Emma's wisdom

After several months of encouragement from James, I went to visit with an 83 year old lady who attends church where I do some outreach stuff, and who lives across the parking lot from some of the wildest neighborhood kids I know right now. Emma Hollaway. What a treasure. She is so articulate and her thinking not a bit old fashioned, but very wise and experienced and still open to learning more about who God is. She had many good tidbits of wisdom to share and I'll share some that I remember:

"Its important to remember that life is a journey, you have to enjoy it along the way. Its important to enjoy it, every moment as you go."

"People are important."

"Practice positive self talk. Say what Jesus says about you, that he loves you and that he lives in you. Christ lives in you. And he's all around you. He will never leave you or forsake you. He will never leave you. He loves you. You have to remind yourself of that often."

"I learned the more about God working in retail sales than I ever did in Bible school or raising my family. Just learned about him through people."

"I enjoy people. All kinds of people. I like almost everybody."

"(with addimate hand gestures) Fears... you've got to go towards them, face them and go towards them, you can't walk away or hide from them, just face them. It talks about that in the Bible, always go forward not looking at whats behind... You can't live in fear. It just paralyzes you. You've just got to press in to it, and go forward"

"when it comes time for me to die, I want to be so close with the Lord that its just like i'm holding his hand now and we just cross over together, my hand in his."


She is precious to share and I look forward to sharing more with you all when I see her again.

Changed in angry mob clothes

You may be familiar with the song "Watch the Lamb" by Ray Boltz. It was written to lean itself to video/dramatization. Its based on the perspective of a bystander with 2 sons coming to Jerusalem for Passover and getting trapped in the mob pushing to crucify Jesus... We did a silent skit going along with the song today at Vandelia's church service. I was part of the angry mob, along with some of the sweetest hearted old ladies. (I am brought to tears again remembering two of them in tears about playing such a role) It was quite a challenging experience for all of us to look angry and beligerent and hateful and physically assaultive to Jesus as he stumbled across the stage to Golgotha. We acted to look in disgust and shout in ridicule and spit and kick and hurl abuse... It was hard for all of us to get through it without sobbing at the outright frank injustice and paradox of it all. At the incredible power of grace and the horrible/wonderful idea that Jesus really did die for the angry mob. I didn't think about it until sitting through the rest of the worship service in my angry mob sheet/costume. We went up to the front to get communion, and the preacher said "don't everyone come up at once" And i thought in my heart, "Yes everyone, come to Jesus, run to him, recieve him, let him recieve you" and then later as i was about to go up, I thought, "wait, no, i can't go in these clothes, these are my angry mob clothes, i was just in the angry mob that kicked and spit on and hated him" But then God reminded me, "He came for the angry mob, he died for the angry mob. I love the angry mob." Whom else became believers and followers of Christ later in Acts when Peter preached, but those who had been there in Jerusalem that day, the angry mob. 'While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us'

I hope to God, that the feeling I had today, and that memory is only a foretaste of what I will see, what we will all see to come, Angry mobs being changed by Christ into worshipers and passionate lovers of God.

my new prayer is this: "I want to see angry mobs changed to worshipers and lovers of God"

mid april update

see melissa's blog for details

Least of These

This song has recently become a favorite as i have just been introduced to this artist. I found my self singing it over and over to myself as i was taking care of a patient last night at work who had some very chronic and dibilitating illnesses and low quality of life and no family around, totally dependent on care (and that from a guardian assigned by the state).. this song, (or the one line of it that i could remember, was a very good attitude check for me)

Least of These - song by Lane Oliver

judgement and lies, why do you critize
judgemental ears why can't you hear their crys
cuz your only thinking about yourself....
and your only looking to your left when you know whats right and you decide to run

what you have done to the least of these.. you have also done to me
to see beyond what you can see to a heart thats broken

alone on the run, the damage already done
they look for a hand to lovingly lead them home

but your standing in the blink of an eye
for another blessing to fall from the sky
you've perfected blindness as your comfort zone

what you have done to the least of these.. you have also done to me
to see beyond what you can see to a heart thats broken
cuz You were once in bondage too
but someone else's love saw you
You meet me when you meet their needs
Lay down your life for the least of these

Because you make the blind to see, you can meet my deapest need
Because you gave up everything and chose to die, I can live

here in your presence there's no doubt
you are eternal living God, so I am giving you my all

[you are my hands you are my feet my flesh and blood that they can see
awaken from the rising sleep thats falling on your eyes]

what you have done to the least of these you have also done to me
to see beyond what you can see to a heart thats broken
cuz You were once in bondage too
but someone else's love saw you
You meet me when you meet their needs
Lay down your life for the least of these