I am moved a lot of the time by music. The lyrics get to me and I begin to view things in different ways, and its such a peaceful feeling..but here are some lyrics that I thought you guys might find intresting, and I appologise now if this type of stuff was not what this blog was intended for...

Lying here, in this pit that life's pushed me downI don't know,
just how long I can take or when I might break
I'm in needing so someone, please show me the truth
This need is real in my soul I feel the love You shared that's why I can't say no again
My thoughts are confused for my sins Your abused
My heart it screams, to open up and let You in
In my mind, I'm still fighting to understand
Nothing's free, but what You offer me,
You give so freely, though it cost You Your life and inside,
You show me the truth
This need is real in my soul I feel the love
You shared that's why I can't say no again

My thoughts are confused for my sins Your abused
My heart it screams, to open up and let You inYou know I try to do it.
To be a self made man

I tried to place it all upon my back again
But this crushing weight was well beneath the skin
Panicking for the light, an inner struggle I fight
But then I realized that You could be the only way

This need is real in my soul I feel the love You shared that's why I can't say no again
My thoughts are confused for my sins Your abused
My heart it screams, to open up and let You in
Let You in...

-Kutless

I went and bought this CD after I was going through hard times. Sometimes, I think, if you just hear something said it can help you out so much..
In Christ, Lisa Gardiner

More Sunday Night

Let me add to what Kathy said. What an incredible experience! It's hard to put into words but to spend the entire evening praising God through song centered around the description of worship found in Rev. 4 &5 was unbelievable. We all created it together. No one told us how to worship or babbed on about the scripture or made a bunch of announcements or anything. It was just praise and prayer created by a community of believers who all love the Lord and wanted to lift up their voices to lift Him up. Having the scripture read to music and then sung by the group afterwards was really, really meaningful.

To me, the big thing is that we all came together to create our worship. Jeff led but we all contributed what we had, almost like a musical praise potluck. It's the closest thing I've had to true worship in a long time and I'd really like to thank Jeff for leading us and allowing it to happen.

Next time someone else can do the Djembe if it's availible and I'll be happy just to sing and read and lift up praise to the Lord. Please come join us and bring something to create with...your heart, your voice, your love, an instrument, whatever you can offer. Bring it and offer it up on the altar we all build to honor and glorify Him.

In Him.

Sunday Night Worship

As most of you know, Jeff Weiss leads a worship 'service' at his home on Sunday evenings from 8:00-9:00. Chad and I try to attend every week and have really enjoyed it. Every week is a little different, ranging from mostly singing and prayer to talking about what God is teaching us or a discussion on something one of us has on our hearts to impromptu, improvisasional music.

Worship last night was wonderful! Jeff got out a borrowed a jimbay (a cool African drum played with the hands) which Chad immediately took over, the rainstick, which Danielle is mastering and an Eggz shaker, which we pass around to whomever wants it. Jeff, of course, played his acoustic guitar and the improv was amazing. We're not all musicians, but most of us can usually keep a beat well enough for the percusion instruments that were available. We all added our own vocals where ever they seemed appropriate (even if they weren't! At least I sing softly, so now one noticed!)

Lots of praising God and laughter and sharing. It was a great time. Come by next week. If you're not ready to add to the music, there is plenty of singing and prayer!

Prayer Request
Hey guys. Please keep all of us up here at Georgia State in your prayers. This is turning out to be a really strenuous week due to midterms, and I for one don't like all the pressure. There are a few of us here who are just struggling to hold on until Friday. So please please pray for us. Thanks y'all. -Leigh <><

Retreat!!

At the Bible study tonight, there was some discussion about a retreat, during which we will talk about dating and relationships and the Song of Solomon.

We're still looking at possible dates and places, so PLEASE let us know soon if you are interested and any dates that will definitely not work for you. Email Chad or me if you are interested.

I found a website, a blog, actually, that is interesting. The writer simply posts a saying from one of the Desert Fathers each day. It's called Word from the Desert. Today's word was a prayer from St. Isaac the Syrian from the seventh century:

Immeasurable Grace

Glory, O Lord, to Your immeasurable grace.

Behold, O Lord, the waves of Your grace have made me silent; and no thought has been left in me before Your good graces.

With what words can we praise You, O good King, You who love our life?

Glory to You for the worlds which You have created for our growth and pleasure, leading us through all that You have created to the knowledge of Your glory, from now and unto the ages.  Amen

There is also a link to have this sent to you daily in your email, if you don't want to go to the website every day.

Stupid Mistakes
Just got back from crew. I had an interesting morning. The Chattahoochee's water level had risen considerably since yesterday (meaning we wouldn't be hitting sandbars or the bottom of the river). But with the increase in water level came the increase of the current. Anyone who says the Chattahoochee doesn't have a current -- I know you're out there -- should have been on the water with us today. When I had to run my oar to balance the boat before we got in, I started catching crabs (meaning the water was catching my oar and trying to rip it out of my hands) almost immediately. That doesn't usually happen. But I got it righted and somehow we managed to get off the dock. And then the current took us, quite fast, downstream. When we began rowing in that direction, we were flying. But then I started running into problems. My foot stretchers (the shoes you put your feet in that are bolted to the boat) hadn't been tightened prior to pushoff, and they started moving up toward me until they were fully out of the slides. That meant that I couldn't take a full stroke because my legs were hitting the front of the slide. Painful if you're not paying attention. I will probably have bruises on the backs of my calves because of that. Since I couldn't take a full stroke, I was always late or early on the stroke when following behind stern pair. I had the timing down in my head, but my body wouldn't cooperate with me. When we turned around, Maggie tried to help me fix my problem, but there was no way to do it on the water. So bow pair got dropped out and stern pair brought us back to the dock. We got back okay, but most everyone else had problems. The men's eight couldn't get it in, and had to row back downstream and turn around in order to dock. Our coxswain, Zoe, ended up having to cox their boat in to help Minh out. Getting our boat back up to the boathouse was better than usual. Laura coxed us in since Zoe was preoccupied. We washed the boat down and put it up without too many more problems. Except for the fact that I wasn't fully listening to the commands and started to put it down before the command was called. That earned me a nice sharp rebuke from Maggie and Jeanette. Coming home I got to mull over everything that had happened. And as usual I was disappointed in myself for not doing better. I know I'm improving, but still, I'm making so many stupid mistakes.

Well, cheers for now. Time for class. -Leigh <><

Go and Wash

"Go and wash," He said.
And the blind man did and was healed.

But what of me? What would I have done?
"I don't know the way?"
"I can't see, how do I get there?"
"Why should I go?"
"What's in it for me?"
"Who are you to tell me what to do?"

"Go and wash," He says.
I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.
Wash not only your face but your sins also.