**This little note has been added now that I am done writing…you could probably go ahead and put on a pot of coffee, It will have time to perk…I’ve had a lot of time to think today…and, my apologies now for the rambling sound of this…It’s just how I think.**

Well this post has taken on several different forms as the day has gone on and I have thought more and more…this is what happens when you clean in the quiet.

This morning on my way to church, I was annoyed to find road blocks. I knew how to get back to the road that I turned around on, but I did not know how to maneuver my way through the neighborhood to get where I was going (church) without doing a serious back track. Luckily for me when I wound my way back to the road that I needed to turn around on, the police officer that was ahead of me on the road had turned around and was sitting at the end of the road I was about to pull out on. Since there was not a car behind me or coming down the road, I decided to roll my window down and ask the officer how I could get through the neighborhood to get to church. He made the directions seem so easy, but he was right. I just wove through it and made my way through the neighborhood and when I got on the other side of it, I was done.

What a picture of life. When you are sitting there looking at the road block in front of you, I could see all of the electric trucks working on the road ahead and as far as I could see that’s all that was on the road, but once I maneuvered around it, the road on the other side was very familiar. Just like normal and just like it has looked every other time that I have driven down Walnut. Even more as I looked off to my right before I turned onto Walnut, I could see the road block from the other side.

So, here I am. It’s March 26 and I pull up to a road block. No, it’s not convenient. I’m in a hurry (because let’s admit it, I always try to cram too many things into my day) and wanting to just drive straight ahead, not changing the path that I am on. But, that was not the plan. So, I just turned around, looked at what needed to be done. My doctors have given me a new path and that is where I am. Meandering my way through the neighborhood. Yeah, there are parts that I can see from the other side and just like there were people I wanted to call today after I got to church and tell them not to come down that road, I know those days will come. Even more, I’m looking forward to the days that will be like the four blocks from 16th to 12th street. But, who am I kidding there is no way that life will be as easy as taking to left turns!

Lesson #2 came after I got to church. This morning I was on the praise team and we had already planned to do an acoustic set. Of course like most Sundays, all the details were planned. Our stands would be in the round, the order of the musicians lined out. The order of worship planned and who would lead out on which songs.

But, the road block I mentioned earlier was a series of close to 10 electric trucks fixing a problem from the storm last night. As I understand it, a tree fell an popped several electric lines which knocked out most of the Southern Arkadelphia grid. Yikes! So, since the repair was going on, on the road to church, you can imagine what I found when I walked up to the doors. A sign that said, “Yes we are having service. Stay and worship with us!”. I was standing there with a couple ladies who were trying to figure out about Sunday School and I thought to myself. “I bet they have the stage lined with candles. This will be a special morning.” And it was. A couple jokes were made about how we had worn certain things and people weren’t going to be able to see them. I had new skirt on and I thought well, since no one will see it, I’ll just wear it tomorrow (so, be ware, my secret is out). One lady even joked about going to put lipstick on before she came back to the stage and stopped herself because no one could see it.

As we practiced through the songs, I just thought how fitting the songs were that we were singing. You know it was like God knew what this morning would be like and led Randy as he prepared the songs for this week. So, as we were sitting there making these comments and singing through the songs for this morning, I was struck as we practiced Heart of Worship, about the story behind the song. Mornings like this is what that song is all about. I kinda felt like a music nerd (thanks dad!) as I thought about it.

The song stems out of a music revival in the late 1990’s in Matt Redman’s home church in England. The pastor made a very bold move and removed the sound system and band for about a month from the service. He challenged the congregation to really think about what they bring into the service…what is their weekly offering to the Lord? You know all He asks from us as part of the New Testament church is to bring ourselves. He doesn’t care if the stage is lit up in blue, purple, green or orange. He is not caught up in whether we use electric or acoustic guitars or if we stick to the “bulletin”. You know, I think it tickles Him pink when we sing an extra tag, because that is what we are moved to do or throw in a song that is not on the agenda or decide to take the service in a totally different direction because that is what He is leading us to do. Have you ever tried standing up when you are the only one in the sanctuary or lifting your hand in praise even when you are sitting close to the front row. Try it….if you are so moved.

You know I’m grateful for moments like today where I am reminded that around the world, people always gather in the dark because it is against the law to meet together in corporate worship. As Bro. Stan reminded us this morning about those believers who sing in whisper I thought how ironic that we were up on stage trying to “belt” it so people could hear us lead without microphones and forgot that He could bring in a natural sound system if that is what He wanted. I was also reminded about the people who literally have to go in their closet with a candle to read the scriptures. I didn’t even have mine with me. There was a moment during the sermon that I wanted to crawl across the sanctuary and get my Bible off the pew that I had left it on when I came in just to hold it. Why do I not crave the Word more? It is my sword and everyday I go to battle and rather than scripture, there are other words that more easily find my lips..and I can assure you they are not always edifying..Oh Lord, may my words be Yours.

Side note: You know in Old Testament times, the Levites managed these temple offerings. There were 7 different types and each type was offered for a different reason. The offerings were set up to bridge the gap between a holy God and a sinful man. Lucky for us that gap has been bridged forever. We do not have to worry about taking care of our sin. Instead, we get to come to worship as the offering. We get to offer our bodies and our lives as a living sacrifice! What an honor.

Don’t get me confused for someone else. I am no bible scholar and would never…ever call myself that. I’m just super lucky that I have parents who made church a priority in our house. They made us get involved and I think I can honestly admit that for the most part, I wanted to be (there was that last year of youth bible drill). But, somewhere along the way between my parents and all the other amazing ministers and adult workers that invested in me, I fell in love with the scriptures. I’m not always good at studying them consistently, but I know they are the ultimate truth. And for that, they are what I draw on. Too, being the daughter of a music minister, I understand first hand how “those guys” handle the details and I cant help but think about them anytime I attend a service. It is really something that I have to work through. I’m always into details and the combination makes is hard for me to worship sometimes (talk about distraction and noise..I’ll save that post for another day..but I’ve been thinking on it, so it’s coming).

Dad is a worship song junkie and so that makes me a junklette! He attends a worship conference every year over the 4th of July weekend and last year while I was home for the holiday and the night mom and I met him for the worship service, Matt Redman led the worship. Yeah, it was incredible. A ballroom at the Gaylord Texan full of people from all over the world, worshiping in their language and style. It was pretty moving. I’m not one much for awkward or outlandish (quit laughing), but it is a very special time. While he always has to beg me to come, it is something that I will miss by being here this next weekend while he is there.

So, as we sang through the songs this morning in the dark, I thought we could be standing there in t-shirts and jeans, no shoes, no makeup, hair in a million directions and still be an offering. What an honor is was to enter His presence this morning with all that “pressure” behind us. May He have received our worship!

Lesson # 3 from the weekend, came from the wedding I was at yesterday. It was a sweet service, and being the COMPLETE NERD I am, I took notes. Who takes notes on a wedding sermon?

Anyway, after the couple had exchanged vows and rings, the pastor, in his challenge to the new couple, shared these thoughts: “To whom much is given, much is required. God has deposited some big checks into your spiritual bank account and He will cash in on those. So, be ready and know its coming. Be a blessing.” Wow, what a compliment. I hope I can find a life partner for whom our relationship can bear that label.

But, I thought past that to now. You know, I really feel like I am in that place personally. I’m one of the lucky ones. He has blessed me. Not just in the last few months, but over my lifetime. He picked me. He brought me into this world with two parents who love each other, love me and love Him. They have chosen by example to follow Him (you see, I come from a long line of people who are not just Christians, but believers). They serve him vocationally and have shown me from the 9 months that mom carried me, that our lives are not our own. We live on loan. We are to serve Christ and to serve others. Two jobs. Yeah, we have other things to do, but they all point back to that and if that is not what our lives reflect, then we are wasting time. And, I love that they are people who don’t shove religion down your throat or who think being religious means living a life of rules. Instead being a Christan means living a life of freedom. Freedom to serve because we know who we serve and that He intended us to have fun; to laugh, to create, to go and do.

Ironically, I love that he mentioned that it was a banking account, not a savings account. (Let your mind wonder on that) Our gifts, abilities, time and resources are not something to be saved, but used up for the Kingdom. Sometimes, He writes big checks and uses up some of those blessings, to bless others. But, what I love about a checking account is that there are pay days (like tomorrow). And, usually just when you think there is nothing left, a deposit comes. So, Bring the Rain Lord, and Make me a Blessing.