Graciousness.

Philippians is one of my favorite books of the bible. I’ve memorized teeny chunks of it – including Phil 4:4-12. And yet (and I love this about the living word of God) this morning when I read through it again a small verse in the midst of many moving verses stuck out to me like never before. Now I feel like I need to meditate it on it daily for the rest of my life. 

Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. – Philippians 4:5

Graciousness: ἐπιεικής. -

1) seeming, suitable

2) equitable, fair, mild, gentle.

gracious |ˈgrā sh əs|

adjective

1 courteous, kind, and pleasant : smiling and gracious in defeat.

• pleasantly indulgent, esp. toward an inferior.

• elegant and tasteful, esp. as exhibiting wealth or high social status : the British painter specialized in gracious Victorian interiors | gracious living.

2 (in Christian belief) showing divine grace : I am saved by God’s gracious intervention on my behalf.

3 Brit. a polite epithet used of royalty or their acts : the accession of Her present gracious Majest

Thesaurus:

• Polite
• Chivalrous
• Friendly
• Amiable
• Hospitable
• Merciful
• Compassionate
• Kind
• Forgiving
• Generous
• Benevolent
• Tenderhearted
• Sympathetic
• Courteous

Dead Body.

g l o r i f y i n g t o H I M.

I would like to share something I've been learning this past year with you.

Warning: You are [too] familiar with what I am about to say.

But I'm going to tell you anyway.

I am a dead body. Christ is the only thing alive in me. My life means nothing to me. This should affect every decision I make. Ever. Christ is not integrated into my life - He is my life.

Missionaries. The only reason they are where they are is to serve God, and to bring the lost to Him.

Butwaitjustholdonasecond.

That's the only reason ANY of us are where we are. That's the only reason we are on this PLANET.

So what if you grew up there? So what if you are only there for one more year while you finish up your masters? So what if you are only there because ... whatever. You remember that's not actually why you're there, right? You remember that God placed you exactly where you are on purpose, right?

OK, then. It's time to die.

You can't let even a little bit of yourself reign over your body. This applies to every situation.

You're walking out of class, next to a girl you don't know.

If you're alive you think: Eh, I'd say hi. But, she would probably just think I'm weird and not want to talk - especially not about Jesus. For goodness sake, she would just think all Christians were freaks, and THAT sure wouldn't help anything..

If you're dead you think: If Christ was standing here in the flesh right now, there is n o w a y i n t h e w o r l d

H e w o u l d b r u s h p a s t t h i s g i r l. Christ is the only thing alive in me, I am overflowing with supernatural love. The least I could do is share it with this girl next to me. Even if it means simply asking her, and caring, about how her day was.

This may not have been a very good example. I could think of more... but I think you probably get the idea.

... Probably.

I guess my point is.. you live your life a lot differently when you are dead.

Every opportunity to share Christ with someone - you take it.

Every opportunity to share Christ's love with someone - do it.

The only reason we are here is Christ.

Anyway... I don't think I've fully expressed what I wanted to. However, Starbucks is closing. So I must flee.

Please work on being dead. I know I need to.

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Acts 20:24

That's it. I'm headin to Finland, folks.

Well, that was the plan... but fly.com tells me I should probably wait a little bit and save some more money. Turns out that frolicking off to Finland for the weekend is a bit pricey?

I've never had much of a desire to go to Finland before. Yes, if given the opportunity, I would go, but I've never had any real urge to just drop everything and go. Speaking of dropping everything... Let's segue into the reason I want to go to Finland.

I found out their national pass time. And that is?

Sauna... ing.

And when they say it's their national pass time? They mean it. Saunas have been incorporated into virtually every activity. You think I'm exaggerating? Well let's see... what do you wanna do this weekend? Bowling? Oh, yeah. You'll definitely want a good steaming session after that arduous activity - don't worry, almost every bowling ally in Finland has a sauna attached to it (some even with windows that overlook the lanes). You want something more rustic? Camping you say? Don't forget your portable sauna!

Saunas aren't a recent how-dee-doo in Finland; they've been around for a while. Back in the day, saunas were the "Alpha and Omega" of daily life in Finland. Goin' into labor? Sauna time. Need to prepare a dead body? Once again, sauna time. (O_o)

(If you're getting a little disgruntled at this point, don't worry. The less... relaxing... activities are banned from the saunas these days.)

Can't afford to hop on a plane to Finland at this point? No worries. Take a few years. Save up. Saunas aint goin' no whur. And once you're there? They won't be too hard to find as there is [roughly] one sauna for every five people in Finland... uh huh.

Well. It's time to go learn something I'm actually going to be graded on... (yawn.)

Ps.
<----- that's the "cheap" type sauna found in the average Finish home... yeah I know.

Trying to have an artistic conversation with my dad at 6:30am...

This is what happens...

Me: Isn't this picture cool, dad?
Dad: Wow, those are like... grapes or something.
Me: Yea.. er berries. But isn't that cool how the picture is all bubbling out on the left, and then dreamy fuzzy and light on the right?
Dad: Yeah, those are some berries! Where are those?
Me: Hungary
Dad: Hungary or Thirsty?
Me: Heh.. erhm.... yeah. Ok... anyway...

[PhotobyKyleFiechter]

This is why you should probably start journaling.. starting 10 years ago.

I was leafing through my box of journals today and I came across an entry from when I was eleven. (I have been journaling for forever.) This entry was written during the drive to Colorado. Out of pure boredom, I decided to write everything down anyone said, word for word.

No spelling has been modified and no names have been changed.
_____________________________________________________________________
Passing through Kansas. Morning sat 8-9/o3
8:40
Dear Journal,
Yesterday was so tiring. We drove for 12 hourse only with 2-3 stops...

Stop 1:
Dad: Okay gnag, every bod out.
Tricia: Ooooooh! Restorantay!
Troy: Groan.
Tess: I need to use the restroom really bad.
Mom: Oh what a buitiffle day!
Dad: Indeed.

*Flip forward one page*

11:30pm.

Silence
Silence
Scilence
Silance
S-
Trish: OK EVERYONE LETS SING A SONG!!!!!!!
Silence broken.
Troy: SHUT UP!!!
Mom: What kind of song?
Dad: *BlinkBlink* Sigh.
The mother and 2 daughters belerd out song from sound of music until...
Troy: AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...

Conversation right now with Troy and Trish.

Trish: Troy? Is Mition Imposible the same thing as James Bond?
Troy: No.
Trish: No kidding? I though my whole life that it was the same thing! Is it totally different?
Troy: Yes.
Tricia: Oh.
Troy: Mission Impossible was a show.
INTERUPTION!!!
Troy: Tess? Are you writing this in your diary.
Tess: It's a journal.
Troy: Diary.
Tess: JOURNAL!
Troy: Are you a diariest or something?
Interuption.
I am gett a head ache. Must stop.
____________________________________________________________________

This probably doesn't seem amusing to anyone, but I enjoy it. It just shows to go you (an expression I used a few entries later) can never write anything completely worthless down. One day it will make you laugh no matter how boring it seems at the time.

If I find anything else humorous, I may post it. Maybe. I'm only 1/3 the way through though, so it may be a while.

Tessa Larae.

Ps. I just flipped to the end of the journal I just posted from and on the last page I wrote my own epilogue... What a morbid 11 year old I was. Well that's it folks. Apparently I'm dying at age 84.

"Oh dear, I never know what to write..." Beth March [Little Women]

And that is why I never blog... That and because, as a general rule of thumb, I think blogs are lame.

I just never really understood the whole idea. I mean, for people who are off in another country, working at a summer camp in the projects, or trying to hop across America on one foot, I understand. Blog your little hearts out. People probably want to hear about your experience.

While I never actually took the time to read many blogs myself, I had a pretty good idea of the subject matter of most of them...

"Exciting news! My new hubby and I finally sprung for the leather couch, it's grey and..."

"Sooooo... today was kinda boring. I pretty much did homework and putzed around I guess..."

"I think I want to lose 10 pounds. I know, I know, I knowwww. You're thinking "What? She is soooo skinny!" But seriously guys, I don't think I am! So that's it. I'll just eat uber healthy all the time. I'll keep you posted on what I eat day by day from now until I reach my goal."


I hope I'm not offending anyone...

So why did I decide to take a second wack at blogging (notice, I tried once last year)? Well I glanced at my friend Katie May's blog and I thought hey.. thats kinda cute. Then I started stalking all of the blogs that were on the side thingy of her blog... And they also were really creative and... as much as I hate to admit... I kind of enjoyed reading them. I'm not as creative as these other bloggers, and I'll prolly never write anything as enjoyable... but...

Feeble as my first attempt was... I'm going to try again. But I'll need lots of encouragement, because I don't want to just write to myself. That is what journals are for.

Imma sleep now.

Tessa Larae