:: Sisters' Weblog: It Bloggles the Mind! ::

Sue's blogchalk:
United States, Tennessee, Humboldt, English, Susan, Female, 36-40, Christianity, Bible Study, church, music, trumpet, CD's.

Katie's blogchalk:
United States, Tennessee, Humboldt, English, Katie, Female, 30-35, Christianity, Bible Study, church, mom with two kids, full-time student.

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:: Friday, April 04, 2003 ::

Dandelions

I'm taking a World Literature class this semester. We just finished reading Essays In Idleness. We have an online discussion instead of a quiz on each assignment. I like that idea! Anyhow, when discussing a particular quote, we got into a discussion on how children are not afraid to ask questions. They ask about anything they want to know, no matter how frivolous it may be. We talked about how adults are afraid to ask questions. What are we afraid of? The answer? Looking stupid? Is it a pride issue? Whatever the reason, a child doesn't have the barriers that seem to accompany maturity. They have a no holds barred inquisitive mind. They need input! Wouldn't it be nice if we could just push a button and spend a few moments each day with the heart of a child?

One of the girls commented to my posting about how her four year old daughter picked a handful of weeds and gave them to her as "pretty flowers". The mother commented, "These are the most beautiful dandelions!" Adults spend much time and hard work trying to be rid of these weeds. But when you look through the eyes of a child, or the mother of that child, these weeds turn out to be quite a treasure! I'm glad that God sees beautiful dandelions instead of weeds when He looks at His children. To think that as much as I love my children.......He loves me sooo much more! Wow!

:: Katie 4/4/2003 09:02:42 PM ** ** [+] ::
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Non-Believing Friends

I have a long time friend. In fact, she and I were so close that we shared a home for 14 years. She was my best friend and we shared much of our lives together. We vacationed together, shared meals together, and shared triumphs and tragedies. One day that all came to a stop because she fell in love.

The man that entered her life was clearly not the one for her. I knew it. She didn't. She pursued a relationship and basically just pushed our friendship aside. It was a difficult time in my life, that rejection from my best friend. Part of the problem too was the fact that I so much disapproved of her choice in a man. There are more details about how this all affected me and if you would care to, you can read about it as part of my testimony. I was so hurt by it all.

Eventually, that circumstance and others in my life led me to realize that I was in need of a savior. God worked in so many amazing ways that I finally committed my life to Christ on April 4, 1999. It's four years today! Woohooo!

As on on fire Christian 4 years ago, I wanted so bad for my friend to know the Lord. To her, I probably looked insane. A Jesus freak if you will. Going to church all the time, reading my bible, playing my praise music LOUD and just flying high on the Spirit.

Shortly after that it became apparant that I needed to move on with my life and in the direction Christ wanted me to go. I moved from IA to TN and started my new life. God has blessed me ever since and I have always had my friendship with T in mind. Over the years I have prayed for her salvation. There is a part of me that is still hurting because I forever lost that close relationship. She no longer shared the intimate details of her thought life, or her life in general. It's a weird thing.

Well, recently she emailed me. She was open with me about a lot of things, mainly her relationship with Mike and how it is over now. From what I understand, it was an up and down relationship almost all through it because a couple of years ago she called me because she was upset that they had broken up. From what I can tell, her heart has been broken many times by this man. She shared some things that have re-emphasized how much in need of a savior she is. She considers herself a Christian, but so did I as do so many people before their salvation experience. I lived with her for 14 years, I know she doesn't have a real relationship with God.

It was my opportunity to share with her about my Jesus. I thought about it for a couple days...and then the other day I got an email again from her that asked "you haven't responded to my email answering your personal questions. Is there something wrong?" I guess I had waited too long. I immediately wrote back and words flowed as I shared a bit of testimony. It is hardest for me to share with a friend, moreso than a stranger. But, I was very very bold. After I hit "send" I waited for a response. It didn't come until last night.

I prayed that my words may have fallen into a heart open to receive them. I prayed God was working on her from other angles. The email I got kind of crushed those hopes. It said "Thanks, Sue. I will think about what you said" -T. That's all it says. It sounds like a courtesy response. I guess it's all in God's hands. I do feel good that I responded to the prompting and shared what I could about God and now it is the Holy Spirit's work. I can't change hearts, I can only share what I know. That's what I did. Ten years from now, T may recall the words of my email and wish to know more.

Pray for T today.

:: Susan 4/4/2003 08:11:23 AM ** ** [+] ::
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The Interview

Had a possible new hire come visit my store and take a look around town today. He's got some good background and really has a passion to be in the music retail business. That's a plus! Especially when you are applying for a job in music retail!!

I think he will be a good employee. He has a business degree and seems well versed in the ins and outs of all we have to do. I like him. We had good conversation over lunch. I need a good employee...now it's up to my DM to woo him here. Hopefully we can pay him enough to come, but the way labor is right now? Time will tell.

I am in desperate need of some good help! Why doesn't anyone want to work anymore? Everyone wants a job, but no one likes to work! Ok, I am generalizing...but, I sure have weeded through a lot of employees. It is so difficulty to find hard-working, loyal workers who are intrinsicly motivated. Must be all that "self-esteem" education and "feel good" ideology.

Life is hard people! Learn it! Know it! Do it!

Jesus Christ will make it easier for you though! Woooohooooooo!

:: Susan 4/2/2003 11:07:37 PM ** ** [+] ::
...

Got 30 Minutes?

Do you know where you're gonna go?

:: Susan 4/1/2003 11:23:07 PM ** ** [+] ::
...

Church Visiting

As a trumpet player in a brass ensemble, I am invited to play at church services now and then. I love to play and will often accept the invitation and join the worship service. Today was one such day.

I hesitate going to other worship services because when I am blessed to have a day off of work, I'd rather spend it worshipping with my family at Northbrook. I took the opportunity though and really observed what was going on around me at the church I visited today.

First thing I noticed is that the average age of the congregation was at least 60. There were maybe 70 attendees and the "choir" consisted of 4 elderly ladies who were making a "joyful noise unto the Lord". As you can imagine, the prayer list in an older congregation has a tendency to get quite long. Oh boy!

Well, it is NOT my style of worship service, but worship is a heart thing. While I may not be moved into worship here (mainly because I object to most music if it wasn't written after 1990, in this case, 1900...LOL), I'm sure that the church members were there to worship and hear a word from God, so I listened and watched. I know one women was surely enjoying the hymns! WHEW! I can use her to support my theory that God is tone deaf!

We played a piece after each hymn and then we heard a reading from the Word. During the reading of the gospel I took out my Bible and started reading John 3 along with the pastor who read aloud. I didn't realize it until I looked up at the congregation at one point, that I was the only one in the whole church who had a Bible with them. What's wrong with this picture?

Then came the sermon. GREAT MESSAGE from the pastor! I thoroughly enjoyed what he was saying! YES YES YES! Not a firey type style of delivery or anything, it was a simple message on how God calls us and the scripture was John 3. He really had some interesting insights about Nicodemus having a "midlife crisis" and wanting to do everything himself...but why did he need to come to Jesus. I was really getting a lot from the message because it was so right! It was the gospel...FLAT OUT! GOD calls US! He opens our eyes! We don't know when or where it will happen, that blessed moment that the Holy Spirit enters our hearts. We can prepare for it. We can pray for it. But, we can't make it happen! We don't know when that moment will be. That is ALL in GODs hands! OHHHHHH, it was such a great message.

Yet, as I looked out at the congregation I noticed something. Eyes were empty. Faces were expressionless. My heart hurt for these people. They were obviously missing something. Now, this was the majority of what I saw. This does not represent everyone there. A few very happy souls greeted us and welcomed us to their church. We were invited to stay for pot luck dinner after the service, and I am sure the Holy Spirit did stir in the hearts of a few there...I was hurting for those that missed the message. I was praying that God would open their eyes and open their hearts to hear Him.

On my way out to my car I passed a couple outside the church doors on a smoke break. Can they NOT smoke for an hour or two? I don't get that. It's a peeve. I don't think people EVER need to smoke on the grounds of any church.

So, my experience made me thankful for my church. It made me thankful for my brothers and sisters in Christ. Most of all it made me thankful that God called me...ME! And He blessed me with ears to hear His call.

:: Susan 3/30/2003 05:53:06 PM ** ** [+] ::
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