Sunday, September 29, 2002

Endings and New Beginnings "Hail Satan"

Today was the last day of SaLT with WaLT ...and Tom. The two Christian men that lead our SaLT group will no longer lead this one as our church moves into a new realm called Northbrook University. We are blessed to have so many wonderful teachers in our church and God is having us utilize them and learn to love Him with our mind. Though SaLT groups will continue in a new way, our church family will meet more often for more in depth bible study. I'm very excited about the changes, but I am sad to see SaLT with WaLT end. It was a good two years and God has blessed me with awesome brothers and sisters in the faith.

Interesting story to share. I am addicted to Inklink. It's an online version of Pictionary and I found it on Bored.com. It is a lot of fun if you can find a good "room". In one room this past week one of the players kept typing "Hail Satan" "Hail Satan". Another player whispered to me "boot the satanist". (To "boot" means that if the player is abusive you can kick them out. There has to be consensus within the room for a player to be "booted") I ignored the whisper and continued to play. So the guy kept saying "Hail Satan", disturbing, but not abusive. The other player whispered again to me "any Christian would boot the satanist". First of all, the other player was assuming I was Christian so I don't get that and second, as I whispered back to the player, "A Christian would love the satanist and witness to him". That player typed back to me "F_ _ _ YOU!" and left the room. If he hadn't left, I would have booted him!

That's all for now.

Thursday, September 19, 2002

Defleshed Fetus

So I was signing and reading Slambook posts and came across a post by a very angry young man under the name DefleshedFetus. Anyway, he slamming God and anything non-white. What I found particularly interesting were his comments to the question if he was saved, "first of all there is no christ...second i dont need some false human idea to get me through life...i am strong enough and have the courage to do it on my own" Talk about "false human ideas"!!!!!! This cracks me up. Here's another one I found that he wrote "open your eyes and realize that you do not need an idea created by primitave humans to get you through life...be strong, be free, you can do it all on your own." I find it interesting that he calls humans "primitive" and in the same sentence he says we can "do it all on our own". What's wrong with that picture? Can anyone say contradiction? Which is it guy? Are we primitive? (Which to me means that we do not have a great capacity to do much on our own) Or, can we do it on our own? I say we are 'primitive", he got that part right, but I know that doing it on my own didn't get me anywhere. I can also see that it is getting him nowhere. He hates non-whites and come on with a name like "DefleshedFetus"? Does this sound non-violent? He blames Christianity for much of the death and destruction in the world. (Which unfortunately some Christians do take things to the extreme, it happens only when they leave the foundational principles of the faith, in Jesus Christ) He condemns the holocaust, yet calls himself a white-supremist! THIS MAKES NO SENSE TO ME!!!!!!!! He thinks he is "free"...HA! I pray that he will see the bondage he is in and cry out for God one day, to save him from eternal death.

Friday, September 13, 2002

Katie's Bloggin' in a Toboggan

Author: Katie

Okay, so I"m not in a taboggan. But I have been in some treacherous traffic all day! If somebody wasn't pulling out in front of me and then stopping, I was stuck behind Grandma or Grampa on a Sunday drive (Hello!!!!! It's ummmmmmm.......FRIDAY for Pete's sake! Who's Pete?) That makes me think of Peter in the Bible. I like Peter. He's so...........normal. I mean, don't we all have a tendency to stick our foot in our mouth? I do it on a regular basis ( so often that I've begun a recipe book Called "21 Ways to Enjoy A Foot Eating") Like today for instance....I thought I would be smart and answer a question in Algebra. The question: "What does x to the 0 power equal?" It equals 1. I was so proud that I answered right (that is very rare indeed) and then the teacher ruined everything..............For some strange reason he asked me to explain ....WHY!........I just simply replied with a smile and a look of satisfaction on my face and said......."Just because! :-)....." The teacher said that was true but it wasn't the answer he was looking for. LOL. Anyhow, then he asked what -7 to the zero power meant. Well, this girl and I got into an argument over it. I said it was 1 and she said it was -1........who was right you ask? Well, I should have learned my lesson when I answered the first question because once again he asked........Why?.......Why why why....Why does everybody have to know why? Anyhow I gave him my explanation. I knew what I was talking about (and I was sooo wrong) but I said something about fractions and he looked at me like I was from outer space and said........fractions??????? Anyhow, needless to say, the other girl was right. The answer was -1. Why you ask? BECAUSE! That's why! Just BECAUSE! Actually I do know why now but it was so obvious that I'm embarrassed to tell. So, I will just go on and try to make you believe I know just simply because I'm smart! Yeah! That's a good reason why.......because I'm smart and I said so! HA! Anyhow, the class got a good laugh from the teacher's look when I went into my explanation. They even got a better laugh when he explained the real reason why. Dah! I know I turned 3 shades of red. I don't like to turn red, although I like the color red. It makes me think of my son, Justin. It's his favorite color and since Justin makes me smile, when I get embarrassed and my face feels all warm, I think of how red it must be and I'm not embarrassed anymore because I think of Justin and that makes me happy! Well, I've gone of on a rabbit trail full of easter eggs so I guess it's time to bring this blog to an end.

the end

After the Fall

Store up treasures in heaven.

Ow, my ankle hurts.

Going for a Fall?

Yesterday I joined my friend Katie for a walk around the neighborhood. It was a beautiful evening as the sun was setting. Cool and quiet. We walked and shared our experiences of the day then suddenly...I fell down and went boom. OWWWWWWWWIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!! For no apparent reason I twisted my ankle and literally hit the pavement! Scraped up my left knee pretty bad with roadburn and my ankle is in the process of turning blue. It is a bit swollen, but I can walk on it.

I'm such a dork!

Wednesday, September 11, 2002

911 A Year Later

It's 9/11 2002. A year later. September 11. It used to be just another day. I mean, pick one...does November 9th mean anything to you? What about February 27th? August 18th? September 11th. We all remember what we were doing at the moment we heard the news. It impacted us all that day. That week. Now, a year later...we say life isn't the same. How has your life changed? Honestly. How is your life different today, than it was September 10th, 2001? It seemed time stopped for a moment, in shock. Agony. Fear. We took a breath as we reflected on the "important" things in life. But, how are our lives different today? Maybe some things have changed at the airport, but really, my personal life is basically the same as it was September 10, 2001. I have the same job that I love, I have the same roomate and her kids, I have the same family, I have the same daily triumphs and struggles. I know that a great many families suffered loss that awful day, and their lives are being lived without loved ones, but for most of us I believe not much has changed. I thank God for that. I thank God that I live in a country that allows me to worship Him, and a country that takes its freedom seriously. I thank God that He has taken us from September 11th, 2001 to today. I thank God that He is a Comfort to those who suffer. God has blessed America.

I challenge you to think about how you are living your life today. Is it different than it was September 10th, 2001? If not, why? If so, how? Is that a good or bad thing? My life has not changed in any significant way since that dreadful day, and I know why, because my God hasn't changed. He is the same today as He was yesterday, and as He was September 10, 2001. My foundation is in Christ, the Word, and the Word was, the Word is, and the Word will be. Everyone had their world rocked that day the planes hit, but was your foundation shaken? Did your foundation fail? If it did, you built on the wrong foundation.

"Everything works together for the good of everybody who loves God and is called according to His purpose."

Monday, September 09, 2002

Another Blessing

Author: Katie

I just read Sue's post from yesterday and got yet another blessing from what I was already blessed to partake of. I can't wait until I get my testimony up and running. I'm having writer's block. I have a problem with that. But, I also have an awesome English teacher and speech teacher who are working with me to help me overcome! I can't wait to share with the "Interworld" the blessings that God has literally showered me with.........I should say showers me with because it's an ongoing thing. It's everpresent every day. He is everpresent. The weird thing is.......I see Him at work all around me all the time. I am blessed to the point that my cup runneth over. I have such a fire burning in my heart for Jesus. I have a starving hunger and a parching thirst for His words to continuously (is that a real word? It looks weird.) fill my cup. Yet, when I pray.......I feel like it isn't going anywhere. I know He's there. I know He is listening. But, I just can't feel the presence. I'm having prayer's block. I don't think my English teacher can help me with that one. Maybe it's something that isn't right in my life. I will just keep praying and searching myself until I have a breakthrough!!!! Okay I have blogged long enough for now. It's time to head to class........algebra!!!!!!! That's enough to make anybody pray!!!! It's my last semester of math! That is a BIG blessing! It's truly something to praise God about! Remember to praise Him today. Even if it is the worst day of your life.....it won't require a big effort to think about some way that God has blessed your life and you know, if you praise Him in your misery.......it is a sacrifice of praise and those praises are extremely special to God! So, offer a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to Him today! Maybe it will cause your whole day to turn around! God Bless You!

Worship

I just have to share with you my worship experience this morning!

God is so good to me.

It has been stressful at work because I am working many hours trying to cover shifts now that I am short-staffed. I am down to a core group of people and they are great workers and I am trying hard to keep morale up up up! So far we all have smiles still! Hopefully I will be able to get some good people hired in this week. It's not easy to find good ones these days. I needed today off!

Worship yesterday was awesome! Unique. Very different and the Spirit is alive and moving! Started with music of course. Chuck, our administrative pastor who leads/organizes worship, explained that while we worship today we will have to opportunity to take communion. The four corners of the church each had tables set up with the elements. He explained that the "stage" (altar) was available and so was the PLT (pastoral leadership team) if we needed/wanted to them to pray with us. This was new for Northbrook Church. I hadn't seen them do this before, at least not in this way.

Chuck reminded us all about 911 and the anniversary. You'd have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to know the significance of 911. He said we have chosen to honor our God and worship Him today, and remember Him on the anniversary of the tragic event. He said a lot better than my paraphrase, but you get the point. Then we heard scripture that told of God's mercies. God's almighty power. God's love for us. Then we would sing. The music was a mixture of old hymns and newer stuff, all very thought provoking stuff. All glorified Him! As people felt led, we went to the tables to partake in communion with our God, or to the altar to offer praises/prayer. There were no lines, only a few people would be there at a time. It was almost "private". It was so cool. To "do this in rememberance of Me". It was an awesome sight to see today. Awesome to feel. The music in the air. Scripture being read aloud. Hands raised in praise. Tears trickling down the face of one of the male singers as he led the song "Give me Jesus" Take away my world, just "give me Jesus", as his strong tenor voice cracked with emotion. I was so moved. The music continued on and on. I didn't want it to end.

I sat at my seat. Katie had already gone up to receive the bread. I sat and struggled with my bitterness. It won't let me go. My resentment toward that old church of hers and her ex, it just eats me. Katie is the only one who knows my struggle, I have shared with you some of it, but it is really rooted deep and has been hindering my relationship with God for awhile now. Today I felt moved. Walt, my SaLT group leader is a member of the PLT. I love him and his wife Karen dearly. They are great God-fearing people and so wise. WaLT was assisting at one of the communion tables. Unfortunately, it was the one furthest from me. I wanted him to pray with me about my bitterness. I asked Katie if she would go with me. So, she came. We both walked from our 3rd row seat on the right side of the church, completely around the back and to the front of the left side of the church. I grabbed Karen, Walt's wife, on the way to come pray too. I confessed my bitterness to Walt and Karen and Walt had the four of us on our knees, holding hands, praying to my God for me. It was so beautiful. I have tears now. I felt so loved. I feel loved. I pray God hears that prayer and helps rid me of this root that is swallowing me up. I felt relieved a bit that I shared my sin. I took of the cup, the bread. Walt said to me on my way back, "why didn't you come to me sooner? We could have been praying for that all along?" I answered "Well, now you can pray about my pride problem!" LOL It was an amazing experience at worship today. This was all in the first 20 minutes of church!

Paul, our pastor, gave the message. It was about how God did not make the 911 thing happen. He did not allow it to happen. It happened. Tragedy happens in a sinful world. The sermon was about how God can take what happens and use it for good. It was a very good message. I took so many notes I ran out of space!

We ended with "A Mighty Fortress". It was powerful. I am not much into hymns, and that one never appealed to me at all, but I know that the way the church sang today, it glorified Him. Solo guitar and all of our voices. Every verse. Last verse was all a cappella. Simple. All voices singing to Him. It was moving. He smiled on our little church in Humboldt, TN today.