01/08/12 – Worship from Resurrection Fellowship on Vimeo.

Rocky with the Rez team recently. Loveland, CO

LIVE Stream Sunday at www.rez.org, go to media, live webcast at 8:30 or 10:30 am.

Happy Birthday to Dave Powers, a son of my heart, my daughter’s God-sent love, and extraordinary daddy to my grandson

I love you, Dave.  I thank God for the day He sent you our way.  I will never forget the spiritual dream given to me in the early morning hours of the hope you were bringing, or of meeting you later that day, not even recognizing you as that dream fulfiller.  I still laugh knowing that the day dad proposed to me almost 30 years ago, He was putting all the shattered pieces together and you were being born into the world.  There God was, unbeknownst to us, putting all the pieces in place until the appointed time.

You were sent to us. I know this.  Maybe like the guy in the movie. And I thank God for it.

You are a man on fire.

For the past few years, I have watched you as a contagious, youthful-zeal and passion guy whose love for Jesus invited people, just swept them in, to awe and worship of God; a preacher who could rain down the words of righteousness like life and bring hope and joy.  You are always at your strongest when you release true joy in a room, btw.  Always.  But this season, as we have ventured into an unknown that is beyond anything any any of us have ever seen (and I mean: I have been around the block!),  I am keenly aware of the size of the vision and the gift of communication God has entrusted to you.  I have watched you become a voice that cannot be ignored, a spiritual stateman serving notice in enemy territory.  I have told the interns: You are watching history unfold.  You are hearing some of the most clear, visionary, faith-building, hope-infusing, revolutionary, enemy-diminishing, Kingdom-advancing words of our time.  You are being exposed to something unbelievably powerful and earth-changing.  Watch for how God plans to use that in your life, through your life, because this?  This is an honor.

But if I say, “I will not mention his word

or speak anymore in his name,”

his word is in my heart like a fire,

a fire shut up in my bones.

Jeremiah 20.9a

I have told them that, these young interns (ww.heavenfest.com),  because I am aware of its’ truth.  I get to hear you speak often and every. single. time. I am BLOWN AWAY by the power of it.  Especially because I also know the gentleness and purity of it.  Because I am your mother-in-law and I know for a fact that what you speak to the crowds is absolutely as transparent and real as when you stop and take the time (so so so often) to speak to just one person, even me.  I watch people walk away from listening to you, as you invite everyone to know and love Jesus like never before, and I understand their awe, I get that the anointing has begun the removal of some yokes and they are amazed at this Dave Powers.  I listen as they try to express.  And I can stand there knowing full well that who you are on stage or in front of a crowd is the tip of the iceberg of the man of character and faith, the husband, the father, the son and brother, the man you are outside of the spotlight (which you have never tried to find anyway), what they see, what impresses people – is never more true than when no one is looking.  Yes, this is what I know.

If anyone could think differently, wouldn’t it be the mother-in-law?  *smile

You were sent.

You belong to your parents.  They birthed you and raised you and did a great job.  I am grateful to their sacrifices and commitment to see you be all God had in mind.  But God sent you to us.  We got you as a gift.  And I thank Him for that.

Here are some words from me to you

Happy Birthday, David Michael Powers.  Son of my heart.  I didn’t birth you, but I am as proud of you as if I did. xxxooo Mom

Jon Powers (drums) with Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris on the Hope for Haiti telethon Friday night.  Jon is my son-in-law, Dave Powers’ brother.

Such a quiet, sweet, soulful performance of “Hallelujah,” the classic Leonard Cohen song.  Tredessa says I simply cannot write the words to the song on this blog.  For obvious reasons (some of which Justin left out on his version here).

There is a family debate about whether or not Elvis once sang this song.  Stormie is sure of it.  And after she said so, I could sort of hear him singing it in my head, too.  But Tredessa says Elvis wouldn’t have touched this song with a 10-foot pole (due to risque themes)…and I guess it wasn’t even released until some years past his death.  But, so, ok.  Stormie and I think Elvis should sing it – if he is still alive.

Nonetheless, Hallelujah!…Jeanie

This October is craaaaaazy-busy-fun and occasion-filled!

Like, we have three family birthdays in October (mine, Hunter’s and still-to-come: Jovan’s!).  I turned 50 (shhh…there is no need to think about this, nor mention it aloud) with dinner at Cinzzetti’s~

 Cinzzetti’s

Pictured: Me and my baby, Stormie;  Patrice is telling me right at this very second that she is pregnant with their 3rd child!  Me, Pearl and Marilyn.  I screamed immediately following…

DP nearly ate Cinzzetti’s out of mussels; me and the 5 grandbebes who were well-contained in our private room.

I have sweet friends (almost every single one of whom is younger than me, I noticed), and a lovely family.  Thank-you, everybody for celebrating my life even if I could have gone without noticing the new decade.  I am blessed.

Hunter and the wheels-in-motion cake and fun-on-wheels party for himself and 25 of his closest friends:

Hunter turned “The Garage” into a speedway.  There were trikes and bikes and skateboards and more.  Kids zoomed one way and then the next.  It was crazy loud and speedy.  Hunter got the chocolate fudge cake he wanted in the shape of a “5″ and when, the other day, he reminded he really, really, really wanted some lightening bolts, too, in honor of his current favorite movie, Bolt, I whipped up a strawberry cake at the last second to cut out and ice some lightening bolt shapes for flanking the main cake.

But, oh my goodness, it is what I did with the cut-off-cake crumbs that needs to be mentioned.  Into a bowl:  leftover chocolate-fudge cake, the rest of the fudge filling, a block of cream cheese, a can of cherry pie filling.  Mixed well.  Cookie-scooped onto baking sheets and thrown into the freezer until they were just firm enough to coat with melted white chocolate.  Chocolate-Cherry Cake Bites, o yeah!  To. die. for.  Yum.  Seriously!

Poor Magoo ended up very, very sick at his own party.  He conked out, but the fun held up.

There was a Worship and the Word Movement PSTeam (prayer-support team) potluck at the MadCap Theater (a great  improv place-you should totally go!)

 http://www.madcapimprov.com/

Last night there was a Seek and Soak with TOM EWING (a man DP called a general in worship ministry).  Here is the kick-off song featuring Tom, Sing to the King

In the video, left to right: Rocky Rhoades on guitar, Tom Ewing, Tristan on drums, Stormie on bass, DP on lead guitar (and leading the whole Seek and Soak), Lewis Brown (a.k.a. Proxy), and Lewis Brown, Sr. on sax.  It was an amazing night.  Musical worship, the Word of God, 3+ hours of encounter-worship, about 100 people entering the Presence, even Baptists!   Smile, Emily!  That was for you!

Let’s see…what else?

Jovan and Rocky will find out if it is a boy or a girl at their next appointment.   Goody!

There is the celebration of Amy Jo’s baby-to-be this Thursday night.

And Saturday night I get to go see the final Delirious concert in Colorado ever as they are on their farewell tour.  This band changed everything in the 90s and they are still such a class act, men of integrity who love Jesus and are soooo talented.  They changed the sound of worship and people around the world  go deeper worship via the songs of the Lord they introduced.  Got to see them at Ichthus and now here.  I love them and how they have influenced my own children to become History Makers.

Also ~ Dave will play the lead in the Platte Valley Player’s community theaters’ presentation of “Suspenders,” a musical comedy, as part of the grand opening celebration of Brighton’s newly restored/renovated armory as a community arts center/theater in Brighton’s “downtown.”  He’ll be performing in it over the next few weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.  I’ll be attending the very first performance on Monday the 19th (an event for which I bought a dress!!).  I am somewhat divided in my joy about the fact that Dave is also painting the backdrop for the show and there are 6 giant 8′ x 4′ canvases in my living room at this time.

Family Time!

I will be going to spend a week with my mama et papa in Springfield, MO, where they wrongfully and stubbornly retired a year and a half ago and now wish to leave to be closer to any of us that they know (do you know of anyone house-hunting in Springfield??  Help!).  They will spoil me rotten and my brother Joe is meeting me there, too.  We will visit Branson, about a half hour from them, for the express purpose of giving my mother her dream-come-true in visiting the Roy Rogers/Dale Evans Museum before it closes its’ doors for good this December.

I am already working on church Christmas decor.  In October!

Upon my return, I will enjoy the grandbebes playing dress-up for the church’s annual Harvest Fest and then, as they have all requested (informing me that it is a tradition, one I must have started unknowingly), all will gather at our home for broccoli-cheese soup (because I make incredible zuppa).

Life.  It can wear you out!

Dave is sick and they are checking him for H1N1 tomorrow morning, though they have already started him on antibiotics.  What in the world??  Who has time for this?

Just trying to keep up…Jeanie

NOTE TO SELF:  Loosen up some time in November and December.  Right.

That is what every MC and all bands seemed to yell to get a cheer from the crowd in Wilmore, Kentucky for Ichthus’ 40th Anniversary Festival.

 

pictured: DP praying with people after a break-out session

They so graciously allowed us (Dave, Tara and Hunter, Tredessa, Luke and his wife and son, and Kyle and myself, along with the techno kings) to attend, hang out backstage and ask questions of their leadership.  Their generous sharing of insight and wisdom is a priceless blessing to us.

pictured: Dess and Hunter and me; TP + DP; Tre and her “birthday man”; Hunter and Kyle.

Kentucky was wet, very wet…and muddy (we don’t get much mud here), but very lush and beautiful, too.  There is great community there and really good food!  I had lunch across the table from Shane Claiborne, and just a few tables away from Delirious  (although Dave and Tara actually got to “hang” with Martin Smith while Hunter played games on Martin’s phone), enjoyed some awesome worship at the New Song Cafe with Brenton Brown.  Skillet did a killer show (pictured below, right).  Israel Houghton is the all-new Andrae, incredible show and back-up dancer/singers!  Seriously, when I get to heaven, I better be able to dance like that!

One of the great highlights was Kyle and me facing backwards in the golf cart (Tre was riding shotgun) hanging on for dear life while Alpha-2 madly drove the hills explaining security measures to us.  Everyone he busted gave Kyle and me the looks.  It was like an hour on your favorite carnival ride.  Hilarious!

pictured: Tim, John and Dj DC (the rest of our Coloradan constituency) at the techno stage where the party continued until the wee hours…; Dave and Tara and Hunter with Jenn, Stevie (youth pastors at the big Alliance church in Lexington, where DP & TP did ministry on Sunday morning following Ichthus) and their daughter

And unless we end up promoting Delirious in October here in Colorado (which is still on the possibility-table), I got to see them perform as a band for my very last time and they are just.so.stinking.cool.  I L O V E Delirious!  They changed everything in the mid-90s, everything!  They were the final main stage show, a great end to a great festival.  I felt very hippie-ish and Jesus-people-early-70′s-ish.  (I wrote about Explo ’72 last summer) I was that sweaty and dirty, too.

We stayed in a town home on the Asbury campus and daily passed this house with a “garden” in the gutters.  My hair was fuzzy-crap the entire time.  Hunter ran himself (and maybe his mommy) totally ragged.  We celebrated Tredessa’s birthday there, walked a lot, slept little, ate lots of funnel cakes and onion blossoms and had a pretty great time, all in all.

Our thanks to the kindness and hospitality of Jeff James and everybody at Ichthus.  We have so much gratitude for getting to learn from the best!

It was family-party-celebration-time for Dave (DP) as soon as we got home Ichthus Festival in Kentucky. 

He L-O-V-E-S sushi like crazy!  But not everyone in the family has been wooed to the sushi-side.  So, we got sushi for the fishy of us and then made a bunch of other sushi-looking stuff (very odd combinations! ~ turkey and cheese wraps, tortilla roll-ups, egg rolls cut, etc) and made everyone eat them with chopsticks, wasabi peas and dipping sauces!  Throw in some Asian BBQ pork spare ribs and voila!  The weirdest meal we may ever have had.  All in Dave’s honor.

Yeah, we are that bourgeois.

His “cake,” instead of his traditonal Rice Krispie Treats with a side of Peachie rings each year (that is DP, for ya!),  was a giant chocolate chip cookie along with a super-fresh batch of niece-Elise’s incredible chocolate chip cookies and ice cream.  Can you count all 28 crazy candles?

Dave and Tara.  See those kind faces?  It’s because they really are.  Hunter and Gavin and the chopsticks.  See those ornery faces?  They are that and my heart-fillers, too!

Whew!  We have just completed  9 family birthdays in less than 3 months.  We have a slight reprieve until late July and then we crank up again for the fall season!  But how can I not mark the dates and celebrate these people?  I praise God for them!  O yes, I do!

As Dave restated that phrase: Here I am, I suddenly saw it and heard it differently.

Here, I Am.

I caught a fleeting glimpse of the meaning of yieldedness.  To say Here I am is to say You be here, Great I Am.

Here, God (I AM) be in this circumstance.  Here in our home, I Am, reign.  Be here, I AM, in this hour of indecision, these times of heartbreak, this uncertain future.  Here, I Am.  I surrender to You.  Be here.  Be here…

See more at her blog: http://tarapowers.wordpress.com

My kids have married so well.   It is their anniversaries, but I feel so blessed!