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Sunday, March 20, 2011

Prayer part 2

So many thoughts in my soul...I get so IRRITATED every time I see a facebook post of Rob Bell in an interview...READ THE BOOK!  &*(%$$#  Yes, I said it...it ticks me off.  I've got about 20 pages left, and no I don't agree with everything, but I don't disagree with it either.  I'm irritated at him too for being so much in the Gray, but I understand that, I have a certain friend that shall remain nameless that likes to not land on the black and white of issues...ask more questions than give answers...it's annoying, but in no way do I question his stance on Christ, or salvation or the scriptures, because I know him...oh wait, these people must no Rob Bell to condemn him on his BOOK TOUR!!!!  Ok, ok, I'm done...grow up...ok, I'm done, I promise...for now.

So what was I writing about...oh yeah, Prayer!  So, on my last post I tried to make 2 points,
1-Prayer is a conversation and we should pray the way God has designed us to communicate, in our own way, easily, effortlessly and uniquely.
2-The more we hang around someone, we have a tendency to pick up their mannerisms, so by continuously "hanging out" with God, we may actually tend to look more like Him...strange, but it obviously worked for Jesus.

Side note- I have to say that I disagree when people make a statement like "Be Jesus to them" or "you may be the only Jesus people see"  Although I think we carry the weight of that responsibility, it isn't totally true.  I think the correct statement or way of thinking is to be the us that Jesus redeemed.  God made us to be us...not us to be Jesus...we are to be us with Jesus in us....does that make any sense?  We cannot be Jesus, but we can be ourselves, completely made new by Christ and completely able to share our story made righteous by His blood.  So even though by hanging with Him we may begin to look like Him, hopefully, we are still very much ourselves...which is a good thing.

So, my second point that I want to touch on tonight is what are you praying for?  I feel like there are two types of prayers....Redemption and Deliverance, both forms of healing.  And one of those is always given.
As we think on this and next time I'll break each one of these down, I want to share an illustration that I heard Crawford Lorits give once.
Sometimes when we pray we ask God to deliver us from a situation...and sometimes He does...and other times it plays out more like this...
A father is outside playing with his son, and the son falls on the ground and splits his chin open. (As a mother of 3 boys, this happens more often than not) He quickly scoops him up and takes him to the Dr., where it is declared that the boy needs stitches.  Now, this happened in the 70's when numbing agents weren't as widely used as they are today...in fact they weren't used in these situations at all.  So the Dr. informs the dad that he will have to hold the young boy in his lap and keep his arms pinned to his side, so the Dr. can complete the stitches.  The dad, with tears in his eyes, scoops up his son, and tightly wraps his arms around him.  The boy, scared and nervous, asks his dad if it will hurt..."yes" he says, "but I have to hold your arms down so the Dr. can do his job.  And if I didn't do that, it would be a lot worse."
Sit in this for a bit...think on this as you consider your own prayer life.  How often do we get mad at our Father, as it seems he is assisting in a painful process, let alone, not making it stop.  And it make take a lifetime to see it, but He wants what's best for us...and His redemption is promised to bring healing to situations that were not intended...but redemption can hurt, and sometimes He has to hold our arms down, so the Spirit, can put back what was broken...and there will be scars, but with scars come stories...good stories.
Be blessed today, as you converse with your Father and ask Him to reveal times of redemption in your life.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Prayer Part 1

Prayer is one of those things that alludes me...I mean when there are whole SECTIONS on how to pray in the book stores (christian and otherwise) there's got to be a problem!  But I think I've figured out why there are so many books!  I know, get the Nobel committee on the phone...

If prayer is described as conversation, then why do we try to imitate each other?  I know that Jesus told us how to pray, but saying a prayer by rote is not exactly heartfelt or conversation.  But that prayer can be heartfelt...for example, if my husband were to come to me and read a poem from a book, or even recited it, dead faced, yawning in between lines and mumbling...I'd kick him.  Now he may even try to make it feel more dramatic, pausing in the appropriate places and having an eb and flow to his voice...but I can tell it's just an act, and a good dramatic reading.  But, if he were to look into my eyes, speak those words TO me, as if they were his own...well, you know what would happen next...right, right!!!!

Or this...
When I was at camp one year in High School, my roommate for the week noted that she was starting to talk like me by the end of our stay.  I didn't understand what she meant, she sounded the same to me...no, it was the way in which she had conversations with people.  She then pointed out my specific mannerisms, how I trailed off at the end of sentences and finished thoughts to myself, how I shook my head and looked down a lot...I never noticed these things. But it made me realize, we all have a certain way of conversing that is uniquely our own.  Thus prayer...that's why often as we sit and try an learn how to pray from other people we my find useful things, but if we try to perfectly Copy them, it feels unnatural, it is unnatural.

We can take certain postures and tips and phrases and even words that other people use in prayer, but don't forget, you have your own unique way of conversing...don't lose it.  Look at how you uniquely have a conversation with other people.  Do you use your hands a lot (GINA!) do you laugh a lot, do you usually listen and say little?  Take these and apply them to prayer...it's just a conversation...

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

soundtrack of life

Music...I love it...it speaks too me...through me...I think you get the point.

You can learn this by asking my husband...I send him songs when I can't find the words...songs about love, fighting, really messing things up (mumford and sons is really good for relationships).   You can learn it from my friends who for whatever reason, have received the good 'ol mix cd from me.  Whether going through a tough time, moving away, or just because...music is my language.  I think I've said it here before, that there is something in my soul, that communicates with God this way too...it's a heavenly language.
So, I thought I'd give you an update on where I am musically at the current moment. 
See full size image
*- Mumford and Sons, I mentioned before.  It's really funny how they have just exploded with an album that was recorded in 2009!  But it's a great album and I can't wait for their sophomore project (music language for Second Record...I'm SOOO with it!)



See full size image*- Katie Herzig is another super stellar artist.  She has a real mix of sounds, soulful, folksie, popish, it's just all there!  It's just the kind of music when you want to be happy and chill. Good for laying in a hammock on a Sunny day






*- Kari Jobe has just one of the greatest voices period.  I love it.  It's powerful but mellow, different, yet highly familiar.  Her passion behind the words she sings, also familiar, just takes some songs to a whole new level...she gets me going almost everyday.

 *- Bombay Bicycle Club could be one of my favorites at the moment.  They have been for awhile.  Like Mumford and Sons, they are a real smash up of instruments and styles and unusual voices, etc.  A little of everything and just some AWESOME chill music.  Read a book kinda music.

 *-Janelle Monae....I've got to give Lauren Walker TOTAL props for this.  As well as one of my other ALL time faves...Feist.  Janelle is a total change of pace for my usual set list.  A little funk, a little R&B a little 80's and all ATL!  She is fresh, in every sense of the word.

So, those are the New Additions to my Pandora over the past year, and of course, Imogen, Ingrid and Bon Iver still get thrown in the mix, but try any of these out and you'll be please...a little disclaimer, they are not all for little ears...so be careful who's in the room

Curious as too your musical likings

Monday, March 7, 2011

The gospel, according to Wonder Pets

In the latest episode of Wonder Pets (well, one of the only episodes we watch, because it's on dvd) I was listening as Ming Ming was talking to the Emu in Australia.  He was telling her that he is the largest bird there and she puffed up (as she usually does) and said that she comes from an impressive lineage too, she believes her great-grandfather was an Eagle.  Well the Emu just smiles at her (the best way an Emu CAN smile) and they move along.  He smiles, because she's a duck...duck's don't have any relation to Eagles...their ducks.  Unless man interferes (or domestication interferes) animals don't crossbreed.

And it hit me...is that what it sounds like to people when I refer to God as my father?  I mean, I'm human, sinful, as all are aware of, since we so often remind them.  And yet, I think I can claim God as my Father, among other intimate relational things?  Really...No wonder they often smirk and move along.  It's bizarre!

But what if Ming Ming were to suddenly spread her, what seem to be minuscule, wings and had a massive wingspan, only ever seen on...eagles.  All of the sudden her claim would have relevance, there would be proof.

It's not a new message, our words and actions need to match.  If I claim to be a child of a Father, I need to carry characteristics of that said Father...even in the case of adoption this is true!  My brother and his wife have adopted 3 children, from three different parents at 3 different stages in their lives.  Each of my sweet nieces and my force of nature nephew, all have some characteristics of Chad and Heidi.  Whether it's the way they say  certain words, facial expressions or their taste in clothes.  Because of the CONSTANT interaction with their now parents, they take on traits that make them known to be part of that family. 

So I am challenged that when I claim to be from a great lineage, that someone whom I stake claim in, and who in turn stakes claim in me, that I spread my wings and prove that not only to I bear a mark of that lineage, but might flight patterns model His as well.