Tuesday, December 28, 2010

When from death I'm free, I will sing

Sin. The disease that affects every single walking creature on the face of the earth. The disease that infects the very core of our being, and consumes the fibers that make up our physical body and our eternal soul. It isn't just a disease that makes us sick and weary – it is ingrained in our very nature and determines the outcome of our immortal souls.

Sin is unavoidable, incurable, and ultimately fatal.

As infants, we are born into this world of sin and misery. Our cries as babies are for our own selfish gain and comfort. As young children, we slowly come to grips with the fact that we sin, and we suffer the consequences. We lie. We cheat. We steal. We kill. And we hate the endless cycle of imperfection that we are stuck in. But every human being comes to the point where they realize that sin is impossible to avoid – so we give in. We embrace it. We enjoy it. We become it. We relish in it, and slowly but surely we find our identity in it.

We become so numb to sin that we don't even think of it as sin anymore. We don't realize the consequences. After all, it has become our identity, right? And besides...that eating disorder is just an issue, isn't it? So is my pride. And my selfishness. And my lust. And my discontentment. And my anger. All of these things are just issues. It is all “normal”.

We forget about the violent consequence of sin.

Romans 6:23 says, “...the wages of sin is death”. Okay, so we die. Big deal. That word DEATH means a whole lot more than just falling asleep in a grave and living immortally in a gray and hazy world where we see, hear, taste, and feel nothing. Death is a horrible, HORRIBLE thing.

“There will be weeping, and gnashing of teeth”. Luke 13:28. When was the last time you heard someone weep? True weeping shakes our soul, and grips our conscience like nothing else. It makes you want to protect and hold the wailing person, and keep them from experiencing whatever pain and suffering is affecting them.
Gnashing of teeth...what does that mean? It means pain. It means never ending darkness. It means spending eternity in unfathomable misery, without hope. The sinner in hell realizes that after spending centuries in that horrible darkness, he will not have one less second to spend there.

John Thomas writes, No rest day and night. think of that. Thoughts of this happening to people we know, people like us, are too terrifying to entertain for long. The idea of allowing someone to endure such torture for eternity violates the sensibilities of even the most severe judge among us. We simply cannot bear it. But our thoughts of hell will never be as unmanageable as its reality. We must take this
doctrine of hell, therefore, and make sure we are practically affected by it.”

Hell is forever.

And hell is what you and I deserve.

For the Christian, a true understanding of hell and God's wrath should drive us to our knees. It should take away every sense of self worth and satisfaction we might possess. In 2nd Corinthians it says, “God made Him who knew no sin to BE sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

What in incredible, un-fair trade. Jesus goes to hell and sends ME to heaven in His place. What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for my soul?

Understanding Christ's sacrifice and my unworthiness is life-changing. It is soul-saving. And my tiny human mind cannot comprehend the debt I owe. And because of my inadequacy, all I can do is be overcome by thankfulness.

As the great hymn says,
“And when from death I'm free, I'll sing and joyful be...And through eternity I will sing.”

Sunday, December 26, 2010

merry merry merry

I guess this post should be about Christmas. i should probably write my own creative and inspiring version of the nativity story, while sipping hot cider and listening to Amy Grant Christmas CD's.

...the truth of the matter is that Christmas was over yesterday, i feel fat and bloated from the absurd amounts of sugar i consumed, my hair is sticking up on end from static electricity, and i can hardly hear myself think because of the blaring sounds of Lord Of The Rings coming from the living room. I've played 4 rounds of monopoly in the past 24 hours and if i hear one more person say, "You owe me $7 million" i will scream and pitch a fit.

Did I mention we've been trying to go see a movie for the past 3 days, but something has come up every single time? Right now there is a good 3 inches of snow covering the entire city of atlanta. Bing Crosby didn't know what he was asking for when he sang "White Christmas". Every time you step outside you get cold and wet to the bone. Besides, no one in this entire state knows how to function in snowy weather, much less drive to the movie theater.

I guess i'll sit here soaking self pity and static electricity until the sun comes out on wednesday.



Love this photo - pure joy at being 11 years old without a care in the world.





he gets way too much attention for his own good...


When sitting at the dinner table, Dad was telling a story and he used the expression "left high and dry". After explaining what this means to Bryant, the little guy thought for a second and then said..."why wouldn't you say 'low and wet' instead?" :)


in other news...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!




Monday, December 6, 2010

tribute to the red hot tomale

Recently I've been blogging about what is on my mind and heart recently. therefore, I am going to keep up the tradition and write about what is on my mind and my heart today. It is sitting in the driveway. It is red, has a white strawberry-looking design on the side, and bounces like a trampoline every time it hits a bump in the road. No, i'm not talking about a wheelbarrel. I'm talking about the automobile that has been my number one means of transportation for FOUR long years.

Dodge Caravan, 1997. Now before you begin to laugh at me for being a teenager driving a mini van, let me show you a glimpse of it in its days of glory.


Don't be fooled by such a new and shining car- this red beauty doesn't have air conditioning in the back seat. But you wouldn't believe the system in this automobile....it survived 2 teenage drivers and it can still blast a beat with the bass turned up like a brand new sports car. A miracle, if you ask me.

Nevermind the fact that it has a leak under the front windshield, and a whole ocean of water is stored behind the glove compartment every time it rains. Oh and did i mention that the roof is caving in, and there is so much moisture in the car that duct tape won't hold it up? It has new tires though - thats a plus. It also has bucket seats that I vividly remember fighting over with my siblings in younger days.

This car got the name hot tomale my junior year of highschool. Who wouldn't name a fiery red mini van that barrels around recklessly "hot tomale"? Fits perfectly if you ask me.

It has seen many days of glory. Countless teenagers have come and gone. Many trips to the movies, mall, football games, and even prom. Yes - prom. Tabby took it to prom her junior year of highschool. Here is photographic evidence.


I wrecked it into the side of the garage my senior year and it has a scratch on the side that resembles the shape of a strawberry...or a fish...or whatever illusion you might conjur up. The front passenger air vents blow out a form of smoke every time the air conditioner is on, and we like to tell frightened newcomers that it is the hot tomale poison.

Sadly, this tried and true piece of equipment is on its last tire. After a recent rainstorm, the leak has taken over the whole car. There is fog on all the windows....on the inside. Just like a small bathroom gets foggy after a hot shower. From a scientific perspective, this means that mold has consumed the interior of the car.

Now, the Hot Tomale has a new name : Rotten Tomale. It is nothing more than a piece of fungus growing on the driveway. It still drives normally, but it is a health hazard to all who come within a 100 yard radius. Fortunately, a new car is on the horizon. But unfortunately, the Hot Tomale is about to kick the bucket.

The lessons this car taught me will never be forgotten. I have learned that when you pull up at a redlight and look over to see a hot shot in a lifted Chevy, it doesnt matter the look on his face or what he thinks of you. Because guess what? My Father in heaven doesn't care what im driving. In fact, i could be driving a 2011 Porsche and it wouldn't make a difference to Him.

a nice car isn't of eternal value.

R.I.P. Hot Tomale.
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