Praise!

Last night's Praise Team rehearsal was very good. The group received "We Are An Offering" very positively. I'm hopeful that we'll be able to integrate that song into our worship soon. One of our members shared a significant praise regarding a family situation where it seems God has worked a mighty work of reconciliation and healing.

We then had our worship planning meeting, after "church". That went pretty well, though we struggled to stay focused due to the desire to discuss the ZOE conference. We're also having a hard time staying ahead (we like to be 4 weeks ahead of the presentation) due to last-minute changes from our minister. While that is often (not always) understandable, it is (always) frustrating.

We also got into a philosophical discussion of worship planning style. Here is the crux - Do you plan your entire worship based on the theme of the lesson (sermon)? Or do you try to focus on the Praise and Worship aspect, with perhaps a song or two just before the lesson to set up the theme, with an appropriate song afterwards? Or some other approach? I'd love to hear from you on this!

On the home front, we have my wife's family in our house right now, and it's fun (though crowded). My father-in-law and brother-in-law are working on "phase 1" of finishing out our basement. I'd prefer to be involved in that too, but I have to work, so... they're moving ahead. Today the family is going to a dairy farm as a school field trip for the girls. That should be fun, and the weather should cooperate nicely.

My wife is tired - I really need to find a way to give her a break. She works SO hard for our family!