and again I say REJOICE.

I am sorry for those of you who have not had the opportunity to experience worshiping with our kids at The Covering.  It’s one of the most beautiful things you will ever participate in. I used to get caught up in the words…I lead worship for kids and wanted to make sure the songs were theologically correct and developmentally appropriate and all that…but now I don’t even know some of the words and I don’t worry one bit about it.  This morning we sang a song where the main word is Bellow or Mellow or something else that rhymes with low and I love it! You sing that word, whatever it is, over and over and over along with a little hip action and hand waving and then you sing “see what the Lord has done!” I just have to laugh and trust that the Lord is honored by the intention of our hearts to praise him!

Here, there are no lyrics on a screen, no guitars or “mood” lighting, no prescribed set or timing (except we sing Praise a.k.a. fun and fast with louder drums first, and worship a.k.a. slow and prayerful last), no arguments over hymns or choruses or whatever, and no quality controls or standards! The only thing is that you should sing as loudly as possible and dance or clap or play your harmonica if you have one. I didn’t do such a good job of the clapping and singing loudly today…I found out about 1 minute before the service that I was giving the message for the morning! I remember being told that a pastor should always have a message ready in case they are called on but I didn’t have anything ready; it’s hard to sing loud when you are trying to figure out what to say. I finally just gave up, picked a verse I’d underlined in Thessalonians and “winged” it and enjoyed some loud singing!

I hear them now, a block away, singing praises and I am sure that God is smiling with me.

This, for me today is joy: witnessing and participating in the praises of children being lifted up to the Lord!