Creative God

Have you ever wondered why so many people have such a different view of God? It is an idea that has puzzled me since I was a child. We have the Bible and it tells us so much about Him, yet so many people focus on just one attribute of His personality/character/actions, and they live their life according to that one attribute. I don't get it. I don't get why some people see God just as an authoritarian, or just as a Savior, or just as a bank. 

God gave us the Bible in which He reveals so many aspects of Himself to us, yet so many people still get caught up on just a pocket of facts about God. I met a lady recently who was caught up on the God of the rules. She couldn't comprehend why God would grant eternal security to mankind. In her mind, man would run amuck if they knew they could go to Heaven. Her God was limited to a rule-maker and rule-enforcer. 

Many people get caught up on a reverse attribute of  God - His love. Instead of being an authoritarian God, they see only a loving God who wants them to be happy.  A God who grants them the freedom to do whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want. No matter who's rules they violate - because God is love and will love them anyway. 

One day I was just meditating on God… ok, and I was being flustered about that fact that some people think that we should only sing Gregorian chants to worship God, and other people think we should only sing from the hymn book, and other people have never even heard of the hymns, and only want to sing the "newer, faster" songs. [Come on people, we all worship the same God! Why do we constantly have to argue about the differences in music? Some of you are off in left in field, but really, God is not that boring to create only one style of music for His worship.]

That's when it hit me. My God is not a boring God. My God is a creative God! 

The more I study my God and learn about His characteristics and attributes, the more I will discover great freedom knowing my God. He is the master of variety and a variety of music will appeal to Him. Worship is not bound to just one style, just as my God is not bound to just one attribute. God is far too creative for such things. 

Look at the world around us. Is there one ounce of anything that leads you to believe even for a moment that God could be boring? NO! Everything about His creation declares His glory. Not just that - His creativity! There are so many varieties and species and exceptions to animals, bugs, plants, people, the universe. Scientists can't wrap their brains around it. Evolution doesn't explain it.  That's because we have a creative God! 

Moving Tip #7: Finishing Touches

So most of the boxes are packed, the moving truck is booked, you have a few days or weeks to complete the finishing touches before you actually load the moving truck. What do you do? The finishing touches of course. This is Moving Tip #7, the last in the series.

Moving Tip #7: Finishing Touches

Each family member gets a suitcase. In that suitcase, they should place their own set of sheets & towels, two or three days worth of clothing (depending on the distance of your move and your schedule), toiletries, power cords, favorite toys, and any personal items that they want to keep handy. This way your family members aren't digging through every imaginable box looking for their possessions and wreaking havoc. They are responsible for their suitcase and getting it to their own room. It will make your life easier. My husband had to go to work the day after we moved and I was coming home to a new place after a teacher's conference. There was no way we were going to be able to find all of the items we needed unless they had been safely stowed in a suitcase.

All items must be secured in a box or bag. It might be tempting to carry all of those awkward items into the moving truck then house individually, but I promise that it is much easier to move them if they are stowed in a container. If you don't have the right size box, consider those handy reusable grocery bags. You can carry several bags at a time but you can only carry one random item at a time. Boxes can be stacked, but that large vase cannot. Plus remember, you probably have friends helping you out, and they don't want to make seven trips to carry those items you didn't pack well.

Pack an "Open First" Box. You got to the new place and found that the bathroom is a little dirty, or your movers have to use the bathroom, or your starving but have no way to wash your hands. Its really helpful to have a box of essentials nearby for the minute you move in. Stash this box in the front seat of the moving truck or your car.

I would suggest packing at least the following items:

• Toilet paper
• Trash bags
• Grocery bags 
• Paper towels
• Windex or household cleaner
• Hand soap
• Paper plates, napkins, plastic forks, spoons, knives, and cups
• Box cutter
• Phone charger
• Any other items that are really important to you that you need to have on hand in the 1st 6 hours in your new home

Be considerate of the movers. I am in ministry. I will never be able to hirer professional movers, but I have a great group of friends, who are always willing to lend a hand in moving. I certainly don't want to make them suffer while they help me move, so I am careful to always provide a case of water. Depending on the time, you might want to provide pizza or hoagies or at least snacks. Remember they are going out of their way to help you. Do what you can to help them. 

I guess that's it. Thanks so much for following along. Hope these tips were helpful and that you enjoyed the series. Now you can be a professional mover as well. :)

Just joining us? Catch up on all of the Tips you have missed here:

Moving Tip: Intro

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/09/moving-tip-intro.html

Moving Tip #1: Where to Find Boxes

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/09/moving-tip-1-where-to-find-boxes.html

Moving Tip #2: Be Ruthless

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/10/moving-tip-2-be-ruthless.html

Moving Tip #3: Strategize

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/10/moving-tip-3-strategize.html

Moving Tip #4: Start Big

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/10/moving-tip-4-start-big.html

Moving Tip #5: Packing Supplies

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/10/moving-tip-5-packing-supplies.html 

Moving Tip #6: Packing Materials

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/11/moving-tip-6-packing-materials.html

Moving Tip #6: Packing Materials

Sorry about the delay on posting Moving Tips. I needed a little bit of a change up for a week. Now we are back and ready to role.

Moving Tip #6: Packing Materials

In the Packing Supplies Tip, I told you that you probably want to buy bubble wrap for you most valuable glass or china items. I stand by that decision. It is worth the money!

But you probably don't want to do that for all of your possessions because it starts to get very expensive. Skip! Here are a few cheaper ways to pack your breakables, fill in the gaps, etc. without buying expensive packing materials.

Grocery Bags. You know how your grocery store bags say "Recycle" or "Return to Store" on them? Well, you can do that... after you move. I love plastic grocery bags because I do repurpose them. Most frequently they are used as trash bags. Messy leftovers go in a grocery bag before getting dumped in the trash. Stinky vegetable cuttings get wrapped in a grocery bag. All of the small trashcans get a grocery bag liner. But I also save my grocery bags specifically for moving. Wrap all of your breakables or scratchables in grocery bags and they will do just fine in your boxes. Stuff grocery bags in any gaps if you don't want items to shift too much. This makes great packing material!

Newspapers & Magazines. If you have newspapers or magazines regularly delivered to your home, you can use these wrap or cushion as well. I start saving about a month in advance of my packing and use as needed. Then you can recycle the paper once you get to your new place. And you know that the paper got a whole extra life before you threw it away or recycled it.

Off Season Clothing. Now the great news about moving season is it tends to be somewhere between spring and fall. You don't need to wear your heavy coats, jackets, or sweatshirts during this move. So instead of packing a bunch of boxes full of off-season closing, use those items as stuffing for your boxes. I wrapped picture frames and large vases in my husband's sweatshirt collection. They are items that need packed anyway, so why not multi-purpose them?

As far as furniture is concerned, I usually wrap or drape my wooden pieces with cheap blankets. I mostly use those cheap flannel blankets that you can get for $1 on clearance after Christmas or they were collected from Goodwill. You know the ones that are great for picnics, paint drop clothes, and moving? If you want to go through the hassle, just wash them up and store them in a bin or a back corner of your closet.

A few more tips to go! Stay tuned.



Just joining us? Catch up on all of the Tips you have missed here:

Moving Tip: Intro

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/09/moving-tip-intro.html

Moving Tip #1: Where to Find Boxes

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/09/moving-tip-1-where-to-find-boxes.html

Moving Tip #2: Be Ruthless

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/10/moving-tip-2-be-ruthless.html

Moving Tip #3: Strategize

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/10/moving-tip-3-strategize.html

Moving Tip #4: Start Big

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/10/moving-tip-4-start-big.html

Moving Tip #5: Packing Supplies

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/10/moving-tip-5-packing-supplies.html 

Praise the Lord!

Originally written in 2012. 

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to do was to go to a theater known as Sight & Sound. It is a Christian stage theater where they perform Broadway-quality plays based on Bible stories. They are amazing! For example, they recently ran a season of Joseph. It was incredible! They took the Biblical story, portrayed it accurately, added possible fictional parts to get from Point A to Point B, and outstanding music. When you sit and watch the show, you literally feel like you are living through a moment in the Bible. They always tie in salvation, and have staff members designated to talk to people after the show, if they want more information about getting to heaven. It's a great work that they are doing in Lancaster, PA, and Branson, MO. 

Now I can't promise that every single actor or employee is saved, but like Chick-fil-A, they are a Christian company. 

From the production Joseph by Sight & Sound Theaters

My favorite production is Noah. They haven't shown it since I was around 10 years old. It was so colorful and they had all kinds of live animals and you felt like you were in the ark during the storm. I vividly remember understanding what Noah had to go through as he preached to his friends and warned them of Gods judgement, and they mocked him. That was a powerful feeling. I have seen almost all of the productions since Noah, but none of them compare!

I got to meet the director of the theater last year, and I asked him if they were ever going to bring Noah back. He couldn't tell me, but told me to wait a couple of weeks to find out what the new show would be for 2013. Wouldn't you know they brought back Noah when I have absolutely no way to see it?? 

While Noah is my favorite production, Joseph contained my favorite song. It's just a simple song of praise and I don't even know if there is more to it than the thirty second blurb in the show.

   

It goes like this:

Praise the Lord of creation!

The Father of all mankind! 

Lift your voice in celebration 

Of His peace to give, His love to find!

Isn't that wonderful? I love to praise the Lord. You know, it's all about Him. He has done so much for me, the least I can do is praise Him with every breath I take. 

Moving Tip #5: Packing Supplies

Woohoo! My first series is moving along swimmingly, and we are not out of ideas yet!

If you are just checking in, catch up at the "Moving Tips" label or the links at the end of this post. 

Moving Tip #5: Packing Materials

Here by Tip #5, I have already alluded to several packing materials that you will need. Here is a quick review. 

• Boxes (Duh!) - Hopefully you will get those for free because you read Moving Tip #1. 
• Stackable Bins - For permanent storage; again see Moving Tip #1. 
• Colorful Duck Tape - To distinguish between locations for where you want the boxes placed. 
• Masking Tape - To label your boxes clearly.
• Black Marker - You have to write on the tape somehow!

Here are a few additional materials that you may not have considered. 

Just realized there is a brand name thing going on in this picture.
I assure you it wasn't intentional. 

Packing Tape. Buy plenty of tape! Don't skimp. It isn't worth saving money on tape, just to dump all of your goods on the ground as you move into your new home. As if moving day isn't stressful enough, now you have to repair or replace various items. Not fun... now imagine that it's raining on moving day and everyone is miserable already. Yep, that was the scrapbook box that landed in the mud. Grandma's precious photos and notes are now covered in mud. Should have bought more tape! 

Packing Tape Dispenser. It seems like it would be so easy to save a few dollars on this item. Just skip it and save a few bucks for something more important. But this little devise takes taping boxes (which you will do frequently), from a multi-handed, frustrating affair between the box, the tape, scissors, and your hands to a simple flick of the wrist. And you don't have to get the heavy-duty version, just the small hand-held version as shown in the picture above. Make sure this item is on your shopping list! 

Bubble Wrap. Don't waste your money on bubble wrapping all of your breakables. I will help you with this one later, but there is one area that you shouldn't skimp on the bubble wrap. It is worth every penny to wrap your kitchen glass and china in bubble wrap. You don't want to save $20 on bubble wrap then find out that you have to replace $500 worth of beautiful plates, bowls, cups, and serving dishes. 

Box Cutter. Sure, ripping the tape off is an option, but sometimes the tape just won't budge from that cardboard box. That's when a box knife comes in handy. Just whip that puppy out, slice your box carefully. You don't want to cut the contents or yourself. And enjoy whatever is inside the box. Keep this item away from children. That blade is no joke!

Thermal Bag. If you are making a quick trip across town, like my recent four mile move, you probably aren't going to want to empty out the fridge and buy brand new condiments for the new place. If you shove everything into one of those lined thermal picnic or grocery bags right before you leave your old place, everything will still be cold or cool by time you get to your new place. Toss in a few ice packs and you should be golden. I was able to do this with some frozen meat and it made it to the new house just fine. In the summer, during picnic season, stores sell really cute bags. I should have grabbed one from Marshalls or Target when I had the chance.

Bungie Cords. It might seem like an unusual purchase, but it's not. My dad started using these for all kinds of things when I was a kid and I have since personally discovered the benefit of a jar of bungie cords. (I actually keep these in my car at all times.) So picture this... table legs wrapped in a blanket so they don't get scratched. Do you use packing tape to secure it? Isn't that going to ruin the blanket when you peel it off? Now take two bungie cords and wrap them around the legs. Suddenly you have a safe, secure way of transporting the legs without destroying the packaging. Another handy use for bungie cords is to secure boxes that are awkwardly shaped or won't close well with tape. You could also use the bunnies to secure a stack of boxes along the wall of your moving truck or attach the bike to the side of ceiling of the truck.

As I mentioned before, I keep a jar of bungies in my car. They come in handy when I am trying to transport an item in the back of my tiny Honda Civic and the trunk won't close. I can secure the items and the trunk by properly placing the cords. I also store my Christmas tree in the original box, though it no longer closes. The bungie cords seal the box, but allow the tree to expand as needed. That's a freebie. :)

Need to catch up? Read the previous tips here. 

Moving Tip: Intro

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/09/moving-tip-intro.html

Moving Tip #1: Where to Find Boxes

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/09/moving-tip-1-where-to-find-boxes.html

Moving Tip #2: Be Ruthless

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/10/moving-tip-2-be-ruthless.html

Moving Tip #3: Strategize

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/10/moving-tip-3-strategize.html

Moving Tip #4: Start Big

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/10/moving-tip-4-start-big.html 

The Forgotten Generation

Things to know about the Forgotten Generation:

• 20s to early 30s
• Recently married or single
• Recently graduated college
• Moved away from home
• Don't have kids

Interested in:

• Technology
• Learning/ideas
• Travelling
• Connecting with others

Concerned about:

• Jobs & money
• Relationships
• Growing spiritually
• Applying the Bible of our youth to our present life
• Making a difference in our sphere
• Being a Christian without compromising 

We are too aware of the current situation with teenagers and the fact that we are losing them to this world. We work hard to teach them and to protect them, but no matter how we look it, we lose them. They are going to grow up, and leave. 

Once these teenagers get out of college, a small problem arises. We ignore them until they are popping multiple babies, homeschooling, or mastering the art of house-wifing. 

But what about those of us who are in between? We are career women who may or may not be married, but we are certainly not rushing into those children. So what do we do in the meantime? 

Those of us who fall into that whole age-bracket/life-stage get ignored and segregated. Sometimes even treated as if we are 2nd class citizens. Believe me, I have been given the guilt trip multiple times simply because I don't have children. I have been left out or ignored for similar reasons. One of my closest friends (who is single) gets guilt-tripped all the time for not having a boyfriend. Is that really the way things should be? 

Do we really have to fit into the cookie cutter mold of Christianity? 

God created those of us who fall into this category uniquely. We are different. That's what God wants for us. He created us all differently for a reason. We don't have to be Betty Homemaker to fulfill God's individual plan for our lives. 

So if you have any say, please let us be who God has created us to be. Don't force us into your preconceived mold. Let us flourish in God's design, and above all don't ignore, forget, reject, or neglect us. 

Moving Tip #4: Start Big

Welcome to my series on Moving Tips. I just completed my sixth move in five years and I am finally home! It is a wonderful feeling. Moving can be stressful, especially if you rush into it, shove things in boxes, and plan to worry about it when you get to the new place. That's just not a good idea.

This is Tip #4: Start Big.

By now, you should have all of your boxes ready to go, your packing supplies ready, and your home as paired down as it is going to get. Now comes the fun part - actually packing!

Logic would say to pick a room and shove things in boxes based on how you use them and store them now. That actually is a terrible idea. In some rooms, it might work out just fine like an office. But you will use twice as many boxes in the kitchen and living room. Those large bulky decor items and kitchen appliances take up so much space and if you group appliances together, you are just wasting space and packing materials.

I highly recommend that you pack large things first, then fill in the empty spaces with smaller things. For example, instead of packing your crockpot in a box by itself, pack tea towels, spices, sugar and flour, dry goods or anything that will inside. You just maximized your space! Stuff your large, bulky tupperware containers with K-cups or cups or the smaller plastic containers. Use empty spaces in any way that you possibly can.

Once you have filled your box with all of the big things (serving bowls, your Kuerig, the stuffed crockpot, whatever), fill in the remaining spaces with any smaller items you possibly can. I would cushion my crockpot with cooking utensils or tea towels. Any items that I can find to fill in those empty gaps. This might mean you have four or five open boxes at a time.

Something to keep in mind here is that it is important to group by room, not by category. If you have dry goods mixed in with kitchen appliances, it is ok, because they both belong in the kitchen. But I don't want a box of office supplies mixed with my living room coasters and kitchen utensils.

To give you another example, one of my living room boxes had four lamps, a bunch of candles, and a picture frame in it. Not because those items were paired together in my decor scheme, but because the candles filled in the gaps between the lamps and the frame filled the last inch of the box to capacity. (If I had taken a picture of this box, it would have looked like a box with a picture frame in it.)

Hope you have gotten a few ideas to make your packing life easier. I have more ideas coming!





Missed the previous Moving Tips? Catch up here:

Moving Tip: Intro

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/09/moving-tip-intro.html

Moving Tip #1: Where to Find Boxes

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/09/moving-tip-1-where-to-find-boxes.html

Moving Tip #2: Be Ruthless

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/10/moving-tip-2-be-ruthless.html

Moving Tip #3: Strategize

http://everdaysurrender.blogspot.com/2015/10/moving-tip-3-strategize.html