Getting to Green and Getting to God?
This year the “going green” push is big on college campuses and the theme has caught a lot of attention with corporations who are really making this a push in their advertising and marketing efforts. Four years ago, this topic of green was just starting to emerge, but it was still on the outside fringe of popularity. Today, “going green” has hit our society in a huge way. The Oscars went green, the Superbowl went green, major league baseball is going green, TV, tourism, hotels, Microsoft, Dell, Walmart, restaurants, airlines, clothing, grocery stores, major retailers, construction companies and yes even coffins. (http://www.environmentalcaskets.com)
As I pondered this idea of “going green”, I started getting a bit annoyed at the magnitude of the whole thing. Don’t get me wrong, I think these things are great ideas and certainly we as responsible human beings need to be doing them to preserve our environment. What I am annoyed about is the passion, attention and public space this is getting. Just think about it, we have given more of our time, talent and treasure (dollars) to preserve the environment then to things with eternal value. What I am struggling with is the thought of how one movement gets such attention and popularity while other movements get no attention or resources at all.
Finding Contentment in the past, present and future
How do you find contentment in the past, present and future? God has really been working on me when it comes to being content. I have the type of personality that is always looking a driving for a goal and something greater. That in itself is not all bad, however it can be bad if you are pursuing these characteristics and leaving God out of the equation. For me, the way God is working on me to find contentment with Him is through two means. The first is He is telling me not to look ahead. I don’t mean you can’t plan and consider what is coming in the future. But what God is saying to me is…”Don’t be so obsessed with where you want to be that you miss what I have for you right now.”
When you are driving, setting goals and always trying to get to the next level, you can be so obsessed with those goals that you miss the opportunity and the preparation that is necessary to get you to that next level. Step one for me is to be content and slow down, look around at my current circumstances and see what God is doing and teaching me right NOW. God may allow me to succeed when He has refined me to the point where I do not need to succeed to be happy. I can tell you that the refining process is the tough part. God also has shown me that even if He did move me to the next step that I would eventually grow discontent there as well. So, the “a-ha” moment is that my contentment is not in my situation or circumstances, but with Him and in me.
Support versus Stability, do you have both?
2 Chronicles 27:6
Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the LORD his God.
Support is defines as: supporting structure that holds up or provides a foundation, subscribe: adopt as a belief
Stability is defined as: the quality or attribute of being firm and steadfast, constancy: the quality of being enduring and free from change or variation
It has been a beautiful spring here in Virginia this year. The weather has been warmer than usual, which has allowed for many spring projects. This past winter Virginia was hit with three huge snow storms that left anywhere from 9-18” each time. That usually doesn’t happen, so considering the long cold winter I had an usually high desire to get out this spring and do some projects.
My list of projects included, building a chicken coop, chicken pen, garden, garden fencing to keep the deer out, add an extension to our screened in porch, take down some trees in the front yard, set up the kids pool and build a deck for the pool.
Are You Being Passive Aggressive with God?
Look I am not a great writer, and this blog is just some random thoughts God has been sharing with me. So bare with my inadequate writing and just look for the meaning of the message I am trying to convey. For those of you have been following my blogs over the last 2 years, you may have noticed a slight change in the makeup of my entries. Two years ago most of the entries were about what God was doing in me and the way He was refining me. Over the last two years those have faded to the occasional post, to more post about “non-God” related topics.
I have been struggling through a pretty dry season in my relationship with God over the two year period. I am sure most of that is my fault, but I do believe that God does allow for periods like this. Not that He is not there, but the nature of how He may reveal Himself may be different.
What I believe God has shown me lately is that during this time I have been being passive-aggressive with Him. Passive aggressive is defined as below:
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