True

I know that I haven't had an entry for a while, but I haven't had much to write about that wasn't excruciatingly mundane...or private. But today I have something.

So last night, our choir at church had the honor of being asked to sing in the Point of Grace concert, whose Winter Wonderland Nashville tour stop happened to be our "little" auditorium. On top of the honor bestowed upon our choir, which was excepted with alacrity, our worship pastor asked me to sing one of two solos. I was absolutely flattered as well as terrified--not of singing in front of a full house (and that, it was), because I have sung in front of many more than our auditorium holds, but of telling anyone about it, especially those in the choir.

I have had some experiences in the past of people doubting my sincerity when singing in church. But singing in church is the one place where the actor that is Rachel (the one who hides feelings and controls emotions in public to simply deal with life as it comes) no longer exists. I am the stripped down, naked (figuratively) version of myself. What I share and what I do from the stage at church is simply my expression to God for all to see. Yes, I dance. Yes, I move. Yes, I groove. Yes, I sing when there are no words. These are all part of my language of love to my Creator and almost a primal, instinctual reaction to music. God created that in me. He created that in a lot of people, but some are so stifled and scared to let it loose simply because they have been taught at one time or another to be ashamed of it, whether that be overtly or merely by implication. And most have no idea why...

Now that I have gone off on a completely different tangent...let's get back on topic. I told one person outside of my husband and mother. I told my good friend who happens to be in choir with me, but I also told her that I was scared to say anything to anyone else for various reasons. Simply put, it wasn't about me...and I didn't want to give the impression that I thought it was.

So most didn't know until the night before the show, at the final rehearsal, and others not until the show itself.

However, the thing I will remember most about last night is this: I have true friends. Those that will grieve when I grieve and rejoice when I rejoice. Those that will be truly happy for me and proud of me when I am honored. I had a number of choir members come up to me last night and give me long hugs and tell me how happy they were for me and what a great job I did. And none of the praise mattered...what mattered was that I had friends to share it with. In the past, I have only been surrounded by those who would be jealous and try to, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, keep me from doing my best. This has happened both in churches and out.

Jealousy is a natural reaction and I will never say that I don't experience it. But I also recognize it for what it is and I quell it. It is not a flattering nor effective emotion. The only thing it accomplishes is keep you from recognizing what God has given you...it keeps you focused on what God has given others and you hate them for it. And when you hate them, you hate God...

The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' - Matthew 25:40

God has blessed me with true friends and I can only hope that I can be that true in return.

Pride cometh...

I am sometimes astounded at the rate by which we are quick to blame everyone but ourselves. Sometimes, when things go wrong, all we can do is start making excuses and pointing fingers, instead of reflecting inward to see what we ourselves might have done differently, and how we ourselves may have affected the situation. In other words, look at our own faults before looking at others. “Let he who has no sin cast the first stone…”

I have been dismayed over the past few days in watching several situations develop around me, both in relationships with friends and in the public forum.

I spend a great deal of time blaming myself unnecessarily, but at the same time, when I do blame myself, I find many around me who say, “It is not your fault.” And they start to point the finger for me, saying that though I may have done something, it was someone else’s fault for starting it. That’s not right. Just because one person does something, nothing FORCES me to do anything in response. And should a response come, if it is not made in a prayerful and contemplative manner, then I can almost guarantee that my response will not be appropriate. Sometimes I and others hide behind a veil of “freedom”. It thinly veils pride. For pride’s sake, I must make a response, and when the reason for response comes from pride, I promise, it won’t be serving some greater purpose.

Pride is one of the most destructive forces in life. It destroys relationships, companies, people, churches, marriages, friendships and eventually, the world. Pride was the very first wrong in the world. Pride is what caused Lucifer to fall and Eve to take the fruit. And from it stemmed every other sin.

Far too often, I am guilty of pride. Freedom to do or say something does not mean there is no consequence to doing or saying anything I want. The simple fact is this:

With great freedom comes great responsibility.

I must be responsible in the freedom that God and, by God’s grace, our country offers me. Sometimes, the hardest thing to do is to reign in that freedom for the sake of others and ourselves. Regardless of what I have the freedom to do, I have to face the consequences of that freedom which I exercise.

In the end, treat others the way you wish to be treated and be kind. There is no reason to be otherwise.

Helping Others

Just random thoughts...I read an article today that made me think about when is helping really helping. And the author of that article made a great statement:

We all need to take the time to reach out to others and help them walk with God.

Life is full of uncertainty but without God two things really are certain: We will make a mess of our lives, and we will help others do the same.

So many of us focus on helping others, with little regard as to what we help them with. Sometimes helping others means saying no or telling them that by helping them in the way they are requesting is not really helping them at all.

For instance, if a friend came to you and asked you to help them out by driving them to the bank and then home, that would be fine, indeed. But what if you find that they have just asked you to be the getaway driver for their bank heist? That would definitely qualify as not helping them, if you fulfill their request.

This comes down to tempering any help to a friend or stranger with the Grace of God. In the above situation, the grace of God would require you to help your friend by saying no...and possibly turning them in to the authorities. Or maybe the root problem needs to be addressed, like financial turmoil that has led them to feel that the only way out is to rob a bank.

Just thoughts today...I don't know who it will bless, but I felt led to post it. Help someone today...with grace.

Go ahead, make my day...

You know how you can just be minding your business and someone comes along and makes your day? That was how it was yesterday. It was really quite special. I sang on the praise team at church and it was a great service. The songs were rockin’ and everyone was worshipping together. I was oblivious to everything around me as I just lifted up my voice and enjoyed the time.

After I was finished leading in the second service, I made my way to my seat and set down next to my husband. The next thing in the service was special music. As that was going on, a woman about 6 rows in front of us, whom I had never met before, got up from her seat, came back to where I was sitting, whispered in my ear, “I just wanted to tell you that you looked beautiful up there today,” and went back to her seat. I thought, “How wonderful! She felt it was important enough to tell me right then and not wait until after the service…that just made my day.” I thanked her, but I didn’t know what else to say. I didn't deserve that...I had done nothing to earn her compliment...I had done nothing that would make me worthy of such a comment. But she said it and it was lovely.

Then, I went to rehearsal for a show I am helping with and three different people came up to me and complimented me on three different things and it just really made my day great.

Isn’t it wonderful that a kind word, something that costs nothing and takes only moments to give, can make such a difference in someone’s life? I have made it my mission today to tell at least four people something kind, one for each comment I got yesterday. There’s nothing like spreading the kindness around!

Say something nice to someone today…make their day and show them God’s grace through you.

Could it get any better than free?

Life is like a cup of good coffee: it will burn you sometimes, but it's delicious when consumed responsibly!

Go get some!!! (Thanks Wyllow!)

Grace isn't fair

Something that was said this weekend that just really struck me… “Grace isn’t fair.” What a remarkably ironic statement. In today’s world, we often hear, “Life isn’t fair.” It is most often used when commenting on someone’s unfortunate circumstances to intimate that bad things happen to good people for no reason. Life just continues on a path, regardless of people or their circumstances…

But, no one seems to equate life with grace, and isn’t life, the life God has granted each of us, the fact that we even wake up in the morning, regardless of our place in life, the ultimate expression of God’s grace?

So life isn’t fair…and neither is grace. And isn’t that a wonderful thing? God’s grace knows no boundary. It isn’t bound by any rules of who is most deserving or needing. It isn’t bound by want or prosperity; by good or bad; by faith or suspect. God offers his grace to everyone, regardless of circumstance. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been a “good” person all your life, or if you have been a “bad” person. God makes his grace available to all…and you don’t even have to accept it. The fact that you are alive means you have it. But there is so much more if you actually acknowledge and accept the grace He offers…

Just yesterday, I found out that if I had taken a job opportunity when it was offered and not waited that I would have lost my job. That job was eliminated yesterday. But God told me to wait and I did and I have been blessed because of it. It’s a great thing to see God’s hand at work.

Grace isn’t fair…and boy, am I glad it isn’t!

Rally Across America

I added a link to my friend and co-worker's blog (Rally Across America). He and some friends from college have dedicated part of their lives every September to ride bicycles hundreds of miles to raise money for Childhood Cancer Research. They are an amazing bunch of people and I encourage all of you to visit and read their site. They began their journey this weekend and already have some fun stories from on the road (something involving explosions, fire ants and tacos...not necessarily in that order...) :)

Later this month, I will be participating in Think Pink Putt Putt: a benefit for Breast Cancer Research...its the only golf tournament you will ever find me a part of. I will have more details on that later. But for now...please visit Austin's site and enjoy his daily blog, and if you feel so led, please give to their wonderful cause!

God Forbid...

I had a very moving experience at church last night, while taking the Lord's supper and this is the song that came to mind. Too often, we take our God for granted...and we fail to realize how awesome it is that He picked us...we didn't pick Him...HE CHOSE US. That is just simply too big for me to get my mind around. So, I share these lyrics with you from Point of Grace (words & music by Kyle Matthews & Tony Wood).

The more I know your power, Lord,
The more I'm mindful
How casually we speak and sing Your name.
How often we have come to You,
With no fear or wonder,
And called upon You only for what we stand to gain.

God forbid
That I find You so familiar,
That I think of You as less than who You are.
God forbid
That I should speak of You at all
Without a humble reverence in my heart
God forbid

Lord, I often talk about Your love and mercy;
How it seems to me Your goodness has no end.
It frightens me to think
That I could take You for granted;
Though You're closer than a brother,
You are more than just a friend.

God forbid
That I find You so familiar,
That I think of You as less than who You are.
God forbid
That I should speak of You at all
Without a humble reverence in my heart
God forbid

You are Father, God Almighty
Lord of Lords, You’re King of Kings
Beyond my understanding
No less than everything

God forbid
That I find You so familiar,
That I think of You as less than who You are.
God forbid
That I should speak of You at all
Without a humble reverence in my heart
God forbid
God forbid
God forbid

Long weekends and lessons...

So, the weekend. We had some of our best friends in from Michigan this weekend. It was so fun to spend the time with them. It just renewed my aching for them to live closer. It’s so funny to hear myself say best friends, because we hardly talk to them as often as we should if we were best friends, but nonetheless, they are like siblings to us (the good part of siblings…).

They brought their two children and we spent the weekend eating and talking…and we even took them to church and small group with us. Now they know they have people praying for them here in Tennessee too…not just to bless them, but to move them to come here! I am so grateful for my friends and everything they mean to me.

Also, this weekend, I had to give up the second pair of shoes in as many weeks for “personal sacrifice.” As a human being, I hate sacrificing…I hate giving up something that is mine, because I feel personal ownership. This would be why I am being called to sacrifice more often, I believe. There is a message in this for me…the things I own are not my own…they were provided to me by what God has granted me with and given me the ability and opportunity to earn. Therefore, it is His. And so, I have “lost” two pairs of shoes. I say lost, but what I mean is, I had to pass on two pairs of shoes. Two pairs of my favorite shoes, I might add.

But, one pair of shoes was given to those in need of shoes. The other was given to a friend to help her think about me and the sacrifice I made in giving them. So at least now I know Amy will be thinking about me!

And I can always replace shoes…that was not the point. Sometimes, we have to be reminded that our attachment to material things is a little too large in the scheme of things…that we need to be reminded of our purpose in life…and that is not to acquire “stuff”. When we give, we serve and we love. That is how I look at it…and that is how God looks at it. He loved us enough to give His Son. My shoes look amazingly insignificant now…

Deal with it 101

Colorado School Bans Tag on Playground

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070830/D8RBARRG2.html

When does this end? When does the over-protection of our children cross the line into willful neglect to educate our children about the real world? When do we say enough is enough? When did a large majority of our parental populous either lose their mind, lose their will, or lose their voice? Parents I know, myself included, teach our children that some people are different than we are. Some people don’t think like we do…and for the most part, that is not a bad thing.

Take this situation of playing tag, for instance.

“…some children complained they were harassed or chased against their will.”

Harassed? What elementary school child knows what harassment is without some over-inflated school teacher or administrator or self-righteous parent telling them? What “harassment” goes on in an elementary school? Teasing? Isn’t that a part of school and growing up?

Wayne Kirkpatrick wrote the line, “To deal with the scoffers, that’s part of the bargain. They heckle from back rows and they bark at the moon. Their flowers are fading in time’s bitter garden, while yours is only beginning to bloom.”

Is this not what we should be teaching our children…that dealing with less-than-perfect people is part of growing up and being a productive member of society? God forbid that we teach our kids that if they don’t want to be chased, then just sit down and don’t run. Just ignore the chaser and they will find someone else to chase. Elementary kids have the attention span of a gnat, so they will quickly find someone else to get on chasing that is a more willing participant.

Let’s stop teaching our children the disease of victimhood. You can only be a victim if you let yourself be one. A strong person rises above and moves forward. Does that mean bad things don’t happen? No. But it does mean that we have better prepared our children how to “deal with the scoffers” than become a perpetual victim of the world.

My first post...

Okay...so I am making my very first post. I hope to be able to keep up with this. But right now, I am just using this to get some things off my chest. I hope to be able to have something to talk about consistently...I have a mySpace account, but there is too much to keep up with on that to keep things clean and easy...so here is my attempt.

Cheerios!