Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Finally...A Coming Together.

At last, a coming together of two things, neither of which I have time for. I just discovered I can do voice exercises and blog at the same time. So here I come again. But I can't comment and do voice exercises, so take heart. But I will need to do voice exercises for a couple hours a day if I'm going to whip this voice of mine into shape. While I'd like to 'sing the mighty power of God', I can't yet. Not mightily anyway. But maybe soon.

11 comments:

Bhedr said...

push that gut out and open up that mouth. Why can't you use your tip toes to type comments?

Todd Saunders said...

You know, this is serious business. If I don't get this voice shaped up, the music I do is not going to have anything worthwhile to say. However, I had a breakthrough day today(inspired mainly by laying down a so-so, or worse, vocal track for, "I Sing the Mighty Power of God"), experimenting and seeing what exactly I can do in the way of, conditioning and improving my voice while I make my lunch, while I listen to the news, watch the news, all these things I can do now, while I work on those weak vowels that just sort of honk out when I'm trying to sing. My voice has some exciting things about it but then, just when I least expect it, out comes something that sounds like bad karaoke. That's not going to get it done. But a whale of a lot of hard work will I think. So I'm glad to say that, I tried it, and I can blog comment and go eyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeohooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, both at the same time. It's wierd but it's the only way it's going to happen. Traveling in the car as a farrier and being able to exercise the voice for 3 hours a day has been a real blessing, I couldn't have done it otherwise. But when I only work 2 or 3 days a week during the winter months, I can't give it the time it very badly needs. So I gotta come up with more time. I wish I was just born with a naturally decent voice, but I think it will pan out. Probably within about 6 months I'll get something posted here, to listen to, and you can see what you think. I want to work full-time in and with the Lord. We'll see if I've squandered a lifetime of opportunity or not. He may have made sure I finally listen to Him by not gifting me as a Pastor at all. And so even when I 'honk out', I do it with thanksgiving, and never let Him forget that I know He's made me a small temple of His, that upon His invitation I joined my spirit with His, and that it's an honor to abide there with Him. His being there is an unmatchable privilege and inspiration and warrants my constant attention. And that being the case, we can't have any bad karaoke going on around here. So I've gotta get this squandered and neglected mess of a voice cleaned up.

Bhedr said...

Ha! I hear ya! I bet you have a wonderful voice praise God.

BTW, thanks brother for being supportive a couple of weeks ago during that tough dialogue. It's been a rough go these past few weeks and your a good friend brother. So many people always seem to want something out of you, but you are a friend. Your just there. I have so few friends and it is good to have one like you. My wife being the other friend like that and of course Jesus is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. I am trying to be a better friend to others though while at the same time hold fast to what God has laid on my heart. Thanks for understanding that I am more like a Lot that is wanting to serve God with what he has left to over having made so many poor choices in the past. May the Lord bless you with what you have left. He is such a gracious God of second and third and fourth chances. Phew! I don't know what I would do if it wasn't for His grace. If I wasn't saved by grace then I would never be saved as I never will meet many of the demands so many lay out today. I am so glad that he is a patient cultivating Father that trains us in His yoke that he bears for us. What an amazing God who takes us just as we are and fashions us into His glorious image and lays on us no more than we are able to bear one day at a time. I can't get over how patient and longsuffering He is.

Todd Saunders said...

Well Brian I know who you are because you've put your own pride aside to point to some of your own past and your own shortcomings and how you've dealt with them under the counsel of the Word of our Lord, and in doing so, you've painfully and lovingly demonstrated how the spirit of His knowledge and His tuteledge is supposed to work in all of us. I can only pretend to be a friend to someone who's too proud to tell me who he really is. You put it out there brother, for other peoples encouragement and instruction. It seems to me, reading your own past elaborate and sincere ruminations in your blog, especially your own follow-up comments, that through your lifelong pursuit of God's wisdom and knowledge, you've sharpened yourself into this fine teacher(even Preacher), who's most stubborn but earnest student has been himself. And I just continue to marvel and aspire towards you the teacher. With that kind of honesty fellowship and friendship easily follow. We're supposed to serve each other. Not just jabber about how we "live by the Spirit" but more importantly we must "walk by the spirit" as well, like Paul says in Galatians. And that's as important in being an effective teacher as anything. That was also very intriguing, what you said about Lot. I'm still shaken by what God was able to accomplish toward me. I'm just now even still drying off and marveling at His new creation. And especially getting these feet ready and shod now for a long brisk walk of gratitude filled service.

My contractions are getting a little farther apart. I think I ate some bad turkey I was trying to preserve after my frig died last week. I took some silver biotics, that may have helped drive the 'death in the pot' out of my stomach. But my clothes dryer quit producing heat today right in the middle of the second load. First load thankfully being the 'white' load. So that would not help the stomach settle much either. But I think I may be in for some rest tonight after all. Take care Brian my good brother. And thanks for stopping by.

Bhedr said...

Thanks brother. That means alot. We need each other as a body of believers to know Him more, but we all should encourage one another at the same time to have faith taking courage like so many in the hall of faith to not compromise the truth of our Lord. In truth it would be wonderful if our local bodies of believers could open up to each other more...not to foam out our shame but to consider each others faults and find each other strengths in their weakness and how they learned to be bound up in that area for the enrichment of service to God and others in order that we can all walk forward and run the race together. Like in Galations 6:1-5.

BTW, how did you get that thing for a prayer gaurd for Joseph. I've been clicking it but I can't seem to turn up anything? It may be because I am only dial up.

Love you brother,

Brian

Todd Saunders said...

Yeah, the "hall of faith".

Christians should be able to rely on each other for support in doctrine when the going gets tough, but unfortunately a lot of man-made biblical notions and teaching too often makes us inaccessible and incompatible with one another. Our differing beliefs insult and offend each other. I think it's dangerous to get comfortable with that and believe the bible more than shows us the way through our differences, and it's not by ignoring them either. Nor is it by wrangling and disputing either but by the seasoned use of scripture. So yeah, the divided body of Christ must be one of satans biggest trophies.

One of the neatest parts about differences is the opportunity to follow biblical precepts in working through them towards unity and the resulting building up of the body of Christ and the glory that we are able to accomplish in that way along with our God. Working through differences in a church is the perfect opportunity for every one involved to refine and perfect their own walk and understanding of scripture but instead we splinter away into factions with different names, in honor of different men, oh man, I'll just never accept that quietly. Too many mediocre teachers have made Christians way too lazy minded and complacent in their isolation from each other. Many of us are unable and unwilling to examine our own work, as in Gal. 6, and don't even know what it means. I'd like to get myself into a position where I can utilize my own growth in Christ to share with other brothers and sisters the necessity of getting rid of this mentality that accepts teaching that divides, making us more compatible with one another in the enjoyment of scripture together. You know, it could be quite some time before the rapture or the Kingdom comes, and I'll need something to do. Thankfully, Christ is right their handing out opportunities to us all. Hey thanks for letting me get some of this off my chest Brian. Christians can fellowship only superficially, or even artificially these days, and that to me is an abomination. You go to the church down the street and they tell you that you've got it wrong, and then they go down the street and the next church tells them they have it wrong and won't even communion with them. Give me a break. They've all been duped by someone. We definately share a raw nerve in that area don't we. I'll never sit quietly by.

I got Prayerguard by clcking on it and then clicking on the "Put this button on your site" icon. Seemed to go pretty smoothly. Still a couple wrinkles I'm working out. For a picture, I'm going to try and download Joe's 'Flickr.com.' which may be impossible but sure would be a good representation to have in there. If I have too I'll enlist his help. That's going to take some spare time though and will be a little while. Take care Brian and I'll talk to you next time.

With great brotherly love, Todd

Bhedr said...

Amen brother. Thanks for your response. WE had a valentines breakfast today. Our pastor just brings us together in a mighty way. Such a fragrance for Christ and a tremendous love for his wife. It is just consuming us all. I am so excited that I am afraid I might mess something up. I've been in so many tough situations in the past. O dear Lord let this be your work and may I be an encouragement and seek to lift others closer to you.

Your right Todd, so many tough church situations. I pray the Lord is going to restore the years of the locust now. So many a tough year in the past.

Thanks for the info on Joe brother.

May you have a blessed day of worship tomorrow.

Todd Saunders said...

Hey Brian,
That's great to hear. You've got some great posts on your church and your Pastor over at your place. I've been up to my eyeballs with working on hymn arrangements on the piano. This is my deadline winter to nail down about 15 or so hymn arrangements I've been working on for a year or so. If I can get them to the caliber I need to then surely I can record them next winter. Once I get a recording out then I can take a ministry out into the general public, make a joyful noise and then also minister on the important fundamental truths of the bible that I think deserve more attention. In fact a lot of them you talk about in your blog. I think you can probably tell we are a lot alike in the respect that we don't believe in just sitting around keeping all the good news to ourselves, so to speak. It won't be long until I'll be able to start posting a few hymns I do at my website just to let people know what I'm working on. Thanks for checking in with me. Hope you have a rich and greatly instructive Lord's day tomorrow too Bro. Much thanks to the Lord as well for what He's enabled you to bring your family through lately also.

Bhedr said...

I love your focus brother. Thanks for the well wishing on the family. The Lord is working some things out but then there are some steps taken back as well in my sons life. Thats the tough part. It almost seems like the other place is trying to monopolize on my sons disposition to prove they are in the right. It troubles me. I would never do that to another father or former church member. Thanks for your prayers.

Todd Saunders said...

Yeah, that's a no-no. You know the best what's right for your family and moreover, you're the one who's accountable as family head when you go before the Lord, so the last word has got to be yours as you try and do what's right in His sight. That alone is a great lesson of faith for any family to see. And fine-tuning things and making adjustments along the way is just a part of being human. It's not an easy battle so my hat's off to you. The small town thing can really be tricky too I'll bet.

Bhedr said...

>The small town thing can really be tricky too I'll bet.<

Phew! You got that right brother. Your a mind reader.