So Sunday All That

Got my Praise ON today at my church, Inspiring Body of Christ Church (IBOC) for short. The message, by Pastor Rickie Rush, dealt with the oppression Satan put on you so long ago. It's part of your life and you've just excepted it. There could be something other folk see wind up prejudging you.

I thought of lack of a left ear. Microtia, it's called--born without an ear. Got a teeny tiny lobe on my left. A full right ear tho. Back in the prehistoric age, when I grew up, I'm sure questions of my able to hear and learn, were asked daily. Nobody really knew--except me.

Then I thought how I was one of maybe three black kids in my entire class. In fact, by the time I graduated high school, I was the ONLY black student in my class, and one half of the black student body in the entire grades 9-12 to boot.

How I have two first names and a hyphen separates them. Oh, and yes, I do have a middle name. My classmates didn't know all that until we graduated. I felt I was singled out with the ear because it seemed I took a million hearing tests a week, being black, and then two first names? Of course, I need to add my mom died when I was 13.

As I sat in the church house today, I pondered

So did Satan oppress me?

I do believe he did.

And on this day, I do know Who possesses me.

Satan ain't likin' that

Good. mic

-the picture posted is part of IBOC's aquarium-

Sunday Source

Pastor Rickie Rush, of Inspiring Body of Christ Church, asked all the women to wear hats and gloves to service today. To pay tribute how church was when most of us were growing up. I did wear a hat, alas the gloves...not so much. Unlike my younger counter part in the photo from a long ago Sunday.

I didn't know where to even buy a pair gloves. I'm from Iowa and the only gloves, I remember were those to keep my hands warms because the temperature was below freezing--WAY below freezing at that! I will admit, that today it was very nice to see alot of the women, all on the same accord.

The sermon itself hit home-- again. This time about the approach you take in situations. God, being one of them. Do you get all up in His face? Or are you ON your face to worship Him? How do you approach people, situations--whatever else? This made me think of Bear. I'd mentioned him before. The love of my life I thought--and well, that really didn't happen-yet we're now working on civility with one another. Prayer and time passed has helped.

Anyway, one of the many things Bear blamed me for in our on and off and real on and way off and kinda on relationship. was my approach towards him was all wrong. Really? I'd ask for specifics, and receive few. And his approach to me? Whatever I let him get away with because I hoped it would really super duper show him how much I loved him.

It didn't.

Pastor Rush preached on approach-How to check yourself. How you think you may be ready for something, but your approach says other wise. How oppresses you. When you feel the jealousy, envy fear etc, Satan has you in his sights, yet not in control of you. You can push Satan away, thru your approach to worship. I thought of Bear. He was in the sanctuary too today. I wondered what he thought of the Word being preached? If he realized the oppression that branded itself to our relationship back when.

I confident I'll not ever know.

After service, I went up to Pastor Rickie Rush and told him Thank You for the Word today. How it hit home. How the last few Sundays all hit.

Pastor Rush said; "It was you." and stared in my eyes.

I am blessed.