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Parlous Thoughts on Praise

everything praise

The most loving, holy, good, powerful Being is also the most humble. Does he crave praise?

He demands it. He deserves it. He wants it. Yet, it cannot be for the reasons humans enjoy it. God is not a man.

Ego issues do not beset God. This reason doesn’t fit the picture of the perfect Being who died in humiliation to save us.

God, as a rule, doesn’t force his power on us, and if he did, continual obedience would be inescapable. Look around, and in your own heart: such is not the case. At all.

It seems God is pleased with what turns out to be our feeble and fleeting attempts at praise. But why would it matter so much to him? Why would scripture be rife with the stuff? Why would God make a big point to command it of us?

Might it be that it’s good for us?

Might it be that it’s helpful for us, and gets us straightened out?

Might it be that by giving praise to Almighty Creator and Father God, we learn who he is, and who we are, in a way that is not possible otherwise?

It seems that we tune to the proper pitch with it. We obtain an appropriate sense of the world (Reality), ourselves, and others when praise takes place. (Even more so when praise is first and chief of our attitude and actions.) It seems like a powerful orientation takes place when we praise.

If we’re not careful, we might not be the centers of our own universe. Then what? (gasp) Reality could set in. Of course, that’s a good thing. An adjustment, but a good thing.

What thoughts do you have on praise or its purpose?

How does it help you?

Lasagna Fire, Camping, and Church

Well, it’s the weekend that kicks of the summer season! We remember our brave veterans. Many of us have picnic, set off fireworks, eat hamburgers and hotdogs, or take a trip.

We’re going camping!

We’ll be making the famous Lasagna fire–famed to last 4 hours without tending. My brother and his family will be joining us, and I’ll be speaking at the church service on Sunday. It all happens at Camp Swatara. Saturday is a kids festival, and they have a bunch of things planned. I hope you’ll come out if you can.

My first sermon

I hesitate to title the post this way… for a few reasons.

Some of it is just my baggage, plain and simple. Some of it is that if I don’t call it a “sermon”… and I fail, I won’t feel so discouraged. (Yes, I’m being honest, and not just wise cracking today…well, not too much.) Yes, I need prayer, and I’ll thank you for petitioning God for me. I mostly just want to get out of the way, read the Bible, mention a few things, and let God do the piercing/talking to the heart. I don’t have to hold his hand in all this, but I sure do need him to hold mine.

This Sunday, I’ll be speaking for the Sunday morning during the Camp Swatara chapel service. I’ve spoken at retreats, prayer breakfasts, Sunday school classes, small groups, of single or mixed gender, but I haven’t be asked to be a Sunday morning guest preacher until now. And before that starts to mess with my mind, I’m going to deconstruct it, and get reasonable. What will happen is that I’ll be spending a few minutes with my siblings in Jesus. I’ll be sharing some things I’ve learned, and continue to learn, and try, as I thirst and hunger for my Savior. It’s not a gig at all. It’s a whole lot more like a chance to realize acutely how silly I am, and how much I need God’s help.

I’ll be sharing about the richness and power of The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13); and how it tells us so much about God, and so much about how we are invited to be a part of his Bigger Plan, now, and in Kingdom Come.

I made a handout for the children to color, and the adults to use to join with me in prayer at the end.

Together, we’ll get on the same page, and tell God who He is, so we learn it better. We’ll all get on the same page to apprehend how we are a part of his reality and plan, and untwist our independent thinking where we think that it’s somehow the other way around. And hopefully, we’ll see the centerpiece is forgiveness and grace, and the rest of it makes zero sense if that part isn’t the main thrust.

coloring page for my Sermon time (No birds were burnt in the making of this drawing.)
Coloring pg resource found here.

The Yarn Test

A child and a kitten were given samples of yarn.

Remarkably, in two hours, the kitten knitted a cozy hooded sweater. The picture you see below clearly captures his delight and satisfaction. In contrast, the child was hopelessly trapped in the yarn.

What’s the lesson here?

Never count a kitten out.

When they look confused, jumbled, and wound in a mess of yarn, they’re just dreaming up something. Wait until you see what they’ll knit up.

What's the Good of Pleading?

Do you think pleading just another way of going too far?

I was never a fan of the plea, “Pretty please” with or without cherries on top. Asking for something: Should this ever be paired with an ice cream sundae type of association? I don’t think so. Food and petitions should stay in separate categories, just like tea and coffee. Or drug addicts and congressmen.


ain't too proud to beg?

Does pleading scream, “I’m really needy and pathetic!”

Probably sometimes.

However, maybe *direct asking*–if it’s not too annoying–can put something in front of the right person, at just the right time. Something they don’t even know they want just yet, and then blamo, a need is filled. The world is a slightly better place. I said -slightly-.

Maybe pleading, when done properly, is just posturing, timing, and passion meeting in a perfect storm intersection of opportunity.

Well, whatever you call it, I’m going to give it a try:

(So brace yourself)

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-Lisa