A Remarkable Young Lady

Donna and I we're reminded again last evening that we have a most remarkable daughter. We attended an honors symposium where Cassie recieved the Directors award from Rochester College. According to the presenter, this is not an award given out every year, only when an exemplary student is noticed by the faculty. Woo Woo! She was also chosen to perform at the honors recital. She sang a Beethoven piece in German and and Italian piece (can't remember the composer's name). She of course was the best of the performers. Now if only we could get her mother to stay out of the fruit tart tin during the performance (made a little noise). By the way the new "Fruit Tarts" from lifesavers........very tasty.

Style

The following article (in italics) was written by a worship leader named Jami Smith. I agree with what is stated here. I especially appreciate this statement:

A heart in love with God does not need its favorite style of music playing to express itself to God.

By the way, I'm also convicted by this statement. I'm not simply telling you how you should think, I'm mostly telling myself. To be totally honest here, I've grown very weary of the continued debate regarding style. The "not enough hymns", "too many repeated phrases", not enough guitar, the drums are too loud, you don't talk enough, you talk too much, complaints, combined with the expectation of absolute, perfection from the praise teams, choir and sound technicians, .............sometimes ......well........... Read the article.

Will we survive this worship trend? Will we emerge as worshippers of God or trend followers? I am asking God to alert my senses to what is cultural Christianity and what is biblical Christianity. This pursuit is important to me because I want this generation to grow up worshipping God with their lives, but also understanding that music, scripture, art, silence... these things are but tools that remind us that He is the Prize, not these things in and of themselves. We must be careful not to perpetuate a form of legalism, but instead teach others to worship God, not a style, a sound, a worship song, or a worship leader. I want to help teach the body of Christ not to be confused about the purpose of corporate worship. I have unfortunately heard about adults and students saying things like, "I am not going to that conference because this person is leading or this person is not leading," or "I only go to church when he or she leads." Statements like these expose not stylistic preference but heart issues. A heart in love with God does not need its favorite style of music playing to express itself to God. The musical debate continues to rage over traditional versus contemporary. I am so tired of Satan confusing us and getting our eyes off of Jesus. When our attention is so focused on our preference, we abandon the Prize to crusade our style and it becomes idolatry, ultimately, cheating ourselves. Anytime I worship anything other than God, I cheat me. If I enjoy your response to me or my music more than God, I cheat me; if I enjoy music and the emotions it makes me feel more than God, I cheat me; if I enjoy a new song taking shape musically with the band more than I enjoy God, again I cheat me and miss out on the blessings and sheer joy of interacting with the Lover of my soul and the Savior of the world. I pray we will stop wasting time and start focusing our attention and affection on the One who can satisfy. (Psalm 63)

New Music

Glory Revealed: The Word of God in Worship

In the quote below, this album is referred to as rootsy, Americana style. I'm not sure what that means but I like the album so far. The music is acoustic guitar, and fiddle driven. A very interesting, unexpected concept coming from Third Day's Mac Powell.

taken from Lifeway website
The Word of God is more powerful than the pen of man, who better to help write our worship songs? Who better to reveal God’s glory to us than God himself?
This central premise, coupled with the fertile soil of friendship between Mac Powell (Third Day) and speaker/author/minister David Nasser, gave birth to Glory Revealed, a new multi-artist worship project taking lyrics directly from scripture.
"The glory of the Lord is best revealed in His Word," David Nasser passionately explains, "When we begin to dig into the truth that is found in the pages of the bible, we will begin to see His glory revealed."
Powell whole-heartedly agreed and began producing an album with contributing vocals from friends such as Mark Hall of Casting Crowns, Michael W. Smith and David Crowder, just to name a few. The project’s rootsy, Americana style and scriptural content provides a beautiful backdrop for bible study, reflection and worship.

You can click on each of the songs to hear a short clip
Track Listing:
He Will Rejoice
By His Wounds
Waters Gone By – Hyper Static Union's Shawn Lewis
To The Only God – David Crowder and Shane & Shane
Glory Revealed – Candi Pearson-Shelton
Altar Of God – Josh Bates
Come, Worship The King – Michael W. Smith with Shane & Shane
Who Is Like You – Tim Neufeld
Restore To Me – Mac Powell and Candi Pearson-Shelton
You Alone – Brian Littrell

The Gospel

The Gospel is powerful! It is God's remedy for a world where tragedy is a daily news story. Wouldn't the Gospel have changed the outcome of the Virginia Tech story? Wouldn't the Gospel have prevented it altogether?

The thing about the Gospel is that it's GOOD NEWS.

NEWS has to be shared, lived, yelled if necessary!

So.........Which one of us failed to share, live or yell?

Was it me?

Hymns Or Praise and Worship

I thought this was pretty funny. I guess its been around for a while, but I saw it today for the first time.

Not long ago a farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church.
He came home and his wife asked him how it was.
"Well," said the farmer, "It was good.
They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns."
"Praise choruses," said his wife, "What are those?"
"Oh, they're okay. They're sort of like hymns, only different," said the farmer. "
"Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife.
The farmer said, "Well it's like this - If I were to say to you:`Martha, the cows are in the corn,' well that would be a hymn.
If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:
`Martha Martha, Martha, Oh, Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA,
the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows, the white cows, the black and white cows,
the COWS, COWS, COWS
are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn,
the CORN, CORN, CORN,'
Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times,
well that would be a praise chorus."

A Season In Your Path

Have you noticed that God often places certain people in your life for just a short period of time. I had another one of those birthdays just the other day. You know those days that come up once a year to remind you that time is passing by. I know, I'm jumping around. Stay with me! I'm now 45 years old. (this is one of those times when you see something in print and go hmmmm...............I think its the 4 and the 5 together thats bothersome.) For roughly 45 years now, lots of different people have crossed my path. Some are still in my path, most have crossed it and moved on. Wayne Watson has a great song called "A Season in Your Path". Here's the chorus:

Sometimes I think about you
Some old memories make me cry
Remembering the good times makes me laugh
But all in all I’m richer
For the happy and the sad
And I'm thankful for a season in your path

I'm grateful to have had a season in the path of Connie Martin. We paid tribute today to the memory of this wonderful Christian lady. I learned from Connie, that to be kind, really kind.....is of great worth. I learned that your faith should be carried around with you, so that everyone knows about it and doesn't question it when your life here on earth is finished. Most of all I learned that among many jobs God calls us to, we should be affecting, encouraging, praying for, those that God places in our path. Go sing with the choir, Connie!

Donna says:

Donna says that if you spend more than $25 a week at Starbucks, you have a problem.

The way I see: "The Way I See it"

Yes, I know that Starbucks coffee is overpriced and a waste of money. Doesn't change the fact that I like to have a Mocha every now and then. The side of the cup always includes a quote, called "The Way I See It" Here it is"

I used to think that going to the jungle made my life an adventure. However, after years of unusual work in exotic places, I realize that it is not how far off I go or how deep into the forest I walk that gives my life meaning. I see that living life fully is what makes life-anyone's life, no matter where they do or do not go-an adventure. Maria Fadiman

So, living life fully is what makes life an adventure. Is there a spiritual truth here? Does God want us to live a full, adventurous life?............. Well? ............Does He?........
Absolutely! But............
What does it mean to live a full, adventurous Christian life. Now there's a question!
Here's my two cents: A full adventurous Christian life is one lived in relationship with Christ. As a result of that relationship, we will learn to trust him with everything. Maybe this is too simplistic, but then maybe we've made it too complicated. As my friend Shirley Ferrans used to say, "It's all about relationship".
God, please remind me, minute by minute of my need for you. Draw me closer. Make me more like You.

Here's a pic from Easter practice.