David & Debi Lowrie

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

2009-07-14T17:32:00.050-05:00

I haven't had as much time over the past couple of weeks

to experiment and "hone" my blogging skills.

Right now my blogging skills are about as sharp

as an 8 lb. hammer. But that will come in time....

Will everyone please stop right now and pray that I live a long life......

Thank You, Amen.

wWw.NowChurch247.org

"Thumper"

The topic is worship; this is a continuation of the blog started

on the last publishing date.

We are following the outline in the left column under the heading

www.nowchurch247.org.

Last time we ended with a couple of examples of how

Christian worship was personal and interactive.

The concept of things being interactive is a big deal

right now, and they will continue to be so. Computer games,

TV building and decorating programs, talent shows,

all allow us to participate.

We get to choose paint colors, floor coverings, appliances,

who's the best singers or dancers and even how to organize

and landscape our farms on Facebook.

All of which is pretty cool.

The interesting, and increasingly profound thing is, God has been

interactive for a long time.

And that is especially true when it comes to the opportunity we have

when He gives us access into His very presence

by virtue of the sacrifice of Jesus

(requiring the cross and His blood)

God carries in His heart an extreme passion to be in intimate relationship

with you and me.

We are His creation, His handiwork, and He longs for our attention.

For me; this interactive thing with God, is pretty awesome.

I personally don't learn well just by reading alone, I do better with interaction.

I sure don't learn well by setting in straight rows of chairs and looking at the back

of someones head who is sitting in front of me.

I learn better by interaction, participation,

and when I can get up and move around some.

Moving around, doesn't mean swinging from a chandler...

although there has been a time or two that I wished one was around.

We are going to end this with a quick word study....

I don't like doing word studies but sometime they are necessary. Also remember that the

best definition for worship is "to bow", that is, to be submissive and obedient.

If you look carefully you might just think that the Lord had me in mind.

I Chronicles 16:9,10 reads, in part;

vs. 9; Sing to Him........ The word sing comes from the Hebrew word "shuwr"

which means to sing while strolling or traveling about as a minstrel.

vs. 9; ...sing psalms to Him.... the word psalms comes from the Hebrew word "zamar"

which has to do with playing instruments and celebratory singing;

hence to celebrate in song and music.

vs. 10;...let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord. The word rejoice

comes from the Hebrew word "samach" which mean to brighten up,

to cause or to make cheerie; to be or to make glad;

to cause to rejoice in an exceeding manner.

Although it would be cumbersome, it could be read like this;

"While strolling and traveling about sing to Him....

...sing and make a celebration before Him with voices and instruments.

...let your hearts be made bright, and be made cheerie and glad,

in an exceeding manner,

as you seek Him."

I repeat; this is a quick study, and there are many more words

that we could have looked at. I didn't go to places that might be challenging

to the different doctrines that exist in Christendom today.

Remember; worship means bowing, bowing means obedience,

and we do not get to choose the pages or verses, or the meanings

of the words we want to obey.

I leave this subject for now

with a quote from "The Lifestyle of Worship" by David Morris.

David wasn't on this planet nearly long enough. And all those who knew him

are grateful for his impact on their lives.

Other than through the Holy Spirit, I learned more about

worshipping the Father and holding myself in His presence

through David's life and example than through any other source.

"Whatever you treasure and consider worthy of your time and devotion is that which you worship.
Worship is more than what you do;
it's a heart condition."

in it Not of it.................................

we have had a few ups and downs the past few weeks.....

On the "up" side; We went to Frisco (that's Texas folks) this past weekend

to help Jason & Toni paint the nursery. Jason and I painted while Toni and Debi

went to Target and Babies-R-Us to register for baby shower gifts.

They had a great time and it was fun to hang out and share in their excitement.

The "down" side; We had a water line break in the back yard.

Could have been worse...it could have been inside. I also found out

that it was going to cost about 1300 to fix my old truck. It's just an old "beater"

and not worth fixing at that price. But hey, it still gets me down the road,

and the A/C works great.

Debi is in Austin with Amy & Bradley for a few days...helping out with the baby,

so that leaves me and Abigail Joy Lowrie by ourselves until Thursday.

(Abbie is a 6 lb. Yorkie)

No pics this week....I told you that just because I did it once

doesn't mean I can do it again.... I tried, believe me, I tried.

David & Debi Lowrie

Italy, Tx

lowriedd@flash.net

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

2009-06-30T18:29:00.027-05:00

We wont be taking the Under Construction sign down any time soon. I have a long way to go before I will feel comfortable with that.... The foundation is laid, the walls are up, and the roof is in place, but there is a lot of finish work and attention to detail left to be done.

Constructing an award winning blog is not my goal, but I do want it to be current enough visually and in content that it can't be mistaken for "your grandmother's blog."

And as content goes, I'm looking for neither "contemporary" or "cutting edge."

As for the traditional church, when you say "contemporary" that usually

means 10 or 15 years old. And when you say "cutting edge" then you are speaking of a

very thin slice of the demographics, and not many people actually live there.

It's admirable and wise to learn from the past but we can't live there. We get ready for tomorrow by living today at its fullest and looking with expectancy toward the next sunrise.

So we are going to try to build for tomorrow by being relevant today.

"Thumper"

The name of this blog; wWw.NowChurch247.org is not just a name or just a web address. I believe that every key stroke has a specific meaning and purpose. It would be easy to say that it was just an idea or a creative moment, but I believe it to be a name that God Himself has been speaking to my heart for quite some time now. I believe it is an outline and points of focus, for who I am, and what I do.

Some religious folks might say "the Bible is to be your guide...no more and no less."

While theoretically I would agree, reality makes me say that "I'm not smart enough for that." I need a few small things that I can focus my attention on. I'm a guy, and a husband. I don't multi-task well. Sort of like Bill Murry, in the movie, What About Bob?.....

"Baby steps, baby steps baby steps."

God isn't looking for someone to "leap tall buildings is a single bound", He's just

looking for someone to walk with Him. If you take enough baby steps in a lifetime

you just might be surprized at how far you go.

The first point of focus is the first "W"

That "W" stands for "worship."

A good all inclusive definition of the word "worship" means to "bow down." Now you can physically bow your body to Him without bowing your heart, and will, being in agreement. And you can bow your heart and self will before Him and be standing erect. Physical posture or a pleasant voice is not the issue.

If God says to us "stand there and shut-up"...and you do it, then that's obedient worship. If God tells us to "fall on our faces and repent for something very deep and personal in our lives" then we had better bow our bodies and our hearts too.

To be a worshipper requires interaction...not with one another but with God. It requires communication, but mostly it requires listening and responding. I could have said "listening and obedience" but people just don't like that word. But one thing for sure, if you will be a worshipper, then God will speak to you......sure enough. God likes to hang out with people who like to hang out with Him.

A note about corporate worship;

Corporate worship refers to the times we come together, in a group, for the purpose of worshiping and glorifying the one true and living God. There are great and endless possibilities when that happens...and they're all good.

Singing songs about the Lord is good, singing songs to the Lord is better. God is a jealous God and He wants our attention. Singing to the Lord is sometimes better that talking to Him because we will sing things to Him that may not be true or we will sing something about our love for Him even though our actions are saying something else.

Two examples;

One day while in worship with a group of people, we were singing a song where some of the lyrics said; " yes Lord, yes Lord, yes, yes Lord." While repeating that phrase a few times I began to hear the Lord say "are you just singing a song or are you saying "yes" to Me? So at that moment God was waiting for a response from "little ole me." I'm not sure but I don't think God asks rhetorical questions.

And then another time, during a time when I didn't "feel" particularly close to the Lord, we were singing a song that said "I am a friend of God, I am a friend of God.." and every time I would sing that line, I would get a little closer to believing it. Then all of a sudden the song was over.... and I almost cried out to the worship leader, saying, "sing it again! sing it again! I've almost started believing it."

I had better shut this thing down for now....... This is fun, I'll add to it next time.

....in it Not of it..............................

Sha Zam...look at this. Now doing it once doesn't mean I can do it again. But I will bask in the glory for now.

Here she is, sweet Ainsley Elizabeth Bean Born April 17, 2009 Austin, Tx.

Amy & Bradley: are a part of a cool church group in Austin, called The Austin Stone. They are surrounded by other young couples who are just starting out in marriage and beginning families like they are. It reminds us of our early years and when we were just getting started. They are in a good place; connected to some great friends who have like goals, dreams, and values. They are in a place where they can be both an encourager and one who receive encouragement when needed. They are going to be great parents.

Jason & Toni: spend every July 4th in Abilene with Toni's family. This is the weekend trip that produced Jason's proposal a few years ago. Toni has 2 brothers and 1sister, and they all have kids so it's a great weekend together for all of them. All the guys play golf, so Jason starts practicing ahead of time. He would love to come home one day and be able to say that he didn't have the highest score. Good luck Bud.

Debi; is enjoying a much needed summer break. Teachers look forward to their summer vacations more than the students do. If you know a teacher and they say "they miss the kids and can't wait to get back to school" Then they haven't been teaching very long or they are lying. She has been in Austin with the baby this week and will be home tomorrow. Can someone say hallelujah?

David: Everyday is an adventure. I'm still learning new things about myself and still trying to figure out this life God has given me. Presently I'm on a 30 day monitor, trying to determine what to do with this A-Fib that shows up almost daily. But we are good....Debi is still "drop dead gorgeous" and I'm still "brutally handsome."

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

2009-06-11T08:47:00.029-05:00

Like I said; this is going to be a much slower process than I initially thought. But I'll get there....

Debi expressed some frustration with me the other day over some poor decision making on my part and she was absolutely right. It does seem like I need a personal manager, a personal trainer, and a personal caretaker. When I was a kid, back in school, we didn't have the luxury that kids and parents have today. They can blame poor grades on ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, and any number of other learning difficulties. When I was in school, you were either dumb or smart... and I knew which category I fell in to. So thanks for hanging in there with me.

wWwNowChurch247.org

"Thumper"

Why am I doing this? For most of my life I have realized that I had an obligation, to at least make an effort, to fulfill the purpose and answer the question of why

God put me on this planet.

To make the proverbial "long story short". A number of years ago, either by me making some wrong decisions or by the providence of God Himself...or maybe even by both,

I found myself "on the outside looking in."

I was on the outside of the traditional church looking in, " but I was

never on the outside of the Kingdom of God and His presence.

In the Bible, in Romans 11:29 it says;

The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. NKJV

He has promised to never leave us....And He never has.

Suffice it so say that for more years than I care to count, we have found

ourselves on, what some call, "the back shelf".

So why am I doing this? In short I'm tired of not being the expression of God's goodness and tired of not being a voice that I believe God wants to use. And while I'm talking about tired...... I'm tired of waiting for a chance or for someone else's invitation or permission.

Now I know my strengths, and I am painfully aware of my short comings.

But it is time to respond to that call that rises in my heart day after day.

I have no earthly idea of where this is going or what I'm to do next. And that, one thing, has paralyzed me and held me captive for weeks, months, and even years now.

I allowed myself to be griped by fear doubt and indecision over what I didn't know. But what I do know is this; God didn't put me here to obsess over my "carbon footprint".

He put me here so that He would have a voice of influence in me and through me, for His glory.
Now whether that "voice of influence" reaches tens, hundreds, or thousands, that's not up to me and I don't have a "say" about that. As a friend in Alaska use to tell me..."plod on."

Whoever would have thought that a guy who took three college English courses before he ever passed one would use a Blog as a first step in obedience and trust. I don't know what step 2
is... but I will take step one and deal with the unknowns later. Who knows,

God might even show up and say "thanks for taking that step,

now put your other foot right here."

...in it Not of it...

Debi and I celebrated or 33rd anniversary last week. We have family in the DFW area, Austin, the Texas Gulf Coast, Henderson (in east Texas), in Albany, New York, and in Seattle.

We have two kids and one brand new grand daughter (our first). Aaaaaaaaaaaannnnd another grand baby due in November.

Amy (our youngest) and her husband Bradley welcomed Ainsley on April 17th and Jason (our oldest) and his sweet wife Toni found out last week that they can expect a little boy in early November.

I know that for many of you, your grandkids are in school and some of you have a pick-up truck full of em. But we are really pumped and we are wearing the tires out going back and forth down I-35 to get our arms around little Ainsley.

And I here by admit to the world; that I have not yet figured out how to post her picture on this site. The truth is, I can post it here but I have no control over where it lands. So I'll keep "ploding on".

David & Debi Lowrie
Italy, Tx
lowriedd@flash.net

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

2009-05-20T07:39:00.033-05:00

and "big time" in the developmental stage.... This is going to be a much slower process than I had thought. I must be the "poster boy" for the old adage that says "he couldn't pour pee out of a boot even if it had a hole in the toe and instructions on the heel". I know it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks but I promise you I will get out of the "school zone" and on to the highway soon. My desire and goal is to publish on the 1st and 15th of each month... Hopefully getting better at it and meeting my self imposed deadlines as I go.

wWw.nowchurch247.org
...this is the who, what, where, when, and why section. Who we are in this world and what we hope to become. As challenging as life can be at times, I wouldn't trade places with anyone on the planet...because I want to see what God can accomplish in my life.

"Thumper"

...this section is named after an old friend of ours who use to fly in the

navigator seat of F-4's out of Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage.

"Thumper" was the name on his flight suit.

I'm a "wanna be"...

so this is where I'm going to practice.

Here we will look at how the Bible and God's presence impacts us and the

contemporary world we live in. I would rather know Him, than just know about Him.

So, regardless of how old or young we are, what we look like, or what kind of music, food, art, or

entertainment rocks your world, Jesus can "rock you" like none other.

in it Not of it....

...this is where we will leave some personal info.... the Lord has used many of you to enrich and encourage us in our personal lives...so this is where we will fill you in on hair transplants, lypo-suctions, tattoos, awards we didn't receive, vacations we didn't take and grandkids.... oh..........and the dog.

Other Developing Ideas

Ideas are not my problem...developing them are. Who knows what else? Oh...and one more very important thing. If spelling and correct grammatical usage are important to you then this might not be the blog for you. I've taken enough college English courses to have a minor in English.... Problem is... I failed all of them but one. I've gotten use to it...it doesn't bother me at all.... And one final thing... when it comes to blogs, "I know nothing" about "followers" and "comments". So if you are needing some sort of response from me then you will need to be patient. Remember...I'm still driving in the "school zone."