Lakeshore Celebration Choir

My Chains Are Gone

January 16, 2008

Good afternoon, my wonderful choir.  I'm looking forward to choir practice tonight.  Are you?  I hope you are.  I have some great news to tell you.  I ordered new choir music and rehearsal CD's today! It is an Easter Musical called My Chains Are Gone.  It is by Brentwood Benson out of Nashville and is one of the most popular musicals this year.  Most of the pieces are songs that can be done throughout the next several months.  Then on Friday March 21st, ( Easter is on March 23 this year) we will sing our "My Chains Are Gone" concert with the band.   with posters...tickets, etc.  You're going to love it.  It has Chris Tomlin's new arrangement of Amazing Grace that was in the recent movie Amazing Grace.   It also has Phillips Craig & Dean's song "This Is How It Feels To Be Free".   Here is a little ad I copied form the Brentwood Benson website.  If you would like to listen to some audio clips you can visit this link http://www.brentwoodbenson.com/product.aspx?ProjectCode=457571444 and chose the songs there.  See you guys tonight @ 6:30!! 

Label: BENSON CHORAL Voicing: SATB Performance Level: Moderate Length: 45 min.

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.” To totally understand these words that have been sung for many years, we have to truly comprehend the freedom that was, and still is, given as Jesus gave His life on the cross for all our sins. My Chains Are Gone - An Easter Musical of Freedom, walks us through the events of Jesus' last days as He continued to meet the needs of the people around Him. Some came for healing, words of comfort and forgiveness, but all came to have the weight of their bondage lifted so that they could be set free. My Chains are Gone is a powerful 45-minute musical for Easter created by Dave Clark and J. Daniel Smith. Filled with top Christian songs, such as, This is How it Feels to Be Free, Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) and I Am Free, along with several dynamic new songs, your choir and congregation will love singing about the freedom that we have been given through the blood of Jesus Christ. Each arrangement within this dynamic musical is easily adaptable to large and small choirs using a live orchestra or CD accompaniment track.

Under His Wings

Thots On A Winter Morning

We each think ourselves virtuous
But our actions and words
Tell our associates what we are.

Yeah, though all mankind walks
In the valley of the shadow of death….
I will walk with confidence in You,
Oh, Lord,
Under the Shadow of Your Wings!

3/5/2008 je

Testimony

In my life

There was misery,

isolation, loneliness, despair,

anger, frustration, bitterness,

disrespect of any authority figure,

a feeling of loss of control;

When I didn’t have God’s love,

mercy, kingship, and blessing

which He seasons with

joy and fulfillment

using my talents and interests

to bless my brothers and sisters

and the world!

Without Him

my heart was a whirlpool

of unease, frets, worries,

anguish, doubts and fears

blown by the winds

of deception and lust.

Jesus says,

“Come unto me,

all ye who are weary and heavy laden,

and I will give you  rest…”

Matthew 11:28-30

In my life,

it is so.

And love, joy, fellowship,

praising a good and just God,

reaching out to others,

and a fullness of life

that wasn’t there before

Jesus said, “Come”.

1/22/2008 je

Getting Along

We have situations with one another because:

1. We try to judge others’ actions and words by our own
motives, experiences and knowledge:  “I’d never do or
say that—(I might think it.)”

2.  We get close enough to see others’ fallen human
nature—seeming selfishness, pettiness, anger,
spitefulness; those little straws that accumulate.
Our actions upset others, our words wound them
and ourselves.

The closer we get to others, the more difficult to
keep perspective and expectations in line; the more
we need God as our King, Father and Judge;  the
more we need to pour on the oil of forgiveness to
anoint our relationships.  We need to love one
another anyway as much as is possible.

1/21/2008 je

Note on "Prayer for this year"

this is a cut down prayer to remove

the typical e-mail format.  It was an

e-mail from a friend.

Prayer for this year

Prov. 29:25...

You never know when God is going to bless you!

Good things happen when you least expect them to !

Dear Lord,

I thank You for this day, I thank You for my being able to

see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are

a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done

so much for me and You keep on blessing me.

Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or

thought that was not pleasing to you.

I ask now for Your forgiveness. Please keep me safe from all

danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude

and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and

every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.

Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things. Let me not

whine and whimper over things I have no control over.

And give the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.

I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue

to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a

blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak...

Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement

for others. I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way.

I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood I pray for

those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those that

don't believe.

But I thank you that I believe that God changes people and God

changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each

and every family member in their households. I pray for peace,

love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all

their needs are met. I pray that every eye that reads this knows

there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God.

Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.

I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye

that sees this.

God I love you and I need you, come into my heart, please.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Christmas has always been my very favorite time of the year...starting Thanksgiving Day and into the New Year.  I have to admit that this year hasn't brought me the same kind of joy that it has in the past, but God is teaching me through it :) 

This will be our first Christmas without Ken's dad, Tom, and there have been so many other things happening as well... The tragic loss of one of Ken's classmates and his wife at the hands of a drunk driver has left two beautiful daughters to face their first Christmas without both parents and has also had an impact in my life... Concern for my sister who struggles, herself, with addiction and was diagnosed with Hepatitis C... My own personal adjustments to a full time job, daily management of my Diabetes, and juggling all the things that go along with the holiday activities when you are the mom of young children as well as a teenager! 

Through it all, I've seen some really great "God things" going on, too!  The Youth Christmas program was phenominal.  Diane always manages to tie together the new and contemporary, funny and dramatic, creative and simple in a nice big package filled with Jesus in the end!!  The KidzPrayz WAM! Christmas Celebration was one of the best I've experienced.  You can't even imagine how amazing those little children are and what we all went through to make it happen.  We took the program to Riggs Manor retirement home and really received a blessing, ministering to those beautiful people there.  God has revealed to me, in a new way, His LOVE SENT DOWN TO US IN THE FLESH and what He brings to my life every day... not just at Christmas time. 

...And of course, Celebration Choir!  I just wanted to take a minute to thank all of you in my choir family for what you mean to me.  I have lost some long time choir friends, but have gained so many new ones as well.  All of you fill a special place in my heart and life!  I pray that each of you have a blessed and Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year.  I'm looking forward to what God will teach me in 2008! 

Thank you, JESUS, for all you do for us and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

- Lori

Whose Fool?

Who's fool am I -

GOD's or mans????

I Corinthians 2:14; 3:19; 4:9-10

Consider This

A Thoughtful Praise

If we don’t stumble at times
We are no comfort to
Our fellow humans,
Especially those who
Don’t know the Lord yet.

He has redeemed our stumbles
But He doesn’t condone
Deliberate disobedience
Or sincere worship of non-gods.

With the works of the flesh,
Very much more is gained from
Abstaining,
Than from participating.
With the fruits of the Spirit,
All  is gained
From participating
And nothing from abstaining!

We may not be able
To avoid all sins
And temptations to embrace them,
But we are able
Through the Lord’s power
To greatly limit the number.

Praise the Lord
That this is so!

11/25/2007 je

LISTEN!

HIS VOICE

Every word of GOD,

His whole Word,

Is true & alive;

Eternally true & effective;

Comes directly from Him;

Is useful for us today;

& Applies to today’s situations.

There is no end

To GOD’s leading & empowering

Our thoughts, motives,

Reasons & actions.

He is speaking to us today

And will be eternally

With the Bible,

His voice to every generation.

The Holy Spirit

Will be bringing it to

Our individual attention daily.

I will praise

The mighty GOD

With all of my spirit,

voice & pen!

je 11/5/2007

Sunday, November 4th

Attention all choir members.   We didn't have choir practice this week, so there are several things I need to update you about. 

1.  Choir will sing at for the 8:30 service.  Please be in the choir room at 9:05.  We will sing I Bowed On My Knees And Cried Holy on both services.

2.  We will  meet at the Lancaster's home 799 N Congress Street @ 3pm.  We will stay until about 4:45-5pm.  You don't need to bring anything, but your Bible if you would like.  It is a very laid back atmosphere and you may wear something casual, but warm as it is outside.  Several people have asked if they can give clothes away.  Yes, in fact they are in need Winter clothes and jackets the most.  Also, there are plenty of chairs for you to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee.

If you would like to visit their website, visit www.wewillgo.org

See you on Sunday  -Aaron