Barnabas Letters, part 5

Good morning, Barnabas Ladies! Hope my toe email last time didn't gross you all out too much. I promise not to talk about my feet this time around. :D

This week's email is about music. We have always been a singing family. When I was converted to the Lord's Church I didn't have any problem with the acapella singing, because I had always loved singing and music in general. In our house there's almost always some kind of music going, from streaming Pandora radio to traditional radio to the girls practicing piano.

Music is also a great way to memorize something, or to teach a concept. My girls are old (*sob*) but they still remember singing "Be Careful Little Eyes" in Bible class. :) And I'm sure you can all relate to those little "earworms"--songs that get stuck in your head and you find yourself humming them over and over.

 I want to challenge you to spend this week only listening to songs with a Christian message. I'm absolutely not opposed to secular music in general, please don't misunderstand. But I think you might find it interesting how uplifted you can be in general if you spend some time only listening to Christian music. It is my opinion that outside the worship service, Christian songs with instrumental accompaniment are okay, but that's not what I want to focus on right now, so please go with your comfort level on this challenge.

To get you jumpstarted on this, I will have some CDs with me on Wednesday evening that I would love to share with you all. :) The songs are sung by the McCoy Family Singers, a fantastic acapella group that I have heard several times at the Tahoe Family Encampment. Please listen to it in your car, or stick it in your computer while you work, I think you will be really encouraged by it.

 In closing, I'd like to share a song with you that I find very beautiful. The link below is to the YouTube video.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky5rAgjLEAI

The song is called In Christ Alone, and this version is done by Adam Young of Owl City (the song was originally sung by the Newsboys). Please be aware that there is piano accompaniment to the song, if you'd prefer to just read the lyrics, you will still be edified. :)

"In Christ alone, my hope is found 

He is my light, my strength, my song

This cornerstone, this solid ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm 

What heights of love, what depths of peace

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease

My comforter, my all-in-all 

Here in the love of Christ I stand 



There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me 

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ



No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

Till He returns or calls me home 

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand"

 So now you know why I always sign my emails this way. Have a richly blessed week. :)

In Christ alone--
Elena

P.S. For scripture memorization, I highly recommend the CDs by Sing The Word (http://www.singtheword.com/). And if you would like to listen to more of the McCoy Family Singers, you can go to http://www.scripturessay.com/index.php?page=songs .

Barnabas Letters, part 4

Greetings, Barnabas Ladies! You are all looking so lovely today! :D

This morning I was standing in my very grubby bathroom, taking off my very grubby toenail polish, and I was thinking about what I was going to say to you all in my email today. My thoughts and actions crossed each other, and I thought about what it would be like for one of my Christian sisters to give me a pedicure. Whether or not you've had a professional pedicure, I'm sure you're familiar with the basic procedure: the nail tech removes any old polish, you soak your feet in warm, scented water, then your toenails are clipped, all the crusty skin is removed, your feet and calves are massaged, and fresh nail polish is applied.

 Now, I am relatively attentive to the condition of my feet, but it dawned on me that I would be terribly embarrassed for one of you to perform this service for me. Sometimes my feet are a little smelly, I have a scar on my big toe from where I had warts removed (twice!), and there is sock fuzz under my toenails.

 Then I felt a little ashamed, because I remembered John 13:1-17 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13%3A1-17&version=NIV). In this passage, Jesus washes the disciples' feet. Peter is a little irritated (and I think, embarrassed), and doesn't want to allow Jesus, his Teacher and Lord, to wash his dirty feet. But Jesus tells him that if he doesn't wash him, Peter will have no part of him. He goes on to tell them all that he has given them an example, that they should do this for each other, and that no servant is greater than his master.

 Based on the fact that foot washing is not mentioned as an act of the early church, I don't believe that Jesus intended that we must wash each others' feet as worship. But he did intend that we serve each other, and that the servant should not be ashamed of the "lowly" duty he performs, nor should the one being served be ashamed that he needs something done for him.

How many times have we resisted coming forward during the invitation because we are too embarrassed for others to know about all our calluses? What are we saying when we are too ashamed to admit to our fellow Christians that we have dirt under our toenails? Do we REALLY think we are the only one in the church with smelly toes?

When God made you a member of his body, through your obedience to his gospel, he provided you with siblings who will share your struggles, who will help you "scrape off the barnacles" (as our preacher would say!), and who will spend time in prayer, both with and for you. Please don't allow your shame to prevent others from spending a little time washing your feet.

 In Christ Alone--
Elena

Barnabas Letters, part 3

So, Barnabas ladies, how did it go? I hope you enjoyed the good feeling you got from sending out a card or email to a special someone. :)

This week's suggestion is along a similar line--to give three compliments. There are some negatives in the Bible regarding flattery, so we need to recognize the distinction between it and a sincere compliment. I found this article to be interesting.

http://christian.families.com/blog/the-thorny-problem-of-complimenrts

And as the article's author says, we need to practice receiving compliments as much as giving them. We all have something valuable to give the world, let's not sell ourselves short! You are made in God's image, don't forget that!

 In Christ alone--
Elena