Hearing...

I loved Toni's post about hearing, and making sure we are "shamaing" the right voice.

Thank God that He DEFINITELY speaks through His Written Torah!

I shared with a friend last night that I've finally gotten to a point where I don't read His Word because I "have" to... I read because I HAVE to... it's my breath, my fuel, my food. It grows and strengthens me in Him even as it breaks my heart and tears down my self-sufficiency.

It wasn't always like this, though. I once heard someone share that they had gotten to this point, and I realized I was very far from it... so what happened? I asked Him to change me. "Simple" as that! And He has a way of responding to such prayers...

Thank You Lord for Your Word... truly we can say:

"This is the bread we have been given
The covenant law from God's own hand
By this law we learn to love
Lead us now into Your way"
Teach us how to Love, Lord...AMEN

Eat well today, Echo, and rest well in His tent. Shabbat Shalom... you are loved...
October 31, 2008 8:12 AM

Check your facts!

I want to take a very brief moment to encourage the body -

If you're going to vote on Tuesday, please, please, take some time to look up the issues, where the candidates stand, and use logic to determine what they might actually be able to accomplish.

I actually heard someone say yesterday that they believe that "white people will be forced into slavery" if Obama becomes president. I don't care how you vote, but please, be an informed voter and don't vote based on hearsay or false advertisements.

And that's all you'll hear from me on politics.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

I find it interesting that the third time the word shama is used in the Bible is when Adam is reprimanded for "shama-ing" Eve, (Gen 3:17) http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen%203:17&version=49.

The first two occurrences of the word are in Ch 3 verses 8 and again in verse 10.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen%203:8;&version=49
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen%203:10;&version=49.

The first and second occurrence have to do with "shama-ing" the voice of God. The third time that the word shama occurs is when God tells Adam that it's because he "sham-ed" Eve's voice that...

(well you all know what happens.)

Disclaimer: I don't mean to imply boys that husbands shouldn't listen to wives. (I know you were all going there.) Just hang with me for a little while longer.

Redirecting your attention to the point... Adam "shama-ed" a voice that was not in agreement with God's word. Eve's voice was in opposition of what God had already spoken.

When we hear, attend, understand, obey and remember (elements of shama) do we ensure it's the voice of God that has spoken it?

I recently saw a movie in class about an elderly Deaf couple who decided to under-go surgery to receive cochlear implants (a device ran by a mini processor that uses an external microphone to receive sound which is fed to an electrode array embedded under the skin which in turn transforms the sound into coded signals that are decoded by the brain). The couple being in their upper 60's struggled with their new implants. The wife had the most difficulty . You see after being Deaf all her life she now suffered from sound overload. It was extremely hard for her to learn how to distinguish the difference in sounds. Everything was noise to her from music to voices to white noise. At the end of the program the poor woman reached utter despair and said the following...

"Part of learning how to hear is learning what not to hear, what to take in and what to ignore".

I almost shouted out a big ole "AMEN say it sister!" right there in the classroom. Needless to say it really made an impression on me!

In this world full of sounds and voices I ask you ECF do you know which sounds and voices to hear and which to ignore?

Who's the originator of the voices you HEAR?

Do you UNDERSTAND what you are hearing?
Are you purposely directing your ATTENTION to the voice of God?
Are you OBEDIENT to His voice?
Do you dwell in His Word daily to ensure that you REMEMBER what He has spoken?

SHAMA ECF...
HEAR HIM, ATTEND HIS MESSAGE, UNDERSTAND WHAT HE SAYS, BE OBEDIENT, AND REMEMBER WHAT HE HAS SAID.

Oh and boys...
Sometimes He does speak through wives, friends, pastors (wink, wink) and others.

How's the Torah reading going, Echo? Sometimes it helps to share it with a brother or sister... Feel free to share any of your questions and ponderings here!

...on "giving what I have" and "being a light"

This testimony was shared during service today, but it has the feel of a gemstone that belongs on the necklace that He is making of Echo's history, so I'll share it here, as well, as a part of our "written history."


Scene One: Rochelle's poor Buick is center stage. Though this faithful servant of many-many miles rarely complains, there are some issues. Right now the biggest concern is tires... Baldy 1, 2, 3, & 4 are all desperately seeking retirement, but this madwoman keeps driving on them all over the state of Michigan, whispering quick little prayers and encouragement to "keep it together, dear thing, something'll come up and we'll be able to get you some new shoes..." It becomes a prayer request on a couple of short lists, and she keeps on rolling...

Scene Two: Day before payday, madwoman decides to skip some bills and make the tires a priority. She calls a Faithful Friend (we'll call her Toni, since that's her name) who was getting some quotes, to tell her not to worry about it, she's just going to go somewhere tomorrow to get it done. Friend says, "Um, let me call you back..." Minutes later, Faithful Friend 2 (Cheryl) calls to say, "Well, now you've done it, blowing the surprise..." :)

Turns out the congregation had already put together tire money as a Minister Appreciation gift! WOW!!! Well! It could stop there, but no, He had more in store...

Scene Three: Earlier in the day, madwoman had called Toni to ask if she had any firewood for the family in Detroit that we are trying to help. Response: "Um, let me call you back..." Well, turns out that the firewood money had gone to help with the tire purchase! Toni called Faithful Friend 3 (Jeff), though, and POOF! firewood appears not only for our friends in Detroit, but for Toni too!

Scene Four: Madwoman turns to her friends and coworkers, one a Hindu and one a Muslim, and tells of this chain of events. Hindu Friend pauses a moment then says: "Your God really takes care of you."


It may start with giving what you think is a little, or insignificant, or you may even think you are just blessing one person... but as you serve and touch and speak... as you shine that little light where it's supposed to shine... you may find that you've been the only light shining in a dark place, a place that desperately needs light. You may also find that your little light was part of a bigger mosaic, and series of events and colors and sounds that becomes a portrait... of a BODY...

What can you give?

On "The Office", the Scranton branch was robbed and the branch manager decided to hold an auction in order to raise money for replacements. Since they had no goods, they auctioned off their services, things they could do for each other. (A yoga lesson, filing your taxes, etc) Well, one lady wanted to auction off a hug. The manager thought this was stupid, and put off auctioning off this hug, until it was the only thing left. Well, long story short, this hug started a bidding war and ended up going for $1,000. That little hug, previously dismissed, raised more money than anything else in the auction.

We're a little body, and at times, we may feel like we don't have a lot, or anything to give. Maybe it's because we feel inferior, or maybe it's because we don't feel like we have the time to invest in something 'big'. Neither is actually true! Sometimes the smallest acts are the ones that are most memorable, and don't need to require all our time. Would it be great if we all had unlimited resources, energy and time to give to one another? Sure. But just because we don't, doesn't make us any less effective in our ability to love.

So what can you give? If not a visit, perhaps a quick email? If not that, maybe spend a moment in prayer for someone - I'm sure we all need that!

Don't underestimate what you can do. A little bit of love goes a long way.

My thanks to Sharon for the awesome hug every week. They remind me of the hugs my Grandma used to give. (and those were the best hugs ever)

shabbat shalom echo north!
(photo courtesy of echo south)

Reminder to self and any other worry warts

For any of you who may need a reminder
(myself included)

He has a name for that too...

Jehovah Jirah

Watching...

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you." Psalm 32:8

Precious words from the Father, in response to the psalmist's expression of trust:

You are my hiding place;
You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance. 32:7

Ah, but that's not all He says... He goes on in verse 9:

"Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you."

In other words... Yes, take refuge in Me, trust in Me... I will guide you, and teach you, and I will always be watching you... but take care that you grow up into relationship with Me as My Bride, drawing near in love, not out of duty or mindless servitude.

I watch you... not because I want to criticize every step.
I watch you... not because I want you to feel insecure about how you serve Me.
I watch you... ah, I watch you because I can't take My eyes off of you...

You are beautiful, and I so look forward to our times together.
I watch, and wait as you wander near My place of rest...
I watch, knowing this time you may notice Me, or you may just slip away again.

If you draw near to Me, I will draw near to you.

You
Are
Loved

A Sukkah Made of Echoes...

In honor of Sukkot (Leviticus 23:34-35) Echo made a human Sukkah in the park in Oxford!

We also experienced the ingathering of the "four species"...

• Fragrant & Sweet Fruit (tangerine) symbolizing those rich in Torah and good deeds
• Sweet Fruit (dates) symbolizing those rich in Torah but not in deeds
• Fragrant Branches (pine) symbolizing those rich in deeds but not in Torah
• Scentless Branches symbolizing those not rich in Torah or deeds

It takes all kinds to make up a Body, and He calls for the ingathering of all species. Echo was reminded to view each other and the rest of the Body of Christ with humility and love, never with arrogance or envy.

After our "Sukkot Celebration" we enjoyed the service at Immanuel Congregational Church of Christ in Oxford (where Zach's Jazz Combo was playing!) and after that, we enjoyed food and fellowship at Red Knapp's! What a beautiful day...

Echo, may you be mindful of the One who would indwell your temporary lives, and may your lives (you in Him, and Him in you) be sweet and fragrant... See you next week!

Sukkot Shalom!

May you rest in His sukkah... His booth... as you find sweetness in His Sabbath this week!

Seashore

The little girl runs ahead, exclaiming, "Look at this shell here! And this one! Oh, and rocks, and starfish, and seaglass... and... and... and... " Even the sand, and how the tide causes it to swell and to rest, swell and rest, like breathing, and the water leaves behind bits of the sea, a bubbly residue... "Isn't it beautiful?"

The excitement is precious, and all a part of being young and ALIVE. But further back, the child's Companion--Who happens to be the Author of all the beauty--walks slowly, reflective but not pensive, also ALIVE, but with a quietness that speaks not of agedness or cynicism or complacency or criticism, but of wisdom and a peace that passes understanding. He enjoys her enjoyment, but there's a sense that He eagerly (but never impatiently) awaits a point in time, when the child will slow down and walk with Him, hand-in-hand, and her greatest thrill will be found in just being with Him, moment by moment.

On October 25th, 2008, Echo will begin reading the Pentateuch together. It's a year-long reading... slow, steady, no rush... we will do it together, hand-in-hand, with Him and with each other. May it be a year of delight, a year of blessing, a year of growing up in Him, not toward independent adulthood, but toward sweet Brideship...

And this congregation said.... AMEN.

Shabbat Shalom...

Watching, Waiting

In the midst of the economic, political, and military floods, let us arise with those who say...

"But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. " Mic 7:7

As for the world...

"Nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will put their hand on their mouth, their ears will be deaf. " Mic 7:16

Where is your trust, Echo? In your might (little as it is) or in your God?

the worshipful tones of echo ;-)

You are loved, Echo!

Break-fast communion.

This is about as clear as it gets sometimes! But even this is temporary. The sun WILL shine through and the fog WILL lift. Just wait...oh wait, i say, on YHWH. Ps 27

Shabbat Shalom!