Ooops!

    So the band is playing "Open The Eyes of My Heart" the other night and Chaka (on guitar) starts playing something else. Ooops! It's not like the song the band was playing stunk or anything. If fact...it was beyond beautiful - except for Charlie. Erin and Debbie were singing angelicly, and I found myself feeling as if I was auditorily entering Paul's higher levels of heaven. Well, Charlie turns after about 8-13 seconds, I didn't really count - it just felt like that - and told us techies that he was so busy listening to the girls sounding so other-worldly that he forgot what he was doing. Ooops!

    I've done that, haven't you?!?! I've just dazed off heavily involved in any of the other senses (sight, smell, taste, sound, etc...) and WHAM! I've missed something I was supposed to do, or hit something I wasn't supposed to hit, and hopefully not hurt anyone. Ooops! Thank God our God is the One who gives second chances. (I hope you caught that plural.) We often screw-up more than once, and usually it's longer than 8-13 seconds, but our God is a God of infinite "seconds." (And I'm talking about chances now, not time.) 

    So I guess I'm saying, as long as your "Ooops" isn't a sin, enjoy what God gave us. Chaka did! Although, there are unfortunate re-sounding consequences for everything, good and bad in our lives. Remember to do what Charlie did Thursday, say your sorry, and repent. That is the only requirement for another round with God..., don't abuse it though.

Pregame

We're hanging out on a Thursday at about 6:30pm. It's "Joyful Noise" night. I love this time. The band usually warms up for about 20-25 minutes. Each week is a different array of rock-n-roll renditions to limber up. This week is a bevy of Led Z. and Carlos S. to make us a bit Dazed and Confused as we prep for another night of Circle Oh-Yeah'-Como-Vah Of Friends. Joyful noise really starts before 7:00pm, and it's "joyful" every Thursday night! You know how the pregame anticipation is always more exciting than the game? Or, how building the with Lego's is better than playing with what you've built? This is how it is now, although... at 7:00pm it's pretty exhilarating too. I guess in this game it truly is "win-win."

Simply Missed

I missed COF this past Thursday night. I had been sick nearly all week. I was quite sad about it. It wasn't about the camaraderie and friends this time though. I missed Phil's devotion. He has a wonderful way of expressing God's word with simplicity that explains major life concerns. Simply using a fan and some streamers, or a hot dog and paper bag, Phil will open up a passage from the bible and blow you away, filling you up with how we are to truly live according to our Creator's wishes. I missed that! Life is simple when we allow it to be, and Phil's devotions always show me/us that God wants us to trust Him, and simply live.

Aches and Pains

For a little over three years I have had the hardest time getting to COF. Every Thursday evening I would be extremely worn-out, or I would feel that the drive was too long, or I was just tired of being a person with a disability helping run a disability ministry. I've worked hard to not be known as having that label. Since I was young I live with daily physical aches and pains, and going to COF is a reminder of everything in life I'd like to forget. I continue to go though. God hasn't told me not to, and I have the best time once I'm there.

I was surprised to speak to someone this past week as we started up season number 14 (or so) and he stated that he just didn't have the ambition to come to COF. I was kind of knocked over by this. Someone knew what I was feeling for so long, and though we didn't know if we should do anything about it (besides pray); I felt relieved to be able to speak with someone (other than my BFAT - Best Friend of All Time) about the attacks I've been going through for so long. These attacks are not physically painful but it can be a struggle to do something you feel you'd prefer not to do. (Note the word "feel.") It is a mental issue that can lead to physical symptoms.

Throughout all of this I've always wondered how COF would end. Would it? When our sponsoring church was reducing staff-led ministries I thought we might get caught up in the "downsizing" and be asked to find another venue. Didn't happen. In fact, we grew and they allowed us to use a bigger room. Then we'd lose a wonderful "helper" and I didn't think there'd be enough hands to get our growing nights done well. Didn't happen. All of a sudden, "Hands on Charlotte" comes along and it seems as if we don't even have to think about that again. If you know about COF you know that we've continued to worship our Creator without a band, without power, without refreshments, during a flood in our room, I could go on and on. Even if COF ended at Forest Hill Church, our group would still worship God, together, or on our own. So really, the essence of COF will never end. It has always been about Him, not us.

So this past Thursday I didn't notice an attack didn't happen to me until after I got home from COF. The only thing I did notice was that during the night I felt no pain. Dave was playing "Thy Word" and I felt nothing hurt physically. I also felt this smile I had that began in my heart and stretched out through my teeth and lips. I've been "O.K." with going to COF through the years because God said not to not go. If there is one thing I remember from reading His Word it is to obey. COF has become so much of who I now am, that even though I don't mind being away, I recognize the simple purity of what happens on a Thursday night with our 350 or so friends. We worship, we pray, we learn about God. I'm either getting older and accepting it, or truly it is why God has not told me to leave; it is not about what I have made my life to be but where He wants me to be in His life. I know I could go at anytime and COF would chug along just fine, and God would allow me that choice too. But, a night without pain, and someone who understands where you are is a reason to see what God's got planned next. Either-way, I'll see you on Thursday night...

A Song or a Psalm - from W.M. Campbell

The purpose of lots of Biblical songs and Hymns

are not just entertainment, and fun.

Most should be sung with the same thoughts when praying,

to the Holy One.

Numerous Biblical songs are musical prayers,

that are sung to the Lord

Therefore they should be sung from your heart,

sung word-for-word.

In other words, you ought to pay attention to the musical phrases you say,

then while singing you might have a feeling resembling

the one you have when you pray.

It is quite easy, just have God or Jesus on your mind when you sing

Noticing more faith while singing... surely will please the King of Kings.

That's just sad...

I was watching someone on TV the other day. He was an emphatic atheist. What intrigued me about this person was that they were trying to convert others to believe in nothing. (Well they were selling evolution I think.) I have learned as a believer in Jesus Christ as the promised coming Messiah from the Torah that you don't really need to go out and recruit "converts." You behave as a Christ would, and as you go others will ask you why you do what you do. Then be ready as it says in 1 Peter 3:15. But, to "evangelize" a belief in nothing! I was puzzled. This is not the first time this thought has been written, not the first time it's been read; but someone will be right in the end. If it is the atheists whom are correct, then it's really no big deal. However, if the Christians are on the right side of eternity, then that's just sad.

Do You Remember

M.J. sang about it, although it was about a girl and not God... which is strange based on the media stories about him, anyways; many people remember the date or the day they fell in love with God, and called themselves a "believer!" I don't. I can't remember the day or the date, I've just always known that I was His, and Jesus did it all for me, so now I must do likewise. I do "remember the time" when I knew, and this picture is from that time.

I used to be envious (I know, I know, shame on me,) of the folks who knew the exact date and what they were doing or whom they were with when they chose to believe in what Jesus says, and does. Maybe I wanted that experience of conversion. I don't know. In prayer this morning, I was thanking God for all He's given me that I get to share, and I remembered the time.

It was early April and everything was coming to life again; as much as can come to life in April in Buffalo. I was in second grade and going through the process of "first communion" in the church and school I attended. To receive this you had to understand who Jesus was, why He died for us, and you must have made a choice to believe before you could partake in this sacrament.

After teaching elementary school for some time, I think around second grade you begin to understand more about the world around you as you begin a years-long learning maturation. At that time, in the church our family attended I remember being taught all the terribly wonderful stories and lessons from the Bible. Thanks Dad and Mom, and Sister Eileen. I understood them, and I believed. Thanks Holy Spirit. I must have also grasped the overjoyed seriousness that a true-believer in Jesus must have throughout their life, hence the look in the photo.

We are most often overjoyed and thankful at what God has done for us. Yet we seriously must continue in our prayers (and actions) to thank and ask that He also do it for others too. (side thought: Evangelizing in someone's face isn't necessarily effective, but it might make you feel good.) Because of what I now know to be true, I am no longer envious of another story of a day someone remembers being saved because of Jesus. I lean toward thankfulness. And, although I haven't always remembered, deserved, earned, or lived accordingly, I have thankfully had a glorious life with Him. I now pray daily for others, and I thank God because He helps me remember the time. Do you remember?