Monday Morning Update

On days when I do children's worship, I always feel unprepared for this segment. I feel like I just don't have a clue what went on in "big church".

However, I was very excited this morning to have one of our new couples join us for set-up. You have to understand it is hard physical labor to move all the tumbling mats and set up our backdrops and sound equipment. And we start set-up at 8:00 so that the band has plenty of time for a final rehearsal on Sunday morning. It takes commitment to get up early on your only day off and come work hard before worship. We have many more families who stay late and help pack up. This is our first Anna family to join in on set-up. I think it was a huge morale booster for our team that is so faithful to show up every Sunday morning. How awesome will it be someday to have enough people that the alpha and omega teams can rotate weekends? I don't know that I would want to miss any of the fun though. There's just something about having to work hard to physically prepare a place for worship. You expect God to show up.

I did hear the band practicing. Sounded like an excellent set. . For those of you worship pastors who are reading and have requested a weekly set list (best I remember without being in the band this week:)

Beautiful One (Tim Hughes) ----love this one! did it in children's today also! Especially love the second bridge!!!!

Never Let Go (Matt Redman)
Everything Glorious (David Crowder)
My Savior My God (Aaron Schust)

Mercy (Parachute Band) ---- you must check out this band if you are not familiar with them. Incredible stuff for worship! Easy to do, powerful messages, awesome sound!

*just a cool note - yesterday I actually listened to Beautiful One, My Savior My God and Mercy - thought - hmmm...hope we do these soon. *

Everybody was excited about Shawn's sermon, but I don't know what to say about that other than check out http://www.blazingthetrail.blogspot.com/ to read it. I will be reading it tomorrow to find out what he said.

Now for me... I had children's worship this week. My attitude on this has drastically improved since God has reminded me about how much He loves children. And how important they were to Jesus. After all, Jesus stopped His ministry many times in order to visit with the children. If they were important to Him, they should be important to me. I just really miss being a part of the band. However, I will have the opportunity to worship God forever in heaven.... how selfish is it to begrudge giving up one Sunday a month! Seriously! But God and I have a deal that someday when I get to worship for all of eternity, I want to play with my band :)

The kids were awesome. We had a lot of fun, and they seemed to really grasp the concept of obedience to authority is a way to respect God. Things they said that I loved:

"Who's the Boss Here?" (perfect segueway into the lesson)
"You sing really great!" (kids don't care if you are off-key if you dance and act goofy)
"Can you shoot wolves and eat wolf meat?" (cause that's important to know)
"Is it time to eat yet?" (at least 100 times before I finally caved and passed out the snack)

Then this afternoon and evening we were privileged to spend at a Super Bowl party with a couple in Anna. So glad they were willing to share their home with us. Love making friends. Love being in a church plant. Love loving church.