The Code of Elves

Merry Christmas!  I would like to share with you a few timeless truths I recently learned alongside one of the biggest proponents of Christmas ever, Buddy the Elf.

Treat Every Day Like Christmas
I’m pretty sure Buddy was thinking about sugar plums and candy canes when he learned this first rule in the Elf Code, but it made me think of something else.  What would it mean to treat every day like Christmas?  Should we give people presents every day?  Keep a Christmas tree up year-round?  Buy enough Christmas socks to last us all year?  Hardly, though my holiday sock collection just might rival Buddy’s.  I think for us, this is an excellent reminder to maintain our excitement every day about the Savior’s appearing on Earth.  Think about the absolute wonder in your children’s eyes as you tell them about how there was no room in the inn, so the Savior of the world was born in a barn and laid in a feeding trough.  That’s crazy!  Learn to feel that wonder again, every day, and remember that the God of the universe made Himself a little baby just for you.  It’s the most wonderful news in the world!

There’s Room for Everyone on the Nice List
While it is bad theology to simplify eternal destinies to “naughty” and “nice” lists, there’s still something to learn here if you relax a little about the terminology.  This rule reminded me of how Jesus Christ died for everyone.  Not just for the clean people, or the educated people, or those who are pleasant to be around.  God wants every person — stinky and smelly, sparkly and clean — to be saved.  There’s room for everyone.

The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer is Singing Loud for All to Hear
Enthusiasm is contagious.  If you’re enthusiastic about Christ, people can’t help but notice.  They may only get enthusiastic about an opposing viewpoint, but at least you’re spreading the news and getting people thinking!  So, sing it loud: Joy to the World, the Lord is Come!  Let Earth Receive Her King!

Don’t be a cotton-headed ninny-muggins.  Go out and tell the world that you know Him.  Every day!

We Have a Tree!

It’s little, but it’s perfect.

Thank You

(I’m leaving out the obvious ones on purpose, because I don’t want to give the appearance of “ranking” those.)

Indoor Plumbing
I really can’t imagine having to go down to a river to “fetch” some water, and then having to heat it up in a bucket for washing.  You’d have fetch water for everything: you, your clothes, your dishes, your food…  No, thank you.  I always have liked the idea of prairie-living, but I would sincerely like to have a dishwasher, washing machine, and shower.  Thank You for Your providence in century-placement for this Angela.

Literacy
Reading and writing is not only central to our way of life, it’s become quite important in my spiritual life as well.  I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to learn basic literacy skills, so that I might function in society.  I’m also deeply grateful for the cultivation of a higher literacy, that I might learn deep things from deep people and know God more.  Literacy is something to be cherished.  Thank You for the marvelous gift of sharing ideas across centuries and continents.

Kitty Cats
I thank God for the silly joy my goofy feline brings me every day.  God is such a detailed Father, isn’t He?  He didn’t have to make puppies and kittens, but He did.  He knew what joy they would bring us.  He also knew that we wouldn’t know what we were missing if He just never made them.  But, He made them anyway.  And for as mouthy as my cat can be, I’m glad I have him.  Thank You for Your creative ways of showing love.

Deodorant
In my unique profession, I encounter many cultures and socio-economic situations.  I’ve learned to adapt, and my nose has learned to be less snobby when it comes to hygienic issues.  However, I am personally grateful for the use of deodorant in my life and in yours.  I think it makes us better friends.  Thank You for pleasing aromas.

Sunglasses
It’s scientifically proven that lighter-colored eyes are more sensitive to sunlight.*  I have blue eyes.  I squint a lot.  I loooove my sunglasses.  Thank You for protecting my eyeballs.

Glasses/Contacts, for That Matter
I have often considered what life would be like without modern luxuries, such as corrective lenses.  What implications would poor eyesight have had on my way of life or station in life 500 years ago?  Would it have affected my career options, provided I had options as a woman?  And I can’t imagine having never experienced the joys of perfectly seeing God’s earthly creation.  Thank You, for letting me see Your world as perfectly as possible in this life.

The Reformation
There are many practical ways that the Protestant Reformation has positively affected my life, not the least of which is having the Word of God in my language.  I get frustrated sometimes when the Church is split over silly things, but the issues surrounding the Reformation were not silly things.  I’m grateful for Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, and other leaders who were willing to risk their necks and their reputations to challenge what was wrong.  I’m grateful for different ideas, and for the opportunity to personally scrutinize them against the Word of God, without having to rely on someone else to tell me what to believe.  Thank You, for letting me know You through Your Word.

 

~THANK YOU, YESHUA~

 

*At least, I think I heard that once.

Released!

I am so incredibly excited to share with you, in case you haven’t heard, that Maryam and Marzieh have been released!  While I do pray for the persecuted church regularly and provide you with updates on Christians around the world, these two have particularly touched my heart.  I have been praying for them by name daily since I learned their story.

These young women have remained faithful in the face of ridicule, neglect, and abuse.  What the Iranian government meant for harm, God used for good!  Maryam and Marzieh’s unjust treatment resulted in global awareness of the struggle of Christians in many parts of the world.  By imprisoning these remarkable women for their faith, their captors actually accomplished exactly what they were trying to prevent; they preached the Gospel all over the world!  Praise God!

Beyond that, I have personally been encouraged by their faithfulness and by Christian intercession on their behalf worldwide.  We are one Body, one Church.  Thank you, Father.  Thank you, Maryam and Marzieh.  My God bind up your wounds and ready you to keep preaching!

Betrayal

In the Details, Part Two

If you missed the first installment of this series, please go back and read it here.  As I stated before, I am doing this series at the request of a friend who requested my exegetical assistance.  I’m always happy to oblige.

The passage in question this time is as follows:

You shall also have a place outside the camp and go out there, and you shall have a spade among your tools, and it shall be when you sit down outside, you shall dig with it and shall turn to cover up your excrement.
~Deuteronomy 23:12-13

An easy, modern paraphrase would be this: “Don’t think your *bleep* don’t stink.”  However, this message is couched in much more biblical terms, in keeping with its context.  The point is, keep that stuff covered.  Everybody poops, but no one wants to see it or smell it.  So, if you’re camping, bury your poo out of respect for all.  If you’re not camping, FLUSH!  And turn around to see whether a double-flush may be necessary.

You’re welcome.

Good Morning, 27

Yep, you read that correctly.  I have officially exited my mid-twenties.  And I am every bit as excited this year as I was last year.

Reflecting on the last twelve months, things have been interesting.  A year ago today, I was substitute teaching because I couldn’t get a job, and I had to work part time at a bridal store to supplement my meager income.  To top off those two things that made me miserable, we hadn’t yet found a church.  Which meant I didn’t really have any friends.  Which meant I was one very sad puppy whose only friends lived in her computer.

And I had to learn to trust God.

I was right when I said 26 is good.  It was good.  It didn’t always feel good, but it was good.  I now have the most amazing students in the world, I have an awesome church, and I have some wonderful new friends.  But, that’s not the real reason that 26 was good.  The real reason 26 was good is because my God is good.  And He showed me His goodness through my tears.

And now I say good morning to 27.  I can’t wait to see what God has in store for me!

High School Hero

Okay, I’m way sleepy on a Wednesday night, and I can’t muster an original post for the second night in a row.  Lame, I know.  What may be even more lame is that the video I want to share with you, I already posted on my Facebook.  So, if we’re FB friends, you may have already watched it.  Well, tough toenails!  It’s a good video, and I think you’ll like it.  Even twice.

In the Details, Part One

A dear friend requested a little Angela-wisdom concerning a few passages of Scripture.  I am more than happy to oblige, as I realize how difficult it is for most people to understand the deep, spiritual implications of seemingly random bits of detailed information.  Amanda, apparently, is no different from most of you in feeling absolutely stumped.  Never fear!  I have no trouble with these things.  Onward to Scripture #1!

The passage in question:

All the winged insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you. Yet these you may eat among all the winged insects which walk on all fours: those which have above their feet jointed legs with which to jump on the earth.  These of them you may eat: the locust in its kinds, and the devastating locust in its kinds, and the cricket in its kinds, and the grasshopper in its kinds. But all other winged insects which are four-footed are detestable to you.
~Leviticus 11:20-23

First of all, this is an incredibly startling passage to those of us who find all winged insects detestable, regardless of appendages.  However, we must remember that God’s ancient peoples did not have the luxury of Chick-fil-A, nor did they have an H-E-B at every major intersection.  They had to kill for their food, people, and they didn’t even have guns.  Sometimes you get in a hurry.  The busy-ness of the day catches up to you, and dinner-time looks you straight in the face, reminding you that you’ve run out of time to take down a wild animal, skin it, cut it up into manageable pieces, and make something tasty out of it.  Put simply, bugs were the original fast food.

But, you can’t just go around eating wingy four-footed bugs all willy-nilly.  Only locusts (presumably the non-devastating kind), devastating locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers are acceptable.  That must mean that all other wingy four-foots are evil.  That begs the question: “What makes locusts, devastating locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers holy?”

I’m glad you asked.  Did you notice the bit about having jointed legs?  This is important, but I bet many of you skimmed over it.  Not having joints in your legs is just one step away from having no legs at all.  Well, we all know what doesn’t have legs: the satan serpent.  What could be more evil?  So, we’re keeping our distance, just in case.

And why specifically are we only allowed the locust, the devastating locusts, the crickets, and the grasshoppers?  It’s obvious.  Locusts and grasshoppers are very clean little bugs.  They eat healthy things.  You eat them, you eat healthy.  Now, what about the scavenging little cricket, you ask?

It’s just so God can laugh at you for eating something gross.  It’s one of His many pranks, and you can bet there’s an epic three-way high-five every time someone eats a cricket.

It’s Not Possible to be Too Proud…

At least not when Texas is involved!  ;)   (Sorry I don’t have a real post today.  I’m feeling sickly, and I’m praying it’s not the pigs!)