Blessing After Blessing

I can't hardly describe the day I have had, although I will do my best here. The day has truly been riddled with showers of blessing right from the beginning:

1. Greek class. It was the final Greek class I may ever have to take in my life. God be praised for a great year of relearning a pretty neat language.
2. My last paper for Spiritual Formation finished in half an hour giving me lots of time to get to Chapel, which is number three...
3. Chapel was EXCELLENT. We had a substitute organist who ROCKED the keys. Possibly the best we have sung And Can It Be. Dr. Mulholland brought the word. Yes he did. We were all blessed.
4. Nice chat at the lunch table about feelings and cognitive behavior therapy. Could work well with some people I am sure. God has blessed some people with great wisdom.
5. Spiritual Formation class was awesome. It was our last so that was the worst part. My song went pretty well, thanks to Cherith Meeks at the piano, but it was clear how God worked it all together to make a really wonderful class. My text has been a sort of them or the Seminary the past semester and Dr. Mulholland spoke on the text as well. Sometimes God knocks us over the head with themes like this and we actually get it.
6. I showed the car to a person today. I hope he makes the right decision for him. God knows I want Him to take the car back and for the right person. Maybe this is he?
7. I talked tonight for half an hour with my best friend from the age of, well, ever. Ben lived next door to me growing up (even when we moved from the trailer to the house) and was an ever constant companion. God has shown himself to Ben in the last year in ways he could only tell you because they are so amazing. We are the sought not the seeker. Praise Jesus for holding us close even when we are dead set against running away.
8. I talked to another buddy from home living in Lancaster. He and his wonderful wife have had a rough go of the last three years but will tell you with his mouth how faithful God has been through the ugliness. Little sparks of hope are all around for us to find.
9. Said friend's wife told me to grow a pair and call her in a week. I mean, how could you NOT love a person like that! ;) Thanks, Rachel. :)
10. The Office season finale rocked.

What an exercise - why don't we keep a list of 10 blessings for each day like this all the time?

Sweet Lord - how is it that I have been showered with these gifts? May they drive a response from within that reveals even more of your reckless love.

Relief

God finally showed me a confidant to reveal my burdens to - what a blessing. Have you ever thought to yourself, "self - are there really any other skeletons in your closet?" Today I can answer a confident "no" and go on my merry way rejoicing at the new-found freedom that is mine. My God has freed me from an astounding guilt and will continue to renew me each day in different measure, but oh how sweet the conscience of a soul unburdened.

Happenstance Conversation

A man I just met on my rounds is in town for his daughter's graduation. I told him I was going to be a preacher so his advice was to "preach the Word and step on toes if you have to. If people complain you know you are doing it right."


When a person tells you to preach the Word, and do so unappologetically, what do they mean exactly? What do you "preach" to the man whose son conceives a child out of wedlock who serves your church as an elder - is "the word" for him to resign? Are you preaching the Word to a family whose son died in Iraq when you picket his funeral as a protest to our domestic, national waywardness on issues like homosexuality and abortion? What relation is there between "Word" and "gospel"? Are they the same - can you swap one for the other? Are we spineless stand-for-nothings when we care about how we are received?