I was reading a devotional today, and as I read the "standard" gospel account of Jesus coming to earth to die for our sins so that we might live.... I kind of skimmed that part and thought to myself "Oh, I have heard that before..." I am a Christian even, unopposed to this message, and yet I skimmed it like it hadn't impacted my life at all...
Sure, you might be saying, oh "its okay Luke, you just didn't react because you became a Christian years ago", or "You already know the good news in your heart, so why would you react to hearing it again?"
Okay, well to that and any number of "It's okay, your not doing anything wrong" questions, let me pose this thought I had...
How come I (Like so many) can read an article about some crazy person on a bus in Canada who cut someones head off, and continually ask myself how that could be? And then, each and every time that I think about that particular event, I cringe? When the beautiful, and yet horrific death of Jesus, The Son of God, on a cross is only "Old news?"
I wasnt at either even personally, but I believe both happened. I also believe that my sins, as well as your sins, were paid for at the foot of the cross. Yet, I'm not jumping for joy? My life was revolutionized by the Holy Spirit, and has been with me ever since my conversion, and yet very little reaction...
I mean, I dont fully understand God, or Jesus, or what happened on the cross, but then again, I dont understand at all what would make a person just snap and cut someones head off while they were sleeping next to him on a bus, in the middle of the night, in Canada! Where they dont even have an army that I know of...They probably one of the least violent countries in the world....but anyway, the point remains.
How can I skim things like "Jesus died for your sins, Luke Lorenz of Sioux Falls SD, 57107" and then awe when someone tells me about a "Random Man decapitates a random sleeping passanger on Bus in Canada...meanwhile wondering if they themselves knew about Jesus death on the cross, for there sins?!
Just something to think about... I am sure I'm not the only one...
Friday, September 5, 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Confession! I Steal Chocolate Delectables!
I was at the mall with Nakita and Jane and I had a little mishap at the DQ.
I walked up to an open part of the counter and told an attractive young woman that I wanted a Large French Silk Pie Blizzard, with Extra Pie Crust. (Yes, all of those caps are necessary!) Anyway, she began to prepare my blizzard, while another attractive young woman was ringing up some other people on the other side of this structural pole I was leaning against.
I noticed a small clear plastic bowl filled with triangular cut brownies, and thinking to myself, "Oh, free samples!" I said out loud, "What are those? Free samples?" and it was with my presupposition of "Yes, those must be free samples" that I reached and took one out of the bowl and proceeded to take a bite.
Immediately I was then informed by two Indian fellows that they had just purchased them.
Meanwhile, the attractive women working at the fine ice cream establishment were laughing. I am not sure if at me, or just objectively at the situation, but either way, I was turning red.
So, I tried to talk my way out of by casually (although sincerely) apologizing to the two individuals and explained it was an honest mistake. The woman at the cash register then offered to give him one more triangular shaped brownie (Who sells triangular shaped brownies anyway? I had no idea they did this...) and I offered to pay for them, and he declined and said it was fine. He then motioned to the small crowd around him and asked if anyone else would like one.
They left after our short dialog and then the woman rang me up for my blizzard. I think I can safely say that was the MOST embarrassing moment of my life. That is saying a lot too...
*****UPDATE: 9-6-2011******
After restarting my blog, rereading my posts, deleting some, editing others, I thought it appropriate to update this post!
This is not the most embarrassing moment of my life any more! (Should I be excited about that?)
Perhaps I just don't think I would be as embarrassed if it were to happen again. Of course, I probably wouldn't have reached so presumptuously for a brownie in a public market, either. In either case, the reflection on embarrassment is probably a pretty accurate measurement of growth.
I must have grown a lot since the writing of this post! I have learned a lot of things.
I have learned to see that honesty is still the best policy, but there is a difference between honesty and full-disclosure.
For instance; It is honest to tell someone who inquires of you to reveal the most embarrassing moment of your life, "I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request." (Thank you Captain Barbosa!)
We do have a right to secrecy, you know! Keep in mind, however, that the motives behind your secret-keeping ought to be closely examined, for the idol of self-preservation, ego, pride, opinions of others or the like are often the reasons we keep secrets.
Though I am still open to much disclosure, I don't have time to update my most embarrassing moment right now, nor am I sure of its edification factor. If, at a later time, I deem it worthy of writing about, perhaps I will. Perhaps on another day when I don't have a plethora of other tasks to devote my time to.
For now, I hope that this update will register on the edification factor for someone out there.
My current music selection is perfectly suited for this day for me, perhaps it will suit your's as well. NeedToBreathe is on the playlist and it's invigorating, refreshing and seems just fit right now. Check em' out if you have not heard of them. They are very good!
I walked up to an open part of the counter and told an attractive young woman that I wanted a Large French Silk Pie Blizzard, with Extra Pie Crust. (Yes, all of those caps are necessary!) Anyway, she began to prepare my blizzard, while another attractive young woman was ringing up some other people on the other side of this structural pole I was leaning against.
I noticed a small clear plastic bowl filled with triangular cut brownies, and thinking to myself, "Oh, free samples!" I said out loud, "What are those? Free samples?" and it was with my presupposition of "Yes, those must be free samples" that I reached and took one out of the bowl and proceeded to take a bite.
Immediately I was then informed by two Indian fellows that they had just purchased them.
Meanwhile, the attractive women working at the fine ice cream establishment were laughing. I am not sure if at me, or just objectively at the situation, but either way, I was turning red.
So, I tried to talk my way out of by casually (although sincerely) apologizing to the two individuals and explained it was an honest mistake. The woman at the cash register then offered to give him one more triangular shaped brownie (Who sells triangular shaped brownies anyway? I had no idea they did this...) and I offered to pay for them, and he declined and said it was fine. He then motioned to the small crowd around him and asked if anyone else would like one.
They left after our short dialog and then the woman rang me up for my blizzard. I think I can safely say that was the MOST embarrassing moment of my life. That is saying a lot too...
*****UPDATE: 9-6-2011******
After restarting my blog, rereading my posts, deleting some, editing others, I thought it appropriate to update this post!
This is not the most embarrassing moment of my life any more! (Should I be excited about that?)
Perhaps I just don't think I would be as embarrassed if it were to happen again. Of course, I probably wouldn't have reached so presumptuously for a brownie in a public market, either. In either case, the reflection on embarrassment is probably a pretty accurate measurement of growth.
I must have grown a lot since the writing of this post! I have learned a lot of things.
I have learned to see that honesty is still the best policy, but there is a difference between honesty and full-disclosure.
For instance; It is honest to tell someone who inquires of you to reveal the most embarrassing moment of your life, "I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request." (Thank you Captain Barbosa!)
We do have a right to secrecy, you know! Keep in mind, however, that the motives behind your secret-keeping ought to be closely examined, for the idol of self-preservation, ego, pride, opinions of others or the like are often the reasons we keep secrets.
Though I am still open to much disclosure, I don't have time to update my most embarrassing moment right now, nor am I sure of its edification factor. If, at a later time, I deem it worthy of writing about, perhaps I will. Perhaps on another day when I don't have a plethora of other tasks to devote my time to.
For now, I hope that this update will register on the edification factor for someone out there.
My current music selection is perfectly suited for this day for me, perhaps it will suit your's as well. NeedToBreathe is on the playlist and it's invigorating, refreshing and seems just fit right now. Check em' out if you have not heard of them. They are very good!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Tired of Music?
For the first time that I can remember, I am tired of music... I mean, I play guitar and djembe and a few other instruments and I just all around love music. But right now, I just don't care to hear anything. I wish I could try out complete silence for a while.
Last night I went to Vermillion with my room mate to watch a camp that he used to go to. They performed some skits and songs and it was pretty neat. I liked the idea of a camp where barriers are broken and people can be/share who they are, but I still see the emptiness of a camp without Jesus as the center. They talked about love and how it was great that they could build eachother up. Those are both great things and I am sure this camp will have been a good experience for them all. I just don't think it will be fulfilling in the end.
When it comes down to it, the things we want most, simply become the things we just got, and then we have a new set of things that we want... love in an incomplete sense like this is just one of those things. That is why we need the completeness of Jesus. Anything else falls short of our deepest needs and desires.
I long for a marriage partner and a family, but I know that even those won't make me truly happy. They will make my life more complicated and I will have more responsibility, but there will also be innumerable blessings as a result. I will be refined and sanctified for the betterment of God. I will learn how to better love my wife and children as time goes on, and ultimately I will be better able to understand God's love for me as a result. I look forward to this very much, but when I die, it will be just me and Him.
As I sat in the car on the ride home, it was dark and I was tired. I talked to my room mate for a bit (which I rarely get to do, so it was nice to share this time with him) and eventually I put my headphones in and listened to my "Relax" playlist on my ipod. As I layed back and tried to catch some sleep, I started to focus on God. It was sort of a half meditation, half prayer kind of thing. I was thanking Him, for the things I appreciated (oddly enough, music was on the list last night) and I began to think about dying. (Shortly after Curtis and I almost ran into a car...)I thought, "Lord, if we died right now on the road, if I were sleeping here and we got into a car crash, I would be with you right then!"
I am torn, a bit. I would love to leave this world and be with the Savior. But I still feel like I have stuff to do here. Not selfish stuff, like "Oh, I don't want to die yet because I haven't gotten laid," but I want reach people. I want to do worship ministry, I want to get married and have kids, I want to experience friendship (something I have just recently felt for the first time...) I want to thank God for all of the things that He is doing in this world.
But even still, if the Lord took me, I wouldn't put up a fight... Not that I could even if I wanted to. I wouldn't mind dying, but for now, I am still in my invincible youth stage...It's just hard to imagine a place like that. I am sure its better, I just can't wrap my mind around it...
Last night I went to Vermillion with my room mate to watch a camp that he used to go to. They performed some skits and songs and it was pretty neat. I liked the idea of a camp where barriers are broken and people can be/share who they are, but I still see the emptiness of a camp without Jesus as the center. They talked about love and how it was great that they could build eachother up. Those are both great things and I am sure this camp will have been a good experience for them all. I just don't think it will be fulfilling in the end.
When it comes down to it, the things we want most, simply become the things we just got, and then we have a new set of things that we want... love in an incomplete sense like this is just one of those things. That is why we need the completeness of Jesus. Anything else falls short of our deepest needs and desires.
I long for a marriage partner and a family, but I know that even those won't make me truly happy. They will make my life more complicated and I will have more responsibility, but there will also be innumerable blessings as a result. I will be refined and sanctified for the betterment of God. I will learn how to better love my wife and children as time goes on, and ultimately I will be better able to understand God's love for me as a result. I look forward to this very much, but when I die, it will be just me and Him.
As I sat in the car on the ride home, it was dark and I was tired. I talked to my room mate for a bit (which I rarely get to do, so it was nice to share this time with him) and eventually I put my headphones in and listened to my "Relax" playlist on my ipod. As I layed back and tried to catch some sleep, I started to focus on God. It was sort of a half meditation, half prayer kind of thing. I was thanking Him, for the things I appreciated (oddly enough, music was on the list last night) and I began to think about dying. (Shortly after Curtis and I almost ran into a car...)I thought, "Lord, if we died right now on the road, if I were sleeping here and we got into a car crash, I would be with you right then!"
I am torn, a bit. I would love to leave this world and be with the Savior. But I still feel like I have stuff to do here. Not selfish stuff, like "Oh, I don't want to die yet because I haven't gotten laid," but I want reach people. I want to do worship ministry, I want to get married and have kids, I want to experience friendship (something I have just recently felt for the first time...) I want to thank God for all of the things that He is doing in this world.
But even still, if the Lord took me, I wouldn't put up a fight... Not that I could even if I wanted to. I wouldn't mind dying, but for now, I am still in my invincible youth stage...It's just hard to imagine a place like that. I am sure its better, I just can't wrap my mind around it...
Thursday, July 31, 2008
My first Blog!
I never really have been to concerned with blogging. I don't read a lot of blogs, but we will see what happens... Maybe I will post poetry, or random rhyming tidbits that come to mind...
I chose the name "Tin Can Confessions" because it came to mind while I was reading someone else's blog... I like alliteration, and I like confessing things, or hearing confessions. I think confessions are freeing and help us to realize that we're not much different than anyone else.
Maybe I will start this off with this confession.
I am a Christian, and I fail every single day to demonstrate Christ's love to others. I struggle to even show people the kind of love I would like to receive myself. You might say there isn't or shouldn't be a difference between Christ's love and the love I want from others, but there is. I am imperfect, and so, not knowing all the intricacies of perfect love, I naturally desire what I think is best, and thats definitely not Christ's love.
Regardless, my problem remains. If I can't practice on others the imperfect love I desire myself, how can I practice Christ's love, which is incomprehensible, on those I am trying to love?
I like to say that I do everything out of love of some sort. I think love is the only drive in the universe. If God is love and in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, then He is driving the universe.(Genesis 1:1)
The term "Love" has lost a lot of value these days due to its common use, but I think the term is appropriate when talking about your favorite food, or your significant other, or God Himself.
The Hebrew language has at least 11 words to describe varying types of love. I can only think of two today.... "Love" and "Like." So, given that every good thing comes from the word of God, I think it is appropriate to say you love things, or people, or God. Obviously your feelings toward a burger and fries from Burger Time would have a different connotation when compared to your love for God.
God is love, and love abounds.
You might say, "What about hate? A lot of people are driven by hate, aren't they?" Now, maybe my logic is flawed (that tends to happen) but the way I see it is like this: People who hate, hate because they love the opposite of what they hate. Hate can't exist aside from love. Just as sin can't exist without Perfection. The only thing that can exist by itself is God, and God is Love.(1 John 4:8)
Since we're talking about that verse now (or at least I am:]) I should make note that although God is love, love is not always God. I can love myself and my own selfish desires, but that is a distortion of the love God has shown us. Eh, well I don't feel like getting too deep here. (Am I too late?) I will finish with this: Do your best to love others, and don't get bummed out about your short-comings. Continue to grow in love through Christ. If you don't know Jesus, then you need to. I am willing to help you in any way come to that relationship. If your having struggles and want to talk or pray, I will definitely do that for you. Check out www.TheWayTheTruth.com
I like the candidness of this sort of thing. I think I will stick with it. Maybe I will develop a following...hehe. Perhaps I will continue to confess things on this blog when I feel compelled, and in the future, I hope to not type so much...
I don't think I am afraid to confess most things, I just think I should ease into it. Besides, I need to keep you coming back right?
Some of my confessions will be seemingly minuscule on the surface (like so many things appear to be)and some will be dark and deep seeded within me. I hope to experience God's grace through confession, and I encourage others by my example to try it as well, whether in a public medium like this, or with a close friend. Also, I hope to give others hope that there is redemption in Christ who restores us and gives us strength. "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26)
Blessings for now, see you next time.
I chose the name "Tin Can Confessions" because it came to mind while I was reading someone else's blog... I like alliteration, and I like confessing things, or hearing confessions. I think confessions are freeing and help us to realize that we're not much different than anyone else.
Maybe I will start this off with this confession.
I am a Christian, and I fail every single day to demonstrate Christ's love to others. I struggle to even show people the kind of love I would like to receive myself. You might say there isn't or shouldn't be a difference between Christ's love and the love I want from others, but there is. I am imperfect, and so, not knowing all the intricacies of perfect love, I naturally desire what I think is best, and thats definitely not Christ's love.
Regardless, my problem remains. If I can't practice on others the imperfect love I desire myself, how can I practice Christ's love, which is incomprehensible, on those I am trying to love?
I like to say that I do everything out of love of some sort. I think love is the only drive in the universe. If God is love and in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, then He is driving the universe.(Genesis 1:1)
The term "Love" has lost a lot of value these days due to its common use, but I think the term is appropriate when talking about your favorite food, or your significant other, or God Himself.
The Hebrew language has at least 11 words to describe varying types of love. I can only think of two today.... "Love" and "Like." So, given that every good thing comes from the word of God, I think it is appropriate to say you love things, or people, or God. Obviously your feelings toward a burger and fries from Burger Time would have a different connotation when compared to your love for God.
God is love, and love abounds.
You might say, "What about hate? A lot of people are driven by hate, aren't they?" Now, maybe my logic is flawed (that tends to happen) but the way I see it is like this: People who hate, hate because they love the opposite of what they hate. Hate can't exist aside from love. Just as sin can't exist without Perfection. The only thing that can exist by itself is God, and God is Love.(1 John 4:8)
Since we're talking about that verse now (or at least I am:]) I should make note that although God is love, love is not always God. I can love myself and my own selfish desires, but that is a distortion of the love God has shown us. Eh, well I don't feel like getting too deep here. (Am I too late?) I will finish with this: Do your best to love others, and don't get bummed out about your short-comings. Continue to grow in love through Christ. If you don't know Jesus, then you need to. I am willing to help you in any way come to that relationship. If your having struggles and want to talk or pray, I will definitely do that for you. Check out www.TheWayTheTruth.com
I like the candidness of this sort of thing. I think I will stick with it. Maybe I will develop a following...hehe. Perhaps I will continue to confess things on this blog when I feel compelled, and in the future, I hope to not type so much...
I don't think I am afraid to confess most things, I just think I should ease into it. Besides, I need to keep you coming back right?
Some of my confessions will be seemingly minuscule on the surface (like so many things appear to be)and some will be dark and deep seeded within me. I hope to experience God's grace through confession, and I encourage others by my example to try it as well, whether in a public medium like this, or with a close friend. Also, I hope to give others hope that there is redemption in Christ who restores us and gives us strength. "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26)
Blessings for now, see you next time.
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