The Dance That Never Ends…Marriage!

First sight of the bride

There is nothing much sweeter in life, aside from your own marriage and the birth of your children, than to watch one of your own get married to the person that they choose to spend the rest of their days and nights with along this road of life! I have had the privilege since we last corresponded of seeing my oldest child, Danny, find just such a love, propose to her, and at long last marry her in one of the most touching services of worship and love that I’ve ever been fortunate enough to be a part of.

 It all began almost 2 years ago when a chance meeting over a friend’s birthday at a university CRU (Crusaders for Christ) meeting in Fairfax, Virginia brought them together in the same space for the first time and after meeting and becoming friends they began to correspond via email and phone to one another, as she lived in Pennsylvania and he in Virginia. We all know how difficult long distance relationships can be but somehow they were able to make it work over the first several months and became close enough where they came to the point of wanting to date…and then to date each other exclusively, though so far apart. It wasn’t that long really until the love story of their lives began to fall into place and Danny was telling her that he wanted to pursue her for marriage at some point and she (probably reluctantly…LOL…just kidding) agreed that was what she wanted as well. Over the next year they became closer, their bond stronger, their love for each other larger, and their love of Christ immense. I think they knew from the very beginning that this would be their lot in life…to marry and be one in the Lord and in marriage.

 And so, after a little more than a year, Danny finally popped the question to her, ‘Janelle, will you marry me?’ and with much more than a twinkle in her eyes I’m told, she quickly embraced him and answered, ‘YES!’ and the wedding planning was on. The rest, as they say, is history and today I’m proud to say that I have a new daughter in my life and my eldest son has truly become a man and now a husband. We all who have married remember how exciting and yet daunting these first days were…all the questions of how to make ends meet, where to work, how to treat this new relationship because marriage has somehow changed it into more than it ever was before…great times indeed. I’m sure that the two of them are dealing with just some of those issues and, as they say that the first year of marriage changes you forever, I believe that they will come out on the other side of that first year even more in love (if that’s possible….you should see them together!!) and more of one spirit in all that they do. Their plans are big, their ideas life-changing, their view of the world is their oyster, and I expect that they will accomplish great things both for themselves, their country, the world, and for their Lord who is definitely in the center of their relationship. I couldn’t be more proud of each of them!

 And so, while wishing them all the best and all that God has in store for them in the years ahead, I want to offer to them one of my favorite songs that I hope will help guide Danny to be the husband, friend, lover, confidant, listener, comforter, and spiritual leader that he wants to be in this marriage. To you, Danny, I can only say how very much I love you and to Janelle how very pleased and proud I am

Sharing a prayer for their lives together

to have you as a part of my family now – and that I love you as well! May the God we serve watch over, protect, comfort and care for you both for all of your days…and may those days be plentiful and rich in your love for one another!

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDwD-ej1y5Y&feature=fvsr

 (please click the above secure link to hear this precious song be sung)

First dance as husband and wife!

 

WE WILL DANCE

I’ve watched the sunrise in your eyes, and I’ve seen the tears fall like the rain;

 You’ve seen me fight so brave and strong, you’ve held my hand when I’m afraid.

 We’ve watched the seasons come and go, we’ll see them come and go again;

 But in winter’s chill or summer’s breeze, one thing will not be changing:

 We will dance, when the sun is shining in the pouring rain, we’ll spin and we’ll sway and

 We will dance, when the gentle breeze becomes a hurricane, the music will play

 And I’ll take your hand and hold you close to me and we will dance!

 Sometimes it’s hard to hold you tight, sometimes we feel so far apart;

 Sometimes we dance as one and feel the beating of each other’s heart.

 Some days the dance is slow and sweet, some days we’re bouncing off the wall;

 But no matter how this world may turn, our love will keep us from falling and

 We will dance, when the sun is shining in the pouring rain, we’ll spin and we’ll sway and

 We will dance, when the gentle breeze become a hurricane, the music will play

 And I’ll take your hand and hold you close to me and we will dance!

 The music will play and I’ll hold you close and I won’t let go

 Even when our steps grow weak and slow,

 Still I’ll take your hand and hold you close to me, and WE WILL DANCE!

(c) Steven Curtis Chapman, words and music

Happily married, they share a kiss...

 

 

 

 

Celebrate the Resurrection with Me!!

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For those of us who celebrate the Christian calendar, this week has been Passion Week, or Holy Week as it is more commonly known. It is a remarkable week of reflection and thanksgiving for the life of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God come to earth of His own accord to save you and me from our sins through His death upon the cross and, most importantly, His resurrection from the dead three days later.

Last Sunday we celebrated Christ’s triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem some 2000 years ago at the height of His ministry and the breadth of His popularity to the crowds of people shouting ‘Hosanna’ who had heard Him speak, seen Him perform miracles, and watched Him touch the lives of others like no other ever had before Him. At the peak of His being recognized as the long-awaited ‘Messiah’ by so many He entered the city to the shouts and praises of those who would call for His death some 4 days later. During those four days He continued to do what He had been doing now for His 3 ½ year ministry: teaching, healing, loving all who would come to Him and blessing all who would recognize Him to be God’s son.

As we all know, the Thursday night before His death on Friday He gathered His disciples in an upper room to share together His last supper with them and to share with them as well the knowledge of what was about to happen: His betrayal to the authorities by one of His chosen 12; the denial 3 times before dawn by another; the death that awaited Him within the next 24 hours. Though they didn’t want to believe His words, they could only watch in dismay as they came to be, one after the other. Thus, our observance of the Maundy Thursday services around the globe. And throughout a brutal and bloody beating, a quick and unceremonious trial He was condemned to die immediately though the cruelest and most humiliating way known to the Romans of the day: public crucifixion on a rugged, quickly made cross upon a hill called Golgotha.

But the story does not end with His death upon that old cross…indeed it is just the beginning of the eternal life that His sacrifice has given to each of us who will simply put our belief in Him, confess to Him that we are sinners, call upon Him to forgive our sins, and ask Him to come into our hearts and lives and surrender our lives to His Will. It is a free gift offered to all people of all colors of all countries…all through the extraordinary sacrifice made by Jesus upon that cross those many years ago. For on the 3^rd day after his death the tomb was found empty as He had risen from the dead, forever conquering death for each of us to attain that eternal life aforementioned. And that is why we celebrate on this day…for HE IS ALIVE! Do you believe? Will you surrender YOUR life to Him today? My prayer for you is that the answer to both of those questions is a resounding ‘YES!’ blessings, j

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLGTXz-txTY (click to listen and to watch…don’t miss this blessing!)

I’ve Just Seen Jesus!

Well we knew He was dead, “It is finished,” He said,

and we watched as His life ebbed away.

Then we all stood around ’til the guards took Him down;

Joseph begged for His body on that day.

It was late afternoon when we got to the tomb,

wrapped His body and sealed up the grave.

So I know how you feel, His death was so real,

but please listen and hear what I say:

I’ve just seen Jesus, I tell you He’s ALIVE,

I’ve just seen Jesus, our precious Lord ALIVE;

and I knew He really saw me too,

as if ’til now I’d never lived!

 All that I’ve done before won’t matter anymore.

I’ve just seen Jesus, and I’ll never be the same again!

It was His voice she first heard, those kind, gentle words

asking what was her reason for tears.

And I stopped in despair, “My Lord is not there.” (Mary)

(Christ) “Listen child, it is I, I am here!”

CHORUS

(from the Gaither Gathering, Nashville, TN 1999)

Larnelle Harris & Sandy Patti performing

 

Hollywood Wedding Bells

thelifeofluxury.com

It’s long been my observation that marriages in Hollywood don’t seem to last too long…and that this is okay with those who are the couple in that marriage. While they will each move on in their respective lives, perhaps not having WANTED a divorce, it seems alright if it happens because, well, over 50% of marriages end in divorce these days and that figure is probably closer to 80% on the Hollywood stage. Why is that, do you think?

My take on this is that Hollywood movie and television stars tend to run in the same circles and so their relationships are all about finding ANOTHER Hollywood star to date or marry. It’s really that simple! If he or she is not a player in the ‘fame’ game, rich and well-known and in the spotlight like themselves, then game over! There is never a thought given to dating a regular Joe like you or me because they simply don’t really know any! LOL! And while that may seem funny, it’s really quite sad because locked in their own world of fame and fortune they live in this vacuum that doesn’t allow them to know the real men and women of this world and I contend that if they should ever meet and really try to get to know some of the ‘regular’ folk, their marriage success rate would climb immeasurably. Why? Here’s why…

When two Hollywood celebs unite there is that ever-present competition between them about who will get the most attention, the most movie offers, the most money, and the biggest fan base. It  is a competition that can’t be won, not to mention that they and their partner are constantly apart for their roles in respective gigs and often asked to get involved, sometimes intimately, on stage with other members of the opposite sex. How can this NOT cause some stress in the relationship…even jealously. Sometimes it is founded but more times than not it isn’t. Yet the worry is still there I believe and if their mate were a regular ‘Joe’ or someone outside of the fame business, their odds of success would be greatly improved.

And so, my congratulations to Reese Witherspoon for taking the path less trodden by marrying a very successful Hollywood agent, not someone in the spotlight…not someone who’ll be asked to play an intimate part opposite some other attractive woman, nor a man who lacks for money and is content to make less than the woman that he married because he still makes quite a lot of money himself. While not a ‘regular Joe’ in the truest sense, he is about as close as a Hollywood icon ever seems to get to that. And I think that marriage will last for all the reasons I’ve just noted. Both seem positively in love and happy and for that I am truly indebted to Reese for showing the world of Hollywood that a movie star can marry someone who is NOT a movie star, rock star, or any other kind of star and be not only content but unbelievably happy. Others should take note and do the same. Just sayin’…blessings, j

The National Anthem Debate

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There has been much talk recently about the National Anthem and those who dare to sing it at local and national events, especially sporting events. This debate was not sparked by the recent debacle of Christina Aquilara’s rendition of the Anthem at the 2011 Superbowl in Dallas, Texas but merely fueled by it. Her singing sparked a debate about several things, not the least of which is that every American should know the PROPER WORDS to the National Anthem and when asked to recite or to sing them should do it well!! I couldn’t agree more to that message…our National Anthem is a national treasure and should be treated as such! But there’s more…

 

There are those among us who want to say to big-time celebrity singers (and even to some small-time, local singers) that YOUR rendition of the National Anthem shouldn’t take 5 minutes to sing just because you want to jazz it up, funk it up, or do so many warbles in your singing at cadences that it begins to sound like a vocalization for voice class! BAD FORM! Sing the song proudly and with the dignity that it deserves…PLEASE!

This is not to say that a singer can’t put their own spin, harmonization, or even rhythm and meter on it. When Jennifer Hudson sang it 2 years ago with a background track, it was in a sort of gospel 4/4 meter and she did what I thought was one of the best performances of the Anthem I had ever heard. In the early 90′s, Whitney Houston set the standard by mixing meters and adding a wonderful background track to it and inspired the nation with a rousing finish as the F-14′s flew over! These are good things and as a musician I can appreciate putting your own style into any piece of music. But this is not just any piece and as such needs to be treated differently and more carefully. It does, after all, represent our entire country in its rendering!

At this time in our world’s situation especially, we as Americans have a responsibility to represent our country and its sacred values, songs, and traditions perhaps more than at any other time in our history. The National Anthem would be a great place for us to start with that…in my opinion! Tell me what you think! blessings, j

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAF3pDISZPk

                                                       THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

Oh say, can you see by the dawn’s early light,

what so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming.

Who’s broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight

o’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly gleaming!

And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air

gave proof through the night that our flag was still there!

Oh say does that star-spangled banner yet wave!

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!!

 

When Praise Demands A Sacrifice

What do we do when things go terribly wrong in our lives? Do we cry out to God in rage or anger for allowing such turmoil and tragedy to be showered on us, His children or do we seek revenge, perhaps, to those who have harmed us in such a way? Do we blame God for causing such disorder in our lives and silently (or not) vow to stop following Him if this is the way He treats us…allowing these things to happen to us, despite our prayers? I know that I’ve been there in the past several years. Or…do we praise the Lord for His goodness and for the blessing of hardships in our lives that bring us closer to Him and strengthen our faith? Sound like a silly thought? Maybe…

If we take a look together at what life holds for each of us we will find that we are constantly bombarded with hardship and the need for sacrifice…often sacrifice that we would rather not make and many times don’t. None of us is immune to it or kept from it by God or man. None of us…rich, poor, famous, or just regular persons…are spared life’s troubles from time to time. But the need for sacrifice in our daily lives is evident to even the least of us if we look at it from the point of growth. The adage is true that there is no gain without some pain, and so it goes in life. Sacrifice brings us to our knees at times when we have to surrender things that we love on behalf of others…even on behalf of God. It’s rarely easy to do and almost always difficult and that is why we all too often betray doing it altogether. We recognize our need to sacrifice but do not yield to its demand upon us. We are selfish.

Abraham was not selfish when it came to sacrifice, though. After desiring and praying for a son for decades he and his wife, Sarah, were finally blessed with one because they were faithful to God. But then God demanded of Abraham a sacrifice to show his continued and absolute love for Him…his son whom he loved with all his heart! Can you imagine waiting 80+ years for a child then finally being blessed with one only to be told by the God who blessed you with him that you now have to surrender him as a sacrifice to Jehovah…kill him as you would a lamb in essence. I have to tell you that I can’t begin to fathom that but it’s what happened to Abraham. And in blind obedience he obeyed though his son was spared at the last minute by the hand of God. It was a test of his faith and often today these points of sacrifice and grief…of hardship and pain are exactly the same. We may not be spared them as Abraham was in his story but they come at us nonetheless. So how do we deal with being asked to give up something that we truly love for the greater good? What if it is our money? Our beautiful home? Our nice car or boat or perhaps our big salaried job? What if it is your wife or child? Could you sacrifice these things in the name of love and give thanks at the same time. Talk about a juggling act…that certainly is one if ever I heard one!!

dramainnature.com

After years of being without work, without money, and without hope, I can tell you first-hand how defeated the thought of losing everything can be…of sacrificing everything that you own as well as your good credit and your good name. It’s hard to say the least…almost impossible! But when I think about Abraham it causes me to think about another father who DID give his only son as a sacrifice of praise and love to each of us…our Heavenly Father…when He sent Jesus to this Earth to give up His own life, blameless as He was, for you and for me. How difficult that must have been for God to do and yet He did it because He loved US, His children, enough to give up the dearest thing to Him, His only son! Powerful stuff…and this sacrifice upon that cruel cross was NOT suddenly stopped and Jesus spared His own death. There He hung on a crude cross between 2 thieves, suffering unthinkable abuse and taking it, though He could have called 10,000 angels to stop it, as the song says, had He have chosen to. But He knew that His sacrifice was one of ultimate praise to His Father who would raise Him up again 3 days later, forever defeating death and the sinful and sin-filled lives that we face here in this world. Sometimes love and praise demands a sacrifice. I would reference my blog concerning Moses from a few weeks ago and ask you the question that God asked of Him…”What do you hold in your hand today that you need to throw down…to sacrifice…for Me?” Is it time for you to let go of what you love most and sacrifice it upon the altar of Christ in order to be truly free? Can you let it go? Can you throw it down? And if you can, can you do it in a manner worthy of praise? blessings, j

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwi1YU_Mi_A

                                              When Praise Demands A Sacrifice

The call to go to Mount Moriah came to Abraham

But the offering placed before the Lord was not a lamb;

He bound his only son and as the knife was raised

A sacrifice became the price of praise.

 When praise demands a sacrifice I’ll worship even then,

Surrendering the dearest things in life;

And if devotion costs me all He’ll find me faithful to His call

When praise demands a sacrifice!

 The call to go to Calvary had come to God’s own son

Where an altar waited for the lamb He would become;

His hands reached up to Heaven as the cross was raised

And with His life He paid the price of praise!

 Chorus

 God hears the words of praise that we lift, yet I have found

He’s honored more than what I’M willing to lay down.

 Chorus

 © Larnelle Harris

Re: Genesis 22: 1-19

love-bookstore.com

 

 

 

 

Egypt Uprising and the Superbowl…a common theme?

www.financialpost.com

Two things are on my mind this morning: the uprising and demand for reform in Egypt and the Superbowl that will be played in several hours. It may seem strange to you that I am writing about two such varied and seemingly unrelated issues in this blog today but do they really stray far from one another in their overall themes? Both are seeking to win an epic battle, one for control of their country and it’s rule of law and the other to gain the title of World Champions of the NFL…something sought after for the last 5 months in violent games of men vs men on the gridiron.

Let’s talk about Egypt first, mainly because it is much more significant than a football game played to determine who is the best in the NFL this year. The cry of Egypt’s people is a long heralded tale from the Bible. You’ll remember that in Revelation as well as other parts of the New Testament there is much talk about the ‘end days’ when wars will escalate in the Middle East, ultimately bringing us to the Armageddon showdown ending man’s rule over this earth. God will then come again and take His chosen people (those who have accepted Him as their personal Lord and Savior and have surrendered their lives to Him in sacrifice and service) back to Heaven with Him, leaving the others to fight it out here on Earth for a time until the final bell is rung, so to speak. Yes, there will still be opportunity for those left behind to accept Christ and live for Him, witness for Him, but times will be much more difficult than even what we see now in the Middle East and in this world that we live in. Talk about wars and issues! There will be countless ones and danger will be all around. Best be sure that you are prepared for your afterlife with Christ NOW than to wait until that time comes.

All of this is to say that the uprisings that we are seeing in Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and possibly other Middle Eastern states are a sign that Christ’s coming is just around the corner and we should all take that very seriously. What is ‘soon’ in God’s timing? Good question! It could be months or days or it could be years upon years but the Bible is clear that when we begin to see these signs, not just of the Middle East but also of multiplied natural disasters, that we would do well to begin looking for the signs of Christ’s coming again. I encourage each of  you to fall to your knees right now and repent of your sins and ask Christ into your heart, surrendering your life to Him. Your time is running out to live for Christ and live eternally with Him instead of eternally damned to Hell.

www.sportslogos.net

Which brings us to another epic struggle, though we see this one once a year on the football field: the Superbowl. I have to brag on my Saints who won it all last year and it’s certainly an honor to be named the NFL’s best team at the end of a grueling 5 months of play across the nation. Today that outcome will be decided between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers and the winner will hoist the Lombardi trophy while the loser will grimly fall among the ranks of the beaten and begin their plans for winning the trophy and the championship next year. One thing is true in any competition between multiple teams: there can only be one winner and such is the case here.

The battle will be tough and grueling I’m quite certain. These gladiators of the gridiron take their work very seriously…probably as seriously as those fighting to change their way of living in the Middle East, but on a much smaller scale (and I might add a much less significant scale as well). Nevertheless, it is what they have been fighting for all season long and today the chance to be crowned lord’s of the NFL is upon them. It should be a good game between two teams that clearly deserve to be there this year and yet I can’t help but compare how insignificant this game is compared to the world events that surround us at this moment in time. I’ll be watching the game, even as I’ve been watching closely the events in Egypt, understanding their potential impact upon us here in the USA. But today we can take a breath from that turmoil, if only for a few hours, and enjoy one of America’s favorite pastimes: football, and the last game of this 2010 season. I encourage you, if you enjoy football, to watch it and take your mind to a different place for a few hours and enjoy the friendly but fierce competition upon the field before once again turning our attention to the serious nature of change being sought in Egypt and the Middle East.

Personally I think the time is fast approaching when Christ will come again and as much as I love football, life eternally with Christ will be so much better. I know that the things that seem important to me here and now, even those things that I love so much like football, movies, and eating out, will be nothing compared to being in the presence of the Lord. So what is the comparison of the uprising in Egypt and the Superbowl today? Well, it is simply the struggle for what every man and woman wants…to be at peace in their lives and find themselves winners, be it over poverty and an unstable and unreliable government or be champions for a moment in time of a game that we all love so much. A silly comparison? Probably, but one worth thinking about! blessings, j

May God Get All the Glory!

www.public-domain-photos.com

Today I’m pleased to share with you that God’s faithfulness has been fulfilled in my life through His provision of a new job for me in Baltimore and Northern Virginia. And though God’s timing, as so many things in our Christian pilgrimage seem at time to be, has been hard for me to understand, He HAS been faithful to His promise to provide for me if I will but trust Him that His timing is perfect, even if I can’t see it in the moment. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable grace and provision for each of us!

I’ve taken a job that is in fundraising for schools, churches, and civic organizations and I feel good about this job because it allows me to do what I’ve always enjoyed doing…helping others to achieve their goals…in this case, allowing these organizations to gather the funds they need to help in tuition, trips, uniforms, or supplies for the classroom. It’s going to be very rewarding work I believe and I look forward to learning more about it and getting into it quickly and with a vengeance! I have 3 mentors helping me with over 100 years of experience with this company combined between them and that’s very encouraging to me. Just to know that I can call upon any one of the 3 at any given time for advise, help, and counsel gives me an increased confidence in this new work that I can do it and be successful at it very quickly! I can’t wait for the challenge and this new chapter in my life to begin today and, as always, I covet your thoughts and prayers for me as I begin this trek after more than 3 years out of work! Thank you all in advance for that and for the personal encouragement that so many of you have already given me…it is so very much appreciated!

Yesterday I had the privilege of leading in worship with my father, Jimmy Jackson, at a church in southern Maryland. I sang and he preached and we enjoyed the warm fellowship of a church currently without a pastor but seeking to fill that position as soon as possible. It’s been a long time since Dad and I have worked together to lead worship and I was honored that he would ask me to help him by bringing a message in song, but it was so good to be with him, not only at the church and in the service but to have time with him coming and going to that church. Too many of us don’t spend enough time with our parents and before we know it they are taken from us and we live with regret that time slipped away without our savoring that wealth of wisdom and love they have to give. I would encourage all of you to spend whatever time that you can with your parent or parents still living so that you may have no regrets or guilt upon their deaths that you did not spend the time you should have or could have with them. Take my word for it…this means as much to them as it will to you!!

Well there is much to do today and this week (which could be a short one as more snow is on the way which might close down schools, my primary target areas) so I will leave you with the blessing that God is always watching us and knows our struggles and our stress even during the times when we don’t think He sees it anymore. I know that over these past 3+ years that I have doubted that God was still present in my life because His timing just didn’t seem to make sense to me…and I’m quick to ask God’s forgiveness for doubting Him as I did. But in the end God has sown in me patience, persistence, and fortitude in these years and I know has been preparing a great work for me. He will do the same for you, so don’t give up when things get tough…stay strong and believe with all your heart that God’s faithfulness talked about in His Word is indeed true and His mercy is everlasting! May this week be one that blesses you more than you could possibly imagine…this is MY prayer for each of you! blessing, j