for pastors 1

Yesterday I spoke of credit and responsibility. Let me offer some thoughts to my pastor friends who may read this.

Pastors. We live on good will. When you lose the good will of the people, you are toast, you are done. Stick a fork in it. You can make every excuse in the world, but we have the ability to create positive, hope filled relationships, or to lose them.

Don't react to unhappiness in the flock. Love them. They are good folks. It will all come around. If you act like something is wrong, people will feed on that. If you tell them that everything is ok, they will relax. Show them faith. Show them trust and love.

Don't ever take credit. Give credit to staff or leaders. If you need the credit, there is something wrong in your heart. let others receive the accolades. It never sounds quite right when someone is blowing their own horn.

Take responsibility. If something is going poorly in the church, whose responsibility is it if it isn't yours? Problems flow uphill. Accept responsibility. Never sacrifice a staff person or a leader when a problem occurs. Take responsibility for the problem, even if it isn't yours. You will save the staff person or the leader, and in time, everyone will figure out what really happened.

Get your ego out of the way. The important thing is the ministry of Jesus Christ. He learned a great deal thru the things that he suffered.

Look past the unhappiness. See the good. Outlive the problem of today so that you can live to be a part of tomorrow's ministry. It sounds odd, but taking credit will ruin your reputation with people. Taking responsibility will help you gain their trust. People hate it when you are all about you and they love it when someone steps in to solve a problem, especially if someone else created it.

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

credit and responsibility

I don't know if I have written about this before, but it is on my mind again today, so here we go. Last night I visited with a couple of stellar human beings who are doing awesome things. They don't want any credit, they don't want to be noticed, they don't even want to be thanked. The joy of doing the thing is all that they need.

It is human nature to need a pat on the back from time to time. Sometimes though, we humans are too interested in receiving credit. If you are involved in a good idea and someone asks you about it, do you immediately take the credit, or do you deflect it to others who worked on the idea too?

I think it is bad form to take the credit. When we do, we tend to sound like, its all about me. If you generated something good, don't worry, you won't have to blow your own horn. Sooner or later, people will figure out that you were involved in that neat thing without you ever saying a word. That is good form.

Responsibility. When something goes wrong, do you take responsibility? Someone once told me that "responsibility belongs to those who are willing to bear it." Now, I want to be careful here. I am working very hard to help teenagers learn to take responsibility. It is not healthy for me to save them all the time. But, if you are a manager, don't blame your subordinates. Who hired them after all? If something goes wrong, take responsibility. When something is wrong and no one takes responsibility, a small scale war can erupt. When someone stands up and takes responsibility, immediately the blame game is over and you can begin to work on making the situation whole.

Human nature says, take credit and dodge responsibility. I think that we should give credit and take responsibility. When we do, relationships are healthier, people are blessed, and you have the opportunity to play the role of the healer.

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

leadership

Wise words provided by a friend:

"A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He or she does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. In the end, leaders are much like eagles...They don't flock -You find them one at a time." --Unknown

The kind of person that you are will create opportunities to influence others. People are drawn to those who are filled with grace, joy and kindness. True character is it's own reward.

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

bad news

Dear Friend,

So they gave you bad news. Yes they did. They told you that you might have cancer. They told you that if it is cancer, it is serious. Well, listen to me. There are ten things that this could be that are not the big C. And, you have caught this early, very early.

Sometimes I know things. I don't know why, but I do. I can't talk about this in a sermon, but anonymously I will tell the computer that it is like a gift of knowledge. Sometimes I just know things. I can not tell you the number of times that I have talked to people with a bad diagnosis and I just knew they were going to be fine, and they were.

You are going to be fine. I know that you are. I know that I know that I know. From the top of my head to the souls of my feet, I know that you are going to be fine. The next few months will not be fun, but you are going to live many more years.

Don't worry, rest in God's arms. They are big and strong. In Him, you can find rest for your soul.

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

when we die

Today, my 17 year old son is going to a funeral for his friend. Please don't say anything to him about it. The wound is very fresh and this is a pain that he has not felt before. Just shake his hand and talk to him, joke with him. He will want to joke. Where does he get that? Sometimes people use humor to distance themselves from pain.

Well, that is why we should speak to everyone. "How are you? Glad to see you." Often we are so caught up in our own stuff that we don't even see the other people. What if they just came from a funeral, and we were so lost in our own junk that we didn't take the time to care? I am not sure that "I am sorry, I didn't know" is a very good excuse. We should practice the kind of hospitality that understands that every single person needs someone to reach out.

When we die. Don't worry about it. Don't be afraid. If you are a Christian, upon your death you will fly to the bosom of Almighty God. People don't even really die, they just move from one life to the next. Your last breath here on earth will be your first breath in heaven.

An interesting thing about humans and death. Those who have faced death and lived, are usually no longer afraid of it. It is like they have already made peace with God, or caught a glimpse of the other side. They live their lives with a different perspective.

Aren't you glad that God's grace is greater than ours? I am sure that many people that we have counted out will be welcomed in by our heavenly Father. He is far more forgiving than we are. I am glad that it is not our job to decide who gets in. Let's just make sure that we are faithful, the only person you can control is you.

To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. That is not a bad thing.

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

Annual Conference

Dare I write about Annual Conference? A few preacher friends read this blog. I love you all, whether we agree or not. This blog is about seeing the good. That is what I try to do.

Annual Conference is a 4 day meeting that takes place around June 1st every year. It is the Methodist Church in Missouri's annual decision time. At annual conference, the budget is negotiated, reports are heard, sermons are delivered, workshops are held and appointments are set. New friends are made, old friends are caught up with.

I always hear some complaining from someone. They didn't get the appointment that they wanted, some person in leadership they don't like, etc. This year someone was complaining about the Bishops new emphasis on fruitfulness. I didn't say anything when they were complaining, but what I wanted to say was, "so you prefer unfruitfulness?"

I thought there were some good things to celebrate this year. After major changes last year, more students are being reached in college ministry with fewer conference dollars, and the vital ministries that were removed from the budget last year have done what they needed to do. They have left the budget, but they have entered the hearts of the local churches and actually received more money this year than last.

Clay, Gina and Sherri were all appointed as associate pastors, and yes, you are stuck with me for another year.

There are always signs of goodness if you know where to look. lets go find it today.

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

denied entrance

Last night I had a dream. I think I dream almost every night. Some of them are entertaining, some of them are thought provoking.

Last night in my dream I was on a church trip with about 10 people. We were in a country like Jamaica. We had a good time, we did lots of fun things, then it was time to go home.

Before we left the hotel, a government official came by and told the group that I would not be allowed to re-enter the United States. I was going to be held in this other country because of some unknown charge.

The rest of our party was very worried, but I told them to go on without me. Everything would be fine. I had strong confidence in my dream of my own ability to reason my way out of the trouble. Somehow I was going to explain my situation and justify myself and resolve the problem.

I woke up. That was the end of the dream. I don't know how it played out, but I will tell you what I woke up thinking.

How many people do you and I know who expect to enter heaven based on their own goodness, their own righteousness. I have been a good, ethical person, surely I can explain myself to God and he will let me in.

Well for the Christian, we have a different approach. When the time comes for us to stand before God, we will not plead our own righteousness, we will simply say, I am a Christ-follower. Jesus has spoken on my behalf.

God's grace will make the way clear for us into eternity, and God's grace helps us today. In this life, we need to keep in mind that all that we are and all that we have are gifts from God. "But for the grace of God go I." We are not as smart, as beautiful, as competent as we think. We always need to be mindful of the gifts of God's grace.

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

tears

One of life's great pains has struck. His heart was heavy. He stepped into the room and hugged her neck. From the bottom of his heart came deep sobbing. He cried and cried. She held him. He had lost a friend.

So many people need to cry, so many people have heavy hearts. They carry the weight and they carry the pain, looking for a place and a time to let it out. There is such a need to let people cry. Such a need to be a safe person.

Who is around you that may need a hug? Who is around you whose heart is heavy with grief? Do we know how to pay attention and look for them? Do you have someone to go to with your grief? How long has it been since you hugged someone's neck and cried like a baby. I hope you don't feel the need to cry, but if you do, find a friend and hug their neck and let it go.

It is the ministry of Jesus to comfort those who grieve.

you can lead a horse to water

You have all heard it said. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink. It is so true. You can preach a good sermon, and no one take it to heart. You can give life advice to a young person, and they ignore it. The Bishop and conference leaders can beg churches to be outward focused, but it is hard for some people to change. You can tell the story of Jesus Christ in a compelling of a way as possible, and the listener still may not accept him.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. Why? Isn't the horse thirsty? At some point, you would think that people would finally choose the good, but they don't always. Sometimes, in spite of your best efforts, the people around you are going to choose the convenient path over the healthy path.

All you can do is what you can do. Keep singing that song. Keep raising that teen. Keep holding up the gospel. It is our job to do and say the right things in ways that are grace based. We cannot control the persons response.

Take consolation in doing well. Maybe one day, the horse will drink, but it is still as always, up to the horse.

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

thou shalt not steal, pt 2

Yesterday I told the story of the plants that were taken from the church. I suggested yesterday that you keep an eye on your neighbors who may be planting, and invite them to church.

Today, due to the gracefilled thoughts of a friend, I would like to add to that. If you catch your neighbor planting 2 hostas, a yellow rose and a lilly, tell them that our church would like to help them out. Get a list from them of other plants that they need and I will see that we find the funds to pay for them and the people to plant them for the neighbor.

Then invite them to church. Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. Bless those who persecute you. Grace is a beautiful thing. Mercy rejoices over judgement.

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

Thou shall not steal

Can you believe it? Someone stole from the church. They dug up two hostas, a lily and a yellow rose bush and carried them off. I cannot believe it. How would you live with yourself? Every time you looked at them, you would be reminded that you were a thief. If the hostas and the lily cost $10 each and the rose bush was $20, that is a total of $50. Isn't a clear conscience worth $50? Hostas and lilys and rose bushes are perennials too. Every single year for the rest of your life, you have to remember that you stole. And from a church. I cannot believe it.

Maybe it is your neighbor. Have they been working in the yard lately? Take a look at what they have planted. If it looks like a lily, two hostas and a yellow rose, ask them if they have a church. Could be that they need one.

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

pt 2 - recovery

Five weeks ago today, I was in the emergency room. It seems like a long time ago. In one more week I will be released from post surgical restrictions. I will once again be able to lift heavy things, exercise, and play sports. I will no longer have any excuses when my wife asks me to do something.

I had promised several of you a recap of my recovery. Here is the link to that story. I appreciate all of your prayers and support during this time. God bless you.

http://www.jeffbrinkman.com/Gallbladder_Part_II_-_Recovery.html

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

do you remember when?

Dear Child,

Do you remember when you were born? I do. I sang to your mother during labor. I held you in my arms and danced. Do you remember when I watched Sesame Street with you? Do you remember when I took you fishing? Canoeing? Do you remember the little above ground swimming pool that we had? That pool was alot of work.

Do you remember the first time I took you to Taco Bell? Your first day of school? Do you remember when I took you to the play ground? Do you remember me teaching you jokes? Do you remember the talks that we had about life and faith?

I remember trips to Chicago, the beach, Disneyworld, San Francisco and Worlds of Fun. Do you remember the double stroller? I remember every Halloween, every birthday, and every Christmas.

Now you are all grown up. It didn't happen over night. We have invested everything in you, we love you and we are proud of you. You are valuable in ways that you have not yet even discovered.

If this is how I feel about you, imagine how much God loves you.

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

Cancer Awareness Sunday

I can't say that I enjoyed the theme, but I was thankful for the opportunity to celebrate with our survivors. I was also surprised by the grief that I experienced during the 5pm service. It has been 13 years this July 17th that my Mom died. Mom lasted for 3 months after her diagnosis.

Anyway, yesterday, I was very proud of the Pams. I thought the walk was awesome. The luminaries were very neat. During the closing, a butterfly lit on my shirt and lingered for a while.

Let us continue to pray for those who have cancer. Let us rejoice with those who are in remission or are cancer free. Let us thank God for the gift of every person, and every day. Let us take nothing for granted.

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

Happy Birthday

We have all said it a million times, "happy birthday." Yesterday I ran into two people who were having birthdays. One was 58, the other 39. The amazing thing about both of them is that they were happy with their lives. They were content. You can not ask for anything more than that. To be content with your circumstances, your choices, your opportunities. That is a happy birthday.

The apostle Paul said it well,
"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Phil 4:11-13

Happy Birthday my friends.

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

standards and values

Standards. We all have them. Well, I guess most of us have them. I keep hearing about people that will do anything, or will allow anything at any given time. I guess someone like that would have standards and values based on their selfish whim of the moment.

My Dad said it, and you have heard it, "the right thing to do, is the right thing to do, even if you are the only one doing it, and the wrong thing to do is the wrong thing to do, even if everyone is doing it."

You have a right to set standards for yourself, for your family, and for your life. I think good people respect others who exhibit values. In healthy homes, kids don't get to do whatever they want. In healthy homes, everyone sacrifices for the good of the unit.

You may experience some persecution and rejection. You may be accused of being old fashioned, but those who make their values clear and hold to them are going to be happier in the long run.

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

Sermon ideas

Well, I am getting some new sermon ideas from some of the preachers in the news. Just kidding. I guess Sunday, I could make fun of some political candidate, demean Catholics or talk about how bad our country is.

I think I will just stick with what I had in mind. I was going to talk about Jesus. I was going to talk about how his sacrificial death opened the door for us to have a right relationship with God. Yes, I am going to talk about Jesus this Sunday. I hope that is ok with everyone. We probably won't make the news, but maybe someone will hear the message and choose to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Silly me, I just think that is what a sermon is for.

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

bosses

Today I am having breakfast with my boss. One of my bosses, that is. If you are a Methodist preacher, you have lots of bosses. There is the Bishop. There is the District Superintendent. There is the church personnel committee chair. There is the church personnel committee members. And for that matter, in some ways, every member of the church is your boss.

I have lots of bosses, but I have good bosses. They are all awesome. They are some of the finest people that I know.

Occasionally I hear or read a story about someone who has a bad boss. I am sorry for them. The chance to be a boss is the chance to care about someone. It is the chance to comfort them in their distress and encourage them in their opportunities. A boss must help a person do their job well, and protect the person as much as possible from unfair practices. To be a boss is a great responsibility.

You may say, I am not a boss. Well, if you have a child or a pet, much of what I said above applies to you as well. Almost all of us have relationships where we have some degree of power. Always remember, God gives us this power to do good, to care about others, to love them, never to be the "big shot."

Whatever power you have, use it for doing good in every way that you can.

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

friendships

Friendships must be cultivated. If you have a friend and you don't stay in touch, eventually, things change. Yes, there are people that you may see once per year and you feel like you just pick right up where you left off, but that is the exception, not the rule. In most cases, friendships must be cultivated.

if you know someone that you would like to be friends with, call them up. Go to dinner, go to the Royal's game. Sit with them at church. So skiing or something. Maybe the feeling that you have for that person is God's way of telling you that you are brothers or sisters.

I know a woman who was interested in dating a man. Being a bit shy, she felt unsure about what to do. She told me that she had a feeling about him. I told her to go talk to him. Today, they are married. Friendships need to be cultivated.

If you are lonely, step out of your comfort zone. Reach out. Be a friend. If a man would have friends, he must show himself to be friendly. Prov 18:24 KJV

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

bearing pain

Well, as much as a person tries to stay positive, there are going to be days or weeks when you find yourself bearing pain. It may be physical, emotional or spiritual pain. It is all pain none the less.

Things change, people change, I change, circumstances change. Pain results. Someone asked me to preach a sermon some time about how to live with chronic pain. Although I have been in pain for a month now, since this surgery, this pain will leave eventually. Relational pain also tends to come and go. We find ways to resolve the hurt and loss. I guess I don't really know anything about chronic, ongoing, forever pain, but any pain that we have feels pretty bad at the time.

During times of hurt and pain, I remember two of my favorite scriptures of hope.

Psalm 27: 13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Psalm 30:2 O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. 3 O LORD, you brought me up from the grave [b]; you spared me from going down into the pit. 4 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

If you are hurting today, I pray that these scriptures bring you hope. We are Christians, we have a place to go. When I think about the goodness of God, I am swallowed up in his amazingness. My problems and my pain diminish. In his presence I think of him, not of me, and I am healed.

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

Memorial Day

Today we will do what we do every year. We will drive to Mt. Washington Cemetery in Independence. We will drive to the Rosehill Gardens section to visit my family. My parents and grandparents, my great and great great grandparents are buried there in the Toll plot. After we hang around a bit and pay our respects, we will leave through the north entrance, go to Dairy Queen and get an ice cream cone. It has become the regular Brinkman thing. Go to the cemetery, then get an ice cream cone.

I thought I would take a moment in the blog today to catch my parents up on what has been going on since last year.

Dear Dad and Mom,

Here we are again. Thank you for taking me to the cemetery on Memorial Day. It has continued as a tradition for my family as well. Let me catch you up since last year. Scott has grown two inches in the last year and will be a senior in high school. He wants to go to college and study engineering. Jenny just finished her first year at CMSU. Alli was recently accepted into nursing school. They are all doing real well and you would be very proud of them. Cathy will finish her college degree later this year. She wanted to get that done before the kids finish. I wish you were here to celebrate that graduation. it will be a big day.

As for me, well, I had my gall bladder out a few weeks ago. I am doing alot better. I have become quite the gardener. I love how God speaks thru the things that grow. The church is good, and the people are great. All is well.

We all miss you but we take comfort in knowing that God has prepared a place for those that love him. We look forward to seeing you again. I think that you will be glad to know that the pain of losing you has been replaced with a joyful appreciation for all the ways that you both enriched my life. I thank you for all of the good, all of the love, and all of the wisdom that you worked so hard to pass down.

Your loving son, Jeff

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

live

Yesterday, I went to the funeral visitation for a 21 year old young man. We are not used to attending funerals for young people.

On display in the foyer were the posessions of a young man. His guitar, his tools, his favorite football jersey. Pictures of him growing up. Pictures of him with his cars. Pictures of him with girlfriends.

In the sanctuary, grieving parents. Grieving young people.

It is so hard to see a young face in a casket. Friends, we are not supposed to bury our children. They have so much of life ahead of them, and life is so good.

Today, tell everyone that you see. Tell them that you love them. Tell them that life is good. Tell them that you are proud of them. Look in the mirror and tell yourself. You need to remember too. We can never forget.

There is more good than bad. There is more joy than pain. There are reasons to live. Let's live, you and I. Lets stand up on our rooftops and tell the world that God is good and his mercy endures forever.

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

shirt and tie.

Today is Saturday, and I am wearing a shirt and tie. Saturdays usually entail mowing clothes and sermon honing, but today is different. Today there is a funeral.

Many of you remember Steve M, the pastor at Woods Chapel before me. Steve's wife is Margo. A few days ago, Margo's 21 year old son, Steve's stepson, took his own life.

When you are used to comforting those who grieve, it is an odd feeling to have people coming to comfort you. Many pastors will visit Steve and Margo today to love on them and to remind them of God's love.

Life is short, but God is good. You can trust him. All the time. When things happen that we don't like, when things happen that we don't understand, we put our trust in God. Please pray for Steve and Margo.

It is raining today, but there is still plenty of good in God's world if we can just see it.

prayer for today

Dearest Lord,

It occurs to me that I have no right to today. No right to my plans, no right to my appointments. If I am allowed to do anything on my list for today, it will be a blessing from you. Today is not mine, it is yours, so, I give it to you. Help me to speak kindly today. Help me to do things that are good for my family today. I reject busyness. I reject hurry. I reject anger and vengeance. Help me to reflect your amazing grace today.

I pray for daily bread and I thank you for daily breath. I thank you for my friends. I have won the friend lottery. I love you, I appreciate you and I thank you for today.

In Jesus name, Amen.

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

When pastors move

When I entered the ministry, you could count on moving every four years. Since then, things have changed. The Bishops have adopted a philosophy that goes like this: if you are happy and the church is happy, then they do their best to leave you where you are at.

I am so thankful that our church appears to be happy with me. I sure am happy and fulfilled at Woods Chapel. Just in case you wondered, I am not moving. That is not what this post is about.

Every year, some of my friends move, and some of them leave the ministry. From my ordination class of 12, I only know of two others that are still in the ministry. Some moves are happy. They are good for the pastor and good for the churches. Other moves are sad to me. They follow a prolonged period of suffering on the part of the pastor and or the church. I heard about a couple of these yesterday. It is sad when people that you care about are hurting.

Please pray for pastors and churches that are experiencing appointment changes this year.

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

the feeling that you want to preach

There is a funny feeling that a preacher gets when he or she has not preached for a long time. I think that other preachers get the feeling. I assume that they do. It is like something inside of you just yearns to talk to people about faith in Jesus Christ.

One time Jeremiah was mad at God. The work of a prophet was not going so well for him. He tried to stop speaking for the Lord, but he could not. The word of the Lord was like a fire in his bones.

Jer 20:7 O LORD, you deceived [b] me, and I was deceived [c] ;
you overpowered me and prevailed.
I am ridiculed all day long;
everyone mocks me.
8 Whenever I speak, I cry out
proclaiming violence and destruction.
So the word of the LORD has brought me
insult and reproach all day long.
9 But if I say, "I will not mention him
or speak any more in his name,"
his word is in my heart like a fire,
a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
indeed, I cannot.

Here is one of my little secrets.............I left the ministry once as a young man. The church was driving me crazy and my life was a mess. I shouldn't blame the church, I had a very unrealistic life view....nothing made sense to me at the time. I thought I would not miss preaching, but the fire in my bones was almost more than I could stand. I didn't care how long it took or how much minimum salary was, I wanted another opportunity to be a minister.

I am very grateful for second chances. If ever I get discouraged, I remember what it was like to be out, and want so much to be back in.

It's only been three weeks, but I have that feeling. A fire in my bones, a deep desire to talk to God's people. I am excited for Sunday.

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

When I am gone

Come let us reason together. When I am gone, please do not skip church. Worship attendance is important, no matter who is preaching. I am sorry that I have been out of the pulpit, but I have been sick. I plan to preach this Sunday, May 25th. I hope that you will be there. If you are at the lake for Memorial day, find a church to attend at the lake.

When we join the church, we promise to be loyal to our church and to support it by our prayers, presence, gifts and service. The presence part is what I am talking about today. When we say we will be present at church, we are saying that we will be in worship unless we are sick or out of town. We want to avoid the attitude that says, "oh, should I go to church, or should I not?"

Your church family is very important. We are a fellowship. We are the body of Christ. Everyone matters and your presence is very important.

Come to worship. Sing. Pray. Meet people. Make new friends. Share God's love. Get something from the sermon, regardless who is preaching.

You have done well the last three weeks. Attendance has held up well, but I heard a story the other day about someone who skipped church because Jeff was not doing the sermon. Hmm......... This is not the kind of people that I want us to be. Let's teach our children that worship is important. Let's be a person whose presence makes a joyful difference to others. We can only do that if we are there. We have four services this Sunday: 8:00, 9:05, 10:10 and 11:15.

We have an awesome church, because the people that attend WCC are awesome. Our church is an important place because you make it so. I am planning to preach on Sunday, but that really should not matter. Let's encourage one another to make important that which is important.

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

Graduation Season

It is that time of year. Changes. Milestones. Goodbye to high school, hello to whatever is next. It is such an interesting feeling to view our graduates each year in church. They get a chance to say their name and what they will be doing after graduation.

Many of these young people, I met when they were five and six years old. We have had the great privilege of watching them grow up. More than that, we have played a role in raising them.

The church. Sunday after Sunday, Wednesday after Wednesday, worship service, club 56, youth group, missions trip, and casual times that we see these young people. We have the chance to touch the lives of young people. Make no mistake, when given the chance, it is working. We are sending some awesome kids out into the world.

If you have children, do not underestimate the important role that the church and it's programs play in raising our children. Remember, all of us have an awesome opportunity to reach out to young people, to hug them, to mentor them, to be the church. Take full advantage of any opportunity that you have to care about young people. We are the church, and we are making a difference, one life at a time.

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

Thanksgiving

If you are a Christian, everyday should be thanksgiving.

I want to give thanks today. I just can't help it.

I thank God for all of the graduation parties that we went to yesterday. I thank God for the myriad of friends that I enjoyed seeing. I sat on the deck and celebrated God's creation. Trees, flowers, blue sky, and birds in flight. For the first time since April 29th, I ate an entire plate of food for dinner. For these things and so much more, I give thanks.

What are you thankful for today? Pause and take inventory. Surely there is something going on for which you can thank our bountiful, wonderful Heavenly Father.

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

little flowers

Let me thank Mommy McTriplet for her posted comment on May 15th, "feeling better," which I now most joyfully borrow or plagiarize.

She said, "one time I drove by a church whose marquee read "Set-backs pave the way for come-backs..............[she went on] .......To appreciate the good - we can't always have the good. The bad makes us appreciate what we have when things are going well."

Her words reminded me of a song that was popular in the 80's when I was in seminary.
From The Archers "Keep Singing that Love Song" album

Little Flowers never worry, when the wind begins to blow,
And they never, never cry, when the rain begins to fall.
though, it's wet and oh so cold, Soon the sun will shine again,
Then they'll smile unto the world, For their beauty to behold.

So, let it rain, let it rain, let it pour,
Let old trouble just keep knocking at my door,
If we'll learn the right from wrong, It will help to make us strong.
Lord, please help us learn the secret,
Even little flowers know,
If it never, never rains, then we'll never, never grow.

When the clouds begin to gather, And the storm begins to blow,
Little Flowers don't complain, though they're tossing to and fro.
Oh, I guess they've learned the secret, They don't fret because they know,
If it never, never rained, Then they'd never, never grow.

So, let it rain, let it rain, let it pour,
Let old trouble just keep knocking at my door,
If we'll learn the right from wrong, It will help to make us strong.
Lord, please help us learn the secret,
Even little flowers know,
If it never, never rains, then we'll never, never grow.

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

guilt

I have been feeling a little guilty this week. As I have been feeling better, I have been able to do more things. I have returned to work in the mornings, I am able to get out in the yard and water my [God's] flowers, and I have attended a couple of social engagements.

Last night I was invited to a get together of friends. On the way over to this person's home, I felt guilty. My brain thought things like this:

"I don't deserve to feel better. I don't deserve to have fun with friends. What about the other sick people that I know? They don't get to have fun."

If you think that this is odd thinking, so do I. I fully intend to recover my brain and my comfort in returning to normal life. However, the feelings of guilt do drive me to an important thought:

"Do I deserve to be healthy? Do I deserve to have friends? Wow, Jeff, you take so much for granted."

One day soon I will go to a friend's house and think nothing of it. One day soon I will lift over 20lbs and think nothing of it. This is a problem. It is a problem because we take so much for granted. We don't pause to thank God for our blessings. For our friends, for our health.

Are you going somewhere tonight or this weekend? Hanging out with friends? Thank God. Acknowledge him. Do you feel well this morning? Thank God. Acknowledge him. Don't take anything for granted, but instead let us strive to be appreciative and grateful.

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

Feeling Better

Gosh it's just all about me right now. Sorry about that. Well, I am starting to feel much better. The drain has been out for ten days, the staples for five. I am stronger and in less pain every day. I had a hankering to wrestle with my son last night, but I decided to pass.

We should never take our health for granted. Things can change so quickly. Even reasonably good health is a gift from God. The human body is a miracle.

When you are down on the bottom, there is only one way to go.........up! It's all good. It's all better. Thank you for your prayers, cards and the food.

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

comments

Sometimes I think that the comments are the best part of this blog. Be sure to read yesterday's comment from a friend. Only broken people can minister to broken people.

One of Bob Tuttle's sayings is this: "never trust a shepherd who isn't someone else's sheep." The point is clear. Every one needs to be dependent, submitted, listening.

Sometimes people ask me who I am listening to. Well, I have a coach, a counselor, a District Superintendent, a covenant group, a few close pastor friends, and a large group of members that are very good to listen to. I try to stay up on recommended reading, but I am given so many books by so many people, it is nearly impossible to read them all.

Who are you listening to? Do the voices that you hear invite you to depend on God? Are you thinking about the practice of acknowledging him? People that are good for you will invite you to get off of yourself and see the world as an opportunity for Christian service.

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

things happen

This is probably a generalization that cannot be applied to every situation, but the hear the challenge to live beyond circumstances and take responsibility for our actions and choices.

Things happen. On that we agree. On a technical note, do good things and bad things happen? Or do things happen? What if things happen and we decide whether to label them as good or bad?

If that is true, then there is challenge in good things and evidently some good in bad things. The power is no longer in the circumstance, but we have the power and the responsibility for choosing to label something as good or bad.

How many people do you know that had a "bad" experience, but later decided it was a good thing? When Joseph was sold into slavery, he later told his brothers, "you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good."

Christians are constantly challenged to stop worrying and to trust in God. When we take our focus off of circumstances and take responsibility for seeing the good, we take a step towards trusting in God.

What if there are no good or bad things, just opportunities for us to trust in God?

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

the simple things

Ahh, the simple things of life. Once taken for granted, oh now how they are missed and dearly wanted.

The ability to sleep through the night.
Opportunities to exercise.
To soak in the bath tub.
To button one's trousers.
To not flinch when someone pretends they are going to punch you in the stomach.
The ability to get up out of a recliner.
To be able to bend over and pull weeds.
To eat what ever you want.
To eat as much as you want.
For the days when teenagers did not make fun of you.
The ability to hug your wife.

Simple little things that we take for granted. We should take nothing for granted. Life is filled with many amazing miracles. We should give thanks for every single one of them, no matter how small. What good is happening in your life today that you simply received and consumed without giving thanks?

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

to think of others

To think of others, or to think of myself. Yesterday, I passed a threshold. For the first day since I fell ill, there were moments when I was not thinking of myself. I have been thinking of myself because of the constant pain and soreness. I don't mean that I only thought of myself during that time, but I mean that "I" was on my mind constantly. Sorry, but I could not help but think of myself. My situation brought a difficulty that was always in the forefront.

Yesterday, I had a few moments, [and there will be more of them today and tomorrow] where I forgot about my pain. Things are getting better.

When we are healthy, when things are well, we don't have to think of ourselves. When we are sick or broken, our own issues keep cropping up. I don't like constantly thinking of myself. I am looking forward to more healthy days when I can get back to not worrying about me.

Our self is our natural paradigm. Our own way of looking at the world is all that we know. Self-preservation comes naturally to humans, but the Christian faith calls us to live outside of, and beyond ourselves.

Every chance that we have to help another, to think about another, we should. Every opportunity to do good in the name of Jesus Christ, we should. There will always be opportunities for the self to be on top, but let us train ourselves to live beyond ourselves, that we might be of use in the service of Christ.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men. Gal. 6:10

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

seeing the good

Seeing the good is all about noticing the good things during a time of difficulty. It is also about noticing the beautiful and wonderful gifts of God during normal or mundane times. It is about getting off of auto pilot. I is about waking up to the good and the glory that God has placed in his world. Today I contrast a bit of recent bad with the accompanying good.

bad vs good

I was in tremendous pain but it caused me to seek a doctor.
My wife was out of town but friends and strangers took care of me.
I was in pain but they finally gave me drugs.
I was in strange places, but I got to meet new friends.
I was worried, but I received a clear diagnosis.
I needed surgery, but we found a surgeon.
They couldn't do the surgery laproscopically, but they were able to complete the task successfully.
I could not eat, but they fed me through I.V.s
A woman is digging in my arm for a vein, but I have a chance to be patient and caring.
The nurses change shifts, but each new group is wonderful.
It is painful when your systems won't work, but they are getting better each day.
I am wounded, but each day is better.
I am in the hospital, but I am getting better.
I will have a big scar, but I will be better than before.
I am discouraged, but my faith in God brings me hope.
I am restricted from many things, but it is all so that I will heal.
I am posting late today because last night I slept like a baby.

Evey time we see something bad, there is also something good happening right around us. To train ourselves to see the good is one of the most holy, godly things that a person can do. When we get off of our own problems and look to see the awesome things of life, then we are doing God's work. What bad things are happening in your life? Where is the good? Can you see it? Have you looked? It is there.

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

timid

I have nothing profound to say. I feel totally timid, broken, and dependent. I am not the man that I used to be. I cannot eat, sleep, play, walk or think like I used to. This experience of sudden illness has broken me down to a very strange state. I am used to helping people, not depending on them. I am used to going. Go, go, go. Go dog go. Now, I am resting. Mostly. When I try to do something, I last a couple of hours, then I have the need to take a nap.

I wonder if I will ever return to the strength of yesterday? I wonder if I will figure out how to eat like I used to? I wonder if I will ever get back into the groove.

I know the answer. The answer is yes, of course. I will be back. I am already on the comeback trail. Every day is a little bit better. Today I get my stitches out. Sunday I will be at church. Please don't squeeze me when you see me.

If you have had an experience that has broken you in heart, body, mind or soul, do not be discouraged. There's got to be a morning after. Every cloud has a silver lining. Trust in the Lord. Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning. [Psalm 30:5] Things are going to get better. You are not alone. Sometimes God can use such experiences to get our attention, to help us listen, to set us on a new course. Like all the cards that I have received have said, "think of all the sermon material you will get from this."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
http://www.jeffbrinkman.com/Gallbladder.html

Hello dear friends

Where can I begin? My last post was April 30th. All I could do that morning was to write that I was sick, and to ask my friend to post for me.

Lion's Den Man, you are an awesome man. Thank you for helping me. You are so good, so true, so right. I am blessed to have you as my friend. Do you know that you are my brother?

I have so many things to say. I do not know where to begin, and it is going to take me a long time to say them all. First, let me say that sleeping is not going very well right now. It may have something to do with the 29 staples in my tummy. If you are interested in the entire gall bladder story, you can read it at http://www.jeffbrinkman.com/Gallbladder.html

Today, at this early hour, I just want to praise God. Will you join me?

Lord, I praise you for life. For daily breath. For the healing gifts of Doctors and the healing power of the body. For friends that drop everything to bring me comfort. For every person that loves me. For my wife. For spiritual connections that we do not understand. For an excellent staff. For hope. For good food and the ability to eat it. For my children. For those who cry when you hurt. For flowers and donuts. For the sun on my face and the wind in my hair. For the comfort of a God who is always present. Who gives us so many blessings.

For all these things, and 10,000 more, we praise you, O Lord our God.

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

Good Medicine

Well, unless something changes this will be my last post. Jeff is in that “feeling better everyday” groove right now……..Awesome!

In last Sunday’s sermon Clay gave us the “Jeff update”. Jeff was in pain, he went to the hospital, he experienced more pain, and they provided him with pain relief drugs. Good medicine, good doctors, good stuff. We all should be thankful for what is made available to us here, where we live.

For me, this has been good medicine for my soul. I am sorry it had to come at Jeff’s expense, but I am glad I could fill in. I am thankful for what was made available to me. I wasn’t in pain, but spiritually I was flat. I was happy to come out of a valley a few months back, but, until now, I had yet to reengage.

So this has been good for me, I have begun my climb again. More smiles, more hello’s, less talking, more listening…….slowing things down and trying to see the good in everything. I started a list of the things I have been neglecting and included a few new goals to start picking away at…….Maybe you have experienced this sort of thing before or maybe you are in the thick of it right now. All I can say is find a way to shake it up. Get off “Auto-pilot” as Jeff said a few weeks back. Stretch yourself, find a place that is out of your comfort zone and reengage.

God has plans for all of us, but we can’t sit back and wait for it to happen.

Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
-Matthew 7:7


Welcome back Jeff!


Peace,
Lion’s Den Man

Setting an Example

Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.
-Albert Schweitzer

There is a family in our church that I know whose son is a very good baseball player. He is one of many in our church, I am sure, but this story is not about the athlete, it is about parents.

Jeff spoke about idols back on April 19th

Cars, tools, motorcycles, shopping, how I used to look, kids, sports, kid's sports, church, doctrine, position, fame, computers, the internet, cars, flowers, homes, vacations, money, spouse, security, being right, friends, drink, smoke, drugs, job, degrees, furniture, denomination, protocol, dogs, cats, and on we go. These are nice things, some of them, but bad Gods.

It is hard to see the good when we are loving the wrong things. It is hard to see what we are supposed to see when there are other things clouding our vision” -Jeff B.

What he said is so true and I for one have failed numerous times in that department. This past Sunday while leaving church I ran into the family mentioned above. I knew they were playing in a baseball tournament and so I asked them what time their game was today (Sunday). The father said, “Right now in fact” ….…and continued, “Yeah they weren’t very happy when I told them we were going to church and if they won we’d be there at the 2 o’clock game.”

I suppose you could say they made a commitment to the team and should honor it, however, there is more to the story..............just rest assured that the family didn’t leave the team high and dry. They saw an oppurtunity to make a statement and plant some seeds. They showed their son, his team, coaches, parents and some people at church that day, like me, that life has other priorities that are much much bigger.

Their son is going to go far in life…..and maybe in baseball, too, because he is being taught about the important things in life, by parents, who have chosen to set the right example.

Peace,
Lion’s Den Man

Idioms and Time

Sorry for the late post. I’ve been running like a chicken with my head cut off today, Nothing new, par for the course, actually. Today I have a lot going on and I am a little under the gun. I have a short time to pull this together, I guess you could say I am up against the clock and I’m not off the hook yet. Maybe I bit off more than I could chew here. Seriously though this blog has been a blessing in disguise for me, but no piece of cake.

Always keep these idioms in mind:
Practice What You Preach
All That Glitters Is Not Gold
Don’t Cry Over Spilt Milk
Idle Hands Are The Devil's Tools


Well. The jury is out on this one, sorry I guess it came down to sink or swim so I kind of went out on a limb. But there is a method to my madness and I do have something for us all to think about…………. TIME………………take time, find time, don’t let it slip away, appreciate the time you have…………..smell the roses, watch the sunset and hear the birds sing.

Word of mouth is that Jeff went home yesterday and hopefully he will be getting some much needed rest. Healing takes time. Let’s give him that, he has given much to us.

I’m done now. Better Late Than Never.


Peace,
Lion’s Den Man

Beg, Borrow, Steal

Why Beg, Borrow, Steal? Because, I am without much inspiration today. It is a good thing I am not a pastor...... the pews would be empty today. Which reminds me, although Jeff will not be able to be at church today I hope all of us will, regardless. All of us see how attendance drops when Jeff is not there. We can rationalize this I suppose, but we know that the church and the work it is doing goes way beyond Jeff. So we need to be there, for the church, so that God's work can be done. So that we don't miss that opportunity to connect someone who is searching or help someone who is hurting or share in the joy of someone who is filled with His love......

Beg, Borrow, Steal. That is how this started. I have copied some important information about who we are from the church website and pasted it below.

Remember, Jeff is the Pastor at WCC, but we, the congregation, are it's ministers.

Who Are We?
Who are the people of Woods Chapel Church?Our church is filled with joyful, authentic people who are seeking lives filled with purpose and meaning. We are committed to living as faithful Christian disciples and are actively committed to touching lives and sharing God's love.

What Is Our Vision?
Our vision is to reach our community and make a difference in the lives of others through the good new of Jesus Christ. We believe we can accomplish this through helping people discover God's purpose for their life through teamwork, creativity and excellence.

What Is Our Mission?
"Connecting People to Jesus Christ"

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

Healing One Another

Colossians 4:2-Be persistent in prayer, and keep alert as you pray, giving thanks to God.

Prayer is on my mind right now. It is probably on yours, too. It is a powerful "multitasking" tool that God has given us. God knows that when we turn our prayers away from our needs and to the needs of others it will heal us, too. It goes back to that love each other thing that Jeff is always speaking about. Seeing the good, forgiveness, caring for one another........isn't it interesting how all of those things intertwine and work for the greater good.

There is a quote from C.S. Lewis that reads: "We read to know we are not alone." I think the same could be said for prayer. We pray to know we are not alone and we gain the strength that God provides through our being a family of faith.

Jesus asks us to join with others to pray when he says in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three come together in my name, I am there with them."

For Jeff, there is pain I am sure, but the healing has begun. So, we will pray for him and others that we know are in need. And before long he will be on his feet again, back in front of all of us. Maybe, by then, we will have healed a little of ourselves in the process.

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

Navin R. Johnson

Here is an excerpt from the movie “The Jerk” It is a conversation between Navin R. Johnson (Steve Martin) and his employer.

Navin R. Johnson: The new phone book's here! The new phone book's here!
Harry Hartounian: Boy, I wish I could get that excited about nothing.
Navin R. Johnson: Nothing? Are you kidding? Page 73 - Johnson, Navin R.! I'm somebody now! Millions of people look at this book everyday! This is the kind of spontaneous publicity - your name in print - that makes people. I'm in print! Things are going to start happening to me now.

In the next scene of the movie, with his identity now published, a lunatic, who found Navin’s name in the phone book, is now hunting down Navin with the intent to do harm………..it is a comedy and he survives the attack.

Millions of people don’t read this blog, but many people do. Some people know who I am, but most don’t. Jeff knows I would prefer to remain anonymous. No one here is a lunatic, as far as I know, and I don’t think I will be hunted down. My point is that sometimes having people know who you are isn’t always necessary or the best thing.

I enjoy reading Jeff’s blog each day. It feeds me and on occasion I get the chance to feed someone else. Sometimes I feed Jeff, but mostly, he gets a jab or two from me. Being a daily blogger is tough to do, but if you haven’t posted a comment, yet, try it sometime. There is nothing wrong with grazing, but posting a thought may just be what someone else needs to hear at that moment in time. I chose the name “Lion’s Den Man” to remain anonymous. Maybe yours is or will simply be “anonymous”. If remaining anonymous helps you freely express your thoughts, like me, then great! If you don’t need that type of privacy, that’s great, too! Either way, I encourage you to try a post sometime when Jeff gets back in the groove. Lift someone up, help them, encourage them…………..It is what we are called to do.


Hebrews 3:13
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.


Peace,
Lion’s Den Man

Update on Jeff

All is good, but things did not go as all had hoped today. Instead of the minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery to remove the gall bladder, Jeff had to go under the knife. I understand everything went well and he should be home in a few days. Unfortunately, his recovery time will be longer. Thanks to all of you for your prayers. We now need to focus on praying for a speedy and healthy recovery.


God Bless.


Peace,
Lion’s Den Man

Pinch Runner

A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted. (That is not me) But occasionally a pinch runner is inserted for more subtle reasons, such as a double switch. (Not me again), ejection, (Nope) or if the original player on base has become injured (Bingo, that is me).

Last year Jeff asked me for some help when he was facing a problem with a “blogger” who was posting things here. I did what any of you would do when asked by Jeff for help, “sure name it”. Anyway, he worked through the problem and as a result I was entered as a contributor………..hmmm. That didn’t feel right so I asked him to remove me. In typical Jeff fashion he said. “Nope, can’t do it, who knows I might need you to help me out one day. We will just have to be Blog Brothers”. So now you know the rest of the story………..I don’t feel qualified here. It isn’t my blog and it is not what everyone is looking for, but Jeff needs my help right now and I am happy to be here for him today. It is a great feeling to be needed and it is a great feeling to help those in need. Today you will find the oppurtunity to experience both if you look for it and are open to receive it.

Pray for Jeff today. He is doing well and is not in pain. He has a few test this morning and probably surgery later today if the test go as planned. Then he will be back at home in a day or two. I will continue to post in his absence.

Peace,
Lion’s Den Man

Prayers for Jeff

Wednesday 12:35 pm

I have just been informed that Pastor Jeff Brinkman is having problems with his gall bladder. It may need to be removed. He is resting comfortably and would greatly appreciate your prayers at this time.

God bless.

Peace,
Lion’s Den Man

Make Peace with Living

Jeff, I hope you feel better soon and I hope this post fills the gap.

I finished a book recently and these words, “Make Peace with Living” really hit home. The statement was preceded by these words, “If we know, in the end, that we can ultimately have peace with dying, then we can do the really hard thing……….”

Well I have made peace with dying, but sometimes I need a kick to help me remember how to live in peace. To make peace with living I need to remember life’s priorities (God, family, friends). By the way, work and play are important, but not enough to be listed with my top three.

“Make Peace with Living” to me means:
Talk to God each day. Love and cherish your life, your family and your friends, everyday. Think highly of yourself, God does. Practice forgiveness and humility at every opportunity. Lift up everyone you possibly can each and every day, if not with words then with a smile, it will feed your spirit. Last, I believe we were put here for a reason, don’t over think it, just live it and don’t watch it go by or look to far ahead……just follow His lead.

A final quote from the book
“As long as we can love each other, and remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away. All the love you created is still there. All the memories are still there. You live on in the hearts of everyone you have touched and nurtured while you were here. Death ends a life not a relationship.”

So I pray we all work towards making good memories for everyone else and find peace along the way.


Peace,
Lion’s Den Man

sick

I am sick today.
Lion's Den Man if you get a chance, will you post something?

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

Many Mansions

Last night I had a very fun dream. I was looking for a new house. Not that we need one, nor are we looking. But in my dream I was looking in the nicest of neighborhoods, at the largest of homes. Indoor swimming pools, 8 bedrooms. Incredible views and 4+ garages. It was a lot of fun.

I talked to the realtor about how I could not afford such homes. Was there a special mortgage or special plan to help us get into this home? I got a phone call. One of the owners wants to give us his home. The only stipulation is that we give our home to some needy person, and that we give the mansion to someone who needs it when we are done with it.

I woke up before we moved in, but the idea of that wonderful house waiting for me was very awesome.

I guess you see where this is going.

Jesus said, "in my father's house are many mansions. I go there to prepare a place for you, that where I am, you may be also."

I don't talk about the second coming or heaven much, because I really want us to focus on how we treat each other in the here and now. I don't want us to be so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good.

But, what a dream! What a joy! What a gift awaits us! Thank you God for this most unspeakable gift!

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

silly joys

Yesterday.
Church, lunch and a nap.
Say goodbye to the college girls.
Go to Steinmart.
Family Bookstore.
Evening service.
Church softball.

Well, you just have to try to understand a 50 year old man. I am so happy. And it is for something that is so frivolous in the grand scheme of things.

Church softball has started back up. I missed the first week because I was sick. Last night was my first night of 2008. Our team was short players, so my son Scott was going to join us.

When we moved here in 1994, I was 36 and Scott was 3. Last night, I was 50 and little Scotty was 17. I told him before the game, don't worry about how well you do, just have fun. If you hit the ball every time, or if you strike out, just enjoy yourself.

Well, let's talk about the old man for a minute. Batted 4 times. 3 hits and a walk. A single and two doubles. The old man hit the ball over the left fielder's head. That is only the third left fielder to gain that distinction since 1994. I know all three of them by name. A good night for the old man.

Now back to the son. I have never ever hit a ball over the fence for a home run, never ever in my life. Last night was a good night for the son.

He caught every ball that came to him in the outfield. Four of them. He came to the plate for his first at bat. First pitch, he hit the ball over the fence for a homer. Later in the game he would hit another ball out of the park.

I know this is only church softball, but feeling proud of your son is an awesome thing. I was so excited for him. Every one kept talking about how little Brinkman is so much better than his father. That is awesome.

Small things. Silly things. But things that make us feel good.

I am so thank full to God for the ability to play ball. At my age, it is a miracle. I am so thankful for the joy of being a father. He was 3 when we moved here. He used to play on the slide when we went to the softball park. Now, he is a home run king!

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

seeing the gifts in others

Last night I dreamed that I was on an airplane. In the row in front of me, a young man was listening to music and singing. Out loud. It would have usually been annoying, but he had such a beautiful voice, no one minded. In fact, there was a feeling around him as if we were all witnessing something special.

I tried to celebrate with him, his beautiful voice. He could not see it. We all tried to help him understand that he had a very special gift. He listened, but he was not real sure about all of these old folks asking him to use his gift.

....I think lots of people have gifts and talents that they do not see, or just can't bring themselves to use. Paul told Timothy, to "stir up the gift of God, that lies within you..."

When we see people as gifted, we can't see them as enemies or irritants. They are God's children, and they are all gifted for service to Jesus Christ in this world. Who have you encouraged lately? Who around you might need a boost? When you see a gift in someone, be sure to mention it. Tell them that they are blessed and that they should use that gift for the purpose of Christ.

Maybe you need to hear this yourself. You. You are gifted. Stir up the gift that lies within you. You were created to love and live and serve. See the gift and be the gift.

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

a good day

Friday is my day off. They are usually very good days. Here is what I did yesterday.

What a joyous day was yesterday. It began with a wake up call from God. "Hello, Jeff. Rise and shine. You get to live today. You get to live for me today."

Shave, shower.

Take a phone call from my boss. Boss calls, you answer. Every time.

Go to church for a visit in the coffee bar with a friend. Then a little bit of office work.

Home. Wife is back from her travels. Take her to lunch. She is a good girl and I love having her in my life.

Take a nap. [see, this is a good day.]

Mow the grass. Wander the yard and look at the trees and flowers. The plum and the cherry are getting ready to bloom. The pears are done. The tulips are all up and the hosta is coming in. The bare spots are filling in, and Jonnie's iris are coming up. Praise God! what a glorious time it is to wander the yard in the spring!

Go to Lowes. A new shovel, and some plumbing parts. Go home. Fix the plumbing. Get to use tools. It is a good day.

The girls are home for the weekend. Alli is naming all of the germs that she learned about in biology. Scott is going to the conference track meet next week. All three kids are working tonight. All three kids are working!

Reading time. Reflecting time. Sermon time. I feel the presence of a loving God. It is a good day.

That was yesterday. Today is looking pretty good too. I got the wake up call from God again. Ahh, another chance to live!

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

General Conference

This week and next week, United Methodist leaders from all over the world are gathering in Dallas-Ft. Worth for General Conference. GC is the highest body of the UMC. They decide issues related to doctrine and structure. GC happens every four years. Each GC produces a new or revised Book of Discipline.

Every four years at GC there is local and sometimes national news coverage. Usually only the folks on the fringe get interviews. The interviews can make it sound like we are all going off the deep end, but reasonable minds always prevail.

Cody Collier and 7 other friends from Missouri are in Dallas now. Keep them in your prayers. Always pray for your church, staff, and leaders. Lord knows, we need it. Bless you.

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

seeds

I was given a packet of seeds yesterday. Zinnias. "Go plant these seeds, make the world a more beautiful place."

Jesus told the story of the talents in Mt. 25. Each of us is given talents, money, gifts. They are seeds that we are to plant to make the world a more beautiful place. There is an old saying, "Your life is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to God."

The physical packet of seeds is just a reminder of the fact that we all already have a packet of seeds. Talents, money, gifts. Opportunities from God, given so that we might invest them into the world, into the lives of others. What kind of seeds are you planting in the lives of those around you? What are we leaving for those who will come after us? If you are alive today, you have an opportunity to make the world a more beautiful place.

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

authority

Bright people learn to recognize and respect authority. Life works better when you do. Everyone has a boss. Even programs at church have key stake holders.

When we were in seminary, one of the key pieces of advice that we were given was this, "do not argue with the United Methodist Women."

I promise you that I ran the daffodil idea through our landscape leader, Jonnie W. We will buy bulbs thru them. But I have only heard from six of you. I am not giving up on this idea. Who will help, purchase or plant bulbs this fall? [Rocky soil, please send me a note or let me know who you are so I can contact you later.]

Back to authority. It has been an interesting challenge to teach teenage children how to respect authority. Bosses at their jobs, teachers, police, etc. Hard to learn, but a very important skill to learn for success in this life. If we can't honor those whom God has put in authority over us, what does that say?

1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Romans 13:1-7

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

daffodil field

After yesterday's blog, one of you fine people sent me this picture. You may have seen this before, but it definitely answers the question, what would happen if every member planted ten daffodil bulbs this year? Eventually, the hill on the north side of our pond would look like this field.

I don't think that such a dream is out of reach. The landscape team is going to be planting more daffodil bulbs this fall, but I think a person could plant bulbs anytime that they so wished.

Things of great beauty rarely come easy, but they will come. God does make everything beautiful in its time. [Eccl. 3]

Is there anyone who would take up a challenge to cover our hill with daffodils? I will personally plant 100, at least. I think this is doable. Imagine our hill next spring, filled with beautiful yellow flowers all declaring the glory of God.

Who will help? I would like about 30 responses to this message, committing to purchase or plant bulbs. Wouldn't you love to show this hillside to your friends and family next spring and tell them that you were on the team that made this happen. Let's do it. Join the team. Let me hear from you.

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

Today's efforts

Today's efforts are tomorrow's shame or tomorrow's glory. All of us have moments of pain and shame in our past. Let's forget about bringing shame and concentrate on bringing glory. That is the beauty of a new day, we can focus on the good.

This picture is of the hill on the north side of our pond. One year ago, it was a barren place, overgrown with scrub trees, thistles, and crown vetch. Today, there is a walking trail, three gardens, and 1,000 daffodil bulbs. This beauty was added to God's world by the landscape team during two or three work days. A relatively short amount of work time to bring such beauty. Yesterday's efforts have delivered some true beauty to today. In like manner, today's efforts can yield a harvest of good.

What would happen if every member of our church planted just ten daffodil bulbs this year? People would drive from all over to see that hillside during the blooming season. It would become a real "field of dreams."

We have a chance today to make a difference in the world. To make the landscape a little brighter, a little more joyful. We have a chance to bring glory to God. Plant something beautiful today, in the ground or in someone's heart. It may not come up for a while, but when it does, everyone will celebrate.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24

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

I was glad

"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD." Psalm 122:1

I just got back from church. I have been on vacation this past week. Anytime that I am off on a Sunday, I try to visit some other churches so that I can worship, and get smarter.

I hear that the children's program was awesome. I look forward to watching the tape.

This morning I drove to Lone Jack and heard my friend Dave Owlsey give a very good sermon. The people were friendly. I saw some old friends.

Then I drove up Buckner-Tarsney road and went to hear Hubert Neth at the Oakland church. Always very good.

Highlights of the morning. People that looked me in the eye and said, "I am glad you are here." Welcoming people and reaching out to them is so important.

I was glad to be in the house of the Lord.

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

idols

Idols. There are a million of them.

Cars, tools, motorcycles, shopping, how I used to look, kids, sports, kid's sports, church, doctrine, position, fame, computers, the internet, cars, flowers, homes, vacations, money, spouse, security, being right, friends, drink, smoke, drugs, job, degrees, furniture, denomination, protocol, dogs, cats, and on we go. These are nice things, some of them, but bad Gods.

Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.

It is hard to see the good when we are loving the wrong things. It is hard to see what we are supposed to see when there are other things clouding our vision.

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

new life

You may have to click on this picture to really see it.

I have often wondered about oak trees and other plants that hold onto their dead leaves all winter. I used to wonder if they were alive. They just look so dead all winter.

This is a picture of some little rose bushes that live along our sidewalk. I was so worried about them because they looked so dead.

Now however, they are roaring back to life. And it is interesting to see the old dead leaves being interrupted, pushed out, and overtaken by the new life. Winter and spring, death and life, side by side.

I think we humans are a bit like this. A little bit right, and a little bit wrong. A little bit the flesh and a little bit the spirit. Broken, imperfect, struggling, trying to figure out which we are and what we can become.

I thank God for the hope of the Christian. Right in the midst of our humanness, God can bring new life. He makes all things beautiful in His time.

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

If the church has hurt you

For those whom the church has hurt. I don't necessarily mean that Woods Chapel Church has hurt you. I hope it hasn't but maybe it has. I don't necessarily mean that the Methodist Church has hurt you. I hope that it hasn't but maybe it has. I mean the big "C" Church has hurt you. Somewhere else, in another time and place, the church hurt you. I run into people all the time who have been hurt by the big C Church.

A pastor or staff person said something. Or worse, they did something. The institution crushed you. The doctrine brought you pain. The delivery of truth fell like a hammer. Grace was absent.

If you have been hurt by the church, join a million others. We wonder why some people stay away from church. The truth is, people grow tired of institutions and people that hurt them.

So what will we do? We will try to be a church that is different. We will not simply talk about love, we will model it. And forgiveness, don't forget that. We will be very careful about how we speak to one another. We will put the interest of Jesus Christ before our own. We will think about helping others instead of taking for ourselves.

Love will come before doctrine. Love will come before all else. If God is love, that is the cornerstone of our doctrine. It is the more excellent way. If God is love, then love must be present in His church. If love is not present, we just play religious games.

Dear Woods Chapel friends, you are a people of love. But lets us remember, for the sake of those who have been wounded, that we must model the love of God. It is all we have, but if we hold it up, the love of God is enough.

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

Tug of war

To compete is good. To win is fine. The older I get, the less I can savor victories of strength or skill, but I do remember what they felt like. Everyone has some area that they compete in. Even if you don't play a sport, we all strive to do our best in many areas.

Occaisionally, when it all works out, and we do well, someone should celebrate with us.

Here is my daughter, Allision. She was 6 when we moved here. She used to sing in church and grew up in our Sunday School and youth program. Every one of you had a hand in helping to raise her.

Now she is a big kid. A sophomore at CMSU, a member of the A-O-Pi sorority. This past week, they had campus wide tug of war championships. She was first in line, the anchor for her A-O-Pi team. They took first place! She is so excited.

Life has it's moments of tugging back and forth. It is important that all of us work together as a team so that we can do our best and help each other out. You and I, we are on the same team. Let's keep pulling the same direction.

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

how about a catch?

Yesterday I was on vacation. I took Lou the dog in for his rabies shot. He met a lot of big dogs there in the waiting room. He was really wanting to show them who was boss.

I bought some plants at Lowes. A dwarf aspen fir, some purple grass and an azalea. The azalea has very pretty red flowers. The grass I don't get. Pompas grass. It looks like stuff that I pulled out of the flower bed last week.

I made my son dinner. Four whole fried chickens and a coke. No really, he ate eight eggs, four pieces of toast and some sausage. He keeps getting bigger. Nothing lasts in the pantry around here very long any more.

After dinner, I asked him if he wanted to play catch. We dug out the old gloves and threw the ball in the street. It has finally happened. He is taller, stronger, and faster than I am. He can throw it, hit it, and catch it better than I can. Heck, I struggled a bit just to see the ball.

There are some things in life that are therapeutic for reasons that no one can explain. Sitting by the fire, listening to running water, watching the waves at the beach, a sunrise, a bird in flight. Playing catch is one of those things. A boy and an old man are mesmerized by the sheer joy of catching and throwing. For a few moments, the old man is a young man and the boy is a child.

I thank God for the great privilege of being a father.

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

Orion is almost gone

The season of Orion is almost over. [that is him in the picture on the right.] He is falling out of the night sky to the west-southwest. I explained Orion in a post on November 8th.

Another season is past, another cycle of life. It can feel a bit depressing to watch the time fly by, but it is also a great celebration to know that I have lived.

Saturday I was mowing the grass in the back yard. It occurred to me that the week prior I was in the back yard with a neighbor and church member Jim C. I thought, "a week has gone by. It is Saturday again. Jim and I are both still alive. That is good."

This past year I have loved and lived and cried and laughed. I have seen so much good. I have earned my gray hair and wrinkles. I have seen 365 sunrises and 365 sunsets. I have savored the rain and wished away the cold. It has been good. I have watched my children grow and developed bursitis in my elbow.

Another year, marked by the coming and going of an old friend. I hope to see Orion again in the late fall. I hope you get to see him too. Let's plan on it.

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

new trees

This week, new voices arrived on the church property to declare the glory of God. The daffodils are in bloom on the north side of the pond. Check them out.

There are also five new Cleveland pear trees and eight new flowering crab apple trees. See if you can find them. This is an exercise in seeing the good.

Seeing the good is like that, sometimes you have to work at it. Apply that thought to some challenging area of your life.

Another interesting thought here is that there are already so many trees on the property, you may have trouble finding them. Life too, has so many good things, that often we don't even notice when we receive a new blessing. Our net already has 153 fish in it. We catch a few more, and sometimes it is hard to notice. It shouldn't be that way. We should pay better attention to the good things and focus on them more.

Just taking the time to look for the trees will probably make you look at everything. I love that thought. Let me know if you find them.

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

things to celebrate

I was in a meeting with some staff the other day. I asked them to go around the circle and tell me something that they had heard or seen at the church that was a blessing to them.

One said, we had 50 people on the missions trip to Wilderness Camp over the weekend. Another said that 40 people had helped make the move into the missions building. Someone talked about the prom dress ministry and how it touched so many young girls, and the ladies who put it on. Someone told a story about a friend who had invited a hurting person to worship. The opening of the church bookstore was lifted up. The last person celebrated that 40 ladies participated in the women's retreat and that it was really good.

Every one of these things are worth celebrating. Not too many years ago, any one of these reports would have been the center piece of celebration on Sunday morning. Now, they are all one good thing among many. Now, it is impossible to mention all of the good things that are being done.

Even though I know that I cannot be involved in every ministry or even know what everyone is doing, I wish I could. I wish I could watch and see all of the good that pours out so freely around the church.

I hope that you are involved in some things that are making a difference. I hope that you have found some things in the life of the church that bring you joy. Find a way to get involved. Read the newsletter, surf our web page. It is such a blessing to see all that is happening at your church. Take time to give thanks and to celebrate all of the ministry that is taking place at Woods Chapel Church.

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

wise words

Who do you hold dear and why? I find that there are folks that easily endear themselves to my heart because of the wise things that they say.

I am a pretty simple guy. I don't need to ride in nice cars. I don't need the latest of anything. Give me a good friend with a good mind and I am a happy camper. Spending time with caring, bright, thoughtful people is like winning the lottery. Fact is, given a choice of winning the lottery or having friends, I think that we would all choose having friends. You can't put a price on love.

I love the comment recently posted on April 7th by my long time friend. "The highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity. Choose right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over popularity... these are the choices that measure your life.Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for there is never a wrong time to do the right thing."

Oh, yes. There it is. That's what I'm talkin about. A direct hit.

I feel smarter just knowing people like this. A good word at the right time. There aren't many things better than that.

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

opening day at the K

Tuesday I went to the Royals game at Kauffman stadium. The new scoreboard is awesome. Giant, huge, and in high definition. That reminds me of a joke. Why is it so cold in Candlestick Park? Or, why is it so cold in Pac-bell Stadium? Answer: It's cold there because there is a Giant fan in every seat.

Back to the Royals game. A good deal of what we do in life is less about what you are doing and more about who you are spending time with. I learned some things or was reminded of some things about the gentlemen I was with.

1. One of them has made this blog their computer's homepage.
2. Guys pick on you if they like you.
3. You are allowed to take peanuts into the park, which you can throw at each other if you so desire. Peanuts will also upset your stomach if you eat enough of them. Be sure to pack rolaids or nexium.
4. One of the guys has been inviting people to church. Needy, broken, hurting people, who may be ignored by others, this fellow is inviting them to WCC. Awesome.
5. With so much trouble in so many homes, all three of these guys love their wives.

Oh yes, and the Royals beat the Yankees.

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

where is my watch?

Sometimes you have to laugh at yourself.

Wake up. Shave and shower. Put on pants [one leg at a time]. Grab shirt, shoes, belt and watch. Sneak quietly out of the room so as to not wake up the wife. Watch goes into pocket on the way down the stairs.

Over the next hour, I look for my watch several times. It is in this pocket. No, that pocket. I know I put it in a pocket. Where is it? Maybe I left it upstairs.

Getting ready to leave for work, must have watch. A day without the watch has a "naked" feel to it. Kind of weird.

Watch must be upstairs. Why do I remember putting it in my pocket? Oh well, just go get it.

Dog, get off my lap. Before I go upstairs, I will wash the old dog feeling off of my hands. I go to the sink, I pull up my windshirt to wash my hands.

Oh. Look! There on my wrist. My watch!! I guess I won't have to go upstairs.

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

winners and losers

Well there was a big game last night. It could have gone either way. Today is the Royals' home opener. It could go either way as well.

I have decided that the reason that some people detest other teams or organization is because of "bad winners." I don't think anyone begrudges a win by humble people, but when someone is bragging, or ugly about a win, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. When a win for someone is an opportunity for them to demean others, it can be very hurtful.

We should always be good winners and good losers. Tomorrow is another day, and there will be another game.

If our church is bigger than others, if our team is a winner, then we should help others out and be kind about relating to them. If our church is smaller and our team is a loser, then we should celebrate with those who are doing better than we are.

Life is not about winning and losing. Life is about loving. Let's be sure to love at all times. If we do, we will always be winners, no matter how our team or organization is doing.

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

being too hard on yourself

A friend posted a comment that suggested that I was too hard on myself. That makes me feel good. Someone is trying to take care of me. Thank you. Thank you very much. Sometimes they are right, I am too hard on myself.

On the one hand, we can beat ourselves up worrying about everything that we do. The other end of that extreme is not to care about how we live.

If we don't care about how we come across, we can be very hurtful to others. I guess if I had a choice of being a little hard on myself or of not caring how I came across, I would prefer to be a little rough on myself.

Shoot at the moon, hit the sky. Shoot at the sky, hit the ground. The desire to succeed, the desire to do one's best. also brings with it the worry of how well we are doing. I don't mind being too hard on myself from time to time. I do want to be careful about pushing myself too hard.

There is a place in the hearts of men and women where two philosophies meet. "The unexamined life is not worth living" vs celebrating life. The fearless moral inventory vs seeing the good. So, I hope you see that we can accomplish great things when we have great expectations. We just should not drive ourselves crazy along the way.

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