Thursday, March 29, 2012

i didn't think this mattered.

i was sitting down with a friend last night and we were chatting back and forth about perspective. well, about God and perspective. and it lead to me recounting a moment in my life when my perspective radically changed. it was the moment i saw a bigger picture. and this bigger picture really matters.

i was 19, it was a Thursday night, and my best friend and college roommate, julie park, and i were sitting in her car discussing an issue that would ultimately change my view point on the Christian life. i didn't think it was important to share on here because it's actually very simple and i don't want to come off dumb, but it has helped shape my faith ever since and maybe it'll help yours.

i had come to Christ about 8 months before but was having trouble reconciling a lot of things. i was having difficulty letting go of my old lifestyle that had helped shape my identity. it had made me feel uncomfortable and i was exhausted. i hadn't embraced any sort of faith growing up, so my god, was me. and even though that god had obviously left me empty inside, at least it was familiar.

i had been crying. we had just left a church service and julie had seen me crying. and it hurt her heart. she was the closest friend i had, and had been along side me that year through a lot... answering my questions, feeding me food to sober me up when i'd come home to our little dorm room at 3am, wiping my tears when yet another one night stand (to my surprise) didn't fulfill me... she had seen me at my worst and she loved me entirely.

"i just don't get it!", i sobbed. "i'm sittin here trying to obey Him, trying to let go of my old life, and i can't f%@king do it!! this is TOO HARD julie! i don't understand how you do it! i WANT to change! i WANT to be happy and i KNOW God wants me to be happy but i just can't DO THIS! i'm so f%@king TIRED!.... (sob)"

julie: "liz. ......liz. hey, it's okay. let me tell you something. cause you've got something radically wrong."

me: "what..." (crying softly, looking out the window)

julie: "you don't stop doing something because God tells you to. you don't stop it because it's in the Bible that that's not okay and you shouldn't do it.  you stop doing things because you love God. and that's it."

me: "what?" (turning towards julie)

julie: "the only thing that God wants from us is to love Him, liz. THAT is our focus. THAT is what changes someone. THAT is how His yoke is easy and His burden is light. if you sit here and focus on your own strength and efforts to achieve something, you will grow weary, liz. you will be frustrated and you will miss it. for example, a wife doesn't refrain from cheating on her husband because cheating is wrong, she refrains from cheating because she loves him. THAT is how this all works."

... 
cue light bulb
...

friends, we aren't called to exhaust ourselves. we aren't perfect and God knows that. but WE and our plans don't have to be. so if you're sitting there today, weary and frustrated because you just can't seem to get your life together, take a minute and check to see what perspective you've got goin on. you might need to see the bigger picture. and that bigger picture might change your life.



“Be still, and know that I am God.” -Psalm 46:10

“I have loved you with an everlasting love." - Jeremiah 31:3

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Friday, March 16, 2012

11 Extremely Disappointing Facts About Popular Music

1. Led Zeppelin, REM, and Depeche Mode have never had a number one single, Rihanna has 10

 2. The cast of “Glee” has had more songs chart than the Beatles

 3. Barbara Streissand has sold more records (140 million) than Pearl Jam, Johnny Cash, and Tom Petty combined

4. Celine Dion’s “Falling Into You” sold more copies than any Queen, Nirvana, or Bruce Springsteen record

 5. People actually bought Billy Ray Cyrus’ album “Some Gave All…” 20 million people. More than any Bob Marley album

 6. Ke$ha’s “Tik-Tok” sold more copies than ANY Beatles single

 7. Same with Shania Twain’s “Come On Over”

 8. Creed has sold more records in the US than Jimi Hendrix

 9. Flo Rida’s “Low” has sold 8 million copies – the same as The Beatles’ “Hey Jude”

 10. The Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” is more popular than any Elvis or Simon & Garfunkel song

 11. Katy Perry holds the same record as Michael Jackson for most number one singes from an album


Wednesday, March 7, 2012

neon back in a big way

lipstick, clothes, hair, shoes, furniture, anything goes... thumbs up, oh ye gods of fashion.