Dog Day Afternoon, weekend thing

So, I’ve had an interesting weekend. Long story short, I gots fleas. Because of some poor judgment on the part  of the people who rent Shana her basement apartment, I was able to let the critters jump on and have a feast. I kid you not when I say I have somewhere between 100-120 bites. It is miserable. I doped myself up yesterday on some Benadryl and have pretty much done the same today. If your really interested, I can email you a picture. I kinda feel like Job (not saying I have a clue of what he went through). You know, where God allowed Satan to tempt Job to rebuke God. Well, I haven’t been tempted to rebuke God, but I have really pondered the utility of fleas themselves. I mean, what good are they really?

On a much more positive note, today was really awesome. The band seemed to get along well with the music and there was freedom in familiarity today. It’s nice to not feel pressured by a new song, but just have the ability to let yourself go. I love to hear our people at the Anchor sing. I wish I could get a glimpse of what God sees or feels when He hears His people sing His praise. I know there is such a feeling of oneness to me in the body. It is a beautiful thing to gather around a single common thought or expression and join together in it. I hope God is pleased with our singing and with our heart’s attitude. Songs can be just a bunch of words if not backed by a heart that desires to believe them. I had someone make the comment to me today that they felt like they really worshipped for the first time in a while. That is truly a beautiful thing. Not that I had anything at all to do with it, but that is my heart, to connect people to God. Our God is freaking amazing. I mean, slap-awesome. It really is not just our job, but our joy to have the chance to share Him and what He has done for us. The world needs to know. We have to go. 

I really want to live off the words of the last song we sang. Rich or poor, God I want you more… To want God so much we live with disregard to the wealth we could physically possess in this world. You can have all my hands can hold… This truly isn’t much, but it’s all that God ask. Even if just a mite, we can all still give. We, have ALL we need in you… God is sufficient and in Him we have what we need. ’

So, ain’t no rock or bird gonna take my place and ain’t no fleas going to rob my Joy, God is the victor. His is the creator and refuge and forgiver. He has made us MORE than an conquerer. Yay, God!

Too Cool Not to Share

Refuge

I want to blog… but it’s late… my heart is full of the God that I love… so I will blog about it tomorrow when I’m actually awake.

I’m a Yes Man

What a cool day. It’s wonderful to work for a pastor that understands the need to nurture vitality. We ended up getting a few things done this morning and then hit the road. We were able to take a love offering to a family in our church that just lost their house. They are very sweet people and need not only our prayers but any kind of support. If you would like to donate money, food, anything, please let me know. After we left there, we went to the Spaghetti Factory and had a nice lunch. We ended up goofing off for a bit. I say this, because it came after a truly incredible weekend. We had our second sunday with two services and it was great. We are still working out some flubs, but overall I have been truly blessed by the turn out. Then, sunday evening, we had a beautiful communion service. It was such a joy to have several people come to Christ at communion!!!! Our God we serve is awesome. Continue to pray as we push forward!

Skip Day

Yeah, so I skipped a day. It has been fun being able to blog again. I know that my blog’s really right now aren’t deep spiritual thoughts, but it has been refreshing to out somewhere. Anyway, God is so good. This blog will be short, but sweet. Blessings come in all forms and today was no exception. It’s funny. Just when you think you run out of steam and when things somewhat seem to be falling apart, God  places people to remind you that He is still good. I love the God we serve.

Resilient

I love words. I mean, how cool are they. We use them to express how we feel, what we need or want, and we use them simply to communicate. I was one of those kids in school that just never totally got it. I mean, I’m a late bloomer about everything. I really feel that God is trying to teach me some resilience. That crazy cool word that means to be able to withstand or recover quickly from situations. The week has been hard. It’s not the kind of hard where you have like twenty boxes to move and can’t move them all. Or the kind of hard where it’s like you have to work late one night only to get up really early the next. It’s the kind of hard that deals with just the mess of life. Life is messy. It just happens, you can’t stop it. In an instant you can turn the news on and your flooded by a country being invaded or a plane crash. My hard eats at emotions and feelings and when those get in the way you can just get worn down. Its when things are going wrong and you feeling like your leading yourself and your loved ones straight into a wall. But I honestly believe God is up to something amazing. I’m just slapping myself to really get on the boat and go. I don’t want to miss what God has for me. So, if your in the midst of trial of some sort, try and look beyond. Yeah, it is easier said than done, but if you get outside of it, see it for what God really has it to be, you may learn something or grow in a way you never thought possible.

Oh, a side note. I keep up with the Olympics here and there. What really caught my eye today was this runner. Apparently there is a runner from Jamaica named Usain Bolt. What a perfect name for a runner. He’s like setting records. I want a cool name to go along with my job.

We could be heros…

There are just those days where its not really one thing that went wrong, but several little things. You know, the dam cracks a little here and there, but nothing devastating. It’s not the small cracks that destroy the dam, its the weight of the water that causes the small cracks to become a big one. And then there are days you feel like that guy. The one who maybe took a punch in the gut so the other guy didn’t. Or was seriously left with the check when your friend couldn’t pay. My day has not been that bad (hopefully I didn’t make it out to sound so dreadful), I’m just on a roll with metaphor’s I guess. Or maybe these are just the honest feelings of my heart. I guess I’m clinging to something my dad told me yesterday that I totally didn’t deserve. My dad called me his hero. His Hero! What do I say to that? I know my dad has sacrificed much for my family. I know that God has brought him through some rough things so he could impart knowledge on me. If anyone should be a hero, its my dad. I’m glad that Christ was our hero. He took the punch. He paid the check. And He holds the water back. I know He is right here with me, no matter what the circumstance. I love Him for that.

Burn Notice

Sacrifice is not an easy thing. In fact, sacrifice is something that you yourself have to prepare for. The harder thing about sacrifice, is involving the ones you love. Satan is hard pressed on destroying the church and its amazing how Christians so easily substitute for ammunition. Today has been a day of tired. My body is tired from being sick, but my heart is tired from the waging war. Yesterday was a major success. Our church is headed in an amazing direction. But it’s always difficult when you put your loved ones in front of the train. I knew ministry wouldn’t be easy and I never want to sound like a cry baby. God is good and He has been sufficient to me. The problem is me. I’m human. The human in me is weak and frail and fragile. I’m trying not to break. But I know that God uses broken people.

Black as Pitch

So I am totally addicted to Pot. Neti Pot that is. I promise, it will change your life. Go to Walmart, go to the “cold and sinus” section and spend $12. Anyway, what an interesting and amazing day. Church was down and up today. We had an amazing morning. The first service didn’t go well and I found myself discouraged. I let some things influence and distract me that I shouldn’t have let get to me. I was so focused because I knew someone was in the congregation that was not a Christian. I wanted to have my best on. After so refocusing, the second service went amazing. I’m so encouraged to hear our people at church sing. It’s amazing! What is more amazing is to see those who have had their lives radically wrecked by God really giving it up to Him. Our God is truly amazing. I’m so thankful to worship a God who was just completely radical. Thank goodness He wasn’t ordinary. 

I’m beginning a new personal worship thing tomorrow called 31 Ways to Praise. I will clue you in on more details once I begin tomorrow. Also, the Worship Arts Ministry is going to begin a new Bible study, so I will put some things up about that. I want to leave you with the study we did this past week. The church is amazing. God loves the church. He wants to build His church. Are you committed?

How-to-Fall-in-Love-with-your-Church

Saturday

Yes, saturday. Was able to get some nice sleep. I feel better than I have in awhile. I have to work very hard on my time management skills. But it was a nice day to kind of relax. Was able to hang out with some music students this evening and attempt to give some pearls of wisdom. I would never want to be boastful, but I am thankful for the lessons that God has brought me through.