The little feet that follow

Yesterday I was driving the family over to Eckert's Farm to do some apple picking. My sons never cease to amaze me. It amazes me how much they pick up on, just when you think they aren't listening they are. Samuel has become quite the little parrot, everything Elijah does he would mimic him. If Elijah does his goofy goober dance (I will let my wife post on that ;) ) Samuel will do it, but with less inhibition. If Elijah makes some sort of goofy sound Samuel will follow up but will do it louder. If Elijah gets angry about something Samuel will get angry about the same thing usually getting more angry. So what I observed was that not only did Samuel mimic Elijah he would do it to a higher degree. Over the past few years I have watched my sons learn so much from me, the good, bad and ugly. Usually though they take it to the next level. I have had to watch so much of what I do. The song by Casting Crowns, "Slow Fade" sums it up so well. (Turn up your volume and the song should be playing.) Men our children will walk where we walk, they will look where we look, and yes they will do what we do... only better... and... worse. One evening while praying at the dinner table we usually ask the Lord's blessing and give thanks for our food. As we bowed our heads and folded our hands Sammy looked at me and immediately followed suit, Shannon, of course, had to snap a picture. I am so glad she did as this picture reminds me of where I need to walk.




Daddy's always remember Proverbs 4:23-27 because there are little feet that will follow.

Proverbs 4:23-27
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.

24 Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.

26 Make level [b] paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.

27 Do not swerve to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.

What is worship?

I have been involved at some level in "worship leading" for the past 17 years or so and lately there has been been a stirring in my heart with regard to worship. As I have walked out my journey of healing these last couple of years the Lord has really "reset" my focus through scripture reading and through prayer. Honestly after things kind of came to a head in 2006 I became disenchanted with "worship" as we know it. So why do I keep putting the word worship in quotes? Well I have found that many Christians define worship as what happens on a Sunday morning or during a prayer meeting. That is true, that is worship, it is a form of worship; however one should ask is that the kind of worship God is looking for? Take a look at Psalm 40:6. It states: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced." Also take a look at Psalm 51. Read that whole psalm. Notice what is states in Psalm 51:16, 17: "You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Pretty interesting. I have been in many churches where music was the centerpiece of the service, where performance and how things look and sounded were more important than peoples heart. Don't get me wrong, music has its place; however it is but a small portion of what our walk with the Lord should be. It is but the preparation for entering into the Temple, are we more interested in prepping to enter the Temple or the Temple itself? I see the Lord reshaping me in worship, in what worship really is. True worship, is John 4:21-24, true sacrifice is a broken heart. Lord, keep my heart broken before you. This is a journey for me... stay tuned.