God's chisel

12/19/13

God: When you look in the mirror who do you see?

Man: I see me.

God: Okay. Then I need to keep chiseling away, because ultimately you and others need to see me. Here we go.

-Skit guys (God's chisel)

As a culture, we are constantly told that we need to be ourselves.  "Be yourself! God created you the way you are!"  (Even from those who claim not to believe in a God. Go figure!)  While this is not a bad thing, I have been contemplating this and have decided to completely disagree.  Yes, God created us, and He DOES NOT create junk.  (You are beautiful!!)  When He created us, He created something beautiful.  When He created you, He lovingly knit you together in your mother's womb.  He tenderly breathed life into your body, and then He placed you here on earth.  Male or female. Genesis 1:27: So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.  You have a purpose.   He created you to LOVE Him.  All life has meaning.  Especially yours.  There are SO many people out there that are insecure; me included.  I understand.  I understand what it's like not to want to look in the mirror, or to be self conscious of the way you look, or talk, or your personality.  It's a tough road!  When I look in the mirror, I notice the flaws.  Or what I consider flaws.  My skin is marred, my eyes are too small, I'm fat or too skinny, I'm too short or I am too tall.  When I look in the mirror, I don't notice the fact that I am created AFTER God.  I AM in HIS image.  Ephesians 2:10: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  WHOA!   Back up here!  There is more to us than physical beauty?  YES.  Yes, there is.   Beyond the physical beauty that we put so much stock in, there is an inner beauty, or lack of.   You know what?  I want God to chisel away at all of my flaws.  I want Him to CONSTANTLY be working on me so that when I do look in the mirror of my life, I don't see ME in there anymore.  I don't want to see the selfish, fleshly Sarah in it.  I should no longer see myself, I should see God. When I'm dead and gone, I don't want to be remembered as a "loving mother or wife" or a "good, kind and generous person."   I want to be remembered as someone that God was evidently working through.   So the next time I am told to be myself, or I look in the mirror; I am going to remind myself that I don't want to be myself.  I wan't to be an evident image of God.

"See, long ago he picked up his eternal paint brush, dipped in his glory, placed you in his story and said, they will live for me. And, and, I know it sounds outlandish, but we are not the product of random chances. In fact we are not even the vine; we are actually the branches, in the same way. No, we are not the artist, we are actually the canvas." -Jefferson Bethke 

(Hello to everyone back in the states!) 

My daddy

12/10/13

I sat there looking at pictures today of the past 14 years.  From the time my dad became my dad, up until now.
I have never thanked him the way I should have.  Ever.  SHAME ON ME.
He took me in and treated me as his own.  He didn't have too, but he did.  He became my daddy, my role model, my night in shining armor, and my protector.  Yes, we have our rough days, our disagreements and fights, and we both happen to be stubborn and tend to butt heads.  But in the end he's still my daddy.
I  NEVER realized how much he did.  I always looked at what he didn't do, where he fell short, and when he wasn't there for me.
When I was there (in Idaho with him) I didn't take into account the times he carried us on his shoulders.

The days that he held us and cared for us while we were sick. 

The fact that he took time out of his day to teach me to shoot a gun.

The time he spent cooking with us when cooking is supposed to be mom's forte.

All of the road trips,

fishing,

playing in the snow,

camping, 

and hiking.

He's always playing with us, 

                                      

wrestling, 

and always has time to read with us. 

He is CONSTANTLY teasing us and joking around.

My dad has always jumped in when I am stressed; he's spent hours pinning quilts with me way past bed time even though he had to work the next day.  He jumps in when I am in tears because a cake is falling apart.  He comes to my rescue when he see's how overwhelmed I am with cooking. 

He's dyed my hair for me,

and ridden horses with me despite the pain, simply because he knows how much I love it.

He's let us do crazy things to him, and is willing to try new things he knows we will love.

He's taught me how to drive and change tires, 

he's taught us to mow, 

and drive ATV's and dirt bikes.

He's fed us, 

 coached us,

 loved us,

he's adopted numerous other kids into our family and loved them as his own. 

He's cried when we cried, and laughed when we laughed; he's rejoiced in our accomplishments and encouraged us when we were down.

He's done so MANY more things that I can't even began to list.  He's danced in the rain with me and taught me to play ball and to work hard, to serve others with a willing attitude and live out my faith.  He's showed me how to love others and how to remedy past mistakes.  He has always stood behind us and supported us.  He is one INCREDIBLE father and and amazing man of God.  If I get married someday, I sure hope my husband is even half of what my dad was and is to me and my siblings.

I love you daddy! Thank you so much for inspiring me and those around you. 

Laundry day

12/9/13

Saturday I got my first taste of hand washing clothes.  Woohoo! 

Joseph and Pacit 

The actual washing machine is the white thing to the right, ...

But the rinsing must be done by hand. 

Ugh I never knew this was so hard! 

Lil brothers showing off their muscle ;)

Whew that's a lot of laundry! 

It is so easy to use clothing when you know that you can just throw your dirty clothes in the washer.  It changes your perspective when you have to do all of that work with your own hands.  You began to use your clothing a lot more conservatively when you see a women spending an entire day scrubbing away at your clothes.  Your actions affect others.  When you know your actions affect others in such a way, use a little less and do a little more.  Use less clothing to lighten their load a little, pick up your trash on the table when you go out to eat so its easier for the waiter.  Just make sure that you are thinking about those around you and not only your own comforts.  Because trust me!  Washing tons of laundry begins to hurt your hands!