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Category Archives: faith

The longevity of names…

Written on January 14, 2011

I’ve been participating with a group reading the Bible in 90 days (#B90days)… and have been learning so much through it. One thing is that I need to spend more (quality) time to really get reading. That means you know what I’ll be doing tonight, tomorrow and Sunday to catch up. Right now I’m about 4 days behind… but it’s still manageable I think.

Right now I’m working through day 10 and getting myself through Leviticus. So far not so bad – but it definitely takes work… so if you think about doing it in the future be sure to give up something. For me, well… it’s been sleep. That’s the other thing that I’m going to be working on this weekend.

Anyway – back to what I was saying (sorry, got a little off course)…

As I’ve been reading through the journey of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph & Moses over the last 2 weeks, something has occurred to me. Why do some names last through the generations and others don’t?

For the most part, I can find people in my life that are named or have named their children some variation that can be linked to a “major” Biblical character’s name. (Someone in the lineage or significant role in the Bible.) Well… the popular names. Adam, Noah, Peter, Paul, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Joshua, Abram, Timothy… even Moses (if you count Gweneth Paltrow as one of my close personal buddies. Haha!) Really the list can go on and on and on (and I’m only using the male examples here!)

But what about the other major players in the Bible? Or the others that are in the lineage of Jesus?

What happened to the names of Cain and Abel, or Shem, Ham and Japeth? Or how about Jacob & Joseph’s sons Gad, Naphtali, Issachar, Ephraim and Manasseh? Their names (in cultures that I am aware of ) haven’t stood the test of time. Really… can you imagine a little boy being named Naphtali in today’s culture?

I’m not sure why this intrigues me so much… but it does. Why do some names last centuries and others fly like the wind?!

Then there’s the celebrity names that all but make me roll my eyes when I’m standing in line at the grocery store. Gaia, Charlie Tulip, Rain India, Peanut Kai, Zuma Nesta Rock are among them. And all of these are girls names… I coudn’t even start looking at all of the boys names! Ha!

Who knows… but I’m one that hopes this crazy celebrity name trend ends soon.

Not that the name Moses is crazy.

What’s your favorite name?

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faith

I'm just waiting for that message…

Written on October 31, 2010

I’m not sure why I went to church today. I knew what the sermon was going to be about… after all, we’ve been covering the 10 commandments in order. And we’re up to number 7.

You know the one. “You shall not commit adultery.” {Deuteronomy 5:18}

Even though I knew this, I went anyway. I thought… maybe I’ll get something out of this and be able to apply it to my life in the future. {Which I’m still holding on to whatever hope I have left in this.}

But all it did was make me feel horrible. I learned that God doesn’t directly want us to be happy. He wants us to be faithful… and in our faithfulness {and more specifically for the message today, being faithful in marriage} we will find happiness.

I’m sure that there were people there that needed to hear this message. But not me. Not today.

I’m still waiting for a number of things in my life to change — most specifically… for that knight in shining armor – or whatever kind of armor he’s going to show up in. Really, I’m not picky. A couple of my close friends could tell you… I’ll go on a date with just about anyone once. And if you can talk in complete sentences and carry a conversation… well shoot – you’re the pick of the litter these days. {And if you think I’m kidding about that… you should really see some of the matches I was dealt with my recent stint in the eHarmony arena. Not Kidding.}

But what happens when we’re faithful… we go to church and we live our lives in the best possible way – follow the commands and teachings… and yet we find that happiness eludes us time and time again. When it seems like there really is no hope in the dreams that we’ve held on to for so long – not only in marriage and family… but in so many things.

Or maybe I was supposed to hear this today be cause I am not faithful enough? Do I not read the Bible enough? Is it because I don’t go to church every Sunday… or maybe because I need to volunteer more? Am I supposed to do something more… or something differently… so that God will reward my life with some sort of change that will lead to some of the happiness I long for? (I’m really not even asking for all kinds of happiness here!)

I guess I’m waiting on that message in church where God shows me how to keep faith when it looks like there isn’t going to be a change in sight. When it looks like all hope is lost. I’m waiting on the day where God proves that he DOES have a plan for me… and that it might just come true. Or maybe just some writing on the wall.

There are many things that I am content in with my life right now… but that doesn’t mean I’m happy. I’m far from it. I have a few things that I have been praying about to change… because there just has to be something more. Because being alone really just sucks. {Sorry twitter/bloggy friends… but for the most part, you’re not available for the hug that I need some days… or for the listening ear on others.}

I’ll be better tomorrow. I hope.

But right now I have to go pray. Pray that somehow I can keep going… because any hope I had before today for a life of happiness was just lost.

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faith

Peace…

Written on August 23, 2010

When my life becomes a crazy mess of all things pushed together… I fall apart. Literally. Remember what all I said I was going to do a month ago? Well, let’s just say it’s all come together in one bit pile o’ poo. {At least I said it nicely.}

And with that… I fell apart last week.

I tried to hold it together. I tried to make it all work. I tried to be everything to myself – and all of my online friends at the same time.

Because I truly want to meet each and every one of them.

I have been so overwhelmed with things in my life that I forced myself to make a very difficult decision. A decision about something that I’ve been looking forward to. A decision that I know will disappoint some people and will likely start people talking about me behind my back. {I hate to say it, but I’m afraid it’s true.}

But now that this decision has been made, I have this incredible peace about the whole situation. It’s crazy how this feels… because I didn’t realize how anxious I had been before. How worked up I had been about the whole thing.

I think when you work too hard at something – or you believe it’s the right thing to do – you become blind to the fact that it might not be a healthy thing for you. It might be because you don’t want to change. Or maybe because you are looking forward to something with so much anticipation it almost consumes you. But sometimes it’s because you feel like it’s the safe option.

Sometimes you have to go against the flow – and really analyze what you want in life. Or rather, what you need out of life. And that’s what I finally did. I looked at what I wanted… or rather needed in my life, and had to make a decision to change something.

While the decision has been made that I will no longer be attending the Relevant Conference – I am still hoping that the friends that I know going to this amazing conference will keep in touch with me. That they will still love me, even though I won’t be able to meet them

I will likely sell my ticket to the conference –if you are interested in it, please e-mail me (dutchbeingme@gmail.com) and/or if I can sell enough cards (100 sets) I will hold up my commitment that I will sponsor someone to go, learn, grow and be blessed at this conference.

This was one of the hardest blog posts I’ve ever written because I’m afraid of disappointing people. But know that it isn’t due to anyone attending the conference, but rather over-extending myself on commitments that I’ve made… and needing to stop and rest for a bit too.

Blessings.

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Conferences, faith

#B90days: Starting the journey…

Written on July 5, 2010

Today I started reading the Bible in 90 days. I’ll admit it, it’s not as easy as I thought day one was going to be — especially since I had done this (albeit short) part of the journey before. I thought it would be a quick 45 minutes of reading followed by breakfast.

That’s not what it was like at all.

I seemingly struggled through every word, every phrase, simply trying to read. But instead every minute or so, I became distracted with other things… not the things around me, but rather thoughts in my head. Thoughts that were crazy and totally unrelated to the reading… thoughts of who “The Nephililium” were (Gen 6:4) and why I had never heard of them before… thoughts of Nimrod taking over the known world and what that must have been like (Gen 10:8-12)… thoughts of being able to watch birds of prey trying to get the carcasses that Abram had just laid out – and Abram driving them away (Gen 15:11).

I know today is the first of many days ahead that I will be distracted by the things in life. But I am going to be much more diligent in my prayers that God calm my thoughts and allow His word to penetrate deep within me.

Just about a year ago I had started this journey, and made it into Leviticus or Numbers before “throwing in the towel.” I’m going to make it the whole way this time. I’m going to rely on my mentors help and direction… I’m going to check in each week with Amy at Mom’s Toolbox… I will support from friends (like you) that I’ve “met” on twitter or from reading your blogs (and in turn, I will support and pray for each of you!)… and I’m going to pray that God show me himself in new ways. I’m going to try to blog about some of what I’ve learned, either about myself or new things God is showing me within His word… but I can’t promise that they’ll be regular. Although maybe I’ll surprise myself.

I’m off now for the weekly check-in with Amy @ Mom’s Toolbox — once you’ve completed the reading, don’t forget to do that!! And if you are still contemplating the idea of signing up, there’s still time. Go check out this information and prayerfully consider it. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

Even through the struggles that I went through today, I was blessed in remembering stories that I had not read in a year. I was blessed in remembering that God will provide when he makes promises. And I am blessed in knowing that there are 300+ individuals reading the same passages that I am daily… and that are praying for me to continue through this journey as well.

How did the first day go for you? Are you struggling already like me?

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B90days, faith