Pushing the Limits

The 3 year old was sitting at the breakfast bar eating an afternoon ice cream bar. He hops off the stool and heads for the play room. Dad says, "Did you throw away your wrapper, buddy?"
"Yes, I did!" the 3 year old replies very definitely as he trots across the den, slowing after a few steps, he pauses, "Mmmmm, I better check." he adds. He trots back to the stool grabs the wrapper, throws it in the trash with, "Oops, I didn't." Dad rolls his eyes as he shakes his head at the 3 year old scampering off to play.
Funny story about how kids manipulate and make us laugh.
You could see the wheels turning in the little guys' head..the decision that his first response was going to cause him more trouble than it was worth and his choice to "come clean" and rectify the error.
Pushing the limits. We do that as kids, adults, teens, all our lives. I love our Lord and talk to Him daily - many times a day. I need to spend more time in deep prayer, but I tell Him how I am doing, what I am doing, thank Him for little things and so on. But I, too, push the limits so often. How much can I get away with, Daddy Father God? God forgives us, He knows what I am going to do before I do it because our Lord does not operate in the space-time continuum that we humans are bound by. But I have to confess when I make those decisions to let something ride - it always comes back to "get me" in one way or another - thank the Lord for His love, grace, mercy - that He always accepts my confession, always loves me.
Lord, may I love you so dearly that I stop pushing the limits and serve you, not from duty, but from deep abiding love.

I BELIEVE, part 1

Keep reading, it could make sense....

I believe that God is all powerful and that He sent His Son, Jesus, to save the world from themselves (ourselves).
I believe that faith is just that - FAITH. You can't see it, prove it, touch it - but I know in my being that God is there and the more I allow the Lord in me, the better I love and serve Him and other people.
I believe that God loves us unconditionally and is our Father.
I believe that we put God in a little box and try to make Him fit our limited vision.
I believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, but that we often read it with limited vision, and use it to support our own beliefs.
I believe that God can, and does, appear to us in many forms and in many ways, and that we often do not recognize Him or His messengers.
I believe that God wants a close relationship with Him, for us to Know Him and to love, serve, and worship Him, not some religion.
I believe that a faith relationship with our Lord goes far beyond a religion, it is a way of life.
I believe that "Christians" have given God and Jesus a bad name in many cases.
However, over history, it is those that have a loving faith relationship with God that have done the most good for the world.
I believe those that only look at us humans and our massive imperfection and dismiss God and Jesus, miss the beauty of relationship with God and usually relationship with those around them as well.
I believe there are many unhappy, bitter, angry "Christians" that don't get to know God in a loving relationship.
I know that my life is complete in the Lord and is so much better because of my relationship with the Lord. I have my problems, I do and say bad things, I worry unnecessarily, and I do not do justice to my Lord, but He is always there for me. And God is the reason I can glimpse heaven on earth and completely avoid hell on earth.
I believe that prayer is powerful and the more I pray and commune with the Lord, the more complete I am.
I believe that prayer is NOT a grocery list and the Lord is not my delivery man to cater to my wants and needs. I also believe that the Lord does listen to our earnest petition and His answers may not match (usually don't) my expectations - it's putting God in a box again!

The Blarney Stone

May be an appropriate name for this blog.

My journey of faith has held many wanderings - even times when I "get it right", my straight and narrow seems to involve considerable staggering and veering. This is a story of my faith journey wandering from a fifth grade commitment to Christ to the present day. A rededication to my faith occurred during graduate school and since that time, I have not ever left the path of faith, but have taken some detours along the way and staggered. The DC Talk title, What If I Stumble? reflects my faith and my shortcomings as I often fall...... "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips then walk out the door and deny Him buy their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."

With that disclaimer, the greatest part of my life, the greatest pervading force is dedication to my Lord, Jesus. My life does NOT always look that way and discipline is not one of my greatest qualities, but Jesus has been with me as my companion, my source, my savior without questions and without falter in my belief for over 35 years.
Journey wanderings is my faith story as it unfolds in my mind.
Where did my journey begin?
Where have I wandered?