another great weekend in the life of jared

perhaps you've already read that israel started walking consistently this weekend. always a plus for the morale of the weekend. but, i can't believed the vast sum of greatness that i experienced this weekend.

• i had a day off on friday. i got to spend extra time with israel which is always a good thing. plus it was payday which helps soften the blow of bills coming due (i don't like bills, but i'm glad to be able to pay my bills).
• friday night i had a call-back audition for a new show with a new group. it was a little nerve-wracking and yet gratifying to be among so many deeply talented people (do i belong here with these people?).
• saturday morning brought a call from the producer of the show inviting me to join the cast. it wasn't a part that i read for, in fact, it was a dual part of two smaller roles. however, i'm fairly familiar with the characters (i saw the movie and the stage version) and i am so excited! i'm going to have great fun being a nice guy and then a evil guy! finally all these years of multiple personalities will pay off!
• of course, saturday was our annual open house. it was an incredibly full day, but we had a great time and hope our guests did as well. deep down, we're glad you like the food, but really want you to feel welcome in our home and also, we want you to know that our home is a safe place to be yourself and refresh your spirit through love and fellowship. we estimate about 150 guests came through on saturday, including family, church family, co-workers, students (past and present), current boyfriends (yes, kara's ian was there for a while) and a few people that i didn't really even know, but we enjoyed getting to know them.
• sunday was a good morning in church. if you've never experienced our church, you need to. while we are all only human and susceptible to fall, we know that God is great and that everyone is welcome here. the music had a different flavor as a couple of band members had the morning off from playing, but as always, it's a joy to participate in empowering people to come into God's presence through music.
• sunday afternoon was rehearsal for a show we're doing that opens this week. it went very well. in fact, depsite the fact that we started late due to the music director and producer being over booked and running a few minutes late (me and rhonda), we finished early and everyone is gearing up for opening night on this coming friday.
• sunday evening was our chance to see the kids' choir production of fear not factor. what joy to watch! though it was a little hard to not be involved this year, it's really refreshing to know that i have hard working and reliable people who are willing to step up and make the necessary sacrifices to bring this message of hope to a number of people (estimated attendance was around 300 for both nights). of course, the kids were well-rehearsed and cute, but i was truly touched by many things: the quantity of kids (24!), the purity of voices, the quality of music (they performed well) and the message was well done and easily understood.

i will never understand why You bless me like You do, but i'm humbly grateful for it. please don't let me keep it to myself, though. show me how to bless others and to spread around the goodness that is You in my life.

and i pray especially today for the family that has believed lies about me and my family. Father God, i really don't know what to do about this situation. keep Your hand over my mouth so that i don't say things i shouldn't; keep Your other hand to restrain me from striking out in defensiveness. i hope You have lots of hands to keep me in line. show us how to build a bridge to restore the relationship. open their eyes to the honest truth. help us in our hearts to not be angry or offended, but rather to be filled with the love that we claim to have for them. remind me to pray for them and to bring them to Your throneroom for You are the only one who can help them. i ask you to continue to provide for their daily needs. and now, more than ever, i plead with you to provide a place where they can have healthy emotional development, free from bias or ignorance. and, above all, i pray for two things: reveal Your true self to them (let them come to know You as i know You) and i pray for Your will to be present in their lives, in this situation and in my family's lives as well.