Ana Sings "Yes Jesus Loves Me" while falling asleep.

My Daughter Ana has down syndrome it also known as Trisomy 21 a third strand of Chromosome on the 21st set of Chromosomes.  Children and people with Down Syndrome experience global delays in speech, mental development, physical development, and many other health complications and risks.  She also developed a rare from of epilepsy at about 10 months old.  These episodes of seizures that she had delayed her even more. With all these factors, she has had a hard time becoming verbal. She is also very stubborn, and that has not helped much.  She must get that trait from me. My wife and I were sitting up watching a movie a few nights ago. It was not a particularly riveting film, and so I will not tell you the name of the film for the negative backlash that it might create (seeing as it won several Oscars). I will tell you however the movie Amazing Grace dealing with the same topic was much more powerful. Maybe that is because I am a Christian, and I want my social justice to affect my personal ethic, and vice versa. So we were practically falling asleep to this film and all of a sudden we heard our daughter singing something from her room dark room while falling asleep. It was an obvious melody, even though it was hard to make out what she was singing, or trying to sing. And then it became clear. She was singing "Yes Jesus Loves Me". It was a shock, surprise, and joy to hear it. We were both shocked together, and overcome with joy that our nonverbal daughter could first of all sing, and second that she could sing of the saviors love for her.  She then sang the chorus I am pretty sure "Yes Jesus Loves Ana, so Yeah".  You listen for yourself,and tell me what you think. Pretty AWESOME!!!

Worshipping Worship Music?

I have experienced Church music in almost every genre possible and I have seen how it can become the icon that we worship.  However, music is a means to an end; and worship is that end.  We do not have music every Sunday in whatever style fits us for our own enjoyment.  That is when it can become abused.  Our music must be for the enjoyment and praise of HIS glory. I have been an outspoken proponent of that, but I have learned recently that it does not matter whether I like the music or not from week to week in church.  I must worship and give him glory and honor because HE is worthy not because the music is worthy.  I could not sing loud enough, dance hard enough, lift my hands high enough, clap loud enough, or bow low enough to give him the honor that is due Him.  I have been convicted lately by “O clap your hands, all peoples; Shout to God with the voice of joy. For the LORD Most High is to be feared, A great King over all the earth. (emphasis mine)(Psalm 47:1, 2 NASB) If it is I who don't like clapping and shouting to God in worship and say "it's not my personality" maybe my personality needs to change, and be conformed to how scripture would have us worship (This has nothing to do with style of music).  We are commanded to kneel, lay prostrate, dance, shout, clap, raise hands, bow.  These several commands display to us that there is a definite posture of worship. It is tough to do it all on Sunday but our hearts must be willing!  If they are not willing then we need to look at our love/affection that we have for Him.  If I was never affectionate with my wife (which I do struggle with) we would have a pretty loveless relationship.  So I need to practice affection with her.  How much more then should I practice affection in worship with the Most High God! I have found when that truly, really, honestly happens it is hard not to idolize the certain musical style because you find that certain style of music helps you connect with God, and tell Him how great He is.  The Gospel should be holding us together, and worship should be gospel immersed and if that is the case we will have a posture of worship that fits and fills up the gospel in our hearts.  I am recently just noticing in my own life my tendency to withhold from the King of Kings what rightfully belongs to him, namely my bodily adoration of Him! Which I am finding is the worst type of sin. Lord help us worship you in spirit and truth with a glad heart, never ever idolizing the music that helps us find worth in you!