Danny, after finishing my thoughts page, I read your page. Whenever I become this deliquent in updating my thoughts, I make an ascetic vow to myself not to savor anyone's thoughts before fulfilling the responsibilty I have as a citizen of our thought-page writing community to contribute my own brain dumps on a regular basis.
So anyway, I had volunatarily restrained myself from procrastinating and looking at other pages until I had finished mine, for a period of about a week. In short, I did not look at your (Danny's) page before finishing my thought of March 2, 1999. And, lo and behold, look at what I write about: my increased perspective on missions.
He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
-- Acts 1:7-8 (NIV)
So it's really happening now. Actually, last Sunday's message from Pastor Harold, "Thanksgivings for Gospel Growth" was what finally made my conviction cross the threshold. It was about number eight or so in a sequence of truly uncanny events and ephiphanies over the past two weeks that I truly think shaped my summer. Events ranging from frank conversations with my closest friends, to random ICQ messages from strangers -- it truly, truly has given me a sense of how God might want me to spend this summer...
I look beyond the empty cross
Forgetting what my life has cost
And wipe away the crimson stains
And tore the nails that still remain
More and more I need you now
I owe you more each passing hour
That old bridge between grace and pride
Give up not so long ago
So steal my heart and take the pain
And wash my pain and cleanse my pride
Take the selfish take the weak
And all the things I cannot hide
Take the beauty take my tears
Sind and self-pride make me yours
Take my world and all you are
Take it now, Take it now
And serve the ones that I despise
Speak the words I can't deny
Wash the world I use to love.
(Refrain in background)
I look beyond the empty cross
Forgetting what my life has cost
And wipe away the crimson stains
And tore the nails that still remain
So steal my heart and take the pain
Take the selfish take the weak
And all the things I cannot hide
Take the beauty take my tears.
Take my world apart.
Take my world apart.
And I pray
And I pray
And I pray
Take my world apart
Worlds Apart...