This morning's breakfast prayer

Normally I don't post personal stories to this blog... however this one is about prayer...


Each morning I pray with the boys before we eat breakfast. Today we ate in shifts so I was praying later with Cameron as Connor was already done and running around. This is the prayer in scripted form:

Mommy: Dear Lord, thank You for this food and for giving us a new day. Please help Cameron learn more today about what it means to be your kid...

(Connor is standing behind highchair about to release the upright lever which will send Cameron flying backward)

Mommy: NO! NO! NO!

(pregnant pause)

Connor: Amem!


That just cracks me up every time I recall it!!!

Van Gogh's Brush

Jonah 3:5 The Ninevites believed God.

Somehow in all the times I read the story of Jonah this this little phrase didn't stand out to me until today.

Jonah's the one whose been called to travel. Jonah's the one who was on a sinking ship. Jonah's the one who was swallowed by a fish and half digested. He's the one who braved it (eventually) enough to face some really scary folks in Nineveh and it was his proclamation that convinced them to repent. Right?

So why doesn't the Bible say that the Ninevites believed Jonah? That would be the proper nod to send Jonah's way after all he's been through? Right ?

But, it's not about Jonah anymore than Van Gogh's "Starry Night" was about the paint brush.

How ludicrous it would be to get all worked up over Van Gogh's paintbrush. If that paintbrush had not placed in Van Gogh's hand it would be nothing but a brush.

It works the same with Jonah and with me and with all of us. We so easily lose sight of how we are tools that God chooses to use to accomplish His purposes. As worship leaders, we've been gifted in such a way that our job is to creatively tell the story. But we forget that we're the story tellers not the author sometimes.

I so often find myself wanting the attention, the accolades, the respect and the credit when really all I've done is to tell the story, pass on the message.

We must be certain that as we tell our story that we are believable, but often that communicates best by just letting other see clearly how deeply we believe.

It started here.... Thanks Randy!

Well, The Organized Artist was my first attempt at blogging.

Randy Elrod and Cheryl Glenn are to blame really. I know Randy has been the impetus for many blogs.

The Organized Artist is a great place for me to share what I'm learning about leadership and arts in the church. What has happened lately that I've not been blogging?

Well, it's definitely not that I've stopped learning about leadership and the arts! But life has gotten busy and I've found other exciting uses for blogging and I've just been neglecting this one.

I have started a blog for our team. It's used primarily to send weekly devotionals out to the team. They are called "Preparing our Hearts". I feel strongly that if we as a team of artists have been charged with the job of leading our congregation in worship and in learning about that week's subject, then we better know something of it ourselves. You can't lead where you haven't been.

I get occasional feedback from the team but would welcome your feedback to the site as well.

Check it out at: www.cypressarts.typepad.com

Blogging about blogging

We have just launched a new Sunday series that is called Ignite and we're hoping it will do just that in the spiritual lives of our attenders. One tool we're trying out is to create a daily devotional blog so people can take what they've learned in the Sunday service and in their next step partnerships (small groups) and have another resource to take the study to an even deeper level.

I'd be interested in your comments on whether you've done anything like this and what suggestions you have to make something like this more effective.

You can check out our blog at www.cypressmeadows.org/ignite

Practice what we preach?

Something I've been chewing on a lot lately is the idea of integrity as artists in the church. We are the ones who week in and week out stand before the congregation and proclaim the message for that week. Are we living it Monday through Saturday?

I'm talking about some really practical ways. If we're presenting a service on community and the importance of what we at Cypress call "Next Step Partnerships" because of their ability to help us grow in our relationship with God... are we each IN a Next Step Partnership? If we're talking about the importance of extending grace to people outside of our walls, are we supporting our Extension ministry and serving downtown, supporting our efforts in Haiti and Kenya? If we're encouraging the church to "Just walk across the room" have we gone through that training? and more importantly... are we walking across the room and developing relationships with seekers?

This seems so simple to me, yet it also seems to be where the rubber meets the road. Do we truly practice what we preach? Or do we really, in our heart of hearts, think that preaching it is enough?

Are we taking time to live OUR relationship with God or are we too busy telling others to do so that we don't?


I did not send these prophets,
yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
yet they have prophesied.

But if they had stood in my council,
they would have proclaimed my words to my people Jeremiah 23:21-22

Another cool service

Last week, my family and I were on vacation in Weston, FL. It was great fun. While we were there we checked out Flamingo Road Church . The service was really wonderful. A highlight for me was a great worship leader who led in English and Spanish. The transition between the two was seamless and the diversity added a level to the worship for me.

Kudos also to Sharon who also did a great job leading. I long so much in each service I attend to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the WLs believe to the core of their being what they are singing. This was apparent in Sharon's leadership.

Thank you all, Allen, Pete, Sharon and all the others who so warmly welcomed us as guests to Flaming Road. I hope someday to be able to extend the same to you. Come join us at Cypress anytime and find me when you do.

The Gift of a service

I know now why we refer to our weekly programs within our churches as "services". I was truly "served" a couple of weeks ago when I had the treat of visiting Charlie and Cristie White at their church Highland Park Church in Lakeland. Serving week in and week out at service director here at Cypress I don't have nearly enough opportunities to "just go to church." Charlie did a great job leading worship. We had a great time visiting with them after the service at a very yummy Italian restaurant. All in all it was a great, refreshing evening.

Thanks Charlie and Cristie! Don't forget to come by so we can do some of Clearwater together and I'd love to return the "gift of a service" anytime!