Yesterday was the Third Day concert. If you don't know, they are and have been the #1 Christian Rock Band for a long time now!
Well, a brief history is due now. In our early days of marriage, Michaels' former youth pastor used to help with getting volunteers to set up for Christian concerts that came through Louisville. We had the blessing of being able to do a lot of volunteer set up for bands. Bands like Audio Adrenaline, Newsboys, Big Daddy Weave, Jennifer Knapp, and Yes Third Day. In fact, we have met them on two occasions.
The first was the most hilarious for us. We were done with set up and the crew was like 'hey, we are heading out for some wiffle ball, wanna join us.' We were like 'Shah, yeh!' So, we head out to the baseball field in back and as we grow ever closer to it, I notice that it is not just the crew out there. My heart just about stops when I notice who is standing on the pitching mound. It is none other than the Mac Powell! I was in shock. Needless to say we had an incredible time with the guys and they kicked our butts 24 -0. They are authentic guys and that is awesome. Side note- on the bench by the field were sitting two people we would later come to know as friends. Yup, Chris and Leslie Carder were sitting there and we said hey to them, but we had no idea that 3 years later we would be at the same church!
Our second encounter with them, was as runners. There was no set up crew, so we ran there errands or whatever. However, the drummer and mark (the guitarist) wanted to go down to Bardstown Rd. to Doo Wop shop. So, we took them in our Volvo and took them down there. Wow, that was really cool! They were hilarious guys!
So, it was awesome to reunite with them last night! Michael sat on the front row and too one of our youth with him, Ben Wallen. Well, I could not show up until about 9:20(had to work until 9). WEll, I later found out that at the beginning of the show when Mac was introducing the band, he included an introduction of Ben! LOL. Then, during the encore performance Mac came down and handed him his tambourine and wanted him to play it. Well, if you know Ben, bless his heart, he just ain't that coordinated and he was trying his best. First of all, he held it backwards and started to play it. Mac gently turned it around for him. And then Michael looked at him and said, 'just play to the sound of my hands' LOL. Ben did a great job, but he did look like a deer stuck in the head lights! Bless his heart!
After the concert some of our other youth were there and we all spend time talking about Ben's 'deer in the head light' incident. Then Mac came out and the youth flocked to him. He was so gracious to them, plus Chris and Leslie and Octavio and Scott had returned. Mac was shaking all of our hands and when he came to me, I said, 'you probably don't remember me, but we played wiffle ball a long time ago.' He remembered and said, 'we should do that again sometime'. AHHHHH. It was an amazing night and it is just so refreshing to see a band that just loves the Lord and it is awesome to see what great friends Mac and Chris(our worship leader) are. Usually, fame corrupts friendships, but Mac has not forgotten his roots and treats Chris like gold and that has been such a testimony for Michael and I and I think it was for our youth last night too who got to see first hand Mac's care for them and his care for Chris and Leslie!
'Father thank you for the body of Christ! How beautiful it can be when you are the center of it all! -Amen'
Michelle, if you read this, I sooooooooo wish you could have been there!
Keep working on your challenge:
1. Make time for God
2. Be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger!!
See you Monday and don't forget the contest starts Monday!!
Love to you all,
Susan
Friday, May 2, 2008
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Get yo five in!
So, I am so excited that my friend and co-worker Kelly commented! Yee-haw. She is known as Pretty Pony and Batman and I am known as Ninja Turtle at work. Yes, we are weird, but it is great!
Well, we have a question we ask each other everytime we see each other. 'Did you get your five in today?' What we mean, is 'Did you get your five veggies and fruits in today'.
I want to put a twist on that for this blog.
How about we start a Five of our own.
The new question will refer to if you got five verses in today. Did you read five verses of more in that day!
And starting Monday, May 5th - May19th, I will start a challenge and the reward for the winner will be a $15 Gift Card to Lifeway Bookstore.
Don't worry, I will keep reminding you all and tell your friends about it.
Rules:
For everyday you accomplish the task, I will put your name in a drawing.
I will place an extra entry into the bowl for reading more than five verses a day.
I will place an extra entry in for people you refer to my site WHO LEAVE A COMMENT.
You must write down the verses you read for that day in your comment and leave me one sentence comment about why you read those verses or what they taught you.
So, in a day, you could get up to three entries into the bowl!
Remember, this does not start until Monday, May 5th. So promo it to all your friends!!
I love you all!
On another note, keep peniciling in that time for God and keeep working on the verse James 1:19 'Be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger'.
Yesterday, I put it into practice and it was pretty awesome. I just need to remember to do it everyday! How is everyone else doing on the challenges??
Well, we have a question we ask each other everytime we see each other. 'Did you get your five in today?' What we mean, is 'Did you get your five veggies and fruits in today'.
I want to put a twist on that for this blog.
How about we start a Five of our own.
The new question will refer to if you got five verses in today. Did you read five verses of more in that day!
And starting Monday, May 5th - May19th, I will start a challenge and the reward for the winner will be a $15 Gift Card to Lifeway Bookstore.
Don't worry, I will keep reminding you all and tell your friends about it.
Rules:
For everyday you accomplish the task, I will put your name in a drawing.
I will place an extra entry into the bowl for reading more than five verses a day.
I will place an extra entry in for people you refer to my site WHO LEAVE A COMMENT.
You must write down the verses you read for that day in your comment and leave me one sentence comment about why you read those verses or what they taught you.
So, in a day, you could get up to three entries into the bowl!
Remember, this does not start until Monday, May 5th. So promo it to all your friends!!
I love you all!
On another note, keep peniciling in that time for God and keeep working on the verse James 1:19 'Be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger'.
Yesterday, I put it into practice and it was pretty awesome. I just need to remember to do it everyday! How is everyone else doing on the challenges??
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Walking Wisely
OOh, wee. I know only two people commented yesterday, but I am stoked! Beyond stoked! LOL.
Well, yesterday I went into work. I was a little nervous because I had an incident happen last week. Last Tuesday, we were told at work that we were no longer giving out bags, unless it was a rainy day. Okay, that's cool. So, I go along with my day and about 8:30PM a little boy checks out almost every Magic Tree House book there is. I think the grand total of books checked out was 37 or something. Well, he was struggling to carry them all and I really felt I needed to help him. So, I reached for a bag and put his books in. He walks away and I look over at my Asst. Manager and he saw what I did and he rolls his eyes at me in disapproval. I tell him, 'I am just trying to help the little guy out'. He is not pleased with me. I walk over to my co-worker and I am like, 'he is ticked at me'. So, I left it at that, but still felt good about what I had done for that little boy.
One of our pages came up to the Asst. Manager and cracked a joke about that little kid having a bag. She was merely joking, but I heard my manage say, 'it's all Susan's fault'. Boy, that is when I hit the fan. Bye, bye wise walking. I turned to him and said, 'I was just trying to help the little guy out. If I am getting in trouble for that(grrr) then I am not sorry!' This all happening while there are people in the library. He flew over to where I was and said, 'I told you not to hand out bags.' I was shocked! I was thinking in my brain, 'THIS IS SUPER PETTTY!' And if you know me well, you know I don't put up with DRAMA. Nope, no drama-mama's gonna ruin my day. Well, needless to say, we get into it. He walks away and I am like 'fine, walk away, errr, I can't stand people who walk away and don't let you know their intentions for walking away.'
The little boy came back up to the counter to check out, of all things, more books. I chee wa-wa. I was a wreck. I just started crying and I asked Kelly to take over for me. She did. I just needed to get out of there and there were only 15 mins. left, so I didn't feel bad about leaving. So, I let my Asst. Manager know I was leaving. I came home and just cried to Michael. Bless my husband!
I was crying because 1. I was just doing something nice for someone else and I got railed for it. How petty can you get! 2. I was entirely ashamed of escalating in my anger towards my asst. manager. I knew I had begun Christlike and ended up acting foolishly.
I immediately got on the computer and emailed my asst. manager an apology note. This is the reason I was nervous about going into work yesterday. See, I wrote that email last Tuesday night. And....I had never heard back from him. I was a stressor to myself and to my husband all week. I was worried that he was so mad at me that he could not write me. Well, I go into work, grounded on Scriptures that had gotten me through the day and I see him. He is like 'hey, how ya doing?' And I am thinking 'wahhhhhhh??'. So, I ask him if he read the email and he is like 'yeh.' I apologize once again in person and he is like, 'ah, don't worry about it'. Wow, I was totally flaberghasted.
I learned a lot from this.
1. Don't be foolish again! Walk wisely. Live out James 1:19 'This you know my beloved brethren. But everyone MUST be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.' Wow, that one went straight into my 'YOU MUST DO THIS' list.
2. Ask for forgiveness. Which is what I did immediately. Don't let the sun go down on your anger.
3. I told myself this next one, but I think deep down I hoped for something else. I knew he would not apologize to me. He is agnostic and is often saying this, 'I love not having to feel bad about the things I do. I can be mean, and I don't have to feel bad about doing it'. So, I told myself, he will not apologize. But, you know what , deep down I really was hoping that he would. Now, I have to recognize that sometimes it is you/me who will take all the fault and we will just have to suck it up and put our big girl panties on and deal with it.
4. Forgive and Forget. Befriend the person once more and treat'em like Christ would. Christ does not forgive us and then keep us at an arm's distance. No, he forgives us and then embraces us close and doesn't let go! We need to learn from that example and practice that daily in our earthly relationships, because to do so, means that we IMITATE HIM. Righteous!
Challenge:
1. Keep making time for God. If you have any questions about the Bible, feel free to ask me. I would be glad to help!
2. Practice forgiveness to day and James 1:19 - Be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. Let me know how you do with challenge 2 especially!
NChrist, Susan
Well, yesterday I went into work. I was a little nervous because I had an incident happen last week. Last Tuesday, we were told at work that we were no longer giving out bags, unless it was a rainy day. Okay, that's cool. So, I go along with my day and about 8:30PM a little boy checks out almost every Magic Tree House book there is. I think the grand total of books checked out was 37 or something. Well, he was struggling to carry them all and I really felt I needed to help him. So, I reached for a bag and put his books in. He walks away and I look over at my Asst. Manager and he saw what I did and he rolls his eyes at me in disapproval. I tell him, 'I am just trying to help the little guy out'. He is not pleased with me. I walk over to my co-worker and I am like, 'he is ticked at me'. So, I left it at that, but still felt good about what I had done for that little boy.
One of our pages came up to the Asst. Manager and cracked a joke about that little kid having a bag. She was merely joking, but I heard my manage say, 'it's all Susan's fault'. Boy, that is when I hit the fan. Bye, bye wise walking. I turned to him and said, 'I was just trying to help the little guy out. If I am getting in trouble for that(grrr) then I am not sorry!' This all happening while there are people in the library. He flew over to where I was and said, 'I told you not to hand out bags.' I was shocked! I was thinking in my brain, 'THIS IS SUPER PETTTY!' And if you know me well, you know I don't put up with DRAMA. Nope, no drama-mama's gonna ruin my day. Well, needless to say, we get into it. He walks away and I am like 'fine, walk away, errr, I can't stand people who walk away and don't let you know their intentions for walking away.'
The little boy came back up to the counter to check out, of all things, more books. I chee wa-wa. I was a wreck. I just started crying and I asked Kelly to take over for me. She did. I just needed to get out of there and there were only 15 mins. left, so I didn't feel bad about leaving. So, I let my Asst. Manager know I was leaving. I came home and just cried to Michael. Bless my husband!
I was crying because 1. I was just doing something nice for someone else and I got railed for it. How petty can you get! 2. I was entirely ashamed of escalating in my anger towards my asst. manager. I knew I had begun Christlike and ended up acting foolishly.
I immediately got on the computer and emailed my asst. manager an apology note. This is the reason I was nervous about going into work yesterday. See, I wrote that email last Tuesday night. And....I had never heard back from him. I was a stressor to myself and to my husband all week. I was worried that he was so mad at me that he could not write me. Well, I go into work, grounded on Scriptures that had gotten me through the day and I see him. He is like 'hey, how ya doing?' And I am thinking 'wahhhhhhh??'. So, I ask him if he read the email and he is like 'yeh.' I apologize once again in person and he is like, 'ah, don't worry about it'. Wow, I was totally flaberghasted.
I learned a lot from this.
1. Don't be foolish again! Walk wisely. Live out James 1:19 'This you know my beloved brethren. But everyone MUST be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.' Wow, that one went straight into my 'YOU MUST DO THIS' list.
2. Ask for forgiveness. Which is what I did immediately. Don't let the sun go down on your anger.
3. I told myself this next one, but I think deep down I hoped for something else. I knew he would not apologize to me. He is agnostic and is often saying this, 'I love not having to feel bad about the things I do. I can be mean, and I don't have to feel bad about doing it'. So, I told myself, he will not apologize. But, you know what , deep down I really was hoping that he would. Now, I have to recognize that sometimes it is you/me who will take all the fault and we will just have to suck it up and put our big girl panties on and deal with it.
4. Forgive and Forget. Befriend the person once more and treat'em like Christ would. Christ does not forgive us and then keep us at an arm's distance. No, he forgives us and then embraces us close and doesn't let go! We need to learn from that example and practice that daily in our earthly relationships, because to do so, means that we IMITATE HIM. Righteous!
Challenge:
1. Keep making time for God. If you have any questions about the Bible, feel free to ask me. I would be glad to help!
2. Practice forgiveness to day and James 1:19 - Be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. Let me know how you do with challenge 2 especially!
NChrist, Susan
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Imitation
Well, we all have baggage. I know I do and I have a lot of it. However, I am so thankful for Christ. I was a wayward girl, and He saved me from a lot of yucky stuff. I am also thankful to Christ that He does not want us remaining as we were. He desires for us to become as gold refined and that is pretty radical to me. But, the process of getting there is tough. I mean, gold has to go through some major heat to get to that most precious and beautiful state. The major heat causes all the impurities to be removed from the gold so that it comes out untainted.
I am called to be refined also. Jesus does not desire that I remain impure and set in my old ways. He desires that I strive to be more like Him. And to do that, refining must happen.
Now, I am not going to lie. Refining totally bites! I will be refined until the day I see my Lord and Savior face to face. But, I consider it worth it. What is so bad about becoming more Christ-like?? Jesus was pretty radical! He loved those who nobody else wanted to love. He healed people. He challenged people to follow Him above all. He took two loaves and two fishes and fed 5000 people. He suffered and died on a Cross, so that I would be saved from my sin. Wow, that is who I want to be more like.
Ephesians 5:1 says, "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children: and walk in love just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, as a fragrant aroma."
So, we need to imitate God. But how can we imitate Him if we aren't in the Word learning about what He was like. I encourage you, if you aren't in His word daily, start working out a time to meet Him in His word sometime in your day. This week in our youth group, Michael and I are going to begin to challenge them to start spending 30 minutes with God everyday. The point is to get consistent. You will miss days and times, its prone to happen. The point is start making it a habit, and one you look forward to everyday.
We need to walk in love. Why? Well the verse tells us 'walk in love, just as Christ also loved you'.. Again its all about imitation. We should love because Christ loves!
Lately, this last part of the verse has been really hard. I have a lot of baggage and anger, more than love, has been creeping out. So, I have been reading Proverbs 15 and surrounding myself with verses about having a gently and quiet spirit, etc. I tell you what. When you want to change and be refined, Satan is right there. I have had a couple of tests the past few weeks, that I know God has allowed in order to refine me, but I have failed them miserably. I look back now and realize they are tests and I am aware that I have not been putting into practice what I know the Word of God says. I am so thankful to the Lord that He is ever so patient with me. I am glad that I now know that I need to be wise and put into practice what I learn from the Word and be victorious.
Your challenge today: Make time for God and start learning what He was like and take what you learn and live it out everyday in all situations of life. Let me know how you do and I will do likewise.
Just a Woman of God trying to get through the day,
Susan
I am called to be refined also. Jesus does not desire that I remain impure and set in my old ways. He desires that I strive to be more like Him. And to do that, refining must happen.
Now, I am not going to lie. Refining totally bites! I will be refined until the day I see my Lord and Savior face to face. But, I consider it worth it. What is so bad about becoming more Christ-like?? Jesus was pretty radical! He loved those who nobody else wanted to love. He healed people. He challenged people to follow Him above all. He took two loaves and two fishes and fed 5000 people. He suffered and died on a Cross, so that I would be saved from my sin. Wow, that is who I want to be more like.
Ephesians 5:1 says, "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children: and walk in love just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, as a fragrant aroma."
So, we need to imitate God. But how can we imitate Him if we aren't in the Word learning about what He was like. I encourage you, if you aren't in His word daily, start working out a time to meet Him in His word sometime in your day. This week in our youth group, Michael and I are going to begin to challenge them to start spending 30 minutes with God everyday. The point is to get consistent. You will miss days and times, its prone to happen. The point is start making it a habit, and one you look forward to everyday.
We need to walk in love. Why? Well the verse tells us 'walk in love, just as Christ also loved you'.. Again its all about imitation. We should love because Christ loves!
Lately, this last part of the verse has been really hard. I have a lot of baggage and anger, more than love, has been creeping out. So, I have been reading Proverbs 15 and surrounding myself with verses about having a gently and quiet spirit, etc. I tell you what. When you want to change and be refined, Satan is right there. I have had a couple of tests the past few weeks, that I know God has allowed in order to refine me, but I have failed them miserably. I look back now and realize they are tests and I am aware that I have not been putting into practice what I know the Word of God says. I am so thankful to the Lord that He is ever so patient with me. I am glad that I now know that I need to be wise and put into practice what I learn from the Word and be victorious.
Your challenge today: Make time for God and start learning what He was like and take what you learn and live it out everyday in all situations of life. Let me know how you do and I will do likewise.
Just a Woman of God trying to get through the day,
Susan
Monday, April 28, 2008
Inspired
I have been so inspired by my friend Michelle's blogspot that I thought I would start my own. Hers focuses on living healthy, and I thought about it and I really wanted to start a blog focusing on living a healthy walk with God.
I am in no way perfect or have it all together. I just thought it would be neat to write about my walk with God and others tell me about theirs. And maybe, just maybe, we can all strenghten each other spiritually, much like we do physically on Michelle's blog.
I will write everyday except for Weekends, unless I just get an itchin to on the Weekends.
I will begin my first blog tommorow.
Hope you can join me on this adventure we call life!
NChrist,
Susan
I am in no way perfect or have it all together. I just thought it would be neat to write about my walk with God and others tell me about theirs. And maybe, just maybe, we can all strenghten each other spiritually, much like we do physically on Michelle's blog.
I will write everyday except for Weekends, unless I just get an itchin to on the Weekends.
I will begin my first blog tommorow.
Hope you can join me on this adventure we call life!
NChrist,
Susan
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