Remembrancy

If anyone were to look at my Netflix queue, I think they would see I have a problem. You see, I have almost 500 movies in my Netflix queue. I will watch ***almost*** any movie once (the exception being slasher movies). If I come across a “Top (fill in the number here)” list and I haven’t seen some of those movies, they are added to my queue. I have been a Netflix member for a couple of years now and I think the number of movies in my queue has actually increased.

And it’s not just movies. I like television, music, the wii and books as well. Even though I love the show, I’m glad “24” is in it’s last season because it frees up another night for me. Although, I know myself well enough to know that I will really just find another show to fill its place. I have quit watching a couple of my staples this year so I am paring it down a little bit. Thank goodness for Hulu. I would miss a lot of shows without the use of that website.

I do like to expand my mind through reading as well. A good book is a treasure. And now that the television season is starting to wind down, I should have more time for reading (and maybe making a dent in that Netflix queue).

Set in modern day Texas, “Lonestar Homecoming” draws you into the story immediately and keeps you turning pages until the mystery is solved at the end of the book. While the book is the third in a series, it definitely stands on its own (I had not read the other two books and was not at all lost).

The main character, Gracie Lister, is fleeing on her wedding day from her fiancée. When she reaches a small Texas town, out of money and with no certainty of her or her daughter’s future, Gracie runs into Michael Wayne. Wayne, coincidentally, needs a nanny for his children and agrees to hire her.

The romance happens quickly and is really a small part of this story. The most attractive thing about the story is the mystery and all of the secrets in Gracie’s life.

The book also delves a little into the story of the prodigal son. If you enjoy Christian fiction romances, Christian fiction mysteries or just a light, quick read, I would recommend putting this book on your reading list.

As a member of booksneeze.com, I have received a copy of this book free of charge. I have received no payment for a positive or negative review of this book.

For the past month or so, I have really been feeling the desire to find a spiritual mentor in my life. I realized that I really haven’t found that person since moving to Nashville almost twelve years ago.

The challenge that I am finding with this is: Where do I begin? How do you find that person to be your spiritual mentor? I don’t feel like I can just walk up to someone on Sunday morning and say, “Will you disciple me?” Another issue I am running into is that my church is fairly young and I am actually older than many of those people. Not that a spiritual mentor necessarily has to be older than me but I have the misconception in my head that I will need to overcome.

What’s funny to me is that ever since I have begun praying about this, I have been running into it almost on a weekly basis. One of the bloggers I read daily took a break from her normal posts of meal planning and grocery deals to talk about three of her mentors and a couple of people in my small group from have been taking about maybe starting up a discipleship group.

So, while I don’t yet really have any answers, I would be interested in hearing from anyone out there who has been or currently is in a discipleship group, has mentored or has been mentored. I would appreciate any insights that people are willing to share.

With tomorrow being Easter and a celebration of all that Jesus gave up for me, I thought I would share my testimony today. I used a line from one of my favorite songs to start the post (I’ll put the full song at the end).

Sometimes I wish I had a more dramatic testimony but then, more often than not, I realize how blessed I am to have had Christ with me for most of my life.

When I was growing up, my dad was a pastor so I have been in the church since I was very little. My parents moved to New Mexico to pastor their first church when I was five or six. I accepted Christ into my life when I was at a kids church camp when I was in the third grade.

I never really knew what it was like to not know that there was a God. Now, most people who know PKs (preacher’s kids) also know that when they leave home, they sometimes tend to go off the deep end. That was NOT me. I went to a Christian college for a year and then moved up to a state college after that. I took a break from church but that only lasted a few months before I was drawn back in.

God really revealed himself to me that first year in college. I was away from home and everything I knew. I was learning who I was and making friendships that will last my whole life. The school was very small and even if we didn’t know names, we recognized people. During that year, four people from school were coming back during a snow storm and were hit. Three of them died instantly and the fourth girl, one I knew from the dorm we lived in, was in critical condition and they did not expect her to come out of the coma she was in.

With the whole school praying for her recovery, God became very real and very present to me. He worked a miracle on Wendi’s life and revealed Himself to me in a way I had not yet seen Him.

That was almost 20 years ago and today, I am thankful for a God who lives with me every day. I know there are times when I struggle with whether or not I am fulfilling His plan completely for my life but I always know He is with me.

As promised, here are the lyrics to “Wonderful, Merciful Savior.” It is a beautiful song. If you have not heard it (or have not heard it in a while), I recommend looking it up and giving it a listen.

Wonderful, Merciful Savior. Precious Redeemer and Friend, who would have thought that a lamb could rescue the souls of men. Oh, you rescue the souls of men.

Counselor, Comforter, Keeper. Spirit we long to embrace. You offer hope when our hearts have hopelessly lost the way. Oh, we hopelessly lost the way.

You are the One that we praise. You are the One we adore. You give the healing and grace our hearts always hunger for. Oh, our hearts always hunger for.

Almighty Infinite Father, Faithfully loving your own. Here in our weakness you find us falling before your throne. Oh, we’re falling before your throne.

(written by Dawn Rogers and Eric Wyse)

About a month ago, ESPN radio commentator Tony Kornhiser was talking about the integration of bike lanes in Washington DC but the conversation soon took a turn for the worst when he said, “And they all, my God, with their water bottles in the back, and their stupid hats, and their shiny shorts, they’re the same kind of disgusting posers that in a snowstorm come out with cross-country skis on your block. Run them down.”

He later modified that comment to, “So you tap them. I’m not saying kill them.”

So, I’m thinking about this and the attitude so many drivers have about cyclists as I am about to take my bike out for the first time this season. I am excited about getting out there. Biking is one of my favorite activities and when you haven’t  been able to get out there for several months, that first time is a great thrill.

Please don’t take the attitude of Tony Kornhiser. Share the road. Know that most cyclists obey the rules of the road. Be aware of us and leave us a little room. When you see us driving up alongside a row of parked cars, keep in mind, we don’t only have to look out for the cars driving by, we also have to keep our eyes open for anyone getting in or out of cars.

If you are a cyclist, the most important thing to remember is WEAR A HELMET!!! But also, follow the traffic laws, try and stick to places that either have bike lanes or that have plenty of bike traffic so drivers are looking out for you.

I say good for Washington DC for adding bike lanes. They not only keep the community less populated, they keep the people in better health. Nashville is a pretty friendly cycle town. There have only been a couple of places I have biked over the past couple of years and I have learned that if you don’t feel comfortable, you just don’t go back there.

Be safe everyone.

C – ya tomorrow!!!