mercy

The sermon Sunday is on the beatitude, blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. I am so looking forward to this discussion.

Do you need mercy? Do we appreciate it? Do we offer it to others? What happens to our life when we are merciful? What happens when we are not? Who can you offer mercy to today?

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

healing

Yesterday, a healing took place. Two friends who had been involved in a painful situation, met and resolved their pain. Months of sorrow was replaced with joy. Nights of worry was overcome by the commitment to love.

I believe that this can happen over and over and over. If we are just brave enough to sit down with those who we have hurt or been hurt by. It was a long long lonely winter of heartache, but yesterday, everything was made right.

Two normal people, hoping for better, find a way to get past their pride and the result is love. Does it get any better than that?

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

yesterday

Yesterday I woke up. Lying in bed, before my feet even hit the floor, the first thought that came to my mind was: "thank you Lord Jesus for the gift of this day."

Now if that sounds like bragging, say it ain't so. Yesterday just makes up for the other 500 days that I woke up with other things on my mind. It makes up for the days when I woke up and didn't think a thought of God until later.

I hope there are more yesterdays. First thought = thank you Lord.

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

local hawk

Have you seen the local hawks. They seem to be everywhere. On top of the poles, hanging out in the trees, from 40 highway to the church, the hawks are out. They are certainly listening for the birds to sing or the mice to chatter, and then it is lunch time. For some reason, I am fascinated by these big strong birds. Don't wreck your car, but keep an eye out for the hawks. They are cool.

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

PS- there is a feature on the side of the blog now so that you can sign up to receive an email when there is a post.

good news

I do have good news. And I am sure that you do as well, if you just look hard enough. My son starts a new job today. I think I am finally done painting the basement. The snow is melting. All the cars got washed, and they look like cars again. Everyone at my house is relatively happy.

Good news. The gospel is good news. It should never feel like bad news or guilt or hate speech. The only people that Jesus spoke like that to, were the very people that were judging everyone else. When your brain and heart thinks of God, you should have a peaceful, welcoming, embracing thought, because God loves you. The gospel is always good news.

That beats clean cars, new jobs and snow melting.

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

The more i know

The more that I know, the more I realize that I don't know as much as I thought I did. The more I read about how other's brains work, the more I realize that I am an infant in brain power. I read what others write and I am so touched and impressed. I watch the skills of others and I frequently find myself standing in awe.

The older I get, the quieter I want to be. I just feel like I want to watch what goes on, and talk a little less. I am not as smart as I thought I was.

I am ok with this. I am at peace with this. All of that just makes me want to call out to God and depend on him, rest in him. That I am pretty sure is a good thing.

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

email and a dream

Last night I had a dream. In my dream I was talking to a young person. Age say, 28. Not sure who it was. Random, representative young person from our church. They were expressing to me, that I was reading alot, and learning alot, but not changing very much.

I thought about this in my dream and I could feel the pain in the night. Could that be possible, that we read and think and talk about being more faithful, but really not that much changes? God may it not be so.

If we believe in grace, may we be more and more filled with grace. If we believe in living missionally, may we do more than read about it, may we be moved to become more and more missional.

[new topic]
I have learned of a feature to this blog where you can be informed of postings. What happens is, if you sign up, you receive a notice by email that there is a posting. If you open the email, the post is right there on your computer. You don't even have to go onto the blog site. If I slow down my posting to this site, this might become a helpful feature, letting you know when there was something new. So if you want this feature, please email your email address to jeffb@woodschapelchurch.org

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

things I learned yesterday

Things that I learned yesterday-

if you allow the tank of a 2000 Ford pick up to get completely empty, it will cost $64 to fill it back up.

if you leave a tube of carmex in your vehicle overnight in the winter, it will freeze as hard as a rock.

I still have a rolodex in my desk drawer.

you never know what is going on in someone else's house.

there are a few people in this world, that are far more generous than I had imagined.

there are people near CVV that I can help, simply by taking food to them. Seriously poor folks that need a can of ravioli. And I am wondering about everything about my life.

It's beautiful for me, but is it beautiful for everyone? And if it is not good news for everyone, is it really good news?

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

the Hole in our Gospel

Several from our church have been reading the book, "The Hole in our Gospel" by Richard Stearns. The book is available in the bookstore at church.

It received it's best comment the other day when a member told me "I want to throw this book in the trash. I wish I never read it."

Here is what they really mean by those words..... "the book the Hole in our Gospel has so touched me that I am reevaluating my life. It is connecting me to Jesus and his mission in ways that I have never been connected before. "

If you want to get a little closer to the heart of God, I recommend this book. I have a couple loaners in my office too, if you would like to read it, but not buy it.

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

what not to say

Several have asked that this information from a sermon a few weeks ago, be shared in the blog.

What you should never say to others who are grieving. This is the uncut, unedited version and I am very sorry for much of it.

from The New York Times, December 7, 1999.
To a 60-year-old recent widow: Don't worry. You're young and attractive; you'll find someone else. To a woman whose husband died of lung cancer: You have to meet this man. His wife also died of lung cancer. To a man whose 26-year-old daughter died of AIDS: If she hadn't been that way, God wouldn't have struck her dead with AIDS, and It was just a purification thing. To a woman who suffered a miscarriage: It is probably for the best. To a woman whose 25-year-old son was killed by a drunken driver: At least you have four other children. To a man whose elderly mother died: Oh, well, 79. To a young man whose 19-year-old brother died of cancer: I know how you must feel losing a brother. And to the boy's mother: I know it's not the same, but I really empathize because I lost my dog. To a woman whose husband committed suicide: Are you going to get a dog now?
-Jane E. Brody, Mourning, a time when words often fail,
The New York Times, December 7, 1999.

Here are some other things that I have personally heard – not helpful
1. It must have been their time
2. Everything happens for a reason
3. God doesn't put more on us than we can take [actually based on a scripture, but still not helpful.]
4. It was gods will

May we all remember to guard our tongues. May we remember that the gift of our presence, the gift of a hug, the gift of food. Is the best gift in times of pain.

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

dancing

This may be the strangest post ever............

Dancing. to dance. I have the dancing gene, I know I do. You can argue the point, and my family will argue the point, but I have the dancing gene. They say I dance like Elaine from Seinfeld or Bill Cosby, I say, fine, at least I dance.

To dance is to embrace the moment. Happy times, sad times, good song, bad song, happy song, sad song. Alone or together, we dance. We hear the music, we feel the times, and we dance. David danced before the Lord.

Life comes at us every day. We can fight it, or we can dance. Your choice. And my choice.

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

things that make life really good

Things that make life really good.

1. someone that loves you.
2. someone that you love.
3. Good jokes, told over and over. Random strange jokes told over and over.
4. Someone to talk about meaning and purpose with, that seems to "get you."
5. someone that forgives you.
6. someone that challenges you.
7. working hard to achieve something.
8. watching your kids grow up - usually
9. reading something that challenges you spiritually.

what would you add to the list?

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

roller derby

I saw it on TV when I was a kid. We were enthralled with it. James Caan was in some movie about it years ago.

Last night, following a 40 year hiatus, I witnessed roller derby again. Municipal auditorium, Kansas City, MO. Three hours of fun, excitement and roller derby gals.

Did you know that a member of our church plays on one of the teams? Did you know that last year, she was the league rookie of the year? If you see Lisa Alvarez, congratulate her, but be sure to keep a safe distance from her right elbow.

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

one step

It's a step. One step. One small step. But it is a step in the right direction. If you don't like where you are at, look at where you want to go, and take the first step. Immediately, you have new momentum, and you are one step closer to your goal.

A step has been taken at our house. Don't know exactly where it is going, but a step in the right direction is always a step in the right direction.

Take one today. You will be glad that you did.

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

don't quit

There is a time to quit, but most of us quit to soon. We quit jobs and wish we had them back. We quit friends and never quite get over it. We quit programs, sometimes we are relieved, but sometimes we quit too soon and miss the chance to do good.

Some people quit the church and move on to another church, which they later quit to move on to another. Some people quit God, well they think they do, but you can never quit God.

True spirituality is working thru the parts of a thing that drive you crazy. It's remaining a fan when your team loses. It is standing by your man [or woman.] It is going the second mile, turning the other cheek, seeing the good when it isn't that easy.

And so there is a joy, a savoring when you can look back and say, I made it work. I made it go. I figured it out, and it was all good.

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

Helping one another

Difficult times give us the opportunity to help one another. Whether it is the church opening up as a Red Cross shelter or you helping a neighbor get their car out of the snow bank, adversity invites us to come together.

One of the most meaningful things that we can do is to set aside our agenda of the moment and help someone else. Besides the clear benefit of helping them, it also provides us with some very positive results.

1. we get our minds off of ourselves, at least for a moment.
2. we feel good. if you allow yourself, it feels good to help another
3. you enjoy the sense that you are doing the right thing. For this we were created.
4. it can put a halt to depression.
5. it provides great stories and great memories.
6. when you invest in others, you make new friends.

I am not saying that we should help others so that we personally benefit, but there does appear to be some benefit. Let's see, where did I put my snow shovel?

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

storm dodger

I am the storm dodger. I don't mean to do it, but for two of the worst storms in Kansas City history, I end up out of town.

Was it 2001 that we had the big ice storm? I was in Russia. In fact, we saw the news of the ice storm on the Russian news. Watching a little black and white TV, listening to the words in Russian, you could hear the words, "Kansas City," and we recognized pictures of the Plaza.

Now it's 2011. For months we have had a three day trip planned to Tampa. I am packing up my projects and following my wife on one of her many trips. And I no sooner get on the plane, and a blizzard comes to town. Shuts down I-70. How about that? We will land on Thursday afternoon and I suppose that the streets will be cleared and most everything will be back to normal.

It's kind of funny that I am here, missing the storm. But at the same time, I am sorry that I am not there to help you.

I wish that everything in my life had such comfortable timing and pain free circumstances.

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

happy

Well, I have much to give thanks for today.

Sunday after church, I found out that my daughter, who is recently employed at St. Luke's East as a nurse, has passed her boards. Passing the boards is the last hurdle. If you pass them, you have made it.

I got up out of the booth at la fluente and danced like Elaine on Seinfeld or Bill Cosby on the Cosby show. I ran up and down the isle and hollered. The servers at La Fluente, tried to calm me down. I am sorry, but right now, I am inconsolable.

I don't know what is better, the fact that she is riding high for life, or the fact that in my old age, I now have someone to take care of me.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good. PS- storm of the century and I am in Tampa for three days! I am pitiful.

Eli

Sunday afternoon I took my dog for a walk or vice versa. Lately, it seems, we have been running into other people and their dogs more than usual. You would think the opposite would happen with this cold weather, but I think cabin fever is starting to take its toll on dogs as well as people. Anyway, about 45 minutes into our walk my dog met Eli. Eli is the same breed of dog as mine, but a few years younger. He brought two people with him that were a few years older than I. Well Eli and my dog became instant friends...with dogs it is either all or nothing. We were in the woods so they ran about wild for a few minutes until they were ready to respond to our calls. In the meantime I got to know a little about Eli's owners. That is one of the many perks about having a dog...it creates an opportunity to meet people that I would otherwise just walk by in the grocery store or at church etc.

I started to think about this "common ground" as I drove home from the park. I can't bring my dog to the grocery store but I can say hello and start up a conversation with the person who is standing next to me searching for a can of chili beans. My dog can't come to church, but I can start up a conversation after service with the person I shook hands with at the beginning of the service.....

Common ground. It is everywhere. I need to work on this one more.

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

unannounced

A little while back I wrote about how I believe we need to be deliberate in our friendships. Birthdays bring those types of opportunities. I received some funny cards, a few good phone calls and text messages, a really cool e-mail and I got to spend some quality time with my wife, kids and siblings. All of which I appreciate and am thankful for....

One person made an unannounced visit at my home. It was a 2 minute exchange at best. It was deliberate. That one will stick with me for a while. Everyday holds this opportunity. Don’t wait for the right time or an occasion. Take advantage of a thought…a gut instinct…reach out and be deliberate.


Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to Lions Den Man!

What a blessing it is to have you as a friend. You are one of the most kind people that I know. You are smart and funny and I think it is cool in an odd kind of way that you like Stephen Wright. But so do I.

You are a great Christian friend and brother and you are a blessing to your family and all that know you.

Happy 39th.

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

january

Is it a sin to be glad that January is almost over? Not that I want to wish any day away, but I am tired of the snow. One more month of winter, then it will be March 1st. I always like March 1st. It marks the end of winter to me. Even if it snows in March, two days later it will be 60 degrees and the snow will melt.

So, hang in there for one more month, and be happy that today it is supposed to be 50!

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

whose life

Whose life is it anyway? Is it mine, or is it God's. If it is mine, then I don't like interruptions. I don't like to wait. I don't like to be annoyed. If it is my life, I may take a time out on occasion to do some nice thing for God. Then when it is over, I will return to my life. If it is my life, everything that I do for God is a bit of an intrusion, something else that I have to fit into my busy schedule. I do some things for God, but I can't wait until they are done so I can get back to my life.

If it is God's life, then things are a little different. I wake up in the morning and I am thankful that he gave me the breath of life. I count my blessings, because I know that they really are not mine. If it is God's life, then I am reaching out to others, all the time. Everyone, everywhere. Others are not an interruption, they are my opportunity to share God's love. Me handing a homeless person a dollar is not a story that sticks out in my day anymore, it is simply one act of many that occurred on a given day- that incident just fits right into everything else that was going on. If it is God's life, no kindness that I do is an interruption. The interruptions come when I allow my selfishness back in.

Whose life is it? Whose life are you living? Today? Right now? Those people around you- are they an interruption to your life, or an opportunity for you to be Jesus?

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

I can't give

I have talked to several folks lately who are missing church. I have not seen them there, and they have been missing being there. When we get to talking about why they have been out of church, there are a number of reasons given, but eventually we get down to the real reason: they are unable to make financial commitments at this time, or put anything in the offering, so they feel like they cannot attend.

Dear friends- everyone is welcome. It's not about who gives what or how much a person gives. The fellowship is important and this is never denied to you or anyone because you cannot give. Come. You are welcome. You are loved. These are difficult times and it is important that we put our arms around each other. Be filled with joy! You are loved. All is well. Just come and be a part. You matter to us.

This is what grace is all about. It cannot be purchased. It is free. Someone else paid the debt.

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

pleasantly surprised

What do people get when you open your mouth? Are they hurt? Wounded? Demeaned? Or are they blessed.

I have noticed of late that some folks are so used to being kicked that when you are nice to them, they are pleasantly surprised. Like a dog that has been beaten for so long, they aren't sure at first what to expect from you, but they sure do like the back scratching.

Can you, can I deliver a pleasant surprise today to someone, simply by the words that come from our mouth? They are waiting for a good word, and we are just the ones to bring them.

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

missions

Well, we have opened the discussion on missions in 2011. Discussions can be fun. Am I asking that we should do more? No not really. The discussion sounds annoying when we think that the direction is simply about doing more. How can we do more? We are already doing so much.

Rather than doing more, I would like to frame the discussion this way. I am asking for a paradigm change. It sounds like this - Missions isn't something that we do. It should be something that we are.

We don't live our lives and then take a break to be in mission. If you are a Christian, all of your life is a mission. It's not that we are being good when we act in mission. All of our life is to be a mission.

if we start thinking like that all of the time, what will the results be?

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

snow

Oh no. Snow again. On Saturday night. Doesn't God know that some people will miss church because of a little snow? I am sure that He does.

I have noticed a few things about snow.
1. it tends to make my cars break down.
2. it tends to make my children incapable of lifting a shovel.

Advice for winter weather.
1. keep warm clothes in the car, just in case.
2. keep lots of gas in your tank. not just because you don't want to run out, but if there is lots of room in your tank for air, the air will change temperature and the water in the air will condense and get in your fuel line and freeze.
3. Shovel the drive right away. Don't drive on it first.
4. when you get the slightest thawing, shovel off the stuff that has become loose.
5. drive much slower in the snow and keep lots of following distance.

Do you all have cabin fever? I do. I can't wait until spring.

We start the sermon series on the beatitudes today. I look forward to seeing you in God's house. Don't let the snow keep you away.

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

true love

True love goes out to everyone. It is not reserved for those who like us, or for those who we like. True love, like God's love, goes out to everyone. There is no discrimination based on behavior or worthiness.

When we are really being filled with love, we can turn the other cheek, we can go the second mile, and we can love our enemies.

the light of a lamp goes out to all. The scent of the rose goes out to all. The shade of a tree is available to all. So it is, when our hearts are filled with true love, we see the good even in the most challenging of folks.

Love goes out to all. Love wins.

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

the good the bad and the ugly

We all have them. Good sides, bad sides and just plain ugly sides. Most folks, including me, try to keep our best foot forward. Keep the good side out. But occasionally, we are "off" and someone will see our bad side or worse, our ugly side.

Say for example that you run into someone you know and you both show your ugly sides to each other. It's gonna happen, and you feel bad later. Then you see them a week later and everybody is back on, back in their better frame of mind.

Do you scold them for being ugly last week or do you just let it go? Do you poo poo them for being ugly or just respond to the good that you see in them now?

Grace loves. Grace forgives. Grace forgets. Grace responds to their good side and releases the bad feelings that came from their bad side. Heck, they may be doing the same for you in this new moment, seeing the good in you, and choosing to release how you made them feel when you were ugly.

So we all have those sides. Lets show the good today, let try to always be the good, but if someone slips, don't write them off for ever because they were ugly. They still have a good side, and it will come back.

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

glad I read this

Like most of you I woke up this morning to snow covered walks, drives and streets. I grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down to catch some news on-line. Good thing too! I almost made a bad decision before reading this:

The good news is that 15 minutes of snow shoveling counts as moderate physical activity, according to the Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health (1996). We all should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity of some kind on most days of the week. A 170-pound person shoveling for 30 minutes will burn about 250 calories.

The bad news is that researchers have reported an increase in the number of fatal heart attacks among snow shovelers after heavy snowfalls. This rise may be due to the sudden demand that shoveling places on an individual’s heart. Snow shoveling may cause a quick increase in heart rate and blood pressure. One study determined that after only two minutes of shoveling, the heart rates of sedentary men rose to levels higher than those normally recommended during aerobic exercise. Shoveling may be vigorous activity even for healthy college-aged students. A study performed by researchers at North Dakota State University determined that, based on heart rate, shoveling was a moderately intense activity for college-aged subjects most of the time but was vigorous activity during about one-third of their shoveling time of 14 minutes. The weather can make shoveling more difficult. Cold air makes working and breathing hard, which adds some extra strain on the body. Shovelers also are at risk for hypothermia, a decrease in body temperature, if they are not dressed correctly for the weather conditions.

I may just have to wait this one out and look for a good snow ball fight instead for exercise today.

Be safe today.
Peace,
Lion's Den Man

to serve and be served

I spent some time the other day with a good friend. Our paths cross often, but finding uninterrupted time to catch up is rare. It was a good exchange, better than I could have hoped. Why? Because we invited each other in....dropped our guard...didn't use the common response of "good" to the question "how are things". I think we each saw an opportunity to serve and be served and I am not sure doing which of the two helped either of us more. I am glad that we took the time to slow things down for a little while. Sometimes we just need to be deliberate in our friendships.

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

horse whisperer

The horse whisperer grabs the face of the wild horse. He looks the horse in the eye. He speaks to the horse. And, somehow, the horse gets it. The horse remembers who he is and what he is about. The horse reaches back beyond his current thinking to the purpose of his creation.

The horse quiets. The horse relaxes. The horse becomes a part of the solution. The horse acts in concert with God's plan for the horse. All because the horse whisperer got a hold of him.

Lord, I wish I was better at whispering. Who do you need to whisper to? Better yet, what would God say to me if he really got my attention? If wise folks in the church got ahold of me and were able to whisper God's wisdom into me, what would they say?

The Holy Spirit still speaks in a still small voice.

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

the strange joy of painting

When I was younger I did not like to paint. Inside, outside, anywhere, I did not like to paint. But something has happened to me over the years. For some odd reason, I now enjoy painting.

To go into a room where some past painter has tagged the ceiling on accident and smeared a little paint on the baseboard or crown molding. To go in and touch up the ceiling and cut in the trim color, then to come back and cut the wall color to the trim, and roll it all out. It is good.

There is something about cleaning it all up, making it look right, sharp, crisp. Caulk the gaps. Cut a straight line. No roller marks.

Painting is mindless work. Maybe that is what I like about it. Nobody wants anything and you just get lost in your work. also, when you are done, you have made something beautiful. That is a pretty satisfying feeling.

If you have been feeling a little blue lately, go paint a room. It works for me.

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

Hawk stories

I have been collecting some hawk stories. Over by the Conoco station by church, there is a high wire that attracts a gaggle of pigeons. I know it is a gaggle of geese, what do you call a pile of pigeons?

Anyway, there is always a bunch of them on the high wire. If you look around, there is also a lone hawk that stays pretty close to the area. Someone told me that they have seen the hawk take a pigeon in flight, but never off the line. It is like the pigeons just sit there on the line, knowing that the hawk won't bother them when they are in their group. But, take off on your own, and you are fair game. Pigeon flying alone = hawk lunch.

Moral of the story: there are many enemies, predators out there in life. We do better when we stick together.

See you in God's house today.

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

pep talk

Pep talks are supposed to cheer you up. This one did.

I am sitting across the table from this person. She asks if I am mad [I was staring off into space] I told her I am not mad, I am just grousing about my problems. She asked me what I had to be grousing about.

Now that in itself is a good question, given the fact that everyone in my family is healthy.

I ran thru my list of items that I grouse about. When I finished, a very impressive pep talk was delivered on the topics of life, love and such. "Get up when you get knocked down." And the like. It went on for ten minutes.

I was so impressed by this pep talk and everything that was said was so, right. The best part of it, is that it came from my 22 year old daughter!!! I am still smiling just thinking about it.

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

your mom is sick

Hi. I know your mom is sick. I am sorry. I love you and I am holding you in my prayers. I know that we have not spoken much of late, but I care for you and I want you to know that.

I lost my mom in 1995 when I was 37 years old. It always hurts to lose them. You are in my prayers my friend.

Easter and how it is calculated

Someone asked, why Easter is when it is, and why it moves around. I had to look this up. It is pretty complicated.

Easter is determined on the basis of lunisolar cycles. The lunar year consists of 30-day and 29-day lunar months, generally alternating, with an embolismic month added periodically to bring the lunar cycle into line with the solar cycle. In each solar year (January 1 to December 31), the lunar month beginning with an ecclesiastical new moon falling in the 29-day period from March 8 to April 5 inclusive is designated as the paschal lunar month for that year. Easter is the 3rd Sunday in the paschal lunar month, or, in other words, the Sunday after the paschal lunar month's 14th day. The 14th of the paschal lunar month is designated by convention as the Paschal full moon, although the 14th of the lunar month may differ from the date of the astronomical full moon by up to two days.[48] Since the ecclesiastical new moon falls on a date from March 8 to April 5 inclusive, the paschal full moon (the 14th of that lunar month) must fall on a date from March 21 to April 18 inclusive.

Accordingly, Gregorian Easter can fall on 35 possible dates - between March 22 and April 25 inclusive.[49] It last fell on March 22 in 1818, and will not do so again until 2285. It fell on March 23 in 2008, but will not do so again until 2160. Easter last fell on the latest possible date, April 25, in 1943 and will next fall on that date in 2038. However, it will fall on April 24, just one day before this latest possible date, in 2011. The cycle of Easter dates repeats after exactly 5,700,000 years, with April 19 being the most common date, happening 220,400 times or 3.9%.

Now if that isn't clear as mud. It sounds like for some reason, early church fathers decided that the celebration of Easter should fall within some cadence of the lunar cycle. I am not sure why, but that would explain all of the random moving around of the date. And I think we should remember that ultimately the point of Easter is that Jesus is risen. :-)

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

snow stories

i drove up to church yesterday about 6:15 in the morning. the wind was blowing snow across the parking lot. there was a truck knocking down the drifts of snow and a man shoveling the sidewalks. i parked as close as i could to the building and made the dash to the door. it is amazes me how fast the cold wind can make your body temperature drop in only 15 seconds......

so i head up the stairs to the lecture hall for some coffee, food and fellowship. small crowd today but it is a lively one. we all faced the same battle coming in...we all survived. what next? well stories of course. I now know what fisherman do in the winter........tell snow stories. In less than 5 minutes it seemed like at least a dozen stories were told.....one bigger than the next...each one getting its fair share of attention with side comments and encouragement from the audience.

i don't know if this post has a point, but for some reason i felt i needed to share it. maybe.....maybe the point is we all have common ground and standing together sharing things like "snow stories" brings our worlds a little closer together.

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

laughter

one of my memories growing up was seeing my dad start his Saturday's either in the garage or his wood shop. He always had the radio on and there was a program he listened to called the " Saturday Morning Comedy Hour". That was my introduction to comedy. Along with his collection of music albums my dad had a great collection of comedy albums. I have bought cd's of my (his)favorites and listened to them on occasion, but not often enough. They bring back great memories. My dad loved to laugh and I am lucky he shared that passion with me.

I believe no matter what the times are like for you laughter is good medicine. Seek it out and share it with someone.

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people. ~Victor Borge

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

12 days of Christmas

Someones asked about the wisemen and the 12 days of Christmas, so here we go-

Many of our Christian holidays [holy days] appear on the calendar in random fashion. For example, no one knows for sure that Jesus was actually born on December 25th. Fact is, many Christian holidays were placed on the calendar to compete with other pagan holidays. Church leaders in doing so were giving good Christian alternatives to help their followers avoid bad pagan celebrations.

For example, some churches have "watch night services" on new years eve. This is simply an attempt to keep the good church folks in church instead of being out on the town on new years eve.

The liturgical calendar or church seasons runs like this:
[anyone please correct me where I am wrong, I am sure that I am missing something here]

Advent
Christmastide
Epiphany
Lent
Easter
Eastertide
Pentecost
Kingdomtide
Advent
etc.

So, randomly are set some of the dates on the church calendar. December 25th is Christmas. January 6th is Epiphany. Epiphany marks the day that the wise men arrived from the east. The 12 days is from Dec 25 thru Jan 6th. In other cultures and times past, there was less celebrating, less parties in December and more of the merrymaking was celebrated during the 12 days, December 25 - January 6th.

For this reasons, churches usually leave up the Christmas decor until after Jan 6.

Inquiring minds wanted to know- now you know, the rest of the story.

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

peace and quiet

One of the blessings of the morning is that there is peace and quiet. The TV is off. I am the only one in the house awake. In such moments, if you stop and listen, you will hear the ticking of the clock, the hum of a neighbor warming up a car, the windchimes outside on the deck and a cat lapping up water.

If you also listen in these quiet moments, you can hear the voice of God. Comforting, embracing, and restoring you. What if you started getting up 10 minutes earlier than you need to, just so that you can sit in the quiet and spend a few moments alone with our Father. Sometimes all a person needs to do to find the calm in the midst of the storm, is to find the calm.

Turn off the TV. Sit down and listen. What do you hear?

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

knowing things

Yesterday I mentioned that there are some things about the faith that we just cannot know. Fact is, I think that there are lots of things that we cannot know. More so even, I think much of what we think we know, we are mistaken about.

Methodists are usually pretty good at staying focused on the essentials of faith and leaving the other matters of opinion in the court of opinion. That is one of the reasons that I like the Methodists. Most effort is spent on the core issues, the good stuff, the stuff that really matters.

What are some of the things that I think we can know-

• God loves us unconditionally.
• Jesus died for our sins.
• The Holy Spirit can convict us, comfort us, and lead us in this life.
• I trust that I have an eternal future with my Father.
• Loving others is the core activity of the Christian life.

What else do I need to know?

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

wisemen etc

Inquiring minds want to know. Here is the scoop on the wisemen not being at the manger.

Let's begin with the understanding that just because we believe something is so, does not necessarily make it so. for example, there is a bunch of folks who think the world is going to end on May 21st of this year. Google it.

In Luke 2:16 the shepherds found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. In Mt 2 the star stood over where the young child was and wisemen came into the house where the young child was.

So here is the theory. The wisemen saw the star when the baby was born and followed it for two years, arriving when baby Jesus was 2 years old. That is why Herod kills all of the babies age 2 and younger. In theory, the shepherds see Jesus in the manger on the night he is born. The wisemen arrive later.

This does not mean that you have to tear the wisemen out of your manger sets. It's ok.

Someone asked, so now you know, the rest of the story.

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

giddy

Giddy. Is that a word? It certainly isn't a word that I thought I would be using anytime soon. But, after eight days of living under a cloud, for some reason, last night, I became giddy. For no reason at all. Maybe I ate something and a burst of serotonin rushed into my brain. I would like to think differently though. I would like to believe that a person can only be down for so long. You can only do it for so long, then, you just come back. You light up again.

Last night I found the joy again. Giddy. for no reason. Awesome. I remember the scripture, one of my favorites from Psalm 30:5 "weeping lasts for a night, but joy comes in the morning."

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

two questions

A few sermons back Jeff mentioned how someone was late for a lunch date and it gave him 10 minutes of peace and quiet....He went on to talk about finding the deeper things in life….appreciate the people and the things in your life.

Last night I was reading through some stuff and two questions struck a cord.
o How do you feel about the pace of your life?
o In what ways do you feel life is passing you by?

The pace of life. I am letting it rob me of my joy. The joy of experiencing life...sharing life. Listening to people's stories, watching how people interact. Being all there...Someone shouldn't have to tell me something they told once before....if I'm losing my memory then I should be writing it down…taking notes...but that isn't it. I shouldn’t be at one of my kid’s games and wonder what happened in the previous 5 minutes.....and on and on. I haven't been living in real time. Time to put the brakes on….hear the birds sing. The best times are found in real time.

Peace,
Lion’s Den Man

when we live God's way

Galatians 5:22-26 (The Message)

22-23But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

23-24Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

25-26Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.


Peace,
Lion’s Den Man

seeing

Yesterday before church, maybe out of desperation, i was reading in one of my favorite books, "Walking on Water" by Anthony Demello. By chance I came across the statement, "as long as we are focused on the thing that hurts, we will never see anything else."

Boom. Thank sunk in. I thought of all the people that I love. When I am lost in my problem, I cannot even see them. I only see the problem. That is not healthy living and it is not fair to everyone else in my world.

So I determined yesterday that I was going to see others. Everyone. I want to be present for everyone and not so lost in my stuff that my head is hanging down all the time. I think it helped. I need to keep working on it because I want to be there for everyone I love.

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

Make Friends

I had lunch with a friend the other day and he gave me some very good advice. Sometimes you can take an aspirin and make the pain go away. Sometimes you take Darvocet. Sometimes, no matter what you do, you just have to get used to it. No matter what you do, it is still going to be there. You have to accept it for what it is and make friends with the pain.

Ahh. Make friends with the pain. I have heard this before. You can't fight it or control it, so you welcome it, you embrace it and you make friends. You say, "Hello Mr Pain, its you again? Well come on and hang out. Is this all that you have? You are nothing that God and I cannot deal with."

Making friends with the pain also points me directly toward God. To live with such things a person have got to have the Almighty very close by. And He is.

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

a new year

Thank you Lion's Den Man for posting the last couple of days. I am back, at least for today. One day at a time, didn't someone say that?

It's a new year, and I have a new prayer.

I go into the room and I turn on the lights and I begin: "O Lord, I have turned on the lights so that you can be sure to see me. CAN YOU SEE ME? I am talking loudly so that you can be sure to hear me. CAN YOU HEAR ME? Please come out from where ever you are and listen to my prayer. I need you. My loved one needs you. Please help them please bless them. From the bottom of my heart my tears are pouring out to you. I am sobbing in the lowest places. I am begging you to act on behalf of the one whose name I am calling. I trust you. I love you. I need you. Thank you for being in my life. Thank you for loving my loved one even more than I do. I know that you see them. Please go to them and touch them. Heal them. Thank you. I will be back in a bit. Amen."

I don't know if God hears desperate prayers more than he hears casual prayers, but I hope so. I am offering what I have and trusting in Him.

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

resolution time

What if everyone made this their one and only resolution?

Matthew 22
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

How would this change our lives…our world? How would our views and opinions about matters be affected? How would we treat our family, our friends, strangers, our leaders, and people on the other side of the world, and on and on….

It seems like a good idea doesn’t it? Especially when you think about who said it. Seems like a massive undertaking though. So where do we start? How about one person at a time. There will be those who don’t/can’t get it. More than likely their souls are damaged and they need to be healed first. Perhaps they need a double dose of what you can offer…..

We can be a part of this process of healing people and the world. Each day we can extend love, grace, mercy, and compassion just like Christ showed us….

John 10:10
I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.


Peace,
Lion’s Den Man

a message

I enjoy books and movies. Some seem to have so much to offer that I don’t catch all of what was said the first time around. Currently I am reading a book for the third time…..new notes…and new thoughts. The other day I watched a movie that I had seen a few times before. This time I caught a message that I had missed before. Maybe I was suppose to catch it this time around.

From “A River Runs Through It”, a piece of a sermon given by the father who was a Presbyterian Minister.

“Each one of us here today will at one time in our lives look upon a loved one who is in need and ask the same question: We are willing to help, Lord, but what, if anything, is needed? For it is true we can seldom help those closest to us. Either we don't know what part of ourselves to give or, more often than not, the part we have to give is not wanted. And so it is those we live with and should know who elude us. But we can still love them - we can love completely without complete understanding.” Rev. Maclean

Peace,
Lion’s Den Man

whats going on

Well, here is what is really going on with me. I have a problem at home. With a child. It is eating our lunch. I am finding it impossible to write this blog. I am carrying a cloud with me every where that I go. We will get to the other side of this eventually, but right now it is occupying my thoughts almost constantly.

Consequently, I do not feel that I have much to say in this blog. I wake in the morning and I have only one thing on my mind. It is just a dark night of the soul right now. I have thought about dropping the blog, but I don't really want to. So, let me ask you.... please help me take my mind off of this stuff. Give me some topics that you want me to write about, and I will.

Just post a comment here and give me some topics to write about, and I will have some material for the next few weeks. I really appreciate your help.

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

facebook

I need to let you know that I am going to take down my facebook page in the next few days. I don't ever check it and I find the messaging system to be problematic. If you want to send me an email and you have been using facebook, please email me at jeffb@woodschapelchurch.org

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

well

Well. I am finally well. I was sick for almost two weeks. It is wonderful to feel like a human being again. One of the things that is actually good about being sick is that it makes you appreciate being well.

We are so funny. We take feeling well for granted. We shouldn't. It is a blessing to be healthy, and being sick every now and then is a good reminder that the ability to breath is indeed something to be thankful for.

Thank you God, for daily breath.

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

Dec 26

It is officially December 26th. Christmas is over. Long lines to return things at the stores. Low attendance at church, high attendance in the return lines.

A problem with a kid. Worries about the future. I feel like I am in a scene from the movie Parenthood. Life. It's all back. Where is Jesus? He is still here. Waiting for me, waiting for you.

And isn't this the perfect illustration of why we need to choose him? Life and it's stuff just does not go away. So........

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

Christmas Day

Merry Christmas! It is 8:10am. It is a happy day. We survived yesterday with all the services, and I am looking forward to a down day today. Tomorrow we have church, regular times, I will be there and I hope to see you.

At my house today, three are awake and two are still in bed. Mine are old enough that they like to sleep in. In the old days, the presents would all be opened by 8am, now, there does not seem to be any rush.

I have received several nice emails about this sermon series and some of the changes that folks have made in their Christmas. One of the ones that comes to mind this morning, is the person who said that for Christmas, they were going to sit their family down and tell each one how much they love them and how special they are.

Today, that sounds like a good idea to me. there is less to open, so we are going to cook breakfast together, play a game and have a gift exchange. I am also going to tell them how much I love them, in a detailed and specific way.

Merry Christmas. I wish you a great day. It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is a work day for most preachers. While church friends may make fun of me the rest of the year for only working one day a week, when they see what happens on Christmas Eve, they take a short break from teasing me. Services today are at 10am, 4pm, 530, 7, 830 and 11pm.

What a joy it has been over the years as our church has grown, to offer more services and welcome more friends to come and share Christmas Eve with us. Christmas Eve is the one day with the most visitors of the entire year. Many people come out looking for a church and they will usually start off the new year with a new commitment to be active.

Today, no matter what service you go to, smile, shake a hand, be friendly and enjoy yourself. This is the night when we sing some wonderful songs and remember the story that changed the world. Merry Christmas Eve.

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

thoughts on being sick

Well, I hope I can stop coughing before Christmas eve. This cold has been hanging on for a long time. You sleep for a few hours and then wake up and cough for an hour. This is a fairly nasty strain of junk that is going around right now. I hope that you don't get it.

The good news is that this is a temporary illness. I plan to get better. Another benefit of a cold is that it tends to slow you down so that you live life at a pace that is more normal. Being sick also makes you appreciate feeling well.

So, there is always a little bit of good in whatever the circumstances. Cold, nasty, winter day, awake at 240am, and I am still struggling with this cold. But...........

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

trees

I mentioned on Sunday that we had not decorated our tree. I received a wonderful note yesterday from a friend who has put up her tree for 50 years. Savoring the memory of every ornament collected over the years, her tree is a symbol of a life well lived. I loved the note and I am so happy for her.

Our tree is still half bare. Every five minutes it blows the breaker. There is no train around it and there are no presents under it. In some ways, it feels like a Charlie Brown Christmas at the Brinkman house.

But, there will be better days for our tree. Better times. Better memories, savoring a life that we are so pleased to have been given by God. So whether you have decorations up or not, whether you are buying lots of gifts or not, Christmas comes. Again this year, Christmas comes. God's message to the world and to us that he still loves us.

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

Africa 14

So, yesterday I mentioned that Americans do not get it. I want to be clear, I put myself smack in the middle of those who do not get it. I see in myself as much Americanism as I see in anyone. How I wish for a heart that only saw the world as God sees the world.

I am not ahead of anyone. I am behind most of you. But together, as we ask the questions, and are honest with ourselves, we can move into a relationship with the rest of the world that is more aware and more just.

Thank you for going on this journey with me. Is there anybody out there that wants to go to Africa in 2011? Guatemala? Jamaica?

Seeing is believing.

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

Africa 13

Africa 13. This hurts. Last night I was asked by a friend from church about my trip to Africa. She said, "so, tell me about your trip." A thought occurred to me that I had not been able to articulate before. It is a painful thought. This person is very cool, so I thought I could be honest with her.

She was fine with what popped out of my mouth. I wonder how everyone else will take this. What popped out of my mouth last night when asked about Africa was this, "Americans are arrogant. We just don't get it."

There, I said it. Having been to India some years prior, this friend was fine with what I said. I hope that you are.

We don't get it. We who live in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, we don't get it. We complain about things that most of the rest of the world laughs about. I wonder what God will really say to us when we stand before him.

I am thinking about the rest of my life and how I want to live. You can see, a trip like this will mess up your brain. I think of the John Lennon song, "and so it is Christmas, and what have you done?"

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

Africa 12

I don't know that I have anything more to say about my trip to Africa at this time. I wish I were going back, but I am not sure of what exactly the purpose would be. Maybe there doesn't need to be one other than fellowship and sharing.

My heart is with the many new Friends that I made and I think of them and pray for them daily. My trip has disturbed the quiet nonchalance of my suburban American life. I suppose that that is good, although it is not a very comforting place for my brain to be.

If you have questions about Africa, I will try to answer them. Just let me know. I will also be hosting a report some night after the first of the year with the others that went on the trip. This will be for anyone in the congregation that wants to hear more.

As I think about the Advent Conspiracy, water for those who have not, the hole in the gospel book and my Africa trip, I wonder if there is some connection.

Today is church, and I will look forward to seeing all of you, my lovely friends in worship. God is good.

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

Christmas is coming

Strange Christmas this year for me. Fewer boxes, less wrapping, less scurrying around. All intentional.

The result so far, less worry, less tension, more time to think about what it really means. It isn't just that spending less allows me to give to the poor or to the water project at church, pulling back has allowed my brain the time and space to think about the story. Somehow in choosing to use our resources differently, our brains and souls have been touched.

I find myself thinking daily, not of the shopping list, but of the baby in the manger. No one has really been motivated to do much decorating this year at our house. Very few of the decorations have left the bins. For the first time ever, there are no Christmas lights on the house. Now I don't recommend this for everyone, but in some interesting ways, our home is lit up in ways that it has never been lit up before.

As we have endeavored to push out the commercial, we have made room for the eternal. I am thinking more about Jesus, and that can only be good.

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

A Christian Theology of evil

I may have posted this before, but it comes up so often I feel the need to get it out there again..........

A Christian Theology of Evil
An Outline

The basics.
Many Christians speak of God and speak of the devil but do not know who they are. They act as if we live in a dualistic world where two equal powers struggle for control. No question, there is struggle in the world, and there is sin and evil in the world, but God and Satan are not opposites.

Qualities of God:
All Knowing, All Present, All Powerful, Eternal

Qualities of Satan [the devil] and demons
Not all knowing, not all present, not all powerful, created.

What does this mean?
This means that God is in control. Remember Satan is a created being, an angel that fell from heaven. He is not from the beginning, God is. He is not everywhere in the world….God is. Satan is probably not at your house, he is probably working on Ussama Ben Laden. He cannot be in both places at the same time.

Prov 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
Jn 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Only God deserves the attributes of a god. Satan is not equal to God and he is not the opposite of God. God made him and has allowed him to do his work for a short time. He does not deserve the attention that God does. He is operating in this world for a short time and will receive judgment in the end..

Gen 3:14-15 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Isa 14:12-15 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
2 Pet 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

The limited created evil beings in the world are fighting a losing battle against the almighty power of God that works in the world through the Holy Spirit and those who call upon the name of the Lord.

Being led by the Holy Spirit and being possessed or oppressed by demons.
How does one become a Christian?
You choose to ask Jesus to come in.

How does one become possessed or oppressed by evil?
You choose to ask it to come in.

What does this mean?
It means that evil cannot come in and control you without you having opened the door. He/they cannot just sneak up on you and suddenly inhabit your life. You let in Jesus if you want to and you let in demons if you want to. Let me be clear, there is not room in the soul of a Christian for the Holy Spirit and demons. If you have accepted Jesus, you are infilled with the Holy Spirit. You cannot then be filled with the demonic. One or the other, never both.

Psa 91:9-11 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

So is the devil real?
Yes the devil is real, but he is not the opposite of God. See above description. People can be possessed by him or by his demons. These are horribly frightening people. If you have ever met someone who was in such a state it would make a tremendous impression on you. Many people will live their entire lives and never see or meet someone who is possessed. Believe me, you don’t want to meet such people.

Mark 5:1-20
1They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil[b] spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. 4For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. 6When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!” 8For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!” 9Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. 11A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. 14Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon possessed man–and told about the pigs as well. 17Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. 18As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. 19Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[c]how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Are there other sources of evil? Yes! Other sources of evil include: other people, yourself, and the world.
• People can choose to do evil things. They are responsible for their choices and usually they are not possessed when they choose evil. The human spirit is capable of evil choices without the benefit of or help of the demonic.
• Flip Wilson used to say “the devil made me do it.” He was wrong. He chose to do evil himself. All of us make bad choices and choose to do evil things. That is what sin is. It doesn’t mean that you are demon possessed. It means that you are human.
• The world has evil in it. Tornadoes, Hurricanes, earthquakes, disease. These things are common to human existence and are not the work of demons or the vengeful acts of God. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. The flu is the flu and a cold is a cold. It is not the oppression of the devil.

Does our language and our prayer life glorify God or Satan?
This is the real question.

CS Lewis once said that “the best thing that the Devil can do is to convince the world that he doesn’t exist.” Probably the second best thing for the Devil to do would be to get us to overemphasize his role or involvement in our lives, bringing him glory instead of God.

As believers we are called to lift up the name of Jesus and bring people to him. Most Christians will never see a demon possessed person in their life and would not necessary be prepared to deal with it if they did.

When our prayers refer to Jesus, he is lifted up. When our prayers refer to the devil and evil, they are exalted and fear is injected into the believers thought process.

If you are trusting in Jesus, you don’t have to be afraid of such evil. You are walking with the King. Many Christians unintentionally glorify Satan by including him in all of their prayers and daily chatter and banter. You can do that if you wish. Talking about evil fills people with worry. Talking about Jesus fills people with joy. I want to choose to lift up the name of Jesus. What about you?

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

africa 11

Shipwrecks. One of the places that we stayed was a block from the beach. The beach was littered with boats, ships that were washed up on shore. I have never seen anything like it.

The boats were similar to the shrimp boats on Forest Gump.

I asked someone why the boats were there. Well, the motor quit on the boat. the owner did not have the money to fix the motor or maybe they could not find the parts. Finally the anchor gave way and the boat washed ashore. that was 5 years ago.

This is like nothing we have ever seen in the states. A boat washed ashore would be on the news and would be hauled off immediately. but, this is Africa and they sit on the beach for years. And I stand next to the boat and I wonder about the people who sailed her and what it feels like when you are adrift at sea and there is no Coast Guard to call.

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

africa 10

Wedding rehearsal. One night we saw a bunch of people at the church next door. We asked what was going on - a wedding rehearsal. Since there are so many funerals in Mozambique, a wedding is a very very very happy time. None of the worry, pressure, pomp and circumstance of an American wedding, this rehearsal gave us a glimpse into the joy of the Mozambique wedding.

The bride and her parents sat on one side on the front row. the groom and his parents on the other side front row. Extended family lined up on each side and served as competing choirs. Each in turn would stand and sing. Singing loud, swaying, joyfully, singing loudly. One family choir then the other. Then back to the first.

Somewhere in all of this, the bride, then the groom, then all the parents in turn, get up and dance their way to the platform, where they sign a document. All the while one choir or the other is singing, "sign, sign, sign it, siiiggn, sign." The excitement was absolutely amazing. We sat their and cried. If you have seen the video that was a u-tube sensation a year ago of the bridal party coming into the wedding, that is the level of excitement.

I intend to tell future wedding rehearsals about my experience there in hopes that they will relax and enjoy the joy of the moment.

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

fire alarm

It was two nights ago. 11:55pm and the fire alarms are going off all over the house. This is the first house we have ever owned where the alarms are wired into the electrical of the house. There are about six of these things going crazy on the main floor and upstairs.

First I check every nook and cranny of the house. No fire. That is good. Then I call the alarm company. They tell me that this is not a part of their system. Then I go downstairs, find the panel and unplug the power. Nothing. Then I unplug the battery backup. Nothing. Nothing will stop this alarm. And it is LOUD.

I call the fire department non emergency line. A few minutes later the big truck rolls up outside our house. That is always a little embarrassing. I tell them the story. They tell me that there should be one smoke alarm that is flashing red. We look. Sure enough, we find it in a bed room. Evidently in this system, when one goes off, they all go off.

This one went off because it had collected enough dust that the chip inside thought there was a fire. The fireman took it down, blew on it, and put it back up. Every thing stopped. I thanked them, and apologized to them for getting them out late at night.

The moral of the story is that you really should change your batteries every year, even in an electrical system, there is a back up battery. And when you change your battery, be sure to blow thru the fins and vents on the alarm. You will get more sleep and so will the firemen. And, the dog, the poor dog will be happier too.

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

Pageant

Last night I saw the tenth installment of the children's Christmas pageant. As always, it was awesome. I think there were over 240 children that participated. I saw so much joy in their faces and so much happiness as they participated in the program and the night of Bethlehem activities afterwards.

As a challenging year comes to a close, I was so proud of our children and those who put on the pageant. It was a reminder that we have a great group of folks, we are a great group of folks, and that our mission is so very important.

Thank you.

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

Africa 10

I keep writing these posts on Africa and I keep saying, "we have so much to be thankful for." I have a question for myself and for anyone else wants a piece of it- is it possible that just being thankful isn't enough? Maybe I out to try and do something about the enormous disparity between what I have and what they have.

And you know, it is not that I have a 6 year old Honda civic that has 100k miles on it [but is a really good car] and they have a car that is a 1979 AMC Pacer that barely runs. We often think of haves and have nots like, well, they have the stuff, but it is just not as nice of stuff.

This is completely different. I met people who do not have food and do not have clean water. They live with the constant veil of malaria hanging over their heads. How can I have so much, and they are so hungry that they will gladly welcome a half a sandwich from someone at a sidewalk cafe.

Imagine that is you or me. Walking by Chipolte on 40 highway, smelling the food. Hungry, but walking on. You have no money. Someone at one of the tables calls out to you and offers you the remaining part of their lunch. Inside you are ecstatic, but you don't want to show how happy you really are. You thank them and take the food. You go around the corner and eat every little bit of it.

We have so much to be thankful for.

What am I going to do about this?

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

Africa 9

Lunch. We drove eight hours north to visit the Methodist mission at Chicuque. Half way there, is the town of Zxi-Zxi. We stopped there for lunch. The front door and the windows are open, so you deal with the regular collection of mosquitoes and flies while eating. You will notice that even at lunch time, there is plenty of room to park. There just aren't very many cars. The restaurant is owned by a Portuguese man and we were able to order omelets there. finding food that looked like home was always a welcome relief.

On this particular trip, everyone ordered egg sandwiches. The sandwiches were too big for us to eat, and they were mostly bread with an egg in between.

The guys behind us in the picture are selling things on the street. they sell books and DVDs hand lotion, etc. Anything that someone might buy, they walk from person to person and try to make a sale. Tim bought an atlas of Mozambique from one of them. Although they were sitting next to our sidewalk table, they did not bother us.

We began to look at the food on our plates and wondered if the young men would be interested in an egg sandwich. Well, the answer was clear. YES. and thank you very very much. We all handed over entire sandwiches and halves of sandwiches and they were so very thankful.

Normal people, trying to work to make a living. Nice people. Hungry people.

We have so much to be thankful for.

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

Africa 8

Pets. Almost non-existent. How many billions do we spend on pets in the US? We have a dog and two cats at our home. The dog food is $35 a bag. After that, there are haircuts, trips to the vet, and doggie treats.

In Mozambique, I saw one cat and four dogs the entire time. All four dogs were guard dogs at businesses. Like junk yard dogs. Dogs on the road, none. Dogs in the neighborhood, none. Dogs in the city running around, none. Dogs at someone's home, none.

The cat was a skinny little thing that was adopted by the Methodist mission in Chicuque. It had no food bowl or water bowl, it ate whatever it could find and occasionally the cook would throw it a little something. If you knelt down to pet it, it would allow about two strokes, then it would paw at you for food. As most Africans, it' s life was about finding food.

If you have a pet and enjoy your dog or cat, remember that this is a huge blessing that most people in the world do not enjoy. In fact, my dog may be off of dog treats for a while. I am going to send the money to my new friends in Mozambique.

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

Africa 7

Hospitality. The Methodists in Africa greeted us with unmatched joy and hospitality. They fed us better food than they eat. They put us up to sleep in their best quarters. They were always kind, always polite, always gracious.

25 members of the church met us at the airport and were singing "we welcome you, we welcome you," as we walked through the international zone and onto Mozambique soil. There was very little "me" about these people. We were not an interruption to their schedules, we were friends that they were glad to host.

Hospitality. Grace. Love. All good stuff.

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

joy

Please allow me to take a break from the Africa stories so that you can REJOICE WITH ME! I have three children. The oldest, Allison is graduating from college on Saturday with a BS in nursing from UCM [Warrensburg]. That is pretty exciting! To birth a child, teach them to tie their shoes. Walk them through the grade school then teenage years, high school then college. What a joy.

Here is the pay off. Yesterday, after several interviews, Alli was offered and has accepted a job at St. Luke's East Hospital as an RN. Is that exciting or what!

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

Africa 6

Food. What did they eat? What did we eat? The common people of Mozambique eat rice, bananas, mangoes, coconuts and anything else that they can grow. If they are fortunate they get a chicken on occasion. The man that drove us around is well off by Mozambique standards. His family eats meat once per week. And of course there are wealthy folks [a few] that eat as we do in America.

So when the Americans come to visit and there is a fellowship dinner after church with chicken and beef, this is real news. In fact, if we could keep the church supplied with chickens, they could have the kind of dinners after church on Sunday that would draw a crowd. The women cook outside over open fires and on Saturday I took pictures of a cow being carved up on a table next to the tin roof fellowship hall. a fryer chicken costs $3.

When we sat down to breakfast at the guest house, the meal consisted of one egg each, bread, and occasionally something that looked like spam. Lunch and dinner were chicken, rice, soup, and maybe fish or beef. We were well taken care of, and I was surprised at the amount of food that they put on our table. I was surprised until I found out that the food on our table was also meant to feed the cooks and security guards.

After we were done eating, you would find the cooks and security guards eating breakfast- bread and jam. And after dinner, eating whatever was left. This tended to cause us to eat a little less so that there was more for them.

We should always be thankful when we sit down to a plate of food because we are so blessed and so many others do not have the basics.

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

Africa 5

People walking. In Mozambique, very few people have cars. At the dedication service, 600 people attended. I'll bet there weren't 10 cars at the church. The people walk everywhere they go, or they ride in a mini bus.

The mini-buses are privately owned and you see a lot of them in the city. It was not uncommon to count 19 people or more in a Toyota van. They pay a little bit to ride and the money goes to the owner of the van.People walking. In the city, along the highway, out in the middle of no where, people are walking. They are carrying everything. Bags, water jugs, something to sell, children. They are going somewhere and they are walking. It is a part of their life. It is common for them to walk miles simply to get water or buy a loaf of bread.

This is an example of how I wish my children could have gone on the trip with me and really seen how the people live. My kids have cars. People in Mozambique walk. Seeing how the rest of the world lives can often make us more grateful for the blessings that we have.

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

Africa 4

Sister church. The main purpose of our visit was to celebrate with our sister church, the dedication of their new sanctuary. Our sister church is in a Maputo suburb named Zimpeto. The church is named for the first bishop of the Mozambique church, Bishop Zunguzee. The church has about 600 on Sunday mornings. they have built, with your help, a very nice new sanctuary. The first picture shows the current Bishop of Mozambique praying over the corner stone on dedication Sunday.

The church is populated with wonderful people. Humble, kind and joyful. The have an amazing choir and tons of young people. There are lots of young people, because the life expectancy is lower than in America. I saw very few people older than I was on the trip.

The Sunday dedication service was four hours long. We sat on the platform and enjoyed being a part of their family that day. The highlights of the service to me was the singing of the choir and the way that they receive the offering. Very very joyful.

Please read the inscription on the corner stone and pray for your brothers and sisters at the Bishop Zunguzee church in Zimpeto. They are praying for you.

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

Africa 3

The people. The people that i met in Africa were wonderful. Kind, humble, caring. I have visited some other cultures where the predominant message that you get from the people was "give us more stuff." This was not my experience in Mozambique.

The people at our sister church and the other Methodists that i met, were interested in friendship, caring, prayer, relationship, and mutuality. They gladly shared everything they had with you.

There was no sense of entitlement that I saw, anywhere in the country. Teens and youths seemed to work willingly and acted like constructive members of the community. When I asked about this, "why do the young people work so hard?" The answer I received was, "they know if they don't, they will die."

A culture that is survival based and subsistence oriented, seems to keep people focused on the really basic things of life. Staying alive and caring for others.

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

Africa 2

The Orphanage. An eight hour drive north of the capital city of Maputo, there is a left turn off of the National highway. National highway is the only paved road running north and south in the country. Actually, it is only paved for part of the way, but we will chase that another day.

Eight hours north of Maputo, you turn left onto a dirt road and drive about three miles to an area called Campini. The main things in this area are the Methodist church, seminary, agricultural project and orphanage.

The orphanage houses 54 children. Three adults care for them. Cooking is in an outdoor kitchen and the children live in squalor. Their condition is much improved thanks to nice buildings that were paid for and constructed by the Platte Woods UMC in North KC.

What Sally Struthers shows us on TV, I saw in person. Lonely children, orphaned by AIDS. There are no creature comforts here. The orphanage keeps them fed and the workers there do all that they can to love and care for the children, but it is a rustic place to say the least. In our country, either family services or the health department would close the place in a heartbeat, but it is all that these children have.

So, count your blessings and pray for the young Methodists in Campini, Mozambique.

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

Africa 1

I am home from 10 days in Africa. Thank you for all who prayed for me and for Lion's Den Man and others who wrote on the blog. The visit to Mozambique has touched me in a profound way. I am not even sure how to sort through all of it at this time. I hope that some of what I saw and learned never leaves me. I am going to write about Africa for a while. I may take a break if something noteworthy comes about, but I have many things to share.

Most of the people that live in Mozambique, not some, but most, do not have electricity or running water. Consequently, for most, there is no food preservation, no water at the sink, no modern toilet, etc. No Air conditioning, no TV, no refrigerator. Food is a day to day concern. If you are rich, you may have candles and matches to light the way at night. The toilet is a hole in the ground not far from your front door.

When I consider how most of these people live and what they go through just to stay alive, I am horrified by my lifestyle. Sorry to say, but it is true, we Americans have it all too comfortable by the standards of most others in this world.

So I am working hard to keep my thoughts from being a downer. Let me say that I am thankful to God for every blessing that we have. I am also praying about what it means to be a member of the Kingdom of God in a circle of Methodist friends that just got a lot bigger. And, I am going to be saying it 1,000 times........ "most all of what we are concerned about, probably everything that we are concerned about, fuss about, worry about, get excited about, probably all of it, just really does not matter."

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

addiction

Last night I caught the end of a movie "Scrooged". Not necessarily a Christmas classic but one that ends with a good message. Give. Give yourself. Give to others. It feels good. It is addictive.........

It's the kind of addiction that makes God smile. WCC has many good things to support...to many to mention. Maybe start with Water.org or feeding the homeless at Westport or help out this season ringing the bell for the Salvation Army..... just to name a few. If this is already your thing then help get someone else addicted....they will thank you for it.


Peace,
Lion's Den Man