Just plain blah...but grateful

Maybe it's just me, but over the past few days, here in Toronto, the weather has been less than optimal; Wednesday being the worst of them.  Dark, cloudy, humid, rainy, just plain blah.

Can weather dictate our emotions?  Do we have a choice?  Can we choose to make the most of the day?

For me, this week I have let the weather dictate my emotions.

Unlike some people, I have a window in my office (although it feels more like a prison cell window because of the metal bars and such, but I digress).  Throughout the day I catch myself looking out the window to see if the sun is shining, or if it's still cloudy.  When the sun shines through it brightens my whole office and I feel a lot better.  But, if it's dark and the lights in my office are lighting it up then I just feel a little down.

It's crazy how the weather can hamper my outlook on the day.  Some may say it's just coincidence, but I don't.

When I wake up in the morning what do I choose?  Do I choose to say that 'regardless of the weather I am going to have a great day'?  Sometimes, yes.  Other times, no.

I have been doing something at the end of each day to help me with being thankful for the day. Shortly after 9 o'clock pm each day I sit down at my kitchen table and right down a number of things: emotions I had, attitudes I recognized, old habits I am trying to let go of, and any other things that come to mind.  At the end of my writing comes the part that always brings my spirits up, the gratitude list.  No matter how bad of a day I have had (they have not been the best over the past week) I always right the things that I am grateful for that day.  What seems to happen is I see the positive things that happened in that day.  As crazy as it sounds if I only write that I am grateful for life, that is an amazing thing to be thankful for.

It makes me remember that days are given not just to complain about the bad things, but are given for us to learn and be grateful for simple, just another day.

I have had a pretty blah week.  My emotions have been up and down, but through it all I have seen things that I can be grateful for.

Can weather dictate emotions?  Yes, we can let it dictate our emotions, and I have sure let it dictate mine this week, but the greater thing to remember is to just be thankful and grateful for what we have.

We have so much and yet we are always complaining here in Canada.  Why is that?  My answer: because we never think about the things that we are grateful for; we let the negative things control our minds instead of letting the positive things flow from our mouths


Why do you think we are always complaining?


Let me hear what you have to think.


Till next time.

Rules, Laws, Restrictions

What is it about rules?
Why do we have so many laws to abide by?
Are we living in an age of so much restrictions?

These are just some of the questions that I have been mulling over in my head over the past week or so.  I think I may be just over thinking some things, but let me rant for a little bit.

In the Old Testament there are rules, and LOTS of them.  There is rule and restriction for everything you could possible imagine.  So much so that it tied the hands of the people who lived within all of these restrictions; they didn't really have a choice to do what they wanted, or act the way they wanted.  They were subject to a bunch of rules.

When Jesus came to earth He not necessarily questioned what the rules and restrictions were, but He questioned the purpose as to why they were there.  Some of the rules were legitimate and had a purpose, but others...not so much.

Now I know where you think I am going, but I am not going there.  I am not this guy that thinks there should be no rules on anything.  I believe in an ordered society where people are kept accountable and there are consequences for actions.  I believe this to be true not just in our country and place of residence, but in our churches as well.  It is important to have order.

The problem that I see is at what point do these rules, laws, and restrictions hinder a person's relationship with Christ?

Is there a set number?  Maybe after 15 rules, then it is hindering the relationship with Christ?  Or maybe 30? 50? 10?

In the Old Testament there were over 600 rules that the Israelites obeyed.  That's a lot of rules.  On some levels it denied anyone else the ability to enter into a relationship with God because if they weren't obeyed by, then you're out (not exactly, but you see my point).

This brings me to the bigger question of all of this.  One that I have been wrestling with since I spoke on Christmas Day 2011 at my church:

Why did Christ come to earth?

I think He came because He didn't want just a bunch of law followers with no soul.  He wanted people.  People that have hearts and have freedom.  Freedom from the constraints of rules, laws, and restrictions.  Following Christ means freedom.  Freedom to live the way, I believe, God intended it in the first place: to be in a relationship with God.

Let me state clearly again.  I have no problem with rules.  Without them there is anarchy and people take advantage of everyone and everything.  There needs to be rules.  But at what point do rules negate the reason why Christ came (to bring freedom)?

I questions rules, laws, and restrictions when they deter us away from a relationship with Christ; when following Him becomes following a bunch of rules.  That has been done before, and, maybe, worked for a time, but it's not the way God wants it anymore, or He wouldn't have sent is Son, Jesus.

So I'll ask the question again,

Why did Christ come to earth?

Let me know what you think.  

I appreciate your comments and thoughts!

Till next time.

Music, or what we refer to as 'worship' in churches

Christian music used to have many genres; from adult contemporary, to rock, to R&B, it used to have as many as mainstream music. Now, 'worship' dominates the Christian music industry.

Do I have a problem with the music, no, not at all. What I do have a problem with is calling it 'worship music', or in our churches calling it 'worship' because if we call it solely that then we miss the complete definition of what worship is: a life completely and solely dedicated to following Jesus Christ; a person devoting everything about their self to God. Singing songs of praise is just a part of worship.

What I am struggling with more and more of late is not the people putting out music that can be sung corporately in a church, but making a living on videos of others worshipping and putting out album after album.

Am I saying that putting videos together of others worshipping is a bad thing? No. For some it encourages them in their journey with Christ; it helps them.

I guess i just feel uncomfortable with people making money on videos and on 'worship' music.

A friend of mine was telling me of the congregation that he goes to and that they don't sing any of the mainstream 'worship' songs that are available to sing legally at a price (check out CCLI for more information). Instead, the congregation writes their own songs and sings them. He said that some of the songs aren't the best, but for some reason it just feels right.

Is there something wrong with what we have coined as 'worship'? I just know it's bigger than songs, videos, bands, and music.

To make money off of 'worship' just doesn't sit well with me.

This is what's on my mind.

Let me know what you think.