LifeWalk 2011

LifeWalk 2011

Info about the Niles LifeWalk to benefit the Pregnancy Care Center of Niles, and info about how you can donate if you'd like. I'm walking in it, and playing in the Softball Tournament for Life that afternoon.

No and Yes

No Mexico.

We're not going to Mexico for a missions trip. When Sister Pastor called me, she said she had bad news. Then she told me the bad news: no Mexico due to safety concerns. Oh, okay. No wonder why I hadn't been focused on the trip for the past two months. It makes total sense to me. Am I disappointed? Actually, no. Crazy, but true. My youth pastor was even concerned that I'd be really disappointed, but I'm not. And I can already see reasons why we're supposed to be here that 10 days instead of in Mexico. My King is Awesome and Amazing. I'm excited to see what He has planned next. (The D.R. with our choir maybe? Hint, hint, sweet, Jesus, can we go? And soon?)

Yes softball.

We've played two games so far, without any practice. We've won both, but we still need practice. The first game I played right field, and last night I had the opportunity to share being catcher. That was fun. And I'm so ready for practice on Saturday (followed by my Uncle and soon-to-be Aunt's wedding). When I played softball 5 years ago, I had fun at first, but was definitely ready for the season to be over. This year, even before the season began, I knew it was different. I'm so excited and thankful I get to play softball. Five years ago I was a little nervous before games, and even practice. This time, I'm just excited and ready to play. In both instances my King told me, "You're playing softball," when I wasn't even thinking about playing. And Saturday can't get here soon enough...we finally get to practice! During both seasons, though, I've been so blessed to play on an amazing team. That's at least half the reason why I enjoy playing so much. I get to hang out with 14 amazing people while having church in the dirt. I don't care that it's almost ten at night, I'm ready to practice or play a game right now. Let's go.

Yes choir.

As I've seen a change in me in softball already this season, I've noticed a change in me in choir, too. I was in our church choir eight years ago. I enjoyed it. This year my King has said it's time to be back in choir, and I love it. That part hasn't changed. What has changed is that I don't hold back like I did eight years ago. Who cares if I don't get every note right. What matters is that I'm praising and worshiping my King, and that I'm giving my all and having fun. Our King is giving us so many opportunities to share Him through music--He's so amazing. I love my King.

Yes praise team.

I've thought about singing on a praise team before, and within the past few months my King has given me the green light and the opportunities. But why on a praise team instead of just singing with them during praise and worship? Number 1: My Creator King gave me a voice; I can sing. Not amazingly, but good enough. I should use what my King gave me for Him and not keep it for myself. Number 2: My King's giving me the opportunity, and I'm taking it. Now, singing on a praise team isn't much different than singing with the praise team as they lead during a church service. The small differences are that I have to be aware of what the others on the team are singing, what I'm singing, and where the lead vocalist is going. And it's a good thing to know the words. Other than that, there's no difference. I'm still praising and worshiping my King through song. It doesn't matter that I'm up on the platform instead of "in the pews". It doesn't matter that I'm holding a microphone. I can still lift my hands. I can still stop singing for a bit and simply stand in awe of my King. I can still praise and worship my King like I would "in the pews". I don't want the way I worship my King to be different just because I'm on a praise team. Because then it's about me. And it's NOT about me. It's ALL about CHRIST. If I lose sight of that, then I'd better kick myself off the the praise team. Because it's NOT about performing; it's ALL about praising and worshiping my King.

Let's see...any other NOs or YESes?

No mediocrity. Yes to kicking my own butt and adding more fuel to the fire.
No to the bear. Yes to slamming the door closed and bolting it shut and giving Christ the key.
No to wading in the shallows. Yes to jumping in...jump, cannonball, splash.

I love my King. Do you?

Thoughts from Yesterday (which was Sunday)

In Sunday School we are in 2 Peter chapter one. At one point we were talking about how we can forget that Christ has cleansed us from past sins (referencing verse 9) and how the "once saved, always saved" belief is false. Pastor Jeff told us about a time when he had a conversation with someone who believed that once we're saved, we're always saved -- that once we accept and acknowledge Christ as our personal Savior, then we're going to heaven no matter what. 

Pastor Jeff told the guy something like this, "Okay, let's say there's a man who has given his life to Christ, and he and his family are in church every Sunday. After a few years the pastor notices the guy has missed a couple Sundays in the past few months. The pastor decides not to say anything because he doesn't want to pry and he realizes people miss church sometimes. The man's church attendance becomes more sporadic, and soon he doesn't come to church at all. Later, the pastor finds out the man has divorced his wife, etc. So, where's the man going? Heaven or Hell? Is he saved?" The guy talking with Pastor Jeff said, "He was never saved." Pastor Jeff said something like, "Well, what are you going to do for the man?" The guy said, "Lead him to Christ." Pastor Jeff said, "So am I."

Me:  Pastor Jeff, you could have said something like this: "So the man was never married? He divorced his wife, so he was never married to her, right? Or, although he divorced his wife, was he still married to her? Christ compares His relationship with us like a marriage relationship. In a marriage, it's not always 'once married, always married'. People don't always keep the marriage covenant. Sometimes people get divorced. But, just because someone gets a divorce doesn't mean that person was never married. Staying married takes work from both sides, not just one. That's just like us with Jesus. Although once we accept and acknowledge Him as Savior and we are saved from death (the wages of sin is death Roman 6:23), we have the choice to cling to Christ or to walk away from Him. If we don't work at our relationship with Christ by reading His Word, talking with Him (praying), studying His Word...then we'll walk away from Him. He keeps His part of the covenant, but we are the ones who sometimes turn our backs on Him. (Ezekiel 16 and Hosea 2, for example.) We can divorce Christ, but He'll never divorce us. 

Pastor Jeff:  So, Christ keeps His covenant with Israel...

Me: We're grafted in...

Pastor Jeff: So all Jews are saved...

Me: No...Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...

I had fun in our little mock debate. It's amazing to see how the Holy Spirit brings His Word to memory at the right moments for the right reasons. 

Then, later on in the day I thought of another analogy regarding the "once saved, always saved" thing. You are swimming (pool, lake, ocean, large pond, river, wherever). You begin to drown (seaweed, shark, cramp, undertow, waves, whatever reason). As you're drowning, someone saves your life. Since then you've been swimming again many times. A few years later, you're swimming and for whatever reason you are again drowning. But you don't need help. You were saved years earlier. Once saved, always saved, right? WRONG! Without someone to save you from drowning, you will die. It doesn't matter that you were saved from drowning once before. Each time you're drowning, you still need saved. And just because you may be drowning for the 17th time and need saved, it doesn't mean you'd never been saved before.

Our self-righteousness

It's like Satan was at the bottom of the ocean saying, "Come on down here, it's fun. The water's fine." And you listened and started swimming down and inhaling water the whole time, and Jesus grabbed a hold of you and pulled you up out if the ocean and got the water out of your lungs and slapped you across the face. You say, "Well...thanks, Jesus", and then go tell everyone what a great swimmer you are. See how self-righteous we are? God saves us and does so many good things and we take the credit for what we do good.

-- Pastor Jeffrey L. Whittaker, 

from "The Voyage to Another World" 

Sunday, September 7, 2003

I'm Amazed

This evening after dinner I was trying on a number of pairs of pants one of my sisters had given me. When I was almost finished going through the small pile, I thought, "I'm amazed." Then I realized what CD I was listening to: Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir's I'm Amazed. Then I realized what song was playing: "I'm Amazed". Wow. How appropriate. I love how my King has perfect timing, and how He never ceases to amaze me.

I'm so amazed right now because of what all has happened in the past week.(You may want to skip Thursday's if you have a weak stomach or cry easily.)

• Wednesday evening during church, I found out that our church's choir may have the opportunity to go to the Dominican Republic for a missions trip. My first thought when I heard my pastor say that was, "Do you need chaperons?" That thought was partly a joke because right now there's no one in our choir who needs a chaperon, and I wasn't part of the choir. However, I've been to the D.R. on a missions trip before (2007) and I want to go back. Also, I'd been in the choir during the summer of 2003, but hadn't been able to jump back in due to many things. So, that night I began praying, "Lord, I want to go back to the D.R. Can I go back? Can we go? Can I? I want to jump in with both feet, but I don't want to put more on my plate unless You say it's okay." In addition, our family dog, Snuggles, was not doing well. I mentioned about the seizures in my previous post, and she'd been doing okay until a few days before this. Snuggles hadn't been eating or drinking for about 4 days and it wasn't looking good. I went to bed with some questions:
• The Bible says not to kill--not to intentionally murder. What's the difference between euthanasia for animals or euthanasia for people? When "putting and animal down", people do it so the animal won't suffer. Isn't that what people say about euthanasia for humans? Either way, we're still killing them. Lord, please take Snuggles peacefully when it's her time. I don't want to kill her by "putting her down". Yes, I know there is a difference between humans and animals. For one, humans are made in the image of God. But, still.
• Since the Bible says not to kill, then what's the difference between killing a mosquito or killing a person? Yes, the Bible says God's given us animals for food, but if we're intentionally killing something that we're not going to use for food, then aren't we breaking God's command? That is, unless it's in self-defense or cannot be avoided? I've killed many bugs, as well as a mole or two and a groundhog/woodchuck. Did I want to? The bugs, yes. The groundhog, no. The moles, not really. And when it comes to bugs, I don't kill most of them. Mainly just mosquitoes, flies, some spiders, and gnats. Yet, who am I to choose? Who am I to kill what God created?
• Thursday morning, Mom woke me up about 20 minutes earlier than normal, around 7:10 am, because Snuggles was dying. I quickly got dressed and was with her during her final few minutes. I covered her with an old blanket, tried to tuck her legs in as best as I could knowing she'd be stiff soon, tried to close her eyes, and put her in the garage. The kids hadn't left for school yet, but only two of the older ones knew what was going on (one was crying a bit, so we had to make her laugh before the bus came). During the course of the rest of the day, I took Snuggles' collar off, I went with my dad to my aunt and uncle's to help bury her in the family doggie graveyard (there are 4 dogs there now). And, being who I am, when taking off Snuggles' collar, I poked her in various places amazed at how quickly rigor mortis set in. During much of the day one though kept going through my head: "I'm going back to the D.R. I may be going back to the Dominican Republic soon." I went to bed with more questions:
• Lord, why did you create rigor mortis? What's the point of it? It reminds me of how when we're spiritually dead, our heart is hard. Even if part our lives are hardened toward You, it's like that part of us is dead. Thank You, though, that You are Life and You give life, and can soften any dead, hardened are of our lives if we allow You to.
• Friday morning I played outside in a few inches of snow with three of our boys who are around 4 and 5 years old. For much of the hour outside, we played with Ariel (my brother's black lab/pit bull mix) and did baseball/softball slides. I had fun practicing those slides. I thought I'd practice because I never know when I'll need that skill. I found out that in the snow is the perfect place to learn and practice those slides.
• Saturday I spent relaxing most of the day and thinking about going to Mexico and the Dominican Republic both possibly in the same year.
• Sunday, during pre-school church, one of the dads came in to get his son and told his son to ask one of the girls if her mom was going to play softball this year. The dad then told his son to ask his teacher (me) if she was going to play softball this year. I automatically said no because I didn't have time for it. Then, on our way to lunch, I thought, "I'm playing softball. Wait...Lord, I'm playing softball this year? Okay, I'm playing softball." I played softball with our church's co-ed team during the summer of 2006, and every winter since then I've thought about whether I'd play that summer or not, and I've prayed about it. This year, I didn't even really think about it, and the Holy Spirit tells me I'm playing softball. So, I've begun spring training since I don't like to run much. 
• Monday and Tuesday were "normal" days, and I was excited about going to choir practice on Wednesday.
• Wednesday (yesterday) I went to choir practice at church before youth group. Oh, how I've missed being in choir. I'm glad it's time for me to jump in again. And by jumping in I mean I'm singing with the choir on Sunday during service. I just heard the song for the first time, sang it once in practice, and am learning it on my own this weekend. I'm thankful for the basic music stuff I've been taught, for the many years in school choirs, for a wonderful church choir, and for an amazing choir director/pastor/softball teammate/friend/big brother/another dad/etc. 

I'm amazed. Mexico, choir, the D. R., softball, many free pairs of pants...Lord Jesus, I don't know what You're doing with me right now, yet I'm jumping in with both feet.

*Jump* *Cannonball* *Splash!*