"I will show you my faith by what I do."

  As Christians, we are not saved by our works, but our works show our faith and often separate us from the rest of the world. Or at least they should. Christians do not do works for our own advancement, but out of love for our Heavenly Father. That is another thing that separates Christianity from other religions. While "religious" people run around doing their deeds in hopes of racking enough points to earn another merit badge, Christians show love to those around them because of the great love they have been given.
  We need to remember that as Christians we obey God out of love for Him. God loved us so much He came to this earth and died in our place. Can we do any less than joyfully obey Him?

You're Not Good Enough

  Something about mankind wants to work for that which we call our own. Of course humans can be lazy and just expect things to fall into our laps, but we generally enjoy being able to say, "I did that myself." That is probably why many people reject the gospel. It just does not make sense that we can receive salvation as a free gift. It even offends us. We do not want to accept the offer of salvation because we want to save ourselves.
  Manmade religions always involve works. If you work hard enough, love enough, endure enough, salvation is yours for the taking and on your own credit. Christianity is different because it offers no hope for earning your own salvation. There is probably no religion that offends ones pride more then Christianity. There is nothing for you to earn because you cannot earn anything on your own. Christianity is not a religion of works, it is a lifestyle of faith. Faith in the grace of God, faith in Christ sacrifice for one's atonement as the only means of salvation.
  Personally, I have done some good in this world, but I cannot put any hope in the good I have done because my sin tips the scales out of my favor. And yet, in all of my sin, Christ loved me. He did not love me because of any qualities of my own, but simply because He wanted to. He, the God of the universe, left His throne in heaven and became a man. He walked this earth as a human being. He bore all my sin and died the death I deserve to die. Then He rose from the grave and conquered death so that I too can live forever, made perfect by His grace alone. My salvation is completely independent of anything I have done. And that is the beauty of Christianity: it is not a religion of works.

Being Well Again

  It feels so good to be well again. After publishing my post about being sick, I got a little better, and then I got sicker then before. Last Saturday was spent almost entirely sleeping, and sitting on the couch like a zombie daubing my raw nose with a Kleenex. There is a world of difference between the feeling of being sick and achy and being well and sore from a workout. I would take the post-workout soreness any day of the week.
  Now that I am well, I can take a deep breath without first having to blow my nose. I can run around without having to drag around lead-like feet. I can cook and drive and fully appreciate the beauty of the great outdoors. There are so many things I begin to take for granted when I fall into the routine of being well. Even though sickness is the result of sin in the world, sickness can be good thing. When I am well, I so often forget to be grateful for my health, and all the good things that stem from it.

  Today I gardened, and for once I did not try to take pictures of every aspect of my experience. Spring is today. The sun was shining, the earth was damp, if the seeds could have spoken they would have asked to be planted. Now I have dirt under my fingernails, dirt between my toes, and the satisfaction of knowing I did something today to make the world a more beautiful place, given the seeds I planted grow into plants.

  It really is incredible to think that the dried up dead plant parts that got poked into the ground have the potential to come to life. To put out roots and leaves and grow flowers and fruit. Dead little seeds come to life. And of course that reminds me of the similarities between salvation and growth of a seed. Before and person comes to Christ, they are dead. Then, after Christ calls them and they are saved by His grace, they come to life just like the seed does. They grow and bloom. Seeds are an awe-inspiring picture of the gospel.

Raspberry Sherbet

  Thanks to the wonderful book Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child and Simone Beck, I have been on a French food kick for the past two weeks. There is not much to say about it besides the fact French food is really good, and I am not yet sure how the French preserve their trim figures if they eat the things Julia Child tells us they do. Anyways, I accomplished yet another spring break goal and made raspberry sherbet. It tastes as deliciously pink as it looks. So, to all of you aspiring French chefs, here is how you make raspberry sherbet.

  Raspberry Sherbet

  8 cups frozen raspberries, thawed

  4 egg whites

  1/2 cup lemon juice

  1 cup sugar

 

  1. Puree the thawed raspberries (you should have about four cups of pureed berries) and pour into a large mixing bowl.

 

  2. Next beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and set the beaten egg whites aside.

 

 

  3. After beating the egg whites, add the sugar and lemon juice to the pureed berries and beat until the sugar is dissolved. A good way to tell if the sugar is dissolved is to taste a little of it and see if you can feel any sugar granules on your tongue.

 

  4. Now for the step I failed to photograph. Whip the egg whites into the berry mixture until thoroughly combined. The beaten egg whites help keep the sherbet from forming ice crystals and makes for a smoother sherbet.

 

  5. Pour the final mixture into a 9x13 inch pan and let it freeze for an hour or until mostly set.

  6. When the mixture is mostly set, take it out of the freezer and scrap it all into a mixing bowl and beat it until it is smooth, begins to lighten, and increases in volume. Here's a set of before and after pictures.

 

 

  7. Pour the beaten sherbet back into the pan and pop it back in the freezer for another hour. Then take it out and beat it once again. After the second beating, however, pour the sherbet into a bowl. Cover it and freeze it for a couple more hours or until ready to serve. Then your sherbet is ready to eat!

 

  I highly recommend watching Mr. Smith Goes to Washington while you eat your sherbet. That is what my family and I did anyways. It made a really good combination. 





Cold in the Spring

  Well, maybe it is not officially spring, but here in Texas we get to start spring break a week before spring actually starts because its warm down here. So I made my plans for spring break and started checking them off my list, then this morning I woke up with a running nose, fever and chills. Maybe that sounds more like the flu then a cold. Anyways, there is nothing I dislike more then being sick, especially when the weather is beautiful. But I have got things done on my spring break list. I read The Oath, made sherbet, and I am working on cleaning my room. I do not think I will get time to make a dress, but I am planning on starting a garden tomorrow. I do not think my being sick is going to affect the plants.

Spring Breaking

  Spring break is here, now that one of the most glorious times of year does not really apply to me anymore. My brothers are off of school though, which does free me from some of my usual responsibilities. So this week I am going to:

  Clean my room. (Terrible I know, that I wait till spring break to clean my room).

  Sew a dress. (Maybe I will not clean my room).

  Read The Oath by Frank Peretti.
 
  Make Raspberry sherbet. (And workout).

  Start a garden.

  Just a few easy resolutions that I think will be easily attained. And when I am done, I can erase the new list on my wall.

Trust Issues

  This past week I have been reading the book of Isaiah. I love the prophets. They are books of justice more often then not, but every time I read them I am filled with an overwhelming sense of God's love for His people. I am also reminded of my own foolish pride and stupidity when I read of Israel's response to the love and protection God offered them.

  The nation of Israel is on the run from their enemies for the majority of the book of Isaiah. Instead of trusting in God, Israel turns to their enemies' enemies for help. God tells the Israelites in Isaiah 30:15 "This is what the Sovereign Lord says, "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.""

  I, like the Israelites, am often willing to put my trust in my own strength and in the physical world. Why do I find it so hard to lose myself in the arms of my infinite God? Why do I have trouble trusting the source of my existence? It is pretty safe to say I have trust issues.

  And yet God still loves me and pleads for me to come to Him. In Isaiah 30:18 He says, "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show compassion to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are those who wait for Him." God still loves me: this crazy girl with trust issues. He waits for me, He rises to show me compassion. I will put my trust in Him today. I may have to learn this lesson over again tomorrow, but I will trust God today. 

For the Great Dislike of Lists

   Hate is a strong word to apply to my feelings about lists, so I will not use it. I greatly dislike lists. I am not sure why, I just know that lists have always made me feel completely behind schedule and inadequate. Well, physical lists make me feel that way.
  Hardly a day goes by when I do not a have mental list of about three tasks I would like to get done. When I get these things done, I feel accomplished at the end of the day, and I do enjoy the feeling of accomplishment. But if I do not get them done, oh well. I did not put it down on paper to check off. A black and white, paper and ink list just throws my off.
  Last week I sprayed painted a corner of my room, turning it into a chalkboard, and this week I have been drawing all over my wall in a way that would make any toddler scream with envy. Yesterday, out of sheer boredom, I shocked myself and wrote a list on my wall. It consists of mostly non-essentials, but it is still a list. Its funny the way a black board and white chalk will inspire you to do things you otherwise would not. My very type-B personality is attempting a very type-A personality feat.