Revenge of the Nerds

Growing up in Mt. Holly, NJ, I had the privilege of being exposed to many different types of music – including rap.  I can remember cracking up to the sounds of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Vanilla Ice, and a few of the other rappers of the late 80s.  Several years ago, someone pointed out another rapper who peaked my interest – KJ-52.  The video below cracks me up every time I give it a listen – probably because it reminds me of me.  If you have a few minutes and don’t mind rap, give it a listen.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp53bWLnHxw]

Give Thanks In All Circumstances

So as an addendum to my previous post, we spent the afternoon cleaning up the basement – throwing away carpet, using the shop-vac to soak up the water, drying out some things, and throwing some things away.  Tonight, I had to laugh when Isaac prayed at dinner time, “…dear God, thank you that we got to clean the basement….”  My kids loved it that we got to clean the basement.  Isaac reminded me of a a few verses in I Thessalonians 5.

¹⁶Be joyful always; ¹⁷pray continually; ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Learning to be joyful always and to give thanks in all circumstances isn’t always easy.  I feel like my kids have been great examples for me.  Their faith is amazing.  Their ability to be thankful for things that drive me crazy is incredible.  My kids remind me over and over to make lemonade out of the lemons of life.  I am blessed beyond words.

Joy Comes in the Morning

Life is interesting and crazy and all other kinds of adjectives.  I’m thankful for it, despite the roller coaster ride that I’ve been on as of late.  If things could get a little crazier yesterday, they did.  I was on my way to the doctor’s office yesterday morning for a follow-up checkup for my blood pressure (great timing), when my daughter calls me from her cell phone…”Dad, the basement’s flooded.”  I told her, “OK, well I’ll check it when I get home.  There’s nothing I can do about it now.”  When I hung up the phone, I asked aloud, “God, I don’t think I can take too much more right now.”  Needless to say, my blood pressure reading was a little high when I got to the doctor’s office.  It’s nothing to get overly concerned about, but I have to go back again in three months for another follow-up.

At any rate, so far today has been fine.  I’m relearning to take each day one at a time.  This morning, I was reading in Psalms 30, and I was reminded of the joy that comes in the morning.

¹ I will exalt you, O LORD,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

² O LORD my God, I called to you for help
and you healed me.

³ O LORD, you brought me up from the grave;
you spared me from going down into the pit.

⁴ Sing to the LORD, you saints of his;
praise his holy name.

⁵ For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.

⁶ When I felt secure, I said,
“I will never be shaken.”

⁷ O LORD, when you favored me,
you made my mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.

⁸ To you, O LORD, I called;
to the Lord I cried for mercy:

⁹ “What gain is there in my destruction,
in my going down into the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?

¹⁰ Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me;
O LORD, be my help.”

¹¹ You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

¹² that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.

I Still Believe

Just in case you were wondering, I still believe…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgJrflQ0Qwg]

I Am Not Abandoned

Last Wednesday, I felt pretty alone.  I honestly felt abandoned by God.  I knew He existed, but I just didn’t see how in the world He could be doing anything in my life.  If you’ve been reading along over the past week, this revelation may be somewhat surprising.  I mean, I’ve blogged about God being my hope, God being my rock, and finding God in the mountains and valleys of life.  As I was going through some pretty tough stuff, a friend challenged me to stay close to God’s word in the midst of the turmoil that was surrounding me.  So that is what I’ve tried to do.  Believe it or not, it has helped.  I definitely feel and know that God is near.  That He is active in my life.  That He’s right here even as I type.

This evening as I was driving by myself.  I heard this song by Aaron Benward titled God’s Here.  It’s a good reminder that God is right here in the midst of whatever we’re going through.  God has not abandoned me.  (And He hasn’t abandoned you either).

Say don’t you think
We make things too complicated
What, what if, what if all
All we ever needed to know
Is we are not alone

God’s here
Watching us all
He’s near
Right where we are
So close your eyes
And let all your doubts disappear
God’s here
No, I don’t think

All of this just happens by chance
Wake up, look at the sky, the earth
Go watch the sunrise in the morning
Take a breath
And feel the moment
So good to be alive
Hello, it’s no surprise God’s here
He’s watching us all
He’s near
Oh, right where we are

And all our lives we’ve been runnin’ ’round and searchin’
When all this time He’s been standing right beside us
If we just close our eyes
And let all our doubts disappear
Listen
Oh, God’s here
God’s here

New Morning Mercies

In another translation, Lamentations 3:22-24 says that “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end….”  This morning I am thankful for the newness of God’s mercies and for God’s faithfulness amidst the storms of life.

²² Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

²³ They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

²⁴ I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

Find A Way to My Heart

I know.  I know.  The video looks like it’s from the late eighties, but this is what I listened to then.  I still love Phil Collins.  And this song really hits home for me.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs0GHCX_ocQ]

His Strength is Perfect

This morning, I turned to 2 Samuel 22.  I share King David’s thoughts as I praise God this morning for strength.

“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

³ my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent men you save me.

⁴ I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.

⁵ “The waves of death swirled about me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

⁶ The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

⁷ In my distress I called to the LORD;
I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.

¹⁷ “He reached down from on high and took hold of me;

he drew me out of deep waters.

²⁹ You are my lamp, O LORD;

the LORD turns my darkness into light.

³¹ “As for God, his way is perfect;

the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.

³² For who is God besides the LORD ?
And who is the Rock except our God?

³³ It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.

³⁴ He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.

³⁷ You broaden the path beneath me,

so that my ankles do not turn.

⁴⁷ “The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!

Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!

Remember, Redeem, Restore

This morning, I turned to this passage from Psalm 25.  It offers a prayer of hope to be remembered by God, redeemed by Him, and restored.  This is my prayer this morning.

¹To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;

² in you I trust, O my God.
Do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.

³ No one whose hope is in you
will ever be put to shame,
but they will be put to shame
who are treacherous without excuse.

⁴ Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;

⁵ guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

⁶ Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.

⁷ Remember not the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you are good, O LORD.

⁸ Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

⁹ He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.

¹⁰ All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

¹¹ For the sake of your name, O LORD,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

¹² Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.

¹³ He will spend his days in prosperity,
and his descendants will inherit the land.

¹⁴ The LORD confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.

¹⁵ My eyes are ever on the LORD,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.

¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.

¹⁷ The troubles of my heart have multiplied;
free me from my anguish.

¹⁸ Look upon my affliction and my distress
and take away all my sins.

¹⁹ See how my enemies have increased
and how fiercely they hate me!

²⁰ Guard my life and rescue me;
let me not be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.

²¹ May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope is in you.

²² Redeem Israel, O God,
from all their troubles!

Relying on The Rock

Prudential Insurance uses the Rock of Gibraltar as an icon to describe how they are like a rock that their customers can rely on when trouble strikes.  Reading Psalm 18 this evening, I’m reminded that God alone is the rock whom I can rely on.

¹ I love you, O LORD, my strength.

² The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.