I liked writing random thoughts so well last week, I thought I’d do another. These are grouped under the lyrics and themes of “Deliver Me” by the David Crowder Band. The lyrics for the song are bolded. I’ve been listening to the version Kev and I did a couple of Sundays ago over and over this week.
Scripture I am chewing on and sorta shows where my mind and heart are at this week:
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. - Isaiah 43:2-2
“Deliver me out of the sadness”
The numbers are staggering. The suffering, immense. . .“
The confirmed number of dead rose nearly 10,000 from the day before to 51,151, Cabinet spokesman Guo Weimin told a news conference. Another 29,328 people remained missing and nearly 300,000 were hurt in the May 12 quake centered in Sichuan
province, he said.
The disaster left 5 million people homeless and leveled more than 80 percent of the buildings in some remote towns and villages near the epicenter. In bigger cities entire apartment blocks collapsed or are now too dangerous to live in because of damage and worries about aftershocks.” Yahoo
News
In the news Wednesday: "The secretary general of the United Nations is heading to Myanmar in an effort to step up relief efforts for survivors of Cyclone Nargis." Please God, help us to help them.
“Deliver me from all the madness”
“We do not have a money problem in America. We have a values and priorities problem.” Marian Wright Edelman
Anyone want a really nice cat named Clarence?* He needs special food, but is very lovey. Of course, he has the ability to vomit randomly throughout a carpeted room in no time flat. Some may even call that a talent. We just call it an unholy mess. Gross. * Note: No, we are not giving Clarence away, although the thought crossed my mind Tuesday, the day of the totally disgusting ‘occurrence.’
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” Martin Luther King, Jr
“Deliver me courage to guide me”
What should we be ‘spending’ our refund checks on? Erase debt? The poor? The ravaged in China or Burma? The movies? Another few pair of shoes? Grocery hoarding? Clean water projects in 3rd world countries? A vacation?
Finished Jesus for President. Yet another Claiborne book that really tests preconceptions about service and Christianity. Pick it up. Read about our modern empire. This will book change you forever.The danger is that we can begin to read the Bible through the eyes of
America rather than read America through the yes of the Bible. We just want
Jesus to be a good American.p194
“The government of the
United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian
religion.”-John Adams
From the litany of resistance: (Jesus for President Appendix)
One: From the arrogance of power
All: Deliver us
One: From the myth of redemptive violence
All: Deliver us
One: From the tyranny of greed
All: Deliver us
One: From the ugliness of racism
All: Deliver us
One: From the cancer of hatred
All: Deliver us
One: From the seduction of wealth
All: Deliver us
One: From the addiction of control
All: Deliver us
One: From the idolatry of nationalism
All: Deliver us
One: From the paralysis of cynicism
All: Deliver us
One: From the violence of apathy
All: Deliver us
One: From the ghettos of poverty
All: Deliver us
One: From the ghettos of wealth
All: Deliver us
One: From a lack of imagination
All: Deliver us
One: Deliver us, O God
“Deliver me Your strength inside me” 
There’s nothing like driving with the windows down, driving to work and drinking coffee. Okay, I lied, take the driving to work part out of that statement and, it would be even better.
Rocket Dog, my new bowling ball, you let me down this week. Whereas the week before we were on fire, the pendulum swung back to the other extreme for Rocket Dog and me. It was truly embarrassing to bowl less than 100 with your own equipment. Seriously folks, totally embarrassing.
On the horizon is a 3 day weekend. I can’t wait. I need this.
Finished: The Gutter: Where Life is Meant to be lived by Craig Gross
Guess what? No matter where you live, there are gutters. Gutters are physical places. The are also addictions, selfishness, pride, loneliness, the ability not to forgive….we all have secret dark places. Jesus dwelled in the gutters throughout the gospel. . .and today. Craig Gross is a pastor in his 20’s who founded Fireproof Ministries as a way to train and disciple Christian youth, and XXXchurch.com, to help Christians break addiction to pornography. Guess what? God loves those who make porn. Get your mind around that.
“We must not allow ourselves to become like the system we oppose.” Bishop Desmond Tutu (Short bio of Tutu)
“CHORUS:
All of my life
I've been in hiding
Wishing there was someone just like You
Now that You're here
Now that I've found You
I know that You're the One to pull me through”
Prince Caspian was awesome. Aslan is back! Lessons for the kings, queens and princes (and us all) in the movie: 1) You can’t do it yourself 2) You don’t need any proof of Jesus or God to have faith 3) Motivation through hatred is never the way, although the temptation is immense and alluring. 4) Righteous honor pleases God. God hates honor for power. See it. You will not be disappointed.
“There is a war going on for your mind. We are the insurgents” – Flobots lyrics
“Deliver me loving and caring
Deliver me giving and sharing
Deliver me this cross that I'm bearing
Oh, deliver me”
I’ve been developing a youth curriculum for Institute. It’s called, “iStand for God’s Justice & Mercy(There’s war going on for your mind)” If it is accepted, it includes part IJM, part Flobots, part Invisible Children, Part Darfur Now and some killer quotes. Also wall drawing, collages and letters sent to students after the class they write about what they want to do next. LEARN about it, DO something to help. TELL others. Love your neighbors everywhere.
“Jesus, Jesus how I trust You How I've proved You o'er and o'er
Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus
Deliver me”
Planted years-old seeds we found in the garage hiding in stacks of old papers. Not sure how they got there, but thought we’d throw them into our clay-pot soil. How’s that for planting seeds of faith?
Practical Justice: Living Off-Center in a Self-Centered World by Kevin Blue
Right thinking. Right action. Just living. God calls us to step up and get involved. More on this later.
“Come and pull me through Come pull me through”
Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.Do
not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen
against me,and they are breathing out violence. Psalm 27:11-14
“Civilians throughout Sudan face new peril as the peace agreement that ended the two decade war in southern Sudan seems increasingly fragile and new violence in Darfur appears imminent. The United States and the international community should take immediate steps to halt the fighting in the south and deter al-Bashir’s planned assault on Darfur.”“When all the love in the world
Is right here among us
And hatred too
And so we must choose
What our hands will do”
Surely We Can Change by the David Crowder Band
“Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all,
thou shalt not be a bystander.” The Holocaust Museum
What have you done to help alleviate suffering or draw attention to the Darfuri people? Are you a bystander?
so much pain
we don’t know how to be but angry
feel infected like we got gangrene please dont let anybody try to change me ..
me just me.
in a sea full of faces..
full of races’
some laugh
some salivate
whats in your alley recycling bins or bullet casings
its not equal its not fair
we’re different people but we’re not scared
we ain’t never scared to pave a new path
make a new street
build a new bridge
hey can you see by the dawns early light
free slaves runnin
songs words weren’t right now a new days comin
if you stay stuntin while the many are handsome your soul stays alive
but they want it for ransom
the bass drummin is the anthem we step to the heart beats of our granddaughters and grandsons
(chorus)
and rise together
we rise together
we rise
together
we rise
together
we rise
together ….
Rise by the Flobots
