Blue Man Group…and Worship?

I took this shot of my son this weekend, climbing to the top of a fence rung, gazing up into the sky in awe and wonder.

He stood there for the longest time, just watching the clouds shape and form.

The  Willow Creek Arts Conference sent an email yesterday,  asking for .jpgs from attendees to be sent in for the creation of a worship experience using them throughout the conference.  I couldn’t help but think of this picture.  

Willow folks talk a lot about “cultivating a sense of awe and wonder”.  Why?  Well, I don’t know.  It almost seemed like the idea of “shock value” to me for a long time.  I don’t like that approach to TV programming, and I sure don’t like having to be “wowed” by some big production of a service every time I turn around. 

After much thought having heard that language for the first time several years ago, I think I’m just starting to “get it”.   It’s to marvel over God.  To have our sense of wonder and inspiration awakened.  It’s that “make God big” factor we try to hit as worshipo leaders.

Awe and wonder help us open our hearts to experience a God bigger than we are–something, anything, bigger than we know and can imagine or comprehend.  It is…to have our imaginations stretched.  

You want to hear what’s crazy?  Even if “the thing” is not traditionally thought of as ”worship”, or consecrated as such, it still does this same thing for people…that is why, I think, people crave something new in movies and music and the latest and greatest of technology…they are looking for the “wow factor” we get every single day of our lives when we stop and look and listen for it.  People are so hungry for inspiration!  It makes me want to inspire people toward God with consecrated skills, let me tellyou.

It is this element of untapped reservoirs of imagination we need to tap into as a church here and there to help people open their hearts ALSO to a God bigger than they know or have believed so far.

As part of our 15 year wedding anniversary this summer, I’ve purchased tickets for my husband and I to see Blue Man Group (click for video)  while we are in Chicago as part of our Worship Arts conference.  Do I think that time will be “worshippful”?  Well, I may need some serious Tylenol!  But, I hope we laugh and share a different and unique experience –opening our hearts and minds in a new way.  

I serve a very creative God! 

Have you done something lately that has cultivated that sense of awe and wonder?   Have you let it lead you to worship a creative God? 

Keep Your Eyes (More) Pure Using youTube

The scriptures tell us to be thoughtful in the way that we live, not as unwise, but wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  That means that we are to know that we live in precarious times…we need to watch our step, and yet try to make a difference where we can, both at the same time.

As a bit of a retraction (am I allowed that?), due to some conversations and input, I am no longer boycotting youTube as a whole… only their ads.  I hope you’ll stick with me and read why without thinking me fickle.   

First, I need to answer some questions and give some tips as to how to use youTube to avoid those “visual land mines” where we know they exist:  

1.   Use the “My Favorites” and “Subscriptions” tools.  When you use the “subscribe” feature, you can subscribe to trusted author’s videos whom you’ve enjoyed in the past.  When they put out something new, just check your 
“subscriptions” tab and see all the new stuff they’ve put out since you visited last.  This keeps you from wandering arounnd where you perhaps should not be quite as much.   I currently have more in My Subscrotions to watch than I’d ever have time to watch. 

2.  Use the Search Feature… to selectively choose topics you are interested in rather than giving your mind room to wander, explore, and be entertained filtering through whatever has been published today.  I bookmark videos my kids are allowed to watch.  My kids are not allowed to free surf on youTube. 

3.   Watch for “visual land mines”!   If you are a Christian, hopefully you’ve addressed this issue already, I don’t know how guys do it, but don’t be unwise to Satan’s schemes.  Know that MANY people, men and women are getting addicted to internet pornography…there is an appeal innate in us that is drawn to what seems forbidden and “out there”.   Do not just randomly just explore “what’s out there”just to “see what’s out there.  Trust me, if it CAN happen…it’s out there to see.  Curiosity killed the cat.   Don’t research in the name of ministry.  There are minister porn addiction stories coming out every day due to that excuse. 

4.  Report!  (Why take the time?)  Why?  That helps them filter “live!”  There is no way they alone can filter alone all the bulk.  Don’t look for it, or click on it, but if you find it by accident, report it.  

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So, why did I just give you tips to use youTube when I said I was boycotting youTube?  HA!  I’m just that fickle!  No…because I realized my main trouble with youTube right now is with their ads…other things are just internet responsibilty we are going to have to learn. 

Today at my church, there was a strong message that we, as Christians, need to be known for “what we are for…not so much for what we are against”.  Definitely!!!  That’s the kind of person I want to be–more concerned about people’s salvation than destracted and Satan’s diversions.  We can get so wound up in reactivity, “issues”, and “social concerns” that we have no time to win the lost!  Satan still wins!  But, oh, church!  Let’s not react to reactions.  Let’s respond in the obedient character and nature of Christ:  full of both grace and truth.

Maggie

Christmas Card? Already?

 

I received my first surprise Christmas Card today!  More incredibly, it was from a new friend named T**** in Ethiopia. 

Last week, I received a surpise eThanksgiving card, from A******* in Romania.  Praise God for the internet and the ability to help encourage lonely Christians abroad!

Both ladies I am attempting to walk in long-term discipleship using ARC (automated response center) through Campus Crusade for Christ.   CCC will soon be starting coaching to help people do assisted Bible’s studies also.  I am interested.  I so want to see the word of God make a real difference in the lives of people who may have found Christ, but need to relearn so much of “religion” for Him to make a real difference in their lives and witness.  So rewarding to see people from other religions come face to face with the truth of God’s word for the first time! 

 Today I responded to my 230th request by email since September through various Campus Crusade websites running Arc Assist at their response mechanism.  There have been about that many replies.

It’s simply amazing.  Would you consider becoming an email volunteer also? 

9-3 Sunday Review

I am SO tired today.  Like, dropping-lower-in-my-seat, deep-cranky-tired!  I’m not sure why, except that I’ve been able to pin this predictable day down by hormonal cycle for months.  IckkKK. 

The best “word picture” I can come up with: my family (and life in general) are woodpeckers…I am the tree.  It’s nothing personal.  It just is.  GET AWAY!  Okay, so perhaps summer has gotten as long as it needs to and it is indeed now time for school to start so that I can get good and refreshed as a mom.  How you homeschool moms do it…I’m not yet sure.  Wow.  Go girls. 

I tried to nap and doing things to cheer up–I just think it would be better for humanity for me to stay in bed and not get up! 

~~* 

School is starting for my kids in two days.  [insert raw Mom scream that says:  oh-no-more-time-has-passed-and-my-kids-really-ARE-growing-up-and-do-we-have-enough-crayons-and-clothes-that-fit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????]

I saw this trend with other on-line moms a few weeks ago.  They were all freaking out and cleaning out their houses and cutting out blogging and trying to get back in focus.  Yup. 

So, here I am, too tired to do much productive about this deadline. 

Am I ready?  Nope.  I was three weeks ago.  Uniforms were all laundered and the clothes hangers all ready with navy and tan and polos.  Um…the kids got excited and started wearing them all, so now I have no idea where any of it is or what fits.  Ugh.

“I JUST DON’T WANT TO!!!!”

Everything feels overdone in my psyche today: too much media, too much sound, too much sibling picking, too much entertainment, too much junk food, too much time wasted, too much cheer, too much tragedy…too much everything!  Everyone leaves everything out and open and messy…and here am I, but don’t send me to clean it up!  Bill over at Spiritual Oasis sent me a fitting scripture yesterday for just such a moment:

 ”You call out to God for help and he helps—he’s a good Father that way. But don’t forget, he’s also a responsible Father, and won’t let you get by with sloppy living.” (I Peter 1:17 The Message).

Okay, so it was a zinger for my heart, too, but that does not negate it’s likely placement on my fridge! 

Without emotional energy to address the basics, there is this odd conflicting desire to get control over something big in my life, like overhauling the whole house and decluttering it.  Not at all a bad thing.  The whole feng yei or whatever it is where energy is supposed to flow better through a house with nothing stored under the beds and such?  This nonsense seems appealing to me.  (Wha??!?!!!)  ACtually, my sweaters just NEED to live under the bed.  So much for “positive energy” flowing. 

~~~*

My hubby wants to take me on the late birthday date tomorrow…hopefully fresh hormones will be in place by that time and I won’t be annoyed by his Disney excitement.  My whole family has lost it.  They have ”Disney-itis”.  It’s like the pre-Christmas rush. 

Me?  I am resistent to and slow to be sold on anything overpromoted.  I seriously PRAY I’ll be able to join in, relax, and just enjoy watching their excitement build.  Is there any other mother in America who would not be completely and totally blessed to see her kids awe over Disney.  The cost?  Wow.  The fact that the church is doing little to compete to capture the imaginations of kids?  As a child, I never had such a surreal experience.  I hope they understand the blessing of what they are getting!  I told my husband that before we went, we need to teach them what a “once in a lifetime experience” means!  Spiritual preparation for Disney?    I hope we have a great time.  I just have a hard time getting into seven days of it all packed in so tight.  I am a girl who needs and values some down time…for EVERYBODY.  Is there any way to raise kids into today’s world without them being “hyped” about something that SEEMS larger than life constantly?  New technology, new this, more that…so contrary to the push for simplicity I constantly hear the Lord asking me to pursue (as much as I fail as it myself). 

~~~~* 

In my 2 yr. old SS class today (my second week teaching), a visitor came (actually three)!

The first sentence out of the kid’s mouth was, “My mom igot put in jail last night.  But it’s not her fault!!!  She didn’t do anything wrong.  It was my Dad.  I don’t know why they put HER in jail.  She didn’t do anything wrong!” 

One way to break the ice.  Notice they don’t put ice breaker questions in the children’s material?  No wonder!

This situation was NOT in my lesson planning!  [Um...flip madly through book coming up with a plan...nothing there.]  Only scripture coming to mind: “What then shall we say to this…“

My daughter somewhere in the hour remembers her “big news” about Disney which she CANNOT WAIT to tell her friends! (The other two visiting come from gov. housing, bused in by the church.  She asks with a hand raised and an “Oh. Oh! Oh!!! Can I tell our surpise now?!”  [Disney trip]. 

“No, now is not a good time.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not appropriate.” 

“Why not?”

“It’s just not a good time.”

“But WHY?” tearing up.

“Um.  Meet me out in the hall for a second.” leaving the kids.

“Darlin’.  Do you really think a child who’s mother was put in prison last night and kids who are not living both parents at all are going to enjoy hearing about our nice family trip to Disney.  They will probably NEVER get a chance to go at all.”

“Oh.  Okay.”  

Yeah.  That defines, “once in a lifetime experience” pretty well.  To both of us.

~~~~~* 

So, follow up with this child?  Give up my birthday trip to go see a mom in prison I don’t know?  What?  Anything?  Wow.  We have SO much to learn to reach the people we pray to reach.  The pastor had just given us a quote today during church that I tried to jot down but they took it down by the time I found a pen and paper.  I think it was by some guy named “More”.  He said:

The things that we pray for,

Give us the grace to labor for.

Do you pray to reach the downcast and imprisoned?  What will it cost us to reach them?  Are we really passionate about it to the point of sacrifice?

Our pastor gave us another quote today, notable also.  It went something like:

There are two reasons to serve, for recognition, or just for the joy of serving to do the work.  God told me to do it for the latter, there is much less competition there.  (Mother Teresa).  

Perhaps after a day and some sleep, I’ll have all the energy and all the answers!  Our pastor said that we should have “synergy”…from the root words which add “same as” and “energy-work”.  I may not be able to figure it out.  I may be hormonal and cranky and tired…but if I can find “synergy” and “go with God” letting his energy and work flow through me…I just might make it!