bad dreams

I usually sleep pretty well, but everyone has bad dreams. I had this one 2 nights ago.

It was Easter Sunday. Everything was going wrong. Everyone that was supposed to do something, including me, had forgotten what they were supposed to do. Finally I realized that it was time for the 8:00 service to start. Past time. It was 8:15. I rushed into the room and realized that I was dressed in Saturday clothes. Jeans, tennis shoes, sweatshirt and a hat. I took off the hat and straightened my hair the best that I could. I was disheveled.

It was time for the sermon to start. My sermon notes were in the most remedial of conditions. They were far from ready to preach. Betsy was working on the sound. We couldn't get my microphone to work, then suddenly, it was blasting loud.

I could not remember from my notes what the sermon was going to be about. I decided on the fly to preach from John 3:16. I couldn't find my bible. I borrowed someone else's. Their bible had books in it that I had never heard of before. I couldn't find John.

The congregation was restless. People were murmuring and looking around. Things were not going well.

Finally I woke up. What does all of that mean? I don't know. Probably the pizza that I ate last night. Maybe a little bit of "fear of failure" in there somewhere. At any rate, what ever happens at church today, it is probably going to be better than my dream.

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

a better place

Yesterday I planted two trees. My wife thinks that we have enough trees, but do you ever have enough trees? A flowering crab apple with beautiful red leaves and a Cleveland pear. Awesome trees.

Once upon a time, a father and a son were planting a tree. The son asks, "Dad when is the best time to plant a tree?" The father answers, "fifty years ago..............but the second best time to plant a tree is today."

I planted 30 tulips. I separated and moved some sedum. I pulled some weeds, filled in some areas that needed dirt, and put down a little mulch. I fixed two sprinkler heads and moved some mums. The backyard is a better place today, because of what I did yesterday.

Every day, we have a chance to make the world a better place. To leave it a little better than we found it. It is hard to do that when we are only thinking about ourselves, but it is very easy to do if you just open your eyes and look for opportunities.

Pick up some litter. Help a neighbor unload something heavy. Mow someone else's grass. Send a note of thanks. Send a note of encouragement. Wave at someone when you are driving. Volunteer at church. Let someone borrow your stuff. Overtip the waitress. I mean server.

Take someone to lunch that is hurting. Spend some time with someone who thinks they don't matter. Play catch. Hug a neck. Smile.

Plant a tree.

Leave the world a better place. It really isn't that hard.

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

copper fittings

I was on the way home from work, it was about 4:45. I turned onto Anderson from Lakewood Blvd. There were several cars stopped in the middle of the road. Slowly, they made their way on, one at a time. As I came to the front of the line, I saw what the hold up was. A young workman had a box of copper fittings fall out of the back of his pickup truck. There were hundreds of copper and brass fittings, and the plastic clips with nails, that hold copper lines into the wall. They were strewn all over the road.

I passed thru carefully, and immediately thought about how long it would take the young man to pick them all up. As I drove on towards home, I felt worse and worse. I knew I had to go back and help.

I turned around at the corner of Velie Road and headed back. In a few moments, I was back at the site, now there were many cars backed up. I pulled up behind the young man's truck and began to help pick up the fittings.

Out into traffic, pick up a few. Let the next car go by. Make sure that the cars see you. Pick up some more fittings. Every nail must be picked up. A school bus has stopped. She is going to wait until we are finished. The presence of the bus causes every driver to be very careful. Thank you to that bus driver.

In a few minutes, all the fittings were picked up. I headed for the car. The young man spoke his first words, "thank you." I nodded. I got into the car, turned right and headed home through Northgate Crossing.

I am so glad that I decided to go back and help. I almost didn't. There have been other times when I could have helped someone, but drove on instead. This time I went back. I am glad that I did. It felt so good to help. I thanked God for the opportunity.

I don't want all of you wandering around in traffic, but maybe today you will find someone who needs your help. Don't drive by on the other side, stop and help. It will only take a few moments, and you will be glad that you did.

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

best memory of 2007

Among my best memories of 2007 are two canoe trips that I took with Church guys. Laughing, paddling, fishing, cooking, sleeping on the river. It was awesome. Plans are in the works. Canoe trip 2008.

What did you do last year that was good for you? Do it again. Think, measure, evaluate, pick the best memory, and repeat it.

It is so healthy for guys and Christian guys to spend time together. This year, I promise not to catch all of the fish.

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

words

I continue to be amazed at how people talk to each other. Good Christian people who for some reason think that they can say whatever they want to their spouses, friends, and children.

Words can hurt. Hurt badly. Live words and email words can both hurt equally as well. Come on folks. If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

There is no excuse for intentionally hurting someone else. Think about what you are saying. You can encourage someone and help lift them up, or you can bite them with your words.

How are we ever going to learn to give ourselves away, if we can't learn to control our tongue? How can we speak to God in prayer, yet speak to others and create pain? First rule of life: do no harm.

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

potential

We all have it. The opportunity to be more than what we are. The faith that something unseen is yet to emerge from us.

The attached picture is from my yard, last spring. I know that these tulips will rise again, very shortly, to declare the glory of God. Since I have seen them before, it doesn't take that much faith.

During dry times and wintry times, we wonder about our potential. But it is always there, hidden in the bulb, waiting for the warmth of spring.

What gifts are waiting to emerge in your life? What unseen things are yet to be put on display? Do not be afraid to let God use you. Do not be afraid to awaken to the sun. If God is for us, who can be against us?

Rise and bloom, child of God.

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

two sides of the church thing

Last week, an email was sent on my behalf, with my permission, to everyone on our email list. Lots of folks got it. The email was asking for financial assistance to finish the classrooms on the second floor.

A few people responded positively. Thank you. Most did not reply. That is fine. Two have asked to be taken off of our email list. One, wrote me an unhappy reply about how they only get contacted when the church needs money.

Ha.

Well, I wrote back a very nice reply. Offered to get together with them. Tried to reach out. It is what I ought to do. But there is another side to the relationship between a person and the church or a person and the pastor. It's not always about the pastor or the church needing to take care of a person. There is another side to this relationship which is easy for folks to forget.

Here it is:

When you join the church, you make a commitment. Not to me, but to Jesus Christ and his church. You promise to be loyal to the church and support it with your prayers, presence, gifts, and service. There are no conditions attached. The promise is not conditioned on whether or not you are happy with the sermons. It is not conditional on whether or not you like the issues of a bigger church. It is simply a commitment to support the church.

I tend to believe that if we stay with good things and keep our commitments, even when we feel bad about something, eventually, everything will come around. We can't throw away our spouse because we are bored with them, stop paying taxes because we are mad at the president, and we shouldn't quit the church because something annoys us.

The church is worth supporting. Sure, it has it's moments, but all in all, this is a great place. We teach people about Jesus, we adopt orphans, we feed hungry people. We encourage the broken hearted, help hurricane victims, and give people the opportunities of Christian fellowship. We connect people to Jesus Christ. All of this on a proportionately small budget, and under the most stringent of financial controls. I am proud of our church, and I think that you should be too. There is so much more good than bad. In fact, there is so little bad, it surprises me when it shows up.

Please don't ever be offended by the church or the pastor or staff. Its a great place, doing great stuff. Because of the faithful participation of many, we are making a difference in the world.

Thank you for what you are doing at Woods Chapel Church.

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

I went to church yesterday

Yesterday I worshipped for two hours in the garden of God. I have missed this. I forgot just how much. What the winter has taken away, now the spring has restored.

Yesterday I planted iris that I was given a year ago. Some of it was sprouting in the box. I heard it saying to me, "Hello Jeff, you better get me in the ground. I am doing what I was created to do."

I moved some dirt. I pulled some weeds. I trimmed a few bushes that someone neglected to trim last year. I counted mums. 11 of the 16 that I planted last year have come back so far. They are pink and purple. Really pretty.

New grass is filling in the dead spots. The maples are making whirly gigs. The pears are getting ready to flower.

It felt good to be out. Healthy. Whole. I hope that you have something that you do in your life that brings you this much joy.

I thank God for the way that he speaks so clearly through things that grow. The voices of plants and flowers are not interfered with by human banter. They speak of God's greatness. They speak of his amazing abilities.

By the way, the daffodils and tulips are coming up at church. Keep an eye out for them.

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

48 sermons

48 sermons. That is all that Methodist preachers needed to have in the old days. Every year they would give their 48 sermons and then be appointed to another place. They always had a new audience for the same old 48. No one ever heard their stories more than once and their jokes were always new.

Having been here as long as I have, 14 years this June, this is a real challenge for me. I am not asking to move, but I am asking for your understanding.

The stories that I have, are my only life stories. My approach to major pieces of scripture has not changed over the year. Consequently, sometimes I wonder if people feel like, "well, here we go again with that stuff."

Sure, I can read books and learn new stuff, and I try to do that, but Jeff is pretty much the same guy as he was 14 years ago [I think]. Actually, I think I used to be funnier.

The other point here is that the core message of the Christian faith does not change. There is no new spin on the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus. We just need to make peace with the story and learn to apply it to our lives. It is what it is.

Finally, our culture has predisposed us to want to be entertained. The pressure for preachers to always have something new on the table has led to some very unfortunate heresy [false teaching].

Tomorrow is Sunday. You may hear something that you have heard before. Not a repeat, I always [except 2 times per year] write sermons from scratch. But there are only so many ideas in my head and heart. I have been blogging for almost a year. It is time for some topics to be addressed again.

In order to learn, we need to hear important things over and over. And I need to release my self from the worry over if you have heard or read all of "my stuff." I am sorry if you know all of my jokes. They are still mine and they are all I got, and I still think they are funny.

So, coming soon to a pulpit and blog site near you.......the story, the old old story, of Jesus and his love.

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

disappointment

Disappointment.

We all have it from time to time. We are disappointed by a family member, by a coworker, by a neighbor or a friend. If we were honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that we even disappoint ourselves from time to time.

I combat disappointment by reminding myself that maybe that was the best that they could do at that moment. I remind myself that everyone is a little bit broken, and maybe that is all they had to offer.

If they are crushing my boundaries, I will speak to them, but I try to remember that everyone is human.

Life is funny. One day you are on cloud nine cause your kid got into nursing school, the next day you are dealing with disappointment.

The best thing to remember when disappointed is that the sun is still shining. It may be foggy outside, but if we can see past the haze, the sun is still up there. God is good, and things always come around.

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

Alli gets in

Celebrate with me! My oldest daughter Alli, [the one on the right in the picture] is finishing her sophomore year at CMSU. She had applied for the nursing program. Had to write an essay and keep her grades up. Lots of folks want in the program, it has limited space.

Today, she got the word. She is in the program! Now if she just stays at it another two years, she will graduate and have a job as a nurse.!!!

Ahhh. Yes! Dad is happy. Dad is proud of Alli!
Dad is proud of Jenny and Scott too.
Thank God.

On a lighter note, the girls had an intramural softball game at 10pm last night. Jenny [the one on the left] called to say that she got a hit. She was very excited. Jenny is a freshman at CMSU. Anyway, life is pretty good for them right now.

Enjoy your kids. They grow up fast. Suddenly, Easter 1991 will turn into Easter 2008. Time flies, but it is all good. We have much to be thankful for.

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

Dad's tax stuff

I kept it for years, just in case. Finally I decided that it was time to get rid of it. A cardboard box full of my parents, then my father's tax returns.

I put the box in the trunk of my car. I would take it to church and put it through the shredder a little bit at a time. With all the worry of identity theft, it has to be shredded.

The box sat in my trunk for two months.

Then, I sold the car. Now I had to do something with the box. I finally moved it into my office. Yesterday, about 7:15 am, I started shredding my Dad's stuff. Dad kept every check and every receipt. It was a funny feeling to see Mom and Dad's handwriting. Just yesterday they were here.

I learned some things about them. They were very generous. Their charitable giving was something to make you proud. They gave to their church, then after mom died, Dad gave to his new church, our church, Woods Chapel. They gave to funds for the poor, funds for the sick and political campaigns. When the parsonage needed new carpeting in 1994, Dad gave $500.

I didn't finish the shredding, because I had to get to work, but I felt connected again. Connected to two people who weren't perfect, but did the best they could. Two people who grew up during the depression. Two people that I miss and remember fondly.

Someday, someone will shred your stuff. What will they find? What will you have left behind?

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

sermon ideas or requests

I am making plans for the next couple of months worth of sermons. Are there any topics that you would like the Pastor to cover? Are there any questions that you would like him to take a shot at answering? There may be something that I can't do a sermon on, but I would write about on my web page. Anyway, I would like to know what is on your mind, what is on your heart.

Please post a comment to this blog with sermon ideas or send me an email at Jeffb@woodschapelchurch.org

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

Post Easter

Postpartum depression for preachers.

The church can be absolutely exhausting. You get yourself all worked up for special Holy Days. I guess I have no one to blame for that except myself. You worry about how its all going to come out. You hear that someone stayed home because they wanted to make room for others.

hmmm.... I need to do a better job of helping them understand the importance of the church family.

All in all, a great day. Great music. A wonderful church family. Thank you to every hospitality person, every musician, every singer, every usher. Thank you.

Spring has sprung. The flowers are coming up. My trees [on loan from God] are starting to leaf out. Its beautiful. Its all good.

Jesus is alive.

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

He is alive

It is Easter. The day of resurrection. Jesus is alive! Praise God. He has shown his power in the world. His power over death. We have hope. We can trust him. He is real.

But on this Easter day, I have a question.
Am I alive?

I don't mean "is my heart beating." I mean, am I living in a way that is free. Living in a way that celebrates the gift of life and makes use of what God has given to me.

When I trust in stuff, houses, cars, and people, for my joy, I am not really alive. When I worry about every little thing in my life, I am not really alive. When I am broken, and refuse to try to become whole, I am not really alive.

This kind of life is no longer acceptable to me.

Because Jesus is risen, I can truly be alive. I can celebrate every moment of life that he gives me. I can choose to see his glory in all of creation. I can give thanks for each circumstances of life, the good and the bad.

When I am alive, I am concerned about sharing love. That is all. I know my purpose, sharing God's love. The human stuff begins to fade from view. I begin to live in perspective. I am alive. Alive to Christ. Free to live. Free to love.

These are the gifts of Easter.
Hallelujah! He is risen.
He is alive! I am alive!

Thank you God for these unspeakable gifts!

Saturday

Black Saturday.
Holy Saturday.

Not sure what to call it.
Its the in between day.

For the disciples, it was a day with nothing.
No Jesus, he had died.
No resurrection, yet.
nothing.
In between.

It's like there is no God today.
No Jesus, he died.
No Savior until a resurrection.
All of creation stopped to wonder what was going on. There had never been a day like this before, or since.

Saturday.
Waiting. Hoping.
It must have been tough for the disciples.

I can't imagine a world without God.

Good Friday

a long, sleepless night.
humiliating trials.
beatings. my face hurts from being struck.
eyes of hate
spit in my face.
before Pilate, rejected for Barabbas.
familiar faces in the crowd,
now unrecognizable with hate.

off to the fort.
I know what is coming.
I am stripped. tied to a post.
young men, soldiers, calloused hearts
those terrible whips.
arugh!!
searing pain.
it takes my breath away.
when will it stop?

finally it ends.
i can feel the warm blood running down my legs
my back, my neck, my backside,
stinging, throbbing, pain like i have never known.

now what?
a robe. a crown of thorns.
oouucchh.
the robe soaks into my back
I am beaten again.

A cross bar tied to my shoulders
we begin the march though the city
I am exhausted.
the crowds that line the street
many faces I have seen before.
the former blind man, former leper, former demoniac
it seems that everyone is against me now.
why?
O God, why? why does it have to hurt so much?

The place of Crucifixion.
many people are here.
something is happening to draw a crowd.

my arms are stretched out.
a soldier sits on my arm.
ouch. get off.
I see the hammer, i see the nail.
I hear the thud.
aaarrruuuggghhh!!!!
I feel the iron pierce my wrist
one, then the other.
my hands curl up in tremors of pain

I am raised and set on the crossbar
more nails
my feet
oh God, this is terrible.

It is really hard to breath
I push and pull
struggling for every breath

the sky is blue, there are birds in the air
so many wonderful days
now this
my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

what have I done to receive this?
I feel my life slipping away
Goodbye my mother.
Father, into thy hands, I commit my spirit.

Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday worship tonight, 7pm at church. You are welcome.

Maundy, from the latin, Mandatum. Mandate. Commandment. So named for Jesus words at the last supper, "a new commandment I give unto you, love one another, as I have loved you. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love, one to another."

He washed their feet.
He tells some stories of the kingdom.
They eat. They drink wine.
They laugh. Friends are celebrating.

They are celebrating the passover. This feast commemorates the tenth plague in the book of Exodus, when the angel of death passed thru the land, taking the life of the oldest male child in every Egyptian home. The angel of death "passed over" the Jewish homes because their doors were marked with the blood of a lamb.

After dinner, a walk to the garden of gethsemane. Time in prayer. betrayal. desertion. A long night begins.

So again, it is Holy Week.
If the death angel passed over your home tonight, is the entry to your home marked with the blood of a lamb?

paradigms

I was reading some C.S. Lewis yesterday. I came across a passage that I totally disagreed with. I thought. I thought, how odd, that I would disagree with one of the most well known, well respected Christian authors and thinkers of our time. There must be something wrong with me. Maybe my paradigm is wrong.

Webster offers up this definition of paradigm: a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations and the experiments performed in support of them are formulated; broadly : a philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind.

I think the best way for me to explain the word paradigm is to remind myself of the "rose colored" glasses that I am wearing. Everyone sees the world through a certain set of lenses. No one sees it clearly. Brave people wake up one day and realize that they really are wearing glasses. They really do not see the world as it is, but as they perceive that it is. They begin to ask the question.......what is my paradigm like? Soon follows the deeper question, how can my life view begin to change?

The essence of the Christian faith invites all of us to "see" the self-centeredness in our paradigm and to begin to work on replacing the self with love. There is a familiar statement around here, "it is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good." This statement invites all who read it to leave the world where they are unhappy. To leave the world where it is all about them. To leave the world of negativity and to choose to see the good. An invitation to a paradigm shift.

Do you know that even you have a particular paradigm, a particular way of seeing the world? Did you know that you put on glasses every morning? What things in your way of seeing the world may need to change? Just asking the question is so invigorating to me!

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

I need you

I loved the post to yesterday's blog: "I don't think this was written to me.....but I'm going to pretend it was.....thank you."

I received several emails from folks wondering if yesterday's note was about them. There is such a deep need to be loved. I am reminded of the following story:

There's a Spanish story of a father and son who had become estranged. The son ran away, and the father set off to find him. He searched for months to no avail. Finally, in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad in a Madrid newspaper. The ad read: "Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you. Your Father." On Saturday 800 Pacos showed up, looking for forgiveness and love from their fathers.

Well, this isn't written today for anyone in particular. It is written to everyone.

I need you. I love you. You are awesome. Sue, Linda, Bill, Bob, Debbie, Paul, Jim, Stan, Amy, Mommytriplet, Lions Den Man, Rocky Soil, Anonymous, Chigger farmer, Paula, Dan, Cathy, Kathy, Mom, Dad, Alli, Jenny Scott, Fern, Betty, MaryAnn, Eric, Jean, Jerry, Gina, Sherri, Sherry, Becky. Glenda, Jan, Irene, Fred, Kim, Angie, Bruce, Doug, Brian, Laura, Holly, Kyle, Jennifer, Wendy, Missy, Andy, Greg, MaryBeth, and every single other one of you all......

I love you. I need you. You are so dear to me. I am so pleased to have you in my life.

And if I feel this way about you, imagine how much your heavenly Father loves you and wants to spend time with you.

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

bonus post

On St. Patrick's day I am always reminded of that famous Irishman who invented outdoor tables and chairs. You remember his name.............

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Paddy O'Furniture

You are on my mind

It is Monday morning. You are on my mind today. Again. I am not sure why. Is there something bothering you? Are you troubled or in trouble? Its like there is a tremor in the force.

I want you to know that I love you very much. I sense a bond between us that only God can explain. Everything is going to be ok. That is my message for you. I sense in my soul that all is well. Everything is going to be ok. Don't worry. God is with you. You are not abandoned. You may not feel him close right now, but he stands immediately by your side. On the other side of every valley is a mountain top.

Chin up. Smile on. You are not alone.

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

its that special time of year

It is finally here. That special time of year. The snow is gone and spring is in the air. This is a special time of year because everything is coming back to life. Right now its mostly tulips and daffodils, but the maple and pear trees are also starting to emerge. The mums are back. The sedum is back. Plants are awesome.

This is the time of year when I walk around the house every single day and watch the progress of life. I tell you, there are few things so glorious as to watch a tulip over a few weeks as it sprouts, grows, buds and blooms. God is awesome and all of creation speaks to us of his glory.

Winter is over. It is time for our spirits to get up. No more pot roasts for a while. Fire up the grill. Get the kids outside. No more cabin fever. Go look at the plants that are growing at your house. Watch them leaf, bud and bloom. It is a holy thing.

Praise God! My tulips are coming up!

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

snow

How can it snow today? Tomorrow is Palm Sunday. It cannot snow today. I will not allow it. There is snow on my tulips, snow on bags of mulch that were waiting to be spread. There is snow on the football that the kids were playing with yesterday. My washed, ready for spring car is covered with snow.

I don't like it. I had some yard work planned for today. My kids were going to get to help. I don't want the snow.

Well, I guess that sometimes God needs to remind me that I am in sales, not management.

Sometimes in life you get what you want, and sometimes in life, you get what you get. The trick is to face the unhappy moments with joy. The trick is to choose to to see the good, even when it isn't rising to the top.

Ok, here we are, today, March 15th. It is snowing. Where is the good?

Well, I am alive. I was given, so far, the gift of today. My wife is home, and she still loves me. I have tons of friends. Everyone is reasonably healthy. There is food in the pantry. I am ready for tomorrow's sermon. I can relax today. Hmmmm. Maybe not so bad after all.

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

A short trip to Africa

I guess I made it sound like I wanted to move to Africa, permanently. Well, my wife would not vote for that. She doesn't even like to go camping.

I was thinking of a two week trip. It's almost like I have a feeling that it is something that I am supposed to do. I just keep wandering into things that drive all of you crazy. Maybe that is good, I wouldn't want you to become bored or complacent.

Change of subject.........the prom dress ministry is awesome. It is very touching to see what is being done thru this outreach. A dress, shoes, purse, jewelry for girls, or a tux for the boys. Very nice. Very kind. I don't know whose idea this was, but it is a very good thing.

They are building bunk beds in the missions building for the Shiloh Children's Home.

When I take the time to wander around the building, there are so many good things going on. There is so much good at Woods Chapel Church. So many good folks engaged in the work of the Lord.

Thank you. Thank you. I think God is well pleased.

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

lunch on shoes

Yesterday I had lunch with a preacher who just came back from Liberia, Africa. His favorite place for lunch is the Mongolian BBQ off of 40 hiway.

I listened to him talk about Africa for 45 minutes. I was spellbound. I want to go there. I want to visit the preaching stations out in the bush. I want to see the passion in the hearts of the people. I want to see the church in it's infancy.

Finally, we got in line to make our Mongolian bbq meals. You know the gig: fill up a bowl with all of the stuff that you want to eat. Pour some sauces into a smaller bowl. The cook frys your bowl of food, then he puts the sauces onto it. He scrapes it off and you go sit down. Stir fry of your choice with rice. It is an excellent meal.

The food ingredients and sauces are lined out on salad bar type counters with covers so that you don't breathe on the food. So, I have my bowl full of ingredients. I have my little bowl full of sauce. Instead of going over to the fryer guys, I have to go back the other direction to the ingredient table for something else that I cannot live without. There is a woman coming the other way. I move to the side to avoid her. My left arm hits the cover of the salad bar counter. Hard. Serious collision with the salad bar cover.

The food in my bowl goes straight up in the air. I catch half of it in my bowl. The sauce in the sauce bowl goes straight up in the air. I catch none of it. Half of my ingredients and all of the sauce are now on my jeans, my shoes and on the floor.

This is a public restaurant during the lunch rush. Several people come up and ask me for my autograph. There is a corporate gasp of "oops, poor guy."

Here is the funny thing. I wasn't embarrassed, I wasn't angry, I wasn't anything. This is what went through my mind..... I had just knocked more food on the floor than many people in Africa will eat all day today, and probably tomorrow as well.

I was actually proud of myself [I hope I can say that here] for having a virtuous thought instead of being mortified or self consumed.

I began to clean up my mess. I was assisted by an employee. The event was soon over. I refilled my bowl. I ate my lunch. We talked some more. I went back to work.

I want to go to Africa. I want to preach at the ends of the earth. I want to teach in their college. I want to bring encouragement to the least of these. Call me crazy, but I don't think that this is a bad thing.

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

Linda Sue

Hello Linda Sue. Linda and Sue. Yes, you. You do not attend our church, you don't even live in our town, but I hear that you have been reading the blog. Hello. We are electronic friends now. Thanks for sharing God's love.

One of the things that I love about God's love is that it has a life of its own. It just goes and goes. Across the miles, from person to person, heart to heart, the love of God is amazing. Whatever avenue we have to deliver it, may we do so. By letter, by phone, by word of mouth, by the internet, let's all deliver God's love.

The love of God is not bound by humanity, nor can it be contained. When God's love fills your heart, you become full. Full to overflowing. His love just spills out of you and touches other people. One simple act of love can mark a person for life. One simple act of love can build a lifelong relationship. One simple act of love can be exactly what someone is waiting for or needing. A good word at the right time.

Reach out and touch somebody. Across the miles, across the room, across the state, may we share God's love.

Hello Linda, hello Sue. I know nothing about you, except that you are loved by God almighty. You. You. You matter to God. Feel the power of his love, feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. Be filled. Filled to overflowing. Thanks for being who you are.

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

the family room

The family room. Its where no one wants to be. To sit down with the preacher and visit about the life of a loved one who has just died.

Yesterday, I sat in the family room with a family. They told me about their loved one. I am so blessed to learn the stories of love that come from spouses and childen. There is so much good that dwells in the hearts of people, and often we don't know it until they are gone. People are so private. So good. So anonymous. Doing their acts of charity in secret.

Every day that we are alive is a chance for us to care about others. Your kids may not get it now, but they will get it in the future. Keep loving them. Keep showing them. Keep pointing the way. One day soon, some preacher will sit in your family room and mine.

We have today. With God's blessing we have tomorrow. Let's make every minute count.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
Mommytriplet send me an email. jeffb@woodschapelchurch.org

disheartened

I am pretty positive right now. In general I think I am a pretty positive person. I am writing about this topic because it has been on my mind. I see myself sometimes feel this way, and I run into others that feel this way on a regular basis. I am not claiming this feeling today tho, I am just writing, sharing some thoughts.

Discouraged is too strong of a word. Disheartened is closer. Not a permanent feeling, not an overwhelming feeling, just an occasional sense of being disheartened. I think we all get this from time to time. Maybe your kids are draining you, maybe the money goes out the door as fast as it comes in, maybe your dreams seem to be just out of reach.

Pastors feel this way sometimes. I am not owning this right now, but I just wanted you to know what happens sometimes in the brain of a preacher.....

"I just can't seem to make anyone happy. No matter how hard I try, it seems that so and so is always mad at me. I am the preacher. Why does anyone have to be mad at me. My actions may not be perfect, but my intentions are. That should count for something. I am expected to do the impossible. To always have a word of encouragement, to always have a good sermon. To always be on. The expectations are impossible to meet. I am required to go to an all day meeting in Columbia. I have to preach again on Sunday. I don't have time for my friends anymore." Sometimes I think that pastors pray for a "regular" job.

I think members get disheartened sometimes too. Here is what that may sound like: "I try so hard to help. I don't feel as excited about my faith as I used to. So and so at church is mean to me. I can't give financially right now. I am tired of thinking about being a kinder person. I just want some time for me."

If you have ever felt this way, you are in a big club. Most people, at one time or another feel disheartened. Here is my advice. Don't quit. Don't quit your marriage, don't quit your job, don't quit your God. Understand that these feelings are just part of the ebb and flow of life. Keep doing the things that you know are right. Feelings come and feelings go. Your good feelings will come back.

In fact, sometimes when I get disheartened, I imagine that I quit. It is an interesting mental exercise. In my brain I go to work somewhere besides the church. Maybe I work on cars, maybe I paint houses, maybe I work at a bank. In each scenario, my feelings are the same. After the initial rush of peace and quiet, after the initial joy of the pressure release, I get bummed out. I miss the people, I miss the church, I miss the challenge to reach out in the name of the Lord. In fact, after I pretend in my brain that I am doing something else, pretty soon, I am looking for chances to do the very things that I thought I didn't want to do anymore.

What does that mean? I believe that the good will always keep rising to the surface if we give it a chance. We may feel down for a while, but it is not the end of the story. Hold on, keep loving. Sharing God's love will always get us to the other side of our feelings. Eventually.

You know that it is true. I smile as I think of it. Sharing God's love always, eventually, gets me to where I need to be.

Ahh, I feel better already.

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

the Lord's day

This is the day that the Lord has made. This is the Lord's day. Today, around the world, millions of people will gather to fellowship and worship. That is an awesome thing. Sometimes we bemoan the fact that many people go to church and then forget God the rest of the week. Well, yes, that is not so good. But, at least they are in church. There are also many other people who forget God during the week and are not in church on Sunday.

If you are one of those folks who feel good on Sunday, but struggle with living out your faith during the week, that is ok. Take heart. This is the Lord's day. You are going to be in the right place today. You are in a place where you are loved, where you matter, where your heart can be touched.

God is good and his mercy reaches out to all. His grace reaches out to you. This is the Lord's day. Let's go see him. Let's go sing the songs. Let's pray together. Let's open our hearts to the words that are shared. See you in church. This is the day that the Lord has made.

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

when the self receeds

If you would like to help put together shelves in the missions building, meet me up there today [Saturday, March 8th] at 10am. Should be done by noon, but even 30 minutes of your time would be a help. Now on to the blog post.

When the self receeds...........

When the self receeds, love will emerge. It is an interesting idea. We try so hard to be good and to do good. I think that our efforts sometimes get in the way. Our humanness sneaks in and ruins our efforts without our even knowing it.

The sly self is so self-centered. We are clouded by our brokenness so that we keep falling back towards self interest. I try to be loving, but Jeff keeps getting in the way.

What if instead of trying to love, and the self getting in the way, what if we just worked on removing the self. What if I was able to truly see and resist my selfishness. What would be left? Maybe the grace of God would just come rushing out of me. It is an interesting thought.

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

Oprah

Everyone knows Oprah Winfrey. She has one of the most watched television shows of all time. She is kind, funny, and generous. Oprah has developed a spirituality over the years that is worrying some Christian leaders. She has started recommending books, holding seminars and interviewing guests that some Christian leaders categorize as "new age."

New Age. What does that mean? For some, it is an ecclectic spirituality that may include a random collection of things from many religious backgrounds. Sort of an "age of aquarius" approach to spirituality. For other Christian leaders, anything can be branded as new age that they do not agree with.

Let me be clear. We are Christians. We find a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ. But let me also be clear. The Christian church has elements of both Western and Eastern culture. The first split in the Christian church took place in 1054 between the Eastern and Western models of Christianity. The "Western" thinkers continued on as the Catholic church. The "Eastern" branch of the church is represented by the Greek and Russian orthodox churches among others.

My point is this. There are many approaches to the Christian faith that Americans have never heard of. We are grounded almost exclusively in Western Christianity. Just because something is different than what we have learned, does not make it new age, does not make it evil or demonic.

Now, having said that, we need to be very careful about what we are reading. There is some dangerous stuff out there. You are not a god, you are a created being. There is no magic potion in life that will make all good things come to you. Just because it was recommended by Oprah, Max Lucado, or Jeff Brinkman does not mean that it contains 100% truth. Infact, I don't know of any writer that I agree with 100% of the time. Christians need to remember that we are followers of Christ. We may read and appreciate some other ideas, but the suffering and death of Jesus Christ is the act that brings redeeming grace into our lives.

Be wise as a serpent, but harmless as a dove.

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

I am losing you

I can feel you pulling away. I can see your absence. I have received enough calls, I know that you are sliding down the slope. I have tried to reach out. I have prayed for you. I have hugged you. I have been as direct with you as I can.

I know that you have been hurt. I know that you are afraid. I know that life seems really big and difficult right now. I also know someone who can help. This is not a cliche. It is not old news. In Jesus, we have a friend that sticks closer than a brother. In the dark valleys of life, we do have a Shepherd, and he is good. You can trust him. You can lean on him.

Everyone has problems. Do not be embarrassed, there is no reason to hide. Most people have no idea what is going on. Your church community loves you and dearly desires to help.

Step into the light and feel the warmth of God's love.

wrong way driver

Last night, police chased a driver who was travelling the wrong way on 71 highway. At speeds reaching 100 miles per hour, the driver ran others off the road. Eventually he decided to give it up. He drove to his own house and was captured there by police.
Hmm.

Which direction are you going in life? Are you heading the wrong direction at 100 miles per hour? Are your feet swift to find trouble? Are you crushing under your feet those whom you love? Are people that are going the right direction worried about you? Do you decide to go home way late in the game?

Don't give me that, you know if you are going the wrong direction. And you know where home is.

Are you making excuses for yourself? Are you giving in to selfishness? Are you demanding for yourself? Are you hurting others? Are you giving no regard to the will and purpose of God? Are you going deeper into debt? Do you see yourself as a victim? Do you think the world owes you something? Have you lost your joy? Is it all about you?

Most people eventually grow tired of a life that is heading the wrong direction. Sometimes they don't stop running until late into the night. When they finally give up, they have hurt so many, and have painted themselves into a corner. They want to go home, but they end up in a prison of their own making.

We have today. It is an opportunity to make good choices. It is a chance to reach out to others, to see beyond my needs, to become a dispenser of grace. If you are going the wrong direction, today would be a good day to turn around. There is no time like the present to find home. If you need help, call me or call any of your friends from Woods Chapel Church.

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

the parade

Don't miss the parade today.
All of the high school bands are going to line up downtown and March 4th.

the soul

Shhh. quiet. rest. turn off the TV.

Wait. right now. count to 20. Listen to your breathing.

Lord, these moments are yours and mine. I look only to you.

The mind worries. the soul is at rest. The mind complains, the soul looks for the presence of God. The noise of the trash truck in our brain keeps us from even being aware of the soul. Some people live and die, and exist only in the realm of the brain. The heart of God is in the soul. The spark of the divine, the image of God, is imprinted on our souls.

You have captured my interest. Where do I find the soul? Where do I look?

When I see someone I love and my heart leaps within me. Then my soul magnifies the Lord. When I innately know the good, I see the soul. The kingdom of God is within you.

What would today look like if I sought to live from my soul instead of from my brain? Give it a try. Let me know how it goes.

Our souls magnify the Lord.

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

yesterday's sermon

If you missed church, yesterday's sermon was the annual sermon on the crucifixion. I think it is important to remind ourselves of the story. But, I have to tell you, after telling the story 4 times yesterday, I am spent. I am not sure that I will be able to do that again next year. I don't want to think about the suffering of Jesus anymore right now. I want to be thankful for what he did for me/us, but my brain and heart are full right now. Full of the sadness. Full of the fear, the terror.

I am ready for a resurrection.

Maybe that is the whole point. Maybe we don't really understand the resurrection until we are immersed in the suffering. Maybe that is why we need to do this every year. Maybe we would never know joy had we not known sadness. Never know love had we not known hate. Never experienced true life had we not been touched by death.

Easter is coming. I am ready.

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

clothes, food and teenagers

I have finally figured out the difference between teenage boys and girls, and how to make them happy.

For a teenage girl, it is all about the shopping. They may have a closet full of clothes and yet be unfulfilled. My girls have a closet full, but will sneak into each other's rooms to sneak something new to wear. The thievery has been the source of many painful discussions at our home. These girls are growing up just like their mother. How many pairs of shoes can one girl wear? My dad would have said it well, "you can only wear one pair of shoes at a time."

If they are depressed, set them up with a trip to Kohl's and they are whole again. Don't waste the $80 on a counselor, just give it to them in cash and they will come home happy. If I need a sweater, I will wait until they go on sale, walk into the store, pick out a sweater, pay for it and leave. The girls will spend all day buying a sweater. We run into people in the grocery store. The girls talk to them. Later I say, "who was that?" It was the woman who works the sweater department at Kohl's. They know my daughters personally. Do you know why there are always hotels and places to eat next to Kohl's? Think about it. It takes the girls so long to shop, they have to eat and sleep. And $80 for a sweater, well the sweater was only $30, but we had to eat too dad.

Cute clothes. Cute is very important. They will look all day for something that is cute. But, no matter how long they look for something, once they hang it up in their closet, it is less cute. Less cute than anything that is hanging in their sister's closet. Why don't they just trade clothes every month or so. It would be a much better world.

Then there is their brother. He went to Kohl's yesterday to buy sweat pants for track. He was gone ten minutes. He is a man after my own heart. Walked in, saw 'em, bought 'em, came home. That's how men shop.

The way to the heart of a teenage boy is through his stomach. This kid will eat anything. One day last week, he ate oatmeal for breakfast, lunch I did not see, five peanut butter sandwiches after school. After work, he at a cube steak and asparagus. Before he went to bed, one more peanut butter sandwich.

He is scary. One of these days I think he is going to grow about a foot overnight.

If he is depressed, its real easy. Yogurt, pudding, cookies, chips, more chips, all kinds of chips. Mexican, Italian, Chinese, he doesn't care. Give him food and he is happy. Feeding him is not cheap, it costs about as much as sending the girls to Kohl's, but at least he doesn't steal his sister's food.

Ok. sorry about this, but I have to go here. As I write this humorous note on the difference between boys and girls, I am struck with a very painful thought. Many of us will read this, laugh and go on, assuming that all the world is like our families. But they are not. All the world is not like our families.

I met kids in Russia who have one sweater. One. One. Not one closet full, one sweater. They have never been to Kohl's. They will live and die, with the meagre necessities of life. They will never steal clothes from their sister. Their sister doesn't have anything either.

And the food. The things that I have seen in Russia. People who sacrifice to feed the Americans, and eat very little the rest of the time. Plain, ordinary simple foods. Russians hang with friends because they may have nothing to eat at their apartment today. Going to the store and there isn't much there. If you have money, it isn't about what you want for dinner, you pick from what may be available at the time.

And so I have opened up a very deep and painful discussion that all Americans should have. I have a pantry full of food, I have a closet full of clothes. My kids fight over each other's clothes, where there are things hanging in their closets that they have not seen, much less worn in years.

What should we do? Give some of our clothes away? Yes. YES. Give food away. Yes. Give money to help the poor. Yes.

Is that enough? I don't know. Somewhere, I also think it is important to consider what kind of steward I am of God's stuff. When I think of how much I have and how little others around the world have, I am convicted. I want to live my life in a way that I can help others. I want to think it terms that draw a very big circle. I want to take in as many people as I can. I want to help. I want to care. I want the way I live my life to say to God, "I see what you have done for me. Thank you. Help me to help others, every day, every way that I can." Lord, help my life to be about human beings, not about stuff.

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

Schnauzer bird dog

It is obviously pet week at the Brinkman house. Lou the Schnauzer has decided that he is a bird dog.

Here's the story. Up at church, we have a lot of geese. They are pretty, but they make a big mess. I don't mind the mess in the grass, but when it is on sidewalks and across the parking lot, well, the geese need to move on to Canada. It's a natural thing. They are called Canadian Geese for a reason.

So, I am off on Fridays. Fridays are good days to think. Yesterday, when we got up, Lou the Schnauzer says to me, "hey, old guy, can I go for a walk today?" I told him that I would take him up to church to run around. That seemed to satisfy him.

About 8:30am we get up to the church and I let him out in the field. About 75 yards away from us there is a nice flock of 25 geese. Lou is so excited to be somewhere besides his own back yard, he doesn't even notice them. For ten minutes he is snooping around, nose to the ground, investigating every new scent. I tell him, "get those birds." He keeps running around in circles, sniffing the ground. I move closer to the geese. "Get those birds." He is oblivious. He is nose to the ground, wondering what all of these new smells are.

Finally, he looks up and sees them, and he is off like a shot. As fast as his little legs can carry him. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Lou is on a b-line for the geese.

They see him coming and take to the air. He chases them for a while. Then, triumphantly returns to his handler. Lou has moved up in the world. He is now a bird dog.

There is a moral to this story. When your head is constantly looking down, you will never see what is on the horizon. When you can't get your eyes off of what is right in front of your face, you will never see what lies ahead. We need to look past the momentary concerns and see the big picture.

Lift up your eyes. See the possibilities.

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

blogs

I am glad that you read this blog, but what are you expecting when you open it up?

I can't be inspirational everyday, and I am not trying necessarily to be inspirational. Sometimes though, life is inspirational. I can't be funny every day, but sometimes, life is funny. Some days, there is nothing in there. Do you ever have days like that? You get up, you go about your business and you do the best you can, but there is nothing of note in there.

I guess the one thing that I am trying to do in this blog is to be myself. Sometimes funny, sometimes, inspirational, sometimes up, down, happy, sad, just be myself. Actually, I think that this is a very important thing. I think God is looking for people who will just be themselves. Honest. Real life.

I hope that most days you get something from the blog. I don't want to disappoint anyone, but I have no promise of any particular experience for you. Just the daily grind of one man who is a parent of teenagers, pastor of a church, husband of a travelling wife, ornery, silly, a less than perfect dude.

I am enjoying the ride of life. I hope that you are too.

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

cats, dogs, and pythons

I want to thank all of the cat lovers for their comments to yesterday's blog. After another sleepless night, I am at my wits end. I saw a news story yesterday that might help me. A family in Austrailia had a pet dog and a python came to visit. Now they have a python.

http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/0227snake27-odd.html

I wonder how much pythons cost? I wonder if I could rent this one? You know the really bad thing is that someone from church would teach the snake how to open the bedroom door and we would have a snake on our bed. A snake on the bed is probably worse than a cat. I guess I will keep the cat after all.

Lesson: Give thanks when a cat wakes you up and licks your head. Things could always be worse. At least it isn't a snake.

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

kittens

Kittens are cute. Everyone likes kittens. But the problem with kittens is this: if you feed them, they turn into cats. A lot of people do not like cats. I am starting to understand why.

My daughters will tell you that our two cats are part of the family. I will tell you differently. They are freeloaders. They sleep and eat and sleep and eat. They do nothing to contribute to the welfare of the home. They don't even have the "sitting on your lap" thing down right. One of them, Princess KiKi, never sits on your lap unless it is cold. She is the cat that if you didn't find her eating at the bowl, you wouldn't know that you had her. She hides all the time. Like the big dog in the Chevy Chase movie, Funny Farm. What is the point of that? Her brother, Tylor, is just the opposite. He is a neurotic dependent thing that is incomplete by himself. He must sit on someone's lap all the time. If you ever make the mistake of scratching his head, you will become one of his best friends. He will follow you around the house, crying and moaning until you pay him his needed attention.

And why do cats have names anyway? It's not like they come when you call. It's not like they use their names to identify each other. And do you blame them? What self respecting cat would want to introduce themselves by saying, "hello, my name is Princess KiKi?"

So, you may be wondering why I am up in arms about cats today. Well, they have learned a new trick. In the past, KiKi has pounded on the bedroom door to get in. If you ignore her long enough, she will go away and return to hiding. I have often wondered why she wants in anyway, she won't let anyone pet her.

So during cold weather, we have this nightly dance. She pounds on the door, drumming it with her feet. We ignore her, we yell at her, we throw shoes at the door. Most couples don't wear shoes to bed. I wonder what they throw at the cats in the middle of the night?

Two o'clock, three o'clock, all hours of the night, and this cat is pounding on the door to get in. I just get back to sleep from the last episode and I guess she hears me snoring, [that is me snoring, isn't it?] and she is back at the door, trying to wake me up.

Well, she has learned a new trick. The door knob to the bedroom is a lever type knob. You don't have to grip and turn it, all you have to do is pull it down and the door will open. Who ever decided to teach my cat how to do this is in a lot of trouble with me.

The last two nights, about the time the pounding wakes you up, you hear the door open and the approaching yowls of a cat, a cat so big, she can hardly jump up onto the bed. If we had not fed her, maybe she would still be a kitten, but now, this is a cat. C-a-t Cat. A big one. A keeper. Bass Pro shop has offered us money to put her on display.

So here she comes across the floor, up onto the bed. Her brother follows her in. In short order, I have Tylor laying on my chest, his purring reverberating on my neck. KiKi, the door opening, magic cat, well she has decided that she wants to lick the top of my head. So you have this purring noise in your throat and this cat-scratch-tongue noise on the top of your head. I wondered why I was losing my hair. Now I know. I wonder if there would be fewer bald guys if there were no cats to lick the top of their head.

Tomorrow, I am locking the door. I hope that helps. I need to get some sleep. Whoever is working with this cat, please do not teach her how to unlock the door. Have pity on an old man and let him get some sleep.

And a bit of fatherly advice for those moments when you are tempted. Do not go into Petco. Do not go to the wayside waifs web site. If someone is out in front of the grocery store with a cardboard box, just walk on by. Sure, their sign says "free kittens." There is a reason that they are free. Just walk on by, you will sleep better at night, and you won't be prematurely losing your hair.

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

initiative

A father I know recently sent this message to a child that I know, but it could as easily been written from our heavenly father to one of his children.

Initiative:
energy or aptitude displayed in the starting of an action : at one's own discretion : independently of outside influence or control

If someone sits around and wonders why no one will help them, no one will. If someone stands up and says, I am going to get after this, I am going to take the initiative, well, people are impressed with this approach to life.

Not just when you are home for the weekend, but your whole life, people will want to help you, if you stand up and show some effort. Those who sit back and complain, well, no one wants to run with that.

In your classes, show your teachers that you want to do well, and they will help you. It is a self fulfilling prophecy of life. In the workplace, show that you care, and good employers will reward you.

Stand up and take the world on, and your Father will help you.
I love you and I am proud of you.

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

freewill

One of the greatest gifts that we have is freewill. The freedom to choose our attitudes. My mom used to say, your mom used to say, "no one makes you mad, you choose to be mad."

It is very easy for us to look at circumstances and be upset. The sky may be blue, but if all we ever see when we look up is the clouds, then it is always going to be raining on our parade.

Last week, someone asked me if I was ok. I was glum. Down, but not out. I told them I was fine. Yes I was glum, but I am going to get better. I am coming back. The choice of a positive attitude can't fix everything, but it sure helps.

As a young man, I experienced many highs and lows as I was buffeted by life's circumstances. Now that I am older, my life history tells me that these clouds are only temporary. This too shall pass.

Don't let the pain of this moment, capture your entire disposition. Tomorrow is coming and you will be better then. Especially if you choose to be better.

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

trusting

Yesterday, someone told me one of their secrets. When people tell you their secrets, they are saying that they trust you. Not just that you won't tell, but that they trust you to still love them, even though you know something about them that not very many people know.

This is a great blessing. To be someone that is trusted. To have someone that you can tell your secrets to. I am thankful for those dear friends who understand and accept me. All of me. Not just the good things, but the broken things. To have people that you don't have to pretend with, it is a gift. To have people that would rather know the real you, than the pretend you, this is a gift.

This is also the gift that God offers us. We can trust him. We can share our innermost thoughts and secrets with him. Why not? He can see it all anyway. He is a trusted friend. He loves us even though we are not perfect. Wow. That is good news!

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

Use me Lord

The Gospel Choir is working on a new song, "Use me."

Here are the words:

If you can use anything Lord, you can use me.
If you can use anything Lord, you can use me.
Take my hands Lord and my feet,
Touch my heart Lord, speak through me,
If you can use anything Lord, You can use me.

You can watch the song live, performed by the Brooklyn Tabernacle choir at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPhAlDBzOI0

Let the Lord use you today.

The Gospel Choir will be singing on Sunday, March 2nd.
Don't miss is.

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

ok, yes, I drove a vega

After driving a'63 Ford Galaxie 500 [4 door, sky blue, 350 v-8] a Vega seemed like a step up for me. As I look back on it, well, that Vega did need alot of dressing up. I had it painted...........gloss black. I bought mag wheels and raised white letter tires from the Firestone store on Johnson Drive. I had air shocks installed so that the back end was raised up. I put in a radio with a cassette player. Woooo. This was a hot car. Sort of. Underneath, it was still a 4 cylinder motor with an alluninum block.

Sometimes you can dress something up, but it still doesn't change the essence of what it is. I see advertisements for all of these make over shows. Someone who dresses frumpy gets a new haircut and new clothes. But, aren't they the same person inside?

On a hot August night in 1976, just outside of West Wendover, Nevada, as I was entering the 100 mile drive across the Utah Salt flats, I blew the motor in that Vega. You see, I had it all dressed up on the outside, but underneath, it was still a ticking timebomb. A mechanics dream. I was towed 100 miles to Salt Lake City to the mechanics shop. I sat in a little motel for a week, waiting for the car to be fixed. Why? There were 6 other Vegas in line ahead of me.

Jesus told a story about the cup that was clean on the outside, but dirty on the inside. A made over exterior with a broken interior. If the sermon on the mount was today, maybe he would have spoken about that Chevy Vega. I hope that I wouldn't feel that he was talking about me.

What is on your inside? How is it with your soul? When the soul is beautiful, no one cares how you look on the outside. Bodies change and decay. Hair falls out. The soul is forever. What are you spending your time on?

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

decisions

A friend of mine has a very big decision to make. Big decisions are complicated. What are my thoughts, my family's thoughts, the future, friends, etc. He is in a spot. Or is it an opportunity?

Everyone has an opinion. Everyone has advice. My friend has to make the decision.

Sometimes I think that there may not always be "one right choice." Sometimes, I think God watches and celebrates as we think and pray and exercise our gift of free will.

This I know. The soul is clouded by the noise of life. The soul misses opportunities to be engaged in life, because our brains are so full of worries. What about the money? What about my friends? What about my family? What are they trying to do to me? How can this happen? What will the future hold?

When we stop asking all of these questions, the soul rises to the top. It finally has a chance to sense the possibilities. Jesus said, "Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest." The best decisions are made when the soul is at rest. When we get past the noise of life and discover that peace that passes understanding.

Let your soul rise to the top my dear friend. And let there be no mistake, you are a great soul. You have been bought with a price, saved for a purpose, called and gifted to leave a mark on this world. What ever you do, it will be from the essence of your being. And when we decide from the soul, everything always works out.

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

New web site

Well............. This is one of the most uncomfortable moments of my life. We have launched a web site that contains things about me and what I want people to know.

This kills me, because I truly am an introvert. But, there are some things that I really think must be said, and I do not have time to say them on Sunday morning.

Ideas that I have about baptism, evil, altar calls and membership. Only a few people are interested in such topics, so I cannot spend a Sunday on them. The web site will allow me the chance to discuss some things that I don't have time to deal with on Sunday morning.

If you have ideas or questions that you would like for me to write about, please let me know. Leave a comment with a question and I will post some thoughts about it on the web.

The link to the new web site here is "one pastor's thoughts." The www is http://www.jeffbrinkman.com/

It is a work in progress. I hope that there is something there that will help you.

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

Love

Love.

From the heart of God, given to you without reservation.
From the heart of God, given to all, without prejudice

From the heart of a Christian, love goes out to all.

The tree does not choose who will get it's shade.
The lamp does not offer it's light only to a few.
The scent of the rose goes out to all.

So the love of God is given to you without reservation.
We are but asked to do the same.

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

forgiveness

Sometimes, words that are spoken in church are better read then said. Having said that, I wanted to put the following into print regarding forgiveness.

When you become a player in an arena of pain, and you step into the fray and truly forgive, you have chosen the high road, you have chosen the way of love, you have chosen to bring a healing balm to the wounded, you have chosen to bring greatness to the stage of life.

I am not speaking of a greatness as most people consider greatness. I do not refer to an accomplishment of national or political stature. I do not refer to a greatness that comes from wealth or fame. No, I am talking about the greatness that occurs when true spirituality is thrust into an argument. When grace is delivered to a foe. When entering the field of battle, where we have raged with fury in the past, now we enter with a different attitude, a different countenance, a different purpose. We step forward and face our former foe and we say to them,

"I am sorry. I am sorry, I am sorry. I forgive you, please forgive me. Let the grace of Jesus Christ rule in our hearts and lives. Let the grace of Jesus Christ be larger, longer and heavier, than any chains I have carried around in the past. I forgive you. Please forgive me."

Winston Churchill said, "Some people are born great; some people achieve greatness; and some people have greatness thrust upon them." Jesus invites us to choose greatness by injecting true spirituality into the most difficult moments of daily living.

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

broken arm

So, you want your son to go on the church ski trip. He will be 17 next month and he is a good boy. Let him go. Let him grow up. Everything will be fine.

You help him pack, you make a list of what he is missing. You pack a cooler of food for him. You take him to the bus. "Bye Scottie!" Off they go.

They drive all night. He loves the all night bus ride. Hmm. They arrive in Colorado. Saturday they ski. Saturday afternoon, you are sitting at home and the phone rings. It's a nurse from the hospital in Colorado.

"Is this Mrs. Brinkman?"
"yes."
"This is nurse Simpson from the hosptial in Glenwood Springs. We have your son Scott here. He has a broken arm."

I wonder how he broke his arm? "hot dogging," the nurse says.
I am offended.
I can't believe than my son would be hot dogging it on the ski slope.
JK!

Oh well, he is fine. It is nothing really serious. Arms heal. Heck, he has broken three arms. He is an expert at this.

But there is this little fatherly worry. I wish I could be there. I hope he is ok. I know he is ok, I just want to see him.

Do you ever think that God worries about us? Maybe so. Do you think that God wants to find us, and hold us, and help everything be ok? I think so.

We are out hot dogging it on the slopes of life and we get broken up. God loves you and wants to heal your wounds. Let him. Sometimes our wounds slow us down so that we can stop and really see what is important in life.

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

waiting

Waiting for your love to come home. I miss her. She has been gone all week. She has had plane trouble and she missed valentines day. I actually had a present for her this year for valentines day.

She misses her house, her pets, her kids. I miss her. So I wait. I try to keep busy. I keep my mind on what I should be focusing on. I wait.

It occurs to me that God is often waiting for me. Waiting for me to come home from where ever I have gone. Hoping that I miss him as much as he misses me.

You know, the love that we have in this life, is a type, an example of God's love for us. When we experience love, whether it is a spouse, a friend, or a neighbor, those good relationships are an example of what God wants to have with us. I hope you are taking advantage of the opportunity to have a relationship with a loving God.

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

Doing the dishes

I have noticed something. There is something special about people that come over to your house and do the dishes. They are thinking outside of themselves. They refuse to leave a mess for others. They are willing to serve.

One life rule that I really like is this: stop at every lemonade stand and make a purchase. Let's add another life rule: when you go to someone else's house for dinner, do the dishes.

Heck, why not just sneak into your friends home and do the dishes. Maybe when they find out you did it, they will invite you over for dinner.

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

my poor wife

The poor woman. She is married to me. It is a cross to bear. Now add to that, she was supposed to fly home last night, but Minneapolis was snowed in. So she could not come home. After spending an enjoyable evening at the airport, she flew to Salt Lake City instead, arriving there about 11pm. Friday she is supposed to be in Las Vegas for work, so she is just going to catch a flight today to Vegas. She didn't get to come home for valentines day, and I actually have a card and a present for her this year. Flying around the country in the winter has it's challenges.

Now onto another topic.
Friend-
I could tell when you came in the door that it had been a tough day. I hugged you. I noticed that others noticed that you were in distress too.

We talked about lunch and decided on breakfast or a cup of coffee. I want you to know something. I have a feeling that things can get better for you. I am not talking about some generic hopeful idea, I am suggesting to you that in the world of God's grace there is something real waiting for you.

Take heart, things are going to be looking up.

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

a song in the night

A song in the night can save us from ourselves.

One of the praise bands at church sang a new song a few weeks ago. It is a "Point of Grace" song, called, "All the World." Jennifer please ask Kris to get it on the table again soon.

This song is playing in the foyer on WCTV. Yesterday it got stuck in my head. That is a good thing. All night long it was coming out of my heart. Here are the words.

All the world is a story
All the world is a stage
All the world is a canvas
All the world is a page
All the world is a horizon
All the world is a field of dreams
All the world is an open doorway
All the world is a place for me

(Chorus) To be your voice
To be your touch
To give an answer
To show your love
To hold out hope
To offer peace
To shine your light for everyone to see
In all the world

All the world is a someone
All the world is a dance
All the world is a moment
All the world is a chance

(Chorus) To be your voice
To be your touch
To give an answer
To show your love
To hold out hope
To offer peace
To shine your light for everyone to see
In all the world

You are amazing mercy
You are undying grace
I want them all to see how wonderful you are Upon my face

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

self inflicted wounds

Do you have any? I do, from time to time. Things that get broken, and I have no one to blame but myself.

I wasn't paying attention, I dropped the ball. I mis-spoke, I did't see it coming. I only saw the world the way I see the world. I had a bad moment.

However you define the moments that bring brokenness, I hate it when they are self-inflicted. I hate to disappoint others and I hate to disappoint myself. Sometimes it makes it hard to sleep at night.

I guess I am glad that my worries keep me awake because sometimes it is in the early morning hours that I do my best thinking and my best praying. If you have a self inflicted wound, do not lose heart. Today is another day. It is another chance that God gives us to do it right, to make amends, to rise above the failures of yesterday. I thank God for second chances.

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

feeling crummy

Last night I wrote this blog as I was feeling crummy. Not sick, but spiritually crummy. I think everyone has moments like this.

Why is this feeling here? Have I been bad? Was the sermon bad? Humility is not a very exciting topic. It's not a very funny topic. In fact, it is real serious. Am I just tired from preaching 4 sermons? Emotionally spent? Is it a stage? Am I having a personal problem that is weighing on me? Any or all of the above. Does it matter why? These moments just come sometimes.

When these times came when I was young, I thought that something was wrong. I prayed harder, I cried out to God. I expected him to fix the crummy feeling. I don't do that so much anymore. I know that these moments come and go. I have to learn to trust him no matter how I feel. It is not God's job to fix me every time I feel discouraged. We can't always go by our feelings.

You know, just getting this out, and on paper is making me feel better. It's like anyone can trust God when the sun is shining. It makes me feel good to trust him and not have to go crazy everytime I feel distant from him.

It is a beautiful day in God's world, whether I feel it or not. Let's keep working at seeing the good.

Chris Cahill

Chris was a teacher's aide at the freshman center. All three of my kids got to know him and enjoyed him during their 9th grade year. He had an engaging way about him. Outgoing, friendly, he was someone who was always glad to see you. He was someone that we seemed to run into from time to time.

Last Sunday night, Chris was killed in a one car accident on 470 near Woods Chapel Road. He was 43.

He will be missed.

Every life is valuable. Every person should be cared about. I have at least one friend that reads this blog who struggles with their value. They worry, they are depressed from time to time. They wonder about their life.

I don't always get to tell you, but I will today. I love you. You matter to me. You matter to lots of people. You are awesome. Life would be much less without you.

Tell someone today how much you care for them. You just never know what may happen on the drive home.

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

do unto others

Earlier this week, Dakota DeRemus was beaten to death [allegedly] by a classmate. This story breaks my heart. What doesn't bother me about this?

Boys are going to fight, but this obviously went way way way too far. Word is that the killer had been bullying Dakota for two years. Hate is a powerful thing. Why would one young man feel the need to pick at another? Some people feel better when they are tearing down someone else. It happens in the adult world too.

Story is that there were 3-4 other boys, friends of the killer who stood around and watched the fight. 4 vs. 1. Real nice. I am sure the fear that Dakota felt before the fight was terrible. One of the onlookers videotaped the beating on his cell phone. Nice. I am sure his father is proud today.

When the beating is over, the boys just walk away, leaving Dakota alone on the ground to die.

Parenting is so important. One of the most important things that we can teach our children is to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." When we become disconnected from our children and stop paying attention to what they are doing, the results can be tragic. I hope that the parents of the boys left alive will have some long talks with their sons about "doing unto others."

That's my opinion. Preaching. Meddling.

As I consider how I see people treat each other, I have not witnessed a fight like this, but I have watched as adults, neighbors and church members were mean to each other. For little or no reason. For reasons that will not matter in one year. Mean to each other because change made them uncomfortable or they felt out of the loop in some way. Do unto others. Do unto others. Do unto others. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

This is still the day that the Lord has made. Do unto others.

the field narrows

And then there were four. McCain, Clinton, Huckabee and Obama. One of those four is going to become the most powerful person in the world.

I used to get real excited over who the president was and whether or not I liked their politics. Now I am less concerned about this. Yes, I care and yes I will vote, but let's keep this whole thing in perspective.

Our Savior does not change every four years. Our Lord is a constant presence, day after day, year after year. My life finds meaning in him, not in who is the mayor, governor or president.

He is the one who guides me, he is the one who comforts me. He is the one who challenges me to be faithful.

Today and everyday, join the team.

Vote for Jesus.

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

the seal of the Holy Spirit

The ashes may wash off, but what God does in your heart is imprinted forever. It is with you every day that you are alive. It is the seal of the Holy Spirit. When you say "yes" to Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes and dwells within your heart.

You may resist him at times. You may run away for a while. You will still make many mistakes, but the seal or mark of the Holy Spirit remains imprinted on your soul.

You can run, but you can't hide. He is with you every day, pursuing you, wooing you, courting you. You can sense his leading in your heart. Stop resisting. Give up. Let his love fill you and lead you.

The ashes of ash Wednesday may wash off, but you are tatooed permanently with the seal of the Holy Spirit. Awaken to who you are in Christ.

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

psalm 133

Psalm 133
1Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; 3As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Last night, my wife was stuck in the airport in Chicago . Last night in a college town nearby, my daughters were spending the evening together. I feel badly for my wife, but I am real happy for my children. Parents want their children to get along, to spend time together, to enjoy each other.

God our father also wants his children to enjoy each other. To come together as brothers and sisters. To see the good. To be the good. To put ointment on the wounds of those who hurt. To love one another in a way that displays the grace of Jesus Christ. God is happy when his children are nice to each other.

Surely somewhere today, there is someone with whom you disagree. Someone that has disrupted your world, someone who has insulted you. See them as God's child. Look past the pain. How beautiful it is when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity. People are more important than ideas.

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

Praying

Prayers, Presence, Gifts and Service, these are the commitments that people make when they join the church. Will you be loyal to the United Methodist Church and support it by your prayers, presence, gifts and service.

Remarkably, the most misunderstood of the four is the commitment to pray. Most everyone understands the promises to be present, to give and to find a place of service. Prayer however, is often relegated to a powerless corner of our lives.

Prayer means more than to lift up the church in your prayers. Prayer is more than, "I call your name in prayer."

When I am truly in prayer, I bring myself and the object of my prayers into the presence of God. If I am praying for you, I bathe you in the love of God, I surround my church with a gracious caring. I don't have to know all the details, I just bring you, my dear friend, into the presence of our loving God.

My attitude changes as I pray. I give up my preferences and I seek to surround my church with love. I forgive whatever may bother me about the person I am praying for and I sincerely ask God to bless them. This kind of prayer releases me from pain and worry and fills me with joy! My own problems grow strangely dim as I hold you up in prayer.

In short, prayer helps me become spiritually engaged. In true prayer, my opinion goes out the window and I am lost in the love of God. Prayer is not about control, it is about submission. Our commitment to prayer is a deeply serious and spiritual one.

Prayer heals the brokenness of our lives without changing the circumstances. In prayer, I find the face of God. In prayer, I hide his word in my heart. In prayer, I become the most caring and compassionate me. Prayer helps me to see the good, and to trust God when I don't see the good.

Prayer is good for me. Prayer is good for all of us. Busy? Stressed? Enter the presence of God. Not with a cursory prayer, but with a seeking the face of God prayer. Pray until your heart is healed, pray until you want nothing but the awareness of God almighty.

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

Run deer, run

It is 6:15am yesterday morning, and I am on the way to church. It's a five minute drive. In the winter time, the car doesn't even have time to heat up.

I always come in the back way, on Goodview Circle. Yesterday, I was travelling at a good rate of speed. I bumped up the transition from Goodview Cirlce into our new driveway. Our north driveway is kind of fun to drive on, curvy road and all.

All of a sudden, a flash, in front of my car. A deer. I hit the brakes. Screech! Lights come on at the Holiday Inn. Lucky deer. Quick deer. Good brakes.

As I thought about what just happened, I realized that the deer had been praying in "the giving garden." North of the missions/youth building, the giving garden has a pathway, a cross and some wonderful flowers when they are in season and not being eaten by deer.

Anyway, my entrance to our property, startled the deer from her {it was a doe} prayers. She ran out into the road. We almost had an unholy encounter.

I hope that when you pray, the result is not that you run out into traffic. Prayer should bring us peace, contentment, and solid direction. Stay longer in the garden, don't be so quick to run out into traffic.

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

I tied a shoe

Well, if I am honest with you about the things that I struggle with, I should also tell you about the small moments of victory and joy.

Yesterday I refereed Upwards Basketball for grades 1-2. This is my Saturday gig during the Upwards season. It is wonderful for me because it is a chance for me to give. So many things at the church are things that I "should" do. This is something that I choose to do. This is something that I do because it is a chance for me to give back, to be in service of others.

So I am the referee. Somewhere in the middle of the game I notice that the girl that is getting ready to inbounds the ball has a shoe that is untied. I asked her to hold the ball and I kneel down and tie her shoe. I didn't think much of it, until I heard and saw the clicks and flashes of a couple of cameras.

I guess it was really a photogenic moment. Referee stooping to help a child. Nice picture, nice memory. I feel really good about that moment.

How many opportunities during the day are we offered to help someone else. I feel good when I help, I feel bad when I miss it. Here is to more shoe tying by all of us.

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

Lots of thoughts

I am glad for every comment on yesterday's blog. Each comment represents an important and valuable thought.

This is a very complicated issue. The stakes are high. One of the reasons that we love our church is that there is a sense that we are in pursuit of our best efforts for the Lord and his work. Churches that are unable or unwilling to navigate such moments find themselves feeling as though they have "missed the mark." They look back and say, "It got too hard, so we gave up, we did the easy thing."

I do not enter this discussion with any preconcieved notion of the outcome, I just know that we need to have the discussion and come out on the other side with a plan that will continue to reach others for Jesus Christ.

Each of the ideas that are on the table have their challenges......

1. build a sanctuary....very expensive. need to find some very large gifts before we go down that road.

2. start a new church.....would 150 of our people really be willing to leave? Are you one that would be willing?

3. satellite outpost.....50% of them fail. Weekly set up and tear down. Again, would you be willing to go?

4. ask folks to go to Sunday night. Most folks are wired for church on Sunday morning. It is a good idea, but I dont think we will ever get 400 people to the service. People want to go to church in the morning for the most part.

5. add overflow in the chapel.....bandaid

6. folks move to other services....bandaid, buys us a couple of years at the most

7. start a service in the gym at 1010. Noisy. Set up issues. Sharing of space issues. Sound challenges, sitting on a folding chair.....could be done. Buys a few more years.

8. some idea that we have not thought of yet.......

Each of the above ideas has merit and brings challenge with it as well.

We are thinking, that is good. Now let me ask you to do something else. Pray with me. Pray that the doors will open, the wisdom will be received, and God's purpose for our church will be made known. Regarding how all of this will be resolved, my preferences are not nearly as important as our need to be in God's will.

Some day in the future we will have a big meeting to discuss where this is all going. It is my hope and joy that many members of WCC will attend, and the meeting will be dominated by a spirit of caring, daring and prayering. Prayer changes our hearts and helps us to find the heart of God. That is where we want to be.

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

barriers to growth

Some church leaders talk about invisible "barriers" when in comes to church growth. There is the barrier of 500 or 800 or 1000 people in worship attendance. The idea is that since so many churches get stuck at those levels and cannot move on, there must be some sort of barrier or ceiling that stops us.

I really don't buy into this theory. This is what I believe: Churches that are doing the right things will grow if there are people around to reach. Churches stop growing when there is a visible physical barrier that occurs.

Physical barriers might include: not enough parking, only one entrance to your property, not enough space for children in Sunday school, and not enough seats in worship. If you have been around Woods Chapel UMC for a while, you will notice that every time we have faced one of these barriers, we made a change to overcome it. Churches that are unwilling to make changes to overcome physical barriers get stuck.

Today, Woods Chapel is facing two barriers. The first is childrens Sunday school space at 10:10. We might as well send a flyer out to all the homes in the area that says, "We invite you to WCC. Great place, warm hearts, wonderful mission. Please come join us. Oh yes, but if you have children, please do not try to put them in Sunday School at 10:10."

We are looking at a bandaid repair of this problem as we work on finishing the second floor above the new foyer.

The second problem is worship space. Now, you might say, "well there is still room at 905 and 1115. We could pipe the service into the chapel for overflow." All of this is true, but remember, even if we fill the other two services, that only makes room for another 200 folks, and the chapel only seats 50-60. You may also want to keep in mind that it is hard to get the folks that love 10:10 to move to 11:15 or 9:05. How about you change to the 8:00 service? There is lots of room there.......: ). Ideas like these are only temporary solutions that simply prolong the inevitable need to face this problem.

We can apply bandaids to the problem, and we need some bandaids on the problem, but the long term truth is that we need a vision that will put more people in worship, or we will begin to die. As soon as we just sit back on our laurels, we become consumers. We become an inward focused body instead of an outward focused one. Inward focused churches are dying, even if they have a great location and nice stained glass windows.

So I hope that this helps you understand the challenge of vision for our church. We need to build a new sanctuary or go start a satellite or plant a church. When we stop making room for others, we truly become stuck and we will have forgotten our mission of connecting people to Jesus Christ.

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