"OLD FASHIONED" Worship

Weston called me the other night from North Central University, where he attends college.

Our conversation went something like this...

"MOM...were you in bed?"

"Uh...YES...it IS 10:45 here in Michigan and I AM getting older, ya know."

"Sorry....but anyway....I am sitting here with some guys and we want to have an old fashioned worship night on our floor. We were wondering if you could help us think of some songs...like...from the early 90's."

"EARLY 90's?!?!?!?!?...OLD FASHIONED!?!?!?!", I responded with much unbelief and laughter!

Jonathan Palmer, son of the new General Secretary of the Assemblies of God, friend of my son, is yelling into the phone,"THINK GAITHER! THINK GAITHER!"

"Jonathan...GAITHER is like the 60's and 70's! And if you want that, call your Gram Clay. She is the Gaither Groupie."

"Well...she'd already be in bed." (HELLO....SO WAS I!)

The 'old fashioned' worship desiring boys of Phillips 2E had already come up with songs such as: 'Look What the Lord Has Done", "I Went to the Enemy's Camp", and "The Happy Song".

I suggested, "We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise"...Weston put me on speaker phone so I could sing it to the guys to see if they remembered it...Before I sang, I told them they had to do the motions to this one...I sang and Weston was laughing saying 'They're doing the motions, Mom!" (try and picture that one in your head!)

Then we went through, "In Him We Live", Alive, Alive, Alive Forevermore, What a Mighty God We Serve, This is the Day That the Lord Has Made (old ON BEAT CLAPPING version and 'old fashioned early 90's OFF BEAT clapping version...with the chorus..."Rejoice...in the Lord.")

Weston asked, "Mom, what was that song we used to sing in Mt. Pleasant...Stand Up?"

I replied, "That is an OLD FASHIONED hymn remixed....STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS! with a new chorus thrown in."

One time I suggested, "This is My Commandment that ye Love One Another" and NONE of them had ever heard of that one.

I said, "Sorry, that must have been the 80's."

Weston yelled:..."GUYS....SHE"S GOING BACK INTO THE 80'S!!!!!!!" (background noises of moans and groans immediately followed.)

I so LOVED the fact that those boys wanted to 'bridge the generation gap' and include me in their worship planning. AND if I was in Minneapolis, I could attend because they were only inviting people that have been in the Assemblies of God 16 years or MORE! (so they would know the songs!)

Needless to say, Steve and I didn't go to sleep for a while because of all the chuckling that kept surfacing as we thought about that phone call.

And THEN we were lying there thinking of all the "old songs" we remembered from the 80's and 90's. It was fun...and FUNNY!

Worship has definitely come into a new era...but there are some "old fashioned worship songs' that are timeless and still speak to my heart. Isn't it reassuring to know that though our methods, style, rhythm, beat, etc. change over the decades that the ONE we worship and adore stays the SAME! "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

I emailed Weston a list of about 50 songs the next day. Maybe YOU can think of some, that I didn't remember...or some that just resonate in your heart of hearts...or some that just make you LAUGH and say, "We used to sing that!?!" (Like the verse of the Joy of the Lord is my Strength...HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!) If you don't know the Ha Ha verse...you are either TOO YOUNG or too young in Jesus.

So LEAVE A COMMENT with your favorite...or most memorable "old fashioned" worship song...even if you are seconding one that is already listed.

I will leave the definition of "old fashioned' up to you!

"SALSA Anyone???"

So... thanks to the mass 3 of you who emailed for this recipe! :-D

I take no claim to fame at being a domestic diva...except I DO make yummy salsa!

LINDA’S SALSA

* 4 C. finely chopped tomatoes

* 1 C. finely chopped onion

* 1 green Bell pepper finely chopped (around 1 cup)

Place chopped veges in a LARGE saucepan.

Combine the following ingredients in food processor or blender.

* 4 – 8 Fresh Jalapenos ( ok… I use 35… count ‘em… 35 for Steve’s Salsa. It is fire hot! You just have to taste it and go by trial and error for your likes.)

* 4 cloves of Garlic

* 1 sm. Can Tomato Paste

* ½ C sugar

* 1 C. White vinegar

* ¼ t. Alum

* ½ t. Cumin

* ½ t. pepper

* 1 TB. Salt

Process until smooth.

Combine with chopped veges in large sauce pan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat.

Simmer for 45 minutes.

Pour into HOT sterilized jars. ( pint jars) leaving ½ inch head space.

Seal. And process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Makes appx. 3 pints.

IT IS GREAT FRESH AS WELL!

HINTS:

**You can double recipe. One time I tripled it but it easily scorched.

**Jalapeño hints… I do not de seed them because it takes away the HEAT

IF You deseed them wear gloves. I have had two friends rub their faces while deseeding and their faces get red and on fire. If this happens, bathe face and hands in milk.

** If you have never canned before, be sure to use new seal lids and read the directions.

THE FOLLOWING IS AN ODE TO LINDA... THE SALSA QUEEN...

and a few other fun things and TIPS FOR SALSA MAKING!

When we pastored in Mt. Pleasant, our dear friend, LINDA POHL, would give us some of her homemade salsa every year for Christmas. OF COURSE, with my husbands strong LOVE and DESIRE for HOT THINGS (including ME!) 12 jars didn't last very long. So he asked if I could learn how to can Salsa. I had only done freezer things and never had to CAN.

SO LINDA so PATIENTLY and graciously walked me through the process.

Last summer, at the end of August Steve was gone for about 10 days, so Brianna and I decided to go and spend time with my mom and dad. I figured it was a GREAT time to make my Salsa...especially because Mom had such a great kitchen to work in. (SHE is a domestic diva!)

There were a couple of GREAT things about that decision.

#1: My grandma's niece had a garden full of tomatoes...so we went and picked out tomatoes, some jalapenos, and green peppers...plus used some Mom and Dad picked up at the Farmer's Market.

#2: Mom, Grandma (MO) and my Aunt Darlene AND Brianna all helped me...And they are all VERY GIFTED in the kitchen.

#3. I found the 2nd Best Time Saver EVER! (what is the 1st? Mom, Mo, Darlene, and Brianna!) The VIDALIA CHOP WIZARD. I saw it in Real Simple listed as a great product. It chops the vegetables so quickly and perfectly. No watery onions or peppers. And even the ripe tomatoes chopped into little perfect squares without being mushed! It usually takes me a day and half JUST to chop all my vegetables. We did all the onions and peppers in 45 MINUTES!!!!!! NOW... my mom, father- in- love, sister-in-love, aunt...have one. Whoever tries it loves it. You can get it at Walgreens, CVS for $20... or with a $5 coupon at Bed, Bath, and Beyond... it's just $15.

When you take the jars out of the water after their water bath...and set them on the counter... and you hear the lids start popping.... LINDA taught me to say "PRAISE THE LORD" every time you hear that wonderful little noise, because you KNOW it is sealed and processed correctly.

SOOOO...I said "praise the LORD" 99 TIMES! I would have said it 100 times but my parents and I ate a jar full when it was warm...right after cooking. It was SOOOO yummy. THAT is why I didn't make any for me this year. Still have some left. Made Steve's mom and dad 40 jars.

I do this for my hubby...and make his SOOOO HOT...my lips and tongue burn and my lips swell up...when I taste his. He can just pour it down. I believe his lips, tongue and gut are made of iron. I use 30-35 jalapenos and pablanos for a recipe for him. I use 3-4 for MINE!

So...that is the extent of the Domestic Diva in me! If you come to my house for dinner...GUESS WHAT YOU ARE HAVING?????