<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180</id><updated>2011-10-11T19:37:41.093-05:00</updated><category term='regret'/><category term='redemption'/><category term='love'/><category term='grace'/><category term='life'/><category term='death'/><title type='text'>[the.contents]</title><subtitle type='html'>Reason is the natural order of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning. -C. S. Lewis</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>14</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180.post-8625420946106024540</id><published>2011-10-11T19:28:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2011-10-11T19:28:41.098-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Consequences.</title><content type='html'>&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;I desperately desire to be a clear communicator. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Unfortunately in wanting that, I tend to communicate with many words. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Aaaaand usually in the written form. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Aye. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;SO...forgive me...this could be long. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Lately I have been fighting, what feels like, the fight of my life. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;A fight, not against flesh and blood, but in the spiritual realm. A fight between the spirit and flesh, and I know [with every fiber of my being] that there is a spiritual battle going on around me - for my very soul. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;And boy, is it&amp;nbsp;intense.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;When I left Teen Mania, I stepped out of ministry/leadership for a good two years. Four years on, 2 years off.......sounds good, right?&amp;nbsp;However, anonymity and complacency is not what the Lord has for me...thus I began to&amp;nbsp;pursue getting into womens ministries at my church. Interestingly&amp;nbsp;enough,&amp;nbsp;once I began that process, I&amp;nbsp;found that&amp;nbsp;suddenly all these old struggles began to resurface. All of these strongholds that I thought were long broken, began to reform and reshape themselves. For the last 6 months, off and on I have been struggling..and faltering&amp;nbsp;miserably. I have felt like somehow, I had happened to slowly&amp;nbsp;meander my way into a valley...and haven't been able to find a way out. And this weekend,&amp;nbsp;after another fitful failure,&amp;nbsp;I gave up. I got angry, and I said &lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;'ENOUGH'&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;I am sick to death&amp;nbsp;of living day to day, struggle to struggle, failure to failure, regret to regret. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif; font-size: large;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;u&gt;THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO LIFE THAN THIS!&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;In the light of eternity, these fringe-like struggles are silly and worthless. So, I put my foot down. I am striving after righteousness and Godliness. I am striving to beat down, take down, and mortify my flesh. [&lt;em&gt;mortify: &lt;b&gt;1. &lt;/b&gt;To practice ascetic discipline or self-denial of  the body and its appetites. &lt;b&gt;2. &lt;/b&gt;To undergo mortification; become  gangrenous or necrosed. Dead.]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;In the process of mortification of the flesh - comes the act of confession of sin, and accountability. With accountability and the desire for righteousness, there often comes consequences. Those consequences most often look like those who love you getting in your face and telling you the hard truth, in love. It can look like, being dragged to Bible study, when you don't want to go. It can look like people calling you when you least desire it - to ensure that you're doing what you should. It can look like having a friend with you while you rid your life of anything that can hinder you. It can look like receiving a text early in the morning so you don't bail out on a commitment&amp;nbsp; you've been faltering on. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;It simply&amp;nbsp;looks like&lt;strong&gt; &lt;span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"&gt;LOVE&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; - walked out. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;It looks like John 13:34-35 &lt;em&gt;"I&amp;nbsp;give you a new commandment: that you should &lt;span style="color: #cc0000;"&gt;love&lt;/span&gt; one another. Just as I have &lt;span style="color: #cc0000;"&gt;loved&lt;/span&gt; you, so you too should&lt;span style="color: #cc0000;"&gt; love&lt;/span&gt; one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you &lt;span style="color: #cc0000;"&gt;love&lt;/span&gt; one another [if you keep on showing &lt;span style="color: #cc0000;"&gt;love&lt;/span&gt; among yourselves]".&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;A new and&amp;nbsp;precious friend shared the following scripture on their Facebook today:&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{&amp;quot;type&amp;quot;:3}"&gt;&lt;em&gt;"Those of us who are strong and able in the Faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us".&lt;/em&gt; -Romans 15:1&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;For all of us, at&amp;nbsp;most points in&amp;nbsp;our lives we will be 'the strong and the able' ones. At others, we &lt;em&gt;will&lt;/em&gt; be the ones faltering. Clearly, as of late, I have been absolutely faltering...and one day again soon, by the grace of God, I will be the 'strong and able' person.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Until then &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;[genuinely], &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;u&gt;thank you&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; to my&amp;nbsp;sweet, strong, able and&amp;nbsp;faithful friends, who have been lending me a hand. My prayer is when this season is over - I will be able to return the immense blessing. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;I am immeasurably&amp;nbsp;honored to call each of you friend. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;You know who you are. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zVMdWcPBkP4/TpTe2ZEMaUI/AAAAAAAAD9o/oUtrXmWcxeU/s1600/broken-pot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"&gt;&lt;img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zVMdWcPBkP4/TpTe2ZEMaUI/AAAAAAAAD9o/oUtrXmWcxeU/s320/broken-pot.jpg" width="320" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/76237005450708180-8625420946106024540?l=rawandhonest.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/8625420946106024540/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=76237005450708180&amp;postID=8625420946106024540' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/8625420946106024540'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/8625420946106024540'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/2011/10/consequences.html' title='Consequences.'/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zVMdWcPBkP4/TpTe2ZEMaUI/AAAAAAAAD9o/oUtrXmWcxeU/s72-c/broken-pot.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180.post-1158404493791978992</id><published>2011-09-14T12:31:00.003-05:00</published><updated>2011-09-14T14:45:34.446-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Let it be so.</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;Good morning pumpkinspicelattewithwhitemocha&lt;strong&gt;DELICIOUSNESSSSS!!!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;You are so bad…but OH, so good. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;lt;&lt;/strong&gt;insert &lt;em&gt;mildly&lt;/em&gt; contented sigh here&amp;gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;This morning I awoke with my head spinning, and feeling like it was full of water. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;Yes. I, too, think that it is a bit odd, butttttt there is some freak illness floating around &lt;strike&gt;this cesspool&lt;/strike&gt; &lt;em&gt;work&lt;/em&gt;. I am afraid I may be in the beginning stages of contracting it. Aye. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;I fear I might have woken up slightly indifferent today, as well. Or maybe it’s actually feigned indifference because my heart is ridiculously tender [&lt;em&gt;I get a tad weepy when feeling under the weather&lt;/em&gt;]. Either way, I suspect that the feeling of ‘apathy’ could also come in due to the fact that everything in my life is kind of disjointed and unstable right now…and I am quite sure that this ‘shaking’ is no accident. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;lt;&lt;/strong&gt;insert raised eyebrow, and upward glance here&amp;gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;Brenda, my sweet mentor, put it this way, &lt;em&gt;‘Tara, from what you’re telling me…it sounds like everything in your life seems to be a big question mark (&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: large;"&gt;?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;) right now…’&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;Ah, well…yes, that is correct. Everything could go any way, at any moment. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;Thus, I am simply in a place of surrender. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;I am waving the proverbial &lt;span style="background-color: black; color: white;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;‘white flag’&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; as I fall over.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;Sadly, it is not sweet surrender, and gladly, it is not bitter surrender, just an &lt;em&gt;‘I give up, and I am falling down in exhaustion’&lt;/em&gt; surrender. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;[Hmm…this place feels quite familiar ……]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;I have come to the conclusion that I very well may be one of the most hard-headed humans that the Lord has ever encountered &lt;span style="font-size: xx-small;"&gt;[ha].&lt;/span&gt; Time after time, my heart…and my eyes …stray from the very One who redeemed my wretched soul. And time after time, as I continue on my path of whoreishness, I tend to go so far that must He intervene to refocus me [&lt;em&gt;yes, I said whoreishness&lt;/em&gt;]. Sometimes He must go as far as shaking and removing anything and everything that could distract this unfaithful heart. Painful as it is, I am grateful for it [well…&lt;em&gt;afterwards&lt;/em&gt;]. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;And once again, this is where I am right now. Aye.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;Things are swaying like unstable dominoes…slowly toppling and ceasing to be in my line of vision. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Hebrews 12:26-28&lt;/strong&gt; says, &lt;em&gt;“I shake not only the earth, but also heaven . . . this indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things that cannot be shaken may remain".&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;Realistically, when this happens, my reaction often stinks. When the shaking begins I tend to panic…look around me and grab onto things that seem sturdy. I tend to cling to &lt;em&gt;things&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;u&gt;people&lt;/u&gt; or &lt;strong&gt;substances&lt;/strong&gt; that &lt;u&gt;distract&lt;/u&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;numb&lt;/strong&gt; or &lt;em&gt;please&lt;/em&gt; momentarily. And then, somehow, I manage to be surprised and aghast when those things fail me as well. So then I find a book ...or...well, multiple books and read voraciously in attempts to fix myself, my heart, and my fleshly wants. But, alas, knowledge does not replace heart/spirit&amp;nbsp;revelation. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;Today, I am at the point where, once again, I realize:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif; font-size: large;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I, TARA MILBURN, CONTROL NOTHING. &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;When my job changes for the worst [&lt;em&gt;as it is&lt;/em&gt;] – I cannot control it. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;When my relationships change in ways that sadden my heart [&lt;em&gt;as some are&lt;/em&gt;] – I cannot control it. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;When things in general are up in the air, with a big ‘?’ [&lt;em&gt;as they are&lt;/em&gt;] – I cannot control it. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;I must [&lt;em&gt;need to, have to, want to, must&lt;/em&gt;] turn to the Lord – &lt;u&gt;run to the Lord&lt;/u&gt; – and throw off these distractions, these sins that so easily entangle me. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I’m moving from: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;“In this life, I’m stubborn to the core.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;In this life, I’ve been burning after more. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;We both know what these open arms are for…” &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And heading over to: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;“Falling on my knees in worship,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;giving all I am to seek Your face.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;Lord, all I am is Yours. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;My whole life&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;I place in Your hands,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;God of Mercy.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Humbled I bow down,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;in Your presence, at Your throne”.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[and am praying that the following happens]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;“I called - You answered,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;and You came to my rescue.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;And I want to be where You are.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;In my life - be lifted high"&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;Pray that I have the strength to look upon the face of the Lord and seek after the righteousness that He has called me to. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;Pray that I may have the strength to say a loud, and resounding &lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: large;"&gt;‘NO’&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; to the things that my flesh desires to turn to in moments of uncertainty.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif; font-size: x-large;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mmmhmm.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;I shall end with this:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;I just received a tweet from A.W. Tozer. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;No, not from beyond the grave…..but someone who so graciously tweets out his quotes. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;It says this, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;“When we allow God to be exalted in our difficulties, we are in the perfect place to smell the fragrance of His presence”. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h-kRdoQa0bk/TnDkZINs7HI/AAAAAAAAD9E/OtXlnfvJF3o/s1600/fragrant+incense.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"&gt;&lt;img border="0" height="237" rba="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h-kRdoQa0bk/TnDkZINs7HI/AAAAAAAAD9E/OtXlnfvJF3o/s320/fragrant+incense.jpg" width="320" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;Yes, yes….let it be so. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia, &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;, serif;"&gt;Thanks, Tozer. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Georgia;"&gt;((p.s. I just read the previous post.........um, isn't it like the same thing?! Oh, Lord. Drill this into my head! Help!))&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/76237005450708180-1158404493791978992?l=rawandhonest.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/1158404493791978992/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=76237005450708180&amp;postID=1158404493791978992' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/1158404493791978992'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/1158404493791978992'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/2011/09/let-it-be-so.html' title='Let it be so.'/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h-kRdoQa0bk/TnDkZINs7HI/AAAAAAAAD9E/OtXlnfvJF3o/s72-c/fragrant+incense.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180.post-399604831346085036</id><published>2011-03-27T16:53:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2011-03-27T16:55:27.940-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Getting my butt handed to me.</title><content type='html'>&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Crass as it may be, the title of this post is the only way I can think to describe what has been happening to me lately. I suppose that there are other more spiritual ways to phrase it, but alas...........none quite compare. :)&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;The past week has been full of all kinds of realizations and revelations. Discoveries and awakenings. Most seem unfavorable at first...painful and undesirable, but they are good. Beneficial. I have realized: &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I am not who I want to be, and I am not on track with who I am supposed to be.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;My family and I have had some really rough things thrown our way in the last 2 years, and it has affected me much more than I thought. And it has, in a sense, derailed me. But, thankfully, at 27 years old, I am still becoming and I am still growing; as a Christian, and as a person. I am typically very reluctant to admit this -- but I have no idea what I want to do with my life. Am I content with being 'nomadic' and living life on a whim? To some extent. It never lacks in adventure. I can pick up and go when I feel the Lord leads me elsewhere. But I have no idea what I want to do with my life, short of loving Jesus and loving people. Is it because I haven't sought a goal or a career--I definitely have. None have been 'right'. Do I want to get married? Absolutely(!!). But the Lord has His timing, and it is all sufficient. When it comes to me...and my life....I am not where I want to be - within myself. I don't mean externally, like marriage and a job - the Lord has that under control. But, I mean when it comes to how I live my life and how I spend my time and energy....I am not who I want to be. Gradually, I have come into this [unconscious] way of thinking that I can control things. That what I say and do can actually change the course of things. Isn't that rich? I can pray, and I can speak when I feel necessary, but I control nothing. I can affect - but I cannot control. Realistically, I could lose my job tomorrow, and I could do nothing at all to change it. I could total my new[er] car today, and that would be that. I control nothing. I can control what I do with my time....and my thought life...and my energy...and my words. I think I have been striving so much to control all the external things that I 'have lost control' of the internal. [ha] Thus, this week I have had my butt handed to me in this realization. I am called to live a life of simplicity and love. A life of servanthood and love. A life of quietness and love. [note: love, love, love] I have been living a life of chaos, loudness, verbal vomit, difficulty and flesh. Has it been outwardly visible? To some, maybe. To most, no. Have I become a heathen? Not by any means. Have I become legalistic? I &lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;cringingly&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; admit - yes. And yet, I have compromised and I have chosen the wide path, rather than the narrow -- in my relationship with the Lord and in my walk.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;But no more.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;For&amp;nbsp;I have had my butt handed to me. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Lovingly, of course.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;After listening to a sermon this morning by David Hickey [my Pastor in Texas], I had a time of repentance. For my lack of FAITH, my lack of TRUST. For actually believing that I can control things. For worrying incessantly. For not acknowledging God and for not focusing on the eternal things.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;At one point in the sermon, he said: &lt;em&gt;"...as we seek to satisfy our earthly desires, we have ceased to desire heaven, and consequently we become offended when life doesn't treat us according to the life that we have become accustomed to&lt;/em&gt;". [ouch]&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;And thus, I humbly admit to you, my friends, that I have fallen and I have failed...but with the help of my God, I am on my way back up and onto the narrow road.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;I have peace ::: I am refreshed ::: and I can breathe.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;All because I was reminded that,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;"...there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death."&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;[&lt;strong&gt;Romans 8:1-2&lt;/strong&gt;]&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: large;"&gt;Aaaaah....freedom&lt;/span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BP-5kQfI_tE/TY-yPhNJwyI/AAAAAAAADvs/kKBN6tYFsLM/s1600/The+Word.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"&gt;&lt;img border="0" height="0" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BP-5kQfI_tE/TY-yPhNJwyI/AAAAAAAADvs/kKBN6tYFsLM/s320/The+Word.jpg" width="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: x-large;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Welcome back.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jAHjTYCwyCc/TY-xqIuA99I/AAAAAAAADvo/PadfCJMsbvM/s1600/The+Word.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"&gt;&lt;img border="0" height="0" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jAHjTYCwyCc/TY-xqIuA99I/AAAAAAAADvo/PadfCJMsbvM/s320/The+Word.jpg" width="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/76237005450708180-399604831346085036?l=rawandhonest.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/399604831346085036/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=76237005450708180&amp;postID=399604831346085036' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/399604831346085036'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/399604831346085036'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/2011/03/getting-my-butt-handed-to-me.html' title='Getting my butt handed to me.'/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BP-5kQfI_tE/TY-yPhNJwyI/AAAAAAAADvs/kKBN6tYFsLM/s72-c/The+Word.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180.post-8451017172114499703</id><published>2011-03-02T13:49:00.002-06:00</published><updated>2011-03-02T13:49:32.637-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Grace.</title><content type='html'>The sun and wind on my skin feels magnificent.&lt;br /&gt;Worshipping as I drive.....the Lord is faithful. &lt;br /&gt;The Lord is constant and true. &lt;br /&gt;[more to come] &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;Psalm 23:4&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Even when I walk&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;through the darkest valley,[a]&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I will not be afraid,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;for you are close beside me.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Your rod and your staff&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;protect and comfort me.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/76237005450708180-8451017172114499703?l=rawandhonest.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/8451017172114499703/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=76237005450708180&amp;postID=8451017172114499703' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/8451017172114499703'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/8451017172114499703'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/2011/03/grace.html' title='Grace.'/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180.post-3230791043110107504</id><published>2010-11-30T22:35:00.002-06:00</published><updated>2010-11-30T22:36:23.875-06:00</updated><title type='text'>If I were to be completely honest........</title><content type='html'>I would admit that sometimes in the past few months, I have felt like the prophet Jeremiah. Crying, calling out....but to no [visible] avail. And I wonder.....did&amp;nbsp;Jeremiah ever felt like there were no more tears to cry? Did he ever feel apathetic? Even momentarily? I wonder...did he ever lose his voice, and become discouraged with crying out?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If I were to be completely honest...I would admit that sometimes the word 'trust' sounds like a foul, four-lettered word to me. Tired, tainted, and broken..........[bah]. But I will&amp;nbsp;fight for it.....I will try. And it will come. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If I were to be completely honest....I would admit that I am tired of seeing sin and compromise being 'managed' - in my life and in others. God help me to surrender it all! 'Sin management' is simply disobedience. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If I were to be completely honest.....I would admit that sometimes I just want to disappear. I want to hide away, shut my phone off, and just......be.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If I were to be completely honest....I would admit that more than once this week I have thought about going home for the first time in 1 year, and the thought of being JOYFULLY welcomed/loved&amp;nbsp;simply for&amp;nbsp;being ME has brought me to tears. To be welcomed with open and loving arms - not for what I can do or what I can fix - is so precious.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If I were to be completely honest....this has been a rough year, and my heart has felt like a punching bag. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: large;"&gt;BUT......&lt;/span&gt;if I were to be completely honest, I would admit that as hard as it's all been - it is drawing [or pushing] me closer to the Lord. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And that is where I want to be.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/76237005450708180-3230791043110107504?l=rawandhonest.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/3230791043110107504/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=76237005450708180&amp;postID=3230791043110107504' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/3230791043110107504'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/3230791043110107504'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/2010/11/if-i-were-to-be-completely-honest.html' title='If I were to be completely honest........'/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180.post-6930735391027866170</id><published>2010-11-24T00:01:00.001-06:00</published><updated>2010-11-24T00:04:49.381-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Listening?</title><content type='html'>Ever have a day when all you want to do is stop what you're doing, and yell, &lt;em&gt;'Is anyone listening to me?'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Or more specifically, look at someone and yell, &lt;em&gt;'Are&amp;nbsp;YOU even listening? Have you heard ANYTHING I have said?'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What about a month? Or&amp;nbsp;a handful of&amp;nbsp;months? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Oi vey. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;That is how I feel tonight. &lt;br /&gt;Ever want to stop yelling, and just quit? &lt;br /&gt;Walk away, and say, &lt;em&gt;'I can't do this anymore'&lt;/em&gt;? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Yes. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My flesh says 'GO', and my Spirit says, 'Stay. Wait. Be patient'. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Oh, how I would listen to my flesh, but the Lord cautions me to wait. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I got a Twitter from 'The Ramp' the other day.&lt;br /&gt;It holds much truth. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;'We must understand that waiting is not waste. More can happen in a moment of God's presence than in a lifetime of activity'. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It's true....and I need to hold onto that truth. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;Isaiah 30:18-21&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;18 So the Lord must wait for you to come to him&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;so he can show you his love and compassion.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;For the Lord is a faithful God.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Blessed are those who wait for his help.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;19 O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;you will weep no more.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;He will be gracious if you ask for help.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;20 Though the Lord gave you adversity for food&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;and suffering for drink,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;he will still be with you to teach you.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;You will see your teacher with your own eyes.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;21 Your own ears will hear him.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Right behind you a voice will say,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;“This is the way you should go,”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;whether to the right or to the left&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/76237005450708180-6930735391027866170?l=rawandhonest.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/6930735391027866170/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=76237005450708180&amp;postID=6930735391027866170' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/6930735391027866170'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/6930735391027866170'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/2010/11/listening.html' title='Listening?'/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180.post-2110325538406401840</id><published>2010-11-09T20:52:00.002-06:00</published><updated>2010-11-09T22:59:01.175-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Discontent</title><content type='html'>I am discontent. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Not with life at the surface...but with the deeper aspects. &lt;br /&gt;I am not satisfied with feeding my mind with smut that blatantly parades the things that don't glorify the Lord. &lt;br /&gt;I am not satisfied with coming home from work and sitting in front of the t.v. multiple nights of the week. &lt;br /&gt;I am not satisfied with shallow relationships. &lt;br /&gt;I am not satisfied with a normal and luke-warm walk with the Lord. &lt;br /&gt;I am not satisfied with the lost still being lost. &lt;br /&gt;I am not satisfied with walking as the world walks. &lt;br /&gt;I am not satisfied with a mediocre life. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am discontent. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Only contentment is found in Him. &lt;br /&gt;But if we don't seek His face or His hand....where are we seeking our contentment? &lt;br /&gt;It cannot be found in the world...in the things of the world or the people of the world. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am discontent. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;With watching&amp;nbsp;those of us&amp;nbsp;who know truth, gloss it over. &lt;br /&gt;With watching&amp;nbsp;those of us who follow Christ....love the world. &lt;br /&gt;And at times, with myself doing all of the above. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am discontent. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;With a life that looks no different than than my neighbor who is simply 'a good person'. &lt;br /&gt;With a vocabulary that doesn't glorify God. &lt;br /&gt;With a music selection that is full of perversion and depravity. &lt;br /&gt;With a book selection that opens parts of my heart that ought to still be sleeping. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am discontent. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am tired of fighting the same battles. &lt;br /&gt;I am tired of the same, consistent heart wounds. &lt;br /&gt;I am tired of the same old.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I just am so tired...and discontent. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: large;"&gt;Oh, God help me in my discontentment!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Only You can relieve my heart.&lt;br /&gt;It's Yours God, all of it. &lt;br /&gt;I want change....I desire change...help me in my surrender. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;( :&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/76237005450708180-2110325538406401840?l=rawandhonest.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/2110325538406401840/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=76237005450708180&amp;postID=2110325538406401840' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/2110325538406401840'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/2110325538406401840'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/2010/11/discontent.html' title='Discontent'/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180.post-297068290332456107</id><published>2010-10-27T22:55:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2010-10-27T22:55:24.673-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Deception.</title><content type='html'>Today I find myself at a loss. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I have reached the end of something. &lt;br /&gt;My self? Control? Expectation? .... Dare I say, to some extent - hope?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;[situational hope....applied not to life as a whole]&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I have come to realize that deception is an ugly thing to watch take over a person. &lt;br /&gt;It's like molasses....slow, dark, and impossibly thick. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And as I watch, I feel as though my hands are tied....I have chains around my ankles. &lt;br /&gt;Truth is in my heart and in my mouth, but&amp;nbsp;as I speak it runs off my lips, falls to the ground and pools at their feet. &lt;br /&gt;[Meaningless, meaningless.] &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: large;"&gt;And my heart! &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It shouts: &lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: x-large;"&gt;What is of worth to you? &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: x-large;"&gt;What is of importance to you? &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: x-large;"&gt;Why do you spend your time on worthless things, frivolities and distractions? &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: x-large;"&gt;Things that do not glorify the Lord?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: x-large;"&gt;Idols!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: x-large;"&gt;He is&amp;nbsp;calling! He is beckoning! He is worthy!&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;WHY&amp;nbsp;do we do what our flesh wants and deny that which we know the Lord has called us to? &lt;br /&gt;Why, oh why do we allow our flesh to dictate our actions, our words, and our thoughts? &lt;br /&gt;Why do we not choose truth and walk down the path of righteousness? &lt;br /&gt;[YES] &lt;br /&gt;It might cause&amp;nbsp;some discomfort, but righteousness&amp;nbsp;never causes us the deep heartache of disobedience.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Oh flesh, how difficult you prove to be. &lt;br /&gt;And, oh, that&amp;nbsp;hearts weren't deceitful and wretched!!&lt;br /&gt;Oh, for&amp;nbsp;the strength to see through the veil of lies and see Your truth. &lt;br /&gt;[THE LIES WE BELIEVE!!]&lt;br /&gt;Oh, how the heart of God must grieve....&lt;br /&gt;Oh, how the eyes are darkened and hidden from the light. &lt;br /&gt;For: &lt;em&gt;'the eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is sound, your entire body will be full of light. But if your eye is unsound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the very light in you [your conscience] is darkened, how dense is that darkness!'&lt;/em&gt; [Matt.6:22-23] &lt;br /&gt;But He is&amp;nbsp;a God who is higher and stronger and wiser.&lt;br /&gt;His&amp;nbsp;love is stronger than the cisterns we've dug for ourselves. &lt;br /&gt;His love is stronger than death. &lt;br /&gt;His love is stronger than&amp;nbsp;sickness&amp;nbsp;and deception. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Lord.........please move on the heart of your child....on the hearts of your children. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And move in my life...help me to be like You...help me to love....listen....and respond.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/76237005450708180-297068290332456107?l=rawandhonest.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/297068290332456107/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=76237005450708180&amp;postID=297068290332456107' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/297068290332456107'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/297068290332456107'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/2010/10/deception.html' title='Deception.'/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180.post-1831545471748621655</id><published>2010-08-06T00:01:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2010-08-06T00:59:35.023-05:00</updated><title type='text'>[battle]</title><content type='html'>&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;It's a battle between the heart and the mouth.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;Between the spirit and the soul.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;The emotions and the mind.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;And the mouth.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;- - - - -------------------------&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;[help me to be the following]&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"&gt;James 3:17-18&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-AMP-30335" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;17&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;But the wisdom from above is first of all &lt;b&gt;pure&lt;/b&gt; (undefiled);&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;then it is &lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"&gt;peace-loving&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;courteous (considerate, &lt;i&gt;gentle&lt;/i&gt;).&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;u&gt;[It is willing to] yield to reason,&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;u&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;full of compassion and good fruits;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;it is wholehearted and straightforward,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;impartial and unfeigned&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;&lt;i&gt;(free from doubts, wavering, and insincerity&lt;/i&gt;).&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-AMP-30336" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"&gt;18&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"&gt;A n d &amp;nbsp;t h e &amp;nbsp;h a r v e s t &amp;nbsp;o f &amp;nbsp;r i g h t e o u s n e s s&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"&gt;(of conformity to God's will in thought and deed)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;is&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;[the fruit of the seed]&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"&gt;sown in peace by those who work for and make peace&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;[in themselves and in others,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;that peace which means concord, agreement, and harmony&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"&gt;between individuals, with undisturbedness, &lt;i&gt;in a peaceful mind, free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts&lt;/i&gt;].&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/76237005450708180-1831545471748621655?l=rawandhonest.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/1831545471748621655/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=76237005450708180&amp;postID=1831545471748621655' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/1831545471748621655'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/1831545471748621655'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/2010/08/battle.html' title='[battle]'/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180.post-4065846457508160963</id><published>2010-08-03T22:25:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2010-08-03T22:25:44.612-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Thoughts.</title><content type='html'>&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;I'm hiding in a corner in the far end of my bedroom.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;It's a tad snug to squeeze in here between my huge&amp;nbsp;bed frame&amp;nbsp;and the wall, but it is a comfortable snug.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;I feel like when I was a kid, and I liked to hide...to think all by myself.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Imagine.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Or simply hide.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;I&amp;nbsp;have had some thoughts lately.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Many, many thoughts spurred on by recent conversations and recent talks with God.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;[awkward&amp;nbsp;segue]&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;As Christians, we must understand that truth is not truth simply because we want it to be so.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Likewise, UNtruth is not untrue simply because it suits us.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;It is not something to be shaped and molded into the likeness of that which pleases us.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;It is what it is - take it or leave it.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;I live my life pretty black and white.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Sin is sin....and righteousness is righteousness.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;There really is no in between for me. If I feel a check in my spirit, I'm probably going to stray from it.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Understand that I am not saying that I am perfect by any means -- far, far from it.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;But I do feel like most things, particularly SPIRITUAL things, are black and white.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;I think that some things can have grey issues, but when we begin to weigh the pro's against the con's and the good vs. the bad of the grey issue.......we begin to enter dangerous waters.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Most often times, when we find 'good' to outweigh the 'bad' regarding an issue that we have already felt a 'red flag' pop up in our Spirit over, that is usually when we begin to justify. And compromise.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;I heard someone say the other night that people can compromise all day long, but they will still go to heaven.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Weeelllll....I don't know about you, but I don't want to be one of those people.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;We WILL be held accountable for every action, inaction, word, thought, deed, etc.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;I don't want to get into heaven on a compromise vs. sin technicality.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;I find that when I encounter people who don't live like this ---------------- it absolutely boggles my mind -especially if that person is a Jesus loving, on-fire Christian.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Listen, don't get me wrong.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;I have my issues, and my own dealings with sin....but if I mess up, I want to get rid of anything and everything that aided me in my sin. Often times, I've contemplated Matthew 5:29-30 after falling flat on my face,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NLT-23239" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;"&gt;29&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="woj"&gt;So if your eye—even your good eye&lt;sup class="footnote" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em;" value="[&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;#fen-NLT-23239a&amp;quot; title=&amp;quot;See footnote a&amp;quot;&amp;gt;a&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;]"&gt;[&lt;a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205:29-30&amp;amp;version=NLT#fen-NLT-23239a" title="See footnote a"&gt;a&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/sup&gt;—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;sup class="versenum" id="en-NLT-23240" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;"&gt;30&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="woj"&gt;And if your hand—even your stronger hand&lt;sup class="footnote" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em;" value="[&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;#fen-NLT-23240b&amp;quot; title=&amp;quot;See footnote b&amp;quot;&amp;gt;b&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;]"&gt;[&lt;a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205:29-30&amp;amp;version=NLT#fen-NLT-23240b" title="See footnote b"&gt;b&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/sup&gt;—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="woj"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span class="woj"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"&gt;Clearly, cutting off or gouging out parts of my body wouldn't be the best idea, but to do what it takes to keep ourselves from falling into sin, or potentially falling into sin - is smart.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;However, I need the Lord to help me understand the grey areas, and those who venture in.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;It scares me.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;So many people have gotten lost in the 'grey' and have yet to come back.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Sometimes I feel like Jeremiah, the weeping prophet crying over what I see coming, and what others don't.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;And, you know.....what can you do?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Stop?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Continue?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Cry?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;This is where the heavy sigh comes in.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;- - -&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qVY0xLNoACg/TFjdY68l0MI/AAAAAAAADuE/mSv3BAx-omc/s1600/truth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"&gt;&lt;img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qVY0xLNoACg/TFjdY68l0MI/AAAAAAAADuE/mSv3BAx-omc/s320/truth.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;Jesus grant me the grace, discernment, truth and love.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/76237005450708180-4065846457508160963?l=rawandhonest.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/4065846457508160963/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=76237005450708180&amp;postID=4065846457508160963' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/4065846457508160963'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/4065846457508160963'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/2010/08/thoughts.html' title='Thoughts.'/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qVY0xLNoACg/TFjdY68l0MI/AAAAAAAADuE/mSv3BAx-omc/s72-c/truth.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180.post-405832042019010019</id><published>2010-07-27T20:33:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2010-07-27T20:33:31.771-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Call Center Supervisor</title><content type='html'>I am a Call Center Supervisor.&lt;br /&gt;And some days I am not.&lt;br /&gt;On Tuesday&lt;br /&gt;I could be&lt;br /&gt;a counselor.&lt;br /&gt;And on Wednesday&lt;br /&gt;a social worker.&lt;br /&gt;Thursday - a priest&lt;br /&gt;[listening to confession].&lt;br /&gt;Listening to stories, that would make your mind&lt;br /&gt;reel.&lt;br /&gt;Watching as huge, croc-o-dile tears&amp;nbsp;roll&lt;br /&gt;down the faces of these women&lt;br /&gt;who&lt;br /&gt;are being&amp;nbsp;beaten&lt;br /&gt;[brutally]&lt;br /&gt;raped&lt;br /&gt;[nonchalantly]&lt;br /&gt;and&lt;br /&gt;taken advantage of&lt;br /&gt;[hourly].&lt;br /&gt;These ones&lt;br /&gt;who&lt;br /&gt;feel like there's no way out,&lt;br /&gt;but to&lt;br /&gt;[abort]&lt;br /&gt;and then&lt;br /&gt;scream and shout&lt;br /&gt;when confronted with the err of their behavior&lt;br /&gt;[in the workplace].&lt;br /&gt;And the truth of it is&lt;br /&gt;they're simply stuck.&lt;br /&gt;Stuck in the mire of family cycles&lt;br /&gt;of generational&lt;br /&gt;[curses].&lt;br /&gt;Not believing they can change,&lt;br /&gt;or have change&lt;br /&gt;for their children.&lt;br /&gt;Hope is a foreign word.&lt;br /&gt;Love is relative&lt;br /&gt;[to what you have, give, and expect].&lt;br /&gt;Trust is something to be laughed at.&lt;br /&gt;Ha.&lt;br /&gt;Why should I&lt;br /&gt;how could I&lt;br /&gt;[really, can I?]&lt;br /&gt;trust&lt;br /&gt;YOU.&lt;br /&gt;[after all - you're just my supervisor]&lt;br /&gt;And all one can do&lt;br /&gt;is pray.&lt;br /&gt;and cry.&lt;br /&gt;and speak soothing words&lt;br /&gt;to calm the skittish&lt;br /&gt;soul.&lt;br /&gt;And hope that&lt;br /&gt;the decisions they make&lt;br /&gt;won't&lt;br /&gt;[but they will]&lt;br /&gt;haunt them.&lt;br /&gt;And yet,&lt;br /&gt;at the end of the day&lt;br /&gt;I am&lt;br /&gt;but&amp;nbsp;a&lt;br /&gt;Call&lt;br /&gt;Center&lt;br /&gt;Supevisor.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/76237005450708180-405832042019010019?l=rawandhonest.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/405832042019010019/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=76237005450708180&amp;postID=405832042019010019' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/405832042019010019'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/405832042019010019'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/2010/07/call-center-supervisor.html' title='Call Center Supervisor'/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180.post-4808836209185130435</id><published>2010-07-12T21:33:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2010-07-12T21:33:43.242-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Gird up your loins.........</title><content type='html'>I am alive.........apparently contrary to popular belief.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;I have somewhat dropped off the face off the earth recently.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;My life is consumed...not by what I wish it would be consumed by...but by other&amp;nbsp;frivolities.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I have realized lately, what a ridiculous fraud my life is, in comparison to what &lt;s&gt;it is&lt;/s&gt;&amp;nbsp;everyone else perceives it to be.&lt;br /&gt;I call myself a Jesus-following Christian.......but my time alone with Him is lacking.&lt;br /&gt;I try to uphold morals and standards....but am not often speaking with the One who gives them.&lt;br /&gt;I find that depth and insight are lacking.....because I am so full of the world and its garbage.&lt;br /&gt;If I would only spend time with the Lord, the inward parts of my being would be purged of these things, and I would be refilled with peace and joy.&lt;br /&gt;But alas, I meander my way through the days, being distracted and without purpose....just living to live.&lt;br /&gt;Working to live.....sleeping to work....and rotating back and forth in that cycle.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sounds pleasant, doesn't it?&lt;br /&gt;[yes, yes........I was being&amp;nbsp;facetious]&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And then I hear in my head, &lt;i&gt;'Buck up, Milburn! You were not created to live life like this! Gird up your loins&lt;/i&gt;! [&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"&gt;(I Peter 1:13) means to prepare for strenuous mental activity, and warns of the necessity to guard your mind (Proverbs 4:23).&lt;/span&gt;] &lt;i&gt;Prepare for your day! There is a real spiritual battle going on!'&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But.......that is not often what I do. Thus, the days are long....full of strife and every evil thing [James 3:16].&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;insert here="" siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh'=""&gt;&lt;/insert&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"&gt;I suppose to bare bones truth of it all......is that I desire simplicity. Truth. Honesty. Peace. Joy. Love. Kindness. Goodness. FAITHFULNESS. Self-control. Patience. Humility. Fire.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"&gt;I suppose this is just one of those unexpected dips on the rollercoaster of life, that I did not see coming. But......the good news is --- there is a mountain to climb, and the whole world can be seen from the top.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"&gt;I really don't have all that much more to say right now....I'm incredibly tired.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;( :&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Bed is calling..........I'll be back soon.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Promise.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qVY0xLNoACg/TDvPw7nm_NI/AAAAAAAADt8/GEYvSPJbo8s/s1600/scared+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"&gt;&lt;img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qVY0xLNoACg/TDvPw7nm_NI/AAAAAAAADt8/GEYvSPJbo8s/s320/scared+girl.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;[Yes.......at times I feel like this girl. ha.]&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/76237005450708180-4808836209185130435?l=rawandhonest.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/4808836209185130435/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=76237005450708180&amp;postID=4808836209185130435' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/4808836209185130435'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/4808836209185130435'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/2010/07/gird-up-your-loins.html' title='Gird up your loins.........'/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qVY0xLNoACg/TDvPw7nm_NI/AAAAAAAADt8/GEYvSPJbo8s/s72-c/scared+girl.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180.post-1440524396936727003</id><published>2010-02-21T19:24:00.005-06:00</published><updated>2010-02-21T21:09:54.068-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='regret'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='death'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='life'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='grace'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='redemption'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='love'/><title type='text'>REgret.</title><content type='html'>Regret is defined as:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;–verb (used with object)&lt;br /&gt;1. to feel sorrow or remorse for (an act, fault, disappointment, etc.)&lt;br /&gt;2. to think of with a sense of loss&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Occasionally, I find that I battle with that thing which we shall dub 'the regret monster'.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qVY0xLNoACg/S4Hvci6Gm6I/AAAAAAAADrw/9jWglLMHq5w/s1600-h/regret+monster.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 280px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440893098526153634" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qVY0xLNoACg/S4Hvci6Gm6I/AAAAAAAADrw/9jWglLMHq5w/s400/regret+monster.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;[that's him]&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This evening I saw an ad that was promoting the use of seatbelts.&lt;br /&gt;I didn't know what to expect...but what I did see caused me to burst into tears.&lt;br /&gt;Which is interesting, because it was a beautiful, creative and smart ad.&lt;br /&gt;[you can view it &lt;a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-8PBx7isoM"&gt;HERE&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My Uncle died in a car crash almost a month ago - tragically, he was not wearing his seat belt.&lt;br /&gt;Tonight after viewing that video, I began to think about my last interactions with him.&lt;br /&gt;Of course, initially, I was unable to recall all the good things. No, no...it was the not so good things that were flooding the forefront of my memory. Like, being upset and kind of acting like a butt the last time I saw him because I only got to spend 20 minutes with him, even though we knew I wouldn't be back in OK again for a good while. That's the last time we interacted.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And then my mind shifted to my relationship with my Grandma. I thought of all the times that I could have and should have gone up to see her and my Grandpa in Oklahoma. All the times that my mom told me to call her...but I didn't because it was difficult to talk to her when she was so sick. I kept thinking of all the things I could have said......should have said... that I could have told her.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For instance, when I was in OK for her funeral, at one point I was on the phone with a friend in the spare bedroom. I happened to look to my left, and on the dresser there were a number of cards. I picked them up, and saw that one of them was addressed to me. In it, was a card from my Grandma. It was a nice card...I mean, I would have loved receiving it in mail. But, as I read it - in that moment, I ended up weeping. In it she told me that she would like for me to stop by her house as I made the drive from Ohio to Texas...how it would be lovely to see me. But - I didn't stop by to see her. My mom even mentioned it to me....but I, oh, I was too busy. I did not factor in a visit....I had such a 'small' amount of time...I had 'too much to do'.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;These things - and others - plague my mind &lt;em&gt;sometimes.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;These two deaths......are the first ones I have had to deal with since I have come to know the Lord.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And it's been hard.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But, I am presently seeking the Lord.....and asking Him how to deal with and/or get rid of regret.&lt;br /&gt;I don't want to hear typical 'remember the good times', cookie-cutter answers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I don't think that it's legit.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And so for now, all I can do is lay my burdens down at His feet, and ask Him to bring healing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There's no other way.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Bah.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is what it is.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I must be off to bed.&lt;br /&gt;[praise the Lord that His mercies are new every morning]&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/76237005450708180-1440524396936727003?l=rawandhonest.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/1440524396936727003/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=76237005450708180&amp;postID=1440524396936727003' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/1440524396936727003'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/1440524396936727003'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/2010/02/regret.html' title='REgret.'/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qVY0xLNoACg/S4Hvci6Gm6I/AAAAAAAADrw/9jWglLMHq5w/s72-c/regret+monster.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76237005450708180.post-1642836268809882353</id><published>2010-02-17T06:10:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2010-02-17T06:11:12.090-06:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>Where did all my posts go!!!!!!!!!!!?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Oh. My. Goodness.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/76237005450708180-1642836268809882353?l=rawandhonest.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/feeds/1642836268809882353/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=76237005450708180&amp;postID=1642836268809882353' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/1642836268809882353'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/76237005450708180/posts/default/1642836268809882353'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rawandhonest.blogspot.com/2010/02/where-did-all-my-posts-go-oh.html' title=''/><author><name>tara.elizabeth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07983473777259602310</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6KmHCmv-ck/TnEg64sGszI/AAAAAAAAD9M/qlwF4soSvPc/s220/sepia.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
