continued..

don't you think we just change our theology to suit our own desires or purposes? then excuse it as changing our theology to suit the culture we live in. like God didn't say those things with the intent that it would still apply to us today, because He sure couldn't have known what this culture would be like, not the addictions, or divorce or pornography or materialism. all that stuff He said only applied to that crowd he lived with, not to us here and now. or does it?

He gives beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning. Both of those have connections to fire. The ashes are what is left and the oil is what is consumed....

'I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.'

I understand weakness, with more compassion than you would imagine, but I know that the standard that I place for myself is to always reach beyond my inability to the place where God's ability takes over. I don't always succeed but sometimes I do. When I grasp within my own reach I miss out on the joy and beauty and creativity that He has for me. I may think I have found something worthy but then I am unaware of what I could have had if I'd gone beyond myself to His place.

bithdayalarm.com sends me a reminder that it is Christmas on Dec. 25th. sheesh!

check out the video on holiday traditions here

goingjesus.com shares some bad nativities