Gotta love the FLOTUS

One night President Obama and his wife Michelle decided to do something out of routine and go for a casual dinner at a restaurant that wasn’t too luxurious. When they were seated, the owner of the restaurant asked the president’s secret service if he could please speak to the First Lady in private. They obliged and Michelle had a conversation with the owner. Following this conversation President Obama asked Michelle, “Why was he so interested in talking to you.” She mentioned that in her teenage years, he had been madly in love with her. President Obama then said, “So if you had married him, you would now be the owner of this lovely restaurant,” to which Michelle responded, “No. If I had married him, he would now be the President.”

goal

i want to learn how to knit so i can make scarves for friends and family...and this for my future baby....

we underestimate our propensity to sin and overestimate our ability to resist temptation.

10 years ago

wanting the constant approval of people

“In an ego-centered culture, wants become needs, the self replaces the soul, and human life degenerates into the clamor of competing autobiographies." Cornelius Plantinga

this quote strikes me so much because i feel like in our society--in my generation--we're always trying to one-up somebody. you had to be busier than all of your busy friends...whatever you did for the holidays or the weekend has to be cool and unique. and what would be so great about all the labels and brand named items if no one cared to notice?

when i go on facebook...i see this magnified. sometimes i see it in statuses, wall posts, pictures, etc. i am probably guilty as well in both sides where i might subtly asked to be recognized or i might praise somebody for what they decided to showcase. facebook is a constant need for approval. and i see this even more so with some of the cmu people ever since the "like" function came to be. it blows trivial things to disproportionate significance. you had to be the first one to mention that you saw that cool movie at midnight. you have to show who you're drinking with on a saturday night. you have to show what expensive gift your boyfriend got you for your 4 month anniversary. i am not targeting any one person but i am just tired of thinking "oh i wasn't part of that, why wasn't i?" or "i can never look like that". facebook, i guess could edify and spiritually encourage people in certain cases, but for the most part, there's not much glory going to God through facebook. and i am contemplating deactivating my facebook again..

i am one of the biggest people-pleasers--a euphemism for a pushover. i rarely state my opinion and simply agree with what somebody else has to say. therefore, i find myself struggling with finding out why i care so much about pleasing people. am i doing this to follow the example of Christ? or do i have some unrighteous motivation to appear righteous? how do i get to the root of this? i guess i haven't figured out who i am yet since i have no idea why i do what i do. ha! oh this is silly. it is cause i have ADD and can never sit down and just meditate and think about things, like i used to.

my mind is all flustered and i have so much to say but again my ADD has hindered me from being an efficient writer. POINT IS: if the desire to be accepted by people is greater than the desire to please God, it is sinful. don't let what other people think control what you can do for the kingdom. Jesus said "my God my God, why have you forsaken me"....Jesus, the son of God, embodied all our sins on the cross and endured the disapproval of God so that we could have the eternal approval of God we don't deserve.

Date a Girl Who Loves Jesus

By Ashley MacKenzie

(A response to “Date a Girl Who Reads” and other parodies.)

Date a girl who loves Jesus. Date a girl who would rather stay at home reading Scripture on a Friday night than be out partying with a group of friends. She has issues with space because her shelves are overflowing with the works of Lewis, Edwards, Spurgeon, Piper and more. Date a girl who spends her money on others instead of clothes and other frivolous things.  

Find a girl who’s passionate about the Gospel. You’ll know that she is because she will always have her Bible in her bag and she’s always read to help others. She’s the one lovingly giving up her spare time to spend it with those in need, the one who lets out a silent but compassion-filled cry for the state of the world and all of His people.You see that girl sitting and talking by herself, looking sort of out-of-place, and admiring her surroundings? That’s her. She can’t resist taking time out of her day to talk to God and thank Him for His blessings.

And boy, is she ever thankful.

She’s the one who’s got that look on her face when she’s in worship, that look that shows you can tell where her focus is in that moment. Eyes closed and hands raised, or perhaps she is sitting in stillness and silence. Either way, you can see a light in her that isn’t like anything you’ve ever seen. She’s the one who isn’t afraid to fall to her knees or dance in the joy of the LORD.

She’s in it, she’s in love with Love Himself.

This girl has some serious self-respect; she doesn’t parade around announcing her flaws in hopes of reassurance or compliments. She knows that she was created in His image and no matter what society says; she is beautiful. She doesn’t need anyone to remind her. She knows how intricately created she is, placing her self-worth in Christ and Christ alone.

A girl who loves the LORD isn’t going to be caught up in pointless things. She doesn’t flip through the channels of the TV searching for the latest soap opera. She doesn’t mindlessly watch trashy movies, lusting over the lead actor. She isn’t flipping through the pages of a unrealistic romance novel, hoping and wishing that it comes to life. She’s studying and learning. She’s thinking and engaging with the world around her. She’s reading His Word and applying it to her life and how she interacts with others. This girl isn’t wasting her God-given gifts on the world and it’s pleasures, she’s using them toward the advancement of His Kingdom, all for the Glory of the LORD.

If you end up dating her, consider yourself blessed because you know God gave her to you. The LORD has selected her especially for you and prepared the both of you for each other. She’s not the kind of girl who pines for the next guy to come into her life. No, she is patient. She waits upon the LORD and His timing. She does not complain or become anxious, for she knows that Christ is her focus above all things

Pray for her. Pray with her.

This is one of the greatest gifts you can offer her. Read the Bible with her. Tell her about the things God is doing in your life. She cares, and she loves to hear them. Teach her with the wisdom of Solomon, lead her like Moses with a faith like Abraham. She will search you to see if you have David’s heart for God. But most of all, you must love her with the Love of Christ Himself because a girl who loves Jesus is very special. She is bold like Esther, hospitable like Lydia, submissive like Mary and she consistently thrives to align her life with the very words found in Proverbs 31. Scripture is her daily bread, and she grows off of God’s consistent grace and compassion.

Date a girl who loves Jesus more than she will ever love you. Date a girl who acknowledges her God-given mission in life and the priority it has over all things. Know that God has placed you by her side for a reason; you’re in this together and God has plans for the both of you. You’re in good hands as long as you stay within the center of God’s will. This girl will keep you on the Holy path, and trusts you will be honest with you when you are struggling…because she always will. Date a girl who loves Jesus because He loves you, and He just wants the best for you.

Or better yet, marry a girl who loves Jesus.