Hands and Feet

I am totally in awe of how some people say things that convict without bringing people down. Hillsong United has this song called Solution that is just like that. One of my favorite parts of the song goes
"Only You can mend the broken heart
And cause the blind to see
Erase complete the sinners past
And set the captives free
Only You can take the widows cry
And cause her heart to sing
Be a Father to the fatherless
Our Savior and our King
We will be Your hands, we will be Your feet
We will run this race
On the darkest place, we will be Your light
We will be Your light"
The song is the truth laid out in front of us, it seems. We cannot fix everything, in fact we can't really fix anything. God must be that solution, that glue to hold everything together. We must administer the healing. The pediatrician does not mix and test the motrin, that is left up to the scientists. We must be "doers of the word." I want this song to be my prayer, now and forever.
"...It is not too far a cry
To much to try
To help the least of these
Politics will not decide
If we should rise
And be your hands and feet"

What time is it? SUMMER TIME

Well, I am officially a junior in high school! I took my last exam Wednesday morning so I am now on summer break! Being able to say that is more of a relief than I can tell you. I'm so excited about what's happening this summer. Here's a few of the things I'm doing.

ASP
The senior high mission trip for my youth group this year is Appalachian Service Project. We basically are going into an impoverished area in Appalachia and working on houses. Our youth group has been through a lot in the last several months so I'm a little more excited than usual to see what God does on this trip. I think everyone is going for a different reason. Me, I like mission trips and I want to build/rebuild relationships with a lot of the people in the youth group. After all, these are the people I'll be spending the rest of high school with so I want to know them better.

Hollymont
It's the summer camp my mom, sister, and I go to every year (I wrote a whole post about it here). This will be my tenth summer there and my first as a Counselor in Training or CIT. Hollymont is the two weeks I spend the other fifty looking to. I can't wait to see all of my girls! I'd write more about it, but if I don't stop now I never will.


Raider Workouts
I do these with JROTC. What I'm really excited about is the actual raider season which doesn't start until September (I think). The hard part about this, though, is that I'm not doing marching band because of it. It's been kind of a tough pill to swallow, but I think I made the right decision. And it's not like I'm doing nothing in the fall, I'm going to be at raider meets most weekends.

Books
Near the end of school I started reading again and I've finished two so far and have started another. First I read Dancing at the Harvest Moon by K.C. McKinnon then I tackled The Help by Katherine Stockett. Now I'm on The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen. I highly recommend the first two, I'll let you know on the last one.I love reading outside, but with these dang cicadas I've been driven inside twice now. But that's a story for another post.

And there's a rundown on what I'm doing this summer. 

Currently....
Listening to: A bunch of stuff from Passion 2010.
Waiting on: The A-Team to arrive in my mailbox. 
Hoping to: Go see the new Pirates movie today.

Dang Bible Belt

I just read an article about a bill on Tennessee's capitol hill that made me a bit angry. If passed into law, this bill would ban Tennessee teachers from Kindergarten to 8th grade from talking about homosexuality in "prepared materials and instruction." This is totally ridiculous. Whether or not you agree with people being gay, there is no denying that it is a part of the world and cannot be ignored. The funny thing is that most of the time the students really don't care all that much. Sure, when someone first comes out everyone is a little weird around them but that goes away pretty quickly and the ones that make a big deal out of it become the minority. It's the adults who make a big deal out of it. A lot of the teachers even know which kids are gay and don't treat them any differently than the others. This bill is DUMB and I am so embarrassed that it is happening in Tennessee.

Now on to a quasi-related topic. The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against the Sumner County School System (where I go) for 'unconstitutional religious events' in county schools. I guess I should explain a little bit about where I live before I go on. Tennessee is part of what is known as the Bible Belt. Christianity is literally EVERYWHERE. For example, there are 42 churches in Hendersonville, a city that is about 33 square miles (5.6 of those are water). Escaping is impossible. I'm not saying that Christianity is a bad thing, in fact I find it quite wonderful, but I believe that it should not intertwine with public schools. In my high school's cafeteria there are regularly youth pastors from different churches around town and one day the Gideons  were even there handing out Bibles. I just think that other religions should be respected. Christ didn't go around shoving his ministry in everyone's face, he took it to them with love and understanding. Forcing our beliefs on others is ultimately crippling to the message we should be sending. This country is not run by a religious leader. There's a reason we have a separation of church and state. I may not sound like the best Christian for saying all this, and if that's the case then good. I don't want to be a Christian, I want to be a lover of people and a lover of God. If I am that, then I've done my job.

Opening the Vent

You know those days when you feel like you're being pulled a thousand different directions and you have close to a million things to do? Well that's how this whole week has been for me. I have a ton of stuff to do for school, not to mention study for finals and work on projects to help pay for my mission trip this summer. I am more stressed than I have been in a long time so what do I do? I go write. Why? For the sake of sanity I guess. Because when everything else seems to be crashing down on top of me all at once, I know that I can always find who I am and be reminded of who I belong to just by writing out a few words. I'm listening to Glorious Day by Casting Crowns right now, and suddenly it all makes sense again. Back into perspective my life has fallen. The blinders have been removed and I can see what really matters: Jesus loves me more than I can even begin to comprehend and he is with me through every trial I may face. Through the mounds of homework stuffed in my backpack, through the disappointment threatening to crush me, through missing people I love, through not being sure of what is right, he is there. I can turn to him always. That's really all I have to say today.

"Word of God speak

Would you pour down like rain

Washing my eyes to see

Your majesty

To be still and know

That you're in this place

Please let me stay and rest

In you holiness...Word of God speak"

Living He Loved Me...

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He
Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him
From rising again

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my Beloved One bringing
My Savior Jesus is mine

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

*Thanks to the Casting Crowns for writing this post.

Father Knows Best

The following is my case for proving that God has a sense of humor.

Last night I was scrolling through news on Yahoo! and I came across an article about President Obama's interview with 60 Minutes on the killing of Osama bin Laden. He made a few comments that made me angry at first. The most irksome of these was “Anyone who would question that Bin Laden didn’t deserve what he got needs to have their head examined.” Since I've already blogged about what I think of rejoicing in Bin Laden's death (No Conditions), I won't bore you with it again. So, I was sitting in bed, irked, as previously mentioned, when I realized that the President of the United States of America just told me to have my head examined. I'm not sure why, but I find this absolutely HILARIOUS! How many people can say that they have had Barack Obama insult their intelligence? Okay maybe a lot, but come on, this is cool! I'll admit, my sense of humor probably seems a bit out of whack to some, but I think that's the coolest part. God took what he knew would make me, individually, smile and used it to his glory! And there is my God story for today!

May the road rise up to meet you...

I just got home from the banquet we have for band every year. I always forget how huge a part of my life this band has become, but tonight was a huge reminder. This year's seniors are some truly wonderful people. I've learned more from just being around them everyday than I will ever be able to say. I don't know all of them very well, but a few I have had the great privilege of getting to know. It's weird to think a few months from now, I won't walk down the hall and see their faces, but I am so excited about all that God has in store for them. I can't wait to hear all about where they are going in this crazy world! It's still hard to say goodbye to them, though. We've been through so much together, from the ridiculous heat in July and August to the sub-freezing state championship football game. That's not all, though. We've fought, cried, yelled, kicked, worried, laughed, loved, rejoiced, prayed, sang, cheered, hoped, and lived life together. We are one big family, an often times dysfunctional one, but a family none the less. I know that if I ever need a friend, I will always have one from band. I wish all of the seniors the very best in whatever their endeavors may be. I love you all so much and am so grateful to have gotten to know you all! I will always carry a part of you with me, and I "have been changed for good" because of who you are. My only regret about this class is that I didn't get to know you better.

“May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.”

Here is the Band of Gold playing our school's alma mater a few years ago.

WARNING: POINTLESS RAMBLING WILL OCCUR.
 I don't really have a lot to blog about today but I want to write so here I am, sitting at the computer with blogger pulled up and listening to Hillsong United. I wasn't really into Christian music for a long time and I'm still not to some extent. Some of the stuff kind of bothers me. It paints a picture of life after you meet Christ as a perfect and easy escalator ride to Heaven when, in fact, it is often the opposite. Life is hard, especially for Christians. The world doesn't like it when anyone goes against the norm and living like Christ is definitely not normal. He was born in the same room where animals poop, called out the religious leaders of the time before he made it to his 30th birthday, and didn't protest when he was beat up, spit on, insulted, tortured, and ultimately killed. He was about as far from 'normal' as you can get. I was going somewhere with this...oh yeah! Christian music! I like Hillsong because they don't make this life out to be something it's not. They don't focus on the negative either. Their songs are all humble praise to God. Some other Christians bands/singers that I like are Francesca Battistelli, The David Crowder Band, Chris Tomlin, Chris August, and Kutless. I'm sure there are tons of others that I just can't think of right now. 

Now I'm listening to 7X70  by Chris August. The song is really speaking to me about forgiveness and and loving like Christ. It's so real and easy to relate to, I just love it. If you haven't heard I highly recommend it.

I am...
Reading: The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Excited for: My mom to come home from Chicago. Her plane gets here in about 5 minutes!
Ready for: School to be over.
Excited and ready for: HOLLYMONT!!! It's the camp I am CITing at this summer! I found out yesterday that two of my favorite people ever are the CIT leaders so I'm even more pumped now!
Doing this weekend: Going to a team building day for the mission trip I'm going on next month and working at Dog Trials. "What is Dog Trials?" you ask. Well, basically we go sit in the woods and shoot dead ducks out of slingshots for laboradores to come find as fast as they can. It doesn't sound like that much fun, but when you've got good people with you it is.

No Conditions

I’m sure you’ve all heard the news by now, it’s all over the place. People outside the White House, the Pentagon, Ground Zero, Time Square, and countless other places across the nation are cheering because Osama Bin Laden is finally dead. Patriotism is higher than I’ve seen it in years and it seems like Mr. President has risen back into favor with the people. Me though, I am caught somewhere between the distant cheers and the cries of murder. I am sure this has brought unimaginable closure to the families of those killed in the attacks on 9/11 and for them I am glad. The part of me that ached for those orphaned children and widowed spouses and hated the ones who made that day infamous is out getting “God Bless America” tattooed on my forehead right now. Another side of me, though, is loathing the distant cheers, the fireworks, the sudden outbreak of red, white, and blue all over the place. Don’t get me wrong, I love my country and I love seeing her honored, but I cannot bring myself to rejoice in another person’s death, regardless of who they are. All of my life I have been taught that the love of Christ extends to all and that there is nothing we can do to separate us from it (John 3:16, Romans 3:23, 8:38). I do not understand how people who claim to live by this love can walk around saying things like "tomorrow is dress up day, we're all wearing bloody turbans." I do not understand how those who worship the God who raised sinners from the dead can celebrate the death of one of his children. It just doesn't make sense to me. One of my friends had a great facebook status that I just must share: "When Americans were killed, the 'terrorists' danced in the street with joy, our country was in horror. Now, we've killed their leader and what do we do? The exact same thing. How does this make us any better? How can we claim to be the 'good guys' when our actions are no different from the 'bad guys'?" Yes, the man orchestrated an attack that killed thousands of innocent Americans. Yes, he is still a child of the living God. In chapter 3, John writes "For God so loved the WORLD..." He puts no conditions on this love. Who are we to place them there?

Last night President Obama addressed the nation on the death of Osama bin Laden. You can watch that video here and decide what you think.