So, this video has been floating around facebook quite a bit, and so you might have already seen it, but I thought it was very worthwhile, and I hope that you get something out of it today. Today is our 9th anniversary!!! I am so thankful that God let me take care of Ang until “death do us part.” On this very special day in our lives, we want to make sure that everyone knows that we have a long way to go before becoming God’s perfect masterpieces – both together and individually – and this video relates to that.

You know, at the end of my wedding vows that I wrote to Ang, I said, “Angela Marie, you are a masterpiece, and together, we will bring peace to the Master.” – We are pushing forward with that mission. . . . it will not be easy. . . but it WILL BE WORTH IT! - we can’t wait for the adventure that God has in store for us in the next 9 years!!!!

Here are a few things that I really love about this video:

1. chiseling is painful

2. “most of My children just want to talk”

3. “Can you just chisel where I want?” – “that is control”

4. Who do you see in the mirror in the morning?, at noon?, at night?

5. “Can we take a time-out?” . . . . “control or chisel?”

6. “you go to these empty wells whenever you are _______, but they do not work!”

7. “I made you good”

8. My favorite . . .at 4:50

9. “you have listened to so many voices for too long that are not of ME.”

10. “It’s more than a name. . . . it’s a name above all names.”

11. “you bought into the lie thinking that everything was going to be easy when you said yes to ME. . . that’s not how it works”

I know that I will not ever fully understand how God can love us all so much, even though we mess up over and over again. . . . but I accept that grace – and I am determined to live in that renewal today.

Jeremy Kingsley was the speaker at Chapel yesterday, and he got me thinking about some things that led to a revelation that I am THRILLED about!!

He started off talking about the story of Jesus and the woman who was about to get stoned to death out in the street (John 8). . . that is, until Jesus intervened with the comment of “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” . . . . . well, you know the story. . . Jesus was the only one eligible in that moment to throw a stone at her. . . and he didn’t. . . .

Jeremy continued on by telling of one of his friends who used to go, along with some other church members, to the streets of a few large cities and hand out flowers to prostitutes on Christmas day. . . and when the prostitues asked why. . . they simply said. . . “Because Jesus loves you” . . .  – in both of these instances the spirit of Jesus was to come and love immediately. . . . immediately. . . . after someone had sinned – before asking any questions – before comparing their acts to anything else. . . . . . have you ever given grace and mercy to someone right after they just sinned? . . . maybe your spouse. . . .maybe a friend. . . .Have you ever needed it, yearned for it, right after you sinned? . . . . . .

You see, we often slide toward certain behaviors and attitudes without being aware of the inevitable consequences associated with them – for example:

 - those that tend to be critical usually lack kindness

 - those that love to punish usually miss out on the joy of restoring someone

 - those that tend to be judemental usually lack understanding

 - those that tend to be conceited/overly righteous usually lack the ability to forgive

And then it hit me . . . . . that’s it!!!!!! . . . wow!, I can’t believe it! . . . that is it! . . . . . ok, so what the heck is Ted talking about this time?!. . . . hang with me for a second . . .

Some of you know my “story” – in that I was raised in a Christian home, no divorce, I have two great brothers – and I really didn’t mess up that much, in other words, I didn’t do drugs, didn’t drink, got good grades, was good at sports – didn’t give up, didn’t talk bad about other people, didn’t have sex or mess around – didn’t etc……., and so my biggest struggle in accepting Christ and “being saved” was . . . . . . why? . . . . . I’m a great kid – I don’t do anything wrong, especially not compared to him over there – or her over there . . . . . it was all about comparison to me. . . .  and though I did not boast verbally of my righteousness (there were plenty of people reminding me of that), it was in my heart. . . . . and now I realize that one of the greatest gifts God gave me when I accepted Jesus as my savior. . . . was the ability to forgive. . . . . truly forgive

Comparison creeps into every level of our life. . . . and it leads to us hyping up our own value and worth based on how our actions/behaviors are better than someone else. . . . which leads to the idea that we somehow deserve more . . . . which leads us to expect  more . . . . which leads to anger, frustration, and resentment when we do not get more. . . or confirmation of our “holy-er” status if we DO get more. . . . . leading to thoughts like (“wow, does she realize how much of a better husband I am compared to most guys!” or “wow, does he realize how much I put up with when alot of other women would have walked out long time ago!”, “WOW, I have done so much more in this relationship, in this home, with these kids, on this team – than him/her, etc…..) all of which produces an inability to forgive. . . an inability to resist throwing stones, . . . and inability to give flowers. . . why?. . . .

In true forgiveness, there is no room for comparison, . . . NONE!. . . . forgiveness requires an understanding that the wrong done to you is not greater, nor lesser, than any wrong you, yourself have committed. . . . . a wrong is a wrong is a wrong is a wrong. . . and yes. . . that is SOOOOOOO different from the law of this world. . . . . there was no comparison in Jesus’ death, no priority for grace, it is FULLY available to EVERYONE. . . . . . . . . I believe that until we understand more fully the futility of comparison in our own lives and the complete absence of it in Christ’s life and death. . . . I don’t think we can ever truly forgive or fully love . . .

I just think the comparisons in our own lives make us miss out on a HUGE part of who Jesus is, and how he was/is truly a walking revolution of thought, behavior, and heart. . . . . . . . let God release you from the bondage of comparison today . . . in your sins as well as your wonderful acts of love to others. . .