Don't Waste Your Circumstances
Taken from Pastor John's article Don't Waste Your Cancer, I've altered his 10 points slightly into what I have been thinking on lately...and hopefully putting into practice.
Earnestly, I pray these 10 would shape and define my attitude and state of mind in reaction to that which is presently occurring in my life.
- I will waste these last five years and present circumstances in which I find myself if I do not believe it is designed for me by God.
- I will waste these last five years and present circumstances in which I find myself if I believe it is a curse and not a gift.
- I will waste these last five years and present circumstances in which I find myself if I seek comfort from stability of housing or income rather than from God.
- I will waste these last five years and present circumstances in which I find myself if I refuse to think about death.
- I will waste these last five years and present circumstances in which I find myself if I think that coming out of this with a residence and sanity means having a roof over my head and reaching ‘normalcy’ rather than cherishing Christ.
- I will waste these last five years and present circumstances in which I find myself if I spend too much time thinking about the present difficulties and not enough time thinking about God.
- I will waste these last five years and present circumstances in which I find myself if I let it drive me into solitude instead of deepening my relationships with manifest affection.
- I will waste these last five years and present circumstances in which I find myself if I grieve as those who have no hope.
- I will waste these last five years and present circumstances in which I find myself if I treat sin as casually as before.
- I will waste these last five years and present circumstances in which I find myself if I fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.
Earnestly, I pray these 10 would shape and define my attitude and state of mind in reaction to that which is presently occurring in my life.
posted by Jennifer at 10:29 AM
24 Comments:
YES! MORE! Embrace the pain and rise to reign. I don't mean to sound kitschy, but it's awesome to hear someone else talk like that. Keep chasing Christ!
Aw, hey, thanks Armchair! :)
Hey...When you say "Pastor John", does that mean you attend Bethlehem Baptist Church? If so, that's SO amazing! Just wondering...
Yeah! J-Pipe's my pastor! I do go to B-Bap (and yes, it is amazing!)...I'm actually at the DG conference this weekend too... So far: awesome
OH SHIBBIE! You're officially the coolest person I met this week! DG is to theology what the A-Team was to prime time TV in 1983. W3rd!
First order of business: I'm trying to phonetically sound out "shibbie" and discern what that might possibly mean. I couldn't tell if you simply mistyped my nickname (Hibby), or if it has a different meaning all together. If you have any enlightenment on the topic, it would be much appreciated.
Second: Cool by association? sweet! I'm delighted to hear it; the feeling is mutual (you get your coolness out of association with me). ;)
Third: 1983? Meh, I would have gone with Magnum, P.I. personally.
Wo0t.
"Oh Shibbie!" is an expression of delight, at least where I come from. I'm not sure to it's ultimate origin, but I believe it started at Briercrest Bible College around 1995.
It's often proclaimed as "Sweet Shibbie!" or just "Oh Shibbie!", and is usually delivered in a high falsetto for added comedic impact. If you want, I could record an instance of it's delivery and e-mail it to you.
And I get my coolness by association with you? That's acceptable, but little do you know that I ALSO attend an amazing church with the "Chuck Norris" of Pastors. I go to Grace Community Church where Passtor/Sensei John MacArthur makes sure that everyone gets a black belt in the Kenjitsu of the Sword of the Spirit! You're ALSO cool my association with ME! So we're like double-coolifying; I believe that is called "Frostification"!
And Magnum? Well, I can understand you're affection for the P.I; That's understandable. BUT, I would argue that Stephen J. Cannell's production career was peaked with the A-Team; none of his other shows were anywhere close to approaching the success of the A-Team. That show started in 1983 and ran until 1988, like Magnum P.I., but history arguably remembers Donald P. Bellisario for JAG (which ran 10 years) and Glen A.Larson is EASILY remembered more for Knight Rider (and Battlestar Galactica) than Magnum P.I.
In 1983, Magnum was in it's third season and was certainly a hit. BUT, after the end of "The Greatest American Hero", Stephen J Cannell struck gold with his new series about 4 ex-military men gone vigilantes. WHO would argue that Magnum P.I. is more widely recognized than MR.T? I admit that when I was a kid, I wanted a red Ferrari 328 GTS, but more than that I wanted 40 pounds of gold jewelery and a mohawk. My mother will verify this, if she ever learns how to use e-mail. (*sigh*)
I'm not saying you're necessarily wrong, as Magnum was quite the show...but I would stick with my original position for the A-Team's massive effect on prime time specifically in 1983, and hopefully for understandable reason.
Good call on the Magnum though. I admire a solid student of 80'2 culture...unless you were like a teenager in the 80s, in which case you're fully cheating. (When the A-Team premiered, I was still taking scheduled baths and having my dad comb my hair for me...lol)
Don't mind me while I stealthily steal your saying....though I am expecting an emailed version of the pronounciation. You'll find my email address in my profile. Thank you.
Man alive! Look at us - potentially the radest combo since Sonny and Cher! We're simply reeking in coolifying vibes. Hmm, Frostification isn't found in Wikipedia....we'll need to work on our defining labels. (Wikipedia is, after all, the leading authority on all things intellectual...ok, I'll stop now.)
By the way, didn't you know that James White can beat up Chuck Norris? Or was it pirates? I can't recall, but I'm sure you've seen the "list"... Hmm, at any rate, greetings to your Sensei/Pastor from Minnesota...Land of Ninja Piper.
(Dude - you comin' out next year for the DG conf?? Pipes and the Big Mac together!!)
Hm, very nice. A theologian well-informed of his 80's... Though, I believe it was a 308 GTS that graced the streets of Hawai'i in Magnum. You may be thinking of the Porshe 928 that they were going to use... At any rate, I'll give you the A-Team, if you'll let me keep my P.I. Or we could simply compromise with MacGyver, which, though not present in '83, broke onto the scene in '85...taking inspiration from the A-Team itself!
And if we're going technical, in 83, I was merely a twinkle in someone's eye...
Nice catch on the 308 GTS. You just climbed up a notch on my "cool ladder".
As for "Frostification" not being in Wikipedia, I'm not surprised. If Wikipedia contained such a cool word, the server would probably crash because it was frozen...or "Frostified".
Then, to get rid of the frost, one would have to wait until the process of "meltration" had run it's course. (the dwindling of the effects of frostification).
But once Wikipedia's servers had meltrated, the website would be up again...but to you know how much money they'd lose if their servers were down for like a 4 days' meltration? At least 30 bucks, and nobody wants to risk financial ruin; hence "Frostification" does NOT appear on Wikipedia.
Chances are your blog will crash just because I typed such an awesome word on it. Sorry.
And James White? He beats up Arminians and Catholics (and Ergun Caner in 14 days...although I'm really upset about that upcoming mud slinging fest). But Chuck Norris? COME ON! When Chuck Norris heard that you said that he laughed so hard that everyone in a 20 mile square radius went deaf from the blast!
The only person to ever lay a finger on Chuck Norris is Chuck Norris, and he only did so to win a bet with a guy at Nasa. Chuck ran around the world so fast that he caught up with himself and slapped himself on the back of the head. Now some smart alec at Nasa owes Chuck a beer...not that Chuck DRINKS beer. He often holds one to look cooler to his friends but when Chuck thirsts, Chuck drinks napalm.
When is the next DG? I'd sell my left kidney to come out for that! I have some friends in Minnesota that I'll contact and see if I can stay with them! Sweet Shibbie! (Not that I would be able to afford it...poor broke student! We'll see if God gives me cheap airfare!)
And MacGuyver is certainly acceptable. I used to watch that show faithfully; it was one of the first shows filmed in Hollywood North! I remember when episodes were filmed in BC and seeing it on the news.
And in 83, I was 6 years old. HA! Youngin'! I win!
Hahahahahahahaha
and that was outloud too.
:)
I'll thank you not to type that word again on my blog...I didn't know what had happened to it until it was finished with the process of meltration. I see now that Wikipedia could never handle it.
You didn't hear? Chuck Norris only made it around the world in time to smack himself on the back of the head because James White pulled some strings....and lent him his rocketpack. I mean, sure. Chuck Norris can hold his own, but he keeps James White's number in his wallet...you know, just in case. As an aside, what's all this about mud slinging in 14 days, eh?
Save your major organs -- let's not be so hasty to disembowel... Yes, I know seeing the Dynamic Duo is almost worth it, but holy homeostasis, Batman. Let's keep those pH-regulating innards...inside. :) At any rate, I do hope you are able to swing out this way...September 28-30, 2007. Should be positively incredible.
And to think MacGyver (and Richard Dean Anderson to boot) was born in Minnesota..
And hold the phone. Did you, at one time, live in BC?
You "win," huh? Hm, I'll have to take this up with my parents...
"And James White? He beats up Arminians and Catholics (and Ergun Caner in 14 days...although I'm really upset about that upcoming mud slinging fest). But Chuck Norris? COME ON! When Chuck Norris heard that you said that he laughed so hard that everyone in a 20 mile square radius went deaf from the blast!
The only person to ever lay a finger on Chuck Norris is Chuck Norris, and he only did so to win a bet with a guy at Nasa. Chuck ran around the world so fast that he caught up with himself and slapped himself on the back of the head. Now some smart alec at Nasa owes Chuck a beer...not that Chuck DRINKS beer. He often holds one to look cooler to his friends but when Chuck thirsts, Chuck drinks napalm." ~ armchair
I laughed so hard that my stomach hurts ~
Hey Hibby - wanna go to Cali for the "Resolved" conference with me put on by Johnny Mac's ministry in January??
Our pastor is going to be speaking at that one too from what I hear.
Then we can meet up with Kelsey and Armchair and Joey !!
I dunno though, to leave "50 degrees below zero" weather to head to warmth + theology ?
Can I get a Hrrrummmph ??
I must tell you, this "Don't waste your..." is really good. For me at this time, it is better than Piper's original. Thanks.
p.s. you guys really should get into the 90's.
Hrrrummmph.
I'm not sure what that did, but I hope your clone appreciated it. (Assuming Jen2 is some sort of nomenclature to keep track of the various clones...)
But yeah! RESOLVED will be like the conference equivalent of a cattle stampede combined with a pie eating contest combined with saving oiled seabirds...except in like the spiritual sense.
Come out for Resolved! You could carpool with John Piper and save some casholas! YEAH!
Now for some explanations for Jen(1):
1. The upcoming mudslinging fest is the White/Caner debate on Calvinism happening at Thomas Road Baptist Church (or somewhere at Liberty University) on October 16th (I believe that's the date.) Thing is, I am kinda upset because I pretty much know for certain that the debate will be on the 4th point of Calvinism and Ergun doesn't understand what "Limited Atonement" really means. Through some of my henchpersons, I have attained his class powerpoint presentation regarding the "fundamentals of the faith" and he teaches a limited atonement (though not articulated as such) in his class...
...BUT Falwell and many other people at Thomas Road Baptist church are currently on a tirade about the evils of a limited atonement and they're putting the screws to him to "stand up for the truth". Truth is that it seems that those Liberty folk think that any 5 pointer is a 'hyper-calvinist'.
It's for completely and utter idiocy like that, that so many people make fun of Christians. You'd think they could meet privately and discuss matters, not have to waste TIME and MONEY on televising a live debate that everyone knows will end in a stalemate with both parties claiming victory. I'd think that the $100,000+ that the whole fiasco will cost would be better suited to starting a Bible training center in Uganda, but I'm an idiot Canadian who obviously doesn't understand how important to Jesus it is to telecast the whole procedings.
I'm surprised that you don't know about it...it's all over the web and it's on many people's lips.
Apparently every single person in Lychburg is booking time off work to stay home to watch it. Sheesh.
2. James White does not have a rocketpack...and even if he did, borrowing it would slow Chuck down. I mean, come on!
He moves so fast that once when he tried to roudhouse kick someone his foot, travelling faster than the speed of light, went back in time and blasting the wing off Amelia Earhart's plane, resulting in the's plane's crashing and her death.
Not only does he kick fast, but he also runs so fast that he can roundhouse kick the lightswitch off and be in bed before the room gets dark.
MAYBE James borrowed his rocketpack to Chuck and Chuck SAID he used it, but only so that James would think that he was helping Chuck. But that is just a secondary example of how Chuck Norris is God's tool of dispensing grace. Imagine how awesome James White would have felt when Chuck said "Hey! Thanks James! This will come in handy!" as opposed to letting Mr. T. slap him for being stupid and insinuating that Chuck ever needed help in the first place.
3. I DID used to live in BC. I was born in Prince George, BC, Canada and then moved to Caronport, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewn when I was 18 (Briercrest Bible College) and then moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada in between schooling sessions.
Oki Doki! I hope that clarified things!
And Dec: The 80's is like the 60's of the 21st century! Get with it!
Hey Dec - Thank you for telling me! I'm ever so glad that these thoughts were of some encouragement. I am deeply thankful for Pastor John that he "came up" with the skeletal structure of these articulate thoughts. I have found myself altering these ten points to apply them in everything from singleness to sickness and most everything in between. They're good to have on hand! ;)
p.s. You might need to update your blog sometime...
Ahem. Armchair.
1. You used bullet points. Be still, my beating heart.
2. You hrrrrrummph'd. Nice work...and no, she's not my clone...we're just cookie-cutter-alike. (Hmm..)
3. When you describe RESOLVED like that, it makes me only more adamantly desirous to attend! (And my goodness, wouldn't you just fit right in with me and Oats...AKA Jen2.) But I may just be in BC over that stretch of time. We'll have to see.
4. The debate. Yeah...I know about it. And honestly, when debating an Arminian, when is it not about the L? (I mean, in most instances.) I think the fact that you're upset is for good reason. Very poignant position. Thank you, idiot Canadian. I concur.
5. *shakes head slowly* You probably thought I'd be impressed with Chuck and his "superior capabilities." Please. James White gets in bed and merely glowers at the light and it turns off. And as far as the rocketpack, you're right. He doesn't have one. Anymore. He lent it to Jack Bauer and never got it back... And it's probably a good thing that Chuck Norris can run as fast as he can, so as to always be watching his back. He does this, because he never knows when James White is going to go all kung fu kilt on him. Chuck doesn't go down any dark alleys unless he's right behind himself. (And tell Mr. T that were he ever to slap James White....well, I pity the foo')
6. Harkening back to what I said in item 3, I will probably be in BC sometime in February!! I cannot express the excitement I feel over this impending excursion, eh. Hello, Whistler.
-sigh- I love Canada.
Nice clarification; good work team.
Wowzer.
So bullet points is good? I just find that they help focus things and give order to elongated posts...
- Yeah. Arminians all see to not get the limited atonemtent.
- Resolved will be good.
- Honestly, you and this James White stuff. Chuck's listening and his grace is wide, but not eternal. Chuck DOESN'T go down any dark alleys; you're right.
Chuck doesn't go down any dark alleys not because Chuck's afraid of the dar, but because the dark is afraid of Chuck. The grace if Chuck is immense!
- And Whistler? Well, that's good and all, but you need a local to show you where the real McCoy's ski in BC. Whistler is a tourist trap that costs 400 times too much and runs you the risk of getting run over by a Japanese tourist witha video camera.
You need to learn about Powder King...and a few other hidden gems that require a 4x4 to get to.
But I love Canada too. You'll have to see some of it beyond the lower mainland sometime!
You must have had a Walker, Texas Ranger lunchbox growing up...that's all I can think of to substantiate your adamant espousal of Mr. Norris... Do you still have it? It's probably a collectable now.
And I'm going to have to wrangle me up a local !!
I definitely want to see The Real Canada. :) Powder King? -drool-
So what's out there to see that would be outside the categorization of lower mainland? Sounds fantastic.
And bullet point are always a good thing.
Well, in BC there's a TON of skiing. I'm originally from Prince George though, and know that area. In that area, there's Purden, Tabor, Troll, and Powder King.
Purden, Tabor and Troll are good (and Purden is the largest ski mountain in northn BC), but Powder King is the extra pattie with cheese.
When I was in high school, everyone used to joke about Powder King, for Powder King suffered from 2 things:
1. Location. It's 120 miles north of Prince George, BC and like 50 miles south of MChetwynd, BC (which is a hole...like 5,000 people and 2 motels). Either way, it's a serious 2+ hour drive to wherever you decide to stay if the roads are not so hot. (Powder King is in and area known as the "Pine Pass", a nexus of two mountain ranges, and the same ski hill that gets biblical amounts of snow is surrounded by roads that ALSO get biblical amounts of snow. Don't plan on going there without 4x4...)
2. Management. It used to be run by a drunken bum who didn't even have a chateau on the premises. You used to have to change in your car and pack your lunch! I've been gone for quite a while from Northen BC, but from what I know Powder King has been purchased by some people with brains and money and they're currently developing it. (Apparently there's a Chateau AND a hotel on the hill now, and even a restaurant!)
BUT,
Powder King is possibly some of the best skiing in the world. It's not as big as Whistler, but it also get twice as much snow and there's 1/50th the amount of people. Powder King averages 41 feet of snow per year!! I've also deflowered a virgin run with 3 feet of powder before. That's a good feeling, and you'd never do THAT at Whistler!
AND, Whistler seems to have a 5 DAY ski package, with accomadation, on their site for $567.
Powder King's SEASONS PASS is $555.
Which is a better deal? 5 days for $550 or 6-7 months for $550? (Seeing that I have parents in Prince George, the accomodation is free but one would only need to do a lot of driving...)
Anyway, that's some info from a local. Whistler is good, but BC boys only ski there if they're from the lower mainland (Vancouver area) and actually WORK at Whistler (so they ski for free or 'employee rate'), though many of the guys I know in the Lower Mainland go to the Okanagan to ski Fernie, Silverstar, Big White, Apex, Sun Peaks, Kicking Horse or Panorama.
If you ever REALLY want to go on a Ski-bonanza, you should take a trip to the Okanagan and try any of the 12+ mountains within a 2 hour drive. (Well, Fernie and Kicking Horse are like 3-4 hours away) That's the ski-Shibbie center of BC. Cheaper than Whistler (like by a LOT) and WAY more options. (And better snow!) Whistler has good marketting and GOOD management and lots of international fame (not to mention a great golf course and some fantastic skiing), but Whistler is not the holy grail. Heli-skiing Mount Robson is the freaking holy grail baby! 12,900 vertical feet of insane white rapture! AWE SHIBBIE!
Beyond that, all the people from where I'm from (Saskatachewan) go to Fernie and Silverstar and Banff for their ski-vacations. Whistler is just too expensive, and the skiing there isn't as good as some of the other offerings in Western Canada.
Or so SOME people think...
And do you travel to Whistler to snowboard every year or something?
dude... dude...
i've got a pot full of drool i gotta clean up because of that last comment.
now i want to live there (well not really, BBC is way cooler)
Yeah. I'd move to Minneapolis for an awesome church and "commute" to the ski hills in BC/Alberta too. Thing is, I'm a Cannuck and can't legally live in the US.
SO, once I'm done getting my MDiv and ThM down here in California, I'll move back to Western Canada and start an awesome church. Then, it's "best of both worlds" AWE SHIBBIE!
So, big ski-party at my place in like 2014? HA HA!
TMS student?
Fo Sho. TMS4Life Playa! Don't tell anyone there about this...they all think I'm a serious guy with no sense of humor. I don't want the word getting out that I have a personality!
My sister goes to Grace Community Church there.
What? HA HA! Is she in Crossroads? I'll have to meet her! That's so funny! What a small world!
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