In our neck of the woods it hit 60 degrees (yes S-I-X-T-Y) in Carla’s garden yesterday.  Officially it was 46, but those temps are from the shade – and same as we had on the porch.

The sun shined bright on this old Oregon Home and melted a lot of the snow – STILL a lot on the ground - still slip sliding on our driveway, which has deep ruts in the snow, but still not touching ground. 

But all signs the end of this long snow on ground period may be coming to an end, sometime.

One of the things I enjoy doing at least once a day is checking out the cameras on the passes and some of the resorts.  It is good seeing that while the roads are bare, or close to it, there is a lot of snow on the roadsides.  The mountains, this year, are receiving hundreds of feet of snow – much more this year than some of the more recent ones.

Now we have to hope that it melts off slowly and fill our water sheds, not raising the rivers to over flowing.

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Acts 3:6-10 “Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

⁷ And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

⁸ And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

⁹ And all the people saw him walking and praising God:

¹⁰ And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.”  KJV

There are so many lessons we can learn from these five verses.

But the one that struck me the most this morning was verse 8 “And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.”

I was raised in a church where the services were very quiet; where value was placed on solemn worship.  If someone had acted like this man chances are great that some in the congregation would have come close to a heart attack and the person would have been ushered out immediately and told not to come back until they learned to behave in church.

Do not get me wrong.  It IS important that we have those quiet and solemn times with God, even in a congregational setting; times that allows the Holy Spirit to touch our hearts and speak to us in His still small voice.

But I never experienced freedom or Joy in that church.  I didn’t fully or really understand who Jesus is and how the Trinity works to build us up and helps us share His Gospel.

When I went, with Carla, to her church, while a bit intimidated I saw people who opened up to God, who weren’t afraid of showing their emotions, I saw tears streaming down, I heard people speaking in tongues and the real Joy of God welling up within them.

It was a Foursquare Church, Pentecostal Church.  Shortly thereafter I realized what my soul had been missing and how I could express myself to Him.

When I accepted Christ, while I didn’t jump around, I was able to express my Joy in an emotional way, allowing my soul to cry out in relief and thanksgiving.

I am not condemning that first experience of church in my life – well not completely – I know many who go to it and DO understand that Jesus Christ is their personal savior, but I never felt that connection.

I am an introvert.  But I am also emotional, I shed tears over a good movie or story, I get excited seeing exciting things like my favorite football players making good plays.

While my voice has never been very good and is much worse now, I do not hesitate to lift it up to God with enthusiasm.

I remember once when I attended another church, different denomination, in a different part of the country.  There was a song we were singing as a congregation, and while I don’t remember what it was now, at the time it was a favorite of mine and I didn’t hold back, much, as I joined in with others in singing it – wasn’t as exuberant as home, but wasn’t solemn either.

This church was more on the quiet side then on the exuberant side, but those around me came up after service and were complimentary in their remarks about how my exuberance came out.  Now, 40 years later, I do not remember much other than there were positive comments and big smiles as they expressed how they enjoyed that enthusiasm.

I am not reproving those that are not able to let go of their emotions and praise God.  Each of us are made up differently, but, at the same time, I will not apologize for my emotions in praising God.

As hard as it may be for those that believe solemn worship is the only thing to do, to show reverence to God, it is also hard for ME to believe that they suppress that Joy out of either fear of offending others, or believing it isn’t proper to do so.

AND I can understand, as I was reminded by a friend once, after a particularly enthusiastic leading of song service, some people are in a dark place and are struggling within themselves – not everyone can be excited when they are going through hard times. 

I don’t recall what I had said that caused that comment, but I am sure it was because I had said something that implied people HAD to be more wholehearted in their worship.

We have a great God.  Just as we may cheer on our favorite team we need to join in the celebration of God’s greatness, without dampening our Joy for His Salvation and His many other gifts.

We can get excited about sports, we can shout and holler – but for some reason many people do not think we should get excited about God – sad.

Psalm 95:1-3 “O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

² Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

³ For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”

God does not condemn those that are excited in His presence, and as we read, often, in His Word He encourages it.

PRAISE THE LORD for the many miracles He has done in my life!

Beginning with my salvation!

Later, Art (-: