I can pray from 12 - 1 Am PST

I would love prayer too. I'm really struggling financially with having a disabled husband and lots of medical bills. If I could pick up even a few more music students it would make a world of difference. Thanks :)

I'm currently looking for a new church where I can bring the incredibly bizarre combo of people who cross my path on a regular basis including a lot of the ones listed above. My experience before when I worked at several churches was there were a lot of the aboved there but they were in the closet, so to speak. They were afraid to let people know who they really were because they would be rejected. In more than one church I worked at their policy was to keep the identy of the aids patients a secret, not because the people wanted it, but because the church didn't want to have to deal with it and possibly loose people. Most of the churches were ok with "former" drug abusers, hookers, etc. But overall I think most churches have whatever they deem the A group sins which are the big no nos. I have a friend who is a post op transexual who is currently looking for a church where they will be loved and embraced. My hope and prayer is that they will find a church who will get to know them before they reject them.

I think you are very right. God has his own timetable for people. I am a really slow learner and He has had such grace and mercy with me over the years. Can I expect Him to be any less gracious to the people who even might drive me nuts. When we really have relationships with people and there is that love and trust and connection, then most people are more likely to be able to have those deeper conversations and tackle the deeper issues as well. Then we can all come together in our common need for God's mercy, forgiveness and healing.

"Join us for the Jumpin Jimmeny Praise-O-delverance-Gymnastistics-Group. 97% more holy than working out at the gym."

When I was young and first became a believer, I lived in a pretty hellish environment. I was blown away though when I read the Bible for the first time about the hope that we have that one day we are going to see God face to face and know him and He is going to wipe our tears away. I took great comfort in that then.

I make it a real point to try to live in the moment and really be focused on the here and now. For the last few years though the tough one of me has been having hope for a future here. It's easy to get bogged down in all the medical bills and financial strain etc., and lose sight of the bigger picture. Tonight when I started reading I was experiencing so much anxiety about upcoming property taxes and income taxes etc. That doesn't do any good at all. I need to remember again that I have a blessed hope for something amazing reguardless of the current circumstances. Thanks for helping me remember the truth.

... and skittles.

I bought the Stuff Christians Like book - maybe I'll buy a stack of um and give them as birthday presents to my friends who need serious schooling on Christian pop culture do's and don't. Jon is the miss manners of the christian pop culture.

I have quite the rowdy neighbors too. I've learned a lot though about caring for people and kindness from my next door neighbor who is quite the character to say the least. He creates an environment where his friends are always welcome. It's interesting to see how that works. I'm glad those guys are there.

As someone who teaches music every day privately to kids just like you've described, I'm always amazed how when we talk they are more dialed into who Jesus is than it might appear. Most of the time they tend to be rebelling against the church thing more than God. They really do remember the stuff they learn growing up. I've seen a bunch of them really come back around too in the long run after they realize that skinny jeans and all the other stuff doesn't make them happy either. Plus, I figure we lived through our teens and here we are so there's great help for them too.

I think it's great too that we can be reminders too of His grace and mercy. It's good that you could be there with Brian and that he didn't have to carry that alone. :)