Thursday, August 7, 2008

what i'm still being taught

it's not a quick lesson and then move on--we're talking serious life-change is involved in this lesson that God is trying to get through my thick head.
i still hate it.
i'm still fighting Him on it.
but, i will say i saw a small ray of light in one of those people i'm learning to rely upon.

Monday, August 4, 2008

thanks for the encouragement

if you're not attending lcc, you won't understand what i'm talking about. too bad for you.
i just want to thank everyone for the overwhelming amount of encouragment through this past month's sermon series. what i thought was a last ditch effort to include the seuss texts turned out to be a wonderful experience in the basics of storytelling for reader and audience. the reader thanks you for your kind words.
did you realize that story telling is the oldest art form known to humanity. even before cave paintings (and whatever you make of them), there was story. stories tell a history; stories give examples. stories inform and entertain. you think infomercials are a new concept? think again. and the fact that story telling, in its various forms, has remained so active tells us that it has amazing power.
much of our old testament came from stories that were handed down and then collected.
did you also realize that america is one of very few nations of the world where oral history is not considered accurate enough for the legal system? how sad. (i guess when we like to exaggerate the legend to fit our egos and then change the true history accounts to accomdate our lifestyles, i wouldn't trust us either.)
worship, according to the late bob webber, is acting out the story of Christ. too often our worship services are frowned upon if they are too rerun. but, the truth of repeated story is a major portion of the worship concept as outlined in God's Word.
so, back to us--i'm not equating my readings of seuss as anything other than what it is: a simple (though longer than usual) sermon illustration. but, it was fun to do and to show my cards from a different game (many people at church only know me as musician, not thespian). i'm glad you liked it.

You are the author and perfector of our faith. thank You for the stories--accurate and literal--that tell us or Your redeeming love for us and of the Christ Who expressed and demonstrated and redefined love for us all.