complaining about complaining

Now I realize that the title of the blog is rather non-sensical... but track with me here. I feel warranted in complaining about the fact that I even dare to complain about anything in life. Sometimes I'm more accepting & optimistic, and sometimes I go through lower points where I'm bitter and frustrated and just want to vent & act extremely blah... either way, it's still lurking under the surface. The point is... I'm alive. I have breath in my lungs. I've had the opportunity to go back to school & further my education, in the beautiful mountains of Lynchburg VA. I'm surrounded by the most amazing friends & family I could ever fathom and have grown as a person in ways I could never have done alone. I'm days away from my 6-month anniversary with the most loving, down-to-earth, and encouraging fellow child of God that I've ever had the blessing of knowing. She's incredible, whether she wants to accept that or not.

And yet... I still complain about the mundane... the miniscule... the pointless... the unnecessary.

Are you SERIOUS?!

I could literally have none of that in my life beyond the air flowing through my lungs, and I would still have absolutely no right to form any negative words & let them flow out of my mouth or through my fingers while typing onto a screen. Who cares if it's currently cold outside and snow/ice covered?? I'm warm, have clothes on my back, a place to stay, and transportation. I think I'll survive the season.

Life alone is a gift from God. I don't even deserve to exist, much less have any of the aforementioned things as a part of my life, and yet... I do. I am alive and healthy and capable of living out my purpose in bringing God glory.

(side-note: just watch the Planet Earth series. Creation is beautiful and by no means an accident or mistake... just WOW)

I'm currently reading Francis Chan's book Crazy Love, after hearing him speak @ Passion 2010 in Atlanta at the beginning of the new year. It's taken me this long to get around to truly getting into it, but now that I have... I'm glad I did. I encourage you to give it a chance, I'm only one chapter in... but it's very thought-provoking & worth the self-analysis so far.

I love Chan's description of how we as humans go about our daily lives in a sense of spiritual amnesia (for those of us that believe the Bible and hold it in highest regard as the inspired Word of God). Despite all we've learned & read & heard & processed in our lives... and knowing & believing that God is the sovereign creator... we still forget & allow distractions to pull our attention in a million different directions. We see God in everything, yet we lose sight of it all so easily. How can I ever ignore that? How can I ever stray away from time spent with Him in His Word? I mean honestly.... I'm currently living in the mountains, and whether it's a clear sunny day or not... the scenery and blatant display of His handiwork is right there in my face.

I don't want to drag this out any longer, because I know how attention-spans go with the majority of us... but I just challenge you to simply take a look around you. You don't even need to do or say anything beyond soaking in the mere visual aspect of everything around you.... beyond being still & reverent... thankful to God for your chance to even have sight, and to be alive & functioning coherently. Of course, this may require prying yourself away from Facebook/Twitter/texting/tv/etc... crazy to think, I know... but just drop all the excess for a couple minutes and consider what you've read.

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(If nothing I'm saying makes sense, or if you aren't even convinced in the first place of the existence of God... I hope it's understood that I'm always open to a dialogue about all of this. I don't have all the answers... I'm still learning & growing in my faith... but I'd be more than willing to talk. No frills, no judgement, no sales-pitch... just know the line of communication is open. Simple as that.)

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Much love from your resident faux-ninja!