blurred vision

"When the corn is nearly ripe it bows the head and stoops lower than when it was green. When the people of God are near ripe for Heaven, they grow more humble, and self-denying. Paul had one foot in Heaven when he called himself the cheifest of sinners and least of saints." -John Flavel

Every week in the church bulletin, there's an 'epic puritain quote', followed by some things that are going on globaly that we should be praying for (I'll leave that for the end of the post). This quote, as well as the message on Sunday and watching how the Church acts and treats each other here, has been a big encouragement and a kick in the butt for me.

I am so thankful to join a church community that actually lives out what they preach, and to havea pastor that cares about how youre doing so much that he will call and ask how you're livingout the Word that have been studying. we need that SO bad. we need people in our lives to holdus accountable to Christ's calling and commandments and to speak truth into our lives... I haven't had that in a long time and yes it would be so much easier to just become a recluse in my little trailer,being lazy and not caring about other people, just whats more comfortable for me...but i'm so thankfulthat i'm at a place where i will get called out on that. It was a bit hard at first, since i'm kind of the new outsider, everyone already knew each other, and sometimes i use being shy by nature asan excuse not to be the one to initiate friendship, or to see how others are doing, or to ask how i canhelp them...instead of just waiting around for someone to come keep ME company, and to help mework on MY trailer...its so selfish.. i am such a selfish person. we all are. and its something so veryimportant that we need to work on. This was the passage Eric preached on on Sunday...

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love,if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joycomplete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.Do nothing out of selfish ambition of vain conceit, but in humility consider others betterthan yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interest, but also to theinterests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" Philipians 2:1-5

This verse is so convicting to me...because it's so hard to do all of the time! But it's so important for the body of Christ and also to show unbelievers how 'normal Christianity' is supposed to look like.If we could just love each other better than ourselves, and put our self aside to serve others,what would the world look like?

So this is what we've been studying and in my small group we also studied a little bit about the 'oneanothers'...comandments in the Bible about how we should treat one another. And I'm so convicted about it right now. God has put me in a place where I have more time than I know what todo with! while some of my brothers and sisters here are overwhelmed with not enough time...not to mention my neighbors that i barely see or talk to and the people in the community i couldstart to initiate conversations with....and here i was watching lost and cleaning when my pastorcalls to ask how the job search is going and to encourage me to live out this passage! And i'm thankful for that reminder and that push to start really living out God's Word. So i'm going to tryto make a conscious effort this week to to just that...and to become like the corn that is nearly ripe, putting my self aside and bowing in service to my Lord and to others. Maybe you can help me prayfor this. I want to be obedient, but so often i feel so weak!

In other news, I got a call back from a job I applied for, cleaning offices after everyone goes home from work. Not the ideal job, but it pays really well. He said they would be doing interviews in thenext few days, so please pray that if the Lord wants me to work there that He will put it on their hearts to hire me! And pray that I will trust that the Lord knows what He's doing and will open the right door for a job. Money is really tight right now, I have a lot of things to pay off (car, trailer, rent,money i've had to borrow from my parents, and medical bills). I know the Lord will provide in His time... but it's hard not to become frustrated that i still haven't gotten a job!

Something else that's new....looks like i need glasses! i finally sucked it up and went to the eyedoctor yesterday and after doing some tests, looks like i have astigmatism...so fun. apparently itwas bad enough where he said i probably shouldnt really be driving. i have noticed things beinga bit more unclear lately, and have always had a harder time seeing while driving at night...but i never thought they day would come where i would need to wear glasses! thats gonna be a bigadjustment for me... at least ill be able to see clearly....

Well, it's getting colder and colder here in Jackson hole, and looks like theres finally snow to stay.The snow and the icicles are so beautiful. moss loves to jump around and eat the snow. im excitedabout it, but im not excited at all about driving in it. driving in ice and snow is pretty scary! im notused to it at all...maybe i will be after a few months of it, but its just so dangerous. i wish there was a way to have your car spray salt all over the ice right before your drive on it. that would be sweet.

Ok that's enough for now. i've put off reading for too long, and need to go do that. but i'll leave youwith this so you can be praying for our family outside of the states...

On Nov. 12, two Christian sisters were killed by a gang of Islamic extremists in Mosul, Iraq, according to contracts working with Voice of the Martyrs. The gunmen shot one of the sisters outside their home. They stormed into the home, killed the other sister and injured their mother.The incident is one of the latest in a series of attacks on Christians that have occured in Mosul in recent weeks.

Since October, more than seven Christians have been killed and more than 200 families displaces. The Christian community in Iraq is estimated to be 3 percent of Iraq's 26 million people. some Christians believe they are being targeted in an effort to wipe out the Christian community's economic activity and drive believers from the area.

(www.persecution.com)