i know several people who do things when the new year is approaching to prepare for the upcoming year. they pick out a scripture for the next year, or think of things that they want to work on in the new year. this is something that i have never done.

yes, i have half-heartedly thought up resolutions to stick to and at lent i usually 'give something up' but this year i want to come up with things that i want to achieve in 2007. so i have been pondering what i want these things to be. I dont want this to be anohter failed attempt at keeping resolutions. and so i am putting more thought into it. And i am posting it here, partly as a declaration and partly for accountability.

1.  to intentionally connect with God through the aid of worship music and nature.

2. I commit to giving God the gift of my time. To make the most of my time and to not waste it. to be intentional about what i am doing and how i do it.

3. "to you I give my future, as long as it may last. to you I give my present to you I give my past."  And so to God i give my uncertainty, fear and pain.

a tribute to soup night friends...

i was with some friends last night. a group of people that get together on the first wednesday of each month for soup, bread, dessert and laughter. we call ourselves the soup night people...you may  have heard me talking about my soup night friends.it is a group of people who will accept anyone and everyone without passing judgement. It is a place you can go and simply be yourself.  and when you arrive, you  are greeted with a warm hug and if you are extra special, a kiss. it is a lovely  place to be on wednesday night.

so last night i was at kate and dave's house for soup night. and i saw an amazing thing. during the course of the evening, something sad happened and two ladies became very emotionally  upset. immediately without hestitation i saw several ladies surround these two women and support them..each in their own way. from holding a hand, to giving a long hug, to talking and listening. i saw people doing what Jesus tells us to do.

you may be thinking, 'well, that is great Laurie, i am glad you have a good group of christian friends to hang out with.' or maybe 'rock on Laurie, it's good to know people are being obedient to what Jesus has called us to.' or maybe 'Laurie, that is what we are supposed to do, why is it so amazing?'

here is why it is so  amazing. most of my soup night friends are wican or pagan. none of them would ever set foot inside a christian church. i walked away from soup night last night thinking about this as i sometimes do. how is it that these people, who probably never read the bible, can so freely love and accept people into their home? where do they find the freedom to give without expecting in return and comforting the people who need it the most?

last night as i was thinking about this i decided i want to be like them. 

so i heard this song tonight (see below) for the first time, and it blew me away. Here is the essence of what my heart needs to be saying. This summer and fall have been hard, and i have had times where i felt so in need of things and people.

that we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream, in abundance or in need.

it doesn't get any more true than that.

Send some rain, would You send some rain? 'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again. And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade. Would you send a cloud, thunder long and loud? Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down. Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid. But maybe not, not today. Maybe You'll provide in other ways. And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude. For lessons learned in how to thirst for You . How to bless the very sun that warms our face. If You never send us rain.

Daily bread, give us daily bread. Bless our bodies, keep our children fed. Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight. Wrap us up. And warm us through. Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs. Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time. Or maybe not, not today. Maybe You'll provide in other ways. And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude. A lesson learned to hunger after You. That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead. And if we never taste that bread.

Oh the differences that often are between everything we want and what we really need. So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace. Move our hearts to hear a single beat. Between alibis and enemies tonight. Or maybe not, not today. Peace may be another world away. And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude. For lessons learned in how to trust in You. That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream. In abundance or in need. And if You never grant us peace. But Jesus would You please?

-Nichole Nordeman

what is the rush?

i typically listen to national public radio when i am in my car. yesterday i was driving to school and i said, 'i don't want to listen to npr today.'  so i began going through the stations and i came across the sound of christmas songs.

it was a  bit of a shock to my ears to hear the bells jingling in the songs as if there was already snow on the ground and december 25th was next week.  we have not even reached thanksgiving.  somehow i thought the radio stations usually waited till the third friday in november before breaking out the christmas music. not this year, that's for sure.

i have the radio on in my room and Bing Crosby is dreaming of a white christmas. and it makes me wonder why/how Christmas has become so popular and celebrated in this country.  i think it is wonderful that we can celebrate Jesus and spend time with friends and family...but for everyone else, what makes Christmas 'the most wonderful time of the year' ?

okay so i'm done talking. i am going to go and do something productive.

have a happy turkey day next week.