Bright Orange Road signs

As soon as the snow melts, it is construction season here in Illinois. This weekend we visited Dave's family out by Rockford. Of course, I90 is under construction. Bright orange signs dot the roads like they are going out of style. They are meant to get my attention, of course I tend to blow them off because there are so many of them.

Well, I missed my exit.

I think sometimes God is like road signs. We are so used to them, and when we should be paying attention to them, we don't. We are so busy speeding along at our own pace, or following traffic, that it is too late when we see the exit. Now we have to go another 12 miles down the road just in order to turn around and come back another 12 just to get where we originally intended to go.

I felt so dumb, the signs are bright orange and they read "SLOW DOWN" yet I kept up with the traffic. Have you ever done that? Have you ever been so busy keeping up with the traffic that you don't slow down? Have you ever missed your exit because you were just following everyone else around and you missed out on what God had in store for you? Have you ever had to go 12 miles down the road just to turn around and go 12 miles back to get where you were supposed to be?

What bright orange signs have you been ignoring? Will you take the next exit and turn around?

God grant me...

The serenity prayer is not just for drunks. I wish so much that I could never ever forget to ask God these things every day. I have decided to call myself a "Shelley-holic" meaning that I am addicted to myself. I am selfish, and I am constantly desiring to serve my own needs over others. I have made bad decisions because I was being selfish and wanted something now!

God has good things ready for me, if I choose to follow his wishes. It is when I decide to not even ask God what I should do, and just do what I want right now that I get into trouble.

I don't want to hit bottom by having a heart attack before age 40. I want to be healthy not just for myself, but for my husband and any children we might have. I want to be able to run, and to enjoy life. No longer do I want to feel like I am older than I am.

Somewhere I heard someone say that 30 is the new 20. I think it is true. I feel better at 32 than I ever did at 22, and I would not go back for the world! I am working towards becoming the me I was meant to be, but in the meantime, God grant me the patience to endure the changes that I make!!!

Sabbath???

I think we lost what Sabbath is supposed to mean. I grew up where Sabbath meant you went to church on Sunday then went home and sat around watching TV or played in the yard. More than likely we cleaned the house. Sabbath meant that stores were closed, so we were forced to not do much. Sometimes we would visit Grama and Grampa.

I did not like this idea that we were "forced" to spend time off of work. Granted, I was a kid, and did not understand what working was. It was a lazy day, and we were lazy. I just didn't like that.

I don't think Sabbath means "to be lazy for a day."

In The Message, Isaiah 58:13-14 reads "If you watch your step on the Sabbath and don't use my holy day for personal advantage , If you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy, God's holy day as a celebration, If you honor it by refusing 'business as usual,' making money, running here and there— Then you'll be free to enjoy God! Oh, I'll make you ride high and soar above it all.
I'll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob." Yes! God says so!" (italics mine)

I really don't see God telling us to be lazy! I see Him telling us to have a party with Him! We are to take the focus off of ourselves and anything to be gained personally and put it onto God. Sittin on our bums watching football does not qualify as celebrating with God! Sorry guys, but it is not true!

I also don't see anywhere where God says to make Sundays the "Holy day of Sabbath." In fact if you follow the calendar properly, the 7th day is for rest, and the seventh day is Saturday. It goes back to those pagans who worshiped the sun, making the first day of the week "sun" day. This is about the only part where I agree with Seventh Day Adventists.

In today's world, the Sabbath just might end up being Tuesday. Well, it is for me anyway! Tuesday is one of my busiest days ever, so what makes it a Sabbath? First off, it is the only day of the week I consistently have off from work. Secondly, I dedicate that day to God. Yes, I might sleep in... but I also spend the most time that day serving God, volunteering, enjoying His nature. (See Is 58:6-12)

Tuesday is the day I get to spend with Dave most of the time, and we spend it together serving in East Aurora during the school year with the kids. Tuesdays is Brady Book Club, and my week is not complete without reading with the kids. Then we go to Celebrate the Journey at the Yellow Box and I serve there as one of the leaders. I find myself becoming this person that I never thought I could be, free to enjoy God, serving others, and riding high above it all. I love what I do there, and throughout the week, I am thinking about my group, and ways I can be a better person and better leader for my group. I think about the people I know from C the J and pray for them throughout my week, but it is on Tuesdays where I invest myself in them.

While I am not doing things for myself, I am getting SO MUCH out of it. I think that is what God means when he says Sabbath. I put myself aside for a day, but by no means am I lazy. I celebrate God by showing others what he has done for me.

I wish that I could live the Sabbath life. I wish money were no obstacle and I could just spend my day serving those who are less fortunate, or investing myself in other people. Too bad I am not a Hilton. I take that back --thank God I am not a Hilton, I would not be who I am today!

What do you do to Sabbath?

Poor DuPage

Seems that DuPage now has a 4.9% poverty level, up from 3%.

We have so much, yet really its so little. Service jobs are 28% which is super high!

Read this article from the Wheaton Sun.

The Adventures of Jason and the Golden Briefs

What the heck is a grown man doing with a golden pair of underpants?

Well, he won an award. The award is silly, but the reason for it is not. Follow Jason as he takes thee BVDs on tour.

Who knows where he will go next?

Congrats to Jason.

BTW, Jason goes to Crossings in Knoxville, TN. One of our New Thing churches. I found him by clicking links and kept coming back. He is my age, is married and has a son named Eli. Jason will be joining my blogroll, and has given me honors by listing me on his!

Even the rocks would cry out

My favorite passage, okay one of my favorite passages, is in Luke. It occurs during what most people know to be "Palm Sunday." The religious leaders are asking Jesus why he doesn't stop the people from praising him. Jesus said that even if people did not praise him, the rocks would cry out. I love it!

I love watching spring arise, healing the ground and blooming out of the secret places from dead trees. I love watching leaves unfold to the glory of the sun, spreading their wings out for nourishment. I love as the grass becomes green and starts to grow in places once brown and desolate.

Yes, even the rocks cry out to His glory! Have you ever seen the sun set on a mountainside? Have you seen how some stones glitter when wet, changing their appearance? Have you seen a geode cracked open, the grey outer shell revealing a glorious display of crystaline growth?

I love watching the dog stand outside with her nose to the wind, just soaking it all in.

What am I doing inside on the computer? I am outta here!!!

We are home

Things went well and we are home safe. Tired. Lots of laundry and catching up to do. First, the sleep...