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.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Sunday, February 28, 2016
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.
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.
Saturday, February 27, 2016
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.
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.
Friday, February 26, 2016
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.
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.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
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.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
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, 1746It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
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.
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.
Monday, February 22, 2016
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.
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.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
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.
Sign up to receive CAC's free daily, weekly, or monthly emails for yourself by clicking here!
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.
Saturday, February 20, 2016
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.
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.
Friday, February 19, 2016
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
Thursday, February 18, 2016
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
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
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
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
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.
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.
Monday, February 15, 2016
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.
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.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
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.
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.
Saturday, February 13, 2016
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.
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.
Friday, February 12, 2016
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.
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.
Thursday, February 11, 2016
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
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.
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.
Monday, February 8, 2016
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.
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.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
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.
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.
Saturday, February 6, 2016
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.
Friday, February 5, 2016
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.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
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:
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
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.
Monday, February 1, 2016
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 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.
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