Thanksinging

I love the Sunday before Thanksgiving! It's tradition. Our family group at church drives to Madison, Tennessee for the Madison Church of Christ Thanksinging service. It's awesome! I went prepared tonight. I took my chapstick and my water bottle and prepared for an hour and a half of non-stop praise! And, I sure wasn't disappointed. The energy in the auditorium was contagious, and the Spirit was moving.

One of my very favorite songs is "Sweet Adoration." If you sit with me in a devotional that takes song requests for any length of time, you'll hear me request it. I don't request it every time, just certain times. It's the song I whip out when I'm overwhelmed with my life and I know I need to have God put thing in perspective for me. If I request it, then I'm really in NEED of hearing it. I like the whole song, but the second verse is the most meaningful to me. It says...

When I am troubled
With heartache and struggle
I come and adore you
You take me away from
All worldly sensation
And endless temptation
All of my trials
Are lost in Your love.

When I'm hurting and overwhelmed, praise is what eases my soul. And, lately, I'm struggling. So, I really needed that singing tonight. I already feel better. I can't say my every concern has vanished, but with those special songs tonight, God reminded me that He loves me, that He is in control, and that everything else in my life pales in comparisson to my relationship with Him.

I'm also reminded of an old Acappella song I used to listen to that essentially said the same thing. It went something like this...

For the chains that seem to bind you
They drop powerless behind you
When you praise Him.

I'm overly tired right now. I'm very emotional. I have too many irons in the fire. I'm burning the candle at both ends. I'm battling my inner demons. BUT, tonight, it didn't matter. All I felt as I sang those wonderful songs was, "It's not about all this, Dana. It's about Him!" I'm a master of escapism. I think it's why I like going to the movies so much. For a couple of hours I can sit in the dark and get lost in a story and forget about my life. But, to praise is different. When I praise, I do escape my life and focus on something different, but, unlike watching a movie, the act of praising leaves me changed. A movie ends, but the Spirit moving in my life goes on and on and is strengthened.

One song in particular tonight really affected me. I've sung it before, but, just like the living words of the Bible so often do, it spoke to me differently tonight. We sang "Blessed Be Your Name." And this particular verse hit me...

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Tonight, there was pain in my offering. I was hurting. But, you know what, it doesn't matter, because He is still God! I know worship is something we do for God, but there is almost nothing I'd rather do than come to His throne and worship!

During the song "In Christ Alone" tonight, I started weeping. Not just a little teary eyed, but my entire cheeks were wet. So, thankfully just this afternoon I had recovered a misplaced hankerchief and pulled it from my purse and wiped my eyes. Then I realized Amanda next to me was crying also, so i handed it ot her. She was about to hand it back when she realized Jessika need it and she passed it to her. Jessika was going to pass it back after she wiped her eyes and realized David needed it also. The song was moving. The way it was sung tonight and the images on the screen were moving. I'm sure glad I found that hankie. We needed it. Anytime you can sit and worship with brothers and sisters and something can move you all to tears, you KNOW the Spirit is there.

I've invited people for years to Thanksinging and they don't go. They have no idea what they're missing. Go once and you'll make it your tradition. Hey, stop reading now and take a moment to PRAISE HIM!