February 14, 2011… Happy Valentines Day!!

From Greencastle with Love

Meet Lisa & Jay Bennett!

 

Where did they meet: DePauw University

When did they meet: Fall 1989

How did they meet: They met during her freshman year of college, he was a junior. It was far form love at first sight. He had me pegged be as goofy and felt that a friend of his was much better suited for me. So as this guy became interested in this kid from Florida he  thought, “wow these two goofy’s will be perfect for each other.” She actually started dating/talking to the “friend” first. However by end of the semester the friend had to leave school due to poor grades. By this time, Jay & Lisa had become really good friends.

So one night after a campus event Jay walked her back to my dorm and asked for a kiss. She quickly replied “what about ole buddy, that is your friend.” At which time he quickly told me that “We aint that close.”

How he first told her that he liked her: “You know I like your ass.”

First movie/date:  Die Hard (The Original)

How they keep it going after 13 years of marriage: They are truly great friends. They laugh all the time. Most importantly they really respect each other, admire each other and accept each other for who they are.

What she discovered about him: “I think I have found the smartest guy in the world!”

What he discovered about her: “I found the in the words of BVD – Never trust a big butt and a smile. LOL”

February 13, 2o11… The Valentine’s Sunday Edition: What if The Pipes Go Out… The Greatest Love of All!

The world can chip away at you, I mean the world can really attack and try to steal you from you but GOD said… “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Sometimes we get so busy with life and living we lose track of how to live. I’m a living testament of this, as are many who will read and share this post. The beauty of all this is GOD loves us despite us. It’s easy to see people in the spot life living their lives and see them rise and fall through the years. As we watch them, we shake our heads often in disappointment and with doubtful thoughts that they will ever rise again… But GOD!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Whitney Houston. And anyone who has ever heard her voice can probably understand why. I look at her as an example of God at work loving us in spite of us.

This morning my pastor shared the story about a virtuoso who played the organ. He was loved around the world. Sold out performances with standing ovations and cheers for encores at every show. The organ he played was very special. It was the kind of organ that required air to be blown into the pipes.

After one of his performances, a brother covered in sweat and exhaustion said to him, “we did great tonight didn’t we.” The virtuoso said, “I did great.” The virtuoso went on and on about how awesome he was and how the people all loved him. The brother was a bit hurt by this, afterall he had nearly blown his lungs out to give air to those pipes. As they stood behind the stage, the audience began to cheer for an encore. They wanted more of the virtuoso and so he returned to the stage, sat as his organ and began to play the organ but there was no sound. The audience grew silent, he touched the key’s again. Still no sound…

At that moment, he stood up and called the brother out and shared that they both were responsible for the beautiful music. He realized he had to give credit where credit was due, for without the air being blown by the brother, there would be no music!

That’s how life is for many of us. We build up these great positions, roles, accomplishments, careers, families, ventures and lives but we forget from which all of it comes. But God…

When we get so great that we forget, ignore and/or fail to recognize the GREAT I AM because we are so busy saying I am Great, we lose our air.

Whitney Houston became great. She rose to the top and none has ever gone higher than her. No one compares Whitney to anyone, but we all compare other’s to Whitney. When she hit rock bottom, it was as if she lost her air. She was a lot like the virtuoso, basking in the glory of herself and being the greatest. Just like the virtuoso, she lost her air. But GOD…

Sure, Whitney Houston of 2011 is nothing like the Whitney of 1986 when we first heard her sing THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL. Her voice isn’t as strong as it was then, but to hear her voice today is to see God blowing air into the organ… Its a sweet sound to hear God’s love pour through her voice. The cracks or slight distorted notes serve as a reminder, that although life may batter us, God keeps us from being broken.

I don’t know if Whitney will ever get back the air she had, but the air that she has today shows me that with God and through God, all things are possible. He has plans for us, each of us… Listen as God blows air back into Whitney!

February 10, 2011… The Newlyweds!