My family and I used to go to Lifest for the bands. Hours were spent circling artist names in the program and making a strategic plan of where we needed to be and when. Unfortunately for me, long gone are the years when I spent five days running from stage to stage, from mosh pit to lawn chair, from merch table to meet and greet line.
This past opening night of Lifest we got caught in the madness where the one-lane road through the park became a parking lot. The only show I wanted to see all evening was to start in four minutes. So still in the holding pattern at the park's entrance, I abandoned my family and our minivan. I began to walk with a purpose towards a party with a purpose. It took me fifteen minutes to walk from the park entrance to the fairgrounds entrance (in case you ever need to know).
Fifteen minutes is long time to repeatedly glance at your watch and realize you're missing the only show you wanted to see that day. It's also a long time to question if you're approaching with the right heart.
Even if I miss my show, will tonight still be worth it? Am I willing to hear from the Lord through a speaker I've never heard of, a band whose CD I have never purchased? Am I here for an artist, a speaker, or am I here for the Lord?
Valid questions to take my mind off of the ticking minutes.
A fifteen minute jog through the park, thirteen minutes in line to exchange my ticket for a wristband, and I finally made it to the Grandstand as Peder Eide was wrapping up "Yes, Lord" and beginning a new song, "We are Not Orphans." A new, new song. So new the CD it's on won't be released until July 15th. Peder has personally told me about this song twice, but I've been waiting a year to hear it.
A year. No embellishing.
I thought I was late. Twenty-three minutes late, to be exact. Twenty-three minutes late to a forty minute show.
I wasn't. I was right on time. Sure, I missed the first twenty-three minutes that I would have thoroughly enjoyed, but I was right on time to hear the song I had been anxiously awaiting.
It was a beautiful moment.
"I haven't forgotten. Welcome to Lifest. We've been waiting for you," the Lord whispered to me.
It might have taken twenty-three minutes of anxiety, but once again I could honestly proclaim, "God, I'm all in. I'm here for You. Not the artists, not the speakers, not the expo center, not the camaraderie. I'm here for YOU!"
What a wonderful feeling that is!
When's the last time you spent fifteen minutes running through a (figurative) park adjusting the focus of your heart? When's the last time you let your Abba Father sing over you and remind you of His goodness? He's waiting.
"For the Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."
Zephaniah 3:17 NLT
Showing posts with label purpose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label purpose. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Daily Mullings
I don't know what to write about today. I wrote a blog about smashing glass against the fire place, and I'm proud it as a writer but it doesn't have a point. I might post it anyway. I've toyed with the idea of explaining why my sister has two fish named Earwax but I think that's a "you had to be there" story and no quality of writing will do it justice. I could blog about Lyme disease since that's something that's become close to my heart and my aunt and uncle's dog was just diagnosed with it (missed by the first vet, big surprise there...). Or I could make reading this blog worth your time unlike the book I'm reading right now.
As of yesterday when I went to the bookstore, I am currently reading The Condition by Jennifer Haigh. Supposedly it's about a woman with Turner's Syndrome, a disease I did a case study on in 9th grade. Well, I'm 126 pages into it and I'm not quite sure what it's about. Way too many details about too many people. I understand explaining the lives of the five people in the family since they are all adults, but the lives of every person each individual has ever met is a little bit of overkill. Why am I reading this? I don't want you to ask the same about my blog. That is, assuming you're still reading. Is there anyone but Melissa here?
Oh! Storytime!
Since the story involves Bob you have to hear me like Bob hears everything I say: supersonic speed in a pitch so high only dogs can understand (I've been frequently told I'm "Telemundo in English").
A few weeks ago, I was the only attendee of HIGH SCHOOL Bible study. This isn't the first time this has happened, but in all previous instances I was still, well, the target audience. This particular week Bob had been prepared to teach on messianic prophesies as found in Zechariah (that's means everything in Zechariah the predicted Christ's coming). It was time to start and Bob looked around the room, "There's no one here," he announced.
"Am I no one?" I retorted.
"You know what meant," he said with a smile. Of course I did. I've only known Bob for seven years; that's enough time to know anyone's quirks (trust me, we both have plenty).
The two of us took a big step in our relationship and sat at the same bar table to investigate these passages. Even with both of our brains put together we could not wrap our minds around some of these passages. "But how does this predict Christ's coming?" "Are they talking about Christ here or not?" "Why do we insist this is Christ? This part came to fruition but not the rest of this." "What does this mean?" "The study Bible said THAT?"
Yeah, not a very educational but incredibly challenging. It was relaxing to wrestle with these ideas without a facade. Without either one of us needing the answers. Both of us were willing to admit we didn't understand.
"Maybe it's a good thing no one came today," he said at the end of our time.
"I came."
"That's what I mean. You're probably the only one who's ok leaving with more questions than answers," he said and paused. "I feel like a failure."
"You're not," I assured him. He was right: I was ok leaving with more questions than answers.
"I'm a failure. You're a failure," he said with a laugh. Thanks for the support, Bob. :-)
Learn to be ok with questions. They don't all need to be answered but that should not stop you from asking them.
What does this mean?
<>< Katie
As of yesterday when I went to the bookstore, I am currently reading The Condition by Jennifer Haigh. Supposedly it's about a woman with Turner's Syndrome, a disease I did a case study on in 9th grade. Well, I'm 126 pages into it and I'm not quite sure what it's about. Way too many details about too many people. I understand explaining the lives of the five people in the family since they are all adults, but the lives of every person each individual has ever met is a little bit of overkill. Why am I reading this? I don't want you to ask the same about my blog. That is, assuming you're still reading. Is there anyone but Melissa here?
Oh! Storytime!
Since the story involves Bob you have to hear me like Bob hears everything I say: supersonic speed in a pitch so high only dogs can understand (I've been frequently told I'm "Telemundo in English").
A few weeks ago, I was the only attendee of HIGH SCHOOL Bible study. This isn't the first time this has happened, but in all previous instances I was still, well, the target audience. This particular week Bob had been prepared to teach on messianic prophesies as found in Zechariah (that's means everything in Zechariah the predicted Christ's coming). It was time to start and Bob looked around the room, "There's no one here," he announced.
"Am I no one?" I retorted.
"You know what meant," he said with a smile. Of course I did. I've only known Bob for seven years; that's enough time to know anyone's quirks (trust me, we both have plenty).
The two of us took a big step in our relationship and sat at the same bar table to investigate these passages. Even with both of our brains put together we could not wrap our minds around some of these passages. "But how does this predict Christ's coming?" "Are they talking about Christ here or not?" "Why do we insist this is Christ? This part came to fruition but not the rest of this." "What does this mean?" "The study Bible said THAT?"
Yeah, not a very educational but incredibly challenging. It was relaxing to wrestle with these ideas without a facade. Without either one of us needing the answers. Both of us were willing to admit we didn't understand.
"Maybe it's a good thing no one came today," he said at the end of our time.
"I came."
"That's what I mean. You're probably the only one who's ok leaving with more questions than answers," he said and paused. "I feel like a failure."
"You're not," I assured him. He was right: I was ok leaving with more questions than answers.
"I'm a failure. You're a failure," he said with a laugh. Thanks for the support, Bob. :-)
Learn to be ok with questions. They don't all need to be answered but that should not stop you from asking them.
What does this mean?
<>< Katie
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Purpose Driven Life
I scored a run in church kickball today. (I was really excited).
I think it was the first run I've scored in my life. (Just kidding... but not really).
But God still loves me. (He didn't create me to play pro-kickball or baseball or football or ...).
But God created me for other things. (Like to eat my family's left over garlic bread).
And I'm ok with that. (Somedays).
Moral of the story: God created us for different purposes (no, we're not porpoises.)
Melissa wanted a short post. I don't do short and sweet. I do verbose (First hand application of Murphy's Law) and "Telemundo in English" (thank you, Tim). This is as short as it's going to get (so enjoy it).
The end.
<>< Katie
"It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone." Ephesians 1:11-12 (MSG)
I think it was the first run I've scored in my life. (Just kidding... but not really).
But God still loves me. (He didn't create me to play pro-kickball or baseball or football or ...).
But God created me for other things. (Like to eat my family's left over garlic bread).
And I'm ok with that. (Somedays).
Moral of the story: God created us for different purposes (no, we're not porpoises.)
Melissa wanted a short post. I don't do short and sweet. I do verbose (First hand application of Murphy's Law) and "Telemundo in English" (thank you, Tim). This is as short as it's going to get (so enjoy it).
The end.
<>< Katie
"It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone." Ephesians 1:11-12 (MSG)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)