testiment to laziness

So every morning I hear about a dozen alarms go off. No, it is not because I live with 12 people, it is because of the accursed laziness button, more often referred to as the snooze button. If you do not plan on getting up when your alarm goes off, why even set it? Or why not just set it for the time you actually want to get up?

On Sunday, during part of the sermon, my pastor brought up the story of the ruler and the 3 servants whom he entrusted with coins. If you have heard the story you know that the first 2 invested their coins wisely and had double by the time their master returned. However, the third servant believed his master was harse so rather than investing the money wisely, he buried it in the ground. Now when the master comes back he praises the first two but to the third he says, "you wicked and lazy servant." Being that this is a parable it is an example of God's relationship to us. Do we use the gifts we have been given as much as we can in the time we have or do we tend to snooze through the opportunities He gives us?

-Chris

dreaming out loud

A friend and I went to coffee at the local starbucks where I always go. I walked into the same door and was greeted first by the aroma of fresh coffee, then by the same girl, and I ordered the same cup of coffee(grande ristretto white chocolate mocha) Then the girl behind the counter asked if I would like to try something different for once. I said no thank you and I went on my way. I sat down next to my friend and we begin to think about this emerging generation. Then it dawned on me; I walk into the same starbucks, and order the same drink, from the same girl. I wasn't willing to try something different, cause I didn't want to ruin my routine and I didn't know what what she offered me would taste like.

Isn't that the same way we think sometimes with our relationship with God. We become afraid to dream, afraid to try something different. God built us to dream and to live them out loud, but many times our dreams or passions get thrown under the carpet for the sake of routine or fear. As we began to dream together, we thought of so many ways to live out loud and different. The only thing that held us back from those was our fear or laziness. I wonder how many of our generation has dreams, and they let them pass by. I wonder how many people come into the same starbucks, and drink the same drink, and live the same old life. There is something about doing something with your life.... doing something different....chasing after your dreams.

May you not be afraid to chase after your dreams.... do something different for once. Try something new, buy someone else coffee for a week, go serve somewhere, BE THE CHURCH!

-PJ

for the long haul

Well if you have ever fasted for very long you know that day 1 and 2 are the hardest because your stomach is shrinking and you may experience a headache or two. Now onto day 3 it's not bad but I can tell I don't have a ton of energy. I walked around for about 2 hours today and now I'm pretty much wiped out. Gatorade has never tasted so good yet at the same time it only provides 130 calories per 20 ounce bottle. And by the third day pretty much everything you drink goes right through you so it gets annoying to drink a lot because you have to go to the bathroom a lot. So I'm putting down about 2 a day for a total of 260 calories. Not much to go on but still God sustains me. So for all those out there, myself included, who have uttered the phrase "I'm starving!" after having missed only one meal you can be assured that it's just not true. You may be hungry but you are certainly not starving. Fasting certainly has a way of changing your mindset. Usually when I hear about someone only eating 1500 calories a day it seems crazy to me as a single fast food meal can contain that much or more. That's why I've begun to understand that it's not only important to eat but it's important what we eat. And why fast food? We all know it's horrible for us and yes, it tastes pretty good, but if you are on your way home anyway, why not forget about instant gratification and go for something much healthier and much cheaper there.

-Chris

| fresh |

... this whole fast thing has been really good even though for me it was only the length of half a day. You ever have those days when you wish you could just start fresh? You know the days when you just feel down for no reason, and you just need something fresh? Well for me, I did and starting this venture with Chris sparked something in me. OUR hopes is that we would continue to become aware of the world we live in, and take action to pour out our lives. God didn't create us to live selfish lives, but to live selfless, obedient, and purposeful lives. By His Grace, He gives us a fresh start, so that we can pour it all out again to a world that is desperately lost. This fast was something fresh for me... giving up probably the most selfish thing we love and adore....FOOD. When we give up ourselves to seek something from God, somehow, someway a fresh passion and zeal begins to take over all that we are.

Need something fresh in your life? Give up what's hardest for you to give up, and watch the Lord take you to another level...

-PJ

God give me strength

Whenever you ask God to give you something what you are really asking is for God to give you an opportunity to be stretched in that area. There is a difference between emotional strength and physical strength however. When you are fasting all food, asking for physical strength from God is much more of a trust issue. Besides the small amount of energy you retain from liquids, you are really relying on a certain level of supernatural power from God to make it through the day. In this country though, most people know nothing of what true starvation feels like. Most of us in the United States have quick access to any food we want. We will most likely never face the emotional desperation those in other countries face who have little or no access to food and have no idea when or if they will ever eat again. When choosing to fast, unless you have an opportunity to get away from all civilization, you immediately begin to realize how much of our American culture is about food. From the countless restaurants and supermarkets you pass on the road home to the full refridgerator and pantry at home you will be constantly reminded of food. It certainly takes a strong will and focus of mind to not be overcome by the feeling in your stomach.

-Chris

dreaming of food...

well day 1 has officially started, but was begun rudely the night before. I don't know why, but I could barely sleep last night, and every dream and thought that I had was about food. I even begin to think of times I could cheat and eat something and have a good excuse. It is so funny how are mind works when we see something we aren't going to get, and how we are going to get it. Crazy times... more to come later as I sip down the rest of my sunny delight!

-PJ

Routines and Habits

As I woke up this morning I went to get a bowl of breakfast but just as I began to reach for the milk I remembered, oh yeah, I'm on a fast. Then it got me thinking, just how much of my life is based on routine things, things I barely have to think about but just do. And how many of those things could potentially get me into trouble. Case in point: I was riding in the car with my mom earlier this week and she began turning the wrong way onto a one way street. She realized her mistake before she made it because she read the signs that told the correct way to go. Now this may make more sense if I told you we were driving somewhere we don't usually go but no, it was in our hometown. Reason being, they recently changed the streets and so that what used to be the two way main street was now only one way. But for 20 years that is where she always turned and so that habit had been long formed and is hard to break. So then I thought more. What kinds of habits, good and bad, do I have? How many of those am I consciously aware of?
So that's part of my focus along this journey is thinking more about the things I do and being intentional about how I live life rather than just letting life happen to me.

-Chris

what now...

I was reading in Relevant Magazine this week and was inspired to do something I haven't done in a while... and that is fasting. Now not just fasting... like fasting for something, but just simply fasting (no food... just liquids) I was inspired as these two guys just simply fasted and observed the world they lived in without eating of its food... chris fields and I will be on the fast together, blogging in the next days on what we observe... no reason, no catch... just fasting... so let the journey begin...

-PJ