So here we are...I'm finally starting a blog. blah. This whole thing makes me nervous! I feel too exposed. I deleted my facebook acct about four months ago because I felt too exposed. And here I am putting words out on a screen that can be read by anyone. blah. My friend Jenny and I made a pact that we would do this. Sounds so official. Like we're in the Goonies or Salute Your Shorts. We didn't pinky swear...although we should have. So here is my attempt at keeping my part of the bargain.
Most of this blog will be me rambling about my daily struggles being Christian in this world. It's a confusing space to be in. Christ is a very difficult person to try to be like. But lucky for me, I have the Holy Spirit working on my behalf.
The title of this blog is "work in progress" because that's what I am and that's what this blog is. I took it from Phillipians 1:6 in the New Testament. It says, "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on onto completion until the day of Christ Jesus." I love this verse. The first time I heard it, I was sitting in my car dropping my friend Erica off. She told me this verse because it helped her out. I like it because sometimes I get so caught up with trying to do a good job. I try and I try and I just keep messing up. But this verse tells me that I will never be perfect until Christ returns.
After you make the decision to start living for Christ, you start feeling all of this pressure. You look around and hear all of this stuff about how you're supposed to be an example and blah blah. So then you start trying so hard to be good. To love right. To be happy. To look sweet and pretty. It gets exhausting. But then you hit a wall. And you realize that you can't be perfect all of the time. This verse acknowledges that and confirms it. We are not supposed to be perfect. We can't be perfect. But God is perfect. And he is the one who will MAKE us perfect. I like to think about God who began this good work in me. He started it. And it is a good work. He is working in me. All of the time. I can be confident of this. I never have to doubt it for a moment. So even when I fail. Even when I get so sick of trying so hard, I can realize that God is still working in me. I can be confident of this. And he will continue working in me until I am perfect. Until the day when Christ returns. But I will never be perfect before then. I will never be good all of the time.
So there we are. Me trying to follow Christ. Me praying. Me reading the Bible. Me going to church. Me serving. Me loving. Me failing. Me trying again. And in the midst of all of this there is God, on my side, working in me, always forgiving me, always helping me, always reaching out to me, always saving me, always loving me.
Another random thing about me is that I write everything in a stream of consciousness. So there's that. :P
Love.
I am the first follower of this blog and it feels so good. :) Sorry for the delay in getting up to speed.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching a really old movie about these silly rich people in England. They lived in this huge mansion and they had a room for everything from sitting to reading. The wife had a room called the "morning room" where she would write letters to friends and other rich people and take care of duties for the household such as planning the meals for the cook to prepare. Social correspondence was a matter of expectance in the era she lived in. I guess that is why she need a whole room dedicated to it.
The reason I mention all of this is because there was a time when social correspondence was valued and there were public agreed upon expectations for one another. We have sort of lost our bearings in this technological world. People should be able to count on each other to some degree to take the time to respond to one another in a meaningful way. Postal mail used to be the outlet and now we have an overload of options. We can phone call, facebook, instantly text each other, email each other and/or comment on each other’s blogs. All these social options are overwhelming especially considering that the women of today don't have a room dedicated to social decorum and we work outside the home in order to have food to eat.
I have read that when one sets a goal it is important to tell a friend in order for there to be accountability. Dearest friend here is a goal I have made for myself: I will sincerely make an effort to be punctual regarding digital, virtual and real life correspondence to you. I may sometimes fall short and ask your grace when I do but may my falling short be the exception not the norm. Please know that you are cherished by me and that I sincerely value all types of communication with you. :) xox
You are a delight! I can't even express how much you mean to me! I'm so incredibly grateful for deleted phone numbers, prompts from God, and the humility and grace to reconcile past oversights.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Jenny for being in my life! It's so important that even though we feel like we have so many friends with all of our "facebook friends" and saved phone numbers yada yada yada that we still don't feel like we belong anywhere. At least I don't. But with you and our newly reconciled friendship I do. I feel like you can relate to me and me to you and that means SO MUCH TO ME. You have no idea!!
Thank you for your incredible way with words. For your knowledge of history and the present. And especially your empathetic heart!
I can't wait to read more about social media, manners, and the every day going ons in the Cafe of Owls from you my dear!!
I wish I could give you a real hug!