MEMORIZE EPHESIANS 4 BY SINGING IT!

At Washington Cathedral, we've found that memorization happens in a variety of ways. The choir learns by having a melody line. So if you want to join us just "click" on Ephesians 4 Memorization on the upper right hand side of this blog. You'll go to a place called Mediafire where you put your cursor over the big bar that says "click here to start download". Then another window will ask you whether you want to open it or save it. Just click "open" and turn up your speakers! A Windows Media Player 9 window will appear and begin playing it for you. Have fun! Below is the full text to look at as you sing. I will be updating it with a new verse weekly until we have the whole thing memorized.
Pastor Naomi

Ephesians 4 (New Living Translation)
Unity in the Body
1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.
7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift[a] through the generosity of Christ. 8 That is why the Scriptures say,
“When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.”[b]
9 Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world.[c] 10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
Living as Children of Light
17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.”[d] Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own,[e] guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Growing Into God's Creativity

I've found over the years that God's creativity is just too irresistible! I always want more of it. And truthfully I think God wants me to go after it too. When I am willing to just let God direct the creative process.... amazing things begin to happen. It's fun, it's waaay beyond what I could have ever thought of, and the end result is usually something that draws other people toward the fun!

Each Easter and Christmas works that way with me. I just start out by listening to music and pretty soon something "clicks". I used to try and figure out why but now I just go with it. It's a lot of fun to see where Jesus takes me. This year Easter seemed to be heading down a road with a wall at the end. I just could not figure out why I couldn't quite finish the process. I kept thinking that I had not been listening well, or I missed something along the way, etc. But then this last week I found out what God had been up to. My dilemma was with finding solo's for all of the soloists. And I was 1 solo short every time. Then the answer came when one soloist called to tell me she was going to have a surgery. Right before Easter !

No wonder I couldn't find it....I wasn't supposed to! God is so good. He always knows what I need....and don't need.....all the time!

Have you ever had an encounter with God during your creative process? Let me know about it by clicking on the little "comments" below.

Blessings to you,
Pastor Naomi
www.wacathedral.org

Memorization: A Tool For Joy!

I am always finding new songs to sing for Worship at Washington Cathedral. One of the joys that comes with singing is memorization. Or should I say.......from memorization comes joy! While, it's hard work at the time....... to memorize a song for presentation brings me so much joy! I've found the same joy from memorizing scripture.

This year our Senior Pastor, Tim White, has challenged us to memorize the whole fourth chapter of Ephesians. We'll do that in the form of a melody line. It really helps us to memorize the scripture and retain it for longer periods of time.
For some reason, when you commit a song to memory, the Holy Spirit can then work within you to really "speak" the song to you.

Have you ever had the opportunity to memorize......say, a Praise Song? What is it like for you to sing a song that you have memorized? Let me know! Click on the little "comment:" below.
Blessings to you,
Pastor Naomi
Washington Cathedral
www.wacathedral.org

God Uses "Humble Pie" To Help Me Grow

Sometimes when I'm thinking things are going REALLY well and I get a little "puffed up" about my progress, God has a great way of keeping my feet on the ground. It's call "Humble Pie". And when I eat it...wow...life goes right back into perspective!
It all started this week when I was challenged by our Senior Pastor to create a blog for each of my ministries. Of course, I was thinking at the onset that I would probably fail since it involved using the computer, but I decided to give it a try. Well amazingly enough I found out that it wasn't very hard at all....especially when you get a couple of people who have done this sort of thing before to help you. So I (well...really the two other people did most of the work) created this blog. Other than a few spelling errors, life was looking pretty good on the blog front.
Then it occurred to me that I could easily fly solo and create a second blog for another ministry. So away I went and whoo hoo! It was fast and furious and wow....finished! (in only 3 hours) I'm telling you...I felt GOOD! I was one "hot" computer person. I had finally reached the top! I was proud (oh no) of what I had created! I needed to tell the world!
Out went the emails to the members of that ministry that included the link to this new and fabulous creation. I was imagining the comments that would enter my email box once people received their invitation to join this blog. I waited.....and waited.....and waited....for comments. And none ever came.
I was now very disappointed. So much so, that I voiced my sadness to my coworkers. And they actually felt bad for me....so they went on the blog site and proceeded to leave a comment. That's when I heard back from our receptionist...Fiona. Sweetly she said, "I'm having trouble leaving you a comment on your blog. It says that I can't." Quickly I responded that...she must be hitting a wrong button! (Like I actually knew something of what I was talking about! HA!) But hey, I had created this blog...the problem HAD to be on her end.
Sadly, the problem was at my end. I had forgotten one big thing in creating a blog. You must follow through to the end and make sure all of the settings are correct for the blog to work correctly. Yes, you guessed it. I had not said "yes" to allowing others to comment on my blog. The button was turned off! No wonder I wasn't getting any comments. And then let's not even think about all those poor people who were scared to try to go the blog in the first place because of their beginning computer skills, but tried anyway because of their love for me and their desire to support me! What did I do to their computer self esteem? HUMBLE PIE!
Well, I learned that "fast and furious" doesn't always create "complete & well done". After fixing the problem I now have some comments. Thankfully.
How about you? How do you respond to HUMBLE PIE? Got any stories to share? CLICK ON THE LITTLE "comments" BELOW AND LET ME KNOW.
Blessings to you,
Pastor Naomi

Life Is Great! When I read the Bible

I find that life is great for me when I take the time to God's word. The Bible is refreshing to me every day. It's like a drink of cool water when I'm really thirsty.
I've read the bible from beginning to end about 20 times. I came up with this number by counting the amount of bibles that I have that I have signed my name to and the words "finished on: with a date". I love getting new bibles too. It's fun to fluff them up by reading every page. Sorry to say that I usually also end up breaking the backs of every book that I read because I make of point of running my hand down the joint of each page so it doesn't flop back closed on me. Whatever.
My life tends to get messed up and confused when I don't regularly read the Bible. So anyway, it works for me. How about for you?