10,000 Reasons

I've never minded going to church. I've always loved singing the songs, and visiting with other people. But, as a child, I always wondered when the preacher would start making sense. I would get bored and my mind would wander... Sometimes my mind still does wander, but God's word makes more and more sense to me all the time.
Our Pastor, at Fist CRC in Sioux Falls, has been preaching on the 10 Commandments for the last several weeks. It's actually been really exciting for me. I was taught the 10 Commandments early in life- mostly being told to memorize them and their simple meanings, but I don't know if I've ever studied them deeper.
This morning the sermon was about the 9th Commandment- "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16).
Why is it so satisfying to the human race to talk about each other? I am totally guilty of the "did-you-hears" and the "did-you-knows". I understand that a person may be genuinely concerned, but there is a fine line between concern and gossip. I need to work on avoiding gossip, judgment and labeling people-- don't we all need to work on this?

I also want to share a song that was sung after a baby's baptism this morning. Songs almost always have an impact on me. Play me any song, and I have a memory connected to it. This song brings me back to the weekend that our friend, Nick, was living his last hours on this earth--

 

As I sat in the pew, a tear trickled down my face, and I was reminded- that despite all the evil and sadness in this world, that even though friends may die, families may break, and communities get hurt- there are so many reasons to keep living, to keep trusting God, and to stay strong in faith. Why give up?