anger

I was talking to someone who was angry the other day.  We realized something:  they thought that they were angry about some thing, but they were really angry or should have been angry at them selves.

I got a flat tire and I am angry.  I have not taken care of my car so I got a flat tire.  Who am I angry at?  I did not get the promotion and I am angry.  I am routinely late for work.  Who should I be angry at? 

This story has many chapters in it.  Things that we are angry about that we have also played a part in the creation of the anger story.

What I have found is that when I look and see my responsibility for the difficulty in a situation, I tend to be less mad.  When I take responsibility for what I have done, then I see that it is silly for me to be mad because I played a role in making it happen.

I was late for work not because of traffic but because I did not leave early enough.

I don't now if that helps anyone, but every time I take responsibility for my choices, I feel better about life.  And less anger is always a good thing.  You can even laugh at your own silly choices when you are brave enough to see them for what they are.

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

noon

We closed the office at noon yesterday and sent the staff home.  When I went outside, there was a young couple, members of our church that were cleaning off cars in the parking lot.  They are teachers, so they were off work since school was closed.  They had buckled their kids in the car seats and come up to the church to clean off cars.  They were going from car to car with a broom and scrapers.

I was so proud.  But at the same time, I was not surprised.  They were doing what so many of you do every day.  Finding ways to share God's love.  Their kindness made a cold snowy day a little warmer.

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

Hope

When things are good we don't recognize hope.  It is a silent friend that walks with us when all is well.  We rarely thank it for being around until things go to pot.  It waits in the shadows for our moment of need.

Then when things go wrong and we are looking up from down in the depths, we pray for hope.  For a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel.  We yearn for an answer.  We hope for a better day.

Then hope appears.  It was there all the time and we just were not aware.  It appears- It is the offer of counsel from a friend.  It is a lift when your car is broken.  It is good news on a bad bill.  It is a smile, a warm word, a vote of confidence from one's boss.  It is a good report, a kid with a job.  It is a hug, a direction, a renewed sense of meaning and purpose.

If you are down today, hope in God.  What ever you are experiencing is not the end.  This is just a valley, and you are not alone in it.  Hope in God.  Be strengthened and encouraged.

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

vegetables

How many varieties of vegetables are available for sale at your local grocery store?  We don't know - and we take this blessing for granted!  A vegetable in Los Pinos is not just a blessing, it is a miracle.

I remember a story of a few years ago about a visitor from Russia who went with American friends to the grocery store.  He told them that he thought it was all staged.  That the Americans put on this show.  That there was no way that so much food, and so much produce was available all the time.  It had to be a show put on for him.

And so this week we will go to the grocery store. We will walk by the produce isle.  It really is amazing.  Lets give thanks for this often overlooked blessing.  And lets share the blessing of food with every one that we can, every time that we can.

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

patience

James 1 - Count it all joy, my brothers and my sisters, when you fall into trials of many kinds.  Trials such as these teach perseverance.  Let perseverance finish her work so that you might be mature and complete.  [Jeff Brinkman version]

So, it seems that if I am going to become mature and complete, I am going to have to learn to embrace my trials as part of life instead of fighting them.  I am going to have to understand them as something that God may use to help me grow instead of praying constantly for them to go away.

As long as we are fighting a thing, it is a great enemy.  As soon as we stop and make friends with it, the enmity goes away.  Some things we should fight.  Other things, are just going to be the way they are and we need to accept them and let them teach us and grow us into maturity.  So that in life, we are trusting Christ in all things.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good, even in the trials, for even there, God is working.

lucky Dad

I am a lucky Dad.  My kids love their mom.  My kids love their Dad.  My kids love each other.  Jenny's 25th birthday party is tonight.  They are all so excited.  Alli is coming in from Chicago for it.

When I was growing up, we kids never hung out with mom or dad.  When I was growing up, the kids didn't hang out with each other. 

I am so fortunate that my kids love each other and their parents.

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

a bit of joy

I am never sick.  Hardly ever.  When I do get sick, I am never sick on Sunday.  I can't remember a time when I had to call in sick on a Sunday.

Well, this week, I was sick.  For one day.  It was either the 24 hour ick or I ate something bad.  Has anyone else had trouble with the Red White and Blue salad at Red Robin?  It may have just been the 24 hour ick.  But I am telling you, I felt bad.  Green at the gills.  Yucky.

So where is the bit of joy?  The bit of joy comes from feeling better.  After you have been sick, it feels so good to feel good.  We take life and health for granted.  Being sick every now and then reminds us of how good it feels to feel normal, to feel healthy.  Today, I am good to go.  Thank God.  Hey, maybe we should thank God every day for feeling well, for feeling healthy.

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

No complaints

a better than typical home

People keep asking me about my recent trip to Nicaragua. 

How was your trip?
Did you have a good time?
Are you going back?
What was the weather like?
Was it a good trip?

village pig rooting along the trail

It is hard to know how to answer such questions.  But, I have finally found a response that I think fits a trip to Los Pinos, Nicaragua.  Here it is:  We Americans, we Woods Chapilians should never complain about anything again for the rest of our lives.  Period.

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

comfort

I want to thank you for the many comforting thoughts that y
ou sent my way after yesterday's post.   One friend shared the picture and my Pastor friend Wes shared this story of the Rainbow Bridge:

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...”

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

sad news

Lou in his Pitt State Gorilla gear -
waiting for mom to come in the door.

Yesterday we said goodbye to our family dog, Lou the schnauzer.  We had him for 13 years.  We got him when Scott was 9 years old.  All of my family is sad.  The entire thing is very sad.  I hurt for my kids.

He has been blind for several months.  Yesterday morning, he fell down the stairs and was hurt.  That was the last straw.



Lou with some of his buddies

You know how these things go.  Tough decisions, tough moments and someone has to take the lead on all of it. 

Well, he had a great life.  He was dearly loved.  He never longed for food or water.  He learned some tricks.  He could do somersaults and flips for a treat.  He chased cats and he wiped out some rabbits in his time.  He barked at all intruders.  He passionately protected his family.  He left this world with a belly full of treats and an hour of back scratching and praise.  We will always remember him and love him.  If in heaven, the lion lays down with the lamb, then we will see Lou again.

A sad day.  A tough day.  I cried like a baby.

big hearted

Generous.  Big hearted.  That is one of the great characteristics of the people of Woods Chapel.  I continue to be amazed at the way that you all so willingly give of yourselves to help others.

Yesterday during services, we asked for help to build a village of concrete homes for our friends in Los Pinos, Nicaragua.  The homes cost $4,500 each and there are 25 of them in the village.  That is a lot of money, but it makes a tremendous difference in the lives of the Nicaraguan families that currently live in mud huts.

I have not heard the final numbers, but I am expecting that we received checks or commitments for 20 of the 25 homes yesterday.  I have faith that the rest will come in short order.

You are a great people with a great heart and it is my pleasure to be your pastor and to be on this journey with you in life.  There is a joy that comes from generous living.  Thank you and God bless you!

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

a sin

There is a sin that I think of every time I come back from a mission trip.  It is the sin of forgetting.

We go, and we see, and we think, how can it be like this?  We have so much, they have so little.  It is very easy for us to fall back into our comfortable life, and forget the people that God has called us to love.

 

We love the scriptures that tell us of God's forgiveness for us, but we like to forget the ones that point us out toward others.

 

1 Jn 3 says, "¹⁶ This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? ¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."

 

And so here are these wonderful people that we have grown to know and love.  We have taken them into our Woods Chapel family.   Let's not forget them. 

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

a significant moment

I was in Nicaragua this past week.  One night at dinner, I had a very unusual feeling.  We were discussing something amazing, [which I will cover with you on Sunday] and I had this feeling.....  it just came into my brain, "this is one of the most significant days of my life."

This is a very moving mission to be involved in.  I hope that each of you are finding the joy of being in mission for Jesus.  Somewhere, anywhere, sometime, anytime, all the time.  Local, national or who knows where, the world is waiting for you, and we find fulfillment when we are being about our Father's business.

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

Nicaragua

I want to thank you today for the gift of vacation and the gift of mission trips.  Sometimes people ask, "where is Jeff?"  "Gone again?"  After preaching for nine Sundays in a row, on January 12th I was on vacation.  It is so nice to have a week to rest up every now and then.  January 19th I was with our mission team in Nicaragua.  It is important that the pastor is able to experience our missions so that I can articulate and help them find a foothold among the church family.

I will be in church this Sunday, January 26 and will be preaching the normal schedule.  Thanks for your understanding and support.

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

thoughts on prayer

I wish I could honestly say I knew how prayer works. I pray…not for the new car or the powerball, but mainly for direction and for others in need. I am not sure if my prayers have had an impact on anyone, but I do know how they impact me. They bring me peace and comfort. I will also say, without a doubt, being asked by someone to pray on their behalf is a powerful thing. There is a reason this happens. A connection is made. The spirit is flowing and God is at work joining us together, changing hearts and minds while providing hope and comfort.

The great thing is God, who knows and understands me better than anyone else, hears my words and thoughts and is happy that I am in conversation with Him.

So I pray.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

one thing leads to another

The other day I posted a scripture reading from Philippians 4:4-9.

I received a nice comment about that post from a reader. They referenced another piece of  scripture that my post reminded them of:

Isaiah 26:3
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

As I was looking for the verse from Isaiah in my bible I ran across a note from my daughter which had her favorite verse:

Joshua 1:9
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

She is away at school. I miss her. I will call her today…..

There is a connection that flows and binds us together. One thing leads to another. A good path can be followed if we just open our hearts to see it.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

expression of the heart

I came across this story of Rebekah the other day. What is said after the story stuck with me. It made me think of our many missions and the folks that serve in various capacities at WCC.

When the servant arrived in the town of Nahor, a young woman named Rebekah greeted him and offered to get the servant a drink. When he had finished drinking, Rebekah said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking.” We are told she “quickly” emptied her jar into the trough and “ran” back to the well to draw more water. It all sounds fairly unremarkable, until you read between the lines:

One gallon of water weighs eight pounds; a thirsty camel can drink up to thirty gallons of water; and there were ten camels. Do the math. Rebekah is running to the well. This girl is drawing three hundred gallons of water for a stranger.

She does all that could be reasonably expected of her and then some. This was the pivotal moment of her life. Because of her act of service, Rebekah became the wife of Isaac and went on the adventure of a lifetime, becoming part of sacred history. To this day, her name is remembered and revered by people of faith. But Rebekah did not know all this was at stake. She did not offer to draw three hundred gallons of water because she knew what the reward could be. It was simply an expression of her heart.

I am blessed to be part of a church that reaches out simply because they feel the call. Please keep our Nicaragua team in your prayers.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

daily exercise

I was reading a book and it referenced this piece of scripture so I wrote it down on an index card to use as a bookmark. I have been reading it (the bookmark) every day prior to my book reading. Since I read in the morning I have found this little exercise to make big a difference in how my day unfolds.

Philippians 4:4-9

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Peace,

Lion’s Den Man

pluck it out

I have been working on redoing our shower at home.  I have never done this before and I am not doing a very good job.  It is kind of a nervous thing, because if you get it wrong, you may have a leak and the ceiling below come crashing down. 

 

Not good. 

So, twice now, as I have been working on the floor, I have made mistakes.  I have stewed over the mistakes, wondering if they would make a difference.  In the end I have taken the flooring out to start over.  Twice.  I want to make sure that I do this right.

As I was laying in bed one morning thinking about tearing the floor out again, I was reminded of what Jesus said, "if your eye offend thee, pluck it out."  So removing the floor to start over was a spiritual thing.

I also got to wondering about some other things in my life that maybe I need to change.  When we see things that are hurting us, sometimes we need to take Jesus' advice and pluck them out.  Just stop a thing all together.

Removing a thing can be difficult, but it the long run, it may prevent the ceiling of your life from falling in.

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

an itch

2005 Civic

I got the itch to get a new car.  My Honda civic is a 2005.  It has 130,000 miles on it.  It does not have heated seats.  I stewed about this.  I prayed about this.  I wondered if God would tell me to buy a new car.



I waited long enough that the feeling went away.  Hooray!  I went on line and bought a heated seat cover for $20.  Now, I have a heated seat, and no car payment.



heated seat cushion = $20

Next time you feel the itch, wait long enough for the feeling to subside.  There are often many, less expensive ways to solve your problems.

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



heated steering wheel = free.  wear gloves 

someone to listen

I hope that when times are difficult that you have someone to listen to you.  Someone that will let you cry.  Someone that is not bothered by your tears.  Someone that feels that it is an honor to hear the cries of your heart.  It is a blessing to have someone like this in your life. 

It is also a blessing to be someone like this.  Can you listen to a friend today?  Can you take the time to walk with them through a dark valley?  Together, we can make the world a warmer, more beautiful place if we simply make the time to listen.

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

Dad's tools

Mom died first.  Dad got rid of a lot of her stuff.  Then after he died, there was still a lot of stuff.  We split it up three ways.  It was still too much.  I wanted to keep it all, but after a few years, it started to go.  I realized that it was just stuff. 

I did save a few of Dad's things.  One of them was a Craftsman brand set of taps and dies.  That is a specialty tool that you use to clean out threads on a nut or bolt.  That set has sat in my tool box for 10 years.  Finally the other day, I needed it, I got it out, and I used it.  It worked like a charm.

I thought of my Dad and it made me smile.  Somehow, even though they are gone, I sense that they are still with us.  I think he was happy that I used his tool set.  It certainly made me happy to do so.

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

feeling bad

I talked to someone the other day who always struggles with feeling bad.  They said, "it's what I do."  "It's how I was raised."  "There always has to be something that makes me feel that I am not good enough."

Part of me can relate to what they were saying.  There are so many critical voices in the back of our heads, and it should not be so.  Life is short, life is good and God loves us.  What more do we need?

I think it may be a long journey, but all of us need to work to fight off inappropriate guilt.  We waste our days feeling badly when God wants us to celebrate the gift of life.

There is so much good if we can just see it.

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

who will remember

Who played in the Fiesta Bowl this year?  Baylor and UCF.  Other than those players and fans, who will remember in ten years?  Heck, who played in the Fiesta Bowl last year?  We don't remember.  It's just a football game.  Who sponsors the Fiesta Bowl?  Umm.  Hmm.  Tostitos.  Did you know that?  Who cares.  It doesn't matter.  It's just a football game.

And so I think the Chiefs played the Colts a few days ago.  Ouch.  OUCH!  I would like to tell you that no one will remember that.  Except I do remember.  I remember the Superbowl victory when I was 13 years old.  [I won $5 from Eddie Buller on the game] I remember Jan Stenerude missing multiple field goals in 1971.  I remember a lot of painful Chief moments. 

Being a Chiefs fan is like loving a person who will not love you back.  It is such a jilting thing.  Who will remember?  I probably will.  But I have to keep reminding myself, it is only a football game.  It is only a game.  A game.

On the other hand, we who follow Christ are engaged in life.  Real life.  There are so many things out there that are so much more important than football.  Let's keep our eyes on the ball.  God is good and He never lets us down.

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

at the end

Say what you may about the Duck Dynasty program, they always pray at the end of the show.  What a person does at the beginning, and at the end, is a bit telling about who they are in the middle.  To bookend your day with prayer is a good thing.  To bookend your life with an acknowledgement of God is just healthy.

I have been watching a show on Netflix called "Survivors."  Its an old BBC series about people who survive a disease that kills 90% of the population.  During each show they have all sorts of drama and trauma going on.  Characters are kidnapped, they get lost, they run out of gas and things like that.  But at the end of every show, they all come home. The door to the house opens and they all come home.

To end the day by coming home is a good thing.  Home is a good thing.  To pray, to acknowledge God, and to come home...they are all such good and important things.

When today is done, go home, and pray.  Give thanks for the people in your life and the gift of life itself.

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

more on God's voice

It is really dangerous when we hear God telling us to do something that we want to do, something that others might think suspect.  It is so easy to get a person's self in the way of hearing God's voice.  Pretty soon, God told me to buy that car or God told me to do something else which conveniently is exactly what I wanted myself.

Self interest is a very destructive force and can blind a person to what is really going on in the world.  When America was being colonized by the Europeans, several diseases came over with them that the Indians had no immunity towards.  Entire tribes were dying of smallpox, which caused more than one colonist to say, "well, this is just proof that God wills that we should have the land."

Be very careful about claiming God's will to do something that you want to do.  Buy the car if you like, but take responsibility for the decision, don't blame it on the good Lord.

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

God's voice part 2

It has always made me a little nervous to say that I was hearing God's voice.  As a Pastor, one should certainly hear God's voice, but I never liked saying it.  It sounds kind of pretentious to say that one has heard from God.  It is also dangerous.  What if you are wrong?  You know, a good number of people through the years have said that they heard from God about something, and it turned out to be nothing close to God's voice.

I believe that if you hear God's voice or are led by the spirit, you don't have to tell anyone.  They will know it.  They just know it.  There is an old saying, "those who say, don't know, those who know, don't have to say."

I hope that you all hear God's voice.  But more than that, I hope that we all live in such a way that others will look at us and say to themselves, "wow, that person is listening to our Father."

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

Hearing God's voice

We know we hear him when we are doing his will.  Are you helping someone?  Are you being joyful?  Thankful?  Then you might be doing God's will. 

When we break the law, hurt others, steal, ignore our responsibilities, and things like that, we are probably not hearing God's voice.

God's voice produces within us the fruit of the Spirit.  Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Goodness, Kindness, Meekness, and Self-control.  I missed one, but you get the idea.

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

first world problems

I am intrigued by the issue of "first world problems."  First world problems are problems that folks like us, that live in wealthy countries have, that most other people around the world would never worry about or never have the chance to worry about.  Many of the things that we used to consider normal problems, are in fact, first world problems.

-I had to park a long way from the entrance.
-someone cut me off in traffic
-we are having a very cold winter
-they stopped making my favorite kind of _____.
-my car broke down.
-my Internet is down
-my phone is dropping calls
-my boss is annoying

Those are all first world problems.  Real problems on the other hand, would include things like hunger, rape, human trafficking, a dictator, or disease.

The apostle Paul said that he had learned in all things to be content.  What kind of things are bothering you?

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

quote from a friend

Sometimes I wonder if people are hearing some of what I am trying to say.  A friend sent this and it made me happy.  It strikes right at the heart of something that I feel is so important in life.

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

hate

I was watching a post-apocalyptic show last week.  It is one of my favorite genres of movies.  [post nuclear war, famine, societal breakdown, scare resources, people struggling to survive and fine meaning] There was a scene where folks had a tense run in with some bad guys.  After the encounter was over, they talked about how much they hated them.

Then one of the brighter characters said, "I don't have the strength to hate anymore."  I loved it.  I don't have the strength to hate anymore!  Why waste the time?  Why waste the energy?  When we hate, we are the losers.  Usually the other person does not even know they are loathed.  Or they know and don't care.  We are the ones that get eaten up by hatred.

Life is too short.  Life is too good.  Don't waste your strength on hatred.  Love is so much better.

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

persistence

I will probably be writing a good deal about Lou the Schnauzer.  We think he is nearing the end.  He will be 13 on May 5th. 

He can't see, he can't jump, he can only go up one or two stairs, and that very slowly.  He runs into things.  He is routinely lost.  But, but, but- he still barks at every stranger that comes into his house.  He does not miss an opportunity to bark at someone he does not know.

Persistent little dude.  You have to admire that.  Sometimes we give up too soon.  Persistence is a virtue.   Many things in life never happen because we gave up too soon.  And many great things were accomplished, with great persistence.

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

inclement weather

Good Morning-

There is about three inches of snow on the ground at 6:15am.  Snow continues to fall and is blowing.  The church lot is being plowed at this very moment.

We will be holding services per our usual schedule of 8:00am, 9:05am, 10:10am and 11:15am.

If the weather keeps you from attending, we invite you to worship with us on live streaming by going to the web site

https://new.livestream.com/woodschapel

note- do not type the "WWW"

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

a good report

I had some things checked out last week.  I got a good report.  A friend had a tumor removed.  She waited and waited for the results.  Then she got a good report.

Not everyone gets a good report, not every time.  The day is coming for most of us that we will get a report that we do not want to hear. 

But for today, let's celebrate every good report that we can.

God is good and life is amazing.  Let's give thanks for every moment that God gives us.  "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to say thank you.

search and rescue

Poor old Lou is having a bad time.  He is failing in health and is totally blind.  I let him out to do his business the other night.  There was an inch of snow on the ground.  I turned my back for a moment and he was gone.  I called him and looked a bit, but he had bolted.  Surely off chasing [blindly] the smell of some deer, raccoon or antelope.

It was really cold.  I went back inside and got my cold weather gear.  Freezing cold, pitch black of the night, I am going to find this dog.  Heaviest gloves, heaviest coat, Russian hat, hood, boots, all zipped up tight.  My best flashlight.

Off I went on the search.  I tracked him like an Indian.  I followed his little footsteps in the moonlit snow.  Across our yard, across Cooks, across John's, into John's backyard and into the woods.  I am calling him and it occurs to me- how do you see a black dog on a black night?

I was about to give up and then he just appeared.  Boom.  There he was.  I think he was glad to find me.  I was probably more worried about it than he was.  He didn't even know that he was lost.  He is back home now and resting safely, but he did make me a little nervous.  We sure love our pets don't we?

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

procedure

So, when you are over 50, they want you to have certain tests.  Some of them are embarrassing.  When I was 50 I had one of those, and they removed some growths.  So I had to have it again this year.  This week in fact.

So, I woke up one morning, and was not allowed to eat for 36 hours.  Let me tell you, by the time the test started, I was hungry.  HUNGRY.  It was comforting to know that as soon as the test was over I could eat, but I could not help but think about people who are hungry all the time.  We are so blessed.  We have so much.  There are people in this world who are hungry every day. 

Anything that we can do to simply feed people is just good.  I have no argument with any program that feeds people.  If you have plenty to eat today, please don't take it for granted.  It is a blessing.  Food is a blessing.  I was hungry and you fed me.  Jesus said that.

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

lecture part 2

I heard something else that I found interesting in the lecture.  The speaker was talking about the separation of church and state.  He noted that in Europe, they have state churches and they are almost completely dead.  Here in America there is a separation, and the level of people's religious activity is much higher in the states.

He suggests the reason for this is not the condition of the churches, but the state of politicians.  He said that no one trusts politicians.  The minute they get in the middle of something, it gets corrupted and people don't want to have anything to do with it anymore.

He suggested that if we created a God-centered state in America, that people would flee from it because the politicians would pollute it.  He suggested that we celebrate our system as it is.

I am thinking about this.

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

perspective

I was listening to a lecture the other day and the speaker was talking about the Protestant reformation that took place in the 1500's.

Early Protestants referred to this period as being "a time of the outbreak of truth."  Early Catholics referred to it as "a time of the outbreak of heresy."

Consider your position on a thing or on a topic.  Are you sure you see it the right way?  Is it possible that someone else, maybe even someone close to you might see the thing or topic exactly the opposite of you?

I am coming to believe that we are not as smart as we think we are.  We need to learn to trust in God more and not be so full of ourselves.  May your new year be filled with a trusting in God.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths.
                                         Proverbs 3:5-7

Happy New Year!

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

Orion

When I was in Jr. High school I was a member of the astronomy club.  We had weekly meetings and would occasionally go out to remote parks to look at the stars.  I have always been interested in telescopes.

Having said all of that, I really just know two constellations: the big dipper and Orion the hunter.  My Dad taught me the big dipper.  Orion is a throwback from the astronomy club.  Orion is a winter constellation.  I have watched it rise and fall in the Eastern sky during the winter months each year since I was 13.

Orion is back now, reminding me of the passing of another season. 

Millions of people before me, before us, have looked at the night sky and contemplated the amazing wonder of God.  There is a happy

peace that comes to me from looking up and seeing Orion.  The caring hand and watchful eye of our Father is forever upon us.

"The heavens declare the glory of God, the sky proclaims the work of His hands."  Psalm 19:1

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

hawks

The red tail hawks are back.  I am not sure why, but I love watching these guys.  They appear to be loners, as I never see them together.  They are here in the  cold weather and gone when it warms up.  You will see them in the trees and atop the telephone poles along 291, Anderson Drive, and Lakewood way.  They seem to have territories as they keep about 100 yards apart.

I have seen them snag a snake, mice, and pigeons.  They are quite beautiful.  They are powerful and strong.  Another one of God's amazing creatures.

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

I loved this

I loved this saying of G.K. Chesterton-

You say grace before meals, that's all right.

But I say grace before the play and the opera,
and grace before the concert and pantomime,
and grace before I open a book,
and grace before sketching, painting,
swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing,
and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.

He called this his complete intoxication before life.

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

singing

Someone noticed that I was not singing in a service on Christmas Eve.  They asked me about it.

It reminded me of a joke.  Why couldn't the pony talk?  He was a little hoarse.

I told them, yes, you caught me.  I was not singing.  Sometimes I don't.  Now I love to sing, and I love to participate, but when it comes to verbal things I have to be careful.  We have lots of services and if my voice fully participates in each one, I will likely have nothing to give for the later worship times.

Please understand and sing louder yourself to make up for me.

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

lights

When I was a kid we had Christmas lights on our house.  Dad put them up until I got old enough to do so, then he gladly retired from that task.  So as we have been able over the years, we put Christmas lights on our house.

When the kids got into high school, we switched to Blue Springs South colors: green and blue.  Don't think anything funny if your kids go to a different high school, I love all of our schools, my kids just happened to go to South so we put up South colors.

In the picture, there are two aberrations.  The one on the upper right is a reflection from the street light.  The red light in the top center is a lone red light.  Amid the blue and green, a lone red light.  Why?  What does it mean?

I put the one red light up, because nothing is perfect.  Because life is good, but not perfect.  It has a bit of a reminder quality.  It has a bit of an attitude.  A sense of humor.  Oops!
Boing!  Life- wonderful, but not perfect.

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

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

thank you

I want to say thank you to everyone who worked to make the Christmas season wonderful.  For those who led the children's pageant and the children of course.  For those who sang and played in the cantata.  For the Jazz band and their wonderful concert.

For all of the singers, ringers, players, readers, hospitality, ushers and otherwise who helped make Christmas eve wonderful.

You are a fabulous bunch and I am the most fortunate pastor in the world.  Thanks for the cards and gifts.  I love you all.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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

Merry Christmas

I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas.

May the joys of family and friends warm your heart.
May the knowledge that you are loved fill you to the fullest.
May your future be filled with hope.

Christ is born.
There is much to celebrate!
Thanks for being my friend.

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

Christmas Eve

Today is Christmas Eve.  It's a busy day at the church, but it is a great day to be in church. 

I know that every day is the same.  I know that every day is a gift from God.  But there is something unexplainably magical about Christmas Eve.

Hot Chocolate.  Family and Friends.  Sitting by the tree.  Wonderful Music.  Giving thanks for the last year.  Giving thanks for life itself.  Appreciating God.  Candle lighting at church.  It is indeed the most wonderful time of the year.

Today we have services at 10am, 4pm, 530pm, 7pm, 830pm and 11pm.  You are invited and welcome to attend.  If you live far from here we invite you to watch our services live on the web or attend the local church of your choice.

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

a great thought

I recently read an article by Lauren Martin that I found quite helpful and profound.  The article was about overthinking things.  Dwelling on things.  Many things happen that bother us and linger painfully in our hearts.  We should let them go, but sometimes it is difficult.

Here is one of the main quotes from the article, "the only thing that keeps making this thing a thing is that you keep thinking about it."

In other words, let it go.  Just stop thinking about it.  It has no power over you unless you allow it to have power over you.

If you would like to read the full article, here is the link:
http://www.govexec.com/excellence/promising-practices/2013/12/3-reasons-why-overthinking-root-all-your-problems/74870/

I would also say that this kind of thinking is very helpful in learning to worry less.  Jesus was big on that.  Learning to worry less so we can just simply live.  Worry less, celebrate more.

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

coats

back seat filled up to the windows!

I love coats.  I have a thing for jackets.  I own too many.   My Dad would have asked me, "Son, how many of these can you wear at once?"  Well I know that we take coats to Westport, so I scheduled a day to take a few down.

I mentioned it to staff that I was going to Westport and one person had me stop by their house and pick up 4 coats that they wanted to send.  Amy and Missy loaded me up with coats from the missions room.  And I mean that they loaded me up.

he was very appreciative

The passenger seat and floorboard in my truck were filled.  There is a jump seat in back - it's a super cab for you f-150 fans.  Not a 4 door, but like a door and a half.  Anyway, the back end was packed too.  I had to smush them down so that I could see out the back window.

When I got there, a gentleman sitting on the step asked for a coat.  He was so very glad to get this black and blue coat that one of you donated.  He let me take his picture.

A small act of kindness on your part made a big difference in his life and the lives of many who are cold this time of year.

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

snow

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.  Well, they are predicting snow for today and into tonight.  That means that several of you will wonder if we will be having church.  Some of you will watch the TV to see if Woods Chapel is cancelled.

We will not be cancelled.  We will be having church.  We will always have church. 
Be safe, but if you can make it, we will be here. 

Now let me say this, please do not skip church because it snowed and then go out to shop.  If we can make it to shop or make it to the Chief's game, then we can make it to God's house.  I have found that the days when we make an extra effort to be there, we often find a greater blessing.

We will be open for business.  Free hugs to all who make it tomorrow.

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

my name is

When I came to Woods Chapel, people called me Steve for months.  That was the name of their prior pastor - a great guy by the way.

I took no offense to being called Steve.  I figured that it would take time for folks to learn my name.

Recently there has been a rash of folks that want to call me Jim.  I guess I will answer to that.  I actually find some consolation in the fact that some folks are having trouble with my name.  I am ok with that because I don't remember every person's name either.

But for the record.  I am Jeff.  Or if you are mad, follow my mother's lead when she was mad and call me Jeffrey Scott.

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

favorite Christmas songs

There are of course many great Christmas songs, but here are some of my favorite:

Hark the Herald Angels Sing
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Once in Royal David's City
In the Bleak Mid-winter

How many of those four are you familiar with?  Probably all of you know Hark the Herald Angels sing, but do you know the others?  Learning new and obscure songs is kind of cool.  If you don't know the others here are some youtube links: 

I heard the Bells on Christmas Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOGz9WqNQoI

Once in David's Royal City
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMGMV-fujUY

In the Bleak Midwinter [this just brought me to tears]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hs9-Sxf9j4

Do you know any obscure Christmas songs that I should learn?

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

winter driving

Last Friday I went to a wedding rehearsal at the Elms in Excelsior Springs.  This was the evening when they were forecasting ice and 2-4 inches of snow. 

Fortunately in addition to the 05 Honda Civic, We have a 2001 Ford 4x4 truck.  It gets about 12 miles to the gallon, so it does not get out much, but in the winter, it is a life saver.  So I prepared for the worst.  I made a packet of food and water.  I packed a blanket and warm clothes.  I charged my phone and gassed up the truck.

Everything went pretty well on the way up there, except that I ate all of the food that I had packed for an emergency.  The way home was slower and colder, but I made it there and back safe.

I was a boy scout.  Be prepared.  If  you are going out in the elements, there are some things that you should do.  Gas up your car, pack food and water, pack extra warm clothes.  It is better to be safe than sorry.

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

I still miss them

I thought I was over the loss of my parents.  I thought I had healed.  Mom died in 1995 and Dad in 2002.  Last week I visited both hospitals where they died.  I hit both of them in the same day.

I visited a man on the same floor that mom was in at St. Joe and I visited a man in ICU at Research.  For some reason, going to Research was really difficult.  I was not expecting it.  The halls are long at Research and the longer I walked and the closer I got I could feel myself going back in time. 

I felt sad and alone.  I started to tear up.  It all came rushing back.  I miss them.  I guess that is a good thing.  Paul and Mary, you are not forgotten.  Thanks for doing your best.....

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

what do I want for Christmas

The kids are starting to ask what I want for Christmas.  One of them just got a big fat raise and so I told that one that I wanted a lot of things, and really expensive things!  I was just kidding.

Really I don't want anything.  I don't need anything.  I tell my kids that I want them to go with me to Westport or somewhere to care for those less fortunate.  I want to  spend time with them doing something meaningful. 

I am more interested in spending time with them than getting things.  Is that because I have everything?  No I don't have everything, but they are not going to buy me a Mustang are they?  Is it because I am older?  Is it because I have met so many people in the world that have so little?
I don't know why I don't want anything.  Maybe I wanted so much when I was a kid, that my wanter is all wanted out.  Anyway, it is nice to just enjoy the time, the season and the peace that God can give. 

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

funny or serious

There are some very serious issues in this world.  Injustice, hunger, starvation, death.  We should pray for all of them and do everything that we can to make a difference in the world.  Christians should be positively engaged in the world.

Yesterday I wrote a post about praying that it would not snow on the weekend so that we could all get to church.  I wrote it in a moment of levity.  I did not mean to demean or ignore the real issues of life that we should be praying about.  I was looking for a funny way to remind the Methodists that 1" of snow should not keep us  away from church.

This blog is not always going to be serious.  This blog is not a sermon.  It's about life, all of life.  Life has to have it's moments of levity.  I hope you allow yourself to enjoy and celebrate life without forgetting the weightier issues.

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

Dear Lord,

Dear Lord, The weatherman told us that we would all wake up to a little snow today.  Can you please make it snow during the week and not on the weekend?  When it snows on the weekend, kids don't get out of school.  They don't get the extra days to sled and play in the snow.  Lord, don't you want the kids to have fun?

And Lord, when it snows on the weekend, some good Methodists will skip church.  Here I have worked all week on this sermon and an inch of snow is going to keep some of them away.  I hear that they might be seen out to lunch or shopping later that day, but I just can't believe that.

So, Lord, if you care for kids and your church, please have it stop snowing on the weekends.  Snowing during the week is good for kids and it's better for church attendance.  Thanks for listening.

Amen.

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

funny

I guess I used to be funnier.  When I was younger I was funnier.  More funny.  Funnier than I am now.  More funny things from the pulpit.  Some people miss that. 

Maybe I miss that too. 

Life has a way of wearing on you.  Real life, adult problems.  The innocence of youth is often tempered by the grinding cadence of adult problems.

The larger our church gets, the more problems I hear about.  It all takes it's toll.  But, just for fun, one of these days, I should tell a joke in church and play the guitar and sing.  What do you think?

Sometimes the best medicine is to remember the joy of lighter days.  Either way, it's all good.  Life is good.

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

a painful memory

For some reason I thought of this story. 

I am 12 years old.  We just bought a basketball goal.  I had never had one before, and I thought it was the coolest thing. 

I went out to play on it all the time.  Then it got cold.  Winter.  No one warned me about what can happen to your fingers in the cold.  I played for hours.  Day after day.  I noticed the tips of my fingers getting sore, but I didn't think that much about it because I had never had this problem before.  But after prolonged play in very cold weather, all ten of my finger tips cracked.  The picture here does not do the situation justice.  They were really dry and cracked and painful.  All ten of them!

Painful, bloody, cracks.  It took weeks for them to heal.  I have never done that since.  I guess that is one benefit of really making a painful mistake, we rarely repeat them.

So if you have done something that hurt yourself, take heart, at least we probably won't do that again for a long time.

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

the power of the Holy Spirit

I continue to be amazed at the power of the Holy Spirit to reach people.  I should not be amazed by that,  but it is very interesting to watch it happen.

Sometimes we humans like to act like the Holy Spirit, telling people what to do and how to do it.  But the Holy Spirit really does  not need our help as much as we might think.   

God was reaching people before preachers existed.  Imagine that!  God reaching someone in their car, in their home, in their dreams. 

When people are ready, they don't need any pressure from us.  God can do the work.  I love to hear the stories of how God has reached into a person's life.  They are amazing stories.  And more often then not, no preacher was needed.

What is God doing in your life?  Is he pulling you towards himself?

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

thanks

Someone stopped me on Sunday and asked how I was doing.  Not in a passing way, but they were asking for real - HOW are YOU doing Jeff?  To that person who asked how I was doing on Sunday:  Thanks.   Thanks a bunch.  Your kindness means the world.   I am fine, but I appreciate the candid question. 

Is there someone in your world, in your office, in your life that you might want to ask that question to?  How are you doing?  Really, how are you doing?  You have the power to make someone's day.

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

making new friends

When you go to church, do you see people that you don't know?  What would happen if every single one of us introduced ourselves to one new person each week?

Families are invested in each other.  I know that you already know some folks, but what's wrong with meeting a few more?  What is wrong with expanding the size of your family of friends?

Show some hospitality.  Make  a new rule.  From now on, I promise to meet one new person every single week.  You may make some great new friends.  Jesus is always looking for new friends.

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

from a friend.......

A friend shared this with me.......

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

garage door

I lose my keys.  I lose my wallet.  I always find them - right where I left them.  One of my favorite authors tells me that if you can't remember where you put things, then you are

in too big of a hurry.  He suggests that we slow down and savor the moment of emptying our pockets, of setting out the collection of things from the day.   What most of us do is set our stuff down, all the while our brain is already in another room.  No wonder we can't remember where we put anything.

And so there is that garage door.  That darn door.  I shut it almost every time I leave the house.  But, I rarely remember doing this.  At least three times a week I have to turn around and go back home to check and make sure.  Now I am usually just a few blocks away from home when I turn around, but I go back to check that the door is down way too often.

I guess I need to learn to savor the lowering of the garage door.  I need to live in the moment and the joy of that instead of rushing off to begin the day.

You know, when I think about that, it bears some merit.  Many people in this world do not own a home, much less a home with a garage or an automatic garage door opening device.  Maybe I should stop to be thankful every time I push that button.  Maybe that would turn a frustrating moment of forgetfulness into a brief time of prayer and thanksgiving.

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

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to my dear wife Cathy.  Today she is 29 years old.  She is wonderful and delightful and the older I get, the more I like her.  It is an interesting thing, being married for a long time.  It starts to feel like an old shoe or a pair of jeans that has acclimated to your shape.  It just fits.

Join me in wishing her a happy day.  She is a delightful soul.

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

behavior

Behavior.  Some of it I like and some of it I don't.  I have values.  But I am not throwing you or anyone else away.

I don't like everything that everyone does.  I don't condone what everyone else does.  I don't even understand what everyone else does.  I am not going to do some of what I see others doing.

But I am not throwing them away.  Or you.  I hope you won't throw me away if you see something in me that you don't like.  When we love people, [and that is why we are here on this earth] we love them in spite of their warts.  Plain and simple.  When we dispense our love only to the worthy, we don't get to give very much of it away.

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

sometimes

Sometimes I don't understand.  Sometimes you won't understand.  There are things that we see in this world that we can't explain.  We don't have power over them and we don't know all the details. 

I don't like a thing, but I am powerless to change it.  I know there is more to the story.  It is certainly more complicated than I know.  But I still don't like it.

I can quit.  Or I can hang in there.  Every job, every marriage, every church, every country is going to have things in it that we don't understand and we cannot control.  Don't quit your job, divorce your spouse, go looking for the perfect church or renounce your citizenship.

We just aren't going to know all the details.  We just don't  know the entire story.  It is still a great job.  A great marriage, a great kid, a great church, a great country.  Let me focus on the good and worry less on the rest.

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

ten reasons

I read a couple of articles the other day on the internet about managing money.  I thought they were wonderful.  They were like, Ten reasons why you will never be rich......

Here are some of the highlights, and I added some of my own:

• you spend money like you are already rich.
• you don't have a plan.
• you don't have an emergency fund set up.
• you don't save.
• you started to save too late.
• you neglected retirement.
• you sacrificed tomorrow for today.
• you did not invest in an education that will put you into a good job.
• you have too much debt.
• you pay too many fees.
• you are easily influenced.
• you have no budget.
• you don't pay attention to the budget that you have.
• you don't track expenses.
• you don't balance your account each month.
• you don't save via automatic withdrawals.
• you buy high and sell low.
• you buy everything new.
• you think you deserve the best.
• you try to keep up with the Jones'
• you are living a life of consumption rather than generosity.
• you try to retire too early.
• you have no sense of urgency.
• you would rather complain than commit to change.

Here are the links if you want to read it all.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/10-reasons-not-rich-yet-000000742.html?page=1

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/10-reasons-youll-never-rich-050001764.html

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

three things

I rolled out of bed early the other day.  I had three things on my mind.  Three things.  In the middle of the night.  I can't stop thinking of them.  Over and over my mind is thinking about them.  I am dreaming, thinking of them.  No I am awake thinking of them.  I don't know for sure, but I can't stop thinking of them.  Three random things.  Here they are:

1. I don't feel well.  They Mexican food from last night is upsetting my sleep.  No more green sauce for me.
2. The movie Pitch Perfect.  The songs are going through my head.  "When you walk on by, will you call my name...."
3. The sermon.  It's being preached in my head, over and over.  This is not a bad thing.

So, I couldn't take it anymore.  I rolled out of bed and got to work.  I took an antacid.  I sang some songs from the movie.  I worked on the sermon.  Finally, I am at peace and can get on with the day.

What do I take from this dumb little story?   Our minds are amazing.  Incredible.  They are certainly a gift from God if not a spiritual thing.  They are beyond our understanding.  To think that in the middle of the night, while I am sleeping, my brain is still working.  And on all kinds of things.  Amazing.

I pause in this moment to marvel at the wonder of our minds, our bodies, our lives.  Thank you God.

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

What would Jesus do?

Judgment or welcome?  Which do you choose?  I am often asked, "if Jesus loved everyone and welcomed sinners, why do so many churches push people away with judgment?"

It is a very good question.  I don't know why.  The only people that Jesus squared off with were the Pharisees.  Everyone else, he welcomed.

In my opinion, churches should focus less on judgment and more on welcome.  On, loving people instead of trying to straighten them out.  It is the job of the Holy Spirit to straighten people out.

Life is too good and too short.  Give to others what you want Jesus to give to you- open arms, a loving heart and a sincere welcome.

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