drama and choir.

I just sent an email to two of RMCC's finest- our Dramatic Arts Director (Joe Kneller) and our Choir Director (Laura Lindstrom, also my mother-in-law.)  I thought I'd post it in a blog, just for the record.  :)  I cut out the intro small talk and a few unnecessary lines, to get to the point...


I realized that I have allowed myself to be labeled (or maybe even labeled myself) 'anti-drama', or 'anti-choir' (which is why I copied you Laura)... 

Well, for the record, I'm not.  I am against tradition for the sake of tradition, and ministry that is more self-serving than other-serving.  And from what I've observed, that seems an easy trap for choirs and dramatic ministries to fall into.  BUT... wait... that should be bigger...

but!

I LOVE artistic expression that glorifies God and effectively communicates to people.  I love EFFECTIVE drama and choir!  I DO!  And I think both of you do that with your work, in drama and choir.

Joe- I love your approach to drama ministry.  I love that you produce a quality product, but with a relatively laid back spirit (or so it seems from my perspective).  I love your heart to minister, and the fact that you keep that in front of the people you lead.  I LOVE that you do recognizable plays like LWW and the Christmas Carol with an intentional outreach focus.  Love it.  I DON'T believe that the MEDIUM is no longer effective to any generation... and I think you're proving that at RMCC.  (But I do think there are a lot of places still doing it wrong, too)  But I'm proud to be a part of something that is done well for God's glory.

Laura- ditto for you.  :)  The choir you lead serves it's audience faithfully and effectively ever week.  While a 'church choir' would have a lot to overcome in the minds and hearts of younger folks, I don't think that any artistic expression is beyond God's use...  And I wouldn't be eternally opposed to an UNtraditional choir, if it were UNtraditional enough.  But for me it honestly is much more about the results than the medium itself.   I look forward to enjoying this play and working together on another Christmas season with you.  You're a wonderful co-worker, mother-in-law, and choir director.  I mean that sincerely.

I love that we're all parts of the Body, and we need each other...  And I think God smiles when we get together and do something for Him.  It's very cool.  Thanks for listening...er... reading...

PS- And if you're wondering, we are getting together for the Holidays...  If you're an RMCC'ite, you don't want to miss being a part of it!  :)

Multitasking and God

Just thinking about the two... Obviously we need time set aside for Him alone. Time devoted to God. But if we are to acknowledge Him in all our ways, and do everything as unto Him, we need to learn to multi-task... Or at least change our motivation and mindset when we're doing stuff that feels 'un-spiritual'. So my quick prayer... 'God forgive me for multi-tasking you when I shouldn't, and help me to multi-task when I should.'

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Almost two years ago...

Evan was born. And the world changed. I changed. It wasn't a conscious decision, there wasn't a moment of hesitation or question (though those came before and after). It was like one moment I'm just a guy, cheering on the most important person I'd ever met... So proud of her strength and courage (and yes, physical ability to some how push another living human being into the world)... But then the next moment, I'm a dad... Without learning how, I'm instantly connected to this gooey screaming alien child... And I can't take my eyes off him. I want to tell him that he's okay, and that I'm watching out for him and taking care of him. Even though everything happening around him and to him is incredibly traumatic and terrifying, I'm there for him. And I look at Christine knowing we have something so special at that moment... A family. We're parents. (I'm also very aware and thankful for amazing drugs that allow us both to be smiling and talking at this point.)

So fast forward to tonight... I hold him down to put eye drops in his pink-eye stricken eye, pray beside his bed, and kiss him on the head, knowing he'll scream when I leave the room. I go in an hour later, take the big wire with the wooden beads toy thingy off his bed, pull his cup out from under his side, and cover him up. Think about his newfound affinity for altoids, his pronunciation of the word 'daddy', how I never planned on calling anyone 'buddy'... But since the day he was born it just seems to fit. And I still have the deepest, most profound love for him (and his beautiful prego mama)... And I realize that part of the gift that a child is, is the experience of fatherly love, perspective, nature... It really is a gift.

So I go to bed thinking 'Jesus, we really need to name 2.0 before he gets here...' and realizing I'm about to go from being amused and amazed by ultrasounds, heartbeats, and belly-fluttering, to completely enamored and eternally connected to another human being... (one we still don't have a name for). Life is so weird.

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