It's been a long time since I've posted here and I typically feel like I'm rambling nonsense when I do. Please accept my apologies up front if that is how you interpret these thoughts.
Tonight I almost lost it. As I was researching songs for Advent I came across a blog with a list of contemporary songs that your church could sing. As I read through number 4 recommended a Gungor song titled The Fall. I was excited to look up the chords and eagerly grabbed my guitar to pick through this lovely song that I knew well. It was only after returning to the list that I read number 5 and I almost lost it. Recommended was This is Not the End by Gungor. I had to just keep telling my self no over and over not only to keep from crying but to also affirm the fact that I would not be gracing Advent worship with this song.
This is, in fact, close to the end for me. I have had one heck of a journey as a worship leader at Central Christian. Started from a small evening service, moved to the mornings, then moved to a bigger space, R&R was my life. We struggled through many adversities together. We laughed, cried, loved, and lived together. There were days that I struggled to be in worship, due to different circumstances, and mid way through worship God had moved in a way that all I could do was focus on worshipping him and his goodness.
On Sept 25th, 2016 R&R shared in it's last worship experience together. Appropriately chosen for a communion song, and ending song, we played This is Not the End almost as an anthem that we would not be silenced. A statement that no matter how you try to silence the drums during communion our style of worship would still exist.
My heart is heavy as I feel that I have let many people down. I have tendered my resignation as worship leader at Central. This is due the many differences, that are evident, in opinions and preferences about styles of worship during our new unified service of worship.
I want to take this space to apologize. I had wild hopes for the future of Central, including my involvement in it, and I let those hopes blind me to the truth that many others had already seen. I am sorry that I didn't resign sooner. I'm sorry that I put up false hope in others. I am sorry that I have let you down.
December 18 will be my last Sunday at Central as contemporary worship leader. While I expect this feeling of a burden lifted I am heavy hearted to wonder where my ministry will take me next. I also wonder when, if ever, I'll lead worship again? Undignified worship for God! I know in my heart that I will not, can not, stop worshipping.
At this time I am unsure where the future leads me. I will continue to pray for guidance and continue to listen for God's answers.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you supported what we did together in worship for God then I want to say to you, "I love you." My calling to lead others in worship would not have been fulfilled without you. I hope that we can worship together again soon.
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Monday, March 12, 2012
What does the future hold?
What does it mean to be relevant to the world, not conform to the world, while still aligning with God's will?
I think this question becomes harder and harder to answer every day. As a life time member of the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, we have adopted a wonderful identity statement.
“We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all to the Lord's Table as God has welcomed us.”
I love this statement! However, I think we are missing the point. We do offer an open invitation to the table every time we gather to worship. In most places, I believe it stops there.
What we don't offer is an invitation to come as you are and worship. On the surface the offer is there. Then you have to get past the committees and stubbornness to worship any other way than the "traditional way."
I am in no way saying that traditional worship should be left on the back burner. I grew up with it and it really helped shape who I am today. I also fully understand that there are a multitude of younger families that prefer this worship style. What I am saying is that most stoves have two front burners and I think Contemporary worship deserves the front as well.
My original vision when trying to start Revive and Renew at Central was to provide different means of connection with God and to meet the needs of the people in the community that haven't discovered that God has a place for them.
Does a movement for wholeness mean that we cannot have different services and worship styles? No! Just because we are separate does not mean that we aren't a part of the whole body of Christ. I interpret a movement for wholeness as a call to fill the gaps. Leave no stone unturned.
If we are just catering to the current members of the church, aka the people that are already here believing, then we are not a movement for wholeness. An important role for the church is to nurture it's current members, but it doesn't stop there. We are called to teach our members the fulfillment of leading others to Christ through showing love. We should empower our members to step out in our local communities and make a difference. It's so easy to write a check and say, "Look what we're doing in Africa." It takes way more to say, "Look what we're doing in our neighborhood."
I have come to a stale state. If I'm just here to make people comfortable, then I'm not doing what I originally set out to do. Recently we proposed changes that we felt were vital for the future growth of R&R. As you might imagine, this caused an uproar.
The two ideas proposed were:
1. Move from simultaneous service times. This would move the time of the traditional service along with the time of R&R. This would allow our current ministry team to provide a consistent connection to the R&R members.
2. Hire a consistent minister to serve the R&R service and keep the simultaneous times. This would allow a connection between the members of R&R and the ministry team as a whole.
I would first like to say that we didn't just throw these together like a list of demands at the last second. They were thought over and organized to be well presented. Both provide separate challenges that would need work to help overcome.
The church decided to offer listening sessions where members could show up and make statements about these proposed changes or offer questions/concerns about the changes.
I had the displeasure of attending the last one of these sessions. Here are a couple of comments that were made.
"I feel that R&R is divisive." When asked to clarify the person was not just referencing the simultaneous times but R&R itself.
"Does R&R give enough to support a paid minister?"
"Why can't R&R move back to the evenings?" A step in the wrong direction in my opinion.
"I've noticed that R&R's attendance is steady and without growth. Shouldn't they show they can grow before we make any changes?" Would you wait for a plant to grow before you water it?
"Why can't one of our current ministers, Associate or Youth, be the new minister in R&R?"
The last question brought on a whole off topic discussion of why the church even needs a paid youth minister. They just want to alter his job description to include R&R! I will gladly stand up and say that having a consistent full time Youth Minister changed who I am today as a Christian. My life would not be the same without the support I received from Josh and Shelby.
Since I do consider all of our ministers, ordained or not, as a part of our church family, this really hurt me. How are we, as a church, showing love by rewriting the Youth Minister's job description, without raising his pay, to include an extra 10 to 15 hours of sermon prep every week? Do people think all he does is show up on Wednesday & Sunday nights to hang out?
It's obvious that the divisive comment stung the worst. To say that what a group of us felt God was calling us to form for Central was divisive is a slap in the face. If we were out for personal gain then we would have failed from the start.
I feel that my presence was a mistake yesterday. I've lost all hope for the church family that I thought, growing up as a kid, supported and loved me. I can now only see my true church family as a narrow few. I could count them on my hands and feet.
God calls us to make disciples. The first step is to love God. The next is to love neighbor. If we can't even love within the walls of our own church, how are we going to show that love anywhere else? What happens when a new member joins and then sees the inner workings of the church? What happens when they hear the harsh words spoken about what they feel God is calling them to do? What example are we setting as a faith community?
So what does it mean to be relevant to the world while still aligning with God's will?
I offer this solution; God does not call us to be comfortable. Jesus never called his disciples to a life of luxury. If we are to truly show God's unconditional love, then we must step out side of what's comfortable and go the distance. The world today lacks God's love and instead of it pouring out of the church in to the world, the hate is seeping in to the church.
I think this question becomes harder and harder to answer every day. As a life time member of the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, we have adopted a wonderful identity statement.
“We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all to the Lord's Table as God has welcomed us.”
I love this statement! However, I think we are missing the point. We do offer an open invitation to the table every time we gather to worship. In most places, I believe it stops there.
What we don't offer is an invitation to come as you are and worship. On the surface the offer is there. Then you have to get past the committees and stubbornness to worship any other way than the "traditional way."
I am in no way saying that traditional worship should be left on the back burner. I grew up with it and it really helped shape who I am today. I also fully understand that there are a multitude of younger families that prefer this worship style. What I am saying is that most stoves have two front burners and I think Contemporary worship deserves the front as well.
My original vision when trying to start Revive and Renew at Central was to provide different means of connection with God and to meet the needs of the people in the community that haven't discovered that God has a place for them.
Does a movement for wholeness mean that we cannot have different services and worship styles? No! Just because we are separate does not mean that we aren't a part of the whole body of Christ. I interpret a movement for wholeness as a call to fill the gaps. Leave no stone unturned.
If we are just catering to the current members of the church, aka the people that are already here believing, then we are not a movement for wholeness. An important role for the church is to nurture it's current members, but it doesn't stop there. We are called to teach our members the fulfillment of leading others to Christ through showing love. We should empower our members to step out in our local communities and make a difference. It's so easy to write a check and say, "Look what we're doing in Africa." It takes way more to say, "Look what we're doing in our neighborhood."
I have come to a stale state. If I'm just here to make people comfortable, then I'm not doing what I originally set out to do. Recently we proposed changes that we felt were vital for the future growth of R&R. As you might imagine, this caused an uproar.
The two ideas proposed were:
1. Move from simultaneous service times. This would move the time of the traditional service along with the time of R&R. This would allow our current ministry team to provide a consistent connection to the R&R members.
2. Hire a consistent minister to serve the R&R service and keep the simultaneous times. This would allow a connection between the members of R&R and the ministry team as a whole.
I would first like to say that we didn't just throw these together like a list of demands at the last second. They were thought over and organized to be well presented. Both provide separate challenges that would need work to help overcome.
The church decided to offer listening sessions where members could show up and make statements about these proposed changes or offer questions/concerns about the changes.
I had the displeasure of attending the last one of these sessions. Here are a couple of comments that were made.
"I feel that R&R is divisive." When asked to clarify the person was not just referencing the simultaneous times but R&R itself.
"Does R&R give enough to support a paid minister?"
"Why can't R&R move back to the evenings?" A step in the wrong direction in my opinion.
"I've noticed that R&R's attendance is steady and without growth. Shouldn't they show they can grow before we make any changes?" Would you wait for a plant to grow before you water it?
"Why can't one of our current ministers, Associate or Youth, be the new minister in R&R?"
The last question brought on a whole off topic discussion of why the church even needs a paid youth minister. They just want to alter his job description to include R&R! I will gladly stand up and say that having a consistent full time Youth Minister changed who I am today as a Christian. My life would not be the same without the support I received from Josh and Shelby.
Since I do consider all of our ministers, ordained or not, as a part of our church family, this really hurt me. How are we, as a church, showing love by rewriting the Youth Minister's job description, without raising his pay, to include an extra 10 to 15 hours of sermon prep every week? Do people think all he does is show up on Wednesday & Sunday nights to hang out?
It's obvious that the divisive comment stung the worst. To say that what a group of us felt God was calling us to form for Central was divisive is a slap in the face. If we were out for personal gain then we would have failed from the start.
I feel that my presence was a mistake yesterday. I've lost all hope for the church family that I thought, growing up as a kid, supported and loved me. I can now only see my true church family as a narrow few. I could count them on my hands and feet.
God calls us to make disciples. The first step is to love God. The next is to love neighbor. If we can't even love within the walls of our own church, how are we going to show that love anywhere else? What happens when a new member joins and then sees the inner workings of the church? What happens when they hear the harsh words spoken about what they feel God is calling them to do? What example are we setting as a faith community?
So what does it mean to be relevant to the world while still aligning with God's will?
I offer this solution; God does not call us to be comfortable. Jesus never called his disciples to a life of luxury. If we are to truly show God's unconditional love, then we must step out side of what's comfortable and go the distance. The world today lacks God's love and instead of it pouring out of the church in to the world, the hate is seeping in to the church.
Friday, February 11, 2011
WIP [Worship in Progress]
Recently there has been a lot happening in my life and it's really made me step back and take a look at how worship is viewed in today's society. This is really a tough subject for me because I've always been of the opinion that there is no wrong way to worship. Glorifying God is good. Period. I guess it's time for my stance to change.
A few weekends ago I had the opportunity to get back to the root of what initially sparked my passion to lead worship, camp! Even though it was only a weekend, I was ecstatic to jump in and get back in touch. This event was Mid-Winter at Central Christian Camp in Guthrie, OK. It was held for Chi-Rho through CYF (aka grades 6th through 12th) which totaled around 150 people including counselors. So I knew worship was going to be big!
Background: I've always yearned to be at camp every waking moment. The worship experiences found there coupled with lifetime friendships and connections cannot be found anywhere else. I have always went, guitar in hand, looking forward to worship, then friends. It was a place to find God.
Now back to Mid-Winter: Friday night worship had me worried. I'm sort of a control freak when it comes to leading worship. I believe that if you're organized and have a plan then it will allow you to seamlessly lead others towards worship without any distraction. So the fact that I had to teach four others the chords an hour before worship was not reassuring. As always, God stepped in and everything went smoothly.
Here’s where I got off track though: During most of the music, the kids wouldn’t shut up! I understand that it was the first night at camp and they were seeing friends they hadn’t seen in a few months. I get that. But what was the purpose of coming to camp in the first place? Friends or God?
Saturday night wasn’t much better in the worship environment with the kids. There was lots of chatter that I could hear over the eight person band. That night though, I stepped back and let another musician, and great friend, lead a song I didn’t know. I found God again that night. It was an experience that I wouldn’t have expected given the circumstances.
So that’s enough rambling about my experience. Now it’s time to get back on track. Worship. What are we teaching kids today about worship? What do they expect when they show up at church?
The church is their weekly outlet to God. It should be their time to draw near to God so they are refreshed throughout the week. Whether through song, prayer, communion, or offering we should be teaching them to worship. I feel old saying that kids have no respect, but it’s true!
Here’s what we teach our kids at church. *Keep in mind that I am generalizing and I understand that not everyone does things the same way. This is what I see as a result of the world controlling our thoughts and actions today.* When we time the sermon and are more concerned about time constraints than worship, we teach our kids that worship is not important. Lunch, Sports, TV, or anything else worldly should come after worship. When we limit the experiences throughout the service to meet time constraints imposed by our own church, we are not prioritizing worship first.
Obviously, I’m not the man with all the answers. I just think I see something that’s broken. Something has to change. It has to start with us. I’m going to start in my house. I refuse to rob my children of the passion that I have felt when worshiping God.
Our God loves us and when we worship and love him back, we receive the greatest love. Who doesn’t want that? How can you limit that? Who cares if you have to wait an extra 30 minutes at the restaurant for a table because you shared in Gods love for an extra 10?
Whether guitar, organ, piano, or a cappella keep worshiping. Don’t let time hold you down. Keep the world out. It is up to us to make change happen and bring God back to the front, ahead of the World.
John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings. I may not be finished, but it’s something that I’ve needed to put to words for a while.
Keep worshiping!
A few weekends ago I had the opportunity to get back to the root of what initially sparked my passion to lead worship, camp! Even though it was only a weekend, I was ecstatic to jump in and get back in touch. This event was Mid-Winter at Central Christian Camp in Guthrie, OK. It was held for Chi-Rho through CYF (aka grades 6th through 12th) which totaled around 150 people including counselors. So I knew worship was going to be big!
Background: I've always yearned to be at camp every waking moment. The worship experiences found there coupled with lifetime friendships and connections cannot be found anywhere else. I have always went, guitar in hand, looking forward to worship, then friends. It was a place to find God.
Now back to Mid-Winter: Friday night worship had me worried. I'm sort of a control freak when it comes to leading worship. I believe that if you're organized and have a plan then it will allow you to seamlessly lead others towards worship without any distraction. So the fact that I had to teach four others the chords an hour before worship was not reassuring. As always, God stepped in and everything went smoothly.
Here’s where I got off track though: During most of the music, the kids wouldn’t shut up! I understand that it was the first night at camp and they were seeing friends they hadn’t seen in a few months. I get that. But what was the purpose of coming to camp in the first place? Friends or God?
Saturday night wasn’t much better in the worship environment with the kids. There was lots of chatter that I could hear over the eight person band. That night though, I stepped back and let another musician, and great friend, lead a song I didn’t know. I found God again that night. It was an experience that I wouldn’t have expected given the circumstances.
So that’s enough rambling about my experience. Now it’s time to get back on track. Worship. What are we teaching kids today about worship? What do they expect when they show up at church?
The church is their weekly outlet to God. It should be their time to draw near to God so they are refreshed throughout the week. Whether through song, prayer, communion, or offering we should be teaching them to worship. I feel old saying that kids have no respect, but it’s true!
Here’s what we teach our kids at church. *Keep in mind that I am generalizing and I understand that not everyone does things the same way. This is what I see as a result of the world controlling our thoughts and actions today.* When we time the sermon and are more concerned about time constraints than worship, we teach our kids that worship is not important. Lunch, Sports, TV, or anything else worldly should come after worship. When we limit the experiences throughout the service to meet time constraints imposed by our own church, we are not prioritizing worship first.
Obviously, I’m not the man with all the answers. I just think I see something that’s broken. Something has to change. It has to start with us. I’m going to start in my house. I refuse to rob my children of the passion that I have felt when worshiping God.
Our God loves us and when we worship and love him back, we receive the greatest love. Who doesn’t want that? How can you limit that? Who cares if you have to wait an extra 30 minutes at the restaurant for a table because you shared in Gods love for an extra 10?
Whether guitar, organ, piano, or a cappella keep worshiping. Don’t let time hold you down. Keep the world out. It is up to us to make change happen and bring God back to the front, ahead of the World.
John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings. I may not be finished, but it’s something that I’ve needed to put to words for a while.
Keep worshiping!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Top 10 movies of the 2000's... According to me...
After challenging my friend Aaron, thisiscinerama, to a top 10 list for the last decade, he decided to challenge me. Obviously, this list isn't going to be formulated like most top 10 lists are. I am in no way a movie critic and wouldn't know the first thing about building what the academy would consider a good movie.
I am someone who loves a good laugh, fart jokes and potty humor, and a good love story. This list is populated from my favorite movies and is my opinion. You don't like it? Too bad!
--------------------
My Top 10 Movies from 2000-2009
--------------------
Here is a list of movies that didn't make the cut in no particular order:
So there's the top 10 according to me along with some other favorites. Feel free to leave a comment or suggest a correction to any of my writings. Thanks for taking the time to read.
~James
I am someone who loves a good laugh, fart jokes and potty humor, and a good love story. This list is populated from my favorite movies and is my opinion. You don't like it? Too bad!
--------------------
My Top 10 Movies from 2000-2009
- Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)
Click to enlarge.
One name sums it all up... "Elanor." With her "Go Baby Go" button you can't go wrong. I'm a car enthusiasts and love all of the different rides you get to see boosted here. I also love the dynamic between Nicholas Cage and Angelina Jolie.
- WALL-E (2008)
Click to enlarge.
WALL-E is one of those movies that you just can't go wrong with. I'm jealous that kids today can get caught up in the WALL-E merchandise frenzy and wish this movie was around when I was a kid. From the minute you first see WALL-E you fall in love with him. This is a must see if you haven't seen it!
- Anchorman (2004)
Click to enlarge.
"I'm Ron Burgandy?" This is one of my favorite movies to quote. Will Ferrell is cast in his best role here. He's on top of the world and no one can ruin that... except for a woman and a teleprompter. This is another must see!
- Old School (2003)
Click to enlarge.
"You're my boy Blue!!!" I live to quote this movie all the time. Being a married man, I love the joke about an exciting day at Home Depot. This movie is excellent for a great laugh.
- V for Vendetta (2005)
Click to enlarge.
"Remember remember the Fifth of November the gunpowder treason plot. I see not a reason the gunpowder treason shall ever be forgot." Who doesn't love a movie that stands for defiance? "V" will really make you question the motives behind the government's actions. If you want a movie that makes you think, then this movie is for you.
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
Click to enlarge.
I will survive. This is a movie I recommend that everyone see's at least once. I love Val Kilmer playing "Gay Perry." Personally, I think this is one of Robert Downy Jr.'s best roles. Straight from the pages of Johnny Gossamer. If you love mysterious comedies, you'll love this movie.
- Finding Neverland (2004)
Click to enlarge.
Finding Neverland follows the life of J.M. Barrie and his encounter with the boy, and his brothers, that supposedly inspired Peter Pan. You start off with an awesome cast line-up of Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, and Freddie Highmore. The atmosphere between Depp and Highmore is great and this makes their relationship on screen feel real. I think that Johnny Depp plays a lot in to that with his wonderful imaginative character. I always feel inspired to do great things after watching this movie.
- 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)
Click to enlarge.
I don't even know where to begin with this movie. I love Steve Carrell! As stated above, I love potty jokes and love stories. This has all the above and then some! This movie is one of Apatow's best. The dynamic of his friends at work and what ensues between them is hilarious! 40 Year Old Virgin is another must see!
- Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Click to enlarge.
Obviously, Tarantino had to make my list. His is a master when it comes to making films. Everything in this movie seems real. This could have been because most of the actors playing foreign roles were just that, foreign actors! One of the best roles in this movie is COL. Hans Landa, played by Christoph Waltz. A better actor couldn't have been cast for this role. Another of my favorites is Shosanna, played by Mélanie Laurent. She is has that timeless classic beauty. Note: Those with weak stomachs should not watch Inglorious Bastards. My advice is to suck it up and cover your eyes in the "yucky" parts. You don't want to miss this one! "Arrivederci"
- Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
Click to enlarge.
"Let the wild rumpus start!" Spike Jonze has taken a book with less than 20 pages and managed to make it into a masterpiece. I laughed and cried. Jonze does an excellent job at capturing the boyish spirit of Max and conflict of being a child. I immediately fell in love with Max and all of the Wild Things. "We'll eat you up, we love you so!"
--------------------
Here is a list of movies that didn't make the cut in no particular order:
- Dan in Real Life
- Downfall
- Spanglish
- Moulin Rouge
- Up
- The Transporter
- The Last Samurai
- Charlie & the Chocolate Factory
- The Royal Tenenbaums
So there's the top 10 according to me along with some other favorites. Feel free to leave a comment or suggest a correction to any of my writings. Thanks for taking the time to read.
~James
Monday, December 7, 2009
Jesus as a baby...
This holiday season has left me feeling more inspired than usual. Like my eyes have been opened to a whole new God that loves me more than I could have imagined.
I've had people asking me about us adding Christmas songs to the worship line up for R&R and I honestly cringed at first. Don't get me wrong, I love singing Christmas Carols. They're festive and fun! I've just never thought of them as a form of worship.
This last week we threw our own version of Mercy Me's version of Silent Night. You can listen to it on YouTube here. From the moment that I sampled this song on iTunes it changed my perspective on Christmas songs as worship. I think the song was well received this week.
Now to the point of my blog title...
Listen to this song & really listen to the words:
Relient K - "Celebrate the Day"
-----
Lyrics:
And with this Christmas wish is missed
The point I could convey
If only I could find the words to say to let You know how much You've touched my life
Because here is where You're finding me, in the exact same place as New Year's eve
And from a lack of my persistency
We're less than half as close as I want to be
And the first time
That You opened Your eyes did You realize that You would be my Savior
And the first breath that left Your lips
Did You know that it would change this world forever
And so this Christmas I'll compare the things I felt in prior years
To what this midnight made so clear
That You have come to meet me here
To look back and think that
This baby would one day save me
In the hope that what You did
That you were born so I might live
To look back and think that
This baby would one day save me
And I, I celebrate the day
That You were born to die
So I could one day pray for You to save my life
-----
The first time I listened to this song it made me tear up. To think about the innocence of a baby. Those of you who have had kids before understand what this is like. We are born into this world with very little knowledge. We have to learn to talk, think, eat, and interact with people. We have to learn good and bad.
It's hard for me to imagine a baby that's so innocent and knowledge less is going to die for me. It rips my heart to know that something so beautiful was done for me. The greatest thing about this season is spending it in awe of the miracle that God gave us in the form of a baby. The next greatest thing is the time I get to spend with my family.
Pure innocence is something that we only acheive once in our lives. Then we start to gain knowledge and the understanding of the world around us. Praise the lord for a child that didn't know what he was going to bear for all of us. It kills me to think of my sins and that baby.
I really don't know what else to add. Re-listen to the song and think about a baby that takes his first breath. Think about how that first breath saved your life. Think about the first thing that those eyes saw was our world, the place he was going to die for. Jesus was one of us. He was innocently born into a curropt world just like us!
Pray that we may all understand God's love for us better. Pray that we think about an innocent baby Jesus and how our sins today effect him.
PEACE!
~James
I've had people asking me about us adding Christmas songs to the worship line up for R&R and I honestly cringed at first. Don't get me wrong, I love singing Christmas Carols. They're festive and fun! I've just never thought of them as a form of worship.
This last week we threw our own version of Mercy Me's version of Silent Night. You can listen to it on YouTube here. From the moment that I sampled this song on iTunes it changed my perspective on Christmas songs as worship. I think the song was well received this week.
Now to the point of my blog title...
Listen to this song & really listen to the words:
Relient K - "Celebrate the Day"
Lyrics:
And with this Christmas wish is missed
The point I could convey
If only I could find the words to say to let You know how much You've touched my life
Because here is where You're finding me, in the exact same place as New Year's eve
And from a lack of my persistency
We're less than half as close as I want to be
And the first time
That You opened Your eyes did You realize that You would be my Savior
And the first breath that left Your lips
Did You know that it would change this world forever
And so this Christmas I'll compare the things I felt in prior years
To what this midnight made so clear
That You have come to meet me here
To look back and think that
This baby would one day save me
In the hope that what You did
That you were born so I might live
To look back and think that
This baby would one day save me
And I, I celebrate the day
That You were born to die
So I could one day pray for You to save my life
-----
The first time I listened to this song it made me tear up. To think about the innocence of a baby. Those of you who have had kids before understand what this is like. We are born into this world with very little knowledge. We have to learn to talk, think, eat, and interact with people. We have to learn good and bad.
It's hard for me to imagine a baby that's so innocent and knowledge less is going to die for me. It rips my heart to know that something so beautiful was done for me. The greatest thing about this season is spending it in awe of the miracle that God gave us in the form of a baby. The next greatest thing is the time I get to spend with my family.
Pure innocence is something that we only acheive once in our lives. Then we start to gain knowledge and the understanding of the world around us. Praise the lord for a child that didn't know what he was going to bear for all of us. It kills me to think of my sins and that baby.
I really don't know what else to add. Re-listen to the song and think about a baby that takes his first breath. Think about how that first breath saved your life. Think about the first thing that those eyes saw was our world, the place he was going to die for. Jesus was one of us. He was innocently born into a curropt world just like us!
Pray that we may all understand God's love for us better. Pray that we think about an innocent baby Jesus and how our sins today effect him.
PEACE!
~James
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Blogs I just posted...
Hello everyone,
The last three blogs that I posted were ones that I posted on my Myspace. Today I'm deleting it and just wanted to save those three. Read/re-read and enjoy. :)
PEACE!
~James
The last three blogs that I posted were ones that I posted on my Myspace. Today I'm deleting it and just wanted to save those three. Read/re-read and enjoy. :)
PEACE!
~James
OMG, I think I've lost you...
I'm sick of what worship is made out to be. I'm also sick of what I make it to be. I'm just too critical and I only feel connected when my guitar is in my hands. This my mountain to climb. I do however thinnk that there needs to be some sort of structure to have a working worship. By my definition a working worship is is something that flows smoothly. Something that provides a easy outlet to God. with little destractions. So how do I acomplish this in my standards? I multiply myself and do it all with my anal nature. Lol. I guess it's a long shot. I guess what it comes down to is having leaders that aren't there to perform for anyone else than God. The ONLY person that deserves the glory. I feel like I'm rambling and I apologize if my spelling is off. I'm doing this from my phone at 315am. I miss my lord. I miss a connection that I use to have with him. Things will change. I just don't know how long I have to wait.
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