"Run!! She's quoting from the Bible!!"

My last post, from Sunday 1/30, focused on one of the readings I heard at church that day, and a part of the sermon. 

Since my blog is now "syndicated" via Facebook, and also part of BlogFrog, whenever I put up a new post it shows up in those two places.  So, presumably, there are a certain number of people who can see the title, and the first few lines of, any post I do.

So I knew, going into that post on Sunday, that there would be large number of people who would steer very clear of that particular post, because it included a quote from....(cue dramatic music)...the BIBLE.  Sigh.  Let me just say something here.  I joined BlogFrog because it is a community of people who blog, usually pretty consistently.  I also syndicated my blog via Facebook because, like most folks who blog, they actually want friends, family, acquaintances and perfect strangers to read what they are writing.

But, here are some things I am NOT trying to accomplish with my blog:
1) I am NOT trying to sell you anything, or start my own home decorating business, or revamp your eating habits with lovely, home-tested recipes, or give you the Top Ten Easiest Ways to Change Your Life....etc etc etc.  There isn't anything wrong with any of that, I just am not the kind of person to want to write about those things or do those things. 
2) Fortunately for me/them/us, none of my children are terminally ill, so I am NOT blogging to capture the attention of thousands in search of prayer warriors.  I would certainly appreciate prayer on behalf of my daughter who has Prader-Willi Syndrome - and all individuals who have it - because even though she is doing pretty well, the syndrome still sucks and comes with its own frustrating challenges.  And, to be honest, there are enough mysteries about this syndrome that, indeed, something could happen tomorrow that could take her life.  I don't know.  It is scary to not know - and I know that none of us know the day of our death - but PWS really takes that out of our control even further.  Perhaps that in itself deserves prayer.  That is another post, I think.
3) I am NOT trying to convert you to (insert religion here).  Believe me, folks, it has been enough of a journey, enough of a challenge, enough of a commitment just to get myself to this point in my faith life - I really don't have the time or energy or 'fire' at the moment to try and take the world by storm with a blogging ministry.  If I quote from the Bible, or talk about the faith-focused books I'm reading, or mention having a relationship with Jesus...I'm really just thinking out-loud.  If it helps someone else, that is wonderful.

On a further note - and perhaps this should really be addressed in another post, but here goes:  I am not a fan of people looking for direction for their life, from other humans.  I will never be a fan of any 'self-help-guru', like Dr. Oz, or Joel Osteen, or Oprah (seriously?), who goes about helping people by telling those people that they can rely fully on their own human nature to live a peaceful life.  Why would I, how could I, depend solely on other humans for advice on how to live?? Aren't those other humans prone to deceit, to making mistakes, to pursuing selfish desires just like any other human? Aren't they driven by the same base human desires as any other human?  Go to any bookstore and you will see a couple hundred self-help books, from a zillion different perspectives.  You know what?  Those authors and their depend-on-yourself advice will be dead-gone-and forgotten in the blink of an eye.  If I am looking to change myself, to change how I treat others, to change how I love others, I would much rather take lessons from God, than from humans.  I have tried to change under only my own power, and it just. doesn't. work.

Later,
Jen