There is something about Super Hero movies that I can’t help but be inspired by — especially any that involve different super heroes with different gifts coming all together synergistically to form an even more unstoppable team than when considering the strengths of each individual on his or her own…
For example, The Incredibles…and The Avengers…and The XMen…and my kids’ current favorites, Power Rangers and Rescue bots, and, from my childhood, Thundercats.
While for various reasons, I have always immensely enjoyed my alone time, something deep within my heart and gut has always told me we were designed for community, to be with people, to be relating to others, to seeking to bless others while also learning to graciously and appreciatively receive blessings from others … that there is something greater for each and every one of us when we are able to overcome issues of brokenness and insecurity and fears that war in all of us against the ability to truly join together to collaborate on whatever visions God gives us for our individual (and corporate) lives.
I will not go into detail at this time, but key passages that come to mind that relate to this include:
Proverbs 19:22
What a person desires is unfailing love;
better to be poor than a liar.
On Spiritual Gifts and One Body, Many Parts
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many partsform one body, so it is with Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12; I recommend reading chapters 12-13)
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Epehsians 4:14-16; I recommend reading all of chapter 4:1-16)
On this topic, I wanted to share the song I wrote last spring, but sung last month at my Church for offering one week. On that Sunday, one of our beloved pastors, Emily Lim preached on what it means to be an Apostolic Church, emphasizing how we are meant to grow and move forward “As One!”
While the song was written more as a personal declaration of my need and decision to cling to Jesus, I was struck by how different a song becomes when performed with a team. I admit to being more nervous about practicing and performing with the team than with the fact of sharing it with the congregation…partly because of a bit of feeling unworthy at first, but more than feeling unworthy it was just so amazing to me that other people would be willing to pour their talent and gifts into backing me up…so, I guess more accurately, I truly truly felt humbled and blessed. And I feel like I got to see my humble offering of a song transformed….through our collaboration =)
Jesus I Look To You — sung for Sunday Offering, backed by New Joy Community Church Worship Team =)
On the same note, since I FINALLY was able to track down my husband’s recording, I wanted to share a song that I helped my daughter Amethyst write last summer, when she was 5 about to turn 6. She wrote the first two verses, and having asked me if it’s okay to borrow lines from other songs, her original chorus was “just wait and see, someday I’ll be part of your world.” We replaced the chorus (I explained that was borrowing too many lines…), and changed some of the other lines (I like “you can moo like a cow” was in the original), and then thought of a few more fun things she liked trying and doing as a 5-year-old. Overall, it was just a fun process and I was a little surprised at how simply it came together, so I’m hoping we might make it more or a regular thing as she grows up…but even if not, she at least has this one to look back on one day.
Let’s Try Something New Today (written last year with my daughter, Amethyst, when she was 5, and performed by Amethyst, her friend Lauryn, and Olivia)
