Acts of Service

Dr. Gary Chapman wrote a book about Love Languages. He identifies 5: 1) time,2) affirmative words, 3) acts of service, 4) gifts, and 5) physical touch.
Years ago I recognized my number one language is "acts of service." Help me clean up my house, my car, my office ----even the dishes and I feel the hand of God.
After a really bad week, my sister Mary Helen, and her husband Smith came to my house....ostensibly to get away and have a quiet weekend. BUT NO! They were here to love me --- and love me in the most wonderful way. Mary Helen planted flowers for my front porch, then they cut down dead bushes, raked leaves, and swept off the porches. I am still tearful when I think of the great love they showed me.
It is Easter Day and a day to recognize the Christ who loved us while we were yet in sin.
Mary Helen and Smith loved me while I was still a basket case recovering from a broken heart.
"They will know you are my disciples by your love one for another."
The joy of the Lord is my strength, and the love of my family is my ever strong fortress.

"We are People of the Third Day!" Bill Lawrence's powerful statement is permanently imprinted on my brain and heart. We sat in the dark on a cold Easter morning, gathered on Flag Pole Hill in Dallas. The hillside was covered with blankets, grumpy children, and parents who thought this was a good idea a few days ago! I imagine it was mostly Moms who engineered this spiritual family time, don't you?
It didn't matter ---- Bill's words cut through all of that and landed in my heart just like a Percy Jackson character hurling the lightening bolt.
Lately, though, I have been thinking a great deal about the Second Day. What was that like? Confusion, exhaustion, recrimination, and maybe even some personal examination ----It seems like much of my life is spent in the valley between the unthinkably awful and the gloriously discernible ----the Saturdays of life.
But even without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the disciples did the right thing ---- they did all of this together. They held on to each other. We are a community of faith ---- we are to do good to all men, ESPECIALLY those of the household of faith.
There weren't any activities going on that day ---- no fancy meals being prepared, no fancy dresses being ironed, no fancy hairdos being worked on. They were just together wondering how their world had fallen apart. They didn't know Easter was coming. They didn't even know to be dying eggs and hiding them in the yard for the next morning!
This second day is where we live a lot. We make out way through unspeakable pain somehow and eventually the Lord brings us into resurrection; it is that second day experience that is so excruciating. But, we do it together. "We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord" said the old Jesus Movement song ----they were one and so should we be.
Yes, we are People of the Third Day, but with each other, we should be standing together when our brothers and sisters are living in their second days!

Shout To The Lord

I played for a funeral yesterday. How I remember the very first one...it was in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The family gave me a piece of driftwood with pine cones and silk flowers glued on as my remuneration.
I realized that day what joy is mine to be part of these services. My spiritual gift of encouragement fully flowers when I play It Is Well With My Soul.

Everyone expects quiet, solemn music and I don't do that ---- I do emotional and triumphant. I want to trigger the "Yes, Jesus!" response among those who are grieving at their loss --- I want them to understand the glorious victory which is ours in Christ Jesus.

I used to think strong music was disrespectful, but I now know our spirits need this expression.

I only play music with identifiable words so the attendees can worship in their heads and hearts. It isn't about my music, but about the One who created it. It isn't about my skill, but about the "playing skillfully with a shout of joy!"

Martin Luther said every believer needed the Bible and a hymnal. How true.