For quite a while I have had a book entitled Down Where My Love Lives by New York Times Best-selling author Charles Martin. I forgot about it; it resurfaced during some cleaning over the weekend. It is a “love-this-book-don’t-want-to-put-it-down” read! What I read today, at the beginning of this Holy week, absolutely blew me out of the water! Our creative Lord knew this was the week I needed to read it~ I love Him so much and love how He orchestrates even the most minute details of our lives. I have pondered what I read all day, and wish to share it with you, as you begin preparing for Resurrection Sunday! Friday’s on its way, but Sunday’s a comin’ right behind it! Hallelujah!
(to set the stage): The pastor of a rural AME church has been preaching to his congregation and they are in the process of participating in the Lord’s Supper. He stops the organist, and looking over the people says:
“Before you strut up here, remember what waits…You all face a choice. You can rise form your seat, follow the person in front of you, stroll down this aisle, critique somebody else’s Sunday best which they happened to wear on a Wednesday night, think about how hungry you are or where, when, and what you re going to eat when you leave here, and then kneel, nod, nip and sip, and return to your seat, having thought the bread stale and wine cheap…Or…you can slide form your seat, limp to this rail…reach down, grab these splintery timbers, fall, rest your baggage against it…extend your hands, take tenderly, place the body on your tongue, taste the grit, swallow, and feel the hunger build in your stomach. Then you can grasp this cup…Tremble, sip violently, feel the burn, taste the acrid smell, feel the splinters pierce your elbows, lean more heavily, and then look upon this cross. You can reach up and place your trembling hands on callused, blood-soaked feet, let the red, slippery liquid run down your fingers, underneath your watchband, and come to rest in the crack of your elbow. You can lean your forehead against His shin, notice the crude and rusted nail, the shake and strain in his arms and legs, stick your hand in the hole in his side, notice the dried blood on His face, the thorns poking back, and hear the gurgle drowning out His breathing…Lastly, you can raise your head and feel the breath of God. And in that instant, if you so choose, you can see your own reflection. With all your zits, warts, blemishes, and scars. And there, amongst the scar tissue, are your demons. But having chewed, sipped, and swallowed, you can chase. People, this is where you chase the demons that feed your doubts, your anger, your bitterness, and your lack of faith…every last one….Brothers and sisters, a demon’s job is to kill you. To beat you to death. To rob you of anything that is not painful. This railing is where you give more than you take. Where you steal back. Where you kill what’s killing you Then, having chased and slain, you return….bloody but unharmed, different but the same, changed but unchanged, moved but unmoved. A living battleground.
People, we got hurting brothers and sisters here. Every one of us has a closet, and in that closet, we keep and feed our demons. Some’s more full than others, but they’re all busting at the seams. You all know most of mine. I’ve told you…people, that space between your pew and this altar, between the red velvet cushion and the splintery timbers. Whether it’s twenty feet or a million miles, it’s not a question of distance. It’s one of position…(pp. 83-86, Martin; Down Where My Love Lives, Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2008).
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
"My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places." Isaiah 32:18
Sometimes you just need peace and quiet. If you're the type of person who is always amidst the loud hustle-bustle, be sure to take refuge in a secure, quiet resting place every now and then. The peace and tranquility will serve you well. ~The Daily Verse
I have just returned from an extended body and soul Sabbath…and again I marveled at the handiwork of our Lord…
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. 6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.” 7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the expanse “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.
9 And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.” (Gen. 1:1-10, NIV)
“Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.” (Gen. 1: 11-19, NIV)
“And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.
24And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.” (Gen. 1: 20-25, NIV)
THIS IS AMAZING!
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth,band over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27 So God created man in his own image, In the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Gen. 1; 26-27, NIV)
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
2 “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he restedc from all his work.
And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” (Gen. 1:28-2:2, NIV)
…And it WAS good!
Sometimes you just need peace and quiet. If you're the type of person who is always amidst the loud hustle-bustle, be sure to take refuge in a secure, quiet resting place every now and then. The peace and tranquility will serve you well. ~The Daily Verse
I have just returned from an extended body and soul Sabbath…and again I marveled at the handiwork of our Lord…
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. 6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.” 7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the expanse “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.
9 And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.” (Gen. 1:1-10, NIV)
“Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.” (Gen. 1: 11-19, NIV)
“And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.
24And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.” (Gen. 1: 20-25, NIV)
THIS IS AMAZING!
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth,band over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27 So God created man in his own image, In the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Gen. 1; 26-27, NIV)
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
2 “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he restedc from all his work.
And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” (Gen. 1:28-2:2, NIV)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Bragging Rights...again...NPT/Vision
So...like any proud mama I love to share accomplishments of my family. My son sings in a choral group at his school called "Vision". They were recently invited to participate in a NPT televised celebration of America, along with other high schools from the area, under the direction/production of world-renowned Tim Janis, producer, conductor, composer. I must say that all the local high schools that participated were fabulous! However, CPA was the best (teeheehee...), particularly because they sang an original by Tim that was A.MA.ZING! So please sit back, relax, and enjoy.
And FYI; My son, Benjamin, is 4th fronm the left on the top row!
(And just in case you want to look around Tim's site at all his accomplishments, please go here
And FYI; My son, Benjamin, is 4th fronm the left on the top row!
(And just in case you want to look around Tim's site at all his accomplishments, please go here
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Review of Nelson's Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts
Nelson’s Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts is an exhaustive compilation of full color charts, maps and a myriad of other Bible study tools of the Old and New Testaments. Thomas Nelson published this 3rd edition to include photographs and reproducible materials, making studying the Word of God more enlightening for both student and teacher. In preparing a comprehensive study of the book of Isaiah for my study groups, I included much of the information from Nelson’s Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts about the themes of Isaiah, the structure of the book, and the colored maps to track where the prophets of the Old Testaments prophesied. This complete reference book will be a choice resource for church leaders, community group facilitators, and all students of God’s Word!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com
Monday, March 1, 2010
It's a blog party! C'mon!
1. What's your favorite time of the day, and why? Mid-day is my favorite time of day because I feel rested and ready to be about the days' business!
2. If health wasn't an issue, what food could you live off of? Anything carbohydrate--I need a 12-step program for Carb addiction, seriously! It's pitiful!
3. If you could have one wish granted (besides wishing for more wishes), what would it be? That all our bills would be paid off and I would receive money to help in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Chile, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda
4. What's one thing that you get teased about a lot? southern accent
5. If you could choose one movie, book, or TV show to spend your life in, which would you pick? Little House on the Prairie What type of character would you be? The SAHM who cares for her family
6. If you could have one talent that you don't already have, what would it be? Playing the guitar
7.If money were no object, where would you go on vacation? Africa, Switzerland, Australia, and Austria
8. If you were an awesome singer, which genre would you sing? Praise and Worship
9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, what would it be? Wally World
10. If you could live in any point in time, when would it be? horse and buggy days
11. If every outfit in your wardrobe had to be one color, what would it be? shades of blue
12. If you were one of the seven dwarves, which one would you be? happy
(Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Bashful, Happy, or Dopey)
13. What's the last album you listened to? long time since I listened to an album, as I have no CD player in my car. However, I did listen to Josh Groban's CD at Christmas in my home.
14. What's something we'd be surprised to know about you? I am a natural very dark brunette
2. If health wasn't an issue, what food could you live off of? Anything carbohydrate--I need a 12-step program for Carb addiction, seriously! It's pitiful!
3. If you could have one wish granted (besides wishing for more wishes), what would it be? That all our bills would be paid off and I would receive money to help in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Chile, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda
4. What's one thing that you get teased about a lot? southern accent
5. If you could choose one movie, book, or TV show to spend your life in, which would you pick? Little House on the Prairie What type of character would you be? The SAHM who cares for her family
6. If you could have one talent that you don't already have, what would it be? Playing the guitar
7.If money were no object, where would you go on vacation? Africa, Switzerland, Australia, and Austria
8. If you were an awesome singer, which genre would you sing? Praise and Worship
9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, what would it be? Wally World
10. If you could live in any point in time, when would it be? horse and buggy days
11. If every outfit in your wardrobe had to be one color, what would it be? shades of blue
12. If you were one of the seven dwarves, which one would you be? happy
(Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Bashful, Happy, or Dopey)
13. What's the last album you listened to? long time since I listened to an album, as I have no CD player in my car. However, I did listen to Josh Groban's CD at Christmas in my home.
14. What's something we'd be surprised to know about you? I am a natural very dark brunette
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