Good Gravy (and Lists)

So what have y'all been stressing about lately? If you're like me, sometimes you'll be in bed trying to go to sleep when you remember something you have to do. There's that inward groan and the mental zap that jump-starts your heart and won't let you get to sleep just yet.

I mention this because our message in church yesterday was entitled "...So Don't be Anxious." And... wow. God really spoke to me. Especially with the holidays here, and finals around the corner, and everything else we go through every day, I know we worry. And this message was such an encouragement, I'd encourage you to listen to it next time you've got an extra 40 minutes or so. They haven't posted it online yet but I'll post a link here when they do. :) 40 minutes can seem like a lot, especially around this time of year, but come on: could you stand to miss one tv show?

Here are a few of my notes, which I'm going to need to keep nearby over the next couple of weeks:

• When faith is dying out, anxious greed comes to life
• Worriers act as if they had the ability to control the uncontrollable (worrying won't prevent cancer, or produce perfect kids)
• A worrier stores treasure in the wrong place. If your treasure is something that can be taken away, you're setting yourself up for worry.
• The best thing you can ever want, you can never lose, and you can always give it away.

Seven Reasons Not to Worry (Luke 12:13-34)

1. Your life is so much more than what you do/don't have.
2. (v24) "Consider the ravens..." God provides for the birds. And we are more valuable than them.
3. Worrying does No GOOD and accomplishes nothing.
4. (v27-28) He clothes the lilies - how much more will we outshine the lilies? He will clothe us in His glory.
5. (v29-30) Anxiety makes you like the world, those who do not know God. God knows what you need. He will give you what you need to live if you need Him.
6. (v32) It is His pleasure to give us His kingdom. Our Father is God! He chooses gladly to love us.
7. We become anxious because we want to get, not lose what we've got. So give.

Thanksgiving break to-do list:
Register for spring semester
Reply to all blog comments (er, some?)
Catch up on all blogs
Complete media scrapbook
Get halfway caught up on e-mails
Find time for a few episodes of Gilmore Girls
Survive the mall on Saturday
Catch up on reading from Govt, Hist and Soci.
Finish online QUIA homework and chapter of Puntos
Begin work on oral presentation in Spanish

Eh, not too bad I guess. We'll see if I can get the rest done this week. :)