A lost blessing……

Today we had our annual foot washing and communion service. It was one of the most memorable communion services I can remember.  The church has been “preparing” to take communion for several weeks. Dad has been teaching on the necessity of  communion and foot washing. Especially foot washing. I mean, who doesn’t like taking communion???? I know it’s a gruesome thought.. The blood and the body. But the wonderful feeling that comes over you as soon as you take it is incomparable. But FOOTWASHING!!!!  Has never been my favorite. However I’ve been listening these last few weeks about the importance of it. And even though I’ve been born and raised in Pentecost. I still learned so much.  Today dad preached on Pure Focus on Jesus. How communion is 100 % about Christ. We will never be worthy, never be good enough, never have reached a place where we don’t need communion.  I have to pause for a moment and say. My daddy is the best preacher in the world!!!! I have NEVER in my 24 years been bored. Not on wednesday nights, Sunday nights, even when we were evangelizing!!! Now I could probably quote a few of his sermons… lol. Some of his “favorites”. But I am so glad I’ve never been bored!  Anyways.  I’ve taken communion for as long as I can remember and I’ve always felt the Holy Ghost afterwards, but today it was different somehow. I totally focused on Jesus. I refused to think about how I’ll never be good enough and if I “missed” a sin to repent about and it was AWESOME!!!!! For a brief minute or so it was just Him and me. The rest of the church ceased to exist.  There is no feeling like that!!! I felt clean, renewed, refreshed. I literally felt energy run through my body. It was amazing. So then after we were done with that we separated the men and the women and had foot washing. It was so precious. I know that the Bible says if we don’t partake of foot washing then we have no part of the Father. Thats paraphrasing. So these past few weeks I’ve been praying, God PLEEEEEAAAAASSSEEE  help me learn to LIKE foot washing. Lol. I’m not entirely sure that THAT prayer got answered. BUT. I also prayed for God to lead me. I know I used to in Texas make little groups and not stray outside of my little group year after year after year. lol. Who didn’t??? But this year it wasn’t like that. I washed this newer young ladies feet. She is a sweet young girl and on my part I feel that I had pre judged her before ever getting to know her!!!  Which I HATE when people do to me!!!! So I was standing there and all the sudden it was like God said Go and wash her feet!!! I was SOOOO scared!! As much as I had prayed and asked God to guide me, when He did I was scared!!!  Finally I gave in, and I asked for her forgiveness for any wrong doing on my part, if I had mistreated her, etc… And no at first it wasn’t easy, but it was SO worth it!!!! There was such a sweet spirit.  She had not sensed this, but it still made me feel better. =)  After we were done with that everyone went back to the sanctuary and it was “open mike” for anyone who wanted to speak. It was almost like a family gathering!! I felt like the church was bonding! How can you not feel that way after such a service. As for my title… I know some churches don’t honor this anymore. It’s too hard, too much work, too difficult, too uncomfortable, etc…  I was thinking about this today. How SAD!!!!! I feel sorry for the people that have just let this slide out the back door!!! There is such a blessing in taking communion and foot washing.  I know it’s not the most comfortable feeling in the world… believe me I’m ticklish!!! But I wouldn’t trade it for the world. There are some traditions that I’m very glad we still hold on too!!  I was watching a group of about 5 or 6 young girls.  I mean like 7 and 8 years old. Of course they don’t understand all there is to know about foot washing but they were practicing today!! It was precious! At one point they all went over to my mom and asked if they could wash her feet. And it probably was fun to them but I was BAWLING and it wasn’t even happening to me!!! I know I’m kinda on a soapbox here… but there are some things I refuse to let go of!  I would not trade today for anything.  I got all teary eyes thinking wow that could be my little girl one day.  What a blessing.

Speaking of children… Kung Pow Kitty is growing SO fast!! I want her to stop growing!  My father wants little munchkins… Thats his words.  LOL. I have to admit, I’ve been thinking about children lately. BUT I’m not ready yet!!! Matthews more ready than I am !!! lol. We have switched positions!!  After church today I took mom, dad, and Than to go see our “new place”!!!!!  OOOOOH I can’t wait till we are actually there!! After being in there our apartment feels so small. Lol. And it actually is a very nice apartment. 2 bedrooms 1 bath. A very open floor plan. But still it’s all SO close together. Like the bathroom is within seeing and hearing distance of the kitchen and living room!!!  And is sometimes awkward when we have company. lol. But at the NEW place it’s all the way down the HALL!!! OMWORD I’m GONNA HAVE A HALL!!!!! lol!  The kitchen is so BIG!!! and I have a pantry!!!!! Oh I have died and gone to heaven. Matthews and my bedroom is large enough to have my WHOLE bedset. Sleigh bed, dresser with mirror and 2 night stands in AND out computer etc….  I promise I will put pictures up. Maybe before and after pictures. My mother, who has the most classy taste in decorating is going to help me. I’ve been trying to figure out what my decorating style is … I can’t figure it out!!! I like modern style but with RICH colors! And a little bit of old world style thrown in. I can’t have the whole house look the same. I think I want one room to be animal print. One room totally modern, and one room old world elegance. Hmmm. Do any of you guys know a really good decorating magazine??

Tomorrow I get to start working in Salinas!!! yay! no more trips to Santa Cruz. From Hollister to Santa Cruz it’s like 50 miles which is a longer commute than I would like. But tomorrow I start helping set up the new office. I really believe that God is helping me and also giving me favor with the people I work with.  I absolutely LOVE my job. So far I’ve helped out on several crown deliveries, amalgam, composite, srp, prophy, setting up and breaking down, sterilizing, and I can’t remember what else. I KNOW the steps, but it’s the anticipating the doctors next moves that I’m not quite familiar with yet. However I keep jumping in and asking if I can do this or do that!!! It’s all very exciting. I think my favorite part is taking the X Rays it’s one thing that I am very comfortable with. Boy would my teacher be surprised!!!  I can’t believe how much God is blessing us !!! lol. God gave us this bigger for 125 less apartment, gave me a good paying job, gave Matt a 3 dollar an hour raise, and our landlord said she would give us our deposit back!!!!  God is just too good!!

Thats all folks

 

Remember

I remember when you were born. The plans I laid out for you.

I remember when you were a small child and developed a hunger at a young age for my presence.

I remember as a adolescent to your teenage years. How you loved to worship me. You were the first one to arrive and the to leave. you wanted so badly to be used of me, prayed so hard and yearned for My spirit that you did not even know you were paving the road for your future.

I remember the dreams you used to have. the desires of your heart and I flooded your heart and mind and life with my presence. There was hardly a day that we did not talk, hardly a service that you didn’t get lost in my presence. The essence of me was in you. You were my vessel and I used you. Often.

Do you remember?

Now child, much time has passed, you have grown and I have withdrawn my presence from your life. Not to punish you, but to test you. To see if you love me as you say you do. To know if you in fact will serve me no matter what. Even though you have not sensed me I have been with you. I have watched your tears fall in the night. And I have heard your heart begging for me to touch you again. I have been there, yes. And through all of this you still love Me. You still cry out to me. I am your refuge and strength.

I have been there when you thought you were alone. Carried you when you were too weak to servive. I have never left you. Just as I told you I would. Remember?

Then when you thought it got to hard, you gave up. Child have you not learned yet to walk by faith? Don’t you know I will never put more on you than you are able to stand? You are stronger than you think.

I am the one who took the things most important to you. Your spark, zeal, health, life, your desire for things other than Me.  Only to see if you really would turn to Me. To see if I am your everything!!! And you have proved me right.

Now, child this desert you have been in is over. Please pick back up the desires I have placed in you. Pick back up the dreams that you thought were shattered, and the visions you thought were figments of your imaginations. I gave you those desires!! They are not dead. I am here and my presence is here to wash you, cover you, and anoint you yet again. The tears you have cried, I have kept them. The prayers you have prayed, I have stored them. Now I will pour them over you.  It will be as sweet to you as they were to me. A sweet smelling fragance.

I know you remember my presence.

Come now, fall back into my arms and let me hold you. Let me guide you. Let me infuse myself into your life. I have not given up on you and this valley has reached its end.  I am here.

Remember Me

I am your God.