Tuesday Readings - Oct 18-11 [recap]

The reading for today was Isaiah 34-36 and Colossians 2. I wasn't as prompt with this reading - I finished it up right before I started this post!

The reading from Isaiah was another weird one and the first two chapters a little hard to get through. I did enjoy the last chapter more though, hearing about how the Israelites were challenged by the Assyrian king on their trust in God. They stood firm and did not respond to the Assyrians, even when they were promised food and their own land (while they were starving, waiting for God to deliver them). One thing the notes in my ESV Bible pointed out was how the Assyrian king continually put God on the same level as the gods of the other nations, saying their gods didn't deliver them, why would your God deliver you? You have to go on to read chapter 37 to know that God does in fact deliver the Israelites by killing almost two hundred Assyrians, and later on the Assyrian king is killed by his own sons!

The reading in Colossians reminded me to always be on guard, even if you are doing well spiritual (probably more so!). The Colossians were being told by some of their leaders that certain rituals, traditions, etc. from before Jesus came were still to be upheld and that they must need to be done to be complete in their spiritual well-being. Paul warns against this that Jesus's death and resurrection was enough for us - we do not need anything else! I also identified with verses 12-13 on baptism - that the rite of baptism is identification w/ Christ's death and resurrection. We had a few people get baptized in church on Sunday who spoke about how they were excited to show everyone they believe in Christ as their Savior and that this baptism was THEIR choice.

I also wanted to share a song that we did on Sunday as a special. We just finished up a series called "Can Smart People Believe in God?" The song is by Sara Groves and is called Maybe There's a Loving God. It resonated with me so hard during the first service that I broke into tears and couldn't finish the last few lines of the song! I held it together more during the second service, but I just love the words the song ends with. Please check out the video.

These were the words that got me - nearly every time I listened to and practiced the song:
    Maybe this was made for me...
    For lying on my back in the middle of a field.
    Maybe that's a selfish thought...
    Maybe there's a loving God.
    Maybe I was made this way -
    To think and to reason and to question and to pray
    And I have never prayed a lot
    But maybe there's a loving God.
    And that may be a foolish thought -
    But maybe there is a God.



Let me know if you read this week as well!


Reading for October 25, 2011  
Isaiah 50-52, 1 Thessalonians 5

crazy weekend

this weekend i spent a lot of time with my roomie (seeing "It's Complicated" - hilarious - and out with her and stace to the casino, then dinner with nikkie too in downtown erie). also, let me point out, that the Plymouth's fried giant soft pretzels with cheese and honey mustard are the most amazing things ever created. just wanted to throw that out there.

on Sunday, our church had the awesome opportunity to lead worship after the Erie Otters hockey game, for a "faith and family night." we went straight after church Sunday to loading up our cars, then down the Civic Center where we set up all our equipment on the back of a flat bed truck. after the game and a short word from the pastor of Erie First Assembly, the semi backed us out onto the ice where AJ, our "tech-sound guy" from church (he probably has a better more technical name, but whatever :) ) plugged us into the main system and mixed from the ice. it was a pretty awesome and totally fun experience. i'm sure i'll never get to sing at the Civic Center...on the back of a truck...on the ice...again! here's some pics from the evening...

pic by me, before we went on the ice.

pic by Aaron - on "stage" sound guy. we were probably waiting for AJ - off "stage" sound guy - to hook us up with power and into the system.

pic by AJ - off "stage" sound guy - while we were jamming.

sick & wedding progress

like what seems to be the rest of Erie, i am sick. my roomie, sister & her hubs, aunt & cousin and my mum are all sick. i'm sure more Erieites than that are too...i've spent at least 24 of the last 36 hours asleep, if not more than that. i'm feeling better this morning, but granted, it's barely 8am.

haven't done too much wedding planning lately. too busy and exhausted after the work day to think about it, and too sick this weekend to bother. Josh and I did a little cake testing at my "aunt & uncle's" (my mum's cousin = my aunt) on Thursday. she made an amazing chocolate layer cake with chocolate-caramel ganache center, caramel butter cream frosting, caramel and chocolate drizzle and chocolate shavings on top. it was AMAZING (pic below).

also, i asked my "cousin" (above "aunt & uncle's" son) to whip up a song for Josh & I to dance to at the wedding. he seriously can "whip up" a song in like, a week. we don't really have a "song," more so...music that we like (Nine Inch Nails, Audioslave, Daft Punk...not really wedding-slow-dance-song-material) and TV shows that we always watch together (Futurama, Simpsons, Fringe...). none of these will do much for our first dance at the wedding. my cousin Paul is an amazing songwriter and told me a few days ago that he has a tune and he's going to get really working on it within the next few weeks. i'm so excited! he is currently living in New York and playing around with his band, Paul and The Patients (@PATPband for you twitter folks). he also does a song of the week http://patp.bandcamp.com/, and wrote a song for my grandpa in December, but i can't find that link!

hope everyone's weekends have been good so far, and if you're sick too, i hope you feel better soon!!

where are the people that accused me?
the ones who beat me down and bruised me?
they hide just out of sight
can't face me in the light
they'll return but i'll be stronger

God, i want to dream again
take me where i've never been
i want to go there
this time i'm not scared
now i am unbreakable,
it's unmistakable
no one can touch me
nothing can stop me

sometimes it's hard to just keep going
but faith is moving without knowing
can i trust what i can't see
to reach my destiny
i want to take control, but i know better

God, i want to dream again
take me where i've never been
i want to go there
this time i'm not scared
now i am unbreakable,
it's unmistakable
no one can touch me
nothing can stop me

forget the fear it's just a crutch
that tries to hold you back
and turn your dreams to dust
all you need to do is just trust



unbreakable / fireflight

[thanks to sissy for the new CD!]

one of my favorite bands

one of my favorite bands, mae, is making their new album all-charity. the first of every month they have a song available for download with a minimum donation of $1.00. all the profits from digital downloads will go towards funding humanitarian projects they will be a part of all year long. you can check their website whatismae.com to see what their doing.

so far "the house that fire built" [the first downloadable song] is awesome. i haven't listened to mae much recently...this new song is refreshing.

before you say that a part of you has died
remember that the fire is on the inside
all you need is to open it up wide
time for action, chain reaction (it's time)

sampling

check out the iNSPiRAL blog for your viewing and listening pleasure! Oh my Josh! made an awesome video set to one of my favorite iNSPiRAL songs!!

follow up

i posted a few weeks ago on some things i'm looking forward to. one was the new Death Cab for Cutie CD. it came out tuesday! totes excited. i also downloaded the Duffy CD and sissy shared with me The Bird and The Bee. i enjoy this so far, and maybe it's because i've been sort-of listening to it all day, but i feel like i'm hearing the same songs over and over again...yeah...duh.

i don't really have time to post right now, or i'd put some links up, but ugh i feel like i'm so busy i have no idea what i'm even supposed to be doing.

booo :(