Star Wars Dream

A Star Wars dream is the pinnacle of dreams to remember in my book. Here is my dream from last night as best I can remember.

Obi-Wan is on board the Death Star and is somewhat friendly but cautious about the leadership. At some point, he realizes that Tarkin isn't just a politician but is evil and they fight and Obi-wan runs.

Now he is trying to escape the station. He has a group of friends including Han Solo and some other faces I recognized but can't remember. They are hanging out in the cafeteria dressed as Imperial officers.

Obi-wan sneaks through the Death Star and enters an office area and sneaks through the cubicles (these are like you'd see in any modern-day office). He will need a distraction to escape and communicates with his friends to be ready.

I (or my avatar in the dream) am following behind him, crouching through the cubicles.

He encounters a small teaching pod where the teacher is showing something incorrect (related to Christmas and different names for the holiday) so he corrects her and talks with the kids. Another teacher recognizes him after a while due to the security bulletins, so we must move on.

Cut to the distraction. Han Solo and friends are having a firefight in the cafeteria. Everyone is bouncing around shooting lasers and using the metal food trays to block the blaster fire. They are remarkably effective but every time they are hit it makes a loud clanging noise.

Cut to myself outside the movie watching it with some people. I remark that that they should make the Stormtrooper armor out of the trays, and could you imagine being inside that and being hit. It would be effective but extremely noisy. The people I'm laughing about this with are my Uncle Drake and then my dad.

Cut back to the movie. Obi-wan passes by the cafeteria observing the firefight and moves into the gift shop where there are 3 children looking around. I remember that these children had been cast and people were doubting their acting ability. They seem fine. After a brief time, they break into song and dance. It’s not a horrible routine.

We move on, and there's another room and now others are singing and we're in a full blown Star Wars musical and it's just awful. They ruined a movie that started off great.

Then I woke up and went over all this in my head multiple times before going back to sleep so I could remember it and share it with you.

Imperial Metrics

Be the change you want to see in our country.
In elementary school in the 80s, I was told I had to learn the metric system because the US would be switching over to it soon. Well nearly 40 years later, we still use the same random collection of measurement schemes and non-sensical conversions.
So I've finally gotten fed up. A couple weeks ago, I switched my phone, car, computer, and home thermostats over to metric. It's a bit of a learning curve for what a comfortable temperature is, but I'm adjusting and soon it will be second nature. And just today, Kathryne switched her phone temperature to Celsius. 1 down, 370 million more to go.


One person at a time. One measurement at a time. We can become the change we want to see... for the metric system. That's all I'm talking about. No other message here. 🧐😏😉

Matt's Hypothesis of Lost Things

When you lose an item and have looked everywhere for it (including the last place you looked) but just can't find it, if you will simply purchase a replacement item you are guaranteed to find the item within the next week.

2 3DS XLs = 6DSXXLs?

Exhibit A: We now have 2 Nintendo 3DS XLs, because Santa brought a game that Nathan wanted with the guarantee that we had the 3DS already. Come Christmas morning, we couldn't find the 3DS anywhere. After looking around for a week, I decided to just buy a new one (used, at a pawn shop). Fast forward to cleaning out the garage 5 days later, I open the only box in the garage that I hadn't opened in the last week and what do I find? Now we have 2 Nintendo 3DS XLs.

Now we can really fight over the volume

Exhibit B: The TV remote had been missing for weeks. We had to use the app on our phones. We looked under everything and in all the chair/couch cracks and cushions. I finally decide to buy a replacement and order one from Amazon. Less than an 4 hours after ordering, I stick my hand down in a chair cushion and come back out with the remote. The previous one had already shipped. So now we have 2 TV remotes. Always good to have a spare.

Matt's Corollary of Lost Things: The more times you invoke MHoLT, the shorter the time between repurchase and finding.* **

*More data is needed to determine the exact shape the the curve.
**Rather than the number of times, it might be related to the cost of the item.
x

Lift Up Your Eyes

Most days in the afternoon, I take our 2 dogs, Lulabel and Angel, on a walk around the neighborhood. We usually go 1 ½ - 2 miles. About ½ way through, my right leg usually starts to go crazy. It feels tight in places and sometimes like it’s dangling loose. Sometimes I can adjust my gait or stop and stretch. Sometimes I just push through till it passes.

Lulabel and Angel walking by the creek

Today I noticed that I was staring down at the ground in front of me as I walked and fixated on the pain. I thought maybe I could just ignore it, and maybe if I looked up at the trees and sky, I could take my mind off of it by thinking of bigger things. An odd thing happened. As I lifted my eyes, my head followed, as did my back, rotating my hips, and relieving the pain in my leg. I looked around at the sky and trees and tried to think about bigger things than just each step.

Over the course of the walk, my eyes would drift down to the sidewalk, and I had to consciously raise them again. Each time, as my posture adjusted, I’d feel more at ease. What I had thought might be a mental solution to pushing through the pain by concentrating on the bigger picture, turned out to have a direct physical impact.

Feel free to draw your own life lessons outside of proper posture on a simple walk. But if you’re struggling with pain, it might not hurt to lift up your eyes.

Worship Planning: The Good Life

For February 3, 2013

Still in the King of Kings sermon series so the praise songs honor Christ the king. The theme is living a Christian life in contrast to the life the world portrays. I started with a list of 23 songs and had to whittle it down to pieces of 10.
"We Fall Down" has the idea of laying our crowns at Jesus’ feet; as I mentioned last time this is a powerful concept for me now. Starting with lifting Jesus high and making ourselves fall down is a great picture. Contrasting ideas that go together. Also, the tempo goes from a fast song to get everyone ready then a slower song to relax them going into the prayer. Coming out of the prayer we start with the slower "How Sweet How Heavenly" and then move into the faster praise medley. Gradual transitions between fast and slow songs and prayers prevent jerking everyone around and help create a mood.
In the responsive reading from Revelation 7:9-12 the congregation reads the quotations of praise. Transitioning from "How Sweet How Heavenly" into the Praise to the King medley via this heavenly praise session seem appropriate.
When trying to weave in old and new songs I am also paying attention to which verses match the theme and the mood as well as using language that our modern sensibilities understand without too much explanation. Key word is "relevant." I try to consider how the worship can be relevant to everyone for at least some portion of our time together.
Singing "Just As I Am" to the tune of "Lamb of God"  is something I’ve done before and enjoy the updated melody with the older words.
"Blessed Be Your Name" is one of my new favorites. I love the message that whether things are going well or poorly, we are to praise to God and give all glory to him.
The closing song is a reprise of the earlier medley to try to wrap things up nicely.

Lord I Lift Your Name On High (2x) Bb/D
We Fall Down (1x) E/G#
Announcements & Prayer
Make sure to mention that later we will be singing Just As I Am/Lamb of God
709 How Sweet How Heavenly (1, 4, 5) Bb/F
Responsive Reading Revelation 7:9-12 (Congregation reads bold)
Praise to the King Medley
578 We Will Glorify (1) E/G#
144 O Worship the King (1) A/E
15 Step by Step (1x) Ab/Eb
O Worship the King (2) A/E
We Will Glorify (4) E/G#
478 Nearer Still Nearer Db/F
Communion

(Bread) 365 How Beautiful (1) Eb

(Cup) 943 Do You Know My Jesus (chorus) C^

Offering

66 Doxology G

Blessed Be Your Name A/C#
Scripture Matthew 5:1-12
Sermon “Ahhh, The Good Life”
Just As I Am/Lamb of God (1-3 then chorus to Lamb of God, 5-6 then chorus) D
Prayer
578 We Will Glorify (4, 1) E/G#

During the opening announcements I plan on playing a video message from one of our missionaries (and my brother-in-law) in Rwanda about how they are making disciples and planting corn.





Here is the list of songs I had picked out initially. Even though several facebook friends said I should sing them all I didn't want to have to get the rotten tomato stains out of my clothes.

Come Now Is the Time to Worship
We Fall Down
Love Divine
Blessed Be Your Name
Lord I Lift Your Name On High
We Will Glorify
All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name
O Worship the King
Step by Step
O Happy Day to the tune of Lamb of God
O Love that Will Not Let Me Go
Doxology
Wonderful Grace of Jesus
A Beautiful Life
How Sweet How Heavenly
It Is Well With My Soul
My Eyes are Dry
Purer In Heart O God
Take My Life and Let It Be
Do You Know My Jesus (chorus)
Invitation: Just As I Am to the tune of Lamb of God (2 verses at a time then chorus to Lamb of God)

For Communion:
How Beautiful
In Christ Alone
We Saw Thee Not
Nearer Still Nearer

Worship Planning: Prepare the Way of the Lord

[I've decided to start posting the orders of worship for the times I am leading in an effort to share my thoughts and perhaps provide ideas for others or for myself at a later date. I have all the details saved in Google Docs, but I want to capture any reasoning behind why I chose certain songs. We'll see how this goes. Song #'s are from Songs of Faith and Praise. The letters after the title are the song key and starting note (if different from the key note). This is a great help to me when I remember to figure it out ahead of time rather than on the fly.]

January 13, 2013
The theme for this sermon series is King of Kings. The theme for this day was "Prepare the Way of the Lord" with discussions of repentance and baptism and the River Jordan figuring prominently.

We started out with a video showing pictures of people being baptized backed by Allison Kraus's rendition of "Down to the River to Pray".

I always like to start with a bunch of praise songs and these were all centered around the idea of kingship. The song "There's a Stirring" has the concept of laying my crown at Jesus wounded feet. When we were singing this phrase, I could barely keep myself from choking up. Something about that idea was just so powerful and emotional. Not only laying the crown, but at his feet that were wounded because of all the things I've done.

"Days of Elijah" and "On Jordan's Stormy Banks" were requests from Jim and I never pass up a chance to lead "DoE".

I don't always finish with a closing song and it varies from before the prayer to after the prayer. I'm starting to lean more towards a song as I think it sends people off on a high note. And I think after the prayer works better as if there are responses then the prayer for those usually serves as a closing prayer as well.

167 Hosanna G
Prayer & Announcements
Please Stand
Today we are granted an audience before the great King of the Universe. I stand here before the throne as a performer for an audience of one. All Glory and Praise to our God in whom we have the Victory.
278 Victory Chant Bb
166 He's My King Ab
There's a Stirring Bb
484 You Are My All in All F
Communion
I Stand Amazed (1 bread, 4 cup) Ab/Eb
Offering
781 Thank You Lord Eb/Bb
Days of Elijah Ab/Eb
Scripture Matthew 3:13-17
Sermon
886 On Jordan's Stormy Banks (1, 3) F
Prayer
Shout to the Lord A/C#

After the service a lady came up and said that most of the songs we sang were her favorites. I later apologized for the ones that she didn't like.

On Worship: Singing in Context

I love singing. I love to sing in worship to God, with or without others present. I was a bit shocked to learn this week that after years of thinking otherwise, there are really no commands pertaining to singing in the corporate worship in the New Testament. After hearing a lesson on the subject, I did some quick searches on the words "sing," "singing," "song," and "hymn" in the New Testament. I was quite surprised how few hits came up (as opposed to the many hits in the OT, most of the NT ones are in Revelation). I was looking for the commands to "sing" for the church as a whole, for worship services. There is a verse in Hebrews that mentions the congregation but it is not a command to sing (Hebrews 2:12). It is a declaration of someone singing and it sounds more like a solo.

Two of the main proof texts for advocates of a cappella-only, full congregational singing (no solos, no choirs, no instruments) are Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. There are lots of points made about the Greek words, history, and culture. As in my previous article, I do not feel the need to debate those points as there is another issue that precedes even having that discussion: Context. What is the context of each of these verses?

Ephesians 5 in context is talking about the Christian's daily walk through life. There is no mention of the assembly. There is no mention of a "worship service." If you want to stretch this to the worship time then you have to look back at verse 18 and wonder why Paul is telling them not to get drunk during the worship service. Is it okay other times? And no coarse joking during worship. Nah, he is talking about our daily lives. Rather than filling our lives with filth and spewing that out to everyone, spill praise all over them with songs to God and be thankful. Colossians 3 reads much the same way. The context is our lives in Christ, not just Sunday, but every day.

In all the New Testament, the only reference I found to singing where instruction is being given pertaining to the assembly of the body is 1 Corinthians 14:26. In the midst of discussions about tongues and prophecy and other spiritual gifts, Paul lists some things that people bring with them to worship to share: "a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation." A couple things jump out at me here. He is not commanding them to sing or to bring any of these things. It seems he is allowing, accepting, validating the things they are already doing (based on culture, heritage, tradition, teaching) and setting up some guidelines so that they are respectful of everyone. We learn early on in school to raise our hands when we have a question and not interrupt others when they are talking. Paul is playing a bit of teacher/principal here and setting some rules for the classroom. But not the rules we often spout. Again the context is so important. This whole section of 1 Corinthians starting in chapter 11 through chapter 14 is about treating each other with respect and love. Something we have no issues with today, but apparently the Corinthians did.

So where does that leave us as far as commands to sing? As individual we should use our songs to God to encourage others. So if I am out and see you around town, or call you on the phone, or we meet for coffee, I am to encourage you by sharing a song. Maybe just a kind word would do. People get uncomfortable for some reason when you burst out in song in public unless you're part of a flash mob (then it goes on Youtube). When we gather together as a body to break bread and talk about Jesus are we allowed to sing? It certainly seems so. What form should the singing take? What are the rules concerning how we sing? Well if I have a song, I should wait till you're done with yours before I start. And the whatever I bring should be done for the purpose (whether it works or not is a different story) of building up the body. Those seem to be the only regulations specific to the assembly. There is no indication that everyone would sing along with me if I were to start a song. I might end up singing a solo. There are additional regulations around the tongues and prophecy, but none around the singing.
Can we bring the individual commands to sing into the worship? Well probably in some form. We certainly want to respect the commands to not get drunk and tell crude jokes. Just because we are together as a body does not mean those go by the wayside. In fact, we are not supposed to treat our time together as a holy time and the rest of the time as secular time. That is what those letters are about, living a holy life before God all the time.
My point is that in context, those passages are not about laying out a pattern for worship. There seems to be a lot of freedom and very little pattern. What there is not freedom to do is to create rules and divide Christ's body because someone disagrees on the rules. What there is a pattern for is how we are to treat other people.