Dear Diary

Weekend 180:
Our Student Ministries had a weekend event which included being involved in a service project. Saturday I got to take nine sixth grade girls to my favorite place: NESAP Food Pantry! They worked so hard checking expiration dates, stocking shelves and filling bags for distribution. Not a single complaint and they even asked to come back! It was amazing to watch them in action.

Restored!
Three months ago this happened. After much frustration my house is 95% healed! I spent hours and hours working on it these past two weeks and with the help of some great friends it was completed Friday night. Totally!...cleaned, furniture back in place, supplies away. I can walk through my house without tripping over something. It's been 3 months! I actually woke up this morning wondering what house project I was going to work on then realized I didn't have any! The remaining 5% includes carpet repair and painting the stairwell which two amazing friends are coming to complete this week. And I still have a few things to rehang. I can't explain the relief I feel having my life back.

It's Baaaaack!
In 2003, I was diagnosed with a rare benign sinus tumor which took three surgeries to remove. It is described as "destructive, aggressive, highly recurrent and transitionally malignant."
After seven years of dormancy, mine has lived up to its description. It has returned but fortunately a sample that was removed at an office visit still tested benign. Surgery is pending. Praying that the biopsy of the entire tumor will once again be clear.

A Weekend at LifePoint:
We are in the midst of a sermon series which is tackling some tough topics and this week's content was amazing. I was service host which is no surprise because I inevitably have a tough week leading up to the weekend that I host. However, the enemy did not reign this week. Defeated! Put in his place! I made it through. Well, until the 10:45 service erupted in passionate worship during the final song and I was overwhelmed.

No relief:
Six weeks ago I began having horrible pain in my lower back. Two cortisone shots, two weeks of physical therapy, too many copays and I'm still hurting. Praying for an answer.

There you have it. A little piece of what's been going on with me. What's up with you?

"Overwhelmed"

"Overwhelmed" has been a reoccuring word on my mind in the past few days.

Overwhelmed by the cross.
Overwhelmed by the undeserving free gift of life.
Overwhelmed by the generosity of friends.
Overwhelmed with the amount of work to be done at my house.
Overwhelmed that I get to work at such an amazing place.
Overwhelmed by the heartbreaking pain friends are enduring.
Overwhelmed by the brokenness of this life.
Overwhelmed by the weakness of my body.
Overwhelmed by the sinfulness of this earth.
Overwhelmed by the patience of my Father.

Interesting how one word can be both positive and negative. Provides for quite a roller coaster.

It's A Good Friday

I built a fire this evening and decided to read through the crucifixion story. There really IS indescribable power in the words of the Word. Kinda hard to stay self-absorbed and whiney about my menial problems while reading about the "problems" HE had.

Several years ago I wrote a letter to our children's workers at church in response to a reoccuring complaint I was hearing from them..."My class has already heard this story. Why do we have to keep repeating the stories they already know?" In a nutshell, my response was that I don't ever want to stop being able to learn from a shepherd boy who killed a giant no matter how many times I hear the story.

So tonight I read an old story that I've heard hundreds of times. Literally. Yet, I still learned some news things...

• "And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death; for they feared the people." They were afraid of the PEOPLE! Being driven by fear can never lead anywhere good. Well, except maybe in this case because it led to ULTIMATE good.
  
• "For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves." Goes against everything we know about levels, ladders and leadership.
• "And He said to them, 'When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?' So they said, 'Nothing.'” The power of God alone is all we need. Sadly, I don't live that way.
• “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me." Hmmm. There is no record of their reply.
• "That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other." I never realized this.
• "And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.'" One of my favorite verses. Proof that salvation is faith alone. The thief had no time to do good works!
  
• "Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two." Another favorite verse. I wonder if there was a priest in the temple at that time. I just might have to find him someday and ask him what he experienced at that moment. I guess he lost his job that day!
• Joseph of Arimathea gave his tomb for Jesus' burial. I wonder if Joseph ended up using the same tomb. Afterall...it was available again!

Happy Good Friday, everyone! We'll be saying "He is risen" very shortly!