And He Heard My Cry

I sought the Lord, and He heard me!

I sought the Lord, and He heard my cry,

 

And He answered me..

 

Faithful, You’re always faithful; true, You’re always true.

You never leave me, You’re always with me –

 

You’re good!

You’re good!

Huh.

Nothing in this post is original. I just saw something really fantastic on Carlos Whittaker’s blog, Ragamuffin Soul, today.

It’s a creative writing exercise. You look at the photo above and are supposed to write a seven word response (and only seven – no going over or under) encapsulating what you feel when you see that picture.

Mostly, people wrote things like

‘What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger,’

‘There is much beauty in her strength,’

‘You can’t stop this. Shut your mouth,’ and

‘Much has changed.. sadly much has not.’

Here are some that really spoke to me:

‘I wonder where we do the same.’

‘We will all worship together in heaven.’

‘I am no better than anyone else.’

‘Without love, I’m like a clanging cymbal.’

‘I am so sorry… that was me.’

This was my personal favorite:

‘Glad nobody’s immortalized my stupidity on film.’

Huh.

Interestingly enough, there is a picture of this woman and the woman screaming directly behind her in an embrace. It hangs up in the student union of Indiana University. It was taken only a few years ago
.
Hate got lost in love.

Any thoughts?

Things are not Okay Right Now

Does this look normal to you?

There is coming a day when the Bridegroom is taken away,

And in that day they will mourn;

In that day they will fast.

Things are not okay right now..

And they won’t be ‘till you come back!

I will embrace the ache of a lovesick heart.

There seems to be this unspoken hesitancy in the American church when discussing complete intimacy with Jesus.

I’ve only recently identified it in myself very recently (think ten minutes ago while brushing my teeth) – when people talk to me about having an intimate relationship with the heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus, I feel nervous and oppressed at the same time.

The issue, of course, is obvious – so obvious, in fact, that you just might have missed it.

A Little Crazy for Jesus

I searched Youtube for ‘Crazy Jesus Dance’ and this was one of the top results. (The top result, BTW, was OK GO’s ‘Here It Goes Again’ treadmill video… and while watching it is definitely a spiritual experience, I don’t know how Jesus got invited to that party…)

Anyways.

You don’t need to watch that video all the way through – though I think it’s hilarious – but please take note, if I were one of the kids performing the dance, I would definitely be the little boy in green shorts who’s scratching his nose and pretending he’s not with the group. “I just, uhh, stumbled up here by accident… I don’t know any of these guys…”

Although my other favorite kid would have to be the one who spontaneously started break-dancing in the middle of the song. While everyone else’s enthusiam was about a 3, his was cranked up to 11.

So Good to Me

Orientation for the IHOP-NW internship was today.

All I have to say is, have you ever walked into a room of about 20 strangers and known that you were among family?

Yeah. It’s like that.

I start ‘working’ tomorrow. These next three months are going to be awesome.

He picked me up and He turned me around and He placed my feet on the solid ground, Hallelujah!
(Oh, oh oh oh, yeah!)
Hallelujah!
(Oh, oh oh oh, yeah!)

PS: What, you have no love in your heart for the magical world of puppetry?

Keep ‘Em Up

Sometimes I love being wrong.

I usually try not to get my hopes up for silly things – like the newest Jamba flavour or whatever it might be,

Recently, I tried out the Five Flavour Frenzy and expected sweet, frozen fruity deliciousness, but all I got was a strawful of disappointment. That kind of thing leaves a bad taste in your mouth (oh ho ho, aren’t I witty).

Unto the Lamb

Nine months ago – Gig Harbor High School sophomore commits suicide.

Six and a half months ago – GHHS senior commits suicide.

Three days ago – car crash kills Peninsula High School junior, hospitalizes senior and two underclassmen.

Today – GHHS ’09 alumnus succumbs to a combination of cancer and pneumonia.

It’s so dark outside. The clouds are rolling in and it seems impossible to see anything through the rain.

But just behind the clouds, the sun is still shining strongly. Just because we can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. And when the clouds finally pass and the sun beams down upon us, it’ll shine out all the more.

Just because we can’t see God in this situation doesn’t mean that He isn’t there.

God, You have a mighty, beautiful plan for this mess. You are the master weaver – weave a beautiful tapestry from our ugly threads and tangles.

Lord… bring Your peace, Your love, and Your grace into this situation. Make Your name known through all the horrific things that are happening.

We love You so much, God. We are so, so, so incredibly dependent on You. It’s getting so difficult to keep walking. Would You carry us through this?

Would You carry me?

I love You, Lord. I need You, so much.

I need You.

Now, unto the Lamb
Who sits on the throne,
Be glory and honor and praise.

All of creation resounds with the song -
Worship and praise Him,
The Lord of Lords.