Motivate Me Monday ~ Hypocrisy

Wow. That's a heavy word. I need to preface this by saying that I am not a great scholar, and I do not claim to have it all together especially in this area. This is just something that God has been working with me on, and when I was working on this post, this was all that filled my mind.

The 5:16 club has been studying the book of 1 John since the beginning of the month, and on our way through chapter 1, these verses stood out to me in a new way:

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

My notes on this passage looked like this: (I really like color-coding - I hope this makes sense)

Hypocrisy = ministry killler

Transperancy = forgiveness and help to move in the opposite direction

Hypocrisy hurts our reputation, but more importantly - hurts God's reputation

These may seem like "duh" observations, but I had never looked at this passage in this light.

With that in mind, Pastor Jeff spoke on the parable of the lost sheep yesterday morning, and this verse stood out to me:

7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Here, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees who were notorious for looking down their noses at people and assuming that they had it all together. And I'm gonna take a little latitude here, but I believe that Jesus had a sense of humor, well in this case a sense of irony, so I envision him saying the last part of that statement with a slight little bit of sarcasm, if you will. Jesus, being God, knew:

10 As it is written:
"There is no one righteous, not even one;

So in saying that there would even be those "who do not need to repent." He was being a bit facetious. But I bet that the Pharisees, in their hypocrisy did not even recognize their own need for repentance.

I sincerely and fervently pray that I do not think more highly of myself than I ought, and of the same token I earnestly desire to catch myself when I even begin treading in that direction.

I'm not sure if any of this was even coherent, but . . . this is where I'm at :)

Thanks for reading,

Amazing Christmasy Weekend :)

We had a fabulously fun winter/Christmas time this past weekend, so I thought I would give you the pictorial tour:

My very first official MHR shirt came in the mail! :)



Hootenanny Pancake for supper:

+ =


on our gorgeous Christmas dishes! :)

Then the lighted Christmas parade:

Santa herding Christmas geese


Toy Train float


Side View of the float entered by the company that I work for.


Our float driving away (rear view)


And of course, no Christmas parade would be complete without Santa! In ours he was hitching a ride on the local fire engine (the sleigh must be getting a tune up for the big day, lol)!

All of that happened on Friday night! Saturday we went shopping in Des Moines, not Christmas shopping, as we are nearly done with that (thanks to the wonders of modern Internet technology), but we did pick up some necessities that we needed for some house projects, and got some great deals at Harbor Freight (that store is better than Christmas morning for Austin, I think, he's like a little kid in a candy store, lol)! Before we came home we enjoyed lu-pper (that's a combination of lunch and supper) at CiCi's Pizza! Yummm! We had picked up Season 3 of the Prison Break DVD's at the library before we left town that morning, so we started watching those when we got home!

Sunday morning we went to church with Tyler and Emma, and Chris (both Tyler and Chris work with Austin), then we went home and finished watching Prison Break Season 3 on DVD (we are almost caught up, Ashley!)

This week we will hopefully finish decorating the house - this is the latest date ever in the history of my life that I have yet to get the tree up! We also need to get Christmas card pictures taken so we can get those printed and mailed out PRONTO!!! We are also hosting our first family holiday party at our house the weekend before Christmas, so I need to get our menu and shopping lists squared away - I am also planning on starting all of the baking this week! I know I sound harried, but I just love all of these tasks, so they are not really chores!

Pastor Jeff's sermon this week was a great reminder to slow down in the midst of all of the hustle and bustle and enjoy the season, but not only that, to be thankful for the true reason we celebrate! What are you doing to remember Jesus' birth this season? I am looking for a good Advent calendar/reading/schedule, so would welcome any suggestions! :)

Hope you are all enjoying this Christmas season as much as I am! :)

The Goodness of the Lord

Psalm 27
Of David.
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh, [a]
when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.

4 One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.

5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.

6 Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the LORD.

7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me.

8 My heart says of you, "Seek his [b] face!"
Your face, LORD, I will seek.

9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.

10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me.

11 Teach me your way, O LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.

12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence.

13 I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

This passage was the basis of our pastor's sermon this past Sunday, and it was such a fabulous reminder for me that I thought I would post it here in its entirety. The main theme of the service was this: we are as close or as far away from God as we choose to be. I am as close to God as I make the effort every day to be. It is similar to the bumper sticker/billboard I have seen that says "If God feels far away, you are the one who moved."

This one really hit home for me. I seem to need the constant reminder that God is always ready and waiting for communication and fellowship with me, I am the one who crowds him out with all of my other "necessary responsibililties." This is not to say that the things for which I am responsible are not important, but the only way I can truly acocomplish anything well is if this relationship gets my first and best all the time.

Nothing tremendously profound, this is just what was speaking to me this week :)
Hope you're having a good one!