Passwords and Memory Verses

If Pinterest has done nothing else it's opened my eyes to the fact that not everybody thinks like me. I had a suspicion but there it is.
 I think that crafts are super easy.
This is not the case for many. It suprises me. I don't know why other than I take my own talents for granted.

I could easily dive into this subject on why we take our talents for granted but it would have nothing to do with the title I've choosen.
Passwords and Memory Verses.

Growing up I took learning memory verses for granted. I learned them because I had to. Now that I'm at least a smidge more mature, I'm happy to have them. I add to them and I enjoy adding all kinds of sayings to memory.
I've learned that memorizing improves your memory. No real surprise there. Your brain is a muscle. Use it or lose it.

Having all my contacts saved on my fabulous iPhone is almost a curse. I've lost the art of memorizing my friends numbers.
Growing up it was something you knew. You knew your friends phone number by heart. I barely know my own number now. It's been remembered for me.

I've also discovered that little box you check, "keep me signed in" can be something of a curse. The habit of entering the password keeps it alive for me. If I sign in too long I tend to forget my passwords. That is until I realized I could write them down in plain sight and no one would be the wiser.
Let me share with you my fabulous tip. Use the reference of a memory verse as your password. Let me demonstrate, "Cast all your cares on Him because He loves you" 1Peter5:7 Did you see that last part? three numbers, one capital and a symbol. Nice, right?

Don't get ahead of yourself and think I just gave you access to my banking. I didn't.

You can write up your verse or even buy your verse all duded up in a frame and hang it on the wall. A visual reminder of your password. Genius, if I do say so myself.

So pull out your Bible and start memorizing. It's good for so many reasons.

P.S. To throw your kids off the scent once they figure out this secret....just hang up more verses. It's entertaining if nothing else.

Blogging because I wanna.

So after nearly a year long internal debate I've decided to blog.
Why all the fuss you ask?
Well a large part of me gets annoyed with the gazillion or so blogs that are collections of window licker memiors.
I really don't want to be apart of that crowd.

On the otherhand I'm extremely opinionated and it would leak off a bit of my sometimes overwhelming need to tell everybody what to do if I was to write it all down and tell everyone what to do.

 Plus, I find myself highly entertaining so I thought to bless you all with my good humor.
After searching a bit online.
Or rather, to be perfectly honest, after playing around on FB I googled a question and chose blogger to start my perfectly wonderful new blog.

Imagine my embarrassement upon realizing that I'd started a blog ages ago and neglected it.
Oops.
I seem to remember why I started that blog entitled, What Does Faith Look Like. I was highly annoyed with people and really needed a platform to express. What I don't recall is why I stopped.
I know for a fact I didn't run out of opinions.
Ah well, that was then. This is now.

WELCOME to my BLOG!
TMI with Ruth.
I've got far too much information floating around my skull and I'm going to share it here!

 Hopefully I'll have gobs of fun doing it.

Unintended Invitations

The other day as I was sitting at the light I looked in my rearview mirror and watched the car behind me. The poor man was trying to take pictures of my car while shaking with laughter. I do love my bumper stickers. I really love it when I catch people laughing at them. It makes my day.
I've learned alot from having stickers on my car. I figured they sent a message. Hey it's why I like the one that says, "War Sucks, but peace is worth it" or "Coffee, all the cool kids are doing it". I wanted to send a message. What I didn't understand until I'd lived with them for a while is how these stickers changed everything.
I have unintentionally invited everyone to tail gate me. People trying to read my stickers pull right up on my bumper whether I've stopped at a light or passed them on the freeway. It's unnerving and I'm not sure I like it. Sure it's great to look in the rearview mirror and see that you've made someone's day but it's awful to look behind you when you're sliding around in the snow and realize that the car on your tail is not accidentially sliding too but deliberately that close trying to read your stickers!
It got me thinking. Along with the messages I meant to send what else am I saying? As a Christian I want to send the message of God's love but I'm pretty sure most days I'm overheard mentioning that I plan on duct taping my children in a closet. Not quite a Godly message. I'll have to work on this one.

So What Does Faith Look Like?

I go to BibleStudys and I'm baffled. We sit around sharing prayer requests and telling each other how much we need Godly intervention but for the most part we do nothing to live like we mean it. I makes me ask, "What does being a Christian look like"?
I sure hope it's not the "fish" bumper sticker on the car that just cut me off. Is it the woman with the sour face watching the teenagers from the choir? Nah, maybe it's the man on his knees at the front of the church begging God for the money to pay this months bills?
If that's the case, does that mean suffering is what faith looks like?
I've started to ask, "what does a faithful response look like" in my Biblestudies. I get various answers. My standard question is, "if I've cast my cares on Jesus and trust that He's now in charge of them, do I keep praying for the same thing over and over again?" I personally feel that praying for the same thing over and over sounds like a kid trying to wear a parent down. It feels like begging after I've been told NO. I wonder if the act of praying over and over again is a "righteous" way of not really giving it fully to Jesus in the first place.
However, for my Mom and others it seems to cement that it's no longer theirs. They tell me it is an act of giving it to Him daily to ensure they don't hoard a piece back for themselves. It's their obedience.
For me I've decided not to pray for the same thing over and over. I have a house in Denver that is in a short sale. I've given this house and this situation over to God. It's His. I am still responsible for all the earthly things that need to be done but my heart is light now. My worry is over. I'm at peace. So much peace that I'm just sure God has plans for good here. I went and bought a bottle of champange to celebrate. It's chilling in my fridge in ready to hear how God has worked with situation. I truly believe I will get to celebrate this property passing out of my hands any time now. However, since it's now in God's hands there really is no telling exactly how this story will end. My way and His way are not even close. But I plan on celebrating His goodness whatever the answer. I might just have to pop open my bubbly to salute His awesomeness and His love for me not the sale I am hopping for.
That's how I've decided to have faith. By giving over my burdens and thanking God for His answer. Praising Him for whatever solution He's deemed appropriate. Toasting life with champagne. Celebrating that I'm on team GOD.
Living in a peace that baffles those around me.

Feeling Loved

I just finished the CSI marathon. Three hours of depressing reality. It was about a national crime "ring" that snagged beautiful girls and used them in horrible ways. Prostitution, baby breeders, organs.... While for the most part it felt like watching TV there was a scene that tugged on my heartstring.
A beautiful, battered, young woman in in a hospital bed refusing to give up her pimp. "He was the only one who said he loved me." Could that be true? Are there millions of people out there that haven't heard, "I love you". That kills me.
Don't get me wrong I'm not a mushy person. In fact my poor husband is so neglected that the fact I made coffee and pulled out a clean mug for him made him feel loved. However, this thought that people are pathetic empty shells just aching to belong bothers me because I think I can believc it's true.
I've never felt this way. I can't remember a time I didn't feel loved and cherished. My parents drive me crazy but I know they love me. My God confuses me but I feel cherished. In fact I feel special! (not just short bus special either, but take on the world special)
For example, I was at Walmart today. Big surprise there. As usually I was walking around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to remember why I was at Walmart when I needed to be at Home Depot or Sears. I finished up shopping and got to the register confident that I had my debit card in my purse but no. I'm standing at the register searching my purse in vain. My debit card is sitting next to my computer at home. I was too busy buying cute shoes last night to remember to do what I am forever telling the kids to do..."put it away when you're done".
I could have freaked out but instead I found a ten dollar gift card for Walmart. "Well, what do you know, God was watching out for me", I said to the cashier. "Lucky you", she responded. "He does that for me," I replied. "I'm lost without Him". Little did she realize the truth of my words. She smiled at me and wished me a good day. Off I went, carrying my new purchases. Feeling loved and protected by God from the top of my head to the tip of my toes.
Am I the only one who gets this? I sure hope not. Feeling loved is where it's at!