Thursday, December 31, 2009

2010

2010
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good
. ~ Titus 2: 11-14

There are two key phrases in the verse that I want to emphasis- teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives and purify… a people… eager to do what is good.

In the first one, the word that jumps out at me is teaches. That tells me that it’s not an instant, easy process to reject what the world has to offer. Learning consists of studying and seeking answers; therefore daily time reading your Bible and spending time with God is imperative.

The most amazing aspect to me of being ‘taught’ as a Christian to say no is the forgiveness factor. We just celebrated Christmas where God sent His one and only son to be the ultimate sacrifice for us because He knew that as humans, we all will fall short of His Glory.

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. ~ Ephesians 1:7-8

The second phrase, live self-controlled, upright and godly lives and purify… a people… eager to do what is good is a great verse to start the New Year off with.

My New Years resolution comes from this verse – I want to live a life that is self-controlled, godly and pure. I want to strive to do what is right and good.

I would love to know what your New Years resolution is for 2010. Leave a comment on my Facebook or email me at kristen_odom@hotmail.com.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Merry Christmas

I’m a big fan of quotes. There are just some people who have a way of putting words together to give such a deep meaning to a sentence. The following are some great Christmas quotes.

“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. 
To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” ~Calvin Coolidge

“What is Christmas? 
It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish 
that every cup may overflow 
with blessings rich and eternal, 
and that every path may lead to peace.” ~ Agnes M. Pharo

“Remember this December, 
That love weighs more than gold!” ~ Josephine Dodge Daskam Bacon

“Let us keep Christmas beautiful without a thought of greed, that it might live forevermore to fill our every need, that it shall not be just a day, but last a lifetime through, the miracle of Christmastime that brings God close to you.” ~ Garnett Ann Schult

“There are two ways to live your life: One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ~Albert Einstein

“Thanks be to God for His unspeakable Gift- indescribable
inestimable
incomparable
inexpressible
precious beyond words.”
~Lois Lebar

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?” ~ Dr. Seuss


“What are we to make of Jesus Christ? The real question is not what we are to make of Christ, but what is He to make of us?” ~CS Lewis

The giving of gifts is not something man invented. God started the giving spree when he gave a gift beyond words, the unspeakable gift of His Son.” ~Robert Flatt

“Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts.” ~Janice Maeditere

This Christmas, open your heart to God. Accept the Ultimate Gift of Christmas and carry it with you throughout the year.
Happy Trails and God Bless!

To contact Kristen with questions or comments, email her at kristen_odom@hotmail.com.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Twelve Days of Christmas

It’s amazing that Christmas is right around the corner! I received this in an email about the carol ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ and thought it was very interesting.

“From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality that the children could remember.

The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
Two turtledoves were the Old and New Testaments.
Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.
The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.”

I encourage you to earnestly seek out the true meaning of Christmas. Use this next week to grow closer to God as we await the celebration of the birth of His son. Take time to appreciate and love your family and friends.

“In spite of the many benefits God has blessed us with, how many times do we complain about little difficulties and trials? We lose sight of the big picture and fail to appreciate the really important things. Just as we cannot benefit from a wrapped gift under a Christmas tree until we open it, so gratitude can be seen as our way of opening the gift of God's love intended by all the small and big positive events of our lives.”
-Ronda De Sola Chervin

Happy Trails and God Bless!
To contact Kristen with questions or comments, email her at kristen_odom@hotmail.com.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Bloom Where You Are Planted

I recently heard a quote that I instantly loved- ‘Bloom where you are planted’.

During presentations about a job we would like to have in the future, my classmate, Austin Zimmer, who is part of the U.S. Air Force, used that quote to explain that he has been advised to make the best out of wherever he is stationed.
What a great analogy and an amazing way to approach life!

It’s amazing the elements that flowers can bloom and thrive in. Likewise, life is tough – we face challenges and obstacles, easy times and hard times but we can be victorious.

Growth and development are key factors in flower success. In the same way, we have to grow and develop in our surroundings. When a seed is planted, it has to be cultivated and nourished, which takes time. Some of the most beautiful flowers grow in the dead, cracked dessert where they take simple things and turn them into a beautiful creation from God.

So how do we ‘bloom where we are planted’? I think we have to start on the inside. It’s time for a spiritual, mental and emotional exam. Take time to nurture these three. Spend time with God. Thank Him for all the blessings in life. Study a topic of interest. Let those emotions out.

Next, what is important to you? Put your time and energy into that. For me, my family and friends top the list. I personally need to work on spending more time with them and cultivating my relationships with them. I believe time is the best gift you can give someone.

It’s important to also take care of yourself physically. Take a walk and enjoy God’s amazing creation. Eat a kiwi. Try a new hairstyle. Wear your special occasion clothes.

So what is holding you back from living an abundant life? What ‘weeds’ are creeping in? Life gets busy. Bad choices are made. Priorities get out of line. Money problems arise. Sometimes we will have to stop, weed our life and continue to bloom.
I challenge you to fill your heart with love, bloom where you are planted and experience the abundant of life!

Happy Trails and God Bless!

To contact Kristen with questions or comments, email her at kristen_odom@hotmail.com.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

The Stresses of Life

I’m amazed that December is already here! We only have one more week of regular classes at Texas Tech University and then finals start. I know with Christmas quickly approaching, shopping for holiday gifts and taking tests for students, December can be a very stressful time of year.

The Bible says in Psalm 62: 5-8, Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.

This verse is so encouraging to me when life seems crazy. It reminds me that God has to be the center of my life, my rock, my solid foundation. He is my protection, my safe haven and my protection. I need to be reminded of this quite often!

1 Peter 5: 7-9 says Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5: 8 and 9, Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him; stand firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

I think this is a cool verse because it flat out tells us that the devil is waiting to get through to us. It may be in the form of stress which can makes us impatient and unkind. I think its cool how this verse reminds us that we are not alone in the temptation and struggles of this world. If we can keep this in mind, December can be a very pleasant month.

Philippians 4:6- Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

John 14:1- Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me (Jesus).

I pray that through the month of December, God blesses you with a calm, peaceful heart. Good luck to all students on their finals and to everyone doing their Christmas shopping- have fun!

Happy Trails and God Bless!
To contact Kristen with questions or comments, email her at kristen_odom@hotmail.com.