Mental Musings

My childhood was one of great freedoms. My brother and I would leave our home and wander all over the neighborhood with nothing to hold us back. We often walked blocks away from our house; sometimes crossing busy city streets unaccompanied by an adult. We discovered wooded areas where be built forts, a creek that we dammed up to make a swimming hole, and some great locations where we set up targets that we then destroyed with our rifles. We lived the experiences that most children of today will never get to know because of a world filled with ever increasing evil. I am sure that many of our neighbors wished my brother and I had not been so free to wander and explore. Our freedom gave us the chance to do many fun things, but we were also able to get into some trouble as well. Our freedom was unfettered and we often squandered that freedom resulting in a loss of our freedom for a period of time. Many people in the United States have forgotten that there is a price to win fr...

When the Bible commands us to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, it does not specify how these songs are to be accompanied. The Old Testament does mention many different instruments and instructs us to use all of them along with clapping, shouting, dancing, and raising hands as we praise God. That journey to determine what style should be used has been the cause of what is commonly known as the Worship Wars. Here is just one example from an individual opposed to a certain worship style: "There are several reasons for opposing it. One, it's too new. Two, it's often worldly...the new Christian music is not as pleasant as the more established style. Besides there are so many new songs that you can't learn them all. It puts too much emphasis on instrumental music rather than godly lyrics. This new music creates disturbances making people act indecently. The preceding generation got along without it. It's a money-making scheme, and some of these new m...

I have started a new blog for Pastors and Church Leaders, called The Poole Hall .  I made the decision to start a new blog because this one was too eclectic with posts about family, worship, leadership, bible studies, politics, and more. I will continue to use the  this blog , but the new location will be designed more for ministry posts. I have some big plans for my new blog and I hope that you will find it useful for your ministries. While I may not always stick to this format, I mapped out the following goals for The Poole Hall: Meet Me Monday  - I want to share with you some key individuals inside my sphere of ministry. I will attempt to give you some information about them and why they have influenced my ministry. I will also ask you to join me in praying for them, their families, and their ministries. [Note: I have already posted the first Meet Me Monday article, click here to read] Testimony Tuesday - I would like to have a post each Tuesday ...

I recently purchased a beginning painting kit with a canvas, oil paints, and brushes. I thought I might toy with some recreational painting as a possible new hobby. I have only painted walls and furniture for the past 30 plus years, but I have had some experience with artistic painting. In first grade I did a freestyle painting of a clown that won a blue ribbon in an art contest. As a teen I painted a ceramic lighthouse and won first place in my age category at the County Fair. Neither of these artistic endeavors would have placed me anywhere near the same level as Rembrandt or Picasso or even Thomas Kinkade. In the past, painting was less of a hobby and more of a means to express my creativity. I have dabbled in many such artistic endeavors: Broadway dancing, photography, drawing, painting, singing, playing piano/trumpet, architectural design, poetry, acting, and writing hymns, skits, stories, and even a children's book. I probably will never be famous for any of these, but...

Another year has come and gone and my little blog continues to plug along. I wanted to make one last post to share the best of 2013, based on shares and reads. If you missed any of these, feel free to share them within your sphere and invite others to join the great and massing throng (said tongue in cheek of course). Sheep and Shepherds - 6 part series on the church, members, ministers, and more. Long Road of Hope - some personal insight into our struggles and how God uses them to help others. Vocal Coaching - some simple steps and resources for teaching voice or even teaching yourself to read music or sing.  Darkness and Light: A Parable - There is a battle taking place all around us. This parable conveys that in a creative way. Victory in Christ - this last minute sermon formed from months of personal study time has been shared throughout the world. Amazing how God works. Happy New Year to all of my readers. May God give you a happy and health 2014. I ...

The number one question I get this time of year is: What's next? Church members want to know what I plan to do now that the Christmas musical is over, choir members want to know what we are doing for Easter, and the pastor wants to know what my plans are for the coming year. Many people get stressed just by being asked what plans they have, but not a worship pastor. Worship pastors always live out of season. While everyone else is planning what to do for the Easter block party, you can bet that your worship pastor is working on the final plans for the Christmas program. While you are enjoying the latest Christmas CD, your worship pastor is probably listening to patriotic music. I know from personal experience that the planning stage for a large Christmas program takes a minimum of 11 months preparation. This past program took almost two years from start to finish. Planning months or even years in advance is necessary in order to complete any large scale project. The old ...

This time of the year is full of devices that are used to tell stories: garlands, wreaths, candy canes, lights, stars, candles, trees, presents, and more. They are mnemonic devices for sharing an important event with others. As my wife puts ornaments on our tree, she could tell the story of each one. Who gave them to us. For her, the physical ornament is a reminder of the giver and timing of the gift. Mnemonic devices are just one way to help us remember. We have written histories, we have photographic histories, we even have video graphic histories, but most of these do not help us feel the reality of those stories. And the story about this season is so important that I think it is wonderful to have so many mnemonic devices to use in telling that story. His Story. The story of Jesus Christ. In our worships services this month, we have revealed two or three different ornaments used to decorate a Chrismon tree . Each white ornament of the Chrismon tree is a monogram represen...