The Spiritual Discipline of Prayer and Fasting

OK, I said yesterday that I’d tell you why I’m doing such a preposterous thing as talking about my fast. I had always thought you should do everything in your power NEVER to let people know when you are fasting, so I’m VERY uncomfortable doing this, but when this Q and A from Today’s Christian online magazine came to me, it seemed to be God’s direction and I’m AFRAID to disobey, although speaking about it is so humbling and scary that it makes me want to cry. Here’s what the article said:

Q: God has done some amazing things in my life as a result of fasting and prayer. I want to share with others what He has done and give Him the glory. But in the Gospel of Matthew, it says we're not to let others know when we fast. I never tell anyone—except my husband—when I'm actually on a fast. Is it okay to talk about it after the fact?

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A: As you have discovered, fasting is a very important spiritual discipline. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament offer many examples of believers seeking God through fasting and prayer. In the verse you're referring to, Jesus says, "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. … But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father … and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matt. 6:16-18). If you look at the context of this passage, you'll see that Jesus was rebuking the Pharisees for boasting about their spirituality—fasting for no other reason than to show how devout they were.

Jesus certainly wasn't forbidding teaching on fasting—or sharing your experiences with others for the purpose of testifying to the power of God and how you have seen Him work through this spiritual discipline in your life. (Think about it: The reason we know about fasting is because of the men and women in Scripture who shared their experiences!) Just make sure that your boast is in the Lord, that your motive is not to draw attention to yourself or impress people. One way to keep spiritual pride in check is to share honestly and openly about your failures, as well as your successes.
Remember that there's no one-size-fits-all formula when it comes to practicing the spiritual disciplines. What God chooses to do in your life through fasting may be different from what He chooses to do in another's life. Some things God speaks to your heart are just between you and Him. And some things are most definitely meant to be shared for the benefit of others.
Ask God to keep your heart and your motives pure. Seek His direction for how and when and what to share. Then give Him all the glory you can with your testimony of His life-changing power.

Then the first thing this morning, I got comfort from this in my daily Bible reading (I was a day behind, mentees!)--

“In a couple of days we’ll feel better,
By the third day he’ll have made us brand-new.
Alive and on our feet,
Fit to face him.
We’re ready to study God,
Eager for knowledge.
As sure as the sun breaks,
So sure is his daily arrival.
He comes as rain comes,
As spring rain refreshing the ground.”

So maybe I'll feel better about it tomorrow, and maybe by the third day of "studying God," I'll feel brand-new and refreshed, and my fears will turn out to be unfounded. If not, I'll at least know I obeyed, and that's all that really matters. It could be worse--God used to make the prophets do all kinds of weird things, so comparatively, this isn't TOO bad. I really need a lot of God's peace, though.

My "lessons" actually began yesterday. A Coal Hill woman who sometimes comes to church called and said they (her husband is disabled) were out of food, which happens to poor people the end of the month. I was babysitting, but I said I'd bring her a few things this morning. Last night I was whining to God I didn't really want to do that because I wanted to spend the whole day with him, not get dressed and go somewhere. Well, guess what scripture passage immediately popped into my head? Isaiah 58 (this is from The Message)--This is the kind of fast day I’m after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of the exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I’m interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once! Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, God will answer. You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, "Here, I am!" If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people’s sins; if you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight. I will always show you where to go. I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places – firm muscles, strong bones. You’ll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry.

So I told Joe what I was going to do, and I went with his blessing. He just told me not to give them money, which I wouldn't have since I suspect drugs may be part of their problem. The guy told me he was going to come to church Sunday, but I'm not holding my breath. I mainly did it just for God and Angie. Angie came out and I hugged around on her the best she'd let me. Dang it, she's just 7, and she deserves better.

Back to Isaiah, I kept reading past chapter 58 and got some direction from Chapter 61, too! It said, and I've always LOVED this chapter since I memorized it (in the NIV) doing Beth Moore's study, Breaking Free--

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated...And you will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God. God used that passage to confirm to me that one of the focuses of my praying for the next three days is The Well. I need to pray for all aspects of our recovery ministry, and especially for Spring, who is the primary "minister of God" for it.

Another thing that keeps coming to my mind is that I'm entering a time of "voluntary weakness" for the purpose of praying for the renewed strength and health of 3 of my young mentees who have been experiencing various physical problems. God knows I am willing to take their pain on myself, if he chooses to let me carry it (he can do anything, you know!), but at the very least, I need to be fervently praying God's healing on them.

Hey, does all this make me sound like I'm some kind of a great pray--er? On the contrary, probably the only reason I have to fast and maybe you don't is because I'm such a BAD pray-er. But I've got a grandbaby coming in three weeks, and if I'm not prayerful I'll be fearful (childbirth scares me since Madeline). Ginger, I'm asking God to make it real smooth and as easy as possible, and for the necessary amnesia afterwards to REMEMBER it as smooth and easy! Also, my son is home alone for a change (his family has gone to South Carolina) and I want God to meet him in a special way in this rare time of quietness and loneliness. Jody emailed me this morning and said, "Things are good. I do feel blessed finally," so I think he has forgiven God for the loss of his daughter (yes, sometimes we have to forgive God!).

OK, now it's later in the day. What I'm learning today is that fasting isn't really about discipline, although we CALL fasting a spiritual discipline. What it's REALLY about is LOVE. Here's something Bob Sorge said (p. 173 in our "Secret Place" book)--"Oh, dear friend, are you established in the Father's love? As His word is open before you, and as you give your heart to him, let him begin to lavish upon you the infinite riches of his eternal love. He loves you with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3)! He has literally killed himself to be one with you. His love is so breathtaking and intoxicating that when you are being filled with this love, the Scriptures testify that you are being filled with all the fulness of God himself (Eph. 3:16-19). (Remember that scripture from the IWI, mentees?) What a glorious adventure, to explore the magnificent recesses of the boundless love of Christ!

I think I've said enough for today. More tomorrow! Hey, email me more prayer requests. I've got lots of time--time absolutely CRAWLS when you're fasting!! I still feel funny about blogging this stuff, but if I'm judged for it, at least God knows my heart and that I just wanted to obey him. I can think of two possible negative things that could happen:

l. You might think I'm oh-so-spiritual when I'm not. My thoughts have been as scattered as buckshot today, which is probably why this is a 3-day fast. It might take me that long to get totally settled down and focused.

2. You might think I've succumbed to the deception of pride. Of course, even worrying that you might THINK that could be a perverse sign of pride, but I sincerely don't want to stumble anybody who comes to that conclusion. Believe me, I've never felt less proud. In fact, I can't for the LIFE of me figure out why God chooses to love me instead of just shooting me!!

This is the hardest blog entry I've ever written because I've written it through tears.When it's over, you get nothing but knock-knock jokes for a week!

I love you, bloggerbuddies! Don't judge me harshly OR put me on a pedestal, ok?

WOOHOO!!

Today Lisa went to Fayetteville for a workshop with Heather and the other preschool teachers, so I got to hang out with Samantha and Emily! Our day included watercoloring, barney.com, movies, McDonald's, Wal-Mart, and Heritage Inn. Our fun day ended with Mark and Joe eating supper with us at El Parian while poor Lisa was at Red Lobster. (She and I both hate fish.)

I'm not sure why, but I plan to begin a three-day fast tomorrow. It's odd that I should mention it, I know, but I'll explain as much as I understand tomorrow, if you wanna come back.

My Mentees and Me

One bonus of getting older is that you are allowed to forget things. I may have blogged every bit of this in the past, but I've forgotten, so I get to do it again!

I almost said in my one-minute testimony today that I was mentoring the girls on the praise team, but I was afraid that would sound like I'm oh-so spiritual. Actually, it's very easy to become a mentor. You just pursue the people you want to mentor until they say "ok!"

Lisa was my first official mentee, although that word doesn't do justice to all the roles we play in each other's lives, but she was the first one to actually call me her mentor. That was my first glimpse of what God had planned for my "second calling" (retirement).

Then when Spring and I were at the worship institute the first time, on the last night I felt led to exhort her and she asked me to pray for her. That moment I knew (because I was SHOCKED, which is usually how I know it's from the Holy Spirit) that when I said yes, I was making a serious commitment to be lived out over time. Mark had (quite prophetically) told her earlier that she was going to be a worship leader (like him), and I felt honored that God had in that moment appointed me to walk beside her.

I had loved Laura since she was in my Circle of Friends small group, and I wanted to include her, too. I'm pretty big on rituals, so I got the three of them together for lunch at the Marina near New Year's Eve 2006 and gave them a daily Bible to read with me in 2007 and a promise to pray for them.

Then I met Stephanie in Mark's office one night. I don't think I had ever seen the girl in my life, but my heart knew her. I recognized her because she was ME a long time ago, just starting out in the Spirit-led life. I loved her at sight. On her baptism day I was back there to hand her the towel, and she went home with the Bible and a letter of commitment.

I wanted Ashley in the group, too, but I really hadn't had the opportunity to be around her much, so I just prayed about it, and when I heard she was going to the worship institute with us this summer, I knew God was ordaining the opportunity I'd been waiting for. I gave her the Bible on July 4, and the next night we stayed out on the balcony talking until 1 a.m. I was so blessed that night to discover what a kindred spirit she was, a delightful young woman of God, and open to the Holy Spirit. You never know when it comes to Baptists. (Oops, did I say that out loud?)

Being a mentor isn't always easy. You can't always say pleasant things. This is one of the first things I told them: You all have a passion for Christ, you’re all worship leaders, you all have husbands with needs to be met, and you all have daughters to raise up to be godly young women in an ungodly world. And because of your influence in all of those roles, I’m afraid you are all going to be specific targets of Satan.

Well, THAT should have been enough to run them off, but to their credit, they stayed. I also told them: I don’t know a lot about mentoring, but I DID read this and it spoke to me. “God is calling us women in the second half of life to be encouragers and teachers to younger women. Maybe it means he wants us to just provide a place and time to meet. Perhaps he will call us to start a Bible study. Whatever the case, all he asks of us is an open heart. Often it’s just the willingness to put your arm around a younger woman and tell her that she’s going to make it through this phase of life.”

I said I wish we COULD meet regularly for a Bible study, but it would probably be impossible with everyone’s schedules. I said I COULD tell them they're going to make it through all the stress and busyness and responsibility they have!

I challenged them to make this scripture their goal:
“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you. Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t be so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.” (Rom. 12:1-2 MSG)

I said, I want to encourage you to live fully in the season you are in. I want you to learn from my mistakes, to choose carefully what you will do, which at times may mean doing less and doing it well. I want you to understand that there’s plenty of time left after your kids are grown. You don’t have to do it all; you just have to focus on what really counts.

And I said it’s really hard to fix your attention on God unless you’re in the Word daily, so I want to encourage you to read through the Bible with us, too. There will be times when you can’t carve out the time, but perhaps most of the time you can. Of course, you’ll never HAVE time—you’ll have to MAKE time. I will pray that God will show you how and when!

I told them I’ve done this for many years, and it has meant everything to me. So many times God has taken me through things at the exact time that he knew I would be reading in a place where the words would give me direction. I guarantee that God will speak a personal “for the moment” word to you when you need it, too, if you are in the Word regularly.

(That happened quite dramatically, by the way. We were reading about David’s great sin with Bathsheba right before we found out about the moral failure of LaMar, the leader of the worship institute, and had even exchanged some emails about David and the dangers of leadership! It really helped prepare us!)

I also told them: The foundation of my second calling is prayer. Please call or email me whenever you have a specific need, and I will intercede in prayer for you. I’m not very good at praying around the world (or praying for people I don’t know), but if I know YOU have a specific need, the Holy Spirit will lead me to carry that in my heart and pray for it unceasingly. Sometimes they give me prayer needs, other times I just keep my ears and eyes open and pray as the Holy Spirit leads.

It's a cool gig God has given me! In fact, I think it's as much my calling to support them as it is their calling to lead worship. Many years ago God told me never to seek to become a leader myself, but always seek to serve my leaders. By the way, Mark also mentors them, but I do it in the Titus 2:4-5 way, which is as an older woman teaching younger women to do good, to love their husbands and children, etc.

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I'd love to add a few more paragraphs here and tell you about my unusual relationship with Mark, too, but I don't think he'd appreciate being included in this particular post! As with Lisa, he and I have many roles in each other's lives and a covenant on my part that runs very long and very deep.

You just really never know the plans God has until he surprises you with them! I couldn't have thought this thing up in a million years!

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C.S. Lewis once wrote a book titled, "Surprised By Joy." So am I, Jack, so am I.

On Being a Tulip

I've been thinking a lot lately about how old I’m getting. On my 58th birthday recently, I told Mark I bet he never thought he’d have a nearly-60-year-old-woman as a good friend, and he agreed. As I was reflecting on this subject just now, a quote came to my computer that said, “It is not how old you are, but how you are old.” God has been good to give me such a close relationship with so many young friends (someone at the Beyond Walls concert asked if I was Spring’s mother), but I keep getting reminders of my age.

For example, what happened to my speed? I used to run the Peach 4-Miler fairly fast. Now I run in slow-mo, like a scene in a movie. (Lisa walks as fast as I run, which is great, really, because we were able to do the race together today in 56 minutes! I came in 4th in my age group, but there were only 4 of us!)

And it’s so hard getting up from the floor once I get down that Mark’s gotten used to pulling me up! And my balance is so bad that I had to hang on to Lisa coming down the steps of the platform at church the last time the choir sang, and there’s only about 3 of them! (Remember, Mark, you’ve gotta either escort me down or bring the microphone down to me tomorrow.)

Max Lucado says:

Aging is God’s idea. It’s one of the ways he keeps us headed homeward. We can’t change the process, but we can change our attitude. Here is a thought. What if we looked at the aging body as we look at the growth of a tulip?

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Do you ever see anyone mourning over the passing of the tulip bulb? Do gardeners weep as the bulb begins to weaken? Of course not. We don’t purchase tulip girdles or petal wrinkle cream or consult plastic-leaf surgeons. We don’t mourn the passing of the bulb; we celebrate it. Tulip lovers rejoice the minute the bulb weakens. “Watch that one,” they say. “It’s about to blossom.”

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Could it be heaven does the same? The angels point to our bodies. The more frail we become, the more excited they become. “Watch that lady in the hospital,” they say. “She’s about to blossom.” “Keep an eye on the fellow with the bad heart. He’ll be coming home soon.”

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These bodies are weak. They began decaying the minute we began breathing. And, according to God, that’s a part of the plan. Every wrinkle takes us one step closer to the last step when Jesus will change our simple bodies into forever bodies. No pain. No depression. No sickness. No end. This is not our forever house. It will serve for the time being. But there is nothing like the moment we enter his door.

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I CAN'T WAIT TO GET MY FOREVER BODY!

Lainey's Room

Lainey's room is almost ready! Todd will design some pictures on his computer for the frames, and then it'll be finished!

You may have seen the top picture before.

Cool hooks, huh?

wall shelf

I love the letters!

Sweet little bookcase, don't you think?
Even her boombox matches!

I can't wait until she gets here so I can SEE WHO SHE IS!

She's going to have her own website! It's http://www.toddmills.com/baby/

and it's called "A Place For All Things Lainey!"

IT'S PEACH FESTIVAL TIME!!

Yes, it's that time of the year again---the Peach Festival!

Samantha and Emily will enter their turtle in the Great Terrapin Derby tomorrow morning. Since FBC sponsors that event, too, I decided to volunteer there instead of passing out water at the parade Saturday, although I really enjoyed doing that last year. It's just that I have a long tradition of going home for a nap after the race, and I wouldn't want to break tradition!

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Joe will play in the golf tournament this weekend, too. Mark and Spring's band plays at 6:00 tonight, and I think Joe and I might go earlier and get supper from the vendors.

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I don't know if you are aware that there are some ignorant transplants living among us--yes, in our very own community!!--who don't understand what a glorious thing the Peach Festival is. Satan has deceived their minds. I feel sorry for them. You know who you are, and I urge you to repent--preferably before 6:00 tonight.

Kids, kids, kids!

Today Ginger and I shopped 'til we dropped for Lainey's stuff! We got things I didn't know even EXISTED, like a mobile that plays Bach, Beethoven and Mozart, a VIDEO baby monitor, and an Eddie Bauer cherry wood high chair! I spent so much money that my VISA was rejected at the last store because Chase Bank didn't believe that was ME shopping! (It's all Joe's fault. I asked him how much I could spend, and he didn't give me an answer. Ha!)

I also got news from Charlie's 6-week check-up today! He is up to 10 lbs., 8 oz., and is 22 1/2 inches long. This is what Shannon said: They said he is doing terrific and his development is great, too (smiles and talking). They are very pleased with his progress. They said his first year is critical and to keep growing his body and mind. They do not think he has IUGR and at this point they will evaluate him as a normal baby, in every aspect.

Jody and Shannon have a digital camera but no computer at home, so I mailed them a laptop today, and they promised to start sending us pictures! (We haven't seen a single picture of Charlie in 6 weeks, and it's killing us!)

To conclude my nice day, tonight I get to take Samantha and Emily home after church and read to them, pray with them, and put them to bed!

An excellent day in every way, don't you think, bloggerbuddies?!

Stupid Joke

A badly overworked pastor went to the local medical center to have a clone made. The clone was like the pastor in every respect--except that the clone used extraordinarily foul language. The cloned pastor was exceptionally gifted in many other areas of pastoral work, but finally the complaints about the dirty language were too much.The pastor was not too sure how to get rid of the clone so that it wouldn't look like murder. The best thing, he decided, was to make the clone's death look like an accident. So the pastor lured the clone onto a bridge in the middle of the night and pushed the clone off the bridge. Unfortunately there was a police officer who happened by at that very moment and arrested the pastor for making an obscene clone fall.

Starbucks

The first time I ever went to a Starbucks was in NYC eight years ago. It was in Times Square across from our hotel, and I was amazed at how crowded it always was. People would stand outside waiting for their chance to stand in line inside! Since then I've learned that lots of people are addicted to the morning rush they get at Starbucks, which is why you see a Starbucks on every corner in cities.


Since Ginger and I are meeting at a Starbucks in North Little Rock after her doctor's appointment tomorrow, I decided to do some research. I went to my favorite source, hungrygirl.com, and found out that my favorite Starbucks drink, the Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino, has 590 calories and 24 grams of fat!


Tomorrow I will have their Espresso Frappuccino Light Blended without whipped cream--only 140 calories and 1 gram of fat! I'm so glad God always provides a "way of escape" for our times of temptation, just like says in I Corinthians 10:13--

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

He's two steps ahead of me, bloggerbuddies!!

Sugar Is No Friend of Mine!!

Isn't this a great picture? No, I have no idea why there's a little man in the coffee, but did you know Spring can make a mocha frappe with skim milk and sugar-free chocolate syrup that's as good as Starbucks? Yum!

Well, I'm down to my last 3 training days until the Peach 4-Miler! Had a good 3.5-mile run with Annette this morning. I plan to run the next three mornings and then take Friday off.

I may run very very slowly, but I figure I'll beat all the people who stayed home in bed! I haven't set a TIME goal other than to come in under an hour (and hopefully under my own power rather than riding in the ambulance)! However, Friday I DID set a different kind of goal--NO SUGAR until I lose 17 pounds!

I went back and read my notes and was reminded that when I lost the first half of the weight I need to lose, it only took three months, and I did it by running AND by cutting out sugar. I didn't even eat my retirement cakes or Christmas goodies! I don’t think I’ll lose the other half while I’m still eating sugar, because that’s my downfall every time.

I love it how God speaks to me through his Word when I follow a plan of reading through the Bible in a year, and one day I was reading a normally-boring account of David’s battles, when of a sudden God spoke to me through it!

QUESTION: “Is this the right time?”
ANSWER: “Attack, I’ll give you the victory.”
PROMISE: “God will be two steps ahead of you.”

It confirmed to me that now’s the time to get to my goal weight, and that if I really ATTACK this thing, God will give me the victory!

Then he showed me a glimpse of how he would be two steps ahead of me! See, I knew the plan of attack would be giving up sugar, but I had two baby showers coming up in the next two days, and while I had already decided not to eat the cake, I really wanted to drink the punch. I knew it would feel awkward just sitting there while everyone else was having refreshments. Well, the solution God immediately gave me was to take Sierra Mist in my water bottle, which would be as good as punch and give me something to hold and drink! I did, and I was perfectly happy!

I also read the chapter on SELF-DENIAL in “Secrets of the Secret Place” by Bob Sorge, and it really gave me some great insights.

For example, did you realize that it was the lack of food that finally brought the prodigal son to his knees? When we’re WEAK is when God moves in with GRACE. The book even called it “THE GRACE OF SELF-DENIAL.”

It said, “Those who embrace voluntary weakness have personal ownership of this great principle: ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness’ (2 Cor. 12:9). When we embrace weakness, his grace rushes in to strengthen us. Those who embrace self-denial will be stronger in hearing God’s voice and understanding his will.”

So the biggest challenge I'm facing this week isn’t my final training runs for the 4-mile race, but hearing God’s voice as he gives me “ways of escape” (alternative ideas) to sugar! I’ve been eating a lot of plums and cantaloupes lately, and they've been delightful!

Thanks, Lisa, for agreeing to pace me in the race, and thanks, Mark, for changing the rehearsal so she CAN!

Mt. Olive Shower

Ginger had a shower at school, one at the Chamber of Commerce (where Todd had to open the gifts!), and a community shower today at Mt. Olive. The top picture is Ginger with her cousins, Allison and Angie, and the second is Ginger with the hostesses, Phyllis Hickey (Joe's brother's wife who lives next door), and Lena Morgan (Rocky's grandmother).There were about 20 people there, and she got a lot of great stuff!!

A couple more pictures--Lisa with Graceanne and Samantha (above) and Annette visiting with Mt. Olive people (below). Annette was their pastor's wife 20 years ago!

Oh, and the cake! Lisa made the cake in Ginger's preferred colors.

Now Ginger will inventory everything to see what she still needs. Wednesday after her doctor's appointment in NLR, I'll meet her at Starbucks, and we'll go to Sam's and wherever else we need to go. Then she'll be ready for Lainey to come! WE CAN'T WAIT!!!

Willow Tree Grandmother

Ginger brought me this birthday present yesterday for my collection.

Isn't it great?

I didn't even know they had a GRANDMOTHER

one!!

One-liners

Ginger is here, and we were talking about a comedian we both like, Mitch Hedberg. I've posted a couple of quotes of his before, but here are some more.
I like rice. Rice is great if you're hungry and want 2000 of something.

I don't have a girlfriend. But I do know a woman who'd be mad at me for saying that.

I know a lot about cars. I can look at a car's headlights and tell you exactly which way it's coming.

I like to play blackjack. I'm not addicted to gambling, I'm addicted to sitting in a semi-circle.

That's all I've got, bloggerbuddies!

Girls Night Out

Joe and Mark are off on a golf trip, so Lisa and I took the girls to Ozark tonight. Susan Alston and Marivel Voigt ate with us at Rivertowne, and then we went back to Susan's, where the girls rode a horse and got up close and personal with her donkey and baby deer.

Tomorrow will be a nice day, too, because Ginger is coming!

YouTube Video

There's a YouTube video floating around that I'd love to post, but I don't know how. So you'll just have to click on the link below.

I mean it.

You have to.

You owe it to yourself.

Go ahead!!

http://branthansen.typepad.com/letters_from_kamp_krusty/2007/07/dylan-and-diape.html

MY STATS

OK, birthday's over! I've been trying to lose weight to a reasonable goal since last October 15. Obviously I haven't tried very hard. Here are my latest stats:

Currently at 50.3% of goal
Total loss since start--16.8 lbs
Now have 16.6 lbs left to goal
Last week--Lost 2.8 lbs

I'll post my progress once a week, bloggerbuddies.

News About Charlie!!!

I loved this email I got from Shannon yesterday! (I'm always longing for news about Charlie!)

"I am so glad you had a nice day. Charlie was really good today while at the DMV and bank. Everyone thought he was adorable. He was all smiles and coos when Jody and I were playing with him too. He is really something special. Tonight we have softball. I have got to get a picture of the two of them, I bet Charlie fits in Jody's glove (ha)! Wouldn't that be cute? How is Ginger feeling? I think of her often. She is getting sooo close to the big day. You will be such a big help to them! God Bless and Happy Birthday, Shannon (xo and baby sends his love too)"

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I fell head over heels in love with Charlie when I met him, so now I miss him every day. It's hard having him so far away, and I can't wait until we go visit in September!

My Wonderful Birthday

My day started nicely with Joe singing Happy Birthday to me and then bringing me a cinnamon raisin biscuit from Hardees. Jody called (at 7 a.m. his time!) and Annette called. Jody also sent flowers. Ginger emailed, and I'll get to celebrate again with her when she comes this weekend. (Joe has always marveled at how I can stretch a birthday out for a whole week.)

Then it was lunchtime. Wow!

The Es had me over for an incredible birthday luncheon. There are many special details I could give because they thought of everything, but I don't want to make everyone jealous, so I'll just tell one of them. Emily was wearing high heels and carrying her purse!

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And Joe and I are eating supper at Western Sizzlin in about an hour, so I feel very special and very blessed.

One more Eureka picture

This T-shirt is the only thing I bought in Eureka. If you can't read it, it says,

THAT'S IT. I'M CALLING GRANDMA!

The book is what I've been studying up on before Lainey comes--reading to baby (no TV allowed)!

LOTSA Thoughts on Worship

Sit down when you've got AN HOUR and read this, bloggerbuddies! It's an excerpt (honestly!) from a post on blogworship.com--

Worship, MTV Style. All style, no substance?
Posted by Josh D. Riley

Worship. Think about it. When you hear the word, what immediately comes to your mind? The sound of a 400 voice choir backed up by a pipe organ and piano? A 200 voice choir singing with an orchestra, complete with drums and brass? Or do you think of an ensemble with a keyboardist? Perhaps you picture a rock praise band with a three guitar onslaught? Do your thoughts even go beyond music?

Just exactly what is worship? Can it be defined? How is it practiced? How is it best introduced into a corporate worship service? Is there a right way or a wrong way to worship?

As a high school student in Florida back in the very late seventies, about the only contemporary "worship" services I encountered were those that might by today's standards be called "traditional" worship services. This worship experience essentially would have been the standard Baptist service which began with the doxology, followed by the first and last verses of "Sweet, Sweet Spirit," "Love Lifted Me," and "Near the Cross," ending 140 verses (or so it sometimes seemed) of "Just as I Am," "The Savior is Waiting," and I "Have Decided to Follow Jesus."

The occasional youth rally might feature some more upbeat praise music from a couple of vocalists with acoustic guitars, tambourines and limited vocabularies, but it seemed most of the songs we sang were somehow more appropriate for a kumbaya campfire sing-a-long rather than church.

Even in the early eighties when I was in youth work, guitars were still largely considered the supreme evil instrument in most churches outside of southern California or suburban Chicago. Even Truth, hardly considered a rock band by followers of today's Christian music industry, was advised to mellow down the music when they came to my church, I later learned. Amy Grant was only moderately acceptable, even before she moved to the rock-oriented Christian tunes and the pop crossover albums. Often, even any slow music written by anyone with long hair (i.e. Keith Green) was suspect by those whose gospel music collection was limited to George Beverly Shea, The Happy Goodmans and the Blackwood Brothers.

In college I ventured from my Baptist roots and, with friends, occasionally visited Calvary Assembly of God Church in Orlando, where I first heard songs that could be classified by today's music as "worship choruses." Songs like "Shield About Me" that were sung unto God, instead of about God. Songs that often were backed up by (gasp) an electronic keyboard, drums and bass guitar. Through the eighties and nineties as I grew in faith and theological understanding about God and who He is, I fellowshipped and visited at a variety of churches that ranged from old-time Southern Baptist to bapticostal, from Pentecostal to Reformed Presbyterian.

I've heard choirs, orchestras, and bands, both good and bad, loud and mellow. I've been in contemporary churches whose bands belt out 21st century music, traditional churches whose choirs sing seventies music, and liturgical churches stuck in the 1600s. I've also seen more than my share of confused churches who advertise "CONTEMPORARY SERVICE!!!" but still equate choir-and-orchestra renditions of eighties praise choruses with contemporary worship. I've often vocalized to those sitting near me that if I hear "Pass it On" one more time I'm going to dig my leisure suit and Elton John platform shoes out of the basement for my next church visit. I'll take it over "It's a Small World," but not by much.

Personally, my personal favorite songs are a blend of the traditional hymns (Amazing Grace, Holy Holy Holy, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, At the Cross) and newer worship choruses (Indescribable, More Than Enough, Here I Am To Worship, Blessed Be Your Name, Amazing Love, We Fall Down, Sing to the King). Even so, I still enjoy hearing many of the seventies songs and choruses that haven't been overused, though I wouldn't expect my church's worship leader to sing them every single Sunday. And, I absolutely love many of the new songs I hear coming from our good friends at Passion.

That having been said, I have at the same directed my attention to a disquieting trend developing over the past decade in many churches. As the nature of my business sometimes requires travel, I am afforded the opportunity to visit different churches from time to time. In so doing, I often encounter church music that feels like little more than entertainment.

Just what is true Worship? Does your church worship, or entertain? And does it even matter? I believe it matters, and matters mightily. Worship is the core of what we are called to do as believers. We cannot be Christians and not worship. Those of us who call ourselves Christians are adherents of Christianity, not churchianity (although some church worship services and preaching methods leave me wondering at times).

So, what is worship? Can we really say that there is a right way to worship and a wrong way? Or is it a purely personal decision, and anything goes?

For the sake of this discussion, lets focus on the component of worship called music. Understand that true worship extends to the entire life of a believer. Read in your Bible about references to Worship and see what is really being referenced. For example, when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness and asked him to bow down and worship him, was he asking Jesus to sing a chorus with his name associated with it? Perhaps that was a part of it, but the greater goal was to get Jesus to deliver his entire being to Satan--his thoughts, his desires, his affections, his treasures, everything within him. His heart, essentially. Randy Pope rightfully refers to worship as "the Christian's Career." Biblical worship is more than music.

Corporate musical worship is but a part of the sum total of what we call Worship. We focus more on it perhaps because it is more visible, and hence, more controversial. I daresay that one of the hottest topics pastor's have to deal with as we are rolling into the new millennium is related to the type of music the church has. If you doubt this, just ask your pastor; if you live in a community with any degree of diversity (not just cultural or racial, but in terms of general demographics related to age, income, and upbringing), I would venture to say that your pastor gets more complaints and "helpful suggestions" about music than anything else.

More revealingly, ask yourself what motivated you to choose the church in which you worship: was it theology, or was it the worship experience? Sadly, most churches could change their theology and lose very few members or attenders, but let the church leadership change the music style, and they'll leave in droves. I sometimes think that all a cult would need to do to pull thousands of young Christians into it is to add a cool band to the mix. We need to be discerning about what true worship is.


True Worship leads the worshipper to focus on God, not on human performers--
True worship leads the congregation to focus on God, not on themselves or the person on stage. The worship leader who is performing for his own glory often carries himself or herself with an aura of self-awareness; their persona is more like that of a performer at an entertainment venue. Body movements and facial expressions are no different than they would be at a Friday night concert. That's not to say that there is anything inherently evil with a Friday night concert consisting of upbeat, non-religious, non offensive songs. Not at all. I am simply saying that what is appropriate for a football game or concert is not necessarily appropriate for a worship service before a Holy, Almighty God.

True Worship is led by a worshipper who is singing unto God and leading people to do the same. True Worship is not led by a performer trying to demonstrate his or her talent in a self-promoting, self-exulting manner. True Worship brings about an attitude of humility, both in the leader and the participants.

True Worship occurs when music is sung by people unto God without regard for the thoughts of others, rather than sung by people with the intent to entertain, at best, or to not offend, at least.

True Worship is better led by people who are mature believers--
It is my conviction that True Worship is typically led by people who are mature believers, not just the best singers in the church. Let me ask you: who is asked to lead worship or sing in bands in your fellowship or Bible study group: the unrepentant, aspiring nightclub singer, or the moderate singing talent with a life that consistently glorifies God? The former is more likely to "perform," and the latter is more likely to lead the participants to True Worship. Be careful who you place in leadership positions, particularly in the area of worship responsibility.

Musical ability should obviously be a required job description for someone truly called to this role, as those God calls to this role He also gifts; but some level of spiritual maturity and discernment ought to be equally, if not considerably more, important.
True Worship is not determined so much by style of delivery as attitude of delivery, both by the leader and the participant

So, what style of music is true worship? Is it the country church with its gospel quartets? Is it the urban church and its soulful music? Is it the affluent church with its high church pipe organ and choir? Is it the suburban church with its choir, orchestra and old-time hymns? Is it the other suburban church across the street with an ensemble and semi-contemporary choruses? Is it the campus church with its rock-and-roll? Is it the 140 year old country church singing hymns as they were written in the 1800's? Is it the liturgical church in the old-money community still holding on to Handel? Is it the arts district church with a guy playing a flute surrounded by candles and finger paint? Is it the church with no instruments whatsoever?

All of the above. None of the above.

Although I do not particularly care for every style of music mentioned above, I have learned that I can worship in any of these settings if my attitude and heart is appropriate. I cannot worship in any environment if my heart and attitude is harboring unrepentant sin. But, I CAN be entertained by an emotional display of good music regardless of the state of my heart. I can be entertained by traditional music, and I can be entertained by contemporary music. I know, I've been there. Nonetheless, the primary responsibility for worship lies within me.

The secondary responsibility, to an extent one might argue, lies with the attitude of the person leading worship. We are all singing to God. Whether we are on a stage or a pew or a chair, our attitude is most important to Him. Whether it is contemporary or traditional is irrelevant. After all, today's traditional music was yesterday's contemporary music, as evidenced by the observation that one of the top CCM songs of 1981 is now being recorded and sold in the latest seniors-friendly Gaither Homecoming series.

There will come a day when today's young people will become tomorrow's old folks insisting that their church return to the traditional good-old-days songs from Passion, Hillsong and Vineyard.

Let's be careful not to define worship as a musical style, and in so doing imply that the only people who are spiritual are those who like OUR style of music. Again, I have to confess, I love many of the hymns. In part, I love them because they are rich doctrinal songs that take me back to the cross. Also, I must admit, I love them because I grew up in the church and the songs remind me of my spiritual childhood (and physical adolescence). I love them because God used them to convict me of unrepentant sin in my life during a period of explicit disobedience.

But lets be honest, it is often no easy task to separate good feelings we derive from spiritual activity from those that may in reality be more nostalgic in nature. Let's remember this as we evaluate the worship in our churches, and be hesitant to complain JUST because the style is a generation or two above or below ours. Otherwise we become little more than a congregation of professional critics, more concerned with feel-good music and feel-good theology than a true worship and life-changing experience with Almighty God.

Don't get caught up in an attitude of superiority; some seem convinced that nothing worth singing has been written since the Bill Gaither 1970s, while others insist that any song older than ten days old is outdated.

(c) 1999, updated 2006 Josh D. RIley worship.com

Lots of interesting thoughts, huh?

More Eureka

In front of a shop called Two Dumb Dames! I used to refuse to go in there because the name offended me, but I'm not so sensitive anymore!

Lunch on a balcony. Had a waiter who kept sneaking up behind Annette and scaring her. Her girls said there's a movie with a character like that, Mr. Deeds, I think.

Buying a birthday dessert, a chocolate-covered strawberry, to take to Basin Park.
Since my cop friend convinced me yesterday to drive more slowly, I enjoyed the drive home, and even stopped to take this picture of Boxley Baptist Church. Picturesque to look at, but I think I'd prefer ours to worship in.

My Day in Eureka Springs

Annette and I have been friends for 21 years, and I don't think we've ever missed a year of celebrating our birthdays together.

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They've just moved to Green Forest, so I thought this year I'd make the beautiful drive through Ozone and Kingston and see her house, and then we could go over to Eureka for lunch. It was indeed a beautiful drive, and even the cop who stopped me for speeding out in the middle of nowhere was very nice and only gave me a warning ticket.

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We ate lunch on an outdoor balcony--delicious chicken salad sandwiches and cinnamon tea. I probably sat an hour after we ate, just visiting. Then we walked around some, sat at Basin Park, got on a trolley and went EVERYWHERE, and went to a fudge shop and ate a celebratory chocolate-covered strawberry.

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On the way back to Green Forest, it rained and HAILED and got DARK. The darkness served to remind me that I would be starting home too late to get there before dark, and the road was very isolated, had many turns, and would be somewhat dangerous and spooky at night.

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So I called Joe, and he agreed I should spend the night. Donnie and Annette had to go to VBS tonight, so I get to curl up on their couch and read the book Annette gave me--The Penny by Joyce Meyer. I've been wanting to read it, but it's actually a novel, and I'm pretty picky about wanting my novels to be well-written, so I hadn't bought it. However, it has a co-author (who probably really wrote it) and a recommendation on the back by Max Lucado, who is an exceptionally fine writer, so those were good signs.

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And now I've read the first few pages and it's GREAT! It has totally sucked me in already! So I'm gonna go read now, bloggerbuddies! I'll be home in the morning!

A Kodak Moment

Emily with Indie Minett--they looked so cute together tonight, I couldn't resist taking their picture!

I can't wait until Lainey gets here! I bought 4 new children's books today!

Africa

So why, you ask, am I keeping a whole section of my computer journal on AFRICA? Am I planning to go there? Well, no. Is GOD planning for me to go there? Well, probably yes.

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I couldn't go with the group we commissioned today because I knew it was God's will for me to go to the worship institute, and I couldn't go off and leave Joe twice in one month. So I was safe this summer.

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But I'm really tired of fighting this thing. It was ok when Robert or someone would make some stirring appeal. I could respond to it initially but later rationalize that perhaps I had been just caught up in the emotion of it.

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But now I feel a pull toward it ALL of the time. I don't know how YOU know when God is speaking to YOU, bloggerbuddies, but in MY case I usually know because it comes as a totally foreign idea and it's often somewhat of a shock.

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Here is what I've got in my computer journal about it so far--

“There they were, overwhelmed with dread when there was nothing to dread.” Psa. 53:5a (I've been dreading this a loooong time!)

Richard Foster, Simplicity—

“If you do travel, give it purpose. Go beyond the splashy travel brochures with their sights of tinseled affluence, and get to anguish and pain and human need.”

Identification with the poor---“We will tutor little ones deprived of basic skills.”

“If the concern involves the well-being of our children, it is often right and good.”

“We need to learn to distinguish a genuine psychological need, such as cheerful surroundings, from an obsession.”

“The life of Christian simplicity is necessarily tied to a concern for the poor and defenseless…for Christ, love of God and love of neighbor were two sides to the same door…our path often leads to the bleeding and broken of humanity.”

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I have no idea WHEN I'll go. It's even POSSIBLE that God will let me send someone else in my place! But I've got to be willing to go.

Today we sang "Surrender" and I sang:

I count it all as loss

For the sake of knowing You

The glory of Your name

To know the lasting joy

Even sharing in Your pain

Well, that's where I've stopped short. I know God is pained by the plight of the little children in Africa, and I haven't been willing to share his pain until today.

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I'm willing now. We'll see what happens.

Journaling

It's time! One of the chapters of "The Secret of the Secret Place" is the secret of journaling. Bob Sorge is committed to maintaining a spiritual journal for stewardship reasons. Jesus said, "For whoever has, to him more will be given" (Mark 4:25). He says that when God teaches us something, we must properly manage it by writing it down and revisiting that truth until it's woven deeply in our lives.

No problem, I've got 70 journals.

Well, yes, problem.

He says, "The only way I can keep returning to the things He's given me in the past is by writing them down in a journal in such a way that I can refer back to them in the future."

I have 70 journals, but I can't find anything in them. Here's Bob Sorge's idea:

"Let me tell you a bit about my journal. It is kept in my computer. This works much better for me than a paper journal. After typing my journal entries, I will often categorize them in my computer according to topics or themes."

So today I began the huge job of typing up the journal entries I want to keep. That should keep me out of trouble for a couple of years!

So far my topics are:
Africa
Change
Do it now
Madeline
Ministry
Money
Obedience

I'll give you one example. I'll randomly choose money. Here's what I've got so far--

“Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. “ Prov. 23:4-5

“The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.”

“God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Cor. 9

“You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

Richard Foster on Simplicity--
“There are those who are called to the ministry of money, The gift of giving is a vital and valid spiritual gift, and essential to it is the task of using money for the common good.

Simplicity always calls us to a simple lifestyle, but it does not always call us to a reduction of income. God calls some to increase their income in order to use it for the good of all. This work is usually engaged in by ordinary people with limited budgets. The requirement is not great resources, but a humble willingness to be an unhindered channel.”

“Everything we have we receive as a gift, and everything we have is cared for by God, and everything we have is available to others when it is right and good.”

“By the act of the will we must still every motion that is centered in greed.”

“We make provision as it seems right and good (just as the birds do) but what comes to us is not so much the result of our labor as it is the gracious gift of God. We live the carefree life of unconcern for possessions.”

“He who has 2 coats, let him share with him who has none, and he who has food likewise. Small, simple items that accent the welfare of others.”

Part of it is scripture, and part of it is some notes I took on a book I really liked.

One hour down, two zillion to go!