media

via the art of simple

I wasn't going to join Cassie's In the Word Tuesday link up because my thoughts weren't forming, but this morning one of the blogs I was reading I saw the picture above, and just like how He does, the Lord took two very different things and connected them in my mind.

Recently in our No Other God's study we focused on lies.  Kelly Minter wrote, " But loving is very different from putting ourselves in the way of messages that opposes His truth." The things I think about when I read that was the media and what I'm inundated with every day. Like Cassie, I don't know where I stand on this topic of cutting things out of my life but at least I'm starting to think about it. Kelly also wrote, "To think that we are unaffected by what we watch, read, or listen to is deceptive thinking." and I agree. I have been drawn to juicy and overly sexual tv shows instead of quiet time with God, or even quality time with my husband. I have chosen that over things that are better for me.

What I took away from the print above was that what I want MORE is a relationship with God. A firm foundation for the rest of my life, so maybe even if I want to fill my mind with media that speaks lies to me (I'm not thin enough, I'm not smart enough, I have no purpose etc., ect.) I can be reminded to choose the more important one-God.

Clearly I'm still working this out in my own mind but it's something I wanted to share. I want everything I do to reflect God and that is definitely a hard thing to do.

What are your thoughts?

No Other God's thoughts

Cassie and I started the No Other Gods Bible study and it's something I'm really struggling with. I'm enjoying it, but it's really pushing my comfort zone right now. It's a study about idols, but let me first shatter your (mine too) old age thoughts on the typical biblical idol term. I typically think of an idol (in the Christian sense) as the golden calf, an inanimate object to worship, but it's so much more than that. Kelly Minter explains that we have a PROFESSED god and FUNCTIONAL gods. The difference is that a "PROFESSED god is who or what we say is our god"-for me it's God himself. "A FUNCTIONAL god is who or what actually operates as our god."(Minter, Kelly,  No Other Gods, pg. 15)

Some of my functional gods would be: Dave, the desire for a baby, tv, etc. Basically what a functional god is, is something you desire too much. Something or someone that takes the place of God. It doesn't mean I'm praying to these things or worshiping them, but it does mean that they are taking my focus away from God or taking the place of Him. Make sense?

Kelly Minter says it more eloquently and explains is so much better. "...It could also be something incredibly good that has only turned bad by virtue of how much it consumes you."

friends

It's been really fun to have one of my closest friends in town visiting this past weekend. I've missed the ease of this sort of friendship. Not to say that we sat around in silence the whole time but it's definitely different with someone that you feel comfortable enough around to change your mind, or tell them you need a nap. I've missed my girls so it's been fun to have Katie here for a few days.

 

It's difficult after college to make friends, especially when you work with older people. I guess what I need to realize is that Dave and I are going to be here for a long time so I need to really put myself out there and invest in new friendships. I think friendships after a certain stage of your life are going to be different in nature but it's another reason I'm so thankful for the ones I do have. The ones where we can talk through difficult times, reveal our hearts, share in each others happiness and pain, and take multiple trips to Target in a day. I do have a friend here where our relationship is growing and I am so thankful for that. I'm also so lucky and blessed to have my mom live here because we're close and I love hanging out with her.

 

To put myself out there I want to:

 

Attend this Florida blogger meet up

Find a church

Attend Yelp! events

 

How do YOU make friends when you move to a new place?

 

Thanks for visiting Katie, it's been wonderful being together. I miss you already!

marriage advice

With so many of my friends planning weddings and getting engaged (yay love!) I was thinking about what advice I would give them if they asked. Because you know- I'm an expert on love and marriage since Dave and I are coming up on 3 years this summer. ha-I wish. If I could only share three things they would be:

It was hard to come up with only three pieces of advice since I think you need to do a lot to keep a marriage strong and healthy-not in a bad way. I find that my advice changes through our marriage too, but as of this moment in time this is what I would say.

Did you get good marriage advice before you were married?
What advice would you give?

quotes

Sometimes I like to get on Pinterest and scroll through the quotes for inspiration.

 I love lions. They are so beautiful and regal and ever since reading the Narnia series with Aslan as a character they always comfort me. Sometimes it's that little voice at the end of the day, the whisper of a voice, that is the reason to hold on to the hope of tomorrow.

 Dave wrote this to me in one of our first Facebook messages. I had just been really hurt by a previous relationship and wasn't sure if I was ready to jump into something new so soon. But he was right, and this quote is perfect for that time as well as now.

I can't remember if it was my friend Katie P or Dave that said I was passionate. I was surprised by that description, as I saw myself as just emotional (every day crier over here) but it's nice to view myself from a different angle. Maybe I am just passionate about things and that's why I get so overwhelmed by emotions and feelings. The quote above really encompasses the way I feel about the way I feel.