Sunday Worship Sept. 28th – The Desert

I find myself in an interesting predicament now at my church. I’m the previous Worship Leader who’s now doing Youth Ministry but still involved in the worship planning meetings we have but with a new worship leader who’s style and direction is different than mine. That’s not the difficult part. I don’t believe there is one correct style of worship that is pleasing to God. However, the rub comes from sitting in on our worship planning meeting and knowing the direction and intention of the service to come on Sunday and therefore, I have the built up excitement and giddiness that something “good is coming up” and then when it doesn’t…uh…can I say this outloud?…I feel a bit jipped. 

So here’s what happened: 

• Open the Eyes of My Heart
  
• Everlasting God
• Sermon
• Hungry w/ Scripture readings between the verse/choruses
• Communion
• Your Love oh Lord
• Be Thou My Vision
• I Need Thee Every Hour 

So we tossed the service around a bit this past Sunday. We wanted to create a corporate, fluid time of worship after the sermon. Psalm 63 was the focus and it was about a desire to worship God with our whole selves. The message concluded with a rallying cry, if you will, to engage in worship in a new way. Clap, move, kneel, raise hands, sing, remember, etc. with the intention of moving into an intimate setting to bring us to communion and then celebration afterwards.

…and I was distracted…

Moving in to this intimate time, the lights were full on and everything completely lit up. The music was so quiet it felt awkward to sing out. The tempo of each of the songs were all the same and only lent themselves to a reflective time of either raising your hand or kneeling. We sat, we stood, we took communion, we sat, we stood, it felt stiff and robotic.  I truly felt like the David we just read about, in the desert yearning and thirsting for God and not being satisfied. 

Rae helped me realize that I overly criticize (which I do!) and that most people didn’t pick up on anything that I had a problem with. We then remembered seeing several people raising their hands, with a few taking advantage of our kneelers as well. 

As I type this, I wonder if it’s God’s way of prodding me to think less of the things we do in worship and more of the One we worship. It’s not like that’s something I don’t know already. It’s the delicate balance of being aware of the subjective, human side of things that happen on Sunday morning and the otherly, supernatural God side of things that happen on Sunday morning. The pendulum can swing too far in either direction and disaster happens, I think I need to let me pendulum settle.

As always, check out the rest of the Carnival over at Fred’s site where all this gets started each week!

My First Presidential Debate

So between creating a Marble Run, introducing Gavin to his first drum, bathing Chloe and trying to find a male-male cable connector, I watched my first ever Presidential debate.

I don’t know if this is a landmark race for the Presidency? am I finally maturing and caring about politics? is it because there’s so much of an online buzz and I’m “on the bandwagon?” but for some reason, this year I’ve actually taken an interest in politics. I was hoping for a bit more from tonight’s debate. I missed the first 30 minutes but what I heard seemed to be much of the same topic and discussion over and over again. What would have really helped me is if instead of running UFC 75 after the debate, that they run it throughout the debate. Maybe even in one of those picture in picture kind of things  

Here’s the deal: I’m trying to get into the issues and find out where the candidates stand but I have a problem. Obama comes off as a true “politician” to me sometimes. Like he knows what to say, how to say it, where to look, how to hold his hand, and what to say for me to like him but comes across sometimes like he’s trying to win me over. I heard a few times, ironically an awfully overused Christian saying: walk the walk and talk the talk. Obama (and Clinton for that matter) Talk THE Talk but uh… I just don’t know if I trust him. 

Argh…this is so hard. I wish Big John McCarthy had raised one of their hands at the end of the thing and Bruce Buffer announced a winner for us tonight! Might make things a bit easier for me.

Update: I just went over to www.whoshouldyouvotefor.com and not only do I feel TRULY ignorant but I realize I have much further to go before understanding what I’m talking about. Although I wish they didn’t phrase things like “You would NOT rather be for decriminalization…” um…wait a minute. But they tell me I should vote for McCain.

The Return of The Office! Weight Loss

One of the more enjoyable things I used to do here on my blog was to discuss the funniest show on American television: The Office. 

If you love The Office and all things Office related, stop by on Fridays to discuss/recap/share favorite lines from the previous night’s episode. Here are mine:

Recap:

I don’t know if it’s because it’s been so loong since I’ve had some Jam or Dwangela or Dwangely or Darylly or just MICHAEL that this episode was just that great or if it truly was an episode of greatness! Either way, the hour time length was totally worth it and I loved it! 

We did not have our usual month lag time as if real time has happened since last we touch based with our Office personnel, so that was great! It had hilarious friction between Andy-Angela-Dwight. Hilarious tension between Michael and Holly. It was hilarious! There were some great laugh out loud moments and just some pleasing things happen this episode!

I think what I loved the most was how the camera crew was treated! I think they got more attention in this episode than we’ve seen in entire seasons! I loved Jim giving them the slip and the little winks and nods they got all episode long.

Coming in close second was Holly finding out that Kevin was in fact NOT Mentally Challenged! Oh wow. I wondered how long they could keep that schtick up! It was fun while it lasted though

Obviously, NBC or The Office crew are huge Apple fans! Like the product placement of the iPod for the Christmas episode, the MacBooks got HUGE plugs this episode! 

My stomach turns every time Jan walks in.
My stomach turns every time I see Ryan but at least it makes for laughs.

Here are my thoughts and quotes as I watched. 

Thoughts & Quotes: 

Oh God, Pam and Jim are NOT engaged and Andy and Angela are still engaged! 

Dwight’s nod to the camera crew after “emerging with Angela”

Because Holly is kind of a major dork! – Jim

WOW LOOK AT ALL THOSE APPLES! 

I just bought some bikinis online. Size 2. So…I’m going to look a-mazing! – Kelly

Wait back up. Do you think that I’m retarded? – Kevin

That’s how I sleep at night! – Angela

APPLE PLUG-O-RAMA!

Pam’s talking head via the MacBook Pro!

Look at that goatee! 

I once went 28 years without having sex…and then another 7. – Michael

Obesetity. – Michael! HAHA

OH GET ‘EM JIM! HAHAHA. Tricking the camera crew! That was genius! 

GOOOOO-TEA. – Michael

RACHAEL JUST SCREAMED “MMMM OH MY!!!”

You go Stanley! 

LifeShare Day of Prayer

I guess it could be called LifePrayer maybe? 

I received this in my inbox this morning. I hope you join in with us as we take a break today from meeting online and pray.

As participants in LifeShare today we are committing ourselves to prayer.  Thank you to the early risers who have already covered LifeShare with your prayers during the wee hours. Obviously God is leading every detail of this event and He will lead you to pray accordingly.   Here are some topics that have come to light during our time together to help guide us.

 

• Pray for diligence and creativity in using “our spaces” on the web to make them His spaces
• Pray for the sick, the poor, the orphan, and the widow
• Pray for social injustice, that the crooked path would be made straight
• Pray for government leaders at every level, in every country
• Pray for your circle of influence: For yourself, your family, your friends, and your church
• Pray that online ministry would lead out in “Big C” Church

 

Father God I pray for the person reading this email today. God I thank you so much that they know you and that they are interested and engaged in making You known.  Father I pray for their heart.  I pray that their connection with You would grow stronger today.  Being in Your presence would be the norm and not something that feels distant.  I pray for their family.  For support and unity and encouragement to them and from them.  I pray that those close to them would know you or discover Your grace in the days ahead.  Father fill them with Your joy and bring Your Kingdom to bear in their life.  I pray this in the powerful and healing name of Jesus..

Hello Love Winner!

I finally got around to randomly choosing the winner of my Hello Love Giveaway! So sorry it took so long! Drum roll please.

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THE ORIGINAL MUDPUPPY

It’s ironic actually because I think I got the Random.org idea from you Mud! Thanks everyone for participating. I think the list is great. It’s especially encouraging and I wish I had more than 1 copy to giveaway! 

So check out Random.org and more Hello Love if you’ve seriously been under a rock. This is THE LAST TIME Hello Love gets pimped here at Worship City

Jury Duty Answered Prayer

I find God working in the small things of our lives. If you don’t, perhaps you need to look a bit deeper. 

Since I graduated college and began work in the ‘real world.’ I’ve actually been lured to what most dread: Jury duty! It’s been 5 years since I graduated and no jury duty…until now! I got my summons to appear to the Old State Capitol downtown to potentially serve my 5 days. Ironically, I DREADED IT! It’s budget season here at the church and I have a TON to prepare. My biggest retreat is next weekend (I already have 25 signed up) AND I’m on the worship team that’s playing that weekend so jury duty this week would be disastrous! 

I’m in a conundrum! Do I weasel, lie, phone in favors to get out of jury duty? Do I suck it up and go through with it and then live in utter chaos for the next 5 days?
Well I went through with it and showed up this morning…on time even! It was tempting all the way through the welcome and intro video for me to pop up and give any number of “white lies” that had popped up into my brain as to why I’d be an inappropriate juror. I had some good ones too! Then I simply had a character check. I told God that I did not want to lie or pull strings to get out of this but I really didn’t want to do jury duty this week and despite everything within me to hop up and plead my case, I stayed seated. 

The moderator then proceeded to tell the 100 or so of us in there that we’d be separated into 3 groups. 2/3rds of the room were to continue the process for criminal cases and there was a small group of us to handle the civil case of the week. She asked us to look at our papers and if we had a purple sheet then we are the civil case group. Then these amazing words came out of her mouth: 

And for those who are part of the Civil case, we have no Civil case this week so you are dismissed!

She had to say it twice because we kind of sat there stunned! 

Was it luck that I happened to choose the seat I did that morning? 
Was it luck that I happened to take the top packet that held the purple sheet instead of the bottom packet?
Was it luck that she chose purple as the color for Civil this week?

I don’t believe in luck. I thank God that in this small, trivial way maybe He answered my prayer as I tried to handle this situation with integrity and submission.  

Thank you Jesus.

Jesus Butter – Spread the Love

I must be delirious because somewhere after Los’ live video worship and between Rich’s prayer time and Brandon’s wrap up, I began thinking of how to blog my thoughts and had an image of a banner/logo of a bucket of butter called Jesus Butter with the caption: Spread the Love! 

HAHAHA. I couldn’t concentrate after that. I just kept laughing over and over again Maybe it’s because I hate those canned corny sayings on church billboards that I drive by and this is so great it’s awful!

But here’s the deal: today has been a Jesus jam packed day! And yeah, that’s the corniest thing I’ve said all day but I just don’t care! I love it!

• I return the fun jump at the crack of dawn this morning and swing back to the house to pick up the family and spend all morning at church
• 9AM service – Chloe shows the result of staying up to watch the end of the LSU game after and all day party and sleeps through church with me and Rae
• 10:45 svc – Back in church again with the Youth and then in for Youth discussion and Small Group. 
• Youth highlight – heavy topic about forgiveness! It was great to have students asking questions about forgiveness and how to do it and what it means! 
• Noon – post wedding celebration for our newly married worship leader/associate pastor
• 2:30 – I fall asleep in the lounge chair reading my lesson for Youth for that afternoon
• 3:30 – back to church
• 4pm – kids are arriving and it’s great to see everyone not bummed/burnt out from a hurricane
• 4:31 – Elevation & Impact kick off. Our High school and Middle school ministries (respectively.) Tonight’s talk was on how we’re to handle feelings of regret. David’s affair with Bathsheeba is used an illustration as well as John Mayer’s song My Stupid Mouth. Students again are very candid about discussing how they deal and have dealt with regret in their lives! It is amazing! 
• 5:50 – I take my phone off Airplane mode and get 2 texts back to back. 1 is from a student headed to the ER and 1 is from my wife saying Chloe is throwing up. 
• 5:52 – I end Youth and leave my volunteers in charge while I burn rubber to get home! 
• At home I find a tired and cranky 3 year old but one that is now keeping down some solids. I also get a text that my student is going home tonight so THANK YOU JESUS.
• 8pm – Chloe, Rae, and I tune in to LifeShare live. I introduce Chloe to Brandon on the screen. She keeps asking me to “Talk to him Daddy!” I laugh and tell her that I can’t because he’s on the screen and I have to type to him. She looks and me quite confusedly and turns back to the monitor and goes: “HELLO!” and then back to me as if I’m the 3 year old and she’s the adult! 
• 8:15pm – incredible time of worship with Los and 100+ others online. It’s truly amazing what is happening all over the internet through this movement! Thank you JESUS!!!
• Brandon challenges us to get the name of Jesus out over our various social networks and immediately my iPhone begins vibrating! The twitter network gets saved! Facebook has a revival. Myspace shuts down! HAHAHA. A beautiful thing erupts across the interweb! 
• 10pm – I sit back in the lounge chair quite exhausted and realize it’s been an amazing day. Thank you Jesus! 

What about you? How was your day? What are you spreading around with your time and energy?

Jesus Butter is low in cholesterol and fatty acids. It also helps prevents gum disease and gingivitis. Side effects of Jesus Butter include spontaneous laughter, uncontrollable conviction, undying compassion for the needy, zeal for truth, passionate desire to spread Jesus Butter on others. 

I Think Microsoft Has Had Enough!

I’ve got to say, “Kudos Microsoft.” 

It’s funny and expressive. However, it’s just not as quick and punchy as the Apple ads that spawned this reaction. I will say though, they totally caught my attention! 

You think Steve Jobs would appear in an Apple ad?!?!

LifeShare happening. Join in!

We will meet together at 11:00AM CT HERE today!  Be sure and come with your stories and continue to invite people to experience what LifeShare, the 7 Day online Missional Challenge is all about.

I’ll choose my Hello Love Giveaway during the session. Seems appropriate doesn’t it?

LifeChurch Happening NOW

Where are you?

Get over there NOW!

Click here

I’d just like to update and clarify that NOW actually referred to as 8-8:30ish pm CST. 

But be sure to tune in tomorrow morning at 11am when NOW will happen all over again