down a little.
If we talked a little more about the Good.
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Also. My best friends. : )
"Such Is Life"
I was excited to be able to plant on June 1 this year. (We don’t always get seeds in the ground that soon here In western SD.) But after a month and only having 5 seeds germinate, I decided I better try again. So I planted some more pumpkins and on July 15, I bought 4 packages of Cucumbers seeds for .43¢.
It took me probably a week until I finally had a chance to get them in the ground, but thought “maybe we will have a long Fall!”.
2 weeks ago I picked 90 cucumbers in one week. Probably that many since, and I don’t even know how many before that.
I watered a lot. Because it didn’t rain. That became one of my favorite times of the day. (I might be becoming like my parents ) I grew during that time, as did my plants.
So with the chance of freezing temperatures we went out to pick on October 11. Picking day has always been something I look forward to, and at the same time I always feel sad. The changing of seasons always leaves me with such mixed feelings. Such is life.
I was very happy with a great harvest after a very hot and dry year! God is good!
The last two days made me as anxious as I have maybe ever been. Picking pumpkins, the freezing rain, turning to snow, then the wind. I couldn’t sleep last night. I thought maybe I was over… that storm. (Atlas) But as the seasons change from Summer to Fall and Fall to Winter and Winter to Spring - The seasons of life also change.
They bring good. They also bring new challenges. But as each season before always prepares for the next…. So does the seasons of life. Storms and droughts will come. But so does Spring and sunshine and rain clouds.
It’s often darkest before the dawn. And although we won’t forget the dark and hard times… they are what get us ready for the next season.
The night gets ready for day.
And day gets ready for night.
Such is life.
Each season has a storm of its own kind. But it also has it’s beauty. Don’t miss either!!
Such is Life.
