tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74863562451285580742024-02-20T20:35:11.945-08:00The LighthouseThe musings of a pastor's wifeElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13171450437234241848noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-39183620371960435932022-06-24T21:08:00.001-07:002022-06-24T21:08:00.158-07:00Yet...<p>Yet…</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The word “yet” is immensely powerful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those 3 small letters carry either the
promise of hope or a sense of foreboding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“The stock market hasn’t crashed” sounds like great news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tack a “yet” on the end of the sentence and
now a crash feels imminent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But on the
flip side of that, “My new flower hasn’t bloomed” brings images of a spindly,
dying plant until you add “yet.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Suddenly, the mental picture changes to a healthy young plant with buds
just waiting to open and show forth beautiful plumage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Some of us have things we’ve been praying about for a
long time, and we haven’t seen anything change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s easy to begin thinking along the lines of “what has always been
will always be.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we serve a God who
does things perfectly and right on time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You may not have seen the answer you are looking for…but don’t forget to
add the “yet.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">My husband isn’t living for God…YET.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">My friend hasn’t been healed of cancer…YET<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">My children haven’t been delivered from addiction…YET<o:p></o:p></p>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-47738543546577708142022-06-17T21:08:00.003-07:002022-06-17T21:08:22.537-07:00His Word is Sweet<p><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">According
to some sources, years ago an intriguing ritual was performed on the first day
of class in schools for Jewish boys. There seem to be two forms of
the ritual in question – one scriptural in focus and one academic. </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In an effort to teach the children
to love the Word of God, on the first day of school each child was given a
portion of honey. As the teacher read specific Scriptures, he would repeat the
phrase, “The Law will be my calling.” The boys were then to eat a small amount
of honey. The goal was for the children to learn to associate the Word of God
with something sweet and wonderful.<br />
<br />
What a vivid lesson that God's Word should not only be read, but treasured and
enjoyed.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Psalm
19:9-11</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><sup><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">9 </span></sup><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The fear of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> is clean, enduring for ever:
the judgments of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> are
true and righteous altogether.</span><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">10 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More to be desired are
they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: <b>sweeter
also than honey and the honeycomb</b>. </span><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">11 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Moreover by them is thy
servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Psalm
119:103-104</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><sup><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">103 </span></sup><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How sweet are thy words
unto my taste! yea, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">sweeter than honey
to my mouth! </b></span><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">104 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Through thy precepts I get
understanding: therefore I hate every false way.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-19754887973936205912020-08-22T19:19:00.000-07:002020-08-22T19:19:17.807-07:00Please Come to the Altar<p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I was somewhere around the
age of 5 or 6.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The sermon had been
preached, the altar call was given, and my mom did what she did every
service.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">She went to the altar with me
in tow.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">She knelt down, and told me to
sit beside her.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I was not required to
pray and I knew that.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I simply had to
sit quietly and not cause a distraction for others while she prayed.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I had been to the altar with my mom a couple
times a week my entire life.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But this
Sunday, something was different.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This
Sunday, I decided to talk to Jesus.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And
30 years later, I still remember that sweet, gentle feeling that filled my
young heart and my awe at realizing that the God of the adults had let me feel
Him too.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I don’t know that my mom ever
realized I had been crying when she got up from praying that day, or that her
steadfast dedication in going to the altar every service had just paid huge
dividends…but that was the day I decided I wanted to know Jesus for myself.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dear Saint:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Please come to the altar at the end of
service.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You never know when the
5-year-old who has played with her dolls the entire service is waiting to talk
to Jesus today.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you don’t go, she won’t
go.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><br /><p></p>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-34432339802522202102019-12-08T19:43:00.002-08:002019-12-08T19:44:50.978-08:00Get Your Rocks In Order<div>
I was probably about 8 the Sunday my mother did an object lesson in our Sunday School class that I have never forgotten. She had a large pickle jar, and a bag of rocks. The rocks ranged in size from some large ones about the size of your fist, to some very small pebbles. Mom explained to our class that the jar was our life, and the rocks were all the "things" we were trying to fit into our life. The big rocks were the big "important" things, and the pebbles were the small things that weren't so important, but they were still nice to have. As she talked, she began putting the small stones and pebbles in the jar. The super cute pair of shoes we don't need but want, money for a pumpkin spice chai latte this week, and the time to learn that new hairstyle we have been wanting to try. When she had added all of the smallest stones, she moved on to the medium rocks. Some special friendships, having a reliable car (sorry...I'm an adult...I can no longer remember the kid-aged examples she used! :D ), and working overtime for some extra spending money. She continued listing and adding pebble and stones, as the stones she added to the jar got bigger. Then she began getting to the largest of the stones...family, a job to pay the bills, and God. But alas! The jar was full...and God and the family didn't fit! </div>
<div>
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<div>
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<div>
Mom then dumped all the rocks back out of the jar. She took the biggest rock - God - and put it in first. She explained that we needed to make sure that we made time for Church, prayer, and reading our Bible the very first priority. Then she put the next largest rock in - family, followed by a job...and she continued on down, adding the rocks in order from largest to smallest. Amazingly, when she got to the end, even the tiniest pebble fit in the jar! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
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<div>
When you make the most important things in your life the highest priority, all the little things will also fit, by slipping in and filling in the little cracks and spaces. But if you try to put the little stuff in first, you will run out of time, money, and energy for the things that are really important to you. Almost thirty years later, when I find that things aren't fitting into my life the way I want them to, I remember that object lesson and I start looking at which "rocks" I am adding first. Inevitably, I'm putting them in wrong. </div>
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<div>
The Bible tells us to seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto us...add your rocks in the right order.</div>
Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-12883572111293427482019-10-28T19:14:00.000-07:002019-10-29T16:38:13.624-07:00A Broken HabitI have always been a firm believer in developing habits in living for God. I learned long ago that there are going to be days in my walk with God that I will need to fall back on pure, rote, habit. Prayer, Bible reading, going to the altar, attending church...those are all things that I strive to do so consistently that to NOT do them would cause mass confusion in my world. Because when life turns upside down and I'm in the heat of battle, that's not the time when I need to also be struggling to decide if I really want to go to church today, or if I have the time to pray. Those things are just part of the day.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
With that said, there is a critical spiritual “habit” that is
often overlooked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A person comes to church, and regardless of if that is a new habit or a
long-standing one...that’s GREAT!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
the first step toward gaining the strength and joy that comes from gathering in
the House of God. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> But, o</span>nce you get to church, you have to open the
door to your emotions, your mind, and your heart and let God begin to
work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that, my friends, is very much
a habit, and one that too many of us neglect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
On the surface, the idea of breaking down our barriers
and letting God work in our lives doesn’t sound too bad, but for most of us, when
it comes right down to it, this is a little harder than it would appear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a matter of fact, for many new comers and
faithful saints alike, this is an area we either battle horribly, or simply
refuse to deal with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For any number of reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, remember that letting God touch our
hearts comes in a variety of forms. In some services, it means rejoicing…and
that’s usually the easiest to deal with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In other services, it can come as conviction about something we need to
change, while at still other times God would call us to surrender our will and
desires to His and accept His direction for our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, He would call us to bring wounds
to Him and allow Him to heal them, while other days He would offer comfort for
our deepest heartaches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those things
sound wonderful – a loving God willing to help and heal and guide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, when it comes to actually letting God
work in those areas of our lives is when we usually balk, because it requires us
to become uncomfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We feel silly
crying, or rejoicing in church, so we do just enough to not look like a bump on
a log, but not enough to feel awkward. Conviction is unpleasant and we
instinctively want to self-justify it away to avoid both the blow to our pride
and facing the need to change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it’s
time to surrender our will to His, we begin to discover fears of what that will
require of us. We know those fears are unreasonable, but they are still very
real, and we are both embarrassed and afraid to even tell God about them, let
alone let Him do anything with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When it is time to bring our wounds and heartaches to Him, we suddenly
fear that we won’t like the “cure,” or we simply have become so adept at not
letting anyone or anything bump the “sore spot” that we don’t want to let God
touch it either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, we come to church, and we get some good
from it, but we don’t ever quite relinquish our control and let God do
everything He wants and needs to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t
go the altar, even when we know we should.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We pray, but we don’t pray very deeply – we make sure our focus stays
just a little bit on watching our toddler, filling out a tithe envelope, or even just
what his happening around us in the service so we don’t ever quite make it to the
point of really facing God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be
completely honest, for most, this careful network of distraction is
often so masked in things that seem “important” that we rarely consciously face
the fact that we are using them to hide from God.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
And as time goes on, staying just a little bit away from
the fullness of God’s presence becomes a habit, and the small distractions we
engage in become the norm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over time,
the distance between us and our Lord grows, but so slowly that we never notice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Weeks go by, then months, sometimes
years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then one day we realize we no
longer have the foggiest idea how to truly get to God, or in some cases, we
have been coming to church and have NEVER really let God have free reign to do
whatever He wants in our lives.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The wonderful news is that God’s mercy is new every
morning. When you decide you are willing to come into His presence and allow
everything inside to break, and let the great God of Heaven who loves you do
whatever He desires to do in your heart and life, He is waiting and
willing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you built the walls, so you
have to tear them down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that begs
the question:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>how do you tear down walls
you cannot physically see or touch?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The answer is simple - have an honest conversation with Him. He already sees and knows every thought we have, so being honest with Him is for OUR benefit, not His. The more we lay open before Him, the more He can help. So start talking. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And during the conversation, r</span>efuse to be distracted by anything for any
reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let someone else take care of the toddler for a while, pay the tithes after church, let someone else pray with others in the altar...whatever the distractions may be, they have to wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will find that when you are intentional
and persistent about reaching out to God with an open heart, He will
be more than gracious in helping you get rid of that wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And once you get it torn down, it’s time to
start a new habit of being consistently vulnerable with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the longer you do it, the easier it gets,
until you find that it’s far harder to walk out of the House of God WITHOUT letting
Him help you than it is to shy away from His presence, because breaking has become a habit.</div>
<br />Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-79388508586729834682018-07-17T19:44:00.000-07:002018-07-17T19:44:49.213-07:00Everyday Happenings<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>“It’s those small everyday happenings that make life so
spectacular.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></b></div>
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I have no idea who
originated that quote, but it is a favorite of mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am a firm believer in looking for the
little things and smiling about them, because small events can have a huge
impact on my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But while little reasons
to smile can have a big effect, I have also learned that it is those small
everyday happenings that MAKE life spectacular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s the choice to buy my husband a jar of green olives stuffed with
blue cheese at the grocery store thereby making him smile because he knows I
thought of him while I was shopping…and making him smile for that split second
today adds a bit of sweetness and strength to my marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is stopping to pray today even when I have
other things that are pressing on my mind that builds up my walk with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is choosing to slow down and talk to my
mom when my brain says race off to finish my chores that adds depth to my
family relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is choosing to
clean the kitchen instead of giving in to my desire to crash on the couch that
adds sparkle and cheer to my home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
when I stop to look at the big picture, I realize that those small choices have
built a solid spiritual foundation, a strong, loving marriage, a lovely,
relaxing home, wonderful relationships with my family and mother-in-law…and
when all of that is put together, it is a spectacular life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a life without struggle, but beautiful
and wonderful nonetheless, and entirely the result of each day’s small
happenings.</div>
<br />Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-46830384300028731992017-01-23T12:14:00.000-08:002017-01-24T08:50:45.760-08:00Good Try...Real Good Try<div class="MsoNormal">
The man and his wife came in and sat down. As the first songs were played a sweet move
of the Spirit of God began to sweep through the congregation. Saints raised their hands in worship, some
clapped, and still others rejoiced in dancing.
The man and his wife sat perfectly still, but they were not
unaffected. Slowly a tear trickled down
the man’s face. His wife sniffed. Another tear followed the first one. She reached for a tissue. Soon both were crying in earnest as the
Presence of God tugged at their hearts, drawing them toward Him. The worship service came to an end, the
Pastor read his text and began to preach.
He preached the Word of God in love and sincerity, desperately trying to
reach the man and his wife. The couple’s
tears had not abated, rather they cried through the entire sermon. When the Pastor had preached everything he
felt like God had asked him to say, he invited everyone that
would to come to the front and pray. The
man sat rigidly, hands gripping the pew in front of him so hard
his knuckles were white as he fought the urge to go forward and give his heart to God. For the next half
an hour as others around them prayed and responded to the Word of God, the man
and his wife sat stubbornly refusing to move.
Finally, the service was over, the conviction lifted, the tears all dried. The man approached the Pastor, his brother,
and said, "Good try, Robby. Real good
try…but not quite good enough.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I heard the Pastor relay this story several years after
it took place, you could still see the heartache in his eyes, still read the “Did
I do enough?” questions in his facial expression, and still see the frustration
at seeing his brother come so close to turning his life over to God…and yet it
wasn’t quite good enough. As I pondered
his words I realized that while it hurt horribly for the Pastor personally, the
reality was that his brother really hadn't been addressing him that day. Sure, he thought he was, but for all
practical purposes his statement had been, “Good try, God. Real good try…but not quite good enough.” Because while it was the Pastor whose mouth
did the preaching, it was the almighty God who was gently reaching, wooing, and
calling this man and his wife. He was
doing His very best to draw them to Himself so He could give them a wonderful
life that was sweeter than any they had ever known. But alas!
The man decided that God’s best wasn’t quite good enough for him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sadly, this man is not alone. For some it seems that Calvary was a good
try, but the sacrifice He made isn’t good enough for them, and certainly not
sufficient to merit a change in lifestyle.
He reaches for them, but the gentle drawing of His Presence just isn’t
sweet enough to pull them to an altar.
He offers them a good marriage and a strong family serving Him together,
but that doesn’t compare to a life in the world with its many lovers and great
entertainment. God presents a clean life
free of addiction, promiscuity, and emptiness, but somehow that seems
lackluster when compared to the thrills of sin.
He promises them Heaven, but Heaven dulls in comparison to the appeal of
living according to one’s own desires.
Yes, God offers us His very best, and for some it’s a good try…but not
quite good enough.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For some who choose to spurn God’s best the consequences
will only be seen in eternity, when they are done living life the way they want
to live it and death claims them unprepared.
For others their lives will meet shipwreck, leaving them empty and
hurting and wondering where they went wrong.
For this man his decision would cost him his children – one would die of
a drug overdose and the other would face intense struggles with addiction among
other things. I have often wondered if
he stood at the grave of his child and wished he had allowed God’s offer to be
good enough when his children were young enough to be shown a better path.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The great God of Heaven loves us enough to offer each of us
salvation that He paid for with His own blood.
It’s up to us to choose to accept that offer…or callously say, “Good
try, God, but not quite good enough.”<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Note: The story above is true. I changed the names to avoid ready identification of the people involved.</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-68398743515190720752016-09-13T11:40:00.002-07:002016-09-13T12:34:40.346-07:00Respect<div class="MsoNormal">
As promised (but a little later than planned), here is another short "blurb" post.</div>
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In recent months I have become troubled by a trend I am
observing. You see, I am quickly
developing a grave concern over the lack of respect I see in “little”
things. Things like…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Kids running laughing and shrieking through the
Sanctuary before and after church (and in some cases, during church)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Children who don’t stand and offer an adult
their chair when there are not enough seats in the room</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Adults who think it is funny when little kids
say things like, “Shut up, Old Man” to their grandparents or other adults</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Congregations who don’t show respect to the Word
of God by standing for the reading of the Scripture text</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Eating snacks (when you are over the age of 3)
and drinking soda during church</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Children who are baptized and then splash and
play in the baptistery as though it were a swimming pool</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">People who laugh and talk the ENTIRE church
service, completely disconnected from what God is trying to do</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The titles Brother, Sister, Mister and Misses
have dropped from our vocabulary and those of our children</span></li>
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Maybe I’m a little old fashioned…but I can’t help but
believe we would be better served by teaching our kids these (and a few other) basic
facets of respect. They lay a foundation
for the overall respect for authority, our elders, God, and His Word that will
be required for them to successfully navigate life and a walk with God.<o:p></o:p></div>
Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-32990130666514041322016-09-13T11:28:00.000-07:002018-09-04T20:18:35.482-07:00The Curse of the Silver Spoon<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(This is an article I had posted several years ago with a few edits and updates.)</span></i><o:p></o:p></div>
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One of my favorite areas of working in a church is
discipleship. I don’t care if it’s a new
convert or one of our teenagers, I thrive on spending time with them and
helping them develop a foundation that will stand the test of time. Having done a fair amount of this through the
years, I am acutely aware of the careful nurturing that is required during
those early days of living for God. That
said, I fear too often, we choose to raise our young people with a spiritual
silver spoon in their mouths. We are so
focused on sparing them the scars the world can inflict, that we begin trying
to provide them with a luxurious spiritual environment where living for God is
easy, falling in love with Jesus comes naturally, and for the devil to get to
them he has to cross a deep mote guarded by protective saints armed with the Word
of God. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In our efforts to “nurture” them, we offer them the best
we can. We put them in Sunday School as
soon as they are out of diapers, we provide the best children’s church
possible, then we put them in a youth class until they are in their early
20s. We believe that we are giving them
our best…we are providing years of solid teaching so that they can hide the
Word of God in their hearts…and it will sustain them through the hard days. We want them to be used of God, so we ask
them to be praise singers and sometimes even musicians…but we carefully
schedule it so they are involved infrequently, allowing them to spend the
majority of their time absorbing the presence of God and worshipping unhindered,
thereby ensuring they have time to touch God and fall in love with Him. We believe fellowship with other Godly young
people is important so we don’t expect them to be on the church cleaning list,
help set up or clean up church dinners, or help with the work involved in youth
events…they are just kids, and we would rather the adults do the menial tasks
so the youth can fellowship. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But alas! I fear that by offering them the “best,” they
never have to work for their walk with God.
I have heard so many Apostolic parents say, “I’m not buying my kid a
car. They will appreciate it more if
they have to work for it.” And yet, when
it comes to walking with God, they fail to let that principle apply. The truth is, a relationship with God is
going to mean more to a young person if they have to invest in it. Sunday School is great…but at what point do
we expect our youth to begin transitioning from takers to givers - learners to
teachers? I don’t mean just helping do a
skit sometimes…when do they truly get involved.
I would propose to you today that teaching Sunday School at a young age
is one of the best gifts you can give a young person. By the time they have studied and prepared
for that class, poured their heart into teaching it, and then watched one of
“their” kids get the Holy Ghost this truth will be deeply ingrained in them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am a firm believer in giving your musicians, singers,
interpreters, etc a break. If there is
nobody that can rotate with them, require that they attend conferences each
year. Having said that, I have been a
full-time musician since the age of 14.
It is coming in service after service after service after
service…knowing that there is no break…and that if I need something from God
I’m going to have to figure out how to get it WHILE I play an instrument, teach
a class, interpret, etc…that taught me how to push past the obstacles and touch
God. Yes, everyone needs a service or
altar call off from time to time, but we also need to teach them how to use
what they are doing for God as a form of worship and to push their way into the
Presence of God.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am all for fellowship and Godly friends…but there is a
personal pride in the house of God being clean, a smoothly planned event, or a
fun trip that comes only when you have helped make it happen. If we don’t require our youth to be involved
in this, we deprive them not only of the life lesson in responsibility, but also
the joy in seeing a job well done. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I love our young people…I want to see them live for God
more than anything else in this world.
But after looking at my past, visiting with some others who have had to
hang on to Jesus with everything in them, and then watching the youth that we
have so carefully protected and nurtured, I am convinced that the greatest
favor we can do them is to take the silver spoon away and let them dive
headfirst into the work of God.<o:p></o:p></div>
Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-86801198395018165692016-07-26T19:08:00.006-07:002016-07-27T14:32:44.192-07:00True Repentance<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Over the next few weeks I will be posting some short
"blurbs" that have been on my mind for a while. I fear they are
likely to be heavy reading, but hopefully short and sweet will counter balance
that a little. Thanks for stopping by.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><b>Repentance: </b> <br />
1.deep sorrow, compunction, or contrition for a past sin, wrongdoing, or the like.
<br />
2. regret for any past action.<br /><a href="http://www.dictionary.com/browse/repentance" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.dictionary.com/browse/repentance </span></a></i><o:p></o:p></div>
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We talk about repentance as turning from sin...and in the process we often
forget that it includes Godly sorrow for sin. Usually the two go hand in hand,
but sometimes we end up with one and not the other. The most obvious form of
that is someone who is sorry for the sin, but not enough to turn from it. But
what about the person who stops sinning but isn't really sorry for what they
have already done? <br /><br />For instance, you are absolutely dying to go tell your best
friend what you heard about "So-and-So". You know it's gossip, but
you tell her anyway. Doing so relieves your pent-up need to talk about it and
so you "stop gossiping" because you know to continue spreading it
wouldn't be pleasing to God...but you aren't really sorry about telling it the
first time. <br /><br />That is a super simplistic example, but I hope it demonstrates the
point - we need to be very careful that we don't allow ourselves to fall into
the dangerous pit of being willing to stop doing something displeasing to God
without being sorry we did it in the first place. For it to be true repentance
that will elicit God's forgiveness it must include both the Godly sorrow and
the turning from sin.<o:p></o:p></div>
Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-31899931961162402582016-05-24T10:39:00.000-07:002016-05-24T10:39:14.609-07:00Effective Altar Working<div class="MsoNormal">
As a generational Pentecostal who grew up around “altar
calls” I have had opportunity to witness many different methods to working the
altar, but probably more important than my random observations have been my
experiences. As a child I sought the
Holy Ghost for some 3 years, and in that time I encountered a large number of
altar workers. All of them were
well-meaning, but I will readily admit that some were helpful and some were far
from it. Based on those experiences and
subsequent observations I have compiled some practical guidelines to altar work
that I hope will answer questions and give direction to those who wish to be an
effective altar worker. Under no
circumstances am I attempting to be rude or condescending in my comments, but
rather to put altar work into a sometimes humorous but at all times logical
perspective. As you read the rest of
this post, keep in mind that praying at the altar is a very special time for a
person to have a heart-to-heart conversation with the great God of Heaven, and
for many, it will be their first ever conversation with that God. With that in focus, here are a few “rules of
thumb” to use when praying with someone else.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>1.</b><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><i><u><b>Don’t
talk to them unnecessarily.</b> </u></i> There
are rare times when you will feel a strong prompting to say something specific
to someone who is praying and in that instance, by all means say it. There will also be times when you need to
give them brief practical instructions that I will talk about in #8. But as a general rule, don’t talk to them. They don’t need you to tell them, “Worship
God! Say, ‘Hallelujah!” “Tell Him how much you love Him!” or “He hears you if you will just talk to
Him!” unless they are clearly stuck. They are there to talk to God and let God
talk to them – and when you talk to them you interrupt that conversation. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>2.</b><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> <i><u>
</u></i></span><!--[endif]--><b><i><u>Don’t be
overly “physical.”</u></i></b> A hand on their
shoulder to let them know you are there and supporting them is great, but don’t
rub their back, push, shove, touch their face, or anything else that would be
potentially distracting. Again, this is
a conversation they are having with God.
If you were having a deeply emotional conversation with another person
you wouldn’t want someone to walk up in the middle of it and begin to to
forcibly rock you from side to side, give you a massage, pat your face, or any
number of other things people tend to do when praying with others in the
altar. Consider your actions and if what
you are planning to do could potentially distract them, don’t do it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>3.</b><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"><b> </b>
</span><!--[endif]--><i><u><b>Understand
the need</b>.</u></i> Keep in mind that, as
often as not, the point of working the altar is for the person to know there
are others who are still praying and who are supporting them while they
pray. Toward that end, be aware of the
need and respond accordingly. If someone
is seeking the Holy Ghost, worship! The
presence of God that comes down as a result of your worship will do what no
amount of encouraging, shaking, yelling, or anything else will do. If someone has an unknown need and is at the
altar alone, you can pray for them, but when you finish talking to God about
them, stay nearby and just keep praying so they don’t feel like the center of
attention. If a sinner comes to the
altar for the first time, don’t tell them how to repent or how to pray – get
close enough for them to hear you and start repenting and surrendering your
life to God. No, I’m not suggesting you
fake it – there is never a time we can’t all use a time of fresh repentance and
consecration.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>4.</b><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><i><u><b>Pray –
don’t stare</b>.</u></i> Altar working is not
about staring at someone while they pray.
You are there to help usher them into the presence of God and to bind together
with them in unity. The best thing you
can possibly do to help someone is to pray.
Pray for them, keep a hand on their shoulder while you pray for your
Great-Aunt Bertha, repent out loud, worship…do whatever is appropriate for the
circumstances, but remember that staring at them is NEVER the right choice.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>5.</b><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"><b> </b>
</span><!--[endif]--><b><i><u>Be aware
of kids and direct them constructively.</u></i></b>
We all want our kids to be involved and learn to live for God from a
young age, but that doesn’t change the fact that an unsupervised child can
hinder an altar call. Just because we
are excited that Little Suzie wants to pray for people doesn’t mean Little
Suzie putting her hand on the person’s derriere (because that’s all short
Little Suzie can reach) isn’t distracting.
If a child wants to be involved, pull them over to you and help them put
a hand on the person’s arm or have them hold your hand while you pray for the
person. Also note that if the person
praying is suffering from demonic oppression or possession, children should be
removed from the altar area. There is no
reason to subject innocent children to that situation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>6.</b><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b><i><u>Make it
easy to go to the altar.</u></i></b> I recently
heard a Pastor instructing his saints to go to the altar in waves and it made a
lot of sense. A few saints need to open
the altar – the altar isn’t a place that only horrible, dirty, rotten sinners
go and when some saints make the first move to the altar they communicate that
concept. But in many cases a sinner will
hesitate before moving forward and if everyone has already gone up front they
feel like they have missed their chance.
If others have “opened” the altar, wait a few minutes and then move
forward. Those extra few moments are
also a great opportunity to notice anyone who might be praying at their seat and
need encouragement.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>7.</b><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b><i><u>Let
yourself be heard!</u></i></b> Nobody wants to
feel like the whole church is waiting for them to stop praying, even if that is
indeed the case. So pray and do it out
loud. Even if the musicians are helping
by playing and singing, the sound of another person seeking God is encouraging
and helpful. Please note that praying
out loud does not mean praying loudly – you don’t need to scream in their ear,
but make sure you can be heard enough for them to know they are not alone.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>8.</b><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"><b> </b>
</span><!--[endif]--><b><i><u>Be
logical.</u> </i> </b>Yes, prayer is a spiritual
experience, but it happens in our very human bodies. And what happens to and around someone
praying DOES have an impact. Toward that
end, consider what will make them the most comfortable physically, especially
if they are praying for a prolonged period.
I have already addressed not being distracting with unnecessary touch,
but let me offer a few other thoughts on how to help reduce distractions. Again, please remember that I speak from
experience…and with a dry sense of humor.<br />
- If they are crying, get them a few tissues and press it into their hand. DO NOT wipe their nose for them. They are probably not so lost in the Spirit
as to be unaware of things such as snot, tears, and tissues. Trust me when I tell you they DO know that
someone is swiping at their bodily fluids and it IS distracting and
embarrassing. <br />
- If they are hot, find a fan.<br />
- Let them put their arms down. I can
remember nights when my shoulders screamed in pain after an hour of prayer because
some well-meaning soul would repeatedly grab the hands I tried to lower and
force them back into the air, and then leave me to try to keep them up. God is not limited by whether or not someone
has their hands raised, so let them do as they wish with their hands.<br />
- If someone is determined to keep their hands up for a prolonged period of time,
grab an arm and support it. And if you
are going to hold an arm up, do it firmly.
DON’T put a couple limp fingers under their elbow – that provides no
support and therefore no physical relief.
<br />
- Let them know they are free to do whatever makes them comfortable and to
change position at any time. They can
receive what they need from God sitting, standing, kneeling, laying on the
floor, or running laps around the building.
But odds are good that they won’t receive what they need if they are focused
on excruciating pain from being in an uncomfortable position for a long time.<br />
- If they do choose to stand when they have been sitting or kneeling, there is
no reason whatsoever to insist that they continue to pray and keep their hands
in the air while they awkwardly try to get on their feet with the assistance of
well-meaning altar workers tugging and pulling on them. If they want to change position, turn them
loose and let them readjust. They can go
back to praying and raise their hands again when they are more comfortable.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>9.</b><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"><b> </b> <i><u>
</u></i></span><!--[endif]--><b><i><u>Don’t
touch their head.</u></i></b> Unless your pastor
has specifically freed you to do so, don’t touch their head. As a general rule this should be reserved for
the ministry. There are a variety of
reasons for this, but from a purely practical standpoint, it is uncomfortable for
most to have a lot of people in their personal space and touching their face.</div>
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<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">10.</b><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b> </b>
</span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><u>DO IT!</u></i></b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">We all have various gifts and talents, but
there is not a single person who cannot be an effective altar worker, because
in reality, all it takes is being willing to stand or kneel near someone and
talk to God.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">That’s it.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">There is a powerful move of God available
when saints of the Most High bind together with one another and talk to Him
with and for each other, but we have to make the effort to see it happen.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">So do it – make a habit of praying with others
and see what God will do.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-80816110608567969462016-03-07T19:00:00.000-08:002016-03-07T19:00:16.664-08:00Sign Choirs - An Interpreter's Point of View<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
A very popular trend in Pentecost today is the use of sign
choirs. Normally, young people,
especially young ladies, wear dark clothing and perform a recorded song in “American
Sign Language” as part of the worship service.
Over the years I have seen a great many of these sign choirs, and as a
sign language interpreter and former sign choir director I would like to offer
a few thoughts on the subject. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I would preface the remainder of this article with a
disclaimer of sorts. I will be extremely
blunt for the sake of clarity. Please do
not mistake forthrightness as accusatory in any way. I believe our sign choirs are most often led
by wonderful saints and young people with great intentions. My comments on the subject are intended only
to help bring into focus the purpose of sign choirs and offer some suggestions
for helping them achieve the goal they were designed for.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The first thing that must be remembered in considering a
sign choir is that American Sign Language (ASL) is a LANGUAGE. It is not a “performing art” or a form of
drama. It has a set vocabulary, grammar,
syntax, etc. There are rules to sign
language just as there are to any other language, and for the signer to be
understood those rules must be followed.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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The second thing which is important to understand is the
difference between translating and interpreting. Translating is providing a word for word
parallel of one language to another.
Interpreting is providing a thought for thought parallel from one
language into another. You will not hear
the term “sign language translator” used by those who are familiar with the
language because spoken language does not directly translate into sign
language. Instead, you will hear the
term, “sign language interpreter.” This
is because ASL has a much smaller vocabulary than most spoken languages and
therefore it is impossible to directly translate every spoken word. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, in order to clearly convey meaning sign language
uses what are called, “non-manual markers.”
In layman’s terms – facial expression, size of sign, mouthing the signed
words, etc. For example, the sentences,
“I understand” and “I don’t understand” can be signed using the exact same
words and differentiating them with a simple headshake.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
One of my primary concerns with sign choirs is that many
of them focus on the often in accurate use
of non-manual markers with little if any attention paid to the vocabulary. The trend is for the sign choir to move in
such as a way as to give the feel of the music without actually signing
it. It is unquestionable that for music
to be truly interpreted you have to include the beat, the flow of the words,
and the overall mood of the music. I’m
not suggesting that these things be excluded in a sign choir. On the contrary, in training interpreters I
have strongly encouraged them to make music LOOK like music. But while music does need to look musical, if
someone who knows sign language cannot understand the song your choir is
signing without the audio, you have become ineffective as a sign choir and are
actually doing little more than performing a version of “interpretative dance. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Consider this – you have a “Spanish choir” that gets up
and intends to sing in “Spanish.” But
rather than actually using the translated lyrics, they sing words such as ‘hola, adios, Jesus, queso,
enchilada, Senor’ to the tune of “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power.” It sounds great! It sounds worshipful. It sounds like a song we should raise our
hands and praise to. So…does the fact
that it sounds good make it something we should sing in church? Does God get glory from it? Is it worship? Of course not. But when the same thing is done in sign
language we overlook it. Sadly, that
example is no exaggeration. I can tell
you that with the exception of one, almost every sign choir I have seen is NO
MORE than 50% accurate and most of them use less than 15% accurate signs. In fact, one group I saw signed no more than
5 words of the entire song in the correct context. In other words, most sign choirs are largely
“interpretive dance teams” with little to no correlation to sign language.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
With that said, worship is a corporate activity, not a
spectator event. Sign language is a
truly beautiful language and is certainly readily appreciated by a hearing-only
audience, especially if it is dramatized to the point of interpretive
dance. It is a great performance to
enjoy, but for a hearing only audience, a performance is all it is. Furthermore, for a deaf audience, if it is
not truly an interpretation of the song, a performance is all it is. In my opinion, if you do not have a deaf
person participating in your service you need to carefully consider the use of
sign choirs in service on a regular basis.
What purpose is the sign choir serving and is the use of it giving glory
to God? And even if the choir is
genuinely worshipping, is the use of a sign choir promoting corporate worship
or encouraging spectatorship? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Another concern with the increased use of sign choirs is
the sense of competition between youth groups that results. I have no problem
with some healthy competition on the volleyball court at a youth social event,
but when we come into the House of God, we are there to enter His presence,
give Him glory, and allow Him to change our lives. There is no room in that paradigm for
competition, pride, or vanity whether in clothing, hairstyles, musical ability,
or sign choirs. It isn’t about who can
do the most dramatic version of “Break Every Chain” or which choir can stay the
most perfectly unified while signing “Freedom.”
It should ALL be about giving glory to God. All too often that focus is lost among our
youth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
For those who would use sign choirs as a way of training
interpreters in case you ever have a deaf person in your church, I have mixed
feelings. On one hand, sign choirs are a
great way to spark interest in the language and it is far easier to build a
deaf congregation with someone who already knows how to sign. On the other hand, I believe frequent use of
sign choirs in regular services when there are no deaf people present can be
counter-productive. Furthermore, if the
purpose of having a sign choir is in preparation for the occasion when a deaf
person might attend your Church, why allow the signing to be done in a totally
incorrect and incomprehensible manner? My
personal opinion is that using sign choirs for holiday banquets or special
presentations is not a bad choice, but beyond that training would be better
accomplished through sign language lunches or special classes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
So…what if there are deaf people in your church? In that case, I believe a sign choir is a
wonderful addition to the service. Just
as I believe that a bilingual Spanish/English church should sing in both
languages, I believe it is appropriate for a bilingual English/ASL church to
utilize both languages in their worship.
In that setting a sign choir allows the deaf congregation to worship
with a special song in much the same way hearing people worship with a choir or
chorale. But there are still some
guidelines that should be kept in mind with the use of a “visual” language.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
First, remember that there is a visual “box” for
interpreting. Now, I don’t mind telling
you that Apostolic church interpreters don’t stay in the “official interpreter”
box any more than Apostolic worshippers sit with their hands folded. If they did all emotion would be lost. But there is still an appropriate visual area
for even an excited Pentecostal interpreter.
That box, loosely speaking, extends vertically from about 10 inches
above your head to your waist and horizontally the span of your arms. When you move into the realm of a sign choir
that box enlarges a little bit more. It
goes from about a foot above your head to your knees and offers the ability to
lean right and left or step one direction or another to extend the span of your
arms. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Keeping that box in mind, here are some basic rules of
thumb for sign choirs. I would reiterate
that while I am being extremely blunt, I am not suggesting that anyone is
intentionally inappropriate; rather, I am offering advice on ways to avoid
accidental oversights that could cause hindrances.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b><u>Large</u></b>
signs are often more clear. <b><u>Huge</u></b> signs are so big they lose
their definition. Be careful not to make
the sign so big and “flowing” that it can’t be understood. <br /><br /><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Stay off the floor. There is no reason to drop to your knees,
lean down and touch the floor, or do anything else lower than knee level. When you do, the signs drop below the congregation’s
line of vision and can’t be seen. <br /><br /><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Ladies need to avoid drawing attention to their breasts. Toward that end, do not make a sign that
fully extends both arms out to the side or above the head. Don’t lean forward or backward beyond a 45*
angle, and don’t swoop dramatically forward or backward. Not only is this completely unnecessary, it
creates an inappropriate focus, and in some cases begs for necklines to gape
open and expose a lady’s bosom. And
lest someone protest that only the dirty-minded would focus on the ladies’
chests while watching a sign choir, remember that the visitor sitting on your
pew doesn’t have the Holy Ghost to help him guard his mind.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Ladies, keep your knees together. It is never appropriate for you to do more
than step forward, backward, or to the side with a “normal” stride. Again, protect the minds of our men by not
spreading your legs apart. <br /><br /><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Find the correct signs. Look online for ideas for how to make the
signs more musical. Talk to interpreters
to get ideas for signs that can be substituted without losing meaning. Figure out which words are crucial to
understanding the song and which words can be left out without sacrificing
content. Work on fitting the signs to
the music in such a way as to make them LOOK like the song sounds. But when all is said and done, sign the song
– don’t just move to the music.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that I am not
opposed to the use of sing choirs. But I
do believe it is imperative for us to give careful consideration to everything
we do in our church services to ensure that they are done decently and in order
and serve to glorify God. I hope this
post has provided some helpful guidelines that will serve to make our use of
sign choirs more effective in the Kingdom.
Thank you for reading.<o:p></o:p></div>
Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-46168286098152647792016-01-28T20:32:00.000-08:002016-01-28T20:32:13.729-08:00Church Kid...It's Time We Had a TalkIn October of this year I reworked a post I had previously written for this blog and allowed my husband to publish it on <a href="http://thebruisedreedblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Bruised Reed</a>. The original post was written in direct response to questions and concerns that were being brought to me (as the youth director) by the young people of my local church at that time. It addresses issues such as learning to pray, backsliding, and falling in love with Jesus. Although I wrote the article for young people, it applies to all of us as we continually strive to live for God. I am sharing the link again here in hopes that someone who didn't see it on my husband's blog will read it and be encouraged.<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://thebruisedreedblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/church-kidits-time-we-had-talk.html" target="_blank">Church Kid...It's Time We Had a Talk</a></h2>
Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-78107942971462898022016-01-05T06:54:00.000-08:002016-01-05T06:54:08.679-08:0010 Things that Helped Me Stay in Church<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“What made you stay in church?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“What did your parents do that made you want to live for
God after you became an adult?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hear these questions fairly often, so I have compiled a
list of things from my childhood I believe were integral in my choices as an
adult. While I am not foolish enough to
believe that a backslidden child is always the result of parenting mistakes, I
do believe there are things that we as adults can do to facilitate kids in
developing a lasting relationship with God.
Please allow me to share my thoughts, and feel free to add yours in the
comments section below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->I was never required to pray at the altar or
elsewhere. When I was young I was
required to go to the altar with my mom so she could keep an eye on me but I didn’t
have to pray. Living for God is a
relationship and we can’t force our children into it. Wisely, my parents exposed me to an
atmosphere that was conducive to prayer and then allowed me to reach out to God
if and when I was ready.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Prayer was an everyday family event. I learned to have a daily prayer life because
every day at 9:00 pm my parents took prayer requests and we spent 30 minutes in
family prayer. I was allowed to pray for
as long as I wished and then was allowed to simply sit quietly while my mom
finished. It ingrained the importance of
prayer, the necessity of DAILY consistency, and it taught me how to pray as I
listened to my parents. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->They didn’t make a big fuss when I first began
to seek God. If they had I would have
been embarrassed, but beyond that, I needed to begin building a relationship with
God without the external pressure of “pleasing my parents” or doing it for
accolades. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->My parents did not allow me to be baptized
before they were certain I understood the purpose of baptism and its importance. When I was 8 I approached my parents of my
own accord about being baptized. They
didn’t jump on the idea immediately even though I had been going to the altar
and praying for some time. Instead, they
asked a lot of questions and had a very serious conversation with me to make
sure I really knew what I was doing and why.
This not only ensured I didn’t just get wet in a ritual I wasn’t ready
for, it helped instill in me the importance of what I was doing. It is a great disservice to our church kids
to cheat them out of the beautiful experience of knowing their sins are being
washed away by allowing them partake in baptism when they don’t fully
understand. Similarly, my parents were
firm believers that a child should not be baptized until they asked and were
prepared to take it very seriously even if they had received the Holy Ghost. It is crucial that our church kids don’t simply
go through the motions because “this is what we do.” They need to feel the tug of conviction and
have the maturity and understanding to treat the blood that is being applied
with respect. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">5.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Church was never optional in our house. If you weren’t running a fever you went to
church. Everything else was of lower
importance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">6.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->We didn’t do homework at church. It had to be done before or after. If we dawdled and wasted time so we didn’t
get it done before church, we got our backside paddled and then stayed up late
to finish it, but we weren’t allowed to treat the House of God as secondary to
anything, including education.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">7.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->We were encouraged to get involved in the work
activities at church. We learned
dedication and the importance of the House of God both by watching our parents’
investment into the Kingdom and by being involved ourselves. I started teaching Sunday School at the ripe
old age of 11. While I can’t say I would
go looking for 11-year-olds to put in Sunday School classrooms, it did me no
harm. As I grew up I continued to take
on more responsibilities in the church.
My time and energy were simultaneously being invested into both the work
of God and my personal walk with God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">8.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->My parents were real about living for God. Our kids don’t need “rote answers”. They need to see a real walk with God based
on real life, real Biblical study, and honesty.
I was raised to understand the difference in holiness standards based
scriptural mandate verses those rooted in wisdom and preference, and I was
taught to respect both for what they are.
I learned that real Christians get discouraged, they fail, they repent,
they have times when prayer is hard, and much more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">9.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Living for God was fun in our house. When there were fellowship activities at
church, we participated. My parents made
the necessary sacrifices to make sure we got to youth conferences, fun days,
and activities our church friends were hosting, and if nothing was going on
they hosted parties at our house. Above
all, they refused to treat living for God as a hardship. I once knew someone who was fond of saying, “I
traded my F-U-N for J-O-Y!” I always
felt sorry for them because I got to keep my F-U-N along with the J-O-Y of the
Holy Ghost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">10.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->I was raised to know what a “real” move of God
is. I was blessed to grow up in home
missions, so I didn’t have some of the distractions many of our young people
must wade through. We prayed before
church and worshipped until the Power fell.
There were no wild drums and screaming organs to “fake” a move of God for
us. I learned the value of standing
silently with my hands raised and tears streaming down my face along with the importance
of dancing and rejoicing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am not foolish enough to believe this is a “guaranteed”
plan for keeping kids in church, but these factors were significant in helping
direct and strengthen my walk with God.
As saints we all have a responsibility to do what we can to help the
kids and young people in our churches develop relationships with God that will
stand the test of time. Thank you for
reading.</span></span>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-91561133217412428242015-11-03T08:56:00.000-08:002015-11-03T08:56:59.927-08:00The Muse Has Returned<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Well, the day has come – I have decided to return to the
world of blogging. For those of you who don’t know, I took a break from writing
during a time of great transition. In
the past 14 months I have made the decision to put my graduate education on
hold, married the man of my dreams, begun adjusting to life as an evangelist’s
wife, and in recent weeks my husband and I have accepted the call to return to
the foreign mission field on a part-time basis.
Clearly, my life is far from boring, and I confess that at times I find
myself desperately searching for my sanity, but amidst all the changes, I am
blessed and happy beyond measure. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I invite you to join me in my musings and ramblings as I
walk the path God has laid before me. In
the coming months I will be sharing some insights, stories, and laughs from
life on the evangelistic/mission field, but the primary focus of my blog will be
discipleship and Christian development, with a special emphasis on helping
generational Pentecostal young people build a walk with God that will stand the
test of time. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Regardless of the direction my writing may take, I pray
the posts will be a blessing to someone as they complete the journey of life. Please check back in the next week or so for
the first “real” post, or, better yet, subscribe using the link in the sidebar
to have it delivered to your inbox. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
In His Service,<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Elaine Hood<o:p></o:p></div>
Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834738940205412858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486356245128558074.post-51494771025909774292015-05-05T18:14:00.000-07:002015-05-05T18:14:42.758-07:00Taking a BreakThank you for stopping by. As some of you know, my life is in the midst of transition, and while it is a very exciting time for me, I have found little energy to write amidst the other activities in my world. Should the day come that I once again pick up a pen I will reactivate my blog, but for now, I have chosen to focus my attention elsewhere. <br />
<br />
God Bless,<br />
ElaineElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13171450437234241848noreply@blogger.com0