We Judge

Easy to say. Easy to do
Compare you to me. Compare me to you.

We have our rules. We have our codes
Suits and ties. Skirts and hose.

Shades of grey. Or black and white.
What makes wrong and what makes right

A time to fight. A time to learn
A time to give in. A time to burn

In the end, all is dim
Save how we loved and followed Him.

2008

For only being 27 days old, 2008 has already brought a lot of change. Not so much direct change but indirect as it affects friends and family thus affecting me. Some of it is good change. Some hard. All is moving forward. Sometimes that is hard for me. I want to move forward but yet I still glance back. I hold on. I see the beautiful and the good. And I want to keep it close. But one can not can't live in the past. You can learn from it, treasure it, and laugh about it with good friends. But still you move on. Accepting, embracing, acknowedging the new. And earnestly seeking God's wisdom and blessing for the unknown.

1 Chronicles 5:18-22

So I ran across this passage last night and it really impacted me. Not so much the content of it but rather the context. It basically said that God's people were fighting this battle and they "cried out to him during the battle" and "He answered their prayers, because they trusted Him." And then in verse 22 it talks about how they had victory because the battle was God's. Most of us aren't fighting against unpronounceable enemies but yet we all face times when we need God’s guidance. This text makes it so simple. Cry out to God for help, trust in Him, and He will lead you to victory.

Here is the text:

18 The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service—able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle. 19 They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. 20 They were helped in fighting them, and God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. 21 They seized the livestock of the Hagrites—fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep and two thousand donkeys. They also took one hundred thousand people captive, 22 and many others fell slain, because the battle was God's. And they occupied the land until the exile.

Musicians amaze me

I'm singing with the worship team for Deeper this weekend so we had a long practice tonight....It was fun though. I enjoy singing and its really cool to be part of a team of such talented musicians. I can dabble in a couple instraments, but some people are just amazing. It's like the songs come alive and become beautiful when they play.

My uncle was telling me about an ex rocker who turned Christian and has a soapbox about only listening to...organ music.... Yeah. His reason is that because his band would use the drums and chord progressions to drive home their lyrics- which were bad then therefore drums and anything besides the organ is...bad. However, if you flip this around and use strong drum beats and all the other elements of good music to drive home POSITVE lyrics- isn't that good?

To me, music is incredible. Indescribible. Powerful. And when used appropriately a beautiful expression of worship.

Perspectives

It's funny how your perspective can change at different points in your life. Things that seem daunting and impassible become distant memories and you wonder how you could have ever been so affected by them. Things that seemed muddled and confusing, become clear. Things that seemed perfect, become increasingly imperfect. A lot can change over time.

Yet life cannot be lived from a backward glance perspective. It must be lived in moments, in hours, in days. It must be enjoyed and overcome, lived as one who is free yet fully submitted to the One who knows all perspectives and sees all situations from beginning to end.

These are my musings for tonight. Triggered by thoughts of friends and their journeys. Where they thought they would end up, and where they are now and how much better God's plan is then the ones we come up with on our own.

Goodnight.

This weekend

This week I enjoyed two different but interesting worship services. I liked a thought from Pastor Danny's sermon at Deeper which was basically this "He who conquers himself, he is the greatest warrier of all."

Then at Status we did an experiential worship session. We started off with music- which was awesome: Guitar, piano, violin, and voice. Then we had time for individial reflection at the different stations: intercession, nature, scripture, communion, foot washing, art..ect

Here is one of the songs that we sang. I really like it but can't find it on myspace or youtube. Imagine that!? I guess I will need to buy it. ;)


Oh Lord, to you
Shane Barnard

We will seek you first Lord.
You will hear our voices.
Early in the morning and late in the night
We will sing your praises
Giving you the glory
Offering our lives to you a holy sacrifice

May our praise rise as incense
Oh Lord, to you
May our worship be a fragrance
Oh Lord, to you

House Pictures!

My parents came down for New Year's weekend and helped me with my house. Here are some pictures of my new look in the living room/kitchen!