Getting unstuck in my walk with Christ - Day 27

Wow, I cannot believe that it's already Monday and that the semester starts back in 2 days.  While I am a little stressed out about all the things I need to do before the end of the day tomorrow, I'm still super excited about starting my classes... But it would've been nice if I'd had some kind of summer to speak of.  At least I have some things to show for what I've accomplished this summer:
- A growing friendship with a fellow education student
- A huge pile of stuff to donate/sell
- A's in both Biochemistry and a terribly frustrating online course
Those 3 things make this past busy summer worth it :-)


So, what did I accomplish in cleaning yesterday??

1.  Cross-stitch: I never thought about going through my crafting items to get rid of stuff because I, of course, automatically assume that I still want it all...HA!  I filled up a grocery bag to bulging with cross-stitch to donate...why?
- Super old-fashioned
- Just not my style
- Gifts that are past their time
- Why in the world did I find this cute at one time?!?
- Would I really want to put this on my wall?
- Is there someone that I would really want to gift this to?

 Now these 2 shelves look so much nicer :-)

2.  Gift-wrapping bags (I had 3 of them!): I managed to get all this down to just 1 bag (hopefully, having now gone through all of these items, I'll remember not to be a pack rat with them in the future).  What did I get rid of?
- Ugly boxes and bows
- Ripped bags
- Tissue paper that looked like toilet paper (lol - yeah,
   some of it really did) or was ripped
- Would I really give a gift to someone in this bag?
- Bubble wrap (Only God knows why I keep this stuff...)
- Little paper bags that were wrinkled beyond repair
- Wrapping paper that was too small to cover any gift

3.  Crafting books: Found 3 to donate.
- Iron-on transfer kit
- Fabric painting
- Dollar bill origami
Yeah, don't think I'll be doing any of that any time soon...

     That's about all that I got through, but yesterday was a fairly busy day what with my fam popping in on me without prior notice.  "Hey!  We'll be there in less than 5 minutes."  >> My response, "WHAT?!?!" Lol, I love seeing them - I have a truly fantastic family - but man talk about last minute!!


And spiritual reflections >>>
     Chapter 12 of Unstuck gets the reader to truly examine the character of Jesus.  I have a feeling that once most Christians learn who Jesus is and what He has done for us on the cross, they stop really meditating on His phenomenal nature.  I know I have problems with this, especially when I'm at my lowest emotional points.  So here are the passages provided to explore that question, "Who is Jesus?" [All passages written out below are from The Voice translation.  Emphasis mine.]

-John 15:13-17 >> a friend, He chose me

v. 16a You did not choose Me.  

I chose you, and I orchestrated all of this 

so that you would be sent out 

and bear great and perpetual fruit.

-Matthew 9:35-36 >> compassionate, infinitely giving 

v. 36  Whenever crowds came to Him, 

He had compassion for them because they were so 

deeply distraught, malaised, and heart-broken.  

They seemed to Him like lost sheep without a shepherd.

-Colossians 1:13-20 >> eternal, Creator, first

v. 15  He is the exact image of the invisible God, 

the firstborn of creation, the eternal.

v. 17  He has always been!  

It is His hand that holds everything together.

v. 18b  He is the beginning, 

the first of those to be reborn from the dead, 

so that in every aspect, at every view, in everything - He is first.

v. 19 and 20

-Revelation 3:19-22 >> disciplining out of love, welcoming, desires us

v. 19a  Those I love I also correct and discipline.

v. 20  Now pay attention; 

I am standing at the door and knocking.  

If any of you hear My voice and open the door, 

then I will come in to visit with you 

and to share a meal at your table, 

and you will be with Me.

     As Charles Spurgeon says so eloquently in regards to the story in Mark 5:24b-34, "God speaks sometimes through our circumstances and guides us, closing doors as well as opening them.  He will let you know what you must do, and what you must be.  He is waiting for you to touch Him.  The hand of faith is enough.  Your trembling fingers can reach Him as He passes.  Reach out your faith - touch Him.  He will not ask, 'Who touched Me?'  He will know."

     I found this fabulous side note in The Voice translation, "The woman in this story is unique because she receives her healing without asking for it - simply by touching Jesus in faith.  He is surrounded by crowds pressing in on every side, but Jesus feels that one person's touch is different, in a way that only He can perceive: one woman is touching Him deliberately, in hope and faith, knowing He has the power to heal her."

State-of-mind pic of the day

Rain in the distance

Serengeti National Park, TZE

[taken by me]