Antiques and Memories

This Thanksgiving I came across the first CD I ever bought. When I was in kindergarten, I got Caedmon's Call's latest CD 40 Acres. Even though I was only 6 years old when I purchased it from the local Christian bookstore, it has remained one of my favorite CDs. The folk/bluegrass acoustic feel is timeless. Derek Webb and Cliff Young write some of the deepest and most honest lyrics you will find. Over the past summer, I would listen to Caedmon's Call in the mornings as I setup our auditorium. 


Now I've found an old antique CD player, put some AA batteries in it, and begun to listen to a CD that brings back all kinds of memories.


My favorite songs are 40 Acres, Petrified Heart, Somewhere North, and Faith My Eyes.

Grace

    Grace is when you finally stop keeping score and when you realize that God never was, that his game is a different one entirely. Grace is when the silence is so complete that you can hear your own heartbeat, and right within your ribs, God's beating heart, too. 

    I used to think the ability to turn back time would be the greatest possible gift, so that I could undo all the things I wish I hadn't done. But grace is an even better gift, because it allows me to do more than just erase; it allows me to become more than I was when I did those things. It's forgiveness without forgetting, which is much sweeter than amnesia.

-Shauna Niequist "Bittersweet"

     For most of my life I've treated Grace as something God gives me daily, but never something I give to others. At least not on the same level as what God does. For so long Grace and Forgiveness never connected. I thought I forgave people, but after I protected myself. If they hurt me I avoided them and built a wall of protection. After all, "Forgive and Forget" isn't biblical.

As I read and grow, I find that my view is small and incomplete. Grace and Forgiveness do go hand in hand. We shower forgiveness and grace on those who've wronged us. Over and over again. Forever

Even when it hurts. 

Especially when it hurts. 

In these moments we truly reflect Christ.

Days Go By

Apparently on April 14th, 2009 I had my last blog post. 

Somewhere along the way stuff from my sophomore year was lost. But it's ok.

I was a freshman, obsessed with guitars, effects for guitars, and John Mayer. Buckhead church was and is my church. I've gone back and read a lot of my posts. Some are wise, some are embarrassingly short-sighted or poorly written. I put a Creed song down as one of my favorites-of-the-week. I've changed. I promise. Better music.

Since then I've grown. I've worked camp for two incredible summers. Once as a teamtime leader, another as a Production Director. I have grown with Christ and friends for two years. Developed more musical tastes. Better tastes. I've read more books, and learned from them.