I recently realized that if I am going to have any hopes of blogging regularly, I will need a schedule. Because I forget. Or get busy (which has been the case the past few weeks!). So here is my plan! I'm going to attempt to blog a minimum of three times a week, with at least one "song or quote" blog. I'm really excited because I'm started keeping a journal, so a lot of my posts will probably be from the journal entries I've written. I have a lot of new ideas too, so that will be great fun. Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful week. Church this morning and this evening was very challenging but also uplifting. I absolutely love my church. I miss the kids that went on mission trip though. REALLY wish I coulda snuck on the bus and gotten away with it. Oh well, they're going to do awesome work and I can't wait to hear all about it! Have a great week!
Be salt and light!
~Hannah~
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Don't Become a 'Just' Guy (or GIrl)
Molly: I knew it. As soon as I saw that suit.
Henry: Knew what?
Molly: You're a 'just' guy.
Henry: What's a 'just' guy?
Molly: A guy just like you. Same hair, same suit, same shoes, walks around, no matter what, you think it's all just a store, it's just a bench, it's just a tree. It's just what it is, nothing more!
Henry: Alright but this... is just a store.
Molly: I'm sure to you it is.
If you've read my blog post entitled "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium", then you've read this quote before. This concept has really been on my mind lately. One of my life ambitions is to always live with passion and do everything that I do with passion. Very often though, my mind turns to the "just" mentality. "Well, this is 'just' math class.", "This is 'just' a project for my boss.", etc. I think becoming a "just" person can be very dangerous. If we begin thinking in the "just" mentality about the little things, then how long will it be before we start thinking of bigger things in the "just" sense? "Well, I really should finish up this project at work. It's 'just' my kid's 5th grade recital, there will be another one soon". "I know my husband (or wife) asked me to do (insert request here) but I'm so tired from work. It's 'just' this one time I'll say no. Next time I'll help out!" Soon enough though, the next time never comes. There are no more opportunities. The "just" trap can be dangerous and come quickly, if we let it.
What if, however, we let ourselves get out of the "just" box? What if we looked at that tree (to use the example from Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium) as not "just" a tree, but as one of God's wonderful creations? Or as the request from our husband or wife, mother, father, etc as not a burden, but as an opportunity to serve that person that we love and show them that we love them? Once we get out of the "just" mind frame, a new world is opened to us. It opens us up to new opportunities, and I truly believe we become happier because we see the world through new eyes.
My challenge to you today is probably fairly obvious. Do not let yourself become a "just" person. Look at everything in life as a wonderful opportunity to better yourself and others and try to look deeper than just surface level.
Be salt and light!!!
~Hannah~
Henry: Knew what?
Molly: You're a 'just' guy.
Henry: What's a 'just' guy?
Molly: A guy just like you. Same hair, same suit, same shoes, walks around, no matter what, you think it's all just a store, it's just a bench, it's just a tree. It's just what it is, nothing more!
Henry: Alright but this... is just a store.
Molly: I'm sure to you it is.
If you've read my blog post entitled "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium", then you've read this quote before. This concept has really been on my mind lately. One of my life ambitions is to always live with passion and do everything that I do with passion. Very often though, my mind turns to the "just" mentality. "Well, this is 'just' math class.", "This is 'just' a project for my boss.", etc. I think becoming a "just" person can be very dangerous. If we begin thinking in the "just" mentality about the little things, then how long will it be before we start thinking of bigger things in the "just" sense? "Well, I really should finish up this project at work. It's 'just' my kid's 5th grade recital, there will be another one soon". "I know my husband (or wife) asked me to do (insert request here) but I'm so tired from work. It's 'just' this one time I'll say no. Next time I'll help out!" Soon enough though, the next time never comes. There are no more opportunities. The "just" trap can be dangerous and come quickly, if we let it.
What if, however, we let ourselves get out of the "just" box? What if we looked at that tree (to use the example from Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium) as not "just" a tree, but as one of God's wonderful creations? Or as the request from our husband or wife, mother, father, etc as not a burden, but as an opportunity to serve that person that we love and show them that we love them? Once we get out of the "just" mind frame, a new world is opened to us. It opens us up to new opportunities, and I truly believe we become happier because we see the world through new eyes.
My challenge to you today is probably fairly obvious. Do not let yourself become a "just" person. Look at everything in life as a wonderful opportunity to better yourself and others and try to look deeper than just surface level.
Be salt and light!!!
~Hannah~
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
The Church- Made of Love, Not Stones
One thing a lot of you may not know about me is that I am a quote junky. I LOVE looking through quotes and I get excited when I find one particularly insightful. Nerdy, perhaps. But hey- it could be worse. All that to say, tonight I was looking through quotes and ran across one I particularly liked.
"While God waits for His temple to be built of love, men bring stones."
It took me several minutes of just sitting here thinking about it before I really grasped what it was saying. When I got it though, I absolutely loved it. This quote is so true. I am probably a broken record when it comes to this topic, but I will continue to say this as often as I can, because I think it is so important. We are the church. Not the building, the stones and brick and mortar. Us. The church is just a place. Now don't misunderstand me. The place where the church goes on Sunday and Wednesdays and whenever else is so important because it gives a place for members of Christ's body to meet together and encourage each other and learn from each other. But if that's ALL we do, sit in a church building and listen and sing a few songs- what good is that? The Bible tells us that faith without deeds is useless. I am as guilty at this as the next person. But how many of us pray for God to change the world through us or pray for God to bless this person or that person, and then go on our way and think to ourselves that now God is going to take care of it so it's out of our hands and that we've done our job? In this case, it is NOT the thought that counts. It is OUR responsibility to help people, to be Christ's hands and feet. What if, instead of just praying that Susan starts making better choices, we befriend her and SHOW her just what the love of Christ can do in a person? Or instead of just saying that we hope that the Allan family's situation gets better, we rallied the church to buy them groceries or provide free babysitting for their children so that the parents can work extra hours? Granted, these are random for instance-es. But you get my point. There is something we can do to help people, and we should. If the church was what it should be, a body of believers determined to be the light of Christ in this world and show people with our actions how Christ has changed them...how could people argue with us? Instead of Christians going out to convert people, people would be coming to the church because they WANTED to be there. There would be something so attractive, something so wonderful, that they couldn't help but want to be a part of it.
One last thing that's on my mind about this- I think something we can all do better at is looking with the eyes of Jesus. If we saw every person as a broken person who desperately needs the love and healing power of God, then it would help us as well. We would gossip less, because we would be concerned for that person instead of wanting to belittle them. We would get angry less, because we would realize we ALL fall short. And the list goes on.
Going back to the quote, we need to focus less on the building itself and more on the people IN the building. My challenge to you for this week is simply...do something. Praying is good and useful and you can never underestimate the power of prayer. But don't stop there. Do something for someone. And then...do something else.
Be salt and light!!!
~Hannah~
"While God waits for His temple to be built of love, men bring stones."
It took me several minutes of just sitting here thinking about it before I really grasped what it was saying. When I got it though, I absolutely loved it. This quote is so true. I am probably a broken record when it comes to this topic, but I will continue to say this as often as I can, because I think it is so important. We are the church. Not the building, the stones and brick and mortar. Us. The church is just a place. Now don't misunderstand me. The place where the church goes on Sunday and Wednesdays and whenever else is so important because it gives a place for members of Christ's body to meet together and encourage each other and learn from each other. But if that's ALL we do, sit in a church building and listen and sing a few songs- what good is that? The Bible tells us that faith without deeds is useless. I am as guilty at this as the next person. But how many of us pray for God to change the world through us or pray for God to bless this person or that person, and then go on our way and think to ourselves that now God is going to take care of it so it's out of our hands and that we've done our job? In this case, it is NOT the thought that counts. It is OUR responsibility to help people, to be Christ's hands and feet. What if, instead of just praying that Susan starts making better choices, we befriend her and SHOW her just what the love of Christ can do in a person? Or instead of just saying that we hope that the Allan family's situation gets better, we rallied the church to buy them groceries or provide free babysitting for their children so that the parents can work extra hours? Granted, these are random for instance-es. But you get my point. There is something we can do to help people, and we should. If the church was what it should be, a body of believers determined to be the light of Christ in this world and show people with our actions how Christ has changed them...how could people argue with us? Instead of Christians going out to convert people, people would be coming to the church because they WANTED to be there. There would be something so attractive, something so wonderful, that they couldn't help but want to be a part of it.
One last thing that's on my mind about this- I think something we can all do better at is looking with the eyes of Jesus. If we saw every person as a broken person who desperately needs the love and healing power of God, then it would help us as well. We would gossip less, because we would be concerned for that person instead of wanting to belittle them. We would get angry less, because we would realize we ALL fall short. And the list goes on.
Going back to the quote, we need to focus less on the building itself and more on the people IN the building. My challenge to you for this week is simply...do something. Praying is good and useful and you can never underestimate the power of prayer. But don't stop there. Do something for someone. And then...do something else.
Be salt and light!!!
~Hannah~
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Lessons Learned from Movies
This summer when I am going to be able to have scheduled time to blog, I'm going to have different categories. One I'm implementing now is "Lessons that I learned from movies".
This is a goofy movie to say the least, but the other day I watched "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure". It's one of those "have to see it to get the quotes" movies, but it was very funny. I'll let you watch it on your own sometime (it's on youtube, alright!) but two teenagers get involved in time travel. At one point in the movie, they get asked for a piece of advice. Their advice? "Be excellent to each other".
As random as this may be, this is my challenge for you. Be excellent to each other. Be kind, be patient, be humble, be forgiving, be a friend, be a mentor...whatever the other person needs- be that for them. Simply... be excellent.
That's my insight for the week. Nothing deep, just something I was thinking about recently. Have a great weekend!
Be salt and light!
~Hannah~
This is a goofy movie to say the least, but the other day I watched "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure". It's one of those "have to see it to get the quotes" movies, but it was very funny. I'll let you watch it on your own sometime (it's on youtube, alright!) but two teenagers get involved in time travel. At one point in the movie, they get asked for a piece of advice. Their advice? "Be excellent to each other".
As random as this may be, this is my challenge for you. Be excellent to each other. Be kind, be patient, be humble, be forgiving, be a friend, be a mentor...whatever the other person needs- be that for them. Simply... be excellent.
That's my insight for the week. Nothing deep, just something I was thinking about recently. Have a great weekend!
Be salt and light!
~Hannah~
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Who is YOUR Lazarus?
Most of us have probably heard the story a dozen times. There was a rich man, who had everything on this earth he could want. By the worlds standards, he was well off. And then there was poor Lazarus. Sick and homeless, he sat outside of the rich man's house day after day, begging for just the scraps left over from the rich man's table. One thing I think is important to note is that Lazarus has a name, while the rich man is only referred to as "the rich man". While Lazarus was nothing by this world's standards, by God's standards he was so much. And when they both die, angels came and carried Lazarus to Abraham's side. Think about this for a moment. The rich man probably had a grand funeral, with people weeping throughout the city. Lazarus was probably just tossed somewhere, and no one gave it a second thought. Yet at death, everything is switched! The world's standards will mean nothing when we come to meet our Maker. So Lazarus is taken to Abraham, and the rich man is thrown into Hades. There is more to the story, and I would encourage you to read it in Luke, because it is a thought-provoking story about Heaven and Hell and the divine reversal that comes for believers.
I want to maybe look at it from a slightly different perspective, though.
What is interesting to note is that the rich man is NOT condemned for being rich. Hear me out. He's not condemned for being rich, he is condemned for hoarding those riches. He had to walk over Lazarus day after day, ignoring him, to get into his house. He had the means and the opportunity to help him out. Yet he does nothing. When the rich man asks (rather, tells) Abraham to send Lazarus to just put a drop of water on his tongue, Abraham tells him that in his life, he had comfort and Lazarus suffered. Abraham's point is not that the rich man had wealth, it is that he did not share it.
In other stories about rich men or parables that Jesus tells concerning the wealthy, it is never the wealth condemned specifically. It is what is done (or rather, what is not done) with the wealth. It is when wealth becomes what is most important, when you put money-making over serving others or your family or the church, that it becomes bad.
Something I was greatly challenged with today is this fact- we are rich. The disciples seemed to know this. When the rich young ruler asks Jesus what he must do, and Jesus tells him to go sell everything he has and to follow him, Jesus follows up with the phrase, "I tell you the truth! It is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle". But have you ever paid attention to the disciples follow-up question?
"Who then can be saved?"
The disciples seemed to get it. We are all rich. Some of us may have less than others, but we are all so, so rich. Not just in material blessings. We have friends, family, a church family, education... Now I also believe that almost all of us are materially rich too. You may be shaking your head and thinking of someone more well off than you. But hey, you're on a computer reading this, right? And how many pairs of shoes do you have in your closet? Do you have more than one set of clothing in your closet? Food on the table every night? A tv? Automatic dishwashing (what a wonderful invention!)? Now, this is why I previously stated that having this stuff is NOT bad. I am NOT telling you to go sell everything you have and live on the streets. But a challenge that God gave me today that I want to pass on to you is this- What are you doing with your wealth?
Who is the person you pass day after day and do nothing to help? Is it the person sitting by themselves at lunch? What about the co-worker who everyone avoids because they are a little off? Or the kid at school that gets picked on for being different? Or what about the person at church who may act differently or have different beliefs, and therefore is usually sitting by themselves? Do not fool yourself, do not let Satan fool yourself, into thinking that there isn't SOMEONE'S life who you could greatly bless. THIS IS A LIE. If you honestly can not think of a single person who's life you could improve, then I would say open your eyes. People are hurting. It is our duty, our commission, our divine command, to help these people.
Who is your Lazarus?
Be salt and light!
~Hannah~
I want to maybe look at it from a slightly different perspective, though.
What is interesting to note is that the rich man is NOT condemned for being rich. Hear me out. He's not condemned for being rich, he is condemned for hoarding those riches. He had to walk over Lazarus day after day, ignoring him, to get into his house. He had the means and the opportunity to help him out. Yet he does nothing. When the rich man asks (rather, tells) Abraham to send Lazarus to just put a drop of water on his tongue, Abraham tells him that in his life, he had comfort and Lazarus suffered. Abraham's point is not that the rich man had wealth, it is that he did not share it.
In other stories about rich men or parables that Jesus tells concerning the wealthy, it is never the wealth condemned specifically. It is what is done (or rather, what is not done) with the wealth. It is when wealth becomes what is most important, when you put money-making over serving others or your family or the church, that it becomes bad.
Something I was greatly challenged with today is this fact- we are rich. The disciples seemed to know this. When the rich young ruler asks Jesus what he must do, and Jesus tells him to go sell everything he has and to follow him, Jesus follows up with the phrase, "I tell you the truth! It is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle". But have you ever paid attention to the disciples follow-up question?
"Who then can be saved?"
The disciples seemed to get it. We are all rich. Some of us may have less than others, but we are all so, so rich. Not just in material blessings. We have friends, family, a church family, education... Now I also believe that almost all of us are materially rich too. You may be shaking your head and thinking of someone more well off than you. But hey, you're on a computer reading this, right? And how many pairs of shoes do you have in your closet? Do you have more than one set of clothing in your closet? Food on the table every night? A tv? Automatic dishwashing (what a wonderful invention!)? Now, this is why I previously stated that having this stuff is NOT bad. I am NOT telling you to go sell everything you have and live on the streets. But a challenge that God gave me today that I want to pass on to you is this- What are you doing with your wealth?
Who is the person you pass day after day and do nothing to help? Is it the person sitting by themselves at lunch? What about the co-worker who everyone avoids because they are a little off? Or the kid at school that gets picked on for being different? Or what about the person at church who may act differently or have different beliefs, and therefore is usually sitting by themselves? Do not fool yourself, do not let Satan fool yourself, into thinking that there isn't SOMEONE'S life who you could greatly bless. THIS IS A LIE. If you honestly can not think of a single person who's life you could improve, then I would say open your eyes. People are hurting. It is our duty, our commission, our divine command, to help these people.
Who is your Lazarus?
Be salt and light!
~Hannah~
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
God is Amazing
Well. Isn't that title the understatement of the century? Today I was challenged to just stop. To stop and take a deep breath and consider life and everything that is in it.
God's ways are mysterious and awesome.
Consider this. God could have made us to where we didn't have to eat. He could have just zapped us with nutrients. He could have also just as easily not invented taste. Everything could have tasted like..well nothing. But we can taste things that are sweet, sour, spicy, or other things like that. Now, this may be just me (I know it's not, but we can say that) but I love food. I genuinely enjoy eating food. I like the different tastes and my day is always made when I get to eat one of my favorite foods. And it's not only that. My family and I have had so many wonderful conversations over the dinner table. If we didn't HAVE to eat, I don't think that we would get to do that as often. I mean sure, we would sit down every now and then and talk. But because we HAVE to eat, we get to sit down almost everyday, together, and enjoy each other's company.
Consider laughter as well. We don't need it. There's no practical use for it, no medical reason that I'm aware of. And yet, laughter relieves stress and can ease tension in a stressful situation. I was joking with one of my friends the other day that I can't stay mad at people because I am one of those people that laugh at ANYTHING. (Well, almost) And so I was telling him that if I am angry, all they have to do is make me laugh and my anger fizzles away to nothing. Laughter brings people together...it is a bond, so to speak, between people. Laughter is a wonderful thing.
There are so many other things. Rain for one. God could have just made the ground magically water itself, but he created this wonderful and refreshing thing called rain that shows His power and might, while at the same time showing His beauty and creativity.
Do you know what the Fibonacci sequence is? You start with one. And since there is nothing to add it to, you just add it to zero.
1, 1
Next, you add the last two together (one and one is...two!! whoah)
1, 1, 2
Add the next two...
1, 1, 2, 3,
Then again,
1, 1, 2, 3, 5
And so on.
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233....
That is the fibonacci sequence. I know what you're thinking...why the random math lesson?
But the fibonacci sequence is found all throughout nature. It is in the number of leaves on a plant. A shell has a fibonacci sequence. A sunflower. A pine cone. A pineapple. All of these random objects in nature, have this seemingly random pattern. How cool is God? He didn't have to do it, but it's something that makes you stop and think "Is there any way I could POSSIBLY believe that this, ALL of this, happened by chance? By randomness?"
The human body is so complex. The different organs and systems, all working together so that we can live. But we don't just live. God has blessed us so that we can FEEL. We can love. We have emotions, we form bonds with people. How great is that?
Stars. I don't think there's any real need for stars. They don't determine anything in our life. They're just there. But. How cool is it that they're there? That God saw it fit to put something so beautiful there, just for the admiration and happiness of men when they look upon them?
I realize I've barely scratched the surface of this topic. But I just wanted to challenge you, like I was challenged. To stop. Look around you. Hear laughter, and rejoice in it. Feel love for someone, and rejoice in it. If it's raining, look at it, go walk in it, dance in it..I don't care what you do other than rejoice in it. So many times we ignore some of the most obvious, and at the same time often the most hidden, blessings in our life. When you're sitting at the table with your family or friends...rejoice. Enjoy each other.
This week, rejoice in the things we often miss.
Be salt and light!!
~Hannah~
oh ps, be looking for blog posts more frequently now. I'm getting back in the swing of writing everyday, sorry for the break!
God's ways are mysterious and awesome.
Consider this. God could have made us to where we didn't have to eat. He could have just zapped us with nutrients. He could have also just as easily not invented taste. Everything could have tasted like..well nothing. But we can taste things that are sweet, sour, spicy, or other things like that. Now, this may be just me (I know it's not, but we can say that) but I love food. I genuinely enjoy eating food. I like the different tastes and my day is always made when I get to eat one of my favorite foods. And it's not only that. My family and I have had so many wonderful conversations over the dinner table. If we didn't HAVE to eat, I don't think that we would get to do that as often. I mean sure, we would sit down every now and then and talk. But because we HAVE to eat, we get to sit down almost everyday, together, and enjoy each other's company.
Consider laughter as well. We don't need it. There's no practical use for it, no medical reason that I'm aware of. And yet, laughter relieves stress and can ease tension in a stressful situation. I was joking with one of my friends the other day that I can't stay mad at people because I am one of those people that laugh at ANYTHING. (Well, almost) And so I was telling him that if I am angry, all they have to do is make me laugh and my anger fizzles away to nothing. Laughter brings people together...it is a bond, so to speak, between people. Laughter is a wonderful thing.
There are so many other things. Rain for one. God could have just made the ground magically water itself, but he created this wonderful and refreshing thing called rain that shows His power and might, while at the same time showing His beauty and creativity.
Do you know what the Fibonacci sequence is? You start with one. And since there is nothing to add it to, you just add it to zero.
1, 1
Next, you add the last two together (one and one is...two!! whoah)
1, 1, 2
Add the next two...
1, 1, 2, 3,
Then again,
1, 1, 2, 3, 5
And so on.
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233....
That is the fibonacci sequence. I know what you're thinking...why the random math lesson?
But the fibonacci sequence is found all throughout nature. It is in the number of leaves on a plant. A shell has a fibonacci sequence. A sunflower. A pine cone. A pineapple. All of these random objects in nature, have this seemingly random pattern. How cool is God? He didn't have to do it, but it's something that makes you stop and think "Is there any way I could POSSIBLY believe that this, ALL of this, happened by chance? By randomness?"
The human body is so complex. The different organs and systems, all working together so that we can live. But we don't just live. God has blessed us so that we can FEEL. We can love. We have emotions, we form bonds with people. How great is that?
Stars. I don't think there's any real need for stars. They don't determine anything in our life. They're just there. But. How cool is it that they're there? That God saw it fit to put something so beautiful there, just for the admiration and happiness of men when they look upon them?
I realize I've barely scratched the surface of this topic. But I just wanted to challenge you, like I was challenged. To stop. Look around you. Hear laughter, and rejoice in it. Feel love for someone, and rejoice in it. If it's raining, look at it, go walk in it, dance in it..I don't care what you do other than rejoice in it. So many times we ignore some of the most obvious, and at the same time often the most hidden, blessings in our life. When you're sitting at the table with your family or friends...rejoice. Enjoy each other.
This week, rejoice in the things we often miss.
Be salt and light!!
~Hannah~
oh ps, be looking for blog posts more frequently now. I'm getting back in the swing of writing everyday, sorry for the break!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
HOME
Hello fellow bloggers. I realize it's been awhile...and again I apologize. Once summer hits, I promise I will be able to keep up more regularly. School's been GREAT, making some awesome new friends. SPEAKING of summer.... I found out the other day that I'm going to San Diego for vacation with my family this summer! Ahh! Excitement. San Diego is defnitely one of my favorite places in this world, so I can not wait. If you are planning on going to San Diego, here is a really great place to look for more information.
Click Here!
Hope everyone's life is going splendidly. Encourage someone this week, and be salt and light!
~Hannah~
Click Here!
Hope everyone's life is going splendidly. Encourage someone this week, and be salt and light!
~Hannah~
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