Created for all:With a touch of magic

Created for all:With a touch of magic
Since the 11th century

Thursday, January 20, 2011

My life as a Nutcracker

Hello again Nutcracer Fans
 Thanks for visiting this blog from the Nutcracker Headquarters. Tonight we want to talk about something that all people should have come to realize. Life is about choices. Choices about the way we treat people, the way we act, what we buy, what philosphy we live by and the actions we take to get there. There is a verse in Proverbs Chapter 3 that says,
 "Trust the Lord with all thine heart and all thine soul and all thy strength and lean not upon thy own understanding, but in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall show you what to do in all things and thy path." 
I try to live by those words daily. If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus as we are, or even if have never known him or his teachings, or  have never even read the first word of the Bible, take this proverb to heart. For it says alot about the human race and the path many have chosen. Let's tonight break this simple proverb down and talk about how it relates to our life and a nutcracker. A nutcracker is shaped and formed from a simple block of wood. Before it's beauty ever shows upon the treasured shelf of a collector, it is a mere chunk of wood or better yet a tree which grows wild in the forest. A tree the Lord God has made. Like this simple unworthy chunk of wood, plain, hard, unpolished, we are all mere mortal beings, cursed since the fall of Adam and Eve, to live, grow old and perish.  To many this is all there is, just live as wild and free a life never caring of what lies beyond death's doorstep, simple to just live, die and go into the ground. I however feel that like this wood, God took and molded us in his image to serve him and in return he would provide us everlasting life thanks to the sacrifice of his son Jesus Christ on the cross so many years ago. How simple the words read, Trust the Lord thy God with all your heart, mind and soul. Trust is something many of us find hard to do. We can't even trust each other, much less trusting in something we cannot see, or touch. Further still with all your heart, mind and soul. This is no mere trust that we encounter every day. To trust with all our heart, mind and soul, goes far deeper. It's like taking an egg, and holding it up over a skillet, we want to feed our children breakfast, but is there really an egg in that shell? Or is it a spider? A poison? A serpent which could spring out and strike us? Of course we crack it without hesitation because we trust that inside is a yellow yoke and a clear liquid that will taste good once cooked. We must learn to trust all of our actions to the Lord. To give our minds the confidence that each step we take, each plan we make if something he guides us in. If you trust something with all your heart, soul and mind, there is no doubt that it will happen. Far too often we however place out trust in man made objects, or desires, or truths that lead us to a destructive end. Some kids trust stealing with all their hearts because they know that stealing something will gain them extra spending money. Others trust in their friends to help them make all their major decisions. How often do our friends lead us astray, sometimes without even realizing it. Some trust dating sites, video games, sports shows all to give us peace of mind and satisfaction, only to find out hours later we are bored all over again and crave some other form of excitement. To give over our trust to a God we have never met or saw or heard from for many is asking the impossible. I have two words for ya, "SELF WILL!"  Self will, is going to be the main factor that leads for so many sadly down a road to Hell and judgement. A wise man once told me when I questioned his faith, "which is better a man who builds a boat on a sunny day, or a man who laughs and drowns during the flood?" I want to be the man who built the boat, because it cannot be proven that there isn't a Hell, and better to be prepared and if there's not(which there is), be relieved, versus the others who mock and laugh and one day find torments, Rob Zombie couldn't have even imagined. We just cannot turn our will over to someone else. It means weakness, helplessness,lack of control,  lack of understanding. People, to turn your will over to the Lord is like switching on an extra set of fog lights in a think storm. For once you can have a true sense of direction. A football coach once told me he trained his players to wear anchor weights during running exercises. I asked him why he did that, wasn't it hard on the players? He chuckled. His reply, "Maybe a little, but man when you take those weights off, those running backs will fly!" That's the way life is trusting our will versus God's will. With our will, we are weighted down, trudging along with daily pressures, stresses, no one to turn to but ourselves, which leads to frustration, anger and often either failure or bitterness towards others along the way. God's will is when those weights come off and we are flying through obstacles, around defenders and we now know the true purpose the Lord has prepared for us. The endzone is in sight!
Now on to the latter portion of this proverb. Lean not upon thy own understanding. Simply put, to think ourselves wise we are fools, and to become fools we are filled with wisdom. That was something a Chinese cook once said. I scratched my head too at that time. How similar these two proverbs were. People in today's societies think themselves so smart, so intelligent in our creations, our studies, out accomplishments. Why? What is building a structure that 200 years-300 years it will decay? What is learning ten thousands vocabulary words achieving once we are dead? Will it help us in the afterlife? Will it help amuse Satan's minions? I think not. What makes us boast in our own man made wisdom? How have we become so arrogant in temporary things? The Lord tells us, Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. He's not talking about this earth, but the earth when the Lord returns to claim his throne. What does it profit a man to gain the entire world, and yet lose his soul? Does Einstein think about relativity where he is now? Does he care who studies his works? Does Henry Ford relish in the fact that his achievements now have every man and woman zooming from one place to another? I think not. Where they are, these things don't matter much. That's why the Lord says to lean not upon your own understanding. Let the Lord speak to you through prayers, daily, hourly prayer. Allow his power to guide your choices, your decisions. Study his words and teaching, because they are not teaching to create, but to become. Think about that one for a minute. To become, not to create. Become what? Become a person whole, at peace, spiritually of one mind and body, calm in our selections. Why? I end with the final section of this proverb. Because he will guide your path. Like a ship with a smooth wind and a skilled rudder, we will be led on the path that God intended, not one we chose for ourselves. Oh I know people will say this is brainwashing, or foolishness, or even cult like. Not at all. Every morning, I wake up, realizing that out there, is a world filled with hate, anger, bitterness, adultry, sloth, greed, selfishness, unrealistic goals, bosses, low pay, stress, frustration, wrath, killing, depression, lust, lies, cheating and that's just before I get my first cup of coffee. Now, I don;t know about you, but I have led myself through life for over 25 years with my own selfish will, and it didn't get me too far. I'm not talking about fiscal, or financial, I'm talking about emotional, spiritual. How many people get home in the afternoon and think to themselves, I hate my life? Or My day sucked? Or perhaps, I just feel miserable? Why? They were allowed the privaledge to live that day, breathing in and out, and yet, we all complain because of what? Our emotional connection to the Lord, breaks you free of this garbage. It puts it all in perspective.
Ok, I close with this thought. Think hard on it. For you who've read all of this thank you, I hope it helps to change the way you think.
Listen, when I thought I was going to die of a cancerous tumor, I began to see life in not next year, or the next 15 years, or when I will retire. I went into that operating room, thinking of last year, and last month and all the things I hadn't done, or where I would be tomorrow. When I discovered it wasn't cancer, I began to realize that life isn't about how rich you are, or how popular you are, or even how many friends you have attained. It doesn't mean a hill of beans if you are living in a garbage tent, or a five story mansion, all of us are going to perish, once day, some way, we will all take the same exact journey. It might be today, or tomorrow, or ten years. We might have a stroke, a heart attack, cancer, car wreck, Aneurisim, unexpected sicknesses, aids, MS, etc, etc, or natural causes at 102. We all face it. The question is, how do you face it? I have seen far too many people come to Christ on the edge of a bedside, and praise the Lord for it. But people we don't realize there is a wonderful life waiting for us, in fellowship with the Lord, that we can enjoy now. Ever since I found a relationship with my Lord and savior, I think differently, it's like he took the true stressess off of me. I don't care if I drive a Pontiac 99 model with 120k miles on it. It doesn't matter if I live in a mobile home, or eat food from my garden. I dont have to make a million dollars to be happy. Why? Because I trust in the Lord to provide for me and my family every day, and you want to know a little secret? He has. In so many unexpected ways, he does. So thanks to all of you for reading and I hope one day you'll post some comments. God Bless

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