Karaoke Tuesday: I'll Take You Back by Jeremy Camp

Jeremy Camp is rapidly becoming one of my new favorite artists... I love how he's redone some old favorites as well as created some new material. One of the songs that I particularly like is called I'll Take You Back.

If you're a regular on this blog, you know that the story of the Prodigal Son is probably my LEAST favorite Bible story because I've often felt that I most closely emulated the older son... the one who stuck around and did everything "right" only to watch his younger, screw-up brother get welcomed back with a feast. It has only been in the last few months that I've been able to view this story with new eyes - seeing clearly my own imperfections and how, in God's eyes, I resemble that Lost Son much more closely that I'd care to admit....

Considering that...

• I took a completely break from church from 9th grade until I got married - only "church-shopping" for a permanant Sunday location because it was important to my husband...
• That even after I was married, I insisted that we only actually attend church very other weekend (one week "on" and one week "off" was my motto!)...
• And that even when attendance became a weekly routine, I found it just another avenue to visit with my friends... I didn't feel God there at all... even sitting between the gorgeous stained-glass walls of our sanctuary, I never felt anything in my heart other than the urge to get the service over with as quickly as possible. This went on for a decade. I may have been physically present in church, but I was not mentally, emotionally, or spiritually there at all. In effect, I was lost.

It was only 3-4 short years ago when we visited our current church. On our second visit, I found what I had been looking for. (You can read about it here.). Finally, I was not lost anymore.

And that's one of the reasons I love this song.... Because no matter now long it takes you, no matter how twisted the path you take, God will always, ALWAYS welcome you home:

Lyrics for "You Take Me Back" HERE.


I fall... He picks me up.
I curse... He gives me better words.
I cry... He comforts.
I search... He shines a light to guide my way.
I screw up... He forgives me.
I get lost... He finds me... always... again, and again, and again, and again.

As much as I hate to admit it, the Prodigal Son and I aren't that much different after all. And lucky for me, God has room for ALL of his prodigal sons and daughters. :)

If you'd like to hear the song, you can HERE on LastFM.

I Found God In Some Dumb Bunnies...

My first grade son came home with a poster he'd created for Language Arts. It was a book report on a book called "The Dumb Bunnies." He had to write what the theme or central message was; this is what he wrote:

I think the author's message is if you're too dumb,

you can get in a lot of trouble!"

No kidding!! :)

You could say that when we are "dumb" - that is, when we make decisions separate from God or choices that go against God's Word, we can land ourselves in a heap of trouble. For example...

• Adam and Eve - who disobeyed God's only order, ate from The Tree, and opened a whole can of worms for the rest of us!
• Jonah - who was gobbled up by a big fish and spit back out on the beach when he tried to hide from God.
• Sarah - who did not believe God when he said she would become pregnant.
• Egypt's Pharoah - who held captive the Israelites and endured plagues upon plagues until he finally believed Moses and set them free.
• The Prodigal Son - who thought he knew better, and squandered his inheritance only to return, shamed, penniless, and asking for forgiveness.
• Samson - who, in a weak moment of lust, gives away the secret of his strength - only to have it used against him.
• Lot's Wife - who disobeyed and looked back at the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah... and was turned into a pillar of salt.
• Judas - who betrayed Jesus which leads to his crucifixion

There are countless others - in fact, my husband is sitting beside me as I type this post listing off more and more!! :)

The Bible tells us lots of things about choices and wisdom; here are just a few I found in Proverbs (The Message translation):

Proverbs 16:16 - Get wisdom - it's worth more than money. Choose insight over income every time.

Proverbs 16:21 - A wise person gets known for insight; gracious words add to one's reputation.

Proverbs 16:22 - True intelligence is a pring of fresh water, while fools sweat it out the hard way.

Proverbs 17:21 - Having a fool for a child is misery; its no fun being the parent of a dolt!

Proverbs 17:28 - Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise; as long as they keep their mouths shut, they're smart!

Making a wise decision requires being informed. You wouldn't go out and buy a house or a car without doing the necessary research, would you? When you buy a house, you interview mortgage lenders, do home inspections, check out the neighborhood. You test-drive a potential car, get reviews from friends who've owned that model, read Consumer Reports. In everything you do, being informed will help you make the best possible decision. And when it comes to living the best possible life, being informed means knowing the guidelines God has set forth for you - it means knowing what's in the Bible.

People ruin their lives by their own stupidity, so why does God always get blamed?
(Proverbs 19:3)

It's easy to blame God when things go wrong. But, when things go wrong, is there any possibility that some decision you made was on a pathway apart from God? Certainly, that's not always the case - BUT, if so, you need to gather yourself up, and reset yourself along the right path, and start again.

Being a "dumb bunny" only leads to trouble, remorse, heartache, and misery. Following God's Word will not totally exempt us from those things - BUT, it will certainly help make things easier for us! Don't have time to read the WHOLE BIBLE...? Start with Proverbs - it's packed with tidbits of wisdom that will help you lead a better life...

To ask a moron to quote a proverb is like putting a scalpel in the hands of a drunk. 26:9

Hire a fool or a drunk and you'll shoot yourself in the foot. 26:10

As a dog eats its own vomit, so fools recycle silliness. 26:11

Discipline your children; you'll be glad you did - they'll turn out delightful to live with. 29:17

A fool lets it all hang out; a sage quietly mulls it over. 29:11

An honest answer is like a warm hug 24:26

I hope you found some honest answers today!

:) Mags

I Found God In UN-Fairness...

Our church is doing a sermon series on Six Things I Want My Children To Remember. This past Sunday, the discussion focused on Life Isn't Fair!

I thought it was very interesting that, apparently, nowhere in the bible, does God say that life will be fair for each of us... God tells us that He will be there for us, that He is with us, that we can turn to Him in times of trouble. He does not say that he will make life fair and square for each of us!

I remember that when I whined as a kid about something being unfair, my Mom would always say, "Life were fair, I'd look like Bo Derek!" Boy, she sounded like a broken record after awhile (and I didn't even know who Bo Derek was anyway), but that lesson was demonstrated to me throughout my life, over and over. I'm sure you can find many examples in your own lives when you felt that life wasn't treating you fairly - and life will continue to be that way. Learning to accept and move on with your life when unfair things happen to you is a critical skill to surviving this world!

During the Sunday sermon, my thoughts flitted to my LEAST favorite story of the Bible... the story of the prodigal son. I know and understand the main points to the story:

1. That God will take you back no matter how far you stray,
2. That forgiveness will be extended to you when you ask for it,
3. That if God can forgive even your greatest transgression, surely, you could forgive your own neighbor for a wrong-doing.

However, I always found this story frustrating... because in my life, I would consider myself to be "the other brother..."

"The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. The son said, 'Look how many years I've stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!"
Luke 15: 28-30 The Message

I've often felt like that "other brother" felt... anger and aggravation towards another who flaggrantly disregarded "the rules," did whatever he or she wanted, and then expected to be "saved" again and again when it didn't work out. I struggle with this story often because of those feelings. But this sermon on unfairness spoke to me... It wasn't "fair" that the prodigal son could squander away his inheritance and still be welcomed back with as much love as the son who stayed and toiled for his father.

BUT, perhaps forgiveness is more important (and more valuable) than fairness.

And if we're whining to God, the Father, about life not being "fair" - instead of my Mom's answer of "If life were fair, I'd look like Bo Derek," couldn't you imagine God frowning at us and saying (in a Godly-way, of course!):

"If life were fair, then my perfect, SINLESS Son would not have been
arrested,
stripped,
whipped,
and crucified
to ensure your eternal life!"

Kind of hard to argue with that logic, isn't it?! :)

BECAUSE life wasn't fair,
BECAUSE Jesus took our sins upon His shoulders,
BECAUSE He gave up His life for us...

WE are given the amazing gift of eternal life.
WE are forgiven.

THANK GOD that life isn't fair!