Psalm 69
1 Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck. 2 Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can’t find a foothold. I am in deep water, and the floods overwhelm me. 3 I am exhausted from crying for help; my throat is parched. My eyes are swollen with weeping, waiting for my God to help me. 4 Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs on my head. Many enemies try to destroy me with lies, demanding that I give back what I didn’t steal.
5 O God, you know how foolish I am; my sins cannot be hidden from you. 6 Don’t let those who trust in you be ashamed because of me, O Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Don’t let me cause them to be humiliated, O God of Israel. 7 For I endure insults for your sake; humiliation is written all over my face. 8 Even my own brothers pretend they don’t know me; they treat me like a stranger.
9 Passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. 10 When I weep and fast, they scoff at me. 11 When I dress in burlap to show sorrow, they make fun of me. 12 I am the favorite topic of town gossip, and all the drunks sing about me.
13 But I keep praying to you, Lord, hoping this time you will show me favor. In your unfailing love, O God, answer my prayer with your sure salvation. 14 Rescue me from the mud; don’t let me sink any deeper! Save me from those who hate me, and pull me from these deep waters. 15 Don’t let the floods overwhelm me, or the deep waters swallow me, or the pit of death devour me.
16 Answer my prayers, O Lord, for your unfailing love is wonderful. Take care of me, for your mercy is so plentiful. 17 Don’t hide from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in deep trouble! 18 Come and redeem me; free me from my enemies.
19 You know of my shame, scorn, and disgrace. You see all that my enemies are doing. 20 Their insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. If only one person would show some pity; if only one would turn and comfort me. 21 But instead, they give me poison for food; they offer me sour wine for my thirst.
22 Let the bountiful table set before them become a snare and their prosperity become a trap. 23 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and make their bodies shake continually. 24 Pour out your fury on them; consume them with your burning anger. 25 Let their homes become desolate and their tents be deserted. 26 To the one you have punished, they add insult to injury; they add to the pain of those you have hurt. 27 Pile their sins up high, and don’t let them go free. 28 Erase their names from the Book of Life; don’t let them be counted among the righteous.
29 I am suffering and in pain. Rescue me, O God, by your saving power.
30 Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving. 31 For this will please the Lord more than sacrificing cattle, more than presenting a bull with its horns and hooves. 32 The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged. 33 For the Lord hears the cries of the needy; he does not despise his imprisoned people.
34 Praise him, O heaven and earth, the seas and all that move in them. 35 For God will save Jerusalem and rebuild the towns of Judah. His people will live there and settle in their own land. 36 The descendants of those who obey him will inherit the land, and those who love him will live there in safety.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thanksgiving
While it is always important to count your blessings year-round, this day is designated for giving thanks. These are the things that I am thankful for:
* My husband - my best friend who is so loving, who helps me to be the best version of me, who shows me what unconditional love looks like.
* My family - I have many many people that I feel blessed to call family that I am thankful to for so many reasons (and I mean it, I couldn't be where I am without these people)
* My girlfriends - whom I adore and who give me support, love and joy
* My life - while not perfect, it is pretty hard to complain about
I feel so very blessed, I have people who love me and everything I need. God has blessed me in so many ways, I am so thankful for my life.
Psalm 138:
I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I will sing praises to You before the gods.
I will bow down toward Your holy temple
And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.
On the day I called, You answered me;
You made me bold with strength in my soul.
All the kings of the earth will give thanks to You, O LORD,
When they have heard the words of Your mouth.
And they will sing of the ways of the LORD,
For great is the glory of the LORD.
For though the LORD is exalted,
Yet He regards the lowly,
But the haughty He knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
The LORD will accomplish what concerns me;
Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.
* My husband - my best friend who is so loving, who helps me to be the best version of me, who shows me what unconditional love looks like.
* My family - I have many many people that I feel blessed to call family that I am thankful to for so many reasons (and I mean it, I couldn't be where I am without these people)
* My girlfriends - whom I adore and who give me support, love and joy
* My life - while not perfect, it is pretty hard to complain about
I feel so very blessed, I have people who love me and everything I need. God has blessed me in so many ways, I am so thankful for my life.
Psalm 138:
I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I will sing praises to You before the gods.
I will bow down toward Your holy temple
And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.
On the day I called, You answered me;
You made me bold with strength in my soul.
All the kings of the earth will give thanks to You, O LORD,
When they have heard the words of Your mouth.
And they will sing of the ways of the LORD,
For great is the glory of the LORD.
For though the LORD is exalted,
Yet He regards the lowly,
But the haughty He knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
The LORD will accomplish what concerns me;
Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Children show us joy
Kids are God's way of helping us to remember hope and joy, I'm convinced of it. I've been working with kids for awhile now, as a substitute teacher, and while certainly there are kids who try my nerves, I always can see joy in them.
The problem with becoming an adult is that we lose that, kids still have that spark in their eyes. No matter how bad the day has been, as they run down the sidewalk for recess I can see that unbridled joy. There is something to rejoice about, even if it is only the twenty minutes of freedom they get to enjoy.
It’s a blessing that God gives us children so that we might remember; so that we might see joy and hope. As adults we are so damaged, and I desire so much to have that joy and hope that I see in these children every day. Where has it gone to and how can I get it back?
Sometimes my faith feels like head knowledge, I can’t feel it. I know we all go through those times, I can rationalize it in my mind but my spirit feels defeated. I am so glad for the children I encounter because they give me hope that this joy will come back to me. They help me remember that it exists.
The problem with becoming an adult is that we lose that, kids still have that spark in their eyes. No matter how bad the day has been, as they run down the sidewalk for recess I can see that unbridled joy. There is something to rejoice about, even if it is only the twenty minutes of freedom they get to enjoy.
It’s a blessing that God gives us children so that we might remember; so that we might see joy and hope. As adults we are so damaged, and I desire so much to have that joy and hope that I see in these children every day. Where has it gone to and how can I get it back?
Sometimes my faith feels like head knowledge, I can’t feel it. I know we all go through those times, I can rationalize it in my mind but my spirit feels defeated. I am so glad for the children I encounter because they give me hope that this joy will come back to me. They help me remember that it exists.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
A prayer for our President Elect
Holy God, be with Barack Obama and his family even now at this moment. Enable our 44th president to lead this country with integrity and wisdom. Grant him peace at this time as he prepares for this next step in life.
Great God, be with this country as we move into transistion, be with the people in this nation that we might come together for the good of our neighbors and fellow citizens.
Guide us that we might be loving, graceful and wise in our dealings politically and otherwise.
Amen
Great God, be with this country as we move into transistion, be with the people in this nation that we might come together for the good of our neighbors and fellow citizens.
Guide us that we might be loving, graceful and wise in our dealings politically and otherwise.
Amen
Monday, November 3, 2008
The Love of God
When in despair, it helps to sing the hymns, this is "The Love of God" by Frederick Lehman:
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.
When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.
When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Women Pastors
My girlfriend Amanda shared with us today an article that in itself only made me slightly annoyed about women pastors on the cover of a gospel magazine, if you want to check it out:
http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/stories/2008/09/18/gospel_magazine_pulled.html
What affected me about this was some of the comments that came after the article. I was reading them with my usual slight amusement and slight annoyance that people can be so close-minded when I came across an article from jessica which simply reads:
By Jessica
Oct 1, 2008 5:08 PM
It does not matter who you think is a bigot. It is not right to censor things like this magazine, but regardless women pastoring a church is contrary to Scripture. If you can prove otherwise, you obviously have a different Bible.
AND I AM A WOMAN SAYING THIS!
I began to cry immediately after finishing this short statement and started to hyperventilate because the pain in my heart was so intense. And these are not moments that I generally share with anyone, my personal struggles, but this one I felt was necessary to share.
As I lay there crying and thinking about how overwhelming the task of ministry is, especially when so many people don't even think you have a right to be there, I got very discouraged. I began to ask God, "What the hell? How can people be so close-minded? How can people think women are lesser humans?" (Sorry about the language, as I said I was very upset and truly I think God can handle these kind of deep hurt questions)
I think that when we are faithful to God, God is faithful to us. As I waited, I heard from God, and not in that out loud way, but in the deepest part of my soul I knew that it was God. And this is what was revealed to me from Luke 15:4-7.
4"What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5"When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6"And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7"I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Ministry is overwhelming that is for certain, but what this tells me is that if one person is helped or loved or sees God because of me, than I have done my job. I can't change the world and I can't make people believe that I have a right to be in ministry because I have been called by God. What I can do is love people. I can educate people and speak the truth in love. And if one person listens, or cares, or feels love, than I can rest assured that I have fulfilled my call.
That is how I can get through today, and maybe tomorrow it will discourage me again that I am a woman in a career that isn't widely accepted as a woman's place, but I'll leave that for tomorrow. Today I will look for that little one that is lost.
http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/stories/2008/09/18/gospel_magazine_pulled.html
What affected me about this was some of the comments that came after the article. I was reading them with my usual slight amusement and slight annoyance that people can be so close-minded when I came across an article from jessica which simply reads:
By Jessica
Oct 1, 2008 5:08 PM
It does not matter who you think is a bigot. It is not right to censor things like this magazine, but regardless women pastoring a church is contrary to Scripture. If you can prove otherwise, you obviously have a different Bible.
AND I AM A WOMAN SAYING THIS!
I began to cry immediately after finishing this short statement and started to hyperventilate because the pain in my heart was so intense. And these are not moments that I generally share with anyone, my personal struggles, but this one I felt was necessary to share.
As I lay there crying and thinking about how overwhelming the task of ministry is, especially when so many people don't even think you have a right to be there, I got very discouraged. I began to ask God, "What the hell? How can people be so close-minded? How can people think women are lesser humans?" (Sorry about the language, as I said I was very upset and truly I think God can handle these kind of deep hurt questions)
I think that when we are faithful to God, God is faithful to us. As I waited, I heard from God, and not in that out loud way, but in the deepest part of my soul I knew that it was God. And this is what was revealed to me from Luke 15:4-7.
4"What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5"When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6"And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7"I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Ministry is overwhelming that is for certain, but what this tells me is that if one person is helped or loved or sees God because of me, than I have done my job. I can't change the world and I can't make people believe that I have a right to be in ministry because I have been called by God. What I can do is love people. I can educate people and speak the truth in love. And if one person listens, or cares, or feels love, than I can rest assured that I have fulfilled my call.
That is how I can get through today, and maybe tomorrow it will discourage me again that I am a woman in a career that isn't widely accepted as a woman's place, but I'll leave that for tomorrow. Today I will look for that little one that is lost.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Hmmm...
I was told that my blog didn't quite get across the point I was trying to make.
My point is that we are none of us on blogger as important as we might think we are, even if we do have a blog page about us.
That's all...
My point is that we are none of us on blogger as important as we might think we are, even if we do have a blog page about us.
That's all...
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Blogging and more blogging
I've discovered that I love to blog. I have a lot to say and whether anyone reads it or not I'm going to say it. I have things I want to share. I need a place to release all of these things that go on in my head and blogger has created that space for me and for many others like me.
I think blogging must be a mild form of therapy. It is for me anyway. I assume that my life is much more interesting than it probably is and so I put it out here on the world wide web for all to see...though most people will pass it by with a non-committal glance.
I think we are all this way, assuming that we are much more interesting and important than we actually are, because for me the world does revolve around me. For you, the world revolves around you. Everyone else is simply playing a part in our own personal sitcoms. Some people have bigger roles and are permanent characters (like my family) but some people come into one episode and are never booked again. This is why blogging makes sense... because I think other people are interested in this show...the Shannon Show, because why wouldn't they be? I'm the main character after all. What a strange state of mind, but I think it's hard to imagine it otherwise because I'm always here and no-body else is.
So then blogging exists as therapy for our own peace of mind. Blogging says that I am important, there is place exclusively about me and now everyone can be a part. Even though deep down I know that this isn't true, it gives peace to my ego-maniacal mind.
I think blogging must be a mild form of therapy. It is for me anyway. I assume that my life is much more interesting than it probably is and so I put it out here on the world wide web for all to see...though most people will pass it by with a non-committal glance.
I think we are all this way, assuming that we are much more interesting and important than we actually are, because for me the world does revolve around me. For you, the world revolves around you. Everyone else is simply playing a part in our own personal sitcoms. Some people have bigger roles and are permanent characters (like my family) but some people come into one episode and are never booked again. This is why blogging makes sense... because I think other people are interested in this show...the Shannon Show, because why wouldn't they be? I'm the main character after all. What a strange state of mind, but I think it's hard to imagine it otherwise because I'm always here and no-body else is.
So then blogging exists as therapy for our own peace of mind. Blogging says that I am important, there is place exclusively about me and now everyone can be a part. Even though deep down I know that this isn't true, it gives peace to my ego-maniacal mind.
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