....to go! Aaaaaaghhhhh!!! Where did the time go? I best be making a list and checking it twice. No wonder I've been feeling so jittery. What to do, what to do........
Working with many Brazilian students on our campus, I work intensely to get them connected to churches in Brazil for when they are home. Bro. Lambeth has been a key contact in this endeavor. God has allowed us opportunities to take, so far, one of our Brazilian students to a conference to meet him and to get in contact with him. As a result, I receive his Faith Flash News updates regarding happenings in the churches in Brazil. This is the Faith Flash that I opened on my email this morning. I just had to share it and hope it blesses you like it blessed me. Be INTENSE about church this Sunday!!! (and every service!)
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Rev. John Bradley Lambeth
"Radio me down a Blessing!
His nickname is Sergeant. And that he really is! He is a sergeant of a crack anti-crime squad in southern Brazil: a tough cop for a tough job.
Yet, when “Sergeant” walked into our Sunday night service three weeks ago he looked so…vulnerable. He looked lonely… or was that really fear that I saw in his eyes? Yes, it looked deep fear… dread of facing one more day of no-win war against crime.
As worship flowed through the Temple, I saw the first tiny root of Divine peace take hold of “Sergeant”… then he moved forward a bench or two.
The next Sunday he was back… the tears of peaceful worship now ran freely down his face. No shame, no fear… just Holy peace! Where does “Sergeant” live? Because of security reasons, no one really knows… but we DO know where he goes to church now!
However, this last Sunday was a unique event for “Sergeant” and for everyone else that night.
You see, “Sergeant” was set on coming back to church that night, but (regretfully!)…“Sergeant” was on duty this last Sunday: his job was riding shotgun on the back of a rapid-response police pickup truck.
What to do? He WANTED SO BAD to go to church!
When was the last time YOU had an INTENSE desire to go to church?
David put it this way: “I was glad (GLAD!!!!!!!!) when they said unto me, Let us gi into the house of the LORD (Ps. 122:1).
Later that evening while in hot pursuit of rough gang lords, the police team raced up the service road by the church. “Sergeant” screamed for the driver to stop. Thinking that a fleeing gang member had been located, the driver hit the brakes… hard! “Sergeant” jumped off the truck and told them to continue the chase… HE WAS GOING TO CHURCH!
“Sergeant” grabbed a walkie-talkie off the seat and told them to call him if there was any major trouble. “I AM GOING TO CHURCH”… those were the last words as “sergeant” turn to race up the sidewalk into the Sanctuary!
“Sergeant” raced down center aisle with the walkie-talkie blaring the police chase down the road. With one hand high unto the Lord and the other hand holding the walkie-talkie to his ear, he began praising the Lord with a SHOUT!
Midst tears that wet his uniform, his soul was (AGAIN!) washed in Holy peace!
He knew that he would be court-martialed if the chase went sour, especially since he was the head sergeant… yet, he also felt that DEEP call of his soul…. His prayer that night was “Radio me down a blessing Lord!”.
About thirty minutes later he rushed back out to get back into the pickup… the other cops had captured part of the gang and he had to be present to read them their rights…
So this last Sunday night “sergeant” left the building with BOTH ears hot: left ear glued to the walkie-talkie… right ear glued to Jesus!
Be INTENSE about church!
Rev. John Bradley Lambeth
Uniquely Missions Minded !"
To see someone make radical changes that bring order to their world and such positive progress, then to reject all of those changes. To watch that same individual willingly embrace the negative practices they left behind. To watch said individual slide deeper into degradation than they ever were before their change. To hear such an individual brag of their perversity and change, and embrace it as power. To listen to one rationalize about how they must make their own choices even if they have to go through hell on earth in the process. To listen as an individual reasons their way into an hog pen and gladly wallows in the filth and feces of their own dissolute conduct. To watch as those confused souls smile brighter, talk louder, act out as though they are screaming for attention to prove…..prove they don’t care and that they are happy living in the gutter. To see such an one act as a canine returning to it’s vomit and lapping it up, as though it were the first gourmet meal they had ever partaken of. Such an occasion simply leaves those associated with such an one feeling broken……..
I had this silly concept that I simply was not doing enough seeing as I had free time in the evenings. Coming out of numerous years of schooling and doing most of that at night and on weekends, due to working full-time, free time has not been a term in my vocabulary. It's amazing how after being so busy, when one has time that is not scheduled up, it's easy to feel guilty or lazy. So, what did I do? I scheduled myself back up! Enjoy that free time? Oh no......goodness forbid that I allow myself a few nights off to have a life. :)
Now, I feel a tad bit panicked. I say every semester that I am not doing this to myself. Someday I will learn to say no........no, no, no! 3 classes (part-time teaching, I said no to a 4th one) later, still working full-time, getting ready to leave on a 2 week missions trip and coming back to start my MBA took care of that free-time devil. We killed that spirit! Killed him dead!!!! It was completely not my intention to teach this semester. In fact, I did not submit my name for any classes because I will be gone for 2 weeks in September and that tends to not be a good idea. However, after simply being told that the 2 weeks in September was not remotely an issue, (the department was desperate for another teacher), why not teach? I thought about, first, how much I enjoy it and, second, how nice that extra chunk of $$$$ looks on my paycheck, hmmmmm.......yeah, it was somewhat of a no brainer decision.
I must clarify here that I am NOT complaining! :D I will do this! I can do this! The good thing about it is that with all of my running and no time for sitting still, I really ought to start seriously slimming down. Eat!?! What is that and who has time?
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." ~Philippians 4:13
I love it.....really! Especially when I'm not falling into bed feeling like I've been ran over by a Mack Truck......:) Let the races begin!
In my point of view regarding the McCain and Obama Forum at Saddleback church, McCain stood out. I must say that I, in some folk's opinion, probably sinned or either cheated but I, later after listening to the event, watched the whole thing on You Tube. :) I wanted to see facial expressions and the body language of the candidates, as I believe they speak more loudly than words.
Short and to the point, McCain had spare time to answer questions that Obama ran out of time to be asked. Obama spent plenty of time pontificating without, many times, seemingly saying anything relevant to the question. He seemed to have a hard time gathering his thoughts and focusing in on the issue being questioned. McCain came across stronger in some areas than I originally had found him to seem. Consequently, some of McCain's anecdotes seemed somewhat trite and as though they might be intended to be crowd pleasers.
There is an interesting overview of the forum here.
The picture below was a more intriguing moment to me. McCain offered a handshake/partial shoulder pat to Obama upon his entry. Mr. Obama seemed quite shocked and almost ill at ease returning the courtesy. Body language is so interesting....
Overall, I enjoyed the forum. I think that it was well organized with some tough and relevant questions for the candidates. The spirit that the event was held in was a nice change from the derogatory tones that seem to set the pattern for the debates. Pastor Rick Warren asked pointed questions and did a commendable job staying neutral to the candidates.
What it all came down to basically is that Obama exhibited his socialistic philosophy through many of his replies to the questions asked. He quite simply seemed as though he was unsure of how to specifically answer some of the questions. Basically, possibly because of a lack of experience in dealing with those specific situations. On the other hand, McCain exhibited a depth of experience only received from numerous years of political experience and from working in congress through multiple administrations.
I don't wear bracelets for any reason, not even to support a cause. This is simply because I don't wear jewelry period. However, I love this idea! Not necessarily the bracelet part, although, it is a clever way to get one's attention. But, I love the whole "No Complaining Allowed" concept. This is something that I have been trying super hard to work on this year. Living in an instant gratification society and world, it is easy to get caught up in the frustrations of not getting what one wants "right now." Complaining has become such a way of life to us that, I believe, sometimes we do not even hear ourselves do it, or realize what is coming out of our mouth.
How many times have we heard someone grouch about the service at McDonalds, or grump over increased gas prices, or mumble because the line at Wal-Mart is moving too slow and so on....? Or, how many times have we been the one doing those things? How many times a day do we grump about, or focus on, the lack of quality services we receive or lack of quality in items we purchase. The list goes on and on, of all the habits we slip into almost unaware as they have become such a way of life to us.
Mr. Will Bowen has come up with the idea of a "Complaint Free World." Check it out here. What a great idea! Why? Well, didn't I hear something about the Israelites wandering around in the wilderness because of their murmuring and complaining? Or, maybe it had something to do with Korah and his followers being swallowed by the earth, because they decided they needed a new leader, based off of their disgruntledness. I'll have to go study that again, anyway....God got TIRED of their murmuring and complaining. It simply makes me wonder, if we wouldn't be in a better place in life than we are, if we would simply stop sweating the small stuff. Instead of focusing on all of the negatives, how about we start saying "Thank You" for all of the good things that happen in our world/lives. I know it is not as easy as it sounds, believe me it's a job. However, it is something worth working towards. Attitude is everything! Have a Happy Day-No Complaining Allowed.:)
~I'm happy because I CHOOSE to be!:) ~Moi
Looking back at some of my recent posts I've had to cringe. I feel like Ned in the 1st grade trying to blog. My posts have been grammatically schizo to some extent. It is simply because my mind is EXHAUSTED! It is hard to think in an intelligent, intellectual manner and to put those thoughts into words while one's brain is burned out. Life has been crazy and I think it has finally caught up with me, although, I've enjoyed it immensely. I will get back to normal in the months ahead. Hopefully, there will not be a choice with grad school keeping me accountable. For now...I think I will take a break for a few weeks. Unless, something pops up that I just cannot resist sharing or journeling about!;)
~Ciao......
