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Contentment, Or How to Stop Complaining
My last post was all about complaining. The good news: we can open up our hearts and be real with God. Yes, we can complain. The bad news: if we get stuck in complaining mode, we end up with gray, miserable lives full of bitterness. Sounds lovely, doesn't it? So, I’ve moved to another country (Taiwan). I’ve hit culture shock. I’ve spent some time complaining to God. What’s next on the agenda? Contentment.
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I Can’t Complain, Or Can I?
“I am weary of my life; I will complain without restraint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.” Job 10:1 “As for me, I shall call upon God, and the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, and he will hear my voice.” Psalm 55:17
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Are You Sure That’s God?
There have been times in my life when I’ve wanted to ask: “Do you really think acting like a jerk will draw people closer to Christ?” Sometimes this is directed at myself, sometimes at others. With all the controversy swirling around things Muslim, I think we as a Christian body need to be asking this of ourselves right now.
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I’m Right, You’re Wrong Nanny Nanny Boo Boo Christianity
Can a Christian be a Democrat? How about a Republican? We as Christians are known for “going to the wall” on a lot of issues. There’s right and wrong, and we’ll let you know it. Sometimes I think we feel we are the only purveyors of the truth and God needs US to make sure it all gets out there straight. But what about when we disagree?
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Why I’m Boycotting Boycotts
A few years ago, I watched a video about Christians in Hollywood. One of the interviewees asked Christians to stop boycotting movies and start praying for those making them instead. I’d never been a fan of boycotts before but couldn’t put my finger on why, until I heard this statement. What kind of impact do we think we’re making with our boycotts? Is it the message we really want to send?
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In the World, Not of It
What’s that smell? Rotting octopus? Boiled guts? No, it’s stinky tofu; a beloved (by some) and decidedly smelly snack. Seriously smelly. Actually, disgustingly smelly. We’ve run into this smell a few times a day so far here in Taiwan. It is not a smell I am familiar with, nor one I want to be familiar with to be honest. However, it is now one of the smells of my new home—Taiwan.
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Such a Wonderful God
Have you ever had a God-experience that you knew you needed to share? In fact, as I thought of keeping this one quiet, Luke 19:40 came to mind. If it don’t praise God, the rocks will. His timing the past two weeks has given me the need to shout out His praise. Let me explain: My husband was born in a Cambodian refugee camp in Thailand called Khao-I-Dang. He came to the USA when he was one year old. Obviously, he has no memory of that camp, and his family doesn’t speak of it much. That part of his family history is unknown to him. I should actually say it…
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Again and Again and Again
So, I’m moving again. About a year ago, I posted about moving in with my in-laws. Six months later, I didn’t post about moving in with my parents. There’s wasn’t much to say other than it was time to share the “kids moving back home” love (or burden—call it what you will). Now, it’s time for us to move again. We've moved again and again and again in the past year. But this time, it's to Taiwan.
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Overcome
Life has been such a series of ups and downs the last few years that I felt like I have been riding on a pendulum. Swing up, swing down, up up, down down. The thing about me is the ups are there (I can list them), yet the downs feel more real, more memorable, just more. The downs have knocked me down. And as I’ve sat on my bottom, knocked down by life, I’ve looked up and felt a little anger, a little confusion, and a lot scared. I’d rather stay seated than get back up, especially since I’m probably going to end up here again. You too?
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What We Teach, Or Don’t Teach
You know about traditional schooling. You’ve heard about homeschooling. But have you heard about unschooling? Or, what about radical unschooling? Well, Good Morning America did a segment this past week on radical unschooling. Watch it below: