Pages From the Pursuit: 2009

Lonely Figure

While driving home from our Christmas trip to Michigan, I saw a lot different things through the windshield, but one site has continued to remain in my thoughts days later. We were driving south through Kankakee, IL on I-57 when off to my right I saw a cemetery. (My inquisitive mind has led me to the conclusion that is was Mt. Calvary Cemetery.) It was one of probably a dozen cemeteries we passed by on our trip and it had no special monuments or anything else out of the ordinary that should have kept my attention. However, this cemetery had something that none of the others had at the time we passed them.

On cold, windy winter's day, facing North into the snowflaked wind, meer feet away from a busy, noisy highway stood a man ankle deep in snow with his hands in his coat pockets and his hat pulled low on his head. In the brief moment that I was able to see him head on, his face appeared somber and grief stricken as he stared down at the grave of someone he obviously cared about deeply. The earth surrounding the grave did not appear to be freshly dug, so I assume that this was not an incredibly recent death of someone he loved. And just as quickly as I saw him, we had driven past him. I stole a couple of quick glances in the rear-veiw mirror and watched as he didn't move a muscle.

I told Lisa what I had seen a few minutes later and have wondered so many things since that time.
Who was this man?
Who was buried in the grave he was standing over?
How long ago had he lost this friend or family member?
How long had he known them before they died?
How many times has he stood in that exact same place?
Does he speak any words as he stands all alone in that place?
Does he have any family or friends remaining in his world?

So many questions that could be echoed for any person standing in any cemetery in the world.
And today, as I thought of this lonely figure, bracing against the cold to spend time in sorrowful reflection of one who has passed away, I thought of the following passage:

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. -- Isaiah 53:3-5

I'm thankful that when I do find myslef in times of grief and sorrow that my Savior, Jesus Christ is more than familiar with those feelings and He has endured them and conquered them. I pray that whoever that man in that cemetery is would come to know this Man of Sorrows and trust that He is enough for him and that He can comfort like no other.

Divine Interruption #2 (Redemption) - REALMnotes

These are notes that I used for last week's college talk.

Traditions, a Tree, Presents and More
When you hear the word Christmas, we think of many things:
Some are family traditions, some are cultural traditions and some are memories of the past.

Tonight we are going to begin at a place that is very familiar to most (if not all) of us. It’s a familiar story. Some of us could recite it. Most of us could tell it. But tonight we are going to take the next step and dive a little deeper into why Christmas is important.

Last week, JTosh talked about the prophecies that were fulfilled by the birth of Christ. He spoke of how Christ’s arrival on Earth was the original Divine Interruption in the timeline of humanity. Tonight we are going to dwell on why the birth of Christ matters from an eternal perspective. To do that, we must take a look at His life and see what makes Him so unique, so worth celebrating.

Obviously, we cannot retell everything about Jesus’ life, so I thought maybe we could start right where Linus left off in the “Christmas story” and work our way through some of the events of Christ’s life.

There are certain moments in Jesus' life that are directly tied to the Temple. As a Jew, there were certain activities that the Law demanded during His life on Earth.

7 Days Old – Luke 2:21
Christ was circumsized.

40 Days Old - Luke 2:25-40 (references Exodus 13:2,12 ; Leviticus 12:8)
Christ was first proclaimed by a man to be God's Promised Salvation and as a Light to the Gentiles. The first pronunciation of how God intended for Salvation to reach all men.

29"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you now dismiss your servant in peace.
30For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
32a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel."

12 Years Old - Luke 2:41-52
Christ is "Lost" at the Temple
Christ first publicly proclaims who He is - God.

48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

33 Years Old – One Week Before His Death - Luke 19:45-48
Jesus Drive the Money Changers out of the Temple

Small Group Questions
Read Luke 19:10. What did Jesus say was His purpose for being alive?

Romans 3:23 & Roman 6:23 make it clear that all are lost.
Read carefully through John 3:14-21 and answer the following:
• Does Christ reveal how He will die?
• What was God’s purpose for sending Christ?

Romans 5:17-21 speaks of two men.
• Who is the disobedient man mentioned in this passage?
• What is the result of the actions of the second man?
• What is the importance of Christ’s being fully human, yet fully God?

Galatians 4:4-5
• Why was Christ born according to this passage?
• What do we as Christians get out of His birth?

When we think about these verses, do they increase the importance of what we are celebrating at Christmas? How so?

Does thinking about Christmas as the day God began your adoption process change your perspective at all?

Bonus Question - Does Jesus care if we say Merry Christmas or not?

We’ve established why Jesus came to live on the earth for 33 years.
Now let’s look at what He accomplished for all eternity.

At the Moment of His Death - Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38
The Temple curtain is torn in two
- This had separated the Israelites from God.
- Only the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to offer the sacrifice on Israel's behalf.
- Without the curtain, there was no way for a proper sacrifice to be offered.
- Without the curtain, there was no way separate the world from God.
- The curtain was ripped apart from top to bottom, something no man could do.

Hebrews 9:22
- The Law demands blood to cover and eliminate sin

Hebrews 9:27
- Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people

Hebrews 10:5-10
- Jesus took on human for for this purpose

Hebrews 10:11-24
- Jesus offered one sacrifice (Himself) and then sat down because the atonement was complete
- Jesus is the High Priest
- Jesus offered the perfect sacrifice, Himself

Hebrews 12:2-3
- Jesus is the cornerstaone of our faith and finisher of our faith

Take-Aways
1. Christ was born in order to fulfill Old Testament prophecies about His birth and death.
2. Christ knew His purpose and lived purposefully.
3. Christ accomplished His life’s mission.
4. We have been adopted into his family and given new life.

It is impossible to celebrate Christmas without the Cross.
Tell the birth story.
Remember the baby.
Study the Man.
Repent at the Cross.
Live as a redeemed child of God.

Gift Card Purchases

For my birthday, which is in May, I received several Amazon gift cards. My balance recently hit $5.50, so I decided to look back and see what I have purchased with these gift cards.

The following albums that I purchased were Amazon MP3 Downloads. If you have an mp3 player (iPod, Zune, whatever), you should be using Amazon to buy your music. It's not complicated to use, it's great quality files, it's DRM-free and cheaper than iTunes. in addition to these albums, I have purchased two singles and have downloaded dozens of songs for free.

Hello Hurricane by Switchfoot

Alive Again by Matt Maher

Hope Rising by Fee

Fireflies And Songs by Sara Groves

Bible Belt by Diane Birch

Church Music by David Crowder*Band

The Complete Billie Holiday by Billie Holiday

Life Light Up by Christy Nockels

Clearly by Joey Wright

Let June Decide by Reilly

Five Hours of Relaxing Classical Favorites (Amazon Exclusive) by Various Artists

Beginnings - 2 Cd Set by Fernando Ortega

In addition to music, I also purchased the following:
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller

DLO Action Jacket Case with Armband DLO Action Jacket Case with Armband

Who says gift cards cards aren't a good gift to give or receive?
Not me.

Unbelief in God and Pornography

(Transcript)

Mary, Did You Know? - Tuesday Tunes

I first heard this song on Michael English's debut album and loved it. Dozens(hundreds?) of artists have recorded it since then and it is firmly planted in the Christmas music library of most people. I could show several different videos capturing this song, but today I want to show you these two for very specific reasons.

The first video is Michael English singing the song with Buddy Green who wrote the music for the song.

This video is of Mark Lowery singing the song he wrote the lyrics to.

Lyrics for "Mary Did You Know?" by Mark Lowery

Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know
Tht your baby boy
Will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has come to make you new
This child that you delivered
Will soon deliver you?

Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know
That your baby boy
Has walked where angels trod
And when you kiss your little baby,
You've kissed the face of God?

The blind will see
The deaf will hear
And the dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb

Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy
Is heaven's perfect lamb?
This sleeping child your holding
Is the great I AM.

Being Thankful in Spite of Circumstances

If you spend much time perusing the Christian blog circles of the internet, you will most likely recognize the name of Matt Chandler, who is the Lead Pastor at Village Church in Texas. Matt has a huge online following and is a highly requested speaker for conferences all over the United States. Obviously, I have never met the man, but I have listened to several sermons and have read a lot of what he has written or said.

On Thanksgiving morning, Matt had a seizure and ended up in the hospital. Doctors ran a multitude of tests and discovered that Matt has a brain tumor in his right frontal lobe that measures 2 inches by 1 inch in diameter. Obviously, this is a serious situation and the doctors' only path forward was to perform surgery as soon as possible to remove the tumor.

Just prior to heading to the hospital for his surgery, Matt wrote on his blog. After you have read Matt's post from Friday morning (My Heart is Full... I am Thankful) go watch the video he made for his church to view on Sunday morning (Video from Matt). I find his attitude to be one that I pray that I would be able to have if placed in such a situation.

The surgery was performed Friday morning and seems to have gone well. I haven't seen or heard any specifics about his condition, but Matt did post a tweet on his Twitter account on Sunday afternoon while heavily medicated, so that tells me that he does have motor function and thought/speech/text ability.

Please be in prayer for Matt and his family as they work through recovery.
Praise God for the ability/knowledge he has given men to perform such surgeries!

Church Music - A Review

I just realized that I never posted this review I wrote at the beginning of October. Enjoy!

I have spent quite a bit of time listening to "Church Music",

the newest release by the David Crowder*Band and thought I would post a song-by-song review.

Overall, the album is solid and displays the creativity and ever-changing sound of the David Crowder*Band. If you have enjoyed his music in the past, then you will find yourself pleased with this endeavor. If you are one of those people who are on the fence when it comes to Crowder's music, then this album might hit you in all the wrong spots. I am pleased with this album and find myself listening to and singing many of the songs quite often.

"Church Music" by the David Crowder*Band

1. Phos Hilaron (Hail Gladdening Light)
a. Song builds from nothing into an almost haunting melody before it melds into second song
b. Sets the mood for the album well

2. Allelujah, Sing
a. This song goes through several transformations before pounding the chorus through you - it's pretty great: “Alleluia majesty, Alleluia King of Kings, Alleluia, Alleluia, angels sing, Alleluia sing”

3. The Nearness
a. This is one of the anthems of the album
b. It has great lyrics
c. Has a rocking chorus that drives your body to movement
d. The difference of intensity and sound from chorus to verse to chorus is great

4. Shadows
a. The chorus has resonated in me since I first heard it: “When shadows fall on us we will not fear, we will remember, when darkness falls on us we will not fear, we will remember, when all seems lost, when we’re thrown and we’re tossed we’ll remember the cost, we’re resting in the shadow of the cross.”
b. This is a song that churches and youth groups could sing in corporate worship times
c. This song will lend itself well to creative visual interpretation (video, dance, drama)

5. Eastern Hymn
a. I like the way this song focuses on who God is to us and what He can give to us
b. Very catchy chorus
c. No real way to sing this with others

6. SMS [Shine]
a. Starts out very smooth and melodious and builds slowly to chorus
b. This is a song churches and youth groups will sing and should

7. The Veil
a. Electronica laden beginning
b. This song rocks from the start and uses brief instrumental pauses effectively throughout to add to the ever increasing buildup

8. We Are Loved
a. Trip Hop / Electronica / House music blend
b. Fun song
c. Makes you move

9. All Around Me
a. Simple piano throughout
b. A solid song for solitary reflection

10. How He Loves
a. The reason this song is getting consistent airplay on CCM stations is evident from the first listen
b. Starts simple and slowly builds into a crescendo just in time for the resounding chorus
c. The bridge is lyrically stout and it ends wonderfully back at the chorus: "And we are His portion and he is our prize, Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes, If His grace is an ocean we’re all sinking, And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss, and my heart’s unraveling inside of my chest, I don’t have time to maintain these regrets, When I think about the way... That He loves us, Oh how He loves us!"

11. Can I Lie Here
a. The first song on the album I find to be kind of blah.
b. It’s a bit repetitious, but the lyrics don’t turn me off
c. I find that the song doesn’t seem to move very far from start to finish musically
d. It’s slower and follows much stronger, more resounding ballads on the album

12. Birmingham [We Are Safe]
a. Not a big fan of this song
b. Doesn’t flow well for me
c. Quite repetitious lyrically

13. Church Music – Dance [!]
a. Very fun
b. All about movement
c. The synthed over lyrics at the beginning sound cool, but cannot be understood

14. What a Miracle
a. While I like the lyrics of this song, the music just didn’t really move me much.
b. The final half of the song is like an explosion of sounds thrown in a blender.

15. Oh, Happiness
a. The funky intro immediately tells you this will be an interesting song
b. I can’t help but smile through the chorus
c. The lyrics are deep but are possibly lost due to the fun nature of the song
d. This song grows on you and bounces around in your head long after it stops

16. God Almighty, None Compares
a. I feel like this song is kind of all over the place
b. The tempo changes multiple times, while the melody is constantly morphing into something else
c. At 6 minutes and 50 seconds long, this song goes on forever.

17. In the End [O Resplendent Light!]
a. This song went nowhere for me
b. After 4 minutes you get to hear a bunch of random sounds that fade to a soft melody

I feel that the first 10 selections would have been called a complete album for most bands. Crowder has gone out of his way to give even more to his fans and I can appreciate that. However, part of me wonders if this album would have been better served if 3 or 4 of the latter songs had been scratched from the playlist. Yes, the album would have been shorter, but it still would have been 13 or 14 songs, with the majority of those being songs that moved me with greater ease. Again, this is a solid effort by the David Crowder*Band and I look forward to hearing more from them in the future.

Side Note - If you are looking for some Christian music for your iPod that you can workout to, this album has several great songs to add to your playlist.

World Aids Day 2009

When I was in college, AIDS/HIV was a very popular topic. At that time, it was just becoming more widely discussed, especially on college campuses across the US. As a Resident Assistant (RA) in a hall on campus, it was part of my job to provide educational programs to the students about various topics. One of the most time intensive presentations I ever created revolved around the topic of AIDS.

The statistics I was able to find at the time were altogether nauseating and left me feeling helpless in the fight of the spread of the disease. To add insult to an already devastating disease, many within the Christian community were quick to condemn those who had contracted the disease, declaring that this was a judgement from God for their sinful behavior.

Here we are now, years later, and there are medications that can and do prevent AIDS from being so utterly debilitating. There are millions of people around the world living with AIDS. Yet, at the same time, there are millions more who will die of the disease this year due to lack of care and treatment. Millions of innocent children have and will contract HIV in utero and will face an incredibly short and bleak life.

The face of AIDS/HIV is no longer associated with the homosexual, nor is it relegated to the prostitutes and junkies of this world. The face of AIDS/HIV can be seen on the face of children all around the world who are exposed to the disease through the birthing process and never have an opportunity to live beyond their 5th birthday.

There are hundreds of programs available that allow you to help combat the spread of this disease and to provide medical treatment for those who do have it. Lisa and I have used WorldVision to impact people in the past and I would recommend supporting their World AIDS Day program without hesitation.

Behold the Lamb of God - TuesdayTunes

Why Should I Want to be a Christian?

The transcipt can be found here.

Cry, the Beloved Country - Book Review

I have recently finished reading "Cry, the Beloved Country" which was written by Alex Paton in 1948 and is set in South Africa just prior to Apartheid. It is obvious to the reader that Mr. Paton looked around his nation and saw that things were not as they should be and that he felt that things would only digress if they continued on their current course. Later in the year that this book was published, Apartheid was instituted, making this book and even more poignant read.

There are many themes wrapped up in the storyline of the journey of an old rural priest travelling across the country to the great city of Johannesburg. Along the way, the changing countryside is vividly described, the people are characterized in a way that makes them very real and the unstable social climate is presented through various interactions. This book tells a story of adventure, loss, heartbreak, redemption, restoration, betrayal, faith, hope and love.

Above all, it is evident that the author had a deep love for his country, with an undogged patriotism that didn't grow faint in the face of extreme oposition. He felt compelled to write a story based in his setting, during his time, that conveyed the situation and raw emotions as he was experiencing them. Through his courage to write such a book and his talent to weave such a story, Mr. Paton has brought to life a time in history that most people in the world have never experienced. There is a very good reason why students around the globe are required to read this book.

I highly recommend "Cry, the Beloved Country" as a book that will cause you to stop and think about what is happening around you and how kindness and love can change the lives of those around you.

Here are two portions of the book that I found moving:

And money is not something to go mad about, and throw your hat into the air for. Money is for food and clothes and comfort, and a visit to the pictures. Money is to make happy the lives of children. Money is for security, and for dreams, and for hopes, and for purposes. Money is for buying the fruits of the earth, of the land where you were born. - pp 204-205

And...

- This world is full of trouble, umfundisi.

- Who knows it better?

- Yet you believe?

Kumalo loked at him under the light of the lamp. I believe, he said, but I have learned that it is a secret. Pain and suffering, they are a secret. Kindness and love, they are a secret. But I have learned that kindness and love can pay for pain and suffering. There is my wife, and you, my friend, and these people who welcomed me, and the child who is so eager to be with us here in Ndotsheni - so in suffering I can believe.

- I have never thought that a Christian would be free of suffering, umfundisi. For our Lord suffered. And I come to believe that he suffered, not to save us from suffering, but to teach us how to bear suffering. For He knew that there is no life without suffering. - pp 260-261

One Giant Leap

Last night I was sitting in the white chair in our living room and Lydia crawled over to me and pulled herself up to a standing position, hanging on to the seat with one hand. She cruised to the end of the chair and then paused, with one hand barely touching the arm of the chair. At the time, Lisa was sitting at the end of the couch playing around on the laptop, unaware of what was going on. I said Lisa's name to get her attention and Lydia looked back at me over her shoulder.

I was afraid that my attempts to get Lisa's attention might have distracted Lydia from her previous thought. However, in a few short moments, Lydia let go of the arm of the chair and proceeded to walk, unassisted and unencouraged, from my chair to the edge of the couch, a distance of about 3 feet. She arrived at her destination safely and without incident and we all celebrated with clapping and cheering.

This is, to the best of my knowledge, the first time that Lydia has walked from one place to another with someone encouraging her to do so. Look out world, here she comes!

Jesus' Miraculous Power

The Bible tells us that God did not originally make the world to have disease, hunger and death in it. Jesus has come to redeem where it is wrong and heal the world of here it is broken. His miracles are not just proofs that He has power but also wonderful foretastes of what He is going to do with that power. Jesus' miracles are not just a challenge to our minds, but a promise to our hearts, that the world we all want is coming.
- Tim Keller in "The Reason for God" (page 99)

I'll Cover You (Reprise) - Tuesday Tunes

Lyrics for "I'll Cover You (Reprise)" from Rent (Original Broadway Cast)

Live In My House
I'll Be You Shelter
Just Pay Me Back With One Thousand Kisses
Be My Lover
And I'll Cover You

Open Your Door - I'll Be Your Tenant
Don't Got Much Baggage
To Lay At Your Feet
But Sweet Kisses I've Got To Spare
I'll Be There - I'll Cover You

I Think They Meant It
When They Said You Can't Buy Love
Now I Know You Can Rent It
A New Lease You Were, My Love, On Life

All My Life
I've Longed To Discover
Something As True
As This Is

So With A Thousand
Sweet Kisses
I'll Cover You

If You're Cold
And You're
Lonely

You've Got One
Nickel Only

When You're
Worn Out
And Tired

When Your Heart
Has Expired

Oh Lover
I'll Cover You
Oh Lover

I'll Cover You

Lydia Leigh's First Year

I put the following video together to celebrate Lydia's first birthday.
I am very happy with how it turned out.

Lydia Leigh's First Year from Jeremy Walker on Vimeo.

Music on the Street

Action Figures

Presenting the Objective: Be Ready to Act
Titus 3:1-2
Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.

Setting the Ground Work: Clean Up My Act
2 Timothy 2:21
Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

Building the Framework: Reinvent My Act
1 Timothy 6:11
But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

Learning Lessons Over the Miles

This past Saturday, Lisa, Lydia and I ran a 5k to help raise funds to build an elementary school in Haiti (www.growinghopeforhaiti.org). Actually, Lydia rode a 5k in her stroller, which I pushed the 3.1 miles. She was tired and crying just prior to the start of the race, but I decided to give it a try anyway. We ran toward the sun for the first mile and Lydia continued crying the entire way.

When we finally turned the corner and the sun was out of her face, Lydia promptly fell asleep for the remainder of the race. It was about at this point of the race that the gentle downhill turned into a ever-increasing uphill run. Every time I though we might have reached the plateau I was greeted with another hill. Notice how great I look in the wonderful snapshot of Lydia and I crossing the finish line.

Here are some observations from my race:
Not all 5ks are created equal.
My first ever 5k was a totally flat course, based in a floodplain. The 5k we ran in the Spring had a large hill in the middle of the race, but then we turned around and had a nice downhill run for the majority of the back half of the race. The course this past weekend was downhill the first mile and then basically uphill the remaining 2 miles, with a brutally steep hill the last few hundred yards to the finish line.

You run differently when pushing a stroller.
This is obvious at a glance but becomes a harsh reality once you begin the race. As you attack hills, you find your arms tiring of the effort to keep the stroller far enough in front of you to allow you to drive your legs with power over the hill. This expense of energy takes a toll after several hills and your legs get tired much more quickly.

You breathe differently when pushing a stroller.
Being slightly bent over hinders your ability to grab a complete breath, especially when you are working your way up a hill. The downhill stretches become a respite where you can let gravity pull the stroller for you and you can stretch your arms out and relax your posture. These are the moments where you have to capitalize on catching as much oxygen as possible.

Your child's attitude/demeanor can and will alter your pace throughout the race.
I started the race a little quicker than I normally would, because I was hoping that Lydia would stop crying and fall asleep. Once I saw the turn away from the sun my pace quickened even more. For this particular race, this meant that my pace over the first mile was significantly faster than I would have run on my own or if she was happy at the time. While this mile was mostly downhill anyway, I burned a lot more energy and effort to cover it quicker than I would have otherwise. This led me to essentially starting the climb on the back two-thirds of the race slightly out of breath and with a higher heart rate than I would normally have liked.

I am not as young as I once was.
I ran my first 5k after 6 weeks of dedicated training. I ran the same flat 5k a year later having trained consistently for a month and then we had Lydia and I didn't run for 4 weeks leading up to race day. The 5k earlier this year and had run a couple of times in the month leading up to the race, but I wasn't consistent at all and wouldn't dare call it training of any sort. This was also my first 5k pushing Lydia, who at the time weighed in around 15 pounds. I had not trained or run at all leading up to this race and it really beat me up. Lydia was heavier (25 pounds) I was more out of shape and the course was harder than any I have run to date. My legs are about 90% today and it is the first day that standing up from a sitting position doesn't hurt.

Lessons Learned & Goals:
I want to run another 5k after training consistently for it.
I want to reduce my course time.
I want to own the course and not have it mock me.
I want to be able to walk normally without pain within 2 days of the race.
I should heed my wife's warnings and walk some of the course if I have not trained.
Enduring to finish comes at a steep cost when you aren't prepared for the race.

Take My Hand - Tuesday Tunes

Lyrics to "Take My Hand" by Shawn McDonald

Take my hand to the promise land
And on You I want to stand
‘Cause I cannot do it on my own
You're what I need and I need to be
Right by Your side ‘cause I cannot hide
Lord, I know that I need You

Na na na na na na na na na, I need You
Na na na na na na na na na, I need You

Without You I'm so alone
I am weak but You are strong
You pick me up when I'm falling down
And I am crying
Out to You inside of my heart
I need You, Lord, oh so, for the part
I want You to have my life, Jesus

I fall to my knees
And I'm begging You, please, oh, Lord
Won't You change me
Make me new from the inside out
I want to shout out Your name

Rythm #4 - Holiness (REALMnotes)

The following are the refernce materials I used and questions I asked while leading the college group through the study portion of our Tuesday night meeting this week.

Small Group Breakout Discussion

Romans 12:1-2
- What do you think Paul means when he says that we should present our bodies “a living sacrifice”? What might this look like?
- In verse 2, Paul commands us to avoid “the pattern of this world”. How do we live in the world without conforming to it?

1 Corinthians 10:12-13
- In this set of verses, Paul warns of overconfidence in our lives. What areas do you find yourself feeling confident in that you might need to pay attention to more closely?
- What is the “way out” of temptation that Paul says God will provide for us?

2 Corinthians 1:12
- According to this passage, how are we to live?
- Is there a conflict between the confidence Paul speaks of in this passage versus the confidence he mentions in 1 Corinthians 10:12-13? Why or why not? Is there a difference?

Items For Personal Reflection
1. What is one thing in your life or in this world that you would change if you could? Why? Are you doing about it?
2. What is one thing that you struggle with on a daily basis? Is it something you are trying to overcome? If so, how are going about trying to make progress in this area?
3. Pray that God would convict you of sin in your life and that you would live a life that is pleasing to God.

The following texts were referenced throughout the talk:
Romans 12:1-2
1 Corinthians 10:12-13
2 Corinthians 1:12
Galatians 6:14 (Our confidence is rooted in the Cross. The Cross is our boast.)
Ephesians 4:20-24
Phillipians 3:10-15
2 Timothy 3:10-17

I also used the following texts as part of my preparation:
2 Corinthians 3:18
2 Corinthians 7:1
Hebrews 12:14
1 Peter 1:13-16

Free Fallin - Tuesday Tunes

I really enjoy this video:

Ben Rector - Free

Piano Tuner Needed

Here's something I've learned over and over again over the past several years of my life: There are people out there who believe with all their heart that they can sing a tune bettre than anyone else, when in reality they can't hit a single note. Perhaps they have never had anyone provide them with honest feedback, or perhaps at one point in time they could sing but they have lost that ability for some medical/surgical reason. Either way, whenever I am confronted by the "singer" who cannot sing to save their life I am puzzledand feel a bit sorry for them. I mean, they have reached this point in their life with total confidence in the beauty of their voice, when the reality is the total opposite.

This guy, however, still has me playing his tune almost 2 weeks after I first heard it:

Molars Mean Misery

The past few night have been a bit restless, as Lydia has been waking up numerous times in the night crying and sitting up in bed. Usually, she will lay back down and fall back asleep fairly quickly, but that has not been the case these past few evenings. While I haven't had to stay up for more than 10 or 15 minutes with her at a time, it is still disrupting my sleep and making me a bit more tired than usual during the day.

Based on her restless nights, constant drooling and her overall melancholy mood, it appears that Lydia is working on getting her first molar.

While she was a bit fussy and drooled everywhere during the rest of her teething adventures, she was never as clingy or so often upset as she has been these past few days. I suppose it makes sense that the molars coming in would bother her more, due to their size and basically flat-topped shape. I'm sure the sharp, smaller edges of the previous teeth made the process quicker and less painful for her.

So we have an absolutely adorable 11 month old at home who is happy one minute and incredibly sad the next.

Aside from giving her ice cubes, cold water, teething rings, Tylenol and Baby Orajel, does anyone have any ideas on what we might be able to do to help this teething process be less painful for her?

I am Precious, Honored and Loved

I read these words last night and wanted to post them here.
Notice how God repeatedly goes out of His way to declare who He is and who we are. He continually reiterates why He is everything of importance and that we were made by Him to bring Him glory and sing His praises. Awesome - literally, awe inspiring.

Excerpts from Isaiah 43
1 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

4 Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you

5 Fear not, for I am with you

7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.

10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord

11 I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior.
12 I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God.
13 Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?”

14 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel

15 "I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”

18 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
20 The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people,
21 the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.

25 I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.

26 Put me in remembrance

The Greatest Story Ever Told - Tuesday Tunes

"The Greatest Story Ever Told" from Sai Linne's Storiez album:

Survey the Protest

Idleness and Temptation

One night last week, Lisa was surfing the web on our laptop and she closed the lid and said "You haven't put anything on your website recently."

It was at this point that I realized that anyone else might be following my nothingness. The nothingness ends now with this great video.

It is is a wonderful example of temptation and why the Bible commands us to not be "dragged away and enticed" (James 1:13-15) but to resist the devil (1 Peter 5:8-9) and look for the way God has provided to stand firm against the temptation (1 Corinthians 10:12-14).

Between Wyomings - Book Review

When I picked up Ken Mansfield’s book “Between Wyomings : My God and an iPod on the Open Road”, I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting into. I didn’t know anything about him and I didn’t really know what the plot or point of this book was. As such, I didn’t have many expectations of this book. Before I finished the author’s introduction to the book, I wondered if I would be able to finish the book. Mr. Mansfield is definitely prone to the creative aspect of literature and prose and has an uncanny ability to write in a way that makes me wonder if I am missing the subject or verb of his sentences. Don’t get me wrong, he is a good writer. I just didn’t enjoy his style that much.

“Between Wyomings” follows the author’s lifelong adventures in the music industry, chronicling interactions with musicians ranging from The Beatles to Dolly Parton. Quite a large portion of the book revolves around activities with Waylon Jennings and I grew a bit tired of the way Mr. Mansfield waxed poetic about his time with “The Outlaws”.

Throughout the book, the author ties in songs, artist and geographic locations with stories of his life and attempts to use them as mile markers on his road to accepting Jesus Christ as his Savior. While I understand his heart and desire to do so, there were times when this effort fell short and came across as very out of place within the contact of the narrative.

I finished the book very much in the same place I began it - not sure of what I expected and not sure if my expectations were met. In my opinion, “Between Wyomings” dragged on in spots and I am not sure if a person who did not love music could endure it. I forced myself to continue reading the book at times, simply so I could give it a fully informed review. Don’t get me wrong, this book is not poorly written and does have some entertaining anecdotes in it. However, the high point for me was the brief chapter entitled “The Writhing on the Wall”. If you read those two pages and nothing else from the book, I think you will have read the best and most important section and saved yourself a bunch of time and energy.

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross - Tuesday Tunes

Sung by Kathryn Scott

Universal Healthcare is the Goal

"I happen to be a proponent of a single payer, universal healthcare plan. I see no reason why the United States of America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, is spending 14%, 14& of it's Gross National product on healthcare, cannot provide basic health insurance to everybody. And that's what Jim is talking about when he says "Everybody in, nobody out." A single payer healthcare plan. Universal healthcare. That's what I'd like to see. But, as all of you know, we may not get there immediately. Because first we have to take back White House and we've got to take back the Senate... [inaudible]" - Barack Obama (2003)

(HT: JT)

Punny Stuff

- A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, “I’m sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger.”

- Two fish swim into a concrete wall. The one turns to the other and says “Dam!”

- Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says “I’ve lost my electron.” The other says “Are you sure?” The first replies “Yes, I’m positive.”

- Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.

- Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him …….. A super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.

- There was a person who sent ten different puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.

(HT: Jessica Melling)

Every Season - Tuesday Tunes

Lyrics for
"Every Season" by Nichole Nordeman

Every evening sky, an invitation
To trace the patterned stars
And early in July, a celebration
For freedom that is ours
And I notice You
In children’s games
In those who watch them from the shade
Every drop of sun is full of fun and wonder
You are summer

And even when the trees have just surrendered
To the harvest time
Forfeiting their leaves in late September
And sending us inside
Still I notice You when change begins
And I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks for what has been and was to come
You are autumn

And everything in time and under heaven
Finally falls asleep
Wrapped in blankets white, all creation
Shivers underneath
And still I notice you
When branches crack
And in my breath on frosted glass
Even now in death, You open doors for life to enter
You are winter

And everything that’s new has bravely surfaced
Teaching us to breathe
What was frozen through is newly purposed
Turning all things green
So it is with You
And how You make me new
With every season’s change
And so it will be
As You are re-creating me
Summer, autumn, winter, spring

Yours - Tuesday Tunes

Lyrics
"Yours" by Steven Curtis Chapmen

I walk the streets of London
and notice in the faces passing by
something that makes me stop and listen
My heart grows heavy with the cry
Where is the hope for London
You whisper and my heart begins to soar
as I’m reminded every street in London is Yours

I walk the dirt roads of Uganda
I see the scars that war has left behind
Hope like the sun is fading
and they’re waiting for a cure no one can find
And I hear children’s voices singing
of a God who heals and rescues and restores
and I’m reminded that every child in Africa is Yours

It’s all Yours God, Yours God, everything is Yours
From the stars in the sky to the depths of the ocean floor
and it’s all Yours God, Yours God, everything is Yours
You’re the maker and keeper, Father and ruler of everything
It’s all Yours

I walk the sidewalks of Nashville
like Singapore, Manila and Shanghai
I brush by the beggar’s hand and the wealthy man
and everywhere I look I realize
Just like the streets of London
for every man and woman, boy and girl
All of creation, this is our Father’s world

It’s all Yours God, Yours God, everything is Yours
From the stars in the sky to the depths of the ocean floor
and it’s all Yours God, Yours God, everything is Yours
You’re the maker and keeper, Father and ruler of everything

(This verse was written after the tragedy of the Chapmen's daughter dying in an accident.)
I’ve walked the valley of death’s shadow
So deep and dark that I could barely breathe
I’ve had to let go of more than I could bear
And questioned everything that I believe
But still even here
in this great darkness
A comfort and hope come breaking through
As I can say in life or death
God we belong to you.

And it’s all Yours God, Yours God
Everything is Yours
From the stars in the sky to the depths of the ocean floor
And it’s all Yours God, Yours God
Everything is Yours
All the greatness and power, the glory and splendor and majesty
Everything is Yours
It’s all Yours

It’s all Yours, God
It’s all Yours, God
It’s all Yours, God
It’s all Yours, God

Somewhere North - Tuesday Tunes

Lyrics
Derek Webb's "Somewhere North"

It's a muggy night in Houston
And all the intersections are like full service stations
I'm on my way to a familiar place
It's cold in Kansas City
And you can no more hear me than I can see your face
How I wish it was just you and me

We wouldn't have to talk above the crowd
We wouldn't have to talk so loud

I give you my life and all I am
But what have I to give
So I hand you a candid photograph of this little boy
'Cause I have nothing to my name
But I can give you that

I don't miss the driving
Seems like forever
And I'm always driving in my mind
And wearing out the road that gets me there

And I'm driving till my eyes just can't see straight
But I suppose that it's getting late

I give you my life and all I am
But what have I to give
So I hand you a candid photograph of this little boy
'Cause I have nothing to my name
But I can give you that

I may never find the sleep
I've lost all feeling in my hands and
Feet may touch the ground but
My mind's somewhere north of here

Safe and Sound - Tuesday Tunes

Lyrics:
Safe and Sound by Matthew West
Can’t believe you’re here now
Tiny dream come true
The answer to a prayer now
I’m so in love with you
Couldn’t wait to meet you
Hope you like your name
I get the funny feeling
Life will never be the same

Safe and sound
You’re here with me now
Like I hoped you’d be
Safe and sound
You’re here with me now
And that’s all I’ll ever need

The world’s a scary place here
But baby it’s alright
I’ll make sure the coast is clear
So you can just sleep tight
But if you’re afraid of monsters
Like everybody is
I’ll be right beside you
Closer than a kiss

Safe and sound
I’m here with you now
And you will always be
Safe and sound
I’m here with you now
And that’s all you’ll ever need

Someday I’m gonna teach you
The reason why we pray
So that heaven’s love may reach you
Every single day
So, baby close your eyes now
And say a prayer with me
Lord, I lay me down to sleep now
But I know I will be

Safe and sound
You’re here with us now
And we will always be
Safe and sound You’re here with us now
And that’s all we’ll ever, all we’ll ever need
You’re all we’ll ever need

On Marriage and Commitment

Due to a lot of things happening with people we know, Lisa and I have been talking a lot about marriage and relationships lately. Obviously, when talking about marriage, the conversation is completely intertwined with the concept of commitment. Even when you aren’t using the word and might not even be thinking of commitment as being the topic of your conversation, there is no real way to extricate it from a conversation about marriage. (I suppose this can also be said of other relationships, but with marriage it is taken to a different level.)

And so, today I would like to explain just one of the many reasons why I am committed to Lisa in our marriage and relationship. What follows is by no means the only reason why I am committed to Lisa, nor is it the only reason I choose to stay faithful to her, but it does factor in to my decisions and behavior with regards to our marriage.

I’m all in.

That’s it. There’s no easier way to say it. When it comes to my commitment to my wife, I am holding nothing back. I’m playing for keeps. I don’t have a Plan B. There is no escape hatch. I’ve burned my ships and am committed to surviving in this world of marriage.

I’ve told Lisa that if she were to ever cheat on me with anyone else that I don’t think I could deal with it and would probably have to run away, never to return. While I don’t believe that Lisa would ever do such a thing, it helps me to reflect on how I would feel if it were to happen to me. And so, because I have thought about how I would feel on the receiving end of such terrible treatment, I am able to better avoid the snares that Satan sets before me to steal, kill and destroy not only me but my marriage as well.

Since I am not holding back anything in reserve, I am forced to make sure that I behave in such a way that prevents me from hurting Lisa in such a way. I find that it is a good way to approach being married. In thinking about the effects that sinful behavior would have on our marriage, I am less likely to consider pursuing such avenues of thought and activity. This is not to say that pondering the results of the action is enough to keep me from doing it. The fact remains that I must rely on God’s strength to allow me to remain fully committed to Lisa every day.

I must choose to love her today in everything I say and do. Do I fail at this? Unfortunately, yes. But I am striving to eliminate those areas of failure as God continues to work in me. I believe that through the power of the Holy Spirit living in me that I can be changed and transformed into the husband God not only wants me to be but commands me to be. And that is just another reflection of the Christian life being lived out in a marriage.

Marriage is two sinful people setting aside their individual identities, acknowledging that God has made them one, realizing that God is still working to make them better suited for each other and choosing to love one another for who they are and forgive one another for where they fall short.

And so, I’m all in.

Lisa sees the worst of me more than anyone else. My goal is to make sure she also sees the best of me as I strive to be the husband that God wants me to be and that she deserves to have. I know I will fail and Lisa knows it as well. But she is forgiving and loving me through my mistakes, praying that I will allow God to work in me and through me.

You can’t hold back any part of yourself. You must selflessly allow your spouse to have the ability to know all of who you are, opening yourself and being vulnerable.

It’s not enough to merely say “I do”. You have to choose to follow through every day with proclaiming “I will.” A spouse that does not remain committed every day of the marriage has failed to honor the promise and vow that began the marriage. This foundational element is often glossed over, but the realization of that initial promise is lived out every day in bedrooms, kitchens and phone calls of marriage. There is no down time. There is no vacation from that initial commitment. It is binding. It is a lifetime promise. It is the reality that every day is another opportunity to renew that vow or crush it and destroy the union that God has created.

Let us not think casually about the fact that marriage is God-ordained and, in doing so, allow ourselves to be deceived into allowing our marriages to crumble due to a lack of commitment. Let us capture every day as another opportunity to grow our marriages stronger, to develop our relationship with our spouse further and to pursue becoming the person God wants us to be. If we focus on our marriage as a relationship that matters, perhaps we can stem the tide of Christians who are discovering that their marriages have crumbled around them due to a lack of effort and commitment by one or both members involved.

To my beautiful bride, Lisa: I look back with amazement to how far we’ve come from when we said “I do”. I’m thankful that we’ve both been willing to say “I will” when it comes to not only choosing to love each other each day, but also in forgiving each other. Know that you have my heart and I am fully committed to you, Lydia and our marriage. My identity is wrapped up in you and I am a lesser man without you. I pray that God will continue molding and shaping me into the man and husband that you deserve and I am thankful for how far He has brought us.

I’m all in!

How He Loves - Tuesday Tunes

How He Loves by David Crowder Band

How He Loves (Lyrics):

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

Did the Stimulus Save or Create Jobs in June?

(HT: JT)

Josh Hamilton In His Second All Star Game is Second

Josh Hamilton will be in the All Star game tonight for the second year in a row. Watch this video.

More videos like this can be found at www.IAMsecond.com

Life Light Up - Tuesday Tunes

Reducing Our Debt, One Diaper at a Time

My wife and I live fairly frugal lives, which is helping us in our attack on eliminating our debt. So far we have paid off our car debt 3 years early and are working towards getting rid of our student loan debt in the next 2 years. (If you want some good advice on how to get out from under your mountain of debt, I'd recommend dropping by DaveRamsey.com for starters.)

Obviously, trying to get out of debt and having our first child at the same time would probably not be the ideal way to go about things, but here we are pressing on and living on the cheap as much as possible. With a little mouth to feed and small body to clothe, some things are just plain expensive. Recently, Lisa has begun making some of the baby food at home, which has saved us a bunch of money.

One other way we try to save money is when we purchase diapers. When Lydia came home from the hospital, we tried using cloth diapers for a couple of weeks. While we were fairly pleased with this endeavor, we quickly realized that this method of diapering was not very travel friendly. I mean, what do you do with all the diapers when you are out of state for a week? So we switched to disposable diapers for our Christmas trip to Michigan and decided on our way home that the cloth diapers had to go.

Since that time, we have been purchasing disposable diapers and have been enjoying their convenience and wicking ability. We primarily have been purchasing the "Up and Up" Target brand disposables and have been really pleased with them. They were cheap, strong, absorbent and didn't leak very often for us at all.

A month ago, Lisa and I were at Walmart buying some baby food and other various necessities and we needed some diapers, so we grabbed a pack of the "Parent's Choice" Walmart brand disposables and tossed them into the cart. This is a mistake that will not ever be repeated in our house. Since I noticed last night that our stack of these diapers is almost gone, I am celebrating this fact today by informing you all of the nightmare you are signing up for if you ever purchase "Parent's Choice" diapers for your little one.

To say that these diapers do not fit well is kind of an understatement. It would be a bad thing if they were tight around the legs and loose around the waist or vice versa. The reality extends much farther than that. In fact, these diapers are lose in the legs and do not fit around the waist well at all. This dastardly combination inevitably leads to having huge problems keeping all of your sweet baby's "presents" wrapped and under cover.

In addition to any smelly mess that might come from this powerful tag-team of inability to contain anything solid is the diaper's seeming refusal to hold much more than a few ounces of liquid in its "absorbent" fabric construction. This soggy development will undoubtedly lead to numerous opportunities to see how fast you can not only change your baby's entire outfit but also the crib sheet as well. I understand that a baby might overwhelm a diaper from time to time and I won't hold the rare failure to retain against any brand of diaper. However, when you have to change your child's outfit every other time you have to change a diaper, it can begin to seem like a pattern. And when you have to change your little girl's crib sheets twice in a day because her cheap little diaper wouldn't keep her rear end dry let alone the rest of her outfit and crib safe from the moisture, then you will find yourself feeling something akin to how I felt yesterday afternoon.

I do not want to be unclear in this at all. I know that I am not buying the highest quality of diaper for my child to scoot around on and some of you might try to shame me for it. Talk to me in 6 years when my kid is doing fine in school and we are debt free and able to go on some really fun vacations - at that point I am sure Lydia will forgive me for wrapping her tush in cheap diapers.

A cheap diaper does not need to be a poorly designed diaper. Whoever thought that the idea of having the Velcro tab come already attached to the back of the diaper has either never actually changed a diaper when a child is screaming or just plain hates parents. There is no good reason for why the diaper is designed in such a way. It causes you to first open up the diaper in its entirety and then attempt to unlatch the Velcro so that it won't be stuck under the baby's rear end when you slide the diaper up under them. I found that most of the time these best laid plans fall short of flawless execution and I end up having to go hunting for the Velcro tab that is now attached to the back of the diaper somewhere behind my little girl. It also seems that the tab lengths can vary a bit from diaper to diaper, which really makes it hard to get used to the insanity of the design and packaging.

So, the moral of this long tale is this: Buying cheap diapers is fine, but don't buy "Parent's Choice" diapers from Walmart. Unlike some people, I do not believe Walmart is the devil or anything like that. However, I do believe that whoever designed the "Parent's Choice" diapers for Walmart may very well indeed be the spawn of Satan or one of his minions.

Thankfully, we are almost finished using these little white misshapen nightmares. I'm looking forward to getting back to using the "Up and Up" Target brand diapers almost as much as I was looking forward to using the disposable diapers over the cloth diapers.

It's okay for us to be cheap and save money and work on reducing our debt. In fact, that's a great thing to be trying to do, especially in the current economy. However, I beg you to learn from our mistake: Do not use the "Parent's Choice" diapers from Walmart. It's not worth your time, frustration and numerous laundry loads that will result from attempting to use this diaper for what it will supposedly do. If you need a cheap, solid, practical disposable diaper, I'd recommend using the "Up and Up" Target brand.

Don't Waste Your Life - Tuesday Tunes

Stronger - Tuesday Tunes

Who is "We"?

While in Turkey, President Barack Obama said:

We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values.

Do you know the Preamble for your state?...

Alabama 1901, Preamble
We the people of the State of Alabama , invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution...

Alaska 1956, Preamble
We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land...

Arizona 1911, Preamble
We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...

Arkansas 1874, Preamble
We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government...

California 1879, Preamble
We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom...

Colorado 1876, Preamble
We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe..

Connecticut 1818, Preamble.
The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy...

Delaware 1897, Preamble
Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences...

Florida 1885, Preamble
We, the people of the State of Florida , grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this Constitution...

Georgia 1777, Preamble
We, the people of Georgia, relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution...

Hawaii 1959, Preamble
We, the people of Hawaii, Grateful for Divine Guidance ... Establish this Constitution...

Idaho 1889, Preamble
We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings...

Illinois 1870, Preamble
We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil , political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.....

Indiana 1851, Preamble
We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of government...

Iowa 1857, Preamble
We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings, establish this Constitution...

Kansas 1859, Preamble
We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges establish this Constitution...

Kentucky 1891, Preamble..
We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties...

Louisiana 1921, Preamble
We, the people of the State of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy..

Maine 1820, Preamble
We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity .. And imploring His aid and direction...

Maryland 1776, Preamble
We, the people of the state of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty...

Massachusetts 1780, Preamble
We...the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe In the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction...

Michigan 1908, Preamble.
We, the people of the State of Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom, establish this Constitution...

Minnesota 1857, Preamble
We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings:

Mississippi 1890, Preamble
We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work...

Missouri 1845, Preamble
We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness. Establish this Constitution...

Montana 1889, Preamble.
We, the people of Montana, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this Constitution...

Nebraska 1875, Preamble
We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom. Establish this Constitution...

Nevada 1864, Preamble
We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, establish this Constitution...

New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec.. V
Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience...

New Jersey 1844, Preamble
We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors...

New Mexico 1911, Preamble
We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty...

New York 1846, Preamble
We, the people of the State of New York , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings...

North Carolina 1868, Preamble
We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those...

North Dakota 1889, Preamble
We, the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain...

Ohio 1852, Preamble
We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common...

Oklahoma 1907, Preamble
Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty, establish this...

Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I Section 2.
All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences...

Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble
We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance...

Rhode Island 1842, Preamble.
We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing...

South Carolina 1778, Preamble
We, the people of he State of South Carolina grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution...

South Dakota 1889, Preamble
We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties ...

Tennessee 1796, Art. XI..III.
That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience...

Texas 1845, Preamble
We the People of the Republic of Texas, acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God...

Utah 1896,
Preamble Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution...

Vermont 1777, Preamble
Whereas all government ought to enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man...

Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI
Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other...

Washington 1889, Preamble
We the People of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...

West Virginia 1872, Preamble
Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God ...

Wisconsin 1848, Preamble
We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility...

Wyoming 1890, Preamble
We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties, establish this Constitution...

After reviewing acknowledgments of God from all 50 state constitutions, one is faced with the realization that either President Obama was dead wrong in his statement about America not being a Christian nation or he was absolutely correct and America is no longer a Chrisian nation...

Not What I Ought to Be - Words For Wednesday

"I am not what I ought to be — ah, how imperfect and deficient! I am not what I wish to be — I abhor what is evil, and I would cleave to what is good! I am not what I hope to be — soon, soon shall I put off mortality, and with mortality all sin and imperfection. Yet, though I am not what I ought to be, nor what I wish to be, nor what I hope to be, I can truly say, I am not what I once was; a slave to sin and Satan; and I can heartily join with the apostle, and acknowledge, "By the grace of God I am what I am." John Newton as quoted in The Christian Pioneer (1856) edited by Joseph Foulkes Winks, p. 84

This is often paraphrased as "I am not the man I ought to be, I am not the man I wish to be, and I am not the man I hope to be, but by the grace of God, I am not the man I used to be."