VRBC

It's time the church had a name.

In my musings and chronicling of my life that I record on this blog, I have carefully tried to protect the privacy and identity of the people and places I talk about. I have chosen, with care, the names the characters in this little 'story of my life' are known by. One of the most frequently mentioned entities however, has, up until now, not had a name of it's own in my records. That is the church. The church that first caused me to start this blog - to record the lessons I learn there, the relationships I form there, the challenges I face there, and the encouragements I gain there.

It's time I had something to call it other than "the church", "my church", or "our church" (depending on the context I'm writing from at the moment). "The church" could be too broad, since those words (as a term) are often used to speak of the Church as a whole - Christ's Bride, the body of believers.
"My church" is technically incorrect, as is "our church", because even though I'm only using the terms to denote the local church I am a member in, "my" or "our" expresses ownership, and I do not feel comfortable doing that. The church is not 'mine' or 'ours'. It is His - it is Christ's!

So the church needs a specific name that I will call it by here on this blog, and I believe I have a fitting one for it.

From now on when I speak of the church I attend and love so much, I will be referring to it as Victory Road.

There are several reasons I have chosen this name. Some people who read this may even be able to recognize a few of them.
The Lord has used this place as a change in my life's road. I have encountered certain types of bumps and curves that had never been in the pathway of my former travels. Hard, rough, and painful places. I have also encountered some of the most sheltered, tree-lined avenues of dappled sunshine I have ever been through. Beautiful places where the Lord's presence is so real beside me that at times I almost felt I could reach out and He would physically put His arm around my shoulders.

I am thankful beyond expression that He chose to take me down this Victory Road. I pray I may learn the lesson behind every hard rock in the way, and that I may soak up, treasure, and share the smooth soft places full of Glory.

Note: It follows that the Christian Academy will now be "Victory Road Christian Academy" or "VRCA" in the post labels.
Also, as time permits, I will probably go through all the other posts I have done about the church, and change the name.

A Few Of My Favorite Things

Eyes. Mischievous brown eyes. Gorgeous green eyes. Frank, shining sapphire-blue eyes. Twinkling caramel-brown eyes. Snapping black eyes. Smiling green eyes. Serious, wise, sparkling soft brown eyes. Unpredictable sky-blue eyes. Laughing, earnest deep-sea blue eyes. Golden eyes, yet to be deciphered. Gentle, happy brown eyes. Pale turquoise eyes.

Soft, curving, shocks of hair. Sunny gold. Mahogany. Night black. Golden brown. Chocolate. Red gold. Auburn. Soft light brown. Dark brown. Burnished gold.

Dimples. Braces. Band practices. Bible studies. Big smiles.

Strong young blood. Good choices. Right decisions. Victorious lives.

Existence Vs. Living.

Last night before family prayer and bedtime, Trissy made a comment on the difference between 'living', and 'existence'. She told me that I "know how to 'live'".

Do I?

What is 'Existence', and what is 'Life'?

Existence is breathing, one's body working properly, going through the motions of life. A dead - or dying - soul that cannot escape, simply because it's earthly prison of flesh and bone is too healthy to release it.
Or, it's the act of moving through life, but not living it. Trissy described it as in a scene from one of our family-favorite movies: Rafting down the river. Landing at a sandbar where we will camp. Hurrying to get the rafts unloaded, hurrying to get camp set up so we can hurry and get to bed so we can get up early in the morning to hurry and get the rafts loaded, and hurry down the river - to the next camp site.

Life is physical, just like existence. But life is something more.
Life is Joy. Life is Peace in the midst of deepest pain. Life finds it's greatest pleasures in little things like working with it's hands, the glittery sparkles naturally embedded in a flower petal, or even the brilliant color of some man-made item; the feel of a cool, hard-wood floor beneath it's bare feet; a well-written article. An exceptional voice. A lovely form. A fine face.
Life has (or takes) the time to smell the roses, right an over-turned bug, or dance in the rain.

Existence endures. Life enjoys.
Existence mourns. Life marvels.
Existence is miserable in hard circumstances. Life is hopeful, in spite of hard circumstances.
Existence is uncaring. Life is unselfish.
Existence struggles. Life shares.

Do I Live? I pray so.

What Else Can I do But Worship?

"Thank You" is not enough. He is too great. It is all too amazing.
"Thank You" is not enough. What else can I do but worship?



Note: Details later.