Saturday night services

I thought it would be wise to keep a log as things are decided in regards to our churches new Saturday night service. I have been given the honor of heading that up and trying to get it from concept to a worshipful service.

Why we are doing it:

·       Les loves the idea of a “sounding board” for Sunday morning. As we have new ideas and can implement them on Saturday, to take the best received of these and also do them on Sunday. Seems to be great wisdom in that.

·       It’s a service that will have very few hindrances to start. I feel that as we are going to be very judgmental of the services that it won’t be that way long.

·       We will constantly be adjusting things and trying new ideas.  Like:

o       Introduction of new software – EasyWorship 2007 appears to have all the features that we “seem” to need. Currently, we attempt to show a video or integrate it into the slide show with catastrophic results. In my testing, EW fits the bill in that area as well as getting rid of the linear-ness of powerpoint while not making Powerpoint obsolete. It can integrate the slides, their transition, backgrounds, etc right into EW. In fact, it will even allow you to display any of those slides by clicking them as opposed to going in order down and up. If the pastor skips a verse or slide, no need for it to even come up on the screen!

o       Integrating more media content to the service in the form of relevant shorts, worship vids as a call to worship

o       Skits

o       Testimony

o       Guest speakers – Interviews

o       Guest musicians

o       A thought that occurred to me as Mark and I talked was to engage all the senses during the service.

§       Smell - Burn incense? Maybe prior to the service beginning

§       Sight - Videos – Paint the walls

§       Sound - Music

§       Taste – Donuts in the foyer area

§       Touch – Greetings with a holy handshake…or even a hug.

o       Keeping the doors open during the service.

o       Make it very obvious that we are having a service to those passing by.

o       Have the service on the lawn occasionally or maybe a lot!

·       Refocus our target audience to an audience of One instead of catering to a congregation. We want to worship! 

Why am I doing it:

·       I feel a prompting from the Lord to be in service here.

·       It’s exciting.

·       Sometimes I’m not sure. I feel under attack.

·       Because God has gifted me to a certain level. Here’s what I think about that:

o       God has given me many gifts. I feel that gifts are given to be returned to the Lord. Now, I am not exceptional at any 1 thing. It’s been that way my whole life. In most of the things that I do, I become fairly adequate at those things but never excel to the point of “mastery”. Since this is known to me I do not expect NOT to be out done or out performed by someone. I am excited about this concept. As I get something going, if that can be a catalyst for someone that IS a master at something to step up, I feel that I have done my job. For example, in a startup church I was in, there was a need for a guitarist. I have been playing guitar for years and am adequate at playing. However, as we grew, a real guitarist stepped up and took over. It was great to be a part of and an awesome experience to have. Now, that is not to say that I won’t give it my best and have great expectations as I believe it’s possible. I will also endeavor to be a master at what it is that I am doing. So, it’s like the apprentice working his way to master. I don’t know if I’ll ever arrive at anything. But, I desire to.

I am sure I’ll have more posts to follow as time goes on!

It's great to have brothers

If you know me, you know that my parents did not bear 2 son's into their family. They first begat me, then my sister. No physical family member brother. The brother I refer to is a brother in Christ. While I know that being part of the body of Christ means that I have a ton of brothers...it's not typical that anyone really ACTS like one.

Yesterday, I was vomitting my angst and concerns to one of these brothers. Typically, I don't expect much afterward. Very few have ever hung in there with me in an honest attempt to love me as they love themselves. Honestly, I can see how difficult I can make that. Realisticly, I struggle doing to others as I would have done to me. But, this morning I see an email pop up from the same vomit receiving brother. An email of prayer and encouragement.

Thank you God for the heart of that man! Thank you for the talent you've given him and the work that he does. It is a great example of how the body should be and I pray the I have learned a life altering thing in what was done.

What do you think "living life" is?

I know a lady that is in her mid 20’s. She spends from early morning to evenings boldly pursuing her career. She is very helpful to all the people that she meets. Then, in the evening she is going to graduate courses to attain a masters degree.

I see “homeless” on the side of the street begging for money all day. They struggle to find the busiest intersections to hold their signs. I haven’t seen many that make eye contact…I see fewer in cars that pass by making eye contact with them.

I am constantly running about to soccer practices and fencing lessons trying to maintain some balance in life.

So, who’s living life? Who has received life abundantly in those 3 examples. What is abundant life to you?

one of those days

It’s been one of those days for a few days now. Today was the “last straw”. It seemed that everything that could possibly be screwed up, was. There was nothing major…but a culminating of small things that lead us to complacency and minor disobedience. It’s definitely something that I have let go too long.

Man, sometimes it seems the joy escapes me.

My something fun

I get to play in a mini-worship-concert type event for a friends church in a couple of weeks. We have had several practices and it's been fun attempting to stretch myself with these guys. They are all good musicians so it's been nerve racking to a degree. But, beyond good musicians they are patient and diligent. Each of them plays more than one instrument and are trained in music...I have been really impressed with them. Of course, 2 of them have played or are currently drummers...good drummers. I can feel the scrutiny!!! Lol. Actually, they are good to make suggestions or give a count off on the uniquely timed songs. One of the guys even taught me rudiment drills for drumming. I guess they are just happy someone else is playing drums. ;-) I also get to play guitar on a few as well...it's just been a blast!

Practices are very specific, direct and thorough. It remind me of the old days with community bible church! (I was the worst musician there too!)

Anyway, this post probably wasn't worth 2 posts of the hype. But, it is to me. I am loving it....

Oh, the fun stuff

Before I get to that, honey and I bought some new furniture yesterday. Just doing our part in economy stimulation. ;-) I am actually excited that we got it!! I really like the way it looks and hope thay it works well for our family. It's microfiber so I am worried about static electricity...but, we'll see!

The blasted water heater is acting up again. I have about had it. God has blessed us...perhaps for just such an occassion!

Great friends and fun pics. Recently, some friends have hired me out for photos. It's been fum getting back in the swing of pitcher takin.

I'll get to the fun stuff next post!

Fun for me...

Be4 I get to the fun for me I have a true story to tell.



The other day we were having pizza. Homemade, from scratch, best pizza ever. Every once in a while I get a hankerin' for some hot sauce on it. This was one of those times. However, I am not like my father in law. He coats his in jalepenos and needs a towel to wipe away the sweat! I am a lite weight when it comes to hot sauce. My favorite sauce is the Sriracha...or something like that...it's got a drawing of a rooster on it, but what sets it apart from all the other sauces and such is its green lid. You twist it and squeeze the goodness out.

Well, since I am the only on that uses it, it lasts quite a while and "sometimes" there's goop on the top that keeps the yummy goodness from coming out of the bottle. Again, this was one of those times. Since I am a lite weight user I just put a dab or 2 on the edge of my plate and dip the pizza in it...this time as I squeezed I was meet with resistance. I shook the bottle a bit and squeezed again, nothing. Finally, I started to bear down on it. Yeah, I am the man.

Instantaneously, the bottle was defeated. I had my way as the sauce exited the bottle. However, considering the blockage did not completely surrender, the stream of spicy goodness was misdirected. It was misdirected at about 270 degrees. In an instant 4 ounces of skin melting spicy goodness shot directly to my right. Unfortunately, that is where my sweet 2nd oldest daughter sits. In my shock I look in the direction of the high velocity squirt... She had caught it, right in the eye. It took a few seconds for the burnination to begin....she streaked to the bathroom and washed it for 5 minutes trying to diffuse the burning. Between the screams we could only decipher 2 words...IT .... BURNS....

She, as always, came back in the room giggling...and in good spirits.

What an unfortunate loss of some good hot sauce! ;-)

More on my fun later!!

Is it really a good idea?

I know this guy that is a super outstanding dude....he has an amazing story. See, his mom and dad were both very abusive physically and verbally to him and his brothers and sisters. While his brothers and sisters have dabbled in questionable activities and struggle consistently with abuse of their own family etc..., this man remained steadfast and has become a valiant warrior for the Lord.

So, here's my plan, we put alchoholic abusive parents in every household since there has been such a good result with this guy...

Yeah, I hear you. Pretty stupid. But don't we all do that with our own circumstances? Don't we think that our own experiences and successes would work for everyone? Obviously, I super exaggerated the story above, but the principle is the same. When I hear success stories of people in certain scenarios and hear how they support it because of that, it always makes me wonder. My primary question is, have we stoopified the miracles such as this story and made them commomplace or, in our efforts try to formulize our experiences to apply them to others and think that the outcomes will be the same, removed the Spirit's work? It's not that I think that we can thwart God's will, but I do think that He is never confined nor conformed to our ways of doing things and if we are too proud, He will pass us by.

I don't see in scripture any pattern that supports the copying of successes for the same blessings that were received.. The only consistencies that I see is the petitioning to God. The way He answers is His own for His own good. His ways are not ours and His thoughts are so far above ours that it would be silly to try to formulize things like that.

I would say that there is nothing that guarentees blessings based on anyone elses success or failure. Each blessing or answer or acknowledgement from the Lord, in my opinion, should be considered miraculous...

You don't follow your heart, you lead it.

My title is a quote from the movie Fireproof.

This morning at 4:30 am, I heard my not yet 2 year old scream from his bedroom, "NOOOO!". Then, I heard him thrashing around some in his bed. Then, silence. He had apparently dreamed something and verbalized his frustration outside his dream. This is an area where we are working with him now. He tends to want to exert his authority...Funny thing is, he doesn't have any.

As I was laying there wondering what I should do, I was overwhelmed with thoughts about the work I have at hand. No, not get up in the morning and drive to my place of employment kind of work, but the REAL work, the REAL life. Don't get me wrong, being at work is real...and I really try to work. But, rarely do the matters of the heart and life manifest themselves there. So, what work am I talking about?

Husband, Dad, Friend, Witness...

I am sure there should be an order to that list, but that's not what I am talking about now.

Each of these takes work. Fireproof did a great job in illustrating the work of not being selfish, the work of love, the work of commitment. If we become lazy in any of those areas, the other must pick up the slack lest the marriage go down the drain. It's actually a movie "worth" watching. Is the work worth it? Is it hard to serve?

I have posted in the past about "A little folding of the hands". Have you ever thought about the implications? Earlier when I was talking about my son, I was able to reason that he probably wasn't really mad at anybody that time of the day. But, it appears that his whole life right now is "Noooooo!". If I were to ignore his demands for correction, would I be being faithful? Isn't it interesting how it all ties together? The work that we have to do, (and do correctly) benefits the one we work for, which may be a blessing to the Lord as we are obedient, that may even come back to the worker...

So, if I get up (do the work) when my son is throwing a tantrum and chasten him (my work in raising a godly seed)..He is sad and I am sad...He eventually learns (Lord willing). But, that's not the end. As he grows, he understands that I am being faithful to the Lord as he is learning to be faithful and obedient to an earthly father. He understands honoring his father and his mother and does so. He comes to understand our faith and the work we did. He then listens to the real Father for the work He has for him. That blesses me.

Of course, doing it for the last sentence is the wrong reason and I don't think I do that. I would think that the primary reason I tend to do what I do is because I don't like the results that I have seen from those that didn't do that work. Although God's grace and mercy override EVERYTHING...jee whiz, I could go on for ever here....I'll move on.

Hebrews 12:4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “ My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”[a]7 If[b] you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

I think that says it better anyway.

In any case, we have a work in every aspect of relationship....don't grow weary...just grow. (easier said than done, eh?)

Nathanael and Philip

So, Nathanael was fairly skeptical of the Messiah, especially being from Nazareth..but Philip was persistent. “Come and see!”

“Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” said Jesus as Nathanael approached.

I wonder what happened under that fig tree where Jesus said He saw Nathanael. That very statement proved to good ol’ Nate that Jesus was whom He said He was since Nathanael believed immediately after hearing that.

Ok, so here are a few observations..

1.      Philip was a great witness. Insisting to a skeptic to “come and see”… I am thinking I need more of that in me.

2.      Jesus proved in less than 2 sentences that He was the son of God. He knows us intimately..would he say of me “Behold, I see no deceit in you dad of the taggs?” Would he say it to you? Do you even care?

3.      Are we doing things in private to be seen only by God? How often do you visit your fig tree? I don’t visit it enough.

4.      How sweet it would be to hear encouraging words from Jesus….