is it really that inconvenient?

Recently my husband I viewed the documentary an inconvenient truth and we were shocked to just see how bad global warming really is. We've done alot of investigating, even before viewing the film, and knew that it was a significant problem in the world, and to every individual despite the fact if they believe they have a part or not.
I've always cared about the environment, even from the time that I was very little. It just makes sense to me!! If you have the abilities to recycle, why not do it? I've heard people say that it is inconvenient, it takes too long, they give the excuse that there aren't any recycling places nearby. But seriously, I think it is just INCONVENIENT to them. I think our cities have made it so it isn't inconvenient, but people are just plain lazy. My husband and I recycle everything that we can. We see a significant amount of plastics, glass, paper...etc. that isn't in the landfill each week. And really it takes us about 10 minutes a week!
I've had many conversations with friends and family, and lately I've been thrown the line of "you democrats". It is really quite offensive to me. I have never declared myself a republic or a democrat. Just because you believe that something is important, does it automatically put you on one side politically? And why is it a matter of politics anyway? I know some people classify the belief as a "side" but I've never said "Because I am a ___(enter political view)____ this is why this matters to me." It's quite frustrating. And by the way....just for everyones interest since it does matter so much to some people, I'm an American who rides the fence, I believe in both "democratic" and "republican" views. I see truth about some things on both sides, as well as faults on both sides.
Why has our government put so much emphasis on global warming as a political belief? I believe this is a worldwide concern. A HUMAN concern. It doesn't matter what you believe in politically, but how you care about the place you call home. The world.
Being a professing believer and follower of Christ, I believe that Christians should be concerned about this. If you're a believer as well, look up Genesis 2:15. It states:
"The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."
The LORD God told them this FIRST, even before saying that Adam and Eve weren't allowed to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
A great book that touches on this issue as well is SEX GOD Exploring the endless connections between sexuality and spirituality By Rob Bell. He talks about our trash and how much we think about it after we see the garbage men driving away after picking up our trash. Do you think about where it is going? If it made it there safetly?
He brings up the issue that how you treat the creation, says a little about how feel about the creator of that creation. Do you love the creator, but disregard his creation? How would you feel if you had amazing artistic talent, and you painted a monumental painting and gave it to your friend. You envision him placing this painting on his wall, admiring it every day. How would you feel if in actuality he disregarded your painting, shredded it, and then threw it is a huge garbage heap where it would sit for many many years, and rot? Would you feel, as the painter, offended and hurt over the gift that you gave? Do you believe that is how God feels when he sees how we take care of his creation, his domain?
My goal is to make the creator smile by how I try to manage and take care of HIS creation. I'm just a traveler on this earth....my life is temporary....I need to make the most of it, and have reverence and love for my creator, Jesus Christ and the amazing gift that He's given me, the Earth.

Factory..is this all there is to life?

what kind of ice cream do I want...?

...hmmm...where shall i being....hmmm....
Last week we traveled to Orlando FL to go to an orientation program for our possible venture of becoming missionary teachers overseas in Egypt. It was overall a wonderful and exciting time. We learned alot about ourselves, some good some bad, we saw more of God's plans for world missions, and we saw just how many people in the world do not know the Good News of Jesus Christ. Although it was a great and wonderful time, I feel that I have come back from this trip more confused than ever. I was hoping for a stronger direction and an affirmation that this was what God desires for us to do. Now I'm not so sure anymore.

The best way to explain my feelings can be related to picking a flavor of ice cream in an ice cream shop. Imagine just for a moment if you will....::::

You're hungry for cold ice cream. You walk to the best place in town (our local DQ) and you go in and look at the flavors on the lit up board. You look and look, and you can't decide. All the flavors look so good. You know that their is a flavor that is just calling your name, but that voice is so faint you just can't make it out. You know that it is there...it's just not loud enough. You look around and see people come in, order their ice cream, say how great theirs is, and then walk out. This continually happens for an extended amount of time. You desire so badly to know what kind of ice cream you should get, but you just can't figure it out. You ask the next person that comes in what flavor is good. They let you know....but that sounds disgusting to you. You ask another person, and they say their flavor but it isn't appealing. You being to realize that their flavors are their favorite because it is theirs! NOT YOURS! You start to wonder if you'll ever find the flavor that you want. The more you look at the brilliantly lit sign, the more overwhelmed with all the choices their are. You ask the owner of the ice cream store what you should do...but he remains silent. You're desperate! You want ice cream but you don't know what to pick!!! You're afraid to pick the wrong flavor. You don't want to miss out if their is a better flavor out there!!! You become very overwhelmed and discouraged...so you just walk out. You have decided that it's too hard...and with no one helping you, you'd rather just go without. You've abandoned your dream of having ice cream.

That's what I feel like...really...I know it's ridiculous. There are so many options and choices in life. How do you choose? Is God really calling Matthew and I into missions or is Satan just whispering to us that we can't do it, that we aren't "good enough"? My upmost desire it to want to make God smile, and I'm so fearful that I'm going to be disobedient to Him, or that I'm missing some calling for my life, that I'm paralyzed with fear of making any decision....I just want some ice cream :(

It takes one, just one
And then one follows the other one
And then another follows the other one
Next thing you know you got a billion
People doing some wonderful things
People doing some powerful things
Let's change and do some powerful things
Unity could be a wonderful thing
**Black Eyed Peas**

Our home group is going through a series right night called "Go Fish" by Andy Stanley. I've always known that what really, I mean REALLY matters to God is not the time that we have on this earth, but the eternity that we get to spend with Him. Andy talks about how we as Christians focus on what happens during our lives. We focus on the time spend between being born and the time spend before we die. Andy shares that we shouldn't live within these bounds.

Am I really living for eternity?
I've been struggling for a long time now about what my purpose is for God and how He wants me to be used to glorify Him. Should we really do overseas missions? Or should we stay in America and settle? I've been searching for great books to try to help me see God's perspective a little more. I'm reading the famous "Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren and I'm on day 4. Rick writes:

"There are eternal consequences to

everything you do on earth.

Every act of our lives strikes some chord that

will vibrate in eternity." (pg 38)

Powerful stuff.

What am I doing? What am I REALLY doing? Today, this week, this month. The song lyrics above talks about it just taking "one" and eventually there is a "billion". Is God trying to use me to be that "one"? Even if He isn't...shouldn't we all strive to be that "one" ??

if everyone cared...

I remember when I was just entering my teens, my mother, sister and I were in the car listening to the mainstream radio on the way back from one of our daily events. I don't remember the particular song that was playing, but I do remember that there were alot of unnecessary swear words fluttering in the air. I remember my sister and I fighting with my mother because we didn't want her to change the song because it was "the hit song" at that time. Something that my mother said was, "Do you see how much greater this song would be and how much more of a difference this song would make to others if they didn't swear so much?!" That has always stuck with me; the movies we watch, the places we visit; the music I listen to. It makes me think of how the world really would be if we all treated each other like Christ intended us to. It reminds me of this song that I heard by Nickelback (ironically it's a "secular" song). The lyrics captivate me:

From underneath the trees, we watch the sky

Confusing stars for satellites

I never dreamed that you’d be mine

But here we are, we’re here tonight

Singing Amen, I’m alive

Singing Amen, I’m alive

If everyone cared and nobody cried

If everyone loved and nobody lied

If everyone shared and swallowed their pride

We’d see the day when nobody died

And in the air the fireflies

Our only light in paradise

We’ll show the world they were wrong

And teach them all to sing along

Singing Amen I’m alive

Singing Amen I’m alive

And as we lie beneath the stars

We realize how small we are

If they could love like you and me

Imagine what the world could be

If everyone cared and nobody cried

If everyone loved and nobody lied

If everyone shared and swallowed their pride

We’d see the day when nobody died

-nickelback

At the end of their video (you should check it out on aol music--it's free) there is a quote that makes me think of us as Christians and the power that's behind us. The creator of the universe is behind us. what marvelous power and strength...

"Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

-margaret mead