Why Would I Be Excited? And Show It?

I will probably never make a full presentation about what it means to praise the Lord, our God. I've begun a discussion of the seven Hebrew words that have been translated "praise" in the English language. I will never do full justice to an explanation and illustration of any or all of those words.
I feel compelled to try, and this is a follow-up to my previous look at the word, "halal," from which we derive the word "hallelujah."
How can you tell if a town has a successful high school football program? In some places, stadiums fill on Friday nights with noisy fans even if the team isn't doing well. Those are few, though. But the stands will be overflowing with people wearing the team colors and doing their best to be the "12th man" on the team by rocking the stadium with shouting, clapping, stomping and noise-makers.
Staid businessmen, typical stay-at-home moms and all other normally sane citizens will act like crazy people as they get caught up in the mania of a winning football program and the march toward the playoffs or even a championship season.
Few people blame them. Go to many sports arenas, and you'll find manic crowds, hilariously costumed and unabashedly raucus, trying to add energy to their boys and make it hard for the opposition to function.
Someone has to ultimately ask, "Why?"
Is the attainment of a victory this week or even a season championship worthy of such behavior?
There are other occasions where you'll find people who act "loud and proud," including those who find themselves at a concert as part of a screaming horde of fans or - and the situations here begin to seem more questionable - mashed on a dance floor of a nightclub or part of a rowdy bunch in a bar, all believing their wild behavior is appropriate ... though some of them did have to drink too much alcohol or take drugs to get them "in the mood."
Scripture paints a word picture (halal) of people so thrilled with God they are "clamorously foolish" -  singing full strength without fear of embarassment, shouting, clapping - doing whatever seems to express joy and excitement.
Can you believe that - people excited that God has moved Heaven and earth to create a relationship between Him and them? That He gave us the sacrifice of His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus to shed His blood on a cross, die to set us free from sin and rise from the dead to confirm our ticket to Heaven. Does it shock you that folks are overwhemed with joy at all the benefits on earth that come with knowing God and being His child? Lives directed by love. Joy that is not thwarted by bad circumstances. Hearts healed of brokenness. Bodies healed of disease and injury. Protection from harm. Having needs provided for.
While all of the circumstances in live here on earth won't be pleasant or what everyone would desire, God has promised to be with His child in the midst of the worst and best of times.
And the long view - the eternal view - is that a child of God is looking forward to eternity spent with God - we call that "Heaven." He has promised to end this world and create a New Heaven and New Earth where we will be with Him doing more than we can ever imagine.
Is that enough to cause someone to act in a manner that some might call foolish, at home, at work, at school, driving down the road - and yes, in the sanctuary in the congregation of those, our brothers and sisters, who are also anticipating Heaven and thankful for their friendship with the Creator of this universe.

Praise and Worship Is More than Style

What seems to be the biggest issue among modern church-goers? Worship style.
More and more people are bouncing from church to church trying to find one that "worships" their way.
A local church here has been created, based on all the information I have, because members from a few churches wanted less formality and more modern praise band and chorus-singing programs - and casual dress.
Another church lost younger members who were involved in the praise band there because they felt unappreciated and underused. They felt the worship style of that church was too traditional and not compatible with their tastes in music.
I worry about that. I love enthusiastic singing. Nobody enjoys good instrumentation being used in worship than I. Traditional hymns and gospel songs will NEVER go completely out of style, as far as I'm concerned, but the singing of simpler chorus can allow the congregation to have liberty to express their praise without restrictions like holding a hymnal. And I love the choruses and the more modern musical genres most often involved.
The main issue needs to be the desire to worship rather than is the music program a style that a person enjoys. Worship is certainly about more than a style, but there are styles enough to satisfy everyone. I believe too many people worry about style more than they spend time worshipping.

Praise and worship is about MUCH more than music. I would, however, like to spend some time discussing the common definition of worship - though in terms that might be unfamiliar with most.
Praise and worship are defined in scripture. God's word informs His people; we have no excuse for NOT worshipping or not knowing how to worship.
In the Hebrew language are seven words used in the Bible that are translated "praise" in English. From the first word, "halal," we derive the word "hallelujah."
In my church, and many others I've have attended, you won't hear people crying, "Hallelujah!" very often. Many members don't know what they're saying if they do. It might be shouted less often if they did.
Psalm 113:1: "Praise (halal) the Lord! Praise (halal), O servants of the Lord, praise (halal) the name of the Lord!"
Psalm 150:1: "Praise (halal) the Lord! Praise (halal) God in his sanctuary; praise (hala) Him in His mighty firmament!"
The Hebrew word tells God's people to "be clear, to shine, to boast, show, to rave, celebrate, to be clamorously foolish."
Clamorously foolish? Rave? Boast? Too few of us are even doing something that could be called "celebration." It's no wonder we are not "shining" and making it "clear" to those observing us who our God is or that His people are convinced that He is worthy of praise.
Have you ever heard a child boast, "My daddy is stronger than your daddy"? Have you ever heard a young girl (and even a young boy) rave about their new loved one? It might sound foolish, but you understand their enthusiasm. You jaded older folks are jealous that they can still feel things so strongly and be uninhibited in their praise.
We, who call ourselves the "people of God," have more reason to express such uninhibited enthusiastic praise of GOD than any young lover or child. He is God. He has provided us salvation through Jesus Christ so that we may have an intimate relationship with Him. He has given to us life abundant and eternal.
God is worthy of our "halal!"

Blogging for Books

Among the exciting vistas opening to bloggers is the opportunity to receive free books to review. I am exploring that. As a newspaper writer and editor, I do already receive offers to read and review books and thought I might post the review (slightly altered) that will appear in the October 5 edition of the Waycross Journal-Herald.
Pelican Publishing Company has afforded me the chance to review some of their books. I have, most often, reviewed children's and young adult novels, because I can easily pass those to my wife, Kathy, a teacher, for her use or the benefit of other teachers and students.
I, without requesting a copy, was sent "Eclipse of the Jaguar," a young adult novel and part of a series, one of which ("Sign of the Dragon") I had read and reviewed. I don't know if they liked my review and, therefore sent this new book to me or whether my name just stuck on their list to my benefit.

(“Eclipse of the Jaguar” by Richard Trout: Pelican Publishing Company; ISBN: 9781589808720)
Slide high above the ground on  a rope trolley through a jungle in Belize. Be chased by an angry mother jaguar. Fall prey to a fall-trap inside a Mayan temple. Play hide-and-seek with gun-toting looters.
That is more than enough danger to last a lifetime for most people, but the MacGregor teens — Chris, Heather and R.O. and Chris’s girlfriend, Natalie — barely escape death and serious injury from these perils in just the first several pages of Richard Trout’s seventh novel in the MacGregor Family Adventure Series, “Eclipse of the Jaguar.”
The sacrifices to the Mayan gods by tribal kings in the seventh century reach forward 1400 years to endanger the lives of two young people as multinational treasure hunters cross and double-cross one another to claim the gold, silver and jewels amassed by four kings long ago.
Every member of the family and several unique friends put their lives on the line to rescue the captive young people from the mysterious Mr. Frost.
Once you accept the premise of a family spending a year crossing the globe (the father, Jack MacGregor, is researching a book on endangered species, and his family is traveling from one exotic location to another with him), and the kids are capable of braving wild animals and harsh environments and out-dueling armed villains, this and the other Trout books (I believe ... I’ve only read two) contain about as much fun and excitement as you can handle without a break — before starting the next episode.

The book is written by a professor of environmental science and biology at Oklahoma Christian University. More about Trout and his writings can be found at pelicanpub.com or the blog of the OCU web site.