Sooooo…#3/8 of 1

How good it is to breathe in the breeze of the Lord!  How good and how pleasant is HIS faithfulness!  HE alone gives breath and refreshes HIS breeze! 

Well, one more week of school, then tests, then ‘I am free to run!’…’I am free to dance!’  This semester is over.  Pretty cool.  I have learned so very much this semester between my two classes: Classroom Management and the other class…I forget the name (it’s weird)…that teaches me how to teach elementary students music concepts.  I am so thankful for this past school year because I have learned so much about education stuff and myself.  Having to attend school again is not my favorite, however, it’s been really good.

I guess today I am a man of fewer words than usual.  I have sat here trying to think of what to say.  I am done thinking.

I trust the Lord to truly bless any who read this today, definitely not because of what was written but simply because of His goodness!

be blessed!

Awkward….#62.39

Have you breathed in the breeze of the Lord?  He is faithful!  We should take advantage of every opportunity to “take Him in!”  Oh, to fully know and completely experience His love…His grace…His presence…His joy…His peace…His holiness…His power…His gentleness.   That is what He wants for us isn’t it?  He wants us to know Him fully…abundantly.  thank you Lord for the head start here on earth…we begin now knowing You and experiencing Your wonder and greatness!

Have you ever been in a conversation where someone offers to speak on your behalf but in reality they are not aware of your true sentiments?  They assume that your thoughts or feelings or questions must be synonymous with theirs.  That can be awkward, especially when you are discussing awkward subject matter.  I am not going into detail about why I write about this today yet I recently experienced this kind of situation and at the moment I don’t know what else to write about.  I am at school awaiting my next class.  I should be taking a nap but I’ll take my chances of falling asleep in class.

Earlier this morning, I had to teach my peers a lesson on the difference between beat and rhythm.  You know, after almost 15 years of teaching youth groups and church choirs, I find it very annoying and nerve-racking to teach in front of a professor and submit to their scrutiny for a grade.  This is not fun……but it is (hopefully) making me a better teacher in any subject matter I approach.

Self-awareness is either damaging or helpful…take the upper road and positive perspective.  The Word of the Lord says a fool refuses correction and turns from appropriate counsel.

I’ll choose to be wise…………gotta go to class.

Sooo #……..4

The breeze of the Lord is powerful…….faithful…….true.  Have you taken in His life-giving breeze?  May we know today the power of His resurrection!  How awesome is the Lord’s capacity to change the dead things in our lives into something new, living and beautiful.  Amen.

The storm that came through last night awakened my attention while I was trying to sleep.  That is so annoying.  I knew I was asleep yet I was aware of the storm.  I think I was sleeping okay but it was as if my thoughts and dreams were about the storm outside.  I can recall considering getting out of bed but what good would that have done?  I can recall the thoughts of turning the TV on but that wouldn’t have accomplished anything either other than hearing jargon about the bad weather that was already here.  It was pretty bad outside……I just wanted to sleep…deep sleep.  I am not tired so far so I must have slept fairly well, considering.

With my thoughts in the context of this past Resurrection weekend I parallel my experience last night with the night Jesus was taken away by the Roman soldiers.  There was a storm already brewing…a spiritual storm…and yet a physical storm.  The disciples didn’t fully realize it.  They were instructed to pray.  Jesus was omnisciently preparing Himself for the “storm” that would affect all of mankind.  Maybe they knew Jesus was upset and heavy burdened but they just wanted to sleep.  They didn’t get up to check on Him.  They didn’t call for Him.  They just wanted to sleep.  He caught them three times and warned them that the “storm” has come and about to be deadly.  I wonder how they felt when they fully awakened from their sleep. 

Jesus said to watch and pray.  You never know what storm of life may be brewing.

Bible-bound #……………8

the breeze of the Lord is refreshing today!  Praise the Lord for His life given to us!  By YOUR mercy and grace YOU have poured out YOUR love.  Awesome!                 So, it’s been pretty wet outside the last couple of days.  Though I like rain and its refreshing effects, I frequent the thought of what it would be like to live in Arizona or somewhere in the Southwest where the clouds are not as busy.  I am certain, however, that there exists something else in the weather out there that would diminish my wonder.  It seems like I’ve mentioned long ago in a blog about how freeing it is to simply stand out under the rain instead of an umbrella.  However, this behavior does lend toward sickness and mess.   I think that is where the freedom comes to surface.  I probably won’t get sick…who cares if I look messy and wet.  I do find humor in watching our animals avoid the rain.  Why do they care?  Do they have to sustain a good and fashionable look at work all day?  Do they fear getting sick?  Do they worry over ’rain hair’?  Is it animal instinct for dogs and cats to avoid the rain?  Our fish wishes he could enjoy it.  So why am I even talking about this?….and asking so many questions?  Does anyone out there in web-land have answers?  Is there any spiritual significance to this one-sided discussion?……………..maybe?……………………….God’s rain is refreshing when we surrender to it.  God’s rain is refreshing when we stop worrying about the mess it needs to make.  Get wet!

Bible-bound #77.99

The breeze of the Lord is life!  what would life be like without His breath?  Is that even possible?  Praise the Lord for the breeze of the Lord which is true, faithful, sustaining and everlasting.

Okay, this morning at 7:00 a.m. I turned the TV on and decided to turn it to TBN.  Normally, I turn on National news but for some reason turned it to TBN.  I don’t usually watch TBN…morning, noon, or night.  Maybe that’s bad but I get frustrated with some of the things they support.  For instance, this morning was an unbelievable (no pun intended) show about ”supernatural” signs and wonders.  In short, the host interviewed a young guy who supernaturally began to sing, play the piano and lead praise and worship within two months or so time (okay)……when he leads praise and worship gold dust appears on his clothes and oil has dispensed from his palms (not okay).  WHAT IS THIS??!!  He spoke of supernatural occurrences such as the whitening of teeth, gold/silver fillings in teeth, gold dust and a couple of other things that escape my memory at the moment.  I like to stay open minded about how the Lord works but this is a little far fetched for me.  I want the Lord to receive all the glory for anything HE wants to do among HIS people but we need to be wise as serpents when it comes to giving support to anything that man puts a Jesus-label on.  How many millions of people throughout history (or HIS-story) have come to know Jesus without gold dust or gold fillings?  And!!!!!  where is the Biblical support for such claims?  The Word says faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God!  Jesus said “Blessed are they that believe without seeing.”  Yes, I believe it when Jesus said that signs and wonders shall follow HIS believers but HE also gave warning to those who followed HIM only because HE could show them signs and wonders without them ever acknowledging HIS Lordship and without them recognizing HIS wonder on the cross. 

The guys on this “supernatural” show perhaps meant well…or not…but if I didn’t know better, I would of thought my only hope to experience the power and glory of the Lord was to buy this p/w leader’s CD.  Well somebody tell that to the Christian in Darfur or Sudan who faces persecution and probably knows the provision and glory of the Lord better than any of us!  If I were alone in the desert, the Lord is there with me and I don’t even need an emotional buzz from music to usher me into HIS presence.  By grace through faith I am saved and experience the Lord’s goodness…….not through gold-anything!

Bible-bound #4.58

Let the breeze of the Lord refresh us today!  We need it!  Amen!  So…Winterfest was really good this year, as expected.  As far as I know all of the young people were blessed including Lori, Channing and I.  I am continually amazed at how the Lord touches lives in ways that we cannot see or sometimes comprehend.  I like that though because my measure of comprehesion is extremely limited.  The Lord is so faithful!  Do I hear an “Amen!”?  He is truly amazing!  But now the challenge is on to make the spiritual charge stick, stay, remain, continue, abide, keep going.  I believe the Lord wants us to receive a spiritual charge every day.  It doesn’t have to come the same way but we must believe what the Psalmist says concerning the Lord’s presence is full of joy, peace, strength, etc.  Right?  I enjoy events like Winterfest, but what if they didn’t exist?  We must still rely on Jesus and His grace to make it through each day.  He gives us the strength!  He gives us the power!  He gives the provision!  He gives us the joy!  He gives the assurance!  He is our spiritual charge!  He always has been!  We must allow Him to supply us with all that He wants to give.  Although I thoroughly enjoy Winterfest, it is simply one moment in time through which the Lord gets our attention.  He should get our attention every day!!!  Thank the Lord for Winterfest and all that He did in the lives of thousands of young people.  Thank the Lord that we don’t have to wait until next year to encounter His love, His presence, His power and His joy!

Bible-bound #3.76

The breeze of the Lord is refreshing!  do I hear an “Amen”?  Have taken in His breeze and thanked Him for it?  thank You Lord for Your life-giving breath today.  You are truly gracious and merciful and amazing!

Warning…this blog is my longest one ever.  But it’s interesting I think.

A couple of weeks ago, on a Sunday afternoon, I was outside my house talking on the telephone.  I was talking to a family member who upset about a family situation when all of a sudden my attention was interrupted by an unusual sound coming from the distance.  I heard the chirpping of birds.  I was trying to remain attentive to the family member but I couldn’t help but notice the birds were getting incredibly louder.  I mean, it was obnoxious…that’s why I got so distracted from my telephone conversation.  I turned around and witnessed a flock of birds totalling what I would dare to guess 10,000 at least.  Yes, I mean it!  There could have been 100,000 all I know.  I have never seen anything like that in my entire life.  For a brief moment, I have to admit, I was freaked out!!!!  I felt like I was in Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds”.  There were so many birds coming my way…and then over my head…that it seemed like the sky stretched a mask over its face.  The width of the flock was probably a quarter of a mile and the length of the flock was possibly a half-a-mile.  They were flying Northwest or maybe simply West.  I hardly remember those moments of my conversation with my family member.  I was so astonished by what was happening I wouldn’t even dare attempt to describe it over the phone.  (To this very moment, it seems unbelievable)  I’m not trying to be dramatic…this was absolutely incredible to me.  I want to know if anyone else in Montgomery saw what I saw.  As it was happening I realized that if those birds decided to “relieve themselves” I would end up looking like a gallon of white paint (presumably) was poured over my head, so I ducked into my garage under the roof of the house while I remained gazing at the sight flying overhead.  Lori and I (mostly Lori, of course) were watching Lacy that evening.  I walked into the house after the bird sighting & my phone conversation wondering how to tell Lori and Lacy what happened.  After a little while I finally attempted to tell them.  Somehow, I didn’t communicate this awe-inspiring occurrence well enough…they weren’t very interested.  I questioned whether or not to blog about this.  I hope whoever reads this doesn’t think I’m weird about this.  It wasn’t life-changing, but I wonder what God is doing in the atmosphere…in the world…in the earth…in the weather…in these end times.

Web-lost #it’s about time

So…the breeze of the LORD is still refreshing today as it has been for the last few weeks since last I wrote a blog entry.  I am once again thankful that the Lord is faithful in everything He does and in all that He is!! 

Today I had to sit in on a preliminary hearing for a young man who broke into my house back in November.  I didn’t know what to expect and come to find out, several other families were victimized and well represented at the courthouse today.  The little goofey-head had 16 counts of burglary against him!  He confessed to all of them but his bail remained at around $148,000.  He is only 19 years old.  His mother weeped when the verdict was given about his bail amount.  Now, I will receive another subpoena to witness at a later date saying that Lori and I were victims of  burglary.  Also, the Detective told me that 3 other guys are charged with our burglary.  That just ticks me off!!  What if…….?  I am certainly not enjoying being apart of sending someone to jail but this is ridiculous!  This is also a wake up call to events that take place every day, everywhere.  While at the courthouse, I witnessed a few other preliminary hearings…one was a rape case…one was attempted muder (someone got shot 4 times)…     The devil is busy destroying people’s lives and people are busy being stupid.    Christians need to be busy spreading LIFE!!!  I’ll never understand why people choose to commit crimes (regardless of the severity).  GOD does not understand why we choose to commit spiritual crimes!  If we know the perfect One…If we know HIS Spirit…If we know HIS salvation…If we know HIS peace…If we know etc……why would we commit spiritual crimes?  The sad truth is that we all have.   the beautiful truth is that JESUS paid the penalty!!   I’ve been caught…I am guilty…but JESUS…but JESUS…but JESUS!!!!  But JESUS set me free!  But JESUS delivered me!  But JESUS dropped the charges!   But JESUS!!   If not for HIS grace I would not be saved!!!   Thank You LORD!!

Let’s pray for those imprisoned.

Bible-Bound #1

Okay, so today I’ve decided to change the heading of my posts from Web-lost to Bible-Bound.  I don’t think I’m necessarily web-lost anymore…though I still feel uncomfortable at the computer.  However, one thing will never change!  I breathed in the breeze of the Lord today!!  Regardless of temperature changes, atmospheric chaos, clean air or not the breeze of the Lord is refreshing and faithful!!  Breathe!  Be free!  Live!  Live free in His holiness!

So, lately I’ve been reading alot from Genesis and Judges.  I’m never released from amazement at the stories in Judges.  Sometimes it seems as if the stories are made up.  At the same time, the stories are so crazy that no one could possibly make them up.  On most occasions the weirdness of the stories are simply the result of man’s sinful nature at work.  (For clarity…I believe every event, whether “weird” or ”crazy” or “what?-provoking”, did actually take place truthfully and factually not at all merely symbolically…Amen!)   When I read “dark” stories or tragic stories from the Word of God it is humbling to realize how far off course our sinful nature leads us.  A few years ago when the stupid movie (I chose not  to watch it) “DaVinci’s Code” came out I remember from the previews on TV one particular phrase from the movie that really grasped my attention.  That phrase was… “so dark the con of man.”  This powerful statement only scrapes the surface of its truth (and ironically yet appropriately written within a movie/book that defames our Savior).  The Word of God is full of descriptive, real-life stories that reveal our dissention from intended holiness.  Sin is ugly!  Pride is ugly! and therefore we will be too if we don’t live in the Spirit, abiding in His love and allowing His fruit of righteousness to produce in our lives.  So dark the con of man…So much brighter the light of Christ!!!  Let’s be partakers in the Light and sharers of the Light!!!

Web-lost #2 & 1/7% of 9/3

So, today is the nineteenth time I’ve taken in the breeze of the Lord this year.  I like the truth that the Lord is unchanging…He is truly the Rock on which we stand!  We can count on Him!  He is!  He was!  and He always will be!  I had some changes take place last week in my class schedule that was not necessarily for my benefit.  The short version is that the Music Department had a schedule conflict with my class and two other classes.  So, the class was moved from Tuesday evening to Wednesday afternoon and evening.  I had to drop the class.  I’m not upset but the financial situation that it placed me in (I had to drop the class with financial penalty) was not a smooth process to get out of.  Since the dropping was not my fault, I shouldn’t have to pay, right?  Well, I finally got that approved but was warned that my situation must be handled on Friday or else.  So, being in a hurry, I rushed down to Troy Friday afternoon to take care of this mix-up only to find myself as a gopher who no more than transported a piece of paper from the bottom floor of the Administration Building to the First Floor of the Administration Building.  Yep!  This all-important rush to Troy was for the dumbest reason.  I spent a total of, maybe, two minutes in the Administration Building and that was just because I was being friendly to people.  It took longer to walk from my car to the Admin. Bldg. than it did to “take care of business”.  I was furious to say the least!  I put myself in a rush…I drove all the way to Troy (and back)!…walked 5 minutes from my car and 5 minutes back………because someone else couldn’t walk my paper from one floor to the next–using an elevator!!!!!!!!!!!  Unbelievable!!!!!!!!   You did not want to be with me when I returned to my car!!!!!!!!!  Can someone out there give me a spiritual explanation as to why I wasted my gas and time due to someone else’s incompetence?????????????  Oh, maybe that’s it right there.

Okay, I’m done venting.  Have a wonderful day.