Broken Branches

relocating

2008-07-30T21:22:00.001-07:00

so, for future thoughts From Cody Snouffer proceed to the link

www.inkedesperanza.blogspot.com

fe paz y amor

Summer Update From New Mexico

2008-07-13T16:43:00.001-07:00

Heyall!
So it's been a while, but Abbey and myself have been pretty darn busy at the Glorietta Conference Center in New Mexico!

She's been out here all summer and i just got here about 2 weeks ago, but it's a pretty amazing place.

All sorts of crazy things have been happening, Addison Ruge and Charlie Hall were here leading worship, and some of the speakers have been absolutely amazing! But the funniest part has been the staff--there are some hilarious people out here, and they all love to serve God in a unique way that is totally awesome!

God's really been opening my mind and heart to hear his every word and command--or at least try to and do better than i have been in recent months--It's amazing what happens when you simply listen and do what he says--no questions asked.
One such example is our friend Christopher--He's homeless and lives in Santa Fe in front of the Smith's Grocery store--1 of my favorite nights here so far was spent eating pizza with him, leafing through the bible and swapping incoherant stories about life--truly an amazing experience that would not have happened had we not simply obeyed the slight nudge of the Holy Spirit.

One day the speaker was speaking about Moses, when he was called at the burning bush--and something lept out at me--God wanted to include Moses in his divine and awesome plans--and Moses made excuse after excuse-- i think we all as Christians do like Moses did more than we should...

The Divine, All Powerful, Creator of the Universe and every life you have ever come in contact with WANTS to use YOU in the plans for his kingdom--why on earth would we want an excuse out of that?

what i'm wanting

2008-06-21T23:05:00.000-07:00

In this broken world there is much to see,tearing eyes and wounded heart on bended kneewashed in the blood flowing from your side,these hands and feet are yours to guide//
And what about the children,think about the world we're leaving,stains to clean and wounds to seal,show them that there's something to heal//
Whatever happened to good old yesterday?when people all joined in to say,"be kind to one-another-and always love your brother,grace and peace, joy and humility,and the love, which binds us all in unity"//
So always smile and never turn down a child's hug,these simple acts are touches from above,maybe its time to up and take the lead,follow that old command to "stand and follow me"//

Love is pouring, Grace is flowing, and to the world its going,Heads are turning, and hearts are yerning, looking for you,In this overflowits an overflow, i want an overflow...
..of you

How do you dress?

2008-06-03T21:49:00.000-07:00

So Colossians 3 has been blowing my mind as of late--just soo much to chew on--and i love how it gives you directions to live:
Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Metaphorically speaking, i don't know how you clothe yourself on a daily basis--but that right there is one heck fighting wardrobe. Compassion that sees other needs and desires to meet them, kindness to brighten someone's day, humility to keep others above ourselves (very rare this season), gentleness to approach others in a non abrasive way, and patience to exist with everyone else no matter what they happen to be wearing (metaphorically speaking)-

Then, Love--like the belt that binds it all together, or just that added accent to your life that shows others that you really didn't dress yourself this morning-someone else did with a purpose that goes beyond just what they're seeing, but based on what they are seeing they're wanting more--

I guess i'm tired of the outfits i put on everyday, i'd much rather let my father pick out my clothes--

2008-05-25T14:40:00.000-07:00

So, it's been another month since i've updated, and i was thinking--

ever wonder why we wonder?

ever wonder why we don't?

yesterday a grandma brought her 15 month old grandson into our family business, which is just full of fun things to do. It was adorable--he toddles in, then freezes just in the door, eyes wide, taking in all of his options. He just didn't know what to do with himself--so he just kinda wobbled there in utter awe of what was before him.

Typically, a kid in his position would run rampant and do everything in the gym as quickly as possible until utterly spent and worn out...But this little boy opened my eyes up to a new way to do things. He just waited until myself and his grandma took him around and showed him the amazing stuff to do

Room=Life

People giving the tour=God

why don't we sit in wonderment at what God has planned and for us to do? why don't we give him time to show us? why don't we ask him to show us?

between the elipsis of my facebook status

2008-04-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

So it's been about a month since one of us has posted on here, and out of the silence of web print, and the noise of the MVNU SGA office--here comes the thoughts from who knows where, the status of my lately, the DL, the scoop, this is wassup, and this is whats between the elipsis of my facebook status!

Been thinking a ton lately about challenges and the things we go through--what are they buidling us toward--and why is it that we soo often refuse to really talk about what is truly truly going on. Do you think everything in our life is building towards something? I wonder, cause after everything that's happened this year in my life and the lives of some of my friends--i would think that one of us would be arriving and saying--oh, this is what all of that was for! but instead, things just keep building, forever in challenging situations that have me running towards the light at the end of the tunnel only to find myself at the bottom of a hill and needing to climb--never finished, a work in progress, a piece of pottery that always needs a lil more right there and just one more spin around the wheel.

And why don't we tell everyone what's going on? i really don't know--but i think it's time we stopped speaking in indefinite pronouns, elaborated to those who deserve it, and at the end of the day-be at peace with who we are in that moment and with hope of who we'll be tomorrow.

fe paz y amor

Sound track to my life

2008-03-10T22:11:00.000-07:00

So take me as you find me, all my fears and failures, fill my life again. I give my life to follow God above and the world in motion, God above all my hopes and fears, and I don't care what the world throws at me now, I'm gonna be alright cause Mercy is falling like the sweet spring rain, and mercy is falling all over me,
True love exists yes i know this, my heart was waiting you, and when we met i felt my chest pound fast, watiing for the chance to know you, to hold you, to open up and show you the way it feels when you know
that you are the everlasting God, the EVERLASTING GOD, you do not faint, you don't grow weary, You are my supply and my breath of life, You're my coming king, you are everything, and How can i keep from singing your praise, how can i ever say enough? how amazing is your love? how can i keep from shouting your name? I know i am loved by a king, and it makes my heart want to Breath because you have allowed me, I breathe only to tell of your mercy, I breathe, though i'm not deserving, and i will love you when the sun's shining down on me, and the worlds all as it should be, and the road's marked with suffereing, and there's pain in the offering it awakes my heart to sing, how marvelous how wonderful you are! Oh beautiful one i love, and beutiful one i adore, beatiful one my soul must sing Lord i'm amazed by You, Lord i'm AMAZED by YOU, Lord i'm amazed by you, and how your arms are open wide, you're name is Jesus, you understand, you are the answer i am looking for, so i'll come home running out of darkness and out of shame, through the cross you are the truth you are the life you are the way.
This is my desire, to honor you, Lord with all my heart, I worship you, all i have with in me, I give you praise, ll that i adore is in you Jesus-take me into your heart, into your heart, cause Lord my sould delights, when i know you hear my prayers, so take me deeper Lord. Take me Deeper Lord.

do i have ADD? maybe
is the Lord Jesus Christ amazing? absolutely
fe paz y amor

Simply-Not

2008-02-28T22:22:00.000-08:00

Psalm 27: 13-14
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord.

so simple, yet so difficult

!Pon tu esperanza en el Senor!

Greater things than Jesus?

2008-02-23T23:03:00.000-08:00

So, if that title doesn't get you interested, i really don't know what else i have to put on here to get you to read it!
haha
So, i was reading in John 14 tonight (i've been in john for months--wonderful book!) and Jesus is talking about leaving and going to prepare a place....yada yada yada...
Now, just about when my brain started up the auto-read-pilot, i read where Jesus replies, "anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing"--wow, if we simply have faith in Jesus, we are called to be like him, to minister to everyone we come in contact with, love everyone and meet their needs where they are at during that moment in time--eat with prostitutes and sinners, feed a lot of people, be merciful, the list could go on for quite a few gospels....
THEN--right after that, he says something my mind can't even comprehend--"He (who has faith in me) will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father"--
quickly in the next series of verses he explains the sending of the Holy Spirit to us to counsel us and provide us with a direct connecto to understand God--but did he really mean we would do greater things than that? I mean, obviously sin is going to get in the way of the perfect life goal--but as far as actions: dailing compassion, abounding mercy, random acts of kindness--can we actually do better than Jesus did? are we trying to?

ponder, and please post your thoughts!

What's the Word?

2008-02-20T21:00:00.001-08:00

So, it's been a while since the last post, and i've been thinking....
As general as humans, specifically as Americans, and even more specifically as Christians, we get caught up in fads-trends-movements-momentary labels that aid us in this identity crisis we call life. For example, i've been a 'jock', a 'music kid', 'coffee shop regular', a 'highschooler', a teenager, and yes, i've even been a 'pokemon master'

now all of those are well and good, and having a sense of identity and direction in your life is very important--but i'm struggling to wrap my mind around the 'christian movements'
Emerging? Charismatic?
Community? Nazarene?
Evangelistic? Non-denominational?
Reforming? Sanctified/fying/fication?
I have nothing against any of these words, any of these books, any of these authors, or anyone who likes to use these adjectives to describe the kind of walk they emmulate.
BUT
I wonder if by labeling ourselves we miss the point? does the focus become the actions that the word represent-maybe worse does the focus become the word itself? Shouldn't the focus be the God who made the word?
Okayy, well here ya go--God is Love--therefore the right word and movement definer and bandwagon is the 'love' movement-right?
I'm not even convinced of that yet...because God is love--but God is also peace, HOLY, patiences, kindness, goodness, gentleness, selfcontrolled, jealous, angry, passionate--
So what if the new word we used to describe our movement, to define our walks and lives is the one word that represented and lived all these things: Jesus
Sure, its broad, it covers a large area...an area so large that i don't think it leaves anything out--
Emerging, Holy, sanctified, non-denominational, communistic, evangelistic, charismatic, reforming, nazarene
JESUS

****By the way--this is not me trying to rag on or criticize anybody/anything/anyother indefinite pronoun--it's just a bur thats been up my saddle for the last 6 months and i've just now taken time to dig it out****

word to your mother
paz

Puzzle Pieces

2008-02-09T22:36:00.000-08:00

When i was born, a 1 million piece puzzle was dumped on a table--all the pieces were fixed upside down, but can be slid around to fit together--as my life has been unfolding, i've been trying to put the pieces together--some have come together easy--others have been shifted and reaaranged so many times it's hard to remember where they came from or where they're supposed to go--sometimes--a few pieces that have come together are flipped over and i'm truly able to see what they really look like and where it needs to fit into the larger scale puzzle that is my life--usually after moments like this, i find someother pieces (still upsidedown) that i think belong with other pieces--in effor tot make them fit--i'll slam it, jam it, twist it, and even cut the pieces to make them fit where i think they ought to go--

But--i think this puzzle is too complex for my feeble mentality--it's one that requires the help of a parent--and the cool thing is that my parent knows what the whole puzzle should look like--and he will tell me where to put the various pieces--whether it makes sense--whether it looks like it fits--whether that's where i want to put it or not--all i must do is listen to him--put the pieces where they go--and at the end--when it is all turned over--maybe it'll all make sense--and i am confident in that hope

a wedding dress & a whore.

2008-02-07T17:49:00.000-08:00

If you could love me as a wife
and for my wedding gift, your life
Should that be all I’d ever need
or is there more I’m looking for
and should I read between the lines
and look for blessings in disguise
To make me handsome, rich, and wise
Is that really what you want

I am a whore I do confess
But I put you on just like a wedding dress
and I run down the aisle
and I run down the aisle
I’m a prodigal with no way home
but I put you on just like a ring of gold
and I run down the aisle to you

So could you love this bastard child
Though I don’t trust you to provide
With one hand in a pot of gold
and with the other in your side
I am so easily satisfied
by the call of lovers so less wild
That I would take a little cash
Over your very flesh and blood

Because money cannot buy
a husband’s jealous eye
When you have knowingly deceived his wife

Okay, so I’m going to break the pattern here and move away from a Scripture based entry. I apologize.

Last semester this song really spoke to me...

The part that stood out to me most was the part that says, “I am so easily satisfied by the call of lovers so less wild.” First of all, to me, it’s incredible to be able to view God as a “lover.” I still don’t fully grasp that, and I honestly don’t think I ever will be able to wrap my mind around the concept of God as a lover. He is love. But, can we ever fully grasp what God’s love truly is? I feel like I could spend my life seeking to fully understand what Christ like love looks like, and I still wouldn’t even begin to understand a fraction of it.
God as a lover. Unfathomable.
Second, the line itself. It’s true, I am so easily satisfied by the call of lovers so less wild. It could be anything. I am so easily distracted by things so unworthy. Nothing in this world compares to a God who created it. Nothing is as “wild” as our lover. What else in this world could be omnipresent? Nothing. What else in this world could heal the blind, feed five thousand people, heal the leper, and never sin? Nothing. What else in this world could die for everyone? Nothing.

What else in this world could conquer death?
Nothing.
No one.

Nothing could be more wild a lover than God. Yet, how easily we are pulled away from Him.
Derek Webb had it so right. I am a whore.
But. (Oh how I love the But conjunction in His Word.) He has redeemed me. He has set me free. He has died for me. He has redeemed you. He has set you free. He has died for you. He is a jealous God, too. The bridge of the song says, “Because money cannot buy a husband’s jealous eye when you have knowingly deceived his wife.” Think about that in relation to God’s relationship with the Church, His bride. We are the church. I am the church. I am a whore. The church is a whore. We are so easily satisfied by things which knowingly deceive us. This blows my mind sometimes. He is jealous of those things in our lives that we allow to deceive us, those things that pull us away from Him and toward things of this world.

I am a whore I do confess. But I put you on just like a wedding dress and I run down the aisle, and I run down the aisle. I’m a prodigal with no way home, but I put you on just like a ring of gold and I run down the aisle to you.

Crippled Obedience

2008-02-02T23:36:00.000-08:00

So, been thinking alot about "The Future" haha, and realizing that life would be soo much easier if we just had someone who told us what to do. But, then again, people typically hate having others tell them what to do--unless you the individual are at a completely out of ideas, solutions, and options of your own to work from---which is sadly where i think i am...haha...but then, i was reading the other day, and i think that that place of utter hopelessness is the best place to be:

John 5:1-14
1Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. 2Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda^[a] and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.^[b] 5One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"

7"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."

8Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat."

11But he replied, "The man who made me well said to me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.' "

12So they asked him, "Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?"

13The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.

14Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." 15The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

So, the first thing i noticed is that all of the 'disabled' people gather together? how often do we do that? i mean honestly, things are going well, so instead of going to find people who can help make our situations better, we go to the nearest pity party where we can all talk about how much we hate life and just feed on each other's crummy attitudes and bitterness

THEN--Jesus comes in, and notices how long that man had been like that...a LONG time--then asks the best question ever "DO YOU WANT TO GET BETTER?"
I don't know if they say, "duh" in the bible, or what the hebrew equivalent is...but i bet the word crossed the crippled man's mind. And i love how he immediately answers Jesus' question with the answer to why all of his (the man's) solutions wouldn't work--the man has run out of options, he's so close to what he thinks is the answer to all of his problems, but he's not strong enough to do it on his own--i think he said what did hoping that Jesus would help HIS (the man's) reality and solution come true--instead, Jesus goes a totally different way.

He tells the man to get up and walk--

WHAT?!?!?

"hey man who hasn't walked in THIRTY EIGHT YEARS--get up and walk"

'that will never work'
'I can't do that'
'DO YOU SEE THE SITUATION I'M IN'

and the simple answer to all of those statements is-"Yes"

Yea, Jesus knows what we are going through, he "realizes how long we've been like that" and he has the answers and the solutions...but I'm almost positive, like the man, we don't realize all we have to do is obey...to pick up our mats (or baggage, decision, or whatever the issue is) and walk.

ANd i love the simple response the man gives when is questioned about his healing and resolved problem: "the man who made me well, told me to pick up my mat and walk"

"hey man, how'd you get out of that situation...how'd yo uknow what to do? why are you going about it in that way??!?"

'the guy/the man/ the savior, who made me well/saved me/has all the answers, told me to do ______, and now i'm better--i simply did what he told me to do'

just really thought that was interesting stuff, and the timing at which i read this passage was absolutely amazing--and following conversations with some near and dear friends brought the passage into a further new light for me.

SO-conclusion time: if you are at that point in life where everything you thought you knew or would work just isn't cutting it--you're at the best place to try something new, that might seem crazy/rediculous/scary/challenging--and odds are, Jesus is trying to tell you what that is, all you have to do is listen, then obey--and you just might find yourself walking again!

paz y amor!

Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How

2008-01-31T23:13:00.000-08:00

The answers to these questions is quite simple:
John 15:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.

Alright, so i highlighted some of things that really stick out to me in that passage--i had read this passage many times, but it took on a whole new meaning while on a missions trip to France, Spain, and Portugal--but we'll cover that in later posts and as we see fit, but back to the questions, and title of this post:
Who's writing all of this? just two kids who realize that they are nothing more than branches growing from the vine that is Jesus Christ.
What's this thing all about? just two branches who enjoy dreaming and want to branch out and touch as many people as possible through thoughts, scriptures, songs, and life in general (the whole love thing highlighted above)
Where is all this coming from? Honestly, sometimes i have no idea! but a lot will prolly be found in the Bible and the depths of our hearts.
When should i (you) ask questions and comment back? as often as possible--honestly, everything is welcome!
Why is this here? cause sometimes it helps to write things out to get a better persepective on them, and other times it's nice to read what's going on in someone else's life, let their experiences work for your own.
and
How is any of this relevant to my (your) life? ----honestly....that's up to you--we're gonna do our best to convey truths and encouragements through this blog--ultimately if it is TRUE it will have some relevance or application to my (your) life!

So there ya have it, just two kids who want to connect with others in a real way by staying connected to the vine and life support, Jesus Christ.

Faith, Love, and Happiness