Archives for June 2011
A Gift
Have you seen this video yet of Sung-Bong Choi from Korea?
He is an amazing singer–a boy, a boy abandoned, a boy who was on his own at age 5 after being abused at an orphanage, a boy who was forced to sleep in rest rooms and public stairs while selling gum to get by, a boy who was sold into labor. He is an amazing singer. I do not understand what he is singing — but I know it is beautiful.
I am so thankful that God gave him this amazing gift–something beautiful in a desolate place. He told the judges something like “Rather than say I enjoy singing, I like singing because it was the first thing I liked after living that day-fly life.”
Grace. A gift of beauty in ugliness, of feeling when he probably had stopped feeling altogether, of relationship with others in brokenness. That’s our God.
I’m the 4,498th person to “like” his Facebook page. But, I’m wishing I could just sit with him and encourage him in person instead.
Seeds Freebie and CD(s) Giveaway
Confession. I’m horrible at Scripture memorization. Honestly, lately, my memory for just about everything is diluted. Not sure if that is due to the chaos of parenting 4 children or my age. I’m not sure which is the better option for an excuse there anyway.
A couple years back as I struggled with some question marks concerning my vocal cord paralysis, I needed to have a myriad of tests done to rule out some more significant diseases. One of the tests I needed was a MRI. I laid down on that skinny bed-thing and as they moved me back into that machine, I started to panic, really panic. I had never been claustrophobic–but I had never been in a MRI machine (or locked in a closet or a small box underwater…which is about comparable, in my brain at the time at least…does fear show up on an MRI????). And, with my head in that cage and that loud noise and the enclosed space, I was freaked out and no logic of knowing that I was totally safe and that it would be over in 45 minutes helped me. But, you know what did? God’s word.
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
I must have said that verse over and over in my head 100s of times over that 45 minutes. I had it memorized. And, you know how I did? My kids’ Seeds cds.
Seeds Family Worship was first planted by Jason Houser when he was asked to come up with some songs to help kids remember memory verses from their church’s VBS. The creative way he put God’s word to music that attracted both kids and families caught on in a big way. Seeds now has over 60 passages of Scripture set to music, and they just released their 6th album Seeds of Character in May.
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
And, you know what you are getting just to help you plant some seeds? A free download of the song. Go get it, and enjoy it this week as you get ready to celebrate Father’s Day. Pretty soon, you’ll realize you’ve got it memorized, and you can say it to yourself as a reminder when you need it (which for me is….pretty much…a lot).
AND, one comment from this post will be chosen at random on Father’s Day night to receive any Seeds CD of their choice. And, as with all Seeds cds, they come with two identical cds so that you can keep one and give one away yourself. How cool is that?
So, comment away…no rules with how many or how often or what you have to say. Just leave a comment or a whole lot more than one, each one gets an entry until 10pm EST on June 19th. And, if you don’t win or if you do win and want to buy more cds from Seeds, they have graciously offered you a discount code for 20% off your purchase. The cool just keeps on coming. Use the code “SPARROW” to get 20% off when you check out there.