Birthday Shuffle a Deux #9

Here I am, Lord - John Michael Talbot
Catalina Island, summer camp, talent show. I used to play guitar. I think I started playing guitar because my mom encouraged me to join the church choir and got me a guitar. I have to admit I wasn't very good. I could play chords, sure. I could sing, sure. I just wasn't very good at it. I'm sure if I had applied myself and actually practiced, I might have been better. But, I digress.

While in high school, I was a member of the church youth group, and my junior and senior years I went to a week long church camp at Campus by the Sea on Catalina Island. At the end of the week, there would be a talent show. I played this song with one of the other campers singing. Her talent was showcased, I just basically strummed along in the background. But, I loved this song. It's one of several religious pieces of music on my iPod. I find them to be inspirational, and I find them at times to help me reflect on what I am doing in my life.

This song especially spoke to me as a teen working my way through conflicts with my mom, trying to find my independence, looking ahead to college and the unknown. I didn't know what I was supposed to be doing, and there was a certain peace in just being able to say, "Here I am; I am ready to do Your will." Given the twists and turns my life has taken to get here, I guess I still am.

1 Samuel 3:2 - 10
2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

4 Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am. ” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel! ” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”