Wolves.

Such beautiful creatures! I find it fascinating that every creature has such a specific role in nature and dramatically effects it. The more species we have, the better. Yet, we are so good at causing them to die and this directly impacts us. Think about all the food and medicine we get from it? Not to mention it is a natural filter for water and the air we pollute as well as decomposes our waste and decaying flesh.. gross but great.
Wolves besides being majestic, are keystone creatures. which means, for the amount of them, they serve as a huge part of the community they live in. Wolves kill off old or sick elk keeping only the good genes going in elk as well as making room for more resources for more healthy elk. If there are too many elk, they will eat the grass down to the dirt. With out wolves, elk will eat in the open along streams, eating the plants that keep the water banks from eroding.


So why do we not help wolves reestablish, (since we killed them off, like most things through habitat loss and deliberate extermination)? Because we fear attacks and them killing life stock. I agreed with this for awhile, until I looked up some statistics for myself.

The facts:
Live stock are 5x more likely to be stolen then to be attacked by a wolf
Domestic dogs kill more than 5x as many cattle as wolves
How about deaths?
in the 20th century(100 years for those who think we are in the 20th, it's really the 21st :)  ) there have been twenty to thirty attacks in North America, and only three were fatal because of rabies.  This may sound like a lot, but domestic dogs kill 16-18 people a year.

Crazy huh? Lets  be good stewards of the earth. Yeah it will end, but lets marvel at God's creation and not misuse the abundant resources it gives us.
http://wyoming.sierraclub.org/WOLVES%20AND%20LIVESTOCK.pdf
http://www.yellowstoneinsider.com/issues/wolves/wolf-attacks-on-people.php

What a Love.

Oh in utter darkness hear heavens cries
As the true mighty God slowly dies
An innocent man, our perfect creator
Scorned and mocked as though a traitor.
Oh see the nails driven deep into each hand
Suffering so immense, who could stand?
Wrath against us meant to last forever
The son of GOD took in one endeavor
Oh the love between the father and son
So profound and close they are one.
But in the dark the Father turns away
A severing so deep it breaks the light of day
Hear the agony of Jesus scream,
“my God why have you forsaken me?”

Psalm 19, My prayer

Once again, God has been overwhelming to me in His mercy. It is so crazy to me how we can fall into a sin and not even see it as a sin. Yet in those times, we know God feels far away so we continue to seek Him. In His mercy that we don't deserve, He looks to those who are seeking and gently shows them the error of their ways. I feel like I've been so blind, how could I not have seen this as an area that needed to be changed? Clearly when I'm seeking my pleasure I can't be seeing and tasting that God is good!
This passage of His Word has been so encouraging to me. My brothers and sisters, may you all also be awestruck by God and be overwhelmed by such a satisfying God. 
 ¹ The heavens declare the glory of God;
   the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
² Day after day they pour forth speech;
   night after night they reveal knowledge.
³ They have no speech, they use no words;
   no sound is heard from them.
⁴ Yet their voice^[b] goes out into all the earth,
   their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
 ⁵ It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
   like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens
   and makes its circuit to the other;
   nothing is deprived of its warmth.
 ⁷ The law of the LORD is perfect,
   refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
   making wise the simple.
⁸ The precepts of the LORD are right,
   giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
   giving light to the eyes.
⁹ The fear of the LORD is pure,
   enduring forever.
The decrees of the LORD are firm,
   and all of them are righteous.
 ¹⁰ They are more precious than gold,
   than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
   than honey from the honeycomb.
¹¹ By them your servant is warned;
   in keeping them there is great reward.
¹² But who can discern their own errors?
   Forgive my hidden faults.
¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins;
   may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
   innocent of great transgression.
 ¹⁴ May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
   be pleasing in your sight,
   LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

WHY?

After about an hour of chemistry lecture today, I became less and less aware of everything going on around me. A day dream of thinking begain to slip in... the room became quiet.. and I started to question life.
This happens time and time but today was very different. Today my thoughts were a cold and harsh slap in the face. Why am I here? What was I doing? Why was I going to school? So I can get a job? For what? I mean I need to be able to work and be able to live here on earth yet,
 I can't be content any more just going through life. All of those things I loved and wanted in a "christianized" future of comfort, family, friends, sharing Jesus here and there, and that white picket  fence and a side ministry suddenly became a lot less appealing. I mean those things aren't bad, but they are so comfortable! How limited is my loving of Jesus in those places when I still desire them for myself?
I realize those things can be done in a way that you can love Jesus and give yourself for those around you, but I wanna live in such a way that I am uncomfortable.. I wanna give everything to love Jesus with all my heart, mind and would. It's so easy to live life here, christianize this activity, don't say that, read my bible, pray and share the Good news with people I meet in class... But I want to give so much more! I can't slip back into this "easy" way of doing things.. I want my life to be used to the best of it's ability for Jesus. So maybe I can't go be a missionary or start a church, but I can give money to support those who can! Or really give all of me day to day to serve those around me and look for every possible opportunity to share Jesus.. to really DIE daily.. that His glory may spread... I guess what I'm saying.. Is something I've always known, but I'm done living for me and ready to live with Heaven as my home.

Knowlege from a wise man...

"Don't live and learn,

Rather learn and live."

and

"Contentment

 IS

learned!"

-Sadly, I can't remember if this was Paul Washer or Rick Holland but they were stickey notes on my desk and thought I'd share :)

Nature Vs. Nurture.

Lately my mind and heart have been longing to be in Italy..
Maybe this desire comes from me being Italian.
Yet, it is quite silly since I've only recently discovered that.. and I wasn't raised by an Italian... 
But its got me thinking, why have I always loved italian food? Always wanted to go on a gondola ride? Been facinated with Italian archtecture? Loved the language? Adored the rich culture and history??
maybe I'm just crazy, well more crazy then the normal, but isn't it a beautiful place???

Perhaps this desire and my desire to plant churches where there aren't many and my love for Jesus means.. well maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself!

At the end..

What you have isn't real unless it has been tested.
If it hasn't been tested, then you only can assume it is what it is.
But when all of the facades stop-
When it gets hard, difficult and easier just to quite..
what is real will be what is left.
All of what is false will be consumed.
So don't be surprised when people turn out to be someone different, when life gets hard, when days get long, and you aren't exactly who you thought you were.
For in the end of it all, reality is what will be left.





 And to live in reality, that is where true LIFE is found..

John chapter 1

 God revealed something to me today in my reading of His word..
I've read this passage many times but today it ment so much more.

" John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

Maybe it's just because lately I have been seeing how my only purposes here on earth is to share the love of Jesus, that I found this passage so meaningful. We are in the wilderness. Daily we are tempted by sin, but we must be the ones to stand firm with the Spirit in us and to not get tangled once again in it's lies. To stop going to school or work to make our kingdoms on earth, but to go to increase those who will be in the kingdom of eternity.  Yeah, we will look crazy.. like John did (I mean eating locus and what not) but the Lord is returning.... Let us make straight the way.. teaching others with passion remembering the day we first saw that amazing grace. Let us never make the gospel dull news or let the fear of being considered a fool keep us from the honor of sharing.. for one IS returning  that we are not fit to His sandals..

My applogies ma'am..

I have decided to resurrect my blog...
Life has been extremely busy and my blog was the first thing to go..
however, I wanna dedicate just a simple 15 min at least once a week to share what I've been learning.

So to all of you who still follow my blog, 
I hope what you read will be of some encouragement!
As God has said, iron sharpens iron.