Heaven, Earth, Desires.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

-Ps. 73:25-26

I read these verses not too long ago and thought about the first part. Whom have I in heaven but you? Okay, that's true I have no one in heavens but God but what about the next part. And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you? Wow, I know that that isn't true in my life. There are many things that I desire at times over God or his way. Do I want that to be true of my life that I'm content with God alone? Yes, I do, not 100%, but my spirit does desires this.

Last Sunday during the sermon, Pastor Brooks Simpson was preaching about the rich ruler who came to Jesus and wanted to know how to inherit eternal life. (if you want to listen to his sermons you can go to http://gracecommunitynet.org ) He used this story to address the issue of idols in our lives. God is the only one who can save us from ourselves and our idols. If we decide to get rid of one idol, say food, we will so easily find another idol to replace it with. That's why we need Jesus. He replaces our idols with himself.

Okay, so that's all for now. Look for pics of our thanksgiving and weekend on Sunday or the early part of next week. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

another clip from thailand

I thought that you all might like to see a video that I took in Thailand at the orphanage. It was during one of the kids camps that we helped with. The movie is of them singing Cowgirl Chrissy's "favorite song" (if you didn't get it don't ask :) ) in Thai and then trying to sing it also in English.

I hope you like it. Next time I post I'm planning on sharing something more on the spiritual serious side.

more video blogging

Hey again from the world of video blogging; which if you didn't know, I have recently discovered. This video is yes you guessed it, pretty random. What can I say that's kind of how God made me. It is also a Sunday so there aren't a lot of pressing matters right at hand.

Thanks again for visiting my blog and if you haven't been following me in my latest travels but would like to see some pics from Asia just go to my posts between 31st of Aug. and the 26th of Oct. God bless

Getting a Perspective

Okay fellow Christ Followers, I have something I want to share with you that really was a huge blessing to me this past year. It's a course called Perspectives on the World Christian Movement.

It about a year ago when a friend told me about something called Perspectives and how it really changed her life and how I should definitely take it. When we returned from the conferences we were helping with in FL I was so surprised to open the church bulletin and see printed in big font "PERSPECTIVES". Our church was coordinating a perspective course for the first time since we've been there. Needless to say that pretty much convinced me that I God wanted me to go. So I did, along with my whole family, as well.

It was such a blessing to me! I think the main thing that I got out of it was that everything that God does is for His glory!!! I really would encourage any Christian to take Perspectives.

I'll give you a quick overview of what the course is like, but if you want more info or if you want to find a class in your area you can go to: http://www.perspectives.org/site/pp.aspx?c=eqLLI0OFKrF&b=2806295

Okay, during the course you go listen to a speaker once a week. Last year our church held the meeting on Sunday night but this year it's going to be on Tue. Then during the rest of the week you have some reading assignments. The amount that you have to read depends on the which way you choose to take the course. There are three ways which you can choose to take it. Audit, certificate, or credit. If you take it for certificate or credit you have an open book quiz every week.

The course is a little pricey but if you compare it to a college course it's not. It's $200 dollars for the audit and certificate and then $400 for the credit. The course was totally worth it, though!!!! Another plus is that once you take pay once you can go back for free any year after.

This course is very missions focused but it's not just for those who want to go to the field it's for everyone. Just because you might feel like God doesn't want you to on "the missions field" there are still things He has for all of us to do from here. So check it out, be encouraged in your faith and walk, and risk getting a new perspective on life.

Hair and Blog Makeover!!

There's been a few changes in Chrissy world recently. First, last Friday, I got a haircut. I was tired of too many bad hair days in a row so I found a pic on the net that I liked and went to my always faithful hairstylists, Cost Cutters! Okay, so maybe they're not the fanciest place in the world but you got to love the price and the policies. If you don't like how your hair turned out, you can go back and get it cut again within a week for free.

My hair wasn't the only thing that got a makeover though, so did my blog for all of you who haven't noticed. Thanks to the Pracher's blog I was able to go to a really neat website with free backgrounds! It was fun looking through all the different options and I now feel like my blog is just that much more personalized!

So that's the latest from my side of this round globe.

The Price of Following Christ

For some the price of following Christ is high. Such as giving their lives or maybe worst, being tortured and living in a prison cell all alone. Then there are others who don't hardly give up a comfort for following Him and maybe even experience greater comfort from being a Christian.

Since visiting other countries numerous times I've concluded that it's harder to really live for Christ here in America. Here there is so much to distract us from the One who is really important. We don't have many hardships that drive us to Christ. When we're sick we go to a doctor, when we need money we work, when we need groceries we go to Walmart which is open 24/7. It's so easy to be a lukewarm Christian.

I'm not saying that there aren't Christians who are completely sold out to Christ here, there definitely are, but all I'm saying is that we need to be aware of what we're up against. What I've experienced in my life coming back from a missions trip, is that it's easy to get caught back up in life and just pick up where you left off; almost like you never left at all. Here we have family, friends, the same language, familiar food and surroundings which are all things that when we don't have them drive us to Him. Let us be seeking our Lord and His will for our lives daily. Would He have us be living the lives we are living.

I pray that I and you would be willing to leave the comfort and security of a normal American life for God's glory. That we would really know what it means to leave father, mother, family, all for the sake of Christ.

Let us seriously look and pray. Are we willing to pay the price here on earth for following Him. Some of us will be called to stay here, some to go, some to live with loneliness, some with many friends, some with much materially, some living from meal to meal, some will live a long life, some will gives their lives at a young age. Will we decided will trade the joy and peace of following Him for a short life of choosing our own way? Are we willing to say yes to Christ no matter where He leads? Not seeking self glory or our own desires or agendas no matter how noble the cause? There is no greater joy and blessing in life then following Christ will all our hearts.

Video blogging at it's worst

Okay so I did some video blogging the last week and I succeeded in making a really funny video but it was too long and so I couldn't get it to load. I tried a number of times but it still wouldn't work. I've ended up putting one of the shorter ones on which isn't nearly as funny and I'm a dork in it, but that's okay. I probably don't have much of a reputation anymore anyway.

So go ahead, I dare you, and click on it, and enjoy the complete craziness from Chrissy.

(I'm wearing a hat because I was having a bad hair day and just to add to the video)

Aunt 'Net

Today is a very special day for someone that I love. It's my Aunt Lynette's birthday!

Happy Birthday Aunt 'Net! I thought about sending you and e-card but then I had a better idea, posting about it. I'm guessing that you won't see this on your birthday but I hope it's not too long from "your day" that you return once again to Kitti's Klips:) So many people now know your birthday is today, the 9th of Nov. what they don't know how old you are but that will be our secret :).

I love you Auntie! I hope you didn't have to work today and got to spend it with your family.

Love, Chrissy

Hey Everyone and especially Dani and Nickie. This one is addressed to everyone but definitely you two. The last video was so much fun that I was too excited about adding another that I couldn't wait. This video is from when I was in Burma so enjoy!

You know I might just have to do some video blogging now. Sounds like fun!

Okay so I finally succeeded in putting one of my movies on! Yes!

The movie is taken on the Santosa beach in Singapore after Dani and I caught a lizard. (I don't think either one of us could really believe we really did catch it.) After admiring him for a little while we had this brilliant idea of making a commercial imitating geico insurance company's ones.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did in making it!

Dying and living

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. -John 12:24-25
Okay, so I said that I would blog about the talks that I had on the way back home. I'm not going to tell you all that we talked about but I'll give you some of it and if you want more you have to call me or we'll have to get together.

The first conversation that I had was on the flight from Chang Rai to Bangkok. I chose a empty row of seats and sat in the one by the window. Soon after I sat down there was a man who chose the aisle seat and then the last person to sit down chose the one by me.
I soon found out that he was a German who has been living in Bangkok for somewhere around the last 6 yrs. He said hello and I think I told him that I was there in Thailand for some ministry. We got talking and one thing lead to another and we ended up talking for the length on the flight.
I believe he grew up Protestant but I'm not sure about that. He is an intelligent man who knows several languages including Thai, German, and wonderful English. I got the impression that he's well read in what he's interested in, and he was very polite but very straight forward. I also got the impression that we was a very unhappy person. I think he told me that he doesn't like Germany, I know he doesn't like Bangkok, and he didn't seem very happy with his marriage either.
So if I remember right, he asked me what I believed or what I was teaching on this missions trip. So I started to tell him. It was probably one of the most intense conversation that I have ever had with someone about spiritual things. He said he used to be a Christian but he had a spiritual breakdown (that wasn't the way he said it but it was the idea that he realized all he had been believe was wrong) and now he doesn't buy the it. You know I'm not really sure all of what he believes but we spent a lot of time debating. He told me he thought my arguments were somewhat lame and based on emotions and that I shouldn't be paraphrasing (I was paraphrasing verses that I didn't have memorized word for word) a book as important as the bible.
Over all I am very thankful to God for the conversation for my sake and for this man's. He really did listen pretty well when I was talking and I used some of Ray Comforts illustrations like the parachute one and quoted the bible. So even if he doesn't believe that this is truth he listen to the truth and God promises that his word will not return void. Also, I'm glad for me because it showed me more of where I'm lacking and that I can be better prepared.
During the conversation I felt somewhat attacked by satan but I'm so glad that my God is greater and he is the one who is my Protector! At the end of the flight we ended on good terms and we both said that it was an honor to talk to one another which it really was. That God would let me talk to someone like him is amazing because I am so unqualified but our Jesus is humble and mighty!

The next flight that I was one was to Tokyo, and I sat next to an Indonesian woman and her adult daughter. I felt like I should talk to them about Jesus but I never did. I think that if was okay though because what I was able to do was just get to know them a little and be a help to them on the flight. The mother of course invited me to stay at their home if I was ever in Indonesia. Towards the end of the flight I gave them my home address and phone and email (which I debated about doing since it's world4jesus) and then they gave me their info. I think that it really meant a lot to them that I would invite them to stay with us if they were ever in Iowa especially the daughter. So maybe I'll send them an card, and I guess if I'm ever in Jakarta I'll have to give them a call.
During our conversations I did tell them that I was coming back from a missions trip and they said "oh missionary" or something like that. So I'm hoping that since they knew that I was a Christian, Jesus will use our time together for his glory. And you never know this might just be the begin of a friendship.

The last conversation was in the MN airport. I had gotten myself a hot cocoa and had sat down in a comfortable arm chair to write, eat my cookies, enjoy my warm drink, listen to my music, and wait for my flight. After a while there was a middle aged women who sat down in the other chair across the table from me. I offered her some of my cookies since she had a drink as well. She took one and we started talking.
I told her where I was coming from and she told me that she had been as well. She had come from this religious conference in DC. I asked her a lot about it and what she believed. I forget the name of the religion right now but basically if I understand right they have some set things they believe but then everyone just decides what they believe for everything else. I think it's kind of like however you can find your "connection" with God and gaining high consciousness maybe?
After a while of her telling me what she believed she asked me what I believed. I did want to tell her but first I asked her a few more questions. I wanted to know what her thinking was and why. I think that God worked it all out that way so I would know better about what to say.
We talked for at around an hour, maybe more? I was tired by that time. At one point I quoted something that Jesus had said I think it was "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father except though me" she told me she didn't believe Jesus had really said that. She said that the people who wrote the New Testament didn't even know Jesus and it was written thousands of years after him. I pointed out some of the people who did know Jesus personally who were some of the authors of the New testament.
In the end we left on good terms as well. She said that she appreciated how we could just talk about these things and it wasn't that I was trying to convert her or her me. She didn't realize that yes I was trying to share the Truth with her but I wasn't doing it in a pushy or offensive way. I gave her the way of the master website name and ask her for the website to her religion.

God really worked these conversations out and I know that it was Him who had these planned. Like the German man, from his own lips he told me that he wanted to fly home another day but it didn't work out and that the seat by me was the last one in the whole plane (very flattering don't you think? :). And the lady in the airport came and sat next to me, I didn't sit next to her and she was the one who asked me what I believed. It's just really cool to see that God works it all out. He really doesn't need our help we just need to be willing and die to ourselves so we can live for Christ!