25 October 2008
Rental
This morning I drove to work in a rental. My car was not available. I think the AAA tow service garage is going to plunder and pillage my bank account just to fix the brakes (and whatever-else they deem necessary). They say it'll be done Monday morning.
You see, yesterday I was headed to the last regular season soccer game for TCAGirlsSoccer (as mentioned in other posts) down in Egg Harbor Twshp. I almost always leave plenty of time for interruptions so I was making good time down Street Road when something fell off my car and the brakes decided not to work. I eased into the 'emergency' lane and slowed to a stop. Thinking that wasn't the best place to be I drove around the corner (slowly) into a parking lot, and called TRIPLE A.
Within 15" my car was being towed to their place (about 2:15 PM on a Friday), which apparently doesn't do any work Friday afternoons (they wouldn't look at it, believing they knew the problem and would not schedule an 'appointment only' slot on Saturday. Sooooooooo, Monday morning. I pray it's not too expensive and that they do better work (as personality is not their forte).
Enter rental company. I'm driving a Toyota SUV which I can't even tell if it has a brand name, but runs nicely (although takes a LOT of fuel)... and got me to the soccer game about 15 minutes late (about 1 3/4 hours from my place).
Got in some fellowship time with Coach (which is why I went in the first place) and returned home.
Getting ready for work this AM I realized my work boots, work keys and pager are all in my car, not near my home and the opposite direction of work and church. Sigh.
Chatted with a co-worker about yesterday's funeral (former co-worker), and voila, here I am.
I'm so glad God knows what He's doing! Perhaps someday I'll find out. For now I'll just rest in His arms of grace, swimming in the ocean of His love, abiding in Him. Praise God, I actually can pay the bill when it comes. I guess God had different plans for that money.
That's a post for another time.
Thanks for reading!
Blessings!
ChaplainChas.
Labels: AAA, Boz, brakes, car, funeral, Jesus, money, ocean, rental, soccer
07 August 2008
Breathe Underwater
At a conference recently I decided I was a 'charismatic w/a seatbelt.'* I was raised Baptist, and went to the C&MA home school (I now participate in worship at Calvary Chapel). One of the Pastor's wives asked me why not take off the seatbelt?
You see, I have believed the gifts of the Spirit are alive and well. I believe God is real and ever present. I believe God can, and does act supernaturally today. So when I had a burning bush experience it was incredible. During some singing I was compelled to remove my shoes. I had no choice. God was there, and the ground was holy because of it. Inside I was sprawled out prostrate before Him in complete abandon and worship; AND He was receiving it.
I had told Heidi I would have moved into the aisle and actually laid down if I didn't think it would have drawn attention to myself and off of Christ. This was my response when she asked me about removing the seatbelt. I think God was good with my decision. He would have accepted worship from the floor, too. I think my heart was right for both options.
I read a book recently that was not the most enthralling, and parts of it were poorly written. I don't know but what I even disagree with some points theologically (none of which have to do w/Jesus or Salvation or the 'big' issues). Oh, it's called A Man Called Blessed by Bill Bright and Ted Dekker.
Anyhow. I'm learning to breathe underwater. I'm learning to walk of the cliff. I'm learning to fall. I'm learning about the ocean that is God's love. I'm learning to breathe there, underwater.
Having my foot securely planted on the earth (reality?, security?, ...) with the other over the edge, overlooking the unknown is still relatively safe. It's allowing the gravity of God's calling Spirit to pull me off the safe place resting in Him that He won't let me go and plummeting for moments, minutes, hours or days of supposed free-fall that get me. I'm learning to believe. I'm learning to breathe.
Plummeting off a cliff into the ocean seems safer than onto land, but God's big enough for both. Stepping off a cliff, free-falling, and landing in the Ocean of His Love is definitely a different experience. Sometimes it's taking off your shoes because the ground upon which you stand is Holy. Sometimes it falling prostrate, or kneeling publicly in worship. Sometimes it's something else.
The funny part is that even though I feel like I'm free-falling off a cliff, as led by the Holy Spirit, I'm already in the Ocean of God's love. I just need to learn to breathe it in. I need to learn to breathe it out. I need to believe. I need the faith of a little child. I'm learning to breathe underwater. I believe God loves me. I believe He's at the top of the cliff and at the bottom and there in the fall. I belieeeeeeeeeeeve!
...Wow, ChaplainChas., that sounds interesting enough, but how does that fit into 'real life?'
Well, in the past 24 hours I've taken a leap of faith and was let down by a great friend. He didn't follow through on a couple of commitments and I got hurt. Instead of following my old patterns and becoming devastated and viewing myself as the problem, as unlovable, as a wuss, I have allowed the Holy Spirit to remind me that this is just another cliff. I love my friend and I know He loves me. I'm going to make it. I believe that Jesus will use this in my life. I don't need to be depressed or despondent or... I may feel like I'm alone, or underwater, but it's the Ocean of God's love! I am breathing deeply. I am NOT alone!
Sigh. That's enough for now. I've got some dancing to do!
See if God doesn't teach you to jump off the cliff into the ocean, and show you how to breathe underwater...
Blessings!
ChaplainChas.
*I actually got that term from Marc Driscoll, who I don't know a whole lot about.
You see, I have believed the gifts of the Spirit are alive and well. I believe God is real and ever present. I believe God can, and does act supernaturally today. So when I had a burning bush experience it was incredible. During some singing I was compelled to remove my shoes. I had no choice. God was there, and the ground was holy because of it. Inside I was sprawled out prostrate before Him in complete abandon and worship; AND He was receiving it.
I had told Heidi I would have moved into the aisle and actually laid down if I didn't think it would have drawn attention to myself and off of Christ. This was my response when she asked me about removing the seatbelt. I think God was good with my decision. He would have accepted worship from the floor, too. I think my heart was right for both options.
I read a book recently that was not the most enthralling, and parts of it were poorly written. I don't know but what I even disagree with some points theologically (none of which have to do w/Jesus or Salvation or the 'big' issues). Oh, it's called A Man Called Blessed by Bill Bright and Ted Dekker.
Anyhow. I'm learning to breathe underwater. I'm learning to walk of the cliff. I'm learning to fall. I'm learning about the ocean that is God's love. I'm learning to breathe there, underwater.
Having my foot securely planted on the earth (reality?, security?, ...) with the other over the edge, overlooking the unknown is still relatively safe. It's allowing the gravity of God's calling Spirit to pull me off the safe place resting in Him that He won't let me go and plummeting for moments, minutes, hours or days of supposed free-fall that get me. I'm learning to believe. I'm learning to breathe.
Plummeting off a cliff into the ocean seems safer than onto land, but God's big enough for both. Stepping off a cliff, free-falling, and landing in the Ocean of His Love is definitely a different experience. Sometimes it's taking off your shoes because the ground upon which you stand is Holy. Sometimes it falling prostrate, or kneeling publicly in worship. Sometimes it's something else.
The funny part is that even though I feel like I'm free-falling off a cliff, as led by the Holy Spirit, I'm already in the Ocean of God's love. I just need to learn to breathe it in. I need to learn to breathe it out. I need to believe. I need the faith of a little child. I'm learning to breathe underwater. I believe God loves me. I believe He's at the top of the cliff and at the bottom and there in the fall. I belieeeeeeeeeeeve!
...Wow, ChaplainChas., that sounds interesting enough, but how does that fit into 'real life?'
Well, in the past 24 hours I've taken a leap of faith and was let down by a great friend. He didn't follow through on a couple of commitments and I got hurt. Instead of following my old patterns and becoming devastated and viewing myself as the problem, as unlovable, as a wuss, I have allowed the Holy Spirit to remind me that this is just another cliff. I love my friend and I know He loves me. I'm going to make it. I believe that Jesus will use this in my life. I don't need to be depressed or despondent or... I may feel like I'm alone, or underwater, but it's the Ocean of God's love! I am breathing deeply. I am NOT alone!
Sigh. That's enough for now. I've got some dancing to do!
See if God doesn't teach you to jump off the cliff into the ocean, and show you how to breathe underwater...
Blessings!
ChaplainChas.
*I actually got that term from Marc Driscoll, who I don't know a whole lot about.
Labels: alone, blessed, breathe deeply, breathe underwater, charismatic, cliff, Conference, Dekker, free fall, friend, God's love, hurt, learn to breathe, Love, ocean, seatbelt
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