Rocking worship

2:07 p.m. Today's project is to get everything done here at home, so we can head on over to Jurupa Unified's benefits office, pick up a free deli sandwich and a free Starbucks frappucino at Vons and 10 cents off/gallon at their gas station, and pick up a few more tags for Heidi and Pavel's wedding prayer tree at Michael's out there.

Then we'll jump on the 15 Freeway north, and attend the Rock and Worship Christian Road Show at the Citizens' Business Bank Arena in Ontario! We are very excited to see Mercy Me, Jars of Clay and LeCrae (our son Steven's fave) and a few other well-known artists. Steven and "everyone I know" will pack out an arena for the show in Fresno on Sunday night. We plan to join the audience to "make a joyful noise unto the Lord," as Psalm 98:4 puts it!

We've already taken care of the garden, Steve has washed my car, and I've packed up some snacks to put in a lunch bag with an "ice" block. Since we rarely see a movie or go out to dinner, this is an evening we've been looking forward to. From what I can see, there are no decent movies out now any way--even a PG cartoon movie our daughter saw recently was very crude. Steve and I aren't missing much!

I remember the days when the first rock band played in our Methodist church on a Sunday morning in the late 60's. Prominent adult members stormed out, to the mortification of their teenagers. Later, in the 80's when a band got way too loud and raucous, I remember their act was stopped at Harvest. (we were enjoying it, but at the time, it was a bit much!) Now of course, hip-hop and rap styles started by DC Talk in the 90's are right up there with mellow ballads, country, classic rock and jazz sounds in the contemporary Christian rock pantheon. It's great!

Let me close today with Psalm 96:1-4 and when I return tonight I will describe the Road Show.

Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!

Sing to the LORD, all the earth.

Sing to the LORD, bless His name;

Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

Declare His glory among the nations,

His wonders among all peoples.

For the LORD is great,

And greatly to be praised.

11:58 p.m. God blessed us in many ways! We found out that my health insurance is paid up through July, and we did get lots of freebies at Vons. But the stellar blessing for March 10 was the Rock&Worship Road show! It was pure unadulterated worship, an incredibly packed arena, like an indoor Harvest Crusade, totally glorifying to the Lord.

Mercy Me ended the show with anointed praise and ministry; my other favorites were LeCrae and the Afters. Jars of Clay was good also. And we heard a very moving appeal for Compassion International.

Steve and I rocked out alongside teens and families--thousands of us definitely made a joyful noise unto the Lord!