I am NOT a hippie . . .

Ok, so you know how you're sitting in church and the pastor is speaking the sermon? It's all fine and dandy. He's doing well, the topic is interesting, blah blah blah.

And then suddenly, a verse pops into your head and you have to look it up right now or it'll be gone?

And then maybe you spend the rest of the sermon reading that verse and around that verse and about that verse and then you realize that you missed the entire sermon?

And yes I know that was a terrible run-on sentence but seriously. Give me break. I'll write the way I want here, thank you very much. I might even end a sentence with a preposition at. So there to.

If you laughed/got the joke above then you get extra credit.

Anyway, back to the matter at hand.

One of those verses hit me today. My quiet times have been centering around Hebrews lately, and a few weeks ago I went though one of my favorite passages, Hebrews 12:7-13. It contains one of my life verses, vs. 12-13:

"Therefore strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed."

I love this passage/verse because of its no-nonsense approach to discipline. "Life is hard and it will stay hard. God will discipline you. It's because He loves you. So chin up and move forward so that you can set an example for others."

So great. Don't give me the feelings and the lovey-dovey stuff (yet another disappointment to womanhood on my part). Give me the hard stuff. Tell me to suck it up. Be a man---metaphorically speaking.

Well, naturally, the verse I turned to today in church contains similar physical imagery. I love it when passages contain these physical references. I imagine actually strengthening my arms and knees. And this verse has plenty. I'll actually give it all to you. It's 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets a prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No! I beat my body and I make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

I think I'm attracted to these verses about discipline because my faith is such an organic thing. I have discipline in many areas of my life, but my walk with God often lacks discipline. I gravitate to worship because of its freeing nature, yet I seek out Scripture about discipline and hard work. It's like my mind craves balance, otherwise I'd end up a crazy, hippie, Jesus-freak.

Not that that's bad. Oh goodness. I've just insulted someone. Sorry. Please go back to your chamomile tea and knitting.

But in all seriousness, my brain is so wrapped up in the thinking and the theology and the logic of my faith that my soul simply said, "I can't take it anymore!" and exploded in the feeling of worship music.

I miss the Challenge band.

Well. This post went in a direction I wasn't expecting. I do miss playing in a worship band, and I count the days until I can do so again.

Now if only I could fix my bow situation . . .