Exploring Worship

I have been on a journey of sorts lately. The path began through crisis and has continued as a result of the comfort offered to me by our Savior and my increasing desire to know more of Him. Exactly who is Jesus and how does He want us to worship Him? Being raised in the church - by a pastor, no less - I am very clear on the procedures expected in church regarding worship. I am becoming more aware of how little "expected church worship" resembles what worship looks like in the Bible. Worship is a constant activity. It needs to be as much a part of our lives as breathing.

But, it isn't.

When was the last time we fell to our knees, overcome by the presence of God? When was the last time we danced for Him? Do we even shed tears for Him anymore? We don't worship Him like that because we don't really believe He is who He says He is. Read some of the Psalms David wrote; read first and second Samuel. Place yourself in David's situation; make his words personal. His resolute confidence in God is mind-blowing and I find myself ashamed and moved to tears at the same time.

We limit God's influence in our lives by keeping him boxed up at church, with a small, snack-sized helping of him stashed in our Bibles if the need arises. What would our churches look like if they were filled with people who truly worshiped?

John Randall Dennis has some important thoughts on this subject. Here's an excerpt:

"Similarly, our box labeled 'worship' hardly resembles the worship of the Old Testament and early church. The modern-day church has reduced the word to mean 'praise and worship music'. If you don’t believe me, ask the average Christian about how the 'worship' was at his church last Sunday and he will rattle on about the music. While music is a wondrous tool for worship, it is not itself worship per se. Our churches miss so much if music is the only thing in our 'worship box'. This must be not only admitted by us as church musicians, but must be taught by us until we really believe it."

You can read his whole article here:

link: Worship "Un-boxed"

Catching Up in The Word

I need to confess something. I did not read my Bible every day over this Thanksgiving week. The distractions offered by our vacation were more than I could resist, so I'm getting caught up now. I read four days worth of Bible readings today and I'm glad I did. I read a passage that I was not ready to hear until this weekend. Psalm 119:65-80.

This passage reminds me that God does not waste any of our experiences, even the bad ones. I've had a few bad experiences recently and I know God is using them for my good. He has done for me just what this passage says, humbled me and drawn me close to His side through seeking Him in scripture and through prayer. And he has shown His love tangibly to me through His children. Thanks, guys. You know who you are.

As I approach the end of this small valley I have been walking through, I find myself identifying with David as he wrote, "My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees."

I only want to follow Him and the best way to do that is by staying very, VERY, close to Him. Because we live in a fallen world, walking close to Christ is very likely to mean walking alone much of the time. It also means that others will be critical (see Psalm 119:69-70) and will attempt to discredit me. That is something I will simply have to accept. I like it when everyone likes me, but not at the cost of my friendship with Christ.

That means there will likely be people in the church who don't think very highly of me, as well. Pleasing God is different than pleasing the local church. And saying no to church stuff is a quick way to ruffle a few hen feathers. I am a church gal and want to be a team player in my local congregation in whatever way is helpful. But I am weary of doing church for the sake of doing church. That is a whole other issue, though, and one I'm not quite ready to tackle. But get ready. That conversation is coming up soon!

Again, I digress. Sorry. My point is that God disciplines those He loves. He uses all experiences to mature us and draw us to Him. It is a comfort that no pain we experience is ever wasted. He wants to use it all, scrape the bottom of the bowl of our heartache, and use every last drop of it to bless us in some way. What a mysterious God we serve. What other religions would consider punishment, God uses as a blessing. What an amazing thought!

Make 'em Glad You Came!

I'm away from my computer for the day, but I found some helpful advice to get us all through the Thanksgiving weekend with with our dignity and friendships intact. If you will be visiting someone over this weekend, do them and yourself a favor and check out this link:

link: Be a Good House Guest

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

Hats off to the Varsity Football Coach at my daughter's school. Doug Barnett was put in a situation where his character was truly revealed.

He found out one of his football players was, due to a technicality, not eligible to play on the team. No one would have ever known if he had kept the information to himself. Instead, he called the CIF commissioner and shared what he had discovered. One of his players had repeated the 10th grade before he transferred to BCHS, making him a 5th year senior. The young man did not know he needed a waiver to play, so he never sought one out. It was simply a paperwork issue.

Being forthcoming with the truth cost the team all the wins of the season. Why didn't he just keep the information to himself? In Coach Barnett's own words,

"... that's not what you do when you live, play and work for an audience of one who ultimately knows all that we do, says Barnett. And it's not what you do when you've preached from day one that admitting when you're wrong is a measure of one's true character."

There is nothing more wonderful than knowing my children are not simply being taught reading, writing and arithmetic. They are being led by people of character, living for an audience of One.

If you'd like to read the article in its entirety, here's the link. But be quick about it, the newspaper in our town tends to archive stuff pretty quickly. They also may ask you to register to read the article. Sorry about that. It's free, though.

link: Why being a good sport still matters

The Holiness of Prayer

In our Bible study this week at church, we are studying Colossians 4:2-18. The first verse in this passage is one worth considering, especially in light of the holiday we are about to celebrate:

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. ~ Col 4:2
I decided to look up the word translated as thankful in this verse. It is transliterated from the original Greek as eucaristia. This is the same root used in the word Eucharist, which is a term used for the sacrament of Holy communion.

The connection of the words we use, thankful and Eucharist surprised me. But, as I consider that information as I read Colossians, 4:2, it clarifies the significance of the act of prayer for me. The sacraments I observe in my protestant church are Baptism and Communion. But, when I look up the word sacrament in the dictionary, it is defined as, first, Holy communion. But the fourth definition is, "something regarded as possessing a sacred character or mysterious significance."

When I consider what God's word tells us about prayer, how He hears us no matter where we are, it blows my mind. I can't fully comprehend it. It is mysterious and significant. How often do I pray my laundry list of isues and requests, with the acceptable solutions of course, like I'm going over a list of chores over the phone with my kids. Prayer is not humdrum, everyday stuff. He hears us when we call, no matter where we are or what our attitude is. Why does He bother to listen to my whiny stuff?

The only answer I have is,

Jesus Loves Me,
This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.

And that is the mystery of Grace.

Upstream Fashion

link: Up Stream Girl

Any Mom who has taken her daughter shopping for clothes in the past few years is well aware of the challenges we face finding appropriate clothing for our daughters to wear.

I found a company doing something about it. It is called Up Stream Girl. This is a small, family-run business, that is providing a realistic alternative to what is passing for "fashion" at your local mall.

They donate a portion of all sales to pro-life causes, too! AND they are having a sale right now! This business is new, so their selection is a bit limited. But, if they are supported, they can expand their business into something super-great! The clothes they sell are fashionable, not dowdy. Give their site a look!

Fall is Here

November is my favorite month of the year!

Here in California, especially in the San Joaquin Valley, our seasons might not seem to change as dramatically as some other parts of our beloved country. But there are subtle changes. For one, I am not drenched in sweat, wondering why on Earth I live here. I have actually worn my jacket all day! I love it when there is a fresh nip in the air, and the chill has either killed off all the bugs or forced them into hiding. I would have to know more about science than I do to know which. Anyway. I want to enjoy this beautiful weather. Here are a few things I found online to help us celebrate.

A fall-themed online game, suitable for preschoolers or more mature folk with some time on their hands, here.

A plethora of fall-themed online jigsaw puzzles. I love these! link

A fall quiz, to take on your own or test yourself against a friend, here.

How do you celebrate Fall where you live? I'd love to know!

Not Just Covered

On day 9 of my quest to read the Bible through in one year, I wanted to share something I have discovered anew. Partially, this was pointed out to me in a book I am reading. The book is wonderful, controversial, and I'll tell you all about it when I'm done. The point was confirmed in my Bible reading for today.

Hebrews 9:28. "Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him."

Why do we live our lives as though Christ's death and resurrection paid the price for our sins/covered our sins and that was it? His sacrifice TOOK AWAY our sins! That means there is no reason to go back and revisit them because they no longer exist! If you have confessed your sins to God and asked for forgiveness through the gift of Jesus' sacrifice for you on the Cross, then to God those events never happened. Never. If you feel like you don't have a right to say anything to anyone because your past is so ugly even though you have asked God to forgive you, then you are calling God a liar. You are saying His Word isn't true. Jesus died to take those sins away, not to hide them. They are not lurking around in a back closet or under a carpet somewhere, waiting for God to thrust them in your face when you annoy him. They will not be displayed for everyone to see when we get to Heaven, either. They are G.O.N.E.

What a liberating truth, don't you think?!

Supermodel Deception

link: Campaign for Real Beauty video

These photos are of the same woman. Seriously! Hats off to Dove's Campaign For Real Beauty for putting this film together. It shows how they transform this lovely, regular-looking woman into a supermodel. I wish every young woman could see this. Even supermodels don't look like supermodels! I won't rant and rave about the twisted, sexualized standards some women believe they need to live up to, but it really bugs me.

When God made us, He thought us up! We were His idea! He made us exactly the way He wants us to be. Why isn't that enough? Truthfully, because we were not made for this planet, that's why. When we allow ourselves to become caught up in what this world values, we will always be led astray and we will never measure up because the prince of this world makes it his goal to keep you focused on superficial things. Those things are a distraction. If you are already a Christian, satan wants to keep you from sharing the message of Salvation with others. Plus, if you focus on your inadequacies, you will never experience the joy of your salvation until you get to heaven. If you are not yet a Christian, he wants to keep you focused on finding satisfaction in the approval of others. If he's successful, you'll never know the freedom you could have when you are adopted in to the family of God.

Newsflash: You will never measure up to any standard on this planet. Satan will keep "upping the ante" for as long as it takes to keep you from making a difference in eternity. If you believe your value lies in how you look or who likes you, you have set your sights too low. Do you want to know who thinks you do measure up? Read about how God sees you. Here's a hint: He thinks you're marvelous just the way you are! Watch the video and tell me what you think.

Hmmm...so much for not ranting and raving. Oh, well. I yam what I yam.

My Spice Drawer

In preparation for the Holiday Baking Marathon of 2006, I spent some time this weekend taking inventory of my spices and cleaning out the two drawers where my spices live, so to speak. I know spices don’t literally live, as in they don’t breathe or grow or anything like that. However, they do reside in my drawers and “reside” is a synonym of “live.” So if not literally, they figuratively live in those drawers.

But I digress….

The aforementioned spice drawers were a mess. I actually found three jars of Sage in there. Sage! I use that spice once, maybe twice a year to make stuffing. And Cinnamon! I found one big warehouse store jar and a dollar store bottle of the stuff. Plus, there was a bottle of cinnamon-sugar I sometimes use to make cinnamon toast. I could bake every day for a year and not use up all that Cinnamon! Does anyone but me own a jar of Mace? I don’t have the foggiest idea when or why I bought Mace, of all things. And exactly what is White Pepper, anyway? Why does anyone need White Pepper?

I ended up tossing the trendy stuff and the old stuff. I dusted off the jars of the rest, rinsed out the drawers, and put everything back in a more organized, pleasing arrangement. All of my standards – Pepper, Salt, Garlic Powder, Basil and Cinnamon – are easily found. Now I won’t be making duplicate purchases of essential items I already have. I have some lesser-used spices. These are not essential, but are fun to add interest to meals from time to time.

I have recently discovered a few spice blends that perk up our meals, but even these new favorites have significant amounts of the basic spices I love in them. None of them contain anything too trendy that will simply sit on the shelf, wasting space until they are old enough to justify tossing them.

As I was admiring my freshened spice area, a thought came to me. My spice drawer is a lot like the church. The basics, God’s Word, Love and Prayer, are essential, but can sometimes get lost when trendy worship ideas are carelessly tossed in. This is especially true when trendy styles don’t have the basics of Worship as their core ingredients. I’ve seen my share of trendy, “seeker-friendly,” watered-down services. At first blush this approach can seem like a great idea. Don’t turn people off by reminding them of sin and hell. Focus on the feel-good parts of our faith and they will be more likely to come back. But what will they come back to? Another service filled with spiritual half-truths? Because, if all we share with the lost world is God is Good, that really is only part of the story. God is also Just, and the wages of sin is death. If we refrain from telling the whole truth we are lying to people who are destined for hell without Jesus, just like I was. Just like my pastor was. Just like we all are!

However, just like I have found some new blends to keep in my spice drawer for my family to enjoy, there are wonderful new blends of worship that can bless the family of God, His Church. When the central ingredients of worship are unchanged, kept pure, we can add all sorts of elements that enrich worship experiences for all who hunger for more of Him. Music, from contemporary to classical, when lifted up to magnify God, fills me with a sense of closeness to Him that I rarely find anywhere else other than during my private prayer time. New Bible translations have made the Word of God more accessible to those of us who can be intimidated by all of those thee’s and thou’s found in older translations. I’m obviously partial to the New Living Translation.

I guess what I am saying is we can all take a lesson on worship from my spice drawer. Honor the basics of our faith; the Bible, love, prayer. Give them primary importance in your worship. Trendy stuff that has nothing to do with the basics might be fun to try, but will never sustain you. New blends of worship, when grounded in the basics, can be a great benefit by adding freshness to our time of community worship, but should never take the place of the essentials.

I don’t mean to sound frivolous. If this entry offends, please accept my apologies as such an affect was never my intention. I am beginning to grow more comfortable with the idea that God uses everything for His good, even spice drawers. If He has something He wants to tell me, I want to hear it and share it; even if it is done in a context that is a bit unconventional. That is the way I learn best anyway! Any thoughts?

A Secret Revealed

I have spent the last few days keeping a secret. Initially, I planned to disclose it right away. Once I considered what I had learned in its entirety, however, I selfishly decided to enjoy the delicious information privately for a time. I have revisited my favorite tidbits over and over again, as one might enjoy a hidden box of chocolates piece-by-piece, until it is discovered by someone else. Then it becomes only right to share. Besides, eating a whole box of chocolates alone is never as much fun as sharing it with someone you love. Being a lover of anything fun, I am ready to reveal what I have kept under wraps until this moment.

I have found a treasure. It is something which filled me with a sense of community, concern, joy, anger, laughter, hunger and a comforting feeling of fullness, both physically and spiritually. The best part, though, is the way it gently kissed me with hope. The secret blessing came in the form of a book written by one of my favorite authors, Lisa Samson. Her newest work, Straight Up, is the source of my delight.

Georgia Bishop and Fairly Godfrey are cousins who both face loss at an age when no one should. Straight Up chronicles their individual journeys to healing their broken places and moving forward, fully aware of God’s grace and active presence in their lives. Along the way we are introduced to an interesting cast of characters. Clarissa is a girl sorely in need of God’s provision. Her story mingles with theirs in a way that only becomes clear as Georgia and Fairly’s stories unfold. Uncle Geoffrey plays a pivotal role in both of their lives. Through him we meet an eclectic clan, each with their own painful pasts, who have found a way to steep themselves in the healing waters of God’s grace enough to forgive themselves, forge ahead, and offer that same grace to others. Enjoying meals together plays a central role in their relationship with each other. It is not possible to read through some of the passages in this book without wishing you could try Della-Faye’s Fried Chicken and Cobbler, Uncle Geoffrey’s Lamb Curry or even Jonah’s Groundnut Stew. When they meet for these meals, they also take the time to observe communion together.

I will never look at communion in the same way after reading this book. The sacrament often moves me to tears; the mere thought of Jesus suffering and dying like He did -to save me, nonetheless- can overwhelm me. Fairly becomes aware of another aspect of Christ’s crucifixion to consider, though. She realizes, “He didn’t just die to save me from something. He died to give me something, too.” Oh, how true that is! He gave us life and the liberty to live it under His grace, His forgiveness. We don’t have to merely trudge through life, limited by the poor choices we have made. We can live blameless, exciting lives because we are forgiven!

Ultimately, that is what Straight Up is all about. God gives us many opportunities to do joyous, amazing things that honor Him and bless us. Whether or not we capitalize on those opportunities is up to us. As Georgia and Fairly learn, God has a plan for each of us. Actually, He has multiple plans. If we make the wrong choice with one opportunity, He will always offer us another. We have a hope and a future no matter what our past might contain.

Georgia’s story is laced together by her love of Jazz. She is an incredible Jazz musician, as was her mother. The lives of many Jazz greats serve as encouragement and caution to Georgia as she struggles to find her way to being able to forgive past hurts and accept the peace God wants to offer her.

Fairly uses her beauty and artistic talent to keep people at arm’s length. She focuses her energy on decorating homes and looking beautiful. For her, superficial relationships are safer than investing emotionally in someone who might not always be around for her. This way, there is less chance of being hurt.

After reading the last sentence of this book, I needed to be still and celebrate God’s determination to never give up on me. He is so good to always provide a way when there seems to be no way. He doesn’t only give hope, He is Hope! Our past does not have to limit our ability to live abundant lives. If I learned anything from Georgia and Fairly it is that our determination to grab a hold of the opportunities God lays in our laps will reap rewards not solely in eternity, but for us here. Now! We have to take chances, get messy and risk our emotional selves to reap those rewards. I hope you can forgive me for keeping such an encouraging book to myself for a short time. Now that the secret is out, do yourself a favor and read Straight Up, by Lisa Samson. It goes great with chocolate!