My Ministry

I keep hearing this, so I am going to keep addressing it........

My Ministry.

My ministry. I heard a pastor say it the other day. We have done such and such in "my ministry." Or, "my ministry" focuses on such and such. My ministry has been successful. My. My. My. Me. Mine.

Ugh. It makes me cringe. I just want to pull my hair out when people say this. Let me rant for a minute.

Pastor, it is not your ministry! It is the ministry of Christ! It is not about you, it can never be about you and it cannot sound like it is about you. To the degree that we make it sound like it is about us, the work of Christ is hurt.

True ministry points past the person doing the ministry, to the object of the ministry- Jesus. It is a great privilege that any pastor has to be in the ministry of Christ. It is a privilege and an honor, not a right. It is not my ministry. It is the ministry of Christ. I just get to help for a while, and so do all of you.  It is the great privilege that we have to be in the ministry of Jesus Christ.

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

Baptismal Service

If you have not been baptized or if you have children or youth that have not been baptized, I wanted to invite you to consider our baptismal service on Easter Sunday.  At 11:15 in the Worship Center, we will be holding a worship service and baptizing anyone who is interested, but has not been baptized before.

For more information or to get on the schedule,  call the church office at 816 795-8848.

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

not listening

We are not very good at listening.  In the large part, I think this is because we think that we already know what to do.  This is an unfortunate arrogance, and in a relationship, it is quite insulting.  Sometimes we don't listen to those who are trying to help us because we are defensive.  Sometimes we are too busy to listen.  But most often, we believe that we are right and the other person is wrong.

If we do not listen, we never learn.  If we do not listen we are stuck in the way our life currently is.  Some people never change because they are not open to growing.

Did you know that you can learn more from a person who thinks differently than you, if you just listen to them?  A professor was once asked about a person.... so John was one of your students?  The professor answered, "John attended some of my classes, but he was never one of my students."

If you expect to learn anything in this life, if I expect to learn anything in this life, we have to get better at listening.  One of my dear memories of Woods Chapel, was the day a member said to me, "Jeff, you are talking, when you ought to be listening."  It was painful at the time, but oh that person was so right.

The gateway to knowing more and living a more full life begins with listening.

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

Healthy Church

Someone asked the other day what makes a healthy church. I was unprepared for the question, so I rambled about some stuff, but finally landed on this: healthy churches are outward focused, unhealthy churches are turned inward.

It doesn’t matter if a church is small or large, the moment it gets off mission and turns in, the death march begins. Unhealthy churches circle the wagons and put on the oxygen masks. They are in survival mode. Their main thought is self preservation.

Odd. Self preservation is the opposite of what Jesus taught. He taught us to live outside of ourselves and to give ourselves away. When we do that, we are living the kingdom life.

Healthy churches ask what they can do for others. They are thriving in outreach and mission. They have a purpose in this world that transcends themselves. They spend very little time thinking about if they are being fed, and think almost exclusively about if they are feeding others.

I think that these principles are true of the individual life as well as a church. Those who are constantly worried that they don’t have enough are miserable. Those who live generous lives, giving themselves away for Jesus, these are those who find the life that truly is life.

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

Your YES to God

I have been listening to the sermons of E. Stanley Jones.  He was talking about conversion and said that conversion is your YES to God.  Just say yes.  It is that simple.

We humans make it so complicated.  We dress Christianity up with lots of doctrines and rules, but becoming a Christ follower is quite easy.  Just say yes to God.  That is the beginning of the journey away from one's self and into the heart of God.

It's not complicated.  Just say yes.  You can do it right now.

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

Jesus on the Mount

Jesus at the sermon on the mount.

When I feel funny about the Christian life, when I feel that others are judging me, when I feel that some people are thinking that I am not a good leader, I try to think of Jesus. I think of him and how I imagine him being at the sermon on the mount.

It's time for the sermon to start, the people are gathered, the moment is right.......

Here comes Jesus: No pulpit, no robe, no preacher voice. He is just himself. He speaks from the heart, he looks people in the eye. He was relevant, normal and authentic. People loved him for it.

Why do we think that we need to be anything different than what Jesus was?  He did nothing to create distance and everything to draw people in.

When you consider your religious life, do you ever put on a show? Do you ever worry what others are thinking? Or are you content to just be you? You know, God accepts you exactly how you are. You don’t make him happier by dressing yourself up. He know all and sees all, and he still loves us.

Relax. Jesus did.

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

selling Jesus

Christians sell Jesus.  Or to put it another way, we are all passing Jesus on, in one way or another.  If we aren't passing him along to others, then we are missing part of our job as Christ followers.

I was talking to a friend the other day and I realized that the way that he sells Jesus is a bit annoying to me.  I thought later, he isn't selling Jesus, he is selling his version of Jesus.  And then it occurred to me, that so am I and so are you.  We all take Jesus in, interpret him a little bit and then pass him on.  He is always a bit distorted by my thinking and my approach to life.

I guess that is ok.  It better be.  There is no other way to pass a thing on then through the lens of our understanding.  Even when we are quoting scripture, we are choosing which ones to quote, putting them randomly with others and placing our tone on them.

We all sell Jesus in our own way.

The moral of this story is that we all need to be a little bit more humble about how we go about selling Jesus.  It is after all, our way, and not the only way.  We need to think about how our method of conveying Jesus is falling upon the ears of others.  If I speak in the tongues of men and angels but have not love, I am nothing but a pain in the neck.

Personally I believe that one act of kindness goes much further than a bunch of words.  John Wesley is famous for saying,  "Preach the gospel. When necessary, use words."

How are you passing along Jesus to others?

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

Surprise find at the airport

I am still smiling about this!   So exciting!!

Look who I found in the airport.  I was flying back to KC via the Orlando airport and there was Shelley Cesar.  She was waiting for Jerry who was stuck in a long security line.  [Not that he is a suspicious character, sometimes security lines at airports are long.] We hugged and caught up.  The Cesars moved to Orlando about five years ago.  They are wonderful people.  It is exciting to run into friends in places that you weren’t thinki
ng that you might.  

Take time to appreciate your friends.  Sometimes you don't get to see them very often.

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

the back of winter

In 1978 we had a very cold Winter.  It was miserable.  I was in college and no one's car would start.  We suffered through January and February.  I will never forget when the temperature on the bank sign finally got to 40 degrees.  It was a miracle that we had waited so long for.

Since then, I have always believed that March 1st marks an important turning point in Winter.  On March 1st, the back of Winter is broken.  There may be some really cold days, but they won't last long.  Soon it will warm up again and Spring is on its way!

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

The Woman at the Well

Lately I have been thinking about the woman at the well in John chapter 4. I am not sure why. The woman at the well is married and divorced 5 times, but Jesus does not throw this in her face. She is also living with a man out of wedlock. Jesus does not throw this in her face either. We should stop throwing such things in people’s faces. It is none of our business.

What Jesus did do, was to talk to the woman about living water. It’s a water that wells up in the soul and so fills a person that it spills out to everyone around them.  Jesus looked right past the things that humans want to judge and just loved the woman. I love that!

If Jesus can do that for her, I'll bet that he can do it for me and you.

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

How about a catch?

Hey dad how about a catch?

We have ball gloves in KC and in Florida. That is just in case someone wants to play catch. I persuaded Jenny to catch with me the other day. She apologized, she said, “I am not as good at this as I used to be.” I thought.... “neither am I!!”

 Thankfully, playing catch isn’t about being good. It is about doing it.  It's about spending the time.  It is an activity that puts two people in proximity and face to face. It is a time to talk. It is a time to remember when we did this when we were young.

Buy some used gloves. Invite someone to have a catch. You will be glad that you did. It is somehow quite therapeutic.

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

The Saints

The Saints.  Not the New Orleans Saints, but those uniquely holy Christians.  Those recognized officially by the Catholic church in history and those others who we would put in that category whether the church did or not.  Maybe a parent, a grandparent, a Sunday School teacher, in your heart is a saint.

What makes a saint?  Many people believe in Jesus.  Saints do more.  I had a thought the other day.  It went like this.... Saints are those who live lives of love and who teach us to love.

Pretty simple.  I'll bet if you find someone who loves and teaches others to love, you might consider them to be a saint.  May we all aspire to be more than just those people who believe in Jesus.  May we aspire to love and teach others so to do.

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

vindictive

Never be vindictive.  Never hurt back.  You will feel slighted at times in this life, but it never pays to burn a bridge or hurt back.  When we hurt back, we only hurt ourselves.

Over the years we have had a number of people leave the church for many reasons.  Some go quietly, some disappear, others take their pound of flesh with them when they go.  It is very painful to realize that you have lost a family, even when they leave for reasons that have nothing to do with you.  It is just too easy to take it all personally.  I want so much for us to reach everyone, when we don't, it hurts.

But we never pile on.  We are never ugly and we never deliver guilt to those who leave the church.  We avoid this not simply because its wrong, we don't hurt back because we have learned that some day, they may want to return, and if we have wounded them, it makes it all the more difficult.

I am happy to say that over the years we have had a number of families that left for greener pastures come back home to Woods Chapel.  It always makes me happy to see them walk through the doors again.

Never be vindictive.  Always welcome home with open arms anyone that walks through the doors of your church.  And if you've been away for a while, come home.  There is no time like the present.

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

The Parade

Please take time to watch the parade today. Many people have gone to great lengths to prepare for this special event.  Your boss will let you off work for it.

What parade you say?

Today is the day when all of the bands from the local high schools line up downtown and march fourth.

[this was my grandmother's joke, passed on to my mother, and now to me and now to you.]

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

I see a wall

I have this odd recurring dream.  It may be a day dream.

I am in Florida at a new church and there is a blank wall or a bulletin board in my office that is filled up with things that I need to remember.

Some of the basic reminders of what  I believe life is about are on this board.  I am sure that I am missing some things, maybe you can remind me of some things that I should be thinking about.  But here is my list so far:

I see a wall [with important sayings all over it]

• Spiritually developed people are those who have learned to set aside their preference and comfort for the sake of the mission.
• Everything had to be done at once.
• Joy- Authenticity- Excellence
• The starfish and the spider
• We show our love for god by how we treat each other
• DNA
• The greatest commandment
• Place, position and power = self
• Grace alone
• What is your image of God?
• He has set eternity in our hearts.
• What is your mission?
• He makes all things beautiful
• See the good
• How can you help me be a better pastor?
• The paralyzed friend.
• Listen-Learn-Love-Lead
• Acted upon or Acting upon?

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

men

One of my great blessings of being here at Woods Chapel has been the wonderful group of men that I have got to know.

I am trying to put my finger on why the Woods Chapel guys were and are so special.  They were authentic, honest, raw and a bit broken.  They were not afraid to let you see who they were.  They worked hard.  They had fun.  We all

played pool, threw darts and went bowling.  They laughed with and at each other.  They all seemed to like my Queen CD.

Oh what great memories we have.  Hug your friends.  Tell them that you love them.

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

melancholy

Melancholy has set in about my move.  Reminiscing, cleaning out, thinking about packing up the office.  My eyes are finding tears on a regular basis.

After yesterday's post, I want to say a word of appreciation for those of you that I did get to grow up with and did get to raise my children with.  It is a special bond that exists between a group of people that walk the same journey together.

We played softball, we built a church, we built lives.  We went on canoe trips.  We watched our kids grow up.  We laughed together and we cried together.  We told some great jokes.  Oh my, what fun we have had.

I am so very very blessed to have had this season of life with all of you.

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

30 again

I was emailing with a friend the other day, and I had a thought that I have never had before.  He is 30 and I am 58.  He is starting his family, mine is all grown up.  I admire this person so much that I thought, "oh, how I wish I was 30 and just starting out again, so we could raise our families together."

That is a pretty good compliment to a young person, when older folks want to turn back the hands of time so that they could spend more of their life with you.

I am thankful for those whom I dearly love in this life.  To love someone else is such a blessing.

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

wrong

You might be wrong.  I might be wrong.  Unless we can admit that, we are heading down a difficult path in this life.  It is difficult for God to reach people who know it all.

If God is a circle and you think he is a triangle, he does not become a triangle to accommodate your way of thinking.  [Bob Tuttle]

May we go to church today with an open mind and an open paradigm.  May we hear the message of love and grace, not simply as we prefer it, but as we can deliver it to others.  Dear God, how can you make me a more loving person?  Dear God, please show me how to share more kindness and grace.

When our prayers sound like that, our world will change.

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

convict of sin

It is one of the jobs of the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin.  That means that somehow we are supposed to hear his voice telling us that what we are doing is not healthy.

But I have a fear for humanity.  Before we get there let me say this, some are so riddled with guilt that they live miserable lives, worrying that everything that they are doing is wrong.  I hope that this is not you.  If so, do not read anymore of this post.

But for most humans, especially Americans, we are entitled.  We have rights!  I want it my way.  I earned it!  And we are so enculturated with the idea that our life is about our preferences, that we would not recognize the Holy Spirit trying to speak to us if a light really shown down from heaven!

In short, we are not listening anyway. 

When was the last time that we prayed that God would make us sweeter?  When was the last time that we considered a conflict that we were engaged in and asked what our burden was in the situation instead of blaming others?  The Spirit cannot convict us of sin if we insist that we are always right.

It took King David a mighty humbling for him to listen to the Spirit again.  How much better it would be for each of us if we prayed and listened for the still small voice that wants to talk with us about how to be better employees, better parents, better friends, and of course better drivers.

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

want to hear

What do you want to hear?  Usually what we want to hear is not what we need to hear.  And often we are not good at hearing the very things that may help us to turn a corner. 

A father disciplines a child.  A boss tries to correct an employee.  A wife corners a husband.  On and on the scenarios go.  We humans prefer to hear what we want to hear instead of what we need to hear. 

This is true in church as well.  Many members wish to hear words that make them happy.  Few wish to be challenged.  But the greatest battles in life are won when we face a challenge and overcome.
Some wise person once described the job of a pastor as this:  to comfort the afflicted, and to afflict the comfortable. 

Church should challenge us.  Do not resist forces that call you to a greater life.  Do not shy back from that which you would prefer not to hear.  They may just be the words that change your life for the better.

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

John Wesley Quote

I ran across this quote and I thought it was quite good, especially coming from a man who is the roots of our denomination and died over 200 years ago.

Some may say that I have misunderstood the way myself, although I presume to teach it to others. It is likely that many people will think this way and it is quite possible that I may have misunderstood at some points. I trust, though, that where I am in the wrong, my mind is open to being changed. I sincerely desire to be better informed. I say to God and others, “What I do not know, teach me.”

Are you convinced that you see more clearly than I do? It is not improbable that you may. If so, treat me as you would want to be treated yourself under the same circumstances. Lead me to a better way than I have yet known. Show me my mistake by plain proof of Scripture. And if I delay on the path I have been accustomed to taking and if I seem unwilling to leave it, work with me. Take me by the hand and lead me as I am able to accept it. Do not be angry if I beg you not to beat me down in order to quicken my pace. I can move forward only feebly and slowly at best. If you belittle me, I might not be able to move forward at all. Also, may I ask you not to call me cruel names in order to bring me into the right way? Suppose I was ever so much in the wrong, I doubt that scolding would set me straight. Rather, it would make me run so much the farther from you. In that case, I would move out of the path of truth still more and more.

Indeed, if you are angry I will become angry also, and then there would be little hope of my finding the truth. Once anger arises, the smoke will so cloud the eyes of my soul that I will not be able to see anything clearly. For God’s sake, if it is possible to avoid it, let us not provoke one another to anger.  Let us not ignite this fire of hell in each other, much less fan it into a flame. If we could discern truth by the dreadful light of anger’s fires, would it not be a loss instead of a gain? Even with many wrong opinions, how much more is love to be preferred before truth without love? We may die without the knowledge of many truths and yet be carried into Abraham’s bosom. But if we die without love, what good would knowledge be to us?

May the God of love keep us from anger. May he prepare us for the knowledge of all truth, by filling our hearts with the fullness of his love and with all joy and peace in believing.

                                                                                                            John Wesley, 1746

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

Force

Something is going to happen to you one of these days that you are not going to like. Something is going to change. Something is going to come along and try to bowl you over. We can be ready for these moments and lean into the difficulty or we can be victimized by them.

I have been thinking a lot lately about the question, "are you acting upon a thing or is it acting upon you?" In other words, are you ready to deal with life's uncertainties or are they going to smash into you and wash you away?

One of my favorite quotes comes from George Bernard Shaw:

This is the true joy in life,
the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one;
the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap…  
and being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod
of ailments and grievance,
complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.

Life is short.  Are you a victim of circumstance or a force of nature?

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

Disgusted

Have you ever been disgusted with yourself? Dr. Henry Cloud, Tony Robbins and many others have coined a now famous and very important phrase: "Consequences give us the pain that motivates us to change. ... We change our behavior when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of change."

If you are at a place of disgust with your life, there is no shame in that. Take it as a joy! A time to turn a new page in your life. Let your feelings of being disappointed in yourself motivate you to a better tomorrow.

It is a beautiful day in God's world, sometimes we have to work through some difficult stuff to remember that. Never give up on being the best you that you can be.

bereavement

I have been reading the book H is for Hawk by Helen McDonald.  I borrowed it from my friend's wife, Dianne Tuttle.  I was visiting at their house, saw the book and asked to borrow it.  I had heard about it on the radio and I thought it sounded interesting.   In the book Helen has lost her father and she has some very interesting comments about bereavement.   She also finds some life lessons in raising and training a hawk.  I am not recommending that you go into hawk training.

If you have ever lost a loved one and then sat with your family, you may recognize these feelings.  She says that bereavement, suffering through the death of a loved one, is like everyone in the family being punched in the gut all at the same time.  You aren't sure who did it, and there doesn't seem to be much resolution to the pain, but we all feel gut punched just the same.

That struck a chord to me.  Sometimes the grief that we feel is down deep at the core of who we are.  It some times feels that we will never recover.

Thank God for the gift of time.  Thank God for the gift of friends.  Thank God for God.  If you are grieving, if you are gut punched, hang on.  Hang in.  Things do get better.  One of God's great miracles is turning grieving into savoring.  He can turn night into day and mourning into dancing.

Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.  Psalm 39

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

all of life is sacred

I love reading Richard Rohr. This is from one of his devotionals last week. If you would like to sign up for them, here is the link:

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Jesus and Francis had a genius for not eliminating or punishing the so-called negative side of the world, but incorporating it and using it. Francis, merely imitating Jesus, goes to the edge of town and to the bottom of society; he kisses the leper, loves the poor, and wears patches on the outside of his habit so everyone will know that this is what he's like on the inside. Francis doesn't hide from his shadow side, but weeps over it and welcomes it as his teacher.

The history of almost every religion begins with one massive misperception; it begins by making a fatal distinction between the sacred and the profane. Low-level religions put all their emphasis on creating sacred places, sacred time, and sacred actions. While I fully appreciate the need for this, it unfortunately leaves the majority of life "un-sacred." I remember reading about an Irish missionary's attempt to teach the Masai people about the Catholic Sacraments. The missionary said that a sacrament is a physical encounter or event in which you experience Grace or the Holy. The people were then confused and disappointed when they were told there were only seven such moments (and all of these just happened to revolve around a priest). One Masai elder raised his hand and said, "We would have thought, Father, there would be at least seven thousand such moments, not just seven."

In authentic mystical moments, any clear distinction between sacred and profane quickly falls apart. One henceforth knows that all of the world is sacred because most of the time such moments happen in secular settings...... Once you surrender to this Christ mystery in your oh-so-ordinary self and body, you begin to see it every other ordinary place too...... As St. Bonaventure, the philosophical interpreter of Francis, said (quoting Alan of Lille), "Christ is the one whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere." [1]

You don't have to go to sacred places to pray or wait for holy days for good things to happen. You can pray always, and everything that happens is potentially sacred if you allow it to be. Once we can accept that God is in all situations, and that God can and will use even bad situations for good, then everything becomes an occasion for good and an occasion for God. "This is the day Yahweh has made memorable, let us rejoice and be glad in it!" (Psalm 118:24).

It's a beautiful day in God's world, where ever you are in it, be sure to see the good.

Madoff

I just finished watching the ABC mini-series about Bernie Madoff.  In case you forgot, he is the guy who swindled his investors out of billions.  That is not a misprint.  Not millions but 50 billion dollars.

If everything in the movie is accurate, this man spent his entire life lying to people.  Misleading them, manipulating them and pretending.  All the time that he is doing this, he is showing them a smiling face and encouraging them to trust him.  In the end, he lost everything- his job, his friends, his kids, his wife, his reputation and his freedom.

I believe that in some form, lying and cheating always has the same result.  Even in small doses, such behavior destroys everything that life is about.  Dishonest, disingenuous behavior always leaves us trying to cover our tracks.  One lie leads to another.  Defensive behavior can become the norm for a person.  Besides hurting our relationships with people, such behavior brings either a callous arrogance to a persons heart or a deep sense of inner sadness, or both.

Why not just make the right decisions?  Why not just tell the truth?  Work hard to do the right things, and anytime that you miss it, apologize, fix it and get it right.  It is much easier to sleep at night when we are seeking to live with a clean heart.

Psalm 1 says that the righteous are like a tree that is planted by the streams of water.  Imagine being such a tree!  Your roots go down deep into the source of life.  Your life is healthy, you bear fruit, and you provide shade to all weary travelers.  Such is the benefit of doing the right thing.

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

people matter

It is a very fast paced world we live in. That is the obvious. It is faster now than it was when your parents were your age and will be faster again with future generations. I don’t think we will change that but, if deliberate, when can hold onto the things of value to us and instill those values in the next group. I was reading an article the other day about the art of the conversation where it said:

“….much is lost in this retreat from in-the-flesh interaction. Tech-mediated communication may make conversation more efficient, but it also makes it more superficial. It shrivels our empathy and feeling of true connection — states that are predicated on our being able to hear each other’s voices, read each other’s body language, and see each other’s facial expressions. We not only lose out on insights into the lives of others, but into our own as well.” - Sherry Turkle

I still have a few people that enjoy sitting down and talking. Unfortunately all of our phones are resting on the table in front of us. It doesn’t have to be that way we just tell ourselves it does. My father told me once “no one is more important than the person facing you…friend, acquaintance or cashier”. It is the message wherever you are be all there. He did a great job of engaging people and making them know they mattered. Not a bad mission.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

equipping myself

The Tuesday morning men’s group just concluded a six week study on world religions. The idea to do so was prompted by an earlier visit/talk made to the group by a foreign exchange student from Pakistan.  A culture was brought to us and it sparked interest and questions. So the men’s group did a comparative study of the world’s major religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity. A conversation was facilitated each week and many good questions and answers were shared. It was informative and enlightening. Personally I benefited. I have been in conversations in the past where it was asked of me why Christianity and not this one or that one. Of course my answer always came from my perspective and understanding of my faith. 

There are truths in all of these religions and differences that don’t agree with the Christian faith.  I certainly don’t profess to know these religions in any great depth but I feel better equipped now to have a more productive conversation. Not to beat down or sway but to share. The spirit will do the rest.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man 

two times is enough

Last Saturday in Jeff’s post (give it a read if you haven’t already) he shared a thought about Lent from Pope Francis who said we should give up our indifference toward others.

A similar type of outward thinking for Lent was shared by someone in the men’s group yesterday morning. Their focus during Lent is to make a daily effort on kindness towards others.

Ok I Got it and I am in.

What a perfect time to start. It’s good kingdom stuff for the soul.

I don’t need a third reminder.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man 

sit

There is something about sitting.  Sitting still.  When I was young, I thought it was boring.  I did not understand how old people could just sit around.  What was wrong with them?

Now I like to sit.  I like to reminisce.  I like to listen to the music, to the fountain, to the fire.  I like to listen.

I like to consider the goodness of life.  I like to thank God for so many things.  I am becoming more appreciative.

I like to sit with friends.  I like to sit with my wife.  We don't even have to say anything.  When you are with people that you love, it is just good stuff.

Take some time to sit.  Relax.  Take a deep breath.  Consider the goodness of life.  See the good- it is there.

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

no words

I just wrote a sympathy card to a family.  Oh what tragedies we sometimes find in this life.  Words cannot begin to express what we feel.  In fact, often our words get in the way or even make things worse.

Thank God for hugs.  Thank God for just being there.  If someone is grieving, don't feel like you have to say the magic words.  You can't.  Just go there and hug them.  Your love is enough.  God's love and the love of our friends can help us get to the other side eventually.

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

what we do with Jesus

Christians.  They are an interesting lot.

I think all Christians believe in Jesus, that he is the Son of God.
I think that some Christians worship him.
Some let it lie at believing, others believe and offer thanks and praise.

There is a part though that is often left out, and that is imitating Jesus.  I was reading Father Richard Rohr and he was talking about how it is easy to believe and easy to worship, but hard to imitate.

To imitate Jesus is to live a life of love.  To imitate Jesus is to join the path of self-denial.  No wonder so many Christians are satisfied with belief.

What is up with you and Jesus?  Belief?  Worship?  Or are you seeking to follow the ways of the Master?  There is probably no better way to show that we believe and no better form of worship than to pray that God will teach us the gracious, sweet, loving heart of Jesus.

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

giving up for lent

We often talk about what to "give up" for lent.  My good friend Barbara Bass told me about Pope Francis' request that we fast- not just chocolate or booze or carbs, but that we give up our indifference toward others.

We live in a society that has grown increasingly self-consumed.  The Kingdom of God teaches us the opposite.

John Chrysostom was the Bishop of Constantinople in the 350's, a true saint of the early church.  One of his most famous quotes is this:
 “No act of virtue can be great if it is not followed by advantage for others. So, no matter how much time you spend fasting, no matter how much you sleep on a hard floor and eat ashes and sigh continually, if you do no good to others, you do nothing great.”

The kingdom always points us out.  The mission is always out there.  And when we remember that, it becomes a beautiful day in God's world.  Be sure to see the good.

all things

Ecclesiastes 3 says, "He makes all things beautiful in his time."

In some ways, that can be a tough pill to swallow.  A premature death - beautiful?  Financial distress - beautiful?  and so on.

Each of us must decide though, if we will focus on what we have lost or focus on what we found.  Every loss brings a gain.  Every emptiness brings new opportunities.  If we fight life, nothing seems beautiful, but if we lean into God, things start to clear up.

Somehow almost everything is connected.  No life, no day, no moment, no person is a waste.  It all matters.  As if God is working in and through, and all around it all.

When I remember that God is in the middle of a thing, it does begin to feel beautiful, even though it may be painful at first.

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

rules

I was talking to my kids about life.  Ahh life, it has its ups and downs.  It has its moments when it doesn't seem fair.  One of the kids said, hey, if I could make the rules for my life, none of these upsetting things would be going happening to me.  How true.

But we don't get to make the rules.  Some things we can affect, some we cannot.  Some things we speak into, and many other things speak into us.  We are not in charge.  We don't get to make the rules.

Consequently, there is a very big need for us to learn to roll with the punches.  Boss yelled?  It's ok.  Cut off in traffic?  it's ok.  Kid not listening?  it will be ok.

We just are not in charge and we have to learn to see the good even when things are not going to our liking.  It is not easy, but it can be done.

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

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday. You are invited to come to church tonight. We have a soup supper in the fellowship hall and gym downstairs, from 6-8pm.

From 6-730 you are invited to come to the sanctuary for a time of prayer, imposition of ashes and Holy Communion. It is one of my favorite services of the year. It is a time that is private, quiet, sacred, and so very meaningful.

I hope you will join us.

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

football

The Superbowl is over.  If your team lost, did you get angry?  How many days, hours and minutes do we spend being angry of things that are a waste of time?

Football is just a game.
A few weeks ago I watched the playoff game between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.  Honestly it looked like a gang fight.  I was so embarrassed for the city of Cincinnati.  I wonder why the league allows some of the hateful behavior.

It's just a game.  I must get over it.  People are important no matter what jersey they are wearing.  Just because someone is a different race, a different age or a KU jayhawk fan it does not mean that we have license to be ugly to them.

Jesus taught us so much better than that. We must all learn to see people as God sees them.  They are all valuable whether they are on our team or not.

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

shaping

Someone is shaping you.  Someone is providing you input.  You may not even be aware of it, but you are being shaped.  Who do you spend time with?  Who is hanging around?  Intentionally or unintentionally people are shaping you.  Some to the good, some to the not so good.

Consequently, the choices that we make about who we spend time with are very important.  The choices that we make about the voices that we listen to are very important.  If we are not aware of the input that is coming to us, we will end up being shaped without even knowing it.  Make sure that you don't allow others to influence you towards unhelpful behavior.  Conversely, take in all of the time that you can with precious people  who are healthy.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, do everything you can to keep it that way.

hospitality

I witnessed an amazing piece of hospitality last week in church.  It was at the 10:10 service.  A couple that I know were in their favorite pew on the back row.  They were sitting on the isle.  Primo seats.

The service was very full. The only seats left were up in the very front.  The couple noticed a young family around 30 come in the back.  Husband, wife and a baby in a carrier.  After a brief discussion between the couple seated in the pew, they got up, got out and offered their seats to the young family.  They insisted that the young family take their seats.  I was so touched.  I almost started to cry.  The act made me so happy!

Later I saw that couple seated up in the balcony.  Such graciousness needs to be recognized.  If we gave an award for monthly hospitality, this month it would go to Keith and Regina Province.

Who can you bless at church tomorrow?  How can you help someone else feel welcome?

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

change

Life has it’s seasons.  Our lives change when children are born.  Our lives change when they go off to college.  One day we look in the mirror and ask what happened to my hair? Our parents die.  We retire.  The only real constant in this life is change.

                As always, we can choose how we respond to change.  Angry, happy, sad, and 100 emotions more.  Hopefully, we feel what we feel, but choose to see the good.  We can choose to worry, or we can choose to trust in God.   There is always good to be seen.  And the best of all, God is with us.  Regardless of what changes come our way, we are not alone.  God is with us and he continues to love us so very much.  Whatever changes we may face in this life may we always lean on the everlasting arms.

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

learning what we don't know

I have come to believe that in this life we must learn what we do not know.  That seems patently obvious when we are young and when we are growing up.   Although we want to get done with school, we know that it is needful.  Unfortunately, often as adults we tend to think that we know it all.  Hey, I am 40- what do I need to learn?  Hey I am 50- what do I need to learn?

The truth is, we are all so very limited.  We all have much to learn.  If we aren't learning, then we are limiting our future and our options only to those things that are currently in our minds.

I have realized that much of what has propelled the growth of our church over the last few years are things that I learned from others.  I have started telling people that much of what will help you be successful in the future, you do not even know yet because you have not learned it.  We must keep learning.

Who in your life can you learn from?

Woodrow Wilson said, "I not only use all of the brains that I have, but all I can borrow."

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

we benefit

We think that we do mission work to benefit the poor.  We think in our arrogance that we are helping people.  I hope that we are.  I trust that we are.  It is certainly far better to help the needy than to not help them.

But time and time again, I have heard it said and experienced it myself-  When we act out in mission, when we step out in love, we benefit as much if not more than those whom we are helping.  How might we benefit from helping the needy?

Here are just a few of the ways:

• Seeing what others do not have, makes us appreciate what we do have.
• Seeing people who are happy with less, makes me realize that I can be happy too.
• I make new friends
• I get my mind off of my own problems
• My life paradigm can change.  I can move from being a collector of things to a lover of people.
• Missional living is habit forming.  It is a positive force that can infect my life and the lives of others for good.
• I sense a purpose in life.

What are other ways that we benefit?  Please write in with any that you can think of and I will post them.

One final note- we should not help people because of the benefits that come back to us.  That would be selfish.  But neither should we feel like the great saviors that come along side of those in need.  To help another person in this life is a real gift.  It is good for them and good for us, and it is the right thing to do.

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

I'm mad at Alli

I'm mad at my oldest daughter Alli.  At least I was the other night, for a few minutes.

So here is the story-

I met some of my buddies at Brew Top last week.  Tiff and Jay's it is called now.  We selected a table and took our places.  I looked over at the next table and there she was- my daughter Alli!

Now this is a huge surprise because she lives in Florida.  My brain is on full blast now - she came to town without telling me?  Did she not want to see me?

Wait- is that her?  I am within 10 feet.  That is her.  No it's not.  Yes it is.  YES, that is my kid!! I am going to punch her in the head.

Then I heard the girl talk, and that was not Alli's voice.  Ahh, my daughter is off the hook.  She is no longer in trouble.  But wow, did that girl look like her.  A true double.

There is a moral to this story... sometimes in life we think we know what is going on.  We get all worked up about what is going on, and in fact, we are wrong.  We don't know what is going on.  We have totally misread the situation.

Good thing I did not go over and hug and kiss that girl.  Beware of those who insist they are always right because we are not as smart as we think we are.

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

release

I cannot make you love me.  No one can make someone else love them.  Love requires freedom to work.  Love cannot be pressed on another or forced.  It is only love if I choose it out of my own free will.

That's why we can't force people to go to church.  They must choose it.  That is why we should stop guilting our children about coming over for holidays.  If we make them come to Thanksgiving, it is not love.  They may come, but they will hate it and they will resent us for it.

When we release people from their perceived obligations to us, then they can choose their life paths for themselves.  We may or may not like their choices, but they will be acting out of love instead of coercion.

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

Baseball

Yesterday it was warm and I saw some kids playing catch in a front yard.  It reminded me of my youth.

We ran and played all day.  Every chance that we could, we were outside.  We played every sport:  baseball, football, soccer, pickle and more.  We had bicycle races, neighborhood Olympics and baseball games.  Did I mention baseball?

Oh, what a time of life.  Back then we didn't worry about paying the bills.  We did not worry about how our kids were doing.  We didn't worry about retirement or love or divorce or surgeries or muscle atrophy.  It was clearly a very good time, but I am not sure that we realized just how good it was.

Now, we are older and we are burdened.  With love and rejection, with bills, with cataracts, with extra pounds, and with worry about children.  We are burdened with loss, fear and anxiety.

And I have a thought.  We can still play catch.  Hey, let's have a catch.  I have gloves at my house, here and in Florida.  Just for a moment, lets slip back in time and just enjoy the moment of freedom.  No worries, no fear, just catch and throw.

If the good times where playing catch when we were young and had no awareness of problems, the great times are when we know about toxic waste and toxic people and all of life's messes, but can still stop to play catch.  To not know pain is one thing, to rise above pain is another indeed!

Just because we know about the troubles that are here now and troubles that may come, doesn't mean that we should not celebrate from time to time.

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

we don't say it enough

I was at a memorial service for Coach Sheridan yesterday.  What a great man.  The place was packed.  The floor, the balcony and the Worship Center.  It was a wonderful tribute to a wonderful man.  Pastor Sherri did a great job.

I was moved again by something that I have been thinking about lately.  We assume that others know how we feel.  We don't tell them enough how much we appreciate them.  Maybe we start and they get uncomfortable so we quit.  Maybe they cut us off.  Maybe we did a good job last month or last year of telling them.  We need to tell them again.  And again.  Over and over.  We need to tell those we love that we love them.  We need to hug everyone that we can and let God's love pour out through us.  People don't just know how we feel.

Don't assume that they know.  Tell  them.

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

image of God

One of the people that I like to read is Father Richard Rohr.  The other day he wrote about how our image of God affects all of life.  If you have a toxic image of God that is an angry, vengeful God, then all of your world is full of worry and fear.  If you have an image of a God that is distant and uncaring, then you never feel the love of a God that is immediately present.

If however, you believe in a God of grace and love, your life can be filled with joy.  You can find forgiveness and grace.  I love it.

What is your image of God?

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

5 more months

On Sunday in Church, several people thought that it was my last Sunday.  Not true.  I will be at Woods Chapel thru May and probably a few weeks into June.  So I have 5 more months to torture you guys. [If the good Lord gives me those days.]

We had a Q&A meeting on Sunday night.  If you are interested, here is the link-  http://livestre.am/5hV42

Someone asked at our Q&A meeting on Sunday if I do get an appointment in Florida would the sermons be online.  I told them that I don't know, but if they were, it would just be the same old stuff.  They would go to all that trouble to find it online and then start to watch the sermon and they would say, "hey, I have heard that story 6 times!"

I have treasured every day of the last 22 years with you and will treasure the next 5 months for sure.  That is a good blog topic.  Treasure every day that you have.  After today, you will have one less day left in your life.

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

what is the real challenge

In most situations, although I want to blame everyone else and everything else, usually the problem is me. I am the one that will not adapt. I am the one that seeks my own comfort. I am the one that gets in the way, and I can't even see it in myself.

It is easy to see the fault of others, difficult to see the fault in me.
But we are often the very ones who hold us back from what we would be.

“The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from the old ones.” 

                                                           John Maynerd Keynes

Pause to consider your life, your circumstances and your situation.  Are you a part of your solution or a part of your problem?

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

comfort, preference and mission

Humans have a preference, always.  Our preference is also always focused on our comfort.  We prefer our comfort over everything else.  We have designed our lives around comfort and we have turned our prayer life into pleas for our comfort.

God has a mission.  It involves a cross.  It involves sacrifice.  It is rarely concerned with our preference and would sacrifice our comfort at a moments notice for the sake of the mission.  The mission is connecting people.  Finding people and loving them.  Whatever it takes to get that done should be the priority for the Christian.

• Park further away so visitors can park close? Done.
• Sit in an unfamiliar pew so someone else can sit in my favorite spot?  Done.
• Give money for the village in Nicaragua?  Done.
• Give more money than I initially thought I should? Done.
• Stop the gossip?  Done.
• Be kind to the server, remembering that they are humans too?  Done.
• Fight against selfishness within me?  Done..... well, at least we can work on that one.

Don't be afraid to be brutally honest with yourself about how much of your life is about your comfort and preference vs how much of it is about God's purpose.  The Holy Spirit is discovered at the outskirts of our preference.  God is desperately seeking those who will emerge from the edge of their comfort zone and give themselves completely to him and his work.

Something to think about.

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

comfort

I have been thinking about comfort a little bit lately and it reminded me of one of my favorite sayings.  I will leave this post simple, simply offering the quote. I don't remember where I read it, but it is something to think about.  I will comment on it tomorrow.  Here it is:

Spiritually developed people are those who have learned to set aside their comfort and personal preference for the sake of the mission.

That is something for all of us to think about in every arena of our lives.

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

glad to see you

When Mary went to visit Elizabeth in Luke chapter one, the baby [John the Baptist] leaped in Elizabeth's womb.  What a wonderful picture of "glad to see you."

I think that sometimes we are glad to see people, but we don't tell them.  Or we say, "so good to see
you" and it is said in such a way that the words do not register with them.  We love dogs because they always make us feel like they are glad to see us.  We should do the same for the people in our lives.

I am glad to see you.  I AM GLAD TO SEE YOU!  Given the alternatives, I am so glad to see you.  Take their hand.  Look them in the eye.  Tell them what a great pleasure it is to see you today.  Thanks for being you.  Life is short.  Make sure that people know that they are loved by you.

I am always glad to see you.

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

Sunday

When you are a pastor, it feels like Sunday comes three times a week.  Oh, my!!! I have to preach again!! And so soon.  That is how pastors feel.

Someone once said, "Hey Jeff, my mother is with me today, I hope the sermon is good."  So this is the kind of pressure that pastors feel.  Its like people are saying, I'm here today........ inspire me.

The pressure to inspire people is very heavy, and I don't know if pastors can really do that every week.  Sometimes sermons should make you feel good, sometimes they should make you think, and sometimes they should make you uncomfortable.  There is an old saying that was passed on during seminary, "comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable."

Having said all of this, I am sure that today will be an emotional day for me.  It is not the last time that I will be preaching at woods chapel, but it is the first time that I will be preaching and seeing most of you since the announcement was made.

Please go easy on me today.  The sermon is more informational than inspiring.  I will be glad to see each of you, as I always am.

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

keep blogging

Someone asked if I was going to keep blogging after I moved.  The answer is yes.

I was appointed to Woods Chapel in 1994.  I started blogging on May 3, 2007.  Certainly the work of ministry flows in and out of my appointment to the church and the blog, but they are not officially linked.

I will keep writing about seeing the good and other random things and you are welcome to keep reading if you so desire.  Sometimes I am out of town or sometimes my soul is dry, and in those moments I will continue to ask my friend Lions Den Man to post.

I hope that this blog has been of comfort to you.  I also hope that this blog has challenged you and caused you to think.  When left to our own paradigms, our brains will reason ourselves to mediocrity at best.  I thank you for your comments over the years which have caused me to consider what I was thinking as well.

Life is good and seeing the good is so very very important.  The blog will continue.

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

who is in

Someone asked me to write more about who is "in" and who is "out."

For centuries, some Christians have reveled in insisting that they were in and others were out.  They were going to heaven and others were going to hell.  We like to be right and we like others to be wrong.  How sad is that!

Let's stop here for a moment.  The only people that Jesus condemned were the Pharisees.  They were the ones who were saying who was in and who was out.  How sad that in such a short period of time, the Pharisees rise again in the form of any number of religious groups that insist that they are in and others are out, and sadly, they don't see that they have become the Pharisees.

I believe in Jesus and I follow him.  That does not mean that Jews for example are going to hell.  In Mt 8:11 Jesus indicates that people from the east and the west, from other cultures, and Abraham, Issac and Jacob will all be there in heaven.  So never throw out people who are not exactly like you, and for heavens sake, don't count out the Jews.  They are God's chosen.  They are the original tree, we Christians are only grafted in.  See Romans 10 and 11.

We also worry about people that don't know about Jesus.  Will they go to hell?  well, maybe, but that is not up to me and you.  We are not in charge of who goes to heaven or hell.  That is a decision that is in God's hands.  I take much comfort from Romans 1:20 which says,

      For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--      have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

So every person is responsible. Every person is accountable.  God will hold every person with out excuse.  I don't know what that means and it doesn't fit the theology that I was raised on, but they have witnessed him in the things that he has made, and they are without excuse.  This does not absolve us from telling the story of Jesus and his love.  They have not heard the story yet, but they have seen the story via the things that God has made and he holds people accountable for that somehow.

Friends, God's ways are higher than our ways, and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts.  We cannot insist that he follow the exact pattern of our minds.  God alone decides who is in.  It is his job to lead and our job to follow.  Maybe we would do better if we stopped  trying to be the boss and instead lined up to serve him.  Maybe we should stop trying to play the role of creator and take upon ourselves the role of the created.

When we spend our lives measuring and judging others, we don't have time to do what we were created to do, which is to love God and love others.  God knows and God chooses.  We are to LOVE and to live and to do our best to tell the story without judging.  The outcome of a person's eternity is between them and God alone.  Oh, it is so nice to leave all of that in God's hands and oh how that leaves me in peace!

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

Marriage

Someone asked me to post some of my "stuff" about marriage.  So, let me leave the issue of me moving and talk about something else today.

Marriage.

First of all, if you don't believe that your spouse is the best wife or husband in the world, it is time for your opinion to change.  If you don't look across the table and see the best person in the world, your future is in trouble.  It's not too late to change.  It's never too late to begin again to love that person with your whole heart.  I hope that you believe that your spouse is the best person in the world for you to be with.  If you are not there, get there soon.

Secondly, don't expect them to make you happy.  Only you can make you happy.  Invest in them.  Pour yourself into them.  We laugh about the old saying, "if mamma's happy everyone is happy."  But it goes both ways.  We should each invest in our spouses.  Each should honor the other.  Each should prefer the other.  Because you know it is true... we never find joy in taking from another.  We find joy and love when we pour ourselves out for another.  Love usually comes back when we give it away, and if it doesn't we still have no choice in this life but to pour out love.

The answer is never found in taking.  The answer within is always found in giving.

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

what I am going to do in Florida

Several have asked if I have been offered a bigger church in Florida.  The answer is no.

I have interviewed with the Florida Conference, but they have no guarantees that there is an opening for me.  They have many people that want to transfer to their conference.

If they have a church, I will gladly accept it.  I have loved being a United Methodist Pastor and I would love for that to continue.  If they don't have anything then I will look at being a chaplain at a hospital or look for a support role at a local church.

It will be fine.  But the point of this post is that I am not leaving because I have some big offer.  I have no offer.  I am leaving because I am still in love with the girl that I married all those years ago.  And in a world where so many married people are satisfied with tolerating each other, it is great to be in love.

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

Apology

Pam told me not to apologize, and I love Pam, but I am going to do it today.

I am sorry for the foolish idea that I had that I was going to be able to keep this long distance marriage up for seven years.  I fought off rumors because at the time they were not true.  [see my posts of October 2, 2014, April 22, 2015 and November 14, 2015]  I have never been disingenuous over what was going on.  I have been truthful about my feelings and the situation every step of the way.

I am sorry.  I am sorry for every person who is disappointed that I am leaving in June.  I am sorry for every person that is sad.  I am sorry for every moment of your life that I will not be there for.

However, this is a decision based on love and family values.  I know everyone understands that.  So, it is bitter sweet.

I love you all.  We have had 22 wonderful years and we have 5 more months together.  God is good.

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

announcemnent

Yesterday, the following announcement was made in church.

Good morning, my name is Carol Quiring and I serve as chair of our staff parish relations team. I’m coming this morning to tell you of a change that will be happening this year. As most everyone knows, Pastor Jeff and his wife Cathy have been living a long distance marriage for the last year. Initially Jeff hoped this situation would become easier as time passed, but that hasn’t happened, and it has grown increasingly difficult for them.
So for the first time in 22 years we will be working with the Bishop and the District Superintendent to facilitate the appointment of a new senior pastor. That will occur in June of this year.
I know this change is especially difficult, but it is an opportunity for us to share God’s love with someone who has so willingly shared with each of us.
Please celebrate with Jeff and his family!  By making a change to be re-united with his family, he is modeling the unselfish love he has described to us on so many different occasions.
We as a Woods Chapel Church are blessed and have much to be grateful for….
Our SPRC has begun meeting with the District Superintendent .
An email will be distributed later today with this information and additional details describing the process.
Jeff will be preaching next Sunday and will hold a Town Hall type meeting the evening of January 24th in the Worship Center.
Thank you for keeping Jeff, his family, our Church staff, and Church family in your prayers.


More to come. Please keep me and my family, our staff and the church in your prayers.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

clutter

I don’t hoard but boy do I have a mess of stuff that has no value to me anymore. I have moved past that stuff so I am working at finding it a new home. My dad was great at not keeping things that had no value. To him it was clutter that got in the way of things of more importance. He always said he could think more clearly when the clutter was gone. That type of thinking works well for me, too. I try to use that logic in other areas of my life, like my faith. A lot clutter can be accumulated on our journey and can get in the way of clear thinking. It becomes dead weight and keeps us from moving forward. When we remove such things it becomes easier to see the things of greater value and importance.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

loving yourself

I think we all believe in love.  Many people that I know work hard in this life to love others, but never learn how to love themselves.  Oh how our lives change for the better when we finally understand that God does love us, and we can love ourselves as well.  By loving ourselves, I am not recommending pride or arrogance, I am simply suggesting that you can cut yourself some slack and see the value in yourself that God sees.

You are valued- believe it.  You are loveable- receive it.  The messages that others gave you about how worthless you are can be set aside.  God has another message for you.  He loves you.  He loves you so much that he sent his Son.

Once we accept the fact that we are loved by God everything changes.  The arguments in my head slow down.  The strife in my soul mellows out.  The battle that I have been fighting within my head, my entire life finally stops.   If I can finally believe that I am loved by God, my daily thoughts are no longer consumed with judging myself or others, I simply let the goodness of God fill me up and pour out to others.

You are loved.  Don't waste another day questioning that.  Receive it, breathe it in, accept it and let it flow right through you to everyone that you meet.

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

Disciple

One of the words that I think we like, but non-churched people do not get is the word "disciple."  The missions statement of the general United Methodist Church is "making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."

In my opinion, random folks on the street, unchurched and marginally churched people have no idea what we are talking about.  Shame on us.

I woke up the other night thinking about this.  Now that is weird isn't it?  I should be thinking of sleepy meadows in the middle of the night but no, I woke up thinking about this.

Here is my middle of the  night train of thought-

• A disciple is a follower of Jesus.
• One who follows is going somewhere.
• So, a disciple of Jesus goes where Jesus went and does what Jesus did.

That means for us, that if we are going to be disciples, I mean followers of Jesus, we need to go out to the marginalized.  We need to find the needy, the lost, the sick and the lame.  We need to spend some time with the lonely, the frightened, and those who are not on society's A list.  And it means that when we find those folks, we need to do what Jesus did.  We need to love them, hug them, forgive them, value them, heal them, and on it goes.

Here is the good news.  You don't have to go down and look under a bridge for such people.  Right in your office, right in your church, at your family reunion, maybe in your own home, maybe in your own skin, you can find people who are marginalized and hurt.  Love them and bless them- do what Jesus did.

That is when we become true disciples, I mean followers, of Jesus.  And friend, let me tell you, the world is waiting with open arms for people that will love as Jesus loved.

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

words

Church people have fallen into some bad habits.  One of them is using words that normal people do not understand.  By normal, I am referring to random people that you find out in life that have little or no church background.

When we say words like "spiritual formation" normal people have no idea what we are talking about.  We take it for granted that they do, since we think we know what it means, but try to define it sometime.  Non-church folks do not talk like this.  And since we are trying to win them, maybe we should learn to talk their language.

Another word that we use that doesn't really fit in modern society is "transformation."  Now, I think everyone knows what transformation means, but people generally don't talk about it in the same ways that church folk do.  For non-church folks what that word means and their first thought is likely to move towards the movie Transformers, which is a show about robots.

My point of all of this is that we church folks need to learn to talk in ways that are relevant to unchurched folk.  If they are our target audience, it doesn't matter if we are comfortable with the words, it matters only if they are comfortable.

Take a look at your speech sometime.  Do your unchurched friends, family and coworkers get what you are saying or do we sound like people from the 1950's?  There is a reason that church attendance is down, let's not add to the problem. There are perfectly good ways to talk about our life journey with God without sounding like we just left seminary.  How do your words fall upon the ears of the non-churched?

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

quote from the movie Unconditonal

The storms of life- they are bound to come, but maybe even in those storms, in the loneliest time of all, you're never really alone. Love is the most powerful thing on Earth, I've seen what it can do, and it can do amazing things. Sometimes I imagine a world where everyone knows that love is unconditional, and what a beautiful world it is. I think some people get it right, that there's truly enough love to go around, all you have to do is share it. What if God's love is like the sun, constant and unchanging. What if you wake up some day and realize that nothing can take that away.

What if it shines on everyone. The good the bad, the whole and the broken. Love is like light. It is in discriminant. it goes out to everyone. The sooner we learn that, the better the rest of our lives will be. And the sooner we share it indiscriminately, without reservation, the sooner we find the true joy of living.

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

no one to talk to

We have all felt like there was no one to talk to.  I have.  Welcome to the human race.

If you feel like you have no one to talk to, God is there.  He never leaves.  Oh, you don't believe in him?  He is not offended by that.  You can't drive him away.  If you have no one to talk to, if you think you are alone, you are not.  You are never alone.  In that dark valley that you are feeling, God is there.  He is with you.

Ok, hate him.  Be mad at him.  Reject him for 5 or 10 or 30 years.  He never leaves.  He is there, waiting for you to call upon him.  He is never offended when we do.  He welcomes you with open arms.

If you think that you have no one to talk to, he is there.  Call upon him.  Right now.  In your home.  In your car.  In your office.  He is there.

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

to love

To love someone is enough.  That is all that there is.  Rich?  Poor?  Both are meaningless without love.  Do you have someone to love?  Can you find someone to pour yourself into?  It does not have to be a spouse.  It can be someone that you will never get love back from.  Find someone.  A server at a restaurant.  The receptionist.  The mechanic.  The bank teller.  Find someone to love.

When you love people, life comes alive.  Love is bigger than rich or poor.   Love is bigger than happy or sad.  Love pulls us in to joy.  It pulls us in to a life that is filled with wonder and meaning.

To love someone is enough.

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

Pour

Pour.  An intentional filling.  Not a spilling, but a pouring.  Pour.  Pour yourself. Pour yourself into life.

I know people who have had terrible things happen to them.  The were raped, they were rejected, they were crushed, they were shamed.  On and on those stories go.  Almost all of us have them.  We are all refugees from something.

Some of those people fell into victim hood.  Some rose above the evil.  Some of them succumbed.  Some of them fought back and overcame difficulty in this life.

Don't measure your life by what happened to you yesterday.  Measure your life by what you will bring to today and tomorrow.  Pour yourself into life.  There are enough people who gave up.  Don't be one of them.  Stand up.  Absorb the pain.  Rise above it.  Speak into life.  Make the world a better place.  The choice is yours.

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

is my Dad coming?

A friend recommended a movie to me....... Unconditional.  It is on Netflix.  I watched it.  About half way through it, I had to stop.  A young man who was in the hospital asked if his dad was coming to visit.  The answer was no.  No, your Dad is not coming.  No, your Dad is not coming.......

It stopped me in my tracks.  I thought of how many times that my Dad was not there when I was young.  I thought of how much I wished for his support and love.  I know that he loved me in his own way, he was raised in the depression, and those kids that grew up in the depression made very interesting mothers and fathers.

And so I am thinking about my own kids.  Was I there for them?  Well, I know that sometimes I was there.  I was the first one there when my son fell off the roof and broke his back.  I was the first one there when Jenny had pneumonia.  I was there with Alli when she broke her foot.  But what would they say?  Would they tell you that I was a good Dad?

I wonder, how many times did they wish I was there, and maybe I wasn't.  I want to make sure that I never let them down again, ever, for the rest of my life.

The best investment that we can make in our life, is the investment into our children.  I am so blessed to have three very wonderful kids.

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

Christmas Eve

People always ask me about Christmas Eve, how it went, how it felt and what was the attendance.  Well, from my vantage point, it was a great day.  The music was wonderful and everything seemed to go off without a hitch.  I so appreciate all of the work that was done by so many of the volunteers and staff.

The weather was great and for those of you who are interested in attendance numbers, we set a new record for Christmas Eve attendance of 3,589.

Thanks for all that you do to make Woods Chapel a great church.  Happy New Year!

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

the joy of work

Ahh, the joy of work.  To have a job is such a blessing.

Do you ever complain about your job?  Do you ever hate it or wish for another?  Remember there are many in this world that wish that they could work.  Many people miss the joy of making a positive contribution to society.  That is why so many retired folks are volunteering somewhere- they want to make a difference in the world.

There may be a few people who would be happy laying on the beach for the rest of their lives, but most people find it to be boring.  If you have a job, if you can work, if you volunteer your time,  give thanks!  Consider the joy of working with others to make the world a better place.  It is a blessing from God.

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

a good word

A good word is such a blessing!

To read kind words in a Christmas card is a blessing.  To read an email with kind remarks is such a blessing.  I received a very nice note today, so I don't need another, but it made me feel so good.  Make someones day today.  Drop them a line and tell them how much they mean to you.  We have no idea how our words can touch another person.

A good word is such a blessing!

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

More on seeing the good

 More on seeing the good.

 The day before New Years Eve, I wore shorts and flip flops. I relaxed by a palm tree and swam in a pool. On New Years Eve, I flew back to Kansas City. I went from 80 degree weather to 20 degree weather. As I stood out at the curb at KCI [without a jacket] waiting for my ride, I took a deep breath of the cold January air and gave thanks. God, thank you for daily breath! Thank you for the joy of living! Thank you for friends! Thank you for the privilege of sharing your love.

 Warm weather is great, but there are so many other blessings that we cannot ignore. We have so much to be thankful for.

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

More yet on good and bad

 More yet on Good and Bad

 My shoulder hurts, but I got to play softball for many years. When my shoulder hurts today, instead of complaining about it, I remember all of the great times playing softball with my friends. 

My friend moved away. Instead of being upset about that, I choose to focus on the value of his friendship. The love that we shared cannot be priced. Instead of complaining, I choose to savor the memories.

 My Dad died. I cried. After a while I was able to look at that differently too. Now I savor the memories and cherish the path that he laid down for me.

 I look in the mirror and see an old man. Or at least an older man. I could easily complain about the hair loss. And what in the world has happened to my skin!!   I can complain, or I can look in the mirror and see that old face of mine and remember every day that I have lived. Every person that I have known. Every day that I lived. Oh what joy is held within the aged face!

 When you consider a thing, is it good or bad? I do believe that we can teach ourselves to see the good. 

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

Covenant Prayer

Today in Church we will be saying the Wesley Covenant Prayer.

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen

 I love it. Especially the call and commitment on my part to be put completely at God’s disposal. Won’t you come join us this first Sunday of 2016.

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

more on good and bad

 More on Good and Bad.

There is an old Chinese story that I like.

A man’s horse is stolen. The villagers say "that is bad." The Zen master says, "we shall see." The horse comes back. The villagers say "that is good." The Zen master says, "we shall see." The man’s son is bucked off the horse and breaks his leg. The villagers say "that is bad." The Master says, “we shall see.” The Army comes thru the village looking for conscripts, the man’s son is not taken because he has a broken leg. The people say, "that is good." The Master says, “we shall see.”

And on it goes. Are things good or are things bad? We shall see. Romans 8:28 says, “God works all things to the good.” Ecclesiastes 3 says, "God makes all things beautiful in His time."

Is something good or bad? Don’t be so quick to apply a negative label to a moment as it just might turn around, or better yet, it not turn around and you still see the good, the joy and the glory in it.

It’s a beautiful day in God’s world, be sure to see the good.  It's not always easy to do.  We have to keep working at it.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

I keep thinking about how much power we have over how we feel about our lives.  Good things happen, bad things happen.  Are they good or are they bad?  Sometimes we decide whether a thing is a good thing or not.

While not to make light of those really difficult moments, much of what we consider bad is actually quite normal and even tolerable if one would choose to see it that way.  When we are ruled by our comfort and our preference, we tend to see more bad.  When we are ruled by a higher directive, we can see the good.

My friend Joy ends her emails with the phrase, “choose to make it a happy day.”  How about we choose to make it a Happy Year.  Happy New Year.

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