College Pick’Em: Week Four

Sorry that this one is so late! (Click through to keep reading)

storm surge

“Even when the rain falls
Even when the flood starts rising
Even when the storm comes
I am washed by the water”
Washed by the Water by NEEDTOBREATHE

As a resident of New Orleans, there are a number of words that I am all too familiar with, yet I would rather they not be in my vocabulary at all.  Such words include projected path, tracking cone, northeast quadrant, storm surge, Gustav, Ike, evacuation, and contraflow.  The past few weeks saw an increased use of these words and yet another evacuation to the Carolinas.  I’ll admit that while I felt much more prepared for this evacuation (and I certainly packed more this time around), it was still the cause of much anxiety.  As I pulled out of campus and away from New Orleans on the day after the three year anniversary of Katrina, I couldn’t help but wonder when I would be back.  I told some people during my evacuation, that the emotional drain was much worse this time around.  We all knew what the worst-case scenario could be, we knew exactly what could go wrong, and we knew just how bad the destruction and damage could be.  I claim Matt. 6:27 as my life verse, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” but I was definitely worrying as I drove away from the city I’ve come to love called NOLA.

For those of you who know me, you are probably not surprised by the lyrics that I’ve posted above.  NEEDTOBREATHE is my favorite band, and their song “Washed by the Water” has been ministering to me since I first heard it back in 2006.  I had coincidently downloaded it as my ringtone about a week before I evacuated for Gustav, so every time someone called me during my 10 hour trek, I was reminded of the chorus.  God also brought to my mind the verses that brought me strength and comfort following Katrina, Phil. 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  So, as I sat there and compulsively watched CNN, Fox News, and The Weather Channel, I had a sense of peace.  No matter what happened, (fortunately the damage was nowhere near as bad as expected) God was going to be with me.

Even as the rain fell, even as the water in the canals started rising, even as the storm came, God reminded me that because my identity is found in Him through Christ, that He would give me the strength to sustain me.  I still struggle with applying the peace of God in all areas of my life.  I still haven’t fully unpacked from my evacuation, partly because I’ve been scared that I would just have to pack all over again.  But I’m beginning to recognize that I can’t live my life in a state of constant fear and worry.  Instead, I need to trust that God will bring me through the tough situations I encounter.  That is what He has promised in His word and His promises are always true.  With that in mind, I’ve got a few things to unload from my car this weekend, and an apartment to rearrange back to normal and out of “evacuation mode.”  Evacuation is never meant to be permanent, and none of us can survive if we are constantly in that mode.

Hebrews 1:3&4

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.  After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.  So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

The morning of September 3 I wrote this response to the above passage in my journal:

I want to be in your will and to have an intimate relationship with you.  I am so in the habit of doing things on my own thinking everything will turn out okay.  I obviously suck at commanding my own life.  I pray, begging, that you would shove me out of the way and show me who’s boss.  I desire deeply for you to reign completely in my life…everyday.  Please mold my heart and my will.  I love you.

The Sun will come out tomorrow

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”  Psalm 143:8

This verse is so encouraging and comforting to me.  My husband and I memorized it on his last deployment to Afghanistan.  It was at night when I would usually get worked up and stressed out about his safety, our future, and everything else that could possibly be a stresser.  Meditating over and praying this verse helped me calm down and trust in the Lord enough to go to sleep.  It reminded me that in Christ, we can have hope for good tomorrows.  Even when we can’t see a step in front of us, and nothing seems clear, we can trust God and put our hope in Him that He will lead us where we need to go and that his love is always surrounding us.  Such hope is worth praising!

Top Ten Tuesday: Presidential Facial Hair

As the McCain and Obama campaigns go back and forth during this election, one gets the sense that there are some important issues that are not getting the time that they deserve. One important issue that both will likely continue to avoid is this simple fact: It has been 100 years since we last elected a guy with facial hair to the Oval Office. My fellow Americans, this should not be so. So while we dream in vain that McCain will rock the fu manchu or Obama will grow some serious sideburns, let’s look back at the top ten presidents that sported facial hair.

10. Grover Cleveland

Not only is he the only president to share a name with a Sesame Street character, not only is he the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms, not only is he the only president to get married while in office, but Grover Cleveland, our 22nd (and 24th) president, leads off this list with his simple, yet classy mustache.

A Benediction to End All Benedictions

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
Amen.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
Amen.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
Amen.

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world; so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
Amen.

May the Blessing of God, who Creates, Redeems and Sanctifies, be upon you and everyone you love and pray for this day, and forever more.
Amen.

-Turbo (in the Franciscan tradition)

He’s been faithful

Yesterday I went to my mom and dad’s church and Saturday night when they found out I was spending the night with them, and that I was going to be at their church they immediately asked me what I was going to sing, this is very common.  I had nothing with me, and nothing prepared so I proceeded to look through my mom’s music.

 I found the tape to a song that my mom always used to sing when I was growing up, and something that I had sung before, so I thought it would be a good idea, and something that I could pull off with not alot of practice.

I rehearsed once, and thought I would sound ok, and didn’t think much about the words to the song until I actually sang it in church.  I listened to the words, really listened to them for the first time in a long time, and realized that what I was singing was so true and so applicable to my life!

The chorus says: 

“He’s been faithful, faithful to me.  Looking back his love and mercy I see, though in my life I have questioned, even failed to believe, yet he’s been faithful, faithful to me.”

This is my story.  I have been through alot, but He has always been there, and He has reamined faithful!  Even when I am so faithless, He is faithful(2 Timothy 2:13)!  He has never abandoned me, never left me without hope, and He has always blessed me and pulled me through!  I don’t know why I find it so hard to trust God all the time, because all I have to do is remember what He’s done for me, and I am reminded that He will never leave me or forsake me(Deuteronomy 31:6)! 

I am so thankful for His faithfulness, and yet so undeserving of it.  I can honestly say after all that I have been through over the past few years He has never changed, but He has changed me.  The girl I used to be is nowhere near as in love with her Savior as I am now.  The girl I used to be was not thankful for her life, like I am now.  And the girl I used to be did not long to spend time in the word, or have a love for the words of God like I do now.  And this is not because I am some sort of super Christian, it’s because I’ve been changed.  God has saved my life, twice, and I can’t help but be so grateful for the life I now have in Him! 

 

Isaiah 38:15-19 

 

¹⁵ But what can I say? He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this. I will walk humbly all my years because of this anguish of my soul. ¹⁶ Lord, by such things men live; and my spirit finds life in them too. You restored me to health and let me live. ¹⁷ Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back. ¹⁸ For the grave {18 Hebrew Sheol} cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness. ¹⁹ The living, the living– they praise you, as I am doing today; fathers tell their children about your faithfulness.

I Am New

So today is the anniversary of a turning point in my home church’s life… a time of changing leadership and a call for the body of Christ to step up and be what the church was created to be.  I, in turn, have been challenged to take a look at myself and discover how to live a life worthy of the Gospel.

So often when I get like this I end up feeling depressed and like a failure as a Christian.  I feel like I am so far from where I should be, and in part that is true… however I was reminded of a Biblical truth today that comforts me greatly.

As I was in the photography lab today developing negatives, I was listening to Jimmy Needham and a single phrase caught my attention on this anniversary of my church’s history:  “I am new.”  Praise God.

Great Moments in Procrastination: Church Sign Generator

Earlier this evening as I watched So Cal whip on on Ohio State, I stumbled upon this link on the Relevant website. I can’t believe someone had not thought of this earlier because it’s brilliant. Who doesn’t want to make up their own church sign? I know I do (I’m especially fond of my church sign quote to the left). So, if you want to waste some time check out www.churchsigngenerator.com.

Pick’em Week 3

Not a lot of games to pick this week, so I’ll be short and sweet.

(#1 FBS) USC 34, (#5 FBS) Ohio State 17: Ohio State hasn’t exactly impressed; USC has.  Ohio State will likely be without star back Chris Wells; USC is healthy.  Ohio State was supposed to be scary good; USC actually is.  And it’s in the colosseum.

(#2 FBS) Georgia 21, South Carolina 9: After last week’s loss to Vanderbilt, Steve Spurrier must be walking around with visible question marks floating over his head.  So don’t even think about asking him who will be taking snaps on Saturday.  This rivalry has been close over the years, but this is the best Georgia team the Gamecocks will have encountered in a long time.  

Clemson 38, NC State 10: Clemson is looking forward to a statement win.  NC State is looking forward to next year.  

(#23 FCS) Furman 27, Colgate 17: Furman traditionally (and oddly) hasn’t played well up north.  However, they have to be encouraged by last week’s strong defensive performance at Virginia Tech.  They’ll need an identical effort to keep All-Everything back Jordan Scott at bay.  

(#13 FBS) Kansas 34, (#19 FBS) South Florida 27: Everyone keeps waiting for signs of a drop-off for Kansas.  This will be a chance to prove the naysayers wrong.

(#18 FCS) Elon 38, Presbyterian 21: So far Elon hasn’t lived up to its abnormally-high expectations.  They need a quality win before Southern Conference play hits.  PC has played some tough opponents well so far, but the Phoenix pull away late.

Virginia Tech 27, Georgia Tech 24: It’s time to see how Paul Johnson’s Triple Option offense fairs against the ACC, and the Hokie defense could be the toughest of them all.  Trickeration keeps Georgia Tech in the game, and Virginia Tech scores all 27 points with special teams (and maybe an INT return thrown in).  

(#7 FCS) James Madison 45, (#3 FCS) UMass 35: The Minutemen have done little to live up to their high pre-season ranking…neither has James Madison, come to think of it.  However, time has run out to get acts together, and the frenzied home crowd pushes James Madison forward to a win with major playoff implications.