Invent

Clearing It Up

stubborn little cus!

so, does she listen to mommy’s pleas to slow down??? OF COURSE NOT!!! Tonight she took steps between me and Robbie while we held her fingers. What?!?  

Watching Em grow and change so fast has made me wonder about how God sees us. As we grow and learn new things, are there times God would want to hold us back? I look at her trying to pull up on the ottoman and find myself moving all her toys out of the way in case she falls backwards and such. Does he do that for us? Doesn’t that make a bump in the road for others or even us sometimes? I guess that’s why he says “wait” sometimes. I think we tend to relate to this meaning of waiting: “to remain inactive as until something unexpected happens.” What if waiting doesn’t mean to be “inactive”? I think many times God means for us to wait in terms of this meaning: “to be available or in readiness”.

Sure, waiting stops me from ramming my head into the wall over and over in my stubborn nature, but it also doesn’t mean to turn and run the other direction. How do I stay “available” or “ready”? By keeping my line of communication open! I can’t be ready for the call to do what God would have me to do if my phone battery is dead. I’ve got to stay alive in my walk through the Word, through active prayer, through fellowship. The next time I feel like God is telling me to “wait”, I’m gonna have to pray for a little more clarification. :)

Oh well, enough rambling… here’s some video footage of Em these days!

playing with Minnie Mouse

stinker playing silly

play time before bath time

Read more...

and Happy New Year!

I’ve been debating what to post for our New Year post this year and I’ve found it pretty difficult. I wanted to write about change, resolutions, a multitude of things. Instead, I’m writing about Jehovah. At church this morning we were singing the song, “Days of Elijah” and the line repeats, over and over, “There’s no God like Jehovah” and that part of the song is always where my mind wanders. Not to bad things, but to more focused things, like the names of God. When I was younger, a young man in my church converted to become a Jehovah’s witness. At a Wednesday night Bible study, it’s all he could talk about, that Jehovah was the ONLY name of God. It is true that Jehovah is a name of God, but not the only name given of God in the Bible. I’m personally partial to “I AM.” But, today, I do want to mention some of these Jehovah “compound names” seen in the old Testament. This is just a sampling: Jehovah – Jireh: The Lord Who Provides (Gen 22), Jehovah – Rapha: The Lord Who Heals (Exodus 15:22-26), Jehovah –Nissi: The Lord Our Banner (Exodus 17:8-15).

When my mind wandered this morning, it was to, “There’s no god like Jehovah, There’s no god like Jehovah–my Healer, There’s no god like Jehovah–my Provider, There’s no God like Jehovah–my Victor!” and each line just filled my heart with so much more joy. In the last week, I’ve rejoiced in the holidays with my family over their health and being together. I’ve felt some heartache as I left my mountain home to come back to my east coast home. I’ve been excited for 2 friends who have gotten engaged and for the new life being born in my family. And I’ve wept for a new dear friend who lost her son in a tragic accident the day after Christmas. My prayers for 2011 include that everyone in my circle and family would know there’s no god like Jehovah. There is none like Him. Behold He comes!

Read more...

Better than a Hallelujah?

At our church, there’s a segment of the traditional service called “special music”. I don’t typically get to hear this music because we attend the early (more contemporary) service, but each week, someone is there in that slot singing something. As a praise team person, my time comes around about once a quarter… and it was this week. I dread special music so much. I dread it because it’s a solo, because I’m singing stuff that is not the traditional they are used to, because I always pick music special to my heart (which makes me emotional to begin with) and because I get all the blank stares of the church directly on me for at least 3 minutes.  For that matter, I really don’t see the point of special music. It seems if it was “special” it would not be done every Sunday…. but I digress…

Where I mean to be going is on the topic of Hallelujahs. “Hallelujah” literally means “Praise Yahweh” (the ultra special name for God used by the Hebrews in the old testament) or “Praise the Lord”. I’ve heard it said before that Hallelujah translates the same way in every language which I always found reassuring and just out and out awesome. Then I heard an Amy Grant song the other day I hadn’t heard before. Yep, that’s right, Amy Grant. It was called “Better than a Hallelujah”. At first it struck me as odd, b/c I was like, “What could be better than saying, ‘Hallelujah’ to God?” It’s the highest praise… but is it? Music has been important my entire life. I was saved at a Wednesday night music practice. The lyrics and the melodies carry a message to my heart better than any other. I remember singing in the LRC A Capella choir and how much I enjoyed hearing all those voices blend in Hallelujahs and I couldn’t imagine anything more beautiful or pleasing to God.

After I had Emily, there was a night that I was up at 2 or 3 a.m. trying to get her back to sleep. I was holding her in her room by the crib, in the mostly dark, singing songs to her and I was completely overwhelmed by the love I felt for her, the praise I needed to give God for her and the lack of words I could pour out. I couldn’t come up with one better than “Thank you” out loud or even in my head! All I could do was cry. Upon hearing this song, I saw that moment for what is was, “Better than a Hallelujah”. An honest moment with God. He knew my thoughts before I could speak them and I was being 100% real with him. Oh how I wish I could be that honest everyday!

Here’s the lyrics to the song from this week. You can hear my rendition of it at http://www.blackjackchurch.org/sermons.asp (if not today in a couple of days). While you’re there, stick around and hear the message. Pastor Philip was really bringing it today! As always, I would love to hear your thoughts!

Better Than a Hallelujah (by Amy Grant)

God loves a lullaby, in a mother’s tears in the dead of night
Better than a hallelujah sometimes
God loves the drunkard’s cry, the soldier’s plea not to let him die,
Better than a hallelujah sometimes

(Chorus)
We pour out our miseries, God just hears a melody, beautiful the mess we are,
the honest cries of breaking hearts, are better than a hallelujah.

The woman holding on for life, the dying man giving up the fight
Are better than a hallelujah sometimes
The tears of shame for what’s been done, the silence when the words won’t come
Are better than a hallelujah sometimes

We pour out our miseries, God just hears a melody, beautiful the mess we are,
the honest cries of breaking hearts, are better than a hallelujah.

(Bridge)
Better than a church bell ringing, Better than a choir singing out, singing out

We pour out our miseries, God just hears a melody, beautiful the mess we are,
the honest cries of breaking hearts, are better than a hallelujah.

Read more...

The Applause of Heaven

The Holy Spirit is one of the most frustrating concepts to understand in all of Christianity.  Sure, I get there is a “Holy Trinity”… but I get the concept of Father and Son (even with an emaculate conception) so much better than Holy Ghost/Spirit.  But, I think I got a clue to better understanding it this week.

Here’s a verse about the Holy Spirit as we get started:

John 14:25-27

25“All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (NIV)

Have you ever seen the trees blowing in the wind before it rains?  The way the leaves turn up so you see the lighter side and the difference the wind running through them makes a rustling sound?  It is a gorgeous and peaceful sound… the way I would imagine the trees giving their praise and worship.  They are standing there, tall and proud, “raising” their hands and the wind helps them “applaud” the splendor of His creation.   This is how I envision the Holy Spirit, like the wind that blows through, reminding those trees to lift their hands in praise, bringing the peace that comes with the breath of fresh air, a reminder that can wash over us again and again, even as a demonstration of the power of God when the wind rips through them.  It’s the whisper of the wind through those leaves that we hear with our ears. It’s the applause of Heaven that we can see demonstrated by nature. It should be our reminder of God’s glory so we will also give praise. If the trees can lift their hands and even bow down to His majesty, shouldn’t we?

I also like “the Counselor”… What is a counselor? Someone we go to for their advice/knowledge (like for dealing with a problem), someone who stands on our behalf (think lawyers, “counsellors”).  In the KJV, that part is translated, “the Comforter”.  All these words to me are so comforting, empowering even.  I have so much to learn!

Now it’s your turn. How do you envision the Holy Spirit? Am I the only one who struggles with this concept?

Read more...

Running Over

I wonder if I’m the only one out there who can tear up during the opening assembly at Vacation Bible School watching the kids sing the catchy little songs?  No, I’m not PMS’ing, and, no, I’m not pregnant again. But as I held Emily in the the sanctuary and watched her watching those “big kids”, my heart was definitely touched, as deep or deeper than it has ever been, and I caught myself choking back tears!

When I was growing up, VBS meant taking all our little friends with us to have fun at church.  Did it occur to us that we were actually learning something? Probably not at the time. I don’t know about the others, but I sure did. And I realize more everyday just how much I did learn!  For example, each day when I change Emily’s clothes in the morning and at night, I always say, “UP and OVER!” as I pull her onesies over her head… then, the song begins… and it comes from out of nowhere or out of somewhere deep inside… “Running over, running over, my cup is full and running over, since the Lord saved me, I’m as happy as can be, my cup is full and running over….” and I see Jean Hess or Joanne Poe making the motions in front of the group and everyone following along.

See Psalm 23:4-6:  ”You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”(NIV)

We were learning so much more than little songs and phrases, things that stick, like “meat” on our bones.  It’s so important to me to root Emily in the same things. I want her to lean back on these things that are rooted so deep she can’t run from them.  She’s 4 months old. She goes to church (most weeks).  She’s going to VBS and not just to stay in the nursery!  Tonight, I actually left her with the choir secretary, Ms Hazel, b/c Robbie wasn’t there yet and it was my night to volunteer in the nursery.  I left her with someone she really didn’t know (but I knew well), just so she could hear the music and see the bigger kids.

But there’s something missing from VBS in Black Jack…. adults.  When I was a kid, you had at least 1/2 as many adults as kids at VBS, even people who didn’t have kids…. now, not so much.  I love that Emily is watching the bigger kids and will (hopefully) follow in their steps, but who are the bigger kids looking up to?  Are their parents present or did they drop them off and leave?  The 2-3 teachers per class?  There’s a lot more than 2-3 kids in each one… (there are 120 kids enrolled at VBS this year).  I know it’s the end of summer, but if you get a chance, go with your kids to VBS.  I guarantee your heart will be touched.  If VBS has already passed in your area, then go with your kids to church and read Bible stories to your kids. You won’t regret it!

Read more...

Visit also our social profiles:

Scroll to top