As Sheila Said, "It's Okay..."

I am sure, by now, you have seen the video made by Community Christian Church in Sharpsburg about our beloved Sheila. Let me share a little bit more that surrounds that video.

First off, if you haven't seen the video, here it is-



I am one of the worship leaders at CCC, and led worship on Easter Sunday- the day the video aired. Right out of the video, I sang the great song by Chris Tomlin, "I Will Rise". Once I was told that the video was about Sheila, I kept joking with her that she was going to make me cry in front of so many people! (I cry easily- but that's for another blog...)

She was having a rough week around Easter, but insisted that she wanted to stop by and see the video and hear me sing the song, and I told her when it would come up in the service. I managed to get through the first two services with a little bit of tearing up.

Third service comes, and I'm sitting on stage during communion, waiting for the video and song, and Sheila comes walking in. She was determined to be there, and she did it! At that point, everything took on a whole new meaning to me. It wasn't sadness anymore that my dear friend was struggling. It was finally getting what she was saying in the video- that our pain that we all suffer pales in comparison to what Jesus must have physically felt for us dying on that cross!

That is just one of the many ways that Sheila helped me put things into perspective. I guess you could say she was my baseball bat that would hit me over the head and knock some sense back into me!

I thought I'd post the song I Will Rise for Sheila. Not my version- I think Chris Tomlin does it so much better than me.

Nothing Like A Clever Bumper Sticker...

... to make you stop and think.

As I was making my daily commute, I got behind a car that had this bumper sticker-




Simple, yet profound. How often do we go about complaining, or walk around stressed out due to life? Shouldn't we be "wagging our tails" more with joyfulness like a dog greeting his master, or getting a treat? I know I'm guilty of doing that. I somethimes go around and let life weigh me down instead enjoying life more and cherish all that is good because I have Christ in my life as my Lord and Savior! Each and every day, our God gives us so much to be thankful for and to enjoy.

Acts 14:17-
He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.

Simple enough, right? How about more to be joyful about!

1 John 1:7-
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

I can go on and on about how we should be "wagging our tails" more with the joy we receive each and every day from our Heavenly Father.

So stop barking!