Reflecting on this...

I've been reflecting on this picture for the last few weeks.  Seven years ago Kelowna had horrible wildfires, and just behind our house is the aftermath.  Charred, blackened, dead trees.  And yet, amidst all the death and black arose these glorious, sun-ray yellow, vibrant flowers.  I am astonished at how such death and destruction, can bring such life and beauty.  The contrast of black death makes the fresh life seem that much sweeter.  If you talk to the locals they'll tell you they're hoping for and awaiting other large wildfires for the purpose of bringing new growth and life.   

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Gal. 2:20)

"Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature... since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator..." (Col. 3)

What beauty when you think of putting self to death, for the purpose of becoming alive to Christ.  

What beauty when you think of Christ's death bringing sinful humans life.

Such death and destruction, brings ultimate life and beauty.

Check These Out!

Look at these coasters!!  Aren't they great?!  

In trying to decorate and furnish our little place we're trying to be thrifty and creative.  :)  In recognizing we needed coasters, and remembering the loads of leftover wedding things... I came up with this idea.  Our leftover ball of twine, my hot glue gun, and some felt snagged from my mom's sewing room... voila!  Coasters that are perfect and adorable for our place!

Crazy for Yoga!!

I have been convicted much about this recently...

Have you ever heard of hot yoga?  Because this incredible young woman I work with is TOTALLY in to it (which I hear it's quite addicting... so it makes sense).  :-)  She lives and eats and breathes this stuff.  She has taken 'extreme' measures to eat healthy, she can't help but talk about it, and the one that really blew me away, she switched work shifts just so she could attend another yoga class!  Wow!  Dedication, perseverence, incredible!  At the beginning of the year she took on a new challenge... the 365 day challenge... where you attend 365 hot yoga classes in one year!  Wowzers.

You can probably guess where I'm going with this :-)  I can't help but think, what if we as followers of Christ were that dedicated, that committed, that wholly consumed with being His follower?  So consumed that we would switch a work shift so we could spend time with Him, or serve Him.  So consumed that we would set a challenge to spend 365 days spending time with Him, reading Scripture...  Should we not be so engrossed?  So captivated by His love and grace and glory?  I can't help but think that we as individuals would be transformed.  And thus, the world see transformation.

So this question remains... what are you ABSOLUTELY CRAZY FOR???