Two friends whom I met at the beginning of last year are getting married this summer. In fact, they are getting married on my 20th Birthday, June 18 2011. It has been beautiful to see their relationship flourish. John used to be "the laundry boy". Then I came to know him as one of the 401 roommates. Corrie has been such a blessing over the past almost 2 years. She is such a strong woman of God and has a beautiful story to tell. I love watching them together, it is sort of amusing.
So today is Corrie's Bridal Shower. 5 pm in the above the Regent Fountain View Room. I cannot wait! I'm sure she is even more excited... based on the txts between myself and her this morning. I am blessed to have Miss Corrie as a sister in Christ.
"Works Righteousness" (vs. 2) - doing the right thing - "God's thing" - no matter the cost
"Walks Uprightly" (vs. 2) - deals with personal trials & mistakes with integrity - admits to them and makes corrections and restitution
"Speaks Truth In His Heart" (vs. 2) - delights in things that are honest and genuine - guards the honesty of his heart
"Does Not Backbite With His Tongue" (vs. 3) - uses disciplined words and doesn't slander - speaks truth, brings life, strength and joy to others in their words
"Honors Those Who Fear The Lord" (vs. 4) - defends others who are righteous, friend or not - goes to their aid regardless of cost
"Swears To His Own Hurt and Does Not Change" (vs. 4) - Yes means Yes - No means No
"Does Not Put Out His Own Money At Usury" (vs. 5) - doesn't use money as gain to the expense of others - understanding that what they have is a gift of God and what they have needs to be used to accomplish God's purposes
"Does Not Take A Bribe Against The Innocent" (vs. 5) - doesn't use people to meet emotional, physical or financial needs - treats everyone as the Sons and Daughters of God
I have just spent another 4 hours dancing. We are almost to tech week of Bye Bye Birdie. Today was especially long since I worked from 9am-5pm. Just like any other Friday, I don't sleep in like my other friends, I go to work. Today we accomplished a lot & I'm feelin it. I got to use the moving lift today... I was about 4 stories high above the stage leaning over the lift and painting the rest of the set.
After work I rushed home to take a shower... not having time to wash my hair I kept it up in its somewhatmessyputtogether state. :) Then went to eat pizza and fellowship with the Reel Dreams Film Competition Finalists. Then it was on to rehearsal.
So 3 pieces of Pizza & 2.5 brownies later I am dancing. Can you say B-A-D I-D-E-A!? I will. Bad. Idea. Its interesting though. I was laying in my passed out state on the floor after a big dance number as we were transitioning scenes, and one of the girls started telling me how she was concerned because her feet are getting confused in some of the songs and its proposing a challenge that makes her sad. I immediately associated with her, because I had been feeling the same way. But, since I have been praying (that the Lord would move my feet and body, to give me the ability and help my mind to soak things up and perform to the best) I have been feeling so much more freed and able to do the dances. :) Prayer Works. So I turned over to her and prayed that same prayer over her. If there is anything I can do other than encourage her, it is to pray over her. Prayer... even more powerful than just encouragement. I believe that the Lord will give her the memory recall and tell her feet when to move. He has already helped me so much in that area. He wouldn't have us there if He didn't want us there.
Anyway, something else not so pleasant happened tonight, but it made me see progress in myself. Interesting yeah? Well, another person in the show began to directly outwardly and frustratingly complain about the dance partner they have for a number. How they would rather be dancing with the other person standing with us. They made some very hurtful statements about that person which I won't repeat, but I standing there hearing this said directly to me and another cast member could not help but feel discouraged for that other dance partner. I responded with "They're going to learn a lot through this experience. We have 2 weeks it'll be ok." The other person standing there with me didn't quite know how to respond to what the other person was saying so I spoke up. If someone were to say that: "She takes too long to figure out the dances... or... Why doesn't she get it... or... She's slow... or ... it's so simple I don't even know why she's a dancer in this show." I would feel so hurt. I know that I am slower than most dancers but thats what makes the end such a rewarding pay-off. I have busted my BUTT to get where I am in the end. That's why I was awarded "Dancer with Most Perseverance" in HS. I would stay after class and work till I was kicked out of the dance room. I know and I am not ashamed that it takes my brain longer and my body slower to get things. But to have someone outwardly scoff about that. That is hurt. So when it came to a friend, that was saddening to me. Where I saw the progress in life was decision making. I could have commented on that persons dancing capabilities as well, I could have built the complaints up with negative words... but instead I chose to direct positive words. You know what? It felt great. I built my friend up... even though they didn't know. But I had that persons back. Kinda reminds me of a good friend whom I saw doing that all the time with his own friends. Directing negative words into positive energy. I miss him. :)
1 Thess. 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
3 The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.
Oh that the Lord would comfort me as He did with Zion. That no matter in all the distress or whatever muck I have trudged through he would still look upon me with compassion. That in times of the dry spell He would water my spirit and make it as Eden. That where I have made a mess of life He would make them new, that the Lord would look and find Joy and Gladness in my heart, spirit and smile. That I may dance and sing and laugh in spite of the life I live here. Oh that it would overwhelm my soul.
Today I found myself yearning for more. I was distraught after what I thought was going to be a failed attempt at making dinner for me and my roommates (funny how such unimportant things can get the best of us). In the end I was tired and just wanted to rest in the Lord. So I went to lie down for 30 minutes and faced my window watching such beauty as I feel asleep.
I walked in on my roommate today as she was sitting on the floor leaning on her bed... I looked upon her feet and saw she was wearing jazz shoes. "You're wearing jazz shoes," I said. "Yes, I was dancing for Jesus," she replied. My heart, Oh my heart, how it just flew when she said that. I could not thank God enough for her. I love dancing for Jesus. I love dancing and my soul has always wanted to dance for the Lord... I am just learning to dance in freedom. I started dancing late last year. I would go for a walk at night, with my iPod in my ears and just start dancing to praise music. I didn't care if anyone saw me, but no one was really around. Recently, I have been dancing more in worship. Freedom my love. Freedom in spirit. That my heart, spirit, tongue and body as a whole would praise the Lord :)
9Awake, awake, arm of the LORD, clothe yourself with strength! Awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of old.
Verse 9 is such a testament to what I could not say in my own words. I wish to awake to each new day with a full heart, readiness, and strength to make it through the day. I make this my prayer. Oh Lord that my days would be meaningful and full in Your eyes & mine. That all distress and weakness would pass from this body. For I long to live my days here to the fullest.
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
10 For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.” 11 Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.
13 We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you.
15Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, 16 so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. 17 But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[b]18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
"I have much to say to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete." (2 John 1:12 [NIV])
As my title states I am hungry. I sit here at almost 5 in the afternoon on the couch in my living room. It's about time for me to be putting dinner together. Katie (my roommate) made a absolutely AMAZING meatloaf last night. As I was dancing in Bye Bye Birdie rehearsal I kept burping meatloaf (doesn't that sound appetizing). Anyways, I am going to be eating wonderful left-overs and a salad which is chilling on my counter right now.
It's interesting to think about what happens when we hunger. In my case, since I am Hypoglycemic (is the medical term for a state produced by a lower than normal level of blood glucose. The term literally means "under-sweet blood" -- So I guess a vampire is out of luck when it comes to taking my blood it will be "un"sweetened), I have to constantly be eating good portions of protein. I can't just eat some candy and restore my blood sugar to a good level. Basically, my blood sugar level will spike, and I get really sick. But on the other end, if I don't eat any protein or get some sugar in my system I get really sick. So the way I stay alive is by trying to stay in the medium with balanced levels.
When I haven't eaten I get shaky, my head begins to hurt, my stomach begins to eat itself, and I have no physical or mental energy to do anything. My whole being is desperate and dependent on the food I eat. I must eat everyday 3 times or more. Shouldn't this also be the case for my daily walk with God? Should I not long to speak with my Heavenly Father? To hear His sweet voice whispering in my ear? When I go through the whole day too busy to stop and say a prayer should I not feel drained having not been in His presence? Perhaps it doesn't hit suddenly at the end of my day but it sure catches up and when it does it is drastic. For my spirit should be so disciplined, to have a never ending hunger for the word of God and daily relationship building with Him. Am I desperate? Am I longing?
Yes. I think the older I get and the more challenges I face bring me closer to the feet and heart of God. Last year may be a testament of that. How beautiful it is to see the green grass before me. How amazing it is to know that the path ahead is planned & I have no worries. My life is but a vapor on the wind & soon I will be carried away.
The challenge is to live life everyday in surrender, to hunger throughout my days for more of Him and less of me.
For Lord I am hungry and thirsty for more of You and the marvelous things ahead.
