We had frozen tanks in Virginia. I had to get out the hair dryer to get things flowing again…. Now we are in FL, where it’s supposed to be warm! Tonight it’s headed to 30 degrees. That won’t freeze the tanks, but I’ll still have to get my coat back out and put away the Birkenstocks. ….and we thought that we were leaving the arctic blasts. I know, it’s nothing like the mid-teens that you in the northland are enjoying, but I needed to complain none-the-less.
Archive for the 'Musings' Category
Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish
the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.
John Quincy Adams
Over the last 200 or so concerts I have talked about sin quite a bit. At the same time I have observed that many churches, both those of my home denomination (which is PCA), and others who are evangelical, conservative, and would say they attempt to be biblical, talk very little about sin or confession of sin. Many times all that is done publicly is for someone to thank God for forgiving us. Certainly there is nothing wrong with that. But actually confessing our sin is something else altogether. It seems that to a certain degree in order to not appear like the Roman Catholic Church we have done away with, or diminished as much as possible, the practice of confessing our sin together as the family of God.
This, in my view, once again, is swinging the pendulum to far. A large portion of the Scriptures talk about sin. A large portion of the church forget at best, or disparage at worst, the bible’s emphasis on sin. Why? Perhaps it’s our perception that sin doesn’t sell or make people feel encouraged. But grace does. The obvious problem, however, is that we don’t need grace if we aren’t sinners, and so grace becomes an impotent concept that is relegated to the sphere of the sentimental.
I am not afraid of the topic. In fact, I find confessing my sin along side others a wonderfully encouraging and uplifting experience that is based in the reality that an Almighty Father longs to embrace his wayward child. The parable of the Prodigal pictures a father running to throw his arms about the repentant son.
Public confession of sin as the family of God should be revitalized. Perhaps we can even regain the practice of confessing “our” sin rather than only confessing “my” sin. Yes, the Lord works with individuals, but he also has a long history of working in, and through groups of people. The church is a group, a covenant family. I pray that when we come together on a Lord’s Day that we can confess together, be humbled together, and thereby be uplifted together by the Strong Hand that bore all sin. Why carry the burden? Confess.
How often do you wash your house? We do it every other month or so and here’s Elliot, my brother Ben, and me doing just that. I’m not sure if Elliot or the motor-home is more wet at the moment.The pictures were taken by Jonathan….
Sorry, I know you all really wanted to see pics of me changing the oil, but alas, Jonathan was not on the job.
Ah – the ocean. The kids had a blast. Well, that is the older three. Anna-Margaret wasn’t too sure about all that “milk” and that ucky sand. The vastness of the ocean once again reminds me of just how small I am. That the Lord would care for one such as me is truly amazing. I guess those of you in the north will just have to be awed by how much snow can be piled up….
OK, the motorhome feels small recently. For those that don’t know we live in a 34′ motorhome with one slide out. Truly, it has been a blessing and has made it possible to do what we do. It’s better by far than leaving the family for months at a time while I go play guitar and sing. But, there’s no place to put our stuff!! And, truthfully, I’m a little tired these days.However, exciting things are happening, not the least of which is lining out a whole new year of traveling. Also, I’m releasing two new CDs in the next couple weeks (see the previous post), hiring a manager, and getting ready to really step up the marketing of a music career. (All this means we are broke.)My prayer is that we can actually enjoy another year of close quaters with each other. Usually we are fine, but once in a while the walls close in. The holidays seem to bring on this feeling in a more dramatic way than the norm, too. Our dreams usually include a modest house with a little property – i.e. space.Just a moment of honsty here. Peace.
Today I had a great conversation about tradition, repetition, and historical meaningfulness. To a certain degree, these topics are on my mind because I recently played a concert for a Catholic Church and for an Episcopal Chapel Service. At Sacred Heart Catholic church I simply presented a midweek concert, but at St. James Episcopal School I was asked to join a weekday morning chapel service, and I found the liturgy to be both engaging and convicting.Though in my Presbyterian backround we do utilize some liturgy, we in the evangelical world don’t always seem to appreciate repetition and “doing things by rote.” However, I find that doing things “by rote” in our family worship enables my children to think, sing, and pray in new and meaningful ways. When we shy away from tradition, we also lose depth. I understand that those who grow up with certain traditions may not value them like an outsider, but nonetheless, many traditions are based on or point to long held truths that ground and anchor the church.We all employ a certain degree of liturgy, but perhaps we can strive to recapture some form, reverence and tradition, not lose any enthusiasm we might think we have, and end up with a meaningful worship service that is both rooted in biblical and church history and constantly reforming our minds.I, for one, need repetition. My children thrive on it. Maybe our worship before our God would too.peace,nathan
