A New Psalm

A couple of weeks ago, our small group spend about 30 minutes praying about what to pray. Everyone wrote down their impressions on praise, confessions, thanks, and requests. It was a great experience. The things that we felt the Holy Spirit put in our hearts was surprisingly consistent with each other - both similar and complementary.

LIFE - Psalm 2008

We praise you, Lord God, our Father and Friend –
God with us, for whom nothing is impossible

Save us Lord Jesus, from our sin and blindness,
Guide us that we may follow after You,
in the plans that you have made for us
- May we discern your paths
- May we see clearly and fully
When we stumble, let your mercy keep us from falling

Thank you for all that you are,
And for bringing us together in Your name
That we might undertake this journey together
In the fellowship of trust, support, and joy

Help us and teach us to walk through LIFE together
Open our ears to hear and our eyes to see
Fill us with your Spirit, strengthening us for the journey –
that in all things we might reflect You,
rising above the daily grind and embodying the Good News

With every step and every breath, may we bring glory and honor
To Jesus Christ: our Way, our Truth, and our Life

Travel light.

This is my new motto/catch phrase. (I have a few of them.)

TRAVEL LIGHT.

Isn't it beautiful?

Let me explain - Life is a journey. I am a pilgrim. "He who dies with the most toys still dies." (Can't remember where I heard this.) Acquiring stuff bogs down the sojourner. Sometimes it even brings the true journey of life to a halt - there's too much to worry about losing to engage in the adventure.

Do you have any thing/s that you would have a hard let letting go of?

• Your house? Truck? Guitar? (Some of my things that put my pilgrimage at risk.)
• How about the sum total of everything you have acquired? Could you walk away from it all?
  

If we can't, then what are we really living for?

The point: Things can "easily entangle us." (A smart guy named Paul once coined this.) Never forget that life is a journey. Never forget what is worth living for and what isn't. Know you direction. Travel light.

Travel light: People space

I was driving home yesterday having a very deep conversation with Jody - about the lack of storage space in our home. We hope to add on a big living room and study in the near future which still does not include much closet/storage space. (It will, however, allow us to host big groups for dinner which we absolutely love. For example, the list we were wishing to have over in a couple weekends includes about 30 adults and 20+/- kids!)

I was lamenting this lack of storage space when Jody said something amazing, "I like it because it keeps us from having too much junk we don't need." What a genius! Her comment was an epiphany for me.


I fell in love with this idea: having a home dedicated to people space, not junk space.

501 - Introduction to Fellowship

Only now am I starting to begin to almost understand the first thing in the first steps of fellowship. I had a decent time last week in Virginia Beach - most notably, an awakening to real fellowship. Here's how I would describe it. Remember the scene in "Fellowship of the Ring" when they step into the great hall of Moria. Gandalf says, "I think we can risk a little more light." As his staff glows brighter, they realize that they are in a hall beyond compare - but its fullness is still hidden in the darkness.

By the way, I tried to get a screenshot of this scene, but was unsuccessful. If you know a way to capture screenshots using freeware, please let me know.

Anyway, that is me. The light went off inside just enough for me to know that I have been completely missing it concerning fellowship. I'm getting my butt kicked this week with meetings, work and school, but I can't wait to head off on a discovery of fellowship in the very near future.

Any thoughts on the subject?

things that make you go hmm...

Imagine this - the church leadership of America is all killed or imprisoned. Church buildings are closed and confiscated. All bibles are gone. Based on your experience of Christianity, what do you think would happen?

What would change? How? What would stay the same?

What would your expression of faith look like? How would your life change? How would it stay the same?

the key(s)

You gotta love stupidity. I rented a car today. They gave me two keys, which was really nice in case I accidentally lock one in the car or want to share one with a friend. Funny thing, though - THEY'RE CABLED TOGETHER! (Literally - with a tiny metal cable.)