Working on Worship

This is the image I want to project when I
lead worship. "Unless you come to me as a little child, you will not enter my kingdom." I want to project the childlike joy we should all feel when we worship our Creator. However....

This is the image I feel like I project when I am part of the worship team. Kind of makes you want to clap your hands and jump for joy, doesn't it? Our church is growing swiftly, and the number of people who have become part of the worship team has grown also. So, we got an e-mail this week saying all of us were going to audition again, in the interest of a consistent worship experience from week to week. That got me to thinking, "Why do I want to be a part of that?" Didn't like my answers. I have a competent voice, can pick out harmony rather easily, and really love doing it. But, if the picture above is even close to accurate, am I adding or detracting from the worship experience of the congregation? I have never been a demonstrative worshiper, but if I am to remain in front, I have to at least to be able to make it obvious to the congregation that I am worshiping. I can't lead them in something I'm not doing myself. In truth, the answer to my question was that I enjoyed the attention it brought from my new church friends. But if I do it right, I shouldn't be the object of their attention, right?

So I'm going to be doing a lot of this between now and auditions. I've done some already, and this morning during communion I turned the whole situation over to God. I'd really love to continue to be a part of the team, because I love the people who lead and with whom I sing, but it needs to be with a changed attitude. If I'm told the team needs more than I have to offer, it will be a blow to my ego, but I can say I am at peace with that possibility. Worship leaders need to be what their name suggests.

Annual Visit to the 60s

Since this is near the end of the school year, the US History classes have finally gotten around to studying the '60s. In what has become a rite of spring, they are assigned to find a relic from the 60s and interview them. Today was my day. I had a young man interview me in 0 period and I have another coming in at lunch. They usually ask such penetrating questions as "What was it like in the sixties?", but today's contained a couple I hadn't heard before.

When we get started I usually pull out my memorabilia that I keep on hand for such occasions. I have two magazines with Kareem on the cover when he was still known as Lew Alcindor. I have my 1968 Rose Bowl program with OJ on the cover--don't show that one as often as I used to. And my favorite, the original program from the Monterey Pop Festival, in June of 1967. This was the precursor to Woodstock, a 3-day music festival containing many of my favorite groups. You may have heard of some of the groups we listened to that weekend: The Animals, The Association, Simon and Garfunkel, Janis Joplin, The Beach Boys, The Byrds, Moby Grape (my favorite group name of all time), Otis Redding, Buffalo Springfield, Mamas and Papas (my favorite 60s group), Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendris and The Who.

Anyway, a couple of questions that caused me to stop and think:

"What was your favorite year in the 60s?" I originally chose 1963, because that was the year the Dodgers swept the Yankees in the World Series, and at that time my life revolved around baseball even more than it does now. Then I realized Nov 22, 1963 was the day John Kennedy was shot, which disqualifies 1963 from consideration as a good year. As I scrolled through the other years, the same things happened--highs and lows. Here's a saying that you may want to put on your refrigerator: "Every year has its good and bad points." Brilliant. I finally settled on 1969. When he asked why, I said, "that's when I met my wife."

"Who is the person you remember most from growing up." I figured he probably didn't want to hear about Sandy, the girl who broke my heart many times, and would have continued to do so if my prayers hadn't gone unanswered ("Sometimes I thank God...." thank you, Garth). So I talked about my high school chemistry teacher, Mr. Goehring. When he asked why Mr. Goehring, my response was, "because he cared more about me than what I learned in his class--which was plenty." If you ask the thousands of kids he taught, they would answer the question the same way. I told him, when you see me teach, you see Mr. Goehring. Two things that have really become a part of my daily routine. When he would make a mistake on the chalkboard (ask your grandparents if you don't know what a chalkboard is), and we pointed it out, his response was always, "Just seeing if you were paying attention." And, if a concept was something we just had to learn and not necessarily understand why it worked, he would say, "You understand this is over my head at this point." I've always been honest with my kids when teaching what I call "math magic" a concept that I know works, but haven't the foggiest notion why. I got that from him, and I think kids appreciate the honesty. He made chemistry fun, and I have tried to make math fun. (One reason I'm in math is that for twelve years I tried to make English fun, and did, and my "elders" were convinced English wasn't supposed to be fun).

For years, when I would go home to a basketball or football game, he would be taking tickets, and when he saw me, for those few minutes I was the only person in his life. So, my former students, when you wax nostalgic about the enjoyment you had in my classes, breathe a prayer of thanks for Mr. Goehring.

Gotta go. First bloodwork for my physical on Monday, then thinking up creative responses to "What was it like in the 60s?" from my noon interviewer.

PS. This just in: Make that my 10 o'clock interviewer and my noon interviewer.

Jon & Kate--Who cares?

I don't watch a lot of reality TV. Other than "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" the reality shows hold no interest for me at all. When I watch EMHE I know I'm going to get a happy ending. Call me shallow, but I don't need to watch what often is a look into other people's misery. Or infidelity. Or ruthlessness. Or arrests. My friend Kristi just blogged on the apparently impending demise of the marriage of Jon and Kate, another show I don't watch and could tell you nothing about. Apparently they are putting their kids in front of each other, and that is a recipe for disaster. I have been guilty over the years a few times of putting my relationship with Jen and Tim before my relationship with Jan, always with disastrous results. Even worse were the times I put other people's children (0ften my athletes) in front of all 3. Someone very smart once said, "The best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." So that's what I try to do.
In addition to the things Kristi pointed out, one other truth seems evident to me--marriages were not meant to be lived in the spotlight. That's not exactly a "stop the presses" revelation. But here are these two seemingly nice people, who have children they love, all the money they need, a new house and yet it's not working. I think of the young couples I have gotten to know in our church, all of whom are missing at least one of the things J & K have. Their history includes houses they can't sell, foreclosures, living from paycheck to paycheck, job-induced separation, and unanswered prayers to start a family. What DO they have that J & K don't have? An obvious and unashamed desire to be with each other. When they are separated, their FB posts are full of "waiting for him/her to get home." They look forward to being reunited. Homes like J & K look forward to separation.
Here's a challenge--name a successful marriage that includes one or both spouses frequently on the cover of tabloids. If Jan and I have a disagreement, the chances of resolution increase exponentially with the number of people who know about it. Every time we have sought 3rd-party counseling--including pastors--more problems were created than solved. In "The American President" the climactic scene includes Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) saying, "America isn't easy." My paraphrase would be either, "Marriage isn't easy,", or, better yet, "Without God, marriage is impossible." He's the only 3rd party that has worked for us.
So, my unsolicited advice to Jon & Kate? Kick the cameras out of the house. Return your marriage to a relationship, not a performance. At that point, whether your marriage makes it or fails is nobody else's business. Certainly not mine.
(Thanks to KT for triggering this pontification. Heidi, it's the best I got right now!)

Precious Moments

Got a glimpse of Jan's life yesterday. Got home about 3:30, just in time to console Jolie (9) who has decided she doesn't like going to dance class on Thursdays. Jan had a hair appointment, so I then went and picked up Jeslyn from ESP, came home so she could change into her gymnastics gear, then drove her to her gymnastics class at 4:30. On the way I discovered there are no green lights between our house and SCATS, about 8 miles away. Dropped Jes off, picked up Jolie who had survived dance class and brought her home. Jeff picked her up about 5:30. Jan gets tired of these "chores" from time to time, because it brings back the days of parenting young ones, when their schedule supercedes yours (if you do it right). But those couple of hours were not without precious little memories for me.

1. When I picked up the previously miserable Jolie, she took my hand as we walked to the car and said, "Thanks for picking me up, grampa." Unspoken, but felt, was, "I'm sorry I was so upset before, because I know you get upset, too, when I'm unhappy."

2. When I picked up Jeslyn, she surprised me by saying, "I'm marking my calendar, grampa, and you only have 25 days left of school." She's 5. She's not really excited FOR me in my impending retirement, she's excited because I'll be able to pick her up most days after first grade, and I won't be stuck at a game or a meeting that would cause me to miss all of my grampa time. I'm going through a "good grampa" stage at this time, and she seems to cherish every minute she gets to spend with me. I plan to wide that wave for as long as it lasts!

The Timelessness of great Music

This was a special Mother's Day morning for this father, and neither of my children were directly involved. Our choir sang, "Because He Lives," this morning at our classic praise service. This service is for those who prefer traditional church music to the more contemporary ones, so as you might expect, the average age of the crowd was in their 60s or perhaps 70s. I have a new friend in her early 30s who was raised in the church, and when we were talking about the song last week, she said she would come to listen. Her name is Sarah, and her mom is in the choir also.



We started rehearsing about 8:30, and a few ladies arrived early, listened to us rehearse, and before long were mouthing the familiar words with us. Sarah arrived, we chatted awhile about the Angels (she likes) and Red Sox (she and mom don't like), and then the service began. While I don't attend this service normally, liking the energy of the contemporary service, I enjoyed the memories brought back by such songs as "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms," "The Church's One Foundation," and "Near the Cross."



Then it was our turn to sing the great arrangement of this great song. I made the mistake of glancing over at Sarah and almost was not able to sing any more as I saw her brushing back the tears from her face. When you sing one of the great old songs you expect emotion from the senior citizens, but here was the youngest (nearly) person in the room overwhelmed by the message of the song. I expect it brought back memories of sitting in church during her childhood--maybe against her will. Perhaps she was thinking about facing her tomorrows despite some not-so-great yesterdays, because Jesus lives in her. If her Mom happened to glance over at her during the song I suspect nothing else needed to happen for this to be a great Mothers Day for her. Her child can face uncertain days because He lives.



I had a great time with Tim and Anne yesterday. We went to lunch and then saw "Star Trek"--which I enjoyed more than I expected. We're about to leave for Mothers Day brunch with Jen and Jeff and the girls and Jeff's family. That's going to be great also. Jan and I are going to Home Depot on Mother's Day to find flowers to plant in front of our house, and I will enjoy that time together, too. But this father has already had a blessed day that is set aside to honor mothers, inspired by the joy on the face of a child that is not my own. Such is the family of God.

Because He lives

I can face tomorrow.

Because He lives

All fear is gone.

Because I know

who holds the future.

And life is worth the living

just because He Lives.

Research Finished

Based on my research over the last 36 years, I am able to publish results of my study of predictors of student performance on standardized tests. Here it is: When preparing to take a college placement test that will determine acceptance or denial of an application to a 4-year university, the student who prepares in hourly increments over the course of a school year has a greater chance of success than the student who goes to his teacher and says, "teach me Algebra 2 in 15 minutes."

Documentation provided upon request.