The clouds are moving quickly across the gray blue sky, allowing a tiny glimmer of sunlight at the horizon, sweeping past Atlanta onto some other destination, and it just reminds me- our God is so big.

I am so unworthy.

He has given me so much.

Today.

And when I look outside and see something so awe-inspiring, it reminds me of how much I am loved, how much I am loving (or not sometimes), and I feel a certain peace. Even when life is wrecked or feels to be constantly spinning, God is there. God is here.

Religion isn’t a dirty word. Or at least it shouldn’t be. The origin of religion means bound together, or rather of the same thread. Are we as Christians living this out? Or is this why there are many of us (including myself a time or two) that are walking around grumbling about how much we hate religion. I remember the phrase that became popular during the seeker friendly service drive in the 90’s. “It’s all about a relationship, not religion.” I think it may have even been a bumper sticker. And we ate it up! We loved it! Why….. because church had become, in many cases, a place of despair. A place where you could not be yourself, and where showing up on Sunday morning was enough to give the religion thing its due. Of course people wanted a relationship! For years it had been all about the gathering and not at all about knowing Jesus Christ.

I mean, I know that my life has improved since I’ve come to know Him more. That is not to say that all my days are filled with joy and butterflies, but I have been blessed with his goodness and received freedom from many things. So for a few years it was a sigh. A sigh of relief, Jesus loves me, I can know him, he really really loves me.

But then we lost that relationship with each other and we lost what religion really means. We bicker over church funds, scriptural meaning, and who is hearing from God. Seriously? If I really feel that I hear from God and you say the same, but they are conflicting ideals or even exegesis, do I still have any right to judge? And if I choose to judge to whom am I doing harm? Do I care if it is someone of the same thread as me, someone I am “bound” to…. maybe, maybe not. Would Jesus care? Would Jesus weep? Would HE see our lives having a focus of being a vessel for him…

Look at Jesus’s own words in Matthew: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

If we believe this, if we believe the words of Jesus, and regard him as such, then where are we going? Are we to remain bound together in criticism, or in love? The critical or cynical part is so easy to say that those beliefs, those interpretations, those LABELS divide us, but if we keep deciphering together the way of Jesus, His miraculous truth, and the life he gives to us, I wonder if those divisions would matter as much, or would the words of Jesus resonate, causing up to roll up our sleeves and do whatever we can to remain a religion that is bound by our faith and love, not by our Americanism or splintered ideology.

Granted, without leading perfect lives, we will never appear or even act perfectly bound together. Even in the early church Paul is met with “affliction and anguish” in himself from the decisions of church. Let us not approach others with a fear that tears them down but a spirit and love that lifts them up.

As a part of the Call and Response movement it is all forms of slavery that are being addressed, not just the dark and dirty world of sex slavery. When we look down at our shirts, glance at our cups of coffee, or lean back in that office chair, we do not always stop to realize that in some way we may have been aiding and abetting the slavery that goes on in the global workforce. Be a part of stopping it by addressing it.

Here Call and Response has set up a page for you to reach out to companies by speaking against slavery and for companies to respond with their stance on the issue. Now, I know that corporations will word almost anything in the best possible way for their benefit, but if enough people email, and they feel enough people watching, who knows what might happen? Check it out, there are probably a lot of products you own on this page. Be involved in who you are and what you are doing.

I don’t have much to say these days. I feel heavy with many things, and I think that my catharsis at this moment is not to write (odd) but to cook and read and express myself to my husband. Although we have 3 or 4 months yet, I am ready for festival season when I can get ripe fresh foods and cook local fare to my heart’s content. I am anticipating where God will lead me in these months, because I have several ideas and hopes that are yet to be fulfilled. Perhaps they are growing like the plants that will soon be nestled in the ground.

I do have one thing to say though: I am so thankful for Andy. I was just folding up laundry and saw a pair of yellow socks that he has worn for years. In fact, when I met him, he wore them quite often. He had recently been evicted and for some reason the only socks he had been able to acquire were brightly colored or mismatched. He has grown so much and come so far in the time I have known him. He is a lover and a fighter, and my best friend. When we went down to Atlanta on Wednesday night it was so nice to be able to walk around with him, pass out sandwiches, shake peoples hands; I could just feel all the blessings God has given us, how far we have both been brought. He understands and in many ways strives to be what he knows God has created him to be- the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth.

I have so much to be thankful for and I just want to wish everyone a very happy ‘09!

That’s alright. Tonight Andy and I are going down to the city of Atlanta to celebrate in a different way. If you are interested or know someone who is… leave me a comment or tweet. To learn more about how and why Andy are doing this go here. Thanks for being some awesome and giving readers, even if you’re not in the ATL. Perhaps we can start a worldwide movement?

I pray for you and your new year. Who knows what it may bring?

I have a lot of serious stuff happening lately. Why do family problems seem to permeate adult life at every turn? I have yet to figure that out….but I will be praying and sharing more later. Right now, I still feel like ignoring half the time and slowly processing the other half.

So instead, I will say this, I have not shared a lot about my weight loss in a while. I have settled in between 148 and 152 pounds for a while now, which is nice. I just still have a lot of fat around my middle, which I know is NOT good for women. The holidays really had me on an emotional see saw. Some of the time I ate well over what I should have, not caring about the consequences, the other half of the time I cried about my size and tried to eat what I think I should. While I think this is normal for women I am sad to say that I have totally gotten out of the habit of regular gym workouts. I have been doing some stretching and mini yoga/pilates sessions at home, but the cardio I was getting is quickly falling to wayside. I just cannot seem to get there! And walking by myself has lost its appeal now that the weather is either rainy and warm or sunny and cold.

I think that I am not writing this to say anything new, I am really writing this to say: I wish that I could eat chocolate for the rest of my life without feeling bad about it! I wish that I could be motivated to work out everyday because it really does make me feel better, and I wish that organic produce was cheaper! On an end note, for the people that say buying bigger sizes for people makes them feel better when they try it on, they are wrong, if I received one more sweater that was drowning on me for Christmas I was going to scream. Apparently wearing (mostly) older clothes does continue to make me look fat. There was one particular person who bought me a large from a store that I wear a small in, I am not mad at them, but I really wish that I felt all my hard work was apparent. Perhaps not humanly possible?

But seriously, I hope you all have a very wonderful Christmas! Don’t forget to say thanks (for the awesomely huge gift of Christ as well as the abundant gifts from others), remember the good qualities about your family, and try to take a time out to give to those in need, whether it be small or big ways. Thanks to so many of you for making this a wonderful year.

Truly Shalom.

If you really ponder the Christmas story you notice there are some amazing glints of God’s love. The Easter story tells of our salvation, yes, and how much He loves the world, but the birth of Christ is the sign of his promise, the fulfillment of the prophecies.

Everytime I think about the Christmas story or read it through or learn something new. When Joseph and Mary took Jesus to be dedicated to God at the temple I always thought it was lovely that Simeon got to see the Savior. The thing he had been waiting his whole life for. The words he speaks never really hit me before now though.

This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.

I could not say it any better- when I think of all that Jesus has shown me, and how much joy he has given me. Over the years and through different periods he has been my rock, my grace, my strength. He has shown me my deepest thoughts, desires, and given me a calling from him. And on the cross he gave me the chance for Christ in me.

WE are chosen by God and called according to His Purpose. And Christ gave us the chance to be right with God. It IS amazing.

Playing with cars, running and playing group games are Ranfis’s favorite activities. In primary school his performance is average and he also regularly attends church activities, Bible class and Vacation Bible School.

Please remember Ranfis in your prayers. Your love and support will help him to receive the assistance he needs to grow and develop. This is a huge opportunity, and I know that it is so cool when you get those letters or updates from your child and see what the support is doing. (There is also nice artwork sometimes inolved!)

Name:	Ranfis Núñez Polanco (DR3090760)
Birthday:	December 17, 1998    Age: 10
Gender:	Male
Region:	Central America and Caribbean
Country:	Dominican Republic
Program:	El Shadai Student Center

To change a life and make a real difference in the life of one boy, please click HERE. To sponsor another child from Compassion or look through their many opportunities, please click here.

So Georgia (home sweet home) is making national headlines. But not in a good way. A Douglasville woman named Lisa Valentine was ordered to remove her head covering before entering a courtroom, and upon hearing that her head covering was worn for religious reasons the bailiff told her that did not matter and she must still remove it. A small argument ensued, and Mrs. Valentine was arrested in contempt of court. Is this legal? From my understanding policies that cover a ban on head coverings excludes those worn for religious reasons. While I understand that the argument could be used that she is hiding something, I could just as easily hide something in my panties when I went to court. They, however, would know they had a lawsuit on their hands if they told me to remove those.

It is sad when there are still government agencies that do not set themselves against this kind of discrimination. I have no real stake regarding the religious freedom of the United States, I think that the proposal for building no new mosques would render it null and void, but I do however have a certain respect and care for people, as well as for the existence of a justice system that apparently needs it priorities set straight. I appreciate my rights as a United States citizen, but I am not a chain to them, nor do I feel I am deserving of them the way many might. I am entitled only to what my maker gives me. Am I lucky to be in a place where I am not persecuted daily? Yes. But it could just as easily be taken away (the way so many’s in the world are)? Yes. And although Mrs. Valentine only served 6 hours of her 10 day sentence, there was still valuable time and money spent on her foray into the public system. Much like the police officers who allow their cars to idle while sitting in IHOP for an hour, this is something I cannot understand. It saddens me that there is still an existence of such petty prejudices, especially in a country that claims to be “free.”