Friday, January 24, 2014
Monday, January 20, 2014
The Cost of Freedom...
Last weekend I went with my fiancé to see Lone Survivor. I was so excited when I saw the first previews for it. I have always been an action movie kind of girl, however military action is my favorite and true stories ice the cake! (Mark Wahlberg may have been a small plus too) Another thing I like to do is avoid the trailer. A preview is fine but I kind of like to have NO clue what the movie is really about. I knew that Lone Survivor was about a failed mission of one of our Seal teams and it was a true story but that was it.
We get into the movie and I am loving it in the beginning. I leaned over to Josh and told him I had a feeling I would be crying a lot through out it. The movie gets going, and does not take too long to get to the climax in my opinion. And then it happens...everything goes wrong. I have never watched a movie where for almost 3/4ths of it I spent with my hand over my mouth gasping or on the sides of my cheek repeating "oh my gosh oh my gosh". My nerves were shot. My stomach was starting to churn and I had a killer headache. Of course there were the tears also. The language did not bother me nor did the gore. What bothered me was the reality of it. The cold hard reality that Freedom has a cost. No matter what freedom we are talking about, it cost someone something.
I have always loved military movies and when I was younger I use to say I was going to be in the army. Needless to say I never walked down that road for multiple reasons, however have always had the utmost respect and love for the people who have and are joining and serving daily. When I see a soldier in uniform I always get cold chills and try to offer a thank you for their service. This movie however, awakened something different in me. Something that NO other movie has. I could feel in my heart and soul the cost of freedom. It sounds weird but for a split second I felt I was seeing through the eyes of the wife, mother, and children that lost their fathers. Or the Afghan people who sacrificed their lives and safety to protect an American due to a moral promise they made thousands of years earlier. Freedom has a cost.
I came home that night and sat down and basically cried for almost 45mins. ( sounds weird I know) I did not cry because I was moved or touched, I cried because I hurt in the deepest parts of my being for the people that have sacrificed their marriage day, their children's birthday, giving their daughter away, their parents 50th wedding anniversary, their sons first football game, their daughters first dance, their wife's diagnosis with cancer...and the list goes on. I hurt for the men who gave up all that for me. Gave it up so that I could own my home, go to work where I choose, have a full education, worship freely and proclaim my faith, sleep easy at night, and again the list goes on. I would not have any of that if our country were ran under the same context of countries like Afghanistan, Sudan, and many others. I also realized that were it not for these men and women fighting for my freedom, volunteering their rights and life, then it would become a service of force. A service where my father and brothers were forced to serve based off the need rather than the desire. I have taken for granted Freedom. I have taken for granted what that really means. I am so glad that I went and saw that movie. I do not think I could watch it more than once though but think it was so very eye opening for me.
On a another note...I recently got back from a Mission Trip to NYC with my 12th grade Discipleship Group girls. While I was there I was able to separate myself from my daily routine and give my mind time to think about spiritual things. It seemed oddly enough come back around to freedom. Sunday morning we attended Times Square Church in which I hear one of the most powerful soul grasping sermons I have heard in a long time. One of the songs sang said "where the spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom". That freedom word just kept creeping into my mind. It made me think about Freedom and how freedom relatively means death of something. I mean if you think about it, for their to be freedom something has to die. Some aspect of control or being has to die. For women to have the freedom to vote, a past idea had to be put to death. To have the freedom we have in our country means other men and women have had to give their life. For the freedom our country carries their had to be death during the revolutionary war. Freedom is ultimately a product of a death of some form. Especially spiritually.
"For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."- 2 Corinthians 3:17
"I will walk in freedom,for I have devoted myself to your commandments." Psalm 119:45 (NLT)
The freedom I have spiritually comes ultimately from the freedom expressed through Christ's death on the Christ. When Christ relinquished His spirit and died an earthly death, he granted a freedom to all people who believe, from all the evil and wrong they have ever or will ever do. For freedom to exist there has to be something of captivity and that for us is sin and death. I was held captive by my wrong doings and the future of eternal death, however thanks to the blood of Christ I have been given the ultimate freedom. Part of it, I experience now on earth. Everyday I am blessed to walk with God through faith. Every crappy situation that I have encountered, I have the freedom to experience it with a joy and hope because my Savior makes all things new. My life is not easy and has not been easy. I am not perfect or close to it. However, I live with knowingness of Grace and Mercy every day. I experience this freedom here.
Today I attended a funeral of a wonderful man who served and worked and loved. A man who was so well-respected and loved the Lord. I was reminded today that the ultimate freedom is through our death. One day, I will die (as we all will) and I believe with all that is in me, that I will become more alive on that day than i have ever been. That because of Christ's death i will be made new in Him and will be alive and well for all eternity with him and all other believers. This is freedom for me. One of my favorite verses is the following:
We get into the movie and I am loving it in the beginning. I leaned over to Josh and told him I had a feeling I would be crying a lot through out it. The movie gets going, and does not take too long to get to the climax in my opinion. And then it happens...everything goes wrong. I have never watched a movie where for almost 3/4ths of it I spent with my hand over my mouth gasping or on the sides of my cheek repeating "oh my gosh oh my gosh". My nerves were shot. My stomach was starting to churn and I had a killer headache. Of course there were the tears also. The language did not bother me nor did the gore. What bothered me was the reality of it. The cold hard reality that Freedom has a cost. No matter what freedom we are talking about, it cost someone something.
I have always loved military movies and when I was younger I use to say I was going to be in the army. Needless to say I never walked down that road for multiple reasons, however have always had the utmost respect and love for the people who have and are joining and serving daily. When I see a soldier in uniform I always get cold chills and try to offer a thank you for their service. This movie however, awakened something different in me. Something that NO other movie has. I could feel in my heart and soul the cost of freedom. It sounds weird but for a split second I felt I was seeing through the eyes of the wife, mother, and children that lost their fathers. Or the Afghan people who sacrificed their lives and safety to protect an American due to a moral promise they made thousands of years earlier. Freedom has a cost.
I came home that night and sat down and basically cried for almost 45mins. ( sounds weird I know) I did not cry because I was moved or touched, I cried because I hurt in the deepest parts of my being for the people that have sacrificed their marriage day, their children's birthday, giving their daughter away, their parents 50th wedding anniversary, their sons first football game, their daughters first dance, their wife's diagnosis with cancer...and the list goes on. I hurt for the men who gave up all that for me. Gave it up so that I could own my home, go to work where I choose, have a full education, worship freely and proclaim my faith, sleep easy at night, and again the list goes on. I would not have any of that if our country were ran under the same context of countries like Afghanistan, Sudan, and many others. I also realized that were it not for these men and women fighting for my freedom, volunteering their rights and life, then it would become a service of force. A service where my father and brothers were forced to serve based off the need rather than the desire. I have taken for granted Freedom. I have taken for granted what that really means. I am so glad that I went and saw that movie. I do not think I could watch it more than once though but think it was so very eye opening for me.
On a another note...I recently got back from a Mission Trip to NYC with my 12th grade Discipleship Group girls. While I was there I was able to separate myself from my daily routine and give my mind time to think about spiritual things. It seemed oddly enough come back around to freedom. Sunday morning we attended Times Square Church in which I hear one of the most powerful soul grasping sermons I have heard in a long time. One of the songs sang said "where the spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom". That freedom word just kept creeping into my mind. It made me think about Freedom and how freedom relatively means death of something. I mean if you think about it, for their to be freedom something has to die. Some aspect of control or being has to die. For women to have the freedom to vote, a past idea had to be put to death. To have the freedom we have in our country means other men and women have had to give their life. For the freedom our country carries their had to be death during the revolutionary war. Freedom is ultimately a product of a death of some form. Especially spiritually.
"For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."- 2 Corinthians 3:17
"I will walk in freedom,for I have devoted myself to your commandments." Psalm 119:45 (NLT)
The freedom I have spiritually comes ultimately from the freedom expressed through Christ's death on the Christ. When Christ relinquished His spirit and died an earthly death, he granted a freedom to all people who believe, from all the evil and wrong they have ever or will ever do. For freedom to exist there has to be something of captivity and that for us is sin and death. I was held captive by my wrong doings and the future of eternal death, however thanks to the blood of Christ I have been given the ultimate freedom. Part of it, I experience now on earth. Everyday I am blessed to walk with God through faith. Every crappy situation that I have encountered, I have the freedom to experience it with a joy and hope because my Savior makes all things new. My life is not easy and has not been easy. I am not perfect or close to it. However, I live with knowingness of Grace and Mercy every day. I experience this freedom here.
Today I attended a funeral of a wonderful man who served and worked and loved. A man who was so well-respected and loved the Lord. I was reminded today that the ultimate freedom is through our death. One day, I will die (as we all will) and I believe with all that is in me, that I will become more alive on that day than i have ever been. That because of Christ's death i will be made new in Him and will be alive and well for all eternity with him and all other believers. This is freedom for me. One of my favorite verses is the following:
Philippians 3:10-11
"I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead."
This is Freedom in it's fullest and it came with a cost.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Self-Sacrifice and the Quesadilla Burger
It's funny what the Lord likes to point out to us through out the day. I will admit, I probably only recognize maybe one-third of the things, however one lesson is better than none.
Tonight, my fiancé and I were trying to decided where to go eat. Josh will usually not have a preference where as I can be pretty opinionated (especially when it comes to food). Tonight was different though. I did not have a preference and he did. Between our local Mexican restaurant and Applebee's, he chose the later on impulse. We order at Applebee's and eagerly await our food. Finally, after what felt like FOREVER (probably 15mins) they brought out our meals. I picked up my yummy Ham, Turkey, Bacon, Cheese heated sandwich up and right before my bite...I notice mayonnaise! YUCK...I hate mayo. I went and grabbed a menu because I knew that surely it was not suppose to be on it, however sure enough I had overlooked it on the menu and indeed it did come one it. The waitress came back and I asked for some more bread, but at that point I realized there was mayo on both sides and it was touching more than just the bread. Disheartened, I told the waitress it was fine and I would deal with it since I did not ask for it to not be on there and it was my mistake. As she walked off, it took Josh all of 5 seconds to not only offer but insist on me taking his Quesadilla burger (that he was really craving and looking forward too) and he would take my sandwich.
That my friends, is self-sacrifice. Yes it was a small act, and ultimately did not affect either one of our lives, however it was a self less act in which he chose to put me before him and his own wants. As I am approaching marriage (62 days in counting) I am realizing how much self-sacrifice goes into a healthy happy holy marriage. Marriage should reflect Christ and the church and Christ gave the greatest form and gift of self-sacrifice there can ever be by his death on the cross. We are called to daily die to ourselves and put the needs of others above our own. I am so excited about marriage. I am excited that I am marrying someone who pours Christ love on me daily. I would be lying if I did not say I was a bit nervous as well. Not nervous about who I am marrying or the timing but nervous about my lackings and weaknesses as a wife and help-meet. I am nervous about being the best for Josh and our marriage and failing as a wife and help-meet. I know I will fall-short and that is what I am nervous about. I am so blessed that God has given me a guy who has qualities like self-sacrifice that the Lord can use to show me what I need more of . I am blessed and excited and can not wait to say I do! Also...thanks to Josh, I am full and will sleep well tonight thanks to his self-sacrifice and the Quesadilla Burger! :-)
(ps...I do not proofread. Sorry for grammatical errors :-))
Tonight, my fiancé and I were trying to decided where to go eat. Josh will usually not have a preference where as I can be pretty opinionated (especially when it comes to food). Tonight was different though. I did not have a preference and he did. Between our local Mexican restaurant and Applebee's, he chose the later on impulse. We order at Applebee's and eagerly await our food. Finally, after what felt like FOREVER (probably 15mins) they brought out our meals. I picked up my yummy Ham, Turkey, Bacon, Cheese heated sandwich up and right before my bite...I notice mayonnaise! YUCK...I hate mayo. I went and grabbed a menu because I knew that surely it was not suppose to be on it, however sure enough I had overlooked it on the menu and indeed it did come one it. The waitress came back and I asked for some more bread, but at that point I realized there was mayo on both sides and it was touching more than just the bread. Disheartened, I told the waitress it was fine and I would deal with it since I did not ask for it to not be on there and it was my mistake. As she walked off, it took Josh all of 5 seconds to not only offer but insist on me taking his Quesadilla burger (that he was really craving and looking forward too) and he would take my sandwich.
That my friends, is self-sacrifice. Yes it was a small act, and ultimately did not affect either one of our lives, however it was a self less act in which he chose to put me before him and his own wants. As I am approaching marriage (62 days in counting) I am realizing how much self-sacrifice goes into a healthy happy holy marriage. Marriage should reflect Christ and the church and Christ gave the greatest form and gift of self-sacrifice there can ever be by his death on the cross. We are called to daily die to ourselves and put the needs of others above our own. I am so excited about marriage. I am excited that I am marrying someone who pours Christ love on me daily. I would be lying if I did not say I was a bit nervous as well. Not nervous about who I am marrying or the timing but nervous about my lackings and weaknesses as a wife and help-meet. I am nervous about being the best for Josh and our marriage and failing as a wife and help-meet. I know I will fall-short and that is what I am nervous about. I am so blessed that God has given me a guy who has qualities like self-sacrifice that the Lord can use to show me what I need more of . I am blessed and excited and can not wait to say I do! Also...thanks to Josh, I am full and will sleep well tonight thanks to his self-sacrifice and the Quesadilla Burger! :-)
(ps...I do not proofread. Sorry for grammatical errors :-))
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