Defining My Creation

*********************************************************************
What could be more appropriate than using my first post to explain this blog (it's meaning, purpose, etc)?
First of all, far from being professional or scheduled, this blog is a personal attempt to express my thoughts/feelings on whatevertheheckiwant, when and if I have the time. (A little bloggin' was originally recommened to me by my friend Jon)
My blog may not be like others because, after reading some friends blogs, I have created my own list of blog pet peeves.
In my blog, I will not attempt to encourage you with my every word (because let's be honest... no one, especially me, is really that encouraging anyways...).
I will not be fake and try to hide my weaknesses (everyone can see past 'blog perfection'.) On the contrary, I also will not pretend to be more humble than I really am.
I will not provide you with endless reasons of why my way of life is better than yours and then wonder why you don't agree (or worse, encourage you to speak up if you disagree... and then use your response to create a 'right-back-at-you' post on why I'm still right.)

I will simply try to be honest about what is going on in my life and how it's affecting me. (And if I'm not in the mood to do that... maybe I'll just throw down some of my favorite song lyrics or post some pictures...)

Next on the list, I thought I'd share with you the three-fold meaning of my blog title Dying for Life.
1) As a Christian, I am called to die to myself (and to this world) so that I can have life in Christ. In Luke 9:23 Jesus says, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."
And Philippians 1:21 says, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
These verses, along with a few others, are my main inspiration for the title. It's a real challenge for me to wrap my head around the fact that I'm called to die, right here and right now. I feel almost handi-capped when it comes to saying 'no' to myself. So here's to working on it!
2) Oftentimes when people truly desire something they say they are 'dying for' it. What I am 'dying for' is a taste of real life. My time with Christ almost always turns my eyes towards eternity, truth, and what is lasting. Various moments and instances have breezed through my life leaving me with a stark wonderment of what it means to be really alive... to live in the fullness of what God intended me (and my life) to be. However, it seems as if just as soon as the Lord sweeps me off my feet and into His loving arms, the world sweeps me back into its mess of temporary comfort. I need to learn how to live in willful obedience to God so that He can be showered with my constant praises and I can enjoy the true and lasting comfort of life... so that I can experience life beyond its mere definition of 'existence' in this world.
3) Finally, I want the words "for life" to define my committment to death and Christ. This is not a simple decision I am making today, tossed in the sea tomorrow and forgotten about forever. (...For one, I'm not located even remotely close enough to the sea to be able to toss something into it, let alone something this weighty...) But this call gives voice and meaning to my entire being and, with God's help, I will stick with it until the end. Even when my days are rough, the work is tedious, I'm tired out and giving up would be the easier alternative... He will be my strength... to rise up against those desires and pronounce them dead in my life.
***
Charles H. Perkhurst said, "Purpose gives life a meaning." (Don't worry, I've never heard of Charlie either) But I hope that if he feels purpose can accomplish meaning for a life it has done a little justice to my blog as well.
If you have any blogging tips for me, I'd appreciate them : )