Friday, June 15, 2007

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The Beauty of Truth The beauty of truth is that it sets us free. "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32). I know . . . I've experienced this truth--that the truth sets us free--several times. As a kid, lying was probably the sin I struggled with most. I didn't lie straight out, I stretched the truth or made up my own "stretched facts." I blurred the lines between reality and my imagination. But, still it was lying. I distinctly remember one day--maybe in third or fourth grade--sitting in the cafeteria and telling one of my stretched stories. I remember being so convicted. I realized that I couldn't keep all the details of all my stretched stories straight. It was liberating to discover that if I told the truth and only the truth, I didn't have to worry about keeping anything straight. In college, I sinned and then was convicted by the Holy Spirit; I struggled for an entire summer with the guilt of not confessing it. The moment I went to the person I had sinned against and confessed, the moment I told her the truth, I was able to breathe freely again. A few years ago, I suffered from depression. Part of it was hormonal, and while hormonally imbalanced, it was easy for me to believe "warpy thoughts." So, part of getting out of the deep dark pit of depression was washing away the lies I had been believing with Scripture. I remember one of my friends telling me: "no wonder your depressed, anyone who believes that would be depressed." Her speaking truth to me and encouraging me to feed on Scripture again, helped set me free from the chains of depression. Satan is the father of lies, and shoots flaming darts at us. "He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44). He loves to keep us bound and imprisoned. Oh, but our Heavenly Father delights in truth in his inward being (Psalm 51:6). And it is Him who sets us free. His truth sets us free. What a glorious thing to delight in! Truth . . what a very beautiful thing indeed! This post was submitted to the Carnival of Beauty sponsored by following an unknown path. This week the theme is The Beauty of Truth and is hosted by Bethany at Picturesque Life. Join us next week for The Beauty of Babies--right here on my blog.
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Happy Father's Day!!! When I was maybe in high school, I always thought what a rip-off it was to dad's that Father's Day came in the summer. Since Mother's Day is in May, as kids we spent time in both school and Sunday school making things for her, but Father's Day? Well, maybe, if we happened to be home that weekend we might make something in Sunday School for him. :) Well, now that I live in Taiwan, June is now a school month. BUT, today is not Father's Day here. Father's Day in Taiwan is August 8th. Because 8 is pronounced "ba" in Chinese. So, August 8th is "BaBa" which is also how you say "daddy" in Chinese. So, Baba's Day is on baba day. Got it? Which is also a rip off because in Taiwan Mother's Day always falls on a Sunday (it is the same day as the US Mother's Day), but Father's Day can be any day of the week. So, everyone goes home on Mother's Day weekend and takes their mother out to eat on Sunday, but Father's Day? Well, they go to work. Anyway, our father's deserve our respect and admiration. Today is a day to celebrate them!! So, Dad, today I celebrate you! I thank you for all the ways you have impacted who I am. I am the woman I am today because of who you are in Chirst, because of how you and Mom choose to raise me. I am not sure, but I doubt there are many women who can look back at their childhood and teen years and rejoice because their earthly father was such a blessing. I know you are not without your faults, but God has been so gracious to me by giving me such an awesome earthly Father. I love you, Daddy! Happy Father's Day!! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Carla at her site, Reflections of the Times, recently held a contest about the Best Dad Ever. I submitted this post that I wrote last father's day about my Dad. And guess what?? We won! And the prize was to pick out one of Carla's nifty t-shirts from her cafepress shop. And, she even made a "Best Dad Ever" shirt for Father's Day, which is the one that I choose as the prize. :) Yea! Thank you, Carla, for helping me celebrate my dad!

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