Christmas story

I asked a friend if they got anything for Christmas.  They said, "no, I told my family that whatever they were going to spend on me, to give me the money instead, because I wanted to buy a house in Nicaragua."

So my friend didn't get a shirt or a hat or a coat.  They got the satisfaction and joy of helping someone move into a beautiful home with a concrete floor.  I was so very touched by the generosity of the family and the kindheartedness of my friend.

In a world where everyone wants something for themselves, it is so good to see people who want less so that others can be blessed.

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

Christmas Eve

Is it a sin to be glad that Christmas is over?  When you are a pastor or work on a church staff, there is a huge relief when it is over.

This year we ran six services in the sanctuary, two in the Worship Center and two at our Raytown campus.  The music was wonderful at each of them, and it was a wonderful night.

Many people ask about attendance at Christmas eve.  The numbers are in and we totaled 3,427 for the evening.  That is a new all time high, 5% higher than the previous number.  While that is a lot of people, what I want you to know is that there were many many visitors.  Several came back on Sunday morning and we hope that many more will come in January.

Thank you for all that you did to make the services and the Christmas season a wonderful blessing.

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

a man's last words

A man lay waiting for what was to come.  There was nothing more that anyone else could do. 

He called his adult children to his side, and one by one said goodbye.  "I'm sorry for every time that I was less that the best Father.  I forgive you for every time that you disobeyed me when you were young.  Let there be nothing between us.  I love you.  You are awesome.  Thank you.  It's ok.  Everything is ok.  All is well.  I am not afraid.  Live your life.  Live and love.  I am proud of you.  We will meet again."

Then he called his wife to his side.  He held her hand and smiled.  After all these years, they could still see each other's souls through their eyes.  He said to her, "we did it.  We loved each other for a life time.  We celebrated the miracles of life.  We had children and raised them.  Look at them, they are wonderful.  I am so proud of the life that I had together with you.  I am sorry for every time that  I was less than a perfect husband.  I forgive you for anything that you may think that you have done.  You are a saint in my eyes, perfect, and I love you so much.  Let there be no regrets.  Let our memories of each other be only of the joy, only of the good.  Thank you for everything.  Do not be afraid, I am not afraid.  We will meet again.  I love you so very much.  Life with you and our children has been such a treat."

That man did it right.

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

A great year

Today is the last Sunday of 2014.

I want to thank all of you for a great year.  In 2014, Woods Chapel acquired the Raytown Campus.  Under the leadership of Michael Scott, this has gone very well.  In 2014 we also purchased the new Missions Center, which I like to call the Bartlett Building after our missions director Amy Bartlett.

The Missions Center has allowed for the expansion of existing ministries and new ones have begun as well.  Anytime we are acting in mission, we are living the Kingdom life.  It is not good works, it is what Christians do.  It is what Christians are.

This year we sent several fine members and staff people off to serve other churches.  It is hard to lose them, but what a blessing they have been to the churches that the Bishop sent them to serve.

You can be very proud of your staff, they are a deeply committed and heartfelt bunch.  Thank each and every one of you for every gift, every hour, every talent, and every piece of your heart that you gave to the Lord and his church in 2014.

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

kindness to strangers

This year, during the month of December, we ran into a number of strangers who needed help.  Just as you would do, we helped them.

A person needed a ride to work.  A server needed towels for her family's bathroom.  A mother needed diapers for her baby.

When we help our own, they expect it and don't always appreciate it.  But there is great joy in helping a stranger.  They don't expect it and so the message of love and kindness comes shining through.  The greatest joys that I experienced this season were tied directly to helping others.  It takes us off of our own worries, and it is just good to help others.

Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness.  Good.  GOOD.  Godly good.  Help someone else today who is not expecting it.

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

the face of the earth

There is a face of the earth, an edge of it anyway, and I apparently fell off of it for a while.  I want to thank Lions Den Man for filling in for me during this time.

I guess I got stressed out and exhausted.  I didn't know what to post one day, and so I didn't post.  I needed a break.  We all need one from time to time.

I hope that you had an enjoyable and peaceful Christmas.  The church is a big ship and there is much to do during the season.  I hope that you were able to breath in the goodness of God's love.  Thanks to my friend Lions Den Man, I was able to do some of that myself.

Merry Christmas my dear friends.

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

movies - 8

1966 How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Narrator: He puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. Maybe Christmas, he thought... doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps... means a little bit more!

Merry Christmas!

Peace
Lion’s Den Man

 

movies - 7

1988 Scrooged

Frank Cross: It's Christmas Eve! It's... it's the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, we... we... we smile a little easier, we... w-w-we... we... we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year, we are the people that we always hoped we would be!

I like this. It is a simple message. We all can do better for more than a few hours a year. Hopefully the season awakens us to this truth if it hasn’t already.

Peace
Lion’s Den Man

movies - 6

1947 Miracle on 34th Street

Fred Gailey: Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to. Don't you see? It's not just Kris that's on trial, it's everything he stands for. It's kindness and joy and love and all the other intangibles.

1993 The Nightmare before Christmas

Jack Skellington: [singing] Just because I cannot see it, doesn't mean I can't believe it!

1994 The Santa Clause

Judy: Seeing isn't believing, believing is seeing.
 

2004 Polar Express

 

The Conductor: Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see.

 

Tis the season for the message of faith and hope

Peace

Lion’s Den Man

movies - 5

2004 Polar Express

Santa Claus: There's no greater gift than friendship.

Ditto

Peace

Lion’s Den Man

movies-4

1990 Home Alone

Kevin McCallister: No offense, aren't you too old to be afraid?

Marley: You can be too old for a lot of things, but you're never too old to be afraid!

I doubt we will ever get past being afraid at times, but we should never stop advancing on our fears either…..

 

Peace

Lion’s Den Man

movie-3

2003 Elf

Buddy: Sounds like somebody needs to sing a Christmas Carol.

Jovie: No way.
Buddy: The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear.
Jovie: Thanks, but I don't sing.
Buddy: Oh, well, it's just like talking, except longer and louder, and you move your voice up and down.
Jovie: I can sing, I just choose not to sing. Especially in front of other people.
Buddy: If you can sing alone, you can sing in front of other people. There's no difference.
Jovie: Actually, there's a BIG difference.
Buddy: No there's not. Wait...

[Starts singing loud and off-key]

Buddy: I'm singing/I'm in a store/and I'm siiiiiingiiiiing!/I'm in a store/and I'm siiiiiingiiiiing!

Gimbel's Manager: HEY! There's no singin' in the North Pole!
Buddy: Yes there is!
Gimbel's Manager: No there's not!
Buddy: We sing all the time!
Gimbel's Manager: No you don't!
Buddy: Especially when we build toys!

I like music but I rarely sing…. in public. (Guess I just busted myself). That being said, I do know, a lot of Joy can be experienced by letting loose and shouting it out….

Peace

Lion’s Den Man

movies-2

1965 A Charlie Brown Christmas

Charlie Brown: I think there must be something wrong with me, Linus. Christmas is coming, but I'm not happy. I don't feel the way I'm supposed to feel.
Charlie Brown: I just don't understand Christmas, I guess. I like getting presents and sending Christmas cards and decorating trees and all that, but I'm still not happy. I always end up feeling depressed.

Linus Van Pelt: Charlie Brown, you're the only person I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem. Maybe Lucy's right. Of all the Charlie Browns in the world, you're the Charlie Browniest.

No doubt there are lots of pressures surrounding the holidays. Some inflicted upon us and some are of our own doing. Funny how we look forward to this time and then we are so relieved when it has past and everything returns to normal. Normal…funny word when you think about it as it relates to the Christmas season and story…….

Peace

Lion’s Den Man

movies -1

I enjoy movies. This season brings us an abundance of Christmas movies and messages. I thought I might bring a few of those “Christmas Movie Messages” to this blog over the next few days.

From 1946 It’s a Wonderful Life -

Clarence:  Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?

I hope we all remember how valuable our life is. We impact others more than we realize.  A smile, a hello, an ear to lend, words of encouragement ….the opportunities are everywhere for us each day.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

 

 

Joys and Concerns

Yesterday at the Men’s Gathering we opened as usual with Joys and Concerns. Many concerns were mentioned, but no Joys. Even after a second invitation and a pause….nothing. I find that sad. I understand we have struggles and we have sorrow, but there is much good in God’s world each day. Maybe sharing Joys seems boastful. I can’t say for sure but I wonder if that is what holds us back from sharing. What I do know is that Grace has been given…. Hope is ours…. There is good in each day and much to be thankful for.  

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

Inherent Unmarketability

How do you make attractive that which is not?

How do you sell emptiness, vulnerability, and nonsuccess?

How do you talk descent when everything is about ascent?

How can you possibly market letting-go in a capitalist culture?

How do you present Jesus to a Promethean mind?

How do you talk about dying to a church trying to appear perfect?

This is not going to work - (admitting this might be my first step).

From - Everything Belongs - Richard Rohr

It took a long time to get past this page. I hope I am ready for this book.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

here and now

I am sure I have written about this before. My guess is Jeff has too. I have read many books and devotionals that speak about it and I have heard other people bring up the subject as well. So many people, if not everyone, struggle with this. Why I cannot center my attention on the here and now escapes me. Being fully present is where and when you connect with God. It is where Life is meant to be experienced. But, I am too busy investing myself in either what has happened or what may happen. Both of which I have no control over. In doing so my thoughts are focused on me and not living and walking with God in the here and now.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

say thank you

Sometimes things move too quickly.

Sometimes things are just out of control.

Sometimes we just need to step back and take a breath and say thank you Lord for always being with me.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

unaware

I am captivated by the idea that we are largely unaware of the results of our actions.  We just don't pay very much attention to the outcome of what we do.  Blindly we go along, living our days, thinking mostly about what comes to us and thinking very little about what goes out to others.

This can be painfully difficult to those who live with selfish people, and joyfully wonderful to those who live with grace filled people.  I am going to skip the results of negative living and speak on the positive.

Those who go about doing good in this life, have no idea of the size of their impact.  A friend got her annual review the other day.  It was smashingly good.  I was not surprised.  Over and over, peers had written in about  the positive affect that this person had on the work place.

Good people go about doing good.  Without fanfare, without rewards, without instructions.  They entertain angels without being aware of it.  They feed and clothe the least of these and are largely blind to the massive levels of joy that they leave behind.  Their good is measured in ways that they can't even fathom.  The righteous are self-unaware.

I love thinking about this.  Imagine being so used to doing good that you just did it and didn't notice.  It was just such a part of you that it did not register with your brain that you were being amazingly kind.  Just the thought of living like this brings a smile to my face.

How is your life influencing others?  You have more power than you know.

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

Patience

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit.  To wait for a thing.  To be patient.  To wait for a person to be over being mad at you.  To wait for a child to grow up.  You delegated that - give them some time.  The waiter did put your order in.

To wait on an investment.  To wait on a friend to come around.  Waiting is ok.  Patience is a virtue.

Just wait a bit, it may all turn out.

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

words

Words can get you in trouble.  Sometimes it is much better to close the mouth than to speak.  The first phrase that I remember from four years of French classes is "ferme la bouche." Close the mouth.

We would all be benefited from time to time to take the advice and remain silent.

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

look who bought dinner

My entire life, my father bought dinner.  The older I got, the more annoying it was.  Finally, when I was 28 or so, we were out for a meal and I insisted on buying.  I was just going to do it.  I could afford it.  It was about time.  He fought it, but I won.  It was a great moment for me.  I felt so happy to buy for my dad, as he had done so many times for me.

Well, last night, one of my kids bought dinner.  They insisted.  They could do it, and they wanted to pay.  How amazing!  I am filled with joy.  It is a massive milestone when you get on the table and buy dinner for your old man.

I am proud of my kid.

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

Grace based

I like to refer to our church as grace based.  That is over and against "guilt based."  The phrase "grace based" is an unfamiliar term to many and will bring up questions from time to time.

One friend was listening to KLOVE and shared with me some of what Francis Anfuso was teaching.  Here it is:

Receiving God’s Grace

Can you imagine being given an amazing present and never opening it? Sadly, it happens every day in the lives of most people. The Bible says, “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled…” Who wants to flunk being forgiven? Who wants to fail to obtain the grace of God? Who wants to walk around bitter, like a plague looking for a place to happen? I don’t want to have a chip on my shoulder that will eventually make me act like a chump. One of the most important disciplines you’ll need to learn in life is receiving the grace to be forgiven, to forgive yourself, and to learn to forgive others as well.

My response went like this:

Thanks for the note.

All of that is very well said…….

 Regarding the root of bitterness – when we are thinking of how messed up someone is or how messed up of our work office is, a root of bitterness can spring up.  But when we are thinking of the amazing miracle of grace, our hearts have no room for bitterness.

I like to explain a grace based church this way…………. Grace is from God and restores us to God.  Grace based churches have standards, but we choose to focus on the remedy, not the sin.  We choose to focus on the way forward, the way out of a mess.  Sin is real and it must be acknowledged, but if we get stuck there, thinking about it, talking about it all the time,  our lives no longer glorify God nor draw others to him.  Grace, if we let it, will pull us out of ourselves and towards our loving father.

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

Happy Birthday and Congratulations

Today is a big day for our family.  My wife is having a birthday - #39!  Very exciting.  We had a nice dinner on the plaza last night.

Also today, my sister is getting  married at our church.  At the age of 59 she found love on-line.  When we first heard of dating sites, we all wondered about them, but so many people are using them these days.  I have married several couples who found love on the internet.

Her fiancé is a great guy!  I really like him and they are so happy together.  I love love and I love love at any age.  I am happy for every 24 year old that finds love and gets married, but when you are later in life and find love it is almost miraculous.  It is truly something to celebrate.

So, much joy at our house this day.  May God bless you with joy this day as well.

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

think about it

Someone told me the other day that Christmas was boring.  Lights.  Trees.  Shopping.  Wise men.  Shepherds.  The stable.  A baby.  "It's the same old thing," they said.

Yes.  It is the same things every year.  But take a moment and think about what is behind the celebration.  Behind the celebration is love. LOVE.  God so loved the world.  Think about that. 

Don't we all wish for love?  Don't we all hope for it?  Don't we all pursue it? 

Love is amazing.  Love is wonderful.  It is a gift.  It is the greatest gift.  Christmas is never droll when we remember that God is showing his love to us.

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

to smile

In response to a post the other day, a reader indicated that they had no reason to smile.  No friends, no calls, no emails, no texts.  No reason to smile.

Another reader responded-

Dear Anonymous,
That's very sad. I think most of us have been in your place at least once in our lives. In truth, most of us probably feel alone more than we want to admit. You may email me if you'd like. I enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in the company of Christian fellowship. :) cm_gragg@sbcglobal.net

- I want to add my time to this friend who wrote in.  jeffb@woodschapelchurch.org I will make time for breakfast, coffee, lunch or whatever.  Life is too short.  We are here for you.  Who else is in? 

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

potential

I believe that God calls us to our highest potential in life.  This means that we do not buy into blaming others for our problems.  It means that at some point we get off of the highway of consumerism.  It means that we believe that there is a greater good that we are called to be a part of.

I have always seen and marveled at the potential in the Woods Chapel family.  The church has always been filled with smart, driven, hardworking people.  It has been my pleasure to what this church family reach for their potential year after year.

Whether building a new building on 291, holding a massive prom dress giveaway, adopting children for back to school, sending hundreds through FPU, buying the mission center, launching Upward Basketball or adopting a village in Nicaragua, the results of the efforts of these people have been more than amazing.

What do you believe about yourself?  Have you achieved all that God would call you to do?  If not, what is holding you back?  There is no greater joy in this life than to be used by God for a purpose greater than one's self.

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

off mission

I had a discussion the other day with a person who was upset because they thought their pastor was off-mission.  This can be a problem from time to time.  Pastors, like all of us, need to stay on mission.  So, let's begin with, "what is our mission?"  At Woods Chapel we describe our mission as "Connecting people to Jesus Christ."  The official United Methodist mission statement is "Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."

So, there are a gazillon ways that pastors can get off mission.  Here are a few.

• They don’t come to the office - robbing staff and parishioners of personal time with them.
• They don’t work hard or are lazy.  Surprisingly I hear this a lot.
• They have chosen to focus on random theological issue or a social issue over connecting people to Jesus Christ.
• They are pushing  the theology of a different denomination.
• Not answering emails
• Not following IRS or church procedures
• Not doing what the DS asks of them
• Not going to the hospital
• Not doing funerals
• Spending all the church's money
• Building too much
• Random moral failures
• Being mean or rude to people
• Employing family or friends
• Withholding information from others
• Insisting on a parking spot next to the front door
• Anyway that it becomes about me -

Maybe your pastor is off mission, and maybe there is more to the story.  I don't know.  Go talk with him or her.  Sharing information is always a good thing.  If I am ever off mission, will one of you please come tell me?

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

to smile

Imagine a day without a smile.   Someone said that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile.  A smile is a good thing.  A smile tells another person that you are friendly.  A smile makes your heart happy.  A smile can break a bad mood.  A smile is contagious.

Try it.  Smile.  Make my day.  Make someone else’s day.

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

wedding

Last night I was at a wedding reception.  I usually don't attend the rehearsal dinners or receptions.  The reason for this is that when you do 30 weddings a year, that is a bunch of Friday and Saturday nights that disappear.  Also, when people look and see that the preacher is here, it can kind of put a damper on the party.

Well, last night we married an old family friend.  She used to live with us, so after the wedding, I went to the reception.  What fun!  Singing, dancing, food and friends. 

All three of my kids were there and they were delightful.  They were so kind to me.  I am so blessed!  Today I give thanks for father-daughter dances and kids that have grown up to love their dad.

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

the power of thank you

Thank you

The power of saying thank you cannot be underestimated.  Imagine that a friend moved or quit or died and you did not get to say “thanks” in time.  So here goes for me –

Thanks for being my friend.  Thanks for looking me in the eye.  Thanks for being honest with me.  Thanks for telling me your stories.  Thanks for hugging me.  Thanks for sitting with me.  Thanks for the blue salvia.  Thanks for the coffee cake.  Thanks for the chicken soup.  Thanks for the kind notes.  Thanks for the BBQ.  Thank you for tickets to the Royals game.  Thank you for being my neighbor.  Thank you for loving me.  Thank you for forgiving me.  Thanks for going on mission trips with me.  Thanks for reading books with me.  Thank you for looking past my faults.  Thank you for helping at church.  Thank you for believing in me.  Thanks for working with me.  Thanks for going to lunch with me.  Thanks for letting me joke with you.  Thanks for dreaming with me.  Thanks for being kind.  Thanks for volunteering.  Thanks for letting me sit on your deck.  Thanks for being a low-maintenance friend.  Thanks for listening to my sermons.  Thanks for allowing me time off.  Thanks for advice on our home.  Thanks for letting me look at and listen to your car’s motor.  Thanks for letting me stay in your vacation place.  Thanks for helping my kids.  Thanks for being regular and dependable.  Thanks for the joy I feel when I see you.  Thanks for understanding me.   Thanks.  Just Thanks.  Thank you!  Bless you!  Thank you!  You are amazing.

I don’t plan on going anywhere, but I just wanted to say thanks.  You are the best.  Pass on a thank you.  You will be glad that you did.

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

annoying

Yes that person is annoying.  Yes they hurt you.  Sometimes we just have to grin and bear it.  Sometimes we have to just laugh about the little zingers that come our way.

Here is an old story:  Once upon a time a beggar came to the tent of Father Abraham asking for food.  Being a godly man, Abraham asked him into his tent for dinner.  Well, as soon as he was inside the tent, the beggar asked for more.  Grapes!  Meat!  Wine!  The beggar wanted it all.  And did I mention that smell?  Abraham is getting so annoyed that he can’t stand it.  So he prays to God:  “Dear Father, save me from this beggar!  He is annoying and smelly, he won’t stop talking and he won’t leave.”  God replied to Abraham’s prayer and said, “Abraham, what is it with you?  I have had to put up with his annoyingness his entire life, and you can't put up with him for one single night.”

Yes friends, there are annoying people in this life.  They talk too much, they are unkind, they send too many emails, they are opinionated, and on and on.  You don’t have to invite them to stay the night, but I think we can show them a little more grace.  I think that is what Jesus would do.

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

IT"S THANKSGIVING!!!!

Thanksgiving has become one of my most treasured times of the year.  My family comes home, and they are on their best behavior.  The food is amazing.  If you ever get a chance to eat my wife’s cooking, you will never feel sorry for me again.  There is a fall chill in the air.  Football is on the television.  And most of all, gratitude is in the air.  Whatever attitudes have been carried throughout the year, at Thanksgiving, everyone pauses to give thanks.

Giving thanks changes nothing, but it changes everything.  Gratitude can take us from complaining about our job, to being thankful that we have a job.  It can take us from complaining about being old to giving thanks that we are alive.  Gratitude can change our perspective, and when the way we see the world changes, everything changes.

Someone once said, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” 

One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is that it does not have to be locked into November.  The Fourth of July is always in July.  St. Patrick’s day is always in March.  Thanksgiving however, given a chance, can take over the entire year.  It can become a friend that travels with you everywhere that you go.  It can take over any month, any day, any hour.  It can dominate, if we allow it, every month, every day, every hour.

The scripture asks us to give thanks.  Psalm 118 says, “”Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.  His love endures forever.”  Do you want to change your attitude?  Do you want to change your life?  Give thanks.  Give thanks.  Give thanks.

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

Funerals

When you bury a friend it is very difficult.

A few weeks ago I was driving to church, and I thought about how much I love Woods Chapel and how much I love my job.  I am so fortunate.

Then I had to bury a friend.  And another.  I do not like this part of my job.

Let me tell you, I hate it.  I hate it that they die.  I hate it that I will have to die.  I hate watching other friends and family hurt.  I hate going to funerals.  I hate doing them. [I mean, I am glad to offer comfort and consolation in doing a funeral, but they can be very very difficult.]  Part of what makes doing funerals difficult is that while everyone else is crying, you have to prepare, and you have to hold it together.  Sometimes there is a big cry in there for a while and it needs to come out, but you don’t get the chance.

Dear God, can I please stop burying friends?  At least for a while?  And yet, this is life.  There will be no moratorium on it ending.  We need to enjoy every day that God gives us.

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

worried

I have a friend that is worried about me.  She thinks that there is something wrong.  Well, maybe she is right.  Isn’t there always something to be disturbed about?  The trick is to not let a thing bring you down.

So, yes, sometimes we carry burdens and worry.  And sometimes it is difficult to just drop them and let them roll to the altar.  Sometimes we hurt. 

Welcome to the human race.

I don’t know that she should be worried about me.  I think I am fine.  Some years ago, a book was written by Gail Sheehy called Passages.  It was about the passages of life and how to face them and understand them.

I believe that there are passages of life.  When you turn 16, when you turn 21, when you get married, when you have kids, when you realize that you are not a spring chicken anymore, when you retire.  When you lose a friend, when your marriage dissolves, when you have a major surgery, when the economy is bad.  Passages.  We all must face them.
But there is nothing to worry about.  All is well.  If you are facing a difficult time, find a friend and hang on.  This too shall pass.

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

Grand-dog

We are thankful for our new Grand-dog.  This is Jenny's new puppy.  His name is George.  He is a toy poodle.  He is the nicest little guy.  We like to call him Nick Papa-Georgio.


Pets can have such a happy and positive effect on a person.  George will chase the cats when he comes over and he sits very nicely on my lap.




Puppies and kittens remind us of life- new life and joy!  I am thankful for this funny, ornery, cute, cuddly little addition to our family.




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


[by the way, do you know what a dyslexic atheist says? ......... there is no dog.]

Los Pinos

 

 
I will be at church today.  I am looking forward to seeing you and bringing the message.

I just came back from another trip to Los Pinos, Nicaragua.  There, we witnessed the dedication of 25 new homes.  There we introduced four other pastors to the mission of the Rainbow Network.  There I hugged children.  There I saw again my friends from the village.  There is so much to say, and my heart is so full.  I don’t know where to start.

During the dedication service it rained and poured.  The mud was several inches thick.  It stuck to your shoes.  One of the villagers said to me, “Jeff, this is what it is like inside our homes when it rains.  This is what living with a dirt floor is like.”  It makes you think.  And then, to see someone who has never lived in a home with a concrete floor move into a new house is an amazing miracle.

I encourage all of you to make the trip to Los Pinos.  There is something for people of all ages to do.  The accommodations are safe and clean.  It is in this time zone.  The cost is very reasonable for an international trip.  You take off and land in a matter of 8 hours.

You might go thinking you will change something for the better in Nicaragua, and you might just do that.  But let me tell you this…… if you go there, it will change you.  You will never be the same again.  You will look at a plate of food differently.  You will look at chicken, dogs, cars, and homes with new eyes.  You will become much more grateful.

I am so thankful for the opportunity in this life to go to Los Pinos, and to come home.  Going there has made me a better person.  And my wife would tell you that me becoming a better person was very much needed.

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

gratitude recognizes something

 Of course we are all thinking about gratefulness these days.  Something that I think is true is that in order to be grateful for a particular thing, we must recognize that we are not deserving of it.  We are not entitled to a given thing.

If I think I deserve a big house, I will never be thankful for it.  If I think I deserve health insurance, I will never be thankful for it.  If I think I deserve a friend, I will never be thankful for them.  When we think we deserve things, we take them for granted.  This is the polar opposite of gratitude.

The truth is, I don’t deserve a wife that loves me.  I don’t deserve the home, the car, the children, the health, the friends, or anything that I “have”.  All of these things are gifts – amazing gifts from our Father.

And so, I am filled with gratitude for his bounteous blessings.

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

to stand by a friend

 

I was talking to a friend the other day about something that happened in his life that really hurt.  One of those big time, heart aching hurts.  We talked about how it is nice, when those things come along, to have a friend that sticks by your side.

 

We all have such big time hurts from time to time.  It is nice to have someone who sticks by you no matter what.  They know the worst of you, but they still love you none the less.

This kind of friendship is truly a gift.  Like Ruth said to Naomi, "where you go, I will go.”  And the King James translated proverbs 18:24 “there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.”  If you are hurt, please find someone to hold your heart. 

The world is still a beautiful place, and you are dearly loved.

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

pastors tenure

By every account that I read, the average stay of a Pastor is somewhere between 2.4 and 3.6 years, but certainly not longer than 4 years.  I think about this from time to time- and wonder if I may have out stayed my usefulness.

I have been at Woods Chapel a long time.  20 years, 5 months and 12 days to be exact.  I have loved every minute of it ... mostly. 

There were a couple of years that we took a vote on whether or not the pastor should continue another year........ those were nervous moments.  Somewhere along the way, we stopped doing that.  I do think that there are folks that attend our church who wish we would reinstate the voting.

What I have noticed is that people do vote with their feet.  When they are done with Jeff or done with Woods Chapel, they move on.  This is always so very difficult.  Because I love every person that attends here and I want everyone to stay.  I want us to reach every person that we can.

Please do me a favor.  If you are thinking about leaving, for any reason, please send me a note.  Let's talk it through.  Even if we can't resolve what the problem is, I want you to know that I care very much.

We are on track to receive a record number of new members this year.  But I don't want to lose you.

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

living with pain

As I grow older, I am learning to live with pain.

I have a knee that hurts every day.  Sometimes it wakes me up in the night.  I have sore muscles and all sorts of various aches and pains from time to time.

I also have some heart pain.  A relative that I am on the outs with.  A friend that has pulled away.  An upset parishioner.

It is all so unfortunate.

I think we should work very hard to reconcile every relationship that we can.  Work on it and keep working on it.  But after that, we need to live our lives.  You can't make everyone happy, neither can I.

Get up every morning and do your best.  Give it your best.  Live life with joy.  Keep trying to fix it, but don't worry about it so much that you forget who you are.

Live, love, work, try to fix it, live, love work, live love.  Life is too short for worries.

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

the unknown person

You don't know them, but they are a person.  You don't know them, but God loves them.  You don't know them - they are  a friend that you have yet to get to know.

I heard a powerful story the other day of how a stranger reached out to a person in need, not because they knew them, but because they were in need.  Amazing.  That act of kindness started a wonderful relationship.

Who out there is someone that you don't know but might be blessed by a touch from you?  A note, a card, a box of chocolates.  A random act of kindness can surely touch a person's heart.

You don't know them.......... yet.

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

Nicaragua

Today I am flying to Nicaragua with 10 friends from church.  We are taking 4 other pastors from other churches to help introduce them to the work of the Rainbow Network in Nicaragua.  We hope that their churches will catch the desire to help there as well.

We are also going to be a part of the dedication of 25 new concrete homes in the village that we adopted, Los Pinos.  This is a life long dream for members of this village and it is such a very exciting thing for all of us to be a part of.

It will be a short trip, we will be back on Friday, and I will be preaching Sunday.  Please pray for a safe and successful trip, that we might be a blessing to the folks in Los Pinos, and that God will touch all those on the trip and give them a desire to continue to help.

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

goodbye

Tonight we are saying goodbye to a dear friend.  Susan was truly a saint.  We are all living today with tears in our eyes and hearts.

It is so hard to understand why someone this loving and kind would leave so soon.  But, we will do what we must -put our trust in God.  That is what she did and that is what she would want us to do.  Putting your trust in God is the only place to land.

Thankfully our God is big enough to hold us when we hurt.  You can always rest in him.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, and an extra beautiful day in heaven.  Be sure to see the good.

emotions

Some days there is this tangled ball of emotions all tied up in our hearts.


Sad.  Happy.  Worried.  Fearful.  Confusion.  Panic.  Dismay.  Hurt. Apathy.  Heartache.  Did I say confusion?


We look for a place to land, for a place to trust.  I don't know about you, but I have never found any place to land besides in the arms of our Father.  When I am with him, I don't need to know the answers because I am with him and that is enough.


So even though emotions may be running high, we have a Rock upon which to stand.


And so it is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.  Keep at it.

friendly?

Author Joan Borysenko reports the following- "Einstein was asked what he thought the most important question was that a human being needed to answer.  His reply was 'Is the universe friendly or not?"

As we wake to the gift of this day, or any day, we are faced with the same question.  Do I see this earthly home as a good place created by God or as a bad place, dominated by difficulty?

Difficulty we will always have.  What will make a huge difference though is if we are able to see that God is with us every day in this life.  Whether days are easy or difficult, God is with us.  That makes the world, the universe, a friendly place, for God is bigger than any challenge we may face.

How about you?  Can you see the good?  Can you look past the difficulty and still see God?

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

children

I have a confession to make.  When I was young, I did not like children.  They cried and pouted.  They ruined romantic nights at restaurants.  They were a disaster on airplanes.

Then I had my own children- and I was introduced to the amazing miracle of a child. 

Today I will tell you that there is no better gift than to invest your time and love into a child.  They are the future of the world.  They are tomorrow's gift.  If you can give a child a better upbringing than you had, you have improved the world.  If you can teach a child to love and live outside of themselves, you have given the world a gift.

Jesus said, whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, will certainly not lose his reward.

If your children or grandchildren or someone else's children are annoying you, remember, they are the gift of tomorrow.  Some adult somewhere invested in you.  Return the favor with gusto.

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

the soul

We would write about this topic every day.

How interesting it is, that the soul is housed in this body.  Most of us spend so much time worrying about the body and what it wants.  The body wants a really cool car, it wants to have cool clothes, it wants to live in a great house.

The soul cares for none of that.

The soul is about other souls. You, me, Terry, Sherry, Chili Pepper, Margaret, Amy, Lions Den Man, Tracy, ScottC, Carlotta, and on we go, the soul is about other souls.

How do we learn to see past the body and see the soul?  Bodies and brains make decisions that upset us... the soul runs deeper. 

Can you look past the obvious presentation that you get from a person and see their soul?  The body is temporary, the soul is for ever.  We are all living for the better when we give up seeing bodies and start seeing the souls.

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

pillars

To rebuild a life.  I was talking to a friend the other day about how to start over when you find your life in complete shambles.  It is certainly a difficult topic, but here is what advice I have.

1.  Don't focus on, or be overcome by the emotions of the moment.  If you do, they will paralyze you and you will find yourself stuck and depressed.  Focus on what you can do, not what you can't do.

2.  Identify the core pillars of a successful life and work on them.  Each time you get one in place, your life will feel more stable.  Pillar #1- get a job and hold the job.  Make your employer happy.  Make yourself indispensable to the corporation.  Put up with whatever is painful.  Every job has it's difficulties.  People that can hold a job can solve their problems on nights and weekends.  If you can't hold a job, nothing else will work for you.

3.  Pillar #2- figure out where you are at with God.  Find a church.  Clarify your beliefs.  Read something that will inspire you.  Begin to allow your faith to shape who you are and what you are about.

4.  Pillar #3 - Live within your means.  Make good financial decisions.  Attend Financial Peace University.  Manage what you have or it will manage you.

5.  Pillar #4 - work on you.  Get a counselor or a Stephen minister, or a friend and work on you.  Tell them about your life and listen to their advice.  No one is very good at seeing their own weaknesses.  Be brave enough to discover them and work on them.  The healthier that you are, the healthier your relationships with others will be.

6.  Pillar #5 -  Make friends......look for people that you want to spend time with and invest in them.  Work on spending time with people that are good for you. 

7.  Learn to live with difficulty.  There are going to be good days and difficult days.  Don't trade your car on a whim, don't quit your job in a huff, when things get tough, take a deep breath and find the healthy side of who you are.  Regular communication with our Father can help a great deal with this.

I hope that there is no one out there who is needing to start their life over, but if you are there, I hope that some of this helps.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.  And sometimes the good is found, one step at a time.

things to learn

I have ideas in my head about the Holy Land, but when I go to see the Holy Land, my perceptions are clarified.  I have ideas about marriage, but when I get married, my ideas are clarified.  I have ideas about owning a dog, but until I actually own one, my perceptions are not based in reality.

There are some things that are learned by doing, and by doing only.  And so let's talk about the valleys of life.   We hate them.  They are not nearly as fun as going to the Holy Land, being in a relationship or owning a dog.  But, the valleys are real and they come to us all.

There are some lessons of life that are only learned in the valley.  We learn them there or we learn them not.  In the valley our motto should be, "fight less, and learn more."  Don't waste the time in the valley by hating every minute of it, for in the valley we are not alone.  Our Shepherd is with us and the valleys too are a part of his world.

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

sick

Well it finally happened.  I missed a Sunday due to illness.  I have been assigned as a pastor in the United Methodist Church for 27 years, 20 of them here at Woods Chapel.  I have never, ever missed a Sunday due to illness, until yesterday.

When I went to bed Friday night, I knew I was in trouble.  You could feel it coming on.  I did get a flu shot on Thursday, but I don't know if that is to blame.  Sore throat, sore sinuses, lungs full, body aches and pains.  My arms feel like they weigh 100 lbs each.  Saturday morning, I knew I had to call it.  There was no way that I was going to be there.  I sat in the recliner for 36 hours.  I don't remember when the last time was that I felt like this.

I feel so bad for not being there.  I feel so bad for asking Karen to preach for me with zero notice.  I feel bad for feeling bad.  I am sorry to let everyone or anyone down.

I know that people get sick, I just don't want to be that guy.  Thanks for putting up with me being sick.  I look forward to being with you this coming Sunday.

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

truth

It has been said that "all truth is God's truth."

We often sneer at those who are not our kind of people.  Sometimes we reject them wholesale because they are not like us.

If God holds the market on truth, than all truth belongs to him, where ever we may find it.  We are challenged to focus on the truth itself and not the person who carries it.

Take for example this statement, "In general, love is the whole meaning of life, of being. Love of family, of children, and of the Motherland. It is such a multifaceted phenomenon that is the basis of all our actions,"

Love is the whole meaning of life.  True.  How true.  It is a multifaceted phenomenon that it is the basis of all of our actions.  True, how true.

Should it bother me that the person that said this is Vladimir Putin?  Not if I remember that all truth is God's truth.

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

finding the lesson

We don't like difficulty, but it always brings a lesson.  You can't see the lesson during the struggle, but after the fact, if we look at a thing, we can see that somehow, even the painful things in life bring lessons.

¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. ¹² Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ¹³ “Make level paths for your feet,”^[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.                 Hebrews 12:11-13

Trees get stronger when the wind blows on them.  Muscles get stronger when strained.  We may not like it, but even difficult times can bring important lessons.

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

gratitude

Worry is about the future, it is about something that may or may not happen.  Gratitude is about the here and now.  It is about something that is real. 

Don't borrow trouble by worrying about that which may not be.  Live in this moment that God has given.  When you find something real to be thankful for, and your life is no longer about the pretend worries, but is instead about the real things that we can give thanks for.  And there are plenty of them.

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

the little things

There will always be something that is unfair.  We just can't control every thing in our lives.  Someone else will have power, and will use it in ways that we don't like.

Yes.  You are right.  It's not fair.  But you have to pick your battles.  Don't upset your boss at work over a little thing.  Don't throw away your spouse for laundry on the floor.  Don't trade your car because you had a flat tire.

Life is full of all sorts of little things.  Don't sweat the small stuff.  If you cut off your hand every time it offends you, you are going to regret it.  If you make a stink over every perceived injustice, you will only be making your life more difficult. 

Relax.  Go with the flow.  Everything is ok.  Don't ruin your chance for a great day because someone pulled out in front of you in traffic.

Life is good.  It is all good.  We can't control it all, but all in all, it is good.

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

Christmas

We had a wonderful email exchange yesterday among the members of my family.  At the request of one of my children, they are wondering about reducing the number and amount of gifts shared among each other on Christmas.

They are advocating for a more simple gift exchange and then taking a collection to help a family in need.

I am so excited about this discussion, and about the fact that it was initiated by my children.  When we begin to learn that we don't need more stuff, that we already have enough, we begin to understand what life is really about.

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

the river

The Spirit is like a river, flowing through all of life. 

Sometimes, we think we have life figured out and we spend years fighting upstream, wondering why we cannot achieve what we hope for.  Sometimes we get out of the water altogether and wander far from it's nourishment.  After a time of living away, a person can even forget that the river ever existed.  You can come to believe that real life is somewhere else.

Away from the waters of God, our souls become dry and we lose our way.  But oh, to return to the river!  Oh the day when we see it again and dive into the love of our Father.  And maybe this time, instead of fighting the current, I will just go with it, floating along in the stream of life, enjoying the company of God.

When we let go and trust God, our problems get smaller and we can be carried by the arms of his Spirit.  The river of God runs through all of life.  Wade in.  Let Go.  For this we were created.

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