From Poets, Prophets & Preachers
"Where and how you begin and end 'The Story' shape and determine what story you're telling."

Things You See In Parking Lots

I couldn't believe my eyes when I parked to go into Staples yesterday. Check out the pic and read the label. I can only imagine what precipitated this item being left in the parking lot!

Christmas Vacation

I surprised Jennifer and the kids with a Christmas Vacation - to Hawaii. Jennifer and Katie had the idea to get "Christmas Vacation" t-shirts (featuring Chevy Chase) for all of us to wear. Was that an omen? 

On Sunday before we were to leave on Wednesday, I almost passed out during the time of commitment at the end of our Christmas worship experience. Daniel had to drive me home. I spent Sunday and Monday in a dark room...I didn't even watch TV...you know I was sick! As I started doing some things on Tuesday (still feeling pretty rough) to wrap up the year, prepare for Christmas Eve and for our departure, I learned my Aunt Catherine had passed away and I would be doing her funeral on Wednesday in Moreland, KY.

I stayed up late getting ready for Christmas Eve and the funeral. When I awoke on Wednesday morning, Jennifer said she'd been awake almost all night and within minutes her condition worsened! I had given her the bug! She was in bed all day Wednesday while Daniel travelled to Moreland in the driving rain to do the funeral. She also stayed in bed while the kids and I went to Journey for Christmas Eve worship. What were we going to do; we had to leave on our trip in 12 hours. 

Long story short. Jennifer took her medicine and set off for the airport with us bright and early Christmas morning. She was still a pretty sick puppy!

The one bright spot on Christmas day was seeing Santa in the airport after a long hard night of work. He was delightful and said that it was the hardest job you'd ever love.

Amazed

We finally received our recycling bin last week. (I've been working on it since August.) Tomorrow is our first trash day after a full week with the bin. I'm amazed that we only have ONE bag of actual garbage for a whole week. Yea!

I'm also amazed after paying nearly 5.00/gallon for gas this year that I filled up tonight for 1.83/gallon! Woo Hoo!!

Call And Response

A very important movie which is only out on limited release has made its way to Cincinnati. I am urging anyone who can and will to go see it this weekend. It opens this Friday, November 7th at the AMC Theatre in Newport On The Levee.

Call + Response  Rated (PG-13)1:10pm,  3:25pm,  5:40pm,  7:55pm,  10:10pm,  12:30am

Check out the site: www.callandresponse.com

What A Question!

In my devotional reading this morning I came upon this arresting question: Am I willing to let God do in me everything that has been made possible through the atonement of the Cross of Christ?

You might want to read that one again...Wow! That pretty much sums up the turning point of spiritual growth, life-transformation, sanctification and whatever other words you'd like to add.

Would you join me in asking that question personally for the next few weeks.

Mike O.

Worship Planning

I recently was privileged to hear leaders from two leading Kentucky churches discuss worship planning. Here's what I heard...

Creative planning happens best out of the room, in different clothes.

Churches and pastors need to give freedom to the Worship Leader and/or the Creative Directors within their church.

One church plans 4 times per year, 3 months at a time.

Suggestions: involve as many creative people as possible; represent all ages and lifestyles, etc.; have a centralized private web site for the worship staff and volunteers devoted to the planning process.

When it comes to creativity, let the first answer be YES!

Keep your eyes and ears open for great ideas: award-winning graphic design, web sites, thematic packaging, video styles, etc.

Always use visuals of some kind.

Use testimonies and interviews liberally.

Allow people to ask questions by texting. Answer 2 or 3 and then blog the answers to the Top 10.

I also heard countless series specific ideas that were great!