"I JUST WANT TO BE WITH YOU"

I had to speed on my way back from TN this week to catch up with this guy and take the shot. It made me smile. It also made me think: That is what my "dump truck size" problems feel like to God when He carries them. He doesn't mind taking my problems... and even wants to carry them for me. Talking with a friend while in Tennessee this last week I realized this even more. What if God allows us to see our problems as so big and not as how really small they are, so we stay close to Him. Excellent! And even more, what if God allows for the "grey areas" of belief/standards to exist so that we in search of the answers stay close to Him. I know it is easier to do a knee jerk reaction and describe everything in black and white. But in honesty we have to admit it is not so. But that seems just like God, the Good Shepherd, to want the only answer to be - staying close to Him. The other option is of course to have a map of how to get to heaven and Him to tell us He will meet us there. "Nope," He says, "I just want to be with you, and I will take you there."

Here's a few more pictures from TN:

The last week we were in Cleveland, we sat in a park singing with the guitar and drinking hot chocolate until midnight. A privilege to worship Jesus with these guys.

As a bonus I got to do some free climbing. SAU is blessed with their very own wall.

And the sole purpose of the picture is for my two lovely sisters to see my ability on a horse. :)

HE LOVES YOU

I have been very blessed working with a great group of pastoral interns/actors here in TN. Last Friday we did a chapel service for the elementary school here. I couldn't stop laughing... here are the skits.Jeff played the father of Raewyn who was a little girl who couldn't go to sleep because she was alone and there were monsters in her closet. But all was better after "father" explained that we are never alone... because Jesus is always with us.

Kyle played the part of a young chap who couldn't hit a baseball for anything.

Finally Kyle became frustrated with not being able to hit the ball... but God sent his friend Daniel to remind him that God's love for us is not dependant on our talents - when we accept Jesus we become super special.

Walter thought he needed to be like Superman in order to be someone. He was discouraged that he couldn't fly... until his friend Ben told him that he only needed to be like Jesus to be "someone." And that Jesus made that possible.

I summarized: No matter who you are, what family you are from, what you are able to do, how you look, or who you know - Having Jesus makes you the most special person there is.
"Because we are the gift of His Father, and the reward of His work, Jesus loves us. He loves us as His children. [Blog] Reader, He loves you. Heaven itself can bestow nothing greater, nothing better. Therefore trust." (DA)