Well, there has been a lot on my mind lately. A lot has happened since I last got on here, sat down, and actually typed an entire sum of thoughts out. I don't want to bore you all with things that don't really matter instead, I would like to know that after reading this, somebody stays in pensive thought.
I changed the name of the blog to "The Transparency of Truth". I did this because I felt that it really explains where I am in life right now. My goal in life is to reach people. How do I do that though? It's not like that's a new goal for me. Remember the McDonald's playgrounds? There was so much fun in them! Some kids would run up to the top of the slide and just sit there. Others would run around and just go wild, and some would sit with there parents and just watch. Not me! I was the first to pull of my shoes, run to the first kid nearby, and strike up a whole long conversation! And believe me, I got to know the works! I also told whoever it was my entire life story (because I'd lived so long!). By the time I was done, they knew everything about me and we were best friends until one of our parents yelled "Come down the slide and get your shoes on! It's time go home, I mean it!". It was heart wrenching saying goodbyes. Lots of times there were tears, it was if the whole world were coming to an end.
I still live like that. The whole world is a McDonald's Play Place, and the first person I see I want to talk to. I want to know them, who they are inside and out, and I want them to know me. Relationships are crucial in my life without them I feel so lost! God has been teaching me lately why they are so important. Continually pressing me forward and encouraging me to create new ones. Lately, I've had question after question rise up about the topic of relationships. The one that keeps rolling around in my mind is "Why would anyone want to build a relationship with anyone else?"
Now before you all start to think this is going to be a, for lack of better words, "emo" blog, really think about it. Loneliness is one thing that everyone is afraid to get on or out of. Its the thing that drives us into or out of relationships. How many people do you know are in a relationship because they want to be lonely? Inevitably, people are lonely in relationships, but thats not what drives people together. What does it even mean to be lonely? How do you become lonely? Grasping the fact that there are millions upon billions of people in the world we live in and people are still claiming to be lonely. Now, it's taken a lot of thought on my part and a lot of conversing with The Big Guy, and I know for a fact that we are not created to be lonely. No instead, we as humans have created loneliness through various ways. The biggest one I've noticed is that people LOVE to put themselves first, think that they know best. Do you know what the worst part about it is? Most often than not people don't even know they are doing it. Society, being the people around you in every day life, has come up with a definition of self and self worth. That definition has caused people to think that they have the right to 'control' how much they are worth, and who they share that worth with.
I've heard the statement "You can't fully help other's until you help yourself" a lot lately. To say that it rubs me the wrong way would be an understatement. One thing that I've learned to do is to question things, and the question that arises here is: What about the golden rule? Treat other's as you would treat yourself. in other words: Other's first. If you allow yourself to think that you 'control' how much you are worth, then it takes this statement to a whole different level. I mean honestly which sounds better?: I am worthless, nothing, and imperfect or I am powerful, everything, perfect... If you heard someone say either of these which one would you feel sorry for? To be honest, I would cry if I heard someone say the later without following it up with "In Christ!" In reality, most people won't even think of that though. Instead, it's easier and makes them feel better to think that by themselves they are powerful, everything, and perfect.
The world is constantly giving us ways to 'control' how much we are worth. There are things you can buy, things can people say, and experiences you can live that somehow define our worth. As a believer I know that no one on earth can define me. No one needs to. To them my name is and should be simply Amber. My life is a different story. It needs no definition other than 'Christ-like'. Me striving to build new relationships and strong relationships with others is a chance for God to use me and mold me into who I am meant to be. I have nothing to do with who I am and that's the way it should be; however, neither do people. This is where you may have to pay close attention. I have nothing to do with who I am and neither do You and/or Others but through You and/or Others God has everything to do with Me. This is why it is important why you know who you are hanging around with.
The easiest and thing most people default to when picking out friends is to take anyone who can stand who you are. Sure, sometimes there may be drama, and sometimes you might not even really like them, but they're accepting and that's all that matters. Right? What if the people you hung around were on the same page as you were, and instead of just getting together to tell the lasted drama, you were getting together to live an extravagant life knowing that it's only going to get better? Oh but that's just a gimmick! No way is that ever going to be reality! Well if that can't be reality then somebody better redefine reality quick, because it can happen. I didn't say that bad things wouldn't happen to you while you were here living life on this planet called earth. Duh, that would have been stupid. I just said it would be extravagant! Bad things happen because this isn't heaven. There is so much to learn here on earth and that's why were here. It's not a place where our souls were formed then just told to live by pushing our bodies to the limit of them getting old and deceasing. Let me tell you something! This earth is not my souls grave! Instead my soul finds rest in one place only, and that is in Christ.
Ok now it's time to sum all of this up! Are you ready folks? Cause here we go:
a) From a young age we realize we are supposed to reach out to people. This later translates into forming relationships.
b) Without relationships people are lonely.
c) Loneliness is life without God present.
d) God uses relationships to reach us, because people are something we can see, and for some reason we as humans need proof.
e) I have nothing to do with who I am and neither do You and/or Others but through You and/or Others God has everything to do with Me
f) People aren't important really, but with God they are. God created man with the intent of creating relationships. He created us to create love which is the key to any relationship.
g) Love can't exist with just one person which brings us back to why people are lonely. Because we think that people by themselves will make us complete.
h) People try to take short cuts and tricks to living and that complicates things. This isn't Rachel Ray's 30 min Meals... This is real life!!!
i) God's not really that complicated, people are.
With all that being said I conclude with this passage of Scripture:
Psalm 40
A David Psalm
1-3 I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened.
He lifted me out of the ditch,
pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock
to make sure I wouldn't slip.
He taught me how to sing the latest God-song,
a praise-song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this:
they enter the mystery,
abandoning themselves to God.
4-5 Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God,
turn your backs on the world's "sure thing,"
ignore what the world worships;
The world's a huge stockpile
of God-wonders and God-thoughts.
Nothing and no one
comes close to you!
I start talking about you, telling what I know,
and quickly run out of words.
Neither numbers nor words
account for you.
6 Doing something for you, bringing something to you—
that's not what you're after.
Being religious, acting pious—
that's not what you're asking for.
You've opened my ears
so I can listen.
7-8 So I answered, "I'm coming.
I read in your letter what you wrote about me,
And I'm coming to the party
you're throwing for me."
That's when God's Word entered my life,
became part of my very being.
9-10 I've preached you to the whole congregation,
I've kept back nothing, God—you know that.
I didn't keep the news of your ways
a secret, didn't keep it to myself.
I told it all, how dependable you are, how thorough.
I didn't hold back pieces of love and truth
For myself alone. I told it all,
let the congregation know the whole story.
11-12 Now God, don't hold out on me,
don't hold back your passion.
Your love and truth
are all that keeps me together.
When troubles ganged up on me,
a mob of sins past counting,
I was so swamped by guilt
I couldn't see my way clear.
More guilt in my heart than hair on my head,
so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out.
13-15 Soften up, God, and intervene;
hurry and get me some help,
So those who are trying to kidnap my soul
will be embarrassed and lose face,
So anyone who gets a kick out of making me miserable
will be heckled and disgraced,
So those who pray for my ruin
will be booed and jeered without mercy.
16-17 But all who are hunting for you—
oh, let them sing and be happy.
Let those who know what you're all about
tell the world you're great and not quitting.
And me? I'm a mess. I'm nothing and have nothing:
make something of me.
You can do it; you've got what it takes—
but God, don't put it off.
