Fourth week into the God on your iPOD series. Awesome thoughts and messages! (And that preacher at The Crossroads is pretty hot!) This week Shawn's sermon was about God themes in "I found You" by the Fray. He discussed finding God in difficult times and questions that may arise about God when you are experiencing tough times. Listen to the entire message at www.welcometothecrossroads.com.
I had an epiphany moment during the sermon today. While Jesus was on the cross, he quoted from Psalms. In other words, during His time of deepest pain and suffering, He quotes a song lyric to express Himself. I thought that was intriguing.
Worship? I have completely run out of adjectives. I don't know how to explain that yesterday we had a hard time getting some of the songs, and today it clicked beautifully. I don't have any adjectives that can explain what it's like to stand behind the keys and lose myself in the music. It's a phenomenon that cannot be rationalized or explained or described. It was one of those days where I lost the place that the music began and I ended. When we got to "Oh Praise Him," by Crowder, I was overwhelmed by the first verse. "Turn your ear to heaven and hear, the noise inside, the sound of angel's awe, the sound of the rescued ones, all this for our king....." Can you imagine the day when we are really, literally able to hear the angels and the redeemed singing together to worship the King who alone is Worthy! I got so excited! I was so stoked thinking that today as The Crossroads sang praises, we were joining in with angels, and with the redeemed around the world who were also gathered in worship as well as the redeemed from ages past who are already in God's presence. Man, I've got chills all over again!!!!!
I am deeply humbled and honored to play with my friends, the worship band, Chasing Lions. Today the guitarist started playing a little riff, and I played along... no notes, just by ear. I was playing along for a good little bit before I realized that I had not asked for chords. I am so excited about that - I can hardly stand myself. It is cool to watch all of our instrumentalists improve. Sometimes in ways that defy explanation. I am still way out of my league playing with this band, but I like to daydream about catching up!
Sometimes in life you are given perfect moments. That's the best description I can come up with for playing with the band and getting to go into God's Presence together. There are times that I wish I could just freeze frame life. It is a great ride to be a part of the team planting The Crossroads. I couldn't ask for better friends to be with me on this journey. And yet God continues to add new friends and to deepen existing relationships. I am pretty sure that when I am old and ancient, I will tell my grandchildren about that time that I used to play with Chasing Lions.
For the worship peeps who want a set list:
Opener :What life would be like (Big Daddy Weave) amazing song...download now
Middle: Oh, Praise Him (David Crowder Band) very stinkin' awesome!
Your name (Paul Baloche)
Surrender All (Parachute Band) yep, love this one too. Except I would still like to surrender most.
Ending: Praise You in This Storm (Casting Crowns) went great with today's sermon and has a special history with our family. I even figured out how to play a c#5 and a D#m. Miserably yucky chords!
Prayer Needs: Continue to pray for favor as we approach the school board to request an exception to be allowed to meet in the school. Or that God would provide some alternate meeting location as we have outgrown our current spot.
Pray for us to find family time amongst our busyness. We live crazy lives of work and ministry and need to be more faithful to dedicate special time to our children alone. May is an insane month for me at work. I will need supernatural reserves of energy and patience.
Thanks to those of you who are with us on the journey.... whether attending The Crossroads in person, or on your knees in prayer for our family. Love you all. LaRissa
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
X-men
I was not a super hero fan before I married. I watched girly movies like Steel Magnolias, Dirty Dancing, and Gone With the Wind. Out of Africa was one of my favorites. But gradually I developed a taste for action movies and super hero movies shortly after I was married.
There are funny things about marrying while you are still a teenager. I still got up on Saturday morning to watch cartoons. Go ahead, I'll wait while you are laughing at me. I absolutely loved X-men. Never missed an episode.
When the movies came out, I was so stoked. I own them all and have watched them multiple times. I have now seen Wolverine 2 times in the theater.
The appeal to me is two-fold -
1. I identify with being unique. And I identify with not fitting in well with the rest of the crowd. Especially back in the teen years. It's interesting to me that what makes the mutants unable to blend in with others are the very things that are their greatest strengths.
2. The constant battle between Good and Evil. With great power comes the ability to do great good or great evil. The internal struggles of some of the mutants are very intriguing. For example: Magneto wants to ensure the continuation of the mutant population, but he seeks to do so in evil ways. Assumes the ends justify the means. I am also intrigued by the continuing friendship between Xavier and Magneto....even after they become enemies, they remain friends. I love Wolverine's continuing battle to avoid becoming the animal that he could easily be. It's such an ongoing fight for us all to be what we were meant to be instead of what we want to be.
I'll leave all the spiritual applications for Shawn for some future sermon. Lots of great stuff there to look at.
There are funny things about marrying while you are still a teenager. I still got up on Saturday morning to watch cartoons. Go ahead, I'll wait while you are laughing at me. I absolutely loved X-men. Never missed an episode.
When the movies came out, I was so stoked. I own them all and have watched them multiple times. I have now seen Wolverine 2 times in the theater.
The appeal to me is two-fold -
1. I identify with being unique. And I identify with not fitting in well with the rest of the crowd. Especially back in the teen years. It's interesting to me that what makes the mutants unable to blend in with others are the very things that are their greatest strengths.
2. The constant battle between Good and Evil. With great power comes the ability to do great good or great evil. The internal struggles of some of the mutants are very intriguing. For example: Magneto wants to ensure the continuation of the mutant population, but he seeks to do so in evil ways. Assumes the ends justify the means. I am also intrigued by the continuing friendship between Xavier and Magneto....even after they become enemies, they remain friends. I love Wolverine's continuing battle to avoid becoming the animal that he could easily be. It's such an ongoing fight for us all to be what we were meant to be instead of what we want to be.
I'll leave all the spiritual applications for Shawn for some future sermon. Lots of great stuff there to look at.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Crowder/Tomlin Concert
Saturday morning began way too early. I was out late Friday night watching "Wolverine"! (Sorry, I have to pause for just a minute to yell WOOOOO!!!!) So when my body woke up a little before 5, I ignored it and stayed in bed till 6. I had to run some errands at Wal-mart, work on stuff for children's ministry, and do a bit of housework before we left at 10:30.
The concert was an outdoor event. Most of the day, the rain was a fairly light drizzle. Drizzle doesn't really bother me. I was just vain enough to be disturbed by my hair getting messed up and having to wear ugly rain panchos. Yes, I know, God is still working with me on my vanity. However, three times the storm sirens sounded and we had to evacuate into nearby buildings. The first two evacuations were fairly short lived, and we were able to quickly return to the concert.
Sanctus Real really rocked the place. I had not seen them live. Loved them! I wasn't as crazy about Flyleaf. I like their stuff on the radio, but they did lots of screaming at this concert and that's hard for me to understand. However, I was very interested in her story of how she became a follower of Jesus Christ, but then we were evacuated again because of storm sirens and were unable to hear the rest of her story.
By the third evacuation, I was just ticked. Not at the concert people. They were doing their best to keep the crowd safe, but I was just a little ticked at the weather maker. Yes, God. I mean, come on....I spent big bucks on these tickets and was not getting to worship! Was God really going to let all that money go to waste? Yes, it's embarrassing to admit.... I was frustrated that God let us have bad weather when all I wanted to do was to worship Him!
So I am trying to hide my frustration with God that I know is way so not cool. It's embarrassing to be with your church friends and be ticked at God. I finally got out my iPOD and began listening to all my "rain" songs. I came to Tomlin's "My Chains Are Gone." This line stuck with me, "And like a flood, his mercy rains, unending love, amazing grace." This was about the time rain was moving across the football field in blinding sheets.
God got my attention pretty good at that point.... his mercy rains on us like a flood.... HELLO! ARE YOU NOT WATCHING????? That's when my frustration turned to worship. If God's mercy rains down on me like that rain was pouring in sheets on that field.... that's some pretty amazing mercy. The popping lightning is the only thing that kept me from walking right out into the pouring rain to fully experience the moment. Then God spoke to my frustration, "I AM NOT A GOD WHO CAN BE MANIPULATED, PLANNED, SCHEDULED OR BOUGHT. I DESERVE YOUR WORSHIP EVERY DAY AND EVERY MOMENT. YOU DO NOT NEED A TICKET TO MEET WITH ME." Oh. I was assuming that somehow the money I spent on the tickets made God more likely to show up. God was reminding me that He is available for free. Anytime.
Rain let up and we did get to see Crowder and Tomlin. It was absolutely an incredible night of worship for me. I loved being able just to let go and worship. And in case I ignored God's voice earlier, one of speaker Chan's points was that "God cannot be manipulated." That was pretty wow cause that was precisely the word that God had used with me in dealing with my sinful attitude. Then Tomlin emphasized his line, "Like a flood, his mercy rains" in response to the weather. So I was pretty sure that the moment earlier under the bleachers at the football stadium was no coincidence.
The night ended with fireworks. My friend Liz noticed something pretty spectacular. She said that when the fireworks first went up there was a single light, but then they spread out into a wide-reaching beautiful pattern. She said it's like the gospel. As you share God's love with others and they in turn share with others, it becomes a beautiful light that cannot be contained.
Bottom line? Wet, cold, shivering.....but amazing worship experience. Would not have traded any of it....not even the rain. On the way home got some Starbucks. Nothing like the perfect end to the perfect evening :)
The concert was an outdoor event. Most of the day, the rain was a fairly light drizzle. Drizzle doesn't really bother me. I was just vain enough to be disturbed by my hair getting messed up and having to wear ugly rain panchos. Yes, I know, God is still working with me on my vanity. However, three times the storm sirens sounded and we had to evacuate into nearby buildings. The first two evacuations were fairly short lived, and we were able to quickly return to the concert.
Sanctus Real really rocked the place. I had not seen them live. Loved them! I wasn't as crazy about Flyleaf. I like their stuff on the radio, but they did lots of screaming at this concert and that's hard for me to understand. However, I was very interested in her story of how she became a follower of Jesus Christ, but then we were evacuated again because of storm sirens and were unable to hear the rest of her story.
By the third evacuation, I was just ticked. Not at the concert people. They were doing their best to keep the crowd safe, but I was just a little ticked at the weather maker. Yes, God. I mean, come on....I spent big bucks on these tickets and was not getting to worship! Was God really going to let all that money go to waste? Yes, it's embarrassing to admit.... I was frustrated that God let us have bad weather when all I wanted to do was to worship Him!
So I am trying to hide my frustration with God that I know is way so not cool. It's embarrassing to be with your church friends and be ticked at God. I finally got out my iPOD and began listening to all my "rain" songs. I came to Tomlin's "My Chains Are Gone." This line stuck with me, "And like a flood, his mercy rains, unending love, amazing grace." This was about the time rain was moving across the football field in blinding sheets.
God got my attention pretty good at that point.... his mercy rains on us like a flood.... HELLO! ARE YOU NOT WATCHING????? That's when my frustration turned to worship. If God's mercy rains down on me like that rain was pouring in sheets on that field.... that's some pretty amazing mercy. The popping lightning is the only thing that kept me from walking right out into the pouring rain to fully experience the moment. Then God spoke to my frustration, "I AM NOT A GOD WHO CAN BE MANIPULATED, PLANNED, SCHEDULED OR BOUGHT. I DESERVE YOUR WORSHIP EVERY DAY AND EVERY MOMENT. YOU DO NOT NEED A TICKET TO MEET WITH ME." Oh. I was assuming that somehow the money I spent on the tickets made God more likely to show up. God was reminding me that He is available for free. Anytime.
Rain let up and we did get to see Crowder and Tomlin. It was absolutely an incredible night of worship for me. I loved being able just to let go and worship. And in case I ignored God's voice earlier, one of speaker Chan's points was that "God cannot be manipulated." That was pretty wow cause that was precisely the word that God had used with me in dealing with my sinful attitude. Then Tomlin emphasized his line, "Like a flood, his mercy rains" in response to the weather. So I was pretty sure that the moment earlier under the bleachers at the football stadium was no coincidence.
The night ended with fireworks. My friend Liz noticed something pretty spectacular. She said that when the fireworks first went up there was a single light, but then they spread out into a wide-reaching beautiful pattern. She said it's like the gospel. As you share God's love with others and they in turn share with others, it becomes a beautiful light that cannot be contained.
Bottom line? Wet, cold, shivering.....but amazing worship experience. Would not have traded any of it....not even the rain. On the way home got some Starbucks. Nothing like the perfect end to the perfect evening :)
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Monday Morning Update 5.4.09
It was certainly a busy, crazy weekend. Friday night I went to see "Wolverine" with a group of friends from the Crossroads. Then on Saturday, I went to a concert with some more friends. So I hit Sunday morning exhausted. We all did. Staying up till 1:00 a.m. makes it rough to get up the next morning!
I was in children's this week. We talked about Acts 27, Paul's shipwreck. God really spoke to me through this passage this morning as I was looking over it one last time before teaching. I'm sure that will make a blog later this week. The lesson activities were pretty neat, and I felt like the kids left with a good grasp on what it means to encourage others and how important that is.
I hear that grown up church went well. Shawn talked about the song, "My life would suck without you." I was looking forward to listening to the podcast, but unfortunately the computer had issues, and we lost the audio. I will just have to read over his sermon notes instead. Everyone said it was an awesome message.
Shawn says the worship set was good, too. We were missing several band members this morning. I was in children's, the bass player was having to serve his monthly weekend for the Air Force, and the electric guitar player was also out. But to be short that many people, I hear things went well.
Apologies to my worship peeps who are interested in our worship sets. I was too busy with children's to really pay attention while the band was practicing this morning. I don't remember the set.
We are quickly filling up our space. Hope that a new location opens up soon. Continue praying!
I was in children's this week. We talked about Acts 27, Paul's shipwreck. God really spoke to me through this passage this morning as I was looking over it one last time before teaching. I'm sure that will make a blog later this week. The lesson activities were pretty neat, and I felt like the kids left with a good grasp on what it means to encourage others and how important that is.
I hear that grown up church went well. Shawn talked about the song, "My life would suck without you." I was looking forward to listening to the podcast, but unfortunately the computer had issues, and we lost the audio. I will just have to read over his sermon notes instead. Everyone said it was an awesome message.
Shawn says the worship set was good, too. We were missing several band members this morning. I was in children's, the bass player was having to serve his monthly weekend for the Air Force, and the electric guitar player was also out. But to be short that many people, I hear things went well.
Apologies to my worship peeps who are interested in our worship sets. I was too busy with children's to really pay attention while the band was practicing this morning. I don't remember the set.
We are quickly filling up our space. Hope that a new location opens up soon. Continue praying!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
The good life
Around 3:15 the best part of my day begins. I hang out and plan with my teacher peeps. Today we worked long and hard on end of the year plans. It's wild to be finalizing that kind of stuff. I've just got 24 school days left! Yeah me! I love this team of girls that I work with. I have never laughed so hard in my whole life. I loved my Pottsboro girls, but I seem to fit in a little better down closer to the metroplex. Strange, huh?
Today I got to leave work early....as in before 5:00....and head home. That's the very best part of my day. I love hanging out with my husband and kids. I am blessed with an amazing family. Tonight the kids are doing some chores, I'm chilling on facebook and watching some more of the X-men movies, and Shawn is writing his sermon. It's a good life and I am lucky to live it.
I am so thankful that when I come home, I am starting the best part of my day. I have lots of girlfriends who dread going home to cranky husbands, and look for reasons to work late or constantly want to go hang out with their chick friends to avoid the nastiness at home. At the end of my day today I was so frustrated and tired and well, frustrated. It was good to know that I could walk out the door, get in my car, and go home to an incredible life.
This is a bit rambly, even for me. I'm having a hard time concisely and adequately expressing myself. Bottom line....I've spent lots of time whining this week and so today I was trying to spend some time focusing on how blessed I am. I have a job. It pays the bills. Most of the time it is extraordinarily rewarding. I work with amazing people. I have incredible friends. I have a family beyond compare and get to be married to an unbelievably sexy man. So the 6 years olds got on my nerves this week.....and the some of the drama at school sucks.....small price to pay for a great life.
Today I got to leave work early....as in before 5:00....and head home. That's the very best part of my day. I love hanging out with my husband and kids. I am blessed with an amazing family. Tonight the kids are doing some chores, I'm chilling on facebook and watching some more of the X-men movies, and Shawn is writing his sermon. It's a good life and I am lucky to live it.
I am so thankful that when I come home, I am starting the best part of my day. I have lots of girlfriends who dread going home to cranky husbands, and look for reasons to work late or constantly want to go hang out with their chick friends to avoid the nastiness at home. At the end of my day today I was so frustrated and tired and well, frustrated. It was good to know that I could walk out the door, get in my car, and go home to an incredible life.
This is a bit rambly, even for me. I'm having a hard time concisely and adequately expressing myself. Bottom line....I've spent lots of time whining this week and so today I was trying to spend some time focusing on how blessed I am. I have a job. It pays the bills. Most of the time it is extraordinarily rewarding. I work with amazing people. I have incredible friends. I have a family beyond compare and get to be married to an unbelievably sexy man. So the 6 years olds got on my nerves this week.....and the some of the drama at school sucks.....small price to pay for a great life.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
It just hit me like a wall
True story. Today I am walking my kids back from art. We have precisely 6 minutes to get down the hall, grab our backpacks, and get to the bus line. Moving quickly. One of my little guys has way more energy than the other little boys. (Read TONS). He abandons my line, runs as fast as he can, and body slams the tile wall in the hall. For real. He hit the wall hard enough that he busted up his face, knocked a tooth loose, and bloodied his lips.
I hear frantic screaming. My sympathy is limited. What do you expect to happen when you body slam a tile wall? Seriously? I became much more sympathetic when I saw the blood pouring off his face and dripping onto the floor. He was really hurt. And I could not laugh. Even though the whole body slamming a wall was pretty funny.
So God used this incident to remind me of something important. Sometimes stuff that looks really fun just gets us hurt. God places boundaries in our lives so that we can live the best life possible. When we abandon those boundaries and run headfirst into a wall, it hurts. REALLY bad.
Lesson learned - don't body slam concrete walls with your face. Follow your leader who knows the best path to get where you are going.
I hear frantic screaming. My sympathy is limited. What do you expect to happen when you body slam a tile wall? Seriously? I became much more sympathetic when I saw the blood pouring off his face and dripping onto the floor. He was really hurt. And I could not laugh. Even though the whole body slamming a wall was pretty funny.
So God used this incident to remind me of something important. Sometimes stuff that looks really fun just gets us hurt. God places boundaries in our lives so that we can live the best life possible. When we abandon those boundaries and run headfirst into a wall, it hurts. REALLY bad.
Lesson learned - don't body slam concrete walls with your face. Follow your leader who knows the best path to get where you are going.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Monday Morning Update 4.27.09
It's a sad moment for me when I sit down weekly to do this blog. You see, I typically write this segment right before I go to bed on Sunday night. That means work is the next thing on my agenda. Which means that I have to wait another seven days before I get to be with the church at The Crossroads. Catch that phrase? Not go to the church....be with the church.
I am loving Shawn's sermon series on popular music. It's cool to see how God can use secular music to direct people towards Himself. It's neat to see how artists are asking and looking at the big questions in life. Now sometimes they come up with some pretty screwy answers, but sometimes they are close to the truth. I don't want to give away all the details to the sermon for my friends are becoming regular online listeners at www.welcometothecrossroads.com. But I loved Shawn's reminder that we have an unknown expiration date on our lives. We need to live life like that expiration date is imminent. Do what needs to be done and focus on the big, important things in life. Don't put off relationships. Love like there will not be a second chance.
I am out of new things to say about music at The Crossroads. What other adjectives do you use for incredible? We had a full band today for the first time in a long while. Grrr, the bass player, is back from the Air Force, and we have a new electric guitar player. I am thankful that God allows me the great privilege to work with such talented musicians. Did a couple of new songs today that were really amazing. Loved the set. Robby always does an incredible (see there's that adjective again) job picking out stuff that our band does well that moves our congregation right into God's presence. It was so odd.....recently I attended a worship event led by "professional" musicians, and it was a let down that it was not as moving as our worship every week at The Crossroads. God has greatly blessed us. I just still can't get over it all.
Opener: Hurricane (Jimmy Needham) - cool chilling out and playing with Worship Dude on the harmonica. Fun times.
Be Near (Shane and Shane)
I will lift my eyes
My Glorious (not sure on this title?)
Closer: Surrender All (Parachute Band) - love this band. You need to download this song immediately if you have not heard it.
We continue to have new families stop by to check us out, and at the same time we are adding and plugging in returning families. The sad part is that part of being in a commuter community is that some of our friends have relocated to other places with their jobs. It is really hard for me to become attached to people just to realize that God only placed them in my life for a short season. Today I said good-bye to the first person we baptized at The Crossroads. She is moving to Colorado.
Continue to pray for us often. We are meeting with the superintendent this week to ask permission to use the school as a meeting place on Sundays. The schools are currently closed to religious organizations meeting more often than once a month. Pray that God would grant us favor with the powers that be. We are quickly outgrowing the space that we are in and are not able to afford property at this time. We need God to do the impossible and open doors that are closed.
Also - pray for homes willing to host small groups in Anna. It is time to begin expansion of our small groups using local families' homes. This may mean more late nights and long hours for our family as we try to guide and lead groups until they are ready to take off on their own.
One last thing.....pray that every move that we make, every decision that we attempt, every breath that we take would be God honoring. Pray that we would minister not in our own strength or wisdom, but in God's strength and wisdom. Pray that we would not underestimate the God of the universe and only attempt the safe things that we know we can accomplish on our own but that we would live life dangerously - for Christ.
Have a super week. Love you all. LaRissa
I am loving Shawn's sermon series on popular music. It's cool to see how God can use secular music to direct people towards Himself. It's neat to see how artists are asking and looking at the big questions in life. Now sometimes they come up with some pretty screwy answers, but sometimes they are close to the truth. I don't want to give away all the details to the sermon for my friends are becoming regular online listeners at www.welcometothecrossroads.com. But I loved Shawn's reminder that we have an unknown expiration date on our lives. We need to live life like that expiration date is imminent. Do what needs to be done and focus on the big, important things in life. Don't put off relationships. Love like there will not be a second chance.
I am out of new things to say about music at The Crossroads. What other adjectives do you use for incredible? We had a full band today for the first time in a long while. Grrr, the bass player, is back from the Air Force, and we have a new electric guitar player. I am thankful that God allows me the great privilege to work with such talented musicians. Did a couple of new songs today that were really amazing. Loved the set. Robby always does an incredible (see there's that adjective again) job picking out stuff that our band does well that moves our congregation right into God's presence. It was so odd.....recently I attended a worship event led by "professional" musicians, and it was a let down that it was not as moving as our worship every week at The Crossroads. God has greatly blessed us. I just still can't get over it all.
Opener: Hurricane (Jimmy Needham) - cool chilling out and playing with Worship Dude on the harmonica. Fun times.
Be Near (Shane and Shane)
I will lift my eyes
My Glorious (not sure on this title?)
Closer: Surrender All (Parachute Band) - love this band. You need to download this song immediately if you have not heard it.
We continue to have new families stop by to check us out, and at the same time we are adding and plugging in returning families. The sad part is that part of being in a commuter community is that some of our friends have relocated to other places with their jobs. It is really hard for me to become attached to people just to realize that God only placed them in my life for a short season. Today I said good-bye to the first person we baptized at The Crossroads. She is moving to Colorado.
Continue to pray for us often. We are meeting with the superintendent this week to ask permission to use the school as a meeting place on Sundays. The schools are currently closed to religious organizations meeting more often than once a month. Pray that God would grant us favor with the powers that be. We are quickly outgrowing the space that we are in and are not able to afford property at this time. We need God to do the impossible and open doors that are closed.
Also - pray for homes willing to host small groups in Anna. It is time to begin expansion of our small groups using local families' homes. This may mean more late nights and long hours for our family as we try to guide and lead groups until they are ready to take off on their own.
One last thing.....pray that every move that we make, every decision that we attempt, every breath that we take would be God honoring. Pray that we would minister not in our own strength or wisdom, but in God's strength and wisdom. Pray that we would not underestimate the God of the universe and only attempt the safe things that we know we can accomplish on our own but that we would live life dangerously - for Christ.
Have a super week. Love you all. LaRissa
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