Feelin' Groovy!

59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)

Simon and Garfunkel

Slow down, you move too fast.

You got to make the morning last.

Just kicking down the cobble stones.

Looking for fun and feelin' groovy.

Ba da, Ba da, Ba da, Ba da...feelin' groovy.

Hello lamp-post, whatcha knowin'?

I've come to watch your flowers growin'.

Ain'tcha got no rhymes for me?

Doot-in' doo-doo, feelin' groovy.

I've got no deeds to do, no promises to keep.

I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep.

Let the morning time drop all its petals on me.

Life, I love you, all is groovy.

Routine

It's Wednesday! Yesterday was Tuesday and tomorrow is Thursday ( I know...call me a genius). Wednesday night...that means I will go to high school Bible study and do the same exact thing that I've done every Wednesday for almost the past five years. Don't get me wrong, there is no where else I'd rather be on a Wednesday night...I LOVE IT! But I've just been thinking about how easy it is to get caught up in the "routine" of life. Every day seems the same and every week seems to repeat the last--that's life, I know. And I don't expect different. I just want to make sure that no matter how routine the activities of my life get, that my spiritual life doesn't follow suit. I don't want to grow mundane. I don't want to grow cold or complacent. I want to be passionate. I want to be bold. I want to be vibrant in my walk with the Lord. When others look at my life, I want to ooze Christ, from every action, every thought, and every word I speak.

V-Day

You know, if we were better at expressing our appreciation for the people God has put into our lives (friends, family, etc.) then we wouldn't even need a holiday like Valentine's Day. I think that's what I will take away most from today. We need to thank the Lord every day for putting friends in our life that challenge us, confront us, encourage us...and we shouldn't need a special day to remind us to do that. And it's even more important to tell the people we care about how thankful we are for them--not just...I am thankful for you...but specifically what about them encourages you or what about them do you appreciate? Well, I am thankful for all of you, my friends, who care enough about my life that you take time out to read my blog. That makes me feel special!

God's Sovereignty....The Getty...The Hospital

Proverbs 16:9
"A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps."

What a weekend! I just have to say, God amazes me! On Friday night, the topic of the message at my Bible study was God's providence. Little did I know that God was going to make that attribute of His come to life in a way I've never experienced. I had plans for Saturday...my day was scheduled out...spend time with my mom in the morning, meet Ayemi for lunch in the afternoon, and go to a HS event in the evening. But God had other plans! While I was shopping with my mom, I got a phone call that a group of people were going to the hospital to spend time with Rebecca (my dear friend who's dad is dying). So Ayemi and I decided to meet up later and go to the hospital together. I would just go to the high school event a little late. Still, God had other plans! Ayemi and I found out Rebecca couldn't be at the hospital until 7pm. So, Ayemi and I spent the rest of the afternoon together. We went to the Getty Museum--and once again God's providence was crystal clear. There was an exhibit of "icons" from St. Catherine, a church right at the bottom of St. Sinai (amazing). But incredibly sad at the same time-- they worship icons of saints that have no power, no life when the living and true God commanded them right from that Mt. to have NO others God's, and to make NO graven images. Ayemi ran into her friend Patina...a girl that shared the gospel with her! Talk about God's providence. After that we went to the hospital and spent a wonderful time praying, crying, singing, and reading Scripture with Rebecca! I am so thankful for my salvation. I am so thankful that I serve the true and living God who has power to heal. He has power over sickness and disease, authority above all the saints. And only He can save souls.

Soda Cans

Tuesday is "trash" day. And this morning when I was jogging, I saw a sad sight. A woman was walking down the residential streets near my home digging through the trash cans--apparently collecting soda cans and other recyclables for a meager existence. Maybe she was homeless I am not sure...but I said hello to her. And as I continued my jog, my mind wandered to the story of Ruth. What does the book of Ruth have to do with soda cans, you may ask. Well, when Ruth went into Boaz's field to collect scraps, or to "glean barley in the fields after the reapers," that is the modern day equivalent of digging in the trash for soda cans! Ruth was poor and had nothing and if it had not been for Boaz's generosity, neither Ruth, nor Naomi would have had food to eat. And to think, God used that one poor, humble woman to bear a son, Obed. "He is the father of Jesse, the father of David."

A Letter From Prison

World Magazine: February 2007

Editor's note: Andrée Seu corresponds with Texas prisoner Robert Fahrbach. She asked him to write to her son Jae, a prisoner in Pennsylvania. Here is what he wrote, without any changes.

Hello Jae,
You might be wondering who I am. Well let's end the wondering ok, my name is Robert but people call me Bubba. I am 32 years old and been locked up since 1998 Aug 7. My Dad and Mom and son and grandparents all past away since I been locked up, the rest of my family don't want nothing to do with me cause of what I did in my past, and I'll share that with you, one day if you like.

So to start I do know what the dark alone feeling is like, I know what being screamed at buy the boss is like and hear in Texas they scream. Jae my past was so dark and heavy they locked me up 15 aggravated years, don't sound like much but with a brand new baby and 24 years old and loosing every thing its a life sentence. Hear they don't pay for any labor, you work for free, and if not your locked up even tighter.

BUT! Theirs a but in all this sad story. Jae its hard in prison wondering if their going to call your name at mail call, phone calls wich we get every 90 days if wher good during those 90 days, money for food and toothpas able to go to the store during Christmass, so you can have a somewhat good time “a spread.” But Jae I found something better then all of that I found someone who loves me their on every call, listens to my sad story’s of how bad it is in hear. This man brought me so much joy and peace, I have now a bigger family. He gave me a nother chance that we all need.

Jae let me tell you a little something ok if don’t mind ok Jae I am at sike prison crazy house whare you take medican for voices seeing things that others cant. Ware people cut on them selves and I was one of them. I been like that for years I came to prison and started medican “one thousand two hundred milligrams” a day I was trying to get away from the angrey filling I had towards people and even my self.

But now I am off all of it because some one loved me enough to give me his life so I can be free in my mind whare all the battle is, boy-o-boy and what a battle it was. So he said these words to me ”:Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, I do not give to you as the world gives, so do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid,:” You can hear him say it to you your self in John 14:27.

Jae I can cry to you in many tears to try to get you to understand. I never found true happiness no not in my different drugs, drinks, sex, nothing could stay long enough. I always kept trying intell I gave Christ my heart. Did it all happen in one day no no no, it took reading and reading and plenty of times on my knees. We always think we should have the last word, “no” every man will be judge acourding to what he has done with the Son of God in their life.

I would love Jae to explain to you a lot more, not to judge you but to show you great wonders of love and peace, so much joy,. Gods love is just not in word but in plenty of experiences. You already been told plenty of times your not good for nothing never been nothing. You have not messed up your life to the point ware God cant fix it. Your just ware he needs you to open you eyes. Trust me you wont ever come close to what ive done and been through, if you don’t believe me write ok. Me and you nowone else ok, I’ll be praying alright. Love in Christ. Bubba

P.S. Jae this Christ is not a religion. Religion stinks in God’s nose, he wants us as a child to come home.