Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Music has the power to transport you back in time

I love music.  I love classic rock music, old country music, old R&B music, contemporary Christian music and even a little bit of older rap music.  Its funny how I will hear a song on the radio and say "this is one of my top 10 favorite songs"  but I seem to say that a lot.  Some of my favorites are Sister Golden Hair by America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIycEe59Auc, Song Sung Blue by Neil Diamond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru6oaMLzXYA,  Ramblin Man by The Allman Brothers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4WiyxXpyZc, Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VxoXn-0Ezs, most Chicago songs before Peter Cetera took over the group after Terry Kath died and ruined it, lots of Waylon Jennings just because he and Neil Diamond were about the only 2 artists Mom would let me listen to in the car.   It is amazing how a song you haven't heard in a long time can take you back to a time when you were young or when you thought you were in love, to a memory from childhood.  A song that you sang with your mom or dad or partied to as a teenager.  A song you danced the night away to at the local club.  Music has the power to make you young again, to make you relive your glory days.   I hear certain songs that take me back to swimming with my dad at the base pool, songs that I skated to at the skating rink, songs I listened to when I partied at the parkway, songs I listened to when I played pool with Jan, songs I danced to at Cowboy's with my friend John or Memories with my friend Melody, songs that I sang in church as I worshiped God. Music has an amazing ability to transport you back to a time when life seemed simple, when you still had family and friends in your life, to a time when your kids were small or teenagers.  I love music.

Monday, March 6, 2017

Should Christians be held to a higher standard?

Lately my husband and I have been struggling with something.  A member of the church we attend recently got married which is wonderful.  They are expecting a baby which is also wonderful.  She conceived said baby before they were married which, in this day and age, isn't all that unusual.  Our concern is this individual leads worship, plays with the praise band and helps with the youth group.  This person has a very active Facebook page so I am sure everyone at church knows his situation. They know this couple were living together before they got married and they know how far along in her pregnancy she was when they married.  Our question and/or concern is....should this matter?  Shouldn't the church and the people who represent the church be held to a higher standard? Are we being to judgmental? Should we just ignore the fact that this couple was living in a way that isn't biblical or should we just accept it as the new normal?  This man interacts with the youth group.  Will the youth of the church look at his situation and think that behavior is okay?  Should we accept gossip, slandering, premarital sex, use of pornography, homosexual lifestyles...etc? Once again I have to say, that I am no saint, but I try, but I do not represent the church the way he does. This man helps lead worship.  I wonder if our pastor talked with him.  I wonder if any of the deacons talked with him.  I wonder if anyone cares.    Am I wrong to think the people at church, who profess to be Christians, should strive to live a life that is pleasing to God?  I know we are all broken and in need of grace and mercy but do we excuse the blatant disregard for what the bible teaches us about sex and marriage? Do we turn a blind eye when we see someone in the church openly committing a sin that could negatively impact the church?  Paul admonished the church in Corinth to judge those in the church committing sins, should we not do that in the modern church?  Are we intolerant or hateful if we do that today? 
 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you." 1Corinthians 5: 11-12

Not sure what we are to do with these feelings except pray for God to direct us in the path we should follow.  

Life sucks!

 So Jon goes to this church weekend thing and comes back an rah rah rah and life is great and why can't we all just be happy and it make...