Monday, April 16

Dancing For the Lord

Last night our family attended Faith Quest Redux – a reunion for people who love and support the Labor Day gathering of Northwest teens. Never to disappoint, the worship team set the stage for the audience to be lifted into a state of holy worship.

It is not always easy as a parent to join in with the corporate worship experience (okay – it is always hard); but rather than lose heart and hide out for the next decade or so, Allan and I continue to expose ourselves and our children to environments that foster group worship. It is a challenging balance to do so without deterring others from their own chance to focus on praise, especially I imagine, in our church heritage, which tends to worship with a more reverent than enthusiastic style.

At Redux last night there came a time when the kids and I were behind the partition in the back of the room and began to do what comes most naturally to children when music is joyful and high volume – we danced. We spun, we waltzed, we leapt as we sang to the Lord. It was a sacrifice of praise that brought smiles to our faces, and, more importantly, I imagine to the Lord’s as well.

A good friend of mine comes from one of those more expressive church families. Where Church of Christ sings with amazing voice, her heritage uses a lot of body movement to pray and praise. I would love us to find comfort with both. I love the gift of singing that has been fostered in our church heritage; it would be a tremendous blessing for me if we were able to begin working the other muscles in these creative bodies we have been given for the glory of the Father.

And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns.
2 Samuel 6: 14-15

Saturday, April 14

The Great Rose City


This morning's hottest New York Times online article is titled 36 Hours in Portland, Ore. Our city looks like so much fun! What a great way to spend a weekend sometime. Of course, they would need to add "9:30 a.m. Sunday: worship services at PUMP Church of Christ" to really get the full experience.

Monday, April 9

Mary Had a Little... Easter Dinner

Holidays tend to bring out the Martha in me. Come on - don't you ever feel the inner call to decoupage, ganache, or embellish?

I sometimes like to pretend I am a gourmet chef. I enjoy purusing cooking magazines and websites, searching for new and adventursome meals to make my own. This Easter I decided to forgo the typical ham and pursue the higher standard. Lamb. Yogurt, fresh lemon, lime, & garlic marinade. And what meat doesn't work having spent time on the outdoor grill? Let me just say, I think it was a success, despite my uncouth family who inflicted jokes about a sad, three-legged sheep and put in requests for grilled rabbit next year.

So now I am exploring all of the options for leftover lamb. Tonight was a Shepherd's Pie-inspired creation. Tomorrow? Who knows. Maybe some kind of stew or kabobs.

Baa!