"Ah ha"

I was thinking about all the different components of our wedding ceremony earlier and I kind of had a bit of an "ah ha" moment. In our ceremony we'll be serving each other communion and we'll also be washing each others feet.

Not only is communion a symbol of Jesus dying on the cross for us and his grace, but it also symbolizes community. During the bible times communion was shared when people ate together, building community, fellowship and intimacy with people.

Communion

Communion is "big" in David and my relationship. After we broke up in 2012 things were a little tense between us and we weren't really speaking to each other, almost like there was a wall up between up, but as God does He bashed it down.  We were at something at the church and Mel, who was leading, said we should all pray and ask God to reveal who we should serve communion to. The first person who jumped into my head was David. I was like, "Hell no, you've got to be kidding me", but Gad was like, "yes". I remember saying to God that I would do it but David must go first. The next thing I knew David was walking towards me with bread in his hand. I was like, "God, You win".  When we served each other communion, it was like God broke those walls and started healing in our friendship. I can't explain it, but He started something new that night.

We also shared communion with each other the night Dave proposed, which was really special because it was a way of including God in on it.

Feet Washing

Feet washing was a huge act of humbling yourself and serving someone in bible times. 

A few months before David and I got back together, Jojo had a dinner where we served the boys and got to pray for them. During the prayer session, God was like, "I want you to wash their feet." I was like, "ok". As I went around the circle I started to get really nervous and by the time I got to David, I was a pile of nerves. I remember looking up at him as I started to wash his feet and it was as though the last of whatever wall was still there as completely smashed away by God. It's crazy, but in that moment I also knew that I knew that David was still the one and I was willing to submit to God and let him do what he wanted to do in David's and my friendship and soon new relationship. It's hard to explain, but I just knew God was starting something new.

After I had finished processing all of this, I was like "ah-ha"! And then I got all excited about this, because God certainly knows what He is doing as He orchestrates our big day in 19 days time.

xKx

People with backpacks

I generally enjoy using public transport to get to work because I get to read, nap and not sit in traffic which save me time and money, BUT there are two things about public transport that drives me insane.... maybe insane is a bit melodramatic... so let's use "really angry" instead.

The first one is how metrorail NEVER announces when trains are delayed or canceled until at least 10 minutes AFTER the time that the train was supposed to be there. When trains are delayed or canceled it's also amazing to experience how no one who works for Metrorail knows what's going on. Luckily I have an app on my phone to help with train delays. Sometimes it's even more accurate and tells me more about canceled and delayed trains than the announcers on the station.

The second thing that REALLY makes me angry is people who wear backpacks on the train. I want you to imagine with me... The train is FULL, people are squished together like sardines maybe even closer than sardines and then there's a person with a backpack on - taking up more space in the already crowded train.  People with backpacks should take it off and put it at their feet to allow more breathing space for other passengers. I once rage quite with someone wearing a backpack on the train. The train was full, I was sandwiched between three guys with backpacks and then.... one of them decided to bend over SMACKING me in the FACE with their backpack. I got so angry I shoved him really hard.

Today I discovered that the backpack is their ploy to get more space. I overheard a backpack carrier telling his friend that he where's his backpack to get more space on the train. Clever yes - but inconsiderate to ALL of the other passengers who have to be squished up against it or whacked in the face by them. It was very tempting to give the backpack man my pinion this morning but decided it was safer not to. 

ooohhh... I just thought of the the third thing that bugs me about public transport. It's how no one EVER opens windows, but that's a whole other blog post on it's own.

xKx

Beauty found in a Sunset

Sometimes God shows off with a beautiful sunset.

 

.... And then again as the evening turns to night and the lights of Hangberg come on....

 

We really are blessed to have views like this right on our doorstep.

 

xKx

...even in the quiet

I was reflecting back on my walk with the Lord and was comparing it to how it used to be. Back in the day, when I was a "new" Christian it was all the big signs from God, the uber loud voice from him backed up with big signs that I had to do something. I was also about the big, over sensationalized worship experiences that left me feeling "high" and super close to God for a few days until life hit me in the face again. Now that I am more mature in my faith, I have realized that you need to have a more stable and constant experience with God and an understanding that it's not aways about the highs. God doesn't only speak in the "big and loud" but also in the small, quiet and stillness.

I've found that God speaks more to me during the quiet and the stillness. I still experience him when I go to worship concerts or powered up sermons, but I also know that when it's quiet I can still hear him. I've also learnt that I don't need to go and find a big sign to know God is still there, I can seek him in the quiet of my own heart and I will find him. Jeremiah 29:13 and the beginning of verse 14 says; " You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord". This verse always reminds me that God can be found in any moment, the good and bad times. It also reminds me that when I don't feel him or hear from him all I need to do is seek him with my whole heart to find him and not rely on going to an over sensationalized event to experience, like I would have in the past.

I also think that it's comforting to know that God can be found though a multiple of experiences, the loud, quiet, angry and even when he seems distant. We just need to call out to him and BOOM he'll be there. 

xKx