Never been Busier

College. 8th week. November already.

I've never been busier, so it has never been more worthwhile to stop and get some thoughts out of my cram-packed head.
...
...I think that even though I really have too much in my head right now, it's just not going to come out right now.

The uncomplicated part of my life is my Almighty Unchangeable God.

He has given me a lot this semester... and this week... and today!
I'll try to get through some of it.
- My school bills are totally covered this year.
- Over the summer my church gave me a gift to go towards my next global adventure for the Gospel!
- I was able to get a campus job this year.
- I have a wonderful church here in Wisconsin (almost as wonderful as my home church in Lahaina <3
- God has given me all the books I need for classes, and He adjusted my class load to perfection.
- God gave me an incredible opportunity to learn more about group music by putting me on Northern Lights!
- God gave me a super-awesome, neon-loving, spunky-girly keys partner to learn from and laugh with :)
- God plans each day for me, and places the little encouragements in my path that keep me smiling.
-There are so many more.
-Psalm 86:12
- Psalm 40:5

Blog Time!

Blog. To me, this can be defined as putting my two cents on the shelf, or speaking just loud enough for the people nearby to be able to hear. Blogging is an enjoyable, relaxing, but often illuminating activity in which the words in my head find a far more clear, understandable resting place. My thoughts are like flakes in a snowglobe, always swirling. Writing helps them settle out to be examined and enjoyed.

Time. What a precious gift, and how quickly it passes! I believe that one of the best ways to spend this gift is to remember. To look back, whether near or distant, to the lessons we've learned and the miracles we've witnessed.

I appoint Sunday as blog day, so that the day will be filled with settled thoughts and wonderful memories.

God's First Gifts

Walking to the bus one morning (perfect way to wake up the senses) I was enjoying the mist falling around me. It was so different from the falling of rain! Instead of a thundering race of ten thousand thousands of water droplets smacking the earth, I saw a unified pace, much smaller dew-flakes falling together, gently, in a contented manner until they rested on various earth things. With that bit of heaven's touch, everything looked, seemed, smelled, alive.



I paused mid-pace to notice the sky: a perfect canvas for the painting of promise, a soft, unbroken rainbow. And I considered His perfect creation as I passed each living, blooming blossom by. Man, I wish I had some kind of camera!

• To start off with, God gave man (old Endlish for "the human race") a PLACE. He created the heavens and the earth, and designated to the man the earth. A place of light and of waters, of mountains and valleys, plants and fruits, and so much more!

• When that place was completed and God said "Let us make man in our image", He gave us a PURPOSE. A teacher of mine often said "We are the image-bearers of God Almighty." Not saying we physically look like God (but who knows, I've not seen Him yet), but our spirit is supposed to reflect Him. How? One word: love. Best Bible concordance study ever! Let us show Him for who He is, brethren (and sistren).

• Then God set out to shape Adam's BODY. Whow!! :) Now would be a good time to point out to/remind you (and myself) that God is the Maker, Sustainer, and Keeper of all the universe. HE owns your body, and YOU--you are more like it's housekeeper. Is He happy with your work? Is "your" body serving your purpose or God's? The hands, feet, muscles, skin, eyes, ears, tongue, voice, mind, etc. are the tools He gave us to serve Him with.

• "... and [God] breathed into his nostrils the breath of LIFE..." Our sustainer gives us the very breath we take for granted. Like all God's gifts, this life was not without purpose. He planted a garden, filled it with beauty and fruit. He placed within it the tree of life, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He purposed to meet with His own creatures there. To walk with, talk with, and be with the man and the woman.

• To this one creature God gave DOMINION. Lordship. [From dictionary.com: –noun
  1.
  the power or right of governing and controlling; sovereign authority.] Authority over ALL other living things on the earth! "Mother nature" is the dominion of man. The human race governs this one small territory in God's universal empire. It's our responsibility.

• I find it very fitting that God's next gift was HIS OWN EXAMPLE. "And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made."

• "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." So it was that God gave us WORK. Dressing and keeping that garden would be a full time job! Every tree that gave fruit or was pleasant to the eyes was there, and a river flowed through it! Now, think about something that took you a day's work to complete. Or something you worked on/at every day for weeks to get just right. Maybe a piece of art, or a skill, or a gift you made for someone. Adam had the enjoyment of working in the garden of Eden and sharing the outcome with God! That creative energy being put to use, and the pleasure of fulfilling that task, those are true gifts to us from God. What might your hobby/ies be in heaven?

• God is the first to see Adam's need for a HELP MEET. He forms all creatures and brings them before Adam, and Adam names each one. But no help meet is found. Then God takes Adam's rib and forms the female, and brings her to Adam. I can hear him under his breath, his jaw dropping, "Whoah!" So he called her woman. :) But it was this one who held his awe, the one creature beside him who could distract him from God who "helped" him into sin. How careful we must be not to trip each other in the small things! You may not directly hear God or an authority tell you not to (for example) feed the birds, but heed the conscience of your friend who read the sign posted, or else lead him astray. What a horrible misuse of relationship! Think how this applies to music, movies, clothing, activities, speech, etc. and think ahead! Think how you can help maintain a friend's higher standard or even their "ridiculous" cautiousness.

• We must never forget that God gave Adam the CHOICE: he would either obey, or disobey.

• All that was necessary to come to the next gift. For when God declared His righteous judgement on the first of the human race, He gave Adam, Eve, you, and I a PROMISE. This life will be tough, sin's consequences won't be fun, but God would take the doom of man upon Himself, living among us to die on the cross, and forever remove our sins from God's eyes. The KEY TO THE PROMISE: it is conditional. IF you call upon me, IF you follow me, IF you believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, ye shall be saved (Acts 16:31).

Smoothing and Grooving

Smoothing:
Ok, so, I really can't say that I have mature memory skills. Some people blame memory loss or forgetfulness on old age or blond hair (I really don't see how that effects anything), but I have neither of these avenues of passing the buck. So take a day like Thursday, one week ago...

Almost there. Left the house with time to spare at 6:10 am. Walked briskly and confidently for 20 minutes. Now sitting at the bus stop and waiting, cooling down. Hoping for a decent day at work. Then (of course) it hits me -- I left my bus fare at home!!! I dial mom to see if she can bring it fast... but the bus comes around the corner before I can even explain...

Now, honestly, sometimes I just smack myself in the noggin' for being so empty up there! At least I can say that when these moments hit, the first words out of my mouth are a sincere whispered prayer. "Oh, Lord, what should I do?" Somehow, knowing that the answers come from Him and not from me make them wonderful to me. He prompted me to ask another bus frequenter if I could borrow a dollar. She "just happened" to have one :) That day I thanked God for His great goodness, and He abundantly blessed my sales. What an awesome day when you remember that it is the LORD's!

Grooving:

I've always believed that everything "circumstantial" in my life is directly appointed or allowed by God my Father. Sometimes He sees fit to challenge me, and always He is willing to help me when help is needed. Through difficulty, He makes me stronger and more determined. Through trial He makes me more humble and dependent. Such are His infinitely good ways.

Colossians was open in my lap when a stranger walked up to my work place. Starting there, and taking a whirl-wind trip through the Scriptures, He asked me to challenge my very foundational beliefs. I cried tears at the utter shock of his argument, and could not answer his gently put questions. Then I prayed for God to guide me straight to the Truth.

It hurt me to be confronted with a logical, from-the-Bible, opposite idea from all my learning and upbringing in the same Word. Humbled and shell-shocked, I lay staring at walls during the days and the ceiling during the nights after that bomb was dropped on me. Little by little, I am seeing the usefulness of this groove. How carefully and answer must be given! How much I must know to be prepared! How deeply must the understanding abide in my soul, so that no seed of doubt can ever be sown! I am cut deep, that I might heal the stronger and sturdier for the future.

Those days and nights, God's Spirit whispered the Scriptures in bits and pieces of memorization. What a wonderful Comforter!

An Easter morning at 1500 ft.

This year I wanted to start my favorite Sunday of the year with something special... going to Haleakala crater for the sunrise! Sometimes it's not what you do for the holidays, but what happens that makes them special. And of course, watching a sunrise happen is SO amazing!

The morning star got my mind started on all the hymns we sing that refer to it. The best way I can think of to stay warm on top of a mountain is hum your favorite songs. :)

As the hues grew lighter and the sun came closer to peeking over the horizon, the clouds began to rise. The coming sun warmed them, and they rose up in greeting. Of all the things about the sunrise, this really struck me. Everything in the sky (heavenly things) grew brighter, and the crater and all the island below (earthly things) seemed darker. Right before Christ comes for his own, the contrast between this world and the children of light should be greatest. Will we be ready to rise in greeting for our returning King?

Thinking of the promise of heaven when Christ returns made me excited.

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

And when these things begin to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:25-28

We have to take to heart the warning here too:

"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21:34-36

Top Ten Blessings

1. Fellowship with God

2. The Bible

3. Freedom to worship God

4. Godly parents

5. Family

6. My church family

7. Friends

8. Living on Maui

9. Good health

10. Good education

I'm adopted!

Hi, I'm Erin, and this is my very firstest blog entry EVER! (I read a Junie B. Jones book today. You should too!) The following is the kind of personal information doesn't always come up when you first meet people in person, but it is crucial to who I am today.

I was born for the first time over 16 years ago into a loving family. I am still the first born in that family. But exactly 16 years ago, I was adopted. Now I am part of two families :)

The loving family I was born into has grown, and I have a brother and two sisters. All of my siblings have taught me things about myself and how to live with others. My parents set an example for me in devotion to God. I don't remember not going to church or sitting down in the evenings to read Bible stories and pray for our missionaries.

There is nothing that has impacted me more than the Word of God. I was very young when I understood that my sin separated me from God. I could quote Romans 3:23 and 6:23 when I was four. I also knew John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

It was easy for me to see that I was not perfect, and I could not imagine being separated from those who loved me. I heard nearly every week how God is perfect and cannot have sin in his presence. I also heard how Jesus Christ died for my sins and payed the price so I could be saved. One day I realized that all I had to do was ask God to save me, believing in Jesus. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31)

When I confessed my sin and asked God to save me, He gave me so much, it's hard to list the blessings He poured on me. When I cried out, He took me into His family, and gave me new life, eternal life. He gave me His Spirit and a home in heaven. He gave me joy and peace. I cried tears of joy that day, because I knew the love of God for the first time.

I want to spend time every day recognizing God's blessings, His goodness, and His grace. Though I am weak, He is strong. Blessed be the name of the LORD!