This is SO me...

"Setting a good example for children takes all the fun out of middle age." - William Feather

Another quotable

"I'll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there's evidence of any thinking going on inside it."

- Terry Pratchett

ZOE Conference Reflections

I have spent the past couple of days trying to write my reflections on the ZOE Group worship conference that I attended last weekend, with mixed results. It’s hard to try and sort out everything I learned, because some of it isn’t easy to articulate. But, fool that I am, I’m giving it one more try.

As I flew to Nashville last Wednesday, I found myself wondering where my attention to God had gone. It seemed like every now and then I’d wake up and think, “Oh, yeah, I’m a Christian. I need to be organizing my thoughts to do good things in God’s name.” I spent more time thinking about the mundane things of life, and about the non-Godly things I was expecting for the weekend -- where I’d do a little shopping, where I’d eat, where I’d do some sightseeing -- and little time trying to open myself up to what God had planned for me to hear for the weekend. Appropriately enough, the theme for the conference this year is “Closer,” and it focuses on finding intimacy with God.

I puzzled over odd things on the flight out; from Oakland to Dallas, I was in a window seat next to someone that I barely looked at, and didn’t interact with at all. It was one of those situations where you are forced to be physically close to someone, but you put up an invisible wall to retain some strained sense of personal space. I wondered what it was that makes some people more able to interact with strangers in such situations. I’m a generally friendly guy, but I do tend to clam up in situations like this. I was very relieved that my second flight from Dallas to Nashville put me a whole seat away from the nearest human being.

Wednesday evening, I attended the “Vespers” service at the Otter Creek Church. It’s a contemplative service, with low lights, candles, and softer music. The theme had to do with prisoners; I expected to focus on being prisoners to our sin, or something spiritual like that, but they were talking more about their ministry to people in prisons in the area. Still, it was a good experience. I’d like to do something like that at our church sometime.

At the Leadership Conference, which went from Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon, the keynote speaker was Lauren Winner, author of several books, including Girl Meets God. I had been reading the book over the week before the conference, and have been challenged by it to consider ways to focus my relationship with God through adopting some liturgical practices in my daily routine. Her talks at the conference further moved me in that direction. Ms. Winner (soon to be Dr. Winner) spoke very well about finding God when He seems to be hidden, and also about Sabbath-keeping and its role in the Christian’s relationship with God. I got a lot out of it.

Jeff Walling spoke Thursday evening about the fact that God has done everything necessary for us to be close to Him; we just need to accept and recognize His presence in order to “grow closer.” Jeff is always a real kick to hear, and he usually finds a way to use laughter to disarm us, then jumps in with very clear, moving statements that drive his point him. He spoke about Moses at the burning bush, and had everyone in the place take off their shoes and socks! He used that to illustrate our need to remove the barriers that we put up to keep God out. Jeff’s talk was very helpful to me.

Mike Cope spoke on Friday night and Saturday morning, as part of the main Worship Conference. Mike brought us lessons from two stories in the life of Jacob. When Jacob was running to Haran (and away from Esau), and had the dream about the angels going up and down the ladder, he realized that God had been right there all along.


A similar thing happened 20 years later, when he was returning home, and wrestled with God; Jacob didn’t recognize that it was God until the end of the event. It was as if he was walking around in a fog, not realizing that God was with him.

Kinda reminds me of me.

During the Leadership Conference, we had four sessions talking about how we use our heart, hands, head, and home to engage in God’s work, and draw close to Him that way. Some of the best parts of those sessions were the small groups we divided into, and the discussions we had there. My group was two gentlemen who are worship leaders and one young lady who participates in her church’s praise team. We got to bounce ideas off of each other, and help us work through the topics of the sessions. It was a good experience.

The workshop sessions on Saturday were good. I went to one led by Brandon Scott Thomas, and that was good. I respect Brandon for all he has done to serve other worship leaders, as well as his own church as a worship leader himself.

I also attended some tech sessions led by Matt Maxwell, and got to chime in with a lot of geek information, which is always fun. Matt’s a real good guy, and has put together a lot of very creative videos and media for his church in Abilene. I’ve learned a fair amount about video from him, in just a few short sessions. I love talking tech with him whenever I see him!

The worship times and singing were also very stirring. I found sometimes I couldn’t sing; I just had to listen and focus on the words being sung, trying to open myself up to God. The ZOE Singers, led by Brandon and Peter Wilson, and Woodmont Hills Church praise team, led by Randy Gill, really brought their whole hearts to worship, and drew us in with them.

It’s hard to say what I came away from the conference with. There were some ideas: God is close, I just have to pay attention -- but I knew that. Being close to God takes discipline -- but I knew that. I guess I was reminded of things I knew, and the weekend gave me a real sense of refreshment and hope. I feel like God got through to me, and that I can find the time and energy to listen to Him more.

It was a good trip, and I enjoyed seeing friends that I have made over the years. I enjoyed meals at Cracker Barrel, Corky’s and Waffle House, and enjoyed the scenery around Nashville. I was glad to get home to my wife and kids, and to start facing my life again with the things God brought me through the ZOE Conference.

Fading illusions...

So, it looks like we Californians are going to have to use handsfree devices for cel phones starting in 2008. That's fine with me, though it probably means seeing more people wearing their Bluetooth headsets all the time, as if they were watches, or jewelry.

But what kinda bugs me about the whole thing is this: Weren't we supposed to have handsfree cars by now? I remember reading predictions about this kinda stuff in Popular Science when I was a kid, and I'm still waiting to be able to buy a car that flies, or drives itself! Where are the 45-minute commuter flights to Europe, for that matter?

It just goes to show you that not enough people read science fiction.