Where's the Line to see Jesus?

Here’s the story behind the song:

About the Song

While at the mall a couple of years ago, my then four year old nephew, Spencer, saw kids lined up to see Santa Claus. Having been taught as a toddler that Christmas is the holiday that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, he asked his mom, "where's the line to see Jesus"? My sister mentioned this to my dad, who immediately became inspired and jotted words down to a song in just a few minutes. After putting music to the words, and doing a quick recording at home, he received a great response from friends. He sent the song off to Nashville without much response, except for a Christian song writer who suggested adding a bridge at the end of the first chorus.

My dad then asked if I wanted to record the song to see what we could do with it. I listened to the song, made a few changes to the words to make it flow better, and we headed to Shock City Studios. It was at the studio where Chris, owner and producer, rewrote the 2nd verse and part of the chorus... with goosebumps and emotions high, we were all hopeful and felt like we had something special. The demo was recorded in just under 2 hours and sent off again to Nashville... still no response. Then 2 weeks before Christmas last year, my cousins Greg and Robbie decided to do a video to see what we could accomplish on YouTube.

The first day we had 3000 hits and it soared from there. We received e-mails, phone calls, Facebook messages from people all over asking for the music, CD's, iTunes, anything... we had nothin'. After a couple of meetings with Chris following the amazing response, we got serious. We headed back into the studio this past spring... this time with guitars, drums, bass, pianos, choirs... the real deal.... and here we are today. Getting iTunes set up, a website put together, and loving that thousands upon thousands of Christians have come together... remembering the true meaning of Christmas.

Out of the mouths of babes come profound truths that many adults can not understand. Hopefully Spencer's observation will cause people all over to reflect on the love of Jesus, and that one day we will all stand in line to see Him. We are most thankful to our Heavenly Father to have this chance to share our music with you. Merry Christmas everyone.

Monday Morning 12/6/11

Dear God--

  Your majesty sweeps across the land, from horizon to horizon, and further still.  It carries on, and the angels sing of your glory throughout this land.  Tune my ears, that I might hear their song, and thus be reminded that your glory resounds in all of creation.  How often I am guilty of taking it for granted, of forgetting that everything good around me points to your eternal love.  I get so wrapped up in this world--remind me of the coming kingdom!  You are Lord, and I pray that this life will serve you.

Amen

E-Newsletter for 12/2

Announcements
Potluck—This Sunday we’ll have a potluck lunch following worship. Bring a dish to share! Also, because it’s a communion Sunday, please bring two canned goods for East Brainerd Elementary. Whenever we come to the table to be fed, let’s be sure to go forth and feed others!

Caroling—At 1:00 this Sunday, after the potluck, a group of us will head down the street to the Lantern to do some caroling!

Men’s Breakfast/Workday—This Saturday will be leaf day at the church @ 9:00. Men are welcome to show up at 8 for breakfast!

Calling all Young Adults—There will be a young adult Christmas Party @ The Terminal downtown on December 13 @ 6:30. Come and enjoy fellowship and great food—we have reserved the 3rd floor for this occasion. Childcare will be provided—let me know if you’re interested!

Pray for…
Those who carry their grief silently during the holiday season

New Hope News
Pray for Bill Bryant

Links
If you read nothing else in this section, read this piece on Advent.

What are your thoughts on gratitude, ‘the parent of all virtues’?

If you haven’t seen Despicable Me, it’s a great movie. (Some brief thoughts from yours truly)

Three questions to ask your spouse.

Meditation Moment

But because few labor to die entirely to self, or tend completely away from self, therefore they remain entangled in self, and cannot be lifted in spirit above themselves. But he who desires to walk freely with Me must mortify all his low and inordinate affections, and must not cling with selfish love or desire to any creature. (Thomas a Kempis)

Text for this Week

The Youth will be leading our proclamation this Sunday

Psalm 22

Psalm 22

I will never forget some of the long nights of my life. I look back on the shadowy evenings that led into inky blackness of night deep within the chaos of the forest. I mentioned the many paths leading away from the garden of my soul; so many times I trod upon these paths, leading away from this demanding garden to the easy ways of the forest, where little work is needed, only a place to lay one’s head at night. So many wicked things occur in the forest, under the cover of the thick canopy, that I cannot describe them here, but the seeds sown in such a place bring no man closer to God.

On occasion I would wake deep within the forest, far from any shining light, wondering what I was doing in such a place. Memory failed to recall the steps taken to arrive at my current place, so I would simply try and orient myself to a foreign location deep within the heart of the forest. Well, such forests don’t truly have a heart, merely arteries carrying us farther from our true homes with window dressing to disguise the journey.
At such times I would cry out to God in despair, in distress, for my enemies would surround me, threatening to steal me away forever. Only then would I remember my garden and the delight you have in planting it. Only then would I look back on this place with fond memories, hoping for a current to carry me back. I would, on rare occasion, struggle upstream in the direction of my true home, in the hopes that my Savior would come and rescue me from my predicament. It would never fail, however, that I would be distracted, turning from truth toward the lie, revealing my weakness of character and chasing after whatever lure was offered by the forest. Sinful man that I am, I would turn my back on the only truth in my life and chase the lie, leaving only footprints that would indicate my feeble efforts to tend my garden.

Once again I would wake, crying out to the Lord for salvation from my situation. Where was my answer in the midst of the night? Where was the sun in such a shadowy reality? Was the world a truly wicked place that would prevent my ever returning to the garden? Was I to suffer a terrible fate in this place? Or would my Savior rescue me?

I do not know how I ever escaped the fate that must have awaited me. Destruction surely lurked in every corner, behind every tree, waiting to consume me. Somehow my God rescued me, sent some flare to guide the way back home, to the garden of my soul. Never has such joy flowed from me, flowed through me, as it did when I caught my first glimpse of this overgrown, dilapidated place. I wanted to vomit, so sick was I at the state of it, but all I could do was weep hysterically at the joy I discovered upon sight of the place. All was made new because my God rescued me from my own chaos. I do not know why, but I rejoice at the chance to tear tender weeds out by their roots, for I have not been destroyed, rather I have found my salvation in Christ alone. I have been delivered!