Cup of Coffee on a Sunday Night and Some Burnt Toaster Struddles

Tonight, dark.  Stillness.  Fighting off a headache that hit at 1PM.

I woke this day, still battling the winter “blek”.  Virus after virus, strep, bronchitis…all since Dec. 1.  My feminine side can’t figure it out and takes revenge on me, too.  Wacky, mixed up, broken, self-crying-out-for-health.  Feeling the betrayal of being human.  Getting rested up, all for one event, then crashing low.  Time after time.  Wishing I were stronger.  Seeing myself in the frailty of weak people I detest, too weak to get better.  Get up!  Recover!  Rest!  Take care of yourself!  Slow down!  Watch balance!  Think well thoughts!  Eat and treat yourself!

And a micro step at a time, I feel some better.  And a lot of the time, I still feel tired, sick, and recovering from a long winter.  There were perks.  Time to take care of some quiet chores I save for such days.  Yet, there is a longing for eyes that don’t quint with pain from the new light of spring, but welcome it with the joy it deserves.

While the family is at church, I relish the intense quiet.  Dark.  Time to get real with God and pour it all out…what is bugging me.  Time to catch my breath.  To deal with me only.

I made some rich decaf, burnt some Toaster Struddels covered in self-made icing (why do the last two always fall out of the box into the recesses of the overstuffed freezer?) and sat down to a screen still open from earlier this week when I’d pulled it up, but not had time to read.  Waiting on me.  For this moment.

I have followed Ann V. for a long time and just feel in love with her heart.  Have talked with her by email several times.  The real deal.  Though our lives are different, our hearts our the same.  Always takes me back to center to read her strands of life.  I have thought often this week that I need to get back into the discipline of joy and thanksgiving.  No dread.  No fear.  No wondering what could possibly happen with my body next week to make me mad at it.  Our churches challenges to “God Sightings” is similar, and I will merge the two.

Though my head colds haven’t allowed me to enjoy much reading time, I get four changes to start over on the challenge to read the New Testament in a way:  Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.  Here we go with Mark.  I’ll try again this month.

I shared a thanks entry at Ann’s new Zondervan site tonight.  I’m so proud of what God is doing in Ann’s life and through her testimony.

“Be thankful in all things.”  Go, Ann!  God is with you!

For tonight, quiet worship, black and white keys, pecking out chords, searching for newness, for spring after winter.

Lord, help me to get there. To climb out, and go slow, and be willing to just keep moving, whatever the day brings. You are God. I am human. And it’s okay.

Amen.

Tuesday Prayer

Lord,

More “not feeling good”.  I can’t remember the last time I felt good.  It was late November, I think.  Trying to trust you, to watch my limits, to rest, to enjoy the down time.  Yet, angry with my body, with getting hit time after time after time, after time, after time.  Not feeling understood.  Hurting.

Continually asked to take new commitments.  Big commitments.  Not sure how to respond.  Trying to “pray first”.  Wanting to listen.  A little “stopped up”.  Not sure i cuold hear if I wanted to…even from you.  Unsure how to know when is “too much”.  I don’t know.  Needing answers soon.  Today, even.  If I am the best you’ve got, Lord…

Tired of comfort food, of reserving energy, of not pursuing health.  Yet, enjoying the little blessings that come with the limits:  getting scrapbooks caught up, going slower.

Resting more…exposed to more “culture”.  So sick of it.  Sick of the lack of realistic ways to raise a family in the midst of it.  The girly stuff, the disrespect to me and my family.   Tired of constantly “filtering”.  Tired of trying to keep up.

Feeling like the minority, knowing I’m probably the silent majority.  Tired of the silent majority.   Lose-lose.

Today…perspective is narrow, joy is suffocated, tears are close, frustration is high.

Seeking you.  Trying to draw away.  Get still.  Adjust my attitude.  See how I can respond instead of just sitting on frustrations.  Getting to the place of trusting you to be bigger than problems, than culture, than limitations, than fears.  Seeking vision.  Timing.  You.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Amen.

 

 

What is Christmas? Part 1

So, I started making my Christmas cards in August this year.  Praise the Lord!    220 cards just about done.  Not all made.  About 80, I bought.  Necessity!

Lights up, thanks to my wonderful man.

Packages under the tree, thank you free internet shipping the first two weeks of December…caught onto that little trick last year.

Had my December cold, thanks to Thanksgiving with family.

Lost a few needed pounds, thanks to accountability partners who needed me.

Working out…until the head cold, thanks to a free treadmill that I requested be left in this house when we bought it.

House…not totally gross, not totally clean, thanks to all who live here.  :)

Having family devotions with a lovely pewter candle holder with an engraved symbol that highlights each devotion, thanks to “The Jesse Tree”, and a yard sale earlier this year.

Giving Christmas clothes to kids younger than mine.  Cleaning out closets, by the grace of God.   Washing, delivering.

Getting kids to play practices, rescheduling for snow.  Snow days, school out.  Reschedules.

School parties…today!  Baking!

Finals:  first of the week to study for.

Christmas at my Dad’s this weekend.  Baking!  Finalizing gifts.

On track, for having been sick with a yucky cold.

So…my only regret is that by evening,  I am often short-tempered. Bothered by little things like redundant noises: chewing my ear while I’m on the computer, someone rummaging through a drawer beside me, digging through a cabinet, people munching on needless snacks (did I mention, while standing right behind my ear, while I’m at the computer?  Shopping?  Thinking?  Figuring out computer problems?)

Toilet paper not put on the roll, drawers left open, socks and coats still left all over the house after countless reminders.  Homework not done.

I can’t do it all!  UGH!  I’m feeling it again!!!

Irritability –perhaps due to overload.  Inexcusable.

What needs to be dropped next year to make room for more peace within?  Perhaps it’s not just about “getting ahead”, but doing LESS.

Commitments.

Late packages.

Bad news.

None help.  Still, irritability…inexcusable.

Looking for help, I read “The Love Chapter” again.  I Corinthians 13.  I love to go there when I’m “off”.

I Corinthians 13:4 leaps off the page:

“Love endures long and is patient and kind.”

Yes.  This is what I’m looking for.

This is prayer for the rest of my season.

And I begin to pray: Lord, that I may endure long, and have your patience, your kindness.  You are SO patient and kind to me every day, not giving me as I deserve, but according to your love and faithfulness and mercy…you are so kind!

Help me, Lord to deal with all the added interuptions and demands.  Help me to somehow know when to play and enjoy people, to give the the hugs and kisses.  To flush the stresses.

A reminder I received today from a friend said, “This Christmas–STOP. Yes, just stop. Look around. You have a ton to be thankful for.  All the little things that may seem to be so important to get done so that your family can have the “perfect Christmas” really won’t make it so.  Sprinkle each day with love, laughter and lots of hugs. Tell your family you love them. Share the real reason for Christmas–LOVE. You’ll have a perfect one after all.

I heard a TV show say yesterday for the umpteenth time, “Family…being together!  That’s what Christmas is all about, after all!”  WRONG, I say!  I learned that the hard way last year when my Mom and step-Dad where in Iraq, being bombed over the holidays.  Thank God, they were never hurt, through other health emergencies arose shortly thereafter.  A very stressful time.

That’s not what Christmas is all about.

It’s not about traditions.

It’s not about family at all, though that is very important and should be very high on our priority list, because it’s very important to God.  Family is our grounding place, the basis of our makeup.  Family deserves our honor, help, and love.  We build one another up through the years, though others come and go.

But things come up.  Things interfere.  Schedules get whacked.  People get sick.  Feelings get hurt.  It all happens.  It’s not all holly jolly.  Details exist.  Reality happens.

Even in our priorities, it’s easy to forget…

It’s about Jesus, who came to help.

It’s about a baby born as a  Saviour –stepping into the darkest of days, a day no one looked forward to, that day’s “tax day”.  And he wasn’t born into lights, carols, and a decorated tree.  He was born in a hewn-out place of rock called a “barn”, an unsterilized, unprepared, stinky place.  He was born into controversy, uncertainty, “people talking”.  And yet, those looking saw him.

So no.  It’s not about the family gathering.  Not about the food.  Not about the little ones.  Not about the gifts.  Those are our responses to Him, but not “the reason”.  What truly blesses HIM.  Is it the stuffs, or is it our attitude?  Our humble response?

I was at one gathering last week where the host said, “To be honest, I just can’t wait until Christmas is over.”

And I felt like, “Then why did you do it?  I came for you.”

Instead, I said, “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

Do it out of the grace he offers, not out of obligation, or it doesn’t accomplish the intended effect.   None of it does.  It’s just “more stuff” to do.   Some years are just hard.  It’s okay.  He will be there for you, too.

Reading through the Old Testamant last year (only made it about a third of the way through, but hey, I’ll pick up there this year), I realized God is a God of celebration!  In the Old Testamant, he told the people to not forget or neglect their special celebration days.  He loved for them to remember what he’d done for them, and to celebrate!  Because when they didn’t remember, they got into all kinds of trouble, seeking after false gods and idols.

The festivities are important as they help us remember.  Take that time to celebrate.  But, it’s not in the stuff…he should be the reason FOR the stuff.  We get it so backward.

This year, having things as “in place” and “ahead of schedule” as they can be…still facing demands and irritability and “not enough time” feelings…I tend to think we forget the MOST IMPORTANT thing:  preparing our hearts to be giving people, to care for others, to take time to show we appreciate them, to be in “good grace”.   Yesterday, a teacher shared a kind word and a smile when I ran into the classroom looking for a math paper.  On my drive home, it brought warm tears to my eyes as I reflected on her kindnes,s as opposed to the glare I’ve often received for trying.   Undeserved favor and positive regard.  That’s grace.  People who are trying need it, crave it, long for it.  Do we give it?  Do we show them we care?  We love them?  We want them to experience joy?  Care?  Concern?  Take the time.  That’s Christmas.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!  May Christ’s kindness fall on you daily, and may you walk in it, give it, cultivate it, and share it.

Casio wk-3800: My User Guide and Help Blog

I recently bought a Casio wk-3800 and started a blog to try to get some community thoughts going: http://casio3800.wordpress.com/called Casio 3800: An Unofficial Blog.  Especially if you play the wk-3800, check it out and say “Hi”.

Weighing Bill Gate’s Thoughts On Sunday

Today on iGoogle, this was one of the quotes: 

Just in terms of allocation of time resources, religion is not very efficient. There’s a lot more I could be doing on a Sunday morning.
  – Bill Gates

At first, there is the smile toward a hard-working ga-zillionairre.  “Ah-ha!  He just WORKS harder than we do.  HE is EFFICIENT!” 

I have a great respect for efficiency.  Things in my kitchen cabinets have been re-organized over and over again through themselves toward greater efficiency.  I time myself with a cup of tea heating in the microwave set for 1 minute 25 seconds to see if I can unload and reload the dishwasher in that amount of time.   Many days, for a cup of tea, all my dishes are cleaned and I have a treat in the process. 

If my husband comes home for the day and I still have not unloaded the dishwasher, I strive to unload it from the time he pulls in the garage until he plants a typical kiss on my expectant lips.  There’s a great reward!

On the tails of efficiency and productivity comes this thought, “God longs to give us rest, but we would have none of it.” (Hebrews).   Hard work does increase productivity, as does efficiency.  But there is a limit.  True success is measured by hard work balanced with true soul rest, not just recreational activities of the rich and famous.

I turned toward some men and woman I consider “great” and “balanced” in their approach to life, whether rich or poor.  I don’t know Bill Gates.  He may be perfectly rested, balanced, at peace, and content.  I’m just using his quote as a jumping board for thought to challenge myself to grow.

~~~~~~~~~ 

The greatest thing anyone can do for God and man is pray.  It is not the only thing; but it is the chief thing.  The great people of the earth today are the people who pray.  I do not mean those who talk about prayer; nor those who say they believe in prayer; nor yet those who can explain about prayer; but I mean those people who take time to pray.
     ~ S.D. Gordon
~~~~~~~~ 

Too many women have too much leisure time for their own good.  They have time for criticism, gossip, faultfinding, and complaining.  They have time for idle games and lay too much attention to things of the flesh.  There are other women who have too little time for the enduring things of life.  They are too busy flitting about doing this and that.  They have great activity and much doing, but they lack time for building Christian characters.  Both kinds of women — the too-idle and the too-busy need to take time for meditation and quiet repose in prayer to God.  They need time to cultivate their souls that in turn they may cultivate their children’s lives.
     ~ Billy Graham
~~~~~~~~ 

An unschooled man who knows how to meditate upon the Lord has learned far more than the man with the highest education who does not know how to meditate.
     ~ Charles Stanley
~~~~~~~~ 

Work, work, from morning until late at night.  In fact, I have so much to do that I shall have to spend the first three hours in prayer.
     ~ Martin Luther
~~~~~~~~ 

I saw more clearly than ever, that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was, to have my soul happy in the Lord.  The first thing to be concerned about was not how I might serve the Lord, how I might glorify the Lord; but how I might get my soul into a happy state, and how my inner man may be nourished….  I saw that the most important thing I had to do was to give myself to the reading of the Word of God and to meditation of it.
     ~ George Mueller of Bristol

Worship, Sunday, Post Tornado

Order of Worship: Post Tornado  (I think, my memory isn’t that great)

1. Forever (In which praise rose to the roof)
2. Without You, Jesus (Mark Fuller’s song:  “You’re the calm in every storm/You’re the fire that keeps me warm…”)  Obviously God had this time in mind when he led him to write that song.  Stuck in my head all day
3. Blessed Be Your Name (in which I sobbed, unable to sing) 
4. Jesus, Lover of My Soul (set my feet upon a rock, and now I know…I love you, I need you, though my world my fall, I’ll never let you go)
5. How Great Is Our God
6. You Never Let Go (see below)
7. Never Let Go (see below)
8. Praise You in This Storm (Gary C & Melissa B…”And I’ll praise you in this storm, and I will lift my hands, that you are who You are, no matter where I’ve been, and every tear I’ve cried, You hold in your hand, You never left my side, and though my heart is torn…I will praise you in this storm…I lift my eyes up to the hills, where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the maker, of heaven and earth…”)

Here’s a couple of videos to songs less familiar to me that I loved yesterday:

When clouds veil sun, and disaster comes, oh, my soul, oh, my soul

When waters rise and hope takes flight, oh, my soul, oh, my soul…

You never let go, You never let go

You never go…

Oh, no!  You never let go,

Through the calm and through the storm

Oh, no!  You never let go,

In every high and every low.

Oh, no You never let go,

Lord, You never let go of me.

It was necessarily a heavy service, but a good one.  The interviews in place of the sermon lightened the mood and changed things up.  It was a great service for us all to process and hear from those involved in different elements of the week, different perspectives.  There were generators up and help crews at the church within an hour of the storms.  The police didn’t even know about one of the hardest hit areas until the next morning because so many from our church showed up to rescue and help.  That’s just amazing considering about ten houses were pretty much wiped out.

WFIE out of Evansville was at our services taping yesterday morning, they saw how we respond in worship and realness to crisis…we made the 11:00 Evening news.  I just saw another clip that must have aired at another time.  I didn’t see it last night.  You can watch that here.  (It starts after a commercial.)

In the clip I saw, nothing like seeing the elderly Mrs. Helen’s hands not only reaching my heart from the very first song, but also making one of the two headline lead-in stories for tri-state news that night.  A dear friend was interviewed, the hub and I had a cameo appearance, praying in the clip I saw (not the link here).

The news present leads me to wonder…do we worship like the world is watching our response to times of crisis and stress?  We have to!  They are! 

Do we worship like it makes a difference to the person sitting next to us each week?  We ought to.   It does!

Worship Challenge, Week 1

You guy’s comments on corporate worship were awesome.  Isn’t it hard to know how to respond authentically and genuinely to the Lord, and yet be sensitive to those around us?  One person said, “to not draw attention to self and distract from attention to the One whom we worship.”  I’ll talk about my perspective on that in coming weeks.

The first Saturday, I’ll address the the challenge our pastor gave us.  “Happiness in worship”.  I addressed it in comments, but may have been missed. 

When he said, “get healthy so that you can bring joy to worship”, he is speaking I would guess to people who stay chronically unable to be active in worship due to some distraction, some mood, some feeling, some opinion, some “something”. 

There comes a time when we need to “get healthy” so that we can respond in joy instead of out of fatigue, attitude, worry, frustration, distraction, or whatever it is.  Get balanced.  Get prayed for.  Get hope…but snap out of it.  Too many of us have been “stuck” for too long.  There is help.  Our countenance reveals where we are.  If it’s not great, then let’s get it dealt with.  If too many of us bring unresolved issues to worship, those feed into the worship.  We are not worshipping in freedom because our mess is still unsorted, undealt with, and we can’t open up or risk anything.  The Christian life involves a lot of risk.  It involves dealing with fear and doubt and other people’s responses.

Worship should be the safest place we have to practice love for our Lord.  It ought to be the training ground for boldness.  It ought to be the place were we can practice professing our faith and feel that well up within us.  But, we are not.  We are stoically determined to stay the way we are.  I heard once that if you keep doing the same thing you’ve always done, you’ll likely get the same results you’ve always gotten.  Risk something.  Be sensitive to others around you, yes…but be willing to sing.  Be willing to move.  Be willing to respond.

Somewhere in the week, get your stuff out on the table and gain some new perspective.  It will make you happy.

We’ve all, most of us, heard that joy and happiness are not the same thing.  Yet in a Bible study meeting a couple years ago, this same minister said, “Let’s not negate happiness, though!  Happiness IS an expression of JOY.  A needful one!  You should not hide your joy,  just as you should not hide light under a bushel.  Of what benefit to the world is that?  Deep and abiding joy is invaluable.  But, so is it’s expression of happiness.  Strive for both.”

A very serious challenge.

Many of us have been so “hit” or “hurt” by life that we are genuinely afraid to be happy.  We don’t value it.  We’d rather stay grim and not risk losing what we’ve got.  We don’t want to be misunderstoof.

But, God calls us to joy and happiness.  To smiles and gratitude.  Not to worry and cynicism and doubt and fear.  Those negative experiences are very “real”, but they need to be dealt with so that we can experience, for the most part, joy in his presence and a restoration of happiness.

The word says:  “There is joy in your presence, eternal pleasures at your right hand.”    

Picture a date with someone who never spoke to you, never gave you any indication of involvement in the evening, never smiled.  They seemed to be saying by their presence “I’m here, now you see if you can do it for me.” 

Not much of an “interactive” occasion.  I see people bring that approach to worship.  At the end, they seem to be saying:  “Yup, that did it.” or “Nope, that didn’t do a thing for me.” as if it’s a one sided show rather than a dynamic, two-sided experience and conversation.

We engage in conversation just as we “engage” in worship.  If the “worship conversation” stinks, perhaps that is because we are collectively adding so little to it.  Conversation takes two.  Worship takes you.

I don’t have an answer to all the worship challenges in this post, but I hope to post a little something about worship each week just to challenge you to think about things in perhaps a different perspective.   Go to worship tomorrow, no matter where you are, or how you feel with the “intent to engage.”  Engage with other people.  Engage with the Lord.  Open your heart to whatever He has for you. 

Bloggite Question: Can We Talk About Worship?

Can we talk about worship? I really want to.  I mean REALLY.  In the context of more modern worship services particularly, what should worship look like?  

Ray Man locally gave some great thoughts this week.  He said,

“Worship should look happy.  You all don’t look happy today.  Get healthy so that we can bring joy to worship.” 

(Broad translation of the quote from my memory there, but close enough to get us started).

How does that hit you?

I’m taking a slower blogging week, so really give this priority thought.  Answer some questions for me and we’ll see what we come up with.  I want us to build vision and keep building it for worship.

Take as much space as you want.  Here are the questions: 

1. What should we expect good corporate worship look like?  Why?
2. What should it feel like?  Why?
3. What should corporate worship do that individual worship cannot?   
4. How does the worship of others affect you? 
5. How could/should it?  (You may have already answered).

Super Bowl Sunday: Get Your Game Face On!

Well.  Sunday.  Ah.  Alas, the beauty of worship topped by the supreme anticipation of culinary cholesterol.  What could be better?  And, yes, something athletic is also going on, I think, during which time, I honestly anticipate being deeply involved in a game of Mexican Train.  {Red is banging his forehae…just a sec…forehead…OUCH!…  against mine begging for me to PLEASE make pancakes because he IS VERY HUNGRY!  Today, thoughts of food run in the family.]

Yeah.  I had planned on reserving all my calories for — excuse me, again…The Hub seriously just called me come watch an infomertial for a little baker like my sandwich maker.  She is putting chocolate candy bars INSIDE chocolate cake to have surprise treats ready in JUST EIGHT MINUTES.

Seriously. 

We are obviously on the distracted side today.

And back to my point.  I was going to save all my calories for tonight, but lately, it seems a little more reasonable to spread them out through the day.  In this way, you don’t have to worry about a sugar “crash–just keep eating more sugar.  It’s quite easy.  I’m not sure why the nutritionists among us have not figured that out yet. 

If a person is just worried about sugar overload, just mix in some veggie tray, dip, and something with peanut better…the protein from that should carry you through.  I’m thinking Reese’s cups. 

Just ask me, Maggie.  I’ve got your Superbowl day eating needs covered.  

You all know I’m joking, so if you have found this by Google, I highly recommend you go see a nutritionist for your dietary needs because I am in a mood to enjoy snacking today. 

February is my “tackle goals that I didn’t start in January” month, so we are about to get down and dirty with those.  Think of this it as a last hurrah.

And, with that:  church was great today.  The Ray-Man said so many things that bear consideration.  Here’s one with a loose translation (because I was not note-taking today.  My new contacts and I can actually see stuff.  I was enjoying the detailed creases in the fabric hanging on the stage, and all sorts of glory like that).  He said, “Be happy!  Get healthy.  You won’t be stress-free, or problem free, but find out how to get happy, and worship like you’re happy!”  Then came the kicker–and I do mean right-in-the-gut:  “You all do not look happy.  This does not look happy today.”

Ow!!!  Did anybody even hear that?  He said it with a bit of a smile, but don’t let it pass you by.  ‘Cause if that’s the case, we needed a tail kicking. 

Oh, ya’ll.  

Ya know.  You come: angry, upset, bored, confused, apathetic, frustrated, irritated, angry, happy, joyful, social, non-social, sick, hurting, well, feeling pretty, feeling run-down, laid back, geared up, or WHATEVER, and God will meet you there if you want to be met.  

This brings me to an obvious points, but perhaps overlooked by some:  if you don’t realize where you are, you are probably going to have a hard time worshipping authentically.  Perhaps it didn’t used to matter in worship, but today, it does.  Know thyself, and worship out of that place.  I don’t know how to explain this very well, perhaps.  But, let me just give you some samples of my poetic worship prayers:

“Lord, these kids are driving me crazy today.  I don’t feel like being around people today.  I am feeling crowded in this pew.  But, I know you honor it when we come together, and I’m thankful they are here with me.  So you just bless me.  Show me why I’m here today.” 

I  might be smiling, or it might be fake for a while, but I worship him and I praise Him authentically out of my mess.  He does show me why it was worth it  for me to be there before I leave most of the time.  The body is not the body with me missing…with missing “parts” everywhere missing in general. 

And, I’ve prayed: 

“Lord, I’m sick and I’m so sick of being sick I don’t think I can walk another step like this.  If you don’t get us well, off these colds and drips and wheezes, and meds, then I’m quarantining the whole five-some batch of us until we are well for a while!  I can’t deal with this anymore.  Can we PULLEASE get a break from this mess?  Do something!  You have to!”

Here’s what’s often happened to me after a mother’s prayer of desperation like that when we’ve been sick for months on end:  I’ve had snow days come where we could mend and get a break.  I’ve had heaters shut down at the school and school be cancelled:  we got a break.  I’ve had schools call off school due to illnes when I’m at that point and we get a break.  God can work it, people.  He just can.  That makes me smile.  Nope, I may not be smiling at that moment, but He’s got my attention and my heart, and I’m fully into the moment.  Engaged.

Worship is when I feel most “alive”.  It is when I can be myself and expect to have an answer.  I can think and feel and meditate and celebrate.  If I’m sad, he’s okay with that.  When I sing, he cheers me with the very words I sing.  If I cry, he soothes me.  If I complain, He corrects me.  Worship is very responsive.  It is about “engaging”.

Maybe I can say it this way and make some sense, though it’s hard to explain, and I’m certainly no authority:  when we worship, we have to be self aware.  And…we need to be aware of others.  We respond to both and should.  Yet, at the same time, we need to learn to block it all that out and focus on Him.  It is what we call, a paradox. 

Perhaps I can explain what I’m trying to say better this way.  It’s like the NFL  game:  a player is totally aware of every member of the team, their positions, their success or failure in execution, his own body, his limitations and needs, yet he blocking all that out to just do his job and do it well.  He is giving all, irregardless.  He is focused on the plan, the goal, the purpose…moving that ball.  His one thing.

Our faith moves the ball.  Our worship moves the ball.  Our prayers move the ball.  And, it’s both an individual and a team sport. 

I’m laughing here, imaging the Superbowl if any part of the team is just standing on the sideline with their arms crossed looking bored, waiting for the exciting stuff to happen before they decide to play.  That leaves a few exhausted, vulnerable players out there on the field in a real jam, getting exhausted and little done, as sincere as they may be. 

Sure, we all have different styles, but we are all on the team.  Somehow, we ought to all look like we are “in the game” in a way that shows we are serious about moving the ball and we know this is what it takes.   

We all have different comfort levels–but we ALL need to have our game faces on. 

Each has a different history, but we can all demonstrate the same intensity for the goal. 

Every person has different skills, yet God can give us all the same drive and passion–His own. 

Each brings different experiences, yet we can all walk in the same joy, encouraging each other.

Every single one of us may have different role, yet we all walk in one purpose. 

Certainly, different preferences and approached, but blending to create broader enthusiasm.  

Wow.  I get excited thinking about what could happen.  Yup, I hope we get full to where we need to be…wherever that is.  I SO want to see what this thing looks like when all the players are in the game, game faces on!  I might even put down my bean dip, Reece’s cups, and game of Mexican Train for that!

FORE-WARNING BOYS: MOM SAYS WE ARE MAKING ORNAMENTS TODAY!

This post made me entirely nostalgic.  I have to try this!  I don’t know it I’ll do it this year or not.  Thanks to Kittie Kraft!  I’m loving “visual” blogs and craft logs this season!  The fact that women long to worship through creation, just like their Heavenly Daddy just makes me all gushy.  My mom was like that.  And, I didn’t get it at the time AT ALL…yet, I will be dog tired, but HAVE to make me some homemake stuff for the season is just not Christmas for me!  Creativity MUST FLOW!  It’s either worship or an illness…I like to think of it as worship, it just sound smore rational.

A few months ago, I picked up some inexpensive shiney stars with holes in the middle.  Last night, I added some styrofoam balls and straight pins ($5.00 for pearlized straight pins is highway robbery, Wal*Mart, just in case you read).  

Notice:  I plan on there being a Martha Stewart moment in my house very soon!!!  Beware ye testostere-laden men-folk.  Make Mom happy for an hour or so, and she’ll love and cherish you for years to come!

Bringing the “Life” into Worship

The more Psalms I read, the more I notice:  when Psalmists wrote their Psalms, they were either needing to get through something, just got through something, or saw trouble brewing.  They didn’t just pull words out of thin air about God to tell him how great He was.   They pointed to concrete examples that illustrated their words:  history…real events, creation, real deliverances.  They knew God, and they reminded themselves of his faithfulness when times got tough. 

Sometimes, we are encouraged to forget life to enter worship.  I do that sometimes…take a break and just focus on God, rest in him:  ”hide under the shadow of His wing and find rampart”.  But, if the Psalms are a pattern for our worship, and I think that they are, most often, our lives should not be a “distraction“ from worship, but a catalyst for true worship.

Don’t we often go to worship like we go to a movie, wanting happy relief, entertainment to talk about that week, or to “be moved”?  There are good elements to these things.   But, in order to have energized, life-filled worship, to worship like the Psalmists worshipped, we need to each, individually, bring God into the center of where we are.  When we do, He will shift things in our hearts as we praise; HE will move us.  God pulls us out of our despair, frustration, and fatigue.  He inspires us.  He gives us hope to go on.

Change?  Me?  In worship?  How?  We ”tell God like it is”, and then get quiet enough to “let God tell us like it is.”  That changes us.  That’s what we mean when we say “when we see God, we are changed into His likeness”.  Talk about dynamic worship! 

God tests us.  God tests us to see if we will truly still worship and trust him when things get hard.  God wants to know if we will look at our problems and still choose to praise Him.  I think of the Israelites, God’s chosen people of the Old Testament times.  God reveals in scripture that he tested the Israelites to try to teach, and see if they would worship Him.  They failed.  They failed to remember his goodness, failed to enter his rest, failed to “remember” all they’d seen, failed to teach their children.  Today, we have the benefit of knowing God even through their failures!  Praise God!  Many of the Psalmists praise God for what he did for them during that time, though the people at the time forgot!  How wild is that?  Do we go back into the history of our nation, our churches, and praise God for things he has clearly done for us?  How much would that strengthen our faith?  History is important.

Get this:  Job, and even one Psalmists, nearly fell from the path of truth, wondering why the godless did not seem to suffer.  The wicked seemed to prosper and be in good health!  What’s with that?  I’m just guessing here, but perhaps it is BECAUSE we want to be true worshippers that we go through ”stuff” the ungodly don’t?  I don’t know about you, but I’ll chew on this paragraph for a good long while!

If the Psalms are any indication, most of our worship stems from adversity and deliverance.  God always proves faithful in our times of need–we may not get what we want, but He stills proves faithful, near, a comfort, a help, our strength.  And, because of that…we worship.  We’ve heard it said:  we would not know God personally if it were not tests.  If the Psalms are any indication…we need to be tested a lot. 

This thought occured to me last night:  did David worship because he was a worshipper, or did he worship because he was a warrior?  Because he was a leader?  Because he was a protector?  Because he was always positioned to do God-sized things and need God very near to succeed?  It’s a compelling argument.  He lived fully, and worshipped wholly…and I think one could not have happened without the other.  Are you living fully, attempting to do God-sized things He has called you to do?  Then you will learn to worship.

David HAD to worship. 

What has God put in your path or given you to do to remind you to worship? 

Is it possible that our desire to live “blessed/peacful” lives has pushed away from the things that would position us to truly worship?

A good worship leader, good music, good sound, gifted people, and planned services cannot do this work of authentic worship for us.  Those things can help direct us and should not distract.  But, our response of worship in the midst of our work is what God is hungry for from us.      

The Psalmist’s testimonies often sounded like this (my paraphrase): 

“Lord, I have no idea why I’m going through this.  As far as I can see, I’ve done nothing to deserve it.  I’ve done you no wrong.  But, I know one thing…it’s all from You.  Everything that happens is from You.  I know I am wounded as if by You for some reason, for all things come from and through You.  I know I can trust you.  So, tell me, show me, teach me.  I wait on You.  I will keep praising you, just as I’m doing now.  I’m hurting.  I’m confused.  Still, I worship You, because you are good.  I worship you because you are faithful, merciful, and your sweet love endures forever.”

The kind of worship that moves the heart of God.  Authentic.  Real.  Questioning.  Confused.  Angry.  Respectful.  Energized and real worship comes from that place deep within us that communes with God.

These are undeveloped thoughts from reading this week.  They are unfinished and wordy because I’m sifting thoughts.  In any case, the thoughts are convicting to me.   Read the Psalms…not just one, but several, one after the other, like a movie rather than like a short story.  Then, compare your worship.  

Sunday Night

I just updated Kim’s blog with a phone interview:  Check that out

Today was awesome.  A totally new reflection on what it means to “worship in spirit and in truth”.  As keyed in as I am to worship, that phrase has always been a little vague for me.  What does it mean?  It means to sing it like you mean it and if you don’t mean it, don’t sing it.  Either you believe it with all that is in you…you are totally revved up about it, or just don’t do it.  Man!  What a difference that mindset made in our worship tonight.  I felt like I was on the receiving end, being ministered to in worship.  It was great.  Someone on the team said, “for the first time in this building, I heard the body singing above Brian, and that was SO AWESOME.” 

These guys in our church bands could use their gifts in so many different ways…I think it is awesome when they get some indication that the gifts they are giving mean something.  They could be in crowds with people drinking, hooping and hollering at a bar, yet they choose to serve us. 

That feedback…it isn’t “for them”, but it is important.

A lot of personal reflection this weekend…revival does that to me.  Change of leaves…change of seasons, change in priorities.  New lists.  

Well, my Sunday night laundry awaits.  Much like many of you.  Short on jeans for every child in the house. 

Blessings,

Maggie 

Video: The More I Seek You by Kari Jobe (Click Title for Content of These Posts)

as sung by Kari Jobe

The more I seek you…the more I find you

The more I find you…the more I love you

I want to sit at your feet, drink from the cup in your hand

Lay back against you and breathe, feel your heartbeat

This love is so deep…it’s more than I can stand

I melt in your peace, it’s overwhelming…

As I sat outside on our back bedroom deck this morning, throwing tennis balls to Daisy Dog, , the coolness of the morning falling on my thick houserobe, the word of the Lord from reading the night before so late continued to wash over me like the dew with my first morning thoughts:

“Clothe yourself in Christ”.  “You are a new creation, old things have passed away, behold, all things become new”.  “Rejoice in the Lord always.”  “Put on the full armor of Christ…and you will stand, for he is able to make you to stand.”  “Let the word of Christ dwell richly within you.”  “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path, I will hide it’s word in my heart, that I may not sin against you.”  “I will drink of your river of delights” “Clothe yourself…in Christ”.

Oh!  How I want to clothe myself with Christ today.  To “put Him on”.  More than my desire to dress for the day.  More than my desire to eat, or sleep or “do”.  Let me put on Christ.  Let me give his patient grace and understanding.  Take away my judgment and criticism and harshness.  Give me your love.  Give me your eyes of compassion and healing and grace and acceptance and beauty. 

For I am refreshed, renewed, held together, cleared up, soothed, entertained, awed, enriched, loved by you this morning!  Thank you, Lord, for the intensive reading of your word.  Thank you for the time.  Thank you for drawing me near and filling me. 

You amaze me!  Astound me!  Overjoy me.  I totally adore you.  How mesmerizing you are!  Keep filling me with your word.  It is changing me.

MIGHTY to SAVE

(If you get here from “categories” in the sidebar, click the post  to see the art and video for this post.)

“MIGHTY to Save”

This is my prayer for you, friends.  

Blessings,

~Maggie

 

Brush Credit:  Floral, Capri;  splotches, Chris Ford; Swirl, Ivy Photography

Darlene Zschech:  Mighty to Save  (Warning:  this song will stick in your head)

Video: “Your Grace is Enough” Chris Tomlin

 I’ve only heard Chris Tomlin acoustically.  They are rockin’ out in this youth concert!  I loved the concert energy!