Lord of Glory

I love the Christmas season. There is no other time where Christianity is so readily, albeit ignorantly, proclaimed. Nativity scenes, with the virgin Mary comforting her newborn Son & Joseph protectively watching his young bride, stand before many homes & major businesses. Though the airways are filled with songs about Santa Clause, reindeer, & blossoming or dying love, traditional carols that proclaim the true Christmas story can still be heard. And no one is suing or declaring a violation of rights.

Yesterday my church presented its yearly Christmas cantata, "Lord of Glory" (arranged by Dan Forrest), which proclaims the love & message of Christ through music & Scriptures. Being a soprano in the choir, I was already enamoured with the musical arrangement of the cantata, but I also had the priviledge of being one of the narrators. Nothing tells the Christmas sotry like the Bible (which makes sense, since the Bible is a biography of God & His gift of eternal life through Christ). Saturday morning the choir, orchestra, & narration were combined for the first time. Though I'd been singing the arrangements in my green "Lord of Glory" book for weeks, the addition of the Scripture narration made the cantata's message almost new. The narration included typical Christmas passages from the initial chapters of Matthew & Luke, but God didn't limit His message to four or five chapters. The gift of salvation through Christ is presented throughout the Old & New Testaments. While I love reading the traditional Christmas passages, the verse that struck me this weekend was not your typical Christmas verse.

I Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying, & worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."

The sole message of the Gospel is in that verse: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." Yes, Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ--the coming of the Lord of Glory--but Christmas is so much more than that. The reason Christ came was to save sinners, like me, because we cannot save ourselves. The title of one of my favorite Christmas songs shares the message of the entire Gospel: "Born to Die."

Christmas isn't about giving the perfect gift, extreme decorations, or songs about finding the love of your life. The reason we celebrate Christmas is because Christ, the Lord of Glory, chose to leave the perfect, holy realm of heaven to live the life of His creation so He could save us from ourselves.

lessons learned

What a wonderful semester this has been! I wish I had been more faithful in updating you in the good, the bad, & the ugly that I've experienced, but you'll just have to settle for this semester end overview. Here are a few lessons (serious & sarcastic) that I've learned over the last three months.

• God did not call me to teach elementary students. Now, don't get me wrong, I love working with younger students . . . for a short period of time. I have a growing respect for elementary teachers & I am jealous of their seemingly endless patience.
• Don't assign more than one major paper at a time. Due to my supervising teacher's schedule I had the privilege of recieving two literary analysis papers within 3 days of each other. I now understand why my English professors looked so tired the week that freshmen composition papers were due. I needed two & a half weeks to grade 30 papers; they grade twice that in half the time!
• Even teachers experience stage fright. Nerves attack everyone. No matter how prepared you are, nervous jitters will find you. Best defense: preparedness.
• So, there was this one time . . . I am easily distracted. Students have a remarkable ability to find the teacher's weakness & manipulate that weakness to their advantage. Put these two together & you get some hilarious stories that may have nothing at all to do with the lesson.
• I love English, but I still have much to learn. I may be the teacher, but I believe I've learned just as much about English this semester as my students have. In correcting my students' grammatical skills, I've found the errors in my own. I am nowhere near perfect, but I'm beginning to understand my weaknesses. No matter what the subject or experience, I always have something to learn.
• Be prepared (I hope you heard Scar singing that, because I definitely did).
  Now, preparedness is not something I usually struggle with, but, when I am ill prepared I become nervous & sick to my stomach. Prepare in advance.
• Without drama (the theatre kind) part of my soul is missing.The Lord has made it quite clear He intends to use drama (the theater kind) later in my life. For the first time in eight semesters I didn't attend play practices, cover people in stage make up, or offer input on theatrical direction. Yes, I designed, painted, & help raise a set, but I didn't get to direct. And I felt as though a huge portion of my life was missing.
• God answers prayer. My students & I have had the wonderful privilege to see God answer prayer in amazing ways. From little requests, like passing a test, to major requests, like seeing God heal my friend's mom, God deserves all praise & adoration.
• Everyone needs a break, including teachers.Too much of a good (or even favorite) thing can be a bad thing. Everyone needs a break; for me, that break can include reading a book just for fun, going to Bible study, chilling at a youth activity, or just sleeping in.
• Don't leave your camera on your desk--the students will photograph themselves & video you. I don't think this one needs much explanation. Hide your electronics.
• Surround yourself with experienced friends. I've learned more from the ladies I talk to during the lunch preperation time than anyone else. These wonderful women have been my cheerleaders & my shoulder to cry on, my confidants & my instructors.
• Morning devotions are not an option, they are a necessity. "Jesus Christ is made to me all I need." No matter how many times I sing that song, Christ continually reminds me that I cannot rely on myself for anything. My worst days have always started with the decision to ignore God & rely on myself. You'd think I would learn . . .

This is not, by any means, a complete list of the lessons the Lord has taught me. Time, & personal privacy restrictions, limit all of the experiences I could share with you. What I can share with you is that God deserves all the praise & glory for what I have been able to do. Without Him, everything is impossible.

practicing real life

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" I think I've been asked that question a billion times in the past twenty years or so (that gives me two & a half years to learn how to talk & walk before contemplating such a life altering decision). I know I weighed several options in my early elementary years: ballet, USAF Blackhawk pilot, a police officer, or firefighter, but I always cherished the idea of becoming a teacher. Who doesn't want to stand up in front of a room of expectant faces & share some golden nugget of truth?

Choosing to pursue a career in education is not an easy, hands-down choice. So, you want to teach? Primary or secondary school? If primary, what grade? If secondary, what subject? Now, don't laugh at me, but my educational career choice was never a burden. I knew right away what age I wanted to teach.

I still remember Mrs. Free, my second grade teacher, asking me what I wanted to do when I grew up: "Teach high schoolers." I still remember the smile on her face, but she, & Mom & Dad, never doubted my young vision. By my freshman year of high school I knew I wanted to teach English. I had also set my heart on getting my college degree from Maranatha Baptist Bible College. Though I tweaked a few things between my freshman yeaer of high school & my freshman year of college, the core of my dream remained the same: English education at MBBC.

God made my wildest dreams come true when I moved into Weeks Dormitory in August of 2007. Four years have passed. The dream that started in second grade is almost reality. In December, I will graduate from MBBC with a certified B.S. in English Education with a minor in Dramatic Productions (a little dream God gave me while at MBBC).

So, what am I doing right now? I'm practicing real life. Which is my way of saying that I'm student teaching. I'm enjoying the final page of my undergraduate degree. God confirms my desire & passion for teaching each time I stand at the front of the classroom.

I can't wait complete practicing. Real life, here I come!

getting to know you

Have I ever mentioned that I love plays? Well, I do--& Kansas City gives me plenty of opportunities to enjoy the stage in the summertime. Mom & I have made attending plays together a summer tradition since I entered college four years ago. We've seen a plethora of theatre favorites at a variety of community theaters.

We attended Seven Brides for Seven Brothers & half of The Wizard of Oz (the show was called at intermission due to tornado warnings . . . & we were in Kansas, true story) at Shawnee Mission's Theatre in the Park. We've fallen in love with Kansas City's Shakespeare's festival where we've seen Othello & The Merry Wives of Windsor come to life on stage. 

So, why do I go to plays with Mom? It's our date time--our way of getting to know each other a little better. We share jokes, personal stories about the play, & interesting tidbits that we've picked up over the years. Our outings have allowed me to share some of the knowledge I've gained in studying dramatic productions in college. While we laugh, talk, and sing along we get to know things about each other that makes our relationship closer than ever.

We started this summer's theatrical experience with The King & I at Starlight Theatre (with Lou Diamond Phillips as the King of Siam--you know, the La Bamba guy). I have always loved The King & I -- I watched the video all the time growing up. During the prelude of nearly every song I would turn to Mom & say, "I love this part! This is my favorite part . . . really!" How can you not love "I Whistle a Happy Tune" & "There is a Happy Land"? Or what about the "March of the Siamese Children"?  

What is my absolute favorite part? Well, there are two. The first takes place in Act I as "Mrs. Anna" teaches the children. Do you know what it is? (Hint: look at the post title.) It's the song, "Getting to Know You". I love the setting, the characters, the words & the tune. The second scene, & probably my true favorite, is the  play that Tuptim writes: "The Small House of Uncle Thomas".  Even though the retelling of Stowe's story is rather inaccurate & praises the name of Buddha, Mom & I connected as we laughed at the creative movements of the actors across the stage. 

I can't wait to see what other plays Mom & I will be going to this summer. But I know one thing for sure, whatever play we are watching, we could be singing "Getting to Know You".

change

Raise your hand if you don't like change. . . . Ok, since I can't physically see you, I'm going to assume that everyone dislikes change a little. You may be one who revolts against any suggestion of change or you may be one that embraces change with open arms (& a slightly quivering heart). Me? I fall somewhere in between. Whenever change is upon me, I find myself both nervous & excited. Change means life is going to be different from here on out--I will never be able to return to "this" point in time. Change means a new direction--whether slight or drastic. But most importantly, change means allowing God to lead me away from my comfort zone & toward the glorious fulfillment of His will.

That sounds exciting, right?

Right, except when I let my selfish plans & desires get in the way. Except when I decide to hold on to everything in my life with white-knuckled clasped fists.

This summer is the beginning of a lot of change for me. While I'm excited about the opportunities that I know the Lord will bring my way in the future, I'm also terrified that life may not turn out like I've dreamt for so long.  

For the first time in four years I will not be leaving home in the fall for college. I won't share a room with 3-4 other girls in a dorm inhabited by 50-60 other Christian girls. I won't see the professors or walk the campus I've fallen in love with. I don't get to take any more speech classes & for the first time in four years, I will not be helping in a college production.

But, as sad as I am about leaving college & beginning the next chapter in my life, I'm excited about the new opportunities that lie ahead. I get to teach--not just practice teaching on other education majors. I get to minister at my home church in new ways. I get to keep in touch with friends from across the country.

Change hurts sometimes--I'm learning that this summer, too. Most of my close friends now live 500+ miles away. My older brother, his wife, & my nephew move 1300 miles away. I'm not doing what I wanted to do this summer. But you know what? God never promised that walking in His will was going to be easy. In fact, He promised that those who truly followed Him would suffer persecution. PERSECUTION. I'm pretty sure that throwing a pity-party because friends & family aren't close & that I'm not working the job I had in mind count as persecution.

So, what do I think about change? I think change is a great opportunity to learn more about myself as I conform to the image of Christ. Change is seeing that God's thoughts are more wonderful than mine & that His plans are more amazing than anything I could ever imagine.

I may not completely like change, but I know that God uses change to give me His best.

take note

I don't know when I started taking church notes, but I know it's been forever. Every Sunday, for as long as I can remember, I've been obsessed with filling in the blanks in the outline provided for the morning service. What started out as an obsession has turned into a reflective journal so I can continue to learn more about my God.

Of course, as a young child I just wanted to fill in the blanks. I would sit next to Mom or Grandmommy with my Bible & bulletin spread in my lap & my eyes glued on . . . Mom or Grandmommy's notes. While appeared to be an attentive listener, I was focused on one thing--the blanks. If the sermon got boring or if the preacher seemed to take too long one one point, he completely lost my attention. My bulletin became a sketch book & my blanks remained . . . well, blank. Once I returned to the reality of the sermon, I would lean over & eye Mom's bulletin & loudly whisper, "what's that word?" & "is this spelled right?"

As I grew up, my notes became less of an obsession & more of a listening tool. I began taking notes during school chapels & at summer camp to help me follow along. I can't say that I learned much from those sermons in elementary & junior high, but I was learning to listen. Which was an important step to applying the sermons personally.

I don't know when it clicked, but somewhere between seventh & ninth grade it hit me--those blanks I'd been filling out religiously since I could writer were no longer just words to fill out my page, nor were notes just to keep me from getting bored. Taking notes allowed me to return to the sermon as a reminder of truths so I could apply the message to my life. My notes are no longer just an outline of the sermon--they include personal thoughts, quotes that get me thinking, & even songs that relate to the message. My notes are personal reminders so I can continue to become more like Christ.

There is no right or wrong way to take notes. A friend at college only writes down a phrase or two because she finds writing distracting (something I, admittedly, don't quite understand) & another friend only writes down what he finds to be new or novel. Last Sunday, my attention was drawn to a junior high girl who was strictly taking down the sermon's outline.

My point? How you take notes does not matter.

So, what does matter? Well, as you sit under the preaching of God's Word, are you taking note? Are you allowing God to change your life through the preaching of His Word?

my life is not my own

Tonight was the Lord’s Supper at my extension church. I love celebrating the Lord’s Supper—and not just because I like the tart taste of Welch’s grape juice.

The Lord’s Supper calls me to break open my heart before Christ. To lay before Him my praise and thankfulness for what He has done in my life and to apologize and repent for sins I have harbored for too long. Truly, I don’t have to—and should not—wait for the Lord’s Supper to open my heart to my Savior, but I always enjoy the service, nonetheless.

So far this semester the Lord has been teaching me that my life is not my own. Every time I sit down in a church or chapel service—even in my personal, room, and dorm devotions—God challenges me to change. He pleads for me not to settle for mediocre Christianity, but to live a fulfilled, satisfied life of a servant.

I don’t want to sound like an angel—change is hard! I feel as though I meet failure at every turn—I am 14 years old in Christ and I have yet to read through my Bible outside of a requirement for a college course. That’s sad! But God has challenged me and, praise the Lord, I have been more consistent this year than any year of my Christian life. Then there’s the struggle of Bible memory—how pitiful that I can memorize an eight-minute speech in a few hours, but I struggle to commit God’s Word to memory.

As I sat in the pew tonight, surrounded by faithful believers, my heart broke in realization that, though I am growing, I have a long way to go. At the beginning of the semester, Evangelist Will Galkin said, “I’m not who I used to be, but I’m not who I want to be. I am what I am by the grace of God.” How true! The more I learn about and grow in my God, the more I realize I have to learn and grow.

Before communion tonight we sang “His Robes for Mine.” This song has been a wonderful encouragement in my life and has brought tears to my life. That my God gave his life, willingly, for me, a horrible sinner, is beyond my comprehension. Christ suffered for me so I could be justified before Christ—yet I struggle to obey Him in simple things and sometimes live in doubt that He will perform as He promises.

I encourage you to take a moment to read the words and pour them into your heart. God has given ALL for me, truly “my life is not my own.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

His robes for mine: O wonderful exchange!
Clothed in my sin, Christ suffered ‘neath God’s rage.
Draped in His righteousness, I’m justified.
In Christ I live, for in my place He died.

Chorus:

I cling to Christ, and marvel at the cost:
Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God.
Bought by such love, my life is not my own.
My praise—my all—shall be for Christ alone.

His robes for mine: what cause have I for dread?
God’s daunting Law Christ mastered in my stead.
Faultless I stand with righteous works not mine,
Saved by my Lord’s vicarious death and life.

His robes for mine: God’s justice is appeased.
Jesus is crushed, and thus the Father’s pleased.
Christ drank God’s wrath on sin, then cried “‘Tis done!”
Sin’s wage is paid; propitiation won.

His robes for mine: such anguish none can know.
Christ, God’s beloved, condemned as though His foe.
He, as though I, accursed and left alone;
I, as though He, embraced and welcomed home!