Advent

26 Nov 2007 Leave a comment

by socompletely in Inspiration

This Sunday (December 2nd) starts the liturgical season of Advent. This time of the year is all about anticipation; anticipating and preparing for the arrival of our Lord in the form of a baby named Jesus.

 I always approach this time of the year with mixed feelings. Part of me is ready to just skip ahead to the Christmas season, which in the Church doesn’t actually start until midnight on Christmas Eve and then lasts for twelve days until we celebrate Epiphany. The other part of me is all too aware of just how much preparation I need in order to be ready to receive Christ, so to speak.

Some time ago I wrote about needing to live in the moment. I think this Advent season will be a good time for me to remember that, and perhaps even put that into practice. Yes, I need to anticipate the Christmas season and all that it celebrates. But part of that anticipation should be living fully in the moment today, preparing myself for the coming of the Lord.

May this Advent season find each of you preparing your heart in new ways for the presence of our Lord and eagerly anticipating the celebration of His coming as Emmanuel, God with us.

Turmoil

20 Nov 2007 Leave a comment

by socompletely in Lessons

Have you ever been having a conversation with somebody and you swear they are talking in some foreign language, but at the same time you know without a doubt that it’s really English (or you’re native tongue), you’re just no longer capable of understanding it? Okay, that has never really happened to me, but it’s the best way I can describe what I’m feeling.

I have been feeling very restless and discontented lately. I am doing my best to rely on God to reveal why. I know in my heart He is answering me, but most of  the time I feel like it is in a language I cannot understand. Other times I know He’s talking in a language that I should be able to understand, but it’s like that part of my brain no longer works; I know He is trying to tell me something, but it sounds like the adults on a Charlie Brown movie. Yet, unlike those characters, I am unable to interpret His words.

I have a white board in my office that I have filled with Scripture and quotes to help encourage me when I feel like I am at the end of my rope. One of the quotes says, “He trust you to trust Him.” I am doing my best to trust Him during this time, to trust that He will help me to understand what He is saying, but that is so much easier said than done for me. Maybe it’s not so much the trust aspect, but the patience aspect. I know I need to be patient, waiting on His timing, but patience has never been my forte.

Instead, I try to force something that should come easily. Instead of resting in Him and His promises, I try to force my interpretation on this foreign language He is speaking to me. It does not good whatsoever. No matter what conclusion I come to as far as what I think He is trying to tell me, it leaves me feeling more restless and discontented than before. Nothing that I think of as an answer gives me peace.

I don’t even know how to pray about this anymore. I am asking for the intercession of the Holy Spirit according to Romans 8:26; that the Spirit will step in to help me in my weakness, interceding with “sighs too deep for words” (NRSV).

Remedy Tour

14 Nov 2007 Leave a comment

by socompletely in Concerts, Friends, Music, Trips

Last night I had the privilege of attending a David Crowder*Band concert in Raleigh. This particular show was part of the Remedy Tour and was a great way to spend the evening. And the best part was being able to enjoy it with one of the best concert buddies and friends a person could have, Wendy.

Since it was a general admission show, we were able to snag spots center stage. We were literally close enough that we were able to lean on the stage and even put Wendy’s sign right at David Crowder’s feet. Not to mention putting our cameras on stage so that we could jump and dance more effectively and undignified-ly. (I don’t know if that’s a word, but it is now.) Wendy and I were easily the oldest people standing in the “pit” area and were probably the ones who did the most jumping and dancing.

The show started with a set by The Myriad. The sound was not mixed well at all for them and we were unable to understand a word they said or sang. At first we thought that it was because we were so close to the stage the speakers were actually behind us, but that turned out not to be the case since Wendy’s husband said he couldn’t understand them either, and he was further back than we were.

Next was Phil Wickham. I very much enjoyed his set and am regretting not picking up his cd last night. You can bet it is near the top on my list of “cd’s to get soon.” I wouldn’t have minded if he had done a longer set. I will be keeping an eye on his schedule and doing my best to see him again as soon as he’s back in the area.

After a time of intermission, DC*B finally took the stage. What a great show!!! I very much enjoy bands who, when touring to support their newest work, actually plays a large majority of songs from that piece of work while throwing in a few of the older favorites. DC*B was very successful in doing this last night. Some of the hightlights for me included hearing “We Won’t Be Quiet” and “Surely We Can Change” live. Those are probably my two favorites from Remedy and I was hoping to hear them last night; I’m glad I wasn’t disappointed. The bullhorns doing “We Won’t Be Quiet” was an extra added bit of fun.

If you know me, you know that I have a very sarcastic sense of humor and can be quiet the smarta$$. Occassionally my smartaleck tendencies can get me into trouble. During this tour, DC*B has asked people to bring along towels and socks to the show and they are then donated to a local homeless shelter in each town. I had heard about this, but ran out of time and was unable to bring any. During the show David was talking about this and made some comment about meaning to send out an email to everybody to let them know about it, but ran out of time or something. Me, in my usual facetious nature, made a gesture along the lines of “What’s up with that?” meaning “What do you mean you didn’t send out an email to remind us? How dare you?!” Little did I know that David caught that and kind of called me out on it.

He repeatedly assured me that it was his fault and not mine that I didn’t know about the towels and socks thing and not to let it bother me or feel guilty. I repeatedly reassured him that I wouldn’t let it bother me and was okay with him taking full responsibility. It was a pretty funny moment.

Overall it was a good night and a great concert. I wish I could have caught more than one show on this tour, but I’m glad I got the one I did. Hopefully they’ll tour again in the Spring and come back to the area so I can catch them again. Time spent at a DC*B concert is always fun and well worth the price of admission.  

The Producers

01 Nov 2007 Leave a comment

by socompletely in Theater

Laughter really is the best medicine. No matter how stressed I am, a good laugh can just make it all melt away. I have definitely been stressed lately for a variety of reasons. Tonight I managed to forget all of that for a few hours. I traveled with a group to Morganton, NC to catch the national tour of the Broadway hit, The Producers.

If you get the chance to see this show, go!!!! If you are easily offended, then you will not enjoy it. Otherwise, it is a great show full of witty humor. I am hoping to catch it again just so that I can catch even more of the fun that I missed the first time through.

They are taking this show all through the U.S. well into 2008. Go to the website, check out the dates, and plan on going to the show coming nearest to you. You will not be disappointed.