Worship Band by Roots Worship Arts Academy

Blessed by Quality

Tim Riter December 16, 2013

If Emerson revealed truth, my mind might be gargantuan: “Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.” Apart from hat size, paradox prevails in my life. Just last week we explored how we can be “Cursed by Quality,” that a certain level of quality in worship may build expectations of regularity, and if the leaders don’t continue on that level, we experience frustration instead of ecstacy. But let’s flip the coin, because we can also be paradoxically “Blessed by Quality.”

The worship team at our church is good. Very good...

Cursed by Quality

Tim Riter December 9, 2013

The Sunday before Thanksgiving, and our pastor made it a long week off. Most of the praise team grabbed the same opportunity. Totally deserved, by all of them. After decades as a pastor (not once leading music, praise God!), I know that spiritual leaders need recharging. Jesus patterned that for us, by the way. I think he knew some pastors would slide into workaholism!

But their absence impacted the overall worship service.

Thankful?

Tim Riter December 2, 2013

Wednesday. The day before Thanksgiving. Off from school because of jury duty, but they rescheduled, so I'm grading essays. Some random sound outside my study window made me raise the blind (closed due to earlier morning glare), and revealed a gorgeous fall day, a few wispy clouds to accent the blue sky, colorful liquid amber leaves. Life is good. God is good. I'm...thankful.

I put that paragraph on Facebook this past week, and it generated a surprising response. So, after some pondering, I thought I’d explore the concept.

Pushing the Envelope

Tim Riter November 25, 2013

A hot August night outside Beaumont TX may qualify as one of the worst of my life. I’d cruised out of New Orleans earlier that day, on a chopped ’73 Honda 750. For old riders who remember “Easy Rider,” yeah, it had a metal flake flag painted on the tank and covers. The fuzzy pic above is from earlier on the same trip, and that’s me in the red tank and bushy red beard. I took off on the trip with no notice and fewer plans. Just a backpack with a few clothes, a sleeping bag, a poncho for a ground cloth, and no tent. That last omission proved problematic. The heat and humidity kept me from getting in the bag, but the mosquitoes and unknown biting Southern bugs put me back in. So I gave up about 3 am, and headed west to El Paso.

Zumwalt Tree, from www.americansouthwest.net

Lost Battles, Shattered Dreams

Tim Riter November 18, 2013

Tall

twisted

gnarled

red cedar

on the side of a hill

What have you seen in your long years?

What can you teach me?

We Just Wanna Have Fun

Tim Riter November 11, 2013

Cyndi Lauper got it right, in part. We all wanna have fun. It enlivens life and motivates us. Pat Haden, the Athletic Director of USC, removed the football coach partway into this 2013 season. The 3-2 record, bad as it was, dimmed in view of the dispirited and disorganized play of the team.

The new coach, Ed Orgeron, instituted several goals for the team--one was to have fun. So, he brought In and Out burgers and cookies to the menus. It’s worked. My Trojans are now 4-1 under Mr. Ed, playing hard and smart and having fun with football. And I’m having fun watching them!

Fun works, but sometimes it dominates the church.

Baby Girl-Discovering by Microcontroleur

Hope for Today?

Tim Riter November 4, 2013

Our times oppress us. Tonight’s news focuses on the inhumanity of the LAX killing of a TSA agent. Other news covers the extra security of the New York City Marathon resulting from the explosive pressure cookers at the earlier Boston Marathon. Growing secularism pushes the practice of faith to the periphery. Radicals killed more Christians, for being Christians, in the last century than all combined. A climate scientist just stated that some climate changes may be beyond the point of reversal. Let’s not even address the uncertainty that circles the roll out of Affordable Health Care!

And many Facebook friends bemoan current conditions, conveying a sense that nothing can be done.

They may be right.

And I don’t care.

Image from Massage Center, Thousand Oaks

Ministering on a Massage Table

Tim Riter October 28, 2013

The core group of this summer’s ride to Glacier National Park broke up in Redding, in north California. Jerry spun off the day before near his home in Oregon; Brad got released from the hospital after his collision with a deer, and he and Mick stayed a few days to celebrate the birthday of Brad’s dad, who was also Mick’s brother-in-law. I headed south alone for the last 600 mile leg.

Now, I love riding, but at the end of a trip the desire to get home grows, and I was ready to see my wife and our cats. Notice the order, OK? So I pulled out about 4:30 in the darkness before dawn, and hit the garage door remote about 2:30. 10 hours and 600 miles is a good day’s ride, but even with the sport touring bike my body felt it. And, I knew the solution.

Unconventional

Old Faith, New Following