Author: Susan Panzica

Lord Undo Me

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Driving home tonight listening to K-LOVE Radio (96.7 in NYC area), I heard the dj (JD Chandler) read the following. You can hear him read it on his webpage: http://www.klove.com/blog/jd/ Scroll down to Oct. 31. It undid me.

“Lord Undo Me”


I don’t really worship these day
I don’t really stand up to praise you with songs
Or prayers or actions
or with anything
I am full of all the right moves
I am full of all the right words
I am full of all the right religion
But it is all just illusion
I am really
Lonely
Lost
Calloused
Jaded
Cynical
Too religious
Too realistic
and well really just to lazy
to worship you anymore
I have lost my first love
I have lost the joy of your presence
But most of all I have lost the fear of your glory


Father I need to see you again
Like Isaiah I want to stand in awe of your glory
To fall down at your feet
To come face to face with your
Perfection,
Radiance,
Goodness,
Holiness,
Awesomeness
I want to stand before you and see you for who you are
and me for who I am
I want to be undone


I want to know me for who I really am
I want to see the depths of my heart
And know that you are the only way
You are the only truth
You are the only life
I want to see me and understand
What it really must have taken for you to
Love me
Care for me
See me
Speak to me
Want me
Communicate with me
Die for me
Die for me
Die for me


Lord, I want to stand in that place where all I can see is your glory
And my sin
Because in that place I can’t help but worship you.
Lord let me come undone
Undo my heart
Lord, undo my heart
break down these walls that I love so much
No, wait don’t,
I’m scared I don’t know if I can handle this
don’t
But I can’t live this way anymore
I can’t stand here in this half-life
this going through the motions life
this not really alive life
Father, I need you so come in and do what you must
Cut out the tumor on my heart
Break down the walls that I love
Lord let me come undone
Undo my heart
let me worship you again


*Blake Williams

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Is there another story?

Posted on by Susan Panzica

We have a beautiful popup book in our office that depicts the Nativity. One of our patients came in and said she has the same book, but with a “different Christmas story.” I was stunned – there’s another Christmas story??? 

Later she recalled, “It’s T’was Night Before Christmas.” Oh. Ok, there may be other stories that are popular at this time of year. But is there really any other Christmas story besides the one in the Word?

No there isn’t.

Sure there are plenty of movies and books about Christmas-time. Poems and prose. Sweet, sentimental stories. Children’s cartoons and classic movies. Comedies and dramas. We have our favorites, and new ones are written and released each year. But with rare exception, these are not Christ-mas stories. They are Christmastime stories – seasonal stories that touch our hearts or make us smile.

The real Christmas story is found in 4 chapters of God’s Word. The first two chapters in the gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke tell us the enthralling report of the people and events surrounding the birth of the God the Son. We don’t need to add anything to the story. In fact, we’re commanded not to (Prov. 30:6, Rev. 22:18).

Now there’s nothing wrong with most of these Christmas-time stories – unless we mistake them for the true Christ-mas story. And there’s nothing wrong with shopping, decorating, baking, and all the other activities we do leading up to December 25th – unless we mistake doing them for celebrating Him.

God chose the simplest, humblest way to usher in the Messiah. He didn’t add anything. In fact, He subtracted!
No royal throne for the King. Just a manger filled with hay.
No prestigious entourage – well unless you count the heavenly host filling the night sky ;D

I pray your next two weeks are filled with the real story, adding only that which would enhance your worship rather than distract from it.

What do you think??

Highly Favored

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Today’s post comes from my friend Barbara Higby over at The Hope Perspective. Her great insight into Mary’s encounter with Gabriel moved me deeply and makes me want to be more like Mary.  


“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:28

Mary had plans. She was engaged to be married to an honorable man. Likely, her expectations were to be a faithful wife, a good Jewish mother, and a prudent housewife as a Jehovah worshiping Hebrew woman. Her expectations would be fulfilled, but not as she anticipated. A surprise visit from the angel Gabriel drastically changed the dimension of her dreams. They were no longer confined to the home of a carpenter in Nazareth but took on world shaking significance. 

Gabriel presented Mary with the astonishing news that she would be a virgin mother—a mother of God. How could she wrap her mind around such a thought? The child’s conception would be unnatural, miraculous, inexplicable—an immaculate conception. Mary would never be the same; the world would never be the same. The significance of this prediction would change history. She had but one thing asked of her. The only request the angel made was, “Do not be afraid.”

How could this young girl not fear pregnancy? How could she explain a conception that did not take her virginity? How could she marry when pregnant? How could anyone, Joseph included, believe the truth?

But Mary heeded Gabriel’s words. She set aside her fears and ten verses later we see this highly favored young woman respond as a humble servant. “I am the Lord’s servant…. May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38).

Lord, Director of history, Ruler of earth, omniscient Father, loving Master, Your plan is always greater, bigger, more complex, farther reaching than we can imagine. Help us to internalize that truth so that we will not fear but, in every situation, say with Mary, “I am the Lord’s servant…. May it be to me as you have said.”


Do You See What I See?

Posted on by Susan Panzica

It’s funny how two people can look at the same image and see two different things. But once it’s pointed out to you, you can see both!

Today, I’m having a little fun with the popular Christmas carol: Do You See What I See? Once again, I’m over at Laced With Grace. Please click here to read one of my favorite posts from 2010.  

Shhhh! It’s coming!

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Shhhh! It’s coming…..
But we have to shhhh  or we’ll miss it.

The “coming.”

Advent.

Looking ahead over the next four weeks, the so-called Advent season, what do you see coming? It’s so easy to get swept up in the “what” – the seemingly endless tornado of cooking, decorating, shopping, wrapping, partying – that we miss the “Who”.



To continue reading, click here . Join me over at Laced With Grace today: 
http://lacedwithgrace.com/?p=8673

Black Friday

Posted on by Susan Panzica

The term “Black Friday” screams from the TV, newspapers, radio and online. The day after Thanksgiving begins the unofficial “holiday shopping season,” the time of year when retailers move from operating “in the red” (at a loss) to “in the black” (at a profit). Stores are now opening at midnight, even 10 pm the night before, offering crazy low prices to lure customers in hoping they’ll spend lots of money. 


I can’t help but think of another “Black Friday,” a day when the greatest price was paid for the greatest gift ever given. 2000 years ago, an innocent man gave His life so that others might live. Jesus, God the Son, left His heavenly home, to be born into an ordinary family and live an ordinary life in an ordinary town, until He began His extra-ordinary ministry on earth. For 3 years, He healed the hurting, taught those who would listen, and preached the truth to all. The conclusion of His time on earth was paying the price for the sins of the entire world, past, present, and future, and providing the gift of eternal life to any who receive it. 


Now that Thanksgiving Day is over, let’s continue to live with thanksgiving in our hearts. 


Thank you Lord for paying the debt we owe. Thank you for rising from the dead in victory, giving us the opportunity to live in victory. May we keep You as our focus in the days and weeks to come, and be ever ready to share the real reason for the season. 

Thank YOU dear friend!

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Dear friends,
Thanksgiving is a time where we stop and do what we should be doing all year – recognizing the blessings that God has shared with us despite our unworthiness.


In addition to my deep gratitude to the Lord, my beloved family, my home and provisions, I’m thankful for YOU. You inspire me to keep going when I don’t feel like it. I picture you as I type my posts, and I hope you feel like I’m speaking from the heart. I thank you for signing up by following or subscribing to Eternity Cafe and look forward to sharing with you in the future. As always, I welcome hearing back from you too!


Today, over at Laced With Grace where I am a contributing writer, Laurie has compiled thanks from the team. Stop by and say “hi!”
http://lacedwithgrace.com/holiday/thanksgiving-team/


Blessed Thanksgiving to all! May the good will and thanks felt today carry you through the next month as we enter the whirlwind that the “season” has become.


Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. 
Ps. 107:1 

“The Help” Isn’t Just A Movie

Posted on by Susan Panzica

In August, a family vacation took us to Washington DC at the end of our week. On Sunday, we visited National Community Church that meets in a movie theater.

The movie The Help was showing in the theater where the service was held. Entering the door below the sign, I laughed out loud.
I was going there to encounter God – now He’s really the Help!

Just a few “helpful” verses to bless your day:

  • My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2
  • Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. Psalm 54:4
  • Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18
  • So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Hebrews 13:6
  • Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews. 4:16

How has God helped you?

Tell Me About Yourself

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Thanks Jeanette Levellie for sharing this award with me. Jeanette is a gifted writer whose humor devotional book is coming out in April 2012. Look for “Mirth and Worth in the Real Lane” for a certain blessing.

Here’s the rules of the award – I need to share 7 things about me, and then pass this award along to 5 other bloggers who will do the same, and so on and so on   ;D

Jeanette’s challenge is to share the “messy” and not just “cutesy little tidbits.”

So here goes:

1. I don’t drink coffee. Gasp! Yes, most unusual I know. Especially since my blog header shows two lovely ladies enjoying their coffee at a place called Eternity Cafe. I do love coffee dates with friends, but I just enjoy some other beverage while I enjoy their company.

2. I may not look it, but I am the pickiest eater alive. For example, I order a Greek salad without cucumbers, onions, or olives. And I can do without the anchovies and peppers, but I am willing to pick those out, whereas the cukes, etc. leave their taste on the lettuce. My mom says I place my food order in a restaurant like this scene in When Harry Met Sally:




3. I am a procrastinating perfectionist. Mostly procrastinating. I found I can live with clutter or unfinished  projects if I keep the future perfection firmly in my mind. And yet I’m conflicted about this. Hmmm, I might be slightly schizophrenic too. 

4. My favorite ice cream is Haagen-Dazs. I don’t eat any other brand of ice cream (see #2), so I buy other brands for my family to enjoy and then I’m not tempted! I don’t like anything frozen in my ice cream such as nuts or chips. Must be smooth, and my favorite ice cream flavor is – coffee. Very weird since I don’t drink coffee (#1).

5. I’m beginning to think schizophrenic people are very interesting.

6. I am a reformed disco dancer. Now a big fan of classic rock – especially my husband’s Solid Rock Band.

7. I love football. Especially the NY Giants! But I’ll root for the Jets too. I like the baseball Mets, but I’ll root for the Yankees too. Some (like my son) find this impossible to do. It’s either one or the other. But I guess it’s easy for schizophrenics like me.

8. I would much rather hear about you than talk about me. 

So – would you share with me an interesting tidbit about yourself? I want to know more about you, what you like or dislike, something funny or not. What makes you tick? 

And I’m passing this award on to these 5 excellent bloggers: 

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