I seem to be blessed with the ability to read books and hear the author's heart without being a literary critic...I'm this way with movies as well! How poorly the actors acted is far from my mind as I'm enraptured in the telling of a story as if I'm right there and experiencing their pain or joy, despite how poorly the actors themselves do it on screen...I love this little part about me! It means I can enjoy pretty much enjoy any wholesome movie/book without caring about special effects, acting, dialogue....yadda yadda yadda...life is good!
On that note, I'm almost finished reading The Shack, and I must read it again! It made such wonderful sense to me and I was able to more fully understand who God is...in my own relationship with my "Papa" (I have more work to do in my life before I feel comfortable using that term), I was so ready to read the words in the book as it describes the Trinity and how they are equal and NOT part of some hierarchy. And how if we were truly capable of perfect love, we'd have no need for institutions and rules and leaders etc!! Because if we WERE able to love perfectly as God loves perfectly:
- we'd be busy ministering to the needs of others and others would be ministering to our needs
- we wouldn't be busy judging because we'd have no rules to base our judgements on!! Rules and laws may have been well intended, but unfortunately it only makes us compare ourselves with others and when we judge others, we see ourselves as better than them!!! What arrogance! Lord help me!!
I so encourage everyone to read this book! or listen to it! Here is where you can find it.
Lately I've been really enjoying and feeling encouraged by the Lakeland Revival. I long for the freedom in Christ to be able to dance in worship, to speak freely of God's love for others, whether I know them or not, to have that boldness in Christ needed to pray for someone on the street when I feel that small urge! I have so much pride to let go of...but it feels so close, the release into freedom, it's so tangible I can almost touch it! This excites me! Oh Lord, don't stop working in me!
Also on my mind lately, is my SIL...sigh. My husband is frustrated with her constant series of bad choices and is really struggling to show grace. He loves her, but feels he can only do so at a distance right now, as he is not one to fake sympathy and he is tired of her drama and feels that someone needs to show her tough love (I don't think that is even scriptural, is it??)...I'm trying to get him to read The Shack, as I think this will help him immensely with his "love" issue...we talked quite a while last night about our relationship with her and where it went bad...you see she lived with us for awhile, and it ended on a sour note. Back then, we were struggling with trying to protect our children from bad influences and I will admit we were judgemental...NOT exactly the way to show Christ's love...sigh, and she was making choices back then that we still don't understand and was generally quite irresponsible and turned our basement into a smelly barn with her animals!! LOL I laugh at it now, but at the time it was frustrating, especially when she lived elsewhere for days at a time leaving the animals for us to take care of...and not talking to us and letting us know what was going on...the lack of communication was the most frustrating thing for us and again we judged her for that. All this to say, that despite the fact that I apologized on her wedding day and "I" thought I was forgiven for my bad attitudes etc. there is still a large rift between us and I can't do anything about it. I don't know how to show her Christ's love when there is no communication going on...do I out of the blue start contacting her? or simply wait until she wants to reconcile? I hate divided families...it sucks. I've made so many mistakes in life and just wish I could fix them all...apparently, that's not the case, even if I DID have a lot of fun with her while she lived with us...rum and kanasta was a fun night!!! I don't exactly enjoy rum anymore...but kanasta will always be a warm memory....as well as watching Smallville together, and Avril Lavigne music videos...I guess this blog is my way of giving my relationship with her back to God. He knows how much I ache for her in her abusive marriage. All I can do now is pray...why is it, that I wait until I realize that I can do nothing, to pray? This needs to be my first instinct!
Words and music by Bob Hartman and John Elefante
Based on 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18, Ephesians 6:18-19, Matthew 6:9-13
First I want to thank You Lord for being who You are
For coming to the rescue of a man who's drifted far
For calling me to be Your son and calling me to serve
Lord the way You've blessed my life is more than I deserve
Keep the ones I love so dearly
Fill their emptiness while I am gone
And fill the loneliness in me
(Chorus)
This is my prayer
Lifted to You
Knowing You care even more than I do
This is my prayer
Lifted in Your name
Your will be done I humbly pray
Let me be the evidence of what Your grace can do
To a generations struggling to find themselves in You
May they come to know the love of God
May their eyes be made to see
Give me the opportunity to share the truth that sets them free
And may unity in all things
Be the banner of Your church
And let revival's fire begin to burn
As we face the last and final hours
Turn a wayward country back to You
And keep us from the evil that devours
Keep us on the path and lead us through
Keep us in Your light until Your kingdom comes
And our work is done
This is my prayer
Lifted to You
Knowing You care so much more than I do
This is my prayer
In Jesus' name
Your will be done I humbly pray
This is my prayer
I love this song...it's a song I play on the piano every now and then and attempt to sing without tears...