“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Eph 4:29

Simple question tonight – Are the things you’re saying helping others or hurting them?

16 years ago today….I was standing in the sacristy behind the sanctuary listening to the Ohio State – Penn State game.

16 years ago today….I was surrounded by family and friends.

16 years ago today….I said the two most important words I’ve ever spoken.

16 years ago today….I made the best decision I ever made in my life.

16 years ago today….I became the luckiest man in the world.

16 years ago today….My best friend became my wife.

Happy Anniversary to my amazing and beautiful wife.  I love you more today than I did 16 years ago and know that our love will only continue to grow.

Now, for some this is a number full of dread that they just choose to ignore and pretend that it never happened.

Not me – I choose to enjoy it – I choose to embrace it – I choose to CONQUER it!

You see, I believe that “age” is just a number.  It’s about how I feel and how I act.  Those that know me know that many times I still act like I’m 12.  I love all types of music, I love to crank up my radio and blast some Red, David Crowder or other “younger” bands.  I love to sing and play my guitar to all types of music while leading worship.  I still enjoy playing video games (though the time isn’t always there).  I stay up way too late most nights because I believe that sleep is for wimps!  I love hanging out with the youth and acting like a goof (shoving my face into a plate of whipped cream or eating pudding with no utensils)!

Of course…if I’m being honest…my body doesn’t always agree with ALL of those.  But I choose to IGNORE that!  HA!

So remember – age is just a number.  Mind over matter and all that junk.

Most importantly don’t let ANYTHING or ANYONE keep you from doing what it is that God has made you for.  After all, look what Noah was able to build when he was “past his prime” or how about Abram bearing a son at the “young” age of 100!

Here are some pics from my Birthday celebrations – a great dinner at Casa del Rio and a surprise get together by my wife with a few friends and a ROCKIN’ cake by Just Cake!!

This morning I went back to Wadsworth to had the opportunity to worship with a few of the band members that I had played with prior to being called to Rittman.  With the exception of not knowing where to plug in it was just like old times.  Bob (bass player), Rick (drums), Jenna and Meghan (vocals) and I all clicked quickly and we were even able to do two songs together that were new to them.

The song list for this morning was:

Team Song:  Glory to God Forever (Fee/Beeching)

Set:  Holy Is The Lord (Tomlin)
Everlasting God (Brown)
How Great Is Our God (Tomlin)

Offering:  Mighty to Save (Morgan)

Closing: Love the Lord (Brewster)

Both “Glory to God Forever” and “Mighty to Save” were new to them and they picked them right up.  It was really nice to be able to worship with the congregation where I got my start as a worship leader.  I am very grateful to them for asking me back and hope to have the opportunity again in the future (though I can’t say I miss the early morning start time – 7:00 am!  YIKES!).

Tonight’s Sunday Evening Connexions service at Rittman was amazing.  It was Laity Sunday and so Pastor Chuck had the night off from preaching (though we did still put him to work as we observed Communion).  Lisa Winchell spoke and delivered a Spirit filled message talking about how we can get sucked into believing Satan’s lies.  She ended with a wonderful time of prayer at the altar.

The set tonight was:

Come, Now Is The Time To Worship (Doerskon)
Glorious One (Fee)
Your Grace Is Enough (Maher)
Love The Lord (Brewster)
You Are My King (Foote) – Done during communion
How Great Is Our God (Tomlin)

Our bass player Thomas got a new amp which seemed to give a whole new energy to the team.  With the nice guitar rattling bass filling up the room it gave the rest of the band the confidence and opportunity to really get into it.

It was also good to see some of the people that God is calling to this service.  There is one man in particular that I am thinking of.  He is a man that God has called to this service for reasons that only God knows and I pray that he feels God’s Spirit moving in him.

Between the message, communion and the music tonight it was just a really powerful night and just another reminder of how amazing God is.  That he can use someone like me – someone who sometimes feels like the person Lisa was describing in her message tonight – someone not good enough, not talented enough, not spiritual enough.  That he could use me to do HIS work.  That he reminds me that he has called me to do HIS work and that he thinks I’m worthy.  That God has bigger plans than we even realize.  Thank you for that reminder and I pray that we all spend time listening for what it is that God is calling us to.

As always, to read more recaps you can check out Fred McKinnon’s site and his Sunday Setlists post.

Ellie continues to go through her treatments and the family is praying that after this weeks round that they receive a report of remission.  If you haven’t stopped over to the Caring Bridge Page that was set up for Ellie by her family and friends I would encourage you to do so.  Take a moment and sign the wall to let Chris & Nikki know that you are praying for them.  It doesn’t matter if you know them or not – every word of encouragement is important.

As a father of three beautiful kids my heart aches for this family.  I can not imagine what they are going through.  I am just thankful to have a God that hears our prayers, a God that can and does perform miracles, a God that loves us and weeps with us.

If you read my blog post yesterday you’ll know I’ve been thinking about what I’m filling my time with.  So, tonight I’m unplugging.  Play a game with the kids, get the fireplace going, curl up on the couch with my wife, a blanket and maybe a good book or two, maybe watch some of  “The Concert of the Decade”.

No phone, no e-mail, no twitter, no facebook, no surfing, no work.  Everything else will still be there tomorrow.

See ya tomorrow!

On Sunday night we had our Sunday Evening Connexions service.  Here was our set:

Walk-In Song:  “All Because of Jesus” (Steve Fee)

Set: “Glorious One” (Steve Fee)
“Everlasting God” (Brenton Brown)
“Mighty to Save” (Fielding\Morgan)

Offering: “Sometimes By Step” (Mullins) – Chorus Only
Closing: “Glory to God Forever” (Fee\Beeching)

This was the first week for “Glorious One” and I’m not sure how well it went over.  I taught the chorus and verse to the congregation before we did the whole thing.  The challenge with this is to put it into a key that is singable.  We had played around with a couple different keys during rehearsal and landed in A.  The only problem was that the verses got a little low.  I’m thinking we’ll bump it up to B if we do it again (though that does make the chorus precariously high for the women).

The message that Pastor Chuck delivered was entitled Possibilities and was based on Mark 10:17-27.  I felt that it was a reinforcement of some of what I learned from my chocolate judging experience that I had blogged about yesterday.  You can listen to it on-line here.

Next week will be a fun week for me.  In the morning I have the opportunity to go back and lead worship in Wadsworth at the Methodist Church where I had been for the last few years and then we have our lay speakers bringing the message at our Sunday Evening Connexions service in Rittman.

As always, to read more recaps you can check out Fred McKinnon’s site and his Sunday Setlists post.

Now, as the husband of one of the event organizers I thought I’d be nice and volunteer to help in the kitchen and to run the tech\sound for the worship time and speakers.  There were three other husbands that also volunteered.  As a “thank you” for this we were told that we would be the judges for the chocolate showdown.

Now, maybe you’re thinking, “Awesome!  I love chocolate.”  Well, I love chocolate and I love deserts…but let me tell you after you take a bite or two of eleven different chocolate dishes!  YIKES!  Now, there were a lot of amazing dishes…a LOT.  However, this quickly became a case of too much of a “good” thing.  Chocolate is a delicious treat in moderation, but it doesn’t really offer any nutrients that my body needs.  All four of us had chocolate in our eyes by the end of the tasting.

It got me thinking about what I fill my time with.  Am I filling my time with too many “good” things?  Things that I may find enjoyable, but that aren’t filling my spiritually?  Am I filling time with my family, in prayer, in God’s Word?

How about you…is there something in your life that can be considered “too much”?

Fee’s second album shows that that have no fear of the dreaded “sophomore slump”.  Their years of leading worship for Northpoint Ministries and the Passion conferences comes through strongly.  With ‘Hope Rising’ Fee has put together album of highly energetic music that is also highly singable by most congregations.

One of the things that most impresses me about this album is the “vertical” focus of so many of the songs.  In a time when more and more of our worship songs are filled with “Me” and “I” a large number of these songs are focused on God and who he is.  When it does get personal there is more “Our” and “We” than many other offerings out there.  “Send Me Out” is probably the most individually focused song, but even that is on how I can do God’s work on Earth in His name.

As a worship leader one of the things that I appreciate the most is that musically these songs can be adapted to work with a full band or they can be just as effective with just a single acoustic guitar.  I’ve already added “Glory to God Forever” into our set in Rittman and can see adding in songs like “Greatly To Be Praised” and “Rise and Sing” in the near future.

Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

1 O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;
2 Many are saying to me, “There is no help for you in God.” (Selah)

3 But you, O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.
4 I cry aloud to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy hill. (Selah)

5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.
6 I am not afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

7 Rise up, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.
8 Deliverance belongs to the Lord; may your blessing be on your people! (Selah)

Psalm 3 (NRSV)

Psalm 3 is a psalm of David’s that he wrote while fleeing from his son Absalom.  Fleeing for fear of his life.

In my study and quiet time lately I keep coming back to this Psalm.  I think it speaks to me for a number of reasons. Specifically because right now I feel a little like David.  Let me tell you what I mean.

In verses 1 & 2 we see David lamenting to God about all those that are against him.  They are surrounding him and telling him that he’s all alone.  That his plans are worthless and he should just give up.

I think about things that I’ve done recently…things I am doing right now…things I want to do.  It seems like there’s always someone there to tell me why “it can’t be done”, why “it will never work”, or why it’s “too much change”.

David’s response though in verses 3 & 4 show us how to deal with the naysayers.  You see, David KNOWS who is in control, who provides his strength and who he is doing all this for.  David crys aloud to the Lord and the Lord answers him.

That’s what I need to remember as well.  That when I feel like I can’t take it anymore, when I’ve heard one too many, “You’ll never be able to do that” or “you can try – but it will never work” that I can have the faith and confidence to turn to the Lord and that HE will shield me from all of it.  That HE will give me the strength to do HIS work.

In verses 5 & 6 David knows he can go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning and that he doesn’t have to worry about anything or anyone – the Lord is there with him, sustaining him.

The New Living Translation says, “I lay down and slept. I woke up in safety, for the LORD was watching over me.”  Reminds me of the old MAD Magazine character Alfred E. Newman’s slogan, “What, me worry?”   Why should I worry about any of this when I know that the Lord is with me and watching over me.

Now, in verse 7 we see something that really hit me hard (no pun intended).  David asks the Lord to strike his enemy on the cheek and break their teeth.  He doesn’t say to strike them down, he doesn’t say to kill them…just break their teeth.  It’s not that David wasn’t capable or killing…after all that’s kind of what got him into this mess in the first place.  Rather than deal death to those speaking against him David wanted God to do one thing – shut them up.

For me this is huge.  Negative words, attitudes and actions are huge.  They can suck the life right out of me.  I can be told I’m doing a great job, I can have people tell me they really felt God speak to them after a service, I can hear a bunch of other words of affirmation…but if I have one person come up and say something negative, THAT’S what I focus on…THAT’S what I remember.

I know it’s silly.  I know that it shouldn’t bother me but it does.  I do what I do to please God, not man…but I’m also human.  So I think that David’s prayer here in verse 7 is a key for me.  I know people are not going to like everything I do, everything I say or everything I plan.  I’m not naive enough to think that.  Do I wish that were the case?  HECK YEAH!  But it’s not and will never be.  So that’s my prayer – that God would keep them quiet.  Keep it to themselves.  Now, let me just say that I really don’t want to see anyone’s teeth broken (but if God feels that’s what it takes who am I to argue).  “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all” – I think that’s what David is asking God for here.

At the end of the day, the things that I do I am doing because I believe that it is what God wants me to do.  It’s easy to get discouraged and listen to the people that are speaking against me but that just needs to be another reminder to me to just turn it over to the Lord.  I said it last week, I said it this week and I will say it again – if what I am doing is God’s Will and is bathed in prayer it CAN NOT FAIL!  If what I am doing is Jeff’s will it will fall on it’s face.

My desire is to reach people with the love of Christ and to help them come into a meaningful relationship with our Lord and Savior.  As David says in verse 8, “May your blessing be on your people!”.  That’s what it’s all about – God’s blessing on God’s people.

How about you?  I would love to hear in the comments how you deal with this type of thing.