Growing Pains
This has been a short week at school b/c of Fall break, which officially began two hours ago. Though short, it has been a hard, testing, growing week for me. Nothing like a daily dosage of adolescents to cure even the worst case of pride! Nothing like some good 'ol Iron Sharpening.

Wilderness Rap
Teaching Bible is always a challenge. It keeps me on my toes. I want them to find joy in learning about Scripture and God but so many times it becomes another class that they have to do work for. So in my 8th grade class we are studying 'Making Wise Decisions'. We look at the story in the OT of the 12 spies that went into the Land of Caanan to scope out the land. So in order to make this a little more fun, the students wrote what we call, The Wilderness Rap. Here are some parts of them.

WR #1
Ten spies reports weren't good
The other two were up in the hood
The people said we won't go
It's dagerous YO
the ten spies dropped dead
Just like God said.

WR #2
Here's a little rhyme
From back in the time
Of Numbers 14 to go in your mind
Now the people they complained
Against God's holy name
'Cause they'd been wandering in the desert and going insane

Silly Words
Last night I was @ my mom's and Brandon and I were saying words that started with the 'sp' blend (he's learning to read.) Evidently he thought my words were funny b/c he started cracking up and said, Melissa, Say other silly words... Like Snuffalow!

My question... What the heck is a Snuffalow???

Who's that Girl?
Ok, I thought I was going a little CRAZY. Yesterday, when I was looking at my friend Bob's new Bobsite there was a picture that looked like me, but the only problem is that I did not remember taking it, nor did I know the other people in the picture. I thought and I thought, then I thought some more. Still couldn't figure it out. There must be an imposter ME out there! Then, the mystery was solved when I found out that it WAS me, but it was an altered picture to spoof a TV show. I guess things aren't always what they seem. LOL! Kinda scary!

Worship Discussion Continues...
Check out the latest on Josh's Site

Check out the new site for the Basement Coffeehouse! Few upcoming events October 31, November 7, and December 19!

Also, my friend Bob Akers just sent me the link to his new Bobsite.

Check it out... There is some funny stuff there like Chipmunks of the Opera (under media)

All to the Glory of God!
Not long ago a friend sent me an email in response to a question on worship. The following is part of that email:

So I practice taking pleasure in God while I do the dishes. I don’t rush the dishes. I appreciate the labor for its own sake. I ask God to help me as I go about the task. And that becomes a real point of reference for me that when I’m doing the dishes I’m remembering this is a task of worship. So I do it well, as ‘unto’ Him. Then we can branch out into other things. Pulling weeds. Washing the car. Playing with the dog.

Last night I went home to clean. I left the following away message on my IM after a conversation I had with someone.

Gone home to clean, clean, clean... aka Worship!
"do all to the glory of God"

The every day tasks are not something that I've ever 'actively' worshipped God in. I mean, I know that EVERYTHING we do is worship. But I've never thought, "I'm worshiping You, Lord" while I was completing a task. I've been listening to messages on Worship (as I've mentioned numerous times) and last night while I was cleaning, I was thinking how much more pleasurable it is to clean, when I actively engage my mind and heart in worshiping God through it.

I was given this verse today as a reminder:

Colossians 3:17
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

While it's called NOW, Let's all Do ALL to the glory of God! Let's Do It For Jesus!

New Music:
Check out this Interview with Siler's Bald: What You Don't Know about Siler's Bald

This is part of the Interview:
Shane: First, I'll say that I think it's truly sad that so many in this industry have lost their childlike curiosity concerning so much, but especially art. The irony is that we're still called 'artists,' a title often given with no real thought on what that demands we actually be. Madeleine L'Engle says that 'all true art is of God' and that true artists must be 'obedient to the art and learn the great art of listening first.' She does not limit this to the Christian, for we well know that people honor God through the excellence and beauty of their art everyday without knowledge of, and sometimes even within the denial of, the very God that allowed them to create at all. This is not some mystic ideology and I certainly didn't make it up.

Last Thursday @ True Life we were studying Colossians 4 and the theme of sharing our faith seemed to saturate our hearts, conversation, and prayer. These verses stuck out to many of us:

Colossians 4:3-6
Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

It really overcame me, the thought of REDEEMING THE TIME. We don't have infinate time to share. We only have this moment to complete the purpose that God has for us THIS moment. I don't want to miss an opportunity to share this love and forgiveness that Christ has for us. In order to do that, it takes walking in wisdom. If we don't walk in wisdom, we may not have a reputations that 'earns us the right to be heard'. My brothers and sisters, let's be obedient in this task that is before us. This gift that God has given us to share is an ETERNAL relationship with the Creator. God! There is NO better gift than that!

Last night I heard one of the BEST teachings on Worship that I had heard in a while. It was a teaching by Bob Kauflin from New Attitude 2002. Here are a few phrases that stuck out to me (I couldn't possibly type it all):

-The Christian worship leader - aided and led by the Holy Spirit combinds biblical truth and music to magnify the worth of God and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ there by motivating gathered believers to join him in proclaiming and charishing the truth about God and seeking to live all of tlife to glorify God.

-Everything glorifies God, but not everything worships God.

-Worship should contain doctrine and devotion, objective truth with subjective response.

-Knowing that something is true produces emotion.

-Attention should be on God, His Word, and the Cross.

-Music should support truth, not distract from it.

-The gospel is central to worshiping God.

-God is the most glorified in us, when we are the most satisfied in him -John Piper