I really liked what my former youth pastor, and (still) friend, had to say on his xanga account, and i liked how i replied to it. enjoi, i guess. 'f ya' want.

HIS POST:

I know this is long but read it...

I can remember when MTV was still a new thing (yes… that was a long time ago) and I still remember when they played music videos…I would watch it from time to time… one of the cool bands at the time was Def Leppard I had all their tapes (yes…long time ago)…they became one of my favorite bands… in 80 something I had the chance to see them live…so I went… it was wild… the first concert I had ever been to…but they sounded nothing like their videos or their cd (the new thing where cds by this time)…I thought it was better LIVE…and they pulled what is now known as “un-plugged” where all they did was just acoustic instruments... it is a lasting memory…

Ok…the point…Emmy and I have been going to a different church every Sunday…it is so wild (remember I have grown up in church) some are very shallow but with good worship others deep with bad worship…and then they are huge ones that put on a show… last Sunday I sat and listened to such BS (bad stuff or what ever) I wanted to stand up and ask do we have the same Bible because mine has something different?...it is such a show in a lot of churches…

What would happen if we were to “un-plug” or strip-away the stuff that makes these churches so attractive…one church had a huge playground inside the front hall (for the kids so they wont get in the way)…it was like a little six flags, there was also a coffee bar with a huge line of people… another church had one of the most fantastic worship “shows” (and I do mean show) I have never seen lights like the ones that were used to set the mood…

I think as we peel back all the layers there would not be much there…if it was some rock band and I finally got to hear them live…they would have to pull an Ashlee Simpson and lip-sync to the music just to keep people listening…

I am not trying to come down on the church…I have seen the church work and work well

when it is about God and not about all the fluff…

Well, after all that I still have my ticket stub… but we are still look for church

REPLY:

Can that be any more true?

A church here (i won't say which one) has a biig college night on wednesdays and the worship is so full of Jesus! however, the associate pastor must think he's talking to chimpanzees because that's how he treats us. And as far as biblically accurate goes, i'm pretty sure Jesus wasn't talking about the process of Lost people becoming Christians when he spoke the beattitudes on the sermon on the mount, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for their's is the kingdom of God." Further more, when did a bible study become telling stories of your son (and making him stand up... ya know... to embarrass him. of course.) and tagging the whole "service" with a bible verse quote? how nurotic can it get??

Another church - that i prefer to go to - has an AMAZING grasp on what the bible is speaking to us, and how to get that message across. very in depth. (......) and yet. their praise and worship sounds more like, "i'm the cool older music minister and i dress like a college-age student! listen to me rock away with my gravel-ly voice! i could be on christian albums anywhere but i couldn't get anyone to sign me. i like God." *ANGST!*

...sigh...

how hard it is to keep from falling into the trap of bitterness toward the church and complacency in my own walk with God. it's hard.

I know what you mean Shawn. and it really stinks.

tammy

so, it's 117 am bulgarian time.

and i will be heading to the sofia airport in a little under 4 hours. first two stops are in germany, then over the big blue to chicago (sorry miltons!), and finally: Texas. at 730ish pm i will be greeting my family (or just parents...) for the first time in what seems like a month.  who knew you could pack SO MUCH in such a short time period as two weeks, plus. it seems like i'm telling a lie when i state how long i've been here. honestly, it seems i've barely left since last year. yes, things have changed, but sooo much was for the better! these kids actually met a group of people who came into their lives for about 2 weeks last year, promised great things, and left ....(great pause)...... and who kept their promises by returning this year, and not only that but also improved the kids' home, diet, trust, and ultimately their understanding of Jesus. why would someone living someplace sooo much BETTER than bulgaria go through all the cost of getting there to spend time with orphans? why would God do that for us?

not only were we able to spend this time with those kids (new ones and a number of older ones, from last year - even ones who'd graduated and left), we spent a number of days in another city, varna, with a completely different group of kids: church-going, most christian, with family, much younger. we gave them their very first official VBS - something completely foreign even to the churched kids of bulgaria. i was, of course, in charge of crafts! and on the last day we made the salvation bracelets with the black, red, white, gold, and green beads. it was great!

now. now now now, now it is 133 am and i am not tired, however everyone is asleep. i cannot sleep tonight if i wish to better transition to US time. Tough!!! so! somebody get online so i can talk to you! church is done, there's no school! i know you allll don't have jobs! so come on! until then - i'll be surfing the internet.

ps i got a temp. tatoo while at the beach! (biiiig grin)

(students eye-view)

upon going through the typical "should i study the bible tonight or not" campain in my head tonight, i thought about all the excuses i could think of why i choose not to study the bible majority of my time. the most interesting perspective my mind shot out at me was related to school, probably seeing as how some schools have already started for my friends and relatives and i will be starting within a week.

studying my bible is not brain-surgery, not chemistry, and definitly not as tough as Mr.Fuller's astronomy class!  it's more a mixture of history, literature, and philosophy. pretty interesting stuff.  But, however, when it comes to the moment(s) of the day where i think about lifting my bible off the dresser next to my bed, a more dull, difficult, excrusiatingly blah (for me) subject comes to mind: Economics.  i HATE economics!  i barely took it in high school, passing only because my class was made up of theatre, choir, and band students who were always absent for school activities. the teacher could never finish a chapter without half the class being absent one or more days, so he graded easy and had rare tests/quizes. i barely know what makes up economics, but i live in a world dependent on it, so i know some. enough. its made up of time, priorities, (money), deciding which activity/product/etc deserves the most attention, etc.

and for me, i feel my body physically weaken when my spirit proposes the idea of a little biblical indulgence. if i have a choice between two books to read before i go to bed, my mind will stay awake for one, but automatically begin to shut down for the bible. i seriously feel it within my bones! and i know i'm thirsty! i know my soul is aching! i know i need to do certain things for my tired and weary bones to... just... let... go... and relax.

but i say, oh! it's still daylight outside(!) and there's soo many things you could be doing! more visibly productive things! like your laundry (ooo!), or checking your email (double ooo!!), or watching whatever tv show is on that you've never seen before!!!        and i bargain my life away.

i bargain God's time away, is more like it. and i know. I know.

i picked up the book "Free From Bondage God's Way" by Kay Arthur (amazing woman).  it covers Galatians and Ephesians. christians being bound by lost hope, unprepared battles, sin, legalism, the world's "quick fixes and easy solutions" -- finding the truth about the freedom in Christ. "It was for freedom that Christ set you free."  it's a really thin book, only 87 pages long. but i know i'm gonna need your prayer. there's always hope knowing the saints are gathered in prayer over things, even if they're small.

so i thank you for reading this post. if only to relate. if only to find hope. if only to check up on my prayer list! (heh heh!)   and i hope you all (many of you i didn't get to see! i'm sorry!) had a wonderful vacation! (i've heard a few stories through the grapevine)

much love and hugs from someone who cares about 'choo!

tammy