Perspective

Dear readers,
I have always thought of perspective. For example, today I was walking with my mom who is about 5 ft 1 in tall. I am around 5'5 and was wearing 4 inch platform shoes and she pointed out the difference between us, and I realized the difference in perspective I got standing 4 inches taller than normal. Again, in 20,000 leagues under the sea, he talks about how different it is being way underneath the ocean. Or if you lay in a field of grass and see what it is like to be an ant. Or if you are in a choir loft of a church, all of these are different views. You catch a glimpse of what it is like to be a giant, an ant, an octopus, a 5'9 woman, all of these let you take a look with different eyes. Although they are the same ones you have had your whole life it is different to see something new again. To see the top of a dusty fridge instead of the handle, or to see underneath a house instead of the side. And my point is we don't see it unless we take the motive to do so. A man could sit in a lounger his whole life and never turn away from the television, most people would say "what a waste!" A waste of time, of life, and of the opportunities that go farther than his television. So many times we are afraid to switch perspective, to see what it is like living without anything, or to see the bottom of a gum covered table. And yet we would see so much more and understand the world just a bit better because of it. We forget to step out, I get accustomed to the perspective of a higschooling, homeschooling, missionary living in the woods. And although this is abnormal it is not enough. We should embrace the world around us and more importantly we should embrace our God! We get used to an image we have built of him and ingrained into our brains. We don't bother to know him better because we just don't. And we deprive oursleves of the multi-dimensional relationship that he offers us! If only we switched perspectives.
Peace and Love in Christ,
Alyse

Credit

Dear readers,
Last night my mom, my sister and I stopped by a plave to listen to music. We didn't spend much time there but in the time we did spend a girl got up to sing a song and then afterwards she said that it was written by Joh Maher. But it wasn't, it was just covered by him. It also is an extremely famous song and the original was much more successful, and yet the credit was give to the guy who covered it. I feel like sometimes something similar happens in our lives. So much time people give credit to themselves for something that God did. But really they just helped it along or discovered it. SOmetimes when people say "That was great how did you do that?" About a testimony, or overcoming something or a huge number of other things we take the credit for ourselves. I am not saying that we never do anything but I think that so much of the time we give credit to humans for stuff that they didn't do. And that isn't bad in itself but it gets to the point we forget that all of the work was actually done by God! A weather man doesn't control the weather he just observes it and channels it to us. I guess that is a similar point. Let us remeber God in everything we do!
Peace and Love in Christ,
Alyse

Storm

Dear readers,
Today in morning prayer we got the reading from Matthew 8 about where Jesus calmed the storm on the sea. The boat is swamping and the disciples run to Jesus who is asleep bellow deck. They wake him up, frightened for their lives, and he says "oh you of little faith." Wow. It seems that he should have said "oh my goodness! Let me help!" but no, just, you of little faith. It makes you wonder huh? After he says this he does go up and rebuke the waves and wind to calm the sea and they were amazed. But Jesus wanted them to be so filled with faith in him to not even worry. Jonathan, a missionary, commented that what would have happened if one of the disciples had gone down and napped with Jesus? They would have woken up a while later from a good nap, but instead they worried. It is just like us to, amidst a storm in our lives, to worry, be preoccupied about ourselves. Of course this is natural and not always a bad thing but Jesus wants us to have enough faith in him not to worry. He is God and he knew there was a storm and yet he chose to stay sleeping. If we could just trust that he has it under control, which he does, the worry would vanish. Since there would be no reason left to worry, that is only if we truly believe. I say I know that Jesus is in control but when the storm comes i get around to saying "hey Jesus, heads up I am not OK." And he already knows! What would happen if we went down under and napped with Jesus? Just perfectly content to be with him in full knowledge that with him we are alright? I can not answer that question, the reason being that I have never done it. But I think we should try!
Peace and Love in Christ,
Alyse

Sheep

Dear readers,
Something that the priest said in mass today really touched me. He was commenting on how Jesus calls us his sheep and he our shepard. I know this. My grandpa loves the image of Jesus as the good shepard and I do too. But he said something different. When we think of sheep we don't think strong, we don't thank smart or courageous. We think of something that is simple and docile something that is obedient and loving. And if you take a sheep away and let it roam it gets lost. It is helpless and it can't find it's way back alone. Unlike dogs and cats that can get lost and eventually wonder back a sheep wouldn't do that. Just because it couldn't. Not without help. And yet we are Jesus sheep, not his wolves or his super-powered warriors, just sheep. And I know I wouldn't want to be a sheep without a Shepard, but thankfully I don't need to be. Because Jesus is my shepperd! Praise God, huh? And even though we are his simple sheep, he loves us and knows us by name. He is our shepard and protector! Praise God!
Peace and Love in Christ,
Alyse

At all costs

Dear readers,
I am reading through the acts of the apostles. I love it! To see how our church began and how valiant in preaching the gospel all of the saints were is truly inspiring. But, one thing in particular is sticking out to me throughout the whole thing and that is how fearless and unafraid they were to preach! St. Paul, knew it best of all because he himself used to persecute the Christians. And yet he preached and proclaimed valiantly. Reading about Martyrs always inspires me. I say I would die for Jesus, but would I? I don't think I will ever know unless I am confronted by the situation. Yeah, I am and have been persecuted but that is different. That consists of pride, my own concern with reputation, not my life. Would I, Alyse, die for Christ? I can only hope so. "For me life is Christ and death is gain." I want to live that. Of course I HIGHLY doubt that, I, or any of you will be martyred but there is always a possibility. And I guess my point is, like those before us, those who founded our faith they had something different. They were so unafraid! I want to be like that. I want when people to see me and hear me just to know that I am ready to die for Jesus because that is how strongly I believe in what I say and because, if that is necessary, that is the most I can do and I am willing to do it. Please pray that God gives me the courage to die for him if ever needed and to live for him every day!
Peace and Love in Christ,
Alyse

Come and see

Dear readers,
Right now at FMC we are having what we call a "come and see". It is where people discerning to be missionaries can come and see Fmc and all that it is about. We have a family here with six kids, an engaged couple and one single guy. I am so blessed to see 2 familiar faces in the group! I am also blessed that everyone looks happy and blessed to be here! Please be praying that if God is calling them to be missionaries (or maybe you too) that they would answer his call! I am praying fo rall of ya'll daily! I need to go now but God bless!
Peace and Love in Christ,
Alyse

Childlike

Dear readers,
A couple of days ago I went and helped my friend babysit a little missionary girl named Maria. When we tucked her in something she said truly touched me. She thanked God for all that she had that really spoke to me then she prayed for discernment in her vocation. Wow. This little girl of six years old is praying for her vocationa lready. Talk about being a step ahead. Even I don't always remember to pray for that and I just started doing it recently. The faith with which she asked God for her simple intentions and thanked him so sincerley made me know without a doubt that God was so proud. I could feel just a little bit of how precious she was in his sight. It made me understand why Jesus loved the little children! Of course I do too but it is just so amazing the way that she loves him. I am praying that I can be as trusting in God and as faith filled as Maria is! There is so much we can learn from children! There are so many things that we should turn to and resort to that children do naturally! I just wanted to share that with ya'll!
Peace and Love in Christ,
Alyse