Sermon: The Heart of the Matter

Hey all!!!

So, at my church, we recently got a new head pastor, and he’s so dynamic and powerful in the pulpit, I love hearing him speak! He gave a very interesting sermon today about worship.

He used the song “Heart of Worship” as an introduction to his sermon, which was titled “The Heart of the Matter“, and drew from John 4:7-24, the story of Lydia at the well, to address the point that Lydia like so many of us changes the subject when talking to someone if we are uncomfortable with the subject matter. We as humans tend to abandon the deeper, more layered subject, and trade it for a shallow and surface subject, such as when Christians are asked about spiritual well being, they tend to change the subject to that of worship. He believes that the subject of worship is used as a diversionary tactic, a vehicle used so that Christians don’t have to, or are not forced to examine thier own lives in Christ. 

Litergy in the Latin means “Service of the people” – worship service.

He went on to define worship by what a theologian had said (I’m sorry, I can’t remember his name )

 

Worship: “True worship is putting your minds attention and heart’s affection on the Lord; praising Him for who He is, and what He has done.”

He then went on to ask the congregation a challenging question: When was the last time you really worshiped the Living God? This question perked my interest, because I thought that going to church was worshiping God. He goes on to say that the action of worship is something ingrained in humanity, that at the very essence of humanity, there is a need to worship something, and he said that was why we fall in love. I thought this was an interesting point! I really loved hearing him speak! It was here that he drew from Colossians 1:16. Then he used a great allegory, the arrow and the target. He made the point that it is impossible to put your arrow in the bullseye of the target if you don’t know what the target is. He then said “Humans pull from the quiver of the soul until it is empty” and that humanity tends to send arrows at false gods and idols because of misdirection of their attention.

He went on to quote Psalms 22:3, “The Lord is enthroned upon the praise of his people…” and he encouraged us to pour out the best of our energies for God, and avoid worshiping false gods. He also cautioned us that True worshipers don’t worry about the how-to, but the who.  He left us with a quote his choir director used to tell him at his old church, “you can sing a lie just as easily as you can tell a lie.”  And he told us that worship is the opportunity for Christians to re-center our lives on God through fellowship and praising His Holy Name.

All in all, it was a very well done sermon, and it truely made me examine what I had been enthroning in my own life, and I am challenging myself this week to work harder for enthroning God in my own life.

In God’s love.

Lucky

Gator Football!!!

Hey, what’s up guys? Its Lucky!

I know its been a bit, but what ever. Sometimes, I just have the urge to write, you know???

 

I cried when Barack Obama was elected President. I’m not gonna lie. I was so proud, I prayed to God, praising him that I had the priviledge to live to see such a historic day. Every day is a journey, and every day is a test that God puts before us.

Speaking of tests, there is this boy in my Mythology class, and I have been trying to minister to him for the past few weeks. I want some advice, I have some, but I wanted to ask you all what your opinions were.

 

Basically, he’s had some experience with Christianity before, and is now an Agnostic, because he had some issues with the church he went to being super clique-y and judgemental. I want to think of some way to minister to him without being pushy, as he said he hated that Christians were always forcing people into belief. I want to basically be a friend to him, and try to minister to him as Christ would, and explain to him that Christ had a big problem with judgemental people, and that it was the church’s fault for not correcting said issue.

Anyway, tell me what you think, comments are appreciated!!!

 

Love you all, And I seriously can’t wait for the Gators to play Vandy tonight!!!!

 

God Bless!!!

PS. Tell me what you guys want to hear about from me…:)

 

Lucky

Meeting the Tebows! The Philippines meeting!

I wrote this letter to my Aunt Carolyn, and thought you all might be interested to read it!

 

Hi Aunt Carolyn!
How have you been? You told me to keep you updated on my Philippines mission trip, and although

 it has not yet begun, I still have something really cool to tell you!

So on Saturday, my mother and I drove up to Jacksonville to see the Tebows for a Philippines meeting

. We drove past their house a few times, it had a balloon on the mailbox, but we kept thinking it

 was the house with the Gators mailbox! So after about the third time of driving by, we saw the

 house number- 920- and pulled into their (mile long, haha) driveway! 

When we got there, Mr. and Mrs. Tebow weren't there yet, but a few of the missionaries were there,

 so we entered their gorgeous farmhouse with a case of water and pretzels, as well as some

 medicine ( the Tebows sent out a request for medication that was expired or that people hadn't

 picked up, and since one of my best friends - Brian DiDea- is the son of my pediatrician, 

I had his father raid their medical cupboard, so we gave them about a bag full of medications!) 

So I settled down with a few of the kids that were going on the trip to seperate the medication

 into baggies. I met a couple of boys, Mitch, who really wants to be a youth pastor is going on 

the three week trip with me, as well as some "Philippines Veterans" In both Travis and Chance 

Spaulding, who have been to the Philippines as well as their (I think they have four) sisters! 

There was also a boy named Ryan, and a girl named Melissa, who loved to sing, so while we 

seperated the medications we say "Beauty and the Beast", just to be cute.   I also met a girl 

named Tiffany Gray, and she is pretty much in charge of keeping track of all of us! I remember 

she called me one day to ask me one question, and we ended up talking for over an hour! But then

 again, does that really surprise you? I think Melissa is her sister, but I can't be sure! 

Well anyway, a few minutes later, Mrs. Tebow is standing right next to me with a box of 

popsicles, going "It's really hot in here! You must be burning up! Would you like a popsicle 

sweetheart?" And I was like "Yes please. Hello, Mrs. Tebow." I was completely in awe, she's 

actually REALLY SHORT! I think we were about the same height, if she wasn't an inch or two 

taller then me! Anyway, I love her so much already! She has this naturally sunny disposition, 

and she always had a smile on her face! Then I met her husband, Mr. Tebow, and he has just about

 the best handshake I have ever experienced! He looked me right in the eyes and I was like 

"Hello, Mr. Tebow, I'm Carry Ducker. " And he says "I'm so glad that you are going with us!" It

 was very exciting!

A little while later, the meeting really started! Mr. Tebow preached through the entire third 

chapter of Romans, and then explained to us how we were to go about sharing the gospel with the

 children. We were supposed to be more into the "God Loves You" message then the "Hellfire and 

Brimstone" speech. As he said, "You can't be angry when you're telling someone that God loves 

them!" I agreed whole heartedly! Then we went around the room and introduced ourselves, and I 

told them that my family has always felt very strongly about going out into the world and 

performing missions work, and I told them how I was named for my Great Aunt Carolyn, who was 

something of a missions pioneer! A few minutes later, he said, "Yes, your .... Big aunt Carolyn?"

 And I was like "Well, my awesome aunt Carolyn!" Everyone laughed really hard at that! There 

were also a couple of people who were valedictorians, and Mrs. Tebow said possibly the funniest

 thing ever! It was "Timmy was Valedictorian of his homeschooled class!" And Mr. Tebow was like

 "Yes, well, he was the ONLY one in his class!" It was pretty funny. 

All in all, it was a good meeting. I got to talk with them a little bit afterwards when Mom came

 to pick me up, and we told him that we were so excited that I was going. I also told Tiffany 

about my fear of flying and invoked that story you told me about the preacher who hated flying 

and said "Jesus said 'Lo, I am with you!' and he said 'How can Jesus be 'low!' with me if I am 

in the air!?" It was pretty funny! As we were leaving, Mr. Tebow was walking out to the shed, 

and I turned to my mom and said "They're letting Timmy out since all the rabid girls are gone" 

And she laughed. 

Mr. Tebow is currently in Cambodia- he left the morning after the meeting! Be sure to keep him 

in your prayers please! I know I have been praying for him!

Anyway, so how are you? I miss you!

The other Carolyn

Writer's Block; Terrible, ain't it?

There’s a boy she likes…

Well, he’s really more of a man. And quite possibly impossibly far out of my league. (I told you I’d be writing again tonight!). He’s really tall, not quite dark, but definitly handsome. He’s got a rocking bod, a great smile, pretty eyes, and these really gorgeous hands. Aside from the physical, he’s got a fabulous sense of humor, and a speech pattern that is most definitly unique to him. He’s pretty much the best guy out there, no lie. My parents agree. The kicker? He’s a Christian. But he’s also a few years older. I don’t know why that should stop me, but he also lives in another part of the country, and I only get to see him about once or twice a year.

I miss him like crazy. I try not to, but I do. My parents say he likes me back, but I’ve had no correspondence with him since he left, and trust me, I’ve tried. I’m scared to admit I might miss him more than he misses me, which always sucks. I’m starting to worry that he’s forgotten all about me. But I guess only Time will tell.

I wish boys weren’t so hard to read, I mean, they shouldn’t be this hard..but I guess its the old idea that the guy should make the first move, although I get awful sick of waiting.
I’m most definitly not a patient person, but if this is gonna work, I guess I have to be.

My best friend is a boy, and he says that based on what I have told him, the boy definitly likes me back. But he doesn’t know what to do with me. Well, I guess that’s true, I am quite ridiculous sometimes…haha not…welll maybe…..

Dang It.

Peace and LOVE

Love is the movement

Lucky

I got the Part!!

While it wasn’t exactly the part that I wanted, I wanted “Mehira”, but I got “Sorah”, her mother!!! That’s the second biggest female part in the play!!! I am so excited!

So here’s the scoop, My director called me while I was in my lit class, so naturally it went to my voicemail. She also sent me an email, and when I checked my laptop email a few minutes ago, there it was! I immediatly called my mom, I WAS SHAKING SO HARD!!!!

You see, I got cast in ONE play in high school, at the very end of my senior year, and it was THE SMALLEST SPEAKING ROLE. Mostly because we got a new director who played major favorites, whereas our old director would cast seniors over frosh if they had more or equal talent. I suppose the most annoying thing about getting cast as “Miss Randazzle”, is that the director didn’t even let me act, he cast me as he saw me in everyday life!!!
Obnoxious, I know. Well, I’m definitly going to invite him to come see this show, because I am cast as a Thirty/forty year old SERIOUS character, opposite a man who is a vegan. Ironic, as I myself am a vegetarian.

You see, I was reading through my bible, having just become a vegetarian my sophomore year in high school, simply because I wanted to know the difference in lifestyle. I had recieved a pamphlet by mail of the CVS, the Christian Vegetarian Society, which pointed out a couple of verses on the vegetarian lifestyle to me. Anyway, in Genesis, I found these references:

So God made man like his Maker. Like God did God make man; Man and Maid did he make them. And God blessed them and told them,’Multiply, and fill the Earth and subdue it; you are masters of the fish and birds and all the animals. And look! I have given you the seed-bearing plants throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for food’
Genesis 1: 27-29

Genesis then goes on with:

God blessed Noah and his sons and told them to have many children and to repopulate the earth. ‘All wild animals and birds will be afraid of you,’ God told him; ‘For I have placed them in your power, and they are yours to use for food in addition to grains and vegetables’
Genesis 6:1-3

Anyway, I just thought that was interesting!!! I know there are people who differ in veiws, and let me just say I accept that their veiws on the vegetarian lifestyle as dictated by the Old Testament, and if anyone has different veiws, please try to understand that I am not saying this to offend anyone, I’m just blindingly honest.

This blog is pretty much me trying to re-evaluate my lifestyle, my faith, and my activities. I don’t appreciate people who insult me just because they can. I left middle school for a reason. Please be mature.

Sorry, that was just a side note to all the haters. I haven’t had a runin with one yet, I just thouht i should throw that out there…=).

As such, I am truely thankful that I received this role, I prayed that I would get a role, but I knew if I did not that it was in God’s hands, and most definitly for the best.

To comment on Josh’s comment from before; that was very thoughtful of you! I’m glad you can be here to help me, and I hope I can help you in return!!! I love it when people can drop scripture into conversation, I sure can’t do it all the time! I wish I had a better memory for scripture, I really do try, but I guess its just not in the Lord’s plan for me.

I really do like living at home during college, sometimes things get a little tense, but I believe it is ultimatly for the best.

I might write more later, as in, in a few minutes, but I’m all dried up right now…

see you all later
God Bless
Lucky

Tuesday

So it says “Friday night lights”. Well, I guess it’s only Tuesday, but I needed to get some things off my chest.
I’ve tried writing in a blog before, but that didn’t work out so well. Truth is, I got two whole entries in, before losing it all. No, it’s still on the net, but I can’t log in. Such is life.

My auto-bio says I’m a Christian, and that is true, I am so in love with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, even though normally when a kid goes to college, they tend to rebel just a teeny bit from what they’re taught.

As such, I’m living at home while I’m in my first to years of college. Sometimes life is pretty good, sometimes I wish I had just moved out with the guys when I had the chance. But NO

Mom and Dad say “they will take advantage of you”, which I suppose might be true, but I think they were totally overreacting. Parents always do. Besides, they knew the boys I was moving in with, so what was the big hairy deal?

I’m in my second semester, and boy, its sooo much better then before! I’m taking a Religion class, granted, it is first thing in the morning, but I get the opportunity to meet other Christians, even outside of the Baptist school of thought.

We have this assignment, and I’m kind of worried about it, we have to go to two different worship services of religions other then our own that we are studying in class. A group of Christians from our class wants to go together, so we don’t stand out as much, but isn’t that the point? To stand out? We’re supposed to record our thoughts on the basic principles, practices and other aspects of what we see, and put it into a paper.

But that’s not the only religious pondering I get to do this semster, Oh no.

You see, I tried out for a play yesterday, I did theatre in high school, and my parents really wanted me to have something to do, outside of classes. The play was something about “Gate Closes” and it is set in Orthodox Israel. So if I get the part, I get to be Jewish, which I think will be an interesting study of the kissing cousin of my own faith. Don’t get me wrong, I really want this part!!!
Another thing about the play, I met this boy yesterday at auditions, and boy, was he something! He’s pureblood Persian, which, we all know that Persians are gorgeous, and well, he grew up in North London, so he has that Irrisistable British lilt when he speaks, especially when he gets nervous, which, it was an audition, of course he’s going to be nervous!!! He also speaks Farsi, which I love learning languages.
The only catch is, he’s very devoutly Jewish. I don’t know if that’s a real problem, see I adore hanging out with people of other religious preferences, because I see it as a test of my own beliefs, and on occasion, a ministry opportunity.

You see, my aunt was a very powerful missionary, and I am named for her, so I figure I owe her name, if not her, some justice and carry on the family business. The name “Carolyn” means “Woman of the Lord”, and I intend to be so.

well.I guess i have to go now. I’m kinda tired, but catch up with you laterrr

Lucky