Do you want fries with that?

Are You Hungry?
Originally uploaded by carlpuentes.

It's not often that I use my blog as a soap box, but since it's my blog I guess I can use it for whatever I want. I was discussing an issue with one of my very wise bosses today that gets me fired up. I mean my blood starts to boil, my head starts spinning and my feelings get hurt. We were talking about church loyalty. You know, going to more than one church. I am a firm believer in you go to a church, you get ministered to at a church and you turn around and minister to others all at the SAME church. It really, really bothers me that people say well I get more out of so and so's sermon, but I really like the worship at such and such. Since when did going to church turn into the foodcourt where you can pick and choose all the good things(not my phrase). I understand that in the big picture we are all a part of the Bride of Christ, but really. Can you honestly tell me that the same church that is pouring into you doesn't need you to pour right back into it? Besides,where do you invest your time, money and heart? Seems to me that your heart has to be divided. Let's just say that there were things about my husband that I didn't like (he is Mr. Wonderful) and John Doe made up for the areas that my sweet husband lacked in. If I entertained the thought of going somewhere else to be fulfilled in areas my husband lacked I would be called an adulterer. I see the church in the same way. There's going to be good and bad in every church because the church is made up of imperfect people. I think you have to stick it out and make it work. The Bride of Christ is beautiful and when you fall in love with it, it somehow meets your needs even when you don't think it can. It does because the Bride Groom is amazing!

girl & food

girl & food
Originally uploaded by ratterrell.

I've never thought of myself as a humanitarian or someone who is conscious of poverty in the world. I always blame my neglect to the issues on my ignorance of them. Since my trip to Nicaragua I am no longer ignorant. I always thought that hippies and liberals were the ones that took care of the war on aids and poverty. I guess Jesus was hippie then. I can't say that I am a follower of Christ and not want justice for the orphaned and widowed, the naked and poor. This is a new concept for me. I've always been concerned with MY clothes, MY food, MY well-being. I have little to no needs, all I have are wants. After seeing kids half clothed and hungry, living in a dump my wants seem pretty silly. My initial reaction was despair and shame and the feeling of needing to help. I wanted to give of myself, my things. Then I felt even more shameful because that was my first reaction. The children in Nicaragua don't need my things, they need hope. The hope that can only come from knowing that the Creator of the universe loves them. Now this doesn't mean that all I am to give them is a Bible and a tract. The Bible is clear that we are to meet needs. I have been researching ways to bring justice to the poverty stricken. I'm not sure what I can do, but I'm trying. Not knowing and doing nothing is one thing, but to know and do nothing is sinning. Last time I checked sinning broke the heart of God and I don't want to do that.

Too Many Things

It's been a really long time since I've posted anything on my blog. Now I'm stuck rummaging through all the things that I could blog about and I can't settle on one thing. The only conclusion I can come up with is to highlight some of my favorite parts of the summer.

1. The arrival of my kitchen aid mixer. This was a day that couldn't come soon enough. After much lusting, I found this power tool of the kitchen at a decent price on ebay. Which leads to my next highlight.

2. My discovery of ebay. My first purchase was my red, stand up, kitchen aid mixer. This led to several other fantastic purchases: guacho pants, shoes, tea set, etc. This bidding while you shop thing is a very smart idea. Mr. ebay inventor, you're a genius.

3. My trip to Maryland. My realization of the aging process that is taking place in my life was confirmed on this trip. We did a lot of sitting on the front porch, rocking, talking about the weather and drinking coffee and loving every minute of it (hence the confirmation that I'm getting old). I really enjoy my grandparents. They are two of the people I look up to most in my life and any time spent with them is a highlight.

4. The arrival of Kate Oliva Theriot. New life is always amazing to me and to watch (not really watching) one of my best friends bring her first child into the world was fabulous.

5. My trip to Nicaragua. Words can't really express what I feel about this trip, so I'm not going to try just know that it was life changing (cheesey I know, but it's true).

Those were my highlights of the summer. Random, but still highlights. Maybe I won't wait so long to blog next time.