IN the world but not OF it

How do we enjoy the things IN this world without "conforming" to the world?

I love so many things about life on earth! Let me list a few REALLY good ones:
Sunsets, Cool Breezes on a hot day, Oceans/Rivers/Lakes, Mountains, Fall for football and the changing of the trees, Winter for Christmas and snow, Spring for new blooms and sunshine, Summer for baseball and vacation, Spending time with family and friends, Good Conversation, Laughter, Good Books, Good Music, Walking the dogs, Chocolate.

And you're not going to believe this one - History. Yes - I hated history classes all my life but I can say that it's growing on me and I'm starting to appreciate it more and more. Maybe it's because mom and dad moved to such a historic city, and learning about the history of Charleston makes me want to learn more.

Life is so good, isn't it? God has provided such beauty on this earth to enjoy and be reminded of His magnificence. Notice that my list left off things such as fashion, celebrity gossip, and television/movies. This does not mean that I don't indulge myself with these pleasures. I watch The Bachelorette. I love to shop for clothes and jewelry. I like to see what's in the headlines of People and Us Weekly. But these things are so trivial in comparison to the above list. (in my opinion, anyway) I try to keep these "guilty pleasures" to a minimum. (Just as I should probably try to keep my intake of chocolate to a minimum....lol) Why do I limit myself? Because I feel as though the command in Romans 12:2 is referring to such "worldly" matters as these.

We should not "conform to the pattern of this world." To me, this means we should not do things the way the world is telling us to. We should follow God's commands, not the world's. We should think for ourselves and use our best judgment. We should not let the pleasures this world has created to overpower the pleasures that God has created for us. If we let worldly pleasures take control over us, then we forget about the greatest pleasures of all! (And the greatest TREASURE of all.)

I'm sorry for getting on a soapbox.
I'm not a Bible scholar, and I don't have any formal training in teaching or preaching the gospel.
I'm just a follower of Christ who is trying to find my place in this world. (as Michael W. Smith would put it)

Thank you for reading. Please feel free to comment and turn this into a discussion!
:)

New Name!

I've changed the name of my blog to reflect what I truly want my thoughts to be centered around- living for Christ in a world where we are tempted daily to win others' approval by doing or saying things that go against His commands. We are all guilty of falling into this trap, and my recent reflections have helped me pinpoint the areas in which I, personally, need some improvement.

One thing I'm working on is remembering that "my way" is not the only way! All of us have unique personalities and unique gifts. When I begin to judge others, I try to remember that we are all made differently - created uniquely by God for a special purpose.