Just thought I'd put in a shameless plug for Kristie Braselton's newest CD: "Composition". Her 3rd song on there: "Faith without Fire" is amazing. The song tells the story of Bonnie Codier, evbc's "resident Job," as Kristie says. Bonnie has been in the hospital for months on end... through intense pain and numerous surgeries. When "Faith without Fire" came on and I figured out who the song was about, I cried.
For those of you that know Bonnie's story (which is anybody reading this), please use this link and sign her guestbook.
Then buy Kristie's CD. It's amazing.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
God Isn't My Mechanic
A few weeks ago I took my car in to a shop to prepare it for the trip to Washington. The windshield wiper fluid wasn't spraying, among some of the car's minor problems.
"Can you check the wiper fluid spray nozzles, and maybe replace them?" I asked the mechanic at the front desk. He answered with a question: "Have you already checked the fluid levels?"
"Not recently," I replied, turning my keys over, "that could be my problem I guess."
Later that day, I came back to pick up the car, and the same mechanic told me the work they'd performed. When I asked if the fluid sprayed right, he said my wiper fluid reservoir was almost empty, so they had filled it. I didn't really care at the time, because they had done the major work I asked them to do.
A few days later I actually tried spraying my windshield. Lo and behold, the nozzles started to foam like a 4-year-old trying to spit for the first time. Nothing actually hit my windshield. The reservoir was now full, but that still hadn't solved the problem.
I realized the mistake: I told the mechanic my problem, and a possible solution, and he gave me a different possible solution. Instead of trying to fix the problem, he just filled the tank and stopped there. He did exactly what he wanted to do (the easier thing), without solving the problem. He was more interested in trying a solution than in actually fixing what was wrong... and there's a difference.
The point of this illustration is this: don't we ask God to try a solution, rather than fix our problem? It may look something like this: "God, please give me ________, so I can feel better." We may insert a girl, or a better job, or more money, or whatever else into that blank, thinking that it will solve our problem (feeling bad). He may even grant us our prayer, just to show that our "solution" still leaves us empty, sinful, and hurting.
How often are we honest and bold enough to ask, "God, I'm feeling down. Sometimes I'm not even sure what will fix this, but You know. I'm not even sure if feeling better will be the best thing for me right now. All I ask is that You do what's best... and that I take joy in Your solution."
"Can you check the wiper fluid spray nozzles, and maybe replace them?" I asked the mechanic at the front desk. He answered with a question: "Have you already checked the fluid levels?"
"Not recently," I replied, turning my keys over, "that could be my problem I guess."
Later that day, I came back to pick up the car, and the same mechanic told me the work they'd performed. When I asked if the fluid sprayed right, he said my wiper fluid reservoir was almost empty, so they had filled it. I didn't really care at the time, because they had done the major work I asked them to do.
A few days later I actually tried spraying my windshield. Lo and behold, the nozzles started to foam like a 4-year-old trying to spit for the first time. Nothing actually hit my windshield. The reservoir was now full, but that still hadn't solved the problem.
I realized the mistake: I told the mechanic my problem, and a possible solution, and he gave me a different possible solution. Instead of trying to fix the problem, he just filled the tank and stopped there. He did exactly what he wanted to do (the easier thing), without solving the problem. He was more interested in trying a solution than in actually fixing what was wrong... and there's a difference.
The point of this illustration is this: don't we ask God to try a solution, rather than fix our problem? It may look something like this: "God, please give me ________, so I can feel better." We may insert a girl, or a better job, or more money, or whatever else into that blank, thinking that it will solve our problem (feeling bad). He may even grant us our prayer, just to show that our "solution" still leaves us empty, sinful, and hurting.
How often are we honest and bold enough to ask, "God, I'm feeling down. Sometimes I'm not even sure what will fix this, but You know. I'm not even sure if feeling better will be the best thing for me right now. All I ask is that You do what's best... and that I take joy in Your solution."
Friday, August 18, 2006
First post...
For those of you that aren't quite addicted enough to reading useless information, here is my blog. Today's post will be a bit short:
I arrived into Spokane safe & sound on Wednesday, August 16. Spokane's weather is beyond compare right now... a perfect respite from Arizona's furnace-like August temperatures. The sky is clear, so I think I'll do some touring around a Japanese garden they have here.
More to come when I have the time/access to a computer again.
-JS
I arrived into Spokane safe & sound on Wednesday, August 16. Spokane's weather is beyond compare right now... a perfect respite from Arizona's furnace-like August temperatures. The sky is clear, so I think I'll do some touring around a Japanese garden they have here.
More to come when I have the time/access to a computer again.
-JS
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