Crazy Love

I love books. I love the smell of them. I love the covers. One of my most recent loves is Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God, by Francis Chan

An excerpt that makes me laugh:

"Suppose you are an extra in an upcoming movie. You will probably scrutinize that one scene where hundreds of people are milling around, just waiting for that two-fifths of a second when you can see the back of your head. Maybe your mom and your closest friend get excited about that two-fifths of a second with you...maybe. But no one else will even realize it is you. Even if you tell them, they won't care.

"Let's take it a step further. What if you rent out the theater on opening night and invite all your friends and family to come see the new movie about you? People will say, 'You're an idiot! How could you think this movie is about you?'

"Many Christians are even more delusional than the person I've been describing. So many of us think and live like the movie of life is all about us. Frankly, you need to get over yourself. The point of your life is to point to Him."

Mmmm....you should read this book. :)

HeartAche

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
1 John 3:1

I saw a friend at church whose wife and kids had left town to visit family for the week. I asked if he was missing them all terribly. He told me, "April, its crazy. The way love is. It's like, when I just THINK about any of them for too long? My HEART starts to hurt!"

I want to know love like that. But from my limited view, being single and childless, I don't think I'm able to truly comprehend that kind of love. And I guess I doubt I'm the sort of person who could ever induce a similarly sweet ache in someone else's heart. But God says we are His children and that He loves us like a father loves a child. And it makes me joyful to explore the possibility that sometimes God just THINKS of me, and his heart starts to hurt because of the way He loves me.

I looove LOVE like that. :)

Oucheewahwah!

Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Job 22:21

As a child, I was utterly petrified of shots. If I had a doctors appointment, my mom would tell me we were going to the store to get some candy. Then, after I selected my precious JuJubees, she would slyly zip off to the doctors office. As we nearer the dreaded location, she would try to gently break it to me that a shot was on the horizon. I would cry and cry, but knowing I couldn't avoid it, I would follow her into the office, tears streaming down my face, snot pouring out my nose. When the doctor came in with the loaded syringe, I would squeeze my eyes shut, set my jaw and whimper til it was over.

My brother, on the other hand, would not submit as easily. He would fight like a cat backed into a corner. When it was his turn to get a vaccine, he would try to run away, flailing his arms and legs about, a crazed look on his face. It often required 3 nurses strongarming the 50lb stringbean while my mother held him in a headlock. Only then could the doctor be ensured his needle would make contact with the target.

Today in Sunday school, our pastor was talking about how God uses His chisel to form and transform us - and how often this process hurts. He said can accept it as it comes, or we can take advantage of our free will and run from it. I know God's plans for me will eventally come to pass. It just a matter of how long it takes. I don't want to fight it and extend the suffering. I'd rather buckle down and submit to my destiny. (Unless the needle is REALLY REALLY long!)