PLEASE PRAY FOR US
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Posted:Apr 10, 2008 11:29 pm
Last Updated:Apr 11, 2008 9:19 pm 1620 Views
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Oh, boy.
I got a call.
My friend wants me to make the dresses for her wedding. She also wants me to play the piano.
I got a call.
Someone donated a scholarship to a women's retreat. Would I like to come? Am I really gonna say no? I've already bought a new sleeping bag!
Tonight I walked in to worship team practice, and the drummer said, "What do you think of the name...?" and said the name he'd thought of. For our band. (That got me pretty excited, lemme tell you.)
Please pray for me. I get shy sometimes in big crowds of people---like, ahem, retreats...People don't realize I'm shy because I have put it aside in order to do whatever work God would have me do, but crowds can be difficult. Difficult? crowds can scare me silly. Sometimes.
If there's a piano there, I'll be fine. Something about playing a piano...I become a different person once my fingers touch the keys. Weird, huh?
My said she'd help me with the bridesmaids' dresses, but the she hasn't sewn very much, and I'm not being given a lot of time.
Prayer is definitely what we need.
This sure beats being bored, though!
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WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN PEOPLE LIFT THEIR HANDS?
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Posted:Apr 10, 2008 10:47 am
Last Updated:Apr 10, 2008 11:15 pm 1894 Views
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I used to wonder why people would raise their hands when they worshiped. I still do.
Wonder, that is.
I know why I do it...For me, the wrist and hands are some of the most sensitive, easily-hurt body parts. But they're strong and agile, as well. When I lift my hands to God, I'm telling him that I'm giving Him myself, without any protective coverings, without anything that could stop the communication between us. I'm giving Him my strength, my abilities, my sensitivies. And I'm asking Him to put into my hands whatever He sees fit for me to carry, because I know He'll give me the added strength I need if the load seems heavy. I am turning my hands upward so I can reveal myself to God, with all my failings, all my passion for His people, all my gratitude for His care. And when I don't have words, my hands can tell God how great He is, so I'm able to praise without speaking.
But I still wonder what other people are saying when they lift their hands...
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ONE SPIRIT
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Posted:Apr 10, 2008 12:59 am
Last Updated:Apr 10, 2008 10:33 am 1336 Views
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Have you ever been in the store, in a restaurant, or even on the street, and come into contact with someone who you simply KNEW was a Christian?
There's something inside me that recognizes other Christians.
I used to think it was how they acted, but there are a lot of good people out there.
I've begun to feel that the Spirit inside me connects with the Spirit inside of them.
And that's pretty exciting! Kind of a preview of the unity of Heaven. It's also a present-day example of one facet of us being a light in a dark world. I know we don't usually think of it in this way, but light is light, and it will shine out in the darkness in all kinds of ways.
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MAYBE IT WAS A WARM UP?
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Posted:Apr 8, 2008 12:44 am
Last Updated:Apr 8, 2008 9:07 am 1615 Views
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I wasn't going to mention the band thing any more. I didn't want to drive anyone crazy, or seem like I can't get away from being dropped from the group. But last Sunday something interesting happened...
One of my friends, a singer on the worship team, found out about the band. She was very indignant, which made me feel kinda good, actually.
This Sunday, she suggested I join another band. I said I didn't know of any band I'd join right now. Well, she wouldn't leave the subject alone. She asked what do you need for a band?
"Well," I said, "You need a lead guitarist".
We both turned and looked at the 16 year old who plays for the worship team. BOY, does he play!
We both nodded.
"You need a bass player". We looked as, just then, the bass player walked up, a rocker from way back. He makes that guitar talk, walk, and get up and dance.
"You need a keyboardist". She pointed at me.
"You need a lead singer". I pointed at her, and she pointed at me. I said that I'd never considered myself a lead singer...I usually do back-up vocals. She said,"You have a great voice.
You're lead."
I shrugged. I'm a little low on confidence.
Then I said,"You need a drummer."
My friend called to Ben, who plays the drums for the worship team. "Ben, how about starting a band with her?"
Ben said okay, he'd been wanting to start a band.
After my friend had turned away, I told Ben he didn't have to have me in his band. (Like I said, my confidence is running a bit on the low side.)
He stopped, looked at me, and said, "It's always best to be with the people you're close to, don't you think?"
To tell you the truth, I don't know much about it, but I said yeah, I guess so.
He said that's right. And he wants me in the band.
Doesn't sound like much except Ben is a great musician. I learn more all the time from him. He toured with several different groups, one of which was Metallica.
Hmmm.....Maybe God just had me in the other band as a warm up?
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DOES THE "GAY GENE" REALLY EXIST?
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Posted:Apr 6, 2008 9:09 pm
Last Updated:Apr 9, 2008 12:27 am 1850 Views
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I have a friend who is a Christian. He was once a
practicing homosexual. I asked him whether he believes in the "gay gene". He said he believes some people are born with a tendency to be gay, the way some people are born with a tendency to be alcoholics, but with God's help, they can overcome the tendency---the "gay gene".
Do you believe in the "gay gene"?
1. I believe some people are born with a "gay gene", but God can help them be what He wants them to be.
2. I don't believe in the "gay gene".
3. I believe some people are born gay, and that's fine.
4. Other
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I LOVE MY KITTIES
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Posted:Apr 6, 2008 12:21 am
Last Updated:Apr 6, 2008 3:47 pm 1562 Views
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My can't figure out why I like cats.
She has a doberman who runs all over the place, eating everything that is still for too long. The
doberman is sweet (surprise!), but I still love my
kitties. Cats have so much---personality!
I Love My Kitties
God you did a neat thing
When you made my cats,
So I thought I'd take a minute,
Make sure you know that.
They're sweet even though
They climb the piano to sleep,
Knocking sheet music all-where,
I laugh rather than weep.
They keep me warm at night,
And talk during the day,
They're softer than mink,
And prettier than clay.
All right, they shed hair,
And need to be fed,
And decide to have races
While I'm in bed.
And so they trip me
when I'm in a hurry,
Then turn and grin
And become nice and purr-y.
I can put up with it
Because they're so cool,
Why one cat, Seymour,
Used to swim in my pool,
Drew is a gargoyle,
Dragon runs the show,
Toots is dumb but sweet,
God, I want you to know:
I love my kitties. Thanks.
 
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TIME TO MOVE ON
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Posted:Apr 2, 2008 1:08 am
Last Updated:Apr 2, 2008 12:26 pm 1753 Views
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I was given to understand that I was dropped from the band because I walk with a cane.
Looking back, I wonder...
The lead singer in the band was the person who made the decisions.
She had a great voice---for singing rock music.
But the lead guitarist had been pushing for more blues-type music, and the lead singer's voice couldn't quite do that.
I can.
And when the lead singer wanted to bring the bass player to her knees when they had a disagreement, I wouldn't go along. I said that maybe what the bass player needed was love.
Looking back, I'm wondering whether I became a threat to the lead singer's power. I hadn't tried to do such a thing. It hadn't even occurred to me until someone else pointed it out to me today.
The person who spoke to me feels that something even more---jealousy---might be involved.
That had definitely never crossed my mind.
Jealousy? Someone might be jealous? Of ME? But---that's ridiculous!
Isn't it?
I wasn't competing!
I was just doing my best!
This was a Christian band. Could this be true? Could I have been dropped because of, as one person put it, 20 percent impatience with my "handicap", and 80 percent a mixture of jealousy and a threat to the person's sense of power?
Ya know, I'm still upset about not being in the band, but the idea of someone being jealous of me---I almost feel like laughing about that!
But today was a good day. Why? Because I was able to ask God to bless the band. I know I have forgiven the people who hurt me. Last night I released the anger to God and asked him to forgive me and to take the anger and bad feelings and flush them away for me. It still hurts. But I'm not going to ruin myself with helpless anger and grudges. It isn't worth it.
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MY CONCLUSIONS ABOUT WHEN DIVORCE IS ALLOWED
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Posted:Mar 31, 2008 9:08 pm
Last Updated:Apr 1, 2008 8:35 am 1483 Views
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I was wondering about marriage and divorce.
After going back over the scriptures dealing with that subject, and considering our relationship with God in general, this is my decision.
There are two specific places in the New Testament that I found where it said divorce is allowed----
in cases of adultery
and if a Christian is married to a non-Christian, and the non-Christian chooses to depart.
The case of adultery is fairly obvious.
The case of the Christian/non-Christian marriage is fairly obvious.
When a Christian marries another Christian, and one of the partners turns out to be abusive---whether the abuse is physical or mental or emotional---it becomes less easy to find one's way.
My decision has been this:
If, as in my case, after marrying a Christian, you discover that the other person is abusive, you should try to rectify the situation. I went to counselling. I tried a trial separation. The abuse continued, spreading to the .
I consider this NON-Christian behavior. The partner has chosen to leave the Christian path, and has chosen a path which would leave someone dead or permanently wounded.
Although I was the one who physically left the premises, he was the one who left long before, when he began the abuse.
I cannot believe God would demand we stay in those kinds of circumstances, nor do I believe God would tie us down for the rest of our lives to that person, even after they have re-married, as some would have us believe.
That unbelievably unhappy situation has to have an ending.
Preachers who preach otherwise haven't had their noses bandaged after having it broken, or stood at the mirror day after day for weeks on end, massaging a face that refuses to move after being battered. Try explaining to family and friends why only one side of your face works, and the other side is paralyzed. Those preachers don't wake up every morning with new bruises. Or wonder how to get their out of the house before "he" gets home.
God didn't want divorce.
But He also doesn't want abuse.
God is love, and He possesses grace.
We need to stop living by Law, and live by grace.
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So Christ's blood washes away everything EXCEPT a FAILED MARRIAGE ?
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Posted:Mar 31, 2008 12:21 am
Last Updated:Mar 31, 2008 5:05 pm 1734 Views
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The preacher today preached on adultery.
One of the things he said was that if we get married, then get divorced for any reason other than adultery, then get remarried, we are committing adultery.
I spoke to him after church.
I was married for ten years to an abusive man.
I tried therapy---both joint and personal.
I tried trial separation.
Ten years can be a long time.
The physical abuse stopped, but the mental and emotional abuse continued.
I left.
My ex is now remarried.
The preacher says that if I ever remarry, I am committing adultery.
I've been divorced for 21 years.
I have always felt that the blood of Christ washes away our past.
Was I wrong?
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