The LORD is my Shepherd | The LORD is my Shepherd: Lessons I am learning under the care and guidance of Yahweh Raah, the Good Shepherd

All for God’s glory

Posted on September 6, 2005 by Sarah

It’s rough being a violin player sometimes–especially when there are SO many others around you who are so much better than you. Even though I am a music minor, sometimes I feel like I should be just as good as the music majors my age. Of course that is ridiculous because not all the music majors are at the same level. But there are times when I get very discouraged with my playing. This last weekend wasn’t a good weekend for violin. I didn’t practice much, which was the number one reason, and my strings were old. While changing them yesterday, I discovered that my new D string was defective and had to go exchange it. It can be frustrating when you change strings anyway because they don’t like to stay in tune, and they’re not “broken in” yet, so they sound kinda scratchy.

I was talking to Eric, one of the worship leaders at my church, on Sunday morning, and he wanted to hear all about orchestra. He couldn’t believe that there were so many people better than me. I’m sure there are lots of people who think I sound really good, but I guess I’ve just been hard on myself lately. I hear others play so beautifully, and then my sound is all scratchy, and it doesn’t sound smooth and sweet like the really good players do. It looks so easy, but it’s so hard!

I almost forgot to read my Daily Bread devotion yesterday, but I’m glad it did. Since yesterday was Labor Day, the devotion was on working. The paragraph that stood out most to me from this devotion is this: “No matter what our task, it’s our duty to work for God’s glory. ‘Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.’ Colossians 3:23 In this sense, no job is better than another. Each should result in honor to God.”

In a way, playing violin is my job since I am a fulltime student and play in the orchestra. Tenth chair is just as important as first chair as long as I am honoring God with my playing. He is the One who gave me the talent of music, and my playing is just how He wants it.

“It’s not the hours you put in that count, but what you put in the hours.”

Categories: Perspective, Spiritual Growth | Leave a comment

Escape from judgment

Posted on September 1, 2005 by Sarah

I have grown SO much spiritually over the summer, and it’s AWESOME! My mind used to wander all the time when I was reading my Bible and during sermons. Not that it doesn’t occasionally, but lately I have been SO focused on what I read and hear about God’s word.

At Thirst No More, the weekly Wednesday night college group associated with Bethel, my church up here in Greeley, we are studying the book of Hebrews 11–the chapter on faith. Rob’s messages have been AWESOME! He said one thing last night that I found interesting, and I thought I’d write about it. Part of last night’s message was on Hebrews 11:7, which says, “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”

Rob talked about the story of Noah and how he built the ark in obedience to God. The ark was God’s way of helping Noah and his family escape from His judgment on man’s wickedness. Many people think that the stories of the Old Testament are “fairy tales” and that they have no relevance to us today. On our road trip to Nashville, Tennessee this past summer, my family listened to a couple of John Piper’s sermons in the car. He stated that EVERYTHING in the Bible is relevant to us, even if we think it is not. Since then, I have been trying to figure out HOW things in the Old Testament can help me today, and it has been AWESOME, let me tell you. Anyway, you’re probably wondering, “How is the story of Noah’s ark relevant to me today?”

God is faithful, and He always provides a way for us to escape His judgment if we have accepted His gift of salvation. The ark was the way of escape for Noah; the cross is the way of escape for us. God sent His only Son to die on the cross for us, and because of that we are able to escape the judgment we deserve in order to spend eternity in heaven with our Lord and Savior! Now THAT is encouraging!

Categories: Character of God, Spiritual Growth | 1 Comment

Evolution…yeah, right

Posted on August 30, 2005 by Sarah

I’ve been meaning to write a blog for quite a while, but it’s been CRAZY tring to find time! I’m enjoying all my classes (especially Music Theory and Aural Skills), but there is one class that I don’t like, and that’s biology. I was looking forward to taking biology because I am interested in learning about life, but I hadn’t expected exactly what this class includes A LOT of–evolution. Since I went to a private, Christian school from kindergarten through 12th grade, I have never been taught evolution. I’ve learned about it, and I’m familiar with what it is, but I was never taught it as fact.

My biology professor LOVES evolution. He’s already brought it into the lectures along with his favorite saying–“It doesn’t matter what you believe. Your beliefs have NOTHING to do with the facts of science, and they don’t change the facts of science.” Yeah, we hear that about every day. Needless to say, I don’t like the professor very much. He rambles on and on and acts like he knows what he’s talking about while I sit there thinking, “You have NO idea what you’re talking about.”

It makes me sad that so many people believe that evolution is true. It’s ridiculous. My professor teaches it like it’s fact and they know FOR SURE that it’s true, when really they don’t. It reminds me of 2 Corinthians 4:4, which says, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Satan will take any little thing to turn people away from God, and I see him doing that here. So many people are taught evolution in elementary school. No wonder they believe it. They don’t know anything else. Only God is able to remove the blinders from their eyes so they can see His truth.

I don’t think anything I say to my professor will make him change his mind, but God can. Of course, I have to sit through his class all semester and learn evolution so I can do well on the tests. Even though I will probably be boiling in my seat hearing him teach these things, it will be good for me to learn the lies that are being taught. Hopefully I will learn how to counter evolution better as a result.

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USO!!!

Posted on August 20, 2005 by Sarah

I guess I really had no reason to worry about not making the USO (University Symphony Orchestra) again this year. :) I had a pretty good audition yesterday, and afterwards Dr. Guyver said, “See you Monday in Studio B”!!!! So then I knew that I was still in it. Mr. Fuchs was very encouraging too. He told me that it was good to hear me play again. :) I am 10th chair out of 13 second violins! There are TONS of new seconds this year, and my stand partner is this new guy. So I’m excited to make lots of new orchestra friends! I’m all moved in now with my two roommates, and we’ve been having lots of fun! The only bad thing right now is my allergies. They’re HORRIBLE! I’ve had a headache for about a week now, my eyes are red and itchy and I sneeze a lot. But that’s okay. I’m glad to be back in Greeley and once again a member of the USO. :)

Categories: Just Life | 2 Comments

Off to Greeley!

Posted on August 17, 2005 by Sarah

Well, I am all packed and ready to move to Greeley tomorrow! I am EXTREMELY excited to move in with Loni and Ashley, and I can’t wait to see all my friends again! Not so excited about the orchestra audition, but hey, when you’re involved in music, it’s a part of life. I’ve practiced a lot this summer, and I can tell that I’ve improved. :) It was hard to work on things a lot of times during the school year cuz Kim would tell me SO many things to work on all at once, but this summer I’ve had a chance to catch up and work on the things she helped me with. I had a really good practice tonight, and I can play a lot of the stuff up to tempo (except the 4th movement of the Mozart–whew! SOOO fast!).

I just can’t say enough HOW MUCH I love music! We did so many fun things on our trip, but I think the moment I enjoyed THE MOST out of everything was last Friday night when we had a “concert” at the Gerlachs’ house. It was my idea. :) I had brought a couple duets along, and I thought it would be fun to play with Becca and Jessica. So we did violin and flute trios. :) I also played the Rachmaninoff piece I learned last semester–a solo! I’m surprised at myself that I even wanted to play it, but I REALLY felt like performing that night. I actually found that I WANTED people to listen to me, even when I practiced. That was no problem because there were so many people around all the time. It probably would have been impossible for me to be alone if I wanted that. Grandpa Chuck absolutely LOVED my playing. He could tell that I’ve gotten better, and he kept asking me “so, do you think you’ll get a job performing soon?” and “are you recording yet?” LOL I’m not THAT good! Anyway, back to Friday night. After our performing we had a worship time. Jessica or I played the chords on the piano, John and Nathaniel played guitar, and the rest of us sang. It was SO much fun. I can’t even describe it. The Gerlachs are so much like family, and even though we usually only see them like once a year, we are always so close when we’re together. :) I loved having all of us together in that little “music” room playing music together and singing. I even got my violin out and played special parts when Jessica was playing piano. It was SO awesome!

This is kind of a random blog, but it was SUPPOSED to be about me leaving for college tomorrow. I remember last year I was sad and nervous. The first night there was HORRIBLE. Katherine wasn’t there yet, and I was all alone in a strange place. Wow. This year will be different for sure–I’ll be with Ashley Tippie! And then Loni is coming on Friday! I’m so excited! I’ve really missed them this summer. I made so many good friends last year, and I can’t wait to be with them all again. But I will miss my family a lot too. I’ll have to ask Daddy questions over the phone, no more drinking vanilla tea on the patio with Mommy while we read our books (Mommy, I’m NOT trying to make you cry–we’ll do it again when I’m home), no more late night talks with Bosling (my nickname for Becca–don’t ask), no more working out in the basement while John plays his Cameroon choir music, and little Steve…half the summer it was just me and him at home with John and Becca away on mission trips. I’ve had so much fun with him, and he’s so cute! I’ll miss him tons! Oh, and Sydney! No more bedtime scratches for her for a while. But I’m ready for my second year of college! So here I go!

Categories: Just Life | 1 Comment

More pictures!!!

Posted on August 15, 2005 by Sarah

Some more pictures from the trip:

Stephen singing in his “microphone”–John’s foot!

Josh with his African shirt

playing in the fountains!

early inhabitants?

cousins Stephen and Aaron

Shoshi’s “Little Teapot” pose :)

Happy 50th Anniversary Grandpa Chuck and Grammie Sue!!!

me and my mommy

Stephen’s driving!

Becca, Jess and me

party with Mommy’s friends from high school!

Stephen and Nathaniel

Daddy and “Uncle” Eddie

Jayne and Mommy–best friends from high school!

posing

sleeping on the LONG drive home

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Vacation, then college!

Posted on August 15, 2005 by Sarah

Well, we just got home last night from our family trip to Tennessee and Indiana, and now I have to unpack and then pack for moving to Greeley on Thursday! I also have an orchestra audition Friday morning! Talk about a crazy week! But even in the midst of our busyness, we need to make time for God. Psalm 46:10a says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” In the midst of our back-to-school craziness, we need to remember to continue to set aside time for God each day.

Some of my favorite pictures from our trip:

silly uncle Robert and his “sweet t”