Doing Love

I read something cool yesterday as Katie and I were reading "The Jesus Creed; Loving God and Loving Others" by Scot McKnight:

"Love, a term almost indefinable, is unconditional regard for a person that
prompts and shapes behaviors in order to help that person to become what God
desires. Love, when working properly, is both emotion and will, affection and
action."

I like how McKnight says that love "prompts and shapes behaviors", that is, love is action (on the part of the person doing the loving.) It is not a matter of simply saying "I love you" and leaving it at that, as if that is good enough. Biblical love is a matter of acting on, or doing, love.

McKnight, in the first couple chapters of The Jesus Creed, is making the case for Biblical love. He says that the Jews of the Old Testament were taught to "love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" and when Jesus came along, He amended that, or added to it, when answering a question posed by an expert in the law. The question: "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

When Jesus answered, he answered reciting the Jewish Shema, the creed that the Jewish people learned and practiced all their lives, and then added "Love your neighbor as yourself." There is no commandment greater than these." This was revolutionary because it identified that loving God actually would include loving other people! It was no longer a "God only" idea! You can't love God without also loving those He created.

Obviously Jesus lived these commandments, and taught the principle through words and deeds, and even non-believers would have to admit that. Loving God is not complete if we do not love our neighbor as well. Jesus was always "others focused".

Part of being focused on others means that we aren't focused on ourselves, and when we aren't thinking about ourselves, we are free to put our love into action. Our love for others should manifest itself in ways that serve to help those we love become the person(s) God desires them to be.

How can we help another become the person God wants them to be? The first, and most important thing, is that we should always pray for others. Pray for your friends, family, leaders, and yes, even your enemies. We should always seek to help the neighbor in need, not just wait for something to be obvious, but intentionally look for opportunities to serve. We should always seek to encourage and edify others with kind words (not flattery, flattery is sin because it involves lying, but that's another post for another day) and/or deeds. There are a whole host of ways to "love your neighbor as yourself", just think about how you would like to be loved, then take a step toward that person and love them.

Our pastor pointed out this past Sunday that when you take a step toward another person to love them, it is then we are most like God.

The Jesus Creed

The Jesus Creed; Loving God and Loving Others by Scot McKnight is the next study SaLT with WaLT will tackle, and it seems that a few other SaLT groups are doing the same. It looks to be very intense. I've only started reading it and after just a few pages I see that a lot of this is what Katie preaches to the framily on a daily basis, and exemplifies the best she can in her everday life.

The book serves as a tool to foster spiritual transformation. From the description of The Jesus Creed at Christianbook.com: "(The Jesus Creed) explores how Jesus connected the ancient Jewish commandments to "love the Lord your God with all our heart, soul and strength" and to "love your neighbor as yourself" in order to create a creed that transforms his disciples' lives. "

Already it is helping me to internalize the two greatest commandments and see how Jesus practiced it and taught it. Katie hasn't read as much yet, but I know she is going to love it because she is passionate about Mark 12:30. In fact, over the years she has posted on the very subject a few times:

• "The Object of My Affection" post by Katie 10/04/04
• "Extreme Love" post by Katie 01/15/05
• "His Word is Alive" post by Katie 09/28/04
• "Mark 12:30" post by Katie 06/23/04

I can't wait to really start digging into this book, chewing on the ideas presented and digesting all it has to say. I'm praying God will use this to ignite a fire and a passion for Himself at Northbrook Church!! I can't even imagine all that He could do with a Body of people sold out for Him!

The Jesus Creed

"Hear, O Isreal,
the Lord our God is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength."
The second is this:
"Love your neighbor as yourself."
There is no commandment greater than these.

This creed is intended to be recited at the beginning of each class discussion and then the class is to end with the Lord's Prayer. I'm really praying that this experience will be very enlightening and together with the Believing God study, God will undoubtedly reveal Himself to me in new, amazing and wonderful ways!

Katie has been walking around saying she is not being fed spiritually...all that is changing! Woohooo!

Christian Bloggers

Hey!

I just sent an email to ask to be included on the Christian Bloggers Blogroll. This was exciting to me because it led me to find some new Christian Blogs out there. I've been blogging close to three years and over time some bloggers have retired their blogs, slowed down posting significantly and/or have just moved on to other things in life. I've been looking for something fresh, and from the blogs I've seen here so far, well, there are some good reads.

For example:

• Simon, at The Gist of It, is asking do all spiritual paths lead to God? There is a discussion over there just waiting for your input!
• Paul Ponders making choices in his most recent post and compares deciding to be a Christian with Bruce Wayne deciding to become Batman. He makes some interesting comparisons!

Over time this roll will inevitably grow, so this is a good time to surf it!

Watermelon Mishap

I love watermelon. Katie picked good one too! Yum! Sweet and juicy, a great summer treat.

We use a tub for the watermelon that once was filled with ice cream. It's a plastic bucket of sorts that works very well for watermelon because you can cut the watermelon into bite size pieces, keep it in the bucket that has a lid on it, and it can stay cool and fresh in the refrigerator.

Because of the handy handle on the bucket of watermelon, I just take the whole thing with me. Today, I had it resting on the the desktop while I surfed. I reached for the fork for another bite, and it was obviously a little too close to the edge. The entire bucket of watermelon flipped over and landed in my lap!

It was COLD! I was startled for a moment, not sure what to do. I wanted to try to avoid having to mop the floor, so I thought about wheeling in my new chair over to the door, but it was too late. Watermelon rapids were forming over the edges of my new computer desk chair already making puddles on the floor.

I stood up to go get the cleaning supplies. I looked down and my new shirt was drenched in pink water and my jeans shorts were soaked! I started laughing because a few seeds, (from the seedless watermelon?), were stuck to my leg! It had to be quite a sight! I'm glad the kids didn't react to my initial scream of surprise, intense cold, and inane stupidity and come running out of their rooms to see what was the matter! LOL

I'm feeling pretty sticky so I think I'm going to grab a quick shower and get my clothes in the washer soon.

Jury Duty and Ice-Cream Follies

I had jury duty today and was the first one called to take a place in the jury box. Yay! I really want to actually serve on a case and do the whole jury thing for the trial, so I was excited and nervous. This was a drug case and the defendant was accused of "possession with intent". He apparantly doesn't argue the fact that he did possess cocaine, the problem comes in when he claims that he wasn't going to sell it.

Then came the lawyers questions to the jury. I was asked by the defendant's lawyer, "Susan, tell me about yourself." I wasn't expecting such an open ended question so I was caught somewhat off guard. I said "I work as a manager in a retail store at the mall. I have lived in Humboldt for four years. I am from the Midwest."

I was excused.

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Tonight, Tiffany, Katie and I went on an ice-cream run. We went to Baskin Robbin's and chose a few of those 31 flavors to enjoy, yum! I got one scoop of mint-chocolate chip on a sugar (or dark) cone. As I was standing in line to pay, I was licking the ice-cream. It was sooooo good, and sooooo cool to eat on such a hot and humid day!

Suddenly, I had a "blow-out"! As I was licking the ice-cream, my cone shattered! The back of the cone broke off and pieces went flying! My "softball star" reflexes kicked in, even after 15 years, and with my right hand I swooped down and caught the scoop of mint-chocolate chip before I hit the floor! It was amazing if I do say so myself!

So, with ice-cream melting in my hand, I calmly walked to the counter and asked for another cone. LOL I actually got a whole brand new ice-cream cone! The other customer waiting in line for some ice-cream was obviously disturbed by the ice-cream dripping down my hand and arm and grabbed a napkin and handed it to me! LOL It was pretty funny!

Randomness

Well, we are almost halfway through the marriage series at church. Ugh. I've never felt so singled-out as a single before. The messages have been good, but a lot of them are obviously directed to married couples. I think a lot of the stuff does need to be addressed, but thirteen weeks is an awful lot. Today's message was on biblical communication, and one can apply a lot of what was taught in this one which is good. Last weeks message was "The Bedroom: Battlefield or Playground?". I got NOTHING out of that one!

I can't get Disciple's latest release out of my CD player! That thing really rocks! Every song is good! I especially like the stadium rocker "Rise Up" which I've come to learn is the NBA's Atlanta Hawks theme this year. Disciple will be one of the bands at Shoutfest this year and that excites me! I can't wait to hear "Rise Up" at an outdoor ampitheatre with the crowd signing along! It should be powerful! Another fav on the disc is "Worth", because of the lyrics:

Forgetting what is behind I'm moving straight ahead
and I will run with a passion till I reach the end

I won't let my eyes move left to right
I'll run with all my heart, I'll give it all I got!

It's a song about "running the race" and that all the pain and struggle is worth it all "if I can just see You, feel You." Good stuff! One reviewer, and I don't remember the name, but I saw it in a CCM Magazine, said "if this isn't Disciple's best selling CD this reviewer will eat a bug." Ewwwwww, grooossssssssss, but I don't think the reveiwer has anything to worry about! It's going to be one of Christian music's best hard rock releases this year without question!

Shoutfest has a great line up this year and comes to Jackson's Casey Jones Ampitheater on September 3. I'm most excited to see Disciple and Skillet, but some other great bands will be there too including:

• KJ-52
• Skillet
• ZOEgirl
• Jump5
• Grits
• Disciple
• Krystal Meyers
• Kainos
• Carried Away
• Talitha and Acacia

It's gonna rock! Woohooo!

Things You See While Driving Down the Road

While Katie, Justin and I were on the way to see Tiffany in the play "Annie", we saw something most unusual. Now, imagine driving down the road and checking your rear view mirror, and then as you glance to your right side, you see, oh, I dunno, a SKELETON STARING BACK AT YOU?

I must say, I was quite startled in that instant! But, then I said "get the camera!" which we just happened to have on hand since we were going to a picture worthy event.

We snapped a few photos of this most unusual site. A motorcycle dude and his buddy just rolling down the highway! What we didn't get a picture of, which I really wish we had, was of Bones waving at us! LOL





It was quite the sight to be driving down the highway next to a skeleton who raised his boney arm and hand into the sky to "say" hello! LOL

I said to Katie, "Do you think that could be a missing person?"

She just said I'm morbid.

BUT I'M NOT THE ONE DRIVING AROUND WITH A SKELETON ON MY BIKE!

Then again, I did go to a halloween party once when I was in college with a "friend".

Oh the things people do!