Psalm 170 and Ben Harper preaching on Sunday

So Sunday's Readings could NOT have been more powerful, eh?

All about life in the storms and trusting in God.

Job - God says I MADE the seas, how could you doubt me
Psalm 170 - Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress; he made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they had quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.
Corinthians - Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the
old has passed away, behold, the new has come.
Mark - And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?"

I am so struck how God really reaches down to me and says "Peace! Be still". This advice can not come at a better time, as I am so stressed at work that I am having nightmares about my users chasing me all over town with knives to stab me. Hmmm. Work has been so overwhelming that it has felt like a tidal wave has flooded me. My prayer has been simply, "Lord, help me not to drown."

It is still my prayer, but God lets me know that if he can MAKE the oceans then he can surely handle my little problem of too many action items on my to do list, I do beleive. And in the gospel he may as well be speaking directly to me, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?" Am I a bad person if the answer to that question is no?

So this past weekend we were in Minnesota for Sus' lovely wedding and the "Tucks to be", PUITA and I were discussing what storms were in our lives, especially work and right at a pregnant pause in the discussion, where we were each silently pondering our own life-storms, from the new Ben Harper CD, Ben echos our sentiments by blasting out,
"Living these days is making me N E R Vous!" So brother Ben, can relate. He is speaking about the war in Iraq, but there are certainly other items in life that make us N E R Vous! So God knows I have many more things that make me figity and He speaks to me to trust in him so that I may have quiet and let him bring me to a safe haven.

So the new Ben Harper CD is AWESOME! This latest go round has some very political expressions on the war and on New Orleans, and it strikes me that he such a great musician, always growing in style and expression and not afraid to be stuck in one musical mold. Also, I beleive that each person has the obligation to express their thoughts and reactions to their times. And most especially an artist. Listen to this video of the first song on the CD. www.benharper.net if the link doesn't work fer ya.

Speaking of New Orleans, Mr. Tuck was telling me that a lot of WINE was broken or abandoned in New Orleans! What Travesty! Now I know there were rescue missions to get the abandoned pets out of the city, but what about the abondoned wine! I think the wine, too, deserves a safe haven and shelter from the storm. Salut.