Brokenness Aside

Will your grace run out
If I let you down
'Cause all I know
Is how to run

'Cause I am a sinner
If its not one thing its another
Caught up in words
Tangled in lies
You are the Savior
And you take brokenness aside
And make it beautiful
Beautiful

Will you call me child
When I tell you lies
Cause all I know
Is how to cry

I am a sinner
If its not one thing its another
Caught up in words
Tangled in lies
You are the Savior
And you take brokenness aside
And make it beautiful
Beautiful

You make it beautiful
You make it beautiful

 

 

 

- All Sons and Daughters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzyQ2yD55xM

Thoughts

This is something that has been heavy on my heart for a while now, and an area on which I hope to tread carefully. I have homosexual friends, friends who have struggled with homosexuality, both Christian and non-believers, and I know them personally and love them so much, and the last thing I want to do is hurt someone, especially one I love so much. The subject of gay marriage is so heavy in the USA right now, and I can’t even get on Facebook without seeing the manifestation of the movement. Frankly, a lot of what I see on Facebook hurts my heart – the hate Christians display towards the homosexual community is absolutely horrifying. And to all of you hurt by it, I want to apologize on the behalf of them. I am so sorry.

When homosexuals say “I was born this way” it’s true. It's a valid argument. We’re all born into sin. Psalm 51:5 “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”

According to Genesis, humanity was originally created perfect, like the world in which they lived. They were created in God’s own image – it doesn’t get any more perfect than that!

Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

But the fall made us all imperfect, made us all blemished – like a disease, Adam and Eve passed sin down to us through our genes, not one could escape. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Ephesians 2 tells us that we are children of disobedience – not one person in all the history of humanity could escape this disease. Well – I guess one did.

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

We all know that one.

There’s redemption in this story – the inescapable became curable! Our very bloodline is made pure by Jesus – only by the spilling of His blood could ours become clean! Like a bone marrow transplant is Jesus to our disease – He takes our hearts, the hearts born into sin and He gives us a heart transplant – and we become new!

Romans 5:19 - For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Just take a minute to process that.

Now back to what I was saying.

We’re all born into sin. It’s in each one of our hearts until the day we accept Jesus as our Saviour and God as our Lord. So, those of you that think you’re better than the homosexuals – you’re not. You are/were just like them. Their sin is no greater than ours. It's not worse than your gossip, not worse than your addiction to porn or drugs or alcohol, no worse than your lies, no worse than your passivity, no worse than your lust and greed and adultery. Sin is sin. We all have it. And we all have to opportunity to give it up and receive beauty for our ashes. And that’s the beauty of true love. Share it.

Next time someone tells you that they are born this way, tell them they are. But tell them everything else too. And, above it all, love them no matter what.

Peace out girl scout.

The Lord is my Shepard

So, my sister had her wisdom teeth removed on Friday. Probably one of the funniest experiences of my life. If you don’t know why, check out some videos on Facebook. But, since she has been out of order for a couple of days, our family bonding time has been gathering around the television, having endless marathons of Little House on the Prairie. It’s a show my sister and I absolutely adored growing up – I used to pretend to be Laura Ingalls – I’d braid my hair and find an old-fashioned bonnet and take my dirty clothes outside to the old washing bin in the backyard and “wash” them. I was a slightly odd child.

Anyways, we were watching one episode I had basically memorized a kid, but having been years since I’d seen it, I’d forgotten much of the detail, aside from the plotline. This one is entitled “The Lord is my Shepard” – based off one part in the hour-long episode. In the first half, Caroline (the mom) has her’s and Charles’ (the dad) first son, but Charles Jr. dies when he’s just a few weeks old. Standing in the doctor’s office, Caroline begins to fall apart and Charles walks across the room, holds her, and begins to speak out Psalms 23 to comfort her and himself as well, and they finish it together. As old and cheesy at it may sound, it was such a powerful moment. Man, I was bawling my eyes out. That’s what I want, if I ever get married, in a husband – someone who not only runs to God when he is in pain, but would take me with him. How could I miss that all this time?

I think I’m going to be watching this show a little more often.

Peace out girl scout.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Yellow Lights

   I finished work late tonight. My mom dropped the car off in front of the theatre so I could drive home instead of calling her in the wee hours of the night to come pick me up. It was a little chilly outside, I noticed, typical for March weather. And as I fumbled for my keys to unlock the car, I stopped and looked around. The only noise was the sound of the pedestrian signal, slowly ringing to let nonexistent walkers know that it was not yet quite safe to cross the street, according to the traffic light. I watched the light switch and heard the signal say “walk sign is on” in her silly, robotic voice. Funny, how I could hear it all, plain as day, all the way down the street. Not that downtown Franklin is that big, it’s just strange that you can hear a penny drop from down the street. But that’s Franklin. Everything goes to sleep at 9 o clock sharp. I stood there and took it all in for a moment, having all of Main Street to myself. I then hopped in the car, plugged in some Ben Howard, and went on a drive. Funny, how things change, and how, as I drive around this place, the trigger is pulled and memories come pouring out; good, bad, and all so surreal. Passing my high school, remembering the countless and endless days I spent there, football games, plays, hard work, lunch, homecoming, exams, and everything in between. Passing neighborhoods where my friends lived, in houses where we stayed up nights, giggling, crying, and doing makeovers, watching movies, killing time. Driving down roads I’ve taken a thousand times, passing under lights blinking yellow, laughing at how that was once the reminder that I was out past curfew and likely to be reprimanded or even grounded upon my tardy return home. But it’s funny, how taking those long, narrow and windy back roads now remind me of New Zealand. How, once a fair distance from the town lights, I can see the stars, so much more vivid and bright in the New Zealand sky. I love home so much, it’s such a huge part of who God has made me – but I also carry a piece of New Zealand in my heart here. Oh how I long to see the clear, blue ocean and those amazing green rolling hills! How I miss the sheer rock and rivers and constantly changing landscape! But I am determined to grow here at home as well! My momma has always said “You gotta bloom where you’re planted” and I know I’m planted here right now. I won’t deny that I can’t wait to be on Kiwi soil again, but I’m gonna soak up this Tennessee sun and enjoy where He’s got me, because I don’t wanna look back and realize how much I missed because my heart was in the wrong place.

Peace out girl scout.

Masquerade

So the song of the week will be presented a little different this week! It’s a song that’s been stuck in my head for a couple of weeks now, since my lovely friend Elizabeth Perkinson put together a video of my homecoming back in February – the background song is “Masquerade” by Sleeping At Last, and I love it. You should watch the video – it’s made by a very talented, lovely lady. :) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp9ZgqoOLD0