Sorry to Say... almost

I think I am going to shut this thing down. I know of definitely three people that read this. Okay maybe a few others. Nathan, Connor on occasion, and same for Ryan, Chase, Laura says she has read some of the stories. Or at least one. And I think sometimes Melissa might read it. So that is 1...2... 6. Six people read this blog. And no one comments. So really I am jabbering for nothing. And you know, I have been looking at other people's sites and the ones that I feel are really deep and worthwhile reading you know...I am not linked to any of them. Which is fine, I am not asking to be linked, I just figure I am not linked to any so called deep sites, erego my blog is not really that deep. And what is worth writing about if it doesn't make poeple think? You know? Well maybe you don't. I thought you know, that I had some deep thoughts. I still think I do. But I get them out here and they just become mouth diarreah.

So I may finish the thing on Muslim night. And then I am going away. Well, the blog is. Because really, there is not a whole lot of reason to keep it up here.

Laboring for Nothing

Do you ever feel like you are shouting and no one is listening?

Or like you are standing there, and everyone, including your 'friends', is walking by without a glance in your direction?


"...shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life- in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing." Philippians 2:15-16


I feel that I am laboring for nothing. Like working, and working hard, and learning and teaching and growing, and I am running this so called race, but no one is noticing. No one sees anything. I don't want attention, that's not the notice that I want. I don't desire glory, that isn't it. I want people to stop hurting and come to know the Love of God.

But no one is coming. No one notices. No one stops to ask questions.

Am I doing something wrong? I must be. Or is God just wanting me to wait, because the noticers are hiding? Maybe. It has just made me very excited for leaving here lately.

I'll fly away
Oh Lordy,
I'll fly away

When I die
Halleluya by and by
I'll fly away

Only a few more weary days and then
I'll fly away


'A dika yöila
Sara

Muslim Night part 3 (Bible)

So I have realized that I am pretty disrespectful wiht my Bible when you look at how a Christian with a Muslim background would take care of it. I know we aren't supposed to worship our Bibles, but you know, it is God's Word, his Holy Word, and I think I should take better care of mine. Most Muslims would keep their Q'uran on a high shelf in their home, and some wrap theirs in an expensive beautiful piece of cloth. They always keep it clean and would drop it on the floo after reading it before bed like I do. They treasure their Bibles in a way I don't really understand. I've always seen it as this old book with some great stoires that a pastor can always stretch to make more out of than I think is really there. I know, and I recognize that my Bible is the number one way people are brought to Christ, and I know it is special and important and all that jazz. I think though, because I have like three that I can think of off the top of my head, I just treat it as something that is dispensable and not so important. Because heck, I can always get another one!

So lately, I have been trying to at least put my Bible on my beanbag where it isn't on the dusty floor covered in yarn bits because I don't vacuum enough. And I am on the hunt for a piece of cloth to wrap it in to keep it especially clean and nice looking.

And no, I am not starting to worship it or become legalistic about my quiet times as you will probably warn against. (Nathan)

Salaam mat pagi,
sara

Beware, awkward Thees and Thines thrown into to Modern English!

I'm so tired, lonely.
I've sunk into myself,
quiet, angry, bitter.
I didn't used to be this way!
Cleansing fire, why hast thou gone?
Hast thou forasaken me,
abandoned my side?
How then this sweet voice?
Tempting and smooth?
Calling me,
Calling me.
Back to the side of one who loves me.
One who doth love me despited the anger.
Beyond the weariness,
against the bitter hands pushing thee away.
Away, away.
Yet do not leave my side, O great love of the world.
You who gather the the exiles to yourself,
who will bring the lost ones into your fold.
Do not leave my side, or let me leave thine.

Farewell fond lovers,
we were like ships passing in the night.
Sara

Yeah. Random.

Muslim Night part 2 (prayer)

I have always wondered about prayer. Okay, not always, but for a long time. Ever since I met this man who lifts up his hands whenever he prays. So finding out some Muslim thoughts on prayer was kind of cool.

Muslims think it is incredibly prideful of us to sit in a pew comfortably, with our legs crossed of folded while we pray. They think it is totally effrontery to God. And not just Muslims, but a lot of Christians with Muslim background agree.

That's why they always kneel and press their forhead to the ground while praying. It is to symbolize and remind them of their humility before God. Which is so amazing to me. I have never thought of that. But really, I would bow or something if I met Queen Elizabeth, how much moreso should I do that in front of God who is the King of Kings?

I have found myslef lately being very prideful with God. Or maybe prideful is the wrong word. Comfortable works better. I have gotten to far into buddy-buddy-Jesus. Learning this about Muslims or Muslim Christians really struck me. I need to have more reverence and respect for God.
So I think I will kneel more often in prayer, to remind me of my submission to God and my place before God.

I have decided that nobody cares.

Muslim Night part 1 (women)

So the first thing I learned about Muslim Christians was that they worship separately. That comes from a Muslim tradition I suppose. Anyway, at first that was weird, but actually, not too foreign. I mean, men and women used to sit on different sides of the sanctuary. The children sat with the women, including little boys, until they were old enough to go over to the men's side.

That was interesting at first, I mean entering into this crowd of all women. But we looked around at each other and we were all alike. Each one of us had our heads covered and we were all kneeling together before God, so really, I felt more equal with all of them than I ever have before. I wasn't thinking, aw, I want a boy to put his arm around me during worship! He's doing it to her! And I hardly even thought about how the women looked. I never realized before now how much hair really effects what a person looks like. With all our hair tucked away, everyone just looked normal and their faces were just sweet pictures of beauty.
It was really awesome for me. I felt like I could focus on God as we read through the prayers and psalms. I wasn't looking around feeling jealous of someone else's great hairday or their boyfriend (rather husband in this case). I felt sweet fellowship with these other women, and little or no rivalry, which is so rare among women.
So often we see separation between men and women as backwards and sexist. I got to experience it that night, and I saw it completely different. It was beautiful and perfect. You know, there's a reason we were created differently. Because there is beauty in that. There is beauty in the separation. And it was so gorgeous and amazing to worship the Lord with only women. I loved it.
And really, I was sad when the men came in.

M'asselema,
Sara

I have been going to Perspectives....

...that class they are offering at church. Well last week we had an interesting sort of lesson on contexualization (which I think is SO important. anyway).

So we came in and the first thing you see by the door is a chair with all these headscarves thrown over the back of it. And then there is a bowl of water, and next to it, rows of shoes. And on a chair just behind the water, a sign. You are now entering a Muslim home. Please cover your hair and wash your feet and hands and arms up to your elbow.

I had some major issues with the headscarf. The first one was too small, the second too big, and finally, Mrs. Anderson just did it for me. Then the men went into Mckibben Chapel and the women went into that other one. We said a prayer from the common book of prayers, and a psalm and a verse. We were kneeling on prayer mats except for the older women who can't do it, they had chairs right by the mats.

So I learned a lot that night, and I don't want to put it all into one really long post. So the next couple days I will do one post on each thing, and then you know, if you want, you can refer back to here to remind yourself what the heck I am talking about, and how this all came up.

Salaam,
Sara

Today I was sitting in Spanish,

and then the lights flickered off, and immediately, all the seniors start cheering. We were clapping and whooping up a storm, it was so awesome. And when they flicked back on for a few seconds we were all shouting NO! So when we were again in darkness, we were cheering again.

We sat there for about 45 minutes I would say. We had to talk about homecoming in Spanish, definitely one of the worst classes every, lol. But then, we got to go home!!!

We had school canceled because of a power outage! Isn't that great?

Poka,
sara

Hymn

Come thou fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing thy praise
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Calls for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
Praise the mount
I'm fixed upon it
Mount of thy Redeeming love

Here I raise my Ebenezer
Hither by thy grace I'm come
And I hope by thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wand'ring from the fold of God
He to rescue me from danger
Interposed his precious blood

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be
Let thy love Lord like a fetter
Bind my wand'ring heart to thee
Prone to wander Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart Lord
Take and seal it
Seal it for thy courts above

Here's my heart Lord
Take and seal it,
Seal it for thy courts above.

Benedicite,
sara

Yesterday at the Sit in....

(Singing) Ron Fay! Oh fay oh fay oh fay... Ron fay.....

chanting: We're obnoxious! (clap clap clapclapclap)

chanting: school day's over! (clap clap clapclapclap)

Hell no, we won't go! Hell no....

Lloyd! Lloyd! Lloyd!

Other hall! (clap clap clapclapclap)

Ron! Ron! Ron!

Ger-hardt! Ger-hardt!

And at the assembly:

Underclassmen: We won't miss you! (clap clap clapclapclap)
Seniors: You're still stuck here! (clap clap clapclapclap)

Erin: Look! We won! And they didn't even have to lie and say the sophomores cheated!

Oh my goodness, definetly, the best day of my life.

sara

ps, did you like that clap clap clapclapclap thing? Yeah, didn't know how else to get it across.... lol

Bush Sells Louisiana Back to France!!

BUSH TO SELL LOUISIANA BACK TO FRANCE

BATON ROUGE, LA. – The White House announced today that President Bush has successfully sold the state of Louisiana back to the French at more than double its original selling price of $11,250,000.
“This is a bold step forward for America,” said Bush. “And America will be stronger and better as a result. I stand here today in unity with French Prime Minister Jack Shiraq, who was so kind to accept my offer of Louisiana in exchange for 25 million dollars cash.”
The state, ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, will cost hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild.
“Jack understands full well that this one’s a ‘fixer upper,’” said Bush. “He and the French people are quite prepared to pump out all that water, and make Louisiana a decent place to live again. And they’ve got a lot of work to do. But Jack’s assured me, if it’s not right, they’re going to fix it.”
The move has been met with incredulity from the already beleaguered residents of Louisiana.
“Shuba-pie!” said New Orleans resident Willis Babineaux. “Frafer-perly yom kom drabby sham!”
However, President Bush’s decision has been widely lauded by Republicans.
“This is an unexpected but brilliant move by the President,” said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. “Instead of spending billions and billions, and billions of dollars rebuilding the state of Louisiana, we’ve just made 25 million dollars in pure profit.”
“This is indeed a smart move,” commented Fox News analyst Brit Hume. “Not only have we stopped the flooding in our own budget, we’ve made money on the deal. Plus, when the god-awful French are done fixing it up, we can easily invade and take it back again.”
The money gained from ‘The Louisiana Refund’ is expected to be immediately pumped back into the rebuilding of Iraq.

Haha! I think that is hilarious. That top line is a link to the site, it has a picture of Bush and Chirac shaking hands to seal the deal!

Aurevoir!
sara

ps. Connor! I beat you!