Adult-Onset-Christianity Part 1

There's one thing you should know about me going into this...ok, there are several things, but the most important is that I have Adult-Onset-Christianity (AOC).

Never heard of AOC?  Nothing coming up on the Google search?

I'll break it down for you:

I wasn't raised in a Christian home.  I didn't go to church except for Christmas and Easter if we were at Grandma's.  I had a basic working knowledge of the Bible and knew all the "most popular" stories: Creation, Noah's Ark, David and Goliath, the crucifixion and resurrection, etc but had never heard of having a personal relationship with Christ.

In my mid-twenties life kicked me in the backside and I found myself searching.  I knew that there had to be more to life than just making myself happy...but what was it?

I'd spent most of my life trying to avoid the "Christians" going around spatting hate at those who didn't share their views.  Something you might not know about the area I grew up in...it's the Northwest Bible Belt.  But most of the "Christians" I encountered didn't embody the qualities I knew Jesus taught and lived out.  These "Christians" frequently told me I was going to hell when I passed them in the halls at the community college I attended.  I didn't know much about Christianity but I knew that this certainly was not the love and grace message Jesus lived and died for.

Lake Coeur d'Alene...where I came to the end of me.

When I'd finally had enough of life handing me lemons...or more aptly put: when God had had enough of my blatant disregard for Him; He showed me that I couldn't do this by myself, I had reached the end of me and I needed Him.

God, as always, set things up perfectly.  I was surrounded by strong Christian women at work, was dating a Christian man and had a life-long Christian as a best friend.  And so it began...my pursuit of Christ.  What I didn't realize at the time was that I wasn't the one pursuing...I was the one being pursued.

Check back for Part 2 on Monday...

Pinterest Thursday!

I finally jumped on the bandwagon earlier this summer and joined Pinterest.  My goal was to only pin 5 things on any one board.  If I made one of the pins, I could move it off the board and pin one more thing.  

Yeah, right.

That lasted all of 20 minutes.  My boards are bursting at the seams with other people's great ideas.  Here are some that stood out this week:

You are made in His image...quit comparing yourself to others...you are just the way He wants you!

Fall is coming!!!  I love fall fashion!

Slice apples before dipping in caramel or chocolate...no more awkward biting!

Follow me on Pinterest here!

Every Good And Perfect Gift

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 

Our newest gift from God: 

Nephew at 2wks old.

He's my nephew. Yes-he is perfect, and we are so blessed to welcome him to our family.

Lovin on Nephew

Well Done

The Parable of the Bags of Gold 

Matthew 25: 14-30 

¹⁴ “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷ So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹ “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.²⁰ The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

²¹ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

²² “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

²³ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

²⁴ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

²⁶ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷ Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

²⁸ “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. ²⁹ For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ³⁰ And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Thirty-Two

* 8X4

* 16X2

* Degrees at which water freezes

* Protons in germanium

* Teeth an adult has including wisdom teeth

* Jersey number worn by Karl Malone, Magic Johnson,  and Sandy Koufax

* All of these things are 32.

But what does 32 really look like?  Today, 32 looks like this:

Nothin' fancy.  No frills.  No gimmicks.  Just a swipe of mascara and a content  heart.

Happy birthday me!