A Beggar’s Story

There is a beggar shuffling down the street. He is dressed in rags, has holes in his shoes and a tattered hat on his head. His shoes are slapping away in the late-winter slush.

BUT.

He has a loaf of bread in his hands and his stomach has just been filled with a couple bowls of warm, thick, savory, nutritious soup. The warmth is still working its way into the rest of his body.

And the look on his face; joy!!! Oh, inexpressible joy!!!

And then he meets another beggar. A friend who knows him well, and notices the joy on his countenance.

“What are you so happy about?” the second beggar inquires.

“You are hungry right?” the first beggar says. “Go around that corner over there.” pointing behind him. “Then turn right at the second street. There are people giving out food in the old deserted building next to the bingo hall.” A grin spreads over his face. “Good food too.”

Three quarters of an hour later you see a similar encounter. This time it is the second beggar spreading the news to a number of his beggar friends. In a short while the old building is brimming with people, all receiving good food from the hands of generous people.

“One beggar telling another beggar where to find food.”

Does that saying look familiar to you? I have heard it many times before, but have not really thought about what it means. Tonight I finally did.

We, church people, are the first beggar. We know of a place that serves good food. In our case, we were brought up in a place that serves good food. And truthfully, spiritually we look just like that beggar does.

The implications of this are HUGE. Are we sharing the joy we have received with the second beggar? A friend. A neighbor. Someone you meet at school. A teacher maybe. What about a stranger on the street or the girl behind the counter at the grocery store or at our favorite coffee shop?

Are we fulfilling our calling, given to us by Christ, and spreading the amazing JOY of Christ?
And what about the second beggar. I personally think we should respond more like that second beggar. Telling more than just our one friend, telling many friends.

We have the love of Christ, WHY are we holding it back????

The Gospel

I recently came upon this video by Ellerslie. Ellerslie is the Bible Academy founded by well known authors Eric and Leslie Ludy.

Take 10 minutes and watch this video and then share it with the people around you.

It is typical Ludy-fashion. BLUNT. It is also powerful. Intensely powerful. It has the potential to change lives, if God chooses to use it in that way.

The film part of it is uncomfortable for me… the role playing of the prisoner and Christ. But, the message is so good that I think we can over look it and zoom in on the message.

The video won’t embed, so here is the link: http://www.ellerslie.com/short-films/the-gospel.

My CHALLENGE for you is to watch it and share. Share it on your blog, on Facebook, with your friends. And ACT. What is Christ calling you to do??? Go, both you and I can change this world only with Christ and His power at our sides. Why aren’t we sharing and acting on Christ’s behalf???

It is a question I struggle with myself as well. I have known the truth for a very long time, I just haven’t done anything about it. Christ is slowly changing me though. What about you??? Think about how Christ is using you. Or, how He can use you, and then act on it.

-Emily.

Sisterhood

Sisters are either are the best in the world, or the worst. And they can be that in the same day, in the same hour. But, no matter what we think of them, they are with us all of our lives. Our friends may move on and we might loose touch with them. But, our sisters will most likely be with us through everything.
How do you treat your sister? Is she just a nuisance, or is she someone you choose to love, no matter what the circumstances may be?
I have three sisters. They are approximately 2, 6 and 8 years younger than me, and I love them to peices!!! That doesn't mean that I show it all the time though. I can say that I have a whole lot more patience for other ladies around me than I do for my sisters. That is NOT a good thing. It is something I have to work on.
Over the years I have learned to value my sisters a whole lot more than I used too. Me and my sister right under me fought like cats for years. Now we can talk about almost anything. I think some of that came with maturity, but God also gave us both new attitudes. We still don't see eye-to-eye on everything, but that is OK. We are able to work out our differences.
So, sisters out there who fight all the time. Moms out there who dispare over the fighting of their daughters. Work on it, pray on it, and be patient. God will change hearts and cause little girls to grow into lovely young ladies. Your daughters and sisters need your giudence and prayer, and they need your LOVE. Choose to love them and respect them. Even that step will make a difference.
And on behalf of young ladies my age: we still need prayer and guidence as well. We have hard descisions to make and cultural pressures that try make us fit the 'mold'. I personally love it when older women take the time to talk to me, and I am sure I am not the only one.

I also want to share what Bambi says over at Raising Homemakers. She says things really nicely, and goes into a number of practical applications.

Modesty

I could spend time writing about the topic, but I think these ladies say it so much better. :)

 

{Click on their names to follow the links.}

 

Here is what Becca says on the matter. Very easy to read, and very practical. It isn't just in the way we dress and act, it is our attitude.

 

And here is what Kasey says about it. A different take on it. She starts out with the message that we are sending by the way we dress.

Expectations: How do you respond?

We live in a society that sets expectations. These expectations come from society in general, from our places of employment and even from Christian school, home and the church community.

There are the general expectations to finish high school, go to University or College, and acquire a decent job. There are also expectations that you will fall in love before you are too old, get married and have a couple of kids. If you are Dutch, you are expected to have at least half a dozen arrows in your quiver. ;)

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes find these expectations a tad annoying, for lack of a better word. They tend to pressure us in the form of others expecting us to meet these expectations. I find that in our Reformed, Dutch communities there is always pressure to find someone and marry them before we are ‘too old’. And it isn’t just parents and grandparents putting on the pressure. It is also your fellow youth, and even your little siblings and their friends. My sibling’s friends have told me numerous times that “you really need to get a boyfriend.” Thanks, but I would rather let God decide that, not you. Can you fellow young people relate with me?

Another example comes from something that came up in Youth Group a number of weeks ago. A friend, who happened to be getting married in a couple of weeks, said that when she and her now-husband were dating for a couple of months, people were already asking when they were going to get engaged. And then when you are engaged, everyone wants to know about the wedding. And then you are married people start asking about kids. And I am sure that once baby number one is around a year old, there is the question about when baby number two is coming.

There is also the growing expectation of stay-at-home moms to do something more than sit at home and enjoy their time with their kids. The world says that they should go back to work. But, amongst those who stay at home, there is another pressure, a “keeping-up-with-the-Jone’s” pressure. The blog needs to be kept up, as well as the home business. The DSLR camera needs to be used at every possible chance, so that the blog will always have amazing pictures on it. I am just looking at this from the outside, but is this an accurate picture moms?

My question for you is, how do you respond? Do these expectations rule your life, or do you attempt to ignore them and live your own life? I admire you who stand above the expectations and lead your life in a different way. I wish I did that more.

This is just something that has come to light lately, and I thought we could all think about it. Do we pressure others to fit our, or other’s expectations? I know I have.

-Emily.

2013… What is it going to bring?

On the last day of 2012 I finished my fifth job for the year. Each one ended for a good reason, and God always provided another one in His own time. I was without a job for about half a week between my last and second last jobs. And I was hired even before I went for the interview for the last one. God has been so faithful; I can’t even comprehend it all!!! One lesson I learned over and over again last year is to trust God even more.

Looking over this coming year, I simply cannot wait to see what God has in store. My excitement is so great I can’t even explain it. Right now I am completely content to let God take control. And truthfully, things have been far more exciting this way thus far. I know, tomorrow this might not be the case, but for now I am content.

What about you? Are you ready to let God take control? Take that most difficult step, go through the process. It is worth it.

God is good.

Have a lovely year everyone.

-Emily.

Sewing for Me -Mustard Yellow Infinity Skirt

* I know this is the same post as on the Made {4u} blog... Oh well. :)*

So, I made something for myself... and actually took pictures of it!!!! :)

Here is the Mustard Yellow 'Infinity" Skirt {a.k.a. the 90 cent skirt}.

Uh hu, NINETY CENTS. There is a story behind that...

So there was this gorgeous material at work {I work at a fabric store at the moment}... It was 40% off, but still too much. And I didn't really need it {always the story}. It was going to be shipped out to another store, so this was my last chance... I didn't take it.

A couple of weeks ago I was going through the remnants bin. Everything in that bin is really small and 50% off the listed price. And there I found a mustard yello peice of material.... the exact material that I had be admiring at the beginning of November!!!! WHAT?!?!?!? It was too short for a modest skirt, but there was lots of width and I had an idea in my head inspired by a friend's skirt. It was also $1.80 -half of that is $0.90.

I was trying to sew it up on Monday morning so I could wear it on Tuesday... but things were NOT working out. I talked to some ladies from work... their advice helped immensly!!! I also had a serger from a friend sitting downstairs that a friend is letting me borrow. I hadn't used it yet, and this was the perfect time. Without it this skirt would never have been made. That thing works like a dream!!!! :)

My pretty serged seams!!! ;)

So, this is what came out of it. It is four peices sewn into one long peice and sewn in a spiral, hence the infinity part. I thought it was a good name. :) The waistband is double and really comfortable.

This picture shows the color the best



Front view



Side View

Ps. - It is awkward taking pictures of oneself. ;)



The whole outfit. The rest of it is bought.
Shirt and socks - Smart Set
Scarve - A gift from someone