Anna’s Blog

Am I too young to be feeling nostalgic?

These are things I miss.

Shadow. And leaves. Spending all day sitting in a leaf pile. I miss fall.

Taking walks down to the lake... with a sweatshirt and gloves, but enjoying the brisk autumn air. Floating wooden 'ships' down the stream at the park. Bike rides. Feeding the horses. I miss my road.

The old First Baptist Church. Stained glass windows. Bell tower. Passages behind the pulpit and baptismal. Sunday School. The old kitchen. The basement. Awana. All-nighters. The youth room and old sanctuary. The new sanctuary and the overflow. Not sitting with parents, playing the dot game during the sermon. Trying to sneak off to 'help' with the nursery. The 'prison cages' in the nursery. The elephant slide. The Agape room. The couch in the womens bathroom. Pastor Turner's office. The hexagonal room where we met with the elders to talk about being baptised. Pageants. We Like Sheep. Weddings. Potlucks. Coming early when Daylight Savings time ends, getting a surprise trip to McDonalds to spend time before church really starts. Being welcomed and handed a bulletin. Used for drawing pictures. Standing on the steps to find parents after church. Always talking. Always talking. Playing in the parking lot, on the 'swinging thing'/handrail outside, being pushed into bushes, hiding behind the sign. Walking back to the car by the post office. I miss this church.

Performing. Singing, being in costume. Messing around backstage. Messing around in the upper levels of the auditorium. Missing these friends. Tech week. The infamous and hellish Sunday practice before a performance. Pulling off a Friday night performance without a glitch, on a hope and a prayer, half the cast sick. Drama... onstage and off. SO much drama. Cast party. Everyone sign my program. Cast tshirst and wear-your-costume-to-school day. Missing class to get pictures taken. Missing class to help with the set. Oh the set. Missing class just because. Lights. Sound check. Britney Spears mics. Throat-coat. Green room. Scandals. Dressing room dance parties. So much excitement and comraderie. I miss this.

Allegan Chamber Choir. Top three in state. Best choir director and friend. Drama. Fun. Choir trips. Singing for the old people. Making fools of ourselves, but somehow impressing everyone. Not being prepared. Always pulling it off. Practice rooms. Sightreading. Sightreading upside down. Stupid judges. Hateful judges. Stories about songs. Homeland. Red Red Rose. The Awakening. Rocking the house - John Van loved us. Not drinking caffeine (it does THIS to your vocal chords). Everything. Soprano bonding. Altos can be tenors. Solfege. Every competition. Recruiting. Singing telegrams. Womens choir. The glory days. Ave. Toronto. Grand Rapids. Chaos. Drama. Not wanting to practice. Substitute teachers were a disaster. Drama. Choir president, elections. Secret Santa. 4 years of hardwork and love. I miss choir.

Beechpoint. My childhood. I miss this, and cookies.

Above all, I miss simplicity.

Posted by Anna at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In my New Testament class, we've been going through the book of Hebrews. Yesterday's class convicted me more than the past... twenty sermons I've heard at any church or chapel.

Hebrews details how Jesus is... better.

He's better than angels
He's better than men
He's better than Abraham
He's better than Moses
He's better than Aaron
He's a better Priest
He's a better Promise
He's a better Sacrifice
He's a better Covenant
He's... Better.

That's how the author of Hebrews presents it to the Jewish Christians who were perhaps rethinking their devotion to a faith that caused them such suffering and persecution. If they went back to being straight Jewish Jews, life would be so much easier. BUT, they are reminded, JESUS is BETTER than anything they were offered in their previous faiths.

My professor, Tom Allen, then turned to us and gave us this challenge: If a nonbeliever came up to you and asked you how is Jesus BETTER than a life of sin, a life lived for personal pleasure and instant gratification... what would you say? Why did YOU choose Jesus? Is He REALLY better?

Wow. And since we as Christians in America (a "Christian" nation), we suffer little to no persecution and little to no suffering for our faith. The most we 'suffer' is: "So-and-so laughed at me..." or "I'm not popular, I'm not cool because I'm a Christian..." Well, that's lame. That's not persecution. True, the tides are turning a bit for us: legislation being passed that outlaws speaking against such sins as homosexuality will make it increasingly scary and dangerous to be a vocal Christian. Who knows, though? Jesus guarantees persecution for embracing His way of life. We've had it easy. And we haven't been taking advantage of that. American Christians could use a little persecution. What a purification that would be for our churches! The lukewarm Christians (those Jesus says He will spit out of His mouth) will either be inspired to do MORE, or will abandon the faith.

Consider the brothers and sisters of the Church in China. As Christianity is illegal, those that have come to faith do so with extreme consequences. Their faith is not a leisure activity, a country club to join. They must be sincere and genuine believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, or they would have just chosen the easy way.

Back to Mr Allen's challenge, though. I fear that many Christians would have no answer for a nonbeliever. Because as they are living their lives (lukewarm as all get out) there is no indication of a Jesus who is BETTER. They are living lives of sin. Their lives are no different than the unbeliever who is asking them.

They have no way of answering that
He's a better Peace than drugs or alcohol - His peace is lasting, beyond all understanding
He's a better Joy and Satisfaction than any pleasure coming from sin will ever be
He's a better Friend than your best friend - He will never backstab or accuse
He's a better Father than your dad - He never makes mistakes and never lashes out in anger
He's a better Comfort than your mom, or any number of pounds of ice cream and chocolate
He's a better Judge - offering mercy and grace, but will always hold you accountable
He's a better Brother than your brother - will always be there to support you and guide you
He's a better Love than any relationship could ever be - it is eternal, unchanging, unconditional
He's a better Confidence than any popularity could ever bring
He's a better Plan - life with meaning, with purpose; we can know who we were, who we are and where we're going.

They have no way of answering an unbeliever because... they haven't experienced this Better Jesus for themselves.

How would you answer?

Posted by Anna at 9:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

(A preface to this blog: I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself. I tried to think of another topic I could write about, but... I couldn't help it. I just NEED to address this. For my own sake. So please just bear with me.)

"HAPPY GUY FAWKES DAY!' Can I say how irritating this has become? Frustrating to me, as one who loves LOVES history and loves LOVES England, that Americans have completely misconstrued this 'holiday'.

Did you know that this British 'holiday' is not celebrating Guy Fawkes, but rather his death? He committed treason. And was consequently hung, drawn and quartered - the most horrendous and humiliating of executions. This day is a reminder that treason will not be tolerated. Ugh how Americans have taken this to rally behind the underdog - Hooray for anarchy! Stick it to the man! Ummm... no. That's not what this is about. The bonfires are used to burn his effigy, not to commemorate what might have happened had his 'gunpowder plot' been successful.

Consider for yourself.

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
To blow up the King and Parli'ment.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England's overthrow;
By God's mercy he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
And what should we do with him? Burn him!

"I know of no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot." Oh, it's been forgot all right.

P.S. I don't mean to be preachy, I honestly don't. But... come on. I find it sad when people celebrate the idea of anarchy. Romans 13:1-4.

Posted by Anna at 2:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)