I so love this game too addicting

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Being Cast Down

Last week I talked with another sub and the subject turned to faith. We talked about being cast down and what that meant. Being cast down is commonly thought of as being cast into Hell, but it isn't. When we try to understand the Bible we need to keep in mind the time period and culture the Bible was written in. During that time what was the most common profession? Being a shepherd. Many times the sheep would get cast upon their back and need to be lifted up by the shepherd. Hence being cast down.

When the Bible talks about being cast down it doesn't mean being cast into Hell, but being on our back and needing the help of our "shepherd" God, to take his hook and pull us out and place us back on our feet. There are times when we hit a rough patch, rocks in our path, and we stumble and fall on our backs and need God to lift us back up. Does that mean we are instantly cast into Hell? Didn't shepherds leave the flock to find just 1 lost sheep? To help 1 sheep who was cast upon his back, or did they just leave the sheep to perish? They tended to that one sheep, the helped them and lifted them up, and that's what God does for us as well. God doesn't leave us behind He pulls out his special God Shepherd's hook and lifts us up (yea its all gold and sprakly cause you know God likes sparkles). I think a lot of the times we don't realize that God is there to pick us back up, and we just continue to lie on our backs not making a sound. When a sheep is cast down it baas it is loud and noisy, yet we remain silent, we don't cry out to our shepherd. Why is that?

Thankfulness

Each week, or rather when I remeber, I do a blog on the things I am thankful for. I dont know if I explained why I really do this. I do it to help remind myself to not take things for granted to always be thankful for the things I have in life, including people.

Lately I have been having a hard emotional time and I am not really sure why. I know it is hard in Tom, and he feels helpless. We try hard to take care of each other, but there are times when nothing helps which is hard for us both. I love Tom with all my heart, and sometimes I am afraud if losing him. I am thankful to have him at my side even though I make it hard sometimes. I think I try to hard to be a good girlfriend.

I shouldnt worry, I know he loves me, anc I am thankful for that. There is so much with our relationship that I am thankful for. I cherish everything about Tom, and I want him to feel appreciated.

Rejoice, Again Rejoice

How many times a day do you sit back and rejoice in the varies aspects of life? Do you rejoice in the spendor that God has placed in the world around us? Better yet, are you able to rejoice in God and find something worth rejoicing in when you are at your weakest, in your "Job" period? The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:4 to "Rejoice in the Lord always again I say rejoice." But sometimes rejoicing in God can be a hard thing to do especially when we are feeling at our weakest, when we feel depressed and well oppressed at the same time. When we are at our lowest it seems to take everything in us to simply read the Bible or pray to God let alone rejoicing in Him always.

The chapter proceeds to say dont worry about anything: instead, pray about everything tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. (verse 6). Paul tells us not only do we need to rejoice in the Lord always, but we need to not worry and pray, and then to thank him for everything. Does he want us to thank God for the bad things in life? Thank God for the depression, oppression, cancer, death and more? When we are feeling the feelings we do as humans we find it hard to thank God when we are oppressed. How can we be thankful when we struggle with things like paying bills, or health issues, or when someone we love get hurt in some way. We look at the world and see children being molested, women being raped, men being killed and so much. How can we thank God when there is so much bad happening in the world?

We go through hard times and struggles not to break us down but to bring us up. Have you noticed how much better you feel when you smile or laugh during a hard time?

When Pauls says thank him for all he has done it is in my opinion that he's saying thank God for the past good and bad he has done since we learn from everything. When we start to thank God for things in our lives, even if it is something small as waking up each day those hardships seem to get better and not as bad. As we pray to God telling him the things we end we should praise him and as verse 4 says Rejoice in the Lord...I repeat rejoice. Hard as it may be we need to rejoice in him and honestly when it seems to hard that's when we should turn to each other. Its hard to stop and through the hardtimes and struggles to say "thank you God for allowing me to have a car" or "Thank you God for being there" something so small makes a difference in how you feel. Rejoice in God, rejoice in his love and kindness. Allow him to wrap his arms around you and rejoice.

Cityy Nature

I was in a class on Monday and they had a prompt to write about. It had to do with nature and asked how can nature change your view of the world.  Listening to what the kids thought about nature got me thinking.
Alot if people consider nature a forest or meadow, but do we consider trees and plants in the city nature?

A few weeks ago I walked alittle bit around Pittsburgh taking pictures. My purpose was to show the beauty that is Pittsburgh.  To show you can enjoy "fresh air" and sounds in the city as you would on a hike.  Sure it is slightly different sounds and sights, but a pigeon is still a bird and a city park still has grass, trees, even a squirrel or two.

The few pictures are some I took that day.  You dont need to be in woods, a meadow, mountains or whatever to find nature or to learn from it.  Nature is even in the big city.

Greater the Love

Lately I have been reading Fushigi Yuugi, the manga for my favorite anime. One if my favorite characters says something near the end of one volume.  Chichiri told Tomahome (Taka), "that when you love another person, you open yourself up to the greatest happiness and the worst pain.  The greater the love, the greater the doubt. Its a struggle within..."

I agree that when you love some, when you are willing to give someone your heart you open yourself up to unimaginable happiness. I cannot begin to describe the happiness I share with Tom.  I never thought I could have this much happiness, didnt think I deserved it.  But here I am, happiest I have ever been. Though at the same time I find myself doubting.  Not Tom or his love for me, but that I am good enough for him.

Lately my emotions have been overwhelming for some reason and ive over-reacted to some things, simply because I worry that I am not good enough for him.  Its like I am struggling with myself to not fear losing him, or to feel that I am not letting him down or failing him. I  also realize how destructive it is that I think that I am not, that I dont deserve him.  Tom makes me want to be a better woman, a better girlfriend.  But can that desire and my insecurities do more damage?