I wouldn't sing this for P&W, but I'm totally loving this song and thought I'd share.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Shake it off
Last weekend, I was out of state attending a friend's baby shower and thus missed church. I'm gonna keep it 100 and say that the reprieve was totally welcomed. I didn't open my emails and only checked social media at the end of the day. I dared someone to call me wanting anything this weekend. I said to myself, in the words of my father, "Don't callllll my name!" He would always say this if we asked him to do too many things. When I was young, I thought my dad never got tired.
As a mother, wife, professional, youth leader, and the head P&W leader, I now understand what my dad a bit better. I get tired. A lot! Often I don't even know I'm tired until it's time to do something and I'm aggravated by the task. I bet many of you are in the same predicament. You work, sit on other auxiliaries, have social lives, have families to tend to, mentor kids, blog, are in school, participate in extracurricular activities, cook, exercise, attend Bible class, etc. And I bet that many of us have asked God to help us get it all done. Well, not that God needs my help, but I think I will offer it anyway. Something is getting the axe! I don't want to be spread thin. I don't want to loathe the things that I volunteered to do. I don't want to be a piss poor leader. I want to be intentional, fresh, and in a good mood as much as possible.
A weekend away can help us to reset and realize just how much we've been running around. We must recognize we have limits and if we are to be good P&W leaders, we must shed some of the things that are distracting us from doing so. So in the words of Mariah Carrie and more recently Taylor Swift "Shake it off!"
As a mother, wife, professional, youth leader, and the head P&W leader, I now understand what my dad a bit better. I get tired. A lot! Often I don't even know I'm tired until it's time to do something and I'm aggravated by the task. I bet many of you are in the same predicament. You work, sit on other auxiliaries, have social lives, have families to tend to, mentor kids, blog, are in school, participate in extracurricular activities, cook, exercise, attend Bible class, etc. And I bet that many of us have asked God to help us get it all done. Well, not that God needs my help, but I think I will offer it anyway. Something is getting the axe! I don't want to be spread thin. I don't want to loathe the things that I volunteered to do. I don't want to be a piss poor leader. I want to be intentional, fresh, and in a good mood as much as possible.
A weekend away can help us to reset and realize just how much we've been running around. We must recognize we have limits and if we are to be good P&W leaders, we must shed some of the things that are distracting us from doing so. So in the words of Mariah Carrie and more recently Taylor Swift "Shake it off!"
Thursday, October 23, 2014
VaShawn Mitchell - Lost
I know I'm probably late to the party, but I just heard this for the first time a few days ago and I absolutely love it. Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Just like music... (in my Marvin Gaye voice)
Music is one of those things that has the ability to almost instantly change your mood. Today I experienced this first hand.
My grandmom has been in and out of the hospital for several weeks now and it's been emotionally draining. Today, in spite of this, I wanted to be uplifted and to offer up praises by playing something encouraging and inspirational. Enter my Tasha Cobbs channel on Pandora. Wouldn't you know it - 3 of my favorite songs du jour came on back to back to back and I instantly felt better.
Like music does in general, praise and worship has the ability to transcend a listener beyond his or her current emotions. This experience should not be limited to the praise and worship portion of a church service. Whether it be in the car, playing ambiently in the background at work, or while running the track, we should find ourselves constantly offering up the fruit of our lips. In doing so, I believe that not only will this bless us, but blesses God as well.
Happy Singing!
P.S. You know I couldn't name this post Just Like Music without linking you to Erick Sermon's dope track! It's not gospel, but it's great music. Hip hop at its finest. Enjoy!
My grandmom has been in and out of the hospital for several weeks now and it's been emotionally draining. Today, in spite of this, I wanted to be uplifted and to offer up praises by playing something encouraging and inspirational. Enter my Tasha Cobbs channel on Pandora. Wouldn't you know it - 3 of my favorite songs du jour came on back to back to back and I instantly felt better.
Like music does in general, praise and worship has the ability to transcend a listener beyond his or her current emotions. This experience should not be limited to the praise and worship portion of a church service. Whether it be in the car, playing ambiently in the background at work, or while running the track, we should find ourselves constantly offering up the fruit of our lips. In doing so, I believe that not only will this bless us, but blesses God as well.
Happy Singing!
P.S. You know I couldn't name this post Just Like Music without linking you to Erick Sermon's dope track! It's not gospel, but it's great music. Hip hop at its finest. Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Why wait 'til next year?
A few posts ago I mentioned how I wanted to get back on track with our praise team, so last Sunday we had a quick meeting.
I thought eyes would bulge and minds would be blown when I informed them that I wanted us to learn and put 12 new/revisited songs into rotation beginning next month. I even thought I might get some push-back when I mentioned we were going to start with the tracks we already had, but don't sing. Luckily no one looked at me like I was crazy and everyone seemed eager to start. Look at God!
It's easy to get to October and think "I'll make this a goal for next year," but I'm not going to give the devil any more time to mess up our plans with the spirit of procrastination. With whomever we have and whatever we have we're going to get started. I even started listening to K-Love 94.3 fm to hear the latest and greatest in contemporary Christian music. Time to put this plan into motion!
Blessings & Encouragement!
I thought eyes would bulge and minds would be blown when I informed them that I wanted us to learn and put 12 new/revisited songs into rotation beginning next month. I even thought I might get some push-back when I mentioned we were going to start with the tracks we already had, but don't sing. Luckily no one looked at me like I was crazy and everyone seemed eager to start. Look at God!
It's easy to get to October and think "I'll make this a goal for next year," but I'm not going to give the devil any more time to mess up our plans with the spirit of procrastination. With whomever we have and whatever we have we're going to get started. I even started listening to K-Love 94.3 fm to hear the latest and greatest in contemporary Christian music. Time to put this plan into motion!
Blessings & Encouragement!
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Get it right!
Dear Church Folk,
I'm tired of us getting the words to common church songs wrong.
Please note: the correct lyrics are "there's not a friend like the LOWLY Jesus" not "lonely." How can Jesus be lonely if he sits with God the Father?
Please also note that the correct lyrics are "eyes HAVEN'T seen, ears HAVEN'T heard what's recorded in God's word..." not "have have seen, ears have heard..." May I point you to 1 Corinth. 3:9.
That is all for now.
:)
I'm tired of us getting the words to common church songs wrong.
Please note: the correct lyrics are "there's not a friend like the LOWLY Jesus" not "lonely." How can Jesus be lonely if he sits with God the Father?
Please also note that the correct lyrics are "eyes HAVEN'T seen, ears HAVEN'T heard what's recorded in God's word..." not "have have seen, ears have heard..." May I point you to 1 Corinth. 3:9.
That is all for now.
:)
The sound
You know, I'm always amazed when I remember to dial into the iLead Escape Frontliners call. As a full time working mom and wife, my schedule is crazy busy sometimes. Last night Tasha Cobbs's guest led us in prayer.
The call really struck a cord with me for 2 reasons. First, I have become more intentional in praying over the last year or so. I am definitely praying more frequently through out the day and am drawn to various prayer outlets. Have you ever seen so many prayer conference calls and services?! We surely need it as the body of Christ! Second, one of the things she prayed for was that us worship leaders would usher in the sound from heaven. Since I am personally in a season of creating and writing, this was a good prayer for me.
I have been a musical person probably all of my life. I remember playing the tonette (yes, reading music). I unsuccessfully took up piano. (My brothers stole all of the piano genes.) I played the flute and piccolo from fourth grade into college. I love musicals and enjoy attending live opera. I hum and whistle a lot. I'm singing to myself even when the radio is on. But how do you turn this into what we should be doing in P&W?
It seems that the tunes I'm creating are coming to me so fast. (Not a bad problem to have, but it can definitely be distracting.) In creating new music, I feel like there IS a sound from heaven and I know when I've got it right. Parts of the song click right away and when I try to get fancy and all musically interesting I seem to be drifting from the pull of the song. I think the sound of heaven is not a particular genre or trying to create the next "big song." It's the anointing, it's the lyrics, it's the sounds that will lead people into worship or praise. It doesn't matter if the song is a chart topper or a home-brew. It's the heart beat of the song that shifts us closer to God's presence.
Tasha definitely has the sound of heaven, but God is no respector of person. I am trusting and believing that as I continue to pray and create, that my sound will have a similar effect.
Blessings
The call really struck a cord with me for 2 reasons. First, I have become more intentional in praying over the last year or so. I am definitely praying more frequently through out the day and am drawn to various prayer outlets. Have you ever seen so many prayer conference calls and services?! We surely need it as the body of Christ! Second, one of the things she prayed for was that us worship leaders would usher in the sound from heaven. Since I am personally in a season of creating and writing, this was a good prayer for me.
I have been a musical person probably all of my life. I remember playing the tonette (yes, reading music). I unsuccessfully took up piano. (My brothers stole all of the piano genes.) I played the flute and piccolo from fourth grade into college. I love musicals and enjoy attending live opera. I hum and whistle a lot. I'm singing to myself even when the radio is on. But how do you turn this into what we should be doing in P&W?
It seems that the tunes I'm creating are coming to me so fast. (Not a bad problem to have, but it can definitely be distracting.) In creating new music, I feel like there IS a sound from heaven and I know when I've got it right. Parts of the song click right away and when I try to get fancy and all musically interesting I seem to be drifting from the pull of the song. I think the sound of heaven is not a particular genre or trying to create the next "big song." It's the anointing, it's the lyrics, it's the sounds that will lead people into worship or praise. It doesn't matter if the song is a chart topper or a home-brew. It's the heart beat of the song that shifts us closer to God's presence.
Tasha definitely has the sound of heaven, but God is no respector of person. I am trusting and believing that as I continue to pray and create, that my sound will have a similar effect.
Blessings
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