Clueless

So I decided today that I really need to get a part time job; I am way too disconnected from my culture, anything that’s not churchy or ‘Christian’.  Of course, getting a part time job is not the only way of interacting with the surrounding culture but it is a good way. 

 

But why is this coming up?  I’ve been thinking over the last several months that I have very little interaction with any unbelievers and how that’s not only sad but possibly even quite wrong.  Just recently over at The Gospel Driven Life Mark Lauterbach has been talking about how he himself has neglected getting to know those outside the church and how they think (Preaching to the Choir).  This morning our culture was discussed and there’s a certain level where I can analyze it generally and theoretically, but really…I don’t know or understand the heartbeat of the people around me.

 

Maybe it’s because I’ve never been there.  I’ve grown up in a churched surrounding all my life.  I left for a year but spent it in a very secluded area going to Bible school.  I did go to a public highschool for one year, but didn’t really get to know the people around me.  Even in the Christian settings I have had a hard time ‘clicking’ with the more ‘popular’ and culturally savvy.  I’ve rather been the one who as a kid always memorized the verses and knew the right answers.  I was the one who in highschool gave judgemental speeches about being more on fire for Christ.  Not exactly the type to fit in with ‘normal’ people.

 

Maybe it’s because I’ve never questioned my faith, or the church, or the Bible so I can’t even imagine what kind of questions are being asked.  Yeah, I have counselled camp for 6 or 7 years and have a very close friend who, although a Christian, has grown up outside of the church, but even still, I’m mostly clueless.  To analyze and criticize our culture in general is one thing but on a personal level, I’m lost.

       

A Few Recommendations

  therebelution.com is always a great site to check out but today would be a great day to make the trip over there.  With the recent anniversary of Roe vs. Wade (the court case that made abortions legal), the boys at the rebelution have posted a music video: Can I Live by Nick Cannon (his story of how his mother was contemplating aborting him) and a thought provoking and even shocking sermon by John Piper which makes a connection between abortion and racism. 

 

Another site to check out would be that of my good friend Megaan.  Of course I’m biased, but she got some great thoughts/blogs up, including a segment of one of CS Lewis’ stories from his book The Great Divorce and a blog on the elderly (she works in a home for the elderly). 

Song for Sunday: How Can I Keep From Singing

This has been one of my favourite songs lately.  What I like about it is not that it is from the overflow of my heart necessarily, but it stirs my heart to sing, to worship; reminds me to praise God.

 

There is an endless song

Echoes in my soul

I hear the music ring

And though the storms may come

I am holding on

To the rock I cling

 

How can I keep from singing Your praise

How can I ever say enough

How amazing is Your love

How can I keep from shouting Your name

I know I am loved by the King

And it makes my heart want to sing

 

I will lift my eyes

In the darkest night

For I know my Savior lives

And I will walk with You

Knowing You’ll see me through

And sing the songs You give

 

I can sing in the troubled times

Sing when I win

I can sing when I lose my step

And fall down again

I can sing ’cause You pick me up

Sing ’cause You’re there

I can sing ’cause You hear me, Lord

When I call to You in prayer

I can sing with my last breath

Sing for I know

That I’ll sing with the angels

And the saints around the throne

 

~ Traditional, adapted by Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman and Ed Cash

From Chris Tomlin: See the Morning

(c) 2006 sixsteps Music

For Kaili

Back in October a few special people and I took a road trip to Winnipeg.  I promised Kaili I would post a couple pictures from our trip…and have never posted them.  So with deep apologies to Kaili, here are a couple moments from our trip: cramming into the ‘MTS Centre’ and yummy Birthday lunch at the Olive Garden.

 

 

 

 

Josiah

Lately I’ve been reading in 2 Kings, which is a history of the kings of Judah and Isreal.  Amid a lot of evil kings and a few good kings we come to Josiah.  His grandfather, Manasseh, was the most evil king that Judah ever had.  Manasseh did a lot of horrible things to worship other gods, including sacrificing his own son.  Josiah’s father Amon wasn’t much better.  And then along comes Josiah.  He started to reign when he was eight years old.  Then when he was twenty six the Book of the Law was found.  As it was read to him Josiah realized that Judah and Isreal had done everything they could possibly do to make God angry so he started cleaning house.  "Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him."  (2 Kings 23:25) 

 

You can read for yourself what all he did but what was really interesting to me is that it says that Josiah destroyed the high places that Solomon had built.  Hundreds of years had passed since Solomon had reigned and built high places for his pagan wives to worship other gods.  There had been several good kings in those years but the Bible often says something like "so and so did what was right in God’s eyes but did not destroy the high places."  These high places were stronghold’s that had been in Judah from almost the beginning of the rule of kings right up to within years of the end of the era of the kings before they were exiled.

 

This is a convicting passage.  Josiah was violent and complete in his treatment of sin.  It wasn’t enough just to clear out the temple, or just the really obvious sins.  He went all the way.  I’m not that harsh with sin.  Just recently a specific area of sin and hypocrisy that has been a part of my life for about three years was laid bare and revealed for what it was.  After ignoring and defending it for so long, I finally started to deal with it.  It starts subtly and if not dealt with it grows to be a monster. 

 

Josiah also wasn’t willing to just get rid of what everyone else had gotten rid of in the past.  A friend of mind had been doing a 60 day online purity program for a while now.  When she first started I was a little surprised.  Isn’t that just for people who are addicted to pornography, or into adultery or sleeping around?  What she was dealing with was just thoughts so why be so extreme?  Because she wants to be violent and complete about getting rid of sin in her life, even sins that would be easy to justify and explain away. 

 

One last thing.  After Josiah did his cleansing campaign throughout the country he gathered all of the people to celebrate the passover.  So many things could be taken from this but what I want to take from it is this: When we radically deal with sin we are able to enjoy the presence of God in a new and deeper way.  This side of eternity we will not deal with sin completely of course but as long as we allow it to fester and grow unneccessarily our worship and relationship is hindered.  God is looking for "broken and contrite" hearts that are ready to weed out sin.

Embarrassing Moment…..

  So I was going to post something a little more inspirational but hey, I can only laugh at myself so and so often.

  Yesterday I checked my oil.  I needed more oil.  So instead of throwing away the paper towel, I put it a little bit under the hood (so it wouldn’t blow away), bought some oil and poured it in.  Then I closed the hood, dropping it pretty much all the way.  Only to realize that I hadn’t taken out the paper towel.  Oops.  So I open the hood….or rather try to open it.  It won’t open.  When I closed the hood something had gone flying so I’m like "Oh great!  Now I’ve broken the latch on my hood and it won’t ever open again!"  So I drove around town (with the paper towel sticking out of the corner of my hood, although not overly noticeable…)  So tonight I was bemoaning all the problems with the car (like it will randomly speed up by itself) and saying how I think I did something to the hood and it won’t open.  So tonight, when we got back from prayer meeting, I was like "Come try to open it" as I demonstrated that it wasn’t working.  Then my mom was like, "Did you release it?"  ………yeah, you know that thing you have to pull in the car so that you can open the hood…..yeah…..um……….I guess my hood’s not broken!   

Short Update

  I decided to add the "Song for Sunday" feature to my blog to keep myself accountable to actually coming on here and writing but when all that is in my blog is songs for Sunday, I apparently have been neglecting it anyway!

  So I thought I would do a little update, let you know what’s going on these days in the world of Debbie.

  You may have noticed that I’ve added ISCF to the usual (several months ago).  Since October I have been going into the local public highschool to help out with the ISCF program (Inter School Christian Fellowship).  It’s pretty cool that we’re still allowed to do this: go into a public highschool and talk about the Bible, God and Christianity.  There are not very many students coming out and in that way it’s tough going, but I’m praying that will change. 

  I’m also starting to look for a part time job.  Looking for something that will be flexible so I can keep doing all of the other things that I’m doing ministry wise.  I’ve missed the interaction with non-Christian/non-churched people so I’m hoping to find a job that will include a lot of interaction with people.  If you have any grand ideas I would love to hear them.

  Another change is that regular meetings with small group have ended.  It’s sad to see this go but God accomplished what He wanted to through the two years this was going on. 

  So that’s a basic overview of some changes that have been going on.  A lot of things are still the same, like GIFT and youth.  And who knows what will happen yet throughout the year.  Maybe another trip to Africa…