more questions

from thicket dweller
1. What keeps you awake at night? Funny, I do have some insominia. It's usually what ever I am writing at the time. Last night it was a combination of Joel 2 and too much hot tea. The caffeine did me in. The paper is due Thursday and I haven't had a big brainstorm to make it a really outstanding paper. I do a lot of day dreaming, thinking about, well, stuff. Other nights it my bad hip. Recently it's worry about school and money stress. But most of the time it's just my brain racing around, thinking stuff up.

2. How does your faith differ from others? Well, I am of the distinct opinion that faith, real honest to God faith, the kind that can get you through thick and thin, is not a feeling but a way of life and a gift of the Spirit. True faith is a way that you live your life, not an emotional reaction to events. I often have thought that faith should not be a noun, but a verb. I act on my faith, even when it doesn't "feel good" or when I just want to say "I don't wanna." Hmmm.... What does that mean? That it's more important to act in faith than to get instant gratification. Every action in life must be done in a faithful manner, in a way that will not betray your inner integrity to God. Is this different than others? Maybe. It's not a list of rules that has to be followed. It's not like a cooking recipe. It's a process in which we become more like God's annointed one -- more like Christ. Obedient unto death. Christ was obedient unto death. I don't think that the agony in the garden was something that "felt good." My mentor, Fred Craddock, was scheduled to appear at a good friend's church -- in fact the event was set up 3 or 4 years in advance. A few days before the event, Fred called up and canceled. His sister was dying. He recalled later that he had to act in faith. Faith required that he be with his sister and the event was canceled. He recalled that he prayed in faith in a way he never had prayed before. Sweat rolled off his face like blood. yet at the end, he could only pray that "Thy will be done." This is true faith. Did it feel good? Or was it obedience unto death?

You know what, I don't think I really answered your question.

3. What one thing do you wish you could do? Lose weight. Period. The number one thing.

And since I seem to be giving an extra answer for my other questions, here's an extra question for you to answer:

4. As for #3, why don't you do it? Err, uhh, we-e-e-ll, I *do* try! Maybe God needs me so that the tall, thin types look taller and thinner! Maybe it's lack of time. Maybe I'm scared of it. Maybe I eat for comfort, but I sure would like to lose 50 pounds before next Christmas! (BTW, the kids learning math may not be a good thing. The 8 year old just noticed "I'm half as heavy as K and she's half as heavy as you are, Mama. That means you are FOUR TIMES as heavy as me. WOW." Kids. Don't they just say the $%^&est things?)