August 2007

sometimes i’m more neal. other times i’m more del.

neal page = uptight, responsible, little patience for someone more “needy,” feels that the world is against him

del griffith = funloving, eccentric, masks his loss and loneliness behind humor, means well but can be draining

“those aren’t pillows!”

cc posted a blog on our family site with a video of darby running through all of her words. this is a fun time, watching her learn how to speak. she has such a cute voice, and the way she calls our dog “Uhhta” instead of “Utah” is priceless to me!

i love darby’s developing voice.

what i most looked forward to during our three-full-term-pregnacy-long wait for darby, was finding out what her voice would be like. sure - the tone, the inflections, the physical voice. but beyond that, her voice.

how will her voice develop?

what will capture her heart as she matures into a thinking person? what will be so important to her that she can’t help but speak it out in whatever sphere of influence she is given? what passions and values will be shaped in her?

it’s AWESOME to hear darby’s little voice as she works to master her first words. how much more gratifying will it be to hear her voice as it develops.

series: above ground
message: peace

worship setlist:

“bless his name” by vineyard music (cd “more than ever”)
“marvelous light” by charlie hall (cd “flying into daybreak”)
*new song - “the highest and the greatest” by tim hughes (cd “holding nothing back”)
“mighty to save” by hillsong (cd “mighty to save”)
“the beauty of your peace” by tim hughes (cd “when silence falls”)

i just have to say that tim hughes’ cd “when silence falls” is one of my top worship albums ever. great songs, great sequence, start to finish.

this is similar to a previous post, but i’m trying to get at something bigger here…

how do you measure a community’s growth in worship over time?

first of all, by worship, i mean more than how engaged are they in the music portion of the service, although it’s tough not to focus on that because it’s such a primary method for worship.

i guess what i want to know is how i can determine how well i’m accomplishing the task that i’m given as a worship pastor. in short, i feel that my role as worship pastor is to lead people into a growing, deepening, more vibrant personal connection with God. obviously i can’t accomplish that completely. only the Spirit can draw people to God. i feel that my part is to help create an environment that is conducive for that to happen. i can lead by example.

but how do i know if that is actually happening?

there are clues in the moment, like singing, clapping, lifting hands, etc. there is feedback after services, like “i like that song” or sometimes even better, “i felt close to God in worship today”. but i’m trying to look at it from a broader, longer-term perspective.

what should be different in our community a year from now that will be evidence that we’ve grown in our worship life?

what are the markers along the journey that help me know that we’re headed in the right direction?

i’d love to get your thoughts…..

series: above ground
message: joy

worship set:
“all over the world” by matt redman (cd “passion 05: how great is our god”)
“glorious one” by steve fee (cd “burn for you”)
“holy is the lord” by chris tomlin (cd “arriving”)
“o worship the king” by chris tomlin (cd “passion: hymns ancient and modern”)
“our love is loud” by david crowder band (cd “can you hear us?”)
“friend of god” by israel houghton and michael gungor (various recordings)

the opposite of joy is not sorrow, but hopelessness.

eventually, i’ll get back to some more serious postings….

i’ve had a brookstone gift certificate for more than two years now. at the two year mark i started losing $2.00 per month off of the card. finally, two weeks ago, c.c. convinced me to go in and spend it before i lost any more credit.

i bought an electronic sudoku game, which i used quite a bit on our vacation last week.

after that purchase, i still had a few dollars credit. i couldn’t get it back in cash (i asked). so i picked up the brookstone “silent snooz”. it’s this rubber nose-ring-looking contraption that is supposed to open up your airways and keep you from snoring.

the idea is simple. silent snooz will pinch your nose causing no small amount of discomfort. the discomfort will keep you awake. staying awake will prevent you from snoring.

why didn’t i think of this?

i’m trying out virb.com.

look me up.

have you been simpsonized?

it was good to be back today after missing last sunday because of vacation.

series: above ground
message: love

worship set:
“all because of jesus” by steve fee (cd “burn for you”)
“bless his name” by vineyard music (cd “more than ever”)
“o worship the king” trad. arr. by chris tomlin (cd “passion: hymns ancient and modern”)
“majestic” by lincoln brewster (cd “all to you…live”)

we used a clip from comedian, brian regan, to set up the message. love that guy.

a bit late with this one….

chris and the band led last sunday while my family and i were on vacation.

new series: above ground

jonathan gave the intro message. the kingdom of god is like a mustard seed. starts small but eventually takes over the garden. it’s said to be recognized by its fruit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

worship set:
“rooftops” by desperation band (cd “from the rooftops”)
“all to you” by lincoln brewster (cd “all to you….live”)
“bless his name” by vineyard music (cd “more than ever”)
“endlessly” by desperation band (cd “who you are”)
“you are the one” by lincoln brewster (cd “all to you…live”)

my family is enjoying some downtime with my folks in scott, ar. scott is just outside of little rock. my father is semi-retired, and is pastor of this church.

while i have plenty of downtime, i’m following in the footsteps of my friends, dale and george, and working towards getting one of these for “free” as a gift for my wife, using this site.

i’ll let you know if and when i’m successful and exactly how “free” it ends up being when it’s all said and done.