"Thursday Latelies." Join me in my new adventure!

Welcome to "Thursday Latelies," my newest endeavor, inspired by friend, Jenny, at The Imagination of Jenny Lynne, and  Bex Style Diary.

What are "Thursday Latelies," you ask? Good Question. It's a weekly video post to share the things in our week that we are loving, thinking about, enjoying, or want to share. Pretty cool idea right?!

See, there's so much negativity around. So much we don't stop to be grateful for, think about, or enjoy. I want to be someone who looks for the good, relishes in the beautiful, and encourages others to do the same. This is my attempt to change my outlook, and be more aware of the awesome things in my life. Passing them along to you, hopefully brings you the same kind of joy.

Layla made her debut 3 or 4 times in this video-she wanted to make her presence known, so bear with me in the first 3 minutes, because they are full of really awesome interruptions. She's really cute, though!

I have l-o-v-e-d watching Jenny's videos the last few months, and she's encouraged me do my own, SO, here it is! My first ever "Thursday Latelie!" 

Instagram: An awesome way to share photos and edit them through and iphone app. You can change the filter, add affects, follow friends, and post them to your facebook and twitter page instantly. It's my new favorite thing, AND it's free! If you have the app you can follow me, my user name is jcadriel. Here are a few of my fave instragram shots this week!

 Yummy Drink: Crystal Light and frozen blueberries.
I checked on the nutrition info. I was right that it is sugar free, but it does have 5 calories.
Try it with any crystal light flavor and some fresh or frozen fruit. SO good!

Are you ready for your next obsession? Click here to check out Jones Design Company. You are never going to look back. I haven't.

I talked a little about Greg Boyd, pastor of Woodland Hills Church in Minnesota. Click here, to check out his church and get his podcasts. You can also get them through itunes, under Woodland Hills Church or Greg Boyd.

here is link to Greg Boyd's blog- fantastic!
here is a link to a youtube series called "Flexible Sovereignty," which explains the theological point of view I lean towards called "Open Futurism," or "Open Theology."

Oh, and I totally said, "recent future," which obviously makes zero sense. Try to use that in a sentence this week ;).

Have a wonderful week, friends! Enjoy your 4th of July, and don't blow yourself up :). "See" you next Thursday. Same time. Same place.

Love to you all!

Christianity vs. Jesus

We are happily settled in our new place, and I feel like I can finally take a breath. I have really missed blogging so often; it's such a wonderful outlet for me. Things have calmed down now, so I'm back!
I will do a post of the final pictures of our new place as soon as I have the finishing touches done, but for now, something else is on my mind. Surprise, Surprise!

I read an awesome post from another blogger yesterday that expressed exactly how I feel. Funny enough, I've been wanting to write this post for awhile, and when I saw this bloggers' post, I knew it was time. Here's a link to that post...

http://rachelheldevans.com/25-things-that-shouldnt-scare-christians

"25 Things that Shouldn't Scare Christians," is a fabulous list of the things that the religion, Christianity, has set apart as major issues, when really, they don't matter that much in the way that they've been made a big deal. Every single thing she lists has contributed to the reason why I so dislike the title "Christianity," so I thought I would share my top 3 reasons Christianity isn't for me.

1) Politics: Voting Republican is not the "Christian" thing do. Neither is voting Democratically. I have a hunch Jesus could care less what party you associate with, because he was so against politics. Somehow I doubt Jesus appreciates being connected to the conservative side of the political spectrum. It's so limiting, and there is much on both sides that matter to him. WE made up politics, and then put Jesus in the center of it. How silly are we?! This is so contradictory from the Jesus in the New Testament. I refuse to vote one or another based on the "Christian" thing to do, because I think Christians get it wrong a lot of the time.

2) No matter what your sexual orientation is, who really cares? I'm not you, you're not me. We have different stories and journey's that make up who we are- and maybe it's a little bit of nature, too *Gasp,* that someone didn't choose. Whatever. Isn't the point to love, and walk alongside each other. AND so many people associate AIDS with gay men, when in reality more woman and children are plagued by the disease worldwide. As if even mattered who has it- it's an awful disease that no one, no one, should suffer from. It is NOT the consequence of being homosexual- ugh. Christians should be rallying just as hard for a cure, and in support of research for the abolition of this disease, not making signs saying "God Hates Gays." If that is what it means to be a Christian, I want out, in a big way.

3) Christianity is such a club. You're in or you're out. Us versus them. The word itself has become associate with certain expectations, rules, and point of view you must have. It's as if someone who is an athiest, mormon, buddhist, or muslim, doesn't have any good perspective to offer about life. Or that science and evolution go "against" creation, and should be stayed away from. Or that Christians get to pick what sin is more offensive, and point fingers at anyone who commits those "sins." As if the pointing and judging weren't a sin itself...This is all foolishness. Do we not see how silly we look to everyone when we act like this?!

All of this to say, I will no longer be calling myself a Christian. It's caused too much damage, pain, and division. If someone asks me if I am a Christian, my answer will be "Well, I do believe in the teachings and life of Jesus Christ." See, no one will argue that Jesus existed and that he was a good guy, but many have been hurt by the name of Christianity- Geez, even I have been wildly offended at times because of the gross misrepresentation it displays. I am over the labels, because they do not represent who I have found Christ to be, and immediately puts a guard up. It puts my guard up, and I believe with the deepest fibers of my body, in who Jesus is and what he taught- I can't imagine what kind of images the word "Christian" brings up for someone who isn't "in" (said with heavy sarcasm). Jesus is so much bigger than the box "Christianity" has put Him in and way more inclusive than Christians can be. Jesus is what this whole thing is about. NOT being a Christian. Rob Bell has a great quote I'll share...

"Jesus will always transcend whatever cages and labels are created to contain and name him, especially the one called Christianity."

Again the bottom line is loving God, loving people- and that includes yourself. It means looking at the specks in your eye first. It means getting rid of the pride that makes you assume you are better than someone, it's about letting yourself believe and feel for the first time, that you belong, it's freedom, and it's better than Christianity. Try it, you'll be liberated.

Stop Crying Wolf!

We are entering the home stretch of our remodel, so my time has been limited to sit down and write. I've so missed it this last week and a half.

So, my friend Jenny, in response to my last post, asked me why I hadn't ever talked about the "end of the world." -a valid question, seeing as how I'm passionate about figuring and dissecting other aspects of this whole Jesus thing. I told her I would write a post about my thoughts, so here you go, Jenny :)

Oh goodness, here comes a whole bunch of honesty for you all. The real and truthful reason I have never posted, or talked about the "end of the world" is because it absolutely terrifies me beyond what I have ever been able to put into words. Since I was about 12 or 13, and started to really comprehend what that could mean, I was frightened. I don't mean something that you are just startled by, I mean the thought and talk of it would send me into complete panic at the mention of it. I had/have a physical reaction. My heart starts racing, I feel shaky, and I feel like I am going to explode because of that fear. I can't concentrate. I hit the wall. I shutdown.

I've questioned my faith, or doubted if I really believed who Jesus is and what he is so capable of, if I can't get past this fear of the "end." I've felt crazy, as a Christian, for not being gung-ho about the idea of Jesus returning. Shouldn't I be anxiously anticipating the reconciliation that the "end" would bring? I've struggled with the line of wondering about "end times," and seeing people seriously obsessing over it. Where do I fit in there? I'm not even wondering about it, I'm in denial! What's a healthy perspective to have, and most importantly, what's true?

When this kind of fear and panic set in, I have to ask myself, "What do I know?" Basing much on feelings is silly anyway, but especially when you are in full shutdown mode, you must consider the truths that never change. Those are what you focus on. So here is what I know...

1) I know God is good. 

2) I know that perfect love casts out all fear. God is love, therefore, HIS love is perfection. I need not fear being in His love.

3) I know that there is no where in Scripture that gives a formula, specific date, or any sort of hint as to when the world will end. In fact, it's the exact opposite. It's clear no one know that day and time, except God, Himself. 

4) I know that my faith in Jesus is what matters. The deepest fibers in my bones believe in his teachings, and that the kind of life they bring, is the only life worth living. Somehow, it makes me trust that His second coming- if I'm around for it, will not be traumatic, since Jesus wasn't in the business of freaking people out for the sake of freaking people out. 

The other part to this "end of the world stuff" is that I hate when people try to predict it, or seem so certain about a theory in figuring it out. Here is why I hate it and am mad at Harold Camping, the most recent May 21st predictor,  and anyone who are proclaiming they have this day down...

1) It makes those who are following Jesus, and Jesus Himself, look like an idiot to the world. It plays into any negative stereotype out there about Christians, and makes anyone claiming that faith, look like a wacko. So, thanks Harold Camping for that one. Strike One.

2) Predicting it preys on the vulnerable. Whether your vulnerability is that you are looking for any bit of information to latch to onto about the end because you are craving it for one reason or another, or you are like me, and completely terrified, it plays with heads and emotions. It breeds fear. It scares people into faith, or makes people crazy. Love sustains, not fear.  I have full faith that Jesus isn't a fan of scaring the sh@% out of us to show how fantastic he is. So, thanks Harold Camping for that one. Strike Two.

3) We should be living life without fear or obsession of the end. Those two things are just as binding as sins that hold us down. I'm not calling fear or obsession a sin, it's not for me to judge, I just think they are strongholds that can be equal to sin in the way they keep us from living fully, and for that I want to rid myself of that fear. So, thanks Harold Camping for that one. Strike three

AND if he needed another strike to my tearing down his legitimacy- or anyone predicting for that matter, he was wrong 17 years ago, when he predicted it before, and probably got people riled up then too. Ugh, he makes me angry and sad all at once. Strike four, Harold, strike four!

I am learning much about how Christ loves us and how he really isn't in the business of fear. I'm also learning that the end isn't something that should be feared. It's the time when the reconciliation our souls long for, will come, and we will feel at home. When I think of it like that, I'm not as afraid. It's a delicate dance, and I'm not going to run out and read a bunch of end times literature, but I am able to throw out the crap that people say a whole lot more now, when I focus on the character of God and the scriptures.