let it be our worship, let it be our true religion

I just got back from our Church's Girl's Choir mission trip in New Orleans.
We spent the week singing in Nursing Homes and one day we sang in a Homeless Shelter, which was very interesting. We stood outside in an awkward semi-circle (which we had to disband a couple of times to allow cars to come in and out of this gate thing) facing a dozen or so guys who, at first, looked on in apathetic perplexity (if that even makes sense...). It was really cool though, because when we started singing, several men stopped and listened and seemed to enjoy it. One of the guys even came up to our music minister that we couldn't know how encouraging it was to all the guys that we came and sang for them. I really wished that i was a guy so that i could just go and hang out/ get to know the men there, and i hate it that i can't. That's not to say i can't visit homeless shelters, but i do not have the freedom to go by myself and form close friendships with the guys there --which i hate to admit. (I'm not a feminist, or anything, but I do hate to feel limited because of my sex).
Over the course of the week, our choir visited four or five nursing homes, and that was one of the coolest things we did. Now, I have never been one to voluntarily go to a nursing home (i had a semi-traumatizing experience at a nursing home when i was little) but i enjoyed engaging with the people where we visited and even looked forward to singing with them. At each nursing home, we would go around and just talk to the people there (some were coherent, others not). In some places we even helped wheel in people to hear us. It was the sweetest thing to see all the toothless grins and the joy on their faces when we talked to them and sang with them. (I keep on typing "with them". Note: this does not mean that they sang as well-although some did!- but "with" seems to be the most proper preposition since we are singing "to" and "for" God and to sing "at" people seems almost hostile)It was also really cool to see how our presence affected the nurses at the nursing homes. In reality, our coming means a lot more work for the nurses to do: they have to clear a space for us to stand, they have to move people into the same room, ect. and so, sometimes they were not as enthusiastic at first. However, as we sang, some nurses got into the songs (at one home, one of the nurses stood up in the back and started dancing to one of our gospel songs--it was great!) Several of the nurses came up to us and thanked us for coming with such sincerity that it made me think about how hard it must be to work at a nursing home. I mean, it's hard work with little pay and almost no recognition whatsoever. Going and singing and just spending time with the people there had such a huge impact on the patients and nurses there that i really felt convicted of how seldom i make the effort to minister in that area. Here is a group of people broken and oftentimes disheartened who need to be reminded of God's unfailing love for them. This week just made me want to make it a point to visit nursing homes more often (and our choir director said that she was going to check out the places close to home to make that a reality).

All in all, it was a very convicting trip. And I'll have to write more on the subject later, but for now, i must be off to bed!

oh! I found a Selah "Greatest Hymns" CD for 5 bucks at a lifeway store so i bought it on a whim and have been listening to it-- i love it! It makes me happy!

faded like a leaf

Oh that You would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at Your presence--as when brushwood and the fire causes water to boil--to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at Your presence!When You did awesome things that we did not look for, You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence. From of old no one has heard or percieved by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides You, who acts for those who wait for him. You meet him who joyfuly works righteousness, those who remember You in Your ways.Behold, You were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.-Isaiah 64:1-6

Today was one of those days where, everywhere i turned, every time i opened my mouth, i felt foolish. *sigh* I know it is healthy to see one's own foolishness, but it was still discouraging and frustrating. However, it was ALSO one of those days where i constantly felt the grace of God carrying me through the day, which is encouraging.

Tomorrow i leave for a mission trip to New Orleans! I am very excited :) Please be praying for me and my church group that we will be sensitive to where God is moving and that our attitudes and actions will glorify Christ.

A very happy Spring break to you all, dear ones!