Brief Thoughts From This Past Sunday

This Sunday past, we learned about the labels we and others give us. It surprisingly hit home fairly hard, especially during the video piece that illustrated the "Shouts" and "Whispers". You see, for many many years in my life, I had people shouting things like "useless", "idot", "failure" very loudly and very often. What surprised me is that even though it has been 9 years since I removed myself from that situation, the shouts are still louder than the whispers. I am really having to do a gut check on why I still allow those voices in my ear. Why is it that I still duck when I fold a towel wrong. It's crazy. I really want the whispers to overcome the shouts. Seems I have a bit of work to do on that one.

Sunday evening, we were so fortunate to witness the ordaining of Pastor Green. It was very awesome. Even though this event was clearly about the acomplshments of this one man, there was something said that I and my family found very powerful.

It was the first speaker, and I am so sorry that I do not remember his name. He was reflecting on when he had first entered into doing God's ministry. He said the God first breaks a man before calling him into service. Ok, that's interesting enough, but if you know me, you know that physically, I have been broken for years, and spiritually, longer than that, to the point of utter and total despair at times.

That made me wonder, does God have something in mind for me? Even my 7 year old precious daughter looked at me and said "Dad, your leg is broken". So what do you think?

So this Sunday past was pretty darned interesting indeed. One of the things that Pastor Hughes said some time ago is one of the things that I really like about the whole PCC attitude. He said that he was not here to give us all of the answers, but rather to give us things to think about. This Sunday past, I got lots to think about!

~DannyB

Hello Darkness, My Old Friend...

You've come to talk to me again. This time, however, I am not so eager to listen. In years past, I would have gladly opened my door, my mind, heart, and my soul and let you in. Not anymore. No longer do I wish to dwell in the caverns where light is just a rumor. No longer is the "Music of the Night" my first choice. (Phantom of the Opera reference if you didn't already know).

There is warmth in the light. There is peace there. Daily, you make your presence known to me. Daily, you tempt me with your hardships and your trials, but you will not win.

Oh, there are times when I just want to crawl in a hole, but the light doesn't let me stay there long. It will not stand to see me manacled and beaten, afterall, I do not deserve it.

The funny thing is, I have been working on this post for 5 days now. When I started it, I had intended to give into the darkness. My spirit broken as if it were never more than a mere dream, with no true substance. Since then, I have been back and forth a couple of times now, until it dawned on me that no matter what, no matter how dark the times, there is hope. There is a reason and an end in near sight. Things will not always be so glum that we all just want to give up. I keep hearing messages as if God were picking me up by the scruff of the neck and saying "Hey...wake up! I aint givin' up on you, why should you?"

So there it is Darkness. Though I still haven't been able to banish you for good, you are on notice that I'm don't wanna play with you any more. We may go a couple of rounds, but if you are lookin for a long term relationship, then you are barking up the wrong tree!

~DannyB