The Fellowship of the Unashamed

This is by Dr. Bob Moorehead, whoever that is.  They passed it out years ago at my old church, and I've kept it all this time.  I still love it.  Bit of a motto, you know?

I am a part of the fellowship of the Unashamed. 

I have the Holy Spirit's power.  

The die has been cast.  I have stepped over the line.  The decision has been made.  

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.  

I won't look back, 

let up,

slow down,

back away, 

or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure.  

I am finished and done with low living,

sight walking, 

small planning, 

smooth knees,

colorless dreams

tame visions,

mundane talking,

chintzy giving, 

and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence,

prosperity,

position, 

promotions, 

plaudits, 

or popularity.

I don't have to be right,

first,

tops,

recognized, 

praised, 

regarded,

 or rewarded.

I now live by presence, 

learn by faith, 

love by patience,

lift by prayer,

and labor by power.

My pace is set,

my gait is fast,

my goal is Heaven,

my road is narrow, 

my way is rough, 

my companions few, 

my Guide is reliable, 

my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, 

compromised,

deterred, 

lured away, 

turned back,

diluted, 

or delayed. 

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, 

hesitate in the presence of adversity,

negotiate at the table of the enemy,

ponder at the pool of popularity,

or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up,

back up,

let up, 

or shut up

until I've preached up, 

prayed up,

paid up, 

stored up,

and stayed up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I must go until He returns,

give until I drop,

preach until all know,

and work until He comes.

And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.

My colors will be clear for 

"I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes." 

(Romans 1:16)

AMZi x x x x x

Excuses

For why I've not been posting.  School's started full-on, and I'm a front-loader, so I'm somewhat busy this season.  And I doubt if you'd be very interested in hearing about what's running through my head.  Mainly because it's stuff about physics and calculus.  Not exactly the sort of thing you expect on my blog, yes?

Still playing a lot of piano, mainly Le Onde (63 pages, 13 parts, 5 of which down, 8 to master yet) and I Giorni (66 pages, a bunch of parts, just one worked on at them moment) both by Ludovico Einaudi.  And of course his Nuvole Bianche.  Fabulous Hospice House-playing materials, they're so gorgeous and slow and unobtrusive.

Aaand...hmm...what else has been going on?  Finally finished Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung, and actually GOT it finally there at the end.  I'd had weird vague misgivings about his approach all while reading the book, but finally a sentence clinched it for me!

"But the Bible is not a casebook.  It doesn't give us explicit information about dating or careers or when to build a church or buy a house.  We've all wished that the Bible was that kind of book, but it's not, because God is interested in more than getting us to follow His to-do list; He wants transformation.  God doesn't want us to merely give external obedience to His commands.  He wants us to know Him so intimately that His thoughts become our thoughts, His ways our ways, His affections our affections."

Yes!  Yessss!!!!  That really struck me.  Love what He loves, hate what He hates, no worries, mate.  Don't fuss so much about what your decisions should be, but rather what the state of your heart and will should be.

Oh, oh, oh, want to know something really exciting?  I have my own calculator now (shout-out to Keifer The Awesome Who Lent Me His Calculator For...like, Ever) and it's, it's, it's--  Well, JUST LOOK for yourself!



(IT'S GREEEEEEN!)

AMZi x x x x x x

Generally About Music

Been awhile, ain't it?  Or is that just the days running together in my head?  Ah well, I FEEL like I've been fairly busy...not actually super busy, just busy enough in short spurts to be too tired for anything but guitar in the off times.  :)  This is the view from where I sit lately. :P

And I love how these pictures came out, just a little fiddling around with exposure and contrast...and voila!  (pun not actually intended, but hey, it works)

And a better picture of me puppy!  I walked him last night down to the park, and we discovered two things...  He's scared of bridges (little ones over streams a total of 2 inches deep) and small people's parked bicycles...  Haha!

I'm getting my brain back into Spanish mode :: I've missed it!  I've always loved songs in Italian and Spanish, but I've got a new favorite.



And also, my new favorite composer (it's all happened rather quickly, but now I've got all sorts of music by him and I'm cranking away at it) is Ludovico Einaudi.  My current favorite and one I'm getting close on ::



Confession :: I've spent HOURS at the piano over last day and a half, what with this, this one, and the rest of Le Onde, and now I Giorni.  I adore it.  The reason why I know I've spent hours there is because I've got them down, and though they're both pretty simple, it takes me a couple hours to get a song solid and memorized.  AND I'm returning to Hospice House!  First day all over again today, I did miss that piano, but it really still isn't the same without Mr. Ralph.  Oh well... seems like a different place, the new wing, new people, a new day (I used to go on Thursdays)... but same old piano!  And in tune!

Weather's crazy here today!  Windy, cloudy, cool, I love it. :)
AMZi  x x x x x

PS this is my new favorite book.  No joke.  The ending... but it won't make sense unless you're like me, generally strange.  I know a lot people who wouldn't get his refuge at all, but I understand exactly.  It's amazing.

Favorite Songs...

Of the moment. :)



My favorite word is Everlasting. :)



Oh my.  Something about that... wow.

AMZi x x x x x

PS Amzi has started college classes and gotten her license, hence the busy-ness lately!

Authority

Listen to this quote from my American Gov. book (BJU Press) ::

"DAVID -- Before becoming king, David faced an ungodly government in the form of King Saul's personal vendetta against him.  Despite almost being run through with a spear and then being hounded across the land, David remained respectful to Saul.  On two occasions when presented with the opportunity to kill the king, David refused.  He even expressed genuine sorrow for cutting off part of Saul's robe (1 Sam. 24:4-6), as this could be interpreted as a sign of rebellion.  Furthermore, he commanded those under him to show Saul respect and refrain from hurting him.  Later, when David received word of Saul and Jonathan's deaths, he lamented over both of them."

It's kind of amazing, if you think about it.  David knew that authorities are put in place by God, raised up to exact judgment, or to show His power.  Ungodly governments are not exempt from His sovereignty.  That's a good thing to remember.

But even more striking, I find, is the level of respect for Saul that David has.  I mean, I enjoy political cartoons, but the caricatures of the country's leaders could be considered disrespectful.  I'm no fan of Obama's policies, and I'm guilty of calling him disrespectful names, in spite of the fact that he is our president and therefore deserves a level of respect.  "But I didn't CHOOSE him as our president!" you (and I) have said.  Okay, true, but guess what?  God did.  As Doc would say, "Put that in your pipe and...chew it."

And another quote :: "I love Obama, I just don't like his ideas.  You need to do that with people--love them but be careful with their ideas." --Chuck Asay

That struck me.  It IS our moral duty to work to reform our country, to fight injustices in it, to elect Godly representatives.  We are NOT to abandon the "state" sphere, because our Christianity ought to permeate every aspect of life.  HOWEVER we are not to become so wrapped up in our politics as to become like secular politicians.  We are NOT to be assimilated and subsequently ignored.  And we are NOT to let our excitement/outrage over issues and ideas drag us headlong into ad hominem.  As Christians we maintain compassion for people, and solidity on issues.  It's a fine line.

I'm loving the weather right now, but I'm freezing!  Must finish that sweater, because I NEED it! :)

AMZi x x x x x

Ozymandias

Poem I've memorized for a long time, and still love. :)

Ozymandias by Percy Shelley

I met a traveler from an antique land
Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert, near them on the sand
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal these words appear:
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains.  Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away."

More are coming to my mind--mainly Robbie Burns.  The Twa Corbies.  I love that one.  And When I Was One and Twenty by some other chap.  And Very Like a Whale by...oh, whatsisname.  I'll find them soon.

AMZi x x x x x

I Want To...

Draw a picture...



Or paint a picture...



Or sew something historic...



Or maybe go to bed...  NAAAAAH!!  :)

Pondering, conversing, thinking, reading, and now blogging,
AMZi x x x x x

images (c) their respective owners