I survived the fair, thanks to my "fair prayer", haha. I've been so busy ever since, I haven't been able to write. However, many people wondered how we made out at the fair, so I wanted to let you know that it was actually fun. We were later getting to the fair than I had intended, which probably helped my patience and my wallet. My husband did complain briefly about the cost of parking, but since we were teasing him about how predictable he is, it didn't last long. The kids rode 3 rides, we ate a quick meal, and then it was time for the 1oth Avenue North and Jeremy Camp concert.
My youngest was less than thrilled about leaving the many attractive rides to scarf down a meal and head into a concert for the next couple of hours. Especially since you could see the rides and the lights going on outside of the coliseum. I guess to a 7 yr. old, that was pure torture. So, he voiced his disgust every 10 minutes of the concert, which I must admit, did try my patience. I was quick to point out to my beloved son, a rather important newsflash that will serve him well in life, which is...the world doesn't revolve around him. He didn't seem to agree. As the concert went on, he became more and more impatient and he constantly wiggled in his seat. The others were all enjoying the music and the wonderful ministry time going on. Jeremy Camp was awesome, not only in talent, but his heart really came through.
Just about the time I thought it was rapping up, Jeremy began to sing the song "Our God is Mighty to Save". It was very powerful as the packed auditorium joined their voices and we all sang about how Mighty a God we serve. I looked over at my son, now sitting quietly in his seat, and his eyes had welled up with tears and he was wiping them away with his sleeve. Being the spiritual super mom that I am, what do you think my reaction was? Nope, not even close. I rolled my eyes because I thought he had finally given up on trying to bug me into leaving, and had now changed his tactic to crying. I assumed he was sitting there sulking about how unfair life is for a 7 yr. old boy and how mean his family was for objecting him to such treatment. I think I even mumbled "oh for goodness sake", but it's all a blur now, so I can't be certain...haha Just about that time, he leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Mommy, I really feel God's presence." Wow...it was like someone slapped me right upside my head! I said, Oh, that is so sweet....and I hugged him...more tears fell.
After the song was over, he was better behaved, but the moment seemed to have passed. Which got me thinking. Are there songs that have such an anointing on them, that it seems to usher in the presence of God? I believe so. I know that there are songs that touch a nerve with me, songs that minister to my situation, songs that edify and build me up, songs that glorify God...but then there are songs that catch you by surprise, and for no reason you can explain, just feel like you are singing right along with the Heavenly choir and you seem to somehow sense God's pleasure with the worship you are offering.
I have always thought that the Revelation song was just one of those songs. It doesn't matter whose singing it, although Kari Jobe is my favorite, but I've heard it by others, and in different arrangements, but no matter what, I always feel God's presence. And no matter what kind of day I'm having, I can hear that song, and it lifts me right up out of my circumstances and into the "throne room" of God!
Out of curiosity, do YOU know of a song that carries a special anointing on it? If so, please share with the rest of us. And may you all experience "God's presence" today.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
A Prayer before the Fair
Yes, we're going to the NC State Fair tonight. Here is my prayer before the Fair...
Lord, please give me self-control to pass by the fried Twinkies,Oreos, snicker bars, elephant ears, and anything else they stick in the deep fat fryer. Help my husband not to freak out over all the germs that will be represented there. Let me have the fruit of the Spirit of patience as we slowly make our way through the crowded, narrow grand stand of people pushing and stepping on my feet. Help me to bare it with a grin, and not be offended. Help us to be protected from the multitude of people that seem to come around just when they feel the urge to light a cigarette and share their second hand smoke with me and my family. May the kids not be afraid of some of the characters that we will see, including the many men and women working the rides, and help us not to judge some of the outfits we're likely to encounter, or the language we're liable to hear. Bless us with a good parking space, even though it will probably cost us $10, which might cause my "thrifty" husband to hyperventilate a little, especially considering the cost of the food & rides once we get in the fair.
Most of all, thank you for the opportunity to go see Jeremy Camp & 10th Avenue North perform tonight. And lastly, thank you for my kids, who I love so much and I will go through all of the above for, and more, just to hear them say "that was so much fun".
P.S. Lord, help me NOT to lose my temper if they don't say "that was so much fun!"
Lord, please give me self-control to pass by the fried Twinkies,Oreos, snicker bars, elephant ears, and anything else they stick in the deep fat fryer. Help my husband not to freak out over all the germs that will be represented there. Let me have the fruit of the Spirit of patience as we slowly make our way through the crowded, narrow grand stand of people pushing and stepping on my feet. Help me to bare it with a grin, and not be offended. Help us to be protected from the multitude of people that seem to come around just when they feel the urge to light a cigarette and share their second hand smoke with me and my family. May the kids not be afraid of some of the characters that we will see, including the many men and women working the rides, and help us not to judge some of the outfits we're likely to encounter, or the language we're liable to hear. Bless us with a good parking space, even though it will probably cost us $10, which might cause my "thrifty" husband to hyperventilate a little, especially considering the cost of the food & rides once we get in the fair.
Most of all, thank you for the opportunity to go see Jeremy Camp & 10th Avenue North perform tonight. And lastly, thank you for my kids, who I love so much and I will go through all of the above for, and more, just to hear them say "that was so much fun".
P.S. Lord, help me NOT to lose my temper if they don't say "that was so much fun!"
Addictions Come in all Forms
You say the word "addiction" and most people automatically think of drugs & alcohol. Of course there are other bad things people are obsessed and addicted to, but I don't want to go down that path right now. There are all sorts of reasons why a person develops an addiction, and I don't want to open that can of worms today either. What I really want to do...is confess one of MY addictions. Yes, I said one, because I have a few, okay, several...for example, I'm addicted to Blistex. I can't help it, it's medicated and I like the little tingly feeling I get when I know it's working on my chapped lips. I've been using it everyday for the last 20 years or so. Another addiction is Junior mints. I LOVE them, I eat way too many of them, I find eating popcorn without them almost unbearable. Again, it's not my fault...it clearly says on the box "a low fat candy", almost begging me to eat it! There are some other things, but I said confess one of my addictions, so I should get back to the addiction at hand...here goes....I must confess my addiction to the social websites. Even as I sit here typing on this thing, I am taking part in my new addiction.
It all started with email, but that wasn't good enough. I had to get a second email for my Southern Living at HOME consultant business. Now I have two emails to check everyday. Then I discovered "Myspace" and spent hours setting up my profile. But much to my surprise, most of my friends were on Facebook. I had no choice but to switch to Facebook so I could stay in touch, right? Facebook in itself is an absolute, all consuming entity, but then, my brother joined Twitter and urged me to become a member as well. Now I have a Twitter account. Then I read a friend of mine's blog (I'm not holding you responsible Beth, I'm just saying...) and became an instant blog fan! But like any addiction, it wasn't enough to read other people's blogs, no, I had to join them. Now I have a blog of my own (obviously as you sit reading it) that I must attend to everyday. Not only that, but I add almost daily to the blogs that I read because you are all so good at what you do. Have I mentioned how it's not my fault? If you all didn't write such interesting and captivating things, I could probably have a life!
You see where this is going? I rush to the computer in the morning, check my two emails, where I see that I have Facebook messages, so I must go to FB to respond or it would be rude, right? Then, before I can get in and get out fast, like I promised myself I would do, low and behold, someone on FB IM's me! Now I have to spend the next 30 minutes talking/typing to them. I have actually been IMing two people at the same time about completely different topics. It's enough to make my head spin. I occasionally update my Twitter out of the guilt of not wanting to neglect it. I have since given up the Myspace account, simply because I forgot the password and don't care to find out what it was. I am at the point where I need a journal to remember all my usernames & passwords (why I didn't make them all the same is beyond me???) I spend countless minutes a day reading other people's blogs, plus writing them myself.
I'm not complaining, I love keeping up with people. I've come in contact with friends I haven't spoken to in years on FB. I am meeting all kinds of new and inspiring ladies on these blogs. I run a business on one email, and I respond to family and friends on the other, while also using it as a ministry tool to keep up with the ladies from the life group I lead, as well as the prayer requests that come in from church. It is a tool that I need and I wouldn't trade it for the world. The only problem is, I need time management and self-control. Honestly, when I was first learning to set up my blog, I didn't shower all day. My husband came home and there was no dinner, no snack, no trace of food for him to eat. I even went to get a cushion to sit on to make the chair more comfortable as I sat for hours.
Okay, it's gotten a lot better since then. Things I have learned...I am learning that I don't have to write a book every time I answer an email, I am not going to disappoint anyone if I don't renew my blog everyday, and I can ignore some IM's on FB if I don't have time to chat. I limit my FB time to morning and maybe a quick glance at night after the kids go to bed. I check my business email twice a week, and the other email in the morning. My house will be a little cleaner, and I will too for that matter (I'll take showers), now that I've set limits for myself.
But, if they come out with any other social websites, please, I beg of you dear family & friends...don't tell me about it!
It all started with email, but that wasn't good enough. I had to get a second email for my Southern Living at HOME consultant business. Now I have two emails to check everyday. Then I discovered "Myspace" and spent hours setting up my profile. But much to my surprise, most of my friends were on Facebook. I had no choice but to switch to Facebook so I could stay in touch, right? Facebook in itself is an absolute, all consuming entity, but then, my brother joined Twitter and urged me to become a member as well. Now I have a Twitter account. Then I read a friend of mine's blog (I'm not holding you responsible Beth, I'm just saying...) and became an instant blog fan! But like any addiction, it wasn't enough to read other people's blogs, no, I had to join them. Now I have a blog of my own (obviously as you sit reading it) that I must attend to everyday. Not only that, but I add almost daily to the blogs that I read because you are all so good at what you do. Have I mentioned how it's not my fault? If you all didn't write such interesting and captivating things, I could probably have a life!
You see where this is going? I rush to the computer in the morning, check my two emails, where I see that I have Facebook messages, so I must go to FB to respond or it would be rude, right? Then, before I can get in and get out fast, like I promised myself I would do, low and behold, someone on FB IM's me! Now I have to spend the next 30 minutes talking/typing to them. I have actually been IMing two people at the same time about completely different topics. It's enough to make my head spin. I occasionally update my Twitter out of the guilt of not wanting to neglect it. I have since given up the Myspace account, simply because I forgot the password and don't care to find out what it was. I am at the point where I need a journal to remember all my usernames & passwords (why I didn't make them all the same is beyond me???) I spend countless minutes a day reading other people's blogs, plus writing them myself.
I'm not complaining, I love keeping up with people. I've come in contact with friends I haven't spoken to in years on FB. I am meeting all kinds of new and inspiring ladies on these blogs. I run a business on one email, and I respond to family and friends on the other, while also using it as a ministry tool to keep up with the ladies from the life group I lead, as well as the prayer requests that come in from church. It is a tool that I need and I wouldn't trade it for the world. The only problem is, I need time management and self-control. Honestly, when I was first learning to set up my blog, I didn't shower all day. My husband came home and there was no dinner, no snack, no trace of food for him to eat. I even went to get a cushion to sit on to make the chair more comfortable as I sat for hours.
Okay, it's gotten a lot better since then. Things I have learned...I am learning that I don't have to write a book every time I answer an email, I am not going to disappoint anyone if I don't renew my blog everyday, and I can ignore some IM's on FB if I don't have time to chat. I limit my FB time to morning and maybe a quick glance at night after the kids go to bed. I check my business email twice a week, and the other email in the morning. My house will be a little cleaner, and I will too for that matter (I'll take showers), now that I've set limits for myself.
But, if they come out with any other social websites, please, I beg of you dear family & friends...don't tell me about it!
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