listening

I am starting to get old enough that I think I can begin to talk from experience.  One of the things that I have learned over the years is that people want you to listen to them.  They want to be heard.  They want someone to understand them.

Often we never move past conflict, because we care about our own ideas more than the other people involved.  People are always more important than ideas.  People are more important than ideas.  I repeated that on purpose. 

Even if you can't fix a thing, people always feel better when you take time to care about them.  Listen to them.  Look them in the eye.  Value them.

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

thoughts on Ash Wednesday past

I am always touched by the Ash Wednesday services.  There is such a variety of people.  People that I have never seen before.  New members that I have just met.  A newly adopted child.  People that I have put ashes on their foreheads for 20 years.  It is just an amazing night.

It is a time when we are up close and personal.  I can see into the hearts of the people.  Some glad to be in God's house.  Some very repentant.  Some desperately hoping that God will meet them there.  And he always does.

It is such a satisfying time of worship. 

Thank you all for being a part of this church family.  I am the most fortunate pastor that I know.

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

baseball

I had a dream the other night.  I dreamed that it was baseball season.  :-).  I had on my Royal's gear and we were going to the game.  The weather was warm and it was a happy time.

I have had dreams that were scary.  I have had dreams that were sad.  I have had many dreams that I don't remember.  It is a great joy to have a happy dream and wake up with joy.

Soon the cold weather will give way to spring and the boys of summer will be on the field.  And I will be watching.  Some times dreams do come true.

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

dancing

I love dancing, but whose idea was dancing with the stars?  Who picks the stars?  Yikes.  We must really be bored at night to support shows like this.  Maybe I am jealous.

One day soon, the show will be cancelled and we will go on to something else.  I can't wait.  I grow tired of the commercials celebrating the new season of the show.

In a world filled with problems, we give the country dancing with the stars.

Sorry for the rant.  Sorry if it is a show that you like.  But while I am at it, whose idea were the housewife shows?  We like watching these people fight?  Ugh.  What is the world coming to?

There is still meaning in this world, but we find little of it on TV.

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

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday.  You are invited to come to church tonight.  We have a soup supper in the fellowship hall and gym downstairs, from 6-8pm.

From 6-730 you are invited to come to the sanctuary for a time of prayer, imposition of ashes and Holy Communion.  It is one of my favorite services of the year.  It is a time that is private, quiet, sacred, and so very meaningful.

I hope you will join us.

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

avoid downtown

A word to the wise.  Avoid downtown today.

All the high school bands will be assembling and preparing to March forth.

March 4th. 

Ha.  Ha.  ........Ha H

That is the oldest joke that I know.  My Grandmother taught it to my mother, who taught it to me.  There is a comfort in the cadence of life and certain dates.  This joke will be told every year.  And probably, painfully, by my children after I am gone.

I also have a St Patrick's day Joke, a Thanksgiving joke and some Christmas Jokes.

Humor is good for the soul.  Watch out for the bands practicing today.

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

Dad

I was reading thru some old emails and last year someone was asking about my Dad.  What did he do the year he was unemployed?  What did he do for the last seven years of his life after mom passed?


Dad was an engineer for Ford Motor Company.  Actually his degree was in Mathematics, but he did the job of an engineer so that was his title.  In 1974, we lived in California.  Dad worked at the Ford plant in Milpitas, in the south bay.  After the oil embargo, gas prices went up and the car industry was in shambles.  Dad was caught up in plant closings and staff reductions.


During that time, he refused to take lesser jobs that seemed menial to him.  He was an engineer and by golly, he was going to make it back.  He applied a lot of places, but nothing panned out.  We went through the entire family savings.  For the only time in my life, my mother went to work.  We ate a lot of hot dogs.


Finally after over a year, Dad got back on with Ford in Kansas City.  He was great with that because he thought California was nutty.  He worked hard his entire life and he never let you see him sweat. I know during the time that he was unemployed, he was worried about his family and being a good provider.


His advice was always simple.  Do the right thing.  Put one foot in front of the other.  You know what to do.  Go do it.


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

Snow Report

This is the Woods Chapel Snow Report for Sunday March 2nd.

My driveway had 1- 1 1/2 inches of snow.  There was no ice.

Major side streets are clear.  Anderson, Lakewood Blvd, 291 and Lakewood way are all being plowed.  The church lot is being plowed as we report this.

We will be holding all services.  Use discretion as to whether you wish to travel to church.  It is very cold out there.

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

great people

Yes we are having church today.

I was thinking the other day about great people.  Abraham Lincoln.  Gandhi.  Helen Keller.  And so on.  Then it occurred to  me that I am surrounded by great people.  I mean exceptional people.  People that love life.  People that are working to set aside selfishness.  People that care.  People that think.  People that see that we are all souls on this journey. 

I received the quote in this picture from one of them.  Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living.  We sometimes think of great people as famous people, and we look right past the amazing people that God has put in our lives. I am so thankful that I journey in this life with such great and exceptional people.

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

oil change

Friday is my day off.  I took the car to get an oil change.  I knew immediately that something was wrong.  I pulled into the driveway at the garage and no one came out to talk to me.  I waited and waited.  Finally a grouchy young man came out and I told him I wanted an oil change.

He said to leave the car lined up in front of the garage and go inside.  Inside I waited for 15 minutes for someone to take my name and order.  I watched them work.  All three employees were angry about something.  They worked slowly and there was no sense of them working together.  They did not appear to like each other.

I went and got a sandwich.  When I came back, the manager took my money and we talked.  One of his employees had called in sick.  One of them left early.  Corporate had issued a groupon and they were slammed with work. 

By the time I got done listening to him, I felt differently about the place.  They were doing the best that they could with a very short staff.  They were working under great pressure and it affected them. I felt sorry for them. 

There is usually  another side to what ever story we are working on.  If there is someone that you are upset with or tired of, give them some grace.  Who knows what is really going on in their garage.

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

one thing at a time

We are all so busy.  Hurry.  Hurry.  Hurry.  Life comes and goes so fast.  Multi-task.  Hurry.  Get more done with less.

When I was in Seminary one of the things that they told us is this: when life gets crazy, focus on one thing at a time.  So you have a sermon to preach for Sunday, a wedding to do on the Saturday night before, and now a funeral for Saturday morning.

They said, prepare a bit for all of them, but focus on the funeral the most.  First things first.  After it is over, spend all day on Saturday getting ready for the wedding.  After the wedding, your mind is free to make sure the sermon is done.  Don't let it get all mixed up in your head.

They were suggesting something that I have often found to be true......if you try to do everything at once, it can all get confused and messed up in your brain.  Focusing on one thing at a time is something that I have found to be helpful.  The other things can wait a bit for me to get to them.  They aren't going anywhere after all.

Slow down.  Work on the one important thing.  Then go on to the next.  It will be there when you arrive.  Take a breath and hear the birds sing.

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

kids

I miss my kids.  I had to tell someone.  I looked forward to being an empty nester, and now I miss them.  I blinked and they grew up.  I don't think I would turn back time.  Last time I checked, you can't.  But, sometimes, I miss them.  I miss talking to them and listening to them and hugging them and watching them.


I love them.  One is in Chicago, one in Orlando, and the third is here in town, but travels every week.


I am sure this is a stage that I need to adjust to.  I don't want to guilt them into moving back or coming over all the time, but I just miss them.  I think missing someone is a residual of love.  I am glad that they are not gone for good.  They are pretty special kids.


I thank God for the chance to miss someone or some thing or some time or some place.  It means that we loved them.  And in this life, to love someone or something is an amazing and wonderful gift.


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

awake

I have been thinking about this lately.  Someone said that the essence of spirituality is to wake up.


One can be a Christian, but be asleep.  One can believe the right things and do the right things that make you a Christian, yet be asleep.


When one wakes up in this life it is like something amazing has happened.  You see the day with a new joy.  You understand that every moment is a gift from God.  If you complain about something, you are later embarrassed because you know how wonderful life is.  You begin to see people as blessed children of God instead of annoyances.


To  wake up is to feel and know that God loves you.  It is to relish in the miracle of sight.  It is to find joy in the care of a friend.


Life is too good and too short for us to be satisfied with a whiny unhappy life filled with complaints about one thing or another.  When all the while we are surrounded by such wonder. 


Believing is good.  Believe in God.  Right.  But....... wake up and see the wonder, the amazing miraculous joyful good that God has brought to us.


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

low maintenance

I mentioned this phrase in yesterday's post and it got me to thinking.


When a car has too many maintenance issues, we usually look for another.  We Americans want to enjoy a thing and not be dominated by taking care of a thing.


The same is often true of friendships.  Are you annoyed when people insist that you be their best friend?  Are you annoyed when they put the guilt on you because they have not seen you for a while? 


Low maintenance friends are the kind of people that you love, and they love you, but you still get to have a life.  They aren't upset if you have other friends.  They don't get their feelings hurt if you hang out with others.  They never complain about not seeing you.  You may go months without hanging out, but when you do, something amazing happens.  Grace shows up.  Joy is on the table.  You are just glad to be together.  You understand that they are busy and they understand the same about you.  You catch up and it is like you were never apart.


I think of such people so fondly and I value them so much.  I hope that you have some low maintenance friends.


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

happy birthday

I was invited to a birthday party for a person.  I have known this person for many years.  We have been friends - what I like to call "low maintenance friends."  We have lunch a couple times a year.  We have never gone on vacations together, but I am always glad to see him and there is a kindred spirit between us.


I was sitting down to write on his birthday card and it occurred to me that he probably has no idea how much I really value him.  So instead of the customary "happy birthday from me," I wrote him a pretty long note.


I told him that I remembered the first time that we met.  I remember thinking, "what a cool guy."  I told him how much I valued him.  I told him that I wanted to take a moment to honor the kind of person that he is.


I think he will like the card.  I hope so.  But I got to thinking about how many other people there are in the world or in the church or in my family that don't know how I feel about them.  I am going to go on a campaign I think to start telling people how I feel about them.


I think you can bring a lot of joy to people when they find out how much you value them.


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

names

Forgive me for I have forgotten your name.  I try really hard, but my brain is full.  My brain is like an old computer.  There is way too much going on for me to remember everything.

You are valuable to me.  I want to know your name.  It takes me longer to learn names than it used to.  Please understand and please keep telling me your name.  Also, it would be really helpful if you would wear your name tags.  I feel smarter when people wear their name tags.  You don't have to be a member to have a name tag.  They are easily obtained by marking the spot on the bulletin stub.

Sometimes I know a person's name and I know I know it, but I just can't find it in my head.  Please be patient with me and keep teaching me.  I will one day soon look you in the eye and call you by name.

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

quote

This is one of the reasons why Richard Rohr is one of my favorite authors.  He writes a great deal about prayer and our relationship to God.  In his  book Simplicity, he states, "If you are filled with yourself, there is no room for another, and certainly not God."

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

Jamie Coots

Coming soon to Woods Chapel

Jamie Coots was a pastor in Kentucky.  A snake handling preacher.  Yikes.  I say he was a pastor, because he died this week of a snake bite.

Snake handlers base the practice off of one verse in Mark 16.  The verse is in an alternate ending of the book of Mark that is not included in the earliest copies of the Bible.

At any rate, Jamie Coots is dead.  I have a few thoughts on this.  How sad.  How very sad.  We should not tempt God.  Don't try to prove your faith by walking a tight wire.  Don't test God.  Wear your seatbelt when you drive.  Just be normal for heavens sake.  Spirituality is proven by relevance, not by special signs and wonders.

You loving me and me loving you is all the sign that God needs.

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

Hailey Owens

Our hearts go out in grief to the family of ten year old Hailey Owens of Springfield, MO. 

As for the man who harmed her- well, I have many thoughts and feelings.  Sometimes we have to leave a thing in God's hands.  Some things are just beyond our comprehension and our anger has no place to go.

I take comfort in the fact that Jesus was also upset with anyone who would hurt a child.  He indicated that it would be better for them if a millstone was tied to their neck and they be tossed into the sea.

God's heart breaks when our hearts break.  He stands with us in our grief.

another quote

There are a few things that are taped to my computer screen.  I look at them every day.  There are a couple of prayers that are very personal.  There is the phone number to a counselor that I refer a lot of people to.  There is my wife's direct dial phone number to her desk.  {I know her cell phone, but for some reason I can't remember her hard line number.} There is a note from my daughter- see the attached picture.

And there is this quote. 
"Excellence is the gradual result of constantly striving to do better."  Pat Riley. 
It is a pretty good explanation of how I go about trying to do what I do.  You just get up every day and do your best.  You keep after a thing.  You try to fix the things that are broken.  And guess what, little by little, the ship is turned and we get headed in the right direction.

Excellence is the gradual result of constantly striving to do better.

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

from a dentist friend

While I am on the subject of dentists, what is the best time to go to the dentist?  2:30.

What is a dentist's favorite psalm?  Psalm 81:10 "Open wide thy mouth, and I will fill it."

by the way if you missed the first line, 2:30 translates into "tooth hurty."

So here is what I got from my dentist friend..........a quote about how he has chosen to live his life:

  "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.  Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.  Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.  Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.  Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."

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

thank you

So we hosted a funeral meal at the church on Saturday.  You never get much warning for these things because funerals are usually not planned in advance.  So someone puts out the word for help, and wonderful ladies come to help.  I walk in the door after the funeral and the meal is all ready to go.  These gals gave their Saturday afternoon to help a grieving family.  I am not surprised, but I am very grateful.

Thank you to all of you who do some much to help people in their moment of need.

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

The Olympics

Well it is very exciting to watch the Olympics on TV.  Team USA beat the Russians in hockey.  Very exciting. 

I also enjoy watching curling.  Have you watched curling?  I am not sure why I like it.  It is kind of funny.  I have a feeling that I could be on the curling team.  I love to hear them yelling.  They take it all so seriously.

Maybe that is it.  So much excitement for a game that looks pretty simple.  Like us fighting over a game of darts or shuffleboard.  We humans get excited about all kind of things that really don't matter.

The things that you and I get excited about.  Are they really that important? 

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

in my next life

In my next life, I am going to have Saturdays off.  I won't have to make sure a sermon is ready or do anything for Sunday.  I will just hang out, mow the grass, grill out and go listen to some music downtown.  Then I will go to bed and sleep in.  I will wake up late and go to the late service.  I might even sing in the choir, who knows?   All of that is in my next life.

But today is here and it is not the next life.  It is this life.  So today there is a funeral.  Then there is sermon finishing.  Then there is relaxing.  Then tomorrow is Sunday.  When you are the preacher, it feels like Sunday comes 3x per week.

Ahh, I should stop whining.   I really don't have much to complain about.  You are a great bunch and I like being your pastor. 

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

taking responsibility

It is an interesting balance.  When to know to take responsibility for a thing, and when to understand that you have done everything that you can, and it is time to let a thing go.  There is nothing else that you can do.

I tell our staff to take responsibility and give credit.  Give credit to others, even if you were involved in a good thing.  And take responsibility for a problem, even if you were not at the center.  Avoid throwing others under the bus.  Give them a chance to succeed, every chance that you get.

So the thing that happened in your life, it may not be your responsibility.  If it is, than take it and work on it and try to make it right.  But be honest with yourself.  If it was not your responsibility, then release yourself from the burden and the guilt. 

Doing the right thing is an every day challenge for those who care about life.  Sometimes it means admitting to myself that I need to do better.  Sometimes it means not taking on things that really belong to someone else.  Knowing the difference between the two is a very interesting tightrope walk of life.  May God bless you and give you strength in your choosing of how to handle a thing.

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

where ever I go

A friend used to sing in church, "where ever I go I see him...."   Sometimes that song is stuck in my head.  And I love the message.  Where ever I go, God is already there.  If I go to dark communist China, God is already there.  If I go to Cuba, God is already there.  In fact there are many Catholics in Cuba.  If I go to the jungles of Africa where no one speaks English, God is already there, and has been since the beginning of time.

Sure we should always be ready and willing to tell the story, but we will never go anywhere and take God there for the first time.  God is already everywhere that we go.

Take God into that employer that seems to difficult, onto the traffic on 291, into the DMV office?  God is already there.  When we recognize his presence, it feels good to celebrate who He is and what He is doing, instead of thinking that I am the only broker of God in the world.

God is doing more than I could ask or think.  He is at work in the world, everywhere, well before I was even aware of it.  Where is God working that you might not be aware of?  How does it affect your view of the people in a place when we understand that God is already there, and already at work?

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

2nd mile

To go the second mile is to do something for someone that you are not required to do.  It is to help someone when you are not obligated to do so.  Probably all of us have gone the second mile for another.

But, have you ever gone the second mile, and then complained about it?  Have you been a bit annoyed that you had to help that person?  I just have to say it, I don't think it counts as obeying Jesus when we go the second mile but have a bad attitude about doing so.

Somewhere part of the goodness of the event isn't just the going of the mile, but the attitude with which I go the second mile.  The gift isn't just the favor done, but the heart that is shown along the way.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, and when we have the opportunity to go the second mile, Lord may we do it with grace.

life's problems

Life's problems.  We all have them.  We wish they would go away.  We wish them on someone else, but they come to us.  Sometimes they surprise us, but they shouldn't.


A flat tire.  A late plane.  Our team lost.  My computer is acting up.  On and on they go.


Somewhere along the journey of life, we all must stand up and face our problems.  We must realize that our parents can no longer save us.  We must come to the point where we know that our life is marked by our own ability, with the help of God, to achieve.


Sometimes we just have to stand up and be counted.  Those are difficult moments, but when we do, we are always glad that we did.  One of the greatest joys in life is to stand up in difficult times and do the right thing.


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

snow snow go away

Snow snow go away, come again some other day.  Some other month.  Some other year.  I am sick of winter.  The older I get the more I get tired of cold weather.

There is this thing called S.A.D.  Seasonal Affective Disorder.  It is where people get sad during long winters.  I am ready for it to be over.  I hear it is going to be 50 degrees later this week. 

I post this picture of a warmer day in hopes that it all comes to us very soon.

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

a good word

There is this saying in my brain.  My brain thinks it is a scripture, but I think it is really a compilation of a few scriptures that I have confused and put together by mistake.  None the less, it is a good saying and I have always liked it.  Here it is:


A good word at the right time is like health to the navel and marrow to the bones.

Who might be waiting for a good word from you?  Who might you bless with your words tomorrow?  Someone is there waiting, and you have the power to touch them.  To heal them.  Give the good word at the right time.  You will be glad that you did.

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

finding your soul

In the movie City Slickers Billy Chrystal's wife tells him to go on the cattle drive trip and to find his smile.  He had lost it.  Lost his smile, lost the joy of life.

Sometimes we have to go find our smile.  We have to go find our soul.  Life gets busy.  Really busy and we catch ourselves coming and going at such a hectic pace that it is no longer fun.

Well, friends, that is not living.  it is not what God intended.  When we get to feeling lost in life, we need to take time to find our souls.  Slow down, find the quiet, sit and rest.  In Psalm 51 the writer prays, "restore unto me the joy of thy salvation."

Find your soul, its still there.  If you have lost the joy, I am praying for you in this moment that God will touch you and help you feel his love.  He is here, with you.  Let him again breathe his love into your heart. 

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

a good soul

I had dinner the other night with a good soul.  Chicken wings, spinach dip and sliders.  [I think that is three of the four food groups.] 

What is a good soul?  A good soul is one of those exceptional people that you meet in life.  They get it.  They just get it.  They are often raised by Germans or Mennonites.  They are often from the Midwest or Iowa or Minnesota or South Dakota.  An eight inch snow is nothing to them.

They love their kids.  They would take a bullet for one of their kids.  They would take a bullet for you.  They love their wives.  They are 100% in the game.  They are determined, they are wise, they are gracious, they are kind.  They are just good souls.

I hope you know people like this.  There are many at Woods Chapel.  To have a friend that is a good soul is such a blessing.  Life is better when we share it with great folks.

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

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.