I don't know what I was going to do if I had to go home and sit in the dark one more night following the roar of Hurricane Ike through central Ohio. It's awful having to do your hair and make-up in the restroom at work. But the house is standing and sustained no damage. The grocery store was bare of dairy items last night but it was full of all other items. Friends of mine waited in line for 45 minutes at McDonald's for dinner one night but they did not have to stand in line for hours just for a case of water. We had to throw some food out of our refrigerator but we did not lose everything of importance to us. Weather in Ohio has been moderate this week, not sweltering at 90+ degrees as it is in Texas and Louisiana. We had jobs to go to each day; many do not. And instead of my husband working on his computer in one room and me on mine in another, we actually had to sit in a room together and talk over the candelight.
There is value to sitting in the dark. It is may not be pleasant at the time but the end results can have a tremendous impact on our lives. We learn to come together and share as family, friends and community. We will have stories to share to the next generation. We learn to share and to empathize with others who are less fortunate.
There have been times in my life where I was sitting in a darkness that was overwhelming. But the Lord was always there, even at the darkest moments. And as I emerged from darkness into the light, I found strength - a strength that has never left me. The Bible says in 1 Peter 2: 9-10,
" 9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." (NIV)
For when we leave that darkness, we know that we are with God for it is only through Him that we can escape the darkness. And because he has guided us out of that darkness, it if for us to praise His holy name!
This is one of my favorite songs, Here We Are to Worship (Michael W. Smith).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP04GjifMPk
Our hearts and prayers go out to all those who are suffering from the hurricanes. May you find the hand of God as He leads you through this struggle. He IS with you.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
It's Christmas time
Already? But it's only September! There aren't even decorations in the stores yet - it can't be time to think about Christmas time!!
Well, while all of you have been thinking about BBQs, picnics and preparing for back-to-school, I, like my fellow music directors, have been busy making plans for our Christmas program. I really want this year to be different. We are a small church, less than 100 people in attendance, but I feel that God is calling us to reach out to our church family and our community in a special way. I know that we can't compete with the Christmas spectaculars put on by the mega-churches in and around our community but there has to be a way that we can offer our friends a program that is warm, inviting and intimate - something that will make their Christmas season extra special.
We don't have professional singers hired specially for the program, camels/sheep/donkeys, or 30 piece orchestra...we are just a small choir singing to a sound track. But we do things that are very unique for a church of this size. We have liturgical dancers and a youth sign choir that add a very visual interpretation of the message in music. We have people with excellent speaking ability who can add warmth to narration. And I am counting on people within the congregation to help by sharing their God given gifts of hospitality, child care, creativity and organization to help with all the many other tasks that need to be done.
There is no charge for admission but my hope is that we can ask each person to bring a gift for the community, specifically items that can be provided to those in need through Westerville Area Resource Ministry.
Please pray for us as we engage in this program. May we be blessed individually, as a family, as a church and as a community. May this be one step in the process of becoming "the Lord's beacon on Oak Hill."
Amen!
Well, while all of you have been thinking about BBQs, picnics and preparing for back-to-school, I, like my fellow music directors, have been busy making plans for our Christmas program. I really want this year to be different. We are a small church, less than 100 people in attendance, but I feel that God is calling us to reach out to our church family and our community in a special way. I know that we can't compete with the Christmas spectaculars put on by the mega-churches in and around our community but there has to be a way that we can offer our friends a program that is warm, inviting and intimate - something that will make their Christmas season extra special.
We don't have professional singers hired specially for the program, camels/sheep/donkeys, or 30 piece orchestra...we are just a small choir singing to a sound track. But we do things that are very unique for a church of this size. We have liturgical dancers and a youth sign choir that add a very visual interpretation of the message in music. We have people with excellent speaking ability who can add warmth to narration. And I am counting on people within the congregation to help by sharing their God given gifts of hospitality, child care, creativity and organization to help with all the many other tasks that need to be done.
There is no charge for admission but my hope is that we can ask each person to bring a gift for the community, specifically items that can be provided to those in need through Westerville Area Resource Ministry.
Please pray for us as we engage in this program. May we be blessed individually, as a family, as a church and as a community. May this be one step in the process of becoming "the Lord's beacon on Oak Hill."
Amen!
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