Super Bowl XLIII URGENT!

And CLICK HERE for "13" reasons to watch the Super Bowl.
You gotta love Kurt Warner, and if you don't clicke above on 13 reasons to love him!

Word Wednesday by KM Wilsher

No crossword puzzles, vocabulary or word games, I don't have the mind to come up with those. On Word Wednesday I want to talk about what we are reading in the bible this week. It’s not a Bible study, sermon or deep devotional, just a place to reflect on a verse or passage that may have touched us this week.

So this week I’m reading in Numbers. What a difficult book to read, at least in the beginning with all the lists. But Numbers 14:1-4 is what really guided me this week. You remember the story from Sunday school? God had Moses send a few men into the land of Canaan to see whether the land was good or bad, what the people were like, what the cities were like. Canaan was the Promised Land. God was hoping to give them a preview of its glory.

When the men returned they told the Israelites all about Canaan it’s huge, delightful fruit, beautiful cities and large peoples. They reacted in fear.
Numbers 13:31
31 But the men who had gone up with him said, We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are.

32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.

And even negativity!

Numbers 14:1-4
1 That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.
2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert!
3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?
4 And they said to each other, We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.

However, in Numbers 13:30, a man named Caleb had Faith:
30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.

I then thought about my reaction to my own future “land of Canaan”. I’m going to open a business this year. My education is proving to be a huge mess. I joined a new church last summer. Most of the time when I think on these things, I begin to fear them. I thought, “Well, that is just what the Israelites felt – fear”. It really got me thinking that my reaction to my future must be Faith and not fear! I want to be like Caleb! I don't want to return to Egypt - No Way!

What verse has touched you this week?

Phantasmagorical Freek Friday by KM Wilsher

Here's my bimonthly musician review. Taking advice from wise counsel, I want to shorten my posts. So let me know how I do.

Hey metal, goth, alternative, hard rock fans! PFF is about musicians, groups, and songs glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ.

FLYLEAF. I've been pretty hard on them in the past. Stating that they did not have a strong enough position on their faith. Well, my foot is in my mouth. Take a look at this interview:

Flyleaf interview

I'm rendered speechless. Please accept my apology FLYLEAF - fight the good fight! Keep on letting the Spirit lead your music.

They also did a tribute to Cassie Bernall a girl close to my heart. She died in the Columbine massacre. Ten years later, a newspaper article from the day after Columbine still hangs on my wall.

Cassie went to the Columbine High School library to study on April 20, 1999. Later, a member of the Trenchcoat Mafia pointed his gun at her and asked: "Do you believe in God?"

"Yes, I believe in God," she said.

"Why?" the gunman asked. But he did not wait for an answer. He shot Cassie Bernall dead.

Again, FLYLEAF, I used to love your music, now I also pray for your strength and perseverance as you live your lives for Jesus. As you tour with, and open for -- bands like: Seether, Korn, and Evanescence -- I pray a protective hedge around you.

Hey readers, check these guys out. Especially if you like Evanescence, try FLYLEAF.

If you like heavy try:
I’m so sick


Slow it down with (slow is relative, right?):
Sorrow

Don't forget, anyone can comment. Just click on comments below and then use the anonymous tool. But you can leave your name. I'd love to say, hey!

When the Sky Fell by KM Wilsher

Growing up my sister and I had no brothers and, therefore; no footballs or GI Joes, trucks or mud -- just Barbie, bows and patent leather shoes. Poor dad. We loved hanging with our cousins Brenda and Kelly, but when it came time to hang with the boys – Frank, Jimmy and Johnny – it was like visiting another planet. What a gas! No dolls or princess books, just basketball hoops, dump trucks, and spaceships. Don’t get me wrong, we loved it. I mean, if you lived on Jupiter wouldn’t you be excited to have the opportunity to visit Pluto? It was a grand adventure, and I still remember the feeling.

I just read the first two chapters of "When the Sky Fell" and I'm telling you, that old, "grand- adventure feeling" returned. I was transported from my familiar, girly, earthly realm into another world - a very intelligent, action-packed, masculine world. It's co-authored by Brandon Barr and Mike Lynch, and these guys can write! I'm now a fan of this genius writing team.

Brandon Barr has said of their novel, '"When the Sky Fell" is written in the way of that old 40's- 50's golden age space opera.' I would agree with him. The two chapters I read are laid out like a smorgasbord of space battles, stunning, multiple moons and beautiful star clusters. It's full of tasty morsels of sci-fi themes with real characters asking timeless questions. Tension is in the air as a new kind of radar has picked up approaching intruders. An entire colony has been destroyed by -- by whom? I can't wait to see what happens next. The scheduled release is May 2009, and I am on the edge of my seat waiting for it to hit my mailbox.

So I don't know where I first heard of Brandon Barr's blog: ChristianScienceFiction@blogspot, however, as an aspiring author of fantasy/sci-fi genre, I'm sure glad I did. Not only was I grabbed by "When the Sky Fell", but I fell upon another yet-to-be-published work by Brandon Barr and Mike Lynch work called "After the Cross". I'm excited about this one too! "After the Cross" tells of three of my favorites archeology, action, and Jesus. At a newly excavated Medieval library, a discovery is made that could rock the foundation of Christendom. What is found is an ancient parchment written by a Muslim scholar which supposedly reveals the resting place of Jesus’ cross. This news is kept quiet by a billionaire whose illegal activities are threatened by the letter’s discovery, and convenes a team to discredit the manuscript’s authenticity. Keep your eye out for this one.

So make sure to pre-order "When the Sky Fell" and look for "After the Cross" to be released. You'll be glad you did.

A full synopsis of “When the Sky Fell” is here:
http://www.silverleafbooks.com/Books-WhenTheSkyFell.htm

To read the first two chapters of "When the Sky Fell":
http://www.mikelynchbooks.com/PreviewChapters/tabid/66/Default.aspx

To pre order "When the Sky Fell" by Mike Lynch and Brandon Barr:
http://www.silverleafbooks.com/Books-WhenTheSkyFell.htm

To read the first chapter of "After the Cross" by Mike Lynch and Brandon Barr:
http://deadrobotssociety.com/second-annual-contest/after-the-cross-by-brandon-barr/

Oh, and check out the co-authors, Brandon and Mike, on the web too:
www.brandonbarr.com
www.mikelynchbooks.com

Thanks for stopping by!

Pen for Hire by KM Wilsher

Yikes! I've been hired. Okay, well, the payment is barter -- but I've really been asked to write and being compensated for that writing. Help!

The task will be interviewing and writing a profile for an artist's website. She paints and draws and wants me to write up an interview with her and to write a short biography. So how do you do that for someone you don't know all that well?

Okay, okay. Qualifying questions, right? What, when, who, where, how and why. . . Did I miss one?

Can I ask you to assist? If you were a collector of art, or the buyer for a magazine, or making a video game and were looking for an artist/art -- What would you want to know about the artist? I mean, her art will be displayed on the website. What would you want to know? What questions would help/hinder your decision?

Any ideas?

(you don't have to have a blog to post comments. Just use the anonymous tool.)

Word Wednesday by KM Wilsher

No crossword puzzles, vocabulary or word games, I don't have the mind to come up with those. On Word Wednesday I want to talk about what we are reading in the bible this week. It’s not a Bible study, sermon or deep devotional, just a place to reflect on a verse or passage that may have touched us this week.

Okay, maybe a word game. How about a Word game? I'm kind of stealing the idea from Avily Jerome. She presents word games on Wednesdays at * AvilyJerome.blogspot.com * and one of them is a lot like the one I'm going to post today. It's been fun, so I'd like to try it here --only with the Word of God and some other twists.
Here it goes:

1. Open your Bible and let it fall open to whatever page it happens to open to.
2. On the right hand side of the page, find the third paragraph and first verse.
3. Type the scripture in with your comments.

Does it speak to you? I bet any page we open to speaks to us; and all scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching. I can't wait to see all of our posts together. Thank you in advance for playing!

I'll go first:
Psalm 25:15 My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.

WOW! I usually am such a skeptic when it comes to pulling random bible verses but, that was powerful! Yesterday I received news that changed my life, and this is so touching. Thank you, Lord!

Can't wait to see the yours. Hope someone has time to play :-)

Phantasmagorical Freek Friday by KM Wilsher

I am a “Freek” for Christian music that can be described these words: hard, speed, rock, Goth, metal, alternative, grunge, heavy, oh you get the picture. So, for your entertainment (or mine), every other Friday I will attempt to discuss this fantastic genre here at gzusfreek.blogspot.com. Anything goes! I will share with you my knowledge and passion. And you can share on what I've shared or on your own passion!

"See, I am waiting at the door and giving the sign; if my voice comes to any man's ears and he makes the door open, I will come in to him, and will take food with him and he with ME." Revelation 3:20


You know I spent some time in rebellion, as an enemy of God. I am not proud of it, but I will not keep quiet about it in hopes that my experience can help those who are living apart from God, or inspire/encourage those who already love Him with all their heart, soul, and mind.

I know, as I rebelled, much of my fuel came from heavy rock music. I am not saying that all heavy rock music is for the devil (though some of it is -intentionally!), but I am saying I used the wild, crazy music to become angry, withdrawn and eventually depressed. Even before my return to Christ, I began to see how the music I was listening to affected my mood and attitude but almost like an addiction I couldn't give it up. After I gave Jesus my heart, and He gave me more than I could ask or imagine, I knew right away I must change some of the tunes I was letting flow from my radio.

God honored this decision and gave me wonderful Christian friends who were excited and willing to open the door to a new music world. (new to me) I found that I could find heavy rock music that actually honored God, and that if I was diligent there were many songs and lyrics that were not dark and depressing -they could fuel me in another direction.

Mr. Jeff Yetzer of US Airways introduced me to Kutless. (Hey Jeff!) I think this band is more universal than others I have covered in PFF. This group of guys from the Portland, Oregon area are not afraid to be labeled Christian. In fact, their name is suppose to have been taken from Romans 6:23 'For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.'

According to HSI Youth:
http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/youth/musicguide/kutless.asp
The Story Behind the Band's Name
We wanted our name to represent the impact of what Christ did for us on the cross. Christ took our beating and paid the wages of our sin (Romans 6:23).

He took our cuts for us, leaving us "Kutless."

Refreshing! Kutless started as a Worship band and to me some of their stuff is more pop or contemporary, but they have some pieces that rock my soul. The song below is not one of their heavy one's but one of my favorites:

Here is one verse and the chorus of 'Run' by Kutless

Looking down from above as you watch TV
Wondering why, oh you're ignoring me
Do you remember, remember when I came to you
And you loved me
And I'm waiting for you
And I'm waiting for you

Why do you run why do you hide oh don't you know I
just, just want to be with you, to be with you
Hey, why do you run why do you hide oh don't you know
I just, just want to be with you, to be with you...


And here is a link to the video.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kutless+run&search_type=


Do you know Kutless? What's your favorite Kutless song?


"The Lord is not slow in keeping his word, as he seems to some, but he is waiting in mercy for you, not desiring the destruction of any, but that all may be turned from their evil ways." 2 Peter 3:9

I know the end of the story

I was inspired to write this after a letter I wrote to a friend.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go." John 21:18

My family has always been very involved in missions local and abroad, planting Churches, serving Jesus. As a child, on my way to the Indian Reservation with my family to spread the Word and give food and clothes, I would picture myself as an adult on the mission field in some role. However, to my shame, my teens and early twenties did not glorify Jesus. And in my mid-twenties, I went on a journey to study every religion I could find of to locate the Truth: Science of the mind, New ageism, Indian mysticism, Buddism, Hinduism and others, and thank the Lord Jesus Christ the search for the Truth led me home. The Truth was in my life all along – Jesus was always who He claimed to be: The Son of God – and I could finally see!

In my late twenties I began to serve Jesus with all my heart, and looking at the mission field again. At Metro Church in Denver, Colorado I became a fan of some missionaries to Russia and Portugal. But, I was sincerely touched by a woman who came to visit Lakewood Church of Christ who ran a Christian elementary school in India. It was small and poor, but attendance was coveted by the community due to the love of Christ Jesus.

I thought I had found my calling. In fact, I had to do a persuasive speech in my communications class at a secular college and I spoke about the Indian Christian School and my desire to go and teach/witness there. It was a secular school, but at the end of my presentation the students gave me money! I collected $30 to put toward what I would need to get to India. The professor said he’d never seen anything like it. The Spirit was moving beautifully and my life was good. Alas, that $30 still sits --as do I – stateside.

Funny how things work. . .I’ve heard it said, “We make plans and God laughs.” I don’t know about that, but I do know in my life I’ve made plans and He says, “Wait.” Not just mission plans, but ministry plans, family plans, writing, education and career plans too. And, He says, “Wait.” “Wait” is not the easiest thing to do.

I’ve said to my Lord for many years, “I’ll go anywhere you want me to go.” But I think I always meant “anywhere but here.” And, as I’ve stayed “here”, I have remained extremely faithful and in love with the Son of God. I will not leave Him ever again. Like Peter said in John 6:68
“Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Yes, eternal life and ironically, the Truth for which I left Him to search for in my twenties.

I wondered if I was the only one who felt this way. Was I the only one God asked to stay put -- to “Wait.”

Sarah came to mind. God asked her to wait for His promises to be revealed and fulfilled. Wait well into her elder years. I have a very strong bond with Abraham’s wife. I know we are very different. She was very beautiful; she was a wife, and the mother of many nations. I am pretty frumpy, single, and the mother of none, and yet I feel we are united.

That bond developed while I was reading the book: SARAH: Book One of the Canaan Trilogy by Marek Halter. It’s a good book. I read it a couple of years ago. And page after page I found myself saying, “Hang on Sarah. Don’t fret. Don’t give up hope. I know the end of the story.” I found myself wanting to step into her story and tell her what I know. A few months later as I was in despair, losing hope and laughing at the prospect that God had plans for me to prosper; I heard a distant voice saying, “Hang on, child. Don’t fret. Don’t give up hope. I know the end of the story.” Love, Sarah.

From my viewpoint it seems like all those around me have “go orders”. I have great respect for you all and admiration beyond belief. I feel so lucky God has placed you in my life. But, my question is; Has God asked you to wait?

The lyrics below went with this blog so well. It’s a great song with a feel of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I’ll have to spotlight “Tourniquet” in PFF sometime. For now, I show up where I am and wait for the end of the story!

Crawl To China - Tourniquet
Lyrics
Is God asking you to crawl to China - or just to cross the street?
to trudge through the desert through Arabian heat
or to accomplish the impossible - an Herculean feat
or maybe just trade in bad thoughts obsolete

Is it the concentration camps at Dackow?
is it Joan of Arc revisited?
Niagara Falls in a barrel?
or to mend a broken relationship instead?

Crawl to China

He is faithful - it remains in His hands
from the cold barren Arctic to the war stricken lands
from the place in your heart where despair takes its hold
to the lairs of the demons where deceptions are told
is God asking you to crawl to China or just to cross the street?

Crawl to China

With emotional rigormortis freezing your step
you won't be going far at all
it feels pretty safe but the danger is real
you won't grow until you face the fear that you feel

Crawl to China
________________