For quite a few days, the blog has been silent.  It’s probably appropriate and in proper relation to life – because I have been equally as silent.  For about the past month I have dealt with a strange virus that has had me dealing with doctors, urgent care clinics, emergency rooms, and hospital visits and having no voice.  My wife has been dealing with much of the same – so prayers for the family are readily accepted.  I bring this strangity up for good reason.  The more I sat here today after a long afternoon, evening, and night at the hospital – the more I have stumbled across a reality about my own illness…and how it relates to my own humility and servitude.

Next week – I hope to begin a series that will expose this humility in the hopes of helping others in a series called “The Air I Breathe”.  Before we do – I want to ask that each of you look at an article I wrote back at Thanksgiving.  It will become a strange forshadowing to this series…and a lesson that I needed to have heeded myself.

Take a look at the very short article here: “Breathe”

Each year, we review things that we feel are relevant to worship leaders, pastors, churches, and worship teams – and bring you a list of those we feel are the “Best of the Best”.  Over the next two months, we will bring you the winners that we have selected over the year 2011.

Our first winner is in the category of “Best All-Round Website”.  The winner this year is a site that has evolved from one website – to many – back to one quintessential website for those who…well…for just about everyone!  www.churchm.ag covers every area of church relevance from IT to creative and everything in between.  The geek-at-heart will be pleased with the humor and off-the-wall news items that the writers at the site come up with – and there is no shortage of resources found there that will leave you saying “why didn’t I think of that/find that/create that!”

If you’ve never visited the site before – I highly encourage it.  You’ll find ways to make your church’s website and social media tons more relevant and find ways to boost the efforts of your creative team.  It won’t take long to learn why they are the clear choice for the 2011 “Best All-Round Website” Award from got worship?.

www.churchm.ag

“If I only had one more day!”  I am constantly wishing for more time – more hours in a day – more days in a week.  As the holiday as passed and I prepare for an event in Orlando, Florida this weekend – I realize that I don’t have enough time to prepare…let alone to write this article.  So, I am frustrated.  How about you?  What would you do with one more day?  One more hour?

I’ve got an idea…

It happens…the hectic week of life shows up at your door all at once and you barely have time to prepare a worship service – and that perfect song that you had envisioned singing doesn’t get planned out.  You show up at rehearsal – and your team looks to you for guidance on how the song should be done…”how do we transition to it?”  ”who starts it?”  ”how do we end it?”  ”do we do verse, chorus, verse, chorus bridge?…or do we do verse, verse, chorus, bridge, repeat first verse?”  So many questions…and you have zero answers.   BUT WAIT!!!!  There is a simple answer that makes it sound as if God is in charge of the mess you created…and He will sort is out as if it was ordained to be so disorganized.  That simple answer is…

“We’ll just let the Spirit lead us on this one.”

Really?  As spiritual as it may sound…the sheer nature of it may as well be to say “We’ll let the Holy Spirit be responsible for my lack of preparation.”    You know something…I am guilty of it as well – and I’ve uttered the words myself.  As I begin the new year, I begin two major projects:  One is a massive website to cater to even more needs of worship leaders than I ever knew was possible…and the other is a book called “IMPERFECT”, which talks about the constant spiritual journey of worship leaders who realize they  can never be perfect…and that God can use their imperfections.  For me to write the book…I have to come to grips with my own flaws.  Through this process of self-exposing, I am hoping that we can grow together.  When I realized that I have used the “We’ll let the Spirit lead” statement in my own lack of preparedness - I wondered who else does?

So…back on point.   What about preparedness and avoiding the ole’ “Holy Spirit Scapegoat”?  Take a look at my thoughts this morning as I drove to the office in my “Dashboard Confessionals” …then, after you watch, share your own thoughts below in the comments section.

I wasn’t in my office during the week of Christmas…so I was pretty happy when I got back and found out that a little birdie had sent me a Christmas card – especially when it was an iconic blue twitter birdie!  Thanks, twitter!  This has got to be one of the simplest – yet coolest shirts I’ve seen in a while.

For our readers…I’m planning on making 2012 a year of giveaways…so you never know when this might turn up again!

I referenced a Podcast about other songs that people have taken issue with over the years…take a listen to the podcast below and see if some of these songs dont surprise you.

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If you need a great free tool to manage the simple tasks in your life with minimal resources…then I have just the website for you: enter minimaltasks.com .  This website is developed by my good friend Andrew Lee.  (Yes, I know a lot of us tend to throw around the phrase “my good friend” like its going out of style…but Andrew just so happens to live next door as well as plays bass for me in various worship teams.)  It is simple in what it does…minimal even – you type your tasks in the input field and they stay locally saved on the computer or device you entered them on.  There is no “save” button.  You can close the window, shut down the computer, and come back hours later…and your task is still there.

Want a shopping list on the go?  Call up the website on your smartphone and you have a portable shopping list.  It’s great for to-do lists as well!

Since the items are held locally on your own computer – they are there as long as your cache stays around.  If you clear the cache – then the tasks go away.  To remove an item in the list – simply backspace over it…or type a new one in its place.

Give the site a try today and see if you don’t find yourself becoming a huge fan of “minimal tasks”.

Visit:  http://www.minimaltasks.com

Thankfully, I have a rare week of no travelling, tour, speaking, etc…and I am going to spend it with the family.  While some moments will be bitter-sweet (I had a family member pass away shortly after midnight Christmas Day and, thus, a funeral) – I will be spending most of my time during the week with the family just hanging out and reflecting on how lucky I am to be doing life with them!

I hope you will forgive me for not being as frequent this week with articles – but we will pick back up after the first of the year with our regular daily article!

Serving With You,