Recently my husband, son and myself were enjoying a lovely Saturday afternoon in the front yard. Christian was riding his bike and Jason and I were cleaning out the van. The sun was out and it was warm and beautiful. All of this sudden I heard screaming and crying and I did not see Christian. He had wiped out big time on his bike. Bleeding elbow, knees, and side and many tears. When we asked how he fell he said, “I rode with no hands and no feet!”

There is a spiritual application in there somewhere. After cleaning him up I began to think about when the last time was that I let go and rode my bike with no hands and no feet. I began to think about the freedom you feel when you are coasting and feel the sun on your face, the wind in your hair and there is not a worry in sight. Christian took a big risk. Sometimes those really pay off and sometimes they make you crash and burn. Big risk big reward.

I think I need to take more risks. I have become “safe” in my early 30’s. I don’t like that. I am always thinking about the worse case scenario and then acting on it. Is that because I am a women? Is that because I have kids now? Why do I try to have things within my control? I don’t know, but I think I am going to start approaching life with the “no hands and no feet” attitude more often. Who knows, I might just have fun!

Look world, “No hands and no feet!”

Well, yesterday marked a mile stone in my life. It was our 9th wedding anniversary. Wow. I just can’t believe it has been 10 years since we met and 9 years of marriage. I look at my husband and just still melt! He is such a hunk. I am more in love with him now than the day I met him. Here is a small list of some things I love about him:

1. He never gives up on me

2. He has never wavered in his love for me, he is my constant.

3. He has given me 9 years of laughter!

4. He is STILL my best friend.

5. He does things for me and our son and never complains. He is a true reflection of Jesus.

6. He drives our crappy car and doesn’t complain.

7. He is loud and boisterous and always the “life of the party”.

8. He embarrasses me, even though I want to hurt him because he thinks its funny.

9. He does crazy things just to be stupid and doesn’t care what anyone thinks.

10. He always tells me when he smokes a cigar, even though he doesn’t have to.

11. He is always looking for action.

12. He exaggerates his stories.

13. He gags when he brushes his teeth

14. He would rather wear a t-shirt, jeans and flops than anything else.

15. He doesn’t own briefs.

16. When we met he had corn rows in his hair

17. I have seen him with blue hair, red mohawk, no hair, long hair, bleached hair, short hair, shaggy hair, and really greasy hair.

18. He has a gift to make everyone feel like his best friend even if they just met.

19. Finally, no matter what we do we ALWAYS have a good time, even if it is being in the hospital with me for pre-term labor on our 9th anniversary.

I look forward to a lifetime of laughter, tears, hand holding, and adventure with my man. I leave you with the lyrics to Sarah McLauchlan’s song Push.

Every time I look at you the world just melts away
All my troubles all my fears dissolve in your affections
You’ve seen me at my weakest but you take me as I am
And when I fall you offer me a softer place to land

Your love is just the antidote when nothing else will cure me
There are times I cant decide when I cant tell up from down
You make me feel less crazy when otherwise I’d drown
But you pick me up and brush me off and tell me I’m OK
Sometimes thats just what we need to get us through the day

Ok. So you have all heard of this new flu called the Swine Flu. Ooohhhhh ssooooo scaryyyy. It is interesting to me to watch America and the world become so panicked by a flu that we have all been exposed to by now.  The media of course being the biggest instigator. We all know bad news gets more ratings. I could startle you with statistics of how many people die from the normal flu vs. this how many have died world wide from the Swine Flu…but I won’t.

Here is the thing. I have two main thoughts.

Thought One: When God decides it is our time to go we go. The Swine flu has not snuck up on God and he is like, “Oh crap, did not see that one coming, sorry 150 people, I am gonna have to move your death date up”. He is soveriegn and our days are already numbered here on this earth. We could get the Swine flu, almost die, but then miraculously recover and get hit by a car and die on the way home from the hosipital. I know that sounds morbid, but God has not given us a spirit of fear. We are to simply trust He is in control.

Thought Two: Why isn’t the world panicing that Christ could return any day? That is where the real histeria shoudl lie. People may die and go to hell and they don’t know or don’t care. That is heartbreaking!

Maybe we can use this Swine Flu as a witnessing opportunity. How easy when you talk to an unbeliever about it to bring up the real issue, their soul.

Let’s pray Christian’s everywhere (me too!) will use this as an open door to sharing the gospel!

Boys. What do we do with them? I grew up with all sisters so this world of boys I am venturing into is unknown, dark, and scary. Now, I am looking from a different perspective when it comes to boys. I am not talking dating or anything, I am talking about raising boys. Being a mom of boys.

How do you raise a boy? I will say when they first come into the world they are chubby, quite and just a bundle of joy! From there they grow. Something else grows with them as they physically grow…this is the element of curiosity. I like to nick name this “what gets them in trouble”

I have an 8 year old boy right now and am pregnant with our second boy. Why is it that boys want to set things on fire? Blow things up? Oh, and no matter how against the NRA you are…a cracker can become a gun.

I recently picked up my son from Sunday school and his teacher came over to me just laughing. I asked what was so funny and she let me know that my son told the class when Paul was shipwrecked and got bit by the snake he did not die because Paul took out his AK47 (some sort of machine gun) and shot the snake to death. Not only did he tell the class but was kind enough to act it out for everyone. Where does he come up with this stuff?

My husband and I were driving through the street a few days ago and there was snow piled up along the sides of the streets. He kept veering our mini van into the snow banks and driving. I exclaimed in a loud voice, “What are doing, and why do you keep doing it?!” He answered, “It’s fun.” Where do boys grow into men and think that driving a mini van through snow banks on the street might be a good time?

Just yesterday I was explaining to my son that he stinks and needs to shower. He was shocked that I would make him shower everyday now that the warm weather is here. In the winter it is more like every other day. Anyhow, he actually had some pride in his step because he smelled. Where does that come from? As girls if we smell we are mortified!

Oh, and the noises? gun noises, exploding noises, fart noises…where so these come from??

You know, although I do not understand boys at all, they are such a joy! I have enjoyed raising my “Rambo meets smelly man” son so much. He is hilarious and makes me laugh on a daily basis. I look forward to #2 on the way. I can only imagine the trouble those two will get into. Actually, I can only imagine how much trouble my 3 boys will get into, my husband of course being the instigator!

Watch out neighborhood, another boy is coming!

Here are some of my thoughts as I sing and worship through this week’s worship order.

Everlasting God:

When I sing this I am normally meditating in Isaiah 40:31,

But those who wait on the LORD
      Shall renew their strength;
      They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
      They shall run and not be weary,
      They shall walk and not faint.

The fact that we can sing He is the Everlasting G0d is amazing! To me that means He was here yesterday, He is here today, and He is already in tomorrow. We need not worry because He is in control.

One of my favorite parts of this song is in the pre-chorus “Our Strong Deliverer”. This puts every action movie hero to shame. God is our redeemer and HE WILL deliver us. He will come in the sky with a trumpet sound riding on a horse with amazing power.

It is so good to know that as we say the words “you do not faint, you won’t grow weary” that we have a God who does not sleep nor a God we have to make an appointment for. Because of the blood shed for us we can freely approach the Holy of Holies and speak with our High Priest, Jesus Christ.

Blessed Be The Name:

This is an oldy but a goody.

I literally think about the crap we go through in life and how much we can get discouraged and just hopeless. I am normally thinking about the people in the congregation who are singing this who are suffering from: cancer, loss of a loved one, physical pain, financial uncertainty, loss of a baby, divorce, loneliness, depression, etc. My hope and prayer as we sing this is that they would know there is Hope in Him. Also, that as hard as it is to bless His name, that is continue to trust and praise Him despite the circumstances He hears us! I believe he will reward us for honoring Him in times of uncertainty when our world is falling apart. (may not get that reward ’til heaven.)

“He gives and takes away” Man, that is a hard phrase. I don’t have all the answers, I don’t know why, but He does this. There are seasons of great rejoicing and seasons of great pain and suffering. Even in our doubt, we must press on to praise His name so Satan does not get one ounce of victory.

Desert Song:

Wow. This song is so powerful and I think the majority of people don’t even know or understand what this song says. Basically, it is getting all of circumstances in life, good or bad, and aiming them straight at God.

In Isaiah 54 is says “No weapon formed against me shall prosper” Whohoo! God gets the victory, He wins!

We are all in different places of this life, whether in the fire, in the battle, in the desert, our own personal cave like Elijah, or in a time of great harvest. In each of places we must praise His name so, again, Satan gets no victory or foothold. Many times we will sing this song through tears because the pain we are going through is so raw and close. God knows this and tells us ini Psalms “He is near to the broken hearted and he hears their cries.”

Yet, in every season, HE IS STILL GOD.

All I Need Is You:

Whenever I sing this song I am meditating on stripping away….everything. I am asking God, “is there anything I am holding on to that I need to let go”. All I need is You, Lord, All I want is you.

Beautiful Lord:

God is the diamond in the huge ugly bolder of life. When life goes wrong, we focus on the Cross and the work Jesus Christ did there. It is this unbelievable love that makes Him Beautiful and ultimately makes us beautiful in Him.

You’ll Come:

Oh man, I love this stuff! I cannot wait for the day Jesus Christ returns to earth! I get excited and just want to jump out of my skin just thinking about it.

He is the Hope, the End.

This song has a lot of meaning, One is that His presence will be with us. That He is ever present among us.

“We wait upon you Lord” I am thinking about this in two ways. First, I wait upon the Lord meaning to serve Him. Second, I am waiting upon the Lord in His timing in every aspect.

Everyday we know the sun will rise, has for thousands of years. We can know that God is with us, always has been. He is the Hope and Rescue!

Lets worship together. These songs will be sang at Northern Hills Church in Brighton, CO in the River this weekend. www.northernhills.cc

 I am sitting here in my living room on a quiet Saturday morning thinking not so quiet thoughts. I have been listening to my local Christian music radio stations for sometime now as I drive 30 minutes to and from work. I have noticed a dangerous and jolting change in what I hear. It seems blatantly obvious to me that Christian music has made a turn for the worst. The songs I hear are so general in their theme I might as well listen to my local secular radio station (the music is better there too). I did not hear the name of Jesus one time this week in a song. Instead I heard lyrics like this:

‘Cause I got a couple dents in my fender
Got a couple rips in my jeans
Try to fit the pieces together
But perfection is my enemy
On my own I’m so clumsy
But on Your shoulders I can see
I’m free to be me and your free to be You

Another One…

Don’t ask me how I’m doing, if you don’t want to know

 I stayed out late woke up ate oh you know how it goes

Give off the vibe that is everything is fine if you don’t look in my eyes. It’s all going so perfectly wrong

Hey, hey, hey what can I say, it just been one of those, one of those days.

I-I-I-I…

Why is it if the purpose of making “Christian” music is to bring other to Christ that these lyrics are so vague? Why are Christian artists the same as secular ones, they just have  their own radio station? It is rare I see a Christian artist speak the name Jesus.

I was once at a concert of a very popular Christian band and not once did they even mention God. Good grief, don’t call yourself a Christian band, just be a band. We fail to glorify Him when we speak and sing of the benefits of the gospel, but fail to proclaim the Gospel itself. – Steve Camp

Now, I by no means am saying secular music is bad. It’s not. I like it, I listen to it, but at least there my expectation will be met that God will not be mentioned. I never thought listening to Christian music that God would not be mentioned.

One of my great influences is Steve Camp. He spent a lot of time with Keith Green, this is the guy who paved the way in Christian music and ticked off a lot of people doing it. He broke down barriers and walls and busted out of the Christian bubble.  He not only accepted homeless drug addicts (which was unheard of in his time) he told them the gospel! The thing about Keith was he never compromised in his music. He was constantly giving the gospel and bringing others to Christ. I know that there are some Christian bands out there doing that very thing, however, the vast majority is blending into the bland wallpaper of vague.

Steve wrote what he calls the 107 thesis to the Christian Music Industry. I love it! Take some time and read it. http://www.solideogloria.org/beliefs/stevecamp/index.htm

It is not nice, and I totally agree!

Christian music companies are owned by secular people. How in the world can you have a ministry to the unsaved ran by unsaved people?

In this Christian music world we have what is called the Dove Awards. What? Seriously? Why are we giving each other awards for writing good songs supposively about God? We are honoring man instead of God. Isn’t our purpose to give Him all the glory and honor?

We fail to glorify Him when we praise the servant through awards and accolades rather than exalt the Master. “I was but a pen in God’s hand and what praise is due a pen?” (Baxter) God will not share His glory with another. (Psalm 115:1; Isaiah 42:8 ) - Steve Camp

God is very clear in scripture that He will not share His glory. This is a very dangerous line to mess with. King Nebuchadnezzar was struck down dead because he took God’s glory for himself. Yet, another example of  the Christian music world blending into the lines.

As Christian musicians we should be different. I mean we have the creator of the universe inspiring us to write and play. Our songs should be better, they should be ahead of the trend instead of years behind. An unsaved person should be able to listen to our songs and give his life to Christ right there. Why isn’t the gospel being presented at the majority of Christian concerts? Why is it that instead of pleasing God the tide has turned to pleasing man and his ideas of what this should look like?

Here is my plea, if you are a Christian band, making Christian music that neither brings people to God or His presence. Do us all a favor and take the title Christian off everything you do. Otherwise, through down the secular influences , refuse to compromise and run without shame into the hurting world and use your God given gifts to bring other into His kingdom. This is our purpose!

So for some ungodly reason we got a puppy a couple months ago. I thought this might be a good idea and actually thought he was soooo cute when we brought him home. Wow, was I wrong. So far, for two months I have had to clean up pee and poo. That is no fun for anyone.  He is getting bigger and is now jumping up, that totally bugs. Turns out right after we got the puppy I found out I was pregnant. So, now the puppy smells to me all the time (even though my hubby bathes him weekly) and yet he insists on laying at my feet so I can smell him more. If I push him away he thinks I am playing which then ensues jumping. Not to mention he is not yet neutered. Need I say more? So, I would like to give advice to anyone thinking about getting a dog….DON’T DO IT!

Ok, so I was super excited to decorate my house, however, I am pregnant. At this point all I can think about is sleep and not puking. So, I will start by saying my husband told me this was the most fun he has had decorating since we have been married. It is because I let him and my son put stuff wherever they wanted. I even let my son put together my Christmas village-he got to place the people and everything!

As we decorated, we took a break like every 15 to 30 minutes. The boys loved that! That cracks me up. I guess I did not realize what a dictator I have been in the past!

Anyhow, the house is decorated, it looks a little tacky, but the boys love it! they are happy and I am happy!

So I am sitting at work on my “break” writing this blog the day before Thanksgiving. I can hardly sit here I am so excited!! Tomorrow is the beginning of 29 days of pure joy! I love everything about Christmas, the lights, the trees, the smell of cookies baking in the oven, the warmth and joy that comes. Most of all I love Jesus! It blows me away every time I think about Him sending His son to earth as a baby for me, for us, for salvation and eternity with God in heaven. I can’t until our Christmas Eve service. I get to help lead worship and I love it, love it, love it! I cannot think of a better place to be on the eve of Christ’s birth than worshipping with fellow believers and glorifying Him. Sweet!

OK, on to the schedule of decorating my house for Christmas.

Thanksgiving Day: Now, tomorrow I will wake up and try to play it cool like I am really not overly excited to decorate for Christmas. It will take every ounce within me not to ask my husband to take out the Christmas tree. I will have to be distracted the entire day. That is like 18 hours, wow, I better rent some movies.

Day after Thanksgiving: OK, this is the official decorating day. I will wake up early because I will not be able to sleep because of my excitement to decorate. I will no doubt go into our storage closet and begin to take out boxes of decoration. I will take out the boxes wrong and make a huge mess. No worries, my husband will clean it up because he won’t be able to stand it. By the time he wakes up at 9:00am, I will have my Christmas village all set up and ready to decorate more! By the end of the this day, the entire house will be twinkling with Christmas garland, lights, and more!

The day after, after, Thanksgiving: This is the big day, some would call it the big dance. This is the day we decorate the Christmas Tree! Now, yesterday I decorated the entire house and went to bed exhausted. This morning I will wake up, vacuum, dust, and begin to prepare for the tree!! I will have ginger bread and sugar cookies to bake with my son. I will let him decorate them however he wants. Later that afternoon we will have Christmas music playing, cookies on a plate, and eggnog in Christmas mugs. We will then begin the decorating of the Christmas tree. This process is very detailed so I will not bore you. Just know that the tree looks awesome!

The day after, after, after Thanksgiving: This is a recoup day. The family and I will be exhausted from all of the decorating commotion. My husband and I will hopefully be on speaking terms since the past 2 days I told him how and where to put every decoration. We will sit back and enjoy our newly decorated home!

Let’s start with a definition of each word just so we are on the same page.

Hope: the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best; to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence; to believe, desire, or trust

Comfortable: being in a state of physical or mental comfort; contented and undisturbed; at ease; producing mental comfort or ease; easy to accommodate oneself

I was thinking about these two words. I don’t think they can exist simultaneously. Just watching people I know recently go through stuff I have been meditating on both of these. All of us know people who have gotten laid off right before the holidays, or maybe you have been laid off, we know people who have just lost someone dear to them, we know people who are going through struggles with cancer, finances, etc. We know people who are losing their homes and can’t see what will happen next. We know people who are hurting.

I believe God allows us to have to have hard times to have hope. When life is comfortable and everything is great there is no need for hope….or dependence…on God. I have actually noticed this with myself. It is in my darkest times that I am closest to God. I am prostrate on the floor surrendering with tears and sorrow.

I want you to ask yourselve…Do you know you need God? I mean do you really know? I think sometimes I don’t know I need him. I mean I have everything. I live in America! I think I focus on God most when I need hope. What I forget is that He is the Hope.

He is the hope of heaven.

1 Peter 2:10-12 (New Living Translation

10 “Once you had no identity as a people;
      now you are God’s people.
   Once you received no mercy;
      now you have received God’s mercy.”

 11 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. 12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

This is not our home and dang it I get too comfortable here! Again that word comfortable. I sometimes think if I am comfortable I am not walking close enough with God. I think that is true. In the old testament when do people turn to God? (answer: disaster, when nothing else will work). In America when do people turn to God? (disaster, death, etc.) I believe we are at a critical time in our country. Many, many people are realizing they don’t have it all together and they need something.

Hebrews 6:13-20

13 For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying:

 14 “I will certainly bless you,
      and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.”

 15 Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.

 16 Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. 17 God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. 18 So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. 19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. 20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 10:21-24 (New Living Translation)

21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

 23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

Being a worship leader I ask myself how I do relate this to worship? I sing with hope, I guide people to the cross every Sunday. I tell them through song about the hope they have in salvation! I cry out to God in my own live and I must become venerable and transparent as I worship and live so people can see through my deepest hearts cry to God so that they can know His love.