To God Be the Glory...

Ever since I started following the Lord the word worship has meant one thing to me, singing along with a song by Hillsong, Chris Tomlin, etc. It was always that rush of the Holy Spirit that I associated with the word worship, but recently I have realized that worship is so much more than lifting your hands and singing.  I have learned that Worship is anything that is bringing glory to God.  It can be anything ranging from serving your neighbors to helping your grandma clean her house. To me Worship is not about the action, worship is about the mindset behind the actions.  If you have the mind set of "God thank you for allowing me to do this" or "Lord let me do (blank) to the best of my ability", to me thats when I am worshipping.  It is about the mindset of giving the glory to God in everything you do throughout your day! That continual act of worship will in return bring joy and peace to your day!
I have recently started playing the guitar, so obviously im not the most talented musician in the world and as a result I get frusterated easily. I have this kinda pedestal that I put my favorite musicians on, like man I wish I was as good as they are, or if only I could be half as good as them.  Then I realized, the reason I started playing guitar wasn't to be the best guitar player ever to live but instead to worship Christ through music.  As I thought about it one day when I started to get frusterated, I realized that any music that is gloryifying God is a beautiful in the ears of the Lord.  No matter if it is Christy Nockels rocking the mic, Shane & Shane harmonizing perfectly, or its me breaking strings on the guitar, God knows that the reason you are playing is to bring Him glory!
I have been listening to this song called "closer" by Shawn McDonald lately, in one part of the song he is just calling out to Jesus about how he wants to be closer to God in everything he does.  Lately I have felt this exact same cry from my heart to want to be closer to Him!

"Where ever you go

Where ever you are

I just want be there with you

I just want to be closer to you

I just want to be closer

I am yours

You can have all of me anything everything

I just want to be closer

I just want to be closer to you

I just want to be closer

For I am yours

You can have all of me anything, everything

I just want to be closer"

Love, Joy, Peace through the Father!
Love you all :)

Romans 12:1