Talented

So I wrote this post on the Stand Magazine blog, but I feel like I wanna keep this here as well, so enjoy. I'm just gonna edit the end to make it more personal.

What up Church? This is for you! So I'm reading this book Boundaries and it basically talks about setting boundaries in our spiritual lives in a healthy manner. Boundaries meaning setting limits to where our responsibilities end and where other's begin. The focus of the book is analogous to physical land property, we, or actually our parents own. There are clear lines that show where your property stops and your neighbor's starts. Boundaries are clear physically, but when it comes to the intangibles, we don't know where to draw the line. With that said, we must take OWNERSHIP of what God has given us both physical and spiritual. Anyways, that was too long of an intro this is ONE thing I got from it.

Regarding Talents and The Parable of the Talents:

As we know there are two responses the master gives to his servants. First, "Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" Second, "You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents." (Matt 25:23, 26-28)

Sermons and sharings I have heard on this passage discussed how we are all gifted different amounts of talents in this world, but it is what we do with them is what matters. Now, onto the Boundaries perspective...

"Our talents are clearly within our boundaries and our responsibility. It takes work, practice, learning, prayer, resources, and grace to overcome the fear of failure that the "wicked and lazy" servant gave in to. He was not chastised for being afraid; we are all afraid when trying something new and difficult. He was chastised for not confronting his fear and trying the best he could. Not confronting our fear denies the grace of God and insults both his giving of the gift and grace to sustain us as we are learning."

I've always been quite comfortable in staying out of the danger zones when it comes to facing my fears. I guess it is because I'm a weak human and it takes a whole lot of conjuring of courage to push myself to be bold. But this commentary reminds me that I am not like/of the world. My strength is not by conjuring from within, but it is by His grace over my life. It is not merely what I can do for Him, but allowing Him to use and guide me into my everyday battles, victory or defeat.

"By His grace I am sustained
though all was lost,
now all is found and more is gained."

-Thrice

"By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me."

-1 Corinthians 15:10 (ESV)

So may the Giver and Sustainer receive the glory!!

"Whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

-1 Peter 4:11 (ESV)

God gets the glory because He gave the grace.

Kudos goes to John Piper for the passages drawn for his sermon.

Anyways this post is a lot longer than I planned, but after reading this, where do I stand? Before the throne, I pray. Let it be true!!!

Merry Christmas 08

It has to be a Merry Christmas when the Lakers are playing the Celtics at home! Haha, but in all seriousness I hope everyone is enjoying their time at home during this break. I was behind a van and they had a sticker that said "Keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas." That's wassup.

So this Christmas I got an awesome gift from the Irv. Check out these customized Foxtrot kicks!





It's somewhat surprising to me that so many people have never heard of Foxtrot. It's Calvin and Hobbes meets Home Improvement!



These handmade gifts really blow away the typical material toys and gadgets we all get caught up in from time to time. Thanks Irv, they look so professional!

Last weekend was Angie and Larry's wedding and it was for lack of a better word, perfect. Yes that was a biased claim since it was my first wedding ever, but if you were there you know what I'm talking about. I had the opportunity to take some pictures of Angie getting ready on her big day. Something I wanted to quote Angie's mom as she and Angie were getting their hair and make-up done, "Angie you know this is really the last time you ever get to be a princess...because after today you will be a QUEEN." Hahahaha, that was pretty cute.