Hear the Voice of God so Tender

Read this today in the Daily Office. Thought it was beautiful.

Hear the voice of God, so tender,
gathering us in righteousness,
Giving, as our sure defender,
steadfast love and faithfulness.
Bless God's holy name together,
as the Spirit brings new life.
Giving, as our sure defender,
steadfast love and faithfulness.

God is healing and forgiving
creatures who are sore distressed,
Opening doors to hopeful living,
as, by love, we're daily blessed.
Bless God's holy name together,
as the Spirit brings new life.
Opening doors to hopeful living,
as, by love, we're daily blessed.

Listening to the Spirit's guiding,
breath beyond the written code,
we, in covenant abiding,
seek to write our letters bold.
Bless God's holy name together,
as the Spirit brings new life.
We, in covenant abiding,
seek to write our letters bold.

Shed the old wineskins of warfare
for the fresh new wines of peace,
knowing God sustains our welfare
with a love that will not cease.
Bless God's holy name together,
as the Spirit brings new life.
Knowing God sustains our welfare
with a love that will not cease.

Words: Lavon Bayler (20th C)
Music: Raquel (8.7.8.7.D.), Skinner Chávez-Melo (20thC)
Sequence: Cathouse Pandemonium, Ltd

How do you know you grew up in the 80's?

You know you grew up in the 80's when . . .

You know the profound meaning of "Wax on, Wax off."

You know that another name for a keyboard is a "Synthesizer".

You can sing the McDonald's Big Mac, Filet-o-fish, quarter pounder, and French fry song.

You know who Mr. T is. You also know who Fat Albert is. And who was the boy in the pink mask?

You ever wore fluorescent, neon clothing.

You could breakdance, or wish you could.

You wanted to be The Hulk for Halloween.

You believed that "By the power of Greyskull, you HAD the power!"

Partying "like it's 1999" seemed SO far away.

You thought that Transformers were more than meets the eye.

You wanted to be on Star Search.

You remember the garbage pail kids, and owned some.

You knew what Willis was "talkin' 'bout."

You remember when ATARI was a state of the art video game system.

You were led to believe that in the year 2000 we'd all be living on the moon.

You remember and/or owned any of the Care Bear Glass collection from Pizza Hut or the Muppets glasses from McDonalds.

You knew who Ben Stein was before you could win his money -- "Bueller?"

You carried your lunch to school in a Gremlins, ET, Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider, Strawberry Shortcake or A-Team lunch box.

You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the ONLY female smurf.

You wore your Izod shirt with the collar up.

You had Wonder Woman or Superman underoos.

You had to come in the house when the street lights came on.

You owned, or knew somebody with a Commodore 64.

You hated Scrappy Doo.

You recorded songs off the radio with your boom box.

You have ever said, "Gag me with a spoon."

You remember the first time you went into a video store to rent a movie.

You still cannot go in to the water because of that movie, Jaws.

You remember life before minivans and SUVs.

Ministering for Results

I read something on Will Willimon's blog that created a pin prick of thought that soon became a flood. As a pastor, much like many other pastors, I love to see results in the ministry I am placed within. Whether it be a new family attending, or a new small group starting, I am jazzed by growth and results. On the other hand, when someone leaves the church, or there is a lack of visual results I am ready to throw my hands up. What if I am ministering for the wrong things? Results.

I wonder if ministry in this culture has been affected by this culture. "The bigger the better", the "flashier the finer", etc. Every three months I have to fill out a report to my denomination's district telling about results. What if I wrote this time, "I am not in it for these results"? What would they say. What is discipleship is something that doesn't produce quick results, but results that last a lifetime?

These are some of my discombobulated (is that a word?) thoughts about ministry and results.

Prayer

Read this poem by George Herbert on Ben Witherington's blog .

Prayer I


Prayer the Church's banquet, angel's age,
God's breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, the heart in pilgrimage,
The Christian plummet sounding heav'n and earth;
Engine against the Almighty, sinner's tower,
Reversed thunder, Christ's side-piercing spear,
The six-days' world transposing in an hour,
A kind of tune, which all things hear and fear;
Softness and peace, and joy and love, and bliss,
Exalted manna, gladness of the best,
Heaven in ordinary, man well dressed,
The milky way, the bird of Paradise,
Church-bells beyond the stars heard,the soul's blood
The land of spices; something understood."

George Herbert

The Conflict of Community

Community is hard. It sucks at times quite frankly. To be in a community you have to risk yourself, offer your ideas, your heart, and at times it gets stomped. We humans let each other down, we trample on each other's feelings, selfishly at times looking out for ourselves first. I have done it, so have you. We are hard to live with, talk to, and to love. Yet, we are called to do it. To be a community. Not a group of Christians who are loosely connected by a certain hour of music and preachign on Sunday A.M., rather, a group that actually "shares life together".

I don't know if I failed kindergarten, I don't think I did. In fact I can remember Mrs. Crabtree saying that I was a good kid. Ate too much of that yummy paste. But I "shared" well. What happen to me since then? I have gotten so selfish at times. I don't like to share my time, my money, my ideas, my dreams, my fears. All of that is MINE, not yours, and if I give to you, you will mess it up. But, what is that you say? I can't really know you unless I give myself to you? And you can't really know me until you give yourself to me? Well that sucks, because I know at some point you are going to let me down. As will I to you. But maybe the let down isn't what I should be avoiding. Maybe the letdown is the redemption point. Maybe what I should be avoiding is never being letdown or letting down.

All I know is that community is hard. But, with that said, I am dedicated to it. I want to be "known" by others, and I want to truly "know" them. I can't handle what is in my head and heart by myself. I need others. Letdowns and all.

Canticle 19 The Song of the Redeemed

O ruler of the universe, Lord God,
great deeds are they that you have done, *
surpassing human understanding.
Your ways are ways of righteousness and truth, *

O King of all the ages
Who can fail to do you homage, Lord
and sing the praises of your Name
for you only are the Holy One.

All nations will draw near and fall down before you
because your just and holy works have been revealed.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen