tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-210286362024-03-14T05:19:16.012-05:00Hastings HavenGlorifying Him- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-48519299419119039352010-01-21T21:48:00.004-06:002010-01-21T21:56:39.423-06:00I'm Moving!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDFxX-qH-IHi6wvgixj7YQlxgvCO_pe6w_GvJ6CkhWkzoGxLD_zk4YZBKMWY6dc5GxcCJbQmVBvwe0H1eQlOdmo_fwyVEsgjH12YuV1qY0Yksxh2lw1ny1Px0tkN0hPKRbPsG/s1600-h/moving.jpg.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDFxX-qH-IHi6wvgixj7YQlxgvCO_pe6w_GvJ6CkhWkzoGxLD_zk4YZBKMWY6dc5GxcCJbQmVBvwe0H1eQlOdmo_fwyVEsgjH12YuV1qY0Yksxh2lw1ny1Px0tkN0hPKRbPsG/s320/moving.jpg.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429406356222024786" border="0" /></a><br />Well, I’m moving my blog at least. :-)<br /><br />A few days ago, Hastings Haven “celebrated” its 4th year anniversary marking its existence. Of course, I didn’t use it much in the beginning-in fact I kept it a secret for the first 6 months and kept a friend of mine in suspense over “a surprise I had”. *laughs at the memory* Oh, the days of being 12.<br /><br />I actually never ended up blogging regularly, especially as of late, but my blog’s generator, Blogger, has served well over the years. Blogger was a quick, simple way to get started in the blogging world-which was especially important to me since I hardly knew anyone in cyberspace at the time!<br /><br />4 years and 128 posts later, I think it’s time for a change. And that comes in the form of:<br /><a href="http://jibenow.com/christinahastings">jibenow.com/christinahastings</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2PnKO6b7OAc88RB79HCSiWy0ycC1pCOzwNj4o9RIUgLHIGcMaAqPry4yiIAiYQFcyu2Eua8ezWYDdlvBEGlD2QZNjNJlmWvdql_o-5XwRqyE7-7EpSD_nV29phUBEUFlAyqS/s1600-h/JibeNowLogo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 59px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2PnKO6b7OAc88RB79HCSiWy0ycC1pCOzwNj4o9RIUgLHIGcMaAqPry4yiIAiYQFcyu2Eua8ezWYDdlvBEGlD2QZNjNJlmWvdql_o-5XwRqyE7-7EpSD_nV29phUBEUFlAyqS/s320/JibeNowLogo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429406852659028626" border="0" /></a>What is JibeNow? It’s an awesome, new place to host your blog with the tools of Wordpress (better than Blogger in my opinion), the functions of Twitter and Facebook, and the community of Homeschool Blogger! Yes, it was made with home-schoolers in mind although you don’t necessarily have to be a home-schooler to use it. You can check out JibeNow for yourself: <a href="http://jibenow.com">www.jibenow.com</a><br /><br />There’s actually going to be an official “Blog Swap Day” on February 1st, but I decided to go ahead and switch my blog ahead of time to let y’all know about it. To create a JibeNow blog, you have to be invited, so if you’re interested in joining, then comment on my new blog or email me.<br /><br />If you have this blog’s url on an RSS feed reader or a blog sidebar or something similar, there’s not much use in keeping this link because I won’t be posting here anymore and my archives are all on my new blog. Instead, you can update to my new blog’s address: <a href="http://jibenow.com/christinahastings">jibenow.com/christinahastings </a>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-41723383754622914872010-01-17T23:30:00.002-06:002010-01-17T23:32:53.058-06:00Silent Prayer MarchPlease pray for the silent prayer march in Houston tomorrow starting at 9:30am which my brother, some of my friends, and hopefully thousands of others will be attending. The march comes as a response to Planned Parenthood’s construction of the second largest abortion facility in the world. Watch this and please pray:<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MEEvflenuZM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MEEvflenuZM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="340"></embed></object>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-54289092949252936772010-01-06T18:09:00.004-06:002010-01-07T10:19:19.374-06:00I've been thinking some more... (Part 2)I want to be like the people I hear about in foreign countries who just <span style="font-style: italic;">shine</span> Jesus. Sure, there are some people like that here in America, but I think they're few and far between. So is it the absence of nice things that makes these Christians so joyful?<br /><br />No.<br /><br />But it's related. Because when they are stripped of the things I see as necessities in ordinary life, they are also stripped of the distractions I find in everyday life. Then they see Jesus more purely.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>They love Jesus in ways I can't imagine. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Because it's not in spite of, but because of hardships that they know Him more intimately.</span> They're forced to rely on Him. They have such joy because they are clinging to Jesus-and only Him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VZQ_EpqYdWjh7_BWFJkF7m5E1INkbSSKqLbnp0jmwutnlL6A5HF9Qn7Kg8pXqq_UKZxVLLI1zQonVkaWeUeMjImcR_3sE4c8MyZxtGHhPwV5a7QKukU480o4r-L34UQxIWT3/s1600-h/worshipatsunset.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VZQ_EpqYdWjh7_BWFJkF7m5E1INkbSSKqLbnp0jmwutnlL6A5HF9Qn7Kg8pXqq_UKZxVLLI1zQonVkaWeUeMjImcR_3sE4c8MyZxtGHhPwV5a7QKukU480o4r-L34UQxIWT3/s320/worshipatsunset.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423782597020190610" border="0" /></a><br />We become amazed by the happiness of someone, not because they are rich and happy-that's expected-but because they are poor and happy. Perhaps suffering makes Christ shine brighter to the world because it magnifies the difference between the response of a dying person with joy and a healthy person with joy? Which person would make you stop and examine where their hope in life lies?<br /><br />I have been so blind. Blind to what really matters in life. Who cares how popular someone is or what talents they have or what they can do? Why did it matter what kind of car someone drives or the clothes they wear? It shouldn't. God is beginning to open my eyes... again. I remember God opening my eyes before, but I think I closed them during the past few months. When I close my eyes, I don't even remember the fact that I<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>ever did see at all! Otherwise, if I remembered, I wouldn't be content to be blind, and I would ask God to open my eyes again which in His forgiving grace He would. But, no, instead I unconsciously shut my eyes and forget about what really matters in life...<br /><br />In America, it's almost as if <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUvMMTGwg8ksoWZ0R5nQerNIEer3qHhElhkqzUqYNAeHz-2AD1j_o9Aviya5aguKRLCH_BWdyC7kfbr4uzaiYQrW5v3SLpYLWfJwVvpseSR8dxh8Hk3nY1NXqVzH_fsgNVJSr/s1600-h/pure-water.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUvMMTGwg8ksoWZ0R5nQerNIEer3qHhElhkqzUqYNAeHz-2AD1j_o9Aviya5aguKRLCH_BWdyC7kfbr4uzaiYQrW5v3SLpYLWfJwVvpseSR8dxh8Hk3nY1NXqVzH_fsgNVJSr/s200/pure-water.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423761637647424450" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-weight: bold;">I get a diluted Jesus instead of the pure version</span>. Jesus is mixed in my life with so many other things. Activities, possessions, work, education, friends, adventures--they're not terrible things, but they can so easily distract me. And I mean <span style="font-weight: bold;">so</span> easily.<br /><br /><blockquote>"We simply take life and breath and health and friends and everything for granted. We think it is ours by right. But... apart from the death of Christ, sinners get nothing but judgment. Apart from the cross of Christ, there is only condemnation. Therefore everything that you enjoy in Christ - as a Christian, as a person who trusts Christ - is owing to the death of Christ."</blockquote> <blockquote>~John Piper</blockquote><br />Money isn't evil. It can be a wonderful blessing. However, the <span style="font-style: italic;">love</span> of money leads to all sorts of evil. I'm convinced that this should be our perspective on money:<br /><br /><blockquote>"Wise people know that all their money belongs to God and should be used to show that God, and not money, is their treasure, their comfort, their joy, and their security…."</blockquote> <blockquote>~Piper</blockquote><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">When my eyes are finally opened again, my memory awakes. And I remember what I knew all along: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth... But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-33412858053197311832009-12-19T11:23:00.010-06:002009-12-19T15:07:16.908-06:00I've been thinking...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQJHdiGuuArD-ccuxzvbknmna7FkWk8LEa2N1G4otE274KdcWEGFe-KObffBW4ToxHmM6UQM8pVVuYYxQrq8XTqhBp0vGzPMOYnXgZpiHaOyXvdsWGyKaroF3sh4QkJwMZxVu/s1600-h/crosssunset.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQJHdiGuuArD-ccuxzvbknmna7FkWk8LEa2N1G4otE274KdcWEGFe-KObffBW4ToxHmM6UQM8pVVuYYxQrq8XTqhBp0vGzPMOYnXgZpiHaOyXvdsWGyKaroF3sh4QkJwMZxVu/s320/crosssunset.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416999417752756978" border="0" /></a> "But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" -Gal 6:14<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> What would it look like if I really did only boast in the cross?</span><br /><br />But even though I know I should boast only in the cross, why is it that I don't?<br /><br />What if I was stripped away of everything in life except Jesus?<br /><br />I picture what it would be like if I was on the streets,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGB2KjdQmBPJiwCAYs8Y1okSL0CDJRZsstJBtmkpaWPIaI6ZoUkJr0N2pbnuLLhIn4X9RJ2TEd-DLbs6eSb3HNtT5HtSU7M9KV3cCfYrkgcyWBgW-qvNAMtzGHNGo_HpYZFHV/s1600-h/homeless.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGB2KjdQmBPJiwCAYs8Y1okSL0CDJRZsstJBtmkpaWPIaI6ZoUkJr0N2pbnuLLhIn4X9RJ2TEd-DLbs6eSb3HNtT5HtSU7M9KV3cCfYrkgcyWBgW-qvNAMtzGHNGo_HpYZFHV/s200/homeless.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416999531367183586" border="0" /></a> no money, no family, no friends, no books, no activities, no popularity, (no computer! ;-D), nothing... except Jesus. I wish I could say otherwise, but truth is, I don't feel a lightning bolt shock me because I can't actually comprehend what my life would be like. It would just <span style="font-style: italic;">be so different.</span><br /><br />But sometimes I want my life, especially my spiritual life, to<span style="font-style: italic;"> be so different.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Would this kind of change actually be a radical awakening to spiritual heights I never dreamed of?</span><br /><br />Recently I was listening to K. P. Yohannan, founder of <a href="http://www.gfa.org/">Gospel For Asia</a>, give a report of the work Christ is doing in Asia. What I imagined about myself two paragraphs above doesn't even begin to touch on the conditions Christians live in over there. And on top of the dire physical straits, add intense persecution.<br /><br />Yet, as Yohanann claims, these Christians are filled with deep joy. That's what I've been thinking about. Is there something about having fewer material possessions and conveniences that bolsters them to a stronger relationship with Jesus?<br /><br />This is Part 1. In Part 2, I'll answer my last question...<br /><br /><br /><br />--<br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/collections/">Wonderlane</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedrosimoes7/sets/72157622058984245/">pedrosimoes7</a></span>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-36025645151262648832009-10-14T00:00:00.003-05:002009-10-14T23:47:42.629-05:00Looking Forward<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKbaU-e5VR5yoFzCfE_sPw01az9WKCZVShFJxFoozgUJIHaV-ypS7HNOxoQxI6ojOnSVOjnjAWba_DUJAZHDUxmb49K4R0hzruEHpAphXKyhIhfoAc5rI7DFQ97jumc8rXxlk/s1600-h/864618_chocolate_16_5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKbaU-e5VR5yoFzCfE_sPw01az9WKCZVShFJxFoozgUJIHaV-ypS7HNOxoQxI6ojOnSVOjnjAWba_DUJAZHDUxmb49K4R0hzruEHpAphXKyhIhfoAc5rI7DFQ97jumc8rXxlk/s320/864618_chocolate_16_5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392317392794968594" border="0" /></a>When I was little I thought that 16 was the perfect age to be. 'Twas the oldest you could be while still being a kid. 17 was too close to the threshold of being an adult. 16 was perfect...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">But I've learned some things since I was little.</span><br /><br />Responsibility does not start when I'm 18. I will not all of a sudden "get a life" when a diploma is handed to me. Responsibility starts now. History is filled with people who accomplished great things when they were still in their teens. Why is it that now our culture is filled with "<a href="http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2005/09/kidults-part-1-adolescence-is-permanent/">kidults</a>", people in their late 20s and even 30s who want to keep living their lives free of grown-up duties?<br /><br />Even though some might say that I'm only 16 so I still have the right to be immature and irresponsible, I don't want to be like that.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">My generation is called to so much more than simply "getting by". </span><br /><br />16 is old enough to make a meal to feed the homeless. 16 is old enough to have a <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2006/1790_Holy_Ambition_To_Preach_Where_Christ_Has_Not_Been_Named/">holy ambition</a> and act upon it. 16 is old enough to dive deep into God's word and experience the truth of who He is personally instead of taking someone else's word for it.<br /><br />Today, I turn 16. Questions stretch out before me. I'm not simply talking about the questions "What will I do in 2 years? 5 years? 10 years?" No, more specifically, I'm thinking about questions that must be answered imminently and with actions. What will I do to bless others while I'm 16? What will I do to grow in my relationship with Christ this coming year? What will I do now to make a difference?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">God, please grant me the grace and wisdom to walk in ways pleasing to You this coming year.</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9v_UX25WaTw32O0LsT0zq3mVp0ruK5hioszXZ_lOf5-ueOsiDkV0nory8I47aDybBGFiQ2o48U6K9ONRqx8Pgu3esu2nGBUg8fnua0KNHZ3Rj4jgywhg4g8vFF_as2EoA7lW/s1600-h/IMG_6776.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9v_UX25WaTw32O0LsT0zq3mVp0ruK5hioszXZ_lOf5-ueOsiDkV0nory8I47aDybBGFiQ2o48U6K9ONRqx8Pgu3esu2nGBUg8fnua0KNHZ3Rj4jgywhg4g8vFF_as2EoA7lW/s320/IMG_6776.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392315360977659842" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-91270140378177496012009-09-23T00:05:00.006-05:002009-09-23T00:34:32.531-05:00Humility Objectified<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dvIXooGvJlf01JIXoV-v_tdy6Cn5yZE6Yf3lYdF-CdSLoVKsAZLHo2Gh3djGcdwQK8F7QsJsF1RJWzr62whOjFeM_5cX4kqpKASCjRYlnfIO1jvQjrzfPxWBROF3AITjFH4P/s1600-h/violin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dvIXooGvJlf01JIXoV-v_tdy6Cn5yZE6Yf3lYdF-CdSLoVKsAZLHo2Gh3djGcdwQK8F7QsJsF1RJWzr62whOjFeM_5cX4kqpKASCjRYlnfIO1jvQjrzfPxWBROF3AITjFH4P/s320/violin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384528964799931714" border="0" /></a><span style="color:black;">"The conductor Leonard Bernstein was once asked, 'What is the most difficult instrument to play?'<br /><br />'Second Violin,' he replied, 'Because everyone wants to be first violinist.'<br /><br />Of course the first violin gets to play more interesting parts and commands more attention. But as Bernstein went on to explain,<br /><br />'It's hard to find someone who wants to play second violin and to do so with the same enthusiasm. But without the second violin, there is no harmony.' "<br /><br />-- Matt Redman</span> in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Heart of Worship<br /><br /></span><span>So it is with all of life.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="color:black;">It's hard to find someone who wants to take a secondary task and do so with the same enthusiasm. "But without the second violin, there is no harmony."<br /><br /><br /></span>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-25441720676699918562009-08-02T21:18:00.007-05:002009-08-16T22:49:20.338-05:00Up-The MovieFor my parents' 25th anniversary, they went on a very romantic date to eat dinner and catch a movie. The film of choice? None other than:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9DafsbH-KxvdzaE4Fi6tK70-wd3TTGjMk5LB2CuSI2d1vyMwcCPLx41eIamrX6E-9g8HiOL54P2zJzDUicrHKlDHTdB09E2l04Aq_C6ouEix1gkj5Jt51qmkzwwqY4yVY8gJ/s1600-h/upposter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9DafsbH-KxvdzaE4Fi6tK70-wd3TTGjMk5LB2CuSI2d1vyMwcCPLx41eIamrX6E-9g8HiOL54P2zJzDUicrHKlDHTdB09E2l04Aq_C6ouEix1gkj5Jt51qmkzwwqY4yVY8gJ/s320/upposter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365568092513200530" border="0" /></a><br />UP, the newest Pixar release! (Pretty romantic, huh? ;-) )<br /><br />If I had to describe the movie in one word, I would choose the word "sweet". Everything about it was just bursting with sweetness! The little boy, Russell, was insanely cute in my opinion. If he were an animal, I think he'd be a panda bear. Oh, I wish I could squeeze him in a tight hug! I mean, just look at him:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAPlXwbDkXtS94sl4ZSLKC3LrdTMgoGkPbmFDziMncij-aMleiIDLY3zzHoHVPpY1BenZt2ZYHAAgZ-AKCVYXjNgM-yekuJ6lLBuz6biMUIKlobVrWN_BpEnnsGQfZjFI-KeH/s1600-h/Up_RussellCarl-thumb-.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAPlXwbDkXtS94sl4ZSLKC3LrdTMgoGkPbmFDziMncij-aMleiIDLY3zzHoHVPpY1BenZt2ZYHAAgZ-AKCVYXjNgM-yekuJ6lLBuz6biMUIKlobVrWN_BpEnnsGQfZjFI-KeH/s320/Up_RussellCarl-thumb-.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353714774040723714" border="0" /></a><br />Seriously though, I think it was the perfect movie for my parents to watch on their anniversary because it was saturated with the truth that marriage and family are important. All the other Pixar films I've watched have had romance in them between a guy and a girl who fall in love. Apparently, it seems that anything has the capacity for romance: cars, toys, monsters, bugs, even robots! UP has romance too, but I love it so much because it happens after they're married. They always remain so in love. He's deeply loyal to her and his promise to her. <span style="font-style: italic;">It's beautiful.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Q7gjU4sqeEb1hf9Mzx-AjliIwiyuieuwzis7E44OZFhKQSRwXDfRHYb9yx041S81MbF3DTFqRBzj7aEARmksTjw03AKUYfX2_G8qApE-cyCzQnBtEaxNv_lNpSBzSVA8V3UK/s1600-h/up.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Q7gjU4sqeEb1hf9Mzx-AjliIwiyuieuwzis7E44OZFhKQSRwXDfRHYb9yx041S81MbF3DTFqRBzj7aEARmksTjw03AKUYfX2_G8qApE-cyCzQnBtEaxNv_lNpSBzSVA8V3UK/s320/up.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353716791490320194" border="0" /></a><br />After reflecting on why I like UP so much, I've concluded it's because of the prevalent theme of loyalty. Yet it's more than that. It's whom the main character is loyal <span style="font-style: italic;">towards</span>. Not to his house. Or his possessions. But to his wife and the boy. My favorite line in the entire film is: <span style="font-style: italic;">"It's just a house."</span> Because of that message, UP is my new favorite Pixar film. And now, there's a whole new meaning to the phrase "What's UP?" :-)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0weLqj_KtZbUzuEOeIzgqwFp9_0L-Ng6XMJNiNQUHITx4mKTIVvC1VfK1SFo0WY-JRcuTK24ggms10N-p6_AIUUAMM0dDhAqBwZNz6lSFFgpCalLisT67HG8eZ48cE2S2RxW-/s1600-h/up-movie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0weLqj_KtZbUzuEOeIzgqwFp9_0L-Ng6XMJNiNQUHITx4mKTIVvC1VfK1SFo0WY-JRcuTK24ggms10N-p6_AIUUAMM0dDhAqBwZNz6lSFFgpCalLisT67HG8eZ48cE2S2RxW-/s320/up-movie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353716794433441618" border="0" /></a><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-61578011631191876202009-07-10T00:22:00.002-05:002009-07-10T20:00:45.246-05:00Cool Calvin ClipsI'm not really sure what's special about 500th birthdays if the person isn't living (I wouldn't get one of <a href="http://www.calvin500.com/fun/birthday-countdown/">these</a>), but John Calvin has some great quotes that I thought I'd share on his 500th birthday.<br /><br /><blockquote>“Whoever is not satisfied with Christ alone, strives after something beyond absolute perfection.”<br /><br />“The aim of everything is the sanctifying of God’s name.”<br /><br />“As God, Christ is the destination to which we move; as man, the path by which we go.”<br /><br /><span class="body">"The torture of a bad conscience is the hell of a living soul".</span><br /><br /><span class="body">"There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice.</span>"<br /><br /><span class="body">"There is no worse screen to block out the Spirit than confidence in our own intelligence.</span>"</blockquote><br />Interestingly, I found an article from TIME magazine about <a href="http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1884779_1884782_1884760,00.html">Calvinism Changing the World</a>.<br /><br />And here's a picture of him:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jZZC981C5K8LFUwUqz_QOC4yBHUDmYobqXm6ynwwdxrMhX8yRcHUv3Z8y5aN3VnTOHqD0rX2MM2jV3ASSc3kuwqXKMhP-GlHH7L9sm9DK_T2Rp-aIWsrtW2-aCaz15-xWw0U/s1600-h/calvin2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 298px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jZZC981C5K8LFUwUqz_QOC4yBHUDmYobqXm6ynwwdxrMhX8yRcHUv3Z8y5aN3VnTOHqD0rX2MM2jV3ASSc3kuwqXKMhP-GlHH7L9sm9DK_T2Rp-aIWsrtW2-aCaz15-xWw0U/s320/calvin2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356690223730308546" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Oh whoops, wrong Calvin!- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-51759945035727894862009-07-07T22:08:00.014-05:002009-07-07T23:23:04.219-05:00And the Romance Still Rumbles25 years ago today, my dad went to his best friend's wedding.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkVRkcA7Q7wtQrKT9RvAVWziHKzhJImzlxdL-sU5lEXiHdfrimqjwEkryKBXBpXi58-U5VBX0GiVXe4M_CoJX_9fpc7F3Rfo39as6azLkGzTT6kpEXPgN76qfUBcLFMYS_Bas/s1600-h/Wedding-Cake.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkVRkcA7Q7wtQrKT9RvAVWziHKzhJImzlxdL-sU5lEXiHdfrimqjwEkryKBXBpXi58-U5VBX0GiVXe4M_CoJX_9fpc7F3Rfo39as6azLkGzTT6kpEXPgN76qfUBcLFMYS_Bas/s320/Wedding-Cake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355926449679087090" border="0" /></a><br />25 years ago today, my dad's best friend married him!<br /><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ></span><blockquote><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><br />The following is a re-post of what I wrote on my brother's blog 1 year ago to commemorate my parent's 24th anniversary (with a few edits to adjust for this anniversary):</span></blockquote>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><blockquote></blockquote>Once upon a time, there was a boy named Pat and a girl named Ganya, and they met each other while in college because they both attended Arlington Chinese Church in... well... Arlington. After a couple of years, he fell in love with her, proposed, she said yes, and *POOF*, what do you know, they were engaged!!! I'm sure you've guessed by now that they were married 25 years ago on July 7th, 1984. Their love story is very humorous and intriguing, and if I had time I'd tell you more, but here are the highlights simply of the wedding:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6JbgfSSgzJbOcj9ALKJ1EuoS1GGMOnciGP9nO9xuZDZlu4wsqM_ZNGykX7crm_7_xmSHAmbRpwOSp6oU5sxpmZvIPuC5aNFDYscAtzgcICvzkTqnBKhaafTEClTwVKcIT1CY/s1600-h/wedding-bouquet.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6JbgfSSgzJbOcj9ALKJ1EuoS1GGMOnciGP9nO9xuZDZlu4wsqM_ZNGykX7crm_7_xmSHAmbRpwOSp6oU5sxpmZvIPuC5aNFDYscAtzgcICvzkTqnBKhaafTEClTwVKcIT1CY/s320/wedding-bouquet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355935438988250674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><ul><li>My mom wanted to have a Christian wedding in front of her family so they decided to get married in Thailand.</li><li>However, there were no Christian churches in her hometown since most people were Buddhist so they got married in the market place.</li><li>The ceremony was in Thai, and my dad only knows a little Thai, so his Best Man/fiance's brother who spoke broken English would tell him every once in a while what the preacher was saying such as "De preacher say very good words" and "Put de ring on her finger". The best one of all was at the very end when he nonchalantly told my dad, "Okay, you married now".</li><li>The same uncle drove my parents to their honeymoon spot, but on the way they were in a car wreck and my mom was knocked out. When she came to, she looked at my dad, and asked "What are you doing here?" And they had just gotten married a few hours before! </li><li>None of my dad's family was present for the Thailand wedding so in September they had another wedding ceremony in Arlington. Hence, they actually have two wedding anniversaries (but only the first one counted ;-) )</li><li>The best news is that my mom's mother, or "Amah" which is Thai for grandmother, become a Christian largely as a result of my parent's wedding!<br /><br /><blockquote></blockquote>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcqPebfpUJxWQjUeLz2bfy5YI4ykWsu0zzJeGFgHFAKiLhNAV9VrFN0dE-CxNCcl5EFE9KvvjEg8WbtWA8Voqkhle4fkAH_Ldy2R_1mFlQMrXZDxSq5xcr4ERoJAD19lzQsUG5/s1600-h/weddingrings.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcqPebfpUJxWQjUeLz2bfy5YI4ykWsu0zzJeGFgHFAKiLhNAV9VrFN0dE-CxNCcl5EFE9KvvjEg8WbtWA8Voqkhle4fkAH_Ldy2R_1mFlQMrXZDxSq5xcr4ERoJAD19lzQsUG5/s400/weddingrings.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355934015143100162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Happy 25th Anniversary!</span> Thank you for being the amazing parents that you are. May your coming years of marriage be filled with the peace, joy, and love of Christ. And may the romance still rumble...</li></ul>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-33317981038774135892009-06-08T10:38:00.004-05:002009-06-09T23:33:51.944-05:00Fish With TrishAt the conference, I met an incredible woman named Trisha Ramos working at the booth for Way of The Master ministries. Even though I was only able to talk to her for a few minutes, I could tell that she is<span style="font-style: italic;"> so</span> on fire to spread the gospel. Trisha encouraged me to share my faith and tell other people the good news. She even gave me a few tracks to get me started. Check out her website: <a href="http://www.fishwithtrish.com/">www.fishwithtrish.com</a><br /><br />Here we are in front of her booth:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Z_t-TqhI6QAuOXVvQ441nl49IKkBA73sl7jZBt8Anny8OvAdGDmATkvm1mRSY2ZvLFdMfj7dmMHPgpgwNR4HZMnRFDDYoFyxcwsB1GYi9GvQxPFfelZpj0rM4Vj5MdJmXDcH/s1600-h/IMG_3667.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Z_t-TqhI6QAuOXVvQ441nl49IKkBA73sl7jZBt8Anny8OvAdGDmATkvm1mRSY2ZvLFdMfj7dmMHPgpgwNR4HZMnRFDDYoFyxcwsB1GYi9GvQxPFfelZpj0rM4Vj5MdJmXDcH/s320/IMG_3667.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345551971749295682" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-83740491435464133722009-06-06T11:57:00.007-05:002009-06-06T14:45:01.514-05:00Beauty From the Heart Conference (my recap for girls)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTvIcarB1bjgtIehuo6ZFNx0TyXe02u4upis4XEKlHpftr6gxXJohjcXpbFGlmdUbQ3Y3q1jsBNKsXEYtYjquTbCYSg1Ym8a3tw4a0wAOdFVdYRaRM_EHL1BtAnDam_xAqHeo/s1600-h/bfthconference.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 58px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTvIcarB1bjgtIehuo6ZFNx0TyXe02u4upis4XEKlHpftr6gxXJohjcXpbFGlmdUbQ3Y3q1jsBNKsXEYtYjquTbCYSg1Ym8a3tw4a0wAOdFVdYRaRM_EHL1BtAnDam_xAqHeo/s400/bfthconference.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344298026602218178" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(Note: This post is written for girls.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Encouraging.</span></span> That's the number 1 word I would use to describe my experience at the Beauty from the Heart Conference. Even though we drove four hours to get there, it was completely worth it for me, and I'm so glad I went. To give you a taste, I'm going to share my notes from the first session given by Hannah Farver because it kind of set the tone for approaching the topic of Beauty from the Heart.<br /><h3 style="font-weight: bold;">Session 1: Physical Beauty<br /><blockquote></blockquote></h3><ul><li>Ideas of what's beautiful change over time and culture. </li></ul>Hannah showed pictures of "celebrities" from decades ago. Man, they look very different from today's celebrities, but at the time they were acclaimed by society as "beautiful". Today, our culture says tanned and thin are in, but Asian girls use whitening lotion and, at one time, African girls were force fed by their families because being fat was considered "beautiful". This led to heart diseases and other health problems. I think that's very interesting considering the current eating disorders in America that are the opposite of that but also lead to health problems.<br /><br /><ul><li>Beauty doesn't satisfy <span style="font-style: italic;">anyone</span>. </li></ul>She read quotes from 3 top actresses and models who were all unhappy with the way they looked. Even though the world acclaimed them as some of the most "beautiful" people in the world, they were still insecure and unsatisfied.<br /><br /><ul><li>Beauty doesn't last. </li></ul>Four pictures were displayed: one of Elizabeth Taylor from when she was a top star in her youth alongside a picture of how she looks now and another set of Audrey Hepburn as a young woman and Hepburn years later. The difference over time is startling. When they aged, they look similar to many of the older women I know today.<br /><br /><ul><li>God chose your genes. </li></ul>God made you the way He did for a purpose. You look the way you do because it pleased Him. After Hannah read from Ps. 139:14-16 where the Bible says that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made", she said that she had heard this verse all her life but she wondered why she still had problems with acting like she believed it. She ended her session by asking,<br /><br />"Why do we still have doubts that we are wonderfully made?<br />Why do we put so much weight on the world's beauty checklist?<br />Why do we compare ourselves with models and actresses?<br />(And this one was the most convicting:) Why don't we care about what the God of the Universe thinks of us?"<br /><br />__________________________________<br /><br />As you can tell, it was a very good talk. The following session was my favorite, and it answered those last questions Hannah asked. It was the cornerstone for the entire conference. Really, it was about the cornerstone for all of life.<br /><br />It was about the Gospel.<br /><br />Check out: <a href="http://www.beautyfromtheheart.org/">www.beautyfromtheheart.org</a>, and stay tuned...- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-45289835913902575362009-06-05T08:00:00.001-05:002009-06-05T08:00:06.551-05:00I'm in DallasToday I'm attending the <a href="http://www.beautyfromtheheart.org/conferences/">Beauty From The Heart Conference</a> in Dallas. I'm very excited!- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-3627340469672686462009-06-04T10:03:00.005-05:002009-06-04T10:52:59.192-05:00Why didn't we learn?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhJ4gSqJqvt8HOPKJhpkHM4IKkdEbZKydOak6-Ux5d-auta1AaMiZ5oQUMtFuv5ndDTRbrfahZ1jWnu8xiYXbI40ZlbCBVF15V5YE_O7lXWabZxeQNWbiiTDxkus31FIQZ3Th/s1600-h/tank.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhJ4gSqJqvt8HOPKJhpkHM4IKkdEbZKydOak6-Ux5d-auta1AaMiZ5oQUMtFuv5ndDTRbrfahZ1jWnu8xiYXbI40ZlbCBVF15V5YE_O7lXWabZxeQNWbiiTDxkus31FIQZ3Th/s320/tank.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343499469917841602" border="0" /></a>I just read the latest World magazine which featured an article on Tienanmen Square because today is the 20th anniversary of the event. Even while depicting the horrible atrocities, the article drove in the point that one of the worst days in China's history became a turning point for the growth of Christianity in China. The number of Christians in China has skyrocketed from just a few decades ago and continues to grow today. Some commentators point to the Chinese people becoming disillusioned with the system of democracy as part of the reason for the rise. Perhaps the Chinese placed their hopes in democracy to save them from an oppressive Communist regime which would thus solve the problems in their lives. But they realized on that day when their emboldened protests came to a bloody and violent stop, that a new government system did not hold all the answers. Only Christ could make things right.<br /><br />Further on in the magazine, I read another article about an exhibit in New York on “French literature during the Holocaust.” It talked about the corrupt horrors committed in France and the feeling of Antisemitism that still haunts humanity today.<br /><br />My question is, “Why didn't WW1 and 2 start a Christian revolution and revival?”. After experiencing all of that evilness at the hand of men, why didn't we learn like the Chinese that the only hope in the world is Christ? Why does it seem like Christianity in America has taken a downturn since the mid-20th century? Why did we find, a couple decades later, a generation of rebellion?<br /><br />When I was little, I hated hearing the news. It was just too scary and I wanted to stay in the happy, innocent world I knew where the worst problem was how to get back at my annoying brother for teasing me. I hated those glimpses of a bigger world that only seemed to have troubles and more troubles. My view was that everyone was sad and depressed because no one knew how to fix anything right. But now that I'm older, I see more clearly not only how naive I was, but, ironically, I also see how my childish perception caught much of the truth of reality. The world <span style="font-style: italic;">does</span> have a lot of problems, mankind <span style="font-style: italic;">can't</span> solve them, and people<span style="font-style: italic;"> are</span> scared. But I was ignorant of the fact that I <span style="font-style: italic;">don't</span> need to be scared.<br /><br />Now, by seeing this senseless violence, I better understand the extent of how depraved our world is. And I think it's right to understand that because in the midst of human hopelessness, Christ shines brighter. He is Sovereign. He is all-powerful. He is our Answer.- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-29964733666268277762009-06-03T00:01:00.000-05:002009-06-03T00:01:00.192-05:00Enabling CommentsIt's the beginning of June and time for a change. Under the encouragement of some friends, I've enabled comments for Hastings Haven. I disabled comments near the beginning of this blog, and recently I've been thinking about allowing comments, but was hesitant for two reasons:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">It might become another way to spend too much time on the computer</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. I should write for an audience of One.</span><br /><br />But here's what I've decided (at least at this point).<br /><br />1. I told one of my friends this first reason, and she said that comments are one of those things that are not bad in and of themselves. Rather, <span>as she noted, </span><span>"</span><span style="font-style: italic;">It's all in what you make of it</span><span>"</span>. I think that's very true. So I'm going to give commenting a chance, and if it does end up being a time distraction, I'll disable them again.<br /><br />2. I think everyone should always do things for an audience of One. But I still have so very much to learn, and as the Body of Christ, we can help each other grow stronger. As long as comments are used to "build each other up" (1 Thess. 5:11) and don't tear one another down, I think that comments can be used to edify and encourage.<br /><br />With all that said, you are welcome to comment! Even if you just want to say "Hi", I'm always happy to hear from you.- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-9241803169071296302009-04-16T16:06:00.002-05:002009-04-16T16:07:51.349-05:00How Twins Are Made<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2sIP_oAayn79o_3OMROa4I8kdEGF9SZKLAMmKcVN08oY738EorlI23GPHsPAjmtzz2Geu9walC4IMfkYyeT6odsM3nqYTpqTEIhAE7J0Rw6zujx7yV_7-unYesEiJgcDXSul6/s1600-h/Howtwinsaremade.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2sIP_oAayn79o_3OMROa4I8kdEGF9SZKLAMmKcVN08oY738EorlI23GPHsPAjmtzz2Geu9walC4IMfkYyeT6odsM3nqYTpqTEIhAE7J0Rw6zujx7yV_7-unYesEiJgcDXSul6/s400/Howtwinsaremade.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325398762857380626" border="0" /></a>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-55387299043851081392009-04-04T11:35:00.016-05:002009-04-04T20:35:18.921-05:00Worship<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSSdY5hfd3rnkclB13VOMYy7Q1kBPPRfMcfVJ-E3j8npKJurrUEDAQNoImPrAsphQRvP3Qb0Q06kKd6R4CMyJGa__h1UDUtd2gxCWo13x4LlkQYMJEpd1P0bNqPhoQt06IcqO/s1600-h/worshipatsunset.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSSdY5hfd3rnkclB13VOMYy7Q1kBPPRfMcfVJ-E3j8npKJurrUEDAQNoImPrAsphQRvP3Qb0Q06kKd6R4CMyJGa__h1UDUtd2gxCWo13x4LlkQYMJEpd1P0bNqPhoQt06IcqO/s320/worshipatsunset.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321013568033908690" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Worship</span>: An <span style="font-family:arial;">expression</span> <span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" >overflowing</span> from a <em><strong>delight</strong></em> in the <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" >Soveriegn goodness</span> of the Father, the <span style="font-size:180%;"><em>forgiving love</em></span> of Jesus Christ, and the <span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" ><strong>sanctifying grace</strong></span> of the Holy Spirit. </span><div> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;">Oh Lord, You are so wonderful to us all.</span><br /><div><em><br /></em></div>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-34211684003014438972009-02-12T19:43:00.006-06:002009-03-09T22:27:46.365-05:00One year ago today...One year ago today, a special part of my life died. The woman who taught me how to read and helped shape my worldview breathed her last breath on earth, and life as I knew it would forever change. February 12 might be just another day for many, but for me it holds a deeper meaning--the anniversary of a bygone saint: my grandmother, <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Virginia</st1:place></st1:state> “Granny” Hastings.<br /><p></p>A wash of memories has poured over me today. I see myself washing the dishes with her, arguing across the table with my brother Paul while she would listen in and occasionally referee, showing her the books someone gave me, complaining that fractions are too hard, playing my new game with her, receiving a reminder to practice piano, ranting about the travails of growing up as she patiently listened, watching her dice tomatoes, re-living the weekend as I told her about my most recent adventures, riding to my weekly piano lesson, watching <i style="">Antiques Roadshow</i> together, listening to her tell stories about her life as a little girl. The memories extend for years...<br /><br />My grandma was more than my cook, cleaner, home school teacher, babysitter, and even more than just my grandma. She was one of my best friends. I write this as I sit in the house where she lived. The house where I would come over and eat her home-cooked scrambled eggs in the morning, run to when I had a hurting boo-boo, a new joke, a funny idea, a hard math problem, a new dress, or gum in my hair. And one year ago, it was here where I sat in the rocker by my grandma’s hospice bed, listening to her breaths strain for more air as her lungs failed her, the feeding tube automatically cranking in more food from time to time, the gentle hum of the oxygen tank providing pure oxygen through the tube. Gradually her breathing slowed and then stopped altogether. There was no need for the machines anymore so we turned them off around 6:30 p.m. One year ago.<br /><br />Life is different without Granny around. No more kisses on my “ouch”ies. Two less listening ears to share my thoughts. I miss the hugs. I miss all of her.<br /><br />Nevertheless, God has been faithful, and I’ve come to find a new kind of normal.<br /><br />While I was writing this, the phone in her house just rang. Only my family calls this phone anymore, so I picked it up expecting my mom or dad.<p></p> “Hello?”<br /><br />“Hi, this is Jeff with Feature Films for Families. Is Virginia there?”<br /><br />“Um, well, she’s…"<br /><br />Talk about awkward. What am I supposed to say?<p></p> “She’s unavailable.”<p></p> “Well, I’ll just call back another time.”<p></p> "Actually, she won’t be avail…”<p></p> “Thank you.” Click.<p></p> You can call again, Jeff, but she will never pick up the phone.<br /><p></p>I’m only now beginning to realize the effects of one of my grandma’s actions: her prayers for me. I always knew she did that, but I never gave it that much thought. The fruit of those prayers will continue to reap a harvest long after she’s gone. And now I can’t even begin to thank her. Literally, I can’t. At least not face to face.<p></p>Learning from the past can be difficult to do because there’s a question necessary to ask, but hard to answer. Do I wish I had done things differently? Sure, I do wish some things had been different. I think the answer anyone would give if they were honest with themselves is “Yes”. And I’m no exception. Now I see things that sometimes I lacked in showing her: respect, compassion, obedience, patience, and understanding. At times, I assumed she just wouldn’t understand what was happening so I wouldn’t bother to explain.<p></p>What does it mean to live with no regrets? There are no more chances to do it over again with Granny. But as long as there are others in my life, there’s still opportunity for change.<br /><p></p>The greatest lesson I learned is not one my grandma verbally told me, but one that her life and my life shared. No one is ever too old or too young to influence someone else’s life. For all of you current and future grandparents, you don’t have to be a see-you-on-the-holidays-grandparent, but instead you can be involved in the greatest treasure God has given you--your posterity. My grandparents made the choice to live close by to their grandkids, whether or not that made their life easier or harder. And by doing so, they became the molders that shaped the next generation, because my brothers and I are the ones who remain even after their lives on earth have come to an end. I can never thank them enough for the lessons taught, the memories given, and the legacy passed on--simply by being there for me.<br /><p></p>One year ago today, my grandma died. But that’s not how I think of it. One year ago today, my grandma finished the work on earth that God had for her to do, and then she went to her real home to be with Jesus.<br /><br /><p></p>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-15235561324200885082009-01-17T22:40:00.008-06:002009-02-12T20:49:15.440-06:00Pray for Tyler Farver<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_N2Nb7AHBMNZRN0OGVGnTaQKuXiJ1tZz7U-YhDIV-RfVXKwzmDUZGs2pO4KabWcEdOFr7UfzKD9jfb1HAbrA0PLmvRu6Hr0AAJ8dMg6IXNqF9jyHyP8KbhfJq7UelZ3DtxNa/s1600-h/tyler-700149.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 178px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_N2Nb7AHBMNZRN0OGVGnTaQKuXiJ1tZz7U-YhDIV-RfVXKwzmDUZGs2pO4KabWcEdOFr7UfzKD9jfb1HAbrA0PLmvRu6Hr0AAJ8dMg6IXNqF9jyHyP8KbhfJq7UelZ3DtxNa/s200/tyler-700149.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302012651787616034" border="0" /></a>My fellow Rebelutionary, NCFCA competitor, and dear friend Hannah Farver has requested prayer for her brother, Tyler. Apparently, he was in an ATV accident this morning (January 17th), and is in an extremely serious condition. To follow Tyler's progress and read more updates, you can visit Hannah's blog: <a href="http://www.beautyfromtheheart.org/2009/01/urgent-prayer-request.html">www.beautyfromtheheart.org/2009/01/urgent-prayer-request.html</a>.<br /><br />"But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love..." Psalm 33:18<blockquote><br /><br /></blockquote>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-63320570023965598332008-12-25T00:03:00.004-06:002008-12-25T00:25:22.160-06:00Mary's Dream<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mary's Dream</span> ~Author Unknown<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">"I had a dream, Joseph, I don't understand it, not really, but I think it was about a birthday celebration for our Son. I think that was what it was all about. The people had been preparing for it for about six weeks. They had decorated the house and bought new clothes. They'd gone shopping many times and bought elaborate gifts. It was peculiar, though, because the presents weren't for our Son.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bTty9ophcH4iKiCN20fNEzwvBFIV3FFOuZdeCmtvOD2lkCIwH4kAsbklJWxLYFR3RtTqt1RzRAMQSpDcMZW6RcVPONOnZZ5pFbrDXihuaT1wwWwBmhyEMCX0ee9N4Ln9skz9/s1600-h/giftsundertree.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bTty9ophcH4iKiCN20fNEzwvBFIV3FFOuZdeCmtvOD2lkCIwH4kAsbklJWxLYFR3RtTqt1RzRAMQSpDcMZW6RcVPONOnZZ5pFbrDXihuaT1wwWwBmhyEMCX0ee9N4Ln9skz9/s320/giftsundertree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283578085479527762" border="0" /></a><br />"They wrapped them in beautiful paper and tied them with lovely bows and stacked them under a tree. Yes, a tree, Joseph, right in their house. They'd decorated the tree also. The branches were full of glowing balls and sparkling ornaments. There was a figure on the top of the tree. It looked like an angel might look. Oh, it was beautiful. <p></p><p style="text-align: left;">"Everyone was laughing and happy. They were all excited about the gifts. They gave the gifts to each other, Joseph, not to our Son. I don't think they even knew Him. They never mentioned His name. Doesn't it seem odd for people to go to all that trouble to celebrate someone's birthday if they don't know Him? </p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKa5Bc0Exl3fEZte9UWmXT4o6Fa2qd6f5rNxHYv-wDnn75E8DSXI-lI_SkWlkZ134OIxlQXamEoubBVoO9SF_EH4cVpC5WsE3LdWGU_w_LkDi6bWrV8iejtteDkxAc4Hk49JON/s1600-h/christmastree.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 219px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKa5Bc0Exl3fEZte9UWmXT4o6Fa2qd6f5rNxHYv-wDnn75E8DSXI-lI_SkWlkZ134OIxlQXamEoubBVoO9SF_EH4cVpC5WsE3LdWGU_w_LkDi6bWrV8iejtteDkxAc4Hk49JON/s320/christmastree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283581347881472690" border="0" /></a><br />"I had the strangest feeling that if our Son had gone to this celebration He would have been intruding. Everything was so beautiful, Joseph, and everyone so full of cheer, but it made me want to cry. How sad for Jesus - not to be wanted at His own birthday celebration. <br /><br />"I'm glad it was only a dream. How terrible, Joseph, if it had been real."<br /></p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSj9sUoG4FRhOONfps-998wTNrUBfLaxIHktV5-wj273xgNAbMIyw04K6sSGoZKHOrwx-HuddLfCFhdV3eS8vvpwRmVaOvomq0TETDlTx_XC_gWccO6trMWGVNYN9ISsxnWnYP/s1600-h/JesusBirth.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSj9sUoG4FRhOONfps-998wTNrUBfLaxIHktV5-wj273xgNAbMIyw04K6sSGoZKHOrwx-HuddLfCFhdV3eS8vvpwRmVaOvomq0TETDlTx_XC_gWccO6trMWGVNYN9ISsxnWnYP/s320/JesusBirth.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283581684768682418" border="0" /></a><br /></div>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-11432349482427715202008-11-27T09:03:00.007-06:002008-11-28T14:32:54.373-06:00The Enemy of ThankgivingThere is a very devious enemy who revels in residing inside a person's heart undetected to the victim. It wages battle every day against you and me. When this enemy wins even a bit of ground, it's hard to truly be grateful for what God has given us. It hinders authentic thanksgiving.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcYfoqN4mhXRMYCkCbnsS69zOoEXSmxFEWqjZtfY3xgChBuBiIdvVjA8ZiOQbtwRVfBcv89kZ1YtvK6jNSJm8CaaeGErs6ESqIKxyCUvH9KwD-XSBcdSxt_hHmZ3Ab9RJfPCS/s1600-h/girlpraying.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcYfoqN4mhXRMYCkCbnsS69zOoEXSmxFEWqjZtfY3xgChBuBiIdvVjA8ZiOQbtwRVfBcv89kZ1YtvK6jNSJm8CaaeGErs6ESqIKxyCUvH9KwD-XSBcdSxt_hHmZ3Ab9RJfPCS/s400/girlpraying.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273358254314756162" border="0" /></a>Our foe's name is Pride. Even while God has extended the riches of His grace to a sinful humanity, nevertheless we cannot seem to comprehend or appreciate what that means because of a pride-filled heart. For some the question pertains to "Why do I need a Savior when I'm as good as I am?", but for most Christians pride manifests itself through looking down on others, a judgmental spirit, criticism, and the need for approval (which is our ego needing to be coddled).<br /><br />How can I be thankful for what others have done if I'm centered on the "good" which I have done? Why count the blessings I have received from God when I get a good feeling from the "blessings" I have bestowed? The answer is because nothing I have done is anything compared to the good and the mercy God has given. Nothing. Our pride suffocates when we die to ourselves at the foot of the Cross. Herein lies our daily battle.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Quotes On Pride:</span><br /></div><br />Jonathan Edwards:<br /><p></p><blockquote><p>[Pride] is . . . the first sin that ever entered into the universe and the last that is rooted out. It is God’s most stubborn enemy! </p><p>"Pride is much more difficult to be discerned than any other corruption because of its very nature. That is, pride is a person having too high an opinion of himself. Is it any surprise, then, that a person who has too high an opinion of himself is unaware of it?"</p></blockquote><p><br />Charles Spurgeon:<br /></p><blockquote>"Pride is self-deceit. Those who are sure that they have no pride are probably the proudest of all. Those who are proud of their humility are proud indeed. The confidence that we are not deceived may only prove the completeness of the deception under which we labor.”</blockquote><br />C. S. Lewis:<br /><blockquote>"The essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea-bites in comparison. It was through Pride that the devil became the devil. Pride leads to every other vice. It is the complete anti-God state of mind.<br /><br />If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. If you think you’re not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed."</blockquote><br />John Stott:<br /><blockquote>"At every stage of our Christian development and in every sphere of our Christian discipleship, pride is the greatest enemy and humility our greatest friend."</blockquote><br />God:<br /><blockquote>"But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word." (Is. 66:2)<br /><br />"But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' " (James 4:6)</blockquote><br /><p></p>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-88373283809460713752008-10-30T11:11:00.005-05:002008-10-30T11:39:48.369-05:0060 Seconds With A Living Hero of the FaithAuthor, pastor, and theologian John Piper is one of my modern day heroes of the faith. I love his books, his teaching, and his ministry <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/">Desiring God</a>. All of it has helped me to more fully grasp the message and heart of the gospel as well as to understand that the purpose of man is to be completely satisfied and happy with God as our supreme treasure in life. Dr. Piper opened my eyes to the beauty of <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/2006/1797_We_Want_You_to_Be_a_Christian_Hedonist/">Christian Hedonism</a>. When my family found out John Piper had a Desiring God conference coming to Austin, we immediately decided to attend the event, giving up a debate Round Robin and my last cross-country meet of the season.<br /><br />After all of that, do I even need I to expound on how special this picture is to me?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ikTw8MH3GO6D5jkzQYntaiNwEy5Atj8QZWk_W5v4tTw1zu3H7LXBM4xomoVz1CPZrvVXtEQSwLUUYpu01Kwa_A7pZ8ZJZwGzaOVWAz6yV9LTrqa4LapcPBs02rB0pko-UK0x/s1600-h/ChristinaandJohnPiper.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ikTw8MH3GO6D5jkzQYntaiNwEy5Atj8QZWk_W5v4tTw1zu3H7LXBM4xomoVz1CPZrvVXtEQSwLUUYpu01Kwa_A7pZ8ZJZwGzaOVWAz6yV9LTrqa4LapcPBs02rB0pko-UK0x/s400/ChristinaandJohnPiper.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262980551607374306" border="0" /></a>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-27607708820156723342008-10-27T12:47:00.008-05:002008-10-27T23:56:42.734-05:00James 3: A StoryHere's a great short film made by <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org">Desiring God ministries</a>. My brother Pat <a href="http://ophastings.com/?p=132">posted it</a> on his blog. <br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-oHm7IB8Uxc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-oHm7IB8Uxc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="323"></embed></object>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-24424246723918060742008-10-14T21:53:00.013-05:002008-10-21T14:22:37.282-05:00Growing Up<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjWknqgdjEmBHkqJO9oVz3kwEf2fyu_B0SNZHoBF-VBzB-RXTigqGwb0pmsfj5gxaJfdMM4z5oL2ppoaT6_kDBMnOOJc3gubumM84_PUl8olypztjephyphenhyphenHIiayu3yc9XAe4-W/s1600-h/sistersonbeach.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjWknqgdjEmBHkqJO9oVz3kwEf2fyu_B0SNZHoBF-VBzB-RXTigqGwb0pmsfj5gxaJfdMM4z5oL2ppoaT6_kDBMnOOJc3gubumM84_PUl8olypztjephyphenhyphenHIiayu3yc9XAe4-W/s400/sistersonbeach.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259072005441603874" border="0" /></a><br />Hour after hour, day after day, week after week. It all adds up, and we grow older.<br /><br />Today, I turn fifteen. 15. I like it. It <span style="font-style: italic;">seems</span> good. I guess I have a year to find out.<br /><br />But it makes me think. If every birthday is a chapter in my life, then one day I'll find out that I'm on the last chapter, right? Chapter 78, Chapter 53, Chapter 36, or maybe Chapter 15. Will I look back and wish the storyline had been different?<br /><br />Sometimes I wish I could be a teenager forever - full of energy, ability, and potential. But sooner or later I'll die (yes, that's blunt). What will matter then? What will last? People who know me will die too, and I will lie forgotten 6 feet under the ground. Sounds depressing now, yet even if my existence <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> forgotten here on earth, I don't think that I'll care at the time. I'll be too busy worshiping God. He knows my name among millions of others.<br /><br />As I grow older, the question pops up all the time, "What are you going to do?" The answer is found in pondering what the point of life is and consequently how I should live my brief chapters. Of course, live to the fullest. Sure, live all out. Take the risk. But that will still fade away. What does it mean to leave a legacy? Is that important anyway?<br /><br />Last week, I read Ecclesiastes. It is a very depressing book about the futility of life and how everything we do is a "vanity of vanities". Oh, how it resonated with my heart as I reflected on how true it was! Is there anything that is not just "striving into the wind"? At the very end of the book comes the answer:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"This is the conclusion when all has been heard, fear God and keep his commandments." ~Ecclesiastes 12:13</span><br /><br />It sums up what life is about: God.<br /><br />Of course, I've known for years that "the purpose of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever" as the Westminster catechism says. Sure, I agree, but it was so generic that I could never fully grasp how that truth specifically applied to my life. But now I have a better understanding because of...a tomato.<br /><br />Co-Creator of VeggieTales and voice of Bob the Tomato, <a href="http://www.philvischer.com/">Phil Vischer</a> recently told his life story at a chapel service at Baylor University. God gave Vischer a big idea to create Christian children's animated films, and it became an actual reality as his company, Big Idea, began to thrive and reach out to thousands of families all across the world. Then it all came crashing down due to finances and some unwise business decisions. The company closed and was auctioned to a secular company, and Vischer lost it all. Amidst a very trying time, Vischer asked God why He would give someone a big dream, grow it into a thriving ministry reaching thousands, and then let it die?<br /><br />It was then that Phil Vischer heard the quote I wrote in my last post:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"He who has God plus many things has nothing more than he who has God alone."</span><br /><br />That quote helped me understand that the only thing that matters in life is God. Nothing else matters. The purpose of life is "To know God and to make Him known" as the famous slogan goes. And now I understand it. If all I ever did was know God closer and deeper, I would have lived my life well. Only one thing makes life meaningful: God. He is so great, transcendent, merciful, righteous, and gracious that He commands us to "love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength" (Mark 12:30). Everything really does mean EVERYTHING.<br /><br />Life is about God. It seems like I'm saying the obvious. I guess I am. But I pray it becomes more and more real in each of our lives this coming year.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you." ~Matt. 6:23</span>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-33514241898670296282008-09-16T20:43:00.007-05:002008-09-16T21:28:52.687-05:00God Alone<span style="font-weight: bold;">"He who has God plus many things has nothing more than he who has God alone."</span> - C.S. Lewis<br /><br />Think about that quote. That means:<br /><br />"He who has God plus a <span style="font-style: italic;">wonderful, godly family</span> has nothing more than he who has God alone."<br /><br />"He who has God plus a <span style="font-style: italic;">beautiful house and fancy car</span> has nothing more than he who has God alone."<br /><br />'"He who has God plus a <span style="font-style: italic;">perfect SAT score</span> has nothing more than he who has God alone."<br /><br />"He who has God plus a <span style="font-style: italic;">thriving ministry reaching thousands</span> has nothing more than he who has God alone."<br /><br />It's easy for jealousy to creep under our skin when we look at the possessions, the gifts, the talents, the circumstances, the family, or the ministry other Christians have. But in reality, it's all about Him. Nothing else. <span>It's all about Jesus.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> God alone.<br /></span>- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21028636.post-71613728215726505572008-09-01T16:59:00.002-05:002008-09-01T18:16:58.021-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.empoweredtraditionalist.com/wp-content/uploads/modestyheader.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://www.empoweredtraditionalist.com/wp-content/uploads/modestyheader.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Christa Taylor is hosting a <a href="http://www.empoweredtraditionalist.com/">Modesty Carnival</a> for the next couple of weeks. Check it out!- Christina Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16672643168709994886noreply@blogger.com0