Yesterday

Yesterday Josh preached. He did an awesome job! Greg told me that he had a great crowd in his "Unchristian" class. Yesterday I got invited to play softball. Hmm.

Yesterday, I witnessed a bit of a parking nightmare. After visiting another church, I arrived at our church between the 1010 and 1115 services. I came in the front entrance and went into the south parking lot. What I saw there was kind of painful. There were about five cars just hanging out, waiting for a parking spot to open. A few were driving around in a circle waiting for someone to leave. It was like the only place to park was there on the south side in front of the main entrance.

People. Hear my plea. Come in the back entrance by the youth and mission building. If you don't know where it is, find it. Come in the back entrance. Leave that south lot for visitors and the elderly. If you come in the back entrance, you can find a place to park with no problem. That means that you won't be driving around blocking others who do want to park.

Please consider those who need to park close, and the general flow of traffic when you come to park. Jesus told his followers not to take the best seat at the table. I am asking that you come into the lot, drive past some open spaces and take a spot that is open further away so that we don't tie up traffic driving around waiting for the perfect spot.

Thanks for listening. I love you all and you are wonderful.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

the blues

The blues are back. Not for me. They bounced around and landed on an unsuspecting friend. Someone who actually helped me last year when I had found them.

We were talking the other night and he mentioned how every one would think it was silly, looking at his life, everyone would think that he should be happy as a bee.

That is probably true.

But here is what struck me as we were talking. Do you know how many people love you? In this moment when you are feeling down, when you are struggling a bit, do you know how many people put you on their stellar human being list?

The blues make their rounds to everyone, even this beloved person. Blue he may be, but loved is he as well. And love is the answer. It always pulls us out. We always find our "A" game again because God's love, and the love of others just heals us.

How many people out there love you? More than you think.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

my lucky day

Well. Yesterday was my lucky day. I got one speech and two phone calls from people who wanted to tell me that they loved me. For no reason. I was on their heart and in their minds, so they called me to make sure I was ok and tell me that they loved me.

Well. Wow. That is a very very good feeling.

Who is on your mind today? Who has God given you? Call them. Tell them that you are thinking of them and praying for them.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

more on Haiti

Several have asked if our church will be doing something to help the earthquake victims in Haiti. The answer, of course, is yes.

We will be receiving a special offering this Sunday at all services. In the near future, as opportunities open up, I am also sure that you will be hearing about mission trips and other ways that we can help.

The United Methodist Church is very active in providing relief for such global calamities. You can read more about what the general church is doing at www.umc.org/haiti

Keep the people of Haiti in your prayers. About the only joy I ever see in such tragedy is that the churches step up and respond in such positive ways. Moments of pain provide us with a chance to be the hands and feet of Christ.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Haiti

Wow. The pictures coming in from the earthquake in Haiti are devastating. Let us join together and pray for those impacted by the quake. Also, let us be thinking of ways that we can reach out and be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to these people.

On a side note, in spite of what at least one Christian leader is saying, earthquakes are a natural disaster. They are not visited upon certain people whom God deems evil. The Christians in Haiti were not spared this catastrophe. They died in equal numbers to those who practice voodoo. Earthquakes are a natural disaster. Like a tornado. Jesus said, "the rain falls on the just and the unjust."

This is not about who the good and the bad people are. This is another reminder that life is a mystery and we don't have all the answers. It is a chance for us to act out our faith and care about those who are hurting, and in some small way allow this tragic event to be marked by the grace and love of God.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

lost opportunities

An opportunity was lost to share one's faith. Another day goes by and I did not talk to anyone about Jesus Christ.

Well, here is another perspective......what opportunities do we lose if we push too hard? When you work on someone in a way that they feel like your "project," they are going to recoil from you. They will see you coming from a mile away and go the other direction. Opportunities lost.

So we Christians just need to be really careful about how and when we open our big mouths. Jesus did not give altar calls and it is not our job to close the sale for God. We are instead to be carriers of his love and grace. We are to be ready always to give answer of the hope that lies within you.

You will know when the time is right. Don't lose your opportunity to reach them by scaring them away.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Our Town

Yes, the video that ran with the song, "In the City" was awesome. WM put that together. I hope there will be more.

Yes, the boss say about "My Home Town."

Yesterday I finished the book, "Our Town." Actually it is a play by Thornton Wilder. It is a quick read, it took about an hour. As I have been getting older, I have had a growing desire to read "the classics." A friend recommended Our Town to me, and I finally got around to reading it.

I am not going to blow the plot for you, but I will make one point that the author makes: We cannot just go through the motions. Life is short. I see you. I see you. You matter to me. Tell someone today. Look them in the eye and tell them that they matter to you.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

worries

Sometimes I wonder about the number of worries that we human beings carry. Life can be very complicated, or it can sure seem complicated.

What will happen with the economy?
How can we help people in need?
How are my children doing, really?
What will happen with health care?
Am I really living sacrificially?
What if the wheels come off?

I am sure that I could add to this list, as could you. There are a number of things that wear heavily on our minds. When I find my brain filled with such thoughts, I just try to remember the simple things.

God loves me.
God loves you.
I survived being a teenager.
So will they.
I will help everyone that I can.

Sort of a "life is short, don't sweat the small stuff." God is good, and we can trust in him regardless of our circumstances. There is plenty of good to see in the simple truths that are always true.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

the healing power of Sunday

Sometimes there are those days. Days when you wake to frozen pipes, dog barf and cars that won't start. Maybe you laid awake for an hour wondering where a kid was that missed their curfew. [O no, not me!]

These are days when we just want to sleep a little longer. These are days when the dog might get kicked. These are days when we don't "feel" like going to church.

In my life, I have found that if I allow myself to fall further into such feelings, then they just take hold. If on the other hand, I get up and get busy, the positive side of my brain comes back to life.

I don't have the luxury of sleeping in when Saturday night is a poo. I still have to get up and go. But I will tell you, every time without fail that I have struggled on Sunday morning, by 8am, I am healed. And that is because of you.

I see your faces. I feel your hearts. They joy of your presence makes a difference for me. I am healed.

This will probably work for any of you that are having a slow start. Go ahead, get up, get a move on, and get to church. See if the joy of God's family doesn't put the smaller issues of life in perspective.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Connie Thomas

From the New Orleans Times-Picayune

The Rev. Connie Marie Thomas, a minister who used her zeal to help repair buildings and souls that Hurricane Katrina had battered, died Nov. 24 of pneumonia at Touro Infirmary. She was 51. "She had what I would call a pastor's heart," said the Rev. Ramonalynn Bethley, district superintendent for the New Orleans area in the United Methodist Church's Louisiana Conference. "To me, it is a faith that is lived out in actions toward others -- in listening to others, in caring for others and in serving their needs," she said. "Christ can come in a warm meal or a cold glass of water. "Pastor Thomas, a native New Orleanian who had led two churches in the city when the storm struck in August 2005, helped establish Luke's House, a free clinic at Mount Zion United Methodist Church. She was no stranger to storm-related losses. Katrina's winds peeled off the roof of her Uptown home. In another church-related duty, Pastor Thomas was in charge of about 30,000 volunteers who converged on New Orleans after the storm. That job, which she held for two years, included finding housing for these people, feeding them and deploying them.

That is what the newspaper said. This is what I want to say:

Connie Thomas was one of the first people that I met when I went to New Orleans in January of 2006. She visited Woods Chapel Church that next month. She preached to us and told us the story of need in new Orleans. Her words opened the hearts of many to go to New Orleans and work in the mission field there.

She welcomed our groups and was so kind and jovial. Her laughter and smile were contagious.

I had lunch or dinner with her every time I went to New Orleans. We talked about ministry and life. She invited me to say a few words to her congregation one year when I was there on a Sunday. She was one of God's foot soldiers. She was my friend.

Pneumonia. Age 51. Hard to figure. I will miss her. This is still our Father's world.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Snow, still

Well, I can barely see the house anymore. I hope that spring comes soon so that we can find my daughters car.

Speaking of cars, I remember when I was in college in Springfield in 1977-78 and 78-79, we had some really bad winters. I remember so much snow and cold weather. None of the college student's cars would start for a month. We tried everything. We jumped them. We put in new batteries. We even pushed my '73 Vega and i popped the clutch. It was so cold that the viscosity of the oil reduced it to sludge. The pistons would not move in their cylinders.

Those winters, I rode my bicycle to work. It was an old beater with knobby tires. I rode it ten blocks in a foot of snow to cover my shifts at the self service gas station where I worked.

I can remember watching the clock at the bank on Glenstone St. It had the time and temperature. I was so excited when one day the temperature got above freezing, because I knew that the snow was going away. Finally.

This snow will go away too. Thank God.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good, if you can see out your door that is.

uh huh. snow pt. 4

I have shovelled the driveway more this winter than in all previous winters at this house combined. My kids do not remember in their lifetime ever seeing this much snow, and this cold of temperatures for so long.

I am going to rename our town Minneapolis or Duluth or Greenbay. Heck, where is our ski resort? With this much snow we should live in Denver.

Let's do a remake of the movie Fargo. We won't even have to go to North Dakota.

I lived in Tulsa for 3 years. It snowed once. It snowed 3 inches overnight and was 70 degrees the next day. Obviously that snow did not last very long. I lived in California for 7 years. It snowed once while I lived there. You could see the snow up in the foothills. Everyone got in their cars and drove up highway 17 toward Santa Cruz. When we got to the summit where the snow was, everyone got out and had a snowball fight. There were tons of people up there enjoying the novelty of snow.

I was accosted at work yesterday. Employees of your church threw snowballs at me and tried to bury my truck. Not nice.

At least we should be able to go skiing. It has been too long since I have been skiing.

Well, certainly all of this snow will help us to appreciate spring. I think that we should have a big party this year when spring arrives. What do you say to that?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

snow, part 3

It seemed to snow a lot more when I was a kid. Seemed like every year it would snow a ton and we would go sledding on streets packed with snow. We used real sleds too, with metal runners, none of this plastic stuff that the kids use today. We would tie our sleds together. My sister would ride on my back. We would jump our sleds off over retaining walls and then lie to my Dad about how they got broken. We made snow men that were taller than we were. We made forts and had snow ball fights. We would skate down the driveway in our black rubber galoshes. Once I did it backwards, slipped and fell and broke my nose. There was always a ton of snow, but it was never that cold.

Then I grew up, and other than the winters of 77-78 and 78-79, it didn't snow much. Until this year. First blizzard in 20 years. Stuck in the single digits for two weeks. Ugg.

I used to tell my kids about how much snow we got when I was little. Now I can show them. It is pretty, but it is cold. I think I am going to throw a party when spring gets here.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

snow, again

I loved Sharon's comment from yesterday.....infact sometimes the best things about this blog are the comments.

Sharon said,
So, in the final analysis, you'd have to admit that snow is a good thing because it causes you to want to pray and visit with God. And since snow is cold, which you don't like, you'll have to practice your patience. Turn up the thermostat, wear your warm clothes, enjoy the beauty of the snow and your time with God and wit [patiently] for spring like the rest of us. I'm not sure praying for spring is a good thing. Isn't that like wishing your life away? Wanting to get to the "good part" and not having to deal with the "bad stuff"? Don't get me wrong, I like spring too and I get a little anxious waiting for it, but life is way too short to be wishing for the days between now and then to be gone.

Yesterday around 4:00pm, I was clearing my driveway [again] and when I turned off the snowblower, it seemed so peaceful and serene outside. And then, like it was meant to happen, the bells at church started ringing. God was there--he likes snow.

Thank you Sharon. So well said.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

snow, more snow.....

Here are the top five snowiest winters ever recorded in Kansas City:
1) 67.0” in 1911-1912
2) 58.5” in 1959-1960
3) 55.0” in 1961-1962
4) 42.4” in 1925-1926
5) 38.6” in 1898-1899

Average winter snowfall (metro ranges):
Kansas City Intl. (1971-2000): 20.1"
Lee's Summit (1971-2000): 15.6”

Last year’s total snowfall (KCI):13.4”
Last year's total snowfall (Lee's Summit): 10.0"

Lowest seasonal snowfall total: 4.5; (1922-1923)
Highest seasonal snowfall total: 67.0” (1911-1912)

Warmest winter season: 39.0 degrees* 1931-1932
Coldest winter season: 21.5 degrees* 1978-1979
[I remember the winter of 78-79]

Last year’s winter season: 36.0 degrees*
Coldest temperature ever recorded: -23 degrees on Dec. 22 and 23, 1989

Ok, so. I am tired of winter. I am praying for Spring. This reminds me of my worst winter on record. In some strange way, snow makes me want to pray. It makes me want to visit with God about how he is running the world. I think about Florida. I think about how I liked snow when I was younger, but I am not so keen on it now. I think about how you just have to trust God and hang on when you don't like the circumstances.

So. It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good. Cold, but good.

2010

Well today, it is back to work for me. First day of work in 2010. Not that I didn't do any work on Friday and Saturday, but they are not officially work days. 2010. I have been thinking a good deal about what may come up in 2010.

First, let me say that we are not guaranteed any of 2010. Each and every day that God grants us this year, is a true blessing.

Having said that, I have some things to look forward to in 2010. Another one of my children is turning 21. They get so excited about that. My oldest will graduate from college in December. Awesome! Lord I am praying!

Mostly I think about this year and I just have a feeling that there may be some very special things happen at our church in 2010. What are your dreams for God? Has he been talking to you? Are you open to hear his voice? What might he do in you and me in 2010? Just the thought of it is inspiring to me.

"speak Lord, your servants are listening."

It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

things that go bump in the night

I am wide awake. Every winter we have these loud cracking, booming noises in the middle of the night. All I can think of what they are is that it is the house settling or expanding and contracting as the extreme cold of outside encounters the dwelling that is heated to 68 degrees.

Does this happen at your house or am I crazy? Don't answer the crazy part.

Anyway, it is kind of fun to be wide awake at 4am, keeping watch over the random noises of the house. It is the quiet time in the morning when no one wants anything and you are left with your own thoughts and the contemplations of the soul.

I was writing to a friend earlier and I used the word "metaphysics." Woo. Look at me. Metaphysics. The science or study of that which goes beyond physics. Who are we? Why are we here.

The older I get, the simpler I find this very complex topic to be. What ever you believe about life, love, the soul, eternity, it all boils down to one thing. We are here to be conduits of God's love. To receive it, and to then dispense it. To collect and distribute. To gather and then disperse. I know when I am receiving it and then giving it away, I am happy. To the core, I am happy. When I am not doing this, life is goofed up.

I meet with people all the time that ask me about the purpose of their lives. I always answer the same. Receive the love of God, and then give it away. Everything else comes after that or is subservient to that.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Happy New Year

The Missouri Tigers lost. Well, if given a choice at the beginning of the year between making a bowl game and losing, or not making a bowl game, which would you choose? Congrats to the Tigers.

I talked to someone last night who had a friend throw them away in 2009. Over something that was nothing. Now they are heartbroken over something that should have never have ended a friendship.

2010 is upon us. May the Missouri Tigers win. May your team win too. My wife likes the Jayhawks. May they win too. May the economy grow. May you find friendship and love. May we not bury any of our friends in 2010. May we engage in mission beyond ourselves that makes God happy.

Here we go, if God gives us the breath. 2010 awaits us.

Its a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

have a little faith

Well, I just finished the book, Have a little faith, by Mitch Albom. One of the book clubs is sponsoring a discussion time about the book on Monday, February 1st. Plenty of time for you to get the book, read it, and show up. I will be there to add my two cents.

I am not sure how to tell you what the book is about. It is about a man and his rabbi and his pastor. It is about a man and his faith. It is about the journey of human life. It is very good.

One quote that I liked,
"I walked a mile with Pleasure;
She chatted all the way;
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow,
And ne'er a word said she;
But, oh! The things I learned from her,
When Sorrow walked with me."

I think the book is available in our bookstore at church, if not, I think you can get it about anywhere.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

more snow

Ugh. It is pretty, but it is a pain. Everyone is tired of shovelling their driveway. Be careful if you go out driving. Stay off the road if you have rear wheel drive. If you do venture out, do everything at half speed. Almost every wreck, no, every wreck in the snow always boils down to someone was going too fast. Front wheel drive cars and 4x4's get around better in the snow, but they do not stop any faster. Slow down.

Take a hat, gloves, blanket, and water bottles with you. Be prepared. You never know what will happen. Maybe you will be safe, but you may have to stop and get out to help someone else.

If you need an 18 year old boy to shovel your drive, call Scott at 719-6963.

Enjoy the snow as you can. It is beautiful. Don't waste the day being mad at the snow. It is one of God's gifts of winter. Nothing lasts forever. Make a snow ball. Throw it at someone.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

love

I have been thinking about it lately. And that is a good thing. Love is the most important thing that we do. It is the most valuable commodity that we share. At the end of the day, it is the thing that everyone wants. You may have a great car, a big house, a fat wallet, good health, even a long life, but if you are coming up short on love, it all rings a little bit hollow.

Anthony Demello has some very cool things to say about love. One of them is, "the lover creates the love." There are so many things to think about that statement, I am not sure where to begin. My grey matter begins to arc when I ponder those words....the lover creates the love.

As the fat cat jumps into my lap, I am at this moment reminded of a good illustration of this point. When we got the fat one [her real name is Princess Kiki] she hid from me. She hid from everyone. I can remember thinking, why do we feed a cat that will not sit on your lap. Well, I just kept working on that cat, getting in my cat scratchins as she would allow. Over time, she decided that I was ok. Now, this cat waits for me in the morning. I open the bedroom door and there she is. We walk together to the top of the stairs where we both sit down, and I give her the first cat loving of the day. The lover creates the love.

I really believe that we have the chance in this life to become friends with everyone. It's just a matter of how you treat them. The lover creates the love. Eventually they will come to it. Proverbs 16 says, "a wise man makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." The lover creates the love.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

thoughts from the sermon

There were a few troubling thoughts in the sermon yesterday. Troubling to me.

"Do the gifts that I give to others have any real meaning or am I just fulfilling some sort of an obligation?"

"How many sweaters should one person own?"

"Consumption. Am I an over-consumer? Do I hurt people by how much I consume? Does my level of consumption keep me from giving gifts? Am I even brave enough to ask such questions and truly examine my life?"

"Perfume and jewelry and sweaters are not gifts, they are apologies for gifts. the only true gift is a part of one's self."

I guess it is a good thing when the preacher is still thinking about the sermon on Monday morning.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Open for business

Yes. We are open for business. All four services. The coffee is on and the parking lot and the sidewalks are cleared.

I woke up this morning to 2 more inches of snow and a long list of church closings. Keep in mind, there are many that are staying open.

Come as you are. Wear your snow shoes. Messed up hair. No one cares. We are open for business. The presence of God is already there.

Hope to see you.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

real life

Well, I woke up about twenty minutes ago. I was having an awesome dream. I was in Royals stadium, in the outfield seats. A home run had been hit and I caught the ball. The next batter hit another home run and the ball bounced around and came over by me. I was just diving down, leaning down to get the ball, my hand was on the ball.............and I woke up.

What a happy moment. Two home run balls, back to back. But no, you wake up, and there is a foot of snow in your driveway and it is 12degrees. That is real life. I isn't always like what happens in your dreams.

I got out of bed. Even though I was not in Royals stadium, I got out of bed.

I believe that this is a gift of God. Getting out of bed and putting your game face on, even when, especially when real life is not as good as your dreams. It isn't always easy, but we have to learn to throw back the covers and put our feet on the floor one at a time. Any hope that we have of achieving something this day, begins with one single step in the right direction. Trusting in God's goodness is a big help too.

It's a beautiful day, but a cold and snowy day in God's world., be sure to see the good.

Christmas 2009

Wow. Well there are many things that we will remember and celebrate regarding Christmas 2009. Where do I begin?

Let's start with, I got up at 6:30am. My wife was already up and about. This is the first time in 23 years that I was not the first one awake on Christmas day.

Snow. A lot of snow. So much snow that for the first time in 25 years, we are not going to Cathy's parents for Christmas day.

Snow. I have to get down the shovel. By the way, if you want your driveway shoveled, I have an 18 year old son that is looking for work. 373-1525.

Services last night. Well, we had them. All six of them. Yes attendance was off, but not really that much. Cumulatively on the day, we still had just over 2,000 people in worship. The music was beautiful, the atmosphere was electric. Everyone that made the extra effort to attend will surely remember the Christmas eve of 2009. Regarding the message, one of my kids came up to me afterwards and said with tears, "Dad, I so needed to hear that." Well it doesn't get any better than that.

Today. Watch the news. Listen to Christmas music. Wait for the kids to wake up. [isn't that a switch. When they are little, they are in your room at 5am trying to get you up on Christmas day. Now at age 18, 20 and 22, they may sleep til 11:oo.] What else today. Shovel the sidewalk. Eat the food. Eat some more. Take a nap. Watch the movie, the Christmas story. Give thanks to God for the many many blessings.

I want to take a moment to wish each of you the Merriest of Christmases. The kind of Christmas that will last beyond today and stretch into tomorrow and the rest of the year. You and Jesus, with something really good going on. God's love, pouring into your heart, and a year filled with love pouring into you and out thru you to others.

Merry Christmas!

It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

I went to church

Last night I got to go to Church. It is not very often that I just get to go and sit in church. Last night I went to the first ever meeting of the Beacon UMC at the SAC [Sports Activity Complex] in Independence. The owner of the SAC is allowing the new church to meet there for free. What a blessing. The space was decorated so nicely. There was a parking lot attendant, a door man, greeters and ushers. The band was great. There was a giant screen for the powerpoint. Pastor Dave and Donna H did a great job with the message. Holy Communion was served. Over 100 people were in attendance.

I was so happy to be there. So happy for the new church start. So pleased that your new church is off to a good start. So glad to just be able to go to church and worship.

You all are invited to attend Christmas Eve services today at Woods Chapel. Regardless of the weather, our schedule will be as follows: 10am, 4pm, 530pm, 7pm, 830pm and 11pm. Remember, there is always a special feeling when we make the effort to attend church when the weather is bad. God bless you my friends, I wish you a very Merry Christmas.

It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Christmas Eve

A time of love, a time of peace, and for preachers, a time of high pressure. I remember at a previous appointment, it was my first Christmas Eve there. They had never had a Christmas Eve service. They told me, [they were joking, sort of] "if you want to stay here another year, we are going to have a Christmas Eve service at our church."

Christmas Eve is the time that the most visitors visit the church. More so than on Easter, Christmas Eve is the time when people are looking for a church. I remember when I used to deliver all of the mugs, we were still in the old building, I think we had 25 families visit. That was as many as we had at that time in the previous 6 months.

So, if you are a preacher, you know what I am talking about. Lots of expectations. Everybody has their extended family with them, and there is always someone who says, "hey preacher, I am bringing my mother to Christmas Eve service, and it better be good." So if you are a preacher, you need to find some quiet time today and tomorrow before the service. Listen for the voice of the angel. Listen to the Silent Night. In spite of the hurry and scurry, it is still there.

Speaking of pressure, my brother Dave O is leading his first Christmas service at the new church, the Beacon UMC. That service is tonight at 6pm at the SAC in Independence, 17800 Holke Rd. Please come out tonight to support our new church start.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

I used to go to church

There are tons of people out there with this story.........

I used to go to church. But I quit. The word quit may be a bit strong. I gradually leaned away. I got tired of all of it. There was something at the place that just was not clicking. Too many power struggles. Too much humanity, not enough God. Judgement and rejection at the house of grace. Pretense. Oh, I hated the pretense. It became more painful to go, then to stay home.

I used to go to church. They got away from the spirit. Everyone seemed to be going through the motions. They put God in a box. If you didn't agree just right with the prevailing thought of the day, you were scorned. For having a different opinion. At the place where I expected to find love, I found too many other things.

Well, this year, I am thinking about going back. I think about it every year during the Christmas season. I think about sneaking in and finding a place to sit anonymously. I wonder if it will be different than what I remember. I wonder if the people that I meet will be nice to me. I wonder if the pastor's message will be filled with love and grace or something else.

This year, I think we will try that one church on the hill. You know, the one with the green roof. I have a few friends that go there and I hear that it is a good place. I have been disappointed so many times in the past, I sure hope that we will be welcomed, and that we will find God there.

This is the story of so many. If this is your story, come on in and give the church with the green roof a try. See if God's love is still at work in the world.

If this is not your story, please be aware that there will be hundreds of folks at church on Christmas eve that this is their story. Greet them. Welcome them. Seek out the stranger. Let the warm glow of Christ's love pour out of your face. Be a part of the ministry of reconciliation.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

jazz band concert

I really enjoyed the concert last night. If you missed it, you probably won't miss it next year. This was an awesome night of celebration.

One of the things that I enjoyed was a statement by one of the emcee's for the evening who said something like this, "you have been to many Christmas programs at other churches, this won't be anything like those." Everyone laughed. I think I know what he meant. Some programs are very traditional and very "spiritual." There are a few others that are full of guilt. The jazz band program was all about joy and celebration.

Let me tell you,
that,
is very spiritual.

Everything does not always have to be heavy to be good. I think Jesus would love a program of joy and celebration. I sure did.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

a great gift

Yesterday I visited the home of a couple in our church. They were having an open house for their wedding anniversary, only they did not know it. It was a surprise to them and for them. Someone loved them so much that they threw a surprise anniversary party for them.

Here is the kicker.......it was their children, who are in college that threw the party! Imagine that, your kids who are in college love the parents so much that they send invites to their friends and create a surprise celebration.

Amazing.

I hope my kids don't read this. I would never want them to throw a party for the parents simply because someone else's kids did.

I imagine those parents going to bed last night, commiserating on the day. Giving thanks for the amazing gift of love that they received. That is a good thought.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

dogs are not man's best friend

At least not this dog. He is out playing in the yard yesterday. He will not come inside. I call to him from the deck to come in. It is getting dark. It is getting cold. He doesn't care. He wants to run around, bark at his friends and eat who knows what. He has a new little jacket that he is wearing and he thinks that the other dogs think he is cool when he wears it.

I am honest with him. He needs to come in because his mom is coming home. Now I am telling you, he knows who his mom is, and he is always very excited to see her. She has been gone all week and I think saying the word "mom" will get him in. He does not budge.

[the picture to the left was taken later after i got the bum in the house, it is Lou the dog wearing his new jacket, waiting for him mom to come in thru the door. he has not seen her for 4 days and he can hear her in the garage.]

Now, back to the story........He won't come in for his mom, So, I take out the big guns. His brother, Mr. Scotty is coming home from college. They are fast friends. I call to Lou the dog and tell him that Scotty is coming home. That should do it, and he does make a feinting movement toward the stairs but then decides better of it and actually sits down in the grass.

I have used my best weapons. Mom is home and Mr. Scotty is home. The dumb dog will not come in. So, I utter the secret word: "treat." He immediately breaks off the games with the neighbor dogs, leaving them without even saying goodbye. He spits out whatever is in his mouth and breaks on a dead run for the stairs. Bowling over me and any cats that are in the way, he stands whimpering by the treat cabinet. That cabinet has many other things in it, the humans call it the pantry, but for Lou the dog, it is the treat cabinet.

I get the special treat out, he does his little dance. I give him the treat. He wolfs it down in about 4 seconds. But, at least now he is inside where he needs to be when his mom and mr. Scotty come home. But what is the deal? This is man's best friend? No, for this dog at least.....it's all about the treat. He is a bum. He is nobody's best friend, it is all about his stomach. But he does provide some interesting entertainment from time to time.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.

joy

Joy. I awake today with joy.

The joy of seeing an old friend. The joy of having someone that you can say anything to. My wife is coming home today. The joy of having those in your life who forgive your sins. The joy of children that are starting to get it. The joy of a less commercial Christmas. The joy of pastor friends. The joy of the persnickety, elusive, reclusive cat that for some reason today wants to sit on my lap.

The joy of having a church home. The joy of watching people being generous. The joy of someone gathering around because you are simply nice to them. The joy of FPU. A cup of coffee. Disciple Bible Study. The joy of so many people that have called me this season and want to help families in need.

There is so much good. I awake today with joy on my mind, and I thank God for that.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

I hear you don't have a church

I hear that you are a reader of this blog, but that you don't have a church that you attend. Let me take a moment today to invite you to Woods Chapel.

I know that you, like 80% of the rest of America, have been hurt or guilted by some church in the past. At Woods Chapel, we do not deal in guilt. Jesus did not attempt to win people by guilt or fear. It is a bad motivator. It is human attempts to manipulate people. The message of Jesus is so strong, so powerful, that it wins people simply because it is such good news. No guilt or fear is needed.

You are loved. You are forgiven. You are free. You are not required to do anything. God already did it all. What you do at church is all based on your loving response to this God who fills you and leads you, from the inside out.

You don't have to have the right clothes. People at Woods Chapel dress in all ways. No one will even notice what kind of car you drive, what kind of clothes you wear, or what your tattoo says.

Whatever worries or hurts from the past have kept you from attending church, I pray that you give this place a try. There is a joy that comes from being a part of a great group of amazing people. The music is awesome. The mission work continues to astound me. We have excellent programs for children and youth. The thing that you may have been missing in your life, you will find in the hearts of the people and in the presence of Christ.

Please come give us a try. Be sure to introduce yourself to me when you visit, because I want to personally welcome you.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

missions

Missions: helping others in need. Living outside of one's self. Being other centered for the sake of Christ.

Missions is not something that the missions people do. It is not something that the missions department does. Missions is what all Christians do.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

the generous life

Anytime I tell a story in church about a generous act that some person did, there is always someone else who says, "well, I could never do that." No, I cannot give that much money. No, I was not here when a certain sacrifice was made in the past. No, I was not able to adopt a child for Christmas. Such things people will say. All reasonable comments, and all true.

Well, let us take generosity out of the hands of the extravagant and put it into the hands of simple sincerity. No one cares about the size of a gift. No one judges another by how impressive a particular act may be. The widow's mite.

Generosity is an act of the heart. If it is not of the heart, then it is not a generous act. Every person can act generously. To give your time. To bake cookies for another. To share a meal with a friend. To shovel the snow off someone else's porch. To put the magic blue water in their car for their windshield. To loan someone a pair of gloves. To smile at them and hug them. Smiles and hugs are free and they are abundantly available in a generous heart.

Do not worry about big or small, quiet or noisy. Just act out your living in a generous fashion. As God has acted on our behalf in Christ, we can act to touch others. Begin with something small. That is where it all starts. A willing heart, making room for the comfort of another.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

cantata

A great big thank you to everyone who sang in the cantata or played in the orchestra. Cathy and I enjoyed it so very much. I know this is a great deal of work to do each year. I liked what Kris said at the end, "this is the music department's gift to each one in the audience."

Thank you for the gift. Thank you for the beautiful sounds and wonderful message. And somebody thought that the attendance would be light. Ha! Great attendance, great night. What a blessing.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

a blessing

Over the past 52 years, I have seen almost every Christmas special at least once. Most of them, it has been years since I have watched them.

This year, since the sermon series is touching one of the great Christmas specials each week, I have been watching them all.

It has been such a blessing to watch the Grinch, charlie brown, and the Christmas Carol [1951 version with Alistair Sim].

These stories speak to the hearts of people. That is why they are famous. Be sure to take some time this year to sit down and watch them all. It's a wonderful life. The Christmas story. Joyeaux Noel. You will be blessed by the work of God through these movies and TV specials.

Make the time to do it. Don't miss the blessing.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

hacked

Well, I don't know what to think or do about this, but there is something funny going on with this blog. Yesterday when I posted, "the end of winter" everything looked fine. Today as I look at the post from yesterday, the word "degrees" is highlighted in green and it looks like a link. Don't click on it. I don't know what it is. When I hover my cursor over it, it appears to be a link to something with the university of Phoenix.

Now is it possible that somehow the word "degree" has been obsconded by the University of Phoenix so that when it appears, it makes a link to their program? I guess that is possible, but I just don't know.

Please just read the posts and don't click on any links in the text that seem strange. I did not put the link there and I will try to figure out how to get rid of them.

[update- I think I have figured it out. The group that hosts this blog used to offer an ad program that you could select to be a part of. I never did. I did not want the readers of this blog to be solicited with anything. Now it appears that the ad program is being forced onto those who write blogs. I will keep trying to get it removed, but in the meantime, don't click on any links in the body of the text.]

In the mean time, it's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

the end of winter

When I was young I liked winter. The colder the better. It might be 30 degrees and I would not even wear a jacket. I loved to throw snowballs and sled down the hills. I prayed for snow days.

Now, the world is different. When it is 70 degrees I want a jacket. I never leave the house in the winter without jacket, hat, gloves and all. I have a Russian winter hat that this so ridiculous looking, but I don't care because it is so warm.

These days, this is the best thing that I can say about winter. It is all going to be over March 1st. Just hang on for a few months and March will be here, then all the snow will be gone and the weather will turn a corner.

In the mean time, I try to enjoy the beauty of the snow and thank God for being alive even when it is so very cold.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

suicide

To the one who is thinking about this...... I beg you to stop and think. Think about the fact that things can and will get better. Think about all the good that you will miss. Think about the empty hole that you will leave behind. The sorrow that others will feel is immeasurable. We humans are all in this dance together and when someone intentionally quits, the collective soul of the community is hurt. We can help you. Reach out to a friend. Reach out to anyone. Reach out to me.

See. See. SEE. See the good. See the beauty of the snow. Watch the children playing. See the bird on the tree branch. Listen to it's song. Sit with a pet, scratch it's back. Go for a walk. Think of everything that you will see, think of everything that you will do. Think of everything that you can be.

You are wanted. We want you to live. I want you to live. Think, See, Listen.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

bell ringing

This Saturday, Dec 12th our church has 4 spots open for anyone that wants to ring the bell for the Salvation Army. Our shifts are at Walmart in Lees Summit, 2 hour shifts from 12-2; 2-4; and 4-6.

If you would like to help, please send me an email at jeffb@woodschapelchurch.org

As you know this is one of my favorite things to do. It is such a joy to see the happy faces of people who are helping the needy. It is so cool to see parents teach their children to be generous. It is also a very very easy way to help the least of these.

Let me know if you want to help on Saturday.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.

quiet time

One of the things that I love about Christmas is the opportunity that it affords to sit by the tree. No TV. No music this time. Just the wind on the windows, the tick tock of the clock. No worries, no thoughts particularly.

Morning, evening, day or night, it works all the same. Just a sense of thankfulness. For today. For daily breath. For Christmases past. For the lights on the tree. Light is pretty cool to look at. The simple twinkle of a star in the sky, a light on the tree, a lighthouse on a rocky shore.

I am hopeful that you have a chance to sit by a Christmas tree and wonder. We are never too old to wonder. Wonder in amazement of the goodness of God, the glory of God, and the mysteries of God's world.

I am thinking too much now. I am going to go back to the quiet of the tree. Days go better with a little time of quiet.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

your church

Your church really shone bright yesterday. What nice crowds attended all of the services. The branch has a good crowd and the pancake breakfast thrown by the new church was well attended.

In the evening 600+ came out for the children's pageant. It was awesome. So many angels and shepherds. Interestingly, 3/4 of the children in the pageant were not even born when this building was built.

I am so pleased to see this wonderful event each year as it takes our children through the story of Jesus' birth. It could not have been better.

After the pageant, the night in Bethlehem was packed. Every tent had oodles of children who were participating in candle making, rug weaving, and more. One of the greatest things that a church can do for it's children is to instill in them a sense that their church is a good place.

Thank you one and all for everything that you did to make yesterday awesome and everyday at WCC a blessing.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

sunday morning

The Sunday Morning gig. Since I only work 1/2 day a week, I thought I might tell you what I do on Sunday morning.

Wake at 545. Pray. Shower. Dress. Make a pot of coffee. Collect pile of stuff to take to church. Drive to church, listen to "Religion on the Line" on 710am radio on the way. Park out by the dumpsters. Walk thru the deer and the cold to the east door.

Unlock east door and turn on lights. Open my office and fire up the computer. print the sermon. Go make a pot of coffee. Turn on the WCTV TV's. Adjust volume. Open office and turn on copier. Check mail.

Go back to office. type blog. Answer any emails that must be answered on Sunday morning. Review sermon. Line by line. Does it make sense. God is this is? [it tends to be a bit late for that question, but you always have to ask it.]

Go get a cup of coffee. Meet with media person. Discuss slides and scriptures to post during sermon. Go thru check list to leave office and go to sanctuary. Things that I must not forget: Bible, pen, sermon notes, props if any, water bottle if needed, baptismal certificates if any, new member cards if any, prayers, keys, Rolaids, halls, and a name tag.

Go to sanctuary at 740. Sound check. Pray for all who will sit in the pews that day. go over bulletin to make sure I have all the announcements ready.

Shake hands before 8am. Lead service. Preach. Service over, shake hands, bathroom, water fountain. Back to sanctuary for 905. Shake hands before service. Lead service. preach. Service over, shake hands, bathroom, water fountain. Back to sanctuary for 1010. Shake hands before service. Lead Service. Preach. Service over, shake hands, bathroom, water fountain. Back to sanctuary for 1115. Shake hands before service. Lead service. Preach. Service over, shake hands. Often a baptism at 1215.

Back to office. put stuff away. Drive home. On the way home, thank God for the awesome opportunity of being able to share his love with others. Lunch and a nap. 6 1/2 days off, then we do it all over again next Sunday.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

patience

Patiently waiting for the fulfillment of our dreams. That is where I find myself sometimes. I remember in 97 when we were just talking about a new building on the highway. One of the things that we dreamed about was a walking trail around the pond. A place where people could go for a walk amid the trees and find a place to sit and welcome the presence of God.

I was so excited a few years ago when the walking trail was cut in and mulched. Gardens sprung up along the trail. This year a fountain was installed in the pond and the mulch on the trail was replaced with asphalt.

There are plans in place for the completion of the trail, along the north end of the property to the back corner by the Cancer Center, south along the east fence, finally making a right turn and ending back at the parking lot.

Future pieces of the trail will include [if we are patient] benches and stations of the cross and a prayer labyrinth.

One of the pieces that was always present on the drawings of the walking trail was a shelter house. Over the years the name shelter house has been taken over by the name "pavilion." Well, patience pays off, for today, the pavilion is being erected. Awesome! Cool! It may take a few Saturdays, but it is going to be great.

Take some time, even in the cool winter months, to enjoy the trail, the gardens and the fruit of the years of labor.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

several times a week

Several times a week I talk to people who are down, worried, concerned, depressed. God is going to get them, they think. They have not been good enough. They have been trying but they just know that it is not enough.

If you have ever felt this way, let me ask you a question. Is this how you want your children to feel? No. You know it's not. Absolutely not. You want your children to do the opposite. You want them to get up in the morning and be filled with joy. You want them to know that they are loved, even when they do dumb things. You want your children to celebrate the goodness of life.

Is our heavenly Father so different?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

reflections on my life

The following stuff is what woke me up the other morning.............

When I am gone, tell them these things.

Tell them that the house was decorated with blue and green outdoor lights at Christmas, with one red bulb near the top. Just because life is like that.

Tell them that I was the pied piper of animals. When I went to the basement they would all follow me and pile on in hopes of a good nap. I could scratch a cat and send it to heaven. I will be a cat masseuse in my next life.

Speaking of cats, tell them we had a cat named "the fat one."

Tell them that I loved Anthony Demello stories. In fact tell them one, tell them the one about the ghosts and the medals or the one about the sheeply lion.

Tell them that I loved people. I wanted to love them as God loves them and help them see the joy of being alive.

Tell them I loved softball. Have one of the Armadillos tell about the time I was bracing for a collision at the plate and the runner jumped completely over me and landed with both feet on home plate.

Tell them that I once beat Robin Fisher in bowling.


Tell them that I loved afternoon games at Royals stadium with friends.


Tell them I was a tool guy. I had eight hammers and every variety of tool that God had ever invented.


Tell them that Bruce Letner taught me how to replace disc brake pads on cars and that I got pretty good at it, especially after I bought the special tools.

Tell them that I loved jokes. Bad jokes. Me and Gayle Kelley. Tell them about Paddy O'Furniture and Napoleon's thanksgiving.

Tell them that I loved to paint houses.


Tell them that I loved Kansas City. St. Louis. Chicago. Ft. Lauderdale. San Francisco.


Tell them that I loved the mountains, the beach, palm trees. Swimming pools with fountains. Hot tubs.


Tell them that I loved Rob Bell and Hubert Neth. Tell them that they made me a better man.


Tell them that I loved to help big tough men learn to show the warmth within their hearts.


Tell them that I love a pickup truck and all of the things that you can do with one.

I loved cars. It was a sickness. I would buy and old car and spend a year fixing it up and then would not know what to do with it. I love mustangs and motors and brakes and tires. Body work, oil changes, brake jobs and wiring.


Tell them that I loved music. The Messiah. Fernando Ortega. Old time rock and roll. Bob Seeger, ELO, REO Speedwagon, Pink Floyd, and one we go.


Tell them that I loved trees. Oak, maple, red bud, weeping cherry, japanese maple, ash, aspen pine and more. I love them all.

I love redwood trees. Yosemite. John Muir woods. Henry Cowell Redwoods state park. My soul comes out of my body when I walk among these giants. Scatter my ashes there, I want to be apart of helping these beautiful specimens of the greatness of God grow even taller.

Tell them that I loved to plant stuff. Sedem, tulips, ajuga, english ivy, indian grass, mums, tomato plants, and the list goes on. Tell them that when you plant things and watch things grow, you are participating in the work of God.

Tell them that I loved cable cars, morning fog, highway 1, the old time amusement museum, Scoma's, the golden gate bridge, Alcatraz, Pier 39 and watching the boats on the bay.

Tell them that I loved the wine country, and I didn't even drink the wine. Well I did one time, when I was 17, but that is another story. I love the rolling hills, the beautiful vineyards. The smell of the air in the morning, and being there with Cathy.

Tell them that it was a privilege to be a pastor. To love people and to try to help them come to believe that God loved them.

Tell them that my greatest joy was to see the lights come on in their souls.


Tell them that I learned. I grew. I changed. I wanted to be all that God had called me to be.


Tell them that I had a growing desire to help the poor. To go to the places where people had nothing, and give them food and water. Tell them that God increased the compassion in my heart for those who are the "least of these."

Tell them that I would rather give away that junk than have a garage sale. The joy of giving is worth more than the small amount of money we would make.

Tell them that I so valued my friends. In my early years, friends did not come easily, so I deeply valued each of my friends.

Tell them thank you.


Tell them that I loved your mother.

Tell them that no man was ever more proud of his children.


Tell them that I am not afraid to go to the next life. It is already here, now, all around us. Eternity is just into the next dimension. We will all go there sometime, and I have been privileged to see enough of it in this life, that it is just going to feel like going home, and I assure you, I will be there, waiting for you.


When I am gone, tell them these things.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

compelled to write

I woke up at 4:30am and could not go back to sleep. Thoughts were rolling through my mind. I could not stop them. I had to write. I got up and wrote was was going through my mind.

When you are constantly looking for inspiration, this is a good thing. Sleepless nights with thoughts on your mind to write about are good things. May God give me many more of them.

I will post what woke me up tomorrow. It may not mean much to you, but it sure did fill my mind in the early hours. Today I just want to celebrate the joy of being alive and being awake with joyful thoughts.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Christmas

Nothing can keep Christmas from coming. The Grinch tried to stop it, but it is unstoppable. My entire family was home over the weekend, now they are gone.

I am alone, but I am pressed. It is time. The tree must go up. So, I put up the tree by myself. Well, two cats helped. Anytime that you put out a ladder, the cats show up to climb it.

I put on my favorite Christmas music. King's College singers. I got the tree out and I set it up. Alone. But that is ok.

We are never really alone if we know what Christmas is about.

Don't let anything steal your Christmas joy. Don't let anything get in the way of the most wonderful time of the year.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

tis the season

Tis the season for really big crowds at church. Thank you for attending, and thank you for being faithful to your congregation.

However, due to December crowds, especially at the 10:10 service, please consider one of the following options.....
1. attend the 8:00 service.
2. attend the 9:05 service.
3. attend the 11:15 service
4. attend the 10:10 branch service in the gym.

Every time I ask folks to consider such things, someone always says, "hey, why is my pastor asking me to leave the service that I prefer?" Please do not look at it that way. Please consider making a change so that we can make room for others. Please remember that others sacrificed in the past to make room for you.

Thank you for being committed to our mission of connecting people to Jesus Christ.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

bell ringing report

Yesterday I rang the bell from 10-12noon. I got to see some cool cars drive by. A couple of Mustangs and one of the new Camaros. Cool.

The weather was great. 50 degrees. I counted how many people would walk by. 30 walked by until the first person gave. Then it was pretty busy. Lots of givers to the red kettle. In fact, there were lots of bills. Ones. Fives. And one woman put in a 20$. Her husband said, "hey, that's my allowance."

I was so pleased at the generosity of the people. Parents teaching their children to give. Awesome. Young, old, rich, poor. Lots of different kinds of people coming together to help the needy.

Time well spent.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

ring the bell

Tis the season to ring the bell for the Salvation Army. There is nothing that is easier to do. Nothing that is more fun to do. And there are no more deserving people than those served by the SA.

Today I am ringing from 10-12 at the Walmart in Lees Summit.

Bill P from church has reserved the entire day at that Walmart on Dec 12 for friends from WCC to ring. If you want to ring that day send me an email. If you want to ring any other day go to www.ringkc.org

It is a great feeling to do something for someone else.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Thanksgiving

And the world stops. For one day each year, the world stops. At least the world in the USA stops. There is no school, there is no mail, every business is closed. This is serious. Even McDonald's is closed.

It is thanksgiving day. Like it or not, it is a day set aside to give thanks to Almighty God.

It is a day set aside. Everything stops for thanksgiving. That is because you cant be on the run and be thankful. You have to stop and look the person in the eyes and say thank you.

I hope you did that yesterday. I hope you can do it everyday in the future that God gives you.

Stop. Set everything else aside. Look into God's eyes. Say thank you.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Wednesday and Thursday

Well, yesterday, Wednesday was wonderful. The anticipation of the thanksgiving day. People get off work early. The restaurants are full. It's like a Friday night. Everyone is off tomorrow. The grocery store is full. Find a place to park if you can, get your groceries, and get out of Dodge.

The holidays are here and everybody is rushing around. The line at Burger King has 11 cars in it. Maybe friends will call you to come over to play trivia. That is like winning the lottery. Maybe random relatives will come over. They're not perfect, but they are related to you. They are who God has given us in this life.

We have 100, no 1,000 things to be thankful for. Good kids. A wife that loves me. Wonderful friends. Plenty of food on the table. People that help you see the good. There is so much good.!

Give thanks. If you can find one thing to be grateful for, then everyday becomes Thanksgiving.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

change

I read something noteworthy yesterday: That which we need most, may come in the form of words that we do not want to hear.

That is so true of human nature. It is hard to hear things that we do not like. It is hard to be honest with ourselves, to take that "fearless moral inventory." But the ability to do so contains within it, the seeds of greatness. The unexamined life is not worth living.

Great people usually welcome new thoughts and savor them. Painful as they are some times to our life paradigms, taking in those challenging thoughts always makes us better.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

thanksgiving

Well. Tis the season. Are you thinking about what you are thankful for?

I saw a flock of 16 turkeys running around the other day.

Dave Owsley gave a wonderful sermon on Sunday. Beautiful decorations have gone up all over the church. The congregation's response to the thanksgiving food drive was almost 500 grocery bags full. The adoption of needy children for Christmas has begun, with more needy children than ever, but I know we will pick up every single one.

My children are home. The turkey is in the fridge. My neighbor is putting pressure on me to put up our Christmas lights. He got the jump on me this year, usually I get mine up first.

I actually know what the sermons are going to look like all through the month of December, including Christmas eve. That is great news! It can be such a nervous time.

I visited a man in the hospital today who reminded me that we should be thankful simply to be alive. I agree. We have much to be thankful for.

If you made a list, where would you stop? Friends. Family. Love. Grace.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

travel mistakes, part two

So this is a couple of weeks ago. Cathy is dreading leaving town again. We stay up late and tell stories on Sunday night. She falls asleep in the chair. She was sleeping so soundly, that I decide to leave her there.

Now, she had told me that she had to fly out at 7:10am the next morning, but it doesn't occur to me that she might miss her alarm if she is sleeping in the chair.

Well, about 2:30 she comes upstairs and she is unhappy that I did not get her set up with her alarm in her comfy bed. So, she sets her alarm and wakes up when it goes off, two hours later at 4:30am. Morning routine follows: Shower, dress, pack, coffee, leave for airport.

She is driving to the airport and there is a big wreck on the Missouri river bridge. Traffic is backed way up. She is tired and stressed. She only got 4+ hours of sleep and some of that was in the recliner. Now she is stuck in traffic and worried that she is going to miss her flight. She calls in to Delta Airlines. Now, when I do this, I get a recording, forever. She has a special number since she is one of their favorites. A human being answers the phone and she asks him to check her in for her flight so that she can go straight to the gate.

He says, "Mrs. Brinkman, I have to tell you, I don't have you scheduled for a 7:10 flight this morning, I have you for a 7:10 flight tonight.

She got up at 4:30 am and drove to the airport for a 7:10pm flight. Ha! When I got up I was surprised to see her sitting in the same recliner where I had left her the night before. I asked her if she had missed her flight, she fessed up.

We had a good laugh. I hope that you do as well. Be sure and ask her about these stories.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

travel mistakes, chapter one

So my wife has a trip last week. Denver, Nashville, KC. Her Nashville site is in Germantown. Are you onto this yet?

She flies to Denver and does her stuff there. Then she flies to Nashville, rents a car, hooks up the gps and the gps tells her that it is 3 hours to her site in Germantown.

Hmmmm. Germantown is not a suburb of Nashville, it is a suburb of Memphis. My wife has flown into the wrong town!!

So she has to drive to Memphis, 3 hours, stay in the hotel that she has made reservations at, and then work the next day. Drive back to Nashville 3 hours, turn the car in, and fly home.

Simple travel planning mistakes. Wrong town. Long drive. It gets better. Chapter two is tomorrow.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Mercy

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
or
Blessed are those who hold a heart of grace for they shall obtain grace.

Mercy rejoices over judgement.
I do not judge you.
I do not condemn you.
I do to you as I would have others do to me.
Granting mercy to others, frees us.
I release you from your prison.
If you are holding anyone hostage, release them.

Mercy rewrote our lives.
God is his goodness, granted to us the gift of grace.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

home

Today the girls will come home for Thanksgiving break. Scott has class next week, but will be home by 4pm Tuesday. I am looking forward to having everybody around. It is such a strange thing to have them gone. We spent so many years together, it will just feel "right" to have them back.

If we can take any clues about God from human life, God is probably also pleased when we come home. When we stop by and spend some time with him.

I had a thought a few weeks ago. We talk in terms of being with God, that we have to do something or another to be closer to him. We have to stop our lives and go find him, or go catch up with him. What if, instead of looking forward to some time in the future when we were going to make time for God or catch up with him, we brought him into our daily world.

If we believe God is everywhere, then we don't have to wait until we get home. We don't have to wait until we have more time. We can drag God into our every day existence. Now that is kind of a funny way of looking at it, because we don't have to drag him to us. He is already with us. All around us. Now. Whatever you are doing, where ever you are, God is there.

Renew the relationship. Become aware of what is true and real. You are never alone. The loving God stands by your side every moment.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

prayer

Luke 6:9-12
9Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?" 10He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus. 12One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

Jesus had a bad day, so he went up the mountain to pray. He prayed all night long. Don't know for sure, but I guess he prayed that his father would heal his heart. The pharisees had worked him over. I bet he prayed for his disciples. I bet he just listened some, and took in the goodness and glory of his father.

When we pray, it is great to pray for others. But we have to let God heal our hearts. We have to spend some time just listening and soaking it in. Then we have to go back down the mountain and re-engage with life.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

the light

The light at the end of the tunnel. I saw it for a moment yesterday.

Something happens to your kids when they turn 14. They won't kiss you goodbye anymore. They roll their eyes all the time. Overnight you, the parent, has turned into a total nerd.

As a parent, you cannot fight this. It is going to happen to you. They pull away. They won't talk to you like they used to. They have some things to figure out.

It is tough. It is painful. For years people have told me that this period will end. That I will be smart again, one day. Just hang on, and the aliens that have been inhabiting our kids will depart.

Yesterday, for a moment, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

I received a phone call from one of the kids. "Hey, Dad. What's up. Don't want anything. Just hope you are having a good day." Strange. What is going on? Later I get a text from the same Brinkman caterpillar: "it's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good." [now this is a secret code from this kid to me......hey Dad I read your stuff and I am getting it.]

I fall on the floor. Chest pains. Last straw. Something is wrong with this kid. Find kid later in the day and discuss said communication. There is no explanation. Just wanted to say those things to Dad.

Wow. Is it possible? Am I becoming acceptable again? A glimmer of hope. A flicker of light.

It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

the impossible dream

the lyrics from the song...............


To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear the unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong
To be better far than you are
To try when your arms are too weary
The reach the unreachable star


This is my quest, to follow that star
No matter how hopeless,
No matter how far
To fight for the right

Without question or pause
To be willing to march into hell
For a heavenly cause
And I know if I'll only be true

To this glorious quest
That my heart will be peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest
And the world would be better for this

That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star


Now a couple of comments.............

What are your dreams for God? What are our church's dreams for God?
Shouldn't they seem a little scary to us?

If we aren't dreaming impossible dreams for God, whose dreams are we living?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

at 52

At 52, Tom was a loving father, friend and husband. He was a heart patient. He was a frequenter of Gov. Stumpy's in Brookside. He was the brother of one of my friends. Yesterday, I went to Gov. Stumpys for a bit of a wake. He was 52. Hmmm.

A couple of thoughts of note. When people love you, they come to see you, even if they did not know your brother. Also, when people love you, places like Gov. Stumpys, which is not open on Sunday, opens on Sunday to welcome your group.

What sense can you make of an untimely death? What sense can we make of the passing of a fun, friendly, popular young man? There are lots of pat answers that people throw around, but let's face it, life is a mystery and death is one of those parts that we just can't control.

An untimely death does send us a message: "love on the people that are in your life. Celebrate every day. Smile at every one. Scratch the back of every dog and cat. Don't waste time fighting. Learn something new every day. Make the most of today for tomorrow is not guaranteed."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

rejection

Yesterday I drove 2 hours to Pitt State to visit Scott. Then I drove 2 hours home. 4 hours in the car is good quiet time to think and sort your life out with God. Working on the sermon in my head while driving. Trying to figure out how to get from this part to the next. If it doesn't make sense to me, it won't make sense to anyone else.

Trust. Fear. Rejection. All kept dancing in my head. I wonder if rejection is the one thing that we fear the most.

My kids won't take my advice = rejection.
Someone is mad at me = rejection.
Something in my brain tells me that I am not good enough = rejection.

I sure am glad that we are not rejected by God. We are accepted and loved by him. It makes me feel better even now in this moment of writing, to express that truth. We are welcomed and loved by Almighty God.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Not Alone.

The truth is, sometimes I feel very alone. It’s not a surface kind of feeling, really. I think it’s an awareness of something deep inside me that is not connected to people like I hope to be.

When I first started coming to Woods Chapel, it was also around the time when I began to seriously follow Jesus. Maybe I’ve been a Christian for a long time. I don’t really understand the criteria there. But I certainly was only beginning to fall in love with Christ.

Around that time, when we would take Communion, I would cry. I mean, I would just sob a sort of sniveling man-snob. I’ve noticed when I’m about to cry, my body will start rocking back and forth ever so slightly – like when I have to pee really bad and I need to hold it. And I lock my jaw so no one knows I’m crying unless they look at my eyes. I think I can make an argument that tears are masculine, but not if there is sound involved. Anyway, I would look in the faces of the people walking by to take Communion, and something inside me would well up and overflow.

The same thing happens in other contexts, too. Two times recently come to mind. Once, my wife and I were watching a short film. They were interviewing people on the street. “If you could make just one wish come true today, what would it be?” The answers didn’t matter as much as the faces. People I’ll never get to know. One of my favorite musicians, Jack Johnson, calls them “all the people in the street that I’ll never get to meet if these tracks don’t bend somehow.”

Again, I cried a lot. A good cleansing, mysterious sort of cry (but one I’d prefer to share with only my wife or my mom.)

The other time I was at Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, KS for their Leadership Institute. They showed a video of three young adults who have been hurt by the church in some way. Each described some really heartfelt, valid reasons for their negative opinions of church. And I just cried there in my seat at this church, feeling sort of helpless and asking God if I can be the one that helps bring these people home. Because…

Well, I missed them. That is the only way I can describe what I felt for those people. And I started to think of all the times my heart breaks around people. Why does it do that? I miss them, I guess. I miss every damn one of you.

You know, we have the same Father – all of us. And what father wants to see his children separated, isolated from each other? Scared to make eye contact with each other. Scared to hug each other. Scared to need each other. To be vulnerable. To say we feel alone.

We are not alone. We were not made to be alone. And even though this is the state we often find ourselves in, our God is not detached. He is not looking down on us with consternation or even pity. He loves us enough that He came to be “God with us.” Alone with us. Scared with us. Vulnerable with us. “Screaming along side us” to the death. Then He beat death, and not only death but all the things that feel like death to us. Like our loneliness. He showed the way to new life. I believe that all of us who are following Him are being restored. Out with the old and the broken, which is death, and in with the new and whole, which is life.

I am being shaped. It is pretty uncomfortable, and I’m scared I’ll always have this awkward, unfinished look about me. But He knows what He’s doing, I suppose, and that gives me hope. It makes me think that other people might feel this way, too. And that maybe our family can be reunited. That would be like Heaven for me.

But why wait?

With Love,

a young shepherd.

take aways

Well, last night a bunch of us went to hear Rob Bell at the Uptown Theatre. I saw several preacher friends there. There is now a little secret club of Methodist Pastor, Rob Bell fans.

There were several take aways. Let me mention one. God does not waste anything. When you are suffering, when things are not going well, there is at least this consolation. God does not waste anything.

He can pick up the pieces of the worst disaster and make something good. We can learn from the worst of moments.

So, if you are in the pits. If you are struggling with pain. God wastes nothing. Something positive can come from where you are at. We need to stop asking "why" and instead ask, "what next."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

a good methodist

Like a good Methodist Preacher I was reading in the latest version of Interpreter magazine. There is an article in there about a fellow, Dan Merchant who has made a movie called "Lord, Save us from Your Followers."

It has been in a limited number of theatres and will be out on dvd after the first of the year. The point of his movie is that Christians often do very unchristian things. He asks the question, "why is the gospel of love dividing America?" What a good question.

The article ends with a poignant thought, "it's hard to have a conversation with someone when you are really just waiting for your chance to correct them."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

a nice card

I received a very nice card yesterday from one of our members. Just kind of a "thank you, and I think you are cool" kind of card. The message on the front says, "do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world" Desmond Tutu.

I like that quote. I was commiserating on what a nice message the card had when I turned it over. The logo on the back is "the bird sings." There is a web site, http://www.birdsings.com/.

I checked it out. The owner of the site has created this line of cards. They are available through out the Midwest. They carry them at Price Chopper on Woods Chapel road. I just thought it was cool that besides myself and Shawn Franssens http://hearingthebirds.blogspot.com/, there is someone else that wants people to hear the birds sing.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

why I like the history channel

I like the history channel. I like the discovery channel. I watch shows about war, ships that sink, disasters, famous people, etc. I watch shows about animals. I am amazed at the different kind of animals that God has made. Just consider the Meerkat for a moment.....God has an amazing sense of humor.

I also like to play trivia. Questions about the past, science, geography, and religions are my favorite. What year was the war of 1812? Who fought in the Spanish-American War? In what country did the french revolution take place? Trivia. Good stuff to know.

I think I like the history channel and playing trivia because I think my brain likes to think. I refuse to go through life as a robot. The wheels are always turning. Maybe sometimes, turning too much. Too worried, too introspective.

But thinking none the less. One of the great gifts of this life is to think. When we are thinking constructively, we have the chance to better ourselves, to know where we are at, and to see where we are going.

The history channel makes me think. It makes me appreciate my life. I learn from those who have lived before. I like it!

So, if you need a change of pace, look up the history channel or the discover channel and expand your brain.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

more on the blues

A friend shared this.

We are going to have periodic bouts with the "moody blues." It seems much more productive to say "every human since creation has had this thing, and we always will have."

The only time the blues become a signal that we need help, is when they become immobilizing. I wish you times to look the blues in the face and say "hey this is normal, so what am I on to next." I think the best thing that can happen for all of us when we feel blue is to not feel guilty, but to just get out and walk in the fresh air (further than we really planned to walk that day) or just get out among people.

I also enjoyed another one of your comments. The person said, "so go help someone. Getoutside of yourself. Give yourself away."

Keep your chin up. It is all good.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

He paid a debt

A song was running through my head that I learned in youth group. The words go with the sermon.

"He paid a debt he did not owe,
I owed a debt I could not pay,
I needed someone to wash my sins away.
And now I sing a brand new song: Amazing Grace.
Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

the blues

I have had some blues lately. And I am not very good at hiding my feelings. If we have talked at all in the last few weeks, you probably know that I have been struggling with the blues.

Yesterday I had lunch with a couple of friends. One of them had a couple of comments.

"Jeff, anyone who looks at you and your life would wonder what the heck you have to complain about."

Good point. I can't disagree. I have no reason to have the blues. There is no good reason. My problems are boring.

He said something else to me that really struck a chord, "so what are you going to do about these blues?"

Well, that is a good question. When you have the blues, you just sort of wallow in them. You think and commiserate about what ever you think is bothering you. But it usually doesn't occur to you to do something about it. The blues just happened to you and you think that they will go away by them selves. You know, it's like you are a victim of the blues and they are a freeloading cousin that you hope will leave, but you don't know when.

Enter the comment. "What are you going to do about these blues?" Well, that reminds me of a simple truth that I need to be thinking about. Here it is: Seeing the good does not come naturally or easily to many of us, most of the time. Seeing the good is a choice.

So what can we do about the blues? Maybe the answer is simply to stop wallowing in them, stop giving them room in your life and just choose to see the good. See the good. See the good. It is there.

And here is the closing statement: It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Jesus wants to save the Christians

I have just started a book by Rob Bell entitled, "Jesus wants to save the Christians." This is a book about things that Christians think that are not what Jesus would prefer. I don't think that I am going to like this book. That is because I think it is going to make me feel uncomfortable. You see I am all glad with Jesus challenging your life, but I don't want Jesus to challenge my life.

We are all like that. We are all for sacrifice as long as it belongs to someone else.

If Jesus took an inventory of your life, your beliefs and practices, would there be some things that he said, "Hey, wait a minute, this is not what we are supposed to be about."

We don't even like to think of such things.

Rob Bell is going to be at the Uptown theatre this coming Thursday. Several from church are going. Come join us.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

the idea of a thing

The idea of a thing is sometimes better than the thing itself. You want to have a child, but then pregnancy is miserable. You want the child to be born, but then it cries all night and keeps you awake. [now don't read too much into those last two lines, I am just trying to make a point.]

You want to be a Pastor, then you feel burdened from the pressure to preach something really good every Sunday. You want to start a new church, then you feel funny when some of the wonderful folks at your church, whom you have asked to consider going to the new church, actually make the decision to go. [that was a run on sentence]

We have asked folks to sign on with the new church. I want some of you to do that. We need more of you to do so. But, when I find out who they are that are leaving, it hurts a bit.

Well, that is just too bad. Sometimes you have to hurt. The baby never gets born without labor and delivery. The child never grows up without struggling through the passages of life. And new church starts are joyfully painful.

On the Sunday when the folks for the new church [the Beacon UMC] come up front and are prayed for and are sent out to start the work, I will cry. But I will also be happy, for I do believe that this is one of the most Christian things that a church can do.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

when souls collide

When I meet someone, I hope that we can be friends. Sometimes, an amazing thing happens. In a way that is hard to describe, we find a connection. Souls collide. We understand each other. There is a forgiveness and an acceptance that is without question. It is like you are brothers or sisters. Part of the same family. Twins separated at birth who now have been reacquainted.

DT DH and 100 others. What a gift it is to make a friend. We should always celebrate the presence of those special people in our lives. I hope you have them in your life too.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

thankful

Last year during November I asked you all to be thankful for something everyday during the month. Not a bad idea. Today is Nov 3rd. I am a few days behind. Tho I was thankful on Sunday and Monday for several things.

Today let me thankful for my wonderful friends. I got an email from one of you yesterday challenging how my brain worked about my vacation. It was interesting and helpful. I am thankful for each of you and wish I had more time to just hang out and talk. I am enriched by knowing you and interacting with you.

I have no friends from grade school. I stay in touch with no one from high school. No one from college. no one from Seminary. No one from any previous church in any ongoing manner. In my life I never had more than one friend at a time. here at WCC, I have won the friend lottery.

Thanks. All of you, for being you.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

that's all

Love God, love your neighbor.

That's it and that's all.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

trick or treat

Well, that was a bit uneventful. Last night I mean. We had maybe 30 trick or treaters at the most. The good news is, I have lots of candy left over.

It was nice to see the kids out with their Dads and or Moms. When our kids were little I used to take them around to the houses and Cathy would stay home and hand out treats. One year Scott was a Ninja Turtle. They were always so cute and so proud of the candy that they would collect.

At night I would pick through it and steal their milk duds. They would always catch me, and I would end up having to buy them more at the grocery store.

I miss hanging with the other Dad's and going out with the kids on Halloween.

But, it's all good. Cathy and I sat on the couch and watched a movie, interrupted by 30 kids. No problem. It is a fun night.

Families are awesome. Young kids are great. Enjoy them while you have them.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.