276. finishing 2 books while working out on a recumbant bike in a fairly short amount of time considering raising 2 litle ones and helping my hubby steward our household...
Took some notes on the book becuase these nuggets were too good to forget, enter the internet. So the following comes from Ann's book --some in my words and some quoted:
The fall of man is his noneucharistic life in thi non-eucharistic world. Ingratitude was the failure or fall. Humanity's discontent with all the God freely gives.
----Lets look a little closer at this statement. God is good, all that is good comes from Him, all that we have comes from Him, so all that we have is good and is a free gift from God so our discontent causes ingratitude which was the fall of man in the first place. Look at Adam and Eve they had the best gifts ever received-they lived in harmony with our heavenly Father and were given everything in the garden except one tree--that God knew if they ate of the tree (of knowledge) they would know too much and try to be like God---sin began with discontent with the free gifts of God...
"Thanksgiving -giving thanks in all things is what prepares the way for Salvations whole restoration"
----don't know what to say about this exactly, but I like it. To be wholly restored in our salvation we have to be thankful in all things--not an easy task, but who doesn't want to be fully restored???
The brave who focus on all things good and all things beautiful and all things true, even in the small, who give thanks for it and discover joy even in the here and now, they are the change agents who bring fullest light to all the world.
---Praising God in a storm is not easy, but if we are able to find joy in a storm, what can take away our joy ever? We are in charge of whether or not we are joyful, God offers joy freely in our salvation and in the many gifts we have from Him, but does our attitude show as joy, if we are greatful even in the small, even in the here and now (example baby fussy, dogs going nuts, toddler repeating your name, while on the phone with hubby and making dinner) we will have joy. I am not saying it is easy or that i am by any mean good at it--the situation above has happened many times and no I am not good at being thankful in those moment, usually I complain to my hubby and often yell, but maybe even once if I focus hard I can find joy in that moment--as I am sure it will come up again and the stress and anger and frustration will melt away and maybe i will laugh--which sounds better honestly???
"This is the work (service) that God asks of you/ that you believe in the One whome He has sent [that you cleave to trust, rely on, and have faith in His messenger]-from John 6:29" this is my work, to trust in Him. Sometimess stress and anxiety seems easier, to let my mind run wild than to exercise discipline, but isn't the joy worth the trust? Stress isn't only a joystealer-the way we respond to it can even be a sin.
"I cant conjure up trust and will sress away. Why do I stress? Belief in God has to be more than mental assent, more than cliched exercise in cognition. Even the demons believe. A true saving faith is faith that gives thanks, sees God, deeply trusts. Without trust in the good news of Jesus, without trust in the good news of God's saving work even in this moment, without an active moment by moment trust int he good news of an all sovereign, all good God, how can we claim to fully believe."
---this is a challenge for me to say the least, but "to choose stress, anxiety, etc. is to reject what God has given now, which is good news too"
"God reveals Himself in rearview mirrors"---you may not see what He is doing, but usually you see what He did and sometimes even get to know or guess the 'why' as far as why God allowed you to go through something.
Children live life as a large surprise, their expectations are low and they don't worry about big future stuff--how awesome is that! Remember a time when you just went about your day making mud pies, eating good food, making messes, singing at the top of your lungs and you had no cares in the world? To think like a child again in some ways would be a bad idea, but in others...how awesome we would be!
"Expectations kill relationships, especially with God. Without expectations what can topple the surprising wonder of the moment" "Expectations ca be what inflates self, detonates anger, offends God, extinguishes joy."
---- We think we deserve something have rights to things. What do I deserv? Thankfully God doens't give me what I deserve or I wouldn't be here writing this blog. God instead offers gracious gifts like our bodies, our time, our breath. "God doesn't give rights but imparts responsibilities...inviting us to respond to His love gifts."
Passionately servig Christ alone makes us the lovign servant to all. When we try to just serve people we feel appreciation is due, which is when trouble comes. We bargain for a reward or angle for an applause and are left with frustration. So work, chores, etc. done for God in thanks = joy. Doing the work for Jesus, with Jesus-that makes us content. Our love for Jesus in action. Work then =woship and thankfullness
---that is a tough one too
sorry for the lengthy post today but i hope you enjoy those little nuggets of wisdom, truth, whatever you want to call it and may we all be more thankful and find more joy.
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