Not an End, But a Means

To wrap up the 12-part series done by Mercola on health myths, I wanted to highlight the importance of balance, especially in the arena of health. Not to elevate health too highly, but not to neglect it either. We are not to serve the idol of health, but to use health as a means to serve God! You can only do what you can do -- this is reason. Self-control and discipline are to be held in tension by unity and enjoyment. Let's dwell in the land of peace and love :)

I read a great 2-part series on balancing nutrition and priorities from Passionate Homemaking that I want to share with you:

• "With the bombardment of choices for us mothers to make in regard to our health and nutrition at the table and in our lifestyle, it is becoming more and more difficult to keep a proper balance between our pursuit of nutrition for the health and wholeness of our family and the reality of what we can truly manage. I have been noticing an increased obsession with health and food in my generation that has been concerning, especially among young mothers. We don’t realize that something is being sacrificed at the idol of health." Read the rest of part 1 here.
• "Pursue health and wholeness first and foremost through Jesus Christ! I encourage you to make healthy food and lifestyle choices, use whole grains, natural sweeteners, and food as close to the original source as possible, but don’t become enslaved to it. Try not to go to the opposite extreme of abandoning all and making yourself sick, but rather do not worry... Do your best with the resources God has entrusted to you, guard your heart against fear, and enjoy the freedom you have in Christ!" Read the rest of part 2 here.

Embrace The "Bad" -- Part 2

A few other notes on this topic (click here for Part 1):

1. Ricky and I were discussing this and about "blowing it" in certain situations when we do not react with grace or grow in maturity. He kept referring to this as failing a test. But maybe that is not the best way to look at it. With tests, there are grades -- passing or failing. I think the better description for these circumstances is opportunity. With opportunities, you either take advantage or miss out. But there are always a plethora of opportunities. Test makes you think of failing, but somehow we turn that action into a state of being and begin to view ourselves as failures. Opportunity instills hope -- for change, growth, and newness.
2. A number scale might help here. Although, it is an imperfect and possibly inaccurate way of looking at it. A qualitative view might be better, but my quantitative mind always chooses numbers over words! Anyway, let's put Christlikeness on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the perfect state of being only attainable once we are physically present with our Lord Jesus. So, 9 is the tops on this present earth. Let's put me at a 2-3. Now, if I die years from now and I am still at a 2-3, then I would be disappointed with myself. I would have missed out on every opportunity I have had to grow and mature (become Christlike) as I had not moved up on this scale one iota! May it not be so! I want to be at an 8-9 when I go from glory to glory. [Not to get me into Heaven, of course, because that is only accomplished by Christ's atoning sacrifice! Not by works.] I just want to take advantage of these opportunities to grow in grace. Don't you?! Either way -- whether I take advantage or not -- I thank You, Jesus, for grace in every opportunity!
3. I am reading Randy Alcorn's book on evil and suffering, called If God Is Good. A great, thorough guide on this topic. I thought that some of his words aptly apply to this subject.

We need to take a closer look at a verse I've mentioned, one of the most treasured (and also maligned) in Scripture: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

The context shows that the Holy Spirit’s main concern is conforming God’s children to the image of Christ. He brings challenging circumstances into our lives so we may develop Christlikeness.

Paul’s use of "we know" indicates that if you don’t know this, you know less than God intends you to; and when times of evil and suffering come, you’ll be ill-equipped to face them.

I believe that if God could not use something, in eternity, to contribute to the good of his child, then he will not permit it to happen. I know of no other way to interpret this passage, written in a context of profound evil and suffering. It does not say God causes some or most things to work for our good, but all things. And what does "all things" not include?

Romans 8:28 declares a cumulative and ultimate good, not an individual or immediate good...

We define our good in terms of what brings us health and happiness now; God defines it in terms of what makes us more like Jesus…

Whether suffering brings us to Christlikeness depends, to some degree, upon our willingness to submit to God and trust him and draw our strength from him. Suffering will come whether we allow it to make us Christlike or not -- but if we don't our suffering is wasted.

Join me in embracing these opportunities!

Embrace The "Bad" -- Part 1

How do you respond?

When things don't go your way. When someone offends you, hurts your feelings, ignores you, or frustrates you. When someone pulls out in front of you while driving 50 MPH. When your spouse still hasn't unloaded the dishwasher. When someone is 30 minutes late meeting you when you only have 45 minutes for lunch. When unrealistic expectations are held over your head. When you are rushed and knock down the entire display at the store. When you miss your doctor's appointment. When your baby won't stop screaming while you are on the phone. When you are in a car accident. When there is no explanation. When the unexpected occurs. When there is someone to blame. When there is no one to blame.

One of the most important lessons I learned from natural childbirth classes, as well as experience, was not to fight the contractions. When you feel one coming, do NOT tense up, squeeze your muscles, panic, or hold your breath. Instead, you should let it happen and focus on it. Feel it; embrace the contraction. Why? Because it simply is your uterus stretching and preparing to get the baby out. It is a muscle working out -- feel the burn! To the baby, a contraction feels like a massage. Back to the point. As your uterus stretches and pushes the baby further down, if you fight the contraction, you are holding that baby up there and refusing to let the uterus do its job. Uterus pushes baby down; you tense up and hold baby up. Baby didn't move and is no less closer to greeting the world. You just had a pointless contraction. For every one you resist, you'll have to have another one. Childbirth will take that much longer.

Now, Aidan, how in the world do these two thoughts combine? Here goes...

Things happen. People make choices that affect you -- often negatively. Free will. But, if everything went my way and everyone did what I wanted when I wanted, if I was in control, then my character would suffer. If life was peachy, then I would not develop patience, long suffering, gentleness, mercy, kindness, forbearance, forgiveness, self-control, compassion, unity, heroism, grace, determination, wisdom, etc. I would have no need of these traits, but I'd be at a loss. I'd be missing out and never know it.

When something doesn't go your way and you fight it by snapping or losing your cool, by not showing grace, it was pointless. You just had another chance to grow, but you blew it. You resisted the refining of your character. God is trying to develop the character of His Son in you. Don't tense up, but embrace the situation. Thankfully, there are many, many chances :)

Remember: What Satan means for evil, God intends it for good. When you fight it, you are giving in to Satan and his plans. When you embrace it, you are siding with God and saying 'Yes!' to Him and His plan.

I totally do not excel at this. What a challenging thought for myself! I want to embrace these occurrences. Join me in saying Yes!

Click here for Part 2.

How It's Done

“You only know how to give thanks always when you know how to give thanks anyway.” ~ Ann Voskamp

"I can give without love — and I have done it — but can anyone say they love and not give?" ~ Amy Carmichael

Links in the Chain

This past Sunday was Life Chain, an event honored by pro-lifers in America and Canada every year for just one hour. Pro-lifers peaceably and silently hold signs (I have often held the "Adoption - the Loving Option" sign in the past) by the side of the road and PRAY. We chose the "Abortion Kills Children" since Aolani was with us :)

Why is Ricky wearing pink socs?

I have had two questions for pro-abortionists for awhile now:

1. How can a child truly believe that their parents (who support abortion) love them un-conditionally? Because if the condition (circumstance or situation) had not been right, then my parents would have killed me. That is not un-conditional love, but conditional love. If my parents supported abortion, this thought would drive me crazy.
2. Why does age determine if a person is a human? Most states allow for an abortion up to 24 weeks, although some states allow abortions in the final trimester. If a person becomes human at a certain age, then wouldn't reasoning wonder why 24 weeks or 9 months... and not 1 year old (baby) or 3 years old (toddler) or 7 years old (kid) or 12 years old (pre-teen) or 15 years old (teenager) or 18 years old (adult)? Are adults even human beings? Maybe a person shouldn't be counted among the human race until they reach 21 years old, I mean if age determines when the "not-a-person-yet" becomes human. This makes no sense to me. I want some real wisdom.

*My hubby pointed out the common argument about a person becoming human once born and able to breathe oxygen. So, a 23-week old baby isn't human inside the belly, but only outside of it? If so, then oxygen is what defines a person's humanity. Thus, oxygen becomes god? Huh?!

Love (the real, true kind)

A few thoughts from Aidan:

I am overwhelmed/overcome with the love that I have for Aolani. To be honest, you will NOT be able to imagine or grasp the love a parent has for a child until you have your own. I know that is cliché, but it is true. Period.

With that said, I was thinking the other day about this immense love and have found that it is completely natural. Like breathing. I cannot contain it or stop it or start it. It is just there and beyond control.

To summarize thus far the foundational understandings -- this love is ginormous and uncontrollable. This is where I mention the mother who lifted a car off of her child. Moving on to new revelatory thought ;)

Let's brainstorm... I think I'll use numbers to help me.

1. Love child(ren) - this is so natural that it just flows. It is EASY; not loving them would be HARD. I think part of what makes this easy is the fact that your child is part of you, of you, from you...
2. Love spouse - this is HARD. If you are married, then no explanation is needed. If you aren't married, then trust me. I think part of what makes this hard is the fact that your spouse is from outside you.
3. Love God - this is (by far) the HARDEST. It is easy to pay lip service, say that you love Him. However, I'm talking about action. Love, the verb. Jesus even said that loving Him means obeying Him (John 14:23). Walking as He walked, following after Him. Figuratively, sounds easy. Practical application, hard stuff.

Who noticed that I went easiest to hardest? But God wants us to reverse the order. We are to love Him first, foremost and utmost (Mark 12:30). Then, we should love our spouse (so as to provide the children with a safe home, stable environment, show them what love looks like... plus, your spouse will, God-willing, still be around when the kids leave you!) Finally, we should love our child(ren). Seriously, kids don't want you to love them most. It's too much pressure for them. They don't want to be your universe but want you to show them Who holds the universe. They want to fill like they are secure within something bigger -- the family -- and a part of the biggest event ever -- God's plan to redeem the world.

Bottom line: Love God. Love spouse. Love child(ren). Hardest to easiest.

Point: Simply, I think God wants us to do hard things because it builds character, among many good traits. By loving and trying to love people, maybe eventually, the embers of our love towards God will ignite. And, we will love Him a little bit more than we did before. Let's inspire others to do so, too!

Three notes/disclaimers:

This is not Scripture, but my observations and interpretations.

The love I am talking about here is the pure, selfless and sacrificial kind (agape).

Although loving my child does give me a better understanding of God's love for us, I fully realize that I will never, ever, EVER be able to even remotely fathom how much God could possibly love us (expressed through Jesus), both as our Bridegroom and our Father.