Crazy Worship

I have been blessed with a couple of great week worshiping God through singing at Bigstuf and BootCamp. Huge groups of High School students of at both events that where passionate about singing to God. It is great to see young people unashamed of their faith. Those times are great but the best worship experiences I have had lately are right in my home. Tripp loves to dance when I turn on worship music. I want joy in God to be one of traits of our home, and there is no better way to show joy than singing and dancing. Right now Hillsong United song "Shout to God" and New Life Worship "Counting on God" are the Tripp's favorites to dance to. I feel such a thankfulness and awe of how good God is when we sing and dance. Mark Batterson says "Worship is bragging about God to God" These times help to connect my soul to God and strengthen my affection for Him. To me that is great worship.

Remember I use the term dancing very loosely. Not the greatest video but just an idea of what takes place.

Friends

I am back from some crazy weeks. Last week I was down by UT all week but on my way heard bad news on two fronts. One kid I used to work with at Heartlight committed suicide and some good friends lost a baby at 22 weeks. Left me swirling with thoughts in my head. Friends called and wanted to talk about the situations but I had nothing to offer as far as wisdom. Mark Buchanan in a book called "Hidden In Plain Sight" says "Dogma is great for piecing together your theology but an awful suture to a broken heart." I knew all the right thoughts about God last week but sharing those would come across trite and lazy. I know it was better to just sit with people and not share what you know but it is hard. In the Old Testament the Hebrew people would sit and mourn with people for 7 days before sharing anything, that is what happens in the book of Job. So, I will continue to sit, mourn, and pray for them this week. I hope people will be there to do that for us when we go through trials.

Whirlwind

Crazy time of the year, just got back from Florida and about to do a camp next week. Nothing like it used to be a Sky Ranch but still stressful. Sorry about so few posts and will be back a running soon. Didn't take Tripp with us to Florida and it is so great to get to come home to a family. I thank God so often for that little boy and am really getting pumped about the next one will be here soon. It was great for me to see Terri away from Tripp and reaffirm that she is great mom but even more than that a great spouse. I believe marriage is more about Holiness than Happiness but I am thankful that in my wife's presence I am really happy. I am truly blessed way beyond what I deserve. I need to be reminded of that more because I am guilty of being a complainer about my circumstances. Last thing, We need to settle on a name but I think it might come right down to a decision in the delivery room.

Dance! Dance!

¹⁶"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,
¹⁷"'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'


We often would rather sit, watch and wait until some other day to join in. The problem is often you are like the people at the end of the video to scared at first then when they arrive the song is over. Told the students you need to get in God's song this summer because you never know when it will be to late to join in. Be different and create the party by showing them the rhythm.

Story Bible

Every morning I get up with Tripp, make breakfast, turn on Handy Manny, make coffee, and then read while Tripp watches cartoons. This morning I was to lazy to go get my book so I picked up The Jesus Storybook Bible that was given to Tripp. I started to thumb through it but was stopped by how well written it was and different from the others. It weaved the story of God's redemption through Jesus into every sub story. I think it is the one I will read to Tripp from now on. And on a personal note, it was great for me to remember that God has written this beautiful story of life since the creation of time and I am like extra who gets 15 seconds of TV time. I believe my life is so important but really it a blip of the radar of what God has been doing forever. The great thing is that my blip is something that God was willing to send Jesus to die for. Go get the Bible here and I pray that it will used it in your family and in your life as well.