If this is supposed to be a year of rest, anyway.
The High School Musical opens this weekend, so the Actor and I will pretty much be living at school this week. He'll be rehearsing; I'll be sewing.
Rest is not happening...this week....
But, in a year, some weeks will be like that.
Don't expect much posting this week. ;)
Monday, April 13, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
He Is Risen
This is another one of those days that the sewing blog bugs me. With the wonderful, awe-ful, radical truth that Christ is Risen! to proclaim, my post over there is about what I wore. And what my daughter wore.
There really is a reason for that. There are a bunch of folks who read the sewing blog because they're interested in sewing, and they are NOT interested in anything remotely connected with evangelic Christian faith. The trick is to be an evangelic/charismatic Christian standing by my faith and my convictions without compromise...without running off the folks who don't live by those convictions.
Because if I run them off, I lose any opportunity to speak to them.
Hence Beer Lahai Roi. Here, I can talk about faith issues...and if anyone who reads the sewing blog desires to see more of what I'm about, they can come here and find it. There, it's just referenced as necessary in connection with the sewing I do (and there is a lot of connection between how I serve God and my sewing, so, well, it overlaps a bit).
So, here, today, I can say that a song we sang in choir today has been resonating in my spirit all day long...it's Tye Tribbett's 'Bless the Lord (Son of Man):
We had some amazing services this weekend... Bless the Lord, Oh my soul!
There really is a reason for that. There are a bunch of folks who read the sewing blog because they're interested in sewing, and they are NOT interested in anything remotely connected with evangelic Christian faith. The trick is to be an evangelic/charismatic Christian standing by my faith and my convictions without compromise...without running off the folks who don't live by those convictions.
Because if I run them off, I lose any opportunity to speak to them.
Hence Beer Lahai Roi. Here, I can talk about faith issues...and if anyone who reads the sewing blog desires to see more of what I'm about, they can come here and find it. There, it's just referenced as necessary in connection with the sewing I do (and there is a lot of connection between how I serve God and my sewing, so, well, it overlaps a bit).
So, here, today, I can say that a song we sang in choir today has been resonating in my spirit all day long...it's Tye Tribbett's 'Bless the Lord (Son of Man):
We had some amazing services this weekend... Bless the Lord, Oh my soul!
Friday, April 10, 2009
The Rooster Crowed
I taught the youth (grades 7 - 12) Sunday School class for years and years in our previous church. The curriculum we used, which that denomination has since dropped, was designed to cover the entire Bible in six years. It wasn't terribly even in its approach, and there were things about the way the studies were written that bugged the stew outta me, so instead of using the lesson plans I just used the syllabus...we covered the scripture that was listed for each lesson in its entirety, rather than looking only at the few verses that were termed the 'focal passage'.
Despite the flaws, it was a great idea...kids who grew up in the church got at least a passing acquaintance with the entire Bible in the six years they were in the youth age group. Not something that can be said of too many churches any more, more's the pity.
However, there were a few times each year that the lesson material deviated from the steady journey through the Scripture. One was Easter Sunday, on which we *always* interrupted the study of whatever book we were in and looked at the Resurrection.
Now, I'm just gonna say that no matter how incredible the spiritual truth is, repeating it over and over again creates a risk of losing the awe that it should inspire. So I worked hard to keep the story fresh with each year's telling.
I don't know if I managed to keep the story fresh for the kids, but those gems of revelation kept my awe-meter up.
One year, the revelation that hit me had to do with Peter's betrayal. (You didn't know all that was the *introduction* for today's Bible-studyish post, did you? But hang in there...this is a nugget, not a sermon!)
The way I approached the story was to piece together the events from the different Gospel accounts. And, as I was doing that, a couple of verses in Luke grabbed my attention. The passage is Luke 22:60-61 -
Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord has spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times."
I'd come to the conclusion that Jesus was being led from Caiphas' home to the meeting of the Sanhedrin just as the rooster crowed; he was outside at that moment. And he knew exactly where in the crowd Peter was.
Peter, watching as Jesus was pulled/pushed/led in chains out of Caiphas' house, had just denied knowing him for the third time...and the rooster began to crow.
Jesus, already bruised and abused, turned and looked straight at him.
Eye contact. Acknowledgment. Devastation.
This year, especially, I am finding myself startling at the rooster crow. Yesterday's post was an acknowledgment of sorts that I am in denial mode...denying not only myself the time to spend in His presence, but denying His claim to my life...my minutes, as I posted back on New Year's...which is a denial of Him.
And He is looking straight at me.
Despite the flaws, it was a great idea...kids who grew up in the church got at least a passing acquaintance with the entire Bible in the six years they were in the youth age group. Not something that can be said of too many churches any more, more's the pity.
However, there were a few times each year that the lesson material deviated from the steady journey through the Scripture. One was Easter Sunday, on which we *always* interrupted the study of whatever book we were in and looked at the Resurrection.
Now, I'm just gonna say that no matter how incredible the spiritual truth is, repeating it over and over again creates a risk of losing the awe that it should inspire. So I worked hard to keep the story fresh with each year's telling.
I don't know if I managed to keep the story fresh for the kids, but those gems of revelation kept my awe-meter up.
One year, the revelation that hit me had to do with Peter's betrayal. (You didn't know all that was the *introduction* for today's Bible-studyish post, did you? But hang in there...this is a nugget, not a sermon!)
The way I approached the story was to piece together the events from the different Gospel accounts. And, as I was doing that, a couple of verses in Luke grabbed my attention. The passage is Luke 22:60-61 -
Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord has spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times."
I'd come to the conclusion that Jesus was being led from Caiphas' home to the meeting of the Sanhedrin just as the rooster crowed; he was outside at that moment. And he knew exactly where in the crowd Peter was.
Peter, watching as Jesus was pulled/pushed/led in chains out of Caiphas' house, had just denied knowing him for the third time...and the rooster began to crow.
Jesus, already bruised and abused, turned and looked straight at him.
Eye contact. Acknowledgment. Devastation.
This year, especially, I am finding myself startling at the rooster crow. Yesterday's post was an acknowledgment of sorts that I am in denial mode...denying not only myself the time to spend in His presence, but denying His claim to my life...my minutes, as I posted back on New Year's...which is a denial of Him.
And He is looking straight at me.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Busted
I just realized something.
I can gauge my spiritual health by my, um, 'Beer Blog' (the shorthand for 'Beer Lahai Roi' -- and I hope that doesn't generate a bunch of weird search hits).
And, looking at it lately, that gauge is reading mighty low.
See, when I'm seeking and learning and growing I have lots of insight that is pounding away at the back of my head wanting to be expressed. So there are frequent blog posts.
But, a lack of blog posts not only means I'm really scrimped for time, it means I'm not digging in and finding lots of cool insight to share. 'Cos, y'know, I'd *make* time to share an insight...if I had one.
In other words, I'm running on spiritual fast food. Just enough to keep me going. And that ain't good.
Only, I didn't realize until just now that it showed.
The spiritual blog-o-meter tells no lies...I'm not pursuing the passion of God like I need to be.
Ouch.
I can gauge my spiritual health by my, um, 'Beer Blog' (the shorthand for 'Beer Lahai Roi' -- and I hope that doesn't generate a bunch of weird search hits).
And, looking at it lately, that gauge is reading mighty low.
See, when I'm seeking and learning and growing I have lots of insight that is pounding away at the back of my head wanting to be expressed. So there are frequent blog posts.
But, a lack of blog posts not only means I'm really scrimped for time, it means I'm not digging in and finding lots of cool insight to share. 'Cos, y'know, I'd *make* time to share an insight...if I had one.
In other words, I'm running on spiritual fast food. Just enough to keep me going. And that ain't good.
Only, I didn't realize until just now that it showed.
The spiritual blog-o-meter tells no lies...I'm not pursuing the passion of God like I need to be.
Ouch.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Jubilee Monday # 32 - I'm Not Doing This Right
Crawling home from a night of costume sewing, it hit me...I'm not doing this Jubilee thing right at all.
It's supposed to be a year of rest. If I were doing it right, I would tell people who want my volunteer hours that this is my year 'off.'
I would take a sabbatical from all non-essential duties and spend time tending to business at home and seeking God.
Funny that I just now realized this...with just about 3 months left in the year.
Not to mention already committed up to my eyeballs in stuff.
The High School Musical is hitting crunch time; there will be late night rehearsals (and late night sewing) for the next two weeks...IOW, it's going to get a whole lot worse before it gets any better.
But, I've only got to get through the next two weeks. I've got an out-of-town trip the second weekend of performances, so anything that needs doing for those shows will have to be done by someone else.
It's time for Wellington Boone's Kingmaker's Conference, and, if all goes according to plan, I will be there. That was a pivotal event for me last year; I'm looking forward to getting away for it again.
It's my reward for persevering through the costume crunch... ;)
It's supposed to be a year of rest. If I were doing it right, I would tell people who want my volunteer hours that this is my year 'off.'
I would take a sabbatical from all non-essential duties and spend time tending to business at home and seeking God.
Funny that I just now realized this...with just about 3 months left in the year.
Not to mention already committed up to my eyeballs in stuff.
The High School Musical is hitting crunch time; there will be late night rehearsals (and late night sewing) for the next two weeks...IOW, it's going to get a whole lot worse before it gets any better.
But, I've only got to get through the next two weeks. I've got an out-of-town trip the second weekend of performances, so anything that needs doing for those shows will have to be done by someone else.
It's time for Wellington Boone's Kingmaker's Conference, and, if all goes according to plan, I will be there. That was a pivotal event for me last year; I'm looking forward to getting away for it again.
It's my reward for persevering through the costume crunch... ;)
Friday, April 3, 2009
Cross over that Jordan
Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
I'm really trying hard to stick to the 'Bible Study Friday' format. I hope soon to have a clear picture of what study to do next, but in the meantime I thought I'd post another outline from the file...seems like every time I pull this one and read it something new occurs to me.
Cross Over the Jordan
Numbers 32:1 - 19
Review of Israel’s history to this point
-left Egypt ~ 42 years earlier
-Crossed the Red Sea; saw God defeat Pharoah’s army on their behalf; ate the manna and the quail, drank the water; heard God’s voice at Sinai
-Stayed at Sinai a year, receiving the Law and the Commandments, making the holy things and dedicating them. They celebrated Passover again, then left the area and headed to Kadesh Barnea.
-Spies returned with evil report, and Israel refused to obey God. God decreed that they would stay in the desert until everyone who was 20 years old or older had died; only Joshua and Caleb would survive the desert and enter the promised land.
-After 40 years of wandering, they began to march toward the Promised Land, going around the southern edge. Edom refused to let them cross their land; Arad, King of the Canaanites in the Negev region, attacked Israel and was defeated; Sihon, King of the Amorites attacked Israel and was defeated; Og, king of Bashan attacked Israel and was defeated. They camped along the Jordan, across from Jerico.
- Balaam advised Moab to seduce them; plague broke out; Moses reviewed the Law and Commandments and the Covenant with the new generation prior to his death.
I.(vs 1 - 5) Reuben and Gad ask to remain on the east side of the Jordan
They saw that the land was good for livestock; they had livestock, so they decided where they were was good enough and they wanted to stay there, saying “Do not make us cross the Jordan:”
-God’s Promised Land was on the other side of the Jordan
-There was adversity between them and the Promised land
-They would rather settle for good enough rather than face adversity and get God’s best
One can never receive God’s promised blessings without first persevering through adversity
Don’t confuse adversity with the consequences of sin:
Satan throws adversity at us to discourage us from persevering
God allows the adversity because it is necessary for maturity (James 1:2-4: “Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith brings out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be people perfectly and fully developed with no defects, lacking in nothing” – AMP)
II. (vs. 6 - 15) Moses’ reaction to their request
-Shall your countrymen go to war while you sit here?
(They didn’t reach their current place without the help of the rest of the nation)
-Why do you discourage the Israelites from going over into the land the Lord has given them?
(It will take the whole nation together to fight the battles and enter into the blessing)
*You didn’t get here without them and they can’t go on without you
-This is what your fathers did (v.8)...here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel...you will be the cause of their destruction”
Disobedience of parents promotes disobedience in children
III. (vs. 16-19) The compromise
- All the fighting men will cross the Jordan with you and fight, then return when the fighting is done.
- We will leave our livestock, women and children in fortified cities here
- We will not have an inheritance on the other side: our inheritance will be on the east side (v. 19)
Doing the bare minimum will secure only inheritance of mediocrity for yourself and for your children
“The lukewarm seldom realize they’re lukewarm; in fact, they’re among the most self-satisfied folks around, thinking everything’s just fine.” - Bill McCartney
If the parents do not pursue the blessings of God, the children cannot inherit them
Hm. I need to think on this today anyway...
I'm really trying hard to stick to the 'Bible Study Friday' format. I hope soon to have a clear picture of what study to do next, but in the meantime I thought I'd post another outline from the file...seems like every time I pull this one and read it something new occurs to me.
Cross Over the Jordan
Numbers 32:1 - 19
Review of Israel’s history to this point
-left Egypt ~ 42 years earlier
-Crossed the Red Sea; saw God defeat Pharoah’s army on their behalf; ate the manna and the quail, drank the water; heard God’s voice at Sinai
-Stayed at Sinai a year, receiving the Law and the Commandments, making the holy things and dedicating them. They celebrated Passover again, then left the area and headed to Kadesh Barnea.
-Spies returned with evil report, and Israel refused to obey God. God decreed that they would stay in the desert until everyone who was 20 years old or older had died; only Joshua and Caleb would survive the desert and enter the promised land.
-After 40 years of wandering, they began to march toward the Promised Land, going around the southern edge. Edom refused to let them cross their land; Arad, King of the Canaanites in the Negev region, attacked Israel and was defeated; Sihon, King of the Amorites attacked Israel and was defeated; Og, king of Bashan attacked Israel and was defeated. They camped along the Jordan, across from Jerico.
- Balaam advised Moab to seduce them; plague broke out; Moses reviewed the Law and Commandments and the Covenant with the new generation prior to his death.
I.(vs 1 - 5) Reuben and Gad ask to remain on the east side of the Jordan
They saw that the land was good for livestock; they had livestock, so they decided where they were was good enough and they wanted to stay there, saying “Do not make us cross the Jordan:”
-God’s Promised Land was on the other side of the Jordan
-There was adversity between them and the Promised land
-They would rather settle for good enough rather than face adversity and get God’s best
One can never receive God’s promised blessings without first persevering through adversity
Don’t confuse adversity with the consequences of sin:
Satan throws adversity at us to discourage us from persevering
God allows the adversity because it is necessary for maturity (James 1:2-4: “Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith brings out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be people perfectly and fully developed with no defects, lacking in nothing” – AMP)
II. (vs. 6 - 15) Moses’ reaction to their request
-Shall your countrymen go to war while you sit here?
(They didn’t reach their current place without the help of the rest of the nation)
-Why do you discourage the Israelites from going over into the land the Lord has given them?
(It will take the whole nation together to fight the battles and enter into the blessing)
*You didn’t get here without them and they can’t go on without you
-This is what your fathers did (v.8)...here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel...you will be the cause of their destruction”
Disobedience of parents promotes disobedience in children
III. (vs. 16-19) The compromise
- All the fighting men will cross the Jordan with you and fight, then return when the fighting is done.
- We will leave our livestock, women and children in fortified cities here
- We will not have an inheritance on the other side: our inheritance will be on the east side (v. 19)
Doing the bare minimum will secure only inheritance of mediocrity for yourself and for your children
“The lukewarm seldom realize they’re lukewarm; in fact, they’re among the most self-satisfied folks around, thinking everything’s just fine.” - Bill McCartney
If the parents do not pursue the blessings of God, the children cannot inherit them
Hm. I need to think on this today anyway...
Thursday, April 2, 2009
This Year's Talent Show....
For the last couple of years, the Friends class (grades 6-7-8) has performed a 'Human Video' (drama pantomimed to a musical selection) for the annual MPact (formerly 'Missionettes') talent competition. We used Barlow Girl songs for the first two, this year we're going old school Newsboys.
We use the human video as the project for one of our units of study. The unit we've just finished is 'Personal Evangelism' and we had a fair list of possible songs. One I suggested was 'Going Public', about not being afraid to be a witness. That one got a rather mediocre response, and I mentioned that 'Shine' was on the same CD. Suddenly, the girls wanted to hear 'Shine' and, when the voting was done, 'Shine' was the choice.
I didn't see the connection 'till later, but it's kinda cool that the theme for this year's MPact events is 'Shine Like a Star'.
Now to just figure out some compelling choreography...I think it's going to be abstract. We certainly will not demonstrate barbecuing a hamster. ;)
We use the human video as the project for one of our units of study. The unit we've just finished is 'Personal Evangelism' and we had a fair list of possible songs. One I suggested was 'Going Public', about not being afraid to be a witness. That one got a rather mediocre response, and I mentioned that 'Shine' was on the same CD. Suddenly, the girls wanted to hear 'Shine' and, when the voting was done, 'Shine' was the choice.
I didn't see the connection 'till later, but it's kinda cool that the theme for this year's MPact events is 'Shine Like a Star'.
Now to just figure out some compelling choreography...I think it's going to be abstract. We certainly will not demonstrate barbecuing a hamster. ;)
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