Today I played the piano at my church, which is something I LOVE doing! I don't play all that well, but I give it my whole heart!

Today I was simply playing along with the organist during the congregational hymn singing but there are occasional times when I get to play for the entire service or to accompany the singing for the monthly "Praise Sunday". Anyway, it's a joy and I snapped a photo early this morning during our rehearsal time prior to Sunday School. Pictured on the right is the organist and on the left you can see the piano.

I really am enjoying my time of fellowship at Calvary Baptist Church in Darien, CT. The church family there is warm and welcoming and I am developing some cherished friendships. I have been attending this church since the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving last year, when God all but literally drove me in my car to this church! Long story, but I had been 'church shopping' and praying and Calvary Baptist is where I ended up that particular Sunday and I have not left! There is purpose in my fellowship there and I am hoping to spread my wings a bit and suggest some ministry opportunities and serve in various ministry efforts with this church family. I have a heart for the community of Darien, where I work and I know the pastor, who has served this congregation for many years, also would like to see greater out-reach into the community. We shall see what God may do!

Hope your day was a good one!

My Baptism!

After 26 + years of "Walking God's Way", I finally was BAPTIZED...in the Long Island Sound!

Yesterday was a lovely day! It started off with my weekly Bible study held in the food court of the local mall. For anyone who lives in the area, the study is held at the Westfield Mall in Trumbull, CT, 10 a.m., every Saturday! The study is hosted by Homeward Bound Ministries and the teacher is my dear friend, John Payne. Anyone is welcome to join us for breakfast (on Homeward Bound) a wonderful study of God's Word and fellowship!

I did a bit of shopping following the Bible study and then headed to beautiful Silver Sands Beach in Milford, CT where my baptism was to be held at 4 p.m. (Stopped on the way to the beach at Wendy's to change my clothes in the restroom; into an outift of 'white', more suitable for baptism!)

Another young man who resides at the Bridgeport Rescue Mission was also baptized in the same service. Twelve people attended the service that was held on the beach and we all shared a picnic supper afterward. I noticed a few onlookers standing on the beach as I was ready to be 'dunked'! I am happy to have shared my public confession of my faith in Jesus as my Savior and Lord with anyone who may have heard!

The day previous to my baptism, my friend John, who performed the baptism, was sharing via a phone call how I would be dipped into the water along with a few other relevant details. I asked John about holding my nose, and he suggested that I fold my arms in front of me (criss-crossed, over my chest) and with one hand hold the opposite elbow and with the other hand, hold my nose. Following the phone conversation, I was thinking about this suggested posture and thought, "I will look like a corpse in a casket"! Immediately, the Holy Spirit checked my thinking and said, "Ah....Lindy, what do you think this is?" WOW....I 'stopped short in my tracks' and profoundly realized that my baptism would be exactly as Jesus taught...a DYING to self and a NEW LIFE in Christ!

While I committed my life to Christ many years ago, yesterday's baptism was not only a public confession of my enduring faith in Christ, but a renewed commitment to the scripture verse in Galations 2:20.

"For I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave Himself for me."

I am so thankful for new beginnings and the HOPE I have in Christ! Everyday is new and fresh and I pray I will serve Him well each day!

After reading My Utmost for His Highest this morning, I reflected on my degree of ‘consecration’ to Christ. Just last week I heard the admonition that every Christian should daily, BEFORE ARISING FROM BED, decidedly and intentionally speak with God and CONSECRATE all aspects of the day and one’s life to His keeping and leading; surrendering our own will to “let God be GOD”. (to coin a catch phrase that I use often)

How easily we rise every morning and even though we may carve out dedicated time to fellowship with God, we omit this vital step of CONSECRATION. An act that puts us in the correct position (humble and submissive) and in the proper attitude (that HE is over all and in charge of all things) to better serve the Lord as He wants us to do; POURING OUT HIMSELF THROUGH US.

As I meditated this morning, I recalled the words to the old hymn, "Take My Life and Let it Be". Take a look…sing it if you’d like and make it YOUR PRAYER for this day!

Take my life, and let it be, Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands, and let them move, At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet, and let them be, Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing, Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be, Filled with messages from Thee.

Take my silver and my gold:Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use, Ev'ry pow'r as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine,It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is Thine own,It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour, At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself, and I will be,Ever, only, all for Thee.

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a nationwide holiday dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Yesterday while visiting with a friend at the beach, we questioned what life might be like for men and women if Eve had never disobeyed God's instruction when in the Garden of Eden. Following is my "Labor Day" post...my thoughts expounding on that conversation with my friend at the beach:

In the beginning, along with the creation of the entire world and all things therein, God designed every detail of the creation and existence of MAN and provided for every need that man and women would encounter. An example of just one aspect of God's great love and care for mankind is found in God's provision of FOOD for sustenance for mankind. God created and provided a lush, food producing land in which man could live, thus supplying every necessary nutrient and providing a plan for healthy living for men and women. There was no need then for WORK or LABOR in order to produce or procure food to live.

(Genesis 2: 9-10) Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river watering the garden flowed from Eden...

Prior to Eve's creation, God commanded Adam that he was free to eat of any tree in the garden EXCEPT of one particular tree that was OFF LIMITS.

(Genesis 2:16-17) And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

This command Adam was given by GOD; but unfortunate for mankind, Adam did not insure that the command was followed. We all know the story: Eve was tempted by satan and allowed her temptation to turn to sin when she caved in and ate of the fruit of this tree. This was the first experience and occasion of sin...prior to that, there WAS NO SIN in man or on the earth. Adam was created like God...in His image. God is SINLESS, PURE and HOLY. From this very moment and this act of disobedience has come a change in the entire disposition and nature of mankind. From this point, man has been filled with sin; a new nature now is in man and that is a nature that is bent toward SIN and EVIL. Because of this nature of SIN that is now in man, mankind is now separated from the God. When once Adam and Eve walked and talked in the garden with God, now mankind is unable to approach God, who is by nature PURE, HOLY, SPOTLESS and who cannot look upon SIN. It is this reason (separation from God) that every one of us needs a Savior who can restore us into fellowship with God! Only through JESUS (because of His shed blood) can mankind reconnect us to his Master and Maker, GOD.

With all that said, I will get back to considering what life might have been like for mankind, had Eve not sinned. One consequence of the "fall of man" (the sin of Eve, actually) that the Bible speaks of is that God cursed man. (Read Genesis 3 for other consequences; and speaking of LABOR you will learn what God did to women!!!) In Genesis 3:17-19 God curses MAN by commanding that, from that day on, man will be forced to WORK to obtain his food and provide his sustenance.

Genesis 3:17-19) To Adam he (God) said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

My conclusion to the question that arose yesterday is that we will never know what life may have been like...until we get to heaven where we will be united with our Loving, Holy and Heavenly Father. Somewhere in the progression of eternity, for those whose names are written in the book of life, all things will be made new! SIN will be no more and we will be restored into complete fellowship with God, once again walking and talking, as in the garden, with our Creator and Father...SINLESS and NO MORE WORK!

It was not God's original plan that man should struggle and stress over his work and labor, but a result of the fall of man. God's plan always has been and always will be FOR man. GOD LOVES US and He provided GOOD things and a PERFECT plan for man until SIN got in the way of that plan.

On this Labor Day, 2008, my prayer is that every person would know the Truth of the Gospel and would commit their way and their life to loving and serving Christ, the Savior of mankind. In the meantime, until we reach heaven, man is forced to work BY THE SWEAT OF HIS BROW!
Would YOU like to be reconciled to God? That reconciliation to God is only found through Christ. If you have questions, please feel free to ask. If you don't want to comment, feel free to email me at: cklinegeertz@hotmail.com

Happy Labor Day and September 1st to all!