I want to, I need to be more like Jesus

Recently, I listened to a sermon by Mark Driscoll about John the Baptizer. What he said stuck with me and that night at the play, I couldn't help thinking about his words.

He was preaching on the life of John, but he focused on how John was such a great preacher.

Referring to the verse in John 3:30, "He must increase and I must decrease", Mr. Driscoll elaborated that as a pastor, he must be willing to give up his congregation. I have been to quite a few churches now that constantly complain that their congregation is not big enough and get angry when people leave their church. As Mr. Driscoll pointed out, John was completely willing to have his disciples follow Jesus and leave him. In the same way, Mr. Driscoll said that his congregation is not his own but God's and he must be willing to let them each follow Jesus, even to other churches.

When we lived in Colorado, we moved around from church to church for quite a time and never really settled down...but we were just following Jesus. God used each church in my life to make me who I am now. But the pastors that get angry or frustrated when people leave their church aren't accepting that God works in each heart as He wills. They're really being selfish by elevating their church above others.

One of the pastors that I respect the most is a kind man at one of the small churches we attended in Colorado. His congregation had once been large and his church was considered one of the biggest in town. But one Sunday, he felt that he was not teaching his people like God wanted and he began to preach more from the Bible and listen to the Holy Spirit. Sadly, most of his congregation left the church and when we attended, the church was small and the members few. But the preaching was rich and the people were very kind. It was quite obvious that the pastor of that church loved the Lord. I can image it would be very difficult to give so much up for the Lord. That pastor loved Jesus so much that he was willing to give up his congregation for Jesus' sake.

So, what does all this mean for me?

I'm not a preacher and I know I'll never be head of a congregation, but I pray that I may be more like John the Baptist. I'd rather give up my family and friends for the love of Jesus than live my life hiding the Light of the World for the sake of man's goodwill.

Of course, it's not just being more like John the Baptist that's important, it's really all about being more like Jesus. John the Baptizer had the Holy Spirit, but really he had the spirit of Jesus.

Happy Day After Christmas!

Remember, the Light of the World isn't just here on Christmas, but all through the year!

Monday Thoughts...

I just finished a very interesting article on Polio in Manitoba. It actually lasted there for almost 25 years--from 1928 to 1953!

The cures proposed varied from gamma globulin research, blood serums, nose sprays (which often turned your nose yellow), and nursing therapies.

Just a thought from the article:

There was a nursing shortage in the last part of the epidemic because many nurses were either scared to work with "contagious" polio patients, or they didn't want to work the strenuous schedule. Power outages were often (mostly in the winter, I'm guessing) and THREE nurses were needed to manually operate ONE iron lung. Also, the iron lung patient (someone with bulbar polio [1953 polio that attacked the brain, spinal cord, and respiratory system]) was never allowed out of the iron lung until they had recovered enough to breath on their own. Nurses had to reach inside four little holes in the machine to wash the patients' bodies as well as they could.

This was the part I found most interesting, because of the book I read for school about five years ago. In the book, the main character's brother has bulbar polio and must stay in an iron lung. I'll Watch the Moon is a great read by Ann Tatlock, as well as the rest of her books. I have read A Room of My Own, I'll Watch the Moon, and The Returning.

I wrote an article about the virus, but I can't share it because I'm afraid my instructor might find it and think I stole it offline. It would probably bore you to tears, but I found it interesting.

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Yesterday, we went to White Top mountain and walked around. We found mushrooms and salamanders and plan on hiking the mountain again next weekend.

And this is my verse for right now:

1 Tim 2:1-6

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we
may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is
good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a
knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all me--the
testimony given in its proper time."

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Have you heard of Noise Trade? I found all these great Cds there for Free!

• The Hawk in Paris: His and Hers
  


• Josh Garrels: Love, War, and the Sea in Between
  


• Steve Moakler --love this one!
  


• All About Worship --absolutely great!
  


• Plumb Sampler
  


• Andrew Peterson: the Far Country --love this one too!
  


• Sleeping at Last
  


• Weekend Warrior Worship: Your Word
  


• and (my sister loves this Cd) The Vespers

What is free now will expire from the website in the future, so get it while you can. About 1/3 of my iTunes is from NoiseTrade.
I've also found a few Christmas Albums, so watch for those too!

Remember 9/11, Remember the Ultimate Sacrifice

Thank you Jesus, for the multitude of freedoms we are given in America.
Let us never forget the lives lost in the fight for our freedom, nor your example of sacrifice in your death for our eternal freedom.
We watch for your return...when everything will be new again and your glory will fill our hearts.

I feel pretty, Oh, so pretty, I feel pretty and witty and bright!

After a long break from Photoshop, I've started using Picasa's Picnik to edit and make my pictures more chichi (yes, a real word meaning spiffing/spiffy).

This is the purse that my brother and sister got me for my birthday. It's the side-by-side tote from Vera Bradley. It is so awesome and spacious and I love the way it carries and looks.

I was caught in the Vera Bradley Outlet in the Mall and my Mother spotted these grocery/shopping bags. Aren't they cute? Makes me wants to go to the market!
And THIS is my new wallet. It's part of the frill line in Vera Bradley. That's what I call chichi!It also works as a clutch. Unbutton and inside is silky blue--a pocket for your phone, a zipped space for coins, a slide-in for cash, and id and card slots. Oh, and the wrist-handle clips on and can hold your keys!
We also went to Kohl's where we found a lot of new clothes and stuff. I got a set of colored and silver half-ball studs for my second piercings. I also purchased a headband set. The one with the flowers is my favorite.I played this piece for my senior recital. It's so lovely, I will try to record it to share with you.And last, but not least, my piano teacher gave me these two suites as a graduation gift! My favorite piece is Ballad for Nashville.

So, we're really busy, but I'll try to update again this week. My grandmother and brother come in Wednesday night for my eldest brother's wedding!
I'm so proud to have such a wonderful brother and new sister-in-law.
post title: Leonard Bernstein, "I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story

The Rising Sun

One of my friends from RhapsodizeMusic wrote this beautiful song in tribute to Japan.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. 'Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!' The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah"~Psalms 46

'Cause when somebody loves you There's nothing you can't do When somebody loves you It's easy to get through When somebody loves you...

"the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God."~John 16:27

post title: "When Somebody Loves You" by Alan Jackson

"Sing me a song of your hills Of mountains and waters so still A song that will speak of the magic of three My love, Cape Breton and me"

I love music.
Period.
Well, ok, I don't love rock or hip-hop or screamo or emo. I like folk, instrumental, pop, country.
But I love what I like.
It's like Ego said,

"I don't LIKE food. I LOVE it. If I don't love it, I don't SWALLOW. "

Only with music. (Although I'm just about the same with food too.)
I used to hate it--I would rather have died than practiced piano. I started at 11, but I didn't really practice until I was about 12. And I had to play for 2 years...like my other siblings.
But at 18, I'm still playing. Now, I love it. It's become such a habit that I can't stand not to play.
I tried playing the violin--I fiddled around with it for about 3 or 4 years--I even bought a German Roth violin off Craigslist two years ago for my birthday.
I tried to stick with it--my teacher said I was a natural. But I really, really, really, didn't like it.
So I put my old violin in the basement and my new violin on shelf. I think my bow might still be wound.
About a year ago, I began teaching myself guitar. I really do love it. I've even put chords to a few songs I've written. songs you'll never ever hear.
And I still like guitar. And I still like piano. oops, I mean 'love'.
I listen to music on the radio, on my iPod, on my mom's iPod, on the internet, TV show theme songs (like "It's a Jungle Out There" from Monk)...my life has a lot of music in it.
And now I'm adding more.
Or trying to. I'm trying to play the hammered dulcimer.
It's a challenge, but I pray I can stick at it. hey, maybe someday I'll record myself and let you hear.
And maybe someday, I'll sound like this:


post title: Natalie MacMaster "My love, Cape Breton, and Me"

I pray for grace to hold out, stay strong and (most of all) please Him.