Today was a good day.
We did music at church. A good set. We spoke. I didn't do anything majorly bad. So that's good.
Then we went to Elysia's grad party after church... we ate and hung out and held babies. It was great.
Then we came home... and sat around for a little bit. Then Dad asked me if I wanted to drive the van around the neighborhood. So I did. And then he asked if I wanted to drive to Giant Eagle. So I did. And it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I actually really like driving the van because I feel like I can see SO much more. And I have less lane to negotiate with. Which is good and bad. But I feel like it's mostly good. (The turning isn't as easy, but that'll come with practice.)
So Dad and I went to GE and got a newspaper and returned some hamburger buns. And then we got gas in the van. I drove home. No one died. It was a successful outing :)
Came home... talked to Katie for a little bit on Skype... went for a walk... ate dinner... watched a Psych... now this. :)
Annnd I should really do NIPTO because I have to be up early tomorrow. Oh they joys of having to be at driving school by 7:45 (AM) tomorrow. Bleh. I'm sure I'll have oodles of things to talk about... NOT. =P Everyone says driving school is boring... I'll have to see if they're right. Maybe I'll know someone in my class! (Doubt it.) We'll see.
NIPTO!
Acts 9:1-19
1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
Wooooooooah. This is intensity right here. Saul. Crazy dude. He seriously hates Christians (members of "the Way") So. Because he hates these people so much. He goes to the high priest and asks if he can go and arrest a bunch of people and take them as prisoners in Jerusalem. Crazy. (He's going to Damascus to get the letters that he needs. I think.)
3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
So he's headed to Damascus. And there's this SUPER bright light from heaven. And he falls down and hears this voice. "Saul, Saul, [he repeats the name twice! Importance... =P] why do you persecute me?" I would be kinda freaked out.
5"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
He asks who it is. And it's Jesus. The one you're persecuting. Duh. Now. Go to the city and someone will tell you what to do.
This is crazy. Like. Seriously. If this happened today, it would probably be on the news. Saul was this super important (or at least well known) guy. So this was... bigish news.
7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
Okay. If I were one of the people who were with them, I would definitely have been speechless. I mean, there's this voice, but there's no body to go with the voice. They can't see anyone! It's all insane. But Saul gets up... and opens his eyes. But he can't see anything. So they had to lead him by hand to Damascus. Crazy. (I've used crazy like... 5 times... so far.)
He was blind for 3 days. And he didn't eat or drink. Wow.
10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"
"Yes, Lord," he answered.
11The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."
Sooooo now we go to Damascus. And there's this guy named Ananias. And God spoke to him and told him to go to this guy's house and to ask for Saul. Saul was praying and he saw a vision of someone named... you guessed it! Ananias to come heal him.
13"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."
15But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
Ananias was kinda hesitant because he'd heard of Saul. He heard that he was one of the major persecutors of the church. And he knew that he had come to Damascus to arrest everyone who believed in God.
But God told him to go anyways. God revealed to Ananias that Saul was chosen by God to be his witness. And God told Ananias that he would show Saul just how much he would have to suffer for God's name.
17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
So Ananias goes to the house and goes over to Saul. He kinda tells Saul why he's there (announces it, really) and then "something like scales fell from Saul's eyes." Uh wow... uh... Yeah. And he could see again. Then... here's something that I've overlooked in the many times that I've read this: Saul got up and was baptized. And then he ate and was strong again.
WOW. This is a ridiculous story. And I think you can probably see how ridiculous it is. So I'm going to go to bed now. Soooooooooooooooooooo. GOODNIGHT!
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