A Weekend of Learning

I learned a lot about myself this weekend. Some things thrilled me, others not so much:

First, I got home from work Friday afternoon and Steve was working in the garage. No dogs greeted me at the door so I opened the back door to call them in. Sam was halfway under the fence. Within seconds I realized Jake was gone. I fell apart. I bawled. Yes, I know they are dogs but if you don't understand the emotion, I'll never be able to explain it to you. In an effort to get to the dog on the other side of the fence, Sam dug a hole and Jake, being smaller, crawled under first. Another 10 minutes and Sam would've been gone too. Steve got the car keys and off he went to find him. I really wanted him to find him, whether alive or dead, but the not knowing would kill me. He returned 10 minutes later, Jake in tow. He was fine. So what did I learn? I did not blame Steve nor did I take it out on him. This is great growth for me. But I'm not as far as I thought I was or want to be.

Secondly, I worked in the sound booth at the Youth Evangelism Conference (YEC) and I think I'm old or quickly getting there. I sat in the balcony thinking "man, this is SO loud!" It was good, but loud! Then a couple of people came up and said "holy cow, it's way louder up here than down there." Whew. Made me feel a little better! I was unbelievably moved by the sheer excitement of these teens for Christ. When the doors opened, they raced for the front row. Not the back, the front. Then when the worship band played (Rush of Fools, they were awesome) they surrounded the stage, jumped up and down, raised their hands, and it was so incredibly refreshing. They just worshipped from the heart. So what did I learn? I'm older than I like to admit but not as old as I think. But more importantly that authentic excitement for Christ is contagious, regardless of age. I can be way better at this.

Third, despite the rough "week of meanness", yesterday was such an amazing worship service. I have never felt such an outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Calvary as I did then. It's so much easier to tell face to face and while I may try to describe it in a blog, now is not the time because this one is already so long and to do justice, I don't want to shorten the description. Compulsory praise is all I can thing of to describe it. Even now I recall the verse where Jesus said if we don't praise God, even the rocks will cry out. It's as if they have to and I did as well yesterday. I so get it. So what did I learn? Not so much a new lesson but a reminder that God is huge and mighty and I am so small. Why me? Why us?

Fourth, at Bible study last night I was so on fire (likely from the service earlier). I was able to speak with such power and passion. God gave me an opportunity, told me what to say, and it just fell on out. So what did I learn? I try to be sensitive to what God is saying to me and last night was evidence that he is really getting through.