Throw away the negative, latch on to the positive

I've been really busy in my brain for the past two weeks. For some reason I haven't been able to stop my brain to concentrate, but all of the sudden it has become very clear and the two words screaming in my head are POSITIVE and NEGATIVE.

Being constructive, working towards solutions, finding new ways to accomplish the mission and vision that God has set before us, working on the positive. I know how easy it becomes to fall into the, "what if this had happened, we used to do it this way, we've always done this, this certain way." Our world is changing, our country is changing, our state is changing, our city is changing. Our lives are always in a constant state of change, sometimes we don't want to see it, or we try to fight it but is an inevitable thing. Change is not the enemy. It is good to have tradition, we can not move forward without looking back from where we came. But then we have to look towards the future our we get stuck in the past. Today is the day to grab a hold of what He has planned for us and tomorrow is the future that He has promised us. But we must always remember that it doesn't stop with us! That is part of the future, "to go and make disciples."

So how does this tie in with being positive or negative? We as the church collective get bogged down with, the way things "used" to be done, or "we've always done it this way." That is not always being negative, but it doesn't always help in being positive or trying to reach out to newcomers. Speaking from experience, when you are trying to get involved with some new group and they constantly speak about things that "used" to happen, then the new people that are trying to get involved can feel lost, and or realize this is not the group for them. Reminiscing is fun, but if we stay back there, we're going to lose out on what's happening now, and what new people and new experiences can bring.

Let' talk POSITIVE! "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever shall believeth in Him will not perish but have eterenal life." (memorized that from the King James version, can you tell. haha!!) How can we get more positive, or feel a deeper love than that! In the song, "Jesus Messiah" by Chris Tomlin and friends, they write:

He became sin, who knew no sin
That we might become His righteousness
He humbled Himself, and carried the cross
Love so amazing, Love so amazing

Jesus Messiah, Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel
The Rescue for sinners, the Ransom fom Heaven
Jesus Messiah, Lord of all

His body the bread, His blood the wine
Broken and poured out, all for love
The whole earth trembled, and the veil was torn
Love so amazing, love so amazing

All our hope is in You, all our hope is in You
All the glory to You, God, the Light of the world

Jesus Messiah, Lord of all
The Lord of all, the Lord of all


"The Rescue for sinners, the Ransom from heaven, Jesus Messiah, Lord of all!"
We have our lives and everything in them BECAUSE of Him! Because He sacrificed Himself, God sacrificed His Son, so that WE may have eternal life! THAT IS HUGE!! That is POSITIVE times infinity!! We all win! But we owe it to Him, we owe EVERYTHING to Him!

We are all negative, we are all human, we get caught up, pulled in, drug down into the muck and the mire. But, what we need to keep reminding ourselves is that we have been given a gift, a very precious gift. We are preparing ourselves and the world for the remembrance of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. But it didn't stop there, He grew, He changed, He helped change and miracles come about. He has asked us to share that, "Good News." To shout it from the rooftops, that Jesus is Lord and that He came for you and me, and us all.

So wake in the morning, and tell the Lord thank you for this day, and pray to Him to give us the strength and guidance to meet the day with a smile and a positive attitude. We will stumble and we will fall, but He is always there to pick us up.

I'm going to begin my positives for the day:
1. Experienced the Lord in two amazing services. The choir sang with all their hearts, (in tune,) and I felt the Lord's presence with us as we sang for Him. The praise team played their first accoustic set and we could hear the congregation singing as one, praising our Lord, and my heart was so full that I was moved to tears of joy at what wondrous acts our Lord provides.
2. I was able to see a friend at church that I haven't seen in months and reconnect.
3. Enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with a growing and chaotic Palmer family.
4. Was able to close my eyes and rest fo 20 min. before practice as our boys had quiet time as well, (and were actually quiet! hehe!) and my husband was doing the laundry,
5. Enjoyed putting a service together with the praise team that is well thought out and keeping Him in the center.
6. Sitting and watching my youngest sleep and rest. (Now that is a positive!)

So, my question to any and all of you is:
How are you going to "latch" onto the positive?

Extravagant Passionate "Thankful" Worship

I went to our Cluster Charge Conference yesterday at church and have been chewing on some things during the day. Parts of it were not extremely stimulating, but a few things that our District Superintendent, Cindy Reynolds said, really stuck with me. She was talking about Passionate Worship. (I'm paraphrasing.) She was saying that when we come to worship it is not a time to complain, about the color of the room, that some new person sat in my seat, that I don't like the sermon, or music, (you insert,) because we have 6 other days of the week to complain. On Sunday, we are supposed to come ready to worship, to be passionate in our worship, and remember why we are there. I have thought about this today, while sitting at Jackie Gotz's funeral, and then being with Jonathon all day, and working at the farm store, things started connecting. Jackie, if you didn't know her, was an amazing woman. I remember her always having a smile on her face, she loved to sing and praise her Lord through singing with the choir, sharing with the children of the church, and many, many other things. But, she did this all EXTRAVAGANTLY, because she was making her life a continual praise to her Lord. Today, (everyday :) !!) with Jonathon, he lives life EXTRAVAGANTLY AND PASSIONATELY, as many of you can attest! Tonight he prayed as he does now, to keep his Papa Kenny in heaven, so he will stay healthy, (he used to pray that God bring him back to us,) and then tonight he did something new, he said, " thank you," for so many things and people. My son is learning to be thankful, THANK YOU, LORD!! So many days of the week, I go, we go, hardly ever hearing a heartfelt, "thank you!" So many days, our Lord goes without hearing a heartfelt, "thank you!" What Cindy Reynolds said about coming to worship not to complain, (but as I add my spin,) it is a time to say a heartfelt, extravagant, passion-filled, "THANK YOU!" Kara Szyarto has on her blog the acoustic version of Lincoln Brewster singing, "Today is the Day!" We just sang that song this weekend as well, and as Kara has been telling me what an impact that song is making on her, it has helped just put one more piece in the puzzle for me. Live every day for, "Today IS the DAY!" We are called to live EACH and EVERY day for Him. Extravagantly, Passionately, and Thankful for HIM! And, especially on Sunday, when we are coming, supposedly, to focus on Him, we are to do it, "with all heart, all our mind, and all our strength!" No where in the bible, that I know, does it say that when we come to worship it's a time to complain, or be-little, or put-down, or crab, etc., you get the idea. (And we are all guilty of it in some way, if we are honest with ourselves.) It is sooooo, easy and simple to get caught in the day to day and forget why we are here, and what we are called to do. So my challenge to myself and I hope for you, as we get ready for the thanksgiving service this weekend and Thanksgiving in just a few weeks, is that we live our lives each and every day, and especially when we worship or are preparing to worship, that we remember a very simple thing..."it's not about me." That we remember that it's about our Lord, and bringing all of ourselves to extravagantly, passionately, and with a thankful heart to worship our Lord, and Savior! This IS what it's all about people! "Today Is The Day!" each and every day! So, the next time, I or you, start to complain as we enter worship, or we hear someone else start to complain, let's just remind ourselves, "this is not the time to complain, we have six other days of the week to complain." (and hopefully, we cut down on those days as well.) Now is the time to praise and worship our Lord, extravagantly, passionately and with a thankful heart!

I'm Not Ashamed

"When you found me, my whole world changed, I'm redeemed by your life. Let the earth see you are freedom, turned my darkness to light! You welcomed me in with open arms, into unending life! I'm not ashamed of the gospel Lord, Your power, Your love, that saved my soul, now I'm alive in You, I live in the risen Son!" During this time of upheaval, change, stock market ups and downs, etc., everyone has an opinion on everything. Sometimes when we feel okay with things or even when we don't we have a tendency to stay with the "status quo" or the"don't rock the boat" syndrome. Now we could get into a whole debate on the political issues of everyone but my point is about our faith and how we decide to live our everyday lives. DON'T BE ASHAMED! of who you are and what you believe in and shout it from the rooftops that God is our Savior and there is GOOD NEWS! That He has come for all of us, not just for those of us that sit in the pews every sunday morning. He changed my life and so many around me and we are not only called, but commanded to go and share the good news, to go and make disciples. Jesus is freedom! He has brought the Light for us and we NEED TO SHARE IT! We need to remember to share the Light in our everyday lives as well. When the kids are screaming their heads off, our or spouse does something that truly annoys us, or you need to just listen to a friend and be there for them. It's hard sometimes to remember to be the Light in the small things. (I know I seem to be rambling today, but I have a lot flying in my head, hehehe!) Overall, we are taking baby steps to reaching out to those within our church and how we can reach out to those outside the four walls. My challenge and question to you is: How do we share the Light, how do we share the Good News? Be specific, I'm not talking, "what if's" , or "if we could only's!" Let's think BIG, and DON'T BE ASHAMED to SHOUT it from the rooftop ideas.
We need your input, let me hear your voice. For example my sister has been talking with the director of the Terrace Park Apts. about a coat and that drive but then also other events that we can get people out of the church and into the mission fields. Let me know your ideas on how to reach out with our praise team and services. Please check email as well for more business issues.