Doxologue has a great post on the plans to worship with no instrument other than the human voice this coming weekend. I agree with their post when they say that this is not the only way to worship. What caught my attention here was David's thoughts about the words and even the thoughts behind what we're singing. He also mentions that even if we sing beautifully, God doesn't want that offering if the words we sing don't match the attitudes in our hearts.
First, we need to concentrate on what we're singing. As one of my pastors used to tell us - the only thing that makes a song "Christian" is the lyrics. A lot of our more popular hymns have melodies taken from popular songs of the day, including drinking songs.
Second, do the words we sing line up with what's in our heart? Are we singing songs that praise God for his blessings while we are consumed with thoughts on how we can manage our money better? Do we completely contradict those words by thinking, "What blessings?"
Third, are we so consumed by the type of music we're singing that we don't really mean what we're singing? I tend not to prefer "contemporary" style worship. However, that does not mean that it should affect my ability to worship God through guitars and drums. Other countries have completely different styles of music used to worship God - probably a whole lot different than anything I'll ever hear in the USA. Will that stop me from offering my praise? If I were to attend a church that only used guitars/drums/praise band, will that hinder me? (And I'm not proud to admit that I've definitely put self first some of those days when that did happen.)
Lastly, David brings up a good point on how our main instrument to worship God is our voice. And behind that, our hearts. The best band, the best choir, the best praise team, the best director - all mean nothing if our heart is not in unison with the words proceeding from our mouths. God looks at the heart. He knows what we're offering to Him.
Am I offering my best when I sing to Him or am I just singing? Am I singing to glorify myself or Him? I know that I'll be thinking about this next time I'm singing corporately.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Vain Worship (from Pastorway)
OK - this post (pastorway: Vain Worship) got me thinking quite a bit. Am I like the people he mentions in Ezekiel 33? Am I someone who pursues teaching, but doesn't do what the teacher says? Am I like the people Jesus talks about in Matthew 15:8-9? Do I draw
near to Him in the physical sense yet distance myself or even go the opposite way spiritually? Pastor Way writes a great devotional discussing true worship vs. vain worship.
How am I applying or not applying the truths from the messages or Sunday School lessons I've heard lately? How am I changed day by day? In short, am I worshiping in vain or in truth?
near to Him in the physical sense yet distance myself or even go the opposite way spiritually? Pastor Way writes a great devotional discussing true worship vs. vain worship.
How am I applying or not applying the truths from the messages or Sunday School lessons I've heard lately? How am I changed day by day? In short, am I worshiping in vain or in truth?
How are you doing spiritually? (i.e. What are you reading?)
John Samson wrote a great article that challenges all of us about what we are reading and how it affects our spiritual walk. Find it here:
Reformation Theology: How are you doing spiritually? by Pastor John Samson
He begins with a story that I know I can relate to and probably a good portion of us could if we were honest with ourselves. A man approaches the pastor and admits that his spiritual and devotional life is just not where it should be. My pastor right now touches on this - we need a foundation of prayer and Bible Study for our lives. John takes this even further when he challenged this man by asking "What are you reading right now?" This definitely challenged me as I have a tendency towards science-fiction and fantasy - some of it edifying, other parts just fluff or filler. I enjoy tales such as the "Christ Clone Trilogy" and even "Left Behind". I've read some great Christian fiction (including Pilgrim's Progress and CS Lewis' works). I also tend to read non-Christian fiction.
This post really challenged me to take up more edifying reading. I've started and paused Ray Stedman's Adventuring Through the Bible several times. Not because it's boring - far from it - but just because I'll put it down and not make a point of picking it up again for a while. I think it's time to resume that and get back on track with material that builds me up more than just occupies my time. I don't think there's anything wrong with entertainment, but I'll admit I've had a little too much of it lately for my own good.
So, if you're reading this - what are you reading right now?
In him,
-Peter Schott
Reformation Theology: How are you doing spiritually? by Pastor John Samson
He begins with a story that I know I can relate to and probably a good portion of us could if we were honest with ourselves. A man approaches the pastor and admits that his spiritual and devotional life is just not where it should be. My pastor right now touches on this - we need a foundation of prayer and Bible Study for our lives. John takes this even further when he challenged this man by asking "What are you reading right now?" This definitely challenged me as I have a tendency towards science-fiction and fantasy - some of it edifying, other parts just fluff or filler. I enjoy tales such as the "Christ Clone Trilogy" and even "Left Behind". I've read some great Christian fiction (including Pilgrim's Progress and CS Lewis' works). I also tend to read non-Christian fiction.
This post really challenged me to take up more edifying reading. I've started and paused Ray Stedman's Adventuring Through the Bible several times. Not because it's boring - far from it - but just because I'll put it down and not make a point of picking it up again for a while. I think it's time to resume that and get back on track with material that builds me up more than just occupies my time. I don't think there's anything wrong with entertainment, but I'll admit I've had a little too much of it lately for my own good.
So, if you're reading this - what are you reading right now?
In him,
-Peter Schott
Prayer Meetings - some thoughts
I came across a great post over at Doxologue discussing the mid-week prayer meeting that is somewhat common in US churches. David discussed how his church uses their mid-week prayer time with a good basic description of how the prayer meeting progresses through the evening. He touches briefly on how some churches have turned this time into a time of teaching rather than prayer.
The last paragraph dealt with churches not encouring their members to come together for this time of corporate prayer. It also touched on how we as believers tend to get caught up in other events. This touched a chord with me as I know I tend to make excuses rather than try to attend the church's regular Wednesday meeting. "The traffic is too rough." "I'm busy helping the churches I serve through my job." "I got in late today so I need to stay late." (Now there's a lame excuse - especially for my current company/position.)
Excellent read and well worth checking out this site in general as the posts are always excellent and thought-provoking.
The last paragraph dealt with churches not encouring their members to come together for this time of corporate prayer. It also touched on how we as believers tend to get caught up in other events. This touched a chord with me as I know I tend to make excuses rather than try to attend the church's regular Wednesday meeting. "The traffic is too rough." "I'm busy helping the churches I serve through my job." "I got in late today so I need to stay late." (Now there's a lame excuse - especially for my current company/position.)
Excellent read and well worth checking out this site in general as the posts are always excellent and thought-provoking.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Kidz CD 1 - small review
Downloaded (and installed) the "Kidz CD 1" program - something age appropriate for Kids up to 6 years old.
Warning - upgrade your Flash an Macromedia players before actually running the program. Most of the sites for games use one or the other and if you attempt to update from within the program, you'll have problems. I had to open the program again (fortunately on the desktop) and exit it normally.
Kid review:
Eliana loved it. She was able to use the mouse to play with the various sites that are pre-defined. She spent a good 30-40 minutes making lemonade with Elmo and Zoe. She learned how to control the mouse pretty well during this time. She's able to easily switch to other components within the software and seems to enjoy exploring the different options.
Parental review:
Great program overall. This program stops kids from using special keys, alt-tab, Ctrl+Alt+Delete, and everything except Ctrl+L which is used to exit the program. The program also keeps them from going to other sites easily and from printing within the site for most sites. Right-mouse-clicks are disabled as well. If you have special buttons on the mouse, they may still function so be watchful. (Logitech App Launcher still works, for example.) The same holds for anything that may be forced to "stay on top" such as toolbars or other helper apps.
Special key combinations are disabled so even Ctrl+Alt+Del doesn't work while the program is running. This makes it really safe for kids to use.
The links are pre-defined - both good and bad. They are categorized under 4 categories - Games, Stories, Television, and More. That doesn't necessarily mean that you won't find some under the other categories, but it's a good general guide. The good part with this is that you don't have to add a lot of different sites to the program (and the authors do take suggestions). The bad is that you can't add/remove anything on your own.
Personally, I would have liked a little more information on exactly what I'm about to hit. The only hint you get is a picture that grows very slightly when you hover over it. I had no idea if Eliana would choose something too old or young for her, though she's able to switch away without too much trouble if she doesn't like the link.
Overall - great program. The company makes several other products for different age-ranges - all free. They have different sites set up for each age range, but block things like social sites, chat rooms, and other things with forums. The website describes the programs relatively well, but I'd still urge parents to check out the program before the kids start using it.
Warning - upgrade your Flash an Macromedia players before actually running the program. Most of the sites for games use one or the other and if you attempt to update from within the program, you'll have problems. I had to open the program again (fortunately on the desktop) and exit it normally.
Kid review:
Eliana loved it. She was able to use the mouse to play with the various sites that are pre-defined. She spent a good 30-40 minutes making lemonade with Elmo and Zoe. She learned how to control the mouse pretty well during this time. She's able to easily switch to other components within the software and seems to enjoy exploring the different options.
Parental review:
Great program overall. This program stops kids from using special keys, alt-tab, Ctrl+Alt+Delete, and everything except Ctrl+L which is used to exit the program. The program also keeps them from going to other sites easily and from printing within the site for most sites. Right-mouse-clicks are disabled as well. If you have special buttons on the mouse, they may still function so be watchful. (Logitech App Launcher still works, for example.) The same holds for anything that may be forced to "stay on top" such as toolbars or other helper apps.
Special key combinations are disabled so even Ctrl+Alt+Del doesn't work while the program is running. This makes it really safe for kids to use.
The links are pre-defined - both good and bad. They are categorized under 4 categories - Games, Stories, Television, and More. That doesn't necessarily mean that you won't find some under the other categories, but it's a good general guide. The good part with this is that you don't have to add a lot of different sites to the program (and the authors do take suggestions). The bad is that you can't add/remove anything on your own.
Personally, I would have liked a little more information on exactly what I'm about to hit. The only hint you get is a picture that grows very slightly when you hover over it. I had no idea if Eliana would choose something too old or young for her, though she's able to switch away without too much trouble if she doesn't like the link.
Overall - great program. The company makes several other products for different age-ranges - all free. They have different sites set up for each age range, but block things like social sites, chat rooms, and other things with forums. The website describes the programs relatively well, but I'd still urge parents to check out the program before the kids start using it.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Go turn on that light....
Eliana couldn't reach her light switch tonight due to some re-arranging of her room. Her mom told her to stand on her box to reach the switch. She goes into her room. The light turns on. She comes back with a small smushed up box that holds tissues. I realized that she had quite literally "Stood on her box" to turn on the lights - just not the nice, sturdy wooden box that we'd expected.
She's nothing at this age if not literal. :-)
She's nothing at this age if not literal. :-)
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Superpowers
Eliana definitely pays attention to her movies. She was watching "Sky High" earlier today. While out with her mom, she had a serious question to ask. "Mom, what's your superpower?"
Mom's response was "I don't have a superpower. What's your superpower, Eliana?"
"My superpower is - Use Stick." At this point, she started beating the ground with a stick, all the while holding her purse. She started to go after the van as well, but mom used her secret superpower - the look that said it was time to stop. :-)
Mom's response was "I don't have a superpower. What's your superpower, Eliana?"
"My superpower is - Use Stick." At this point, she started beating the ground with a stick, all the while holding her purse. She started to go after the van as well, but mom used her secret superpower - the look that said it was time to stop. :-)
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Worship - who?
Been reading Bob Kauflin's blog, "Worship Matters" quite a bit lately and he posted some notes from India that got me thinking. He mentioned something about how going over there helped him realize what parts of worship were cultural and what parts were desired by God. He said that the different languages and practices really narrowed that down.
That got me thinking about the way we worship here in the USA. Too often, we're caught up in the music styles of worship - contemporary vs traditional seems to be the common battle now. Worship is about more than music and more than style. We've worshiped God in all sorts of different ways throughout the centuries. Prayer, fasting, prophecy (teaching), service, etc. are all acts of worship but are often forgotten when we discuss worship.
We are also so caught up in the style of our music used during worship that I think we neglect to look at the lyrics. What are we singing? Do the lyrics honor God or edify the body? Do the lyrics portray God as He is? Are they so generic that they could be sung by Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, or any other faith?
More importantly - do we ever really think about the lyrics that we're singing or are we on a sort of "auto-pilot" when we sing the words? I've been there - words come in, harmony comes out and nothing has actually passed through my brain on what I'm singing. God's been working on this in me for a while now and seems to have been really encouraging me to take a look at this area of my worship lately.
So what words am I singing? Why do I sing? To whom am I singing? When I sing these words, do I think of what sort of God I'm praising? When we sing "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing" do I reflect on how the church was silenced in song for such a long time that God used Martin Luther to restore the congregation's voice? When we sing "How Great Thou Art", am I thinking of just how great our God is? The words behind "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" are some of the most touching ever written and should drive me to think that if everything in nature were mine, it would still be too small of an offering to give back to God for what He's done for me through Jesus.
That got me thinking about the way we worship here in the USA. Too often, we're caught up in the music styles of worship - contemporary vs traditional seems to be the common battle now. Worship is about more than music and more than style. We've worshiped God in all sorts of different ways throughout the centuries. Prayer, fasting, prophecy (teaching), service, etc. are all acts of worship but are often forgotten when we discuss worship.
We are also so caught up in the style of our music used during worship that I think we neglect to look at the lyrics. What are we singing? Do the lyrics honor God or edify the body? Do the lyrics portray God as He is? Are they so generic that they could be sung by Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, or any other faith?
More importantly - do we ever really think about the lyrics that we're singing or are we on a sort of "auto-pilot" when we sing the words? I've been there - words come in, harmony comes out and nothing has actually passed through my brain on what I'm singing. God's been working on this in me for a while now and seems to have been really encouraging me to take a look at this area of my worship lately.
So what words am I singing? Why do I sing? To whom am I singing? When I sing these words, do I think of what sort of God I'm praising? When we sing "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing" do I reflect on how the church was silenced in song for such a long time that God used Martin Luther to restore the congregation's voice? When we sing "How Great Thou Art", am I thinking of just how great our God is? The words behind "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" are some of the most touching ever written and should drive me to think that if everything in nature were mine, it would still be too small of an offering to give back to God for what He's done for me through Jesus.
Dancing
Eliana decided to start dancing up a storm tonight. We cleaned out the guest room, leaving a large area free on the floor. I was testing the clock radio when some music came on. Eliana starting hopping, twirling, flipping, doing handstands, and generally having a really good time. We watched for a while and caught a couple of minutes on tape. It was pretty amusing.
Knock Knock jokes already?
No idea where this came from, but Eliana decided to start telling knock knock jokes. Her first one was: "Knock Knock" "Who's there?" "Mom, it's me! Eliana!"
I tried to tell her the interrupting cow one - (Interrupting cow who? with a MOOOOO while the person asks the "who" line.) She loved it, even if she was a little startled by it. She then tried to tell it herself. She struggles through the word "interrupting" (go figure) and can't quite get the timing to MOOOO while the person is asking "Interrupting cow who?".
More recently, she started trying to make up ones about Cheese (Cheese on Hamburger) and other common things along those lines. It's cute watching her try to figure out the humor behind the jokes and seeing her so tickled by her versions.
I tried to tell her the interrupting cow one - (Interrupting cow who? with a MOOOOO while the person asks the "who" line.) She loved it, even if she was a little startled by it. She then tried to tell it herself. She struggles through the word "interrupting" (go figure) and can't quite get the timing to MOOOO while the person is asking "Interrupting cow who?".
More recently, she started trying to make up ones about Cheese (Cheese on Hamburger) and other common things along those lines. It's cute watching her try to figure out the humor behind the jokes and seeing her so tickled by her versions.
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