that's gross.

i love grossing people out. sorry. heehee.

Okay, this is definitely NOT appetizing, right?

but who doesn't like home baked deliciousity? (you must pardon my english, i like using cartoon slang and other variations of real words)   these sloppy bananas will eventually be fresh and warm bread.....mmmmmmm....

Similar to those disgusting bananas are we, the human race. (i know, i do come up with the strangest analogies...) Alone we are broken and this leads to a life of frustration and futility. (ONCE YOU WERE ALIENATED FROM GOD AND WERE ENEMIES IN YOUR MINDS BECAUSE OF YOUR EVIL BEHAVIOR.- colossians 1:21)

But (isn't that a great word?) God has given us Jesus..... 

"BUT NOW HE HAS RECONCILED YOU BY CHRIST'S PHYSICAL BODY THROUGH DEATH TO PRESENT YOU HOLY IN HIS SIGHT WITHOUT BLEMISH AND FREE FROM ACCUSATION-"  colossians 1:22

amazing! incredible! what a glorious verse, i can't even fathom the greatness of it, because in my humanness it is like banana bread with chocolate chips (because it satisfies my craving for wholeness and meaning in life)-- instead of the supernatural freedom and GRACE and love and MERCY that it truly is!  i only hope that as i (and we) continue to seek God and search His word, He will reveal to me (and us) the depth of glory and truth that He is.  And that i (and we!!) wouldn't settle for the (mediocre and cheap) banana bread gospel message.  

Sometimes i hear the complaint that we cannot know what the bible is really telling us, or we can't tell other people that 'our interpretation' is the right one (which i understand in certain cases, there are things which the bible is not exactly clear on, and many things that i/we interpret wrongly and need to be corrected in- 2timothy3:16). --- BUT the scripture says otherwise about our knowing God and His word, so do not lose hope!! do not  think we are alone and must trust our own thoughts to lead us the right way (for this we need the Holy Spirit):

"AND WE ALSO THANK GOD CONTINUALLY BECAUSE, WHEN YOU RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD, WHICH YOU HEARD FROM US, YOU ACCEPTED IT NOT AS THE WORD OF MEN, BUT AS IT ACTUALLY IS, THE WORD OF GOD, WHICH IS AT WORK IN YOU WHO BELIEVE."  1 thessalonians 2:13

wow. clear as a bell.*

God's word in at work in us who BELIEVE.  

and so: at the end of this montage of things i am learning, i will put my new favorite challenge to myself:

1 THESSALONIANS 4:11-12

"make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anyone."

isn't that grand? anyway, anyone have examples of how to lead a quiet life? etc etc?? i'd love to hear what this means in a practical sense.

okay. my long windedness is finally 

done.

*disclaimer: i realize this is a cliche, and NOT all bells are clear.....