I think sometimes I avoid the topic of spiritual gifts. People seem to have different ideas about them, and I don't know what to think about them. Plus, they aren't generally tangible things like you might receive for your birthday.
Although, my sister, Kelsey, claims to have the spiritual gift of buying slushies for people. I haven't seen that one listed anywhere, although it could, in rare circumstances, fall into the broader gift of contributing to the needs of others (Romans 12:8).
Today, though, I was reading in the beginning of 1 Corinthians and I came across 1.7 which says, "Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed." One thing I have wondered about is whether people can have only one or a couple spiritual gifts or if everybody could have all of them at different times.
I looked at some different scriptures:
1 Cor. 12.6 - seems to say that everybody can have all of the gifts.
.7-11 - different gifts are given to different people
.31 - some are greater than others. interesting to note that it says "eagerly desire the greater gifts" right before going into the love chapter.
1 Cor. 14 - "eagerly desire". everybody should seek the gift of prophecy which is better than the gift of tongues. also that gifts should be used to build up the church.
Romans 12.6 - different gifts are given according to grace given us
In conclusion, I think it is interesting and must be significant that Paul says at least twice to "eagerly desire" the spiritual gifts. I don't think I often do that. The basic idea I got from studying this topic today is that we should desire the spiritual gifts and the Spirit will choose which gifts to give which people at which times. It is not up to us to decide the spiritual gifts. Rather, we should ultimately seek to love each other and glorify God, and the gifts will be manifest in our means of doing so.
Along the same lines, I was struck by something Paul said in chapter 4 of 1 Corinthians. In verse 7, he writes "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?"
To me this speaks not only of pride but also jealousy and competitiveness/comparison. I often compare myself and "my" abilities with others, but "my" abilities are only what God has given me. So, instead of comparing, I should be praising God for what he has given to each of us. When complimenting somebody or receiving a compliment, I should be mindful that God is the creator and giver of all things.
I said "along the same lines" because this can definitely apply to spiritual gifts. Rather than comparing our spiritual gifts, we should be using whatever gifts we are given gratefully and lovingly.
These were some good reminders to me and I hope they will be to you as well.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Exploding grape juice
This morning Kassie and I went out to the car as I was taking her to work and found that one of the bottles of sparkling grape juice had exploded. Fortunately it was in the back part of the car and not the front.
After I dropped her off, I came home and got some cleaning stuff before going to teach Moses a guitar lesson. I was able to clean most of it up. It seemed to come out surprisingly well. Although maybe when it is dry it will reappear or something. We'll see.
Then I was planning on going to the beginning disc golf class that Brooke is taking, but I had some extra time so I stopped at Target.
Then I went to the disc golf course and talked to a guy before brooke came. I guess I am not good under pressure...I am not the greatest disc golfer anyway, but when there is a whole class watching me, I do worse. So I had a bad first shot, and then my third shot went into the water. Brooke's first throw went into the water along with our instructor's. Mine was somewhat close to shore, unlike Brooke's, so I decided to wade in and get it.
Well, it turns out it was a little deeper than expected and I went about up to my shoulders. I did find it though, even though I couldnt see it, by feeling for it with my feet. Brooke and I might go back later.
As we rounded the bend of the course, Brooke and I decided to break off from the group as others had already done, so we continued, successfully (without going in the water) around the pond while the instructor and others continued the actual direction of the course.
It was a good time and Brooke and I might go disc diving later. Unfortunately, my phone got a little wet and isn't working quite right, but Brooke said putting it in rice dries it out, so I am trying that.
Fun times. We'll see what more is in store for this afternoon!
After I dropped her off, I came home and got some cleaning stuff before going to teach Moses a guitar lesson. I was able to clean most of it up. It seemed to come out surprisingly well. Although maybe when it is dry it will reappear or something. We'll see.
Then I was planning on going to the beginning disc golf class that Brooke is taking, but I had some extra time so I stopped at Target.
Then I went to the disc golf course and talked to a guy before brooke came. I guess I am not good under pressure...I am not the greatest disc golfer anyway, but when there is a whole class watching me, I do worse. So I had a bad first shot, and then my third shot went into the water. Brooke's first throw went into the water along with our instructor's. Mine was somewhat close to shore, unlike Brooke's, so I decided to wade in and get it.
Well, it turns out it was a little deeper than expected and I went about up to my shoulders. I did find it though, even though I couldnt see it, by feeling for it with my feet. Brooke and I might go back later.
As we rounded the bend of the course, Brooke and I decided to break off from the group as others had already done, so we continued, successfully (without going in the water) around the pond while the instructor and others continued the actual direction of the course.
It was a good time and Brooke and I might go disc diving later. Unfortunately, my phone got a little wet and isn't working quite right, but Brooke said putting it in rice dries it out, so I am trying that.
Fun times. We'll see what more is in store for this afternoon!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Being and Doing
I read "The Shack" in the past two times I worked at Cook's. It is an interesting book. I really liked it for the way it made me think about God and my own life and love.
There are some things in the book that are quite controversial, and I don't think I agree with everything in it, but it does bring up some interesting concepts.
One thing I got from it is something that I have been learning in many different ways, and still not quite understanding or living. Basically it is about loving God and others before myself, thinking of what I can do to love rather than what I should/could/"need" to do for myself.
It is hard to think like that. I am so accustomed to thinking of myself and my agenda and my needs, along with my body reminding me of needs for food and water and stuff. It's pretty cool when people actually put others first.
God is good. He gives us all we need. Rather, he Is all we need.
There are some things in the book that are quite controversial, and I don't think I agree with everything in it, but it does bring up some interesting concepts.
One thing I got from it is something that I have been learning in many different ways, and still not quite understanding or living. Basically it is about loving God and others before myself, thinking of what I can do to love rather than what I should/could/"need" to do for myself.
It is hard to think like that. I am so accustomed to thinking of myself and my agenda and my needs, along with my body reminding me of needs for food and water and stuff. It's pretty cool when people actually put others first.
God is good. He gives us all we need. Rather, he Is all we need.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Yesterday seems so far away
Actually, yesterday doesn't seem that far away, but this post IS about yesterday.
I got up pretty late after staying up somewhat late the night before.
I spent some time with God and Kassie called me saying she was on her 75 minute lunch break. I decided to go visit her. I took some cards and we played two handed euchre.
I stopped by the men's house afterwards and talk to matt monroe a little bit.
Then I was heading home, or so I thought. God prompted me to go downtown, so I thought, not really sure if it was God's prompting or just a thought in my head, I would at least take that route to get home. As I was riding my bike down main and closing in on broadway I noticed some asian women looking somewhat lost and I deduced that they were probably Korean teachers on the downtown scavenger hunt (there's a group of Korean teachers at CMU taking some classes and doing activities in the afternoons and stuff).
so I went up to them and asked if my assumption was correct, which it was. I helped them find the place they were looking for, in the opposite direction of where they were headed and we talked. then they were going to go to sit down at a coffee shop so I was going with them and they met up with another group. I answered some of their questions and then my mom called.
As I was talking to my mom, the Koreans were standing on the corner trying to decide where to go next and Julie, one of their facilitators, came up. The Koreans went off to find their next destination and Julie stayed with me as I finished my phone conversation, distracted from what mom was telling me.
I had met Julie in the Spring due to my leadership of the international ministry at His House and her position as an ELI instructor at CMU. We talked for a little while and then met back up with some of the Koreans and they wanted to take pictures of me with bare feet. I had bare feet not only because that's how I like to be, but also because I had forgotten my flips at the men's house.
As we were taking pictures and talking, my friend James, from SpringHill/South Bend/Honduras(I met James at SpringHill, his family lives in South Bend, and he teaches English in Honduras) came out of Max and Emily's with Sandra Russel. I am not sure exactly why James was in MP. He had been up earlier this summer and I got to see him but I didn't expect to see him again. It was a great surprise. He started talking to the Koreans who were excited to meet somebody who taught English in another country, and I talked to Sandra. And guess what! ..... Did you guess? ... no, she was not wearing a purple and pink striped skirt ... she lives right across the street from Kassie and I!
So then I bid James and Sandra farewell as they went to eat and the Koreans went on with their activity. I talked to Julie more. We were talking about jobs and God and life and such when I got another phone cal...from an unknown number...who could it be???...it was a guy from Wendels!...I had forgotten that I had called them about a job posting I saw. So he asked me some about myself, and then informed me he would give somebody else my information and they would contact me. Wendels used to be on the corner of Pickard and Mission and I thought it was great because I had a friend nicknamed Wendel, and I like that name. but I think it upgraded and moved down further on Pickard and became Wendel's Home Furnishings. Anyway, hopefully I will get a job there and it will be good.
Anyway, there was more that happened in the day but that was kind of a crazy cool afternoon.
What's going to happen today? I guess I will soon find out, and you might find out later. God already knows, so maybe he would tell you sooner. mystery.
I got up pretty late after staying up somewhat late the night before.
I spent some time with God and Kassie called me saying she was on her 75 minute lunch break. I decided to go visit her. I took some cards and we played two handed euchre.
I stopped by the men's house afterwards and talk to matt monroe a little bit.
Then I was heading home, or so I thought. God prompted me to go downtown, so I thought, not really sure if it was God's prompting or just a thought in my head, I would at least take that route to get home. As I was riding my bike down main and closing in on broadway I noticed some asian women looking somewhat lost and I deduced that they were probably Korean teachers on the downtown scavenger hunt (there's a group of Korean teachers at CMU taking some classes and doing activities in the afternoons and stuff).
so I went up to them and asked if my assumption was correct, which it was. I helped them find the place they were looking for, in the opposite direction of where they were headed and we talked. then they were going to go to sit down at a coffee shop so I was going with them and they met up with another group. I answered some of their questions and then my mom called.
As I was talking to my mom, the Koreans were standing on the corner trying to decide where to go next and Julie, one of their facilitators, came up. The Koreans went off to find their next destination and Julie stayed with me as I finished my phone conversation, distracted from what mom was telling me.
I had met Julie in the Spring due to my leadership of the international ministry at His House and her position as an ELI instructor at CMU. We talked for a little while and then met back up with some of the Koreans and they wanted to take pictures of me with bare feet. I had bare feet not only because that's how I like to be, but also because I had forgotten my flips at the men's house.
As we were taking pictures and talking, my friend James, from SpringHill/South Bend/Honduras(I met James at SpringHill, his family lives in South Bend, and he teaches English in Honduras) came out of Max and Emily's with Sandra Russel. I am not sure exactly why James was in MP. He had been up earlier this summer and I got to see him but I didn't expect to see him again. It was a great surprise. He started talking to the Koreans who were excited to meet somebody who taught English in another country, and I talked to Sandra. And guess what! ..... Did you guess? ... no, she was not wearing a purple and pink striped skirt ... she lives right across the street from Kassie and I!
So then I bid James and Sandra farewell as they went to eat and the Koreans went on with their activity. I talked to Julie more. We were talking about jobs and God and life and such when I got another phone cal...from an unknown number...who could it be???...it was a guy from Wendels!...I had forgotten that I had called them about a job posting I saw. So he asked me some about myself, and then informed me he would give somebody else my information and they would contact me. Wendels used to be on the corner of Pickard and Mission and I thought it was great because I had a friend nicknamed Wendel, and I like that name. but I think it upgraded and moved down further on Pickard and became Wendel's Home Furnishings. Anyway, hopefully I will get a job there and it will be good.
Anyway, there was more that happened in the day but that was kind of a crazy cool afternoon.
What's going to happen today? I guess I will soon find out, and you might find out later. God already knows, so maybe he would tell you sooner. mystery.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Oldest Mini Golf Course in Michigan...or so they say
Yesterday, Kassie and I went up to Alpena for the wedding of our friends. It was a nice little road trip. It was kind of drizzly all day, so we didn't really know what to do between the wedding and the reception...
Interruption by random though: we went through Atlanta, MI. First of all, I didn't know there was an Atlanta, MI until some ladies came into Cook's a few days ago and said that's where they're from. And then I went through it. What a coincidence, or something like that. Secondly, it is supposedly the eld capital of Michigan and we didn't see any elk, just some horses and cows.
End of interruption.
So, when we were driving around, either to find the wedding church or the reception church, we noticed a few things.
1. We noticed there were people setting up for live music at a bandstand near the lake (Lake Huron-the greatest of the Great Lakes...not really, but I grew up near it).
2. I noticed a music shop.
3. Sometime in there we noticed a 7-11 and got a slurpee, not as good as the 7-11 on CMU's campus, but good nonetheless ( I like the word nonetheless because it is three words in one...it kind of reminds me of those band names that are similar-two or three words put together.).
We decided to go the bandstand and check it out. It was in some kind of a park which had a sign for restrooms, which we were both in need of...actually we were hoping the 7-11 would have restrooms, which it didn't, at least not for public use. so we were looking for the restrooms but only found some portable toilets which were actually rather nice. they even had a thing next to them that had faucets and soap to wash your hands.
the band hadn't started playing yet, and it was kind of drizzly and stuff, so we didn't really feel like hanging out too long...
Interruption #2, special news anouncement from Kassie:
She wants to officially become part of the family by joining the blogging fellowship, so you can read her blog at kassiehill.blogspot.com.
end of interruption.
we decided to go to the music shop because it would be indoors and we could look around and maybe jam on the instruments or something. we found it and it turned out to be a pretty bustling place. it wasn't very big and there was a lesson going on in part of it and another guy just playing a guitar for fun and stuff. so we looked around for a bit and then left.
with about an hour left before the reception, we found a mini golf place outside of the music shop. it cost 3.50 per person and was a decent looking course, so we decided to go for it. I looked in my wallet and found only $6 and some change. we looked in kassie's wallet and in the car for more change and eventually came up with 6.89, 11 cents short. We decided to ask the guy if the both of us could play for 6.89 and he readily agreed.
it was a pretty sweet course. it had some cool holes, including one with a chip shot...yeah, there was actually a wedge hanging by the tee of the hole to use for the first shot of the hole. you had to go over a water hazard and to a green which also had a water hazard on the far side.
there was also an eccentric dog. according to his owner, the guy working at the place (possibly the owner of the place) without any training, the dog found out that if he sat in between two humps on one of the holes and set his tennis ball down on the top of the first one, it would roll to the tee of the hole. then he would wait there until somebody bounced or threw the ball to him, so that he would get off the green and they could complete the hole.
the owner also informed us that the course was supposedly the oldest mini-golf course in Michigan, with very few alterations, and was probably the only one with a chip shot, and maybe the cheapest one to play.
We had a good time and took some nice pictures that I may post at some point. We decided that we would like to go back to that mini golf place and are thinking about going camping up in that area for that reason, along with it being quite pretty up there.
Interruption by random though: we went through Atlanta, MI. First of all, I didn't know there was an Atlanta, MI until some ladies came into Cook's a few days ago and said that's where they're from. And then I went through it. What a coincidence, or something like that. Secondly, it is supposedly the eld capital of Michigan and we didn't see any elk, just some horses and cows.
End of interruption.
So, when we were driving around, either to find the wedding church or the reception church, we noticed a few things.
1. We noticed there were people setting up for live music at a bandstand near the lake (Lake Huron-the greatest of the Great Lakes...not really, but I grew up near it).
2. I noticed a music shop.
3. Sometime in there we noticed a 7-11 and got a slurpee, not as good as the 7-11 on CMU's campus, but good nonetheless ( I like the word nonetheless because it is three words in one...it kind of reminds me of those band names that are similar-two or three words put together.).
We decided to go the bandstand and check it out. It was in some kind of a park which had a sign for restrooms, which we were both in need of...actually we were hoping the 7-11 would have restrooms, which it didn't, at least not for public use. so we were looking for the restrooms but only found some portable toilets which were actually rather nice. they even had a thing next to them that had faucets and soap to wash your hands.
the band hadn't started playing yet, and it was kind of drizzly and stuff, so we didn't really feel like hanging out too long...
Interruption #2, special news anouncement from Kassie:
She wants to officially become part of the family by joining the blogging fellowship, so you can read her blog at kassiehill.blogspot.com.
end of interruption.
we decided to go to the music shop because it would be indoors and we could look around and maybe jam on the instruments or something. we found it and it turned out to be a pretty bustling place. it wasn't very big and there was a lesson going on in part of it and another guy just playing a guitar for fun and stuff. so we looked around for a bit and then left.
with about an hour left before the reception, we found a mini golf place outside of the music shop. it cost 3.50 per person and was a decent looking course, so we decided to go for it. I looked in my wallet and found only $6 and some change. we looked in kassie's wallet and in the car for more change and eventually came up with 6.89, 11 cents short. We decided to ask the guy if the both of us could play for 6.89 and he readily agreed.
it was a pretty sweet course. it had some cool holes, including one with a chip shot...yeah, there was actually a wedge hanging by the tee of the hole to use for the first shot of the hole. you had to go over a water hazard and to a green which also had a water hazard on the far side.
there was also an eccentric dog. according to his owner, the guy working at the place (possibly the owner of the place) without any training, the dog found out that if he sat in between two humps on one of the holes and set his tennis ball down on the top of the first one, it would roll to the tee of the hole. then he would wait there until somebody bounced or threw the ball to him, so that he would get off the green and they could complete the hole.
the owner also informed us that the course was supposedly the oldest mini-golf course in Michigan, with very few alterations, and was probably the only one with a chip shot, and maybe the cheapest one to play.
We had a good time and took some nice pictures that I may post at some point. We decided that we would like to go back to that mini golf place and are thinking about going camping up in that area for that reason, along with it being quite pretty up there.
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