Where did they go?

Recently, I was preparing for a friend's birthday dinner for 16 -(which turned out quite nicely, I believe)  in doing so was attempting to set the table.  Now, it is not often that I set the table for 16 people, so it is not often that I need to retrieve all my silverware.  Knowing that I have silverware for 24, yes 24, I did not think setting a table for 16 would be a difficult task.
I opened up my silverware drawer grabbed the necessary utensils and proceeded to the table.  Much to my surprise I did not have enough.  Thinking no problem, they are probably in the dishwasher - I emptied the dishwasher and then begin to set the table.  Again,  still not enough.  Now I was not a math major in college but it does not take a genius to figure out that something has happened to a large amount of my silverware.
This missing silverware problem began many years ago around Christmastime.  I had my (rather large, in numbers) family over for dinner.  Using my best silver, you know the kind you only pull out once or twice a year, I set a very lovely table.  At the end of this meal and the clean up - I discovered that one of my silver spoons was missing.  I did think this strange but just determined that it was misplaced.  That was until the next family meal, and another spoon went missing, and then another, and then a knife.  Now I was becoming concerned.  Did I have a family member that was slowly increasing their silver collection, did we have a kleptomaniac in our midst, was this going to require an intervention?
Not having my house wired with cameras I was never able to identify the culprit.  So I just forgot about it until recently when clearly many of my utensils had disappeared.  But now it was not even the good stuff.  I mean silverware is not like socks.  We don't just take them off wherever we are to have them lost under the couch.  We use them in one place they must go in the sink when their job is complete - where do they go?
I contemplated this for about 2 hours, wondering what in the world has happened.  Does my dishwasher feed on cheap metal?  Do the ants carry them off to use as silver gods to bring them more sugary crumbs.  This was very perplexing.  I did not have time to contemplate this any further - I had a dinner to give and a party to complete - the mystery of the missing silverware would just have to wait.  Although I was going to have to use some of my good silver, which made me a little nervous in light of every time I let them out of their house they seemed to run away.
Party ended, dishes are cleaned up and as I began to put everything away I looked to the center of my everyday eating table, and discovered what you see in the picture.........
Sometimes trying to be efficient can be oh so perplexing!    Mystery solved - just remember where you put stuff.
Although I am still missing 3 good spoons and a knife - so if you are reading this and guilt has gotten the best of you just return them and no one will get hurt.  (Unfortunately I think they are a casualty of children doing dishes when they are used to using disposable and they have landed in a landfill somewhere)

The warrior

"I'll tell you when I shoot you."  "I will let you know when I stab you."  " O.K. Now come alive!" - these are the comments I hear as I listen to my six-year-old play with the neighbor boys.

There was a time I would have been horrified, embarrassed, and come completely undone to think that my child, my son would actually play like this.  Well, 13 years and two boys later ---- boys play like this.  It does not matter whether you allow guns in your home or not, or what your stance is on the 2nd amendment. Little and big boys will turn anything into a gun.  Did I mention that my 13-year-old son was in the basement playing some shooting wii game with a friend at the same time?

No, I have not thrown in the towel and no, I do not condone needless violence, but what I believe God has shown me over the years is...... the warrior is a child, or more accurately, the child is a warrior.   Inside these two boys of mine are very strong warriors.  As a mom (and a girl) it is a little hard for me to understand this level of activity.  The noise level can become unbearable and there are always the tears at the end of a battle that didn't go so well.

God is training me to train warriors.  I can choose to stand in the battle and prepare my sons for the physical and spiritual battles that will come, or I can continue to tell them to put down the weapons and not act on the gifts and talents that God has given them.

Throughout the Bible we see countless examples of warriors, the need for battle and the glory that comes when we battle in the name of the Lord.  I can work to understand what God is showing me and train them or I can give into the pacifist mantra of present society that demands, can't we all just get along.

I believe in today's society we are lulled into the belief that if there is no conflict then all is well.  If we read closely, the Word, which is given to us, we see that is not really the case.  I must as a mother who desires to raise strong Godly sons/men impress upon them the need to understand what it is to battle and to transfer those physical skills into the spiritual reality.  I think in today's church society we have a hard time getting down and dirty with the ugly reality of the battle (sin). We have been sold the lie that all is well if you show up on Sunday morning. We are losing our sons to the world that allows them to be strong, encourages them to be passionate and follow their hunter-gatherer instincts.  While in church pews we ask them to sit still and be quite.

I see it in my 13 year old - he is screaming let me be RAW, let me adventurous, let me be aggressive.  I must seek God to know the best way to train him to be all these things in a way that will glorify God.  I must not squelch this warrior spirit in him; I must guide it to be a warrior for Christ.  If I tried to stomp it out I am convinced that it will rise again but will more likely than not come out in a way that will not glorify God.  If I can step outside my "girlyness" and find ways that encourage my sons to be passionate about the world that God created - to revel in this time of training, knowing that there will be a much better day when we will be victorious, I will have accomplished the job of training my sons to be warriors.  To be passionate for the Kingdom, and to desire to stand and fight against the world and its distractions, sin, and rejoice in the life God has given us, is the ultimate goal.

The gospel breaks our train of thought, shatters our comfortable piety, and cracks open our capsule truths. His sentences stand like quivering swords of flame because He did not come to bring peace, but a revolution. The gospel is not a children's fairy tale, but rather a cutting edge, rolling thunder, convulsive earthquake in the world of human spirit. Brennan Manning-

Join me in the training........

Zechariah 10

The Restoration for Judah and Israel

 ¹Ask rain from the LORD in the season of the spring rain, from the LORD who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field.² For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd. ³ "My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the LORD of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.⁴From him shall come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler— all of them together.⁵They shall be like mighty men in battle, trampling the foe in the mud of the streets; they shall fight because the LORD is with them, and they shall put to shame the riders on horses. ⁶ "I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.⁷Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior, and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.Their children shall see it and be glad; their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD.⁸ "I will whistle for them and gather them in, for I have redeemed them, and they shall be as many as they were before.⁹ Though I scattered them among the nations, yet in far countries they shall remember me, and with their children they shall live and return.¹⁰I will bring them home from the land of Egypt, and gather them from Assyria, and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon, till there is no room for them.¹¹ He shall pass through the sea of troubles and strike down the waves of the sea, and all the depths of the Nile shall be dried up. The pride of Assyria shall be laid low, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart.¹² I will make them strong in the LORD, and they shall walk in his name," declares the LORD.

The Armor of God

 ¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. ¹⁹Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Kitchen helper.......?

I remember it clearly - my family was preparing to move from our home of 7 years.  My dad had taken a new position in another town and we were saying our good-byes.  As a thank you gift, a group from church went together and purchased for our family our 1st microwave.  (the year was 1982)  In a family that had 5 permanent children and 19 foster children, I believe they thought my mom could use some help with the food preparation.
The Microwave -a funny invention - something that will cook our food faster and heat our water quicker.  There were many a hotdog cooked in our microwaves and my brother was known to cook just about any kind of meat in 2 minutes or less.  A childhood memory I could really do without.   I am sure somewhere along the way I took a science class that discussed how a microwave works, what was never discussed is what actually occurs to food in the quick heat process.  If you are in love with your microwave and can't see life without it stop reading now.

The following is a summary of the Russian investigations published by the Atlantis Raising Educational Center in Portland, Oregon. Carcinogens were formed in virtually all foods tested.  No test food was subjected to more microwaving than necessary to accomplish the purpose, i.e., cooking, thawing, or heating to insure sanitary ingestion. Here's a summary of some of the results:

• Microwaving prepared meats sufficiently to insure sanitary ingestion caused formation of d-Nitrosodienthanolamines, a well-known carcinogen.
• Microwaving milk and cereal grains converted some of their amino acids into carcinogens.
• Thawing frozen fruits converted their glucoside and galactoside containing fractions into carcinogenic substances.
• Extremely short exposure of raw, cooked or frozen vegetables converted their plant alkaloids into carcinogens.
• Carcinogenic free radicals were formed in microwaved plants, especially root vegetables.
• Decrease in nutritional value

Russian researchers also reported a marked acceleration of structural degradation leading to a decreased food value of 60 to 90% in all foods tested. Among the changes observed were:

• Deceased bio-availability of vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotropics factors in all food tested.
• Various kinds of damaged to many plant substances, such as alkaloids, glucosides, galactosides and nitrilosides.
• The degradation of nucleo-proteins in meats.

In Robert O. Becker's book, The Body Electric, he described Russian research on the health effects of microwave radiation, which they called "microwave sickness." On page 314, Becker states:
"It's [Microwave sickness] first signs are low blood pressure and slow pulse. The later and most common manifestations are chronic excitation of the sympathetic nervous system [stress syndrome] and high blood pressure. This phase also often includes headache, dizziness, eye pain, sleeplessness, irritability, anxiety, stomach pain, nervous tension, inability to concentrate, hair loss, plus an increased incidence of appendicitis, cataracts, reproductive problems, and cancer. The chronic symptoms are eventually succeeded by crisis of adrenal exhaustion and ischemic heart disease [the blockage of coronary arteries and heart attacks]."
According to Dr. Lee, changes are observed in the blood chemistries and the rates of certain diseases among consumers of microwaved foods. The symptoms above can easily be caused by the observations shown below. The following is a sample of these changes:

• Lymphatic disorders were observed, leading to decreased ability to prevent certain types of cancers.
• An increased rate of cancer cell formation was observed in the blood.
• Increased rates of stomach and intestinal cancers were observed.
• Higher rates of digestive disorders and a gradual breakdown of the systems of elimination were observed.

Ten Reasons to Throw out your Microwave Oven:
From the conclusions of the Swiss, Russian and German scientific clinical studies, we can no longer ignore the microwave oven sitting in our kitchens. Based on this research, we will conclude this article with the following:
1). Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term - permanent - brain damage by "shorting out" electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue].
2). The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.
3). Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.
4). The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual [long term, permanent] within the human body.
5). Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.
6). The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.
7). Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumors]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in America.
8). The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.
9). Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.
10). Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.
end of article

In the fast paced, I need it now society, we have become accustomed to the quick fix.  Walk through any grocery store aisle and most items are packaged and designed for a quick, "wholesome" meal.  We need to question a little stronger what wholesome looks like and what we are actually ingesting.

If you google microwave cooking you will receive this information and then many other sites that will completely disagree.  My instincts tell me that local farming, fresh whole foods and traditional farming and cooking methods are best for health.  I know that we are all really busy and that sometimes we just don't have the time.  Recently, we have begun using our toaster oven (a favorite heating source during the Texas summers) and the stove top.  I have found that the time it takes to heat or reheat food in this manner seldom is longer than the microwave.  In addition, the food does taste better.

As we strive towards the goal of better health I may have to rid myself of some technologies I thought were helping me and rediscover that a little extra time may go a long way in aiding my family's long-term  health.  

A few fantasies

Why

In my fantasy life I am an accomplished author that sits on the beach, listening to the ocean crash against the shore and writes awesome novels and someday an autobiography that everyone will read.  This of course is my fantasy life.  For now I sit at my kitchen table surrounded by breakfast dishes, listening to the sounds of my children playing the newest electronic game.  Not that I would trade one for the other (okay maybe I would) but remember this is about my fantasy life.  My friend Andi said I should blog - so this is me, in my day to day, trying to become that famous author - for now I have you reading what I think is enlightening, hopefully humorous and on a really good day encouraging - That is the Why - why I am spending time at my kitchen table surrounded by breakfast dishes.  Because in my fantasy world, what I say matters.

High School 

I have become somewhat of a fan of facebook.  One of the things that really strikes me about this site is that you can talk to and find people you haven't seen in years - this may be a good or bad thing.  As I enjoy my 40's there is some reminiscing about remember when - which brings me to High School - My fantasy today would be to go back and be my best friend- with the knowledge I currently posses.  I would tell myself to live a little, to not be so serious, I would tell myself that no matter what anyone says it really is not the end of the world.  I would stop myself from making stupid choices and I would encourage myself to be more respectful to my parents.  I would encourage myself to not be so afraid of what others think.  I would tell myself you are a good friend.  I would tell myself to pay attention to people around me and the big picture and not get so caught up in the small details.  These are the things I have learned since high school that I think would be good to know when you are there - in the middle of it.  So for one day, I would go back and be a really good friend - to me.  Now I know this can't happen - and part of what makes me who I am today are the experiences I went through.  So maybe, I'll just work on passing these pearls of wisdom on to my daughter.  Or maybe I'll invite a time machine.

super model

So today, as I sit here freezing I am thinking it would be my fantasy to be a super model.  In this fantasy I  would not have to worry about how to stay warm when I need to go running - because I would be skinny.  I would not have to consider what is for dinner because I would never eat.  And I would not have to reconcile my checkbook because I would have so much money it wouldn't matter.   But then reality hits and I realize that if I was a super model I wouldn't enjoy the awesome way I feel when I run for 90 minutes all by myself, I probably would never really enjoy the great taste of homemade chili on a cold night - and..... okay I have nothing for the money thing - it would be great to not have to balance a checkbook.   I am thankful for all that I have and really wouldn't want to be a super model - well maybe just for Oscar's Night.

The Cake Maker

I just made 100 mini cupcakes for my friend Pamela's bday and I decided it would be a very cool fantasy to be on ace of cakes or the hgtv food network cake contest.  Now I don't want to do all the work to get there I just want to stand there at the end when it is all finished and get the 10/k check or be at the famous person's party with them saying - you are so cool you made this cake that's amazing!  I mean what a job - you make cakes - how bad could it be if it goes wrong - oh sorry, maybe next time you'll like the chocolate one.  What a great job -what do you have to do make cakes - how much pressure could be in that - its a cake!  If you mess up you can always start over - if it turns out dry or not good people just won't eat it and you are probably doing them a favor.  Yep, that would be great - a famous cake maker - because then I could have my cake and eat it too.

A healthy health care debate

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to exchange some dialogue with my Nephew and his friends concerning the current health care debate - some of my excerpts are below - I truly enjoyed this civil and thought- provoking exchange and would welcome more in the future.


@Chris -if we were guaranteed that money would solve the problem - this bill would have more supporters - but since the government really has never proven it can do a better job than people relating one on one I am a little skeptical that it will provide better health care - - the reality is that it is not about the money - its about the regulation- the steady rise in medical care comes from the fact that I have to employ at least 2 extra employees just to manage government regulations - and this does not improve the care I am able to provide it only causes undue stress. If a doctor was able to spend more time actually relating to patients and not jumping through regulatory hoops the system would be better and cheaper. (I am not advocating no regulation - just ones that make sense) which I see very little of. In our current practice we give at least 30% of services to the poor and those that are not able to afford good medical care - it appears that I don't need the government to tell me I need to give more - I am doing this just fine on my own. @Chris the $138 billion in savings is very questionable no government cost projections have come in anywhere near their projected cost. Comparing abolishing slavery to government run health care is comparing apples to cars - While there was argument against abolishing slavery based on economics - government run health care is not a matter of civil rights. The argument that people can't get health care in this country is insane - After 20 years of ER experience my husband will tell you that no person has been sent out of the ER because they didnt have funds - and most are well aware that medical bills do not affect your credit rating so the crazy stories about people going bankrupt from medical bills are few and far between. Now it is true that without ins. it is hard to receive surgeries and care that is not emergent. But all people have the ability to apply for current government aid - its just that wading through that system takes longer than people would like. Get in line - this will be the care of the future for all @ Tyler your reference 

(Your asked if you served the poor, clothed the naked, and housed the homeless. And when you find a stranger on the side of the road who is dying; you take them to an inn and PAY FOR THEIR HEALTHCARE!)

is a little out of context - the Bible says take them in - not feed them to the government to take care of. - Again as individuals if we are doing our part it will always be better than allowing the government to make the decisions. BTW in the most recent polls that have been corroborated - nearly 1/2 of the US physicians (nearly 350K+) intend to retire if this bill is passed - how ethical then is it to try and cover 30 million patients with 1/2 the current physician supply.   If health care becomes a right to all US Citizens then the Slavery, that was abolished in 1863 by the Emancipation Proclamation, will now be applied to all health care professionals. Slaves make poor Doctors. Now that's comparing apples to apples.


@Tyler regarding your premises to ponder 1. basic health care as a right - I think the founding fathers were aware of what they were determining when they listed life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as inalienable rights -these are all rights which do not require servitude of another individual. When you mandate or legislate a right to a person that requires service from another you are in a sense enslaving one to serve the other - I think a great read in this area is Ayn Rand and her medical essays (I do not agree with her on many points but here it makes sense)

I believe that if we begin to legislate rights of service - the question then becomes where does it stop - when will I have the right to go to dinner once a week at the expense of the government and those that own eating establishments (this may seem ridiculous but has to be considered when you carry this theme out)

I think if we follow the greatest commandment that was given and the one as Christians that we are to follow which is to love your neighbor then all of this solves itself. As the government interjects itself into the lives of individuals we no longer have the latitude, energy, money or time to carry out this commandment. Even worse you will have individuals that will deem that they are already paying taxes for the government to handle these needs so they do not need to. BTW this already occurs in churches as people hand over their money in the pew and then leave the care to the administrations in charge - believing they are absolved of their individual duty to give and to love. The greatest issue is one of personal responsibility and just how far we as individuals are willing to carry out the commandment that was given to us - or are we willing to just pay our fines,tithes, taxes and indulgences and let the chips fall where they may. 

Personally on that great and faithful day I want to be able to stand and hear well done my good and faithful servant - NOT- yep, you're all paid up.

Silly Silly Girls

Yesterday, I attempted another half marathon, this time I was (a little) more prepared.  I have been working out and running a little more than at my previous attempt.  The race started well, I was watching my pace time so I could finish strong and things were looking up.  I hit the 10K mark in 51 minutes and felt pretty good.  The problem?  I had another 10K to go and things began to go downhill very fast.  It was at this point I reflected on this blog title, which I had been working in my mind for a while, and it occurred to me how well the story in Matt. 25 fit with my current situation.

Several years ago I was hosting a bridal shower luncheon and was impressed to study and share the story of the ten virgins -

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

¹"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ²Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

 ⁶"At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

 ⁷"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'

 ⁹" 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'

 ¹⁰"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

 ¹¹"Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'

 ¹²"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'

 ¹³"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

I had always read this from the standpoint that all the girls had prepared and took lamps with enough oil, but the bridegroom just took too long.  In my mind I pictured the lamp looking like the lamp of a genie - which would hold quite a bit of oil.  The girls really should not be at fault because "they" didn't prepare "enough".  I came up with the great idea to order replicas of the oil lamps for party favors.  They arrived and I open the box and thought "this isn't right, these are too small, these must be smaller version replicas."  After a little more research I discovered that these tiny lamps were indeed actual size (approx. Height: 2.5cm Width: 6cm  Length: 8.5cm) and then this parable had entirely new meaning.  The foolish virgins DID NOT prepare, they were at fault, they did not think through the possible scenarios.  They prepared half heartedly not really investing in the possibility of success.  There is no way the amount of oil held by these lamps would last very long and the foolish virgins did not seem to think that it would matter.  Boy, were they WRONG.

Similarly, I prepared half-heartedly for my race; my time was about 4 minutes slower than I was "ok" with and about 15 minutes slower than my ultimate goal.  As I was running I began to think, "how can I expect to do well when I don't fully prepare?"  Preparing halfway will never be good enough, in running or in life and especially in spiritual life.  I am amazed at how often God puts the tangible lessons right in front of us so that we can have a better view of the intangible.

How often do I do a job thinking that's good enough, how often do I read the Word and just see the words on the paper and not ingest what they are saying, how often do I stop short of all that God is calling me to?  As I learned (again) yesterday, I cannot run as far as I may need to if I do not prepare.  I do not want to be like the foolish virgins who did not prepare to have their lamp oil last, I want to be able to run with endurance the course that is set before me - even when I do not how far the finish line is! 

Time to Prepare - wanna join me?

Hebrews 12

Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith

 ¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ²looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Running into the sun (SON)

I have begun this new exercise class, which takes place at 6:00 am. When the weather is nice we run outside - since I have just started and it has been cold, our first day to run outside was last week.  As we headed out the door and I followed my group they began to run around the buildings in what I would call a backwards manner.  As a former track runner, when running in a circle, I am accustomed to running in a counter-clockwise fashion.   But being new to the class, I decided to follow the crowd.  When I mentioned to our slave master (aka trainer) that they were running backwards - he said yes - the morning group always runs this way and the afternoon group always runs the other direction.  He said it’s just natural - "They always run into the sun."

Wow - What a profound statement.  On my next lap around I told him he had just given me my next blog title and I began to think about what it looks like to run into the "SON".

Using my trusty Bible Gateway I came up with these two passages -

1 Cor 1:8-9

He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 

Col 1:12-14

12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

Breaking it down:

1.    I am called into fellowship with Christ.  (Webster's defines fellowship as a group of people that meet together with a shared interest and to pursue a shared aim.)

2.    God is faithful to keep me strong in this fellowship and pursuit. 

3.    God has brought us INTO the KINGDOM of the SON he loves - in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins!  It just does not get any better than that!

As I write this I have to stop and reread and think and reread what this means to me.

1.    I am called into fellowship –

2.    God has rescued me –

3.    God has made a way through His son - to share in the inheritance.

4.    He has brought me out of darkness and into the light.

That's why we run into the sun (Son) because we are striving so hard to get out of the dark.  Unlike my early morning workout - that is quite a beating - God through Jesus has made the way easy – no, not easy, SIMPLE - He desires for us to turn and run.  

Just as we see in the story of the prodigal son - he is standing there with open arms - Just run into the SON.