Amazing Grace

"Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see!"
This passage of scripture comes out of John chapter 9, and tells about Jesus freeing a man from blindness. In the beginning of the passage Jesus' disciples question Him about the reason for this mans handicap, basically asking what sin he or his parents committed to put him in such a state. In reply Jesus tells them that his condition is not his fault but a way for others to see the Glory of God. After this man was healed he proclaimed with gladness that "this man" (Jesus) had done a great work for his life. The Pharisees did not believe it was the Son of God who had healed the man, and the man did not realize His significance. As you continue reading Jesus and the man meet up once more and this man begs Jesus to share his identity. Jesus proclaims that He is the Living Son of God, as a result man falls on his knees and worships, without thinking twice. The people who had seen the miracle gave an eye whiteness account, therefore fulfilling the earlier words of Jesus, "that the work of God might be displayed in his life."

What the Heck?

So today, because its a rainy day and because I have nothing else better to do then read weird poetry, I got a book of Haiku. The 5-7-5 syllable poetry is rather interesting if you think about it, but then if you do think about it you're lost in the concept of how dumb it really is. Why not keep going and make five short poems into one normal poem? Some of the excerpts make sense; however there are others that even when they are read 10 times you still don't fully know what you just read. Its all so confusing. For instance...

"With a twitching nose
A dog reads a telegram
On a wet tree trunk"

I tried to think of a meaning for this and the realist in me overruled the "poetic statement." Some of the poems were legitimate and made sense, but they were mostly just thoughts. I should be rich right now if I wrote down every 5-7-5 syllable thought I had, but I would simply end up at the same conclusion. This is dumb. What 16 year old picks up a book of Haiku poetry? I'm just going to conclude to reading Jane Eyre...

FAVORITE and not

For Christmas I got a Listography book. Within the book are pages to "List Your whatever" the book comes up with the stuff so you don't have to! Such as your favorite band, movie, pets, ect. Ya dig? Anyways. I've always been a list maker and this will give you even more insight on yours truly. Who doesn't like a good list?!


FAVORITE 

• JESUS! 
• Music (that's another post, another day)
• My Mom and Dog
• Family
• My 5 darling best friends
• All those other great people I know
• Books
• Clothes
• Curly Hair
• Tea
• SKYPE DATES 
• Summer a.k.a. not winter.
• True Grit
• New Vans
• Bob Marley, Bono, Audrey Hepburn, Joseph Gordon Levitt 
• Sally, Marley, and Herold
• Music 

Not 

• Cousins leaving
• Cold Tea
• Not being in the mood to read
• The smell of perm crap. I don't know what its called?
• Back Pain
• No good food in the house
• Almost all of your friends being on vacation

There will be more lists...

At the End of the Day

I have grown up in a Christian home my whole life, and have been blessed by the amazing Christian people who surround me. Since I was seven years old I've been a Christian; however not until I was twelve years old did I take a hold of Grace and make it mine. Between seven and twelve I called myself Saved, but I did not engage in what that meant. One day while riding in the car with my mom and she turned and said to me, "Rachel, at the end of the day it comes down between you and your Heavenly Father and how you've chosen to live your life." That hit me, it knocked the wind out of me, and from there I could do nothing more but examine my sorry self. To look at my heart and realize that the state in which I was currently living was not bringing Glory to God and THAT needed to change. This change meant giving my life, the whole me to Him, and being okay with it. I realized He was the only way, the only One adequate enough to save me. The way my pain could be ridden, my anger and suffering taken away. When God revealed this to me I was lifted out of my rut I so pathetically wallowed in, was dusted off and set up right once more. I am not perfect nor will I ever be, but "I press on to take hold of that which Christ Jesus took hold of me."