Yes, it does!

I had some great responses to my last post about whether or not prayer changes things. I am in complete agreement with some of the people who left comments -- thanks to each one, even to those who have opinions that differ from my own.

I believe without a doubt that prayer can change things. I also believe that God has a plan and a will for our lives and He already knows what is going to happen in every person's life. I think my friend Strawberry was exactly right when she said, "there isn't a person on this earth that can comprehend God's overall purpose. We see one very small piece of the puzzle, but God sees the entire picture."

There are so many examples in the Bible to support the power of prayer that I could probably make this post so long, you would never finish reading it (see James 5:13-16). Here is a shortened version of a very long story from my personal life. When my husband and I were a young married couple, he had already been diagnosed with a muscle disease and it began to cause him some serious problems. He lost his strength, he lost weight, his physical features changed and he was having fevers every day. He went downhill so much that by our first child's first Christmas, my mother feared that he wouldn't live to see another Christmas. He wasn't even able to bend down and put on his socks and shoes -- for many months I was having to put his socks and shoes on him. He went through a lot and it wasn't looking like there was much hope for him. Some men from our church came to him and prayed for him and followed the scripture in James that I mentioned above. It didn't happen immediately, but during the next few months he started improving and he got better and better, and eventually was even able to stop taking the medication he'd been on for years. That was nearly 25 years ago and to this day he has not had to go back on medication and he has been able to carry on a normal life and work a normal job and be a wonderful husband and father. The medicines had no power to heal this disease because there was no cure -- they mainly just treated the symptoms. I give all credit for these changes to God Almighty, Creator of the universe. We had no power over this terrible disease -- all we could do was what the doctors told us........and pray. I am 100% convinced that God heard our prayers and the prayers of some righteous men and He changed a very serious condition.

...The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16

Prayer Changes Things -- or Does it?

Everyone has heard the little saying, "prayer changes things." Some people might even think it is a verse in the Bible, but no, I don't think you will find that exact verse anywhere in the Holy Bible. It is a nice little phrase that man has come up with that may be true. Being a peacemaker by nature, I don't like conflict or controversy in my life, but I am going to step out of my comfort zone for a minute and ask for some responses to this phrase. I'm sure that I'll get many different opinions, but I would really like to know what you think. Does prayer really change things? Or, does God already have everything in our lives mapped out to where there is nothing we can do to change what is already going to happen? I certainly don't claim to be a theologian, nor do I think I have all the answers. The one thing I do know for certain is that prayer changes me! Please leave your comments and let me know if you think that by praying, God will change the outcome of a situation, circumstance, etc. Feel free to use examples from your personal life or scriptural references.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Healing Rain

It's raining! I am so thankful for the rain; it made me think about the song "Healing Rain" by Michael W. Smith. I'm adding a link so you can watch the video.

Christian music Festival

Today there is going to be a big one-day Christian music festival in my state. Several really good Christian bands will be playing including my personal friends Rush of Fools. Some of the others are Skillet, Sanctus Real, Building 429 and more. What a great opportunity to hear some good music in a good atmosphere.

So, why am I so indecisive about whether to go or not? I would really love to hear Rush of Fools because I want to support them anytime I can. And I like the music of some of those other bands also. But I am concerned about being out in the afternoon heat because it has been causing me a lot of headaches lately. Also it is going to be very crowded so they encourage people to come there in groups because parking space is limited. My husband is driving a bus for a church group and they have said I can ride with them. Or, my church is taking a group and I could go with them. If I go with a group, then I would have to stay for the whole thing and it would take up most of my precious Saturday (if you work Monday thru Friday, then you understand what I mean). But I want to be able to leave there when I get tired. Decisions, decisions...

Thankfully, this isn't truly a big or life-changing decision. Wouldn't it be nice if all of life's decisions were this minor? If this was my biggest problem in life, things would be so easy. However, if this was the biggest my problems ever became, I might not ever see how much I need a Savior; I might never know how big my God is and how He comes through to help me when I am in need; I might never know the "peace that passes understanding" that only He can give.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Counting blessings

It's still hot here in Alabama. We had twelve consecutive days of temperatures over 100, and then we got a few days break where the highs were only in the high 90's. Yesterday it was back to 104 and is supposed to be like that again today. And we haven't had rain. We are having I think the worst drought that I can remember in my life. Every evening my husband stands out in the yard with the hose watering and watering and watering. I'm not looking forward to our water bill. Our last power bill was the highest one we've ever had. But I know that things could really be a lot worse. I mean, what if we didn't have any air-conditioning. Yes, a $211 power bill was well worth it to keep me cool and comfortable. I know that things could be a whole lot worse than some hot temps. I keep seeing news reports of other states where they are having too much rain, and even floods. I think I better stop complaining about this heat and count my blessings..... (1) I have an air-conditioned home and workplace so I can get out of the heat. (2) I have water to drink. (3) God has blessed us with the finances to be able to pay for power and water. (4) My car has an air-conditioner. (5) The cable guy came last night and fixed my internet. (6) God is in control....I could go on and on.....

Isaiah 55:8-11
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

There is a radio station that I like to listen to a lot and it is from Nashville, Tennessee. It is called WayFM. I'm not sure how many states pick up their broadcast, but if you have the chance to listen, I would highly recommend them. The people on the morning show have a blog you might like to check out. It is Jeff and Stace in the Morning! Visit them if you have a chance and leave them some comments. Have a wonderful day!

Blessed!

My children have been raised the same way that I was raised, in a Christian home. All of their lives we have gone to church for all the services and we've tried to teach them the biblical way of living. We made sure they were always able to attend the youth activities and trips, and we encouraged them to participate. Our first child took it all in and didn't miss anything if he could help it. Our second child got to a point in high school where she didn't want to participate and didn't even want to go on the trips. While she was always expected to be in the Sunday services, we didn't force her to do every single youth activity. It made me sad for her because I know that she missed out on so many things that would have left her with some wonderful memories for the rest of her life.

A year ago, Leah moved away to go to college. I wanted so much for her to get involved in one of the Christian organizations at the university, and I guess I made my wishes known to her too often. She got pretty tired of me trying to "force" her to get involved. I didn't feel like I was trying to force her, but that is how she took it. So, this school year, I have decided to stop mentioning it all the time and allow God to speak in his own way. I am still hoping for her to get involved in a Christian organization, but I am just going to have to step out of the way and let God step in.

Last night I checked my MySpace page and I saw one of the bulletins that was sent out from Leah to all her friends and even though I knew it was one of those silly surveys that young people seem to love, I decided to read it anyway. I was pleasantly surprised at one of her answers on the survey. The question was something like... if you could use one word to describe your life, what word would it be. Her answer was "blessed!" I was so amazed that this daughter of mine considered herself "blessed." And then this morning I found a personal message from her on my MySpace page. Her message said the nicest things and told me that we (her parents) mean so much to her and we make her want to be a better person and to glorify God. I was blown away by this message that she sent for no special reason except that she was thinking about us and wanted to let us know what we mean to her.

At times I have worried that I didn't do everything right in my parenting and that things didn't get through to my kids the way I hoped. But when you get little notes like this one from your children, you realize that maybe you did okay. You just do your best with the right heart attitude and lots of prayer, and God can take it and do great and wonderful things. I have been greatly blessed!

Who am I

I have a full time job just like many other American women. I've chosen not to blog about what I do 8-5 Monday through Friday, but I would like to write about my other job. On Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights (for choir practice) I am a church pianist. I guess if I have anything in life that I am passionate about other than my faith and my family, this would be it. I am not a concert pianist nor am I one who plays all over the piano with all kinds of fancy extras. I would love to be able to do that, but like the rest of my life, I keep everything pretty simple. I have one goal when it comes to my music -- my only goal is that the Lord will be glorified through the music. That's really my main goal in every aspect of my life, is that Jesus Christ will be glorified.
The church where I play the piano is not the church where I'm a member, and it is even of another denomination. That's okay with me, because the differences in the two denominations are not enough to matter. Each Sunday morning when I finish playing, then I leave that church and I drive to my church for the remainder of the service there. My family has continued going to our home church. If anyone asked me "why" I do this, I think my answer would be "because I have to." I don't have to because someone is making me, I don't have to because of the money, and I don't have to because I'm afraid I'll lose my ability to play if I don't do it. I have to do it because it is my passion and when you have a passion, there is something deep inside you that makes it such a part of you that you feel like you can't live without doing this particular thing. That's the only way I know how to explain it. And another part of my passion for music is composing. Sometimes I just feel like I have to write some music. It doesn't even matter to me if anyone else ever plays my piano music or sings the songs I've written. I just have to do it because it's inside me. I will end this with a quote from a book I read a while back....

"...the saddest people I've ever met in life are the ones who don't care deeply about anything at all. Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand, and without them, any happiness is only temporary, because there's nothing to make it last." from the novel Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

So, this is who I am -- who are you? What is your passion in life?

The Interview

I have learned how to put videos on my blog so here is another one. This video is long, around 8 minutes, but if you have a few minutes to spare, I would love for you to watch it. It is very funny to me, but that might be because I know most of the guys in it and I know their personalities. And maybe another reason I like to watch it is because I get to see my own son and hear him talk. I miss him so much and watching this video makes me laugh and feel like he's right here. They are just being silly in the video and it's not the best quality. And in case you wonder, I don't know why he wants to have dreadlocks down to his waist, and tattoos, and those big holes in his ears. But for whatever reason, he's my son, I love him and God loves him, and I'd like to share him with you.

video

This is a video I took of my son playing the drums the last time his band played a show here. It is very short, but you can see enough to get the idea of what a good drummer he is! My main reason for doing this was just to see if it would work and if I could get the video from my computer, to You Tube and then to my blog. Enjoy!

Favorite Proverbs

I read the book of Proverbs a lot and I have some favorites I'd like to share today. Anyway, the Word of God is far superior to anything that I write and it can speak in ways that I can't. Read and enjoy these proverbs from chapters 15 and 16 (NIV)....

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

I really get comfort from those proverbs when I have a big decision to make and I'm not sure what to do. I know that I have the freedom to make my choices, but God will guide me about what is the right choice to make. And here are a few more proverbs that I like...

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

....and here are some pleasant words for today -- It's Friday!

Remembering Elvis

If you haven't already heard on the news, today is the 30th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. I remember how shocking it was to find out that one of the most famous entertainers of that time had died. I was 18 years old at the time and had been an Elvis fan for as long as I could remember. My older sister and I had a lot of his records and we could sing every song on them, and we had posters on our bedroom walls, and we loved watching all those Elvis movies when they came on TV. Back then, it was very important to know when the movie was coming on TV because there was no such thing as a VCR or DVR to record it and watch it later. And I remember that one time my mother found out that he was coming to our city to do a concert and she went out and splurged bigtime on those $10 tickets! I mean, we thought ten dollars for a ticket was so expensive, but so worth it to see The King. That was so sweet of my mom because she wasn't a fan but she knew how much it meant to us and she took us to the concert.

Yes, I was an Elvis fan, but not a big enough fan to go to Memphis today with all those thousands of people. When I watch those old Elvis movies today, they seem so silly to me. And now I understand things about his life that I didn't understand as a child. But I'll always have fond memories of him and the fact that I got to see him in person.

Broken Records

I've always been fascinated by weather and sometimes wonder if I maybe even missed my calling in life and should have been a meteorologist. I don't like hurricanes or the damage and destruction they cause, but they do capture my attention when they are in the news, especially when they are in the Gulf of Mexico. But the weather event that has my attention right now is the extreme heat that's happening in my state. The high temperatures have been breaking records during the past week, and yesterday two records were broken. Yesterday our temp was 104, breaking the record of 103, but it also broke the record of the most consecutive days of temps in the three-digit range. It has absolutely been unbearable to be outside on these days.

But yesterday I noticed that I have become desensitized to these extremely high temperatures -- not in the way it feels outside, but in the way I think about it. Anytime in the past when I heard that our temps were going up to 100, I thought it was unbelievable. I remember just last week when they said the high for the day was going to be 103, I was in shock, but when they forcast a high of 106 I absolutely did not believe it was even possible. So yesterday I looked down at the little "weatherbug" on the computer to see how hot it was outside right then and when I saw 101, I was like hmmm, big deal. A fact that had amazed me just a week ago, now didn't mean much to me. And to think that I'm looking forward to Saturday when things might cool down to 99, well, something is wrong here.

I think this desensitization toward the weather is a lot like what has happened in our culture. Years ago, things that were considered unacceptable and wrong are now accepted as normal and even as good in some cases. Over the years, little by little, we have seen things on TV, movies, and the news that have desensitized us to what is right and what is wrong. So, why have things changed from the way they were in the past? Did God change his mind about what he wrote in the Bible concerning right and wrong? The way I see it, God is still the same as he was at the beginning of time, and his Word has not changed. We are the ones who have changed. I believe the Bible and that is where I have to go learn the truth about what is right and what is not.

If you read this and you are not of the same faith or beliefs as me, that is okay. I am not trying to change anyone -- I can't change people. But I do believe the Word of God. I would like to challenge you to read it if you haven't and let me know what you think.

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Why I started blogging

I am interested in finding out why different bloggers started blogging. My original reason for starting a blog was so different from the reason I am doing it now.

I didn't really know anything about blogging, and the only one I had read was one that was created by people in my church to keep everyone updated on a boy who had been in a very serious accident. Other than that, I'd had no exposure to blogging.

Early one Saturday morning I was watching the Today Show, and someone was talking about different ways to earn money on the internet. They told about Payperpost.com where you can blog about different products, services, etc., and get paid for it. I thought that would be an easy way to make a little extra money since I love doing internet stuff anyway. So, that was my reason (at that time) for creating Kathy's Klavier. But after looking around and searching for other blogs to read to learn more about blogging, I became so interested in some of the good ones I found that I kept going back each day to read more. I decided to get mine established by just writing about things in my life and then I would try the payperpost thing. Well, after about two months of blogging, I've sort of forgotten my original reason of wanting to make money because I've met such wonderful bloggers whose blogs I look forward to reading each day. And what amazes me even more is that there are actually a couple of people out there who look forward to reading mine! Thanks to my new blog friends for your writings and your encourgements. And thanks to those who read mine.

What was your reason for starting a blog?

Weekend thoughts

I love Saturday mornings, getting up early when the house is quiet and drinking coffee while doing bible reading and my internet stuff. My kids bedroom doors are "open" which means they are not at home. (see earlier post entitled "Doors") It's nice and cool in the house, thank God, because the past week we've had the hottest weather that I can remember in my lifetime. Every day has been in the triple digits and yesterday we had a high of 106! And they are forcasting a few more days of this intense heat. I think I'll find some good indoor activities.

In reference to my last post, I have a choice right this moment of how I will react to things that will come my way today. Last night after my daughter left to go back to her college town, I realized that sometimes we can't really control our emotional reactions. I felt sad that she and her brother were both gone and the house was so empty. But today, I plan not to dwell on the emptiness I feel, but to stay busy with the things I can do better when everyone is gone. Eddie is still here so we can spend some quality time together. I can start working on recording my music to make my long awaited CD of "Sleep Music." I can start organizing old pictures to get them ready for scrapbooking. I could clean house, but that will probably be at the bottom of my priority list. I much prefer creative activities. Oh yes, I could write some new music. I love days like this when I don't have to go to work, and I don't have to go to Wal Mart and I have a whole day ahead of me to do the things I love! I think I'll get started now.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Attitude

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company ... a church ... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past ... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our Attitudes." Charles Swindoll

I love this quote by Charles Swindoll. It is so true. You can make a choice every morning when you start your day about what kind of attitude you will have. Everything will not always go the way you want it to go, but the way you choose to react to the things that happen is what shows your true character. "...life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it."

The Good Old Days

Life used to be so simple. I miss the good ole days back when......

1. ...I knew how to work my cell phone -- just dial a number and talk.

2. ...we watched movies on videotape using a VCR -- just pop it in, hit play and watch the movie.

3. ...people listened to music on C.D.'s using a Walkman.

4. ...AOL was synonymous with internet, and using dial-up at 9:00 p.m. took several tries before you could connect. It was so exciting when you finally made that connection!

5. ...you could call a business and a real human being would answer the phone.

6. ...my computer had Windows 3.1 -- all the icons looked the same.

Okay, so I'm really only being facetious about all this because those good old days were really in the not-so-distant past. And even the things I mentioned as being in the old days were things that have been invented during my adult life. When I was growing up I never would have believed that one day everyone would have computers in their homes and everyone would carry cell phones all the time. It is so amazing how much technology is out there and how quickly it changes. I can't even keep up with it anymore. I really do miss my old cell phone that was so simple. This new one I was forced to get (because my husband lost the old one) drives me crazy -- I keep accidentally taking horrible pictures of myself because I'm looking into it and trying to find the power switch but I hit the camera switch instead. And let me just say, I am DVD challenged. I'm not sure why, maybe it's just because with my "over 40" eyesight I can't see the remote very well and my reading glasses are always somewhere else. I don't even have an IPOD yet, though I know if I had one I could learn to use it if I wanted to. And, truthfully, I really don't miss the dial-up AOL days or Windows 3.1 at all! Cable modem is the way to go! (or is there something newer than cable modem out now that I'm not aware of?)

With all these changes that are constantly taking place, I am so thankful to know that there is one thing that never changes and never will. God is the same yesterday, today and forever and his Word remains for all time.

1 Peter 1:24-25
For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever."

My Space v. Blogger

I wanted to post a blog today but I didn't have anything to write about. But I decided to make my confession in this post. My confession is that I have a "my space". Yes, I know, parents are not supposed to have a my space because it's for the kids. But I had it before I had the blog and I must say that I am enjoying blogging a whole lot more than "my space". But the my space page helps keep me in touch with my son's band, so that's the main thing I like about it. And it's also a way I can email my daughter since she doesn't check her regular email account. I spent a little time tonight updating my "My Space" page, so I'll leave the link here if you're interested. It's www.myspace.com/kbeste. I put a new slide show with some recent pictures and there are also a couple of older slide shows.

I think blogger is so much better than "My Space" and so much more mature! What is your opinion of my space v. blogger?

Dear John

I love to read books, though it seems like now I'm reading more blogs than books. But if you like to read I would definitely recommend the book Dear John by Nicolas Sparks. I've read a lot of his books and seen the ones that were made into movies like A Walk to Remember and The Notebook. He is a great writer and I'm not sure why, but there is something so peaceful about reading his books. Dear John is my favorite so far of all his books that I've read and I would highly recommend it. And now I am so excited because as I was just now looking up the link for that book, I found out that he has a new book called The Choice coming out Sept. 25, just in time for my birthday!

So, a note to my family......since you already bought me Journey's Greatest Hits, I think this new book by Nicolas Sparks would be a great birthday present!

Can you recommend any good books you've read? I would love comments!

Doors

This is something I've been thinking about for a while, but haven't quite known how to put it into words. I'm going to give it a try today. It's about my kids' bedroom doors.

When a new baby comes into your life and you put them to sleep in the crib in their own room, you keep the door open at night because you want to be able to hear them if they cry. And then all through their childhood the door is open so they can feel closer to mommy and daddy and so mommy and daddy can hear them if they call during the night. It's a comfort to be able to peek into the room and see your sleeping child through the open door.

But then suddenly one day, puberty starts to set in and the child begins to close the bedroom door. I know now that they need privacy at this time in their life when they are just starting the process of becoming an adult. But when my children started closing the bedroom door, I felt like they were trying to get away from me and shut me out of their life. As a parent, it was a very hard thing to get used to. I actually hated to look at their closed door. But as time went by and I got accustomed to the door being closed, it was okay, and at times even comforting to know they were safe and sound at home and not out driving around late at night.

It seems like as soon as I got used to the door being closed, my kids grew up and were leaving home for college. Then the bedroom doors were always open. When I wake up in the night, the doors are open, when I get up each morning, their doors are open. An open door means I don't know for sure if they are safe and sound asleep in bed.

And now this week, they are both home for a little while and when I wake up during the night or early in the morning, I just look at their bedroom doors. When I see them closed, it is such an amazing comfort because I know exactly where they are. Yes, I know they are grown up now, but they are still my children and a mother never stops having concerns for her children. I now long for those closed doors that I once hated. Next week when they both go back to their lives away from home, I'll be looking at open doors again and that is when I have to just trust God to watch over them and take care of them.