Worship

A few thoughts on worship

Here's the thing about worshiping God in song: the emotions eventually crescendo and bubble over. Inevitably I am one of a handful in the body of Christ that needs to dance on a Sunday morning. Sometimes the person next to me will start dancing too which usually lessens self consciousness. If not, I envision a lovely woman named Mamie who showed me how to clap double time to the music with a giggle and a laugh in Minneapolis.

I am not one to toss my hands up but I am always inspired by those in front who do. Somehow groggy Sunday mornings can be flipped upside down with Dan pounding (like a mad man) on the drums and Ashely on bass guitar wearing 3 inch pumps. A good harmony on microphone is enough to buckle my knees.

Once I stood next to Dan on a week he was not performing and I couldn't help but notice he had to continue drumming- he drummed the air and the seat in front of him. He ecstatically called out when the rhythm got real good. I loved his energy. I loved that song. I loved that Ben (not my husband Ben but another Ben that I usually sit next to since my Ben runs the soundboard) sings off key in a low operetta voice. I love that Jeremiah can be seen dancing off to the side of the theater (we all meet in a movie theater) and I am pretty sure he doesn't think anyone can see him. 

Every Sunday I ponder how to capture worship in words to show you how it makes me feel. I listen to the same tunes in my car or youtube and the energy is just not the same. I love my environment swarming with imperfect voices and occasional shouts and people with their eyes closes and people too embarassed to sing but they are humming (like my dad used to do). So when Dan started the marching-like drumroll to an Irish hymn last Sunday at the end of service, an energy unlike any other tidal-waved over everyone. I swear normal midwestern folk started rolling their r's and giving mighty left hand punches to the air as the drumroll grew stronger and stronger. People actually used their diaphragms for the first time to belt out the chorus. It was incredible and I knew I would never be able to capture it in any other form.

Side note: could not find any you tube version of be thou vision with the incredibly drum roll. Stink!