SPONSOR - Berry College Fine Arts, Rome, GA

Stan Pethel Chair, Fine Arts Department

The Berry College Department of Fine Arts houses the art, music and theater programs. Music major concentrations are available in music education, music performance and music business. Bachelor of Arts in theatre and art are also available. Berry College is located near Rome, GA, 75 miles north of Atlanta and 60 miles south of Chattanooga.

 

 

MUSIC PROGRAM MISSION

Preparation of teachers and professional musicians

Offering courses and musical participation to students whose studies are concentrated in fields other than music

Enrichment of the musical life of Berry College and the local community

Service of music as an art and a discipline

The Music Program of Berry College holds membership in NASM

Performance Opportunities

Symphonic Band Jazz Ensemble

Brass Ensembles Woodwind Ensembles

Berry Singers Concert Choir

Oak Hill Symphony String Ensembles

Majors are offered in voice, piano, wind instruments, guitar, strings, and percussion.

Graduates

Graduates of the Berry College Music Program are performing artists, successful music teachers, administrators, and professionals in the world of music business.

Scholarships are available by audition.

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QUOTE – "People who will not accept change will eventually become self-centered, defensive, and critical." Stan Piper

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SCRIPTURE – …Unless you change, and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.. Matthew 18.3

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PRAYER - "Father, Redeemer, Friend and Lover of My Soul, Eternal One who never changes, I pray this prayer today for all those brothers and sisters who are experiencing change in some situation. Dear Father, some see changes coming in their jobs. Some are experiencing great change with their families. Others are making valiant efforts to change and lead their people into worship experiences for the 21^st century. Some are experiencing difficulties, having tried to lead this kind of change and the church family won’t change with them. Change…is inevitable. Change should be expected, for everything around us is changing, except You! So this day, in the quietness of this moment, my heartfelt prayer to You, Sir, is to that You will encourage Your servants to foster changes that will lead the people closer to You through worship, singing, and ministry. This will please You as it will challenge Your people. I pray this prayer in behalf of all my brothers and sisters who are experiencing change through pain. Amen."

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WHAT THINK YE – CHANGE

If you were to come home for supper every Tuesday night in 2007 and sit down at the dinner table with your family to the following menu...with no substitutions allowed:

Appetizer: Shrimp Cocktail

Soup: French Onion

Salad: Tossed, with Ranch

Palette cleanser: Raspberry Sherbet

Main course: 8 oz. NY Strip - medium

Baked Potato

Fresh Snow Peas

Ice Tea/Coffee

Dessert: Fresh Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

What would be your reaction? I know! At first, it would be really good, but as the weeks wore on, perhaps around May, you would be thinking: "Can we make any substitutions?"

Transfer this word picture to the Sunday Morning service in your church. Take a look at the order of worship. Is it like your Tuesday meal--no changes--no substitutions—the same order as it has been for the last many weeks? If your people come every Sunday morning and the service is exactly the same format--except for changes in hymns, praise songs, anthems, prayer leaders and sermon topics, are they not experiencing the Tuesday night menu of sameness?

CHANGE has become a word that is not welcomed in many churches. Not many are willing to rock the boat. Things are very comfortable. We are moving along and everyone is with us. We won’t deviate from success. So why CHANGE?

CHANGE can stimulate the worship experience of your people.

CHANGE can bring to them new insights, thoughts and challenges.

CHANGE can move your people to see things differently.

CHANGE can cause them to think in new way about the service theme.

CHANGE doesn’t have to be dramatic.

CHANGE does have to be well planned.

Consider changing the order of worship often by switching things around, introducing new things, experimenting and striving to keep your people in the mood of anticipation, which can be accomplished with by something as simple as planned spontaneity. Worship--should never be boring, mundane, mediocre or not well planned. It should always be uplifting, exciting, innovative, and most of all, pointing the people to the Father.

What think ye?

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LEADERSHIP - 4 WAYS TO LEAD PEOPLE TO LEAN INTO THE FUTURE

Leith Anderson: pastor, author, and conference leader

Christian leaders MUST believe God is leading His people into the future. The leader must seek to lead people to lean into the future,. I suggest four ways to do that:

1. Present needs…not past success. One of the dangers of past successes is the tendency to settle into past-focused thinking. Leaders must focus on NOW needs-what do people in this community and world need now? How can we provide that?

2. A few people of vision. Unfortunately most are not persons of vision. But a church needs only a few. Ideally, these would be a pastor and a few lay people. If they are worthy leaders, others will follow.

3. A leader who looks out the window. A few years ago, a magazine ad pictured a man standing in his office looking out the window. The caption read: "Why would a company pay this man $100,000 a year to look out the window?" The point: Every organization needs a leader who looks out the window, outside the organization, to the world that is now and in the future. How many church leaders EVER look out the window?

4. Specific strategies. Looking ahead is not enough. Vision must translate into specific strategies. Plan for opportunities rather than problems. Once when our church was ready to add a staff member, the choice narrowed to either a minister of counseling or a singles pastor. Our church couldn't afford both. Which position would most directly fulfill our churches’ mission? When we looked at projections for the area's singles population, we were stunned. The numbers were astounding. We realized that many Christian counselors existed in the area, and their congregation has to seize the opportunity for singles.

Each leader should ask: How might our church's past prevent us from building a great future? How can we honor the past without being chained to it? Is your church ministering in a relevant way to the contemporary needs of today’s church fellowship?

If not, why not?

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MARRIAGE SUGGESTION – FIFTY WAYS TO LOVE YOUR SPOUSE

Mark and Chrissy Donnelly, Reprinted by permission of Mark and Chrissy Donnelly (c) 1999

Here are the second 10.

11. Send or bring home flowers for absolutely no reason.

12. Accept and love your spouse’s family and friends.

13. Write "I love you" and multi-colored stickies post them all around the house.

14. Have a time of "downloading" each of your day’s activities. Call it "couch time."

15. Kiss unexpectedly—especially in front of your children.

16. Seek out beautiful sunsets together.

17. When you apologize, do it sincerely.

18. Be forgiving.

19. Remember the day you fell in love - and recreate it.

20. Hold hands often—in public and in private.

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PARENTAL SUGGESTION

WHAT YOUR MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILD WANTS YOU TO KNOW

"500 Time-Saving Hints for Every Woman" by Emilie Barnes (Harvest House)

Want to get along better with your middle school child? Here are some tips…gleaned straight from the kids!

Listen carefully to me.

Listen…before you yell at me.

Even though my problems may seem ridiculous to you at times, don’t tell me to forget them. Give me advice.

Lighten up a little

Realize I’m my own person. I’m not anything like my sister.

Remember to count to 10…or 20.

Make sure you tell me how you appreciate having me around.

Admit it when you are wrong.

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BY THE NUMBERS - HOW TO LIVE TO 100--and feel young all the way

Thomas T. Perls, MD, Harvard Medical School

Do you know any ministers and/or ministers of music who are aging faster than they should? Do you know any who are heavily stressed, overweight, without friends and people to whom they can relate, and more?

We can live longer! It has been proven. Here are five ways to slow down your aging!

Lighten your emotional loads. Feelings of extreme anger, fear and anxiety can disturb your heartbeat, reduce immune functioning and even accelerate the aging process. Change the way your respond to life stressors by letting go of what you can’t change!

Eat and drink in moderation. People who live to be 100 say that their current weight is close to what they have weighed throughout their entire adult lives. By now, everyone knows what they should and should not eat. Try to abide by the healthier side of things.

Consciously challenge your brain. Cognitive capacity is one of the most critical factors in reaching old age. The formation of new dendrites, the extensions between nerve cells in the brain, compensates for cell loss. Engaging in some sort of multi-dimensional activity that exercises different parts of the brain will encourage new dendrites. Writing your autobiography (which you should do anyway for your heirs), learning to play a musical instrument, painting, learning a new language, and challenging your mind in new ways are good examples.

Stay in touch with friends--and make new ones. Despite the fact that most people who live a very long time will probably outlive their spouses and dearest friends, they never seem to be alone--because they maintain social contacts with people of all ages. Positive outlook and a sense of humor tend to play an important role in personal magnetism. Volunteering for community and church activities, participating in clubs and other member-oriented activities--anything that guarantees human contact—can help.

Make daily exercise a must. The merits of regular exercise in preventing or delaying chronic disease are well known. It also appears that activities that prevent significant muscle loss can have an impact on longevity. Stair climbing and walking improves balance and leg strength, thereby decreasing the risk of falls. If you can, walking is the best overall exercise.

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THIS IDEA WILL WORK – A MUSIC MINISTER’S BILL OF RIGHTS

Some time ago, MMEMail found the following Bill of Rights for Music Ministers. Several have asked to see it again. This idea WILL work!

You have the right to:

1. Take care of yourself...yes, you! Eat right...get proper rest...take time out...and sometimes, say the "NO" word to church members. If you do this properly, it will help you take better care of your family.

2. Get help! At one time or another, everyone needs help! When you have concerns that are creating havoc in your life, seek help from others. Call your pastor, find a good counselor, or confide in a trusted friend... the keyword here is "trusted."

3. Make sure YOU have a life. One day you kids will be gone...and now is the time to begin to cultivate your marriage and hobbies that will be rewarding later on. An ‘empty nest’ can be depressing when all the noise dies down. You must be prepared for that day.

4. Express your feelings in an appropriate, mature manner. Learning to manage your anger in a positive way is a valuable tool in being a minister/musician. Model positively for your church family and choir how to deal with anger.

5. Teach respect, forgiveness, affection and acceptance. These are healthy traits in a functional church family, and if you live by them, it will show!

6. Never allow the church family to manipulate you. Allow your spouse to be involved in decisions that will affect you, your family and choose wisely between church functions and family commitments.

7. Always...celebrate good life accomplishments. Applaud the courage it takes to meet the demands of a busy ministry and family life.

8. Enjoy life! God did not call you to be a Super Minister of Music! Life is tooooooo short to hurry it along and carry guilt all the time. Your church family will learn to accept life's disappointments and good times if they see you enjoying life in spite of all circumstances!

This Idea Will Work !!

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WORSHIP - "Worship is not some mystical activity: it derives from knowing God. This is how we learn to worship God. And as He reveals Himself to us, we are enabled to be absorbed with His glory, majesty and beauty. righteousness, truth, love and mercy. And we worship Him because we are coming to know Him. The more you know God, the more you will worship Him in spirit and truth." Eric Alexander, "Worship God," based on Revelation 19:10

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HUMOR - THERE ARE GREAT THINGS ABOUT GETTING OLDER

1. You can eat dinner at 4:00

2. Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.

3. Kidnappers are probably not interested in you.

4. People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.

5. Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either.

6. Your eyes won't get much worse.

7. Things you buy now probably won't wear out.

8. No one expects you to run into a burning building.

9. There's mot much left to learn the hard way.

10. Your joints are more accurate than the National Weather Service.

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NEW PRODUCT – MOTION! - G3 Worship Music/MOTION™ Student Music Resource, 669 Airport Freeway, Suite 101, Hurst, TX 76053, 1-800-211-2221 (office) -- Email: chuck@g3worship.com website: http://www.g3worship.com/

OK…here is a remarkable and possibly a complete concept/change in Youth or Student Choir ministry! I went to the website (shown above) and watched the introduction video to this new work and found myself thinking: If I were directing a Youth Choir today, I would jump on this in a heartbeat! Now, please don’t offer me a job in directing a Youth Choir! I am, after all, retired! BUT…this video will get your juices flowing! Look at what is offered:

In each MOTION™ Pak :

* 4-5 Songs

* CD Listening Tracks

* CD Accompaniment Split Tracks

* Large Group Instructional Choreography Videos for every song

* Dance Team Instructional Choreography Videos for every song

* Printable Rhythm-Vocal Charts

* Printable Chord Charts

* 1 percussion "stomp" routine

* Printable "stomp" instructional sheets (individual parts written out)

* "Stomp" Instructional video

* A list of supplies needed

* 1 additional creative element

* Will rotate between:

Another "stomp" routine

Step routine

Separate dance routine

Other routine

* Will include any instructional videos or resources needed

* Printable Resource Pages

* Sample performance orders

* How to use each song, and more

I was most impressed with the instructional videos for the choreography for each song! There is a "group" choreography for the whole choir to use…and there is a "advanced"

Choreography for a dance team.

G3Worship has provided 2 ways to purchase a MOTION™ Pak:

OPTION 1: Become a MOTION™ Subscriber for $349/year

With this, you receive 2 MOTION™ Paks a year. One release will be scheduled when you need music for your summer. The other release will be scheduled to get you music for the other parts of the year. Each M MOTION™ Pak will include 4-5 NEW and EXCITING arrangements of songs and 2 other NEW creative elements that will energize your student music ministry--all on a double disc set!

OPTION 2: Purchase Individual MOTION™ Paks for $199 each.

Each MOTION™ Pak, as noted above includes 4-5 NEW and EXCITING arrangements of songs and 2 other NEW creative elements that will energize the student music ministry--all on a double disc set!

And…never fear—there is a Leader’s Guide!!! It is a "tutorial" that explains how to start and maintain a ministry using MOTION. Included are Leaders Guide pages that walk you through how to start with vision and get your staff, parents, and church on board. Also…it has appendix pages that will save you much time in creating documents to use in your ministry. It also has over 4 months of practice schedules included to help you get started practicing. The MOTION Leaders Guide has all its information on a CD-ROM so it is easy to access and use. If you have any questions about the MOTION Leaders Guide, e-mail us at info@g3worship.com. The Leaders Guide is $74.95 and can be ordered by e-mailing us at info@g3worship.com or by calling 1-800-211-2221.

You may order MOTION through your music dealer, but…MMEMail has secured a MMEMail Special! G3Worship will give you $50 off the Subscription price IF you reference MMEMail with your order.

MMEMail has seen this new product and take it from us…it is well worth a look. The students will enjoy the music, the choreography, have a ton of fun with the stomp material and enjoy Youth Choir or Student Choir in a whole new way!

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ANTHEM – LORD, I WA NT TO BE A CHRISTIAN, Arr. David Lantz III, SAATBB, Keyboard, Beckenhorst Press #BP1738, $1.75

 

OK…I know what you’re probably thinking! But don’t even go there! Instead, go purchase copies of this David Lantz chart and your choirs and congregation will think you really know how to pick ‘em! I must confess: when I first picked this anthem up to review, I wasn’t terribly excited, because I have seen numerous arrangements of this title. But after playing through the first page, I was hooked. This is a wonderful chart that is full of harmonic surprises, excellent vocal writing, some divisi, and even a soprano descant in the final stanza, soaring while the choir singing a grand unison! There are some very nice low bass lines for those hairy bassos, some split alto lines, a wonderfully smooth key change from Eb to C, grand possibilities for dynamic interpretation, and a most delightful, unexpected quiet ending. This is a very well-done setting of this great traditional spiritual. It is worth your attention!! Your choirs will LOVE this piece!

 

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MUSIC MINISTRY NEWS

VICKI CORLEY CARR is the church pianist and music teacher at FBC, Moores Lane, Texarkana, TX. She was one of the Chapel Choir pianists when I was MoM, FBC, Abilene, TX. She is a delightful lady—talented and a barrel of fun. She has asked me to help her find the five (5) most important abilities MMEMail readers would prefer in a church pianist. She is, obviously, expecting good sight-reading skills, ability to read the more modern rhythms, commitment to the job assignment, and some choral experience - but she is hopeful she will get some insights from our readers. If you would like to give Vicki your thoughts on the five most important abilities of a church pianist, you may email Vicki at pianistvc@aol.com. PLEASE…copy MMEMail (bbur65@aol.com). We’d like to see the list, also! Thank you very much.

KEITH CHRISTOPHER’s email was incorrect last issue! The new church music choral editor for Hal Leonard Music has the following address and if you wish to email Keith, he’d love to hear from you: keith.christopher06@comcast.net 

DOUG LAWRENCE, Minister of Worship, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, Menlo Park, CA for 20 years, has announced he has elected to take early retirement in order to pursue new opportunities in ministry. Doug directed the thinking and implementation of worship for a whole generation of people, demonstrating the highest possible values of caring and excellence in the process. He will become the Minister of Worship, Emeritus, July 1, 2007. One of his new ventures will be SWEETeSPOT.com, a new way of connecting church musicians with churches which are scrambling to find just the right people for just the right ministries. He's very excited about being a part of the solution for what has become a serious need in today's ever changing church world. If you would like to send Doug an email of congrats, it is doug@SWEETeSPOT.com

KEITH HIBBS is the new Director of the Church Music/Worship Department for the Alabama Baptist Convention, effective, January 1! Keith is a graduate of Samford University and Southern Baptist Seminary. He is also a composer, arranger, and lyricist, having several very nice pieces in print. Keith has proven his worth and this position will certainly benefit Alabama Baptist Church Musicians. If you wish to email Keith a note of congrats, his email address is: Khibbs@alsbom.org 

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CONFERENCES/WORKSHOPS

MUSICALIFORNIA – 2007 – April 9-April 12, San Diego, CA

O.D. Hall, Jr., Director

OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THREE CHORAL APPROACHES

MUSICALIFORNIA – 2007 offers you the opportunity to hear from one of church music's emerging choral specialists, April 9-12, San Diego. Stan Endicott leads music and worship in two of California's largest churches – Mariners, in Irvine and Saddleback, in Lake Forest. He was the driving force in the music in the early days of Promise Keepers. Stan will be the clinician for three exciting seminars at MUSICALIFORNIA – 2007:

1, The Re-Birth of the Choir

2. Choir Style and Communication

3. Building A Contemporary Choir

Stan is also conducting two premieres at MUSICALIFORNIA – 2007

A second and very different choral approach is featured in the very popular Choral Conducting Master Class, a two-hour repertoire and technique workshop Monday afternoon with Dr. Gary Bonner. This seminar features a large packet of octavos from publishers not represented in the programmed reading sessions.

MUSICALIFORNIA – 2007 gives the opportunity to compare these two divergent approaches to a third style - the one you call your own!

There is still time to register and attend MUSICALIFORNIA – 2007. Check out the complete schedule of Seminars, Reading Sessions, Premieres, and Exhibits at http://www.musicalifornia.com/. Click Registration for a printable registration form and click Location for Sheraton-San Diego rates and information.

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* Want to refresh your spirit!

* Want to refine your skills!

* Want to rejuvenate your creativity!

RICK MUCHOW invites MMEMail readers to learn, participate, and experience the 6th Saddleback Church Worship Conference & Festival, June 26-28, 2007!

Learn from top-industry professionals, experience life-changing worship, and participate in the festival atmosphere. Speakers and artists this year will be:

* Rick Warren

* Erwin McManus

* Phil Wickham

* Tim Hughes

* Vicky Beeching

* Maranatha! Music presents Jonathan Butler and Tommy Walker.

Other notables include:

world renowned bassist Abe Laboreal

Paul Jackson Jr.

Tom Brooks

Shiela E.

Visit this website to learn more and register: www.saddleback.com/worship

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THE BAPTIST CHURCH MUSIC CONFERENCE, June 3-5, First Baptist Church, Winter Park, FL (outside Orlando)

PAUL CLARK, president of The Baptist Church Music Conference, has extended to MMEMail Readers the opportunity to participate in a truly outstanding event, with the theme, "For a Future Generation". Scripture reference is Psalm 102:18: "Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord."

Program personalities include:

• The Alabama Children’s Choir

• Florida Men’s Worship Choir & Orchestra, Terry Williams, Conductor

• Mary McDonald, Conference Pianist

• Vicki Wright, Conference Organist

• The Opera Workshop, Union University, Jackson, TN, Mike Penny, Director

• Peculiar People, a drama/comedy drama troupe

• The Music Ministry of FBC, Winter Park

• and…much more

CONFERENCE HOTEL: Hilton Orlando, Altamonte Springs, $89 per night

CONFERENCE RATES

• $170 Early Bird Fee ($195 after 5/1/07)

• $125 Early Bird Spouse/Retirement Fee ($150 after 5/1/07)

• $90 Student Registration

• $75 Children’s Conference Fee (age 12 and under – NO child care available)

You can register and pay online! http://www.sbcmc.org/ 

This is a fine conference where you can be inspired, challenged, see a lot of exhibitors, renew friendships, and most importantly…learn something! You will not be disappointed.

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ALLELUIA! MANY VOICES, ONE SONG, presented by the Baylor University Center for Christian Music Studies, July 17-July 20, 2007, Baylor University, Waco, TX

Jubilate!, Choristers Guild, and Youth Cue are proud sponsors of the seventh annual church music conference, ALLELUIA! MANY VOICES, ONE SONG. The July 17-20 conference is on the campus of Baylor University, Waco, TX. A rather remarkable line-up of clinicians are scheduled to offer many options in almost all areas of church music. For complete information and the brochure, you can download a PDF of the brochure and registration form from the web site: http://www.baylor.edu/christian_music.com

The information, clinician pictures, class listings, registration opportunities and more may be found in this PDF download. If such is not available to you, email Melinda Coats at alleluia@baylor.edu, provide mailing address, and she will forward one to you.

This event is well worth your effort and time. The only problem will be the fact that you can’t attend all the sessions!

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CHOIRFEST 2008 – The Huntsville Choral Festival, April 3-6, 2008

Why Huntsville, Alabama? Why not? You can visit Rocket City, the birthplace of the nation’s space program, and tour the Space and Rocket Center and Research Park--before or after the festival.

When your group arrives at the ChoirFest site, First Baptist Church, Huntsville, you will be greeted by a festival representative and receive a packet, which includes the following:

ChoirFest Schedule

Local Map of attractions, restaurants and hotels

ChoirFest T- Shirt

Banquet tickets

Cantus Concert Tickets

Other important items for the festival

Both Choir Director and Singers will benefit from this remarkable festival. It will be a most exciting and lifetime experience--to be remembered forever. The Vocal Ensemble, Cantus, will add excitement to the concert program...and be available to visit with festival members. You will meet other directors and choir members from around the country and sing with them in the 300-voice Festival Choir, under the baton of Anton Armstrong, one of the finest conductors in the USA.

Early-Bird Registration is $175 per person

After September 30, Registration goes to $195 per person

There are only 140 places left, even though the Festival is not until April 3-6, 2008! Register very soon to insure a place in the 2008 ChoirFest! You can register online at http://www.choirfest.com/ 

Click this link to go directly to Paypal and register  

SPECIAL FOR MME SUBSCRIBERS!

If you register by May 31, 2007, you and every choir member who wishes to come to ChoirFest will be allowed to register for $150 each. Any choir director to whom you send this information may also register for $150 per person. To receive this generous discount, you must go to the website and find the MMEMail link to register.

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BITS AND PIECES

MMEMail wishes to express our deep appreciation to Berry College and Dr. Stan Pethel for sponsoring the April issue of MMEMail. Stan is a world-class trombone player, a recent grandfather, and a well-known composer/arranger with unique ability. Berry College is a fine place for those students who wish quality education…in a Christian environment…with a small student body. MMEMail knows Stan Pethel well and assure you he is the Chairman of an excellent Fine Arts program.

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MMEMail is seeking sponsors for July through December 2007 issues. If your company, church or school is interested in sponsoring one of these months, email bbur65@aol.com for further information. MMEMail is excellent exposure to over 7800 church and school musicians as well as lay people who are vitally interested in the cause of church music. It is a good investment.

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MMEMail wishes to remind our readers not to miss the new CD reviewed in the February issue, titled, HYMNS, with Christopher Adkins playing a beautiful Cello – Stephen Nielson playing his usually remarkable piano, and with all arrangements by Kurt Kaiser. You can go to Kurt’s new website: http://www.kurtkaiser.com/ - and order this album through PayPal. It is easy to do. Price is $16.00 - plus $4.00 S&H. …it is worth the $20.00, we assure you!!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MMEMail! August 2007 is MMEMail’s 10th birthday. A new look will happen in August. We think you will enjoy the new issue!

We’ll be celebrating each month with something from past issues, but in the July 2007 issue of MMEMail, we want to print YOUR comments about this monthly e-zine:

what it means to you

what would be an improvement

what could/should be eliminated/added

and we’ll print some of these comments. You can send your comments NOW and we’ll hold them till the July issue. Don’t delay – send something today, if you wish your words to be included.! Deadline is June 1, 2007. About 25 have already come in. Send comments to bbur65@aol.com.

We are celebrating each month with something from past issues. Here is something from September 1997 that should challenge your thinking about change:

In an old monastery near Bebenhausen, Germany, you can see two pairs of deer antlers hanging on the wall...and the horns are interlocked. They were found in that position years ago. Apparently, two bucks had been fighting for territorial or herd rights, and their horns became jammed together and the bucks could not separate themselves. They died in that locked position, unable to find a way of cooperating so that on bended knees, both might be able to eat or drink and eventually free one from the other.

These locked horns are not unlike many relationships that can be found today in our homes, schools, jobs, and...even in our churches. People become entrenched in certain positions over certain issues and angrily confront those who oppose them. In the process, they "lock horns" and seem unable to ask each other for forgiveness or find a mutual way of serving one another in love. Both parties in such a relationship suffer, and...ultimately lose.

God, in His divine wisdom, granted us two ears for listening and one mouth for speaking. That seems to say that we should listen twice as much as we talk...and if we are listening more and talking less, the stress of "locked horns" will become less likely in our daily walk before the Lord.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Alleluia! He Is Risen! Regardless of what Hollywood says, what film directors promote, what newspapers and magazines write, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is this: Christ Is Risen! Palm Sunday and Easter are upon us. Take some time this week for personal reflection and insight into what this season means to those who believe in Jesus Christ as personal Savior.

* Because He lives, we, too, shall live.

* Because He lives, heaven is just across the river.

* Because He lives, this world is not our home. We are just passing through.

* Because He lives, Eternity is our next stop—and Eternity is…forever.

* Because He lives, we can face the multitudes of sickness and sorrows here for the blessed life hereafter…with no pain, no sorrow, no sickness.

* Because He lives, we will see Him in all His glory, the Blessed Lamb of God.

* Because He lives, we will sing the songs of Zion with those who have gone before us.

* Because He lives, we will meet our loved ones there.

* Because He lives, Jesus will be with us as our Friend.

* Because He lives, we will see Him face to face. The veil will be lifted.

Think on these things.

Alleluia! He Is Risen!

The extravagant grace of Jesus Christ be with you.

Bob Burroughs

Bbur65@aol.com