e*b week 1...on worship and spirituality

For: The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen's University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt

So...I'm taking this worship theology course

And I wasn't sure what to expect

But here's what I've found:
deep, refreshing pools of
thoughts
ideas
pictures
longings

At times they leave me overwhelmed and frustrated when faced with my human limitations and the many responsibilities that are mine ~ a household of 8 to run, meals to fix, laundry (and this week there's been way more than usual due to a case of pinworms run amuk...ugh!), errands, bumps and bruises, sibling squabbles, lesson plans... I look at these pools inviting me to jump in and plumb the depths and realize that I just have time to dip my toe in or brush my hand through.

Don't get me wrong. I do love my job of chief mom of many. I just haven't yet discovered how to fully integrate and schedule life in such a way that dips in pools is as high a priority on the list as loads of laundry.

There is that one day, though, when I asked the kids for some quiet study time, shut the door, and sat down to read and contemplate for an extended time. Oh...the swim my soul enjoyed! Here are a couple of dips I took:

"...the worship leader must cultivate an on-going relationship with the God who he or she is leading others to worship."[1]

This is one of those "duh" quotes, but it underscored the importance for me of being sure I do this first and foremost...even before the laundry. You see, my primary role as worship leader is in my home to my children. They see it quicker than anyone else if my time with God is lacking and inevitably I don't model the kind of worship lifestyle I want them to emulate.

"Live creatively, directing your life and others' lives toward God. Worship with your creativity, serve others with the language of the souls God has given you, and allow Jesus to 'draw all men' to Himself through the sacred ingenuity He has placed inside of you." [2]

Yes! This is it. This is how I intertwine it all, how I decompartmentalize and live wholistically as a worship artisan. Once again, at home is where I live this out the most. Creatively. That's how I must live. And in doing so, I am pointing the way towards God...it doesn't matter if I am painting on canvas, playing my guitar or fixing a spaghetti dinner. I can serve others with what God has put in me and through THAT, God draws my children, my husband, my neighbors, my friends, my strangers to Himself.

I so get it! Thank You, Jesus. Help me to cultivate my relationship with You so that I might live creatively, wholly worshiping You and pointing the way to LIFE.

I'm loving this course...

1. Dr. Peter Davids, "Importance of Scripture Study for Modern Worship Leaders" (Inside Worship, Volume 48, October 2002) 8.
2. Dan Wilt, "Sacred Creativity" (Inside Worship, Volume 50, June 2003) 10.