autumn...

undefined

All Creation...

I was struck the other day by the fact that the Bible speaks about all creation bursting forth into song before the us as we enter into their presence when the Spirit of the Lord is upon us (Isaiah 55:12). As I was praying for someone on Sunday an illustration of a tuning fork came to mind, and the spoke to me through it. The reason that the mountains, hills and trees will burst forth in song, and clap their hands in our presence is because they were made by the spirit of God. And since God has made them, and we have the Spirit of God in us, we resonate that very spirit wherever we go. The example that the Lord used to explain this to me was the tuning fork. When a tuning fork is struck, it vibrates at a specific frequency. Now, that fork vibrates until the impact of the strike wears off, or it is muffled and stopped. However, if you take a tuning fork and strike it so that it vibrates, and you put it in the presence of another tuning fork of the same frequency, then that fork begins to vibrate and resonate as well. It is the same with us. We have the spirit of God in us, and when God touches us we resonate the Spirit of God in us and we bring that resonation wherever we go. Now, wherever we go we resonate the "frequency of God", and even creation begins to resonate with us! The mountains and the hills burst forth into song, and the trees of the field clap their hands! Praise be to God! However, it's not limited to nature, the same truth is true with people. When we lay hands on one another and pray for them, and impart the spirit of God and the blessing of that spirit on them, we force the "tuning forks" of their spirits to resonate with God's. What a cool thing!
I thought that the example ended there, but I was thinking about it last night in class as well. Dr. Bowen was speaking about Leadership really being servantship. And that good leaders serve those that they lead. What I was hearing out of his lecture was more that LOVE is the key that breaks into any situation. Regardless of whether or not people are Christians, people are impacted by true LOVE. And where does Love come from but from the Father. (John 15:13) People have been hurt, and because of the hurt that we've experienced we build up walls around our hearts so that we don't allow the same hurt to continue to cut at our hearts. Most people build up walls around their hearts and don't allow access to anyone, because it's easier to shut people out of those areas instead of making ourselves vulnerable to getting hurt again. Nothing can cut through those walls except for LOVE. And it invades people. It penetrates the rock of our own hurt, and grants access to those who truly love. But there is a danger, and again God exploded a verse that I've read a million times, 1 Corinthians 13, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal". The danger is this. We have the kingdom of God in us, and the key to the kingdom is love. However, we can use "love" the ewwy gooey type of love as a patch. We say with our lips, "I love you", but we speak with our actions, "I am more concerned about my life, and even though you say you're doing okay, but don't look it, I'm not going to sacrifice my comfort to comfort you". We become a resounding gong and a clanging cymbal. We speak truth, and give people a taste of what they need, but give them no substance. However, if I surrender my comfort to serve people, and really invest in their lives, then LOVE breaks in and exposes what lies behind the walls of peoples' hearts. And what lies there is a tuning fork waiting to be struck by the frequency of the spirit of God.
So LOVE, don't love. Be the frequency of God to those you meet, and see the resonance that comes out of it.
Isaiah 55
1 "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. 4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples. 5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor." 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. 9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."

Customer Service

Today I was impressed with three different businesses and their com

mitment to customer service. I walked into Starbucks this morning for my daily cup of coffee. (a habit that I was planning on kicking, until my wonderful fiance and his brother both gave me gift cards for my birthday, alas, it will have to be a habit I kick later!) Anyway, I was greated by my favorite barista, Roman. Now, Roman greats me every morning and calls back to me my drink before I can get it out. Today, after he poured me my venti, roomy house-blend I handed him one of my fantastic gift cards, to which he said, "oh, don't worry about it today, it's on us". This is the point where I was extremely appreciative of Starbucks' generosity, but also a bit embarassed that I am frequent enough a customer that I get free drinks. :)
I was also impressed today with Arby's who gave Liz a free salad because they initially gave her the wrong salad. Mad props Arby's I will return to your establishment!
Thirdly, I had to get my insurance for my car taken care of tonight, which is never a treat when you have to spend more money than you'd like. However, I called at roughly 10pm to a service agent by the name of Debbie. She was fantastic, a trouble-shooter, and got everything from my plan taken care of promptly. It was wonderful! I love Progressive auto-insurance, and don't think that I will ever change carriers. They have always been more than helpful, and I appreciate that. They must treat their employees well, because their employees treat their customers well. I like their service. So mad props to you Progressive. You are one of the few companies that can make me feel good about spending a good chunk of money monthly.

Better Birthday

Today has been a much better day than it was five years ago. Woohoo. :) No plane attacks in buildings. I don't know about anyone else, but that makes me very happy. So does ice cream, custard and hanging out with Ryan...and I suppose my roommate Joanna too. Good blankets make me happy, especially if you have a good one while you're on the couch watching a rain/thunderstorm...so yeah, it's been a much better birthday today than it was five years ago.

Stadium Tour

Well, three stadiums down...only twenty-seven to go! Ryan and I had a great time this past weekend. We traveled to St. Louis on Saturday, enjoyed a trip to the ARCH. Saw some riverboats on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. We ate a wonderful steak dinner with Aunt Char, and three of my cousins. Then we were able to watch Spencer play a ball game. We went to church with Char and Mason on Sunday and then we were off to the new Busch Stadium. I rate the stadium as a 10/10! It's the inaugural season at the stadium and it could not be better. The stadium is set in the heart of St. Louis, and just above the scoreboard, the Arch can be seen as the gateway to the west. The fans in St. Louis are true baseball fans. They love their cardinals, but truly love the game of baseball and it was an overall great experience. I would definately LOVE to go back to the park again. Stats: Tickets: $38 a piece for front row right field tickets. $10.00 parking for a ten minute walk. (right off the freeway, can't beat it!) $3.50 hotdogs. $5.00 large sodas. Cardinals won 6-3, and the highlight was watching Pujols hit three homers in a row, and nearly a fourth that went to the warning track.
We left the baseball game and met up with Lisa and Dominique to give them a taste of home. We went out to eat at California Pizza and each enjoyed our own personal pieces. My had avocados on it, Ryan went with BBQ pizza, Lisa a Hawaiian Pizza and Dominique had something with red onions, mushrooms and honey-wheat crust. (which, apparently, was cooked on the wrong crust. Our server brought him the pizza on the wrong crust, informed him of the mistake and told him that both his proper pizza and the one that he'd been given were his to take home. Great service!) Dom and Lisa dropped us off at our car and we got some Ben and Jerry's and walked around the oldest portion of St. Louis. We had a good time guessing which house would have been Captain Joe's, and were amazed at the size of the St. Louis Basillica! We got back to Char's house and enjoyed some tv and finishing up fantasy football draft #1. We had to leave early this morning and made for a 6 hour trip to Chicago. We met up with my old roommate MaryBeth and her boyfriend Derek. They drove us into the city, and found parking. (I'm SO glad that I don't live in Chi-town) We went to Wrigley Field and enjoyed an overcast/cold game again with the Pirates. Ryan let me steal his track jacket, and kept me warm for most of the game. The first inning was the most scoring and the Pirates kept their lead for the rest of the game. Juan Pierre ended up being my favorite player for the cubs, not because he's lightning quick an stole third base twice today, but because he wears baggy pants and tall socks. CLASSIC!! I L-O-V-E, LOVE it! Stats: Tickets $18.00 a piece for front row upper deck seats even with third base. Parking $15.00, with about a fifteen minute walk. $3.00 hotdogs, and $4.50 large sodas. Cubbies lost 5-4 to the Pirates, but it was still a fun game. Interesting to be in such an old park, with real ivy, bullpens on the field, and apartment buildings with bleachers on top of them so that residents can watch games. Cool environment, but definately not as clean and crisp as the new Busch Stadium.
MaryBeth treated us to custom ice cream from Dairy Star, and we chatted for a bit. I was too tired to go out to eat, so we promised to return soon for dinner. Ryan drove us the rest of the way home.
It was a great weekend, but I'm exhausted. I'm glad that it's only a four day work week this week. Resting up for a trip to Colorado in a week. Looking forward to it, but I need rest for now.