Take a Vacation~

I'm now home from a Floridian Paradise, a vacation well-spent with my brothers and cousins. This vacation was much needed, as I believe my whole family needed some relaxing. The moment I set foot onto the white sand beach, a few steps from our back patio, I was overcome with an open sense of relaxation. To me, the salty smell of the ocean, riding fast on an Atlantic breeze, is rejuvenating. If you're a mom or a coffee addict, imagine the feeling you get when the smell of your morning roast coffee wafts into your bedroom and beckons you from the recesses of our bed. The smell of the ocean creates that feeling in me, calling me towards it's foaming waves. This vacation, I boogie-boarded, body-boarded, and ocean kayaked. These ocean sports are so awesome, and are always a highlight of my Florida vacations. How is this of any encouragement to you? I firmly believe that vacationing is of upmost importance when it comes to how well we function in our daily lives. I came home from the beach with a renewed passion for my artsy projects, and felt quite ecstatic to sleep in my own bed again. I felt a sort of aspiration. A vacation, even if not in the stereotypical "Florida", is an awesome source of spirit and joy. We can receive a renewed passion for what we do by taking a step outside of our typical day-to-day realities, and taking a step into an alternate reality in which we put our daily routines on hold. When given the opportunity to vacate from our daily lives and relax, it is often worth it, as we will renter our daily lives with 100% of our energy, versus the 60 or 50 percent of energy we had before the vacation period. So yes, I'm telling you to take a vacation, as it rejuvenates you, gives you an increased passion for whatever it is you do, and most importantly, it gives you more time to focus on God.

Diving In~

I dove into a wonderful piece of Chrisitan Non-fiction this week. "I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Athiest", is the newest piece of Christian literature I have started, and the Introduction reminded me that every world religion is still swimming in the realm of probability, and every belief we will ever have takes some degree of faith. However, Geisler and Turek explain how it takes much more faith to be an Athiest than it does to be a Theist, or more specifically a Christian. I'm posting the synopsis of this book below, and I hope you will feel encouraged to pick up a copy for yourself.

Summary: (from "Chrisitan Book Notes")

I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist is what I call a “toolbox” book. It contains evidence and arguments against most of the major claims against Christianity. The book begins with a discussion on worldview. The writers argue that we all have a worldview and we use our worldview to try to understand truth. That is, we try to discern what the actual meaning of life is and saying there is no meaning to life is meaning.

Next they spend a few chapters taking a hard look at evolution. Many would argue, and I am one of them, that faith in Christ stands or falls on our understanding of Genesis 1-11. If Genesis 1-11 literally happened, then we have reason to believe in Christ. If it did not literally happen, then how can we be sure of salvation at all? Throughout the process of this discussion, Geisler and Turek show that faith in evolution is actually more difficult that faith in Christ—when the evidence is objectively understood.

Some other areas of discussion that Geisler and Nix look at is the reality of miracles (both Old and New Testament), Absolute Truth (as opposed to relativism—there is no absolute truth except the truth that there is no truth), and the person of Jesus Christ, as well as the authenticity and reliability of the Bible.

Three appendices end the book that is worth reading. In these, they wrestle with problem of evil (theodicy), the problem of interpretation the Bible (relativism), and an article about the Jesus Seminar (a liberal group claiming to speak for the “real” Jesus. Obviously, the authors submit to the authority of scripture and argue with the Bible as their foundation.

Divisions...

Read this news article quoting Pope Francis, and the division's he's observed in the Chrisitian church! https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CAwQqQIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.breitbart.com%2FBig-Peace%2F2014%2F10%2F08%2FPope-Francis-The-Devil-Works-to-Divide-Christians&ei=0ms2VMGpD4axyASUpoHQCg&usg=AFQjCNEXlxGB71lUVpRptbGudW8UP2iJ8A&sig2=eZxHqVaCsIIKhgkM9DA-Bg

Bearing the Cold~

This past Friday, it's as if a great switch up in heaven was suddenly switched by one of God's great fingers. A bitter chill and howling wind ransacked the trees of their leaves. The flowers are now preparing to say their farewells, as their time approaches. Herds of clouds are rolling in and watching us from above. It's autumn, and I'm not sure how I quite feel about its abrupt coming. However, this sudden change is very similar to the harsh emotional changes humans undergo, day after day. One day, we can be towering above creation, on a high mountain peak. Other days, however, we are trudging through snow worn vallies. Just as autumn comes and goes every year, we must have an iron faith, and know that God WILL deliver. The sudden hardships that abruptly show up in our lives are all part of God's perfect will. I try to see the rough times in our life as God simply trying to toughen us up for future fights we will have to fight as we mature in our spirituality. So just as autumn came through the door, and didn't even knock or give us any forewarning, we must be willing to persevere when hardships welcome themselves into our lives, although they are unwanted.