happiness is important

My mom decided to take a pottery class. She's wanted to for years and years, and this semester she finally is doing it. I needed to pick up something from her last night, so I snuck into her pottery class for like 30 seconds. It was the best 30 seconds of my life. My mom was glowing, radiant, grinning, wildly happy. I had never seen her that happy before in my life. And why was she happy? She was doing something that she wanted to do, something she was having a blast doing, and just something fun she wanted to do.

I think this is an important part of life. I think God wants us to be happy. Part of being happy is doing what we love.

My mom is a busy lady. She gives of herself all the time for her family, and she does a boss job at it. And I think she's mostly happy doing that - it is a difficult task. But she was so happy doing that little thing for herself.... I wanted to jump for joy; I was so happy to see her that happy.

So take time out of your life to do something fun. Be happy. God likes happiness. There are a trillion Bible verses about joy. So be joyful! Easier said than done..... but do something that makes you happy. Even if it's meaningless in the grand scheme of things (like pottery. :) love you mom) 

time

I had the amazing opportunity a few weeks ago to dwell in God's presence for an hour at a random time in the weeee early morning. It was so cool. During that hour of praising, worshipping, and adoring God, I was reading some Psalms that praised His name. I can't find it now, of course, but there was a spot I was reading at where the author was saying something about offering up bulls and goats and sacrifices to honor God and praise and glorify Him and everything. Old Testament awesomeness.

So I was thinking, as I often do, having land, and animals, and servants, and all that, in the Old Testament, showed how rich you were. So to sacrifice animals, was a big sacrifice, because it was giving away their best and prized possession, in a sense, to God. What can we give away today, that is as big a sacrifice as that? I was thinking it might be money, but no, we have an over-abundance of money in America. Seriously. Everyone is working, all the time, to make tons of money that we don't need. And if you are a 'good Christian' you tithe your 10% with no worries and all is well. I don't think it's very hard for people to give 10%. (and of course there are exceptions to that, but I can see the majority being that way) Anyways, tangent. What is more valuable than money? Time. Duh. Time is a valuable commodity that no one seems to have a lot of these days. Especially me (at least, from my perspective).

I smiled, as I was sitting there, adoring God on that chilly Saturday morning. This is why what I was doing was a big deal. I was giving my time, to God. One hour, of my precious sleeping time (and believe me, it's precious), to adore my Creator. That's what we (or maybe just me. I may be preaching to myself and that's it haha) need to give. Time. God wants us to sacrifice for Him, and what better way than giving time? Giving money is still important, yes. But that's easy. Write a check and boom you're done. Awesome, but easy. Time? That's harder. And being a child of God is supposed to be hard.

I'm rambling.

But yes, the moral here, is give time to God. Especially if time is a precious in your life as it is in mine. 

'religious' art

Context: my brother is in a rap group and they made it to nationals for a fine arts competition. This week has been spent in Orlando, seeing the sights, getting sunburnt, enjoying the ocean, and experiencing a multitude of fine art. I was sitting with my mom, watching a group do a worship dance to a contemporary christian song. She looks over at me and goes "you should make all your dances religious next year". More context. I am a dance teacher. Next year (this up-coming dance season) I will have 15 classes in 5 genres. Exciting! Usually I use some 'Christian' music, because I like it, and some secular music, because I like that as well. Mom was making the point that she would like to see me use all 'Christian' music - or do all my dances with a religious theme of some kind.

I told her all my dances were religious whether or not the artist was someone like TobyMac. See, I dance to glorify God and I create art to glorify God. I'm pretty sure I can dance to a Coldplay song that talks about color and still glorify God just as much as dancing to a song by Matt Maher that talks about Jesus being risen from the dead. Art is art, and I think it can still be 'Christian' without using a 'Christian' song.

I once read an article by a man who was talking about how ridiculous it was to put the label "Christian" on music. His point was, if you are going to make a beautiful song, it will already convey God and His love because God and His love are the epitome of beauty. So there can be 'good' music, as in well written and having a good melody and beat and all; just as there can be 'bad' music, with lyrics that don't rhyme or notes that don't match. But you can't have 'Christian' music or 'non-Christian' music just because a beautiful song points to a beautiful God who created beautiful things. It was a good article.

Art is the same way, in my mind. If you have a sculpture of a person, you are elevating that person by sculpting them in a sense... but you are also elevating God who made that person. By thinking 'wow, that sculpture is amazing', so you would think 'wow, God is amazing who made that person'. See what I'm getting at?

Dance is the same. To me. I can praise God no matter what song I dance to or what genre I dance to because He made my body, He made me dance, and it's a talent I can use to glorify His name. Even if I dance to music other than songs they play on K-Love. Because I'm creating something beautiful by dancing and creating dances. 

be real

It's easy for me to be happy all the time. Even when I'm not happy, I'm good at faking happy. But how real is that? How are people going to see God's love in me if I'm happy (or faking to be) all the time? Let me explain. People appreciate real people. Real people have emotions. Happy, sad, angry, giddy.... the lot of it. It's easy to be happy all the time and be all "if you're happy and you know it clap your hands" - and claim that that's God. "God is love, God is happy, God is joyful, we need to be those emotions all the time to show God's love to the world." I think that's a lie a lot of people believe - or - it's a lie I believed for a long time. 

Read the Bible. God has a lot of other emotions. He gets super angry. And frustrated. And disappointed. And loads of other things that aren't super happy. And that's okay... because He's real. I think we, as people, and as Christians, need to be more real. We need to be real in a world full of plastic and show our emotions... whatever they are. Yes, do it in a responsible manner. You can't go around beating people up if you're upset. But you can be upset, and figure out why, and fix it - without having to hide behind a wall of happy glass. Be real. The world needs more real people - and they will appreciate you as as Christian if you are. If you can show that, yes, being a Christian isn't sunshine and lollipops all the time. But my God is bigger than that and I can still love life and love God even if I'm frustrated about something. 

I don't know if that made sense. But it's what is on my heart. Don't fake your emotions. It's not worth it for anyone. 

things I'm learning part II

Intentions. Having good intentions is great. Seriously!!! But good intentions are rather pointless if you never act on them. Keep that in mind. Don't just intend to do things. Actually do things. 

rainy days

Today, I enjoyed some chocolate I was saving for a rainy day. Except it didn't rain today. So I thought that maybe the creator of the "save it for a rainy day" saying meant something other than literal rain. Weather, water, type of rain. What if they meant if you were in a rainy mood? If you are sad, down, not the happiest, I think your mood could be described as rainy. And if so, it would be a grand time to have something special that you saved for a rainy day. I suppose that's the English major in me to take something as a metaphor. Kind of cool to think about though.

Today was a rainy day for me. Except it didn't literally rain today.

things I'm learning part I

Sooo there is a lot of stuff in my life that has caused a lot of strife and turmoil, and I've come to a spot where I'm just like "okay God, I can't deal with anything anymore. I'm giving it all to you". Which is a good place to be, I'm sure of that, but it's not easy. So right now I'm in an intense 'seek God and find Him and His plan' kind of time. I'm going to share stuff I've learned and am learning.


Pride is horrible. And it's very humbling when God shows you something you were prideful about, that you had no idea about.

Relating to family at age 21 can be tricky. There's a lot of conflict between Bible, friends, how you want to act, how your parents want you to act, how you're expected to act.

Wisdoms is an amazing gift to have. We need to be seeking after it like its the world's most priceless jewel. Finding knowledge, wisdom, understanding. Not much can beat that.

It's better to obey God than man. Find what obeying God is for you (I'm in the finding part now), and roll with it with enthusiasm. No matter what anyone else says.


And more to come. 

NYE

It's 2013!


Yay!


I guess.


:D
Tonight, was fun. It was my first NYE party without my family. I love my family. I do. I promise. But! It was really fun to hang out with other twenty-somethings on NYE and party it up hardcore.

By hardcore I mean.... we....

• drank lots of Mt Dew and cream soda 
• played Catchphrase. crazy intensely. 
• ate oreos. 
• played Settlers of Catan. 
• laughed. a lot. 
• watched Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs. 
• laughed some more. 
• counted down from 10, really loudly........ 15 minutes before midnight. 
• talked about building a blanket fort. 
• threw pillows (and a cat) on the youngest dude there. 
• talked. met new people. laughed. 
• had an overall really good time
• didn't drink alcohol*

I think there was like 11 people there.... everything from single to dating to engaged to married. It was a wide assortment of twenty-somethings, but we all got along great (for the most part) and had a blast. I'm super glad I got invited.... I doubt the hosts will read this, but if they do, THANKS! 

And Happy New Year, blogging peeps. Have an epic 2013. If it's not epic, make it so. Cause your attitude will determine whether you have a fantastical year..... or not. 

Carpe Diem! 

*proof that you can have a really great time without it.