two things to bounce around in your head

1. I've been thinking about those miners in Chile and how it seemed like the whole world was glued to their televisions and radios as the rescue reached it's conclusion. I'll let you draw your own spiritual analogies there. What first came to my mind was children in poverty and how there are organizations like Forgotten Voices and Compassion who lift these children out of poverty and set them on more stable ground. I am thankful for the rescue services they provide.

2. Applause during a church service's worship set. I've recently started attending a church where they give applause after each song. I'm having a hard time with that. I honestly don't feel the need to clap after every song. I understand giving God praise, but isn't that what we're doing in worship? I don't clap. And I don't know if God appreciates our applause when there's an insincere heart behind the claps.

I think that part of my concern lies in the fact that having been a worship leader, it can be easy to feel like the congregation is giving it's applause to you for that awesome guitar solo or those killer vocal chops. And more often than not, that applause comes across as polite golf applause. If you're gonna praise with your applause, you need to bring the thunder with your applause. And shouting may also be appropriate. I'm just sayin'...