Are Laura G's Philosphies God's Philosphies???

I was reading my favorite blogger today, Ann Voskamp's A Holy Experience and she and Holly were exchanging words about it means to give enough and I also listened to Alistair Begg's Truth For Life this morning about False Teachers and I began wondering what shapes my philosophies?? So much I am afraid are my personal experiences instead of God's objective truth in the Bible. Circumstances are bad, so God must be punishing me. I have a lot more than the 1/3 world so I should never have much and just give, give, give. I can't love someone the way I want too, so I will never be able to love well. These are the Laura Philosophies that fill my head. Are any of these God's philosophies?? God does punish everyone He accepts as a son, this is Scriptural (Hebrews 12:6). But does he ever say that our trying circumstances = his punishment? I haven't found a place that He says that in His Word. In fact, his punishment of us is always for our own good, to make us more into His image. In terms of giving, God does love a cheerful giver. But He also says He is the giver of all good gifts (James 1:17). And we are blessed to be a blessing (Genesis 3:12). But this makes it clear, we are blessed. He does give us gifts. And He loves it when we give, cheerfully. These are just few examples of how every philosophy must be held up the light of Scripture. There is always a tension in how to live, there is never a formula. There is never a time where we just plug our life into a formula and it gives us results. It is always a continuous seeking of God, communicating with God, and navigating this life with Him. Isn't that better than a formula? I mean, the people we love in this life, don't we want them on the journey with us? Why wouldn't we want the same with our Creator?

Home For The Holidays

Life is slower and more peaceful in Wooster and sometimes when I am here I wonder why I ever moved away. But I know why, I have been discovering who I am and trying to be who God wants me to be and that has taken me on journeys to Wheaton, Washington D.C. and Raleigh. And each of these places has shaped and molded me in ways I am usually not aware of until I look back on them.
But when I go home, I realize how much Wooster and my upbringing there has shaped me as much or more than all the other places I have lived. I love having all my family under my parent's roof, grandchildren and all. Somehow it just feels right. Like this is how God intended it or something. But it isn't a daily reality for my family and I struggle with that. I wish it was. I wish that me and my siblings sitting in a booth at Muddy Water's and my dad walking in from his downtown office during a break and seeing us was common.
I like home. I like the way it feels. I like being part of a family again. Living on my own has shown me just how much I prefer the company and community of others. I don't know if my family will all live close together again one day. But I do know that coming to my parent's house in Wooster still feels like coming home. I hope that never changes.