Be Still.

Hey everyone! Sorry I didn't post yesterday...I just wasn't in the mood to really blog or anything, work wore me out completely. It did today too, but I know my days are so much better when I sit down and really think about God and the word.

Mark 4:21-41

A Lamp on a Stand

"For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed..." Jesus talks in parable form a lot in this chapter, but this he's talking about the fact we put a lamp on a stand and not the ground. Therefore, we don't see everything, only what we need to. I have a lot of anxiety issues. I worry all the time about what can happen, what will happen, and how it will affect me. I waste my time in this worry. Anything I need to know at that time in life I have been given by God already. Why should I worry about what others are thinking, or about incidences that could happen? If at all I should worry about the present and how I can make it the best I can.

The Parable of the Growing Seed

No one ever seems to focus on those years before God and how God felt while we were growing. This tiny little part touches on the process, how we grow and it is unknown how until we connect with God and grow with him. Growing on our own often leads to a lot of issues, and I'm not saying growing with God is perfect in it's process (because it is SO difficult) but at that point we have hope in something much greater than ourselves. That's the difference.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Jesus relates Heaven to a mustard seed saying that, "'Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches the birds can perch in its shade.'" To me he's saying that it isn't something we can see, in our daily lives it may seem small to us because we think of the world we're currently in. But when we finally get to get there and see the beauty ourselves we see the true greatness of what we thought of as small. Why not change that outlook?

Jesus Calms the Storm

So the disciples and Jesus are on a boat when a storm arose in the middle of the sea and the disciples wake Jesus up and ask him if he's even afraid to die. "He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'" So I guess you can guess why I love this passage so much? it touches on anxiety and why we shouldn't even let it touch us. God's got this. I'd much rather my life be in his hands than my own.

Good soil.

Today was a serious challenge. I have a new least favorite shift at work: 8:45-5:15. Seriously, that's all day, and ALL of the rushes. Not to mention I was stuck behind a register rather than bagging for 90% of it. I will say it could of been a lot worse, and in general people were in good moods today. I've gotta rest up and be back there at 7 in the morning, but this time I'll be getting off earlier. I just finished my chores around the apartment, finally getting to unwind. My dinner wasn't the healthiest to say the least, being a donut and the last of my vegan brownies...but hey, at least there were a meal rather than a snack..right? No? Okay.

Also, if you live in Texas, you HAVE to try this coffee from HEB. I had never been able to get into coffee that  I made myself at home, but I bought this and I have to say I am definitely in love!

Mark 4:1-20

The Parable of the Sower

I absolutely love this. The first part mainly because it shows as an example how to get the message of God out without putting it in someone's face. I know many people who are not Christians, or at least don't accept God, because so many people have shoved it down their throats over and over. Jesus gives a message, and people can take it however they want, but they all know what it really means from Him.

And then as it went on into verses 13-20 I got a a little saddened. I had been in every bad situation that he mentioned. Every single one. I don't know if that's normal, I feel like it is. The main thing I got from this is to be humble in the word, be joyful yes, but don't be overjoyed to only have it stolen away when life gets a little tough. Again, balance. 

Every day I pray I pray for balance to be in my life, one day it'll be here.