Outside our window

THE BIRTH OF THE SONG

 
Back in 1932, I was 32 years old and
a fairly new husband. My wife, Nettie
and I were living in a little
apartment on Chicago's Southside. 
One hot August afternoon I had to go
to St. Louis, where I was to be the
featured soloist at a large revival
meeting. I didn't want to go.
Nettie was in the last month of
pregnancy with our first child.
But a lot of people were expecting
me in St. Louis. I kissed Nettie good-
bye clattered downstairs to our Model
A and, in a fresh Lake Michigan breeze,
chugged out of Chicago on Route 66.
However, outside the city, I
discovered that in my anxiety at
leaving, I had forgotten my music
case. I wheeled around and headed back.
I found Nettie sleeping peacefully.
I hesitated by her bed; something was
strongly telling me to stay.
But eager to get on my way, and not
wanting to disturb Nettie, I shrugged
off the feeling and quietly slipped
out of the room with my music.
The next night, in the steaming St.
Louis heat, the crowd called on me to
sing again and again.
When I finally sat down, a messenger
boy ran up with a Western Union
telegram.
I ripped open the envelope.
Pasted on the yellow sheet were the
words: YOUR WIFE JUST  DIED.
People were happily singing and
clapping around me, but I could
hardly keep from crying out.
I rushed to a phone and called home.
All I could hear on the other end was
"Nettie is dead. Nettie is dead."
When I got back, I learned that Nettie
had given birth to a boy. I swung
between grief and joy.
Yet that night, the baby died.
I buried Nettie and our little boy
together, in the same casket. Then I
fell apart.
For days I closeted myself I felt that
God had done me an injustice. I didn't
want to serve Him anymore or write 
gospel songs. I just wanted to go back
to that jazz world I once knew so  well.
But then, as I hunched alone in that
dark apartment those first sad days, I
thought back to the afternoon I went
to St. Louis.
Something kept telling me to stay with 
Nettie. Was that something God? Oh, if
I had paid more attention to Him that
day, I would have stayed and been with
Nettie when she died.
>From that moment on I vowed to listen
more closely to Him.
But still I was lost in grief. Everyone
was kind to me, especially a friend,
Professor Fry, who seemed to know what
I needed.
On the following Saturday evening he
took me up to Malone's Poro College, a
neighborhood music school. It was quiet;
the late evening sun crept through the
curtained windows. I sat down at the
piano, and my hands began to browse
over the keys.
Something happened to me then. I felt
at peace.
I felt as though I could reach out and
touch God.
I found myself playing a melody, one
into my head - they just seemed to fall
into place:

Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on,
let me stand!
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn,
Through the storm, through the night
lead me on to the light, Take my hand,
precious Lord, Lead me home.

The Lord gave me these words and melody,
He also healed my spirit.
I learned that when we are in our
deepest grief, when we feel farthest
from God, this is when He is closest,
and when we are most open to His
restoring power.
And so I go on living for God willingly
and joyfully, until that day comes when
He will take me and gently lead me home.

-Tommy Dorsey-

Less time to blog

With praises to God almighty, I will be starting a new job on Monday. The new job and attending college will be consuming lots of my time. So I will have less time to blog. Thanks to all for your prayer support.

God is Good...

Got Idea?

Most believers are familiar with the story of Jesus joining the disciples on the Sea of Galilee by walking on the water. It was three o'clock in the morning and a storm was buffeting their boat when Jesus showed up, initially adding to the disciple's fear because they thought he was a ghost out on the raging sea. And most people know how Peter stepped out of the boat and courageously walked on the water to meet the Lord, until his fear of the storm and the waves overtook him, requiring the hand of Jesus to lift him up and take him safely back to the boat. But I bet not everyone recalls whose idea it was for Peter to walk on water in the first place. I've heard this story all my life and didn't realize this until just recently. It was Peter's own idea.

'Then Peter called to him, 'Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you by walking on water" (Matthew 14:28 NLT). This wasn't a requirement of faith. It was not a test all the disciples had to pass at one time or another. It was not a spiritual hoop to jump through. It was a bold, rather stupid idea of Peter's that Jesus decided to cooperate with. Notice Peter didn't ask if he could come, he asked Jesus to invite him to come. Actually that's pretty brilliant when you think about it. By asking Jesus to invite him, he is tying Jesus into the enterprise. If Jesus invites him to come, then Jesus is responsible for what might happen. Jesus isn't going to invite Peter to walk out to him if he didn't know he could do it, or save him if he couldn't.

This says at least two things for us in relation to the task God has put us on earth to accomplish. 1) He wants our involvement. He wants to interact with our thoughts and ideas. God does not push us around like robots; he cooperates with us he involves us in the process. 2) It helps to have an idea what you want to do.

Imagine what would happen if we started praying, 'Lord, invite me to reach out in love to my neighbor today. Lord, invite me to share my faith with someone today. Lord, what would you think about a block party as a chance to get our neighborhood together and meet people? Would you like to invite me to do that?' Come to think of it, this could get pretty exciting.

What's your idea in terms of your mission in the world? If you don't have an idea, you just stay in the boat and watch someone else do it. And that's kind of a drag.

 

by John Fischer

Good bye Ileane

My cousin Ileane has Pancreatic cancer and now she has liver poisoning. I received a phone call the other day telling me that she might have two days to two weeks to live. I called and spoke to her only for a few moments. I told her that I love her  and she said I love you, too. Her mother lost her son about 3 years ago, and her husband 5 years ago, so I expect that she will not be living much longer. She has not been doing well.

I read a very good book "Tuesday's with Morrey" by Mitch Albom which dealt with dying. The lessons I learned from reading the book help me as I now have to deal with the mortality of those I love.

I am thankful that I have the opportunity to tell Ileane Good bye.

Good bye Ileane, I love you. :(  

See you in heaven.  :)

Discipleship

'Christians in the West have largely neglected what it means to be a disciple of Christ. The vast majority of Western Christians are church members, pew-fillers, hymn-singers, sermon-tasters, Bible-readers, even born-again believers or Spirit-filled charismatics but not true disciples of Jesus.

If we were willing to learn the meaning of true discipleship and actually become disciples, the church in the west would be transformed, and the resultant impact on society would be staggering. This is no idle claim. It happed in the first century. In view of the urgency of the times, we must live lives that honor Christ...This is not a day in which to play religious games. Time is running out fast.'

 

David Watson

British writer in his book on Discipleship

Harry Potter and the Hogwart's VBS

After five record-breaking books and three successful movies, Harry Potter has secured his seat among the most beloved heroes of youth pop culture. But with the recent release of author J.K. Rowling's sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, some in the church are still unsure what to make of the winsome wizard. Many church leaders, including Pope Benedict, have condemned Harry Potter, but at least one church, in a controversial move, embraced him. Their example raises a larger question: To what extent should the church embrace popular culture in order to reach lost people?