A Spirit of Diversity
This weekend we had Brother J.C. Thomas and his lovely wife Glenda with us from Rochester College in Rochester Hills, Michigan to talk about diversity and how that looks in a Church of Christ. It was a wonderful weekend of meetings with various churches in the Indianapolis area as well as breakfasts, lunches and dinners. We were blessed to have them in our home along with eight other couples on Saturday evening. The conversations were wonderful as we talked about how diversity is not just about black and white but about Hispanic and Asian and so much more. We talked about how we are almost all on the South Beach Diet and how much sense it made and we laughed together as we shared our human foibles. It was a wonderful evening and I feel as though I met a new brother and sister I didn't know I had.
Sunday morning, Brother J.C. spoke at the morning service and then at 3:00 pm we gathered with church members from all over town to sing our hearts out and hear another wonderful talk by Brother J.C. Our usual fairly pale gathering was filled with color as we praised God in various ways that made us all move closer in mind and in heart. We were encouraged to remember that the Bible doesn't talk about blacks and whites. It talks about Jews and Gentiles. If we aren't Jews then we are Gentiles, no matter what color we are. And to top it all off, unlike the Jews who were born into being God's chosen people, we were grafted in. So who are we to say we're better than the next graft! It was just wonderful fellowship and praise all day long. Afterwards I walked through the aisles greeting our visitors and I have never been hugged so much or so enthusiastically by more people than I was yesterday. I absolutely loved it! My church family needs to learn how to hug from these wonderful brothers and sisters!
We went to the mountain this weekend. We climbed high and drank deeply of God's wonderful and amazing grace. Now what? Our leaders and the leaders of the other congregations have covenanted together to meet monthly and work toward a more blended way of thinking about worship. I am so excited to see where this will take us and to have more interaction with the various church families I don't get to worship with very often. I pray that we learn about each other and begin using our special gifts to reach out to all of Indianapolis on a more united front. I believe God will bless us abundantly if we follow through with this dream. One thing is for certain. I can hardly wait to get to heaven and get to singing with all the saints. It is going to be a concert to die for!!!
The Price of Aging or Faulty Genes
A couple of years ago I was having trouble hearing people so I went to an ENT specialist for a hearing test and exam. It was almost a relief to learn that I suffer from hearing loss. The doctor assured me it was nothing I had done--as in playing music that rattled the car windows or running a jack hammer. It is genetic. My dad had the same problem as did his dad before him. I do pretty well in quiet rooms or on the phone in a quiet area. But put me in a room with a lot of people talking or music playing in the background and my hearing is literally useless. After a while I would be embarrassed to say "what" one more time so I would just sit back and try harder, like that would make my hearing come back!! The doctor told me to be sure to let people know that I had a hearing problem and that they need to speak clearly and look at me. I discovered that I can actually read lips. When people are looking at me while they speak, I can usually "hear" what they are saying well enough to be a part of the conversation. I have quickly adjusted to my slight disability quite well.
My hearing is similar when it comes to hearing God. In quiet places I can hear God. His voice comes easily and freely to me and there is communion between us. When I am in those areas where I am surrounded by the noise of the TV, Radio or lots of people, the voice I want most to hear is the one I can't hear at all anymore. I know it's there but it is masked by all the sounds that vie for my attention. Now I don't have a choice with the hearing loss I suffer. It was something that came with my brown eyes and natural curly hair. However, I do have a choice of whether or not I am able to hear God. Tonight I think I will turn off the radio in the car on the way home and share my day with God. It's nice to know my communication with Him is not dependent on my genetics.
The man/woman debate rages on!
I was reading Mike Cope's blog today and came across a blogger who had a link to a blogger, etc., etc. Anyway, the topic was the struggle with the role of men and women in worship. I am including a link to the site I landed on and enjoyed reading. She has a lot of really good things to say to add to this discussion as well as the ongoing discussion at the end of her blog. There is a great deal of kindness and gentleness here that may be missing from many of these discussions elsewhere. This is just proof that it is possible to have completely different opinions on a subject but are able to continue the discusion in a loving manner without chewing each other up and spitting them out in disgust. I hope you enjoy this.
http://rudetruth.blogspot.com/2006/01/imago-dei-imago-christi.html
Sunshine or Fog?
I will be so glad when the sun is shining (where I can see it) again. For some reason this winter has just been such a dreary one even though it’s been wonderfully pleasant in so many other aspects. For example, it hasn’t really snowed much since December and the temperature has been in the high forties, low fifties more days than not. Even though I am a Texas-born girl, I was raised primarily in the north so icy cold and snowy winters have been the rule of thumb for most of my life. I wonder if this change has something to do with the dreariness. At least with snow it seems brighter even when the sun doesn't shine.
I think it’s the same with my spiritual life. I go through warm close periods of time with God and feel overwhelming love for him. During those times all I want to do is spend time worshipping and praising him. Then the dreariness hits from out of nowhere and I slog along in a thick fog wondering where I am and where He is and even more so How did I get to this place! I wonder if maybe it’s not easier in a sense to have those wonderful close times and then have those hard, painful “winters” where everything seems frozen and barren. I know where I am at those times. I know I am in a learning period and even though it hurts and I struggle to get through, I know God is there. I can feel him there. I know he will bring me to a new level of understanding in some area of my life. Perhaps I am a black and white person to some extent. Give me the warm summer days or the icy cold winters. Give me the deep filling relationship or the frozen barren struggles. But please hold the dreariness and drabness that comes with gray days and with that lost feeling of wandering in a fog and wondering.
