40 Days of Lint: Day Forty, The Lamb

Today is our last day of the 40 Days of Lint series. I hope you are ready to celebrate His resurrection tomorrow with a clean heart, full of gratitude for all Jesus did for us. He is risen! Halleluia! 

Several years ago, I wanted to decorate our house for Easter with a more grown-up look. My girls were both in high school and past the age of window stick-ons and cutesy stuffed animals. I chose lambs as my theme and went to store after store looking for the Lamb of Easter, to no avail. Not even the Christian bookstore had pictures or figurines of lambs to symbolize the One who gave His life for us. I found bunnies, chicks, and candy everywhere, but the Lamb of God was nowhere in sight.

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-forty-in-search-of-lamb.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Thirty-Nine: Lust Bunnies

Our church is sponsoring a "Porn Weekend" April 27-29. Not promoting it, but informing, sharing, and equipping to fight against this seductive force so prevalent in our society. 50% of men and 30% of women today are lured into this destructive activity (and that includes church goers). 

Sunday morning, Tal Prince will be speaking about his own struggles with pornography. Sunday night there's a dinner and educational event called "Porn and Parents" to equip parents with ideas on how to talk about this with their children and guard against the effects of Pornography in their home. The average age a child first views porn is before they even hit their teen years! 

Monday night, Teresa Prince is going to speak to women about the effects of a husband involved in porn. There will be an open forum and small group time for women to share their own struggles with lust as well. And Tuesday night they will both be sharing at Celebrate Recovery at the Tillamook Nazarene Church.

I'm so excited that the Church as a whole is finally beginning to address these real life struggles we deal with as human beings in a fallen world. We cannot pretend we in the church are without sin; we all desperately need a Savior and He is the answer to our every need, our every temptation. I'm so proud of the those who have struggled and overcome these addictions and are willing to share their stories to give hope to others. We are broken, but we serve a God who specializes in fixing broken things.

Here's an excerpt from today's post in the 40 Days of Lint.

Playboy bunnies aren't just in magazines anymore. They're everywhere we look. Even when we don't want to see them they pop up on our computer screens, in television ads, and on storefronts. Unrealistic images in all forms of pornography cause dissatisfaction in intimate relationships and destroy our understanding of what is meant to be pure and holy. And lust affects us all.

Follow this link for the full post:
http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-daysof-lint-day-thirty-ninelust.html 

40 Days of Lint, Day Thirty-Eight: Grumble Bunnies

Really, Lord? Do everything without grumbling? Everything? Even the menial, repetitious, everyday stuff? Even when I’m running late and get stuck in traffic? Even when there’s potholes everywhere and it’s pouring down rain...still? Even when an evil virus shuts down my computer and I lose important files? Even when other people are rude to me? And His answer is, “Yep.”

Link to today's 40 Days of Lint post:
http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-daysof-lint-day-thirty-eight-grumble.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Thirty-Seven: Mean Bunnies

Excerpt from today's post:

How much of what we call humor is actually putting down  another individual or group? We laugh at biting comments in the guise of entertainment or good natured joking. Then we're surprised when our relationships suffer. Even if people don’t admit to it, personal jabs hurt.

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-thirty-seven-mean.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Thirty-Six: Multiplying Like Rabbits

We're down to the last five days in the 40 Days of Lint series.

Just like yeast can grow and affect the entire batch, lint bunnies will multiply if we don’t clear them out regularly. Today, Jesus wants to take us on a hunt through our spiritual house, to see if any bunnies need to be cleaned up. These not-so-cute bunnies include false beliefs, wrong teaching, boasting, arrogance, complaining, a critical attitude, and many others. If left unchecked, they can take over our homes and churches and spill over into the entire community. That's why it's a good idea to do regular search and destroy missions.

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-thirty-six-hunting.html 

40 Days of Lint, Day Thirty-Five: Fouling Up the Temple

The way we take care of our physical body reflects what’s going on in our heart. One of the few occasions Jesus acted in anger was when people misused His Father’s temple. In the outer court (the only place where Gentiles were allowed to worship) moneychangers were taking advantage of those who had come to offer sacrifices, and making a racket in a place intended for worship.

Here's the link to today's update post:

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-thirty-five-temple.html 

40 Days of Lint, Day Thirty-Four: Hindering Bunnies

Part Five: Dust Bunnies (Deep Cleaning)
Today, we begin part five of our 40 day trek through Lent to arrive at our final destination Easter morning...

In their article “Over and Under Achievers,” Reader’s Digest (April 2011) introduced Tom Nardone’s Perpetual Motion Dust Mop. He glues or sews microfiber dust mops onto baby’s pajamas so they can clean the floor of dust bunnies as they scoot around the room. Both a tempting and disturbing idea since dust bunnies are collections of dirt and organisms. They’re not only disgusting, but unhealthy.

Find this updated post at: 

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-thirty-four.html 

40 Days of Lint, Day Thirty-Three: Keeping Up Appearances

Obviously, we can’t please all the people all the time, and we’ll go mad if we try. The real question is why we do what we do: Do we live to please ourselves, not caring how it looks? Or do we make the conscious effort to sacrifice some pleasures and conveniences so Christ will be honored and others will be drawn to Him? Only God can show us what is right in each situation, but He will, if we ask.

Today's post in the 40 Days of Lint talks more about our part in this:

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-thirty-three.html 

40 Days of Lint, Day Thirty-Two: Wake Up!

This is an old trick of the enemy. Prayer is a powerful tool against evil. If he can lull us to sleep every time we try to pray, we become weak and ineffective in spiritual warfare. Knowing his tactic is our first defense. Doing whatever it takes to stay alert in prayer is our best offensive move.

Read today's post at the following link:

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-thirty-two-wake-up.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Thirty-One: Reading the Signs

We're down to the last 10 days before Easter. I hope this Lenten series has been a blessing to you as you prepare your heart for our Resurrection Day celebration.

I checked out Web Weather for Kids (http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/stratus.html ) and got a basic education on what different cloud formations mean. (There’s a fun matching game to play too!) The most common cloud types are Stratus, Altostratus, Cirrus, and Cumulous. Each one has distinct characteristics that tell us what we might expect from the weather at any given moment. I now know that what we witness many days of the year in Tillamook are Nimbostratus clouds – gray with continually falling rain. However, as intriguing as all that is, Jesus warns us not to limit ourselves to “weather mentality.”

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-thirty-one-reading.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Thirty: Jesus on the Throne

Today, we are three-fourths of the way through our lint-cleansing journey to Easter, and I want to make sure I present the whole truth about Jesus. I’m so grateful we can know Jesus is our friend. He can relate to everything we feel and desire. But He is also God.

Follow the link below for today's post in the "40 Days of Lint."

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-thirty-jesus-on.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Twenty-Nine: The Look of Love

Fourteen more days in the 40 Days of Lint series. Easter will be here before we know it.

I think we often misinterpret God the same way. Our guilt and shame color our view of Him as angry and out to get us, when in fact He yearns after us with a love we cannot fathom. He can see what sin is doing to us and the pain we’re bringing on ourselves in our self-worship. The sadness we see is that He must refrain from pulling us in against our will. Jesus does not force, but invites us to accept His love.

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-twenty-nine-look-of.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Twenty-Eight: A Wise Face

From today's post in the 40 Days of Lint:

This makes me ponder what my everyday countenance is saying to others. It’s actually a two-part question: Do I have the wisdom of God? And, can people see it in my face?

Click on the link below to read this article.
http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-twenty-eight-wise.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Twenty-Seven: An Inside Look

Today we begin Part 4 of the series: Clothing Lint - Appearances

Why are we so intent on ridding ourselves of surface lint? Because it’s unattractive. There are times when I can’t even focus on a conversation with my husband because he’s covered with sawdust from work, or has one of my long blonde hairs hanging from his arm. I just have to pick it off!

So today, we will begin to delve into part four of this series – appearances –what they reveal about us, how they can deceive us, what they say about our relationship with God, and much more.

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-twenty-seven-inside.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Twenty-Six: Don't Hide Your Light

Maybe shining our light should be more like my girls and their citronella candles – when we use what’s available and do our best with a joyful heart. It’s not perfect, but it’s what we have on hand.

Follow this link to read today's post in the 40 Days of Lint:

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-twenty-six-dont.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Twenty-Five: Exposed!

I’ve been caught in lies, disobedience, irresponsibility, and even cruelty. I’m thankful for the times I was discovered and forced to see the harm I’d done to myself and others. It gave me opportunities to think things over and make different choices the next time.

Follow the link to read this post:

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-twenty-five-exposed.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Twenty-Four: Hidden Love

From today's post in the 40 Days of Lint:

So many times I run from being a true friend to the people I love the most. Because of past hurts, I fear rejection and abandonment. Instead of speaking the truth in love, I allow our conversations to remain surface and trivial, never getting to the real issues of faith, obedience, heaven, and Jesus.

Click the link below to access this article.
http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-twenty-four-hidden.html