and if you feel lost and tired, this is your song...

In all of my obscene foresight and wisdom, I'm gonna go ahead and say that the hardest thing about marriage is deciding what to listen to in the car.

As the man, I believe it's my duty to serve my wife, so I'd let her decide. But is that something I can live with? What if she's perfectly normal hot, Godly woman, except that she loves European acid techo dance beats? What if that's ALL she likes?? Who would have ever thought that being a servant leader could be THAT hard??

One of my biggest dilemmas in life is deciding whether to talk or listen to music in the car. If I had my choice, it'd be music. Except I love good conversation and car rides are very conducive to that. But then again, is there really a better place to sing your lungs out then that friendly confines of your car? In your car, you can sing as loud and as awfully as you want, no matter who is in the car. That's a beautiful thing!

I'm not sure there's much I really love more than listening and singing to music. Oh my mercy I suck at singing, but I honestly couldn't care less.

When I buy a house, I don't really care how big it is...wait, that's a lie. I would love a house big enough for lots of entertaining and guests....but I really would like a big kitchen so that I can cook and listen to music and sing without bothering everyone else.

Ya dig?

Christmas eve

Man, next year I need to go to the Christmas eve service alone, so that I can sit on the last row and just cry my eyes out.

God and sinner reconciled. Is there any greater gift?

I think I gave myself a headache yesterday trying to hold in all the tears where desperately trying to escape.

Christmas eve might be my favorite day of the year. It's SUCH a celebration!!

*sigh*

i need my hands wrenched open because i think i care too much.

morning has broken

I never get tired of watching the world wake up and come alive. Looking out from my view on the top floor, I watch the landscape come alive. It’s breathtaking and humbling. The night is leaving us and day is returning. As the sun slowly spreads itself out, cracking the fragile shell of darkness that has sheltered us, I watch lights all across the horizon everywhere tink off one by one as if the last hurrah of another successful night.
The still and peacefulness of night is once again transformed back into chaos and stress. The world that was recently blanketed in silence and solitude has given itself over to the cacophony of voices and engines. I am no longer alone as I fade into just another face in the restless masses.
There’s a hint of sadness in leaving the serene tranquility behind, yet within each morning there is a deep abiding joy. As the Earth is renewed again, so is my heart. The reflection of His overwhelming beauty explodes all over the landscape and all of creation is washed in His radiant sunlight and sparkles with the newness of the day; So my soul is scrubbed clean of any pride undermining my joy and I am once again caught up in the euphoria of His love that is fervently romancing me.

So, the solitude the night afforded me has nourished my heart in anticipation for joy of the day. What good is the night without the day?

The promise of hope is always on the horizon.

Take Delight

My reading this morning was in 2 Peter. He’s talking about how He was a witness to Christ, His resurrection and transfiguration, and I misread it. It says, “…a voice came to Him from Majestic Glory: This is my Son, I take delight in Him.”

The way I read it, I though it said, “This is my Son, Take delight in Him.”

So that’s not what it says, but isn’t that a wonderful command nonetheless? Take delight in Him. Isn’t that what all of this is about? Isn’t that the purpose of our lives?

I don’t know that I can really expound on that any further. I was just left in awe this morning. I spent time thinking about Jesus and taking joy in Him. Not just joy in what He did for me, but joy in His overwhelming majesty! I always want to find my joy in who He is, and not just in the incredible things He’s done for me. It’s not about me. It’s about Him. My salvation isn’t about me, it’s about Jesus. It has nothing to do with me. It’s about who He is, and who He is demands praise. In the presence of a beauty that powerful, all you really want to do is worship and glorify Him! Heck, it’s so overwhelming, it’s all you really can do!
 My only job is to submit to his magnificent glory. And how could you do anything less in the presence of such a glorious, loving King??

So yeah, I like the idea of taking delight in Him. That’s where our hope is. That’s where our hearts are hidden. He is everything we need.  Take delight in Him and nothing else matters. His beauty put everything in perspective.